“The negotiations with the archbishop at the cathedra there collapsed almost immediately.”
“What…?”
“Heir Hyland wanted to attend to it in person, but since it is an important area that connects the north and the south, Duke Laforque will oversee the negotiations instead.”
When Col was a child, the town of Lenos did not even have a church yet, but these days the scale of worship there had reached the point where it could be called the great center of faith in the northlands. It had been close to ten years since the establishment of the cathedrae, which had the authority to command priests in other churches, and almost ten years since the archbishop first held the priest’s staff.
Col’s spirits fell, though it was not because negotiations at the important town of Lenos had not gone well.
“Much to Heir Hyland’s chagrin, I’m sure.”
He was worried about that particular person.
“Why fret? The good thing about him is that he doesn’t give up.”
Hyland had a high status and the blood of Winfiel royalty, but the messenger spoke of him as though he was a friend. Typically, this would be disrespectful, but Col understood how the man felt. Hyland had an oddly unassuming, straightforward nature, which made it easy to think of him as a close acquaintance.
Of course, Col had decided to help the Kingdom of Winfiel because it was a reasonable thing to do, but it was also because Hyland had come to soak in the waters of Nyohhira and asked for his help directly.
“Then, will the next negotiations be in Atiph? But using Atiph after Lenos…”
“You mean since the negotiations in Lenos have failed, they’re already obsolete?”
Prompted by the man, Col nodded compliantly.
“Even with a cathedra at the church in Atiph, a newcomer is still a newcomer. It’s a lesser one for sure. But these past few years, the entire town has really benefited from trade, and it appears they will continue to grow. If we can convince them, we could secure a third of the northern sea.”
If the Debau Company, the ruler of every corner of the northlands, said such a thing, then it was certain.
Additionally, Col was unaware of the news that Atiph had grown so quickly. One always ended up out of the loop in the remote mountains of Nyohhira.
“Moreover, Atiph is an autonomous city not subject to any particular royal authority, so it isn’t a bad place to begin. If they respond favorably to our persuasion, then other free city-states may follow suit. More importantly, it takes less than two days to reach the Winfiel Kingdom from Atiph on the sea routes nowadays. It seems far on a map, but it is actually a crucial town.”
Col did have some confidence in his knowledge of geography, but the world was shifting a great deal. Perhaps it would be best to think of what he remembered as a thing of the past.
“In any case, we need Heir Hyland and the Kingdom of Winfiel to work as hard as they can. There’s no profit for us in following blindly.”
He smiled wryly at the man’s merchantlike choice of words, but it was the truth.
“Sir Col, you have a goal in mind as well, no? Aiming for the seat of the royal family’s priest?”
“Well…”
He was about to argue, but he faltered. Instead, he smiled shyly, admitting his own desires.
“I cannot say that I am uninterested in being successful. However, I cannot accept the pope’s frankly tyrannical policies and this status quo in which God’s teachings are being used so arbitrarily. Most of all, I was touched to see Heir Hyland so firm in his faith. I would very much like for someone like him to rule. If I could be of assistance to proper worship, then I would be most pleased. And…”
“And?”
“If the tithes grow stronger, then the price of goods coming into Nyohhira will go up, right? So if we instead eliminate them, then we can protect Nyohhira’s profits.”
The other man seemed rather surprised and smacked his forehead, smiling.
“You’re different from the monks holed up studying in monasteries, Sir Col. You are truly reassuring. You firmly grasp the scales in your right hand and the scriptures in your left.”
“Or perhaps I don’t have a good hold of either.”
“That’s something you show little by little as you go.”
And thus everyone would gain what they wished for in the end. Though Col himself was one of the potential beneficiaries, it was not as if he had no interest in simply wanting to work with Hyland. It would be an exaggeration, however, to say he would do it without any compensation.
He could still clearly remember his talk with Hyland, soaking in the silent grotto bath that was only for the use of distinguished guests, wishing to go through the catechisms. Hyland’s faith and passion were real, and his heart truly ached for his country as it faced hardships brought on by the pope’s whims. From time immemorial, the clergymen who stood beside those in power were also often their friends. Col could stand proud if everything he had learned up until that point in life could be used to support such a wonderful person.
“And I am quite looking forward to seeing Heir Hyland’s ambitious plans,” the man said, grinning. “Making Our Book of God is such exciting business, even for someone my age. I’m expecting great things from you, too, Sir Col.”
“You are too kind.”
It was truly how he felt, not any sort of modesty, but the man cackled.
“For now, we will take care of everyone’s stay at the Debau Company trading house. I will ensure all the necessary tools are in order as well.”
“Thank you.”
“Well, I must be off to my next destination. Once I hop onto my boat, I’ll be at the next town. Heir Hyland should be arriving at Atiph by sea already. May God watch over you.”
The man smiled slightly and left the room.
Standing in front of the closed door, Col heaved a deep sigh. Apparently he had been unconsciously nervous.
He knew he was simply one of many collaborators and that this was a real problem regarding faith. Despite that, he felt something burning deep within his chest—the pope, who had forgotten his original duty, and the Kingdom of Winfiel, which stood up to challenge him.
He did not think he had ever felt the excitement of facing a major task and the yearning for adventure in him.
First, he decided that even if it was too presumptuous of him to want to be Hyland’s support in Atiph, he would help somehow. Then—
“Oh! Brother!”
His somber thoughts shattered when he heard Myuri’s silly voice from the other side of the door.
“Open up!”
There came the thud, thud of kicks against the door.
He sighed and opened it.
“How many times have I told you to stop kicking the door?”
“Ah! Ah! Move, move!”
Myuri listened to none of Col’s scolding and stumbled into the room, bumping into him in the process. Her arms were stuffed with things that somehow did not fall onto the floor, and she eventually managed to place them on the bed.
“My hands, they’re so hot! I think I burned them…”
She blew hard onto them, but Col stood still, dumbfounded.
“Myuri? Why do you have so many things?”
He had given her bronze dip pieces, the area’s smallest currency in circulation. Two or three were enough to buy one meal, so they were perfect for buying a few slices of pork and old, dried bread.
With that, Myuri had acquired a variety of things wrapped in big leaves and three fine pieces of bread as thick as her thighs. No matter how he figured it, that was much more than what the money could buy. To top it off, she even had a small wine cask.
“I thought I told you no alcohol.”
Myuri pouted, as though it was too much trouble to keep ignoring him.
“I didn’t buy it.”
“You didn’t?”
“They gave it to me.”
“That’s not—Wait, all of this?”
Th
en, Myuri suddenly smiled proudly.
“I was waiting for the pig to roast, and they asked me to come dancing. When I danced along to the music everyone was so happy!”
She placed her hands on her cheeks, and when she spun around merrily, her ears and tail appeared. She was a girl who enjoyed any sort of festivities and often joined the dancers at the bathhouse in Nyohhira.
Col watched her and sighed, his hand meeting his forehead. Then, while she pranced about, humming and flicking her bushy tail, he stopped her by pressing on her head.
“Myuri, from now on, you must be more careful about these things.”
“Huh?”
Underneath his hand, a puzzled Myuri looked up at him.
Then, she opened her mouth as though she realized something.
“Ah…Um, I did think that, maybe, um, getting on the table with my shoes on was a bad thing, but…”
Her ears drooped, and her tail hung lifelessly.
Col felt light-headed—she had done such a thing?
“But…but…I checked to see if there were other dancers! I know I shouldn’t get in the way of their work!”
She confidently puffed up her chest as if to declare that she knew that much.
When she would join the circle of performers in Nyohhira, she shone the brightest with her cheerfulness and innocence.
But then, instead of tipping the true dancers and perhaps receiving a small smile in return, the guests started giving meat and bread to the innocent Myuri to watch her wolf it down. It became a major infringement on the dancers’ territory, and she had caused man disputes. She was likely alluding to that. Col let go of her head, made a fist, and lightly rapped her with it.
“That is not what I’m talking about.”
“…?”
Myuri dramatically pressed a hand to her head in objection.
Suddenly exhausted, Col opened the window and gazed out, knowing that there used to be a time when she actually listened to him.
“This is not Nyohhira. It’s dangerous for a girl to dance in front of drunkards.”
The roasting pig from earlier was now nothing but bone. The guests had drunk quite a bit and were amusing themselves with arm wrestling at the moment.
The usual gathering at this checkpoint was comprised of merchants buying and selling furs or timber, those who transported cargo, and the captains who steered the ships. All things considered, the crowd was a bit rough, but it was not on the level of mercenaries.
“Dangerous?” Myuri repeated the word as a question, dubious.
“That means not every man will drop to one knee and hold out flowers after they’ve had their heart stolen by a wonderful dance.”
And Myuri appeared defenseless enough as it was.
“Oh, that’s what you mean. It’s okay!” Myuri said as she reached out for the food she had thrown onto the bed. She undid the carefully wound leaf wrapping around what appeared to be truly delicious-looking pork, still dripping fat.
“Miss Helen taught me lots. And Mother also said that the value of a woman depends on how many men she’s declined,” she said while pinching the pork and putting it into her mouth before licking the fat off her fingers.
Myuri had spent time with the children of nobles on occasion, and once they tired of hunting in the mountains, there was nothing else to do. Whether they were joking or not, many called out to her.
It was normal for her to receive men’s attention. If he scolded her, warning that she would never get married if she continued like this, she would not listen.
“Honestly…”
Perhaps it was that girls her age were not afraid of anything.
He suddenly felt as though he had aged ten, twenty years and said, “Not everyone is reasonable.”
As she ate her second piece of meat, Myuri slumped, indicating that perhaps his lecturing was finally sinking in.
“It would already be too late if something had happened to you. Do you understand, Myuri? You are still young and ignorant of the world. When I tell you to be more careful, it’s not because I’m teasing you, but because it’s how I can protect you.”
As he explained fluently to the girl in front of him, Myuri placed the package of meat on the bed, ripped open the bread, and placed the meat between the pieces.
She was bent over as she did so, and her fluffy ashen tail swished back and forth behind her small bottom. It was as though she was reassuring him—It’s all right, it’s all right.
“Are you listening to me?”
“Yeeep. Here, this one is for you.”
With a smile, she offered him an enormous piece of bread that was, of course, as big as her thigh. Plenty of meat was sandwiched inside of it, as well as cheese to stuff it full.
“…I can’t eat all this.”
“What? But, Brother, that’s why you’re too skinny.”
“S-skinny…”
Though he was not quite on the level of hunters and mercenaries, Col thought he had enough muscle on him, so that remark stung considerably.
And the piece of bread that Myuri took for herself was much bigger than the one she had handed him, and he felt full just from looking at it.
“Digging in!”
Myuri opened her mouth wide and bit aggressively into the bread. Her ears and tail wiggled in bliss—where did she find room for everything in that slender body of hers?
“Good grief…”
Col did not know how many times he had sighed that day. He watched Myuri engrossed in her meal before taking a bite of bread himself. It would be a lie to say that he was not, in a way, jealous of how she saw the world as brimming with exciting things, beautiful vistas, smiles and happiness.
Though that did not mean he wanted her to lose her innocence and regard others with a doubtful eye. Nothing would be better than if he could raise her to be as straightforward as this, without anything ever hurting her.
To that end, he wanted her to know as little of the outside world as possible and live quietly in Nyohhira.
“And we need to talk about you going back to Nyohhira.”
When he broached the subject, Myuri suddenly stopped munching on the bread and tilted her head to the side in annoyance.
“Don’t play dumb with me,” he said.
Surely, Myuri was not foolish enough to think that he would accept their traveling together just like that.
Just as he expected, when he pointed this out to her, her expression changed and she tore into the bread. It seemed her laudable attitude had existed only on the boat.
“No, I’m not going back.”
“Yes, you are.”
When he cut her down with a single stroke, her tail bristled.
“I planned on taking you to Svernel, where we would find someone trustworthy to bring you back, but my plans have changed. Tomorrow morning, I will send a fast horse with a letter to Nyohhira and have someone come to get you.”
During this time of year, there were many guests in every bathhouse, and it was very busy. This thought alone made him want to take her home himself, but trudging back along the snowy mountain roads with Myuri in tow would take two or three days.
He needed to move forward quickly now that Hyland, who had hired him directly, might already be in Atiph.
“And Lawrence and Holo must be worrying about you back in Nyohhira right about now.”
It would be odd if Lawrence were not growing frantic now. Or perhaps, Myuri’s mother, Holo, would come under the cover of darkness in her true form, a giant beast known as the wisewolf who could swallow a person whole.
Actually, that would make Col more than happy since Myuri only ever obeyed her mother.
But just as the thought occurred to him—
“They’re not,” Myuri said, a hint of desperation in her voice. Perhaps it was typical for someone her age to see her parents’ meddling as annoying. She might rebel if he admonished her directly, so he wondered how to lecture her. As he searched his memory for a passage from the scripture
s, Myuri held a piece of bread in her mouth, spread her hands, and then pulled something out from under her shirt.
“Ehho-hey, ah-hoo, hee-how-ha-how, ha-haw-ha-haw.”
“I’m sorry, what did you say?”
As Col asked, he noticed what she had drawn from her clothing.
“Hmm…Ah, that’s—!”
Myuri was not desperate—she was exasperated.
She was holding a small pouch tied together by a string. It was nothing special at a glance, but it was enough to make him fall silent.
“Ehho…Nom, gulp. There’s no way I could leave the house without Mother knowing.”
That pouch belonged to Myuri’s mother, Holo. It was small enough to fit comfortably in a fist, and Holo always had it around her neck. That was because it was stuffed with different kinds of wheat inside, and Holo lived in the grains as a being who had once controlled its harvest.
“When I told Mother about you, she put some wheat in the pouch and gave it to me. She said to take care of you and that if I have this, I can protect you when the time is right.”
When he heard that, he felt as though heaven and earth had been flipped.
Not him looking after Myuri but Myuri looking after him?
She stared right at him as he stood in a daze.
“What were you talking about just now?”
Her gaze chilled him to his core.
“Just now?”
It was not necessarily revenge, but when he responded dumbly, the fur on Myuri’s tail stood on end.
“You met with a stranger here!”
“You eavesdropped…”
“You were inside talking when I came back so I was just waiting outside!” So she said, but she had definitely strained her wolf ears to listen in. “But that doesn’t matter! You are going to go to some faraway land to be a priest! I knew it! You liar!”
She bared her canines, which stood out a bit more than the average human’s, perhaps because of her wolf’s blood, and growled loudly. The fur on her tail, too, bristled like a ragged brush.
He had told Lawrence and Holo, the bathhouse owners, the true reason for his journey. However, he had figured Myuri would not understand if he explained it to her since it could get complicated, so he simply told her that he would be going to help an acquaintance someplace far away.