Chapter : 53

The banquet concluded successfully.

Through the uninhibited drinking party, I received promises of various support and sponsorship from the influential figures of Canton.

With this, while I don't know about the long term, the possibility of the Canton Council taking hostile action against me in the short term converged to zero.

It was a great relief for me, who had been trying to focus on the internal problems of the Elang Kingdom ahead of the upcoming [The Great Famine] event.

Even if not an alliance, it was good to have at least one friendly power in the rear.

Furthermore, not only this, but I was also able to receive substantial monetary compensation from the Canton Council.

A few dwarf council members tried to subtly get away with just saying they would build a commemorative statue, but there was no chance of that.

I had already heard about it from Captain Konrad. Wouldn't falling for this make me a sucker?

Thanks to that, my soldiers and I, regardless of rank, were busy managing the overflowing gold trinkets.

“Mehehehe~ It’s so shiny. Mer.”

Of course, the pinnacle of it all was Bishop Marco, the goat beastman, who wore gold rings studded with jewels on every finger, from wherever he had received such flashy rings.

‘He’s so consistent. Sometimes I’m even envious.’

Perhaps the happiest and most carefree person in this world right now is that Bishop Marco?

I really want to pop open his head and see what’s inside…. Then, as if sensing my violent(?) thoughts, Bishop Marco suddenly whipped his head around.

“Mwa? Did you call me. Mer?”

“Ah, no. I was complimenting you. Saying how well those gold trinkets suit you.”

“Mehehehehehet. As expected of the Lord! Your aesthetic sense is magnificent! Meeeeh~.”

I wiped away a cold sweat as I watched the goat beastman humming with his distinctive square pupils rolling around.

As expected, Bishop Marco was ridiculously quick on the uptake.

‘By the way, it was called [Blessing of the Goddess of Life], wasn’t it…?’

Suddenly, I remembered the power I had obtained in the heretic temple.

The trait [Blessing of the Goddess of Life] received from the Goddess of Life.

It was a trait I had never seen before, even as a game nerd who was not just a veteran, but had rotted from playing it so much.

‘It’s probably a new element that was created when this world was formed….’

Considering the new functions that appeared after I was transmigrated into [Pangea Universalise], it was entirely possible.

After all, wasn't the [Character Status] window itself a function that didn't originally exist?

[Trait: Blessing of the Goddess of Life]

[Exerts endless vitality and transcendent power.]

‘The endless vitality seems to be this recovery power….’

Despite drinking so much yesterday, I was perfectly fine.

The hangover, the terrible fatigue, and the smell of alcohol that should have been wafting from me were all completely gone.

It was a truly incredible ability. With this, wouldn't I be full of energy even after fighting for days and nights on end?

‘Is the transcendent power something like superhuman strength?’

Thinking about it, I tilted my head.

Power was surging through my entire body right now.

Not as a figure of speech, but for real.

Even though I was in full gear, with a thick gambeson, chain mail, and a war coat, it didn't feel heavy at all. It felt like I was wearing everyday clothes. And that wasn't all.

-Screeeech!

It felt like I could crush the gauntlet on my hand at any moment.

If that was possible, it meant I had truly obtained transcendent power. To a degree that could hardly be considered human.

“Ho, are you checking the blessing you received from the goddess?”

“Ah, Magician Agpiel. That's right.”

“Hoho, yes. It is an excellent attitude to clearly grasp the power you have received. The mysteries you obtain can sometimes destroy the owner himself.”

One had to clearly grasp the limits and uses of an obtained mystery. Why did the peerless heroes in heroic tales meet tragic ends?

They all met their ruin due to the greed of trying to handle mysteries beyond their limits.

That's why Magician Agpiel was pleased with this young noble's wise attitude.

“So, how is the blessing? I'd imagine, being the Goddess of Life, she would have given you something like recovery or primal power?”

“Oh-!”

“Anyone can deduce that much, so stop making that face. It's quite embarrassing.”

“Keuhum, my apologies.”

Having been worn down by medieval people for so long, I now found myself impressed by even such things.

As if my embarrassed look was pathetic, Magician Agpiel clicked his tongue with a tsk-tsk.

“You’re really something else.”

-Clatter!

“Here, take this.”

“?”

“Aren't you curious about the extent of the blessing you've received? Try bending it. Your recovery seems fine, seeing as you're walking around without a problem.”

“Ah-!”

What Magician Agpiel handed me was a blunt iron bar. It was the perfect object to test my strength.

I took it in my hands and applied force.

-Screeeech!

It bent without much resistance. Seeing this, Magician Agpiel took another iron bar from his robes and handed it to me.

“Try this one too.”

-Screeeech!

“Oh. This one was a bit more refined, but you bent it easily.”

Then, as if his interest was piqued, he kept taking out iron bars.

“This one?”

-Screak!

“Hah, this one has had some magic applied to it. It won't be easy….”

-Screak?

“Keh, keuhum. Incredible. This one is a special alloy with magic….”

-Screeeak!

“……?”

Magician Agpiel was momentarily speechless. I mean, what kind of blessing was this brutish?

But he soon came to his senses and, telling himself this was the last one, spoke with a grim expression.

“R-right. Of course it should be like this, having received a goddess's blessing. Still, this one will be different-! It's steel refined by the northern barbarian elves, enchanted with magic. Probably even an ogre…”

However.

-Screee….

-Screak?

“……”

“……”

Contrary to his bold declaration, the iron bar bent with a snap just like before.

And watching this, Magician Agpiel let out a sigh mixed with admiration.

“Oh, my god…. What kind of ogre in a human’s skin have you created.”

* * *

After a few experiments, the conclusion Magician Agpiel reached was that my strength was almost equal to or greater than a giant's.

In short, it meant I truly had superhuman strength-!

Therefore, Magician Agpiel sighed and advised.

“It would be best not to let the bishops find out about this crazy power. Anyone would easily misunderstand it as borrowing the power of a demon.”

“I think so too. But won't it be difficult not to get caught? It doesn't make sense to hold back my strength in a life-or-death battle, does it, Magician Agpiel?”

“Well, that's true, but….”

Agpiel trailed off at my words. Even he thought it was a valid point. But he soon shrugged and replied.

“Well, come to think of it, if you get caught, you can just say you received a miracle.”

“……”

“Why are you looking at me like that? You're already famous as a performer of miracles, so who's going to point fingers if one more miracle is added to the list?”

It was a very carefree way of putting it, but it was absurd how plausible it sounded.

Indeed, as Agpiel said, since I had already gained fame, would one more thing really be a problem?

If someone kept trying to find fault, it was a problem that could be solved by donating money to the Holy See to prove my faith(?).

“Yes, yes. That is very good advice, Magician Agpiel.”

“Keuhum. Hum.”

As if slightly embarrassed himself, Magician Agpiel cleared his throat and subtly changed the subject.

“By the way, it seems to me you met the Canton Chairman separately at the banquet…. Am I right?”

“Were you watching that too? Haha.”

“So I was right. The Canton Chairman must have already said he wanted to support you, right?”

“Heh, you are correct.”

He might seem a bit clueless(?), but a sage was a sage after all. I shook my head at his sharp insight and nodded.

“Seeing as the Canton Chairman didn't make a separate speech, you must not have accepted his proposal yet?”

“That is correct.”

The Canton Chairman's proposal certainly seemed sweet, but in truth, it wasn't that attractive.

In any case, by calming the curse and plague situation, the favorability of the Canton citizens and council members towards me was at an all-time high.

So why should I stand at the forefront and create a conflict with the Emperor on behalf of the Canton 12-State Federation?

I would receive support even if I stayed still.

‘It's a poisoned chalice.’

I was already being used enough just by acting as the Holy See's standard-bearer. I had no intention of foolishly making more enemies.

“That's a relief. I'm very glad that you are not hasty.”

“???”

As expected.

My judgment seemed to have been correct.

“Why, is there a problem?”

“Hmm, no matter how I think about it, it's strange. So I did some investigating. In truth, the location of that temple wasn't easy to find even if one intentionally went looking for it, was it?”

“Ah-! That's right.”

The heretic's temple deep in the Arhen Mountains. As Agpiel said, it wasn't a place one could easily find.

Truly in the middle of nowhere.

The most remote of remote places.

“I asked the dwarf council members, and they said they received the information about the heretic temple from the Augus Merchant Guild. They passed on the information, saying they had barbarian tribes they secretly traded with.”

“The Augus Merchant Guild?”

At those words, I tilted my head.

There must be a reason why Magician Agpiel specifically mentioned the name of the merchant guild.

I quickly scanned the information in my head. And then my eyes widened at the information that came to mind.

“You mean the merchant guild of the Fugger family?”

“That's right. The merchant guild of the Orc family that supports the current Emperor of the Holy Empire.”

-Tiriring!

[You have discovered a faint fragment. The Emperor of the Holy Empire has always wanted to rule the Canton 12-State Federation. Could this incident have been the Emperor's conspiracy to weaken the Canton 12-State Federation?]

[Notification: Investigating this incident may bring you closer to the Emperor's conspiracy.]

Well, I'll be.

So this was the Holy Empire event, the Emperor's Conspiracy.

Due to the nature of the Holy Empire, where the emperor is elected by the votes of the electors, the Emperor of the Holy Empire always desired achievements and the weakening of the nobility. This incident must have been an extension of that conspiracy.

“If you had accepted the Canton Chairman's proposal, you would have been at the very forefront of a war with the Emperor. It was a very good choice to refuse the proposal.”

“Hmm…. Indeed.”

I nodded at Magician Agpiel's worried advice.

It was a million fortunes that I refused. If I had been greedier and rashly accepted, it would have been really difficult to clean up the mess.

“Thank you very much for letting me know, Agpiel.”

“Hoho, don't mention it. You've helped me so much. Though it was a short connection, it was a very meaningful one.”

As he spoke, Magician Agpiel grinned.

Humble, unlike a noble, always taking the lead, and also cautious.

He had a tendency to worry too much or seem a bit petty, but this was a truly rare and honorable noble.

And on top of that, he even expressed his gratitude like this-! He was a person worth taking care of.

“Ah, and take this.”

“?”

“Didn't I say I would give you a gift? If you helped me.”

“?! That's right.”

So many things had happened that I had completely forgotten. To think he would remember and give it to me like this.

“This ring is the Ring of Protection. Remember the wooden mass that blocked the blood magic last time? If someone targets your life, the Ring of Protection will react and protect you.”

“Oh, is it alright for me to receive such a valuable item?”

“Valuable, pfft. Since I said I would give you a gift, I must give you an item worthy of that promise. So accept it without any burden.”

Magician Agpiel said, grumbling as if embarrassed.

“And tell me when you are leaving for the Holy See. I plan to go with you.”

“?????”

Huh? What does that mean? I was so surprised I stopped putting on the ring and looked at Agpiel. Agpiel shrugged his shoulders.

“Didn't you help me with my work? We've given and taken, so this time I should help you with your work.”

“Oh?”

“Are you uncomfortable with that?”

“Not at all. I would be truly grateful if you would join me.”

Hadn't I clearly seen the power of a magician in battle? Not just magic, Agpiel was also an excellent advisor.

What a windfall!

It seems that good fortune comes to those who have a kind heart.

Then, a thought suddenly occurred to me, and I asked Agpiel.

“But by any chance, do I also have to give you a gift like this in return, Magician? I don't really have anything to give.”

“……”

“Ah-! Don't misunderstand. It's not that I won't give you anything, but I don't have anything of this value. Keuhum.”

“…Just don't say anything.”