CH 195

Chapter 195 – In The Vehicle

I took out the required number of airboards for the troops going to the castle from my inventory, and we split up and headed for the castle.

Riding on the airboard I was driving were Sylphy, Melty, Ms. Zamir, and Isla, whom we had picked up before we boarded the airboard in Merinesburg. Also on board are Ellen and Sister Amalie-san. The other members of the Holy Kingdom were boarded on other airboards. Gustav, the guard captain, walked with Sir Leonard to Merinesburg, though.

“Even so, I was surprised. To be honest, I thought that all that number might have been too much for you.”

As we all boarded the airboard and I started to move the airboard, Ellen suddenly cut in with an emotionless voice.

Eh? Isn’t it bad to talk like you were worried about us and not the Holy Kingdom Army when Amalie-san was present?

“That degree is nothing compared to the power that Kosuke has given us. Or rather, is it okay?”

“Yes. It’s no use keeping it under wraps forever.”

I glanced at the rearview mirror, where I could see the backseat, and Ellen had just nodded her head with a completely unenthusiastic expression on her face. Amalie-san, who is sitting next to her, is nervous, not understanding the situation. Or rather, she has looked at me through the rearview mirror several times.

That’s right. After all, Amalie-san has been taking care of me for so long, and now I’m here with the Liberation Army and being treated like I’m one of the close associates of Sylphy, the leader of the Liberation Army. During the meeting, she had been giving me glances several times… or rather, she had been staring at me in a blatantly surprised manner.

“U-um, Eleonora-sama? What in the world happened here?”

“I was actually in contact with the Liberation Army.”

“Eh?”

“The scripture in the example was brought by Kosuke, but Kosuke originally was a member of the Liberation Army. After that, I was connected to the Liberation Army via the Slimes that nested in the royal castle.”

Amalie-san looked so pale that she looked as if she might faint at any moment. That’s probably true. The fact that the saint she served was in contact with the enemy, the Liberation Army, must have been a nightmarish event for Amalie-san, who is also an adherent of the Adol religion and a good citizen of the Holy Kingdom.

“Incidentally, the reason I am supporting the Liberation Army, or rather Kosuke, is because it is an oracle. As to the content of the divine oracle, I believe I told Kosuke about it as well.”

“S-so then, you also conspired to kill Commander Barth and the others…”

“No, that was not my intention. I did indeed incite them a little.”

Did she incite them?

“As a result, he was summoned to death, which was very ── Ahem. It was a very tragic incident.”

If you’re going to deceive her, you should deceive her properly, shouldn’t you? I mean, you’re so dark, Ellen. Why don’t you act like a proper saint? Look, Amalie-san is about to have a stroke.

“How can she be a saint…? Adol must be blind or something.”

Sylphy stares at Ellen with a serious look in her eyes. The big eye of Isla, who is sitting next to Sylphy, also has a serious look. Melty is kind of smiling, though. Oh, I think she and Ellen might be kindred spirits. Yeah.

“If it is an organization of only a few thousand people, it may be possible to keep everyone on good terms, but when it is an organization of hundreds of thousands or million, factions, interests, personal greed, and ties make it difficult for everyone to be on good terms.”

“It is lamentable, isn’t it? That’s why people who don’t even consider their own kind as their own kind…”

And when Sylphy let out a sigh while shaking her head lamentably, Melty and Isla opened their mouths.

“The same is true for the subhuman race. It is said that if three people gather together, they form a faction.”

“Hmm. My master also said that he had a hard time because of that.”

The sudden defense of Ellen by Melty and Isla made Sylphy look like she had been betrayed. Seeing Sylphy’s situation, Ellen smiled very kindly.

“I’ve been thinking for a while now that the Black Forest Witch, contrary to her terrifying nickname, has a very simple heart.”

“…Stop that uncomfortable expression on your face right now, as if you were looking at an infant.”

Perhaps sensing the disadvantage of her situation, Sylphy said just that and fell silent with a blank expression on her face.

Are you asking me if it’s okay to look so closely behind me while I’m driving? It’s okay. I have deployed Isla’s shock-absorbing barrier. Even if we hit something, it will be a soft contact, so it’s actually safe. It also has the convenient function of stopping flying arrow balls and magic attacks.

“Um… Eleonora-sama.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“What is this oracle about…?”

“Well, I’ll tell you. I don’t think it is necessary to keep it to myself at this point. God said: I will face death wherever I go. But I will meet my destiny beyond that point. I must live with my destiny. And that wig pig bastard――”

“Saint-sama, please correct your language.”

“――Ahem. I was almost assassinated by the former archbishop’s men, which I took as a confrontation with death, and I considered Kosuke, who saved me from that event, to be my destiny. Then I acted, and here we are. Since I have not yet lost my eyes to see the truth or my luminosity, I believe that my interpretation is not mistaken as a result.”

After clearing her throat in response to my protest, Ellen told Amalie-san the contents of the oracle that she had told me before. I had thought that she had shared the contents of the oracle with Amalie-san, but it seems that this was not the case.

It seems that Sylphy and the others did not know the specifics of Ellen’s oracle, and they looked interested in it. Especially Isla.

“Interesting. Kosuke must have appeared in this world in accordance with the lore of the Elves of the Black Forest. According to the lore of the Elves, it was a spirit that led Kosuke to this world. However, a being thought to be Adol brought the saint and Kosuke together in the form of an oracle. Adol is the only God. That is common in both current and old teachings. And yet, to give an oracle that seems to recognize the existence of Kosuke, a being summoned by the spirits that are the object of the Elves’ faith… Kosuke’s power is of a nature that is close to a miracle――”

Isla immediately began to mumble rapidly. But, hahaha, Isla never wavers.

“That is why I believe that my actions align with God’s will. In fact, I am delighted to see that the scriptures that contain the correct teachings have been discovered and that the current mainstream has deviated from God’s teachings. God must be annoyed with the recent corruption in the Adol religion and the upper echelons of the Holy Kingdom.”

“I-is that so…?”

Amalie-san is trembling, with her face turning blue. Ellen does not doubt in the slightest that her actions are not wrong as long as she has not lost her power. As a result, she seems to have no feelings of fear or trepidation about the loss of nearly 2,000 lives. The power of faith is amazing… It’s a little scary.

“We, too, have read through what is called the old teachings of the Adol religion. At any rate, we think that the content of that book would be acceptable in the Merinard Kingdom. At least, I don’t think we’re actively trying to get rid of it.”

“Is that so…?”

The words of Amalie-san had completely lost their power. If I were in her shoes, I might have a pit in my stomach. I would prescribe her a life potion later.

As I continued driving the airboard, I could finally see our destination.

“We’re almost there!”

I told the backseat passengers, who were in a delicate mood, as I slowly moved the airboard forward.

It has been about 20 years since Sylphy left this castle. After such a long time, she finally crossed the threshold of her parents’ house.