Chapter 114 - 114 Reunion
Steve whispered something to Eaton.
"That is Camilla Frank, the Saint's Holy Knight guard. Something is wrong with her. Could you please let her into the carriage?"
Eaton's eyes widened at the word "Holy Knight." A Holy Knight is a figure every knight belonging to the temple longs for. For one to be floating around as a homeless person with no trace of their former self meant this was no ordinary matter.
Furthermore, Eaton believed Steve's words because he had judged him to be a trustworthy person during their discussions on the journey. If Steve, whom he trusted, said she was a Holy Knight, then Eaton believed the ragged woman before his eyes must indeed be a Holy Knight.
Camilla was quickly brought into the carriage. Had she not bathed for several days? The room was filled with a pungent odor. Prince Carter wrinkled his nose at the smell. Camilla's gaze had no focus; it was unclear where she was looking. Drool hung from her mouth. Steve thought she looked like a drug addict. And he immediately remembered that the manufacturer of the drugs was the Fries Holy Church.
"It feels like drugs were used, but are drugs rampant in the Holy Nation?"
"I don't know about rampant, but before I was assigned to the Kingdom of Cascade, I heard rumors of women selling their springtime services. I wanted to believe such trade and drugs wouldn't circulate right under the Great Cathedral's nose, but it seems such things did happen. Keep it secret."
It is the world's rule that if there is a man, a business of selling springtime services can be established. That was no exception even in the Holy Nation. Furthermore, it is a set pattern for excess drugs to circulate throughout the town. Just as military nations on Earth do.
Since Steve had become able to use Medicine Removal magic, he thought he would try using it. Since Medicine Refining allows one to create opioid-based painkillers, he reasoned that Removal magic should be able to remove similar drugs.
However, this would mean using magic right before Eaton's eyes. He worried that if this were discovered, measures to seal his magic would be taken. Yet, seeing Camilla's condition, he knew there was no time to spare.
"Eaton, I am going to show you a miracle of God now, but please do not speak of it to others. I want to save Camilla."
"Though it does not seem like words from a lord who denies God, if we can save the Holy Knight, I shall make a promise. I swear by God."
"Thank you."
He could have forced Eaton with magic, but this time he decided to trust Eaton.
And so, he used Medicine Removal magic on Camilla. He had done it for containers or spilled chemicals on the floor, but this was the first time using it on a human body. As expected, he hoped removing the drugs would work, and soon after the magic activated, Camilla's focus returned to her eyes. Her mouth, half-open and dripping drool, closed.
Once her focus returned, Camilla noticed Steve before her.
"Lord Archibalt."
"Hello, long time no see."
"Why are you here?"
"I was brought here as a defendant in a religious trial. Look."
Showing his bound wrists.
"How terrible! So you are locked up in such a smelly place?"
"No, we are not the ones who smell."
Steve hesitated in his speech. Then, he created hot water with Water magic and washed Camilla's body. It was a magic like combining a washing machine and a bath, capable of removing grime without harming the human body. It was a magic Steve invented after being dissatisfied with baths on the journey. After washing, the dirty water was discarded into subspace via Storage Magic.
Thus, Camilla realized the smell was her own. And that she was almost completely naked. Since the cloth Camilla held was also dirty, Steve stored it and took out a clean cloth. Since he did not have women's clothing, this cloth was the only substitute.
Camilla quickly accepted it and covered her body.
Seeing the series of magics, Eaton clasped his hands to Steve.
"This is the work of God."
He was moved. While fire and water magic are widely known, many do not know of Medicine Removal or Storage Magic. Furthermore, even the existence of Teleportation magic is unknown to most.
Therefore, he looks less like a mage and more like an apostle sent by God.
Steve felt embarrassed by Eaton's excitement. So, he told Eaton to stop, but Eaton continued praying. Giving up on persuading Eaton, Steve asked Camilla what happened.
"It seems you were a drug addict, but why did it happen to you?"
Asked like that, Camilla wanted to know who the two people in the carriage were first.
"Who are these two?"
"Prince Carter of the Kingdom of Cascade and the Temple Knight Eaton. They are my trial witnesses and guards."
"Is the Pope involved?"
"I don't know. I am also framed and facing a religious trial. I don't know who framed me, but I guess it was someone with the Pope's breath on them. Well, these two seem to have a low probability of that."
Saying this, he looked at the two, and both denied any relationship with the Pope.
Camilla was troubled, but since Steve was the only one she could consult with now, she told him what happened to her.
Hearing this, Steve began to see the flow of the incident.
"I understand. Camilla was looking for the drug manufacturing location, was summoned by the Pope, had drugs slipped into her tea, and has no memory from there on. The mastermind is the Pope, correct?"
Steve's gaze was harsh. He had no intention of forgiving the Pope, who was the mastermind behind the attack on his family. He was thinking about how to defeat him, but suddenly Julia's face floated in his mind.
"By the way, it was originally a request from the Saintess, wasn't it? Let's confirm the client's intentions."
Eaton looked confused at Steve saying that.
"This carriage is heading toward the Great Cathedral. So, you must be put into a prisoner cell."
"Or have Julia come here."
Saying that, Camilla looked confused this time.
"If I try to contact the Saintess, they will find me again."
Camilla was wary of being discovered by the Pope's faction.
In fact, at this time, the Pope did not care about Camilla at all. After forcing her to confess, he ordered his subordinates to do as they pleased. The subordinates administered more drugs to make Camilla's consciousness hazy and toyed with her body endlessly. Since she couldn't even take a bath, once she began to emit a foul odor, Camilla became useless.
At this time, a mistake occurred within the Pope's faction.
The priest meant to order "dispose of her," but the side receiving the command threw her out into the town in the middle of the night without killing her.
As a result, Camilla survived.
Later, the priest noticed the miscommunication of the order, but by then Camilla had already moved and was nowhere to be found. Since she was a severe drug addict, he assumed she wouldn't last long and abandoned the search.
And at this time, no one knew that Julia was under house arrest.
In the end, Steve entered the cell, and Eaton went to get permission for a meeting with the Saintess. However, he was troubled about how to ensure Camilla's safety.
Steve asked Camilla.
"Is there a hidden place unknown to the Pope's faction?"
"Not in this narrow town."
"Tough. If my hideout is fine, I can guide you."
When he proposed that, Camilla accepted.
There was no sharp attitude like when they first met.
"Please take care of me."
"Alright, wait a moment."
Steve said that to Eaton and teleported away with Camilla. Then he returned immediately.
"Let's go."
Eaton was surprised that Steve disappeared and returned so quickly.
"Did you perhaps escape at any time?"
"Well, yes. But that would trouble Eaton, wouldn't it?"
"Well, that is true..."
Eaton understood the reason Steve had no sense of desperation. Because he could escape at any time, the religious trial was not scary.
"By the way, will permission for a meeting with the Saintess be granted?"
"It's fine. Everyone is kind to death row inmates. Permission will surely be granted."
At this time, if permission was not granted, Steve intended to escape via teleportation and find the Saintess. However, surprisingly, permission was granted. Moreover, they would take Steve out of the cell and guide him to the room where Julia was under house arrest.
Steve breathed a sigh of relief, but this was a trap set by the Pope.
Upon hearing the news of Steve's arrival and the request for a meeting with the Saintess, the Pope came up with a plan to tarnish the Saintess's reputation and eliminate her.
He asked the priest who brought the report with a smile.
"Priest, what do you think would happen if the Saintess was found to have committed adultery?"
"There would be a huge uproar. Voices saying it is inappropriate would rise."
"Right. A request for a meeting has come from Archibalt. I plan to let them meet in a private room. What would happen then?"
"Doubts of adultery would arise."
"Exactly. Let's dispose of Archibalt together."
The priest also understood the Pope's aim. Thus, a meeting late at night was permitted. The Pope judged that this was better than having Steve reveal the information source.
Unaware of such a trap, Steve met with Julia.
Once inside the room and the surveillance was gone, he brought Camilla in as well.
"I never thought the Saintess would be under house arrest and the Holy Knight would be a drug addict. Is this also a trial from God?"
Steve sighed.
Julia realized what had happened to Camilla and could not say it was a trial from God. Camilla, sensing that atmosphere, smiled bravely.
"God's trials are always severe."
"Camilla..."
Tears flowed from Julia at Camilla's words. Steve mercilessly spoke to the crying Julia.
"Crying solves nothing. Neither the attack on my family nor what happened to Camilla. It would be more positive to think about what we should do next. Or does God's teaching say to just cry in times like this?"
Anger rose at the main culprit who dragged everyone in, yet only cried and refused to move forward. Julia was also under house arrest, but compared to Steve's family and Camilla, she was far better off.
Julia wiped her tears after being told that by Steve.
"You are right. God's teaching does not say such things."
"That's right. God always helps those who help themselves."
"Yes."
Julia nodded at Steve's words. Camilla thought it was unclear who was the real religious person here. In fact, before coming here, Camilla had clung to Steve and cried her heart out. It was very painful that her body had been toyed with.
At that time, Steve had proposed using a magic to forget the painful memories. And he also proposed overcoming this as a trial. At that time, Steve had said apologetically:
"Offering worldly benefits might go against the teachings."
Camilla ultimately chose to overcome it as a trial. Then, Steve nodded and said only:
"Whenever you change your mind, please tell me."
Camilla was happy with that consideration.
So, in Camilla's current mind, Steve ranks higher than Julia.
After Julia calmed down, Steve told her that he had found the drug manufacturing factory.
"I investigated using familiars and found a factory under the Pope's residence. It was good that I could set the search range in advance thanks to Camilla's prior information."
"I am glad I could be of help."
Steve had been searching the Great Cathedral using rats and insects. Among them, he found a path leading underground, and proceeding there, he found the factory.
"Shall we expose this at tomorrow's trial? Others besides the Pope's faction will come out, right?"
"Yes. I was told to attend tomorrow as well, and there are priests who are not part of the Pope's faction."
"Then, let's make a grand show of it."
With a plan to make them atone for the crime of attacking his family, Steve grinned.
Thank you as always for reporting typos.