Chapter 154 - 154 Forbidden
Cyril came to Steve with a report. The contents were about the hot air balloon experiment. Steve was spending time with his family, but given Cyril's visit, he prioritized that instead.
With Steve's family present, Cyril spoke to Steve in an excited manner.
"We received word from the Royal Research Institute that they succeeded in floating within the laboratory."
"That is theoretically possible, isn't it?"
Steve was not particularly surprised. This was because he knew about hot air balloons from his past life.
"You are not very surprised."
Cyril asked Steve, who remained calm. He had expected to see emotions like joy or surprise.
"Oh, I am happy about it as scientific progress. It will likely become the trigger for humanity to advance into the sky."
The longing for the sky has not changed across time and space, even in another world. That is precisely why the budget for the hot air balloon project was approved.
Hearing Steve's words, Cyril nodded.
"However, the problem remains with the Fries Holy Church."
"Did they call it heresy?"
"No. However, before they say so, I wish to arm ourselves with theory."
"Fortunately, the Saintess is here. Let us discuss that the sky is not the exclusive domain of God alone, so that they cannot interfere."
"Please do."
The purpose of Cyril's visit was not just the result, but the fact that manned flight seemed possible now, so he wanted to consult on how to handle the Fries Holy Church.
Steve brought it up first, so Cyril felt relieved. If Steve had not been keen on talking with the Fries Holy Church, he would have been forced to make the request.
"Bella, in that case, could you make an appointment with the Saintess?"
"Understood. I will go get her."
"My schedule doesn't have to be right now, but well, right now is fine too."
"Even if we say we are coming over, I think they will come rushing over anyway."
Bella said that and headed toward the church in Archibalt Land.
Upon hearing the news from Bella, Julia was overjoyed with the momentum to jump up.
"Let us visit immediately."
"No, my master intends to visit you."
"Do not hesitate. Camilla, prepare to depart immediately."
Watching Julia's actions, Bella sighed as expected. She thought Steve would also be preparing for Julia's arrival, so she glanced toward the manor.
The manor was not visible behind the church walls, but she could imagine Steve's face, bitter-sweetly smiling.
Thus, Bella returned to the manor with Julia and Camilla.
Mercury and Jupiter were unhappy about being left behind to guard the place. However, unlike Camilla, they were not the Saintess's guards, so they had no reason to accompany Julia.
Julia, who visited the manor, bowed deeply to Steve.
"Thank you for inviting me today."
"Welcome."
Steve said that, but he conveyed with his eyes to Bella, "Why did you bring her?" Bella replied with her eyes, "You knew that, didn't you?"
Steve invited Julia and the others and decided to discuss the hot air balloon. Camilla, standing behind Julia, turned red looking at Steve, but Bella did not miss it. She considered whether to report this to Christina and Nancy, but since both of them knew that Camilla harbored romantic feelings for Steve, she thought it was unnecessary and decided not to report it.
"Bella, could you call the Chief Engineer?"
"Understood."
Cyril is also being called this time.
Bella went out, and tea was brought in her place.
"The Chief Engineer is coming soon, so please drink some tea until then."
"Will the Chief Engineer be attending as well?"
Julia felt regretful inside, but showed no such emotion on her face.
"Yes. Since this is about humanity going to the sky, the Chief Engineer will join us."
"To the sky, you say?"
"Yes. According to the church's doctrine, the sky is the domain of God, so I wish to explore a path where technological development and doctrine coexist."
When Steve said that, Julia's eyes widened in surprise.
Humans flying in the sky was something mages could only do for a short time with flight magic. He intended to break that common sense. It was unreasonable to say not to be surprised.
"Is it possible for humans to fly in the sky?"
"It is possible if we use science."
Unlike birds, humans cannot fly with their own power. Just like Earth's history, there were even cases of people dying by jumping off cliffs with bird feathers attached to them. Humans had longed to fly in the sky.
What Julia was concerned about was not flying in the sky itself. It was whether one could meet God after flying.
"So, does that mean we can reach the Kingdom of God?"
"I don't think so. The doctrine states that God resides in the heavens, and those heavens refer to above the sky. Therefore, if humans try to fly into the sky, they will touch God's anger and receive divine punishment. The act of trying to fly itself would become heresy."
Steve looked straight at Julia.
She nodded.
"According to the church's understanding, that is correct."
"But why does God not punish birds that are flying in the sky?"
"That is because God created it that way."
"In that case, does it not mean that birds are permitted to be closer to God than humans? And capturing such birds for food is a significant problem. However, in reality, humans are not punished by God even when eating birds."
"Indeed."
Just as the conversation reached that point, Bella returned.
"I have brought the Chief Engineer."
"Thank you for your hard work."
Cyril, whom Bella brought, joined the conversation.
When servants brought tea for Cyril, the conversation resumed.
"Chief Engineer, we were just discussing flying in the sky and the whereabouts of God with the Saintess."
Steve conveyed the current situation to Cyril using formal language.
"As for the Royal Research Institute, we do not wish for research to clash with the church's doctrine. Furthermore, the researchers are believers themselves and go to the church to pray on their days off."
In the Kingdom of Cascade, the Fries Holy Church is like the state religion, and almost all citizens are believers. The researchers are no exception, and they avoid research that contradicts the doctrine.
Julia smiled at Cyril.
"The church is also re-examining whether the current doctrine aligns with God's will, including whether approaching God in the heavens is forbidden."
"That is very helpful. Even the Royal Research Institute cannot conduct research to the extent of being declared heretical."
After Julia and Cyril's conversation ended, Steve returned to the earlier topic about birds.
"Since God permits birds to fly in the sky, and we have not heard of birds meeting God, does that mean the celestial realm where God resides does not actually exist in the sky? Could it be that being 'high up' is a dimensional matter, and people have simply misunderstood it as the sky?"
"High dimensions?"
Julia could not understand and asked Steve to explain.
"What we can perceive is up to four dimensions: length, width, height, and time. However, an omnipotent God perceives something entirely different. The idea is that such a world exists. There is also talk that the universe is made of 10 or 11 dimensions."
"If it is 11 dimensions, what else is there besides length, width, and height?"
"We do not know that. That is precisely why humans cannot become God."
Steve's theory was that God is a high-dimensional existence, and humans cannot perceive it due to dimensional constraints. It was a theory devised to not contradict the church's teaching that views God as special.
Julia could accept this theory as well.
"So, it means that we, the lowly humans, cannot recognize the space where God resides, so we substituted the sky as the highest recognizable place."
"That is correct. It is the limit of the human schema."
Schema refers to the range of knowledge we possess. For example, when teaching a child who only knows cats about a lion, we expand information from the cat to approach the concept of a lion.
Even if something exists in high dimensions, if we replace it with "high" so that it can be understood, it becomes the sky.
Cyril was interested in Steve's concept of dimensions and latched onto it.
"How can we confirm these high dimensions?"
"Generally, observation using gravity is considered."
"Generally?"
Steve regretted his failure at Cyril's question. The concept of gravity was not general in the Kingdom of Cascade anyway. Observing gravity sucking in black holes, etc., was anything but general.
"Let us discuss gravity another time. Today is about proving that humans flying in the sky does not infringe upon God's domain."
Seeing that he was about to go off-topic, Steve stopped Cyril. Cyril looked regretful, but since this meeting with the Saintess was what Cyril wanted, he decided to back down for today.
Confirming that Cyril had given up, Steve looked at Julia.
"Therefore, I believe God will not inflict divine punishment on humans trying to fly in the sky."
"I understand your point. However, that is merely our assumption, and we do not know how God actually thinks. Will divine punishment befall humans if they fly in the sky?"
"To do that, we must actually fly. And to do so, I first wanted to align our opinions with the church. If divine punishment falls, the Royal Research Institute will also give up on flying in the sky."
Julia and Cyril were considering the possibility of angering God by humans flying in the sky. Only Steve was convinced that nothing would happen, but they decided to test it with actual flight.
Probably, there would be no one else willing to challenge this trial, so Steve thought he himself would challenge the test flight. Also, in Earth's history, they first tried to confirm divine punishment by putting animals on balloons for test flights.
"I understand your thoughts, Steve-sama. As for me, I do not wish to deny humanity flying in the sky just because it is doctrine. However, I would like time for discussion within the church. How long will it take to be able to fly in the sky?"
"What do you think, Chief Engineer?"
Steve threw the question asked by Julia to Cyril.
Cyril does not accurately grasp the situation in the Royal Capital. Therefore, he cannot give an accurate answer.
"At least, actually flying in the sky will be more than a year later. Currently, we have only confirmed that heated bags float in the air."
Based on the report from the Royal Capital, he conveyed that it would take more than a year.
"If we have that much time, the church can discuss it sufficiently. I will immediately summon the Pope here."
Julia nodded at Cyril's answer.
"Wait a moment. Are you calling the Pope to Archibalt Land?"
"Is there a problem?"
Steve was surprised. He had thought Julia would take the current conversation to the Holy Nation. He had not thought she would call the Pope here.
"I thought you would be busy with religious ceremonies."
"Indeed, you are called to various countries, so I suppose you are busy. However, discussing this matter also holds significance as religion."
To Steve, calling the Pope of the Fries Holy Church to Archibalt Land seemed like he was showing off that he was superior.
Julia's perception was the same. She believed the Apostle-sama was above the Pope. The Pope thought the same. Therefore, it was problematic for the Saintess, whose mission was to be by the Apostle-sama's side, to leave Archibalt Land.
Steve did not understand that.
Thus, Julia contacted the Pope, and preparations were made to gather the upper echelons of the Fries Holy Church in Archibalt Land for discussion.
The one who worried his head over this was the lord, Brian. He held his head after hearing the report from Steve.
"The upper echelons of the Fries Holy Church are gathering in Archibalt Land?"
"Yes, Father."
"We must report to Your Majesty."
"Oh, it seems the church will do that. We are not inviting them; they are just gathering on their own."
Seeing his son acting casually, Brian regretted that he had educated him wrongly. If the upper echelons of the Fries Holy Church came from the Holy Nation and harm was done to them, it would clearly become a diplomatic issue. Thinking of the work of keeping an eye on the territory so that this does not happen, Brian's head and stomach hurt. Steve, who was taking it lightly, was strange.
If it became unavoidable, dispatching the national army might be an option, but that would mean being called incapable as a lord, and Brian wanted to avoid that.
"If such major figures gather, we will have to assign people for security. If the stay becomes long, our burden will increase accordingly. The territorial army was newly established just recently, and the number of retainers is insufficient."
The Archibalt Territory Army had been established only recently. This was because originally, the food situation was poor, and they could not maintain an army. With the export of industrial products and an increase in land suitable for agriculture, they were finally able to maintain a standing army. However, a hundred-person scale was impossible, so thirty people and retainers formed the standing army.
Their main job was pest control. With no wars and no thieves in the territory, they were mostly engaged in driving away pests that appeared in the fields, devouring crops, and sometimes harming the villagers.
And since they moved around the vast territory, assigning people for VIP protection would neglect pest control.
"Then, shall I take over the pest control?"
"No, quite the opposite. It is VIP protection. For that time, monitor Archibalt Land from corner to corner. With Steve and Nancy, even if war breaks out with neighboring countries, we can win. Especially if it is thieves. You two are far stronger than the territorial army combined. However, no matter how strong you are, you are only two people's eyes. Considering the possibility of thieves slipping through the gaps, half of the territorial army will also be stationed in Archibalt Land."
"The church people's gaze at me is scary, so I dislike it."
"Endure it."
Being viewed as the Apostle-sama, Steve disliked meeting the church's upper echelons. However, Brian forcibly made Steve responsible for protection.
Thus, they prepared to welcome the Pope and others.
Thank you always for your typo reports.