La Matheos Tomorrow.
A man with jet-black hair and dark eyes, exuding a deep gaze.
The saint of the Church of Radiance who emerged after decades.
A miracle incarnate who even resurrected those who should have been dead.
The one who passed a new law, greatly strengthening the Church’s influence over secular rulers.
The mastermind who sent dozens of holy knights to kidnap and confine Valencius, while also being a devoted reformer who tirelessly purified millions of subjects during the capital’s magical realm crisis.
Tenitia’s feelings towards him could not be summed up in a single word.
“……”
He was also the one who had just given Tenitia the moniker of the red knight.
At the same time, to the devout Tenitia, he was a representative of God who deserved reverence.
Her lord Valencius and Matheos sometimes clashed and sometimes joined forces out of political and practical necessity, so one could say that her relationship with Matheos was similar as well.
“It’s all done.”
But the most important fact remained: he was a saint.
As a brilliant white light flashed from Matheos’s hands, Tenitia felt her mana road fully restored, deep within her body.
Her previously stiff body was now brimming with vitality.
She felt as if she could stand on the battlefield again at any moment.
“Thank you, Saint.”
Tenitia overcame her awkwardness and bowed respectfully.
“No need for thanks, Lady Trentia. It’s only natural to assist the knight of Duke Valencius, who has suffered great injury.”
Matheos replied with a bright smile that seemed out of place.
Tenitia, filled with slight puzzlement and unresolved thoughts, asked,
“What on earth is this matter that the saint would come to meet a mere knight like me?”
Matheos responded in his still-bright voice.
“Didn’t Duke Valen say? It’s a donation receipt. We document the donations made by the person holding this receipt, and based on that ranking, they’re given preferential opportunities to receive various blessings from higher clergy.”
“So this means… the saint has donated enough to come here in person?”
Tenitia narrowed her eyes.
The Valencius in her memory would sooner engage in bribery and collusion than make a donation.
“There were many donations during those five months. Of course, those weren’t exactly donations but rather attempts to distribute resources and stabilize public sentiment through the Church. However, even prior to that, he had been continuously making various donations in his own way.”
“I didn’t know.”
Matheos shook his head.
“No, you would know. The fact that we were able to send our priests, knights, and administrative officers to Doroysen this time counts as a donation as well, since it positively affected the Church indirectly.”
Tenitia unconsciously frowned.
It was because she could see the shadow of the bandit Valencius behind the noble saint.
“……I have heard that the inquisitors are causing quite a ruckus in the capital of Doroysen.”
However, Matheos responded calmly.
“It is a land that even the royal family suspected of harboring infiltrators. Anyone could be suspected in such a situation. Since high-ranking officials influence many, they must be examined promptly at the onset.”
“Ah.”
Tenitia was surprised to find herself understanding immediately.
‘Certainly, one could view it that way. So he was also two-sided.’
She hesitated slightly before speaking.
“Could I… ask a few words of you?”
Matheos nodded readily.
“I suppose I should ask for tea to be brought.”
—
Tenitia spoke cautiously, avoiding parts that could be extremely sensitive for the imperial family.
“……It’s not that I’m being personally rebellious, but witnessing unilateral sacrifices forced upon other regions or foreign territories left me a bit bewildered.”
“You might have thought, “Is this really malicious?””
“I am a knight. If it’s conquest, I’d understand, but to spare lives and then suck up the essence while sticking the pins in a coffin, I couldn’t fathom that. But then I also wondered, what’s wrong with pursuing the interests of the Empire and the imperial family as the duke? No matter what, isn’t there a line that should be respected between people? It’s quite complicated.”
Matheos tilted his teacup and blinked for a moment.
“Lady Trentia. Nevertheless, your loyalty remains unchanged, right?”
Tenitia nodded immediately.
Knights did not seek reasons not to follow their lords, but rather sought reasons to do so.
No matter how evil one seemed, if there was romance and honor worth pursuing, they could follow until death.
Matheos smiled gently, as if he expected this.
“Lady Trentia. When swords clash, they eventually meet in the middle.”
“Indeed.”
“Then couldn’t we just stop in the middle from the start?”
Tenitia glared wide-eyed as if she had heard something nonsensical.
“What sort of absurdity is that? If you strike with that much force, you’d get pushed out in the middle. You must push through with the intent to cut down the enemy in one blow to barely hold the center.”
Matheos nodded.
“I think Duke Valen feels the same.”
“!”
“If I push with all my might, the opponent will do the same. Right now, in the capital of Doroysen, the bishops in the city are independently beginning their searches for infiltrators, trying to push back the inquisitors I sent under the logic that they could self-generate.”
“Hmm.”
“It’s true that Duke Valen tends to come up with somewhat shocking ideas. When he originally went to Gremoryus with just half a dozen people, I thought he had gone mad.”
Tenitia had also been present then.
Recalling the old memory, she smiled contentedly, and Matheos continued.
“However, it is perfectly reasonable to employ such extreme measures for the sake of the imperial family and the Empire, not for personal gain. It is nonsensical for royals, who should represent the imperial family and the Empire to the fullest, to make moderate requests while considering the opponent’s circumstances. It’s not that Duke Valen is a bandit; after all, I sent holy knights to him, didn’t I?”
Tenitia let out a soft chuckle.
“That you did. It was quite painful that day.”
“Yes. In the end, you repelled the holy knights, and I could only issue a warning to Duke Valen not to further obstruct the amendments to the Church’s laws. That is how we found the middle ground.”
“……”
She nodded, sensing something becoming clearer.
“It’s becoming somewhat clear. It seems strange for a knight like me to even be pondering such things.”
Matheos shook his head.
“No, it’s not strange at all.”
“Pardon?”
“There’s a reason knights are so faithful. They see the seemingly ruthless decisions of high nobles right beside them, so such concerns often arise. Since high nobles execute commands made by observing numbers with swords and blood, feelings of disillusionment are common. After all, even the squad leaders in the Order come to confess every Sunday.”
“!”
A sense of melancholy crossed Tenitia’s dignified face.
“……That too would be a middle ground. So I am the same as well. My loyalty grows, yet my disillusionment remains, and I continue to live by shaking off that doubt?”
Matheos nodded.
“Everything in this world is like that, Lady Trentia.”
“What do you mean?”
“Even though we know we’ll be hungry just a few hours after breakfast, we still eat bread again, don’t we?”
It was a playful tone.
Tenitia, unsure how to respond, sipped her tea, and Matheos continued more seriously.
“The scriptures say that someday the heavenly kingdom will be established on earth.”
“Indeed.”
“Then at that time, there will be no need for priests to connect the radiant and the faithful, nor for holy knights to protect the faithful. Likewise, saints will naturally be unnecessary. But that doesn’t mean we can simply laze around before that day comes, can we?”
“……”
“Yes, you are right. We live our lives continuously alleviating our sufferings. To cease feeling suffering would require letting go of everything entirely. Surely, that is not what we long for.”
Tenitia nodded as if it were obvious.
Matheos, his stigmata glowing from his forehead, said,
“I am aware that Duke Valencius has spread the title ‘Holy Emperor’ regarding Jayrilis.”
Tenitia felt a slight embarrassment and replied,
“I had my suspicions…”
“I am not scolding you. Internally, we decided not to question that title.”
“Pardon?”
This was a rather unexpected remark.
Tenitia leaned forward in surprise, and Matheos spoke brightly.
“The first principle of imperial swordsmanship, all is suffering. Doesn’t it mean that everything is suffering?”
“Indeed.”
“Whether she unexpectedly turned out to be a devout believer or if she reached the light after deep contemplation without the help of the priests, I cannot say. Perhaps each of us, walking our own paths, met before the truth. You must have reached that state long ago, so you already knew this.”
Tenitia let out a deep sigh.
Her mind felt much clearer.
“Thank you, Saint.”
Once again, a spark of resolve shone in her red eyes.
Matheos, seeing that gaze, smiled with satisfaction.
“Lady Trentia, the true folly of Duke Valencius is not the part you just mentioned.”
“Then what part are you referring to?”
“Isn’t it a grave crime to be involved in smuggling tobacco with thugs in the red-light district, while protecting the establishments of alcohol, gambling, and debauchery that the Radiance denounces? That, in my eyes, is the greater sin.”
“Hahaha.”
“If I press him, he would undoubtedly respond with something like, ‘If you break the trash can, doesn’t the garbage spill out?’ It’s absurd. As a saint, I cannot acknowledge necessary evils. Even if I did, that evil is far too immense.”
Tenitia stood up with a dignified smile.
“Yes. I think so too.”
With a carefree gait, she returned to the palace.
“Your Highness! I wish to share the lesson I learned during the battle with Ensis! Let’s practice Mana Blast together.”
“Lady Trentia, with the fall foliage being so splendid, what practice is this? Let’s go out of the capital and enjoy ourselves.”
“59.”
“W-well then, let’s just take the day off until dinner…”
“58.”
—
I headed to the comprehensive workshop with Rudi.
After passing through high walls guarded by elite arcane marksmen, we entered the bustling hall of the eight-story stone building.
“Has Duke Valencius arrived?”
“Everyone, greet him! The elder brother has come!”
“Oh! I didn’t expect to see you here. It’s Léon, whom we met before on the Street of Learning.”
The well-dressed bourgeoisie of the capital crowded around me, bowing repeatedly.
I turned to the smiling leader of the Ironblood Party.
“Marcus, what is going on here? Why are they all gathered here?”
Whenever something unexpected occurred, it was generally safe to suspect this guy.
“There are more people interested in magic engineering than Your Highness may think. Especially in prosthetic limbs and arms.”
“Then are they all investors?”
“Rather than investors, they are partners and subcontractors. They wish to buy the technology for prosthetic limbs and arms from me. I’m also considering entrusting them with mechanical knight parts. Of course, we will only manufacture key components here, so you need not worry.”
Marcus approached me, moving with a distinctly different leg.
“Alright then. Is your leg feeling better now?”
“Yes. I’m gradually adapting.”
Marcus had lost one leg while fighting in the mine where Cuith Az was buried.
Since he lost it while stalling for time for me, I intended to use significant donations to move the hearts of high-ranking clergy to restore his leg.
‘It’s fine.’
‘It’s alright. It’ll grow back in about a year.’
‘I was planning to cut one off and fitted with a prosthetic anyway. This time, let’s leave a debt to Your Highness. If it troubles you too much, just increase the research funds.’
He was now wearing a prosthetic leg like Konel.
Of course, his prosthetic was made of steel and brass, intricately inscribed with various magical circuits, unlike Konel’s.
“How much longer?”
Marcus waved dismissively and shooed the bourgeoisie away.
“I was just about to send them back, as the bidding is finally coming to an end. I can’t keep them here while they fuss over your esteemed person.”
Rudi frowned, and I doubted my ears.
“Fuss over?”
