In truth, the situation was not supposed to go this far. What kind of madman would go around committing fraud using miracles? If caught, they would be immediately arrested and hanged.
Shatien tried his best to correct the current situation somehow.
“Please calm down. This is not a miracle. It is just the result of working hard for the sake of treatment...”
He went around here and there, clearing up people's misunderstandings and taking care of the sick poor.
Of course, people interpreted Shatien’s words and actions in a completely different way.
“Hahaha. Our Sir Shatien is truly humble as well.”
“Indeed. It seems God loves those who are humble.”
“......”
To those who had reached the limit of favorable feelings, Shatien’s actions only looked like a model for others to follow.
“Why are you so restless. Won't things settle down anyway once the Church sends someone? Hnng.”
“R-Right?”
“Nyahahaha. Of course it will be. At any rate, Sir Shatien belongs to Viscount Ragnarsson’s noble faction, right? The Church won't want to see a miracle worker from the noble faction who could needlessly undercut their own influence.”
Branch Manager Marhen tried to comfort Shatien, but she seemed to find the current situation quite enjoyable.
Even while speaking, her tail was swaying back and forth.
“Sigh, then I should wait for the priests. In fact, a messenger brought news. They said Viscount Ragnarsson and the Bishop are sending people.”
“Yes. It's a matter that will end soon, so let's just enjoy this popularity for a moment. Nyahat.”
“......”
To speak so peacefully just because it’s not her business! For a moment, Shatien felt a surge of emotion.
But there was something they missed.
First, the Bishop and the clergy under him were not corrupt enough to view the situation based on such political judgments.
Second, without them knowing, the goodwill toward Shatien in the northern region of the Church was already quite large.
“Heh heh heh. So you say it's a misunderstanding?”
“Ah! Of course, it could be a misunderstanding. The poor can easily misinterpret and misunderstand even small things. But...”
“?”
“Could it truly be so? There are even so many witnesses here. Sir Shatien. We know your humility well.”
“??”
“That's right. Heh heh. We already heard stories from the poor nearby, and it seems you definitely made holy water.”
For some reason, the tone of the dispatched clergy felt filled with deep goodwill and a sense that things were rolling in an unwanted direction.
Shatien hurriedly waved his hands.
“Uh... It’s not that I made holy water—”
“We know. You boiled water with salt and honey inside?”
“Exactly. I made a potion for simple treatment. A potion.”
“A potion... but to call this a potion, or rather a medicine, is it not merely salty and sweet water?”
-Slurp.
It was indeed.
Since honey and salt were mixed in boiling water, it was nothing more than sweet and salty water.
In fact, how much had he doubted when he first heard the recipe from Mage Agpiel and made it.
-Heh heh heh. This pathetic knight friend. What do you know about medicine? Those bastards are weakened because they've discharged a lot of body fluids, so they regain their health if you replenish them. Such diseases are cured anyway once the natural recovery power becomes stronger.
-Are you asking if the disease manifests as a scent? Why do I fill them with body fluids instead of treating them with scents? Heh heh. You seem to have some knowledge of medicine, but do not spout the logic of those quack court physicians to me. It is of no help at all in this kind of thing. Scram!
The problem was whether Shatien could explain this to these clergymen.
“As far as I know, you prayed often while making it?”
“Uh... well, I did do that, but...”
One had to eat, right?
According to custom, he prayed once before meals.
The problem was that since he was so busy, he prayed next to the pot where it was being made.
Shatien was about to explain the rest, but the clergyman cut him off with a bright smile.
“Exactly!”
“In fact, the method you used to create it is almost identical to the way holy water is made.”
“That's right. Even the miracle of consecration sometimes manifests through prayer, and it seems that happened this time. Heh heh heh heh.”
“To think you would make true holy water! Indeed, it is clear you are a pious knight loved by God. Sir Shatien.”
It got more tangled.
Even if it were tangled, it was tangled quite messily.
Shatien was at a loss for words while watching the clergymen keeping time with each other in front of him.
However, he felt even more wretched after seeing the court physician sent by Viscount Ragnarsson.
“Wait, you say this is medicine?”
“How could that be. If a disease can be treated with such water, it is truly a miracle. Heh heh heh. To treat with water instead of spices and scents? Just as the clergymen said, it is a miracle. A miracle! It seems to be holy water indeed!”
“......”
Shatien had now decided to just accept it.
* * *
“Oh! Shatien. It's truly good to see you. Have you been well? Even though I was far away, rumors about you reached my ears. Hahaha.”
“Thank you truly for the welcome. Viscount Ragnarsson. And your grace is vast for simply not mentioning the miracle.”
“Euhahahaha!”
Viscount Ragnarsson burst into a great laugh at Shatien’s words.
“It seems you were pestered quite a bit? Eh?”
“Don't even get me started.”
Shatien shook his head from side to side.
Once the treatment of the gathered poor was mostly finished, he headed to the city where Viscount Ragnarsson was staying.
Perhaps rumors had already spread, as the citizens clung to Shatien so much just to hold his hand once.
Thanks to that, he had been busy running around to avoid their touch.
Just thinking about it was horrific for Shatien.
“Don't worry. I'll tell my people not to bother you. Haha.”
“Thank you. Viscount Ragnarsson.”
“It’s nothing. Between us. Are we not comrades who fought in the same rank on the battlefield. I should naturally do this much. Rest well and let's head to the capital together with me.”
Thanks to Viscount Ragnarsson speaking so boisterously, Shatien felt his fatigue fade away a bit. Though of course,
“Ah! By the way... was it really not a miracle?”
“......”
“Haha, it's a joke, a joke. I was just curious. Because the court physician was shouting so much about it being a miracle.”
“...Excellency Viscount Ragnarsson.”
* * *
Still, this episode was not entirely useless, even though his body and mind suffered.
“Nice to meet you. I am called Count Belzac, the hegemon of the Northeast. Are you Sir Shatien?”
“I have come from the Orion Merchant Group. I greet the miracle worker.”
“I have come here under the order of Bishop Bermen. I am Hoicholn, the head of the Horn Monastery.”
The position of being personally looked after by Viscount Ragnarsson, a powerful successor to the Margraviate of Rostingia.
And the solid support of the Church and the northern people by performing a miracle.
Various factions sensitive to the fluctuating situation of the North flocked to Shatien, bringing heaps of gifts.
They were worried about the era after the coronation.
The temperament of the bellicose new Elector of Rostingia and the even more bellicose Emperor of the Holy Empire.
They judged that a clash would surely occur and a war would break out.
Of course, that judgment was very accurate.
Because the tremendous war Shatien had experienced in the past was about to break out.
That horrific war where the entire territory of the Holy Empire became a sea of fire and a battlefield for a full ten years before the past Shatien died.
Thanks to this, Shatien was able to gain quite significant things amidst these busy and uncomfortable meetings.
“What? You've received the authority to recruit in virtually the entire North?”
“Shh, shh. Lower your voice. Miles. Someone might hear.”
“No, how can I lower my voice after hearing this. This is a crazy thing.”
Miles shouted, full of excitement.
It stood to reason, for although it had grown quite a bit, the Sauerland Mercenary Bureau was still just a mercenary group with over 3,000 mercenaries.
Having just opened a branch in the North and started an indoctrination department, all that remained was to recruit mercenaries and expand.
However, in an era where manpower was asset, no lord liked a mercenary group taking away their people.
They usually antagonized the recruitment activities of mercenary groups or demanded massive financial compensation in return...
“Why did they allow it so generously?”
“That is because they also felt that the current situation is unstable. Branch Manager Marhen.”
“Hmmm... then there must have been a separate price for the recruitment?”
“Exactly.”
Shatien nodded at Branch Manager Marhen’s sharp remark.
“Like the case with Count Joberham this time, they asked to set up another branch to cover certain areas. I plan to set up branches where about 200 to 500 mercenaries will be stationed in a decentralized manner.”
“Then what do you think about the branch locations? I can help you, you know?”
Shatien let out a smirk at Branch Manager Marhen’s words, spoken with sparkling eyes.
“I was planning to do just that. I intend to set up branches at trade network strongpoints connecting northern cities. Won't the trade network be stabilized quickly that way?”
“Hohoho. Are you going to collect protection fees?”
“My. Am I a lord or something to collect such a thing? It's just a toll for maintaining a safe road network.”
It was content that had been discussed in advance with the nobles of the relevant areas.
It was a result created by the alignment of interests between the nobles, who wanted to prevent a security vacuum in the vicinity by having a significant number of mercenaries stationed and easily receive mercenaries they could mobilize anytime, and the Sauerland Mercenary Bureau, which needed the notarization of the nobles.
“Now you've practically become a noble, huh? Sir Shatien. It seems you have authority no less than that of a count. Hnng.”
“How could I dare compare myself to them. Besides, the Mercenary Bureau is not my personal property.”
“Nyahahat. Well, if you think so.”
No matter how she looked at it, Branch Manager Marhen thought the Sauerland Mercenary Bureau had already fallen into Shatien’s hands.
Reputation, skill, and even the trust of the subordinates.
Already, the influence of Mordo, the Captain of the Black Raven Mercenary Company, was fading.
According to rumors, he had long since stepped away from the business of the Mercenary Bureau and was busy looking after his territory.
‘I knew it was a proper investment.’
Who would have known it would grow this much in a short period.
Branch Manager Marhen felt a thrilling emotion at Shatien’s growth.
The thrill of having successfully polished and invested in a proper raw gemstone.
“Well, this ultimately requires the final permission of Viscount Ragnarsson. It's not confirmed yet. So don't be too excited, everyone.”
“Aww come on Shatien. You shouldn't say such dampening words. It'll definitely happen! You should say it that way.”
“That's right. As if Viscount Ragnarsson would break it off. Hoho.”
And fortunately, their thoughts hit the mark.
“Hmm? You made such a contract? Haha. You're already very quick-footed. Don't worry. In fact, I'll push for it. I'll help so you can set up branches on the road networks of the direct territories I govern as well.”
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