Let us turn back time.
Normally, the leadership of the Holy See would not have cared about "mere" news that a miracle had been manifested.
While the manifestation of a miracle was indeed something to be blessed and widely publicized, it was a peripheral matter to be handled at the branch level. Even now, were numerous and "minor" miracles not being manifested in various parts of the Empire, no, the continent?
It was not a matter that the leadership of the Holy See would move upon with interest.
However, the situation was a bit different this time.
“The Emperor... has approved the incorporation into the Empire of the rebel forces in the North who call themselves a People's Assembly?”
“Yes. He declared the area they occupy to be Imperial territory and simultaneously gave the rebels the official title of the Dithmarschen Free Territory.”
-Bang!
At that surprising news, the Cardinals of the Holy See, who were supposed to be dignified, struck the table with their fists.
“What on earth does that mean! The Emperor has truly gone mad!”
“Those rebel bastards are pagan scum who believe in the filthy religions of the North, are they not!”
“Calling them pagans is far too kind! They are bastards who perform human sacrifices! It is right to call them cultists.”
The people's rebels of Dithmarschen in the North.
Those existences who called themselves a collective of ten-man people's assemblies and tried to live by restoring the antiquated traditions of the North.
Already 100 years had passed since the aggressive mission for pagan purification had ended, but the remnants of those pagans had not yet disappeared.
The Holy Roman Emperor recognized a fief for such characters?
“It is heresy!!”
“We must excommunicate him. The Emperor!”
It was something unacceptable to the Cardinals.
The one who rose to be Emperor while wearing a crown bestowed by the Pope was tolerating heresy? This was an impermissible part.
“Even without this, the Emperor's movements have been very dangerous lately.”
“There is also the fact that he privately misused the Order of the Black Rain, which was strictly permitted for the eradication of heresy, for the Imperial civil war.”
“The Emperor's heretical acts have exceeded the allowable range.”
Anyone could see that they had to issue an excommunication and gather forces. In order to punish that atrocious Emperor. However, the Cardinals gathered here all hesitated in unison.
It was precisely because of the desires of the secular monarchs.
“Even if we issue an excommunication and conscript an army to oppose the Emperor, will it not just result in the birth of the next Emperor in the end?”
They had used secular monarchs every time in past disputes with the Emperor, but the results had not been good. It was because the secular monarch who defeated the Emperor would inherit that power and challenge the authority of the Holy See again. Had they not suffered the humiliation of even having the Holy See's sacred sites fall because of that?
“Is there no alternative?”
“True. Yet if we leave that Emperor alone, the authority of the Holy See will suffer a serious blow.”
Sometimes, one must choose the lesser evil for the sake of power. Now was not the time to think about such later matters.
The moment heresy was permitted in the North, the eastern region was also in danger.
That place was also a wild land that had not yet been cultivated. Was it not a place where wicked sorcery and cults that had gone into hiding after being oppressed since the days of the ancient empire were flourishing?
At that time, one Cardinal who had been sitting silently opened his mouth.
“How about using someone who is devout but of low status, yet possesses a powerful military force instead?”
“Uhahaha. It would be a very good thing if there were a Great Warrior we could easily manipulate according to our interests, but where would such a person be? In the first place, if one possesses a powerful military force, how could one's status be low, and how could one be devout?”
“Are you not too deeply immersed in heroic tales? I did not think you were like that....”
While everyone thought that Cardinal was strange, he shook his head and continued his words again.
“I received contact from a Northern monastery. About one who is devout enough to manifest a miracle, but whose birth is lowly as a mercenary, and who leads thousands of mercenaries despite such a status.”
“Hmm? Surely not that... Sauer... Sauer....”
“Correct. The knight leading the Sauerland Mercenary Office. Shatien.”
“Oh...!”
Only then did the Cardinals who knew Shatien let out exclamations. It was because he was a person who fit these conditions exactly.
Of course, the Cardinals who did not know the circumstances tilted their heads and asked.
“Who is that person?”
“Shatien? It is the first time I have heard the name. The name itself sounds like he was born in the Kingdom of Ellang?”
Although he had gained fame in the North and some parts of the Empire, it was still a peripheral matter. It was difficult for even all the Cardinals to know. However, that was actually better.
“Seeing that the reaction of the Lords is half and half, his status truly seems to be humble. A knight who leads mercenaries? Mercenary Office?”
“Ah! Yes. Your Holiness.”
“Hearing the name Mercenary Office, it seems to be a kind of guild that gathered mercenaries.... I suppose the troops he can mobilize are quite significant?”
“According to what I heard from the brothers in the North, he received a monopoly status regarding recruitment in the Northern region. The number reaches approximately 3,000, and it is said that the number of the mercenary company recruited in the Sauerland region alone reaches into the thousands.”
“Huh.... How impressive for a knight from a mere mercenary background, not even a great noble. How is his piety?”
“According to the letter from the Northern monastery, he is said to be devout enough to manifest a miracle.”
“A miracle?”
“Yes, Your Holiness. Considering that even those fastidious knights of the monastery all praise him in unison, he is perfectly suited for the nickname of the devout knight. Your Holiness.”
Only then did the expressions of all the Cardinals, including the Pope, brighten. A clear method had come to mind.
The Pope nodded with a satisfied expression.
“Good. Let us try to set him up as our Great Warrior. But....”
“Do you have something else to say?”
“I cannot know how great his actual skill is. The Emperor is rough, but is his skill not that of a proper knight?”
Military merit.
He was saying that he should show military merit that would surely be pleasing. The Cardinal hurriedly bowed his head at the Pope's words and replied.
“If so, please show a warning to the free cities in the northern peninsula through him. We will be able to know his certain skill in the process of handling that matter.”
“The free cities in the northern peninsula? Haha. Good. It is indeed a suitable task. Send an envoy immediately.”
And this was precisely the case.
The full story of why an envoy of the Holy See had visited Shatien out of the blue.
* * *
“His Holiness the Pope is looking for me?”
“Yes. Honorable and devout Sir Shatien. He says he wishes to commend your achievements according to the miracles you have performed.”
“Hmmm....”
Shatien swallowed a groan at the envoy's hard-to-believe story. While it was a common thing to bless and commend when a miracle was manifested....
‘The scale is too different, is it not?’
Why on earth was the Pope coming out? An era where mystery and magic were still alive. Miracles were being manifested quite often, though not as much as before. Therefore, he thought this miracle commotion would roughly end at the Bishop level, but the Pope? This was almost like the final boss appearing in a neighborhood fight.
“Does it not mean that he valued Sir Shatien's miracle and piety that highly. By all means, I hope you don't ignore His Holiness's favor.”
“No. No! How would I dare ignore it. It is just that I cannot believe I am facing His Holiness. Ah. O God. I thank you for the treatment that is more than I deserve.”
Startled, Shatien hurriedly shouted like that and drew the sign of the cross in a reverent posture. It was largely intentional, but even such a sight was pleasing in the envoy's eyes.
‘Hmm. He is indeed a person of deep faith.’
It was because, in the first place, arrogant and cocky nobles did not perform such actions.
They were characters who still thought they could prove their faith in God through combat, so that said it all.
“Then I shall prepare quickly. One cannot just go any which way to meet His Holiness, can one?”
“Haha. That is true. I shall go with you as a guide, so if there is anything you don't know, please ask anytime. Sir Shatien. I will gladly help.”
The envoy of the Holy See spoke like that and soon ended the meeting. Shatien chased the envoy's retreating back with his eyes, and as soon as he completely disappeared, he immediately called his people.
“What? You are going to see His Holiness?”
“I heard the Pope was so old he was on his deathbed, but has he finally lost his mind?”
“My goodness. Sir Shatien. Congratulations! Hoho. It seems the world is finally recognizing you.”
“Hehe. I knew it would be so. Please don't forget me when you receive a title. Captain Shatien.”
A person who purely liked it, a person who clicked their tongue and criticized scathingly, a person who was happy as if it were their own business, and a person who flattered, and so on.
Although various reactions were exchanged upon hearing the news, the common point was still that everyone found this fact hard to believe.
“But why would His Holiness call you?”
“Indeed. He is merely a mercenary at most. Although the troops available for operation are very numerous, to be sure.”
“Ugh. Master Joachim, why do you say such things. No matter if you are the master, you must not say such things to our Captain!”
“Tsk tsk. You foolish thing. Treatment that is more than one deserves always pays its price. Every proposal has its reason. If you just laugh and chatter because it is good, you are bound to be manipulated and only used without knowing it.”
Extraordinary.
Why was there such a word as extraordinary? It was because the act of breaking a status literally did not happen easily. Therefore, in Joachim's experience of living a long life, this kind of movement from the Holy See was something that did not happen easily.
And as the master's expression was not good, Shatien also became cautious.
“Should I refuse the proposal?”
“You would refuse the Pope's proposal? You have quite the nerve.”
“Calling it refusal, could it not be that I might fall ill and be unable to go. Would there not be no problem at all if I fell from a horse while going hunting because I was happy at the proposal?”
“Huh....”
Joachim was dumbfounded by his disciple's nonchalant words. He thought that his disciple's wits were turning very well in this direction.
Of course, he did not like it.
“There is no need to kick away the luck that has come to you. If there is the Pope's recognition, how high will the prestige of the Mercenary Office you will run in the future soar? Sometimes, one must mount the back of an ogre even while knowing the risk.”
“I suppose that is so, right? I was planning to do so anyway. Since I am mounting the back of an ogre, I should do it properly.”
“Tsk tsk. Just don't fall off while acting up.”
He wondered if he would make a wrong judgment due to being intimidated, but as expected, his disciple's heart was very upright.
The way he spoke as if it were no big deal looked arrogant, but he actually liked it quite a bit.
“Then it seems the decision is roughly made.... I always support your decisions. But be careful, disciple. The City of Plenty, built upon the corpse of an ancient dragon, is by no means an easy place.”
The thousand-year-old capital of the ancient empire.
Although it was said to have declined due to plunder, it was still a giant city that maintained the legacy of the ancient empire and the sacred site where the Holy See was located.
An invitation to that place, as Joachim said, would likely never be safe.
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