Chapter 67 - Sixty-Seven ... Returning What Was Stolen

Chapter 67: Chapter Sixty-Seven ... Returning What Was Stolen

Chapter Sixty-Seven ... Returning What Was Stolen

Jan turned to look at Agphiel.

"Is there a way to resolve this? I’d like to settle it quickly." ℯℯ𝘭.

He had lost so much time already to affairs he’d never meant to be drawn into.

Jan was beginning to tire of it.

To pour this much effort into a place that wasn’t even his own domain...

It was only because the Canton League would make a dependable ally for years to come if it stood on his side. Had it been some insignificant place, he might simply have passed it by.

"Well, fortunately, it doesn’t seem to be a difficult curse to lift."

"Oh. What’s the way?"

"Return the stolen holy objects to where they belong."

"Will that truly be enough?"

Seeing Agphiel shrug as he answered, Jan felt deflated.

The solution was far simpler than he’d expected. If it was this easy, why had that foolish canton council let things grow so large?

Agphiel seemed to understand what he was feeling, because he gave a small laugh.

"It’s easy, and yet it’s hard. Just look at that greedy councillor, won’t you? Those blinded by greed find it hard to even think of such a thing."

"Ah, that’s true enough."

"That said, it usually resolves things... but if it doesn’t, we’ll have to think of another way."

"Another way?"

"That’s right."

As he spoke, Agphiel glanced sidelong at the canton councillor and brushed off his hands.

Hm. So that meant the only other answer was to burn them, didn’t it?

’That’s certainly a thorough approach.’

Of course, Jan had no intention of doing that. If he did, then just as the System’s messages had said, he could fill the canton council with his own people and bring it under his influence...

’But there’d be no dealing with what came after.’

He still wasn’t strong enough.

He couldn’t even overpower the lords around him yet. Reaching for the Canton League now would be the same as making enemies of far greater powers.

The king, the Ruler of the Stone Lands, the Emperor of the Skincus Empire, the great princes of the empire’s west, and more.

So that was absolutely out of the question.

"Let’s hope that’s enough to settle it."

"Heh heh. You really are cautious, unlike most young nobles. It’s a good attitude."

There was nothing better than when the person one had formed a bond with was wise as well. Agphiel smiled with a satisfied look.

"Well then, it seems we’ve more or less sorted out the situation?"

"Yes, indeed."

"Then, councillor, go and bring back the holy objects you plundered."

The canton councillor’s greedy dwarven cheeks twitched as he asked.

"I-is there, perhaps, some other way, my lord?"

"...What, can’t bear to part with them?"

It was so absurd that Jan said it flatly.

Even now, the man was clinging to his greed. He truly seemed to be begging to die, after all the trouble Jan had gone to for him.

"N-no, my lord."

"Then stop talking nonsense and have your people return the holy objects the councillors stole, at once."

"Y-yes, my lord."

At the chill in Jan’s voice, the canton councillor jumped and hurried off. He must have caught the menace in it.

Jan added one more thing to the back of the dwarf’s head.

"Ah, and I’ll need funds for the expedition. The lot of you will pull it together among yourselves and show sufficient goodwill."

He was doing their work for them, so there had to be a price. He meant to scrape them clean.

"Oh."

"I see."

Jan could understand why the canton councillor had been so reluctant to part with them. Holy objects so finely worked in gold and jewels. Anyone who saw them would be tempted.

Just look at him now.

"Heh heh. How beautiful. Couldn’t we just... quietly keep one?"

Bishop Graham’s eyes were shining with naked greed.

What kind of bishop said something like that, when it would be a scandal if anyone overheard?

"These belong to heathens, Bishop Graham...?"

"Ah... Pretend you didn’t hear that."

He truly was hopelessly greedy.

Shaking his head, Jan looked at the canton councillors gathered before him and asked.

"Is this all of it?"

"Y-yes, my lord."

"That’s right!"

"If any of you are deceiving me, there will be consequences you can’t deal with. You’d do well to come clean now, while you can. There won’t be a second chance. I’m heading straight for the Papal See after this. And for your information, I intend to report this matter to the Papal See in person."

Jan said it in a low, threatening growl.

It was only meant to put some fear into them.

Surely no one would still be hiding anything at a time like this?

And yet someone was.

"Ah! My lord, something just came to mind!"

"M-me too. Now that I think about it, I may have left two holy images under my bed."

Quite a few of the dwarf councillors, in fact.

"..."

One and all, they scattered in a flustered rush, sweating profusely. Apparently they were going back to their mansions to fetch the holy objects they’d squirreled away.

’Greedy dwarves, through and through...’

Watching them go, Jan let out a heavy sigh inwardly.

"Captain Lampard. You must have had a hard time of it all these years."

"Ahem. They’re not all like that, really..."

He tried to make excuses, but he seemed to know they wouldn’t be believed, because his face had turned bright red.

"Yes, yes, I understand. I’m sure they aren’t all like that. So, are the soldiers ready?"

"No, really, human lord..."

"I said I believe you."

"Ugh... I’ve picked men who know how to keep their mouths shut. The knights are coming too, so it should be over quickly."

"Good. Then once the dwarves are all back, we’ll set out."

There had been a minor commotion, but the preparations were complete.

With a guide provided by the canton council, Jan set out for the Arpen Mountains with his army. The dwarves had plundered so much that the holy objects filled a whole cart.

Seeing that, a question occurred to him.

"Do heathen temples usually hold this many objects, Master Agphiel?"

"Hm? Hard to say. Judging by them, they seem to date from the days of the old empire... It would be unusual for a temple to hold this many. Most of the temples from the old empire’s time have long been forgotten, and their treasures usually fade along with them."

Just as he’d thought.

Even to Jan’s eye, the quantity made no sense.

In that case, someone must have kept watch over the temple all this time...

"Wait. Didn’t they say they found the barbarians’ temple, killed them, and plundered it?"

"Oh? Come to think of it, they did."

"So nothing here is going to be simple. If they plundered the temple, the barbarian tribe around it must be furious."

Clicking his tongue, Jan had a soldier fetch the dwarf guide.