Chapter 75 - Seventy-Five ... A Poisoned Chalice

Chapter 75: Chapter Seventy-Five ... A Poisoned Chalice

Chapter Seventy-Five ... A Poisoned Chalice

Apparently a little embarrassed himself, Agphiel cleared his throat and quietly changed the subject.

"By the way, it looked to me as though you met the speaker of the canton privately at the banquet... Did you?"

"You were watching that too? Ha ha."

"So you did. The speaker must have already said he wants to support you?"

"Huh. That’s right."

He might seem a little absent-minded at times, but a sage was a sage. Marveling at his sharp insight, Jan nodded.

"Since the speaker didn’t make any announcement, I take it you haven’t accepted his offer yet?"

"That’s right."

The speaker’s offer certainly looked sweet, but in truth, it wasn’t all that attractive.

After calming the curse and the plague, the goodwill of the canton’s citizens and councillors toward Jan was already at its height.

Why should he step forward and set himself against the emperor on the League of Twelve Cantons’ behalf?

He had their support even if he did nothing.

’It’s a poisoned chalice.’

Serving as the Papal See’s standard-bearer was already more than enough being used. He had no wish to foolishly make more enemies.

"I’m truly glad. I’m very glad you aren’t hasty."

Jan looked at him, puzzled.

And sure enough.

It seemed his judgment had been right.

"Why? Is there some problem?"

"Hm. No matter how I thought about it, something seemed off, so I did some digging. That temple wasn’t a place anyone could find easily, even if they were set on stirring it up, was it?"

"Ah! That’s true."

A heathen temple deep in the Arpen Mountains. Just as Agphiel said, it was not a place one could easily find.

It lay beyond range upon range of mountains.

The most remote of remote places.

"When I asked the dwarf councillors, they said they got their information about the heathen temple from the Augus Company. The company let it slip, claiming there was a barbarian tribe it traded with in secret."

"The Augus Company?"

Jan tilted his head at that.

Agphiel had to have a reason for naming the merchant company. Jan quickly searched through what he knew, and as the answer came to him, his eyes widened.

"You mean the company of House Fulgar?"

"That’s the one. The company of the orc house that backs the current Skincus emperor."

The System’s messages appeared before Jan.

[You have uncovered a faint thread. The Emperor of the Skincus Empire has always wished to rule the League of Twelve Cantons. Could this have been the emperor’s scheme to weaken the League?]

[Notice: If you dig into this matter, you can draw closer to the emperor’s scheme.]

Well, well.

So this was one of the emperor’s schemes after all.

Since the Skincus emperor was chosen by the vote of the great princes, he always wanted achievements to his name and always wanted the nobles weakened. This was probably one more thread in that same scheme.

"If you had accepted the speaker’s offer, you would probably have found yourself at the very front of a war with the emperor. Refusing it was a very good choice."

"Hm... I see."

At Agphiel’s advice, tinged with concern, Jan nodded.

It really was a great stroke of luck that he had refused. If he had gotten greedy and accepted on the spot, it would have been very hard to clean up afterward.

"Thank you for telling me, Master Agphiel."

"Heh heh. What’s this for? You’ve helped me so much. It may have been a short acquaintance, but it’s been a meaningful one."

As he spoke, Agphiel grinned.

Modest for a noble, always leading from the front, always careful. He could seem a little too prone to worry, or a little stingy, but all in all, he was a truly rare and honorable noble.

And he even showed his gratitude like this! He was a man worth looking after.

"Ah, and take this."

Jan looked at him.

"Didn’t I say I’d give you a gift if you helped me?"

"Ah! You did."

So much had happened that Jan had completely forgotten. And yet the mage had remembered.

"This is a Ring of Protection. Remember the wooden shield that blocked the blood sorcery the other day? If anyone makes an attempt on your life, the Ring of Protection will respond and protect you."

"Oh. Are you sure you can give me something so precious?"

"Precious? I promised you a gift, so I have to give you something worthy of that promise. So take it without worrying."

Perhaps embarrassed, Agphiel grumbled a little as he said it.

"And let me know when you leave for the Papal See. I mean to come along."

Jan stopped in the middle of putting on the ring and stared at him in surprise. Agphiel shrugged.

"You helped me with my work, didn’t you? Give and take. This time, I’ll help you with yours."

"Oh?"

"What, does that bother you?"

"Not at all. I’d be truly grateful to have you with us."

Hadn’t he seen the power of a mage in battle with his own eyes? And not just the magic. Agphiel was an excellent advisor as well.

What a windfall.

It seemed good things really did come to those who were good at heart.

Then a thought suddenly occurred to him, and Jan asked Agphiel.

"By the way, do I need to give you a gift like this in return too, Master Agphiel? I don’t really have anything worth giving."

"..."

"Ah! Don’t misunderstand. It’s not that I won’t give you anything. It’s just that I don’t have anything worth as much as this. Ahem."

"...Just don’t say anything."

"Farewell! Safe travels, my lord!"

"You must come back to us!"

"Waaah."

Seen off by the citizens of the canton in grand style, Jan’s army quickly left the canton city behind.

The trip to the canton should have been a short detour, but it had turned into a long stay without anyone quite intending it. What’s more, to get from the canton to the Papal See, they had to go around the Arpen Mountains.

So they pushed south toward the Papal See without a moment’s rest.

"Whoa, whoa!"

Snort!

Neeeigh!

"Watch your footing!"

"Slowly now, eyes forward. You there! Keep the pace!"

It was a forced march through the dense forests of rugged mountains, but it was manageable.

After all, the mage traveling with Jan was Agphiel, the Great Sage of the Forest. True to his reputation, Agphiel was showing remarkable abilities in the thick woods.

Rumble!

Crack-crack-crack!

With every wave of Agphiel’s hand, the dense undergrowth parted to clear a path. And no matter how rough the road, tree roots rose from the ground to level it into a smooth way.

’Any quartermaster would drool over an ability like that...’

Watching it all from horseback, Jan couldn’t help thinking so.

"What are you looking at me with those narrowed eyes for?"

Agphiel, who had been riding some distance ahead, turned his horse and came over.

"Ahem. I was just thinking you must be tired, and wondering whether you’d like to rest soon."

"Oh? Well, that would be nice."

Agphiel brightened at the suggestion.

"We’re nearly out of the Arpen Mountains, so it’s a good time to catch our breath. I was starting to feel it anyway. How fortunate."

With that, Agphiel patted his lower back. Jan smiled at the old man’s complaining and ordered the soldiers to rest. They had been on a forced march all this time, so it certainly was time for a break.