By the Grace of the Gods (LN) - Volume 14 - Chapter 16

Chapter 9, Episode 8: Send-Off

“Given this big secret of yours, I’d like to assign another one of our personnel to work directly for you,” Reinhart offered.

“In addition to Hudom?” I asked. While I didn’t mind an extra pair of hands, Hudom was already assigned to assist me with my engineering work.

Besides, shouldn’t there be fewer people who know my secret?

Reinhart clarified that I didn’t need to divulge my child of the gods status to this new staff member. “She’ll have the same title as Hudom: an engineer’s assistant. But she will act more as your secretary, as a go-between for you and your contacts, including me. Hudom could have handled this too, but I think it’s for the best to have someone whose sole job is to deliver information or negotiate on your behalf. I say this because you’ve attained some degree of fame over New Year’s. As you complete more projects as my engineer, there’s a chance other nobles will reach out to you.”

“Even though I’m the duke’s full-time engineer?”

“They won’t try to headhunt you, most likely, but will propose individual jobs framed as favors to them. Even then, etiquette should demand they go through your patron, but plenty of nobles are happy to sidestep me... And those types are always tricky to deal with. Engineers who have a store or workshop in the city are all the easier for them to find and contact. I think you’d want to avoid dealing with nobles demanding an audience with you at your business.”

At all costs, I mentally chimed in.

“That would cause me concern too, both professionally and personally,” Reinhart continued. “And your shopkeeper—Carme, I believe was his name—is a savvy businessman but a commoner all the same. Someone of noble status would have an easier time dealing with those who come seeking your talent. Partially because nobles don’t always give respect to those who don’t share their status, but also a noble-born representative would serve as a warning to not escalate their attempt any further.”

Whether this was a case of fighting fire with fire or leaving it to a professional, Reinhart’s offer was sensible and appreciated... As long as she was someone I could get along with.

“Is she the maid who came with you?” I asked.

“How’d you know?”

“At first, I thought you brought someone I hadn’t met to verify the effect of the curse. But after what you’ve told me, I don’t think you would risk exposing just anyone to me.”

“It’s true that I wanted to test the curse, and I was going to introduce her properly if you agreed to her assignment. Her name is Eleonora Ransor. Do you recognize it?”

I did. Baron Ransor was the noble who held the goldmines that funded the attackers on Gimul. Reinhart confirmed that Eleonora was the baron’s oldest daughter.

“Are you sure about choosing her?” I couldn’t help but ask. “Not that I don’t trust your judgment, but...”

“It’s only natural for you to hesitate,” Elise said. “Let me explain...” she began.

The Ransors were under the thumb of other nobles who long exploited the baron for his lucrative goldmines. Reinhart still considered the baron and his sons—Eleonora’s brothers—decent nobles who tried their best to preside over their territory fairly... Which was why the four houses that controlled the Ransors had a bone to pick with them.

Just to break any sense of defiance in the Ransors, one of those four nobles, Baron Reefled, pressured Eleonora’s father for her hand in marriage...in name only. Eleonora was more of a hostage, shut away in an annex on the Reefled estate while her husband—the heir to Baron Reefled—was busy with his lovers and debauchery. While ladies who married into a noble house often took charge of the estate and its staff, Eleonora was left with little more than menial chores to occupy her time.

After the attack on Gimul, the entire Reefled family was convicted of a slew of crimes and hanged. Ironically, the fact that Eleonora’s marriage was in name only ended up saving her life, proving that she was in no position to take part in the Reefleds’ crimes.

“So she returned to the Ransor house, when something else happened—that’s a different story altogether—and we ended up taking her in when the Ransors pledged their fealty to us,” Elise concluded.

“Wow,” was all I could say.

“She has my sympathy because of her history, but I didn’t let that cloud my judgment of her ability or character,” Elise said.

“The decision was also backed by the calculation that betraying us won’t be in the cards because of her situation. Perhaps this assignment will mean little to her beyond a change in who gives her orders. Still, I can’t help but hope that by working for you...”

“I’d sensed the tension, so a change in environment might do her good,” I said.

First, she’ll probably need some time to rest her body and mind, but she seemed like the stoic type, so not having any tasks may stress her out more... She also seemed very capable, so maybe Hudom can help her with her job and keep an eye on her. 

“I would really appreciate an intermediary for engaging with other nobles, and after understanding her predicament, I would gladly accept. Can her formal appointment start after I return from the Sea of Trees?”

“Of course,” Reinhart said. “We’ll set up methods of communication with her so she can reach out to us if the need arises. Once you’re back in Gimul, let us know.”

“Absolutely.”

Reinhart sank into his seat and reached for his still-full cup of tea. It must have been lukewarm by now, but he still downed the whole cup.

“Would you like another cup?” I asked.

“Please.”

Once Reinhart had a fresh cup of tea in his hand, he smelled the steam and seemed to relax a little. He must have explored a lot of options to protect me. Wanting to express my gratitude, I asked if there was anything I could do.

After some thought, Reinhart answered. “This may not be what you had in mind, but... My father told me about the grave slimes and your spell that purified cursed energy. Did you really want a plot of land full of cursed energy?”

“Just as a lab and feeding ground, so even a temporary lease or permission would be great. I’m not interested in keeping the land, or anything,” I clarified.

“Your experiments alone would be a great help to us. Purifying cursed energy and Undead monsters can cost a small fortune. But it has to be done. As long as they know you can be trusted, any noble would gladly give you permission for that, if that’s all it took to put a dent in the cursed energy and Undead monsters on their property.”

As I’d learned in the City of Lost Souls, there was plenty of demand just for someone to cull some Undead and prevent cursed energy from overflowing, even if it didn’t eradicate the problem.

“From what I’ve heard, you could make a living just by purifying cursed energy,” Elise said.

“That’s what I’ve been told. For now, I only want to experiment with slimes and magic, and see how much I can do. Once I return from the Sea of Trees, I plan to focus on removing cursed energy.”

The gods had told me that cursed energy was harmful to all things in this world, from animals and plants to the land itself. On the other hand, cursed energy also eliminated other harmful things from this world. Like white blood cells in our bodies, it was a force crucial in keeping the world healthy, but too much of it could be damaging. They had followed up by explaining that the total volume of cursed energy in the world was on the rise, and they’d appreciate me clearing some of it.

“Doesn’t that mean...” Elise started.

“The gods have imparted you with a mission?” Reinhart finished, his expression tense.

This was a misunderstanding too important not to correct. “The gods may give me advice or suggestions, but they’ve never commanded me to do anything, especially for their benefit. Apparently, they refrain from ordering humans around. You two, and plenty of others have helped me through a lot and so have the gods. That’s why I’m going to do what I’m interested in, and hope that I can pay back any part of my debt in the process. Besides, once I’ve gone to the Sea of Trees and come back, I’d need a new goal, and experimenting with Undead and cursed energy is as good as any. That’s all. It’s just to satisfy my own curiosity. Nothing more,” I said.

Looking back on it now, I’d set the goal of heading to the Sea of Trees because I didn’t have a concrete objective, even after I’d decided to stand on my own two feet. I’d just thought about where I’d come from, and made it my goal to explore the Sea of Trees without thinking about it too much. Now, I just wanted to follow through with the challenge I’d set for myself. It felt like a rite of passage for me: a way for me to truly earn my place in this world.

“It’s quite a shock when you describe the gods as if they’re friendly neighbors... But I think I see what you mean,” said Elise.

“If you’re going to be handling cursed energy, I’ll mention that to Lord Rosenberg so he can advise you. I’ll pick out the lab for you too. Do you have any requests? If you don’t, I’d love for you to start with some abandoned villages that could be rebuilt as soon as they’re purified,” Reinhart said.

Since recently mastering long-distance teleportation using familiars as targets, I had no problem with a long commute. Preferably, I wanted a location with no other living person, so an abandoned village seemed to fit the bill.

Are a few abandoned villages really on the top of Reinhart’s priority list? I wondered, and asked the duke as much.

He explained that he was currently in the process of building new villages and implementing roads on a large scale. Come to think of it, he and I had discussed starting a village dedicated to slime farming.

“That’s not the only reason,” he amended. “I’m sure I mentioned that the number of monsters has been on the rise over the past few years. So much so that His Majesty mentioned it during his New Year’s address. Specifically, he suggested that us nobles keep a sharp eye on our territories and be ready to defend our people at all times. So, more and more nobles will start preparing for monster attacks. Suddenly bolstering a militia or hoarding supplies can cause panic, and many nobles have a completely unfounded sense of security, so this won’t happen today or tomorrow... But we have to be prepared for anything. Chiefly, I want to revitalize these villages to minimize the effect of us preparing for a monster attack,” Reinhart explained.

Reinforcing a militia required additional supplies. If Reinhart—and all the other nobles—rushed to gather those all at once, the ordinary people would end up paying the price for it. Fewer supplies on the market would lead to a nasty spiral of buyouts and scalping. It would be inevitable, in fact.

“That’s why you mentioned building a village for slime farming early in the year,” I said.

“When you told me about slime farming, I was immediately drawn to it, even though I hadn’t thought of a concrete plan at the time. Productivity needs to be as high as possible within our territory, but food and medicine are supplies that I can’t afford to deplete from the market. When the prices of those two categories hike, people start to die. And travel roads had to be built because it won’t matter how many supplies I have stored up if I can’t deliver them to where they’re needed. These roads would revitalize commerce with or without a monster attack. If we end up with surplus food thanks to slime farming, that can be used to aid other territories,” Reinhart said.

“Just so you know, no noble in their right mind would accept aid for free. Not only would that be harmful to their reputation, but a favor can cost more than paying for the food outright. Most of the time, nobles will negotiate a price and handle business then and there—a transaction in the name of aid,” Elise added.

The duke and duchess were hoping to enrich their territory with the sales of the extra food acquired from slime farming, or at least subsidize some expenses with it. Either way, they were planning ahead for what was to come.

I then asked if there was a deadline for me to purify those villages of cursed energy, and Reinhart answered no. He’d have a village picked out for me, and if I ended up purifying it, he’d consider if he wanted to rebuild it.

“How easy is it to build a village from scratch?”

“A small one? Pretty easy,” Reinhart answered my question. “As long as there are enough builders and funds, and prospects of getting a return for our investment. We can always hire mages to help level or till the land.”

“Besides, a new village can mean a huge opportunity for some people—such as younger sons of farmers who won’t inherit their family farm. Starting a brand-new farm may be challenging, but they will earn their own house and a farm by the end of it,” Elise said.

While a new home and farm wasn’t guaranteed, it seemed like a much safer bet than adventuring. In any case, I was happy to enlist my and my slimes’ services for the Jamils.

While I was mulling over the prospect of the new village, Elise had become still.

“What’s the matter, Elise?” Reinhart asked.

“Dear, we were supposed to subtly broach the subject of Ryoma’s reward. Now, we’re the ones who would benefit from this arrangement.”

“Yes... How did this happen again?”

The duke and duchess shared a helpless chuckle. The situation seemed familiar to me too, but I still felt like they had nothing to worry about. They were already helping me out big time by becoming my patrons. I’m sure a high status would have made life easier on Earth too. But nobles held absolute power in this world, so they’d already given me a peace of mind I couldn’t buy.

“You’ve already helped me a lot. Referring Eleonora to me being the latest example,” I pointed out.

“And Ryoma, you’ve made it clear how much you appreciate us. But as soon as we think we’ve repaid a small part of what we owe you, it feels like we owe you double that again,” said Elise.

“We know you’re only offering out of the kindness of your heart. We’re just not used to that, I suppose. When we’re dealing with scheming nobles, we don’t act like this,” Reinhart said.

“Well, I’m happy you trust me that much,” I said honestly.

The Jamils laughed and drank their tea.

“Of course, I’m not complaining about our current relationship. I’m only afraid of ruining it by relying too much on your goodwill,” Reinhart said.

“My thoughts exactly,” I countered.

Elise chuckled again. “Let’s put a pin in this discussion, shall we? I’m afraid we’re negating the point of repaying a debt if we’re trying to force it into Ryoma’s hands.”

I concurred, and promised to seek their advice if I ever needed it.

“Does that about wrap up our top secret discussion?” Reinhart joked.

“Hughes and the others wanted to talk to Ryoma before he left for Syrus, so they won’t be happy if we keep him to ourselves too long.” Elise turned to me. “If that’s all right with you.”

“Yes... I think so,” I said. “I’d love to talk to them too, though I’m not sure how to broach the ‘child of the gods’ subject... It may take longer than a day to get through the details.”

I was reborn into this world. 

That would only take one sentence. But to have them understand what that meant, I wanted to tell them about Earth, life in Japan, and who I was in my previous life... Now that I was ready to share this secret, and that I wanted to share it, I was overwhelmed with how much I wanted them to know.

“By the time I’m ready to tell Elia, I’ll know what to say,” I said.

“Understood. When that time comes, we’ll set aside all the time you need,” Reinhart said.

So, my classified meeting with the duke and duchess wrapped up with a comfortable air of friendship.

Reinhart slid the magical item shut, deactivating the soundproofing spell. He announced a little loudly that we were done talking, and the others soon returned from the other room.

After that, we discussed all sorts of things together. Rosenberg handed me his written diagnosis and we talked about how I would start purifying cursed energy once I returned from the Sea of Trees. While he seemed a little shocked by it, he enthusiastically pledged his support. To my pleasant surprise, Rosenberg was very friendly. I also found out that there were fewer professional warlocks and exorcists than I’d thought. Low supply and high demand for both occupations made Rosenberg a very busy man.

Eleonora and I formally introduced ourselves, and I noticed that she did look strained. Although Rosenberg had cast a spell on her to protect her from the effect of my curse, she just seemed physically unwell. But when I told her about her appointment as my secretary, she immediately asked for work. Knowing that telling her to “do nothing” might have stressed her out more, I gave her a few simple tasks, emphasizing that her primary job for now was to rest well.

The four familiar guards were as friendly as they’d always been as they expressed how concerned they were when they heard that I was cursed, and how relieved they were to see me looking well. We talked about my plans for the Sea of Trees, and recent developments in their lives...until time slipped by.

“Take care.”

“Let us know as soon as you come back.”

With short and sweet words of parting that nonetheless conveyed how much they cared for me, the Jamils and their entourage left before sundown. As they were leaving, I had the funny feeling that I was the one walking away to their send-off.

Now, I was all set. I’d set out to the Sea of Trees with nothing to worry about. Then, I’d come home.