Wortenia Senki (LN) - Volume 24 - Chapter Ep

Epilogue

Ryoma had received the report about the Kingdom of Myest several days earlier. It was around afternoon, and he was in a room in the mansion of the former Count Salzberg in a corner of Pireas.

Asuka had just finished a light exercise in the courtyard before refreshing herself in the marble-decorated bathhouse. She then returned to her room and began preparations to welcome her guests.

I should really have my own mansion right now. Oh, well. People might criticize me for leeching off Ryoma, but it’s not like I can do anything about that, thought Asuka.

Even though Ryoma Mikoshiba had risen to the highest rank within the Kingdom of Rhoadseria—archduke—he was still renting out Count Salzberg’s mansion. Such information could damage his reputation.

For cutting costs, it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. But it didn’t provide the best optics for an archduke.

In Rearth terms, it’s equivalent to a CEO who earns billions of yen a year living with his parents in a cheap apartment.

She wasn’t sure if that was the best comparison, since she still lacked common knowledge about how Earth worked. She often just made assumptions based on her impressions of it, which she knew wasn’t the most ideal approach.

If Ryoma did have his own mansion, I wonder if I could take a bath by myself whenever I wanted.

When she bathed at Count Salzberg’s mansion, the servants would painstakingly clean every inch of her body, even drowning her in perfume. It was top-quality treatment for Asuka, who had lived most of her life in a modern society. She had her every need met, quite literally.

Her treatment resembled visiting a high-class beauty salon or staying at a three-star hotel with a concierge. Or it was like someone who only ate home-cooked meals every day suddenly having high-class French food for three meals daily.

Asuka was aware of the excellent care she received from those around her. She had treatment that was limited to only a few people here on Earth. But she still felt uncomfortable.

They treat me so well that it feels weird.

In a general sense, Asuka’s family—the Kiryuus—were well-off. But that assumption was based on Japan’s understanding of “well-off.” Compared to the levels of wealth on social media back in Rearth, her family was modest. And so, she found herself in an environment similar to the extraordinary wealth she’d see on social media.

When I was living in Japan, I was just a regular high school student, so I guess it’s normal I feel like this.

Asuka had never felt like this before. She had felt lucky knowing she would live a long life and dream of having such nice things. But when those good dreams became reality, it changed a lot.

It seems this kind of treatment for the elite is not just limited to the Kingdom of Rhoadseria. Nobles living on Earth with bathtubs never wash themselves with their own hands. Even Lady Yulia mentioned that.

Whether Asuka Kiryuu liked it or not, she now belonged to the noble category and could do nothing about it. It was stressful when it all suddenly became your day-to-day.

It could have been a difference in how men and women think, or it could have depended on Asuka’s personality.

From what I’ve heard, Ryoma goes in the bath by himself. So why can’t I? 

Ryoma had told her, so she was sure of it. Even if Asuka said she wanted to go in alone, everyone would refuse her for some reason.

Though I understand, I would kind of be taking away the maid’s jobs.

That would raise the question, is it okay for Ryoma to bathe alone? But then that would just get pushed away, saying it was a difference between sexes.

Well, it’s not like I hate it. Everyone is doing their best to look after me, so I can’t really disregard it.

Asuka’s personality made it difficult for her to say no.

That said, it would be better if Ryoma got his own mansion. But it would be hard to buy or build one right now with the current situation.

She knew well enough that Ryoma had no time to adjust his public image. After all, he had to deal with the O’ltormean invasion into the Kingdom of Xarooda and had received urgent news from the neighboring country to the east, the Kingdom of Myest.

Realistically speaking, Ryoma had no time to even think about acquiring a mansion for House Mikoshiba. If he had the resources to build a mansion fit for an archduke, he’d much rather spend those resources on military preparations instead. In times of peace, a luxurious mansion was effective as a display of authority and wealth. But in times of war, it was nothing more than a useless object. Everyone living in Count Salzberg’s manor more or less understood that fact.

People were investigating the news from the Kingdom of Myest in one corner of the manor. Naturally, the atmosphere in the whole manor was tense. Yet, that contrasted with the cheerfulness in Asuka’s room, thanks to her state of mind. She was doing her best to look after herself. Her intrinsic good spirits came about because her benefactors, who had spent a long time with her since she was summoned to this world, were visiting today. Thus, Asuka asked for a favor of borrowing the kitchen in the Count Salzberg mansion and having Kikuna Samejima cook for her.

However, her good spirits were all just for show. Hidden within the cheerful atmosphere was a faint dark shadow hovering over the room. It was a subtle feeling that only Ryoma and Koichiro, both of whom she had spent a long time with, could sense.

“All right... I look good,” said Asuka, nodding as she checked her appearance in the mirror. She had donned the same school uniform from when she arrived in this world. Agewise, she should have graduated from high school by now, but that didn’t change the fact that her school uniform was one of her most prized possessions. She tied her hair with her favorite silk ribbon, glowing as always in that look.

Asuka was all prepared after her bath, but that didn’t mean there weren’t any problems.

“I guess Ryoma can’t help it with the position he’s in right now. But...”

She knew the archduke found it important to investigate what the Church of Meneos was up to. Moreover, she recognized she was the best fit for the job. Even if she disagreed, it was like a small thorn that stabbed at her heart.

Well, it’s not like it’s been decided that they’re our enemies yet.

There was a knock at the door.

“Lady Asuka. Your guests have arrived.”

“Oh, thank you. I’ll be right there,” responded Asuka through the closed door before rechecking her appearance in the window and heading toward the door. It was time to do her job.

“So, we’ve officially received permission from the Church to stay in the Kingdom of Rhoadseria,” Rodney Mackenna told Asuka, who was sitting on the sofa in the reception room.

Asuka couldn’t help but squeal with delight when she heard that Rodney and Menea would be stationed in the Kingdom of Rhoadseria. Even Rodney sounded quite happy based on his excited tone.

Well, the royal capital and the Wortenia Peninsula are not close. I’ll have opportunities to see him before he returns to the holy city of Menestia, thought Asuka.

Rodney smirked when he saw Asuka’s reaction. His stepsister, Menea Norberg, sat beside him and showed a peaceful smile.

“It’s an honor seeing you so happy,” remarked Rodney.

“It really is,” replied Menea.

Both of them laughed, enjoying Asuka’s reaction. It made sense why Asuka was so overjoyed to hear the news. Menestia was in the southern part of the western continent, and Asuka was due to move to Ryoma’s main base in the city of Sirius, based in the northern region. That meant Menestia and Sirius were almost on opposite sides of the continent.

Getting around wasn’t that easy on Earth, making long distances huge obstacles when trying to meet with people.

It took him months to get here from the holy city.

Even for Rodney, who had undergone strict training as part of the Temple Knights of the Church of Meneos, the trip would be dangerous. At least Asuka was well aware of the extra precautions taken to ensure their safety on the road.

While special skills like thaumaturgy existed, compared to Rearth, Earth was a fairly delayed civilization. Means of transport were limited to walking, horseback, or boat. Although, the roads between cities were not well established.

Traveling by road involved several possible hazards, such as storms, or even war. Considering all those factors, Rodney would not head toward the northern part of the continent again if he and the others were to return to the holy city.

Depending on how it went, I could have said goodbye to him forever.

With Rodney and the others now staying in the royal capital of Pireas, Asuka no longer needed to worry about that. It would be difficult for them to meet with one another every day, but at least they could meet occasionally.

Rodney smiled at Asuka, who could not contain her happiness, before nodding slowly.

“A few days ago, Cardinal Roland discussed it with the pope, and they decided on it. Well, it’s not set in stone until I get an official notification from the Church. But it’s more or less confirmed anyway,” said Rodney.

Asuka nodded slightly in response, a question mark almost forming above her head. Communication was also limited here on Earth, so she couldn’t picture how Cardinal Roland had contacted the pope so quickly.

“Cardinal Roland and the pope? Did they send letters by bird or something? I know birds are faster than horses, but I thought it wasn’t that easy to make contact so quickly with the pope.”

The distance between the holy city of Menestia and the Kingdom of Rhoadseria was several thousand kilometers. That wouldn’t be an issue if phones and emails were used widely on Earth like on Rearth.

“Well, they have their ways, I guess.”

“I see!” responded Asuka, smiling. Even though there were some things she didn’t understand, she felt overjoyed at the news that both her older brother and sister would stay in Rhoadseria. They had taken care of her since her initial summoning to Earth.

Though her grandfather and cousin protected her now, she was still quite grateful to Rodney and Menea. If anything, she finally could return the favor. Though only temporarily, Ryoma Mikoshiba and the Church of Meneos were once enemies.

They had a more friendly relationship now, but it wouldn’t take much for them to be enemies again. With their friendship so delicate, it was essential they often communicated. Asuka Kiryuu was the only person within the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy with that kind of personal relationship with anyone in the Church.

At a minimum, it was far easier for Rodney and Menea to work with Asuka than to build up a new relationship entirely from scratch with a random point of contact they hardly knew. Asuka felt her heart fill with a sense of duty.

“Anyway, I’m just happy you two and Ryoma get along well.”

“Yeah, I guess... At least the Church has ordered me to build good relations with Sir Mikoshiba. Since there have been unfortunate misunderstandings in the past, I think it will be difficult to dispel the feeling of vigilance within their friendship. But I guess we needn’t worry about that right now.”

“Oh I see. So, are you like a resident ambassador for the Church now?”

Days ago, Asuka heard from Ryoma that Rodney’s position in Rhoadseria was close to a diplomat. But he wasn’t sure about the facts. Asuka had to confirm those details in person. But Rodney’s response caused Asuka’s expression to cloud over.

“A resident ambassador... Not really, I think? Resident ambassador makes it seem like I hold a lot of authority, which isn’t quite it. I’m more of a fixer.” Rodney smiled while shrugging his shoulders, not appearing discouraged, judging from his words and demeanor. The Church of Meneos wasn’t an actual state, meaning such a role wouldn’t exist.

If anything, an archbishop or high priest would be the one expected to handle all things diplomatic. But that wasn’t an official role of theirs. In that sense, Rodney’s official status within the Church was still that of a knight, even though he was formerly the leader of the Temple Knights. Hence, it made sense that Asuka’s use of “ambassador” wasn’t quite the right word for his activities. Rodney had discretionary power regarding the Grand Mikoshiba Duchy and the Kingdom of Rhoadseria, so seeing himself as a sort of fixer for the Church of Meneos was a proper way to describe his position.

Although, the Church of Meneos was aware of Rodney Mackenna’s ability and how it came in handy for them. Undeniably, Rodney and Menea knew that too. The word “fixer” didn’t present the best image and wouldn’t have sounded like a good title for someone overhearing the conversation.

“A fixer... Isn’t that just a demotion, though?” asked Asuka, worried. She owed a lot to Rodney, so it would have been a big deal if they had suddenly demoted him.

Is it because I managed to escape? 

Asuka’s existence had been hidden from everyone thanks to Rodney and Menea’s efforts. To others, Asuka Kiryuu was just a young woman summoned to Earth from Rearth and was under the protection of the siblings. They were also the only people who knew about her blood relation to Ryoma Mikoshiba. Even Cardinal Roland didn’t know about it. Therefore, Asuka Kiryuu’s disappearance from the encampment would have been a case of a mere otherworlder going missing during battle.

There were always many people going missing on battlefields. The Church of Meneos wouldn’t have found it that much of an issue if Asuka and Tachibana suffered the same fate.

But you can never say never, I guess. I wonder if me and Mr. Tachibana disappearing caused some problems.

It was only natural that Asuka felt uneasy about it. However, Rodney simply laughed in response to her question.

“No, no, nothing like that... I just meant that since it’s not an official role, it wouldn’t be right calling me an ambassador. None of my duties have changed. My role as a fixer is more important and requires more from me than if I were an ambassador. Alongside managing the church in the Kingdom of Rhoadseria, they entrusted me with being a point of contact for the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy, which is incredibly well-known across the land. I collect information about the eastern part of the continent.”

“Got it. That’s fine, but... Didn’t you say you wanted to be a captain again?”

“I guess, but the Church doesn’t have many people it can use all the way over here in the eastern part of the continent. I can’t really avoid getting all these jobs pushed on to me.”

Asuka nodded, sensing dissatisfaction in Rodney’s tone, and thought, I wonder what the case is. It doesn’t seem like he’s lying, but I don’t think he’s being entirely honest.

It wasn’t necessarily bad that the two people who had once served as captain and vice-captain of the Temple Knights were now liaisons between the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy and the Church of Meneos. At the very least, the duchy couldn’t complain. Since they had welcomed Rodney and the others, that was evidence that supported Ryoma’s interest in the Church of Meneos.

Plus, the manner that the Church of Meneos stationed personnel with the ability to be captains appealed to the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy. This demonstrated how they worked and showed they had closely monitored the Mikoshiba Duchy.

If the Church of Meneos weren’t interested, they wouldn’t have gone as far to assign such skilled personnel to this job. But that also meant the logic of the Church of Meneos’s assessment skills didn’t reflect on Rodney Mackenna and Menea Norberg. Given that this was an unprecedented appointment, it was hard to say the promotion was good. Although Rodney had hinted to Asuka that it was a promotion, Rodney and Menea actually weren’t sure what to make of it.

In modern terms, maybe it’s more like a military officer having a role at an embassy as an attaché?

Both had significant roles as diplomats. As far as Asuka knew, it was a relatively high-ranking role. They were sprinting toward success in their career. But it was also an unknown role for the two who had climbed to this point; they weren’t without their concerns.

I always knew that Rodney was in a strange position but I can’t see it being worse now. But he’s probably also doing spy work, being a military officer on a diplomatic assignment.

Of course, Asuka’s knowledge of spies and so on had limits, and she didn’t know if military officers here on Earth were the same as those on Rearth. She could imagine it not being an easy job, though.

Rodney shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, it depends on how you look at it. It’s not like my pay is getting docked or anything, so that’s fine with me,” said Rodney, laughing. Asuka looked at him with a worried expression.

It doesn’t seem like he’s lying, but I think he wanted to return to being a captain.

Rodney didn’t look sad or anything. It also wasn’t like he was just laughing to keep up appearances. But Asuka couldn’t help but think it was her fault, even though she knew it was nothing more than sentimentality.

Well, if we’re gonna point the finger, Ryoma is behind all of it.

Anyhow, it was hard to determine the truth. Everyone made their best attempt, and nobody should be ashamed of their actions and choices. Ryoma had done everything he could to protect his friends and Asuka. Because of this, the result reflected poorly on Rodney.

Surely, he could understand why it was in Ryoma’s political interests to eliminate the influence of a religious organization.

Ryoma didn’t see Rodney and Menea as enemies and was rather grateful to them. When Asuka was first summoned to this world, they found her unconscious in the forest. What they had done was so noble that no sum could ever make up for it.

Regardless, that didn’t mean Ryoma Mikoshiba could form a strong friendship with the Church of Meneos because of that. He wasn’t naive enough to have his political decisions changed due to them doing him a favor.

Plus, I have my thoughts about the Church of Meneos.

Asuka’s upbringing in Japan likely contributed to this. Like Ryoma, she was rather skeptical about religious organizations. She had a reasonable understanding of Buddhism, Shinto, Christianity and Islam. But she also thought everyone should have the freedom to follow their beliefs, a view she retained from her upbringing. She didn’t think that one religion was better than another.

When it came to newly founded religions, she didn’t have the best impression of them.

While I don’t believe that we should get rid of or speak ill of people who are believers in newly founded religions, I also don’t think they’re the kind of people I want to get to know.

Moreover, Asuka wasn’t a complete atheist and even believed in gods and Buddha. She would leave a monetary offering if she passed a small Jizo shrine and even donated to monks. But if someone asked her if it is worth believing in something to the point you joined an organization, she would demonstrate skepticism.

She probably wouldn’t have been alone in thinking that something was shady when such organizations started to ask for donations and offerings. After all, religious figures were supposed to share common traits—being virtuous and honorably poor.

Of course, questioning the requirements of their religious doctrines, many believers sought virtuous figures who were honorably poor. Asuka didn’t think believers wanted to hear stories about their revered figures living a life of luxury. Such included huge houses, expensive jewelry adorned with precious gems, luxury clothes, expensive cuisines and wines, and the company of women.

There were a lot of religions that didn’t allow clergy to marry, let alone surrounded themselves with mistresses. A clergyman’s job was to listen to God, to correct believers’ conduct, and to undergo great hardships leading their lost believers. Doing your best to ensure the happiness of others above your own had a noble quality.

Yet, that was an incredibly difficult path. People respected clergy for their ability to navigate such a treacherous path with their own will and belief.

I couldn’t do that.

Asuka wasn’t alone in that. Billions of people on the planet would have found this impossible. The reason was that it was hard to be a believer. No matter how respectable a clergyman was, they soon became tainted with worldly desires when the topic of money arose. It was difficult not to feel a sense of disgust toward them. Their holiness soon disappeared once they caught the scent of a new lifestyle and the reality that came with it.

These views were similar to teachings from historically revered people like Jesus Christ or Buddha.

People say that money talks, and I understand that running an organization requires money. 

Religious organizations needed money, meaning they couldn’t be completely independent from the secular world. Should they earn their daily bread, they would need housing to shield them from the elements and a temple to pass on their teachings. If it were a religion where idol worship wasn’t prohibited, they would need money to build statues. They needed money for all of that.

Unless they were immortals who could live off oxygen alone, they couldn’t live independently from money. She understood that, but the argument didn’t convince her.

I guess it’s just best to keep a neutral stance on all of it.

Asuka would celebrate Christmas on the 24th and the 25th of December, then attend a Shinto shrine or a Buddhist temple to pray at the beginning of the New Year. Japanese wedding ceremonies were held in a church, while funerals took place in a temple. Nothing was more absurd than that—at least, many Christians or Muslims found it hard to understand.

If Asuka were to ask religious fundamentalists about these things, they might perceive such inconsistency as an insult and get annoyed. However, Japanese people—for better or worse—held such a relaxed outlook on religion. They kept that sort of distance from it and didn’t speak badly of it, regardless of their beliefs.

No one could deny that the Mikoshiba and Kiryuu family had the same outlook on religion.

Here on Earth, it seems like that is heresy.

Fanatics had established themselves throughout the western continent to spread the teachings of the Church of Meneos as absolute and supreme. They saw their religion as definitive and blindly followed it. There was no room for questions, negotiation, or concessions. If one person strayed from their beliefs slightly, they would encounter violence as fellow believers would try to correct their behavior. They believed that to be the wish of their god.

I guess they’re kind of fundamentalist? 

Those living in modern-day Japan rarely became involved with anyone who blindly believed in a certain religion. The same went for Asuka. However, she had lived in a time where she could hear the news about something that had happened on the other side of the world in real time. She had heard about terrorist attacks or wars that had begun due to religious conflicts. Most of her information about religion came from the internet and television.

She had never spoken with a zealous believer, nor had she met anyone like that, so her knowledge was limited. But she couldn’t say the negative impression she formed from such news was without cause; it was reasonable of her to be wary of religion.

Not to mention what I’ve heard about the holy city of Menestia too...

In this context, Ryoma Mikoshiba asking the Church of Meneos to retreat from the Kingdom of Rhoadseria wasn’t irrational. Asuka agreed with his decision. However, Rodney and Menea had gotten the short end of the stick as a result. The issue boiled down to whether Asuka could deal with that outcome.

“I’m sorry... I caused you both so much trouble...since you saved me... I’m so sorry,” said Asuka.

“Asuka, you needn’t worry at all. It’s what we wanted to do,” replied Menea, laughing as she observed from Rodney’s side. “But...”

“It was worth it, anyway. You really needn’t worry.”

“Worth it? Will you get promoted when you return?”

“Hehehe... Not exactly that. I don’t really want to be a captain of the Temple Knights anyway. And I don’t think Rodney is interested in being a captain again, right? I’d be fine not returning to the holy city, especially with the ongoing feud with Cardinal Vargas and his cronies... Not that I can go into that,” related Menea, playfully winking.

Rodney nodded and added, “That’s right... Honestly, I feel great knowing I won’t have to see that son of a bitch and his mindless followers.”

Asuka smiled wryly at Rodney’s bold choice of words. After all, Rodney was a good-natured person and would give everything in his wallet to a beggar on the streets. If he wasn’t like that, she didn’t think he would have looked after her so carefully after finding her unconscious in the woods. It was unusual for Rodney to speak so badly about someone like that.

But Rodney and Menea had hidden motives, and at this stage, it was hard to say that their intentions were purely altruistic. They had discovered the existence of Asuka’s relative, Koichiro Mikoshiba, and the sword he had given her that contained thaumaturgy, after they had rescued her and taken her in. It also led to them suspecting that Koichiro had a connection to the Organization. Still, at first, they looked after her with good intentions, although that was rare on Earth.

Many people on Earth who found a healthy young woman with a good build like Asuka lying unconscious in the forest would consider selling her as a slave or keeping them for their desires. Others would not feed, clothe, shelter, or even stand up against their seniors to protect her.

Gaining Rodney Mackenna’s ire was quite a feat because he was so incredibly good-natured. Since Rodney was like that, he often faced troublesome situations. His sense of justice was so strong that he would point out and correct any mistakes seniors or anyone above him made. This trait was commendable, especially for weaker people who often felt intimidated by those in authority, who saw him as a hero or a god of salvation.

On the other hand, plenty of people in the higher ranks of the Church of Meneos had distanced themselves from Rodney. They did nothing to hide their hostility toward him either.

Ah I see. He’s mentioned him before.

The face of the person Rodney was talking about appeared in Asuka’s mind. It was a man that she had seen now and then when she was living in the holy city of Menestia. He was an older man who was much too thin and wore luxurious priest’s clothing. Thinking back to her time there, she remembered his gaze toward her being somewhat sleazy, clinging to her. He wasn’t the kind of person she wanted to approach.

“You really dislike him, huh,” commented Asuka.

“Yeah. I don’t even want to look at him,” said Rodney, nodding with a disgusted expression.

“Honestly... You’re like a kid,” said Menea, shrugging her shoulders to show she meant no ill will. Rodney wasn’t acting like an adult, even if he was right. Asuka felt a sense of warmth in Menea’s words as if she were an older sister teasing her cheeky younger brother. She showed she was proud of him. Still, it didn’t seem like Rodney picked up on that.

“You say that, but he had his sights on Asuka, remember?! Even though he’s old enough to be her grandfather, let alone her father!” rebuked Rodney with an upset look.

“I know. That bothered me, but he is a cardinal, remember? Shouldn’t you be looking after your reputation more? The whole reason you were demoted from captain of the knights was because you dared to challenge him.”

“And? There’s no way I was gonna keep silent and follow that son of a bitch’s orders!”

“I’m not saying that. I’m saying there’s better ways to go about it!”

Menea and Rodney engaged in their war of words. But it didn’t bother Asuka in the slightest.

How nice... I guess this is what it’s like for siblings. I wonder if Ryoma and I look like this to other people? thought Asuka, enjoying the argument between Rodney and Menea unfold before her.

After the meeting with Asuka, Rodney and Menea were in a horse-drawn carriage that swayed back and forth as they headed to the Church of Meneos’s temple within the royal capital. It was dark outside as night swept in. The pale moon sat high in the sky, surrounded by colorful, sparkling stars.

“We ended up staying quite a while,” said Rodney.

“We did, but it’s fine. Asuka seemed to have a lot of fun, and it was nice to talk with her after so long,” replied Menea.

“That’s true... I had fun too. Plus, it was worth meeting her since we now know that Ryoma is pretty curious about us.”

“She’s such a kind, loyal girl.”

“She is. That’s why I want to protect her.”

“I get that...”

Those were Rodney and Menea’s honest feelings. Although they were both once captain and vice-captain of the Temple Knights, neither wanted their old positions nor did they want to be promoted. What was important to them was finding any clues about the Organization. Compared to that, being promoted within the Church of Meneos was a trivial matter. But they couldn’t tell Asuka about that, since one of their clues to the Organization was none other than Koichiro Mikoshiba and his grandson, Ryoma Mikoshiba.

There is a possibility that Koichiro Mikoshiba is a lot more involved.

While they weren’t sure, Rodney instinctively guessed Koichiro was the attacker who had cut off his arm that night.

The attacker’s swordsmanship was incredibly similar to Ryoma Mikoshiba, so... I highly suspect it was him. 

Still, there were limited reasons Koichiro Mikoshiba would attack Rodney and Menea when they were Asuka’s guardians on Earth. Not only that, Koichiro knew about guns—something that didn’t exist on Earth—and he was determined to bring that threat under his control.

That kind of thinking only belongs to an otherworlder. 

Rodney wasn’t afraid of guns because he could use martial thaumaturgy.

A weapon that shot bullets by pulling a trigger was more useful than swords and bows. Anyone could kill with a gun. All they had to do was point it at someone and shoot. Even though it required a decent amount of training for the person shooting to hit their target, it was still an incredible weapon. But there were also downsides to it.

A gun could only shoot in the direction it was facing. The power of a bullet depended on its material and the amount of gunpowder in the weapon. Its power didn’t change depending on the strength of the user. A weak child and a muscular adult could fire the same gun, and it would hold the same power either way.

From what I know, there’s less chance of your shot being accurate if you don’t control the recoil after you shoot. It helps if the person shooting has some amount of muscle, thought Rodney.

Guns weren’t children’s toys. But they weren’t that scary to knights and mercenaries who could strengthen their bodies with martial thaumaturgy. Having one or two guns wouldn’t be that big of a deal.

I guess it could become a threat if controlled and there’s an increase in numbers.

When considering the threat guns posed, along with the ability to gather information about nobles who bought them in secret, the conclusion became clear.

Koichiro Mikoshiba has a connection to the Organization. It all makes sense. 

Rodney had no proof, though he was almost one hundred percent sure. He did not even want to ask Koichiro and would feign ignorance if he ever did so. Should Ryoma decide that Rodney had picked a fight with his grandfather, the archduke would have him deported from the country. That would mean his one clue about the Organization would all be for nothing.

“It might be good to monitor the situation for now and see how everything goes,” said Menea.

“Yeah, you’re right,” answered Rodney. “No doubt Ryoma will be busy responding to the situation in the Kingdom of Myest.”

“He also has to deal with the invasion in the Kingdom of Xarooda. Even talented people have their limits.”

Rodney nodded. “I feel like that’s when Koichiro Mikoshiba will make his move. That’s if he is a member of the Organization like we think.”

“Yeah, I don’t think it’s long until we can grant our greatest wish,” stated Menea, smiling.

“Who knows... That said, a thread is still a thread, no matter how thin. We have no other leads, so we should tread very carefully,” said Rodney as he looked outside the carriage window.

He looked up toward the moon, shining its pale light down on Earth, his expression showing determination.