第３０８堀：使者 (Part1)
**Chapter 308: The Envoy**
**Side: Taizo Honme**
I stand before a certain door, knock, and call out through the wood.
"Lady Hifi. It is Taizo."
"Please, come in."
Upon hearing the reply from the room's master, Lady Hifi, I open the door and step inside.
"Excuse me."
"I have been expecting you. Please, take a seat."
As always, she possesses a beauty that would steal the heart of any onlooker, with her platinum hair cascading down. Well, I am rather dull when it comes to such things, so I only recognize her as being "beautiful for a human." My two mentors, on the other hand, refer to people they have no interest in as mere "males" or "females."
However, for a room belonging to someone who claims to be a goddess and is effectively the head of the Hifi Theocracy, it is remarkably modest. This room is located within the Grand Cathedral, yet unlike the chapels, there is not a trace of opulence.
At the same time, it doesn't feel like the austere training quarters that believers might impose upon themselves. I have seen the rooms of monks in temples before; those feel as if the person isn't so much living there as they are simply being placed in the room. There are almost no personal belongings, and the room itself is truly empty. It is just a place where a person and a room have been set together.
How should I put it... This room of Lady Hifi’s feels... well, it feels humble, much like the poverty-stricken home I spent time in with my family as a child. Since Lady Hifi has no children, there aren't many items, but the chest of drawers and shelves present definitely evoke a sense of human life. Seeing a hand towel hanging to dry, I get that distinct impression.
"Here is your tea."
"Thank you. I’ll enjoy it."
While I was lost in such thoughts, Lady Hifi brought out the tea, so I took a sip. I don't know if she is truly a goddess or not, but this must be the umpteenth time I’ve wondered if it’s appropriate for the head of a nation to live in a place like this.
"You still seem perplexed. Are you not used to my room yet?"
"My apologies. It is just that my sensibilities haven't caught up. I have nothing but respect for your stance, Lady Hifi."
"And other than that?"
"Well, no one would complain if you lived a little more luxuriously. There would be no problem with it."
"Fufu, you are an honest person. But this is enough for me. It is what one might call my personal hobby."
Indeed. This room isn't shaped this way for religious reasons; it is simply Lady Hifi’s preference. The Hifi faith is a religion that simply preaches, "Aim for happiness, cooperate, and live hand-in-hand." For convenience's sake, they worship a god named Hifi, but even that is not mandatory. There are no chants or sutras; it is a religion where one simply visits the chapel, offers a brief prayer, and leaves. There is no custom of keeping a household altar or shrine.
...There are almost no restrictions. It is a wonder that a religion like this grew large enough to represent a nation. Well, perhaps it is precisely because it is this kind of religion—where one never knows who is a believer—that the previous regime collapsed and a nation centered on the Hifi faith emerged.
The story of Lady Hifi, who supposedly triggered that change, was fascinating. However, since the nation was founded about 300 years ago, she must be referring to the previous Lady Hifi. She speaks as if she were there at the time, and I found myself listening intently, but if I think about it calmly, there is no way a person can live that long. Therefore, I concluded that "Hifi" is likely a name passed down through succession.
"Forcing prayers is a form of bondage. Imposing ascetic training is for one's own sake, not a teaching of Hifi. Well, if training and practice bear fruit, they become a strength for everyone, so people do teach and learn from each other. People cooperating with people. Encouraging that—that is the important part of Hifi’s teachings, and that is all there is to it."
"I respect that you can say that so naturally."
Under normal circumstances, the higher one stands in a nation, the more problems arise, making it impossible to keep saying such idealistic things. Yet, she says it with what I perceive to be genuine sincerity. I think that is truly amazing.
"Thank you. But you mentioned 'modest' earlier—I don't want to hear that from you, Taizo-dono."
"Oh? What did I say?"
"'Half a mat to wake, one mat to sleep.' Even I would have to decline such a room. I was surprised when you said you only needed a room for your research."
"...No, I am embarrassed."
The saying goes that a person only needs half a mat of space while awake, and exactly one mat while sleeping. The meaning is that one should not desire wealth beyond necessity and that being content is important. But as someone called to a place where I knew no one, I didn't know how much I should demand, so I cut back on the parts I could—namely, my sleeping quarters and private room—to dedicate more space to research.
"But the meaning of this phrase shares parts with Hifi’s teachings. It is important to live days of contentment rather than drowning in greed. It is a very good phrase. Hmm. Perhaps I shall put this up as a goal? We haven't had a motto like that before."
"My apologies. I would like you to refrain from that."
I would prefer not to have a remark I made for self-preservation become a celebrated maxim.
"Oh, that is a shame."
"...Now, may we get to the main topic?"
"Yes. I called you here because I have something I wish to consult with you about."
She, who had been laughing lightly, instantly turned expressionless, her gaze sharpening. As expected of the head of a nation, her ability to switch gears is swift.
"It seems an envoy has been sent from August."
"Ho. They are more cautious than I thought. I expected them to be so enraged that they would attack immediately."
"Yes. It is unexpected for me as well. However, this is one of the predictions you had considered, Taizo-dono. But this envoy is troublesome."
"Troublesome? Couldn't we just ambush them on the road and send the bodies back?"
Our goal this time is to lure the enemy into our own territory—a battlefield we have prepared—and annihilate them. If the enemy attacks head-on, that is fine; if they send an envoy to probe our movements, we can simply execute the envoy and send them back.
"That is not possible. They are..."
As she says this, she takes out a crystal ball about the size of her palm. An image is projected upon it.
"Is that Comet-dono’s familiar?"
"Yes."
I was truly surprised at first. Magic is something that exists as a matter of course in this world and is effectively used for military purposes. And then there are magic tools, which incorporate that magic into objects to exert special powers. Comet-dono, who can create such things, might be a researcher in the same position as me, in a sense. I would like to dabble in magic once things settle down, but for now, building up the Hifi Theocracy is more important.
As I was thinking this, the bird familiar must have received a command, as it tilted its view toward the sky. The sky? Why there...
"Is this... a wyvern? It looks like it’s carrying a cage-like object with someone riding inside..."
In the crystal ball, I could see what I had heard described as a wyvern, along with the cage and the person it was transporting.
"No. It is a dragon-type, but a wyvern, which is a lower rank than a flying dragon. I cannot confirm the face of the person being carried, but they are waving a flag, so I suspect it is August."
"...I see. In this case, it is impossible to ambush them on the road."
"Yes. And they say this wyvern is one of those 'Dragon Knights'."
"Dragon Knight? Ah, I received a report that such things were born at the Lancer Magic Academy when I went to scout August. Are these reinforcements from there?"
"...Likely. So, I wanted to consult with you on what to do. A mere wyvern can be dealt with, but if they run wild in the Holy Capital where the Grand Cathedral is located, the people will suffer."
"...That is certainly true. If there are casualties in the capital, the public sentiment will tilt toward anti-war. On the other hand, if we force a cleanup, it is a hassle considering the work of sending the bodies back. By the way, regarding this Dragon Knight—is there any connection to the flying dragons that appeared when we attacked the fortress?"
"Unlikely. If there were, I believe they would have brought the flying dragons with them. Even the enemy cannot be so optimistic as to think this will be settled by discussion alone. I believe they would have sent forces capable of attacking and retreating immediately."
"That stands to reason. ...Hmm. In that case, instead of killing the envoy, why not receive them as a normal envoy?"
"As a normal one?"