第１５５１堀：ほぼ見捨てられた王都 (Part2)
"Having a king like that makes conversation much easier, and it will serve as a foothold for expanding our alliance in the future."
As we discussed this, the bus rolled through the gates, but...
"Ugh..."
"This is truly wretched."
Before I could even voice my own thoughts, I heard those words from Rushi and Kagura. It was hardly surprising. While the road was clear enough for the bus to pass, the town itself was in ruins. No, to call it a town was generous; it was one step away from being a ghost city, though one could just barely discern the remnants of human life.
The main street—which, in any normal city, should be the vibrant, polished face of the community—was a disaster. It was impossible to ignore the scars of some past conflict etched into every corner.
"My, it seems the only ones patrolling are the soldiers," Lilyse remarked. She likely meant it as a simple observation, but to Rurua, it sounded like an accusation.
And in a sense, the state of this town was the result of Lithea’s slow response. I wanted to tell her not to take it to heart, but...
"It’s not your fault, Rurua. Truly."
Indeed. As Hylen noted, she is the type to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders. Even if the response had been delayed, this was a minor vassal state; there was only so much one could do without overstepping, and by all accounts, she had done as much as was possible.
"Rurua, you’re surprisingly fragile. I’m amazed you managed to serve as a Saintess for so long..."
Senaru was right. Perhaps she simply couldn't bear the weight of her own failures or the sight of the sacrifices made. She had managed the affairs of Lithea, so she was clearly capable, but perhaps being with Yuki had opened her eyes to the stark reality of her own shortcomings. When you gain knowledge from another world, the weight of your own insufficiency can be suffocating.
"Well, moping won't make the old Vinoshia capital any prettier. We just have to rebuild from here. Fortunately, we’ve established a connection between Hinsua and Weed. There may be diplomatic hurdles or issues regarding our standing in the alliance, but we can use this current trouble to our advantage."
Yuki, ever the pragmatist, spoke with his usual nonchalance. He treated the solution as a matter of course. It was the best approach for the situation; lamenting the past changes nothing. And Rurua, more than anyone else, had the power to do something about it.
"...Yes. We will remain at the church and provide treatment to anyone who seeks it, regardless of their status."
Yuki’s words had reached her. She steeled her resolve and answered. She would be fine. In fact, she would likely crush anyone who dared to interfere with her medical duties. When it came to healing, Rurua was a different person entirely—a necessity, given that a single second of hesitation could mean the difference between life and death.
Kagura, Mikos, and Enora, who had witnessed her in action, exchanged looks.
"Yeah. She’ll be fine. Definitely..."
"Ahaha... she was incredible when she saved Enora, wasn't she?"
"What are you talking about? It was obvious that her priority was the procedure, not checking on me. You two were the ones panicking. When I saw you both, I honestly thought I was having a nice dream before the end."
Enora had indeed been on the brink of death when she was rescued. Rurua’s judgment had been flawless. The hesitation she felt now was only natural, given that she had essentially been stabbed in the back by the very country she had served.
"Alright, the church is in sight. We’ll secure the interior, use Dungeon Skills to renovate it for convenience, and prepare it to withstand not just enemy attacks, but an influx of the sick and wounded."
"Yes!"
They answered with such normalcy, but I couldn't help but think that the church we were about to occupy would end up being more of an impregnable fortress than the royal castle itself. The enemy had truly made a foolish mistake.
There are many towns like this, ravaged by war, even on modern Earth. Rebuilding a place where the people have been driven out is an agonizingly difficult task—there is no money, no supplies, and no law.