第１８５２堀：寂れた教会 (Part2)
I’ve brought a few things along on the sly, but if this is the quality we’re dealing with, my husband will surely…
“Oh, this is a recovery potion of magnificent quality. You must have a remarkably skilled apothecary in your ranks.”
“Naturally. Our Lyushi is exceptionally talented.”
“So, the creator is this Lyushi-dono? I haven’t heard the name before, but… I assume you’ll be able to tell me more about them in detail?”
“Yes. But for now, let’s confirm the supplies.”
“Ah, forgive me. How embarrassing, to be told to mind my own business when I’m the one who asked for help.”
I worried Nina might have let something slip, but having them take an interest in us isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Though, if I’m not careful, Lyushi might end up a target, so we’ll need to exercise caution when we head north.
“These are the items we had scheduled for delivery.”
“To provide goods of such high quality… the cost must have been substantial. We owe Daeda our deepest gratitude. It must have been perilous for all of you to transport such precious cargo. Thank you.”
Archbishop Dodona spoke these words of thanks. He doesn’t seem like the type who should be bowing his head so easily, but he certainly carries himself with a genuine, kind air.
As we were speaking, a sister arrived with tea.
“Apologies for the wait.”
“Ah, Qui, thank you. Sorry to trouble you with such a sudden request.”
“Not at all. It is a joy to have guests. And these individuals are…?”
“Indeed they are.”
“I see. Here is your tea.”
Sister Qui served the tea to Vilia and the others. Her movements were… well, quite ordinary. I don’t get the impression she’s been trained in the etiquette required for dealing with nobility. Is that just how the sisters who attend to the Archbishop are? She looks to be in her early twenties.
“Thank you. Tell me, Sister Qui, do you work here as well?”
“Yes. I primarily look after the children, though I do my best to assist with the church’s duties, such as prayers, however meager my contributions may be.”
“Nonsense, Qui works incredibly hard. I can vouch for that. Neither the care of the children nor the operations of this church would function without her.”
“Haha, thank you, Archbishop. Well, since you are in the middle of a discussion, I shall take my leave…”
As Sister Qui moved to depart, Sia called out to her.
“Oh, please, wait a moment. I’m not sure if this will be enough, but please, take this for the children, for Dodona-sama, and for yourself.”
Sia feigned reaching into her bag, pulling out a large sack of hard candies and a box overflowing with sweets.
“I bought them at the Micos Trading Company, but they were so delicious I ended up buying far too much. Please, don’t hesitate to take them. They would only go to waste otherwise.”
She added that last bit with a smile. Ah, that makes it much easier for them to accept. Between the weight of the luggage and the risk of them spoiling… well, candies and sweets keep for a long time, but it’s a convenient excuse. The others seemed to understand that as well.
“Thank you. Qui, go ahead and accept them.”
“Yes. Thank you all so very much.”
She accepted them with a sincere, honest smile. Good, good—that certainly boosted our favorability. We have no intention of being enemies, and I’d hate for the children to go hungry.
…It feels a bit heartless to think of it as “utilizing” them, and that isn’t my intention, but if Archbishop Dodona and Sister Qui are here, I wouldn’t mind providing some personal support. I’ll be sure to mention that to my husband later.
Once Sister Qui left the room, Archbishop Dodona sat back down.
“Now then, Chancellor Daeda mentioned you were looking for information regarding the Clearstream Church. I’ve heard a brief outline of the situation, but may I ask you to explain it to me once more?”
“Certainly. To begin at the very beginning…”
And so, a long discussion commenced. Honestly, I wonder how long this is going to last? Should I have offered to provide dinner or something? The topic is so heavy and the history so deep that I’ve already started to worry about the logistics.
It seems the Clear Church has been almost entirely subsumed by the Clearstream Church, leaving them in a state of depletion. Yet, they don’t seem bitter about it; they simply accept it as the way things are.
Well then, I wonder what kind of stories will emerge from this Clear Church.