Chapter 121: A battle of Sincerity
“That’s right. Lady Eunice is not lacking. It’s just that this isn’t the best way. There must be a more effective method to get rid of the Darkness.” Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“Oh, you’re saying the same thing as Marquis Clovis.”
“Do you know the Marquis?”
The researcher nodded. “Most of our research funds come from him. He’s the Academy’s biggest sponsor.”
Of course, that was Arrendt. He must be working hard behind the scenes.
Suddenly, I thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea to establish smooth cooperation with their side.
“In fact, we’re conducting this research under that very premise, but….”
“There hasn’t been a major breakthrough?”
“Yes, that’s how it’s been so far. At least we’ve found that magic, Darkness, and the divine power possessed by saints are somehow related.” Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
I slowly responded, “But divine power is the complete opposite of magical power.”
Both the researcher and Eunice focused their attention on me.
“And it’s safe to say that mana-based magic is fundamentally similar to Darkness,” I continued.
“….”
“Ah, and magic and mana stones interact with each other. I think if you study that area, you might find some new answers.”
The researcher looked at me with a curious gaze. “You know a lot about this.”
“I think this much is pretty basic.”
“No, most nobles aren’t very interested in these things—Ah, I apologize.”
I smiled. “It’s okay.” The researcher seemed relieved by my reaction.
It must have been a bit nerve-wracking for her.
Then the researcher smiled and said, “My name is Jane. Please feel free to call me by my name. You seem quite interested in this, My Lady.”
It was then I realized I hadn’t properly introduced myself. In my defense, the researchers had been so absorbed in their work that they’d been indifferent to me and the other knights. I figured they’d find it bothersome if I got involved, so I hadn’t bothered with introductions. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
The researcher, who introduced herself as Jane, was a woman in her thirties with brown hair and light freckles. She gave off a neat, scholarly impression. It seemed likely that she was the head of the research group.
“I’m Fiona Heilon. Heilon is frequently attacked by monsters, so I naturally became interested in these matters.”
Jane nodded in understanding. “I see. So, My Lady, what do you think is the reason the Darkness has been more active lately?”
That was the very question I wanted an answer to as well.
People in this world viewed the Darkness much like a natural disaster. They accepted it the way they accepted the strong typhoons that come once or twice a year, wreaking havoc on entire regions. In fact, the cycle of the Darkness’s appearance was originally similar to that of natural disasters. And, just as areas damaged by floods or storms eventually recover, Dead Lands would also heal to some extent after a while.
However, with the Darkness becoming more frequent in recent years, people had started feeling a growing sense of crisis. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“Well, I don’t know,” I admitted.
Jane smiled. “Some say the frequent appearances of Darkness are because God is angry. There are even people in this village claiming they’ve been punished for some wrongdoing. And I’ve heard rumors of a religion tied to that belief.”
It was quite predictable. In any world, people tend to seek out a higher power when faced with hardships.
“God… that’s an argument I find hard to sympathize with,” I remarked.
“As a researcher, I feel the same,” Jane agreed. She was a good conversationalist, and she spent some time discussing her findings. I decided to seriously consider sponsoring her research.
Jane and Eunice showed great interest in the types of monsters I was familiar with, and I, in turn, learned a lot about the ongoing research on the Darkness.
However, due to the lack of new information or discoveries, I still hadn’t found an alternative way to eliminate the Darkness besides what was described in the original story—not that I mentioned that to them.
Still, from this conversation, I realized Eunice’s power had grown much more than I had expected, and I preferred to place my hope in her potential rather than relying on my path of destruction. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
I was fully aware of how much of a threat the Darkness posed in this world. Every time I thought about it, I couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. On top of that, I couldn’t understand why things had changed. In the original plot, the Darkness wasn’t as dangerous as it is now. What went wrong?
But as much as I wanted to solve that mystery, I had to focus on the immediate issue.
Since Eunice’s power was limited, we had to prioritize which zones needed to be cleansed first.
“It’s better to purify the village first, right?”
“I think saving the forest would be better,” a researcher suggested. “No one will be returning to the village for a while anyway.”
“What do you think, Lady Fiona?”
“I agree. The forest should come first.”
Eunice nodded at the suggestion, though she looked a bit tired. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“Okay, let’s take a break,” I announced.
After leaving the meeting tent, I found Gunther waiting outside.
He stood there like a guard dog.
Wait—thinking of him like that was rude. Right, this was all Abel’s fault. Ever since he referred to Gunther as a dog, I couldn’t help but think of him that way. This was all because of that spiteful Abel…
I really needed to change the way I thought. It was a shame to think of him like that—he had an objectively handsome face, after all.
“Why do you look like you feel sorry for me?” Gunther asked.
“Nothing,” I replied, walking away and stretching my legs. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
Check out my Patreon to read advanced chapters!
