81 Episode 19: Introduction to Western Diplomacy




 "Great! That must have been quite a surprise for the heathens!
 I see. So you and Master Lunalee saved the Kingdom of Hayastan from the Pagans!
 So, the enemies outnumbered you? So, what happened?
 It was a victory thanks to your leadership and the efforts of your vassals!

 Hercule gestured and exaggerated a bit as he talked about his own saga. ......
 Cecilia looks happy and sometimes surprised.

 It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
 I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who's a bit of a jerk. ...... But that didn't stop Hercule from observing Cecilia.

 (You look like you're ...... old enough, you know. But if you ask him a ...... question and make him think about it for a while, he will immediately give you a good answer. Smart, no doubt.

 Hercule wasn't just bragging, either.
 In his bragging, he included a test for Cecilia, ...... to decipher Cecilia's abilities and personality.

 (...... She may not be a threat now, but in ten years, or even five years, she will be. If possible, I'd like to get along with them.

 With that in mind, Hercule drinks his tea.
 Sifanny immediately poured tea into the empty cup.

 "By the way, Your Majesty. "By the way, your Majesty, this tea smells very nice, doesn't it?
 "Oh, you know ....... The future medium seems to have a good eye. Do you like ...... tea?
 Yes, I do. I don't like alcohol. ...... But I also don't like that coffee drink because it's a little sour. Kuro tea is my favorite.

 Hercule's mood improved a little when he realized that Cecilia was a tea drinker, just like him.

 If you want, you can come to Nova Lemuria sometime. If you want, you can come to Nova Lemuria sometime. ...... I'll treat you to a nice cup of tea.
 "Really? I'll look forward to it.

 Cecilia's eyes glittered.

 I've heard that ...... you've started growing sugar in Misr province.

 Cecilia said, pointing at the cookies.
 Of course, sugar is used in cookies.

 If it is a great success, will everyone be able to eat sweet things every day?
 Depending on how big a success it is, ...... I'd like to aim for that.

 That's a flat out lie.
 If you mass-produce it, you won't be able to make any money.

 You can get it if you work hard, but it's a luxury item.
 The best way to make money is to keep it to a minimum.

 After that, Cecilia and Hercule continued to talk and laugh.
 Either Cecilia is a good listener, Hercule is a good talker, or both. ......

 The conversation between the two was surprisingly lively.

 "The Council of Aletheia, initiated by the Emperor. That council ended the long debate on the doctrines of Messianism. That's the Emperor.
 "Well, the new ...... theory was half-baked and unreasonable, and it is true that there is a demand for ...... holy images. Even if I hadn't come to the conclusion, I'm sure that sooner or later, His Eminence Millenia would have come up with the idea. ......

 As for the Council of Alexandria, Hercule thought it just happened to be his turn.

 "But, Your Majesty. I'm not sure what to make of the Edict of Alexandria. It is true that forcing the heretics to change their minds will not be easy. But if we abandon that effort, the opportunity will be lost forever. The Edict of Alexandria is the thing that will divide Messianism forever.

 (......? Am I being preached at?

 ( Am I being lectured?) Hercule sensed that the tone of the conversation had changed a bit.

 (? Am I being preachy?) Hercule felt the conversation changing a little. "And how about imposing a tax on pagans instead of allowing them freedom of religion? If money is the only way to solve this problem, we should either allow it from the beginning or ban it entirely. It is true that imposing taxes may have the effect of encouraging conversions, but conversions on the basis of taxes are unhealthy.

 Haha, ......, that's harsh.

 I'm not sure what to say.
 It seems that this girl is basically a fan of Hercule's. ......

 It seems that this girl is basically a fan of Hercule's, but there are a few things that she would like to complain about.

 However, Hercule is an adult.
 If the person who said this was an adult high priest of the Messianic religion, and was asking for the revocation of the Aletheia edict, Hercule would have thoroughly debunked it. ......

 The other party is a twelve-year-old girl.
 There is no need to argue.

 Besides, ......

 (Well, everything Cecilia says is a good argument. There's no room for argument.

 "There must be one messianism.
 "Messianism must not be divided.
 "The teachings of God should be preached to all people in the world.

 This is an ideal and correct theory from the messianic point of view.
 Even Hercule secretly thinks "I wish that would happen ......".

 Well, the reality is that it won't happen, so he had to make a kind of contradictory and ungodly choice to announce the Aletheia edict and the Aletheia Creed at the same time.

 (Well, she's not a medium yet. (Well, she's not a medium yet.) If you want to condemn my Aletheia edict again after she becomes a medium, I'll accept it. Well, I'm sure you'll change your mind once you become a medium.



 When one's position changes, one's thoughts and arguments also change.
 It is not uncommon for opposition parties that have criticized the ruling party to follow the policies of the ruling party that they criticized when they were in opposition the moment they become the ruling party.

 Cecilia is now twelve years old, and while she may have achieved the status of a high priestess, ......
 She is not yet in a position of responsibility.

 We have the right to condemn the filthy adults who are idealistic and pragmatic.

 You'll be a dirty adult in a while anyway. ......
 Let them say it while they still can.

 Cecilia. It is my understanding that the doctrine of the Messiahs is that they are equal before God ......, is there any difference?
 "Yes? ...... Yes, I think so. What's wrong with that?
 Even if it's a Nightmare?
 A Nightmare? Yes, I think that if he is a Messianic, he should be treated equally. ......

 Cecilia looked puzzled as she spoke her mind.

 The high priests of the Messianic religion tend to discriminate against heretics and infidels without treating them as human beings, while denying discrimination within the same Messianic community.

 In fact, Lucanos and Cecilia do not seem to have any sense of discrimination against the demon race (nightmare).

 On the other hand, lower-ranking clerics dislike demons (nightmares) as much as ordinary people.

 It is not that difficult to understand why.

 There are many books that say that demons (nightmare) are evil, but most of them were written by pagans long ago, before the establishment of Messianism.

 On the other hand, in the Bible of Messianism and its mother religion, the Six Star Sect, there is no mention of demons (nightmares) being evil in either the old or the new.

 To the high priests, or Messianic intellectuals, the former is a late superstition.
 The latter is the correct and holy teaching.

 Messianism also denies superior knowledge by burning many books of natural science, medicine, philosophy, and mathematics, such as the burning of the Library of Alexandria. ......
 But it also has the aspect of denying and eliminating unfounded superstition, as seen in the Nightmare.

 In fact, there is a girl named Nia. ......

 Hercule explains to Cecilia about Nia.
 She is a Nightmare.
 She was abandoned by her parents because she was a Nightmare.
 She was starving and was about to freeze to death when no one helped her.
 And that ...... he still occasionally looks frightened.

 ...... is a terrible story. All Messiahs are equal before God. The parents who abandoned the girl, and the violence that ensued. I am sure that God will punish the parents who abandoned the girl, those who violated her, and those who turned a blind eye. God is always watching our actions.

 As expected, Cecilia was indignant, her face scowling with displeasure.

 Well, now that we've got the word: ......

 "Thank you, Cecilia. I knew you'd say that. ...... I have a favor to ask you, if you don't mind.
 "A favor? If it's something I can do, I'll do it. ...... What is it?
 What is it?" "Would you be willing to be Nia's friend? I'm not sure if you've seen this before, but I'm sure you've. You and Nia are exactly the same age. It's better to have friends than to have no friends. ......

 It's better to have friends than nothing.
 Now let's see how this girl reacts .......

 Hercule looks Cecilia straight in the face.

 If she looks even a little uncomfortable, she will ......
 If she looks even a little uncomfortable, it means she's just talking.

 "Friends? Well, ...... that .......

 Cecilia clammed up as if in trouble.

 "You don't like it?
 No, it's not that,......, it's just that,......, I'm embarrassed to say that I don't really have any,......, friends my own age. ......

 I don't have any friends either.
 So I don't know how to deal with them.

 That's what I meant.

 I thought I could see the darker side of this good girl's inner self, but ...... it's so boring.
 I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what's going on.

 'Well, that's convenient then! ...... Well, I'll intervene first. What do you think?
 "If ...... His Majesty is willing to support us, that ...... would be greatly appreciated.

 Cecilia blushed a little and nodded her head.
 Apparently, being friendless is a bit embarrassing for a girl of her age.





 The next day, Hercule immediately brought Nia and Cecilia together.
 Cecilia seemed to be very tense, and not in the dignified manner she had shown to Hercule the other day.
 It was probably the first time for Cecilia to meet a child of her own age, having been raised in an adult society.

 Nia, on the other hand, had a puzzled expression on her face.
 The reason was that Hercule had brought Nia in front of Cecilia without any prior explanation.

 Hercule thought it would be more interesting.

 "Nia, this is Cecilia Peter. She's twelve years old, the same age as you. Actually, you don't have any friends, so I asked her to be your friend. And you said yes. Well, I guess it's hard to be friends right off the bat, so let's play chess or cards or something. ......
 "Oh, um, ......, Your Majesty. Did you just say ...... Peter?


 "I told you, what's wrong?

 In this world, there is a basic common sense that any fool knows.

 Just as the Julianos family has inherited the throne of the Lemurian Empire from generation to generation, it is common knowledge that the Peter family has inherited the throne of the Medium from generation to generation.

 Of course, Nia knows this.

 "Hmm, well, I'm the grandson of the current High Priestess Millenia, right? Well, that doesn't matter as much as the fact that you're a Nightmare (・・・・・・), does it?

 The other person doesn't care about your race.
 They don't care about your race, you don't care about their race.

 You don't care about their status," Hercule implored Nia.

 Understanding Hercule's intention, Nia gave a small nod.
 After confirming this, Hercule left Nia and stood behind Cecilia.

 Then he lightly pushed Cecilia's back.

 "Here ...... Cecilia. You're on your own.
 "Yes, .......

 Cecilia slowly walked up to Nia and ......
 Cecilia slowly approached Nia and shook her hand.

 I'd like you to be my ...... friend. I don't have any friends my own age,......," she said.
 I don't have any friends my age, and I don't have any ...... friends my age, and I don't have any ...... friends my age, and I don't have any ...... friends my age, and I don't have any ...... friends my age.

 I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure I'll be able to do it.

 I'm not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing.
 It feels really good.

 (So, at any rate, one stone has been laid. Well, let's hope it works. ......)

 Well, no matter how it turns out, there is no loss for Hercule.
 Originally, it was just a scheme that would be profitable if it succeeded.

 Even if it fails, there is no problem.

 And then I suddenly realized.




 Come to think of it, I don't have any friends either.