The Blood Knight’s Villains

My Villains Episode 351

59. Plateau (11)

‘Consciousness of Accumulation of Earth’ There is something commonly referred to as ‘accumulation of soil’.

As the word literally means, it is a ritual to bless the soil, and it refers to raising the fertility of the soil using mystical powers.

Most of the world’s religions, including Kwangmyeonggyo, exercise this kind of authority. Or maybe only groups that can perform the ritual of excavation are recognized as a religion.

If you only farm on the land that has been cultivated, you will have a good harvest. Thanks to this, even if the population increases, there will be surplus food, and if one more hand is added, production will increase even more. It was not strange that the trend of laboring and having children settled down in farmhouses.

In the midst of various disasters, wars, thieves, and monsters, the population of Middle-earth continues to increase thanks to the ritual of excavation. Well, it must have been a part that various diseases were not able to shake off their power due to the priests’ treatment and alchemists’ research.

In any case, the importance of cultivating the soil in this agrarian world goes without saying…

“They said it was unnecessary.”

“yes? What do you mean?”

“Literally. They said they don’t want to be slandered by me.”

In a tavern in a corner of Longdale, Princess Theodora sighed as she tinkered with her goblet. The eyes were slightly open.

“It’s because the church is different. It is not the entire Gwangmyeong Bridge that the locals worship, but

the El Ganore Church.” “…so the princess belongs to the Calandari Church, so she can’t receive blessings. What are you saying?”

“It seems so.”

“under.”

The main goal that Ulkar and the cavalrymen went out this time was to subdue the bloody mane mercenaries. And the secondary goal was land accumulation.

It’s already been a month since the new year has been bright, and today is February 2nd. It is the time to strengthen the soil through manure before spring arrives.

Ordinarily, priests belonging to parishes and parishes would tour the farmland under their jurisdiction and plow the soil. However, for some reason – Lionel III or Zacharys seemed to have worked on it – the headquarters of the Church of El Gano summoned all the priests from the highlands and other conflict areas.

Come to think of it, the priest McBride I met in front of Lianwell about a month ago was the head priest here in Longdale. He’ll be arriving in Oakford by now and gaining more fat.

“Are you serious? If we don’t receive the land, we’re ruining a year’s farming.”

“It’s not just ruining the year.”

Theodora continued, sipping a few sips from a large tin goblet in both hands.

“In a desolate land like here, if the soil is filtered even for a year, the intellect will not decline, but the land may even die.”

“Is the land dying?”

Esson, who ate the fried sardines next to Theodora, pretended to know.

“Well, they were farming wheat for a row in a barren land like a highland. Without the help of the clergy, it is only natural that the heart of the land would dry up.”

“What then? Are you saying you can’t farm forever?”

“I heard that it’s not that tidy, and the land is worse than a wasteland. It is said that the power of the land itself will be restored only after several years of repeated fallow and planting of beans.”

Theodora nodded in affirmation.

“That’s right. However, they usually choose to abandon their existing farmland and find new land to cultivate if they can’t endure that hardship.”

“Looking for new land and cultivating it seems like a formidable high school student.”

“Of course. That’s why the residents of this place refuse my land, enduring such formidable hardships…

Confair, who had been listening to the story in silence, suddenly narrowed his brows.

“indeed. I heard about it from the vigilantes, but it seems that the town of Longdale itself has a strong influence from the cathedral.”

“okay?”

“yes. Infant baptism and funeral are the basics, and the sacraments of confirmation and marriage are compulsory.”

“Of course it’s not free, right?”

“of course. Even houses with windows made an additional donation saying that they could enjoy sunlight, the grace of the Lord, even indoors.”

“…that’s great. Is this the window tax I’ve only heard about or something? Isn’t this the original arrangement?”

“It’s a periphery, so even considering the fact that the priest’s authority is strong, it’s a bit harsh.”

“But then, shouldn’t the residents rather hate the cathedral and the priest?”

“I guess fear is greater than hatred.”

“Hmm……

Fritz, who was eating the ribs, burst into a snort.

“Anyway, when ripping off things, these clenched and ripped off guys run away when the enemy appears. The priests of the kingdom are all like pigs.”

It was Gidon the Crossbow that responded to his sarcasm.

“The ignorant Gellan is talking his own way again. Why don’t you say something like that in front of Lord Kabar or Lord Okan?”

“Do you think you can’t? I don’t think they’re mainstream here anyway, but they’d rather be happy if you curse at the pigs they bully.”

“Do you think it will be different from Kalandari?”

“Your priest. Warmongers and murderers who commit war and slaughter in the name of the Lord. I was wondering how those reckless bastards managed to keep their power, but it was thanks to guys like you with their heads full of poop.”

“This bitch-”

Before the people around him could stop him, Fritz overturned the table and ran towards Gidon, and Gidon, too, jumped up and swung the chair.

“Like this-these crazy cubs!”

“Hey hold on to your waist!”

“Hey, it’s a fight!”

“Henrik, stop you too!”

The riot that started suddenly made the few customers run away in a hurry, and the owner and clerks of the tavern became contemplative.

Of course, it was after I quickly grabbed a glass and bottle and moved to a table far away.

“…Eh Sir Phoenix?”

“What are you doing, Princess? Come here

.”

“Shouldn’t it be dried?”

“All right. Children naturally grow up fighting.”

It is annoying to dry it every time. It’s not like we’re going to kill each other, we’re going to fight moderately.

Theodora moved to her seat with a confused expression after changing her carefree and carefree subordinates every day.

“I’ve felt it before, but it seems that all of your subordinates are tyrannical.”

“It’s not like that, it’s because there are a few nerds. But when you talk about it, everything is nice.”

“Right.”

Fritz, who shook off his clinging colleague at once, threw himself on the floor with both hands and punched Gidon in the face. Gidon, grinning at this, grabbed Fritz by the collar and slammed him into his nose.

Confair and Dervish Edon tried their best to stop them, and the poacher Cavas was lying cross-legged as if he had been hit somewhere while trying to stop Fritz. Hairy Henrik was singing an incomprehensible song, and McKaig the spearman and Dylan the night watchman had moved to the bar and were tipping their glasses.

I filled her glass while Theodora opened her mouth in a broken bone and bloody fight.

“If I had known it would be like this, I would have brought Priest Okan as well.”

“…If it’s a cure, I’ll do it.”

“yes? no. It’s the ritual of the soil.

Priest Okan belongs to the Church of Elganore.”

Princess Theodora asked, ‘What is this?’ He looked at me with a smile on his face and opened his mouth.

“If it had been the Okan brothers, the residents of Longdale would not have objected. However, he is a monk whose specialty is exorcism.”

“Ah, then you can’t do the soil?”

“I might be able to do it, but I’m going to exhaust myself without blessing less than one hectare. Even priests have their specialties.”

“Then what about the princess?”

“You mean me?”

“yes. The princess is good at exorcism combat treatment anyway.”

“That’s it…

As if embarrassed by my sudden praise, she cleared her throat and quenched her throat with cherry brandy.

“I am ashamed to say it myself, but I am an anointed one. A little different from ordinary priests.”

“I guess so.”

I shook my head and clicked my tongue.

“They are really ungrateful people regardless of whether they are from a different denomination or not. How many people did the princess save by coming here? Are you saying that you will receive treatment but not the soil?”

“Actually, it’s not something I can’t understand. I’m the one who will stay for a while and leave, and the priests of the Church of El Ganore will return someday.”

Theodora raised her glass again. This time, instead of sipping or drinking, he emptied a large tin cup in one go.

“……Ugh.”

“Eat slowly.”

“Cheoncheonni- *hehehe* he’s drinking slowly.”

I don’t think so.

Theodora pouted her lower lip and continued talking while blowing up her bangs.

“Even so, those eyes are a bit rude.”

“Are your eyes?”

“Yeah eyes. Until yesterday, those who were receiving treatment from me and bowing to me thank you thank you were just like meeting greenskins on the road.”

“I see.”

“I am a human too. I can’t help but feel offended.”

I mean, I mean, I mean…. The princess continued to complain.

I thought I was getting drunk, so I didn’t pour her a drink, so she tried to snatch the bottle from me. Of course, it was only a short while before she sat down with a sleepy, docile expression.

“So what will Prince Ulkar do?”

“You *extremely* said that you couldn’t help it. After all, Longdale is a place where commerce is more developed than agriculture, so it won’t be fatal if the land dies.”

” okay.”

It was around the time that the riot of the subordinates had subsided and Theodora blinked her sleepy eyes.

“….♦.um?”

I heard the sound of a string instrument being turned on from somewhere.

sad playing. It was a tune that was unfamiliar but seemed like I had heard it somewhere before.

“what is this?”

Like the other subordinates, the heavy soldier Dervish listened to the sound with a frown.

“There are people who play the songs of the Nudans on Vielle.”

Who are you?

Curiously, I checked where the music was coming from. A man was sitting in a narrow, shady corner of the bar.

Since when have you been there?

After the performance that continued for some time, the man who put the instrument on the table slowly got up.

A man wearing a tricorne hat with white feathers and a frayed cloak.

“It’s been a while, bloody swordsman.”

When the man raised his hat and greeted me, I opened my mouth to see his face.

“…Ashur?”