1 Comment / Reincarnation into a barrier master / By IX
“Lord Linos, the envoy from the Crimeana Holy Kingdom is seeking an audience.”
“…Understood. Let them in.”
On this day, which was only ten days away from the arrival of the ship escorting the beastmen, contact was finally made with the representatives of the Holy Kingdom. It had been about two weeks since they arrived in Agarta, and I had been unable to find any way to resolve the current situation. Even after consulting with His Majesty, we couldn’t ascertain that the beastmen were the source of the incurable disease. Nevertheless, I refrained from expelling the beastmen or issuing any orders to capture them.
Drawing upon memories from my past life, I had an image that going against religious beliefs would lead to unimaginable consequences, often involving terrorism. Having acts of terrorism occurring all over the country would be a disaster. Furthermore, I absolutely did not want to see scenes where innocent children were dragged into such acts. The Crimeana religion was known to have fanatical elements, and they were capable of resorting to such extreme measures, as there were historical instances of it. Considering these factors, handling the situation with Crimeana required delicate judgment, and it was a difficult decision to make.
Perhaps aware of this situation or not, the Crimeana envoys hadn’t left the guesthouse and remained in a wait-and-see attitude. Most likely, they intended to use their request from the Pope as leverage and come to us with aggressive demands. In such a case, we had no choice but to buy time by making excuses related to our own circumstances. With this in mind, I made my way to the audience room where they were waiting.
“Well, well, King of Agarta, you seem to be in a good mood today,” greeted the diminutive but distinct voice of Bishop Kofureshi. Behind him, Bishop Jorina bowed respectfully with a smile. I stared at them and took my seat. Kofureshi continued with a broad smile.
“We will depart for Garubi tomorrow. We have come to greet you in advance.”
“I see…”
The unexpected turn of events left me slightly surprised. Sensing my mood, Kofureshi continued speaking.
“As for the expulsion of the beastmen, it may take some time. We are in no hurry. From here, we will head to Galby and then sail to the capital of the Lamaron Empire. There, we will take in the beastmen before heading to Aphrodite. We plan to return to the Kingdom of Agarta afterwards. At that time, we would like to have a leisurely discussion about the current situation.”
“…I still can’t believe that the beastmen are the source of the incurable disease.”
“Hohoho. King of Agarta, you are a kind-hearted soul. Your compassionate heart will surely lead the people of Agarta to happiness. Ah, speaking of which, I believe you have not been baptized yet. I apologize for my presumption. When we meet next time, please do consider accepting the baptism.”
“Unfortunately, I am not religious.”
Although I had intended my response to be sarcastic, they remained unfazed, continuing to smile as usual. After a moment of silence, Bishop Jorina spoke.
“Regrettably, Queen Ricolette has already been baptized in the Crimeana religion. We have some time until we return to Agarta. During that time, I implore you to hear from Queen Ricolette herself about how the Crimeana religion saves and earns respect from humans and the preciousness of the blessings of our Lord, Crimeana-sama. I am certain that hearing her story will lead King of Agarta to consider our beloved Crimeana religion.”
With clear, undisturbed eyes, Bishop Jorina spoke to me. Her youthful appearance gave her words a peculiar persuasiveness.
“Well, make sure to be careful on your way back,” I said, leaving the room behind.
In the evening, when I returned to the mansion, I informed everyone that the Crimeana envoys would be returning tomorrow. Everyone showed a relieved expression.
“For now… I wonder if we can stay here until the envoys return,” mumbled Willis, who had been staying at the mansion since the other day.
“Don’t worry, Willis. I don’t intend to expel you all, including the beastmen. We need to think of a way to deal with this situation somehow. Mei, Sid, can you try to find a way to save the beastmen? Please, I beg you. I’ll try various methods to free Mei from her criminal slave status.”
“It’s alright… I’ll find a way,” Mei said, her face tense.
“Mei-sama, I’ll help too. Let’s think of a solution together. I’ll talk to my father so that the dwarves can cooperate as well,” Sidi offered.
“Thank you, Sid. Please, help Mei. Soon, let’s also consult the Deer God. Mei, Sid, and I will go together.”
“I’ll go too,” Gon chimed in.
“That’s right, Gon. You come along too. Rico, Ferris, Luala, Soleil, Mat… Everyone, please cooperate.”
Everyone nodded with serious expressions. However, I couldn’t help but notice Rico’s lukewarm response. It bothered me a little, but I decided not to press the matter further at this moment.
“Tomorrow is a day off. It’s been a while, so let’s have something delicious! If it’s sunny, we’ll have a barbecue, and if it rains, I’ll cook something inside the mansion. How about fried chicken… or cake… or maybe zenzai?” I suggested.
“No worries, I’ll put my skills to use and cook,” Ferris said.
“No, there are too many delicacies you’ve made, Ferris. Let me do it for a change!” Sidi insisted.
“Oh, then if it rains, Ferris can be the head chef and make something. Rico can be the advisor. I’ll help too, so just let us know if you need anything,” I proposed.
“I agree! We’ll enjoy some delicious food!” Gon exclaimed.
Finally, I saw everyone’s smiles. While feeling slightly relieved at the sight, I brought the gathering to a close.
Later that night, when I was alone with Rico in our bedroom, I decided to ask her about her earlier reaction.
“Rico… about what happened earlier…”
“…,” Rico remained silent with her head down. I embraced Rico from behind.
“Crimeana religion… Rico, did you also receive baptism? It must be conflicting for you to go against the Pope’s request, right?”
“I… I don’t know,” Rico replied. (T/N: Family over any religion any day, Mei has helped Rico so much that I find it shocking that Rico is not sure which side she is on)
“You don’t know?”
“I’ve been taught since I was young… that Crimeana-sama is the one who protects and guides us on the right path… The Crimeana Holy Kingdom is a country that has been saving humans… Since it was announced by that country, it must be true. But, but, will expelling the beastmen really solve the problem? Even if there is a cure, many sheepmen will become sacrifices. Even if we survive on top of those sacrifices, what will we have left? The Crimeana religion has never persecuted the beastmen before… I don’t understand… I just don’t understand,” Rico said, holding her head and shaking it. I hugged Rico even tighter.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
“…Master, it’s me, Mei.”
“Oh, Mei… Come in.”
I let go of Rico and the door opened as Meiriasu entered the room.
“Where’s Aliria?”
“She’s sleeping in her room.”
“I see…”
Meiriasu looked straight at Rico and spoke.
“Rico-sama, I apologize, but tonight, would you allow me to accompany the master instead? Is that alright with you?”
Rico nodded slowly and got up, gently holding Aliria in her arms from the baby bed.
“I think it would be better for Mei to stay with us tonight.”
“I’m sorry…”
Mei bowed with an apologetic expression. Rico smiled kindly and walked slowly towards the door.
“Rico-sama.”
Meiriasu suddenly called out.
“Please take care of Aliria… Please take care of her for me…”
Saying that, Mei deeply bowed her head towards Rico.
“Don’t worry, Mei. Leave Aliria to me. She’ll be in good hands,” Rico replied with a gentle smile.
With that warm smile, Rico left the bedroom.
After watching her go, Mei approached me slowly and then hugged me.
“Mei… Don’t worry. I’ll protect you, no matter what.”
“I’ll find a way. I will, no matter what…”
“Mei…”
I held Mei tightly in my arms.
The next morning, when I woke up, Mei was nowhere to be found. There was a note by the pillow.
“I’m going to investigate the cause of the disease announced by the Crimeana Holy Kingdom and its countermeasures. Take care of Aliria for me… Meirias.”
“Mei…”
I muttered her name in disbelief. But Mei didn’t return even by noon.
“The utilization of water transport in Agarta is impressive.”
“Yes, indeed. The rumors about King of Agarta being an excellent barrier master seem to be true. I never expected this stone to have an enchantment effect…”
Having such a conversation were Kofureshi and Jorina. They were on a raft, traveling downstream from the capital of Agarta towards Garubi.
“At this rate, we might arrive earlier than scheduled.”
Kofureshi mumbled to himself.
“Was it your idea to travel down the river on this raft?”
Jorina turned back and asked.
“No…”
A small, almost mosquito-like voice replied. Jorina smiled contentedly upon hearing the voice.
At the end of Jorina’s gaze, there stood a beautiful sheepman—the second queen of Agarta, Meirias.
T/N: These were a few rush chapters, will sort out all the new character names in the next few chapters
1 Comment / Reincarnation into a barrier master / By IX
“Lord Linos, the envoy from the Crimeana Holy Kingdom is seeking an audience.”
“…Understood. Let them in.”
On this day, which was only ten days away from the arrival of the ship escorting the beastmen, contact was finally made with the representatives of the Holy Kingdom. It had been about two weeks since they arrived in Agarta, and I had been unable to find any way to resolve the current situation. Even after consulting with His Majesty, we couldn’t ascertain that the beastmen were the source of the incurable disease. Nevertheless, I refrained from expelling the beastmen or issuing any orders to capture them.
Drawing upon memories from my past life, I had an image that going against religious beliefs would lead to unimaginable consequences, often involving terrorism. Having acts of terrorism occurring all over the country would be a disaster. Furthermore, I absolutely did not want to see scenes where innocent children were dragged into such acts. The Crimeana religion was known to have fanatical elements, and they were capable of resorting to such extreme measures, as there were historical instances of it. Considering these factors, handling the situation with Crimeana required delicate judgment, and it was a difficult decision to make.
Perhaps aware of this situation or not, the Crimeana envoys hadn’t left the guesthouse and remained in a wait-and-see attitude. Most likely, they intended to use their request from the Pope as leverage and come to us with aggressive demands. In such a case, we had no choice but to buy time by making excuses related to our own circumstances. With this in mind, I made my way to the audience room where they were waiting.
“Well, well, King of Agarta, you seem to be in a good mood today,” greeted the diminutive but distinct voice of Bishop Kofureshi. Behind him, Bishop Jorina bowed respectfully with a smile. I stared at them and took my seat. Kofureshi continued with a broad smile.
“We will depart for Garubi tomorrow. We have come to greet you in advance.”
“I see…”
The unexpected turn of events left me slightly surprised. Sensing my mood, Kofureshi continued speaking.
“As for the expulsion of the beastmen, it may take some time. We are in no hurry. From here, we will head to Galby and then sail to the capital of the Lamaron Empire. There, we will take in the beastmen before heading to Aphrodite. We plan to return to the Kingdom of Agarta afterwards. At that time, we would like to have a leisurely discussion about the current situation.”
“…I still can’t believe that the beastmen are the source of the incurable disease.”
“Hohoho. King of Agarta, you are a kind-hearted soul. Your compassionate heart will surely lead the people of Agarta to happiness. Ah, speaking of which, I believe you have not been baptized yet. I apologize for my presumption. When we meet next time, please do consider accepting the baptism.”
“Unfortunately, I am not religious.”
Although I had intended my response to be sarcastic, they remained unfazed, continuing to smile as usual. After a moment of silence, Bishop Jorina spoke.
“Regrettably, Queen Ricolette has already been baptized in the Crimeana religion. We have some time until we return to Agarta. During that time, I implore you to hear from Queen Ricolette herself about how the Crimeana religion saves and earns respect from humans and the preciousness of the blessings of our Lord, Crimeana-sama. I am certain that hearing her story will lead King of Agarta to consider our beloved Crimeana religion.”
With clear, undisturbed eyes, Bishop Jorina spoke to me. Her youthful appearance gave her words a peculiar persuasiveness.
“Well, make sure to be careful on your way back,” I said, leaving the room behind.
In the evening, when I returned to the mansion, I informed everyone that the Crimeana envoys would be returning tomorrow. Everyone showed a relieved expression.
“For now… I wonder if we can stay here until the envoys return,” mumbled Willis, who had been staying at the mansion since the other day.
“Don’t worry, Willis. I don’t intend to expel you all, including the beastmen. We need to think of a way to deal with this situation somehow. Mei, Sid, can you try to find a way to save the beastmen? Please, I beg you. I’ll try various methods to free Mei from her criminal slave status.”
“It’s alright… I’ll find a way,” Mei said, her face tense.
“Mei-sama, I’ll help too. Let’s think of a solution together. I’ll talk to my father so that the dwarves can cooperate as well,” Sidi offered.
“Thank you, Sid. Please, help Mei. Soon, let’s also consult the Deer God. Mei, Sid, and I will go together.”
“I’ll go too,” Gon chimed in.
“That’s right, Gon. You come along too. Rico, Ferris, Luala, Soleil, Mat… Everyone, please cooperate.”
Everyone nodded with serious expressions. However, I couldn’t help but notice Rico’s lukewarm response. It bothered me a little, but I decided not to press the matter further at this moment.
“Tomorrow is a day off. It’s been a while, so let’s have something delicious! If it’s sunny, we’ll have a barbecue, and if it rains, I’ll cook something inside the mansion. How about fried chicken… or cake… or maybe zenzai?” I suggested.
“No worries, I’ll put my skills to use and cook,” Ferris said.
“No, there are too many delicacies you’ve made, Ferris. Let me do it for a change!” Sidi insisted.
“Oh, then if it rains, Ferris can be the head chef and make something. Rico can be the advisor. I’ll help too, so just let us know if you need anything,” I proposed.
“I agree! We’ll enjoy some delicious food!” Gon exclaimed.
Finally, I saw everyone’s smiles. While feeling slightly relieved at the sight, I brought the gathering to a close.
Later that night, when I was alone with Rico in our bedroom, I decided to ask her about her earlier reaction.
“Rico… about what happened earlier…”
“…,” Rico remained silent with her head down. I embraced Rico from behind.
“Crimeana religion… Rico, did you also receive baptism? It must be conflicting for you to go against the Pope’s request, right?”
“I… I don’t know,” Rico replied. (T/N: Family over any religion any day, Mei has helped Rico so much that I find it shocking that Rico is not sure which side she is on)
“You don’t know?”
“I’ve been taught since I was young… that Crimeana-sama is the one who protects and guides us on the right path… The Crimeana Holy Kingdom is a country that has been saving humans… Since it was announced by that country, it must be true. But, but, will expelling the beastmen really solve the problem? Even if there is a cure, many sheepmen will become sacrifices. Even if we survive on top of those sacrifices, what will we have left? The Crimeana religion has never persecuted the beastmen before… I don’t understand… I just don’t understand,” Rico said, holding her head and shaking it. I hugged Rico even tighter.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
“…Master, it’s me, Mei.”
“Oh, Mei… Come in.”
I let go of Rico and the door opened as Meiriasu entered the room.
“Where’s Aliria?”
“She’s sleeping in her room.”
“I see…”
Meiriasu looked straight at Rico and spoke.
“Rico-sama, I apologize, but tonight, would you allow me to accompany the master instead? Is that alright with you?”
Rico nodded slowly and got up, gently holding Aliria in her arms from the baby bed.
“I think it would be better for Mei to stay with us tonight.”
“I’m sorry…”
Mei bowed with an apologetic expression. Rico smiled kindly and walked slowly towards the door.
“Rico-sama.”
Meiriasu suddenly called out.
“Please take care of Aliria… Please take care of her for me…”
Saying that, Mei deeply bowed her head towards Rico.
“Don’t worry, Mei. Leave Aliria to me. She’ll be in good hands,” Rico replied with a gentle smile.
With that warm smile, Rico left the bedroom.
After watching her go, Mei approached me slowly and then hugged me.
“Mei… Don’t worry. I’ll protect you, no matter what.”
“I’ll find a way. I will, no matter what…”
“Mei…”
I held Mei tightly in my arms.
The next morning, when I woke up, Mei was nowhere to be found. There was a note by the pillow.
“I’m going to investigate the cause of the disease announced by the Crimeana Holy Kingdom and its countermeasures. Take care of Aliria for me… Meirias.”
“Mei…”
I muttered her name in disbelief. But Mei didn’t return even by noon.
“The utilization of water transport in Agarta is impressive.”
“Yes, indeed. The rumors about King of Agarta being an excellent barrier master seem to be true. I never expected this stone to have an enchantment effect…”
Having such a conversation were Kofureshi and Jorina. They were on a raft, traveling downstream from the capital of Agarta towards Garubi.
“At this rate, we might arrive earlier than scheduled.”
Kofureshi mumbled to himself.
“Was it your idea to travel down the river on this raft?”
Jorina turned back and asked.
“No…”
A small, almost mosquito-like voice replied. Jorina smiled contentedly upon hearing the voice.
At the end of Jorina’s gaze, there stood a beautiful sheepman—the second queen of Agarta, Meirias.
T/N: These were a few rush chapters, will sort out all the new character names in the next few chapters
