The Marquis’ Eldest Son’s Lascivious Story - Chapter 243

After putting away the diary and getting the civil officers ready, Cynthia arrived.

[Please excuse me.]

She entered the room with polite gestures. At first glance, she didn’t seem to be in bad shape.

Cynthia was wearing her priestly uniform today. The uniform would normally make her look fat overall due to her large breasts, so she had ordered a clothing company to make adjustments in that area, but…it looks pretty good.

[It’s been awhile since I departed to the capital. How are you doing?]

[I am deeply grateful to Wilk-sama for his consideration. I was able to spend my days peacefully.]

Cynthia had been interrogated by our civil officers lately. Just to be sure, I had issued a notice to ensure that the interrogation would not turn into torture, but it seems that this information was also communicated to the person herself.

[Is Princess Fanny away?]

[It’s just me today.]

Fanny and I had already received lectures from Cynthia several times about the Zeth Church and Zeth Holy High Society. That’s probably why she thought she was invited to the castle as a tutor this time as well. She was holding a thick book of scripture in a pose similar to holding a baby.

By the way, for a priest to preach Zeth’s teachings to ordinary people is a remarkable religious activity called “teaching.” However, Fanny and I are not members of the Holy High Society, and we have not completed the rite of passage to become believers, so what we are receiving is just a “lecture”. Chyntia was considered just a tutor of sorts.

It’s not a story that can be made very openly, but even if this leaks out, it can be resolved by saying something like, [I needed to know about the Zeth Holy High Society, an enemy of the Nobles]. Actually, that reason is not a lie.

[This time, it will take quite a while. I didn’t have a chance back in the Royal Capital.]

Cynthia was also taken to the Royal Capital, but as expected, she was not allowed to do anything in Levios territory, which can be said to be the headquarters of the anti-priests.

Basically, the Noble families place emphasis on traditional education for their children, so it’s hard for other families to complain no matter who you choose as your tutor. This is because if done poorly, it could develop into a serious issue of interference in internal affairs.

However, if I had a low-ranking priest of the Zeth Church give a lecture in Levios’s garden, it would leave a bad impression on me, and I would end up gaining distrust. She was just brought in as a diplomatic card.

[Indeed. I’ve completely forgotten how far we got last time.]

When I said that, Cynthia quietly turned the pages of the textbook as if looking back on past lectures and placed them on her desk.

By leaning forward, her large breasts were emphasized. It’s almost as if I’m hallucinating.

[…Then, let’s start with a quick review and confirm.]

Although the words were quiet, I could feel Cynthia’s enthusiasm. Newnelly City, the Royal Capital Levios, and the priests are not doing well, so she may be thinking of trying to improve their image even a little.

[No, I didn’t call you today for a lecture.]

[Eh…]

Cynthia’s expression, which had been showing off her motivation by lightly clenching her fists, suddenly turned sad.

[I thought I would also check on the matter in the Royal Capital.]

[I, I see.]

[Don’t worry, I’m not doubting you. I won’t punish you if you say you don’t know what you truly aren’t aware of.]

I have received a report from a civilian officer regarding the interview, but I wanted to confirm it directly with the person herself, just to be sure.

There are two reasons why I didn’t call Fanny tonight, one of which is this. I don’t want to cause unnecessary worry by letting her listen to political talk.

[That’s why. I would like to hear about the magic used during the attack on the Royal Capital.]

According to the Holy Maiden Rona, the magic that turned the ground into corrupted soil is called Impure Feather. Unfortunately, no one else had any information about it. It’s basically an unknown magic to the Nobles.

[I heard from the civil officer that Cynthia knows something about it.]

Of course, I’ve read the report, so I already know the gist of it.

[Yes. From the magic effects you asked about, it seems to be an imitation, something similar, or the same magic as the Unholy Works. It is also known as Unclean Feather among priests, and as far as I know, There are records of it being used several times.]

Cynthia opened the scripture and put her finger on one entry.

[The first mention of the Unholy Works is found in the Pure Scriptures: 『The stubborn people of Okobo continued to resist. I inflicted seven nights of impurity on their land. When upon they have acknowledged their wrongdoing, thus I have granted forgiveness to their land.』]

It is said that when Zeth began his project to unify the Bermana region, one of the methods of attack that he unleashed on the opposing forces was the Unholy Works.

[Founding Father Zeth inflicted corruption upon the land several times during the conquest of Bermana. Once to defeat the Okobo, and then again…]

As if she had memorized the page location, Cynthia fluidly pointed to the next chapter. The content of the descriptions was almost similar.

[…..sometimes it’s unholy, and then it’s karma, it’s all pretty vague descriptions. Can this be counted as the corruption magic diffusion used in the attack?]

[As Wilk-sama thought, it is not possible to tell the difference just by reading the scriptures. In this case, comparison with the Apocrypha is important.]

The Apocrypha is a general term for the books left behind by Zeth as a legacy.

[For example, in the Apocrypha, there is also a memoir of a soldier who took part in the conquest of Bermana at the time. In that record, it is said that the Founding Father Zeth released the “Earth Defiling White Feathers”, and its power and influence are described in detail. I have determined that the characteristics of the magic that was released in the Royal Capital this time are extremely similar to this.]

Even if she said that, it was difficult to confirm because the essential Apocrypha itself was not here.

The Quordenze family is a Noble family whose origins were as priests, so if you search the storehouse, you’ll find plenty of scriptures, but that’s not the case with the Apocrypha. Aside from famous books such as the collection of lectures by the First Priestess and the autobiography of the First Pope, it is doubtful whether such minor books as the memoirs of soldiers are kept there. The original and a few copies of the less important Apocrypha might only exist in the Holy City.

Lately, civil officers have been frantically rummaging through storehouses, but I think it’s more likely that nothing will come out. They also checked the library collections of churches in the city, but apparently none existed.

It may be surprisingly difficult to complete the Apocrypha. …I’m starting to get a little bit of a desire to collect it.

[Isn’t there even a single detailed description in the pure scriptures?]

[There is none.]

She must have absolute confidence in the content of the scriptures, as she flatly declared no.

[Then, how about in the holy scriptures? …None as well?]

[That’s true. As Wilk-sama knows, the holy scriptures are a collection of the words of the spirit Zeth, so there is not much written about the activities of the church.]

The pure scriptures are quite interesting to read, as they compile not only Zeth’s thoughts but also stories from various genres such as war stories and travelogs. In comparison, the holy scriptures are just endless sermons and are not interesting at all.

[In the first place, was there anyone other than Zeth who could release Impure Feather?]

[It is believed that it existed. However, since the Founding Father Zeth transformed himself into a spirit, there is only one record of an Unholy Works being used.]

In other words, almost nobody else could use it after Zeth’s death.

[What about that one time?]

[The rebellion of apostasy.]

It is said that after Zeth’s death, there were many rebellions against the Holy High Council around the Bermana region, probably thinking that there was a chance of victory now that the Founding Father was gone. However, the powerful Holy Army, which was experienced in many expeditions throughout the continent, quickly annihilated the rebel army. It is said that they made the rebels’ homeland corrupted, turning it into a barren land where no plants or trees could grow.

[So merciless.]

[The Unholy Work was applied to the land of those who were found to be the most serious offenders, and no forgiveness was granted. It is inevitable, but the General who was in charge of it had to admit that he felt bad for unleashing the impurity.]

The Holy Army is the sword of the Zeth Church Holy High Society, but at the same time it is also a shield that protects their land from demonic beasts. Even though this is the land where apostates lived, it is no wonder that there is something to be felt about desecrating it.

[I don’t know how he feels, but how do you know what’s going on in the General’s mind?]

[The Holy Maiden of those days…there is evidence that he consulted the first Holy Maiden, Saint Cattlearch, about his troubles.]

It is said that the Holy Maiden’s business diary, which is kept in Rona’s parents’ house, mentions that the General often visited her under the guise of “consulting his concerns”. In modern Earth terms, it would be like a record of a hospital visit for counseling.

[What kind of conclusion was drawn from the story is beyond the scope of a mere believer like me to guess. However, since then, there is no more record of the Holy Army using Unholy Works as punishment.]

As far as I know, Cynthia added at the end.

[…So, over the course of this long history, the tradition has disappeared?]

[I think so. Unholy Works are among the many magics that have not been transmitted to the current Holy City.]

Magic is a technology that can easily be lost if there is no demand for it. Magic that only corrupts the land is of too limited use, and if I were to prioritize inheritance, it would probably be quite low. There are many useful magics that should be passed on to others.

[…however, those people could use the Impure Feather.]

In reality, it was used in attacks, and it was probably secretly inherited or redeveloped on purpose. No matter which one they are, they are likely to have rotten roots.

[They say it hasn’t been passed down to the current Holy City, but until when can we confirm the inheritance?]

[This is outside my area of ​​expertise, so…]

Cynthia’s major is Zeth religion, and she is not an expert on magic study. There is no point in forcing answers and obtaining inaccurate information.

[That’s unfortunate. I don’t care if it’s not public record.]

Still, it seemed like she couldn’t think of anything, and Cynthia just looked apologetic, even though she was scared.

Even so, when she took a contracted pose, her large breasts were emphasized and I could see them even if I didn’t want to. I don’t particularly dislike it though.

[Really, anything is fine…even if it’s an uncertain tradition or an old tale.]

When I finally gave up and said that, Cynthia, who had been keeping her head down, turned to look at me.

[…There is an old story that is widely known in the Holy City that involves Unholy Works…]

When I glanced at the civil officer, he moved his head as if to claim he didn’t know.

[Interesting. What’s the story?]

[It is about a fallen spirit that is said to be rebelling against humanity and joining the devil’s path.]

[Fallen spirit?]

[It’s a monster story that has been passed down in the Holy City. It is also said that those who rebel against humanity and follow the devil’s path transform into fallen spirit.]

Seems like a standard evil character that often appears in Holy City’s scary stories. I don’t know, but it seems like it’s an evil and terrifying being.

[The story can vary depending on the narrator… but this time let us use the one that I heard from my mother as an example.]

I replied with a nod.

She closed the scripture and finally began the tale.

[Once upon a time, a boy who received a great blessing from the spirit was born…]

Cynthia spoke so calmly that it sounded like a kindergarten teacher reading a picture-story show.

[The boy was taken under the care of a priest and began his life in the church. The boy grew up quickly under the tutelage of a good and virtuous priest.]

[One day, the boy received a request from the priest. He wanted him to go on an errand to the next town across the forest. The boy happily accepted.]

[The boy is having fun going out for the first time in a long time. The priest had told him to return before sunset, but feeling bored, the boy forgot his order and ended up playing in the next town. It was almost sunset when he noticed.]

[If this continues, he will be late returning home and the priest will get angry. So, the boy decided to deviate from the road and go into the forest to take a shortcut home.]

[The forest was deep, and it was said that one should never enter after sunset. But the boy didn’t care. He thought that he had received the blessings of the spirits, so there should be no problem.]

[As the boy progressed through the forest, he eventually lost his way.]

[While wandering, the sun set and his surroundings became dark. The boy finally lost track of which direction to go, and burst into tears on the spot.]

[I wonder which way I should go, someone please show me the way… Perhaps that boy’s feelings were what drew him towards it.]

[Za, za, za, za, za… he could hear some noise from beyond the darkness.]

[‘That must have been the sound of someone walking, and if I followed that sound I would be able to get back on the right path.’ The boy ran in the direction of the sound.]

[To the boy, that voice sounded like it belonged to the Holy Spirit. The pitch-black forest and the ground overgrown with plants that were so scary were no longer scary. The boy moved on, relying on the sound of those footsteps. Believing it would lead him out of the forest.]

[Suddenly, a clearing appeared in the forest. There, illuminated by the moonlight, there was a lone figure. The boy ran towards the source of the footsteps, as if asking for help. But… it was never a person.]

[There, the boy encountered a terrifying being that he was afraid to even talk about…a fallen spirit. What the boy heard and chased after was the footsteps of a fallen spirit.]

[The fallen spirit looked at the boy and laughed. The boy was filled with fear.]

[I don’t have time to worry about the path anymore. The boy just moved his legs as hard as he could and ran away. Fortunately, the fallen spirit didn’t chase him, and eventually he was able to get out of the forest.]

[…However, that was just the beginning. After that incident, the boy gradually changed. He began to ignore the priest’s teachings, became obsessed with evil thoughts, and refused to interact with people. The way he looked down on others and laughed was like the fallen spirit he saw in the forest.]

[Seeing this change, the priest took the violent boy to church. Then the boy suddenly regained his senses. So, the priest asks. “What exactly happened and why are you acting so disturbing?”]

[The boy answered with tears streaming down his face. “…The sound won’t go away. That day, I heard the sound of za, za, za, za, za, za, za, za, za, za, za, za, za, za. , it continues to echo in my head even now…”]

[The priest tried his best to save the boy’s heart, but it was already too late. The people around him saw the boy acting like he was possessed by something, and they said, “That day, the boy… he was lured down the path of devils by a fallen spirit. And he has forever lost sight of the human path he was supposed to walk”.]

[Soon, the boy became devoted to techniques that were considered taboo. The boy’s power, filled with curses, turned rivers into poison and stained the earth with impurity. People called him the Demon King and feared his power. It was soon after that that the church declared the boy excommunicated and ordered the Holy Army to subdue him.]

[After a fierce battle, the boy was killed and peace returned to the Holy City. However, famine continued in the Holy City, and many people died. The demon king’s curse remained on the land for many years.]

Then, Cynthia finished her tale.

It was an ending that I can’t say was a happy one, but it seems like this is the end of the story. Well, it might be normal for folktales and fairy tales in this world to end this way.

[The power the boy used sounds like an impure feather. But…]

[Yes, it’s just a fairy tale…]

[You said that there are several ways the story unfolds. Is there also a story where the boy is saved?]

Cynthia said that there are several patterns in the story. If that’s the case, I felt like there should be a route where the boy could be saved through the efforts of the priest.

However, Cynthia shook her head.

[Not that I’m aware of. I think all these stories have one thing in common: a boy who disrespects the teachings of the church is excommunicated and killed by the Holy Army… I’ve also heard stories where he doesn’t encounter fallen spirits.]

In the case of that pattern, the boy becomes arrogant about his own intelligence, and is led to fall into the path of devils by the invitation of the fallen spirits that he hears from within his heart.

[…Wilk-sama, how did you feel when you heard of this story?]

To Cynthia’s question, I answered exactly what I thought.

[I can’t say for certain, I guess this has to do with how the people of the Holy City are obedient to the priest. The message, or rather the purpose, of this fairy tale is to imprint that something bad will happen if you don’t listen to what the priest says, and that going against the priest’s teachings is bad. The fact that this is widely accepted means that priests are able to grasp the root of the hearts of the people.]

[…I think that’s an admirable way of thinking as a Noble.]

I could see that my opinion was not in line with what Cynthia wanted to claim.

[I’m the next Head of the Quordenze family. I always have to think about things from the point of view of a Noble. For reference, let me ask, how does Cynthia perceive this fairy tale?]

When she asked that question, she took a deep breath. Then, she looked at me with a sincere expression and started speaking.

[The important thing about this story…is that you shouldn’t just walk in the direction of the sound in the dark.]

[…keep going.]

[If you live a long life, you may end up wandering into a deep forest where light cannot reach. When you do so, you need to be very careful. If you simply leave the direction of your life to something else, it will lead to a big mistake.]

Then, she gently put one hand to her ear.

[We have to be careful. Is that sound we hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, or is it the footfall of a fallen demon…]

If we interpret the deep forest as referring to a world in which the majesty of the Zeth Church has disappeared…the voice of the Holy Spirit is the guidance of the priests, and the lordship of fallen spirits is the independent spirit of the Nobles. The people lost their direction in the turbulent times and were led astray by the command of independence for the nobility. I guess that’s a bit of an understated interpretation.

Come to think of it, Rona also said something about the need for a correct teacher in order to learn the correct teachings.

[Haa… then I guess I’ve already progressed through the path of devil.]

I don’t rely on the teachings of the Zeth Church Holy High Society. The same goes for the Quordenze family. If you only listen to the superficial part, it’s just a life lesson, “Think carefully before you do something”. But, Cynthia also implied some pretty dangerous things just now. If I were a run-of-the-mill Noble, her neck would’ve been severed.

[No, no, that’s not true…! …I apologize if I have made you uncomfortable…]

Judging from the way she jumped off her chair and offered her explanation, it seemed like she didn’t mean it in a sarcastic way like I thought. It felt more like she was simply passing on life lessons, or a declaration that “I will do my best to teach you the right path”.

Well, Cynthia probably wants to lead me to the “right path”, but it’s an unnecessary burden. Generally speaking, the owner of both sounds will say that he or she is right, and both voices and chants are likely to be similar in the end.

[Well, that’s fine. It was an interesting story, but I didn’t really discover anything new.]

Other than the fairy tale incident, there is no other information beyond the reports from civil officers.

After that, I continued talking with Cynthia for a while, but all I could do was reconfirm the report.

[…I’m truly sorry. I’m not very familiar with that…]

I wanted to hear more about magic and the Holy Army, but Cynthia only knew a smattering of common sense. If it’s related to the scriptures, she might be able to tell something, but there is nothing that can be called new information.

[Magic-related matters are mainly the expertise of my colleague, Priestess Faith… I heard that Wilk-sama met with the Holy Maiden-sama. Maybe you saw her already. She was always waiting by Her Eminence’s side.]

[That priestess with dumpy ass?]

A priest with an attractive butt and chubby legs that would be worth a spanking came to mind.

[Dumpy? I think Priestess Faith is rather tall, but I don’t think she’s that distinctively…]

Cynthia asked if I had mistaken her for a different priest, but I told her that there was no mistake in my understanding.

[So, that priestess studied magic?]

[She’s a very talented person. She majored in magic study at René University, but I heard that she entered the school when she was nine years old. It’s really rare for someone of that age to pass the entry exam.]

Apparently René University, an academic institution in the Holy City, does not set a specific age for admission. It is said that as long as you have enough intelligence to study and a letter of introduction from a priest, you can take the entrance exam. By the way, there is no specific duration of study or enrollment period.

[At what age do you usually start schooling?]

[Well… The general knowledge exam is difficult, so I think most people take it between the ages of 15 and 20. However, when it comes to magic, I get the impression that it’s a little younger than that.]

It seems that the emphasis is placed on magical ability in magic, and if someone is judged to be talented, they will let you wear geta even if you are a bit stupid. It is unclear whether Priest Faith falls under this category.

[By the way, Cynthia also graduated from university, but at what age did she pass the entrance exam?]

[…..I was 13 at that time.]

When she answered that, she seemed very reluctant to talk. This is probably because when combined with what she said just before, it might sound like she was bragging.

[Eh, about as old as I am now.]

[I, I think it would be easy for Wilk-sama to pass the liberal arts exam…]

I’m not sure if she’s trying to flatter me to distract from the topic of school age, or if she really means it. Questions related to Zeth’s doctrine may be difficult, but she seemed confident that I would be able to answer other questions with ease.

[…Was Priestess Faith highly valued by Rona-dono?]

[As is usual for mages, Priestess Faith was also a knowledgeable person. It seems that she was able to help the Holy Maiden-sama in such areas as well.]

Magic is a technology that is transmitted from person to person, and to study it, it is necessary to interact with a wide variety of people. They range from high-ranking priests to low-ranking priests, people from universities regardless of their major, from the Holy Army to civilian mages. As a result, those who majored in magic study tend to have a wide range of knowledge. Even if they are not particularly talented, it seems that those with good communication skills are often the best of mages.

[I see. She seems like a difficult person to get.]

That body alone is valuable, but if she also has the ability, there’s nothing to say. She is a person that I would want to have no matter what. That would be impossible though.

In the first place, from Rona’s perspective, Faith is a more important subordinate than Cynthia, who has the same specialty. Maybe that’s why she gave Cynthia to me as a present without any regrets.

[Come to think of it, have you heard about this?]

I signaled to the civil servant, who took the stack of papers and placed it on the desk.

This was the record of the meeting of the next family heads from back in the Royal Capital. The text was prepared by Quordenze, and all everyone present had to do was sign it. Of course, there is no need to show all of it, so I put sticky notes in between to make it unreadable except for the relevant parts.

When I told Cynthia to check the sign, she looked at it with eager eyes.

[…..this is unmistakably the Holy Maiden-sama’s signature.]

[From now on, Cynthia will be under my care both in name and reality.]

When I said that, Cynthia lowered her face and put her hands together in front of her voluptuous breast. Her hands were trembling slightly.

I had briefly told her the story in advance, but this was the first time I had shown her the record. I wonder if she was shocked because the content was written about the Zeth Church Holy High Council or rather Rona being completely cut off.

[Ah… to be entrusted with such a task by the Holy Maiden-sama… I’m extremely… extremely honored…]

It seems that there is no such thing.

Cynthia’s voice was shaking and she was trembling with emotion. If things continue like this, she will probably start praying in front of the signature. Honestly, I feel a little sick.

[…Well, that’s about it. As always, I’ll probably ask you to tell me your story from time to time.]

She was breathing heavily. A tightly clenched fist was pressed firmly against her thigh. It was as if she was subconsciously holding down her legs as they tried to stand up.

[Yes. Please leave it to me.]

What can I say about Cynthia… she’s not a bad girl. The fanaticism she sometimes shows is a little creepy, but that’s it. I don’t feel the same creepiness that Rona has.

Looking back at her past actions, it can be seen that she is kind-hearted and serious at heart, is kind to everyone, and works hard in everything she does. I think it’s the type of thing where the longer you interact with her, the better your impression becomes.

[….yeah, I’ll be counting on you.]

Cynthia, a devout member of the Holy High Society of Zeth Church who has no malicious intent and acts based on her conscience… I wonder how I would use her if I were Rona.

Even if she had her by the nose, Cynthia didn’t seem to be of any use, so maybe she thought it would be better to give it to someone as a gift and try to increase their favorability. …And this time, I was the one receiving the gift.

[Is there something wrong?]

When I was looking at her face in silence, she asked me curiously.

Although I have a lot of thoughts, Cynthia has completely become Quordenze’s property. The only thing I have to be careful about is that she might run away with some kind of information. For the time being, I have to be careful not to let my guard down.

[…well…]

However, the possibility of that happening is probably not very high. Judging from what happened earlier, Cynthia seemed to be interpreting this transfer of affiliation as an important assignment, and I’m sure she won’t think about using me or trying to fuck me up. This is because it is an act that betrays the trust of the Holy Maiden.

[…..Wilk-sama?]

[I was just thinking for a bit.]

At that, Cynthia straightened her back, probably thinking that she should wait in silence. Inevitably, this caused her two ballistics to stand proudly.

[Mmm…]

I couldn’t help but cry out. Those two babies were like a deadly weapon, like the muzzle of a gun being pointed at me. Is there really a person who can show something like this and not react? It’s not because I’m a man, I’m sure even a woman would react in some way.

[…Come to think of it, there was another reason why I called Cynthia tonight.]

I decided to continue talking to cover up the leaked voice.

There is a second reason why I didn’t call Fanny.