The Holy Man of Another Century Gospel

Chapter 215 The Crown
Sitting on a makeshift platform outside Lutiaxi, Empress Mia Utu stared blankly at the array below. At one point, she raised her hand and touched the crown on her head. It was cold and heavy, yet she still felt a lack of reality.

How could she become the Empress of the Delan Empire...?

What happened during this period feels like a dream.

First, his father, mother, and brother abandoned the city and fled, only to be captured by the demons. Then, his father, the emperor, was shot and killed by the saintess.

Next, Lutia was almost completely overrun by the demons, and they could only cower in a corner of the western part of the city.
Finally, their aunt Natalia returned with the army of Gradia to rescue them...

Now, these people want to establish some kind of military committee, and they want her to witness it.

"...Your Majesty...Your Majesty."

It took Mia a while to realize that her aunt was talking to her.

She came to her senses and realized that she had unknowingly taken off the jewel-encrusted blue and gold crown, and that her fingers were unconsciously gripping the largest gem on the front of the crown.

"..."

Seeing the look in Aunt Natalia's eyes, Mia knew she must have misunderstood.

"no……"

"Shh." Natalia stood to the side of the Queen and gently stopped her from explaining. "Put the crown on."

Mia put the heavy crown back on, wanting to say something, but her aunt had already turned away.

She bit her lip and looked down again.

For a fleeting moment, unnoticed by Mia, Natalia turned to look at her again, her gaze lingering on Mia's bewildered face for a moment before shifting to the crown.

Before she reached Mia's age, that crown was one of her toys, and she wore it on her head as she traveled throughout the palace.

Today, the original owner of this crown is dead, and his body has not yet been found. The palace where they grew up has been taken over by the Demon King.

Natalia looked down again, her gaze sweeping over the two highest-ranking generals who were speaking with their backs to the platform, then leaping over the army formation in front of them, finally settling on the face of the leader of one of the troop of knights.

He didn't look at her, or anyone else, but kept his head down, lost in thought.

Trust, resentment, sympathy, doubt, and even... a complex mix of emotions churned within Natalia, who quickly looked away again.

In the days to come, they will spend a considerable amount of time together.

As she was thinking this, she saw one of the two generals below, Governor Memphis of Gradia, turn around and walk up the platform, all the way to the Queen, where he knelt on one knee.

"..."

Mia glanced at her, then suddenly realized what was happening and handed over a sword that the late emperor had brought from the palace to Memphis, or more precisely, to the military council that he represented.

The ritualistic authorization served not only to unite the forces resisting the demons and establish a relationship of mutual trust, but also to subtly highlight the waning presence of the royal family. Natalia believed that Memphis wouldn't be unaware of this, but the latter didn't care at all.

After the climax of the Queen's sword presentation, the ceremony ended—they were held almost right under the noses of the demon army. Although the soldiers' emotions were high and unified, which was conducive to solidarity, they could not let their guard down.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness the Grand Princess, please return to the city."

Memphis asked the two to go first.

Holding Mia's hand, Natalia stepped down from the platform, got into the carriage, and returned to the city first.

"Are you leaving tomorrow?"

As the carriage sped into the city, Mia suddenly asked a question.

“Not so soon, Your Majesty,” Natalia said. “Although setting off as soon as possible will bring back reinforcements sooner, there are many things that need to be prepared.”

"Don't call me Your Majesty. How much longer can you stay here?"

“It won’t be more than a week…Mia.” Natalia looked at her niece.

Mia gripped her hand tightly, almost pleadingly, "Can't you really take me with you?"

“You are the Empress now, Mia… Your Majesty.” Natalia suppressed the overwhelming affection and sympathy surging within her. “As long as these people are still guarding Lutia, you cannot and should not leave this place.”

"I don't want to be an empress..."

Mia lowered her head. "Why me... Why didn't Dad take me with him when he ran away?"

In the past few days, Natalia has learned from her what happened when the late emperor fled the palace—because she couldn't bear the somber and panicked atmosphere after her uncle's defeat and return to the palace, she hid in a corner. When she woke up and came out again, her father, mother, brother, and even her uncle were all gone.

Later, the saintess stormed into the emperor's bedroom with a sword in hand, asking her where the emperor had gone.

"If Mia had also fled with them, she would have died at the hands of the demons by now."

Natalia leaned down to her and took her hand tightly.

"Stop thinking about things that haven't happened yet. Stay in Lutia and relax. They... those people outside will protect you. Apart from showing up occasionally, there's nothing for you to handle right now. Understand?"

She paused, realizing that in terms of the emperor's power alone, her niece's situation after ascending the throne was not much different from her father's.

Mia nodded silently, a large tear falling onto the back of her hand, burning her heart.

Natalia leaned down, cupped her face in her hands, and wiped away her tears.

"I will definitely come back... with an army that can drive out the demons."

Looking at the carriage ahead in the distance, Eric asked, "Has the choice been made?"

“It’s decided, Your Highness.” Edward rode alongside him. “Thirty of your most elite knights will accompany Your Highness southward.”

“…You might as well just bring them all.” Eric turned and glanced at him. “I remember I said no more than ten people, so bring that number.”

"Your Highness..."

“I’m not going south to fight, so you don’t need to worry about my safety. Besides, we’ll pass by plenty of churches and monasteries along the way, and our ranks will soon be strong again.”

Edward lowered his head. "I understand, Your Highness."

"You are staying here in the name of my personal knightly order. Your primary responsibility is to protect Marshal Edgar. If the Military Council needs you to be deployed, you can decide for yourself whether to agree or refuse."

"Yes, Your Highness."

They quickly returned to their camp in the city, where Eric waited for Natalia in his tent.

The soldiers who went outside the city to participate in the ceremony were only a part of the garrison; the rest were on guard against the demons inside and outside the city, and the brief peace could be broken at any time.

The reason the demons haven't launched a large-scale attack since the arrival of the Grandia army in Lutia is simply because they don't know the exact size of this reinforcement.

There will be at least one major battle between the two sides over Lutia.

Eric waited a moment, and then Natalia came to his tent. Both of them had things to prepare, and they needed to discuss the route south together.

“Our first stop south should be Hiss in Otville,” Eric said, pointing to the map. “There are many nobles who fled from Lutia there, and quite a few are waiting to see what happens in Lutia.”

Natalia looked at the province on the other side of the southwestern mountains of Lutia. "That is also His Highness's hometown."

“Yes, so we’ll have to pass through Dante County too, because of my uncle, some nobles think Dante County might be safer than Heath City,” Eric said.

Natalia nodded, indicating she had no objection.

"For the same reason, the next stop is Rennes." Eric moved his finger westward on the map.

Natalia looked at the cities marked with their names, "The Land of Sunset, 'Capital of Captains and Sailors'."

“We can take a ship from here or from Kus to the archipelago nation overseas,” Eric continued.

"An archipelago?" Natalia was taken aback and looked up at him. "That island nation made up of fishmen and pirates, what are we going there for?"

“Recruit cheap and effective mercenaries,” Eric said, looking at her. “Or rather, remind them that there are opportunities to make a fortune on the continent.”

“The people of the Archipelago aren’t exactly friendly to the Empire,” Natalia cautioned. “Aren’t the pirates from the Archipelago the biggest threat to the maritime trade of the three provinces surrounding Goddess Bay—Reentani, Cus, and Cogano?”

Eric was about to say something when a commotion suddenly broke out outside.

Natalia immediately left the tent and returned a while later with a grave expression. "The demons have suddenly launched an attack."

"Hmm." Eric nodded. "Where were we?"

"..."

“By the way, the archipelago.” Eric looked up at her and, seeing that she was still frowning and looking outside, said, “As long as we can’t reach this side, what happens outside is none of our business.”

Natalia looked at him, then at the outside, and returned to the map.

"People from island nations aren't that bad. I mean, they are indeed bad, but not the kind you can't communicate with."

Eric circled the archipelago in the southwest sea on the map twice with his fingertip. "The archipelago is barren. Only islanders and fishermen who can't survive will band together to become pirates. As long as you provide them with enough food, they are the most cost-effective soldiers."

"What if they start plundering as soon as they arrive on the continent, instead of fighting the demons?" Natalia's attention finally returned to the map in front of her, and she began to think seriously.

“So we need to send them directly to the battlefield,” Eric said. “We’ll assign some soldiers to specifically pick up people from these archipelago nations, and once they’re ashore, send them directly to Lutia. Anyone who leaves the group will be killed.”

Natalia frowned, and after a moment said, "I need to go over there and see before I make a decision." Eric had no objection. "Then we'll return to the mainland from Kus or Kogano, depending on where we left from. Next is Dorne, the Kingdom of Arsha, the southern kingdoms... and finally Castelfel. From there, we'll return to the Empire."

Natalia's gaze followed his finger as it circled west and south on the map. "Those countries further south might not be willing to support us. After all, they haven't suffered much from the demons' attacks hundreds of years ago."

This is a typical stereotype held by the imperial people about the southern countries.

"Give it a try." Eric hadn't explored the southern countries much and didn't know their actual customs and traditions. Like Natalia, he mostly held stereotypes. However, based on his experience in "The Crown of Thorns," many of the southerners who lived far from the war also deeply hated the demons.

"Prejudice is a mountain; only by climbing over it can you know what the real southern countries and their people are like."

Natalia nodded and said no more.

With the route almost planned out, to avoid forgetting anything, she asked Eric what he should bring.

"We rode horses the whole way, and apart from water, food, and things to prove our identity, there was nothing else we needed to bring."

“I understand,” Natalia said, indicating that she understood.

With a few days left before departure, the two began their preparations.

Although he said he would not concern himself with the fighting in the city for the time being, Eric still came to the commander's tent whenever he had a spare moment to learn about the battle situation.

Natalia is also frequently seen here.

Currently, both sides are mainly engaged in street fighting within the city, while outside the city they are keeping a close eye on each other's movements, neither wanting the other to gain any further advantage.

Because the Military Committee currently only consists of Memphis and Edgar, all aspects of the war deployment are decided through discussions between the two of them. At least for the time being, most of their ideas are in agreement.

"Send a group of cavalry out and circle north under cover of night, concealing the patterns, pretending to be reinforcements arriving from other places, and launch several attacks to put pressure on the demons in the city, and it would be best to make them abandon Lutia."

"Hmm... how much?"

Eric was listening to the two commanders discuss their battle plan when he suddenly noticed the hem of a nun's habit appearing outside. He then left the commanders' tent, while Natalia remained inside listening.

"Your Highness." It was Sophie who came to see him.

Eric looked at her and gestured for her to come to his tent to talk.

Sophie was not in good condition. After entering the tent, she just stood there, looking dazed.

Eric hugged her, and after a while, he felt her raise her hand to hug him back.

"I'll be leaving soon, and I'll inquire about your family along the way."

Sophie nodded slowly.

As Lutia was about to fall, Sophie's family, along with some of the remaining citizens, escaped through the west gate. Although the garrison near Lutia did their best to cover them, it was hard to say whether they would be caught by the demons after they had gone far away. Their fate remains unknown.

"If Your Highness has any news, whether good or bad, you must tell me... I would rather hear of their deaths than spend all day and night guessing alone."

Eric patted her gently on the back. "I'll remember that."

“Oh, right… there’s a letter from His Highness.” Sophie then pulled out a letter meant for him. “It was sent from the monastery.”

Eric opened and read the letter. Alena had arranged for another group of nuns to support the front lines, and they were currently being escorted by a group of church knights who were preparing to travel from Leselle to the region.

The letter also mentioned that the Vatican's attitude toward the war in Lutia was constantly wavering, and the visible action was that the Vatican was relaxing the conditions for recruiting church knights and absorbing the potential fighting force of various dioceses that had not yet been involved in the war.

Eric thought for a moment and decided to talk to Natalia about it later.

Sophie put down the letter and stared at him blankly.

"I will wait here for Your Highness to return."

"Wait for my news."

The two embraced again, and suddenly the tent curtain was lifted. Elise paused at the doorway for a moment, then lowered the curtain and came in.

"Luckily, it's someone I know."

"..."

Eric didn't let go of Sophie, turning his head to ask, "How is she?"

“Your Highness has prepared almost everything you requested,” Elise replied. “As for the letters you exchanged with those nobles, they were all left in the ruins of the cathedral. Remember to take them with you when you fled… when you moved.”

Eric sighed softly, "It's alright if I didn't bring it. Re-engaging with them doesn't necessarily require those letters."

“I can sneak back at night to take a look,” Elise added.

Eric immediately refused, "I might as well find my way back myself. There's no need for that."

Elise didn't insist. She glanced at Sophie again, then turned and left.

"Can I come over tonight?" Sophie asked in a low voice.

"can."

Eric kissed her on the forehead and left the tent with her.

"Eric."

Just as he stepped outside, Eileen came looking for him.

Sophie nodded to her and left first. She nodded back and watched her walk a distance before asking, "Is Eric taking her with him?"

Eric shook his head.

"When do we set off?" Eileen asked again.

After reinforcements arrived, the pressure on the front lines was not so great. Upon hearing that he would be passing through Dante County on his way south, Eileen decided to go back to her hometown with him. Elise and Molly would also accompany her, and the three of them would return to Lutia together afterward.

"Don't worry."

Eric glanced at Natalia, who had just emerged from the commander's tent. "It depends on how well His Highness is preparing."

As he was speaking, Natalia walked over, greeted Eileen first, and then said to him, "Your Highness, I think we can set off tomorrow."

Eric caught a glimpse of Eileen tiptoeing.

“Okay. I’m almost ready on my end too,” he replied.

Natalia nodded, then said, "Before his departure, His Majesty wishes to see Your Highness."

Eric paused, "Is now a convenient time?"

"convenient."

Eric then went with Natalia to see Her Majesty the Queen, who had a large tent all to herself in the camp.

The latter took off his crown and twirled it in his hand like a rosary.

Eric suddenly felt that it was really unfair to let such a child bear such a heavy responsibility.

Even though the existence of the emperor was already nominal.

"I still suspect you're planning to run away," the Queen said, making a startling statement.

Natalia was taken aback, somewhat helplessly, "Your Majesty..."

Eric didn't even raise an eyebrow. "Does Your Majesty trust the Grand Princess? You can have Her Highness supervise me."

"If you want to run, do you think she can stop you?" Mia retorted.

“I can’t stop you by force,” Eric said, “but Your Highness can stop me by taking responsibility.”

Natalia looked at him.

"Don't tell me you don't understand," Mia frowned. "I'll give you a month. Can you come back?"

"Let's increase it tenfold."

"..."

“I’m not joking, Your Majesty. We’re going to the six major provinces and the southern kingdoms of the empire. I don’t think ten months will be enough.”

"Ten months..."

Mia looked at her aunt, "When you come back, will Lutia still be Lutia?... Ah."

The crown she was playing with rolled off the carpet and came to rest at Eric's feet.

"When there were only a few hundred people left, we still managed to hold on..."

Eric picked up the crown, knelt on one knee before the Queen, and held it up with both hands.

"I can assure you that the situation will not get any worse than it is now."

(End of this chapter)