The Holy Man of Another Century Gospel

Chapter 229 The Land of Sunset
After eating and drinking their fill, the knights dispersed, using their swords and holy flames to clear the ground around the camp, burning away the weeds and the snakes, insects, and rodents hiding within them.

The knights lay down to rest in a circle around the carriage.

Because there was only one carriage and the space wasn't very big, even Eric could only lie on the floor with a sleeping mat. The carriage belonged to three ladies.

The widow boarded the carriage early, but Natalia wasn't sleepy. She was lost in thought, holding the newly delivered battle report from the front lines, illuminated by the campfire that served as both a beast-taming tool and a light source.

Kasha, not wanting the night to end too soon, stayed by the campfire like Eric.

The knights lay down around the carriage, ensuring there were no blind spots, so Eric wasn't in a hurry.

As her vision cleared and her focus shifted from the ground to the letter in her hand, Natalia came to her senses. Eric and Kasha were talking in hushed tones.

"...So, do you still plan to go back to that forest?"

“I miss that place; it was my home for many years…and many things are still there.”

"Aside from wild animals in the mountains, no one else should be occupying that place for the time being."

“It doesn’t matter if someone else takes over. I’ve left plenty of food in the cabin. Even if he can’t hunt, he can live there for a while.”

Eric looked at Kasha and smiled, then noticed another gaze fixed on him from the campfire.

"Your Highness?"

Natalia looked away for a moment, then quickly looked up again. "Would Your Highness like to take another look?"

She held out the letter in her hand.

Eric had already read it several times, but he still took it and looked at it casually. "This information was already outdated the moment it reached us."

Natalia nodded.

“What I mean is, Your Highness can put it down and rest now,” Eric said.

She paused for a moment, then responded, glancing at the ground around the carriage. Eric's sleeping mat was already laid out.

"Your Highness will have to spend the night outside."

"It's pretty good. There are more than a dozen church knights around me protecting my safety at all times. Apart from being careful not to roll into the fire, there are no downsides."

Natalia smiled, intending to continue the conversation, and started talking about his adventures last year.

"I've slept in quite a few ruins... because flat areas are hard to find, and I've slept in several stone coffins as well... The stench of corpses? It's been too long, the smell has long since dissipated."

Kasha was also interested in his adventures, so before bedtime, Eric would talk about his experiences from the previous year.

He inevitably mentioned Elise and Molly, but omitted many details so that they could sleep at night.

The moon had circled most of the night sky, and the campfire, after being relit several times, was about to burn out again.

Eric looked up at the sky and yawned. "We can talk about other things next time. We still have to travel tomorrow. Your Highness, Kasha, you should get in the carriage and rest."

The three said goodnight to each other, and after watching the two get into the car, Eric lay down on his sleeping mat.

A moment later, two more figures stepped off the carriage.

Eric sat up, the widow looked around with a troubled expression, while Kasha pointed towards the darkness further away.

"There?... Okay, you'd better stick close to me."

Eric, who was about to ask something, chose to keep quiet and lay down again.

A moment later, the two returned, and the refreshed widow even said goodnight to Eric.

"Good night."

Eric watched the two people get into the car. Kasha stayed behind and waved to him before lowering the curtain.

Eric waved his hand, closed his eyes, and lay down.

He slept soundly until dawn, undisturbed by snakes, insects, rodents, or wild animals. He also did not roll into the long-extinguished campfire. He slept exceptionally well that night.

He washed his face by the stream, then turned around to see the sun rising.

"What beautiful weather..."

He carried a bucket of water back, started a fire again, and hung it on the stove to boil.

After the three people in the carriage got up and had a simple breakfast, the group set off again to continue their westward journey.

Although the feeling of sleeping in the wild was not bad, the inconveniences could not be ignored. On the way back, both Eric and Natalia paid special attention to the time to stop and rest.

“Shall we hurry on? The sun is still high in the sky,” the widow called out, poking her head out of the carriage.

Eric glanced at the sunset, which had already changed color, rolled his eyes, but returned the glance with a smile: "It's getting late, Miss Austin. I've heard there are a lot of snakes around here."

The widow immediately shut her mouth and shrank back into the carriage.

The group slowed down and entered a service area to rest for the night before continuing their journey.

Without giving the widow much time to savor the moment, a few days later, the group arrived safely outside Sunset City.

Governor Rentani had received news of their arrival long ago, and perhaps because of his daughter, he even arranged an entry ceremony outside the east gate.

The warhorses, which had been galloping wildly these past few days, now slowed their pace, carrying Eric as they stepped into the city, which resonated with the sound of the ocean waves, amidst cheers from both sides.

Sunset City is located at the westernmost point of the continent, perched directly on a coastal cliff. It connects to the mainland on one side and the endless sea on the other. Despite its extremely remote location, its commerce is quite prosperous.

Eric looked around with a smile. The crowd of onlookers, mostly sailors and merchants, were chanting "Her Highness the Saintess" and seemed quite enthusiastic.

Although sailors worship the sea goddess Nymph more because of their profession, according to the doctrines of the Yera sect, Nymph's power also comes from Yera.

Sailors are generally not very educated, and they don't fuss over the evolution of relationships like mages do. They focus on practicality—not favoring one side, but wanting them all.

Others came to welcome Natalia.

She had already sat back in the carriage, smiling and waving at the outside from the window.

Meanwhile, the other car window was rolled up, and the ordinary-looking Kasha and Austin, the governor's daughter who could not be exposed to the public for the time being, could only look outside through the white veil.

“This is your father’s wish, Mrs. Rodney.” Natalia didn’t turn her head, but you could see the thought in her eyes.

“I know…” the widow sighed, “It’s just that I can’t show my face right now. Once Father has resolved the trouble over there, I will make sure the whole city knows that I’m back.”

“Won’t your father send you to the southern territories?” Kasha interjected.

"..."

The widow opened her mouth, "My husband is dead, what would I do there... Father wouldn't do that, would he, Your Highness?"

Natalia glanced back at her and Kasha, but said nothing.

The group quickly entered the city and, escorted by guards, went straight to the governor's mansion.

Governor Austin greeted them there.

"Your Highness, you must be tired from your journey."

Austin was an old man in his fifties. He was neither cold nor particularly warm towards them, but when he saw his youngest daughter getting off the carriage with Natalia, his face showed a hint of gratitude.

"Your Highness Grand Princess Natalia, thank you for bringing my good-for-nothing daughter back with Her Highness the Saintess."

Natalia simply bowed her head slightly and accepted his thanks.

“Governor Austin, this is our first meeting.”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness, Lutia is too far from Sunset City, and I haven’t had the chance to see you all these years.”

“That’s why I came to see you,” Natalia said with a smile. “It has indeed been a long journey…”

"—Liliana!"

Governor Austin suddenly raised his voice and looked at his youngest daughter, "What are you still standing here for? Don't you know how worried your mother is about you? Go see her now!"

The widow opened her mouth, glanced at Eric and Natalia, and then lowered her head.

“Yes…” Watching his youngest daughter leave quickly, Governor Austin turned to Natalia and Eric, “Your Highnesses, please come in and talk… And who is this?”

Eric turned around and saw that he was looking at Kasha, who was the last to get off the carriage, and said, "My attendant."

Governor Austin didn't say much, just nodded slightly, and invited them to come inside with him again.

There is no fixed style for the construction of governor's palaces. They are usually closely integrated with local styles. The Governor's Palace of Leantane is a typical harbor style, but its scale is astonishing as that of the Governor's Palace of Ottville, as if afraid that others would not know that a governor of a province lives inside.

The knights were relocated, and Eric, Natalia, and Cassia followed Governor Austin into the governor's mansion, arriving at a place that resembled a reception room.

"I already know the purpose of your visit, Your Highnesses."

Austin offered to help them without even asking, as a way of thanking them for escorting his youngest daughter, Liliana, all the way.

Eric and Natalia exchanged a glance and shook their heads simultaneously before the governor turned to look at them.

Although their primary purpose in escorting the widow home was to incur a favor from her governor father, if this became the official reason for Governor Austin's support of the front lines, then the amount he would have to pay would obviously be far less than they expected.

—I am only grateful for the horse-drawn carriage that took my daughter home. If they could support a hundred cavalrymen and ten carts of grain at the front, I would be extremely grateful.

“No devout believer could remain unmoved by Miss Austin’s plight, let alone a saint like myself.”

Eric gave a slight bow as Governor Austin turned to look at him. “Especially since the place where Miss Austin stayed was originally my family’s territory, it was just a small favor.”

It was a small favor, but I didn't say I didn't want anything in return.

The governor looked at him and said, “Sit down and talk, Your Highness, Grand Princess.”

The two took their seats, and Eric continued, "To be honest, when I first met Miss Austin, I hesitated whether to send her back to the Marquis of Rodney's territory or to take her home. However, considering the unfortunate fate of young Marquis Rodney, I ultimately decided to send Miss Austin back here. It just so happens that Princess Natalia is also coming here, so we'll go the same way."

Natalia nodded to him at this moment, without mentioning the escort she had provided.

The person was sent by Saint Eric, who was representing Lutia and the Imperial Family to seek help. The two seemed to have no connection, but anyone who paid even a little attention to their movements knew that they were actually one.

Favors and aid can be discussed separately or together; whichever side you lean towards is the direction both sides should strive for.

Austin was the last to sit down, just as Eric finished speaking.

He looked at him for a moment and nodded. “I still have to thank Your Highness for your help. Your uncle Edgar and I are old friends. When he first came to me, he was probably about your age, and we got along very well. It’s just that I never expected that his elder brother would die young, and the position of heir would fall to me. His elder brother, who was Your Highness’s father, also left this world early for some reason, and Edgar inherited the position of Earl… no, now he should be called Duke Edgar.”

Eric paused for a moment, then smiled: "I've heard my uncle mention Governor Austin a few times, but I never expected such a similarity."

“The last time I saw Edgar was probably five or six years ago. I was passing through Otwell and stopped by Dante County to see him... Hmm, how old was Your Highness then? I don’t think I saw you then?”

“I was probably out running errands for my uncle at that time,” Eric said.

"I see……"

As Natalia listened to the two of them chatting away, the topic completely veerging towards reminiscing, she sighed inwardly, but her body relaxed.

They'll be staying here for at least a week, so expecting a satisfactory result on the first meeting is clearly unlikely. Let's focus on building rapport today...

When Eric noticed Natalia leaning back slightly in a relaxed manner, he paused for a moment, then understood her thoughts. So he stopped mentioning the support and started reminiscing.

Governor Austin subtly sensed the change in the two men's attitudes. He was initially surprised, then somewhat amused and exasperated, but he also realized that these two young men were not so easily fooled.

He chatted with Natalia for a few moments, saying, "From what I've seen, Her Highness Natalia is more outstanding than any other member of the royal family I've ever met."

He didn't mention her emperor brother, but Eric and Natalia both knew who he was really comparing her to.

Natalia declined to elaborate on the topic, saying, "It's simply a matter of circumstances and the times."

The three chatted for over an hour, but Austin had to leave—or at least that's how it appeared—and specifically asked to stay:

"Your Highnesses, please stay at the Governor's Mansion for the time being. It doesn't matter how long you stay; you are both young, and Liliana is more willing to communicate with you."

This was within their expectations; finding another place to stay would be troublesome, so they accepted the governor's offer.

The governor left first, and a middle-aged man who resembled the governor's steward led the two to a resting place.

“And her,” Eric said, pointing to Kasha.

The butler bowed his head in agreement.

“The Governor’s Palace in Rentani seems to be a bit bigger than the Governor’s Palace in Otwell,” Natalia said on the way there.

Eric didn't seem to notice much, just shrugged and smiled, while the butler walking ahead told them that, at least in terms of height, the Governor's Palace of Rentani was superior.

"Your Highnesses... and this young lady's room is also at the highest point of the Governor's Mansion, where the view is the best, and you can even see the sea outside the western city."

The governor's mansion was even equipped with a magical floating staircase for this purpose.

Aside from towering structures like the Tower of the Virgin Mary, the Tower of the Pope, and even the Tower of the Mage, this was the first time Eric had ever seen this thing anywhere else.

As they ascended the magical floating staircase, Kasha kept her eyes fixed on her feet, gripping Eric's arm tightly.

Upon reaching the top floor, the butler led them to their respective rooms and then showed them the beautiful view from the highest point of the Governor's Mansion. After receiving a response that no further service was needed, he went downstairs, where maids were available at their door at any time.

Eric was looking out the window when he heard some noises behind him. He turned around but saw no one.

He followed the sound and found it was a small door, with someone on the other side seemingly trying to push it open.

On the other hand...

Eric removed the panels behind the door, and with another push from the other side, the door was opened.

Kasha's eyes widened. "I thought this was a cubicle in the room..."

Eric smiled and was about to speak when he heard the same noise coming from another direction behind him.

"It seems that the rooms on the top floor can be connected in this way."

He walked over and removed the barrier in the same way. The door was pushed open, and Natalia was on the other side.

Her reaction was the same as Kasha's: "I thought..."

“I understand.” Eric stepped aside and invited her in.

As Natalia passed through the door and saw Kasha in his room, she understood what was going on.

The three looked at each other's rooms. Eric's room, which was in the middle, was slightly larger, but otherwise they were no different.

"It seems our rooms are all pretty much the same."

A short while later, the widow Liliana came and knocked on the door. Seeing that the three of them had already discovered the way to connect the rooms, she said that the place was designed to accommodate the emperor.

"Of course, no emperor has ever come here since my grandfather became the governor of Rentani..."

Natalia didn't say anything, but instead asked about what happened after she got home, and whether her parents had made any arrangements for her future.

“I want to give birth to the baby, send it back to Rodney’s, and then come back myself…”

“That child will lose both his father and mother at a young age,” Natalia said.

Liliana hesitated before replying, “But my husband is dead, and I have no reason to stay in his family anymore… I haven’t been married there long, and I don’t like that hot southern territory at all.”

“What about the Governor and his wife’s advice?” Eric asked.

“My father said he would write a letter to Earl Rodney explaining the situation, but he seemed hesitant before I came here… I don’t know what he was hesitating about.”

They were hesitant about whether to use the child, who was still unknown to the public, to maintain the relationship between the two families.

Eric raised an eyebrow but said nothing more.

Natalia had clearly thought of this as well, and after exchanging a glance with him, she remained silent as well.

“I want to go to the beach. I’ve never seen the ocean before,” Kasha suddenly said from the window.

"Okay, I'll take you there!"

Liliana's mood immediately shifted, "It's almost sunset now, I'll take you to see the sunset over the sea that only Sunset City can see!"

(End of this chapter)