Santairiku Eiyuuki

"I don't like it."

When Cecilia told him so, for a moment Elquille doubted his own ears.

Obviously it was a stream that seemed like you could help me, so I can't help it.

Cecilia laughs couscous when she sees Elquille floating in the face she has eaten.

Erkühl went to Cecilia, feeling a little grumpy when he realized that he had been stuck.

"Cecilia, will you stop? That kind of joke."

"Your Majesty."

And Cecilia defied his spine, and looked into Elquille's eyes, and said,

"Now I am speaking as a princess witch (Medium). I'm not telling you not to call me names, but would you mind calling me out, are you lacking any thanks for me?

"Hmm...... ok. (MEDIUM) So, will you ask for me?

Erkühl says as he turns half guile, Cecilia says with a grin.

"As I said earlier, 'I don't like it' is the answer."

"... don't lick too many adults, little girl"

Elquille said angrily.

In contrast, Cecilia says back.

"That's this line, Your Majesty. I'm not going to be your doll."

"Who do you think you're living because of?

"That is certainly due to His Majesty the Emperor. But that's not what I'm talking about... let me put it the other way around? Thanks to whom do you think His Majesty the Emperor is named leader of the Mesian world in his position as' Guardian of Mesianism '?

Elquille sighed and put her legs together.

I left my back on the couch, put on my arms, and said from the top with my gaze.

"Did you spoil it a little too much? Cecilia, I'm holding you back now. Rethink.... you know what happens when you defy me?

"Your words......"

Cecilia said, staring firmly at Erkühl.

"I am not your minister. So I'm not obliged to listen to your orders."

"Whatever happens?

"That's this line.... Whatever happens? Lose me, can you prepare my replacement? Can you be in my place?

Erkühr frowned in a grumpy manner.

Needless to say, the answer is no.

Erkühr himself cannot act as Pope, or as a princess witch (Medium), in place of Cecilia.

Even if they could, the clergy and the faithful would see Erkühl with cold eyes.

It is also possible to make Lucanos and others reign as popes...

If we do that, Elquille will lose all of her influence over the Western world in the future, and conflict with the Holy Monastery is inevitable.

It cannot be said that the Erkühr priesthood has a good reputation, such as the tolerance of the Alektians.

Still, today, the clergy of the Lemurian Empire support Erkühl.

That's because we have a track record of saving Cecilia.

But if, at this time, Cecilia scorns for not listening to herself, the increased support will fall to the ground once and for all.

"I don't care what happens. You can do whatever you want. In fact, it's because of you that this self is safe. But this flesh is the only thing you can do as you please, except for your soul. You cannot manipulate my will."

"Oh well... I mean, when you're hostile to me, is that what you mean?

When Elquille said so, Cecilia tilted her neck.

"Why does that happen?

……

Erkühr is puzzled by the unusual attitude of hitting earlier.

Cecilia said, as always, with eyes free of any malice.

"What I'm trying to say is that I'm not your minister. If it is only a reciprocal position, I am willing to cooperate with you. Didn't I tell you? The interests of the Empire coincide with those of my, the Church. I'm not going to pinch any objections there."

"Then why 'no'?

"Because the Empire and the Church, both sides, will suffer if we stay this way."

Cecilia said so with pure eyes.

"Your Majesty, no, Master Elquille. Does Master Erkühr know how I and Master Erkühr are seen in the world?

……

Elquille mumbled.

There are many good reputations, but at the same time there are bad ones.

What Cecilia is trying to say is that she has a bad reputation.

For example...

"Now the princess witch (Medium) is the mistress of Emperor Lemuria. The princess witch (Medium) is not a priest wand, but of Emperor Lemuria... well, she holds it every night. An Emperor Lemuria puppet who sells himself in return for his help. The Pope is still better than a whore like that.... Well what I heard with these ears is a reputation like this. That's what no other citizen of Nova Lemuria says.... In other regions, what is happening?

Cecilia said, just a little, blushing.

And cough up.

"And that's sort of how it is. If, as we now rate it, I cooperate with you… there will be an increasing number of applause for bad reviews. That is against the interests of the Church. And... the increased authority of the self-proclaimed“ Pope ”is contrary to the interests of the Empire, Master Elquille. So there's no way I can keep working with Erkühl like this."

Cecilia said so, reaching for the dish.

Said Cecilia, eating looking delicious.

"So I think we should improve each other's reputation first. To be honest, I don't really like the way clergy are right now. It's verbal discourse, such as churches and monasteries hoarding wealth. All wealth gained from donations and advances should be distributed to the poor. And I think that's the right way to go about the church, and that's the original role of donation and promotion."

I heard Cecilia say that Erkühl...

I sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

I also found that Cecilia's statement was reasonable, and that Cecilia herself did not have the will to be hostile to Erkür.

And I also found that Cecilia said almost 90%, in good faith.

(You've never had one of these hands...)

Erkür had no idea in what manner to approach Cecilia.

You can give them back in bad faith to someone who bumps into you in bad faith.

But you can't give back malice to someone who bumps into you in good faith.

So Elquille asked Cecilia.

"Cecilia, I understand your point very well. So, how exactly do you expect our relationship to be free from evil?

"I don't think I can do that. If Me and Master Erkühl get along, there will be plenty of evildoers. Because you're a young man and a young woman, aren't you? Besides, Master Erkühl doesn't originally have good rumors about women's relationships. Everyone thinks that Emperor Lemuria can't keep a young princess (Medium) in a cage."

"Uh, yeah, about that... sorry"

Erkühl is also somewhat aware of his daily ills.

When they say that, I can't argue with it.

"So there's no choice but to be evil pushed. The important thing is, when evil pushes you, why your reputation is lost, is one of those points. For example, did Erkühr and Renalier have a relationship between a man and a woman, and did your reputation go down? At least Master Erkühl's reputation has not declined. Rather, when you can nationalize the Kingdom of Hayastan, you're up, aren't you? So what's Master Renalier's reputation? It was favorable in the Lemurian Empire, wasn't it? In the kingdom of Hayastan? Reputation from the Parent Pharus has gone down, but it has rather gone up in the Parent Lemurians, hasn't it?

"In other words, even if we are in a relationship between a man and a woman, our reputation will not be diminished if it is judged to be profitable. And you want to say it?

Cecilia nodded when Elquille said so.

"If you're going to say it further, it's also important that you don't have a mundane image. For example, I received beautiful clothes and ornaments from Master Erkühr and wore them, and received huge donations and donations to make them extravagant... No matter how clean I live, there are a certain number of people who gossip all they want."

And some believe it.

What matters is not the veracity of the rumors, but how long some people believe the rumors.

"So in the end, what do you want?

"It's easy, it's a feat. The“ Pope ”does now gather the support of many priests and faithful. But in fact, I'm not doing any good right now. His support is just an expectation."

When the people vote in elections in a democratic country, many voters may not really think about politicians' policies, etc.

The vast majority of the people vote in the expectation that 'this politician would make this country better (...)'.

That's why something called theatrical politics is established.

But this stuff doesn't last very long.

The honeymoon period will soon be over.

What comes next is a strong disappointment that expectations have been betrayed.

This is why merit is needed, even small, to further boost expectations.

But so far, the Pope has not achieved any merit.

"So far all the" pope ”has done is sell fights to the Empire and Master Erkühl. And in the end, he is under the umbrella of the military might of the Fullering Kingdom, which in fact doesn't really change his position with me. It is worse than it was in the days of the earlier princess witches (Medium). The honeymoon period will soon be over. Then it's our turn next. We live up to the expectations of the faithful and priests more than the“ pope ”. That would reverse the formation at once."

"That's a feat..."

Until now, as Elquille, I had intended to do credit for stopping the invasion of the Farse kingdom and crusading heretics and pagans.

But I guess that's not what Cecilia's trying to say.

"Is that merit, in short, your merit?

"Yes, it will. What do you call it, I am truly sorry...... Dear Erkühr. Would you like to give me credit? That will increase your support for me at once. That might stop the Kingdom of Tretum on this side, and if it goes well, the Kingdom of Ederna might be able to pull it back on this side again. And... the support of churches and deities within the Fullering kingdom may also be gathered"

The increased authority of Cecilia is also more convenient for its guardian, Erkühl.

but the increasing authority of Cecilia can shake the kingdom of the Lemurian Empire, which culminates in the emperor.

In the Lemurian Empire, the Emperor must be only one powerful man.

But you can just listen.

Elquille thought so and asked Cecilia.

"Cecilia, what is the feat you want?

When Elquille asked, Cecilia just said she'd been waiting.

It's about the priesthood.