The Soldier and The Novelist

Genealogy of a Fallen Empire

Rather than surprise, I felt a sense of annoyance. First it was the saint, then the knight captain, and now the cardinal. How many members of the church would I have to encounter today?

The cardinal’s gaze fell on us as he descended from his carriage. Well, more precisely, he looked at the person standing beside me.

“Oh, who is this lovely lady?” he said, smiling politely as he approached.

After a moment of surprise, the cardinal extended his right hand with a beaming expression, which the novelist reciprocated with a graceful smile.

“Why, if it isn’t Professor Forester. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

“Indeed, it has, Cardinal Malmsteen.”

It appeared that she knew this man quite well. I wondered if it was because being a novelist was such a broad profession or if she was just a special case. I had a feeling it was the latter.

“Since the ceremony at the Stoneshire Theater, if I recall. You’re still as beautiful as ever.”

“And you seem to be doing well too, Your Holiness.”

“Haha, I’m actually quite old and feeble. My shoulders and back have been giving me trouble lately.”

“Your stoic attitude in not mentioning that is the source of Your Holiness’ trust.”

“You flatter me. But what a coincidence it is that we meet here. What brings you to the guesthouse, professor?”

“Well, actually, I’ve been invited by the saint.”

As I watched the two of them chat amiably, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of emptiness. Their conversation was nothing but empty words and compliments. Even if this man were to say, “My shoulders and back have been feeling better lately,” to someone else, no one would care and question it.

The cardinal suddenly clapped his hands, as if he had just remembered something. “Oh yes, Lady Havandia is a huge fan of your work, isn’t she?”

“I’m honored to hear that. She was kind enough to give me her feedback,” the novelist replied with a bow.

I curled my lips in sarcasm behind her, doubting that the saint had given her any feedback that the novelist would find meaningful, despite her saying she was honored to receive it.

“I also had the pleasure of reading your latest book, professor. It was truly fascinating, a remarkable piece of work.”

For a moment, I thought I saw a sharp glint in the novelist’s eyes when the cardinal brought up her book. But in the next instant, she resumed her sociable smile.

“I’m honored that you took the time to read it, Your Holiness,” she said, before adding, “However…”

I noticed a keen sparkle in her eyes as she spoke, and I realized that I had misread her expression earlier. She was not as insincere as I had thought.

“The one that was published the other day was the second draft,” she said.

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. For some reason, the first draft was cancelled by the Holy See’s editorial review.”

Despite her persistent smile, the novelist’s eyes conveyed her intention to protest vehemently.

“Hmm, I also feel that recent reviews have been a little too strict. Taking away the freedom of expression deprives the people, who support the government, of their driving force. Even if I apologize, it may not change anything, but I am truly sorry, professor,” said the cardinal as he lowered his head deeply.

It was a heartfelt apology from the cardinal himself, which could be seen as an earnest act from another point of view. However, having heard Vilatis’ warning earlier, I couln’t bring myself to believe those words.

“No, not at all. Your Holiness need not apologize,” the novelist said, shaking her head in a flustered manner. But contrary to her words, the light in her eyes had not faded.

Though her tone seemed apologetic, she continued speaking, “There may have been expressions in my writing that were misleading or in error. It’s simply my own lack of ability.”

“That’s just being modest. If you, professor, lack ability, then there is no hope for any other writer.”

“That’s very kind of you to say… Oh, speaking of which, there is a bit of a twist to this story.”

“A twist?”

“Yes, the canceled first original draft is actually known as the ‘phantom draft’ and it seems to be circulating secretly, despite not having been bound. It’s even being sold at quite high prices.”

“I see… That’s, well…” The cardinal was taken aback for the first time. His expression remained calm, but his inner turmoil was evident in his words. While the cardinal was preoccupied, the novelist continued to shake her head in an act that seemed like acting.

“I wonder how it leaked out… It’s really troublesome. Even if it’s traded for a high price, it won’t be income for me unless it goes through the publisher. I guess I can only laugh it off,” said the self-deprecating novelist.

The cardinal laughed along with her, “Hahaha, that’s unlucky.”

However, the cardinal’s eyes weren’t laughing. There was a flicker of irritation directed towards the novelist.

Of course, I had no idea what kind of content the novelist’s first draft was, but judging from the cardinal’s reaction, it must have been something inconvenient for him if it were made public. Perhaps this man had already seen the first draft and gave the order to ban it himself.

But the cardinal seemed intent on pretending he knew nothing and made a gesture that showed his interest in the phantom draft in front of us.

“However, it’s actually quite intriguing. If there’s a work by Professor Forester that never got published, I would certainly be interested in reading it as well.”

The novelist immediately replied, “Yes, I also hope that Your Holiness will read it.”

The novelist’s lips curled into a sarcastic arc as she spoke.

In front of him, the cardinal’s smile finally fell off. The impatience in his eyes had already turned into the colors of anxiety and hostility. He no longer looked as calm as he did in front of Gold’s killing intent. The looks exchanged between the two were now silent sparks that dispersed in the air.

The novelist had always been so proud, so it’s not surprising that she couldn’t hold back her criticism of the mastermind behind her own work being banned. At the same time, I began to feel a sense of fear, as if it were a vague premonition, about the childishness of this woman’s behavior. Instead of offering constructive criticism, it was as if she was provoking the dignitary of a country.

The novelist was the one who defused the tense atmosphere that seemed to be on the verge of exploding.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I got carried away with talking. I apologize for taking up your valuable time, Your Holiness. Well then, we’ll be going now,” the novelist said softly, bowing politely.

The cardinal also regained his gracious smile from earlier.

“No, no, it was just a coincidence, but I’m really glad we could meet today,” the cardinal replied, his words seeming to hold some deeper meaning.

Perhaps he was pleased to have obtained unexpected information here. However, the novelist didn’t seem to care and returned his words with an indifferent expression.

“I look forward to the day we can meet again.”

“Yes, please. I hope it’s soon.” The cardinal said this with a small nod, then turned and left.

I could feel a chill down my spine at the coldness that lingered in his departing glance. I watched his back with a heavy heart.

Vilatis’ advice was in vain, and the conversation just now made it clear where the dividing line was between us and the cardinal.

What do you mean by “I understand”? We’re clearly becoming enemies! Are all writers such reckless people who don’t consider the consequences of their actions? Or is it just this woman? Thinking about the future made me feel a slight headache.

“…We’re going too, Sword.” After watching the cardinal walk away for a while, the novelist spoke in a monotone voice.

Without waiting for my response, she promptly left through the gate.

As I followed her, I spoke to her back. “Are you sure about this?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, we’ve clearly caught the attention of the cardinal. Haven’t you forgotten Vilatis’ warning?”

“That’s precisely why.” The novelist calmly replied to me as I caught up with her.

“If Vilatis says something like that, it means that the cardinal and I are already at odds for some reason. It’s not clear what exactly, but it’s probably related to the ruined city, Helathos. Either way, it’s only a matter of time before we’re targeted.”

“But that doesn’t mean we have to jump into the midst of it ourselves.” I said.

“Drawing a line like this is better, in my experience. It can even be a small misdirection.”

“A misdirection?”

“He’ll be wary of me having the phantom draft, not of me heading to Helathos.”

I had no idea what she meant. What was the difference?

“Don’t think too much about it for now. It’s just a foreshadowing set by my intuition as a writer.”

The novelist said so confidently, but I still didn’t understand. It sounded like she was making a big deal out of nothing, but it could also be that she just didn’t like the cardinal. However, showing dissent to her here wouldn’t lead to a good outcome. She would just respond with a hundred absurd arguments to my one.

“—But I’ve never seen the cardinal so agitated before.”

I turned around and walked alongside the novelist, then spoke up. “What did you write in that so-called first phantom draft?”

“It’s a fictionalized version of a small piece of gossip. I never thought it was true when I was writing it,” the novelist replied with a somewhat bitter expression.

“Gossip? What’s that?”

As if to confirm before answering, the novelist paused for a moment and asked me, “Do you know about the existence of the old empire faction?”

I nodded. “Well, just as much as anyone else.”

The old empire faction is a faction that supports the militaristic ideology of the Yunaria Empire period, the predecessor of the Papal States of Yunaria. Although they are a relatively small group compared to the current ruling faction, they hold extremely dangerous political beliefs. Under the current democratic laws, it is impossible to completely eliminate them. They are often referred to as the disruptive elements of the Holy See.

The novelist spoke calmly without stopping. “If you look closely at the old empire faction, they can be divided into several categories. The most dangerous are the hawks, who are commonly known as the old empire extremists. They aren’t so much proponents of ideology as they are fanatically devoted to the old emperor.”

Old empire extremists.

Come to think of it, I felt like I had heard something about that group recently. What was that story? I lightly touched my temple with my finger, searching my memory, and finally remembered that it was something Hyou had told me.

I muttered a word from my mouth.

“……Arnolun Incident is it?”

Yes, it was a story written in the selection exam for the Church Knights. If I recall correctly, it was an incident where a saint and a cardinal of the Holy See were assassinated at the same time by a terrorist attack by the radical faction.

Thinking that my memory was still good, I looked at the novelist. However, for some reason, she was looking down with a sad expression. It was a sentimental expression, as if regretting something. She immediately raised her head and frowned with disgust between her eyebrows.

“The ones who caused that tragic incident twelve years ago were those people. They are the dead of the times who still believe in the emperor who died ninety years ago,” said the novelist in a bitter tone. Apparently, she herself had some incompatible reasons with that group.

On the other hand, I asked again, not quite understanding the development of the story, “So, what does that have to do with anything? Is there any connection between the old imperialists and the cardinal?”

“There was a rumor circulating within the Holy See that Malmsteen had connections to the extremists of old imperial faction,” said the novelist.

At her words, my eyebrow raised involuntarily, “Hey, is that true?”

“The source of the rumor was dubious, and it was during last year’s no-confidence election. Although Malmsteen had a high approval rating within the Holy See, there were many who didn’t support him. The rumor was probably just a smear campaign spread by opposing factions,” said the novelist, snickering. “But it had little effect, it seems.”

“Wait, it was a hoax?” I felt somewhat let down.

“But,” the novelist said, “I found that setting interesting. I couldn’t stop myself from imagining and wanted to write it down.”

She had a smile that showed bottomless greed on her face.

“I couldn’t stop my delusions. Story after story came to mind as I typed away at my typewriter. My fingers never stopped. I definitely had a sense of accomplishment that I was writing something interesting.”

She seemed to be reminiscing about the time she was writing.

“The framework of the setting was based on that rumor, but the actual story was further modified by my imagination. I just want to say that at the time, what moved me was pure creative impulse. I had no intention of defaming the cardinal through that work. Even if I said the character was modeled after Cardinal Malmsteen, I changed not only the name but also the gender.”

“But in the end, it affected Malmsteen negatively, right?” I said, astonished.

Regardless of the author’s intention,
ultimately, other people would receive the content. Even if it was a fictional character, if the model was a real cardinal, the bystanders would tend to overreact.

“It was a little strange though,” said the novelist.

“Strange?”

“When rumors spread about the collusion with the old empire faction, the cardinal was very nonchalant. He didn’t seem to be bothered at all. But for some reason, he reacted excessively to my work, even going so far as to ban the original draft.”

“Hmm,” I pondered. “It does seem like a peculiar story. Usually, one would come up with some kind of countermeasure when such rumors spread.”

She continued with a serious expression. “If that’s the case, then perhaps the modified parts that I made touched on something sensitive to him. That’s what I thought.”

“Modified parts?”

“Yes. However, I have to admit that the modification was rather sudden and extreme. It was only fiction, and I never expected anyone to take it as fact. It was an exaggerated, delusional setting.”

I furrowed my brow. “What exactly do you mean by modified parts?”

Eventually, the novelist announced in a solemn tone, “The cardinal in my book is said to be a descendant of Emperor Leone.”

“What…?!” An exclamation of astonishment slipped from my mouth.

Emperor Leone.

A tyrant of unprecedented cruelty who, with his belief in the superiority of his nation and military power, drenched the continent in blood. He was also the last emperor of the Yunaria Empire, which was overthrown by the revolutionary army in this city, Ixlaha, ninety years ago.

I said in shock, “Is that true? If it is, it would be incredible…”

Ninety years ago, Emperor Leone pushed forward with his tyranny, exploiting his people and expanding his military power, and plotted to invade other countries. However, before he could carry out his plan, a revolution, later known as the Independence War, broke out by the revolutionary army within the country, causing him to flee from the imperial capital.

Emperor Leone was the worst tyrant in history who tried to bring the country to ruin and was eventually killed by the anger of the people.

If there is a connection between such a person and the important members of the current Holy See, it is unlikely that the public would remain silent. Not only would the support rate decrease, but they might even face the possibility of being removed from their position.

However, the novelist shook her head vaguely.

“I have no solid evidence. It’s merely an induction of the reasons that leads to such a conclusion. However, if you trace the genealogy of the Malmsteens in public records, you will find that it only goes back about three generations, or about seventy years ago. The possibility that the beginning of the unexplained gap of twenty years leads to Emperor Leone’s genealogy is not zero.”

I looked down and pondered the novelist’s words. Her fiction, which she had imagined, had actually hit the nail on the head. That’s why Malmsteen banned the book. The plot certainly makes sense.

I voiced the question that had come to mind. “But do descendants of Emperor Leone really exist? If they have continued to this day, I feel like they would have been persecuted.”

“According to history, Leone’s bloodline was wiped out after the Independence War ninety years ago. As you can see from the fanaticism of the old empire faction, the blood of the imperial family could become a catalyst for the restoration of the monarchy. But…”

The novelist looked at me with a stern expression. “…If they had secretly survived, what then?”

I involuntarily swallowed my saliva. I couldn’t even imagine it. What would a person who had been cut off from their ancestors think? What would they plan at the end of the position of cardinal? Would it be the overthrow of the country, or…?

However, it was the novelist who cut the conversation short there.

“Well, both are just hypothetical scenarios anyway.” She said with a resigned sigh. “Thinking about it endlessly here won’t make any productive conversation.”

I groaned. “Even so, it’s something that makes me curious.”

“Even if you’re curious, still, you’re not going to the national library to look up the facts yourself, are you?” The novelist glared at me with sharp eyes.

There was no response from me. It was true that I couldn’t even imagine doing research at the library myself.

Seeing me silenced, she shook her head in disgust. “If there’s really something you’re curious about, investigate it until you’re satisfied with your own effort. That’s what intelligence is all about. If you just believe in other people’s opinions and thoughts, you’ll just get misguided.”

Honestly, her argument was so convincing that it made my ears ache. With that in mind, I asked her back. “So, does that mean I should take your opinion with a grain of salt too?”

“If you want to pretend to be an intellectual, that’s a wise choice. However, it would be foolish as a mercenary who has entered into a master-servant relationship, don’t you think?”

The novelist drew an insolent arc at the corner of her mouth. “In that case, your reward will also be halved.”

I ground my teeth, and the novelist laughed amusingly.

◆

After preparing for the trip in the new commercial district, the sun was already starting to set. We then went to the stables in the northeast area and reserved a conestoga wagon as planned.

The conestoga is a large, multi-horse carriage characterized by its wide wheels, but we chose a custom-made single-horse carriage. Although it cannot cross large rivers, it is a type favored by traveling merchants as the cover can be removed and the amount of luggage can be adjusted for the journey.

Ignoring the novelist who criticized the variations in the color and pattern of the cover, I called out to the familiar horse owner. He was an old acquaintance from the mercenary days and greeted me with his usual friendly smile.

“Hey, Sword. That was a disaster!”

He was probably talking about the dissolution of the mercenary union.

I replied with a wry smile. “I feel like I’ve used up a lifetime’s worth of disasters from now on.”

“Hahaha. But from the looks of it, you seem to have found a new job too. That’s good to hear.”

Feeling something off about the horse owner’s words, I furrowed my brow and asked. “You too?”

“Yeah. Gold came to rent a carriage the day before yesterday. He rented a caravan several times larger than the one you chose. And not just one, but three. Is he planning to start as a traveling merchant?”

Although it was hard to believe, he added cheerfully.

With a bad feeling, I twitched the corner of my mouth. What kind of job did that bastard take on? He wouldn’t get involved with my job, would he?

While feeling a strange anxiety, I looked up at the sky of the city gate, which was already darkening. The cloudless sunset sky seemed ominously like the death throes of the world.

We depart tomorrow.

The only consolation was that the weather was expected to be clear.