Translator: Cinder Translations
...
Weather at sea changes at the drop of a hat. Just a moment ago, the sky was clear, but now dark clouds loomed overhead.
"No wonder there weren't many ships out at sea today. I should have consulted an experienced old fisherman about the weather," Grayman lamented, turning to Quiller. "Let me take you back to the inn in my carriage. If it rains on the way, at least we can take cover."
Quiller gladly accepted, "That would be great, my friend."
The two boarded Paul's carriage, and with a flick of the reins, the coachman set off towards the inn in town.
Along the way, Paul continued pondering the question of who was backing Giles. He felt the Papal State was the most likely candidate, and the reasons were quite compelling: There had been significant conflicts between the former King of Aldor and the Papal State.
It all boiled down to the age-old conflict between ecclesiastical and secular authority.
TL Note: Ecclesiastical: relating to the Christian Church or its clergy.
During that year, the Archbishop of Aldor was called to rest. Traditionally, when a country's archbishopric became vacant, both the Papal State and the country's high officials would consult and negotiate to find a mutually agreeable candidate. Then, the Papal State would issue a proclamation, and the country's high officials would publicly acknowledge it, and everyone would be happy.
However, that time, there were two strong contenders:
One was a local Aldor-born bishop who had joined a monastery at a young age, worked his way up from managing rural churches, and served diligently for decades to become a respected regional bishop within the kingdom. Moreover, he was a close friend of the old king, making him the top candidate to succeed as Archbishop.
The other was a foreign-born bishop parachuted in by the Papal State. He hadn't served long within the kingdom's borders but had taught at the theological academy in the Holy City, with students spreading across many countries.
King Rodney XV wasn't a fool; publicly and privately, he supported the local candidate, who happened to be his friend.
The Papal State wasn't foolish either. It was common knowledge about the relationship between the local Aldor-born bishop and the king. So, with the backing of their own bishops and the local aristocratic factions, they outright supported their own foreign-born bishop.
With both sides vying for the position of Archbishop, they clashed overtly and covertly countless times. According to rumors, during a private meeting, the old king, in a fit of excitement, friendly "wore" his false teeth on the face of the Papal State envoy.
In the end, the kingdom and the Papal State reached a compromise: the position of Archbishop went to the Papal State-supported candidate. However, from then on, Aldor Kingdom's regional bishops would prioritize appointing local candidates, and half of the regional bishops would be appointed based on royal recommendations.
While they reached a compromise at the time, it left lingering animosities. Later, King Rodney XVI spent a great deal of effort repairing relations with the Papal State.
Therefore, Paul speculated that the force behind Giles was likely the Papal State, but upon further thought, he reconsidered.
Conflicts between ecclesiastical and secular authority had occurred before. The Papal State's usual method was openly excommunicating a country's ruler who opposed them or finding a compliant proxy among the country's nobles, proclaiming them as the legitimate ruler recognized by the Holy Lord.
Simple, crude, effective—the Papal State was even known to use excommunication to force a certain country's monarch to stand barefoot in the ice and snow for three days and three nights.
This covert maneuvering didn't fit the Papal State's style. Could it be that the Papal State felt its influence was waning, and confronting head-on would be disadvantageous, so they changed strategy? But there had never been any signs of great enthusiasm towards the Papal State from Giles.
So, was it the Gabella Empire? That seemed unlikely too. Aldor Kingdom had several generations of intermarriages with the Gabella Empire, and the relationship between the two countries was solid.
As Paul was lost in thought, Quiller sighed beside him. "That Giles has great ambitions. If he takes control of Aldor Kingdom, he'll probably have designs on the Angle Bay Alliance too. I don't understand what those guilds are thinking—putting money above national interests. I hope the Council takes some action."
Back to my moment to shine! Seizing the opportunity, Paul cleared his throat and pretended to be profound, saying, "Quiller, a philosopher once said, 'With adequate profit, capital becomes daring. With 10% it will readily employ, for 20% it will be positively active, for 50% it will risk its head, and for 100% it will trample all human laws, and for 300% it will commit any crime, even risking the gallows."
"I've never heard of that before, but it's indeed quite true," Quiller shrugged in agreement.
"Our Angle Bay Alliance is built on commerce. While we've established seemingly flawless laws to outsiders, everyone must adapt to them and learn how to exploit their loopholes."
Coming from a prominent family, Quiller had grown accustomed to such matters. He leaned back, hands resting behind his head. "So, you see, ever since I turned 16, I've dreamt of becoming an adventurer—carefree, unrestrained, traveling the world without the annoying constraints of society."
"So you came here to the Northwest Bay for adventure?"
"That's right. And my old man even commissioned the Lichman Adventurer's Guild to find me. It's a golden opportunity, and I really want to join them," Quiller suddenly became excited.
"The Lichman Adventurer's Guild? Are they the people we found in the church the other day?"
"Yes, this guild is renowned in our region for solving many crises."
Paul asked with some confusion, "Are adventurers just another term for mercenaries?"
"No, no, no!" Quiller waved his index finger, denying Paul's assertion. "Although both involve taking money to solve problems for others, adventurers have their own moral standards and a complete set of industry regulations."
"Moreover, in various countries and regions, there are specialized institutions like the Adventurer's Guild. On one hand, they provide services such as issuing mission commissions and distributing rewards to adventurers. On the other hand, they also serve to monitor and enforce regulations to ensure adventurers adhere to industry standards and local laws."
"Compared to mercenaries, adventurers have fewer restrictions and lower thresholds for accepting commissions. They are often seen in conflicts between nations, where they undertake tasks like killing and pillaging for their employers in exchange for money."
"Can you tell me about the Lichman Adventurer's Guild? What are their specialties?"
"Oh, I only know these four guild members who came to rescue me. The girl with pink hair is called Meru Hammer. Despite her petite stature, she's incredibly strong and wields a rare weapon, a chained ball. She serves as the leader of the guild."
"The young man with blue hair is Dean Isaka. He's skilled in using daggers and is quite agile, handling tasks like reconnaissance and tracking."
"The young man with yellow hair is named Kay. He's very robust and is a greatsword wielder."
"The girl with green hair is named Ladia. She's quite special. Her primary occupation is a scholar, and she joined the guild to travel and broaden her knowledge. However, she's also skilled and serves as the team's archer, as well as possessing some medical knowledge."
Paul asked in surprise, "A scholar who can use a bow? That's quite rare."
"Yeah!" Quiller slapped his thigh. "Dean claims Miss Ladia can hit a fly from 150 meters away. I reckon he's exaggerating. Just being able to draw a bow is impressive for a girl."
(End of the Chapter)