The Tale of the Nation That Banished the Saint - Chapter 7

Episode 7: Minister Dalforn

“What in the… is going on?”

“We’re currently dispatching investigation teams to determine exactly what happened.”

“Once we receive the investigation reports, inform me immediately.”

“Yes, sir!”

I stood at the fortress on the southern border of my domain, awaiting the capture of the supposed “Saint Roselia,” whom we had feigned to have expelled to a neighboring country.

All personnel involved in carrying out Roselia’s expulsion were under my control. The royal inspector had witnessed the expulsion and was already on his way back.

So far, everything was going according to plan.

The final touch was to retrieve Roselia, bring her back to my territory, and continue to use her prayers as a saint in confinement. That’s where this plan would come to fruition.

But at the last moment, a deviation occurred in the plan I had been executing for two years.

Four hours had passed since I dispatched messengers ordering the retrieval of Roselia.

I sorted through the information as it was gradually brought back by the investigation teams.

It seemed that the carriage carrying Roselia had been attacked by multiple monsters.

The wreckage of the destroyed carriage and the scattered remains of soldiers who had been devoured were found.

But there was still hope.

Roselia’s body had not been found.

She was a saint.

She could drive away monsters, create barriers, and heal her own wounds.

The possibility of her surviving the monster attack was high.

Then, in a subsequent report, it was confirmed that footprints believed to be Roselia’s were heading towards Pirenzol.

“She’s headed to the neighboring country—”

Should I organize the army now and go after her?

No… If Pirenzol notices our movements, it could escalate into an international incident.

If we could capture her before she reached the town…

As I was considering this, a new investigation report arrived.

Roselia had made contact with the border monster extermination unit of Pirenzol.

She healed the soldiers’ wounds—was recognized as a saint—and was escorted by Pirenzol’s army while on the move.

“What…?”

This was the worst possible outcome.

If it hadn’t been known that Roselia was a saint, I could have mobilized operatives to forcibly retrieve her—

But now that she was known as a saint, Pirenzol wouldn’t easily let her go.

It was hopeless to try to regain her through diplomatic negotiations.

I was the one who had advised and led the expulsion of Roselia from the country—

I never expected things to turn out like this.

“Why did this happen…?”

Up until now, everything had been perfect.

Since the death of the second saint, the harvests had gradually decreased.

When the situation improved, I began gathering information around the king.

Information from Zopondot reporting the discovery of a saint to the king had reached me.

I immediately took countermeasures.

I informed the king and the prince about the saint supposedly in my territory.

By laying the groundwork in advance, I increased the credibility of the “saint” I supported.

If the saint had been born in Zopondot’s territory, I wouldn’t have done such a thing.

But Zopondot was hopeless.

Zopondot couldn’t even manage his own territory properly.

He didn’t even notice the misconduct and embezzlement of his subordinates.

He himself had been incited by his subordinates to embezzle from the country.

He had incurred huge debts, raised taxes significantly, and even caused starvation among the people.

In this wealthy country, which had received the protection of the saint for many years, how could there be starving people?

What would happen if such a person became the foster father of a saint and the legitimate wife of the prince, and started to get involved in central politics?

For the sake of the country, I couldn’t just ignore it.

Zopondot’s adopted daughter Roselia was a false saint.

The true saint was my adopted daughter, Sophie.

Two years ago, I had approached the royal family and influential nobles, laying the groundwork to separate Roselia from Zopondot and advised the expulsion of Roselia from the country.

Afterwards, if we could recover the expelled Roselia and detain her in my territory, everything would have been settled.

But the plan was thwarted at the last moment by an accident involving a monster attack.

It was unfortunate, to say the least—

But there was no use lamenting forever.

“Send spies to Pirenzol to gather information about Roselia’s whereabouts. If possible, make contact with Roselia, and establish a channel for negotiation!”

The real battle for Dalforn begins here.