Chapter 15

The archbishop’s pupils trembled.

“A saint destined to save France has been born. The young saint has already descended upon France, and before long she will rise to rescue the kingdom from its desperate plight.”

It was a cryptic prophecy that a young girl would save France. This was a piece of folk legend that had circulated even before Joan of Arc appeared.

“God has commanded me to help her.

…Only now does everything make sense. When I think about it, it never made sense for a mere country villager like me to be born with talents like these.”

I framed even my own gifts as blessings bestowed by God.

I clasped my hands together, imitating the way Jeanne prayed.

Keeping my eyes half-open, I stole a glance at the archbishop.

He’s completely stunned.

“…Who is this saint?”

A good start.

He hadn’t denied the revelation.

“Her name is Jeanne. She is a pure and lovely girl, utterly unsuited to the brutality of war.”

“Jeanne… You mean the girl I greeted when I first arrived? Could all of this… truly be God’s guidance?”

It was surprising enough that he already knew Jeanne’s name, but his reaction was positive.

To be officially canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church, two miracles had to be recognized.

Considering that one of the more recently acknowledged miracles had been steadfastly preserving one’s faith in the face of persecution, my talents were certainly close to miraculous.

The archbishop seemed deeply persuaded by my claim that my gifts were blessings from God.

“However… I find it difficult to believe that a revelation would favor a particular nation…”

“It did not favor France. He simply grieved for a Europe being laid waste by a great war.”

I clasped my hands and gently took the archbishop’s hands in my own.

“Does our Father in Heaven delight in killing? He grieves whenever one of His children dies. This war has dragged on for so long because it is not His will.”

“Indeed…”

I put on the most devout expression I could manage.

It wasn’t difficult to think of someone to imitate.

“You don’t have to believe me. Simply take the item the Vatican commissioned. In return, all I ask is the letter you promised as payment.”

“The letter…”

“A letter addressed to the Dauphin Charles. Just as we agreed from the beginning, write honestly about everything you’ve seen and heard here.”

“…Is that truly all you want? Is there nothing more I can do? Surely the Lord has entrusted me with some greater role.”

I was certain the archbishop had completely accepted my story.

“In that case, I’d also like you to write letters to a few other nobles.”

“If it’s letters you need, I’ll write as many as you wish. But is there truly no other role for me to play?”

“Return to the Vatican. Support us from there. That will be enough.”

Only then did the archbishop nod in agreement and trace the sign of the cross over me.

“May God’s blessing be with you on your journey.”

He was underestimating the value of his own letters.

Jacques Gelu was a high-ranking clergyman with close ties to the Dauphin. No French noble could afford to dismiss a letter bearing his name.

A claim carries the weight of the person making it.

There was a world of difference between a country villager like me claiming to have received a revelation and a senior archbishop speaking of that same revelation.

***

For the first time in a while, I went for a walk around the village with Walter.

Walter hardly needed walks. He wandered wherever he pleased on his own. But he enjoyed walking with the family.

“Grrr…”

He’s not even a cat, yet somehow he purrs like one.

We made our way through every corner of the village, stopping to chat with the people who greeted me.

Almost everyone insisted on giving me something. No matter how much I protested, the gifts kept coming. They simply wanted to give me whatever they could.

I’m stuffed. I don’t even need dinner anymore.

By the time we’d made a full circuit of the village, my stomach was full and my hands were loaded with gifts.

I sat down for a moment and spoke to Walter beside me.

“Walter, when I leave… will you protect the village for me?”

“Grr… Woof.”

“You want to come with me? …How did you figure out I’m going to war?”

Instead of answering, Walter shook his curly coat from side to side.

“Hey! You’re getting dust everywhere.”

Our walk came to an end.

By the afternoon, I went to find Pierre as he was finishing work.

“Captain?”

“Give me a hand carrying this.”

I shared the food I’d received as gifts with Pierre. It probably would have been more respectful to eat it all myself, but there was far too much. Most of it would spoil before I could finish it.

“How about we find somewhere quiet and have a drink?”

“You? Inviting me out for drinks?”

Pierre let out a triumphant roar as he dramatically tore open the front of his shirt. The man had a remarkably vulgar way of expressing happiness.

We headed to a nearby tavern. I rented out the entire place, so there were no other customers.

“So, what’s this about? Hehe… Don’t tell me you’ve finally started courting someone?”

“Why would I talk to you about romance? More importantly, how’s the new training program coming along?”

“…I told you before, I’m not cut out for teaching.”

For a split second, my heart sank.

“Did something go wrong with the training?”

“No, that’s not it. I just think I’m better suited for the field than being an instructor.”

“…What are you trying to say all of a sudden?”

“I thought you brought me here to chew me out for quitting as an instructor.”

“I was just asking how the training was going. I didn’t even know you’d stepped down.”

“Seriously?”

Looking embarrassed, Pierre downed his mug in a single gulp. He let out a belch a moment later, turning his head first, since I’d smacked him for doing it in front of me before, then searched his memory.

“As for the Thunder Falcon and shield training, it’s going well. There’s this guy named Leo who scored a perfect mark in marksmanship during the very first week. Besides him, everything’s been running smoothly overall. I haven’t seen it myself, but everything I’ve heard has been positive.”

“Leo? I was planning to make him a nestman because of his build. Looks like he had talent somewhere I wasn’t expecting.”

The standards for Thunder Falcon marksmanship were demanding. A perfect score meant he was exceptionally skilled.

“The farming preparations are on track, the soldiers are progressing well, and the village industries aren’t doing badly either.

Looks like Domrémy will keep running just fine even after I’m gone.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Pierre, you’ve wanted to become a knight ever since you were a kid, haven’t you? Is that still your dream?”

“Hold on. I have no idea where this is coming from.”

“I’m serious. Answer me.”

“No, wait…”

“I’m leaving on a journey to save France. Tell me… are you coming with me?”

Pierre’s eyes flew open. He poured the rest of his drink down his throat in one gulp, then raised his mug high.

“How could I ever shy away from a battle fought for honor? Wherever my lord goes, I shall follow!”

“I don’t remember ever saying I’d be your lord.”

“Don’t worry about Domrémy! As long as Jeanne is here, the village will be safe.”

“Jeanne’s coming with us. And this won’t be an easy journey.”

“……”

“We’re heading to Vaucouleurs Castle. It’ll be a harsh, miserable journey. At any moment, one of us could die.

Don’t want your little sister going? This will be far more dangerous than you’re imagining. If you want to refuse, then refuse.”

Without taking another drink, Pierre simply flashed a grin.

“Since when have we ever lived comfortable lives? And she’s not my little sister. She’s the vice captain.”

“You might regret this decision someday.”

“I’d regret not going even more.”

“The enemies we’ve faced so far were nothing more than small bands of raiders who’d never prepared for real war. On a battlefield where thousands clash, death can come at any moment. You could die.”

“Then let the battlefield be my grave. I made my peace with that a long time ago.”

A straightforward answer.

Exactly what I had hoped to hear.

“When do we leave?”

“One month from now. Maybe even sooner.”

***

Archbishop Jacques Gelu departed from Domrémy.

“

Please don’t go… sob… sob…”

“Your Grace, I’ll treasure your words for the rest of my life!”

He was no different from a celebrity.

The archbishop hired four mercenaries from the village to escort him as far as the Archdiocese of Embrun, where he would continue his journey.

After seeing the archbishop off, I gathered Jeanne, Pierre, Coat, and Agathe in one place.

I gathered them to tell them about my plan to leave Domrémy. Agathe was there simply because she was family and deserved to hear the news firsthand.

“I’ve already spoken to Father. Once we’ve reorganized the village’s chain of command and appointed the people who’ll take our places, we’ll leave immediately.”

“We’ll have to reorganize the troops too,” Pierre said. “How many people are going?”

“About twenty, for now.”

I’d handpick only the most capable.

We had a long journey ahead of us. If our numbers grew too large, securing supplies along the way would become difficult.

Unlike the people I despised, I had no intention of plundering innocent villages.

Besides, there was little point in gathering a large force. No matter how many villagers I recruited, we’d still be a tiny group in a war between kingdoms.

A small elite force with proven skills would serve us far better.

I intended to bring Coat, seven of our most talented craftsmen, and several officers with a gift for battlefield command. Competent officers had an enormous impact on an army’s effectiveness.

Everything was laying the foundation for the new army I intended to build.

“…Brother, I’m coming too.”

Agathe suddenly stepped forward.

Jeanne grabbed her arm, seemingly intending to stop her.

“Didn’t you hear him? He said only the elite are going. You don’t qualify. You’re too young, too inexperienced. Besides, Father should have at least one of his children staying with him.”

“Don’t start pretending to be the dutiful son now! You already told Father you were leaving instead of asking him!

You think I’m useless? I can cook. I can do laundry. I can help too! You started fighting when you were my age…!”

Agathe vented her frustration at me for a long while.

Then, at the very end, her voice broke into a plea.

“Please… don’t leave me behind.”

I didn’t waver.

“No. You’re staying in Domrémy.”

***

The Papacy, Vatican City.

The Pope, who had been residing in the Colonna family’s residence, had finally succeeded in partially rebuilding the Vatican, creating a magnificent new residence worthy of the papacy.

Pope Martin V, who regarded the dignity of the papacy as inseparable from his own way of life, poured every donation he received into rebuilding the Apostolic Palace without the slightest hesitation.

At first, several cardinals had opposed the lavish reconstruction, criticizing it as too worldly.

But once they saw the restored splendor with their own eyes, their objections quietly disappeared.

The reason was a very human one.

Few people objected to a better quality of life.

After growing accustomed to luxurious surroundings, it became impossible to look at the Vatican’s shabby old buildings without feeling that the reconstruction ought to be completed as quickly as possible.

With the cardinals and the Pope in agreement, the restoration of Rome accelerated with each passing day.

It marked the beginning of the era of the Renaissance popes.

Vatican City, once fallen into decline, had come back to life.

But the Papacy, consumed with the work of reconstruction, was thrown into complete upheaval by a single letter that had arrived the previous day.

“A mere archbishop dares to invoke the title of saint so lightly?! And for someone who hasn’t even been beatified?!”

“This testimony comes from an experienced and highly respected archbishop. Do not speak so recklessly.”

“He called a living man a saint. How can we simply let that pass?!”

The letter at the center of the controversy contained the following:

– [I am convinced that Maxime Blanche is a saint sent by the Lord.]

– [The rumors were true. His sculptures have reached a realm beyond what any human could possibly achieve.]

– [The saint spoke of the existence of a saintess but I believe this claim must be examined with great caution.]

The most controversial passage was the following:

– [I received a holy relic crafted by the saint. When its box is opened, it reveals the afterlife awaiting the one who opens it. I present this as proof that he is a saint.]

The sculpture Maxime had presented was interpreted in a way he had never intended.