Chapter 53

The social hierarchy had to be clearly maintained.

While commoners satisfied their hunger with cheap grain, nobles indulged in luxuries, feasting on meat seasoned with spices. Banquets were frequent, and adultery was commonplace.

In truth, the Armagnacs’ treasury wasn’t completely depleted. They still had more than enough funds to wage several more wars.

However, doing so would require not only the commoners but also the nobility to tighten their belts. Squeezing more out of the lower classes was one thing, but having to reach into their own pockets was another matter entirely. No one wanted that. The more corrupt the noble, the more fiercely they opposed the march on Reims.

The Dauphin shared their sentiments.

I am destined to become the most exalted man in France. I cannot possibly risk my life by venturing into enemy territory.

Just as someone who commits adultery tends to suspect their partner of doing the same, Charles feared assassination because he had been involved in one himself. Moreover, Reims lay even deeper in enemy territory than the place where he had assassinated John the Fearless ten years earlier.

“Let us hold the coronation in Orléans as planned. Conducting the ceremony in the city of our victory would be meaningful enough in itself.”

“Precisely. Reims may be where generations of French kings have been crowned, but times have changed. We must adapt to the circumstances rather than cling rigidly to tradition.”

The court nobles did not consider the symbolic significance of the coronation important enough to justify the risks.

In private gatherings, nobles who shared the same views even went so far as to say things like this.

“Isn’t that maiden they call the Saintess rather arrogant? I was astonished to see her raising her voice in the council chamber.”

“The Duke of Alençon is part of the problem as well! His insistence on defending the Saintess only dragged out a discussion that should have ended much sooner.”

Their attitude stood in stark contrast to that of the general public. Regardless of their religious beliefs, they placed greater importance on their personal interests. Georges de La Trémoille’s faction, in particular, was focused solely on negotiations with Burgundy and regarded the Saint and Saintess with distrust.

Maxime and his companions also emerged from the council chamber. The Duke of Alençon looked deeply troubled by the disastrous outcome of the meeting.

“My friend, I never imagined things would turn out this way.”

“It’s all right. This was only our first meeting. It’s natural for opinions to differ.”

Alençon felt guilty for failing to persuade the nobles.

“We still have a long way to go. At this rate, we won’t even be able to properly raise the matter of Richemont.”

“…Indeed. It’s still too early.”

***

Although the war had entered a lull, Father Tommaso had no intention of returning to the Papal Curia.

“My brothers, I, too, shall help celebrate Masses for the repose of their souls.”

Maxime had left the city, but its inhabitants, who had suffered through years of oppression, remained. The priest devoted himself wholeheartedly to comforting their souls.

The priests of Orléans welcomed Tommaso Parentucelli, whose extensive knowledge was matched by his unwavering diligence. Together, they celebrated numerous Masses, including funeral services. Throughout this process, Father Tommaso experienced a strange sense of déjà vu on several occasions.

…Your presence still lingers so strongly throughout this city.

It was astonishing. The Saint and Saintess had already departed, yet even in their absence, stories of their kindness and heroic deeds continued to circulate.

This was because Maxime Blanche had left an indelible mark on the city through his work as a blacksmith.

“Honestly, don’t you think life has gotten even better since the Saint arrived than it was before the invasion? …Of course, I wouldn’t dare say that in front of families who’ve lost loved ones. But there’s a whole new energy to the city, you know?”

Maxime had repaired Orléans’s damaged structures and buildings. He had also overhauled its crude, inefficient distribution system and numerous other administrative practices, rapidly revitalizing a commercial market that had been on the verge of collapse.

“Have you noticed how those craftsmen who used to act so arrogantly have changed their attitudes since he arrived? Now they’re all polite and skilled, saying they want to follow his example.”

“That’s because they want to join the technical corps. If they get in, they’ll have the chance to learn heavenly craftsmanship right at his side.”

“Maybe I should become a craftsman myself.”

The icons of an era wield an overwhelming influence over the public.

Craftsmen had never been held in particularly low regard, but the appearance of a transcendent figure whose abilities surpassed human comprehension had shown the public just how extraordinary a craftsman could become.

It was much like how entertainers, once regarded as mere jesters and objects of ridicule in the Middle Ages, became figures children admired with the advent of television.

“Craftsmanship is a profession that changes the world. It’s every bit as honorable as being a knight. …You think that’s going too far? Are you disrespecting the Saint?”

Interest in the units under Maxime’s command had also surged. Simply walking around the city with a unit insignia was enough to attract endless attention from women.

“Those guys can’t even walk down the street without women flocking to them!”

“That’s so unfair. I’m joining too.”

“Once I get my insignia and return home, even Anne, who rejected my confession, will give me a second look!”

Men were simple creatures.

At the mere rumor that joining the unit would attract women’s attention, they eagerly threw themselves into training, even giving up their leisure time.

The foundations Maxime had established remained firm even after his departure.

“Items made by the Saint himself! Come and get them!”

Objects crafted by Maxime were being traded in the marketplace. Those with verifiable origins fetched extraordinarily high prices.

Under ordinary circumstances, swarms of opportunistic swindlers would have appeared, selling counterfeit holy relics.

“You liar! There’s no way something made by the Saint would be this shoddy!”

“Do you have any idea how long we’ve been trading in this market?! You think we’d fall for such a pathetic trick? Of all the things you could try to scam people with!”

“Let’s hang that bastard in the square!”

“I’ll get the rope!”

Whenever a swindler so much as attempted to pass off a fake as one of Maxime’s creations, the merchants would beat him to a pulp.

It was common knowledge that anything Maxime made was of exceptional quality. No ordinary item could fool anyone. To pull off such a scam, a swindler would need to hire a highly skilled craftsman at the very least.

Some swindlers realized this and tried to recruit craftsmen, but…

“You want someone with skills as meager as mine to imitate the Saint? …Perhaps I should use my hammer to knock some sense into that rotten head of yours.”

“I-If you hit someone with a hammer like that, you’ll kill them!”

“Then die!!”

To craftsmen, Maxime was sacred and untouchable. Their devotion to him was absolute, and anyone who dared suggest making counterfeits would find himself chased by furious craftsmen wielding their tools.

Some swindlers were pursued so relentlessly that they ended up running to the authorities and begging for protection.

“So, let me get this straight. You’re saying that you, the victim of this assault, asked your attacker to impersonate the Saint?”

“…The craftsman is innocent! Throw that swindler in prison before the Saint finds out!”

In a bizarre turn of events, the assailant was released while the man who had reported him was thrown into prison instead.

As incidents like these continued, attempts to counterfeit the Saint’s creations eventually disappeared altogether.

In an age when the concept of copyright didn’t even exist, counterfeit goods had somehow vanished from the market.

“…Let’s just stick to selling portraits of the Saintess. At least that’s honest work.”

“Those fools really don’t know what they’re doing. You can make money just selling pebbles.”

Demand for merchandise associated with the Saint and Saintess remained strong, and business continued to flourish.

In an age of barbarism, honest business had somehow become the safest way to make money.

***

The generals who had led France to victory came forward in support of the Saintess’s plan for a coronation at Reims.

“The fate of the kingdom hangs in the balance. My noble lords, we must follow her lead!”

“France is a formidable military power. If only for the sake of our soldiers’ morale, we must hold the coronation in accordance with tradition.”

The court nobles continued to advocate caution, but a few were swayed by the generals’ appeals.

The generals emphasized the strategic necessity of the coronation. However, as they continued repeating the same arguments, they eventually reached a point where no one else could be persuaded.

Jeanne d’Arc also made her position clear.

“Your Majesty, what God entrusted to me was not a sword, but His divine will. Our Lord God commanded me to save France. The coronation shall take place. This is our destiny, beyond any shadow of doubt.”

Her religious appeal persuaded even more nobles. Fewer were willing to oppose the plan as vehemently as before.

“When the Saintess speaks with such conviction… is marching on Reims truly so difficult?”

“””……”””

The person most deeply persuaded, however, was the Dauphin himself.

He had become captivated by the word “destiny” that Jeanne d’Arc had spoken.

The council convened once again. Dauphin Charles, Jeanne d’Arc, Maxime, the generals, and several nobles gathered together.

“Answer me carefully. If we march on Reims, is there any possibility that England and Burgundy will join forces to attack us?”

“According to our scouts’ reports, England is abandoning some of its existing territories and concentrating all available forces in Paris.”

“Their alliance isn’t what it used to be, either. Burgundy’s withdrawal from Orléans is proof of that. They may both be trying to keep us in check, but in reality, they’re rivals competing for control of France. There’s no chance England will march all the way to Reims just to defend Burgundian territory!”

“Hmm…”

“…I acknowledge that the march on Reims has a chance of succeeding. However, we cannot ignore the enormous financial burden such an expedition would impose! At this rate, the kingdom’s treasury will be drained in one fell swoop! Your Majesty, I urge you to consider this matter carefully!”

As the commanders who had fought on the front lines offered one convincing testimony after another, the increasingly desperate opposition doubled down on its arguments.

The atmosphere was different from the first meeting. Through repeated and emphatic arguments, the perceived importance of Reims had risen considerably.

Maxime decided it was time to deliver the decisive blow.

“We can reduce the financial burden as well.”

At this astonishing claim, the high-ranking nobles in the council chamber turned toward him all at once.

Even those who had been speaking moments earlier fell silent. The candle flames flickered, casting wavering shadows across the walls.

Even the faction that had been parroting the same demands for negotiations with Burgundy turned their heads in surprise.

“I’ll make it happen.”

“…Explain yourself.”

“I intend to give the merchants of France an opportunity to participate in this glorious undertaking. We’ll establish contracts for the regular delivery of equipment and provisions, along with penalties for failure to deliver or for supplying substandard goods.

In addition, we’ll establish permanent military supply stores and pay a portion of the soldiers’ wages in a special currency that can be spent at those stores. I’ve already reached agreements with several merchants.”

In other words, a portion of the wages paid to soldiers would flow right back into the military budget.

The nobles were astonished by this ingenious yet downright ruthless concept.

“Is such a thing truly possible?”

“If it is… then even increasing military expenditures wouldn’t place as much of a burden on the treasury.”

“Was this ingenious idea also wisdom bestowed upon you by God…?”

Even the nobles who had been shouting objections moments earlier were now delighted, like children playing in a playground.

All we have to do is make sure the soldiers are paid well enough to compensate. And we’ll price the goods cheaper than what they could buy from outside merchants.

Maxime kept these details to himself.

“To think the Saint would propose such a money-making scheme…”

“…I suppose it can’t be helped, given the demands of war.”

The generals nodded in understanding. Though they showed a hint of disappointment, they accepted the realities of war.

“I have one more request.”

For the first time, Maxime disregarded court etiquette and looked the Dauphin directly in the eye.

“We must act swiftly in accordance with God’s will, and you must issue strict orders to ensure that our soldiers do not become so intoxicated by victory that they resort to looting. That is the surest path to victory.”

The Dauphin found Maxime’s unexpected breach of etiquette rather endearing.

“Very well. I accept.”

And so, the once-hesitant Dauphin finally decided to march on Reims for his coronation.