The Human Saint is Bored, so I was Summoned to Another World

At the Braunhauer Household (Part 2)

We prepared ourselves for the long talk just as the Duke also readied his documents, aided by his wives. Eris was also helping, too. But she was serving tea and cookies, along with the maids in her house.

"First off, Your Excellency, I'd like to call your attention to what happened in Cullen." Her Holiness began, "I believe it is inexcusable that such armed groups would go on rampaging and destroying the lands under the jurisdiction and protection of the lords who had the responsibility of governing them."

"What do you mean, Your Holiness?" the Duke had a serious look on his face; he couldn't take this issue lightly.

"We captured a few of those mercenaries alive, Your Excellency, and of course, my paladins asked questions." Maddie motioned for the Marquise of Monfort to hand over a piece of paper to her father, "Those are the results from our interrogation. According to these people, they were hired by the lord of the fief herself, the Viscountess of Lascerny, to ravage the land that was suspected of harboring royalist sympathies."

The Duke remained silent as he read the contents of the letter. And then his eyebrows drew a frown.

"The Viscountess of Lascerny is under your authority, right? With all these simmering tensions waiting to explode, do we really have to act with violence to the common folk who had nothing to do with such matters?"

"You Holiness..." the Duke folded the paper and placed it neatly on the table nearby, "I really would like to offer my apologies for what happened at Cullen. When your paladins arrived here to bring in the siege's news, I ordered the Ban of Kistral to rush there with his cavalry. And once the battle was over, I also sent in some precious supplies from my fief. These are out of my own pockets."

"Noted, Your Excellency. And on behalf of the people, I thank you for your efforts." Maddie told him, "However, can't you do something about your supporters? Your opponent here is the royal family, and not the people."

"I wish I could that, Your Holiness...but alas, I am only but a figurehead of the opposition to the crown prince. The nobility rallied behind me, but unless we're under great pressure to unite, we are each to his own."

"I understand. However, I'd like to reiterate my stand on this matter. The Holy Office would only side with the people. And we would tolerate no harm being done to them, as you and the other nobility from Chersea signed the terms in the peace agreement."

"Yes, Your Holiness."

"That's why, for what happened at Cullen, I demand justice for the people. I'd like to see that the Viscountess of Lascerny be punished for what she did in allowing the murder of her own subjects."

"B-But Your Holiness, the Viscountess—"

"I won't hear any excuses from you, Your Excellency. I hope I made my point clear." Maddie had a steel resolve to back her demands, "This problem was of you and of the crown prince's making. And as the Saint, I insist on the quick resolution of this matter."

The entire room had an extremely awkward air hanging around, all the while Maddie stood her ground. The Duke could say nothing back to her, other than...

"Y-Yes Your Holiness. I deeply apologized for this fiasco."

"Apology accepted. But please move with haste; the people are suffering."

"Yes, Your Holiness." Seeing that further resistance was futile, the Duke humbled himself before Maddie, and so we proceeded to the next topic.

"If you have nothing else to object with, Your Excellency, then let's talk about the next issue at hand."