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

Madelaine Ann Rubinforth, Flower of the Dawson Valley (Part 3)

By the 5th of April, the first of the emissaries arrived carrying back some news.

"Your Holiness, the King of Galad refused to send men to our cause, claiming that he wanted them in defending his territories."

"The King of Calabria has stated that he maintains his neutrality over this conflict, Your Holiness."

"My liege, the King of Colveente wishes to express his support for our cause. However, he also said that his men are now stretched too thin in defending his kingdom, and so he can spare no one aside from those he had already sent before."

Maddie and Lily were both massaging their heads in the War Room, for it sure was a stressful situation. Our allies in Huirot needed help as soon as possible, but our men lacked the numbers to mount a successful relief operation. And with the kings refusing to cooperate, the undead problem was threatening to get even worse, as Maddie's barrier was barely holding up.

"These fools don't even know that I'm at my limit." Maddie muttered, "I'm afraid that, eventually, I'll have to lift that barrier I put in place."

"James' forces were also stretched thin in Nerfes." Lily told us, "He has a long border to watch after all."

"What do you say, Kuro? Should I punish these kings for not cooperating?"

"By sending them plagues?"

Maddie nodded jokingly. Perhaps she was just physically tired that she was saying such things, however, her words were proof that she was getting mentally exhausted with those capricious royals. I don't know, but if pushed to the limit, Maddie might've made true of her jest.

"Well, I have a solution." Lily then suggested, "How about we appeal personally to these kings?"

"What's the difference between that and the emissaries?" Maddie asked, "They won't cooperate now, so we only waste our time by appearing to them personally."

"Hmm...I don't discount the possibility of appealing in person though."

"See?" Lily triumphantly teased Maddie, "Even Kuro had seen that my suggestion is plausible!"

Maddie, who was a sore loser, pouted.

"But, we won't talk to those stubborn kings!" I got a paper and began listing down some names.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm writing the names of those people we knew personally. If talking to their kings won't work, maybe we could appeal to these individuals to send men instead!"

"Ooh! That's a great idea!" Lily exclaimed, "I'll prepare my list as well!"

"But if they sent men, they might go against the orders of their monarchs." Maddie raised a valid point. Indeed, while medieval authority depended on the cooperation of the nobles to their king, the king could also punish an erring noble by confiscating his lands and other properties, provided that the royal was popular with the other officials and nobles within his realm.

And with time running out for Huirot, we can't afford the effort to know who's king is popular or not.

"I guess this is where you would come in Maddie." Lily suggested, "You could force the kings not to punish their subjects for helping us."

"Hmm...that could work." she agreed, "Alright, I'll prepare some letters as well."

"So am I!" I told them, "I got a few noble friends of my own."

----------

***The Royal Palace of the King of Calabria, in the city of Sekhtem, April 8 in the first year of the Saint...***