When I was working as a civil servant, I was found out to be a muscle-brained knight by the princess knight and got sent to the front lines - Episode 175

Episode 175

“Quick!!!”

The holy city of Sancturia in the Divina Papal State was in total chaos. This city of the gods, one of the largest and most magnificent historical sites on the Azelion continent, was under martial law.  Civilians were taking refuge inside buildings. The sporadic sounds of battle could be heard on the main streets.

“…Sergius… I can’t believe he’s actually doing this.”

Cardinal Sergius Calidius, the head of the Calidius family, one of the Original Five families that founded the Divina Papal State. He was the mastermind behind this upheaval. Though he had been governing the kingdom in place of the elderly and semi-retired Pope Ignatius II, who was nearing the end of his life, he committed the heinous act of staging an armed rebellion just after the pope’s peaceful passing. It was before the mourning period had even ended.

Normally, after the pope’s death, there would be a period of mourning, followed by discussions and a vote among the cardinals and archbishops to elect the next pope. However, seeing that his support was low, Sergius decided to seize the throne by force. In a time of war, such boldness might have been praised. But this is the Papal State, where the roles of a king and a pope are fundamentally different. His lack of understanding in this matter is precisely why he couldn’t garner support. Yet if he had understood, he wouldn’t have done something like this in the first place.

Regardless, his actions have thrown the State into utter chaos. There were signs of the impending rebellion, so preparations were made, hoping they would be unnecessary. Unfortunately, the time has come for those preparations to be used. Important religious artifacts and artworks had already been evacuated from the capital, and the ancient city of Paradis had been fortified in anticipation of the inevitable.

Now, all that remained was for Seraphina herself to escape from Sancturia. Although she believed she could likely defeat Sergius in battle, the damage would be considerable. And she hadn’t fully grasped the extent of his forces. She couldn’t let the beautiful city, cherished by her grandfather and built by their ancestors, be engulfed in flames.

Thinking ahead to the aftermath of the civil war, Cardinal Seraphina Lorentzi decided it was wise to retreat for now, leading her faction out of the holy city.

At the Lorentzi family estate in Sancturia, the last remaining servants and non-combatants were hurriedly evacuated. Those who had decided to side with the Lorentzi family in this rebellion also joined the escape. As they were being led to safety one after another, Seraphina herself took command of the Saint Lucius Knights, leading the rear guard.

Dressed in knightly armor with a white base, a cardinal’s red cape fluttering behind her, Seraphina Lorentzi mounted her prepared horse.

“All troops, move out! We are leaving Sancturia and heading for Paradis. Don’t let a single one of our faithful perish! Justice is on our side. Let’s go!”

She raised her holy sword to the sky and rallied her troops. The knights responded with a cheer, raising their spirits for the journey ahead.

・　・　・

Far beyond the eastern front of the Kingdom of Tashman, in an unexplored area where ancient ruins lay, Jez and Princess René had just returned from being transported to another world and were celebrating their reunion with their companions. However, the moment turned chaotic when Erin’s proposal and an urgent top-priority message arrived simultaneously.

Some of the women, like Fatima, looked at Erin with sympathy. But aside from that, the atmosphere was tense. Could someone please do something about this?

Naturally, everyone’s eyes turned to the one person who seemed capable, or rather, the one who should handle it.

Feeling the stares, Jez scratched his head, grumbling, “Why does so much have to happen at once?” But then, he took a deep breath and grabbed Erin’s hand. With resolve, he said, 

“Erin, let’s get married after we sort this out,” as he embraced her.

Erin, initially surprised, soon returned his embrace with a smile, her eyes slightly teary.

“…Okay, I’ll wait.”

She replied, her voice filled with happiness. Edelmar the Archbishop, Victor, Miriam, Jamil, and Fatima warmly applauded, soon joined by the others around them, congratulating the couple.

Meanwhile, Princess René had a complex expression on her face. Saint Lucretia was smiling on the surface, while Lilly wore an expression that screamed, “Seriously?!” in shock.

Especially Princess René, who had been living with Jez in another world until just moments ago and was even called “the Wist couple” along with him. She felt the shock more than anyone else. Though she understood rationally, it felt as if she had suddenly been dumped by her husband, only to see him remarry right in front of her. This kind of situation is commonly referred to as “NTR” in the world. Or is it…?

Lilly, seeing Princess René’s reaction, placed her hand on her forehead with a sigh, thinking, “Well, that’s tough luck.” But she still clapped and congratulated Erin with a cheerful, 

“Congrats, Erin-senpai!”

The truly scary one was Lucretia. With a full saintly smile plastered on her face, she applauded Jez and Erin while the corners of her temples twitched. Did they even realize how worried she had been these past few weeks? Just when she had finally found him and felt relieved, Erin Saylor suddenly took action. And on top of that, there was a distress call from that old hag Seraphina. What had that wretched woman done now? It was the cardinal’s job to take preventive measures to avoid something like a civil war. She constantly preached about how others should act saintly, yet look at the mess she’s caused. Lucretia was determined to give her a piece of her mind directly.

In her personal life, Jez had just made a marriage declaration right in front of her. Now at work, a civil war was brewing in her homeland, the Divina Papal State. Even Lucretia Alma, who usually played the role of the perfect saint, couldn’t completely hide her inner turmoil.

Once the excitement around them had settled down a bit, Lucretia stepped forward towards Jez and Erin, offering them words of congratulations. However, she then spoke with an unyielding and decisive tone.

“Lord Norman, I truly apologize for this timing, but I must head to the Papal State. Edelmar, prepare quickly. We’re moving out with full force.” 

Her declaration left no room for objections.