Chapter 20 : Turning the tide

"Yuusuke how much do you know about Gazetta?"(Violet)
"I only know the name"(Yuusuke)


"I see, I myself do not know much either"(Violet)
"What the hell!?"(Yuusuke)


After getting the promise of protection for the artless from King Esvosbus, Violet suddenly remember about Simba, who was in the contents of the stories that Yuusuke had talked about. It might become a reference that would be useful in the future.


"I do not know the details, all that I know is the information provided by Zeshald. The king of that country is a artless."(Violet)
"Does that mean it is a country formed by the artless?"(Yuusuke)


Violet, who doesn't really know the answer, looked towards Krielov. "So whatcha wanna know?" as Krielov began to exchange glances, while looking reluctant to share his information about the country of Gazzetta.


Majority of the borders of Gazzetta is next to Nonsense*, and most of its land is comprised of rugged mountains. Near the borders of Blue garden, there is a capital-like city, although there is nothing special about this city, it received an impression due to how the city was run by ordinary people. (TLN: hmm baka & champion said this might cause a problem, so their suggested name for that country is nossentes)


Though the imperial capital is located somewhere within the vast mountain ranges where the artless king reigns. Due to the rugged mountains of Gazzetta, it serves as a natural training grounds for warriors, thus a great number of "Artless Warriors" have been brought up there.


"Although, Blue Garden and Nonsense have known the presences of these Artless Warriors, they have always diverted their eyes from them."(Krielov)


He began to speak softly, 'As a matter of fact, while comparing the [Artless] with the divine art users, it seems that they have a better basic body constitution and excellent life force when the scholars were researching on them', spoke Krielov while trying to hide his voice.


These are the contents of the research results and are not released to the general public. It is known only to a cellular of officials and scholars who are part of the national defense. An idea popped up into Yuusuke's mind while he was listening to the story. From his experience, not once but twice, Sun and Aunt Bahana gave off the impression that "they look thin but they have the strength."


"It's a fact, that one could not sense the power of divine arts from the [Artless], it will be difficult even for the wind arts users to find them if they were to erase the signs of their movement."


For a frontal attack, the attack based divine arts user will be advantageous, but there are limits while charging towards a bow user.


The presences of these [Artless Warriors] were known as rumors amongst the soldiers. Such talks of a divine arts free warrior, who had defeated the soldiers, could not be spoken out loudly. As said, of course it must be known that a [normal warrior] level had caused this incident so that it would be advantageous to the people.


"hmm, I wonder, are the [Artless] actually a variant of a warrior class...? Assuming so ~~"(Yuusuke)
"What do you mean by that?" (Violet)


As Violet tilted her head while having a question mark above her head. Yuusuke began to talk about his idea that he have came up with.
  • The [Artless] within the domain of Fonclanc will be appointed as cleaners of Sanc Adiet.
  • The [Artless] will be responsible for the cleaning of each districts in the city.
  • The [Artless] will not be forced to do cleaning.
  • The cleaning remuneration will be funded by the palace.


"Cleaners.....so we are going to place [Artless] in the city?"(Violet)
"Hmm, so in the form of a palace hiring, to restraint outlawry."(Krielov)


As of now, the town cleaning is done by a few day laborers every month. By using the wind arts, one can easily blow away the trash, and by using the water arts, one can rinse the stone pavement. However, the trash are being blown off to the back alleys of the city and the washed cobbled stones aren't really cleaned properly as it is an uneven road.


Although the noble and middle class districts streets looks beautiful, if one were to go around the back ~~(you know what it mean). Due to him running around the city for the past few days, Yuusuke noticed this problem.


"Well, I understand that there will be people from the noble districts who will disapprove of this arrangement if we immediately apply it over there, so we should test it out with the commoner district first." (Yuusuke)


For each of the districts, we will divide it into partitions and have a supervising soldier who will be responsible for the cleaning supervision of that area. Yuusuke will be creating and providing the tools for cleaning. For the payment and compensation, there currently isn't any estimated budget decided for it yet, thus it will be determined through a consultation with the person in charge of accounting.


"....I can see the aim of it, but will we get the results we want?"(Krielov)


There is the question of whether there will be discontent from the [Artless]. In the first place, this isn't a compulsory thing, so the degree of participation expected from the [Artless] might be zero. Against Krielov’s concerns, Yuusuke said "First, we need to create an environment to explain how this work to them."


"The captain of the fire god corps Krielov, haven't been walking along the lower streets of the city, lately, right? I do not know whether you know it or not, but you're a pretty famous figure amongst the [Artless]"


The [Artless] who gathers around the outskirts of the city make their livelihood by being hired as luggage boys or instant servants. Being hired as a caretaker for wagons/carriages, their work have been sincerely appreciated for the first time, but the level of recognition is only established in the city residents and merchants consciousness.


A Great example is Isotta, she had been together with the [Artless], whom were staying in the outskirts of Sanc Adiet for a long time while watching the development of the city. Not only that, the kids of the commoner districts have many experiences playing with the [Artless] kids in the area.


After growing up, while there were people who started to discriminate the [Artless], but there were those adults who still hold a relationship as friends with them.


"Those who were born and grew up in the middle class and noble districts would not have went down to the commoner district to play, thus I believe they would not be so understanding."(Yuusuke)


Yuusuke who was deep in thoughts, wondering and pointed out, why did the 4 great gods’ faith have been convincing and imprinting the difference between the children of "humble birth".


"I do not know much details about this, but from the doctrines of the 4 great gods faith, I wonder does it have anything regarding the interaction with the [Artless]?"(Krielov)
"Hm? Come to think of it, to suddenly come up with that......do you know something Krielov?"(Yuusuke)
"There is a saying in a passage [Those who do not receive the blessings of the god shalt be exiled from his land]...."


Where is [his land] ? As there wasn't anything else that depicts this, thus the question became just a joke. But due to this saying, they used it as a doctrine for the country as an excuse to exile the [Artless], although the existence of extreme racism isn't found.


"Well that should be okay right? Although this maybe off topic, I know of a cult who believe in the doctrine to kill people."(Krielov)


If a person opposed this on the grounds of using the doctrines of faith, it would become a difficult problem, but due to Yuusuke's optimism, he believed that there wouldn't be a problem. In the everyday life, the existence of [Artless] have already commonly known as an "accustomed living being" due to human nature.


After a few days, a protection ordinance towards the [Artless] was promulgated, as they will become the cleaners of the city.


------


Shortly before the promulgation of the protection ordinance in Sanc Adiett~~


-Blue Garden's first capital, the summit city of Cofta.-


From the city, one could ascend a little into the mountains where the temple of shalnar is located. Zeshald was reminiscing his past when he stepped into the city of Cofta, remembering that there was little to no change to the city. He was here for an audience with the water priestess queen, Risha, which was scheduled for tomorrow. (TL: Her full name is Rishause)


If he could create a good relationship with the queen, and becoming a confident while he is at it, his position within Blue Garden will greatly increase.


Unlike the [Artless] in Paula, the ones you see in the city of Cofta are wearing neat clothings and shoes. All of them were walking along the streets without their owners, attached to them were the bracelet of slaves, they were all bright and healthy.


They are the slaves the temple owned, the ownerships of the temple are owned by the queen, thus they are under the patronage as the queen’s slaves, thus they live peacefully within the city. Originally the bracelet that they adorn on their body meant the shackles of slaves, but here it became a shield to protect them.


"To have such a huge difference between the reign of the queen and the supreme commander within the same country...."(Zeshald)


Hearing from students whom I was in charge of their divine arts guidance, they had lived for quite some time in Paula and would always go back for homecoming to visit their parents in Cofta, hearing about the situation there, I was quite taken aback. ~Zeshald pov


Like a fish in a tank, Zeshald was being stared at by the inhabitants of the city while he was exploring the city, due to him being Paula's divine arts instructor, he could feel that the atmosphere of impression around him isn't very calming.


"Fuee.... Tomorrow's audience, I must succeed in it."(Zeshald)


------


The Next Day ~~


-The Ancient temple of Shalnar located in Bouzas Mountain-


Entering through the first floor entrance, he was greeted by a wide and spacious interior hallway, the temple guard's room and guest rooms, in the inner sanctum was the dormitories of the believers.


After passing the guest rooms, there was the kitchen and dining hall, followed by a washing area, well and a long mid hallway where the quarters for the servants and temple soldiers are located. That hallway was lined up with a room on either sides. It is apparently built in such a way so that the temple soldiers could lineup within the hallway.


At the deepest part of the temple was the office and private room of the consul, and a stairs leading up to the 2nd floor, and right before the stairs was another temple soldier's guard room. The second floor is where the bedroom, archives, dining room and audience room of the water priestess queen is located.


Incidentally, on the other side of the wall of the deepest part of the first floor was a cleansing bath for the queen to use and it is directly connected to the second floor.


Zeshald immediately bowed and kneeled down the moment he passed through into the audience room as Queen Risha was sitting aback on the throne.


"Good Morning, you’re beautiful and noble queen Rishause. Thank you for allowing this audience with you, I am blessed by your grace~"(Zeshald)


"Enough with the flattery and formal greetings, Divine Art Instructor Zeshald, what brings you here today?"(Risha)


A dignified voice interrupts Zeshald's speech midway, as she interrupted him asking what did he came to hassle her with. Zeshald was surprised by the image of the Queen he had in mind.
However, due to his many years of experiences, his intuition tells him there is more about Risha than it seems. The image of [ acting ] floats in his mind.


"As I have joined Blue Garden, I came here to greet your Majesty the queen."(Zeshald)
"O I see. But, it had already been 1 month and 10 days since you have defected to my country."(Risha)


In simple terms, the queen was implying, why the hypocritical since it already have been a long time since his defect, understanding that, her ladies-in-waiting(lady officers) were all laughing at the back.


"That's harsh. However, it was because I was being monitored by many eyes and up until now I didn't have the opportunity to come and greet you."(Zeshald)
"That is not my orders, and what does the opportunity of meeting me have to do with..... these monitoring eyes?"(Risha)


As she stood up and tilts her head, her long water colored hair swings casually as it reaches all the way till her knees. Being an exile from an enemy country it is natural to place watchful eyes around him within the city, but does isn't a reason to not apply an audience with the Queen, it is a question of not doing it and not being able to.


Risha felt that Zeshald wasn't simply here with an intention just for a simple greeting, thus she began inquiring him.


"I wanted to avoid bringing the excellent officers from Supreme Leader Izapnar's Officer halls."(Zeshald)
".......?"(Risha)


"I wanted to meet Her Majesty the queen personally, as......the original Fonclanc Divine Arts Instructor."(Zeshald)


The mood began to become unstable within the audience room. The Ladies-in-waiting mutually wink at each other to show the gesture of vigilance, as though they were trying to call upon the temple soldiers. Risha halt them and gave a gesture to clear out of the room in order to speak to Zeshald alone.


"So what do you mean by that?"(Risha)
"Your Majesty, you are woven with sorrow by the current state of the country."(Zeshald)


Being dissatisfied without being able to do anything about the policies of Supreme leader Izapnar, due to the fact that the real power is being held by that man. Zeshald pointed out that, although the real lineage and authority is her, being frustrated will lead her nowhere, the only way to rebuke is to become a profane lady with control.


"Hold on, Marsha. ......Certainly, it is as you said, I do not think his policies are the best. But..."(Risha)


Although she isn't in favor of the current way the country is run by Izapnar, but that doesn't mean she is in favor of the system in which fonclanc is currently using, as she clearly stated to him. Risha who had inherited the ideal of her late father, only had the chance to practiced it through her small governing domain of Cofta city.


"However, if the current state affairs were to continue, your grace would eventually also be deprived of the authority to run the city of Cofta."(Zeshald)
"YOU RUDE MAN! YOUR THOUGHTLESS WORDS TOWARDS THE MAJESTY IS UNFORGIVING!"(Masha)


The lady-in-waiting who was being called earlier, Masha, was fuming mad and begins forming a dew like divine arts in her hands. But nothing happened, she winked across towards the lady-in-waiting who had the same face and was standing on the opposite side. However, as sudden as it began it ended.


"Hey, Sasha! Let's blast this rude old man who is an utter fool into oblivion!"(Masha)
"Pointless. Her Majesty said to wait. We should discern what he still have to say."(Sasha)


As she replied to her emotional elder sister Masha, Sasha returned her emotion by simply increasing her divine power output. By the way, Masha's water arts is a defensive type where she uses "Water Wall", while Sasha is a attack type where she uses "Water Column".


Either way, there wasn't much water in the vicinity and thus the effect of the water art will not be devastating, there wasn't a breath of Izapnar in them, as Risha personally appointed them as her reliable ladies-in-waiting, it seems as they were once friends.


"Both of you, Calm Down. Mr. Zeshald what is your purpose of coming here?"(Risha)
"A friendship between both the countries if I must say."(Zeshald)


"..... You want me to attack and betray Izapnar?"(Risha)
"If possible, I would like it to end without a fuss."(Zeshald)


After the question of affirmation from the queen. Risha sighed and shook her head. If only such a thing was possible, as she murmured inside her mind.


First and foremost, if we were to lose the leadership of Izapnar now, the country will fall into chaos. And if that happens, Fonclanc could easily march in with it's army and Blue garden would be utterly destroyed. King Esvosbus is that kind of man.


"I am not trying to hope for the destruction of either Fonclanc or Blue Garden."(Zeshald)
"But, you are trying to destroy that man Izapnar and that will be the resulted situation."(Risha)


"Hohoho with all due respects, Your majesty the queen have underestimated the tremendous support of your authority and your people."(Zeshald)
"I no longer have the power to move the country."(Risha)


[Currently all the military authority have all been seized by Izapnar, no matter how much public support I gain, in the end I am just a figurehead queen.] As her 2 lady-in-waiting begin to worried about her. From the side, you could see how close these 3 people relationship is.


"In order for the queen to move the country, first we would need human talents."(Zeshald)
"What do you mean?"(Risha)


After getting the trust of the queen, Zeshald began to explain his schemes.



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