Chapter 225
Even in Ernesia Kingdom, the issue of orphans is being taken care of, and every country is doing it.
However, there would be no place like this place where a person who has the authority of a nation, like a saint, directly cares about it.
“Everyone has grown a lot since last time.”
The saintess listened to the chirping children\'s stories one by one and caressed them.
There is never any pretense in that appearance.
“Saintess!”
One of the children was running with a little corolla.
It was likely that she was trying to give the saintess a crown of flowers that she had just woven.
“It\'s dangerous if you fall, so please come slowly.”
Although the saintess warned her so, it should be said that words were the source of trouble.
As soon as I said it, the child fell face down.
“Oops,
as she approached, embarrassed, the child stood up shaking off the dirt as if nothing had happened.
“are you okay?”
“yes.”
He bravely endured it well, and the child smiled brightly.
But the mud-covered knees were slightly scalded and red.
“...Ehh, so be careful.”
Nelvenia sighed and went over to the child to shake off the dirt herself.
He doesn\'t care at all if his pure white robe gets dirty.
After enough dirt had been shaken off, she closed her eyes this time and, with her hands on the child\'s head, recited a passage from the Bible.
Then, pure white light covered the child\'s body, and the wound was quickly healing.
This is one of her well-known specialties, the healing phrase.
Although the exact principle is not known, it is well known that it exerts healing abilities beyond magic with non-magic powers.
“All right.”
“Wow! The saintess is amazing!”
It was strange that the wound had healed, but the child made a fuss.
“You have to be careful though. My only power is to speed up the healing of wounds. The most important thing is to value yourself.”
“yes!”
When the child answered cheerfully, Nelvenia smiled admirably.
“Ah... But the corolla is broken...
I belatedly realize that and feel sullen.
Nelvania stroked the child\'s head and rebuked him.
“are you okay. I\'m just happy with that.”
“But… I learned that we get along well because the saintess is here.”
“I don’t want anything in return. No, on the contrary, it is more rewarding for me to see all of you grow wonderfully.”
“is that so?”
“Yes? When you guys become great adults, that alone makes me happy. And it will be of great help to the Holy Land.”
Saying so, a middle-aged woman in a robe ran out of the orphanage building belatedly towards the saintess who was kindly teaching the children.
“oh? Luceria, then I will fall.”
Fortunately, I didn\'t fall this time.
The middle-aged nun hurriedly approached and bowed her head in front of Nelvania.
“I’m sorry, Miss Nelvenia. Even though he visited in person... I couldn\'t greet him.”
“are you okay. It’s because I came on my own without contact.”
Nelvania didn\'t particularly blame her.
Anyway, the original purpose was just to inspect the city in the castle country and to peep at the state of the orphanage.
I didn\'t really want to say hello directly.
“But it wasn’t until I couldn’t bring out tea…
” “It’s okay. Because I can\'t stay too long. Actually, I still have work to do after this.”
After saying that with a bitter smile, the middle-aged woman gave Nelvania a respectful look.
One of the reasons why the next Seonghwang has not been decided after the passing of the previous Seonghwang is that there has not been a revelation to determine him.
Most of all, it was also because there was not enough talent to step out.
Everyone is reluctant because it was almost certain that they would be compared to Nelvania no matter who came forward.
“Most of all, I want to thank Luceria for putting her energy into taking care of her children properly.”
“Oh no. Rather, it is not enough for me to thank the saintess over and over again.”
She sincerely bowed her head and thanked her.
It is not that long ago that provincial governments started implementing support policies for orphanages and refugees in earnest.
It was decided only after Nelvenia took a hand in politics as a proxy for success.
Before that…
“....before, we couldn\'t sleep, worrying about what to feed the children tomorrow. Compared to those days, how blessed is Nelvania\'s presence...
“Ahahahahahaha??????
At her repeated compliments, Nelvenia turned her head shyly.
“It is natural. So keep your head up.”
She encouraged the middle-aged nun, who maintained a humble demeanor and repeatedly thanked her.
After inspecting the orphanage, Nelvenia got on the carriage to return to the palace.
In the moderately swaying carriage, she leaned against the chair and finally relaxed her shoulders.
“I don’t think there will be any problems with the support for the orphanage this year.”
“Yes, fortunately we were able to raise the budget somehow.”
The priestess who escorted her in front answered calmly.
Lua, a priest who assists in Nelvania\'s work and sometimes escorts it from force.
However, as she answered, her complexion darkened slightly.
“But Nelvenia-sama, it’s hard to keep pouring out the budget like this…
” “I know. I have to do that somehow.”
In order to provide generous support, a huge budget is required.
Even if Seongguk had accumulated quite a bit of wealth thanks to the saintess, it was by no means an easy amount.
However, money is not easy to earn, but it is also difficult to keep.
That has been Nelvenia\'s concern lately.
“Because the number of orphans has increased compared to last year… hardships are inevitable.”
This cannot be said anywhere else.
Even if you have a difficult situation, you can never reveal it in front of others.
Because that\'s the look of a person who reigns over others.
“As expected, the damage was great... It seems like it was a big deal.”
Nelvenia groaned in embarrassment.
A severe drought last year.
This year, due to the large-scale looting of the neighboring tribal tribes of the Seongguk, it suffered a considerable blow.
Unlike other times, the number of children who have no place to go has increased because of that.
They are orphans multiplied by famine and invasion.
“This is why I feel like a savage alien race...”
She bit her lip, displaying open anger for the first time.
It seems that other countries are carrying out a policy of harmony with different races.
From the standpoint of Seongguk, it is nothing but nonsense bullshit.
Not because of doctrine.
Due to the geography of the territory, they always had to suffer from invasions by heterogeneous tribes that did not even have a properly established culture.
On the other hand, like the kingdom of dwarves and elves, there are different races that can communicate to some extent.
Most heterogeneous people do not even speak a language with humans.
Every year, when we receive reports on the damage caused by them, it is natural that even if we are not particularly devout believers, we will tremble when we hear the word heterogeneous.
“...That\'s okay. Rather, the problem is the future budget.”
“Yes, you know…
” “I know.”
Nelvenia admitted with a worried face.
Such welfare could not be guaranteed forever.
“But you can’t cut down on support.”
If that happens, many people in the Holy Land will die in despair.
“If it\'s a budget for the next few years, we\'ll raise it somehow. Fortunately, there are some idiots who have noticed.”
Priests who do not care about the situation in the Holy Land and only fill their stomachs.
If you press them or expell them and return what you have, it will work somehow.
But that doesn\'t make any sense.
The situation in Seongguk was not as bright as it was.
Externally, he always suffers from conflicts with other races.
Geographically, the land is not rich enough for farming.
It\'s not like I don\'t have a specific resource.
Perhaps the name Seongguk was built to hold the last bastion of faith in order to somehow survive in this harsh reality.
At least after Nelvenia sat in this seat, she used her abilities to gather wealth.
They sold holy water and medicine to other countries at high prices.
Seduce rich people with high religious beliefs to receive donations or bless them.
Or, by absorbing small countries under the name of the seongguk, it gradually grew in power.
But how long will that last?
‘In a sense, it\'s ruined without me.\'
Nelvenia complained inwardly.
“As expected... I\'ll have to make a decision as soon as possible.”
“...the kingdom of Ernesia... Is it the Merman Empire?”
“okay.”
Nelvenia\'s earnest wish that must be fulfilled even if it means devoting her entire life.
It is none other than the destruction or subjugation of the Ernesian Kingdom and the Merman Empire.
If Ernesia Kingdom has mines, it can make weapons in preparation for invasion by different races.
With the vast agricultural lands of the Merman Empire, they could not starve.
As a saint, it might be a shameful thought, but Nelvenia coveted it.
I know that coveting other people\'s things is ugly, but even so, I can\'t help but covet.
‘...On the contrary, if I can\'t get it, the castle has no future.\'
As time goes by, the land becomes barren and the conflict with the different races intensifies.
It was clear that even Seongmin would get tired of holding on to his faith forever.
According to her predictions, in the next ten years or so, the situation in the kingdom would deteriorate to such an extent that even she could not handle it.
In addition, the economic growth of Ernesia Kingdom is also threatened.
The future is infinitely dark.
God never helps humans.
The only way to save is to find a way to live by moving yourself into action.
In the past, we have survived by spreading religion to other countries, building churches and earning donations, but that is also coming to a limit.
You are gradually starting to disbelieve in God.
That\'s why Nelvenia turned its attention to the aggression of the two countries.
mines and farmland.
With that alone, the future of the Holy Kingdom is eternal.
He longed for it, even touching a method he should never have used.
“...Maybe one day many people will realize the truth and criticize me.”
But I thought it didn\'t matter.
Even if you are criticized, it doesn\'t matter if you achieve your secret wish.
I sincerely thought so.
‘It was a failure to use a hand in the Kingdom of Ernesia... but
the method of exacerbating the situation in the kingdom with an epidemic failed.
‘Seducing the Merman Empire is going well without any problems.\'
After sending a girl from a high-ranking priest\'s family who understood her will as the empress of the Merman Empire, Nelvenia continued to interfere with the empire through her.
Then he seduced the foolish emperor and decided to provide a large number of slaves as troops to use in the war as an excuse for enormous support.
And with the influx of troops, the kingdom of Ernesia must be attacked.
Even if it is difficult until destruction, we will achieve negotiations with the most favorable conditions.
If you do that, the future of the Holy Kingdom will continue into the future.
‘I will definitely make it happen.\'
Write any number for that.
I don\'t mind destroying anyone.
He doesn\'t mind inciting any filthy disaster.
I chose this path because I was determined.
That is why, at the end of prayer, I was chosen by ‘him\' and received the current power and position.
I will achieve that power and make this wish come true.
That was all I could do as a saintess of the Holy Land.
Seriously, she believed that.