Chapter 13: I’ll Give You the Cursed Castle
This Emilie Village in the Valmiris Kingdom is not the territory of any noble, but a directly controlled territory of the King.
However, it’s not like the King comes here directly to give instructions. An appointed magistrate is stationed here, managing the administration of Emilie Village and its surroundings.
Also, as the hometown of the first Saintess Mizuha, the True Holy Order has provided various forms of support for the past hundred years, which has led to its development into a size that can hardly be called a village.
Therefore, the faith in the True Holy Order is higher here than in other regions.
The Valmiris Kingdom has established the True Holy Order as its state religion, so they don’t reprimand residents for fervently believing in it.
However, they would be troubled if, in the event of something happening, the Order was prioritized over the Kingdom. And in Emilie Village, there are more believers who are likely to prioritize the Order than in other regions.
The Valmiris Kingdom currently has no intention of clashing with the True Holy Order. However, the future is uncertain.
If, by any chance, a day comes when the Kingdom and the Order part ways, what would be the position of Emilie Village? It was a land with such a delicate balance.
I knew all of this because it was written in the original story.
And of course, there are things I don’t know.
“A dispute within the lord’s family? I thought there wasn’t a lord in this village?”
On the way to the Adventurer’s Guild, after hearing about the history of this town from Mizuha, I voiced my question.
“Yeah, there isn’t one now, and there wasn’t one a hundred years ago either. When I reincarnated, this place was under the direct control of the King. But long before that, it was a barony. And apparently, a family feud broke out in that baronial family, they killed each other, and they were all wiped out.”
“Apparently? You’re the original author of this world, aren’t you, Mizuha?”
“What I wrote was a single novel. This is a world that is extremely similar to it. Unless Akito-kun and I distort it, what I wrote in the book will happen in this world as well. The backstory that only existed in my head also exists in this world. But that alone wouldn’t make a world, would it? I didn’t start writing after creating the entire map and history of this world.”
“I see. Things that weren’t written in the book, things that the author didn’t even set, sprout up from somewhere to make this world work, huh?”
“Sprout up… well, yeah. Something like that.”
“It’s strange. Well, considering that something like reincarnation is happening, it’s strange, and it might be foolish to seriously think about what this world is. But how does the original author feel about it? I’ve heard stories about live-action dramas being adapted from the original work and getting flamed or having conflicts. Creators hate having their work tampered with, right? This world is practically a live-action version of Mizuha’s novel, and it’s been massively rewritten, hasn’t it?”
“Hmm… If someone else had done it, I might have hated it? But the one who created this world isn’t a person, right? If there’s someone who created it, it would be the Creation God spoken of in the True Holy Order. There’s no point in complaining about what a god has done. In the first place, being able to walk with Akito-kun like this is what’s important, and everything else is trivial. I’m grateful to this world, I have no complaints.”
If we can be together, everything else is trivial.
I thought Mizuha felt the same way as me. But hearing her say it like this makes my joy a million times greater.
“Also. If other people write novels, you can read the continuation if the author posts it online or publishes it, right? But with the novel I wrote, I can’t read the continuation unless I write it.”
“That’s true.”
“I think it’s unfair. I want to read the continuation of my novel so badly, but I always thought, why do I have to do something as troublesome as writing!”
“Troublesome? As a creator, is that something you should say…”
“No, no! I love thinking about stories, okay!? Even after coming to this world, I’m thinking about them whenever I have free time! But putting them into words is troublesome!”
“Hmm…”
Is that so? Maybe it is.
“And. This world, even if I don’t write it, it’s expanding on its own based on my novel, right? In the original story, Akito and Mizuha die in about four years. That’s where the story ends. But if we live long lives, it will continue infinitely on its own. It’s too amazing!”
“…Like playing a full-dive game based on the world you created?”
“Yes, that’s it! It’s updated infinitely, and it will never end service! And I’m playing it with Akito-kun! Ahh, it’s too amazing!”
Hearing her say that, I understand why Mizuha is so excited.
I’ve never written a novel, but I do have daydreams. If those daydreams became a super-realistic game, it would certainly be amazing.
“I’m getting jealous and angry. I’m going to play a prank on you. Heave-ho!”
“Hya! Akito-kun, don’t tickle my sides! Hyan!”
And then we arrived at the Adventurer’s Guild.
The adventurers I passed in the forest yesterday rushed over to Mizuha, saying, “We’re glad you’re safe.”
They had apparently seen Mizuha fighting by manipulating countless swords before they ran away, and they said, “Could you be the first Saintess Mizuha-sama…?”
After all, this is Mizuha’s hometown.
The first Saintess is famous as it is, but it’s even more so here.
“The way she fights is the same,” “Her name is the same,” “Her appearance is just as the legends say,” “There’s no doubt, she’s Mizuha-sama!”
And just like that, Mizuha’s identity became known.
In the original story, Mizuha spends the next three years or so in solitude, but I’m by Mizuha’s side. I won’t let her be alone.
“Even so, young man. It’s amazing that you had the courage to face those monsters, and that you were able to help Mizuha-sama without getting in her way… It’s hard to believe, but if Mizuha-sama herself says so, then it must be true. Are you going to be an adventurer in this village for a while? You’re reliable. I’m counting on you.”
The adventurers also looked at me with respect.
Even if they’re dealing with a child of about ten years old, if they recognize them as a capable person, they pay their respects. They’re truly well-rounded people. If there are many people like this in the village, it would be nice to live here.
“Hey, hey, Akito-kun. Look at the poster on this bulletin board.”
“What is it? ‘I’ll give you the cursed castle’ …?”
I read aloud the bulletin board that Mizuha was pointing at.
A bulletin board with various requests posted on it.
Among them, there was a particularly large and particularly old piece of paper.