The Port City of Ideaverna – Part 07
I almost collapsed to my knees. Big breasts? What? If asked whether I liked them or not, then yes, I liked big breasts. But how was that related to the conversation we were having? I couldn’t utter a word.
“I asked the governor,” Zero continued. “I asked him what the saint had that I did not. Why would you choose her? He said full breasts drive men mad.”
What kinda stuff is that sailor drilling into her head? And why are you accepting it like it’s nothing, o’ great Murky Darkness Witch?
“Calm down, Witch. I don’t know why you had that conversation with that guy, but I don’t judge a woman’s worth by the size of her breasts.”
“But you were looking at the saint’s swaying breasts!”
Stop. Quiet down, please. The priest will hear you. If that happens, I’m dead for sure. Besides, I wasn’t even looking at them. They entered my vision from time to time, but I didn’t look at them on purpose.
“My breasts are… normal-sized,” Zero said.
“True, they’re not big.
“But the governor commended its great shape!”
“You showed him?!”
“He said he could tell even with my clothes on.”
Oh. You almost gave me a heart attack. I had seen them before—pure coincidence, of course—and they did have the perfect shape. No, wait. That doesn’t matter right now.
“But if you value size more than shape, then I am no match for the saint. I thought it was the reason why you cared so much about her.”
“No!”
How’d you even get that? Does this woman think I’m some kind of an idiot who decides who to serve solely based on the size of their breasts?
But it was true that all the attention I would have directed to Zero went to Lia. Like the governor said, I did a good job as the saint’s escort, but not as Zero’s bodyguard. That’s why Theo told me to get her a gift and apologize. Right, almost forgot about that. I searched my pockets for Zero’s gift. But should I give it to her now? How do I even do that? What am I gonna say?
“I’m sorry,” I said.
Zero quickly looked up and stared at me quizzically. “Are you apologizing for being captivated by big breasts?” she asked.
“Forget about breasts! I’m apologizing for not putting my original employer first!”
“It is fine. The saint is dull, and enfeebled by Magic or miracles. It is only logical that you would prioritize her over me. But there is more to it than that. You are fond of her.”
“That’s not—”
“It is true.”
She seemed to be telling me not to lie to my employer. I thought about it for a moment and realized that I did like Lia.
“You just can’t hate that kinda person,” I said.
Lia was clumsy, vulnerable, overly optimistic, and just a good person at heart. It was like seeing a pile of logs about to collapse. You couldn’t help but support it.
“Do you remember?” Zero asked. “You said before that men are more attracted to shyness or vulnerability that makes them want to protect the girl. The saint fits that criteria perfectly. Your fondness of the saint is simply natural providence that has been passed down through generations since the beginning of mankind.”
“Okay, now you’re just exaggerating.”
“But you wish to protect her, do you not? You do not want to kill her, at least.”
“I don’t wanna kill people without reason, regardless of who they are.”
“What if you had a reason to kill her?”
“What?”
“You may not want to believe it, but from what I have heard from the governor, the saint is a witch who must be destroyed,” Zero stated flatly.
It was only a moment later that I processed her words. “Wait a sec. What do you mean by that? How can you be so sure?”
I remembered Lia’s face when she cried, whispering she was scared. Her tears, as she trembled at the thought of all the hatred towards her, when all she wanted was to save people.
“You remember the doctor at the inn talking about how there are fewer and fewer doctors in Cleon, yes?” Zero asked.
“I do. The doctors’ numbers are dwindling because of her. But you’re calling her a witch based off that?” My voice was fierce.
I realized I lost my composure. I was surprised that Zero’s words impacted me that much. It was unsettling.
“That is not what I am saying. The problem is that doctors are decreasing in numbers, yet the saint is not performing her role as a doctor.”
“Of course she is! She’s doing her job well—”
“She is not. To be more accurate, she is selecting the people she heals. Those who are not selected are left to die with their wounds and illnesses. That is the current state of the Republic of Cleon.”
Sounds like something we can’t talk about in a hallway.
I urged Zero to go out into the castle’s backyard. This was only my personal theory, but it was better to have a private conversation in the open. There was a good chance you would not notice eavesdroppers in tight spaces. In an empty backyard, however, you’d easily notice anyone coming closer.
“Do you know the definition of a republic?” Zero asked as soon as we got to the backyard.
“A kingdom chooses its head through hereditary succession. In a republic, the head of state is chosen by the people.”
“What a splendid answer. Sometimes I wonder if you are stupid or smart.”
“I’m a mercenary and a warrior. I am hired by nations to kill. I know the basic forms of government, at least.”
I couldn’t give a thorough explanation since I hadn’t actually studied their detailed definitions, but I learned enough to at least hold a conversation.
“You are correct,” Zero said. “Put it another way, a republic is a country where the next ruler has not been decided. If the current head of state dies, his child does not necessarily take over. The person who is popular with the people and has the most power will be the Republic of Cleon’s next ruler.”
“Makes sense to me.”
“So how does one become popular with the people?”
“By giving the people what they want. Like food, clothing, shelter, and jobs. There’s also disaster countermeasures…”
“And then there is healthcare.”
I gave a start. Healthcare meant life. You had a place to run to when you were injured. There was a doctor you could call when you were sick. People gathered in those kinds of places, and places where people gathered became rich.
“Doctors are declining in number in Cleon,” Zero continued. “But there is only one saint, and needless to say, she cannot heal everyone. So who shall she treat first? The poor on the brink of death? Or the son of a powerful governor who is suffering from a cold that he was already recovering from?”
“That guy lied to summon Lia here! She came all the way here because the letter said the son had a lung problem!”
“But it was the saint herself who decided to accept the request. Many sick people travel to the Holy City for the saint’s miracles. Yet she traveled to Ideaverna, leaving them behind. Why? I surmise that she came because it was at the request of the governor of Ideaverna, a man who holds considerable power in the republic.”
“That’s—”
“I am not criticizing the saint for her choice. As a matter of fact, lives have an order of precedence. The life of an elderly dying in three days’ time and the life of a newborn baby weigh differently. But those who are not even among the choices, who should they rely on? The poor can only wait for death. That is this country’s current state.”
“But killing Lia won’t solve that problem!”
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