Chapter 34

"Arriving at the capital and immediately being summoned to meet the king of this country..."

During the summer vacation, I planned to attend my brother Erich's wedding in the capital, combining it with a bit of sightseeing. However, on the way, an ancient dragon appeared, and I ended up defeating it.

In short, that’s all it was, but the aftermath was not so simple.

When I arrived at the port of the magic airship in the capital, a knight from the royal castle was waiting for me. I was taken to the castle without even getting to meet my poor brother Erich again.

For someone like me, who has a small-town mentality and looks like a child, this was quite a harsh situation. Honestly, I’m at a loss as to how to handle it.

I am technically from a noble family, but I certainly didn’t receive the kind of education that would prepare me for this. My family, compared to the royal family and the great nobles in the capital, is practically like commoners.

"Really, you are so young. While magical talent is not related to age..."

After the initial greetings, the king then asked me about my battle with the ancient dragon. I explained in detail how I entrusted the task of protecting the magic airship from the dragon’s breath to Brantac, approached the ancient dragon using flight, protected myself from the breath with a magic barrier, and used holy magic to send the ancient dragon to rest.

"Flight, magic barrier, holy light. Deploying three types of magic simultaneously, indeed. Impressive, you seem to be a person of great talent."

"That is so, Your Majesty."

At this point, someone agreed with the king’s words. The man, who looked to be around seventy, was wearing a lavishly decorated priest’s robe. He must be someone from the church. Moreover, since he can enter the royal castle, he must be a very important person in the church headquarters.

"Do you think so, Cardinal Hohenheim?"

"Yes. Moreover, there are few mages who can activate such a powerful holy light."

Holy magic is truly something that few people can handle. Even without magical talent, during the training process to become a clergyman in the church, one’s minimal magical power can take on the attribute of holy magic, which is not so rare.

Naturally, once a clergyman has this attribute, evil spirits in this world will not approach them, and they can use holy magic-imbued magical artifacts to defeat them.

However, the ability to activate tactical and strategic-level holy magic is usually possessed by mages, not clergymen.

Talent is a significant factor, and even if a clergyman is diligent and lives a simple life, they can still receive public support. Conversely, clergymen who are greedy and obsessed with money and power are often viewed coldly by the public.

But that’s all there is to it.

"Mr. Wendelin, you should receive the full baptism at the headquarters of the Holy Church in the future."

"Full baptism?"

"You are still young and from the south, so it’s natural that you don’t know."

In other words, I’m a country bumpkin. According to Cardinal Hohenheim’s explanation, the full baptism is considered a higher level of baptism than the one performed at a local church when one is born. Moreover, this baptism can be received even if one has already been baptized at a local church.

The specific effect is that one is seen as a devout and excellent believer by the public. Receiving the full baptism does not mean that undead will turn to dust upon contact. Additionally, it seems that nobles, great nobles, and wealthy merchants often make large donations when receiving the full baptism.

It could be seen as a compromise between wealthy believers who want to add prestige and the church, which needs money. In simple terms, it could be called a 'baptism for the elite.'

(The purpose is to secure followers and donations?)

(The main purpose is donations. In simple terms, it’s about securing followers for one’s own denomination.)

Arterio whispered this to me. Essentially, it’s about the competition for followers between denominations. Famous people or those who have succeeded in the world, if they belong to a particular denomination, it serves as good publicity.

Moreover, Cardinal Hohenheim is the cardinal of the orthodox Catholic denomination, which is the state religion of this country. There are also the new Protestant denomination, which is gaining more followers by returning to the old ascetic teachings, and the复古派，他们提倡更激进的原教旨主义，以及与当地原始宗教结合的数十个自然派。

虽然神只有一个，但不同信仰的人们之间总是会有各种争执，这在任何地方都是一样的。宗教确实是个麻烦的东西。

（一旦接受了正式洗礼，其他教派就不会进行奇怪的劝诱了。有空的话就接受吧。）

虽然教派之间的关系不好，但有不成文的规定，禁止抢夺信徒。Arterio在我耳边低语，让我回答“是”。

（明白了）我会在逗留首都期间去接受正式洗礼。

“Wendelin, you are a devout child of God. That’s good, that’s good.”

Because I accepted the invitation for the full baptism sincerely, Cardinal Hohenheim was beaming with a full smile. However, one thing I can say is that I am not a devout child of God.

And I don’t think they expect me to be one.

“Also, there is something I want to ask of you.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“I want to buy the ancient dragon’s bones and magic stones you obtained this time.”

I understand now why Arterio said it wouldn’t go to auction. It’s not just because they are too valuable and rare, but because they are considered strategic materials, and the royal family would definitely try to secure them.

“Actually, with those magic stones and bones, the giant magic airship that is currently docked can be made to move.”

“A giant magic airship?”

According to the king, there are several other magic airships that have been excavated from ruins but cannot move because they lack appropriately sized magic crystals.

“There is a shipyard from the ancient magic civilization era in the outskirts of the capital.”

A super giant ship, four times the size of the magic airship we rode on, with a length exceeding 400 meters, is reportedly sleeping in the dry dock.

“There was a plan to connect small magic crystals to make it move...”

However, due to extreme fuel efficiency issues and abnormal heating at the connection points, it was too dangerous to adopt. The method of creating large magic crystals from multiple small magic stones, which was common in the ancient magic civilization era, has long been lost. Research is ongoing, but no visible results have been achieved yet.

If it’s about replenishing the magic power of a depleted magic crystal, using many small magic stones or having multiple high-magic-power individuals replenish it would yield the same result. However, creating a magic crystal larger than the material magic stones has never been successfully achieved in experiments.

To obtain large magic crystals, one would have to excavate them from ruins or process them from powerful magic stones obtained from attribute dragons.

“Also, since the ship was in the dry dock, many parts and armor have been removed.”

The structure is not particularly complex, nor does it require incredible manufacturing technology, but it needs to be extremely strong, and ancient dragon bones are necessary for this purpose.

“By processing the ancient dragon bones and using them as the missing parts and armor, the giant magic airship can operate safely. What do you think? Will you sell them to me?”

“Yes, of course. I am happy to provide them.”

Firstly, there’s no way I could refuse. Moreover, even if I refused here, no one would buy them, and if the kingdom took notice, it would cause trouble for my family.

My family wasn’t kind to me, but they never mistreated or persecuted me. It’s best to avoid making waves and become independent.

“Alright, that’s good. Then, I will buy the bones and magic stones for 1,500 platinum coins.”

“Your Majesty! That’s too much!”

A senior noble, who seems to be a high-ranking official, objected to the purchase price. He appears to be in charge of the kingdom’s finances.

“Isn’t that the market price? Arterio, as a merchant who regularly supplies the kingdom with necessary items, you should understand that I am right, shouldn’t you?”

The king asked Arterio, who was standing next to me, about the market price of the magic stones and bones.

“Yes, a magic stone of that size would not be worth less than 1,200 platinum coins. The same goes for the bones. Dragon bones are so rare that they are often stripped from excavated artifacts and reused. It’s hard to imagine when we might find another complete set of such size. I think 300 platinum coins for the bones is reasonable.”

“But the budget...”

“The budget allocated for the reactivation of the giant ship is 2,500 platinum coins. 1,500 platinum coins for materials, and the rest for other expenses, which I doubt would exceed 1,000 platinum coins. It’s well within the budget.”

The king stood firm against the finance minister’s objections, stating that it was well within the budget.

“However, if we can save here, we can allocate the funds to other projects that are delayed due to budget shortages.”

“Finance Minister Luchner, you are right. The budget is not infinite. If we can save even a single copper coin, it’s better.”

“Your Majesty.”

“However, if we skimp on rewarding those who have contributed, it will demoralize those who wish to contribute to the kingdom in the future. If this person had auctioned the magic stones and bones, Arterio, what do you think would happen?”

The king asked Arterio again.

“Yes, the standard evaluation price for the magic stones and bones is 1,500 platinum coins. However, at an auction, many would be determined to get them at any cost. While I couldn’t afford it, wealthy individuals might bid up to 2,500 platinum coins. They would then claim they worked hard to get them and charge the kingdom a high commission.”

Typically, when a merchant wins an auction, they take 5% to 10% of the winning bid as profit. So, with the commission, the cost would far exceed the budget. Arterio explained to the king that 1,500 platinum coins would be a great deal for the kingdom.

“Finance Minister Luchner, we have obtained all the materials for 1,500 platinum coins. How much more will it cost to get the ship operational?”

“Yes, the processing of the materials, the installation of the magic crystals in the engine, the installation of other parts and armor, and the test run and final fitting will cost about 300 platinum coins.”

Indeed, a 400-meter-long super giant airship. Just hearing the budget for reactivation makes my head spin.

“The 700 platinum coins saved can be allocated to the projects that Finance Minister Luchner prioritizes.”

“Indeed!”

With these words, Finance Minister Luchner no longer objected. The successful reduction of the giant magic airship’s reactivation budget and the allocation of the saved funds to his priority projects were a masterful move by the king. The other courtiers, myself, and Arterio were left speechless.

“By the way, the purchase of the materials is just a transaction. I must also reward you with honor and recognition.”

“Honor and recognition?”

“Yes. You protected a magic airship that cost 800 platinum coins to operate from the ancient dragon’s breath. According to the report, while Brantac of the Breichrider Margravate contributed greatly, without you, the ship would have eventually been destroyed.”

Indeed, as the king said, Brantac’s magic barrier could defend against the ancient dragon’s breath, but it was impossible to attack the dragon while defending. Once his magic power was depleted, the ship would have been destroyed by the dragon’s breath.

“If the capital had been attacked afterward, it would have caused significant damage. Logically, you are a dragon slayer. You deserve the appropriate honor.”

As the king said this, a civil servant appeared from behind with a tray holding something.

“For the feat of defeating the undead ancient dragon and protecting the magic airship, I award the Double Dragon Medal to Wendelin von Bennau Bauermaster.”

The audience hall suddenly turned into a ceremony, and I received a medal adorned with twin dragons, made of gold and emerald, from the king. Immediately, a loud applause broke out around me.

It seems to be a highly honorable medal. In my previous life, I had no connection to awards, so I never bothered to research them.

If I had spent time researching a medal I thought I wouldn’t receive, I would have practiced magic instead. That’s the kind of person I am.

“Next, I, King Helmut the 37th of the Kingdom of Helmut, confer the title of Sixth-Class Baronet on you, Wendelin von Bennau Bauermaster. Come, Baronet Bauermaster.”

“???”

(The words to swear during the investiture are short, you should remember them, right, Wendelin?)

I was frozen in shock, but Arterio whispered to me from the side.

“My sword will be wielded for Your Majesty, for the kingdom, and for the people.”

I remembered this from when I was a child, and I hastily recited it. I never thought I would have to say these words in my life, and at the same time, I couldn’t help but think that I wouldn’t achieve much even if I wielded a sword.

“Well, with this, you are now a subject of the kingdom. However, I do not intend to bind you with an official position. Attend your brother’s wedding, enjoy the city, and freely pursue the path of an adventurer.”

Amidst the unexpected events, I was just going with the flow. In the end, I received a large sum of money, a medal, and a title. What left a strong impression on me was Arterio’s wry smile next to me.