The sun began its final descent, the shadows growing long and thick in his makeshift office.
"Common sense, you say?" Helena looked up as if Konrad had said something out of this world. The issue was, he came from another one, and even after all those years here—
"Yes, like, I have heard some strange rumors lately, and I have no idea how to treat them?"
Breaching the subject of normalcy seemed to be much more difficult than he first thought.
He didn't want to ask something outlandish about dragons and saints to give away his secrets. But he still wanted to know what this world thought about certain things.
He summoned a faint orb of light and let it hover near the ceiling, nothing special.
Took him less than a single mana, cheaper and easier than lighting a candle.
The princess watched him with curiosity, though.
"This might sound strange when a priest raised me, but I know nothing about religion. Or how much influence the Church holds. I never planned to fight them, but now I need to know."
"Oh, it's a common struggle for our nobles," Helena sighed.
She looked around before going any further—even though it was only the two of them left.
Her guards were outside—Konrad didn't bother with posting any of his own—and the harem was long gone. Vargas, too. The only sounds were the evening drill from a nearby square.
"The Church is powerful," the steward stated. "And we need them more than they need us."
An odd way to start, but now he wanted to know much more.
"What about their saints?" he asked, walking to the windows to inspect the militia's training.
Welf and Bor were out with them, the first one sparring with a poor soul, the latter organizing a formation. He could see the influence Vargas left on them from a single glance.
But these were people he rescued, no fighters.
"They protect humanity from the worst of the worst, and feed on the prayers of the needy. But their priests aren't holy," the princess explained, walking up behind him. "Why do you ask?"
"If I want to rule these lands, I have some catching up to do in politics," Konrad claimed.
A soldier—he couldn't have been older than him—fell on his bum.
He tried to block one of Welf's swings, and it seemed like a terrible idea. The tribesman with the red mane laughed, explaining what he did wrong before helping him up.
Konrad kept his tone casual, talking about his recent experiences as old-time anecdotes.
"I rushed to meet with the Inquisitor when I got the king's letter, only to end up in the catacombs. I'd rather avoid these pitfalls in the future," he said. "I have much to learn."
The princess could only mutter at that.
"Sorry, even we had no idea what was going on this far from the capital. Your attitude is commendable. We need someone strong and reliable like you to run things here."
"I'm trying, but someone always finds a way to distract me," he chuckled.
He thought of his harem, but Helena took it on herself.
"Sorry again," she mumbled. "But we have to make sure all the nobles accept you, too."
"Oh, that—yeah, I'll put on a good show for them," Konrad promised. If only he were confident in his words. "But it would help to know what impresses these nobles and what I should avoid."
"Well, your stance against the Church is risky, but it might garner you some sympathy."
She stepped away from the window, keeping her voice low.
"Nobles often clash with them, but few dare to make them an enemy like your father did."
"No wonder," he groaned. It didn't end well for his house in general. But at least they weren't alone in this struggle. "Is it the same in other countries, or are they only this powerful here?"
"More or less," Helena said. "They all serve the same saints and project their powers."
So she was aware that they existed. She might've lost her mind if she knew how two of his haremettes made a pact with them, though.
"They can't do anything their deities wouldn't approve—but they're no monolithic power."
"And not everyone has their power anyway," Konrad pointed out. "But they still have the Church's backing. What happens when a war breaks out between two countries?"
"They stay neutral," Helena stated. "Unless the enemies are heathens or excommunicated."
"What about the demon lord? I heard this Maou Midori is one," he said.
He was about to reach the meaty part, but—
"Hah, you have a wild imagination," the woman laughed. "Demon Lords? I heard legends about this Maou fellow already in my childhood, but nobody ever saw him for real."
So people knew the saints were real, but treated the enemy as a bedtime story?
It made him think of what this guy could've even done so far?
Apart from pissing off the angels, which he didn't care too much about.
But if he were a tyrant or a murderer—
"The nomads are a real threat, right on your borders. Monsters can also appear at any time. Fighting a legendary evil who may or may not exist isn't on the agenda." She summed it up.
"Talking about monsters," Konrad grasped at the opportunity, "What about dragons?"
"Oh, they are real. Or were," the princess claimed, her eyes brighter. "It has been a century since anyone saw one in the kingdom, but I was lucky enough to see one during my travels."
"Lucky?" he asked. "So aren't they terrifying?"
"They sure are," Helena scoffed. "But isn't that awesome? Every knight dreams of slaying one—"
"Yeah, figured," Konrad mumbled, scratching the back of his neck. "But—in theory—if someone tamed a dragon, a real one—would that be a dangerous foe or a valuable ally?"
The princess stared at him like he had lost his mind.
"I heard rumors that you have dealt with one in that dungeon, but—"
"It wasn't me, to be honest." He clarified before she'd get the wrong idea. "It could've incinerated me without a problem—but it's dead now, I'm only asking it in theory."
The steward studied his face for a while.
"Elders tell stories about ancient dragons roaming the lands in human form. That they were so powerful, entire armies couldn't defeat them, but they meant no harm. I'd be, well—"
"Awed? Terrified?" he asked. "Impressed?"
He sure hoped for the latter, unsure how long he could keep Maple a secret.
When the cat was out of the bag, he didn't want to deal with potential enemies.
"All those and more," Helena said, her face softening. "What I saw was a terrifying monster. But one of those legendary creatures, who talks and feels, and has a secret agenda—"
Oh, she was a romantic all right. If only she knew what Maple's agenda was—
"What brought this up anyway?" she asked, catching him off guard.
"As I said—rumors. Sorry for asking silly questions," he went on the defensive. "Let's call it a day for now. Eyna might be back soon, and we made good progress with the administration today."
That was an understatement. Now, he had his name in official documents.
Only as a count, but he owned the lands he had no idea how to deal with.
"Agreed. I could learn a few things from you, Ser," Helena beamed. Then she added, "And it's about time I taught you something with the sword, too."