To ensure that all the members of the plan could face each other, they moved the table and sat down. At that point, Martina and Sofian stood before everyone.
Unlike Sofian, who appeared calm, Martina seemed on the verge of collapsing from nervousness.
“Martina, are you alright?”
Sofian asked with a wry smile, and Martina awkwardly nodded with a stiff expression.
For Martina, who was still a junior official and had only ever worked under someone, being suddenly appointed as the leader of a plan that could decide the fate of the nation was an immense pressure.
However, everyone present understood Martina’s rare talent and did not harbor any dissatisfaction with her being chosen as the leader. No one blamed Martina for her awkwardness.
“…Everyone, I am Martina, and I have been entrusted with the leadership of the plan to revive the Saintess Summoning magic circle. I ask for your continued support,” Martina said, taking a deep breath before speaking firmly.
“First of all… I would like to accurately share the current situation with all of you. Many of you may already be familiar with some of this information, but I would appreciate it if you could listen to me.”
At those words, everyone took pens and looked at her seriously. Martina began explaining the matter of the miasma pools.
“The first confirmation of the miasma pool’s existence was in the depths of the eastern forest, near the royal capital. I happened to be there and accompanied the team into the forest. I personally witnessed what had been called the ‘black mist’ and concluded that it was likely the miasma pool described in several historical records.”
Upon hearing Martina’s words, a young historian spoke up.
“So, you’re saying there’s still a possibility that what’s causing the commotion in the kingdom might not actually be a miasma pool?”
“No… The descriptions in the records and the characteristics of the miasma pool match almost perfectly. Additionally, one of the miasma pools was successfully eradicated using the methods described in those records. So, the possibility of it being entirely something different is almost zero. However, there is of course the chance that it could be a similar phenomenon with different properties. That’s true for other events in the historical texts referred to as miasma pools as well.”
The historian seemed to accept the explanation, nodding and saying, “Thank you,” before diligently taking notes.
“Now, continuing on, the historical records that mention miasma pools also include two methods for eliminating them. One of these methods involves light magic. This was successfully used to eradicate the miasma pool in the eastern forest. However, as His Majesty mentioned, the larger the miasma pool grows, the more light magic users will be required. Therefore, it’s uncertain whether this method will continue to be effective in the future.”
Since there was already a case of an unresolved miasma pool in Count Cadour’s domain, everyone nodded seriously in agreement.
“This brings us to the second method, which has gained attention… and that is the Saintess Summoning. As you may know, this world was once ruled by monsters during a period known as the Dark Age, which lasted until about a thousand years ago. However, the world was cleansed a thousand years ago, and the number of monsters drastically decreased, allowing humanity, which had been on the brink of extinction, to develop. The Dark Age refers to a time when miasma pools were scattered across the world, and the world cleansing was an act of eradicating those pools. And according to the records, it was the Saintess, summoned from another realm, who accomplished this cleansing.”
Many of those present had heard of the Saintess Summoning phenomenon but were unfamiliar with such detailed accounts. Everyone stopped taking notes and focused intently on Martina’s explanation.
“The way the Saintess was summoned was through a magic circle. Although magic circles have fallen out of use in modern times due to their impracticality, they do have the unique property of being able to create phenomena without being bound by elements. Therefore, I believe it is not entirely impossible to summon a Saintess from another realm, though it may sound far-fetched.”
As Martina paused, a female historian, perhaps trying to shake off her confusion, shook her head and spoke up.
“I’ve never heard of such a history. You’re saying the Dark Age was when miasma pools were scattered, and the world cleansing was to eradicate them, and it was done by a Saintess summoned from another realm? Which books are you referring to? I’ve studied numerous books on that era.”
When Martina mentioned a few titles, the woman seemed even more confused. She placed her hand on her forehead and closed her eyes.
“I’ve read two of those books, but I don’t remember them containing any important information.”
“…Each book only briefly mentions these events. So, it’s unlikely that any single one would leave a lasting impression of important information. I wouldn’t have paid much attention to it if there had been only one source, but the fact that it’s been referenced in multiple texts has greatly increased its credibility.”
Hearing this, the woman exhaled sharply, then smiled wryly as she turned her gaze to Martina.
“I envy your talent. …Studying history means researching and interpreting the books that have survived to the present, cross-referencing different sources, and selecting the most accurate information. But that’s far more difficult than it sounds. Books are translated multiple times over centuries, their contents are rewritten, and lost works are reconstructed, causing information to change. But you… you can read all the books perfectly and judge the accuracy of the information in your mind.”
The woman, having said all that in one breath, stood up from her chair and walked toward Martina. She grasped Martina’s hands tightly with both of hers.
“Your ability should definitely be used for historical research. When you have the time, read as many books as you can. Then, write the history you’ve uncovered into a book for future generations.”
Martina, who had thought the woman might be jealous of her ability, was surprised by the unexpected words. She blinked her eyes, but gradually seemed to understand the meaning, and smiled warmly as she nodded.
“Understood. I’ve been reading the books in the library of Lord Laforet, and I plan to continue reading many more books.”
The suggestion to read many books was one of the most joyful things for Martina, and she nodded with a beaming smile, offering no objections.
