Wolf & Parchment, Volume 1

by Isuna Hasekura

  At the same time, Col was relieved that Hyland did not plan the sacrilegious act of dressing a dog in priests’ clothing. There was no error in his judgment. Hyland stood above those people—he followed the path of righteousness.

  “The townspeople are greater in number, so they should have the advantage at the beginning. However, the instigators of an uproar born of energy alone cannot win against disciplined soldiers. They will reach a standstill, and once they understand that it will not develop into anything significant, they will run out of momentum. Many times, I have seen peasants and day workers quit in the middle of a revolt because they have work the next day. If the soldiers intervene the moment the tension relaxes, it will all collapse in a matter of seconds. A few people will be arrested as a warning, and tomorrow they will be hung on the street corner. That is how it always happens.”

  Hyland was a noble and a landowner. He knew much about popular uprisings and how they ended.

  “Alcohol and atmosphere will spur on most of them, but a not insignificant number will be truly protesting. ‘We speak for justice. The people earnestly seek an honest and pure God they can believe in.’ But once the commotion dies down and they see their neighbors rotting away in the gallows on the corner, they’ll think, Hyland didn’t come. No one from the Kingdom of Winfiel came.”

  And then, life would continue as always. Nothing would change in the days to come as the results of evil practices trickled down to them.

  “People likely still believe I’m in the church, debating away with the archbishop. They will raise their fists to aid me. If they learn that I am not there, that I ran away a long time ago, who on earth would listen to me anymore?”

  “But—”

  “Listen, if I go, then the archbishop and papal officer can say that I stirred up the people. I’m sure the archbishop will want to do his utmost to avoid severe action against the townspeople. I’m sure he wishes to stay a prominent figure in town. That is why I…”

  Hyland made his declaration.

  “I have to go there and denounce the archbishop. I have to show that I am the leader of this upheaval. Sorry to have you go through all the trouble of saving me, but…”

  He finished his speech as if in jest. Of course, it was no laughing matter.

  “…Afterward, they’ll kill me.”

  The pope had already sanctioned him as a heretic and declared war. Once Hyland stood at the head of the people, there would be no more room for vague decisions. Would the archbishop meet his demands and stand with them against the pope? If not, he would kill Hyland, announcing to the world that the pope will not give in.

  Once Hyland appeared, the people’s anger would not cool until it reached its conclusion.

  “You don’t think I can win by persuasion?”

  Hyland was smiling, but Col was unable to respond. The young man could only shake his head. He prayed that the noble’s resolute actions and convictions would reach someone who would accept them.

  “Of course, now that the papal officer is here, I would appreciate one or two more supporters, but…Well, at this rate, it’s much better than being tortured and made to suffer. At the very least, I want to be able to decide when my life should end. Afterward, even though all my brothers are terrible people, I know they’ll make good use of the opportunity. No doubt they will make good use of my death for a theatrical display of sadness and mourning,” he warned lifelessly. When Col imagined what kind of life Hyland had led, his emotions upon opening the scripture, his heart ached.

  Then, Hyland saw his expression and a warm, happy smile crossed his face.

  “Well then, let’s get things moving. Some people should already be declaring that I’ve run away by now.”

  “Then, I, too—”

  Col subconsciously leaned forward as he spoke, but Hyland reached out with a long arm and pushed his chest.

  It was so sudden, Col stumbled and toppled backward into soft and strong fur.

  Myuri broke his fall and growled up at Hyland over his shoulder.

  “Did you hear God’s messenger? I can go.”

  Myuri’s large ruby eyes were fixed on Col.

  “Even if you did come along with that wolf, it would only fan the flames of the commotion. Next time, knocking out a guard like you’ve done now won’t be enough to settle matters. You need to be prepared to kill and be killed. And even still, it is up to fate as to whether or not you can protect yourself. I do not wish for you to be bloodied, Col. I could not stand to see that beautiful fur stained, either,” he said.

  Myuri said nothing and simply regarded Hyland quietly.

  He was painfully aware that she did not want to hear anything from him.

  Then, Hyland gave Col a troubled smile.

  “Col, sorry for troubling you.”

  “No, don’t be…O-oh yes, now we can ask Mr. Stefan from the Debau Company to help you—”

  “Col.”

  He sounded like Col did when he was admonishing Myuri.

  “Unfortunately, Stefan and the Debau Company are on the archbishop’s side. That man sleeping there told me that the reason the archbishop knew about the sanction order ahead of time was because a Debau Company express ship leaked that information. ‘So don’t expect any help,’ he said.”

  Col recalled the dragonfly-like boat that Myuri had told him about yesterday. She’d said it forced itself into the port as the sun was setting, which caused problems for the people working there.

  “Stefan probably has some sort of secret agreement with the archbishop and enjoys special privileges. There has to be an economic reason as to why he’s cooperating with the clergy even though most of the townspeople are against them. So I can’t imagine him helping us. Rather, I would not be surprised if he’s sent all his underlings out to every association head in order to pressure them into calming the situation—‘Your official stance will be in support of the Church, and if you do not listen, then we will no longer do business with you.’ The craftsmen are vulnerable to such threats. They will absolutely ensure that you do not escape. Oh, and don’t try anything stupid. They know where you come from. One wrong move and disaster might befall Nyohhira. You don’t want that, do you?”

  “…”

  Hyland finished his explanation and took a deep breath, then smiled at Myuri.

  “Take care of this genuine servant of God. You don’t see them much nowadays.”

  “Woof.”

  Myuri howled just like a wolf, and Hyland seemed pleased.

  “I thank God for the good fortune I had in meeting you.”

  It was a carefree, gentle smile.

  They could not exactly show Myuri to other humans, so Col and Hyland shared the task of freeing their companion attendants from around the manor. Once they were all assembled, Col recognized again how few they were.

  Though Hyland was not the type to go around with a large retinue anyway, there were very few he could trust in the first place.

  They wished to accompany Hyland to his fate as well, but he refused. He seemed unwilling to bring anybody but his few personal guards. They, too, knew that nothing they could say would reach him.

  The wagon that had brought them here was still in the stable, and though it was a bit small, everyone could fit inside if they also used the driver’s seat. The person driving would borrow the uniform of the unconscious, tied-up soldier and disguise himself. That way, they would most likely not be questioned when they tried to enter the city at such a time. Myuri had already left for the city walls, however, and was probably already trouncing the watch around now.

  The center of the town upon the hill was glowing a deeper and deeper crimson.

  It was said that candles burned the brightest just before they were extinguished. There was no time.

  “Well, Heir Hyland…Till we meet again…”

  “Yes, I look forward to it.”

  Hyland stood before the stables, seeing off the wagon carrying his subordinates with a smile.

 
Then, he untied a horse and brought it to the entrance of the manor.

  “You go, too.”

  It pained Col that he had no reason to say no.

  “The translation of the scripture should be in your head. Do all you can to antagonize the pope and friends.”

  As long as he had pen and ink, he could re-create the translation many times. He could carry on Hyland’s will.

  “Well, then.”

  Hyland gripped Col’s hand and forced the reins into it, then spun on his heel. He exchanged a few words with his personal guards, who were disguised as soldiers, and then jumped up onto a horse, alone. He did not look back at them. He kicked its side and set off with the guards.

  Hyland left nothing behind and simply disappeared down the road.

  It was his last act of consideration, ensuring Col would not reel from his departure.

  “Brother.”

  Suddenly, a silver wolf appeared from the shadows, and the spooked horse tried to run. Col tugged on the reins, and it calmed.

  Myuri had returned from her mission at the city wall, and she rubbed her big nose and neck on his face. When he did not move, she spoke slowly.

  “Let’s go home.”

  He looked at her, and she returned his gaze gloomily.

  Her red eyes were telling him there was no way to save Hyland.

  Would God not reach out to such a dedicated servant?

  “Why am I…so powerless?”

  He gripped the Church’s crest on his chest so hard it might meld with his hand and fought back the tears. He only had his knowledge on paper—he did not have powers like Myuri; he was not noble like Hyland; nor did he possess the talents of the great adventurers he had once accompanied, Lawrence and Holo.

  He was nothing but a lone dreamer fantasizing about an idealistic world.

  “Why…why…?”

  It was when the sob slipped from his mouth.

  A sudden impact connected with his stomach, and the earth and the skies reversed.

  It was so sudden he did not feel any pain, and when he opened his eyes, his vision was filled with rows of sharp teeth.

  “Do you want to be God?”

  Myuri was looking down at him, her eyes watering with tears.

  “Hyland thanked you properly and praised you so much even though you seemed uncomfortable. That praise was real. They’d sometimes come and listen when you were so absorbed in working. That’s why Hyland said he needed to work hard, too, and that it was God’s will that you met.”

  He had no idea.

  “That’s why, Brother, I did everything you told me to. You brought support to someone who couldn’t find any in this world. Doesn’t that make for a splendid priest?”

  This was the first time she had called Hyland by his proper name, and she poked his cheek with her nose. It was as though she was trying to force her words into his head.

  “And you’re not the powerless one, Brother. Mother told me something once. She said, even with big fangs and claws, there are many things you can do nothing about. So find someone precious. And I did.”

  Her left paw heavily pushed down on his chest.

  “Guh?!”

  “And that someone said no.”

  She was pressing so hard upon his chest, he genuinely could not breathe. He gripped her front leg, and she finally removed it.

  “Nyohhira is not as complicated as the outside world, and there’s nice hot water.”

  It was a rather convincing claim from Myuri since she was born and raised there.

  “Brother.”

  The last word was not spoken kindly.

  He knew that if he did not respond, it would hurt her. A man who turned down a wonderful girl like Myuri at the very least must grow into a worthy person himself.

  He got up and brushed the dirt off his clothes. When he did, Col finally noticed that the string on the crest in his grip had been torn off.

  “…”

  He felt Myuri’s gaze on him and smiled dryly.

  “I will not throw it away.”

  “Oh, too bad.”

  If Col cast off the teachings of God, then he would no longer have a reason to uphold his vows of abstinence.

  That being said, if he tossed the crest of the Church away, then Myuri might get angry or sad.

  “Let’s go back. I have the obligation to protect you and take you back to Nyohhira safely.”

  “Ooh, you’re going to protect me?”

  Myuri contentedly sniffed his waist with her big nose.

  As he dodged her, he searched around in his clothes and took out his wallet to put the crest away.

  “I feel like I’ll be punished for putting it with my coins…”

  “No, you wouldn’t. I think they’d be happy.”

  “Why would you say such a…?”

  “What? But isn’t the Church collecting a lot of money? I went into the church to help, and the donation box was stuffed with change. There was even a picture of an angel with a scale at the company, too.”

  When he met with the Debau Company messenger, he had even said something about the scripture in one hand and the scales in another. Perhaps it was a theme that the people of the Debau Company particularly liked.

  “I told you before that the scales represent equality. The sword is justice.”

  “Really? I thought it was equipment meant for squeezing tax money out of the townspeople.”

  The sword threatens, and the scale weighs the coins. He thought her statement was rather disrespectful, but it troubled him that he understood where she was coming from. A single painting could inspire many interpretations.

  And of course, it would not look good for the Church if their donation box was constantly packed with coins. But the clergy would use that money for charity and other holy works in the community. They should be recirculating that money back into the town. That was why appearances alone were not enough to judge…and his thought process stopped as something occurred to him.

  Recirculating the money back into town?

  He felt like he had heard something that contradicted that claim somewhere.

  “Brother?”

  He must have stopped in his tracks deliberating again, but Myuri’s voice pulled him back to the present.

  And then, he remembered. The scales.

  “The money changers…”

  “Huh?”

  When he became aware of one thing, a long chain of ideas fell into place. The reason he left Nyohhira in the first place was because he could not accept how grubby the pope was with money.

  His vision blurred, and when he came to, Myuri was supporting him.

  “Brother? Sorry, did I hit you somewhere?”

  Her side was holding him up, and her neck and tail hugged him worriedly on either side.

  But he could not respond right away. His thoughts were roiling inside his head, and he could not breathe.

  “Donations…The angel and the scales…The Debau…Company…”

  The picture in his head was coming into focus.

  The Debau Company and the Church were connected by mutual benefit, and that was why the company supported the Church. What would happen if such an exchange became a scandal? Even if it was originally nothing more than a simple transaction, it could be interpreted differently depending on how the fact was presented. Like Myuri said, even a painting of an angel could look like a greedy demon.

  If they suggested such a thing to Stefan, his face would undoubtedly go pale. Considering the current situation and environment, the townspeople would direct their anger at the Debau Company, it would lose many of its business dealings, and most importantly, would likely be torched by the mob. Despite all that, would the company still wish to support the archbishop?

  After removing the Debau Company’s support, the archbishop would probably also crumble. Even with the papal officer’s sanctions, parchment could not defend against the sword. Plus, it was a terribly long distance between here and the pope’s seat of po
wer. If the pope could not come rescue the archbishop by the time he hung at the gallows, then his authority meant nothing.

  The painting of the angel with the sword and scales gained a third meaning.

  Life or profit.

  They had to try.

  Hyland had told them to abandon him, but they could not. It was much worse for priests to give up than it was for merchants, because they were people who devoted their entire lives to asceticism without complaint in order to encounter a God that no one had ever met.

  “Brother.”

  Myuri called his name, and he turned his attention to her; her red eyes were narrowed in exasperation.

  “You look scary.”

  “I was just thinking.”

  “I like your angry look. And when you’re flustered, too.”

  It was even more embarrassing to hear it coming from a wolf. That was when something came to mind.

  “Myuri, you weren’t trying to make me angry on purpose, were you?”

  Myuri just whapped the back of his head with her tail and did not answer.

  “Honestly…But it seems that selfishness of yours comes in handy sometimes.”

  “Really?”

  “If we hadn’t gone shopping for food, I’m sure I would never have noticed. I see…Guess I should get my nose out of my books sometimes and walk about town.”

  When he saw her blank stare, he considered how expressive the faces of wolves could be.

  “And everything you saw and heard about town. Two heads are truly better than one on a journey. Especially if I’m only looking at half of half of the world.”

  He stood and said, “There is still something we can do to save Hyland. We can still fight for our ideals.”

  “Aww…”

  Though she complained, her fur bristled enough to make the horse look away in discomfort.

  “There is no time. You said you cannot carry people like Holo can, but is that true?”

  Myuri’s eyes crinkled in a grin.

  The cold air sliced his ears like knives. On the other hand, the parts of him touching the rough fur below him became so hot that they were sweaty. Col clung to Myuri’s back as she zipped through the rural countryside in no time before jumping into a desolate residential area without losing speed at all. With unbelievable tenacity, she leaped over crates, strays, laundry, work wagons, and every other barrier along the roads. Whenever they turned a corner, she made a great leap, which felt like they were running on the walls sometimes, but he did not think too deeply about it. He believed that Myuri would be all right.