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Chapter 479: I Can Help You Obtain a Document for Public Preaching
🕑 Added 2025-06-02 15:09:00 +0000 UTCCharlot Mecklenburg smiled and said, “Of course!”
The Pale City had a population of tens of thousands, but there were relatively few minors under the age of fifteen—perhaps only a few thousand. Though this demographic structure was clearly abnormal for a typical population, Charlot was not conducting a census. His sole intention here was to reestablish the faith of the Serpent of Fate.
As for the few thousand minors, their value in centimes wasn’t particularly significant.
A hundred centimes made one flor, and a thousand centimes made one écu. If Charlot could attract even a few thousand believers, it would provide him with an excellent starting point. After that, everything would become easier.
Tongding pursed his lips and let out a sharp whistle, scattering the group of children. A moment later, each child returned, bringing three to five others with them. Tongding looked rather pleased with himself as he turned to Charlot and said, “Sir, it’s time to pay the first installment of the faith funds.”
Charlot laughed heartily and promptly handed each child one centime. Additionally, he rewarded the children who brought their companions with the corresponding amount based on the number of friends they brought along.
Tongding’s eyes gleamed as he gathered the children into a group, whispered instructions for a while, and then sent them off again. This time, even more children returned in a short span of time.
Charlot not only paid the children their centimes but also taught them Beast God Transformation and Bloodfire Combat Energy. Whether any of them could master these extraordinary techniques depended entirely on their luck. After all, even in the Fars Empire, only one in a thousand individuals who received formal education could step into the world of the Transcendent.
Charlot himself had trained a massive force, with the West Wind Knight Order numbering in the tens of thousands. Yet, only a dozen members had truly achieved Transcendence through mastering Beast God Transformation. Most who succeeded were already Transcendent by nature.
The children did not expect Charlot to provide both money and access to secret Transcendent techniques. Some were drawn by the financial incentives, while others were deeply eager to step into the world of Transcendence. Thus, Charlot quickly attracted a growing group of children. Some ran out to gather even more companions, while others sat down to listen to Charlot’s explanations of priceless Transcendent knowledge.
The open area near the Golden Temple could easily accommodate hundreds of children without seeming overcrowded. The Pale City was a secluded place, where residents were familiar with one another and lived relatively simple lives. Crime was nearly non-existent, and the city patrol guards didn’t interfere. Even though a large number of children had gathered, the occasional passerby only stopped out of curiosity before leaving shortly after.
Adults, being more serious about faith, were unlikely to change their beliefs lightly. Even for a single centime, they would rarely deceive an outsider with lies about their devotion.
As night approached, Charlot announced loudly, “I will return tomorrow. Anyone interested in believing in the Serpent of Fate can come here again to receive the faith funds.” After announcing the next day’s schedule, Charlot and his two Saint-rank companions began searching for suitable accommodations within the city.
The Pale City rarely hosted travelers, so it lacked formal inns. Charlot solved this by approaching several affluent-looking households and offering payment for a few days’ stay. After some negotiation, the owner of the fifth household hesitated briefly before agreeing.
Once settled in with Cresto and Argon, Argon couldn’t resist asking, “Do you really think those kids will believe in the Serpent of Fate?”
“They’re only in it for the money! Tomorrow, you’ll have even more pretending to believe just to scam you. They’ll think you’re an easy target.”
Charlot smiled faintly. “It’s still better than war.”
“If I can use this method to gain a group of believers for a True God, I’d prefer it over resorting to force.”
“After all, we’ve fought too many wars recently. A peaceful solution, even if it’s somewhat wasteful, is far more cost-effective than warfare.”
A single shot from a Magical Alchemical Battleship could compel the Pale City’s tens of thousands of residents to believe in the Serpent of Fate. What difference did a few thousand centimes make, even if they were wasted?
Argon shrugged. He knew Charlot despised war and had a strong aversion to unnecessary bloodshed. This was one of the reasons Argon had chosen to follow Charlot. Charlot had genuinely worked hard to integrate the Orc Kingdom into human society. While Argon found this approach inefficient, he appreciated Charlot’s respect for orc lives.
Entrusting the orcs to a leader who valued their lives was far better than submitting to a war-crazed tyrant.
Charlot turned to Cresto. “Tomorrow, I’ll need you to purchase a piece of land for us to build a temple to the Serpent of Fate. If there’s extra land available, buy it all. We’ll likely need a second, a third, and more temples in the future.”
Cresto smiled faintly. “No problem.”
He also understood Charlot’s goal: to challenge the Labyrinth God Agmirlas in the Aggras Archipelago. Charlot had been transparent about the challenge’s details, ensuring his followers understood his plan to replace Agmirlas’ worship with that of a True God. Cresto resolved to support Charlot wholeheartedly, regardless of the methods employed.
...
The next morning, Charlot sent Cresto to purchase the land and Argon back to the fleet to bring reinforcements. By noon, Charlot was still busy preaching when Cresto returned with a portly, prosperous-looking middle-aged merchant.
Cresto introduced him to Charlot. “This man owns five plots of land in the Pale City. Three of them already have buildings and are available for sale. However, he doesn’t want money—he wants a seafaring ship to seek opportunities in the New Continent.”
Charlot observed the shrewd-looking merchant but refrained from mentioning the ongoing chaotic conflict among the foreign gods in the New Continent. Smiling, he replied, “I do have many merchant ships. However, their value is far greater than mere plots of land. You must know that these ships are ocean-faring vessels, vastly superior to the fishing boats of the Pale City.”
“The best ships can carry more people, withstand harsh weather, and are crewed by seasoned sailors. They can also transport a substantial amount of cargo.”
The merchant smiled in return and said, “I can help you obtain an official document from the city government, granting you permission to preach publicly here.”
“You must know that this city already follows certain deities, and no outside missionaries are allowed unless they have a preaching permit.”
Charlot considered the offer and smiled. “You’ve convinced me. We have a deal.”
The two quickly finalized their agreement and signed a contract. Charlot instructed Argon to prepare a well-preserved Ghost Ship to dock near the shore, while Cresto and Tongding went to inspect the plots of land.
The Ghost Ships, despite their eerie nature, were fully capable of traversing the ocean. They had sunk due to misfortune, not poor design or inferior craftsmanship. These vessels, which once sailed long-distance routes, were more robust and capacious than the merchant ships Charlot had seized in Cappadocia.
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