Ximengsi Continent’s southern region, Adrian Empire’s capital, Samuel City, palace area
The banquet held by the heir to the throne Prince Joseph was still in progress. Clyde sat beside Bishop Nichols, sipping wine. The two Light Church’s saintesses, “Punishment Saintess” Tiffany and “Light Saintess” Maria, who had come with Clyde sat among the other female priests of Light Church while chatting. Everything seemed peaceful.
“Ai, Victor Alliance’s nations are like this. They are stingy and all the aristocrats hypocrites. It is better in Clark Alliance. At least they are true to themselves, Your Excellency Clyde, when you have the opportunity to participate in Clark Alliance’s gentry banquet, you will know. That place is paradise.”
“Well, Bishop Nichols, have you been there?”
“Of course, Your Excellency Clyde. This old man is not boasting to you. The banquets of that place is simply…”
Bishop Nichols had a rogue smile, and using an expression only men could understand, he chatted about the gentry banquets of Clark Alliance with Clyde. There would be special stark-naked maid-servants everywhere who could be toyed with as one pleased. Furthermore, the wicked erotic level was off the charts since there was human body furniture and so on.
This reminded Clyde of when the degenerated former Suzerain Duke Andrew had held a banquet using those captured beautiful mercenaries and adventurers. It seemed that he had been copying the gentry banquets of Clark Alliance’s nations. Upon hearing Bishop Nichols, he had a strong deja vu feeling, making him involuntarily make the comparison.
Probably because of the concept of wine in, truth out, after drinking several bottles of good wine, Bishop Nichols wasn’t as careful and guarded as before. With the cover of a sound insulation barrier, he daringly spoke a lot, directly discussing many things that were originally seen as the Church’s secrets with Clyde. However, it focused on the details of trading female believers.
The method was simple. The female believers who were bought would be informed in advance that they were to participate in a special light test. There, they had to undress themselves and completely remove all their clothes. Afterward, they would be bound by a red rope in a shameful tortoise-shell binding posture. After they were bound, a special quality small red ball and red leather collar would be forced onto them along with a black blindfold. Then, they would be packed into a big box and secretly shipped to the buyer’s home.
Most female believers were recruited because of their beliefs. Those who were skeptical would be lectured and forced to participate in indoctrination by the Inquisition. Many female believers that had seen through everything strove to get themselves dispatched to remote areas in order to reduce the danger of being selected.
Compared to other professions, the official salaries of Light Church’s priests were very high. The salary of an ordinary priest was comparable to the highest paying professions among the Human Race, almost on a par with high-level magicians and alchemists. Despite the dangers to their integrity, many believers did not consider changing professions. Maintaining their gambling mentalities, they continued to stay in Light Church.
“Bishop Nichols, you are too humble… too creative. I really admire you.”
“Your Excellency Clyde, don’t mind. We are all on the same side. Even if a male believer doesn’t heed to our arrangements. We can do the same. Consider it a little. Even if a saintess is too expensive, how about trying an ordinary nun first? We are friends, and since this is the first time, I will give you a 60% discount.”
“No, I don’t have such plans for the time being.”
Fortunately, Bishop Nichols was finally unable to bear the test of over a dozen bottles of wine. He passed out on his seat, and Clyde’s ears finally had some rest. This old rogue bishop’s recommendation skills were too strong, not going into multi-level marketing was simply a waste of talent. After listening to his puffs, even Clyde himself was almost interested and nearly spent the money. However, by looking at Saintess Tiffany and Saintess Maria not far away, Clyde suppressed his impulses. This bishop was absolutely poisonous. Next time, he would stay a bit further from him; otherwise, he wouldn’t even know how he had been cheated out of money.
Not long afterward, Clyde discovered that he was still too young. From the Pope to Archbishops to even the Bishops of Light Church, all were like Bishop Nichols, astonishingly eloquent in promoting sales services. Bishop Nichols was just at the average standard level, nothing more. If those few Archbishops had taken to the field, Clyde would have easily spent above 100,000 gold coins.
Halfway through the banquet, Adrian Empire’s princess, Alyssa showed herself. She was a blue-haired beauty wearing sea-blue formal evening wear with a gem necklace on her chest. Her temperament was elegant and dignified, and her azure pupils seemed to emit an enchanting luster like a gem.
Alyssa didn’t look towards Clyde. She seemed to have prejudice against Light Church. Many aristocrats with a sense of justice generally maintained a respectful distance from Light Church. However, they couldn’t do anything to Light Church. Although Light Church claimed to not interfere in political affairs, it had long maintained friendly relations with the higher-ups of every human nation in secret. Those uncooperative aristocrats jointly suppressed at the lower levels. Even if they looked down upon Light Church, they could do nothing about it nor pose any substantial threat.
“Royal sister, you came. Go and greet Bishop Nichols!”
“No, big brother. Didn’t I say to you before to not ask me to greet those villains of Light Church?”
“This is politics. Don’t shoot off your mouth! Our defeat by Augusta Empire has emptied our treasuries. We can only hope that Light Church will reduce our mandatory church offerings this year. Do you want to make things difficult for me?”
Princess Alyssa was dissatisfied by Prince Joseph’s inviting of the personnel from Light Church, yet she didn’t have any excuse with which to refute her royal brother. Now, Adrian Empire was so poor that it had to sell fiefs and honorary aristocrat titles. The emperor even intended to use the princess as a tool to exchange for funds. He wanted to marry out princess to other empires and gain a huge amount of betrothal money. If it were not for the betrothal gift price being too high and an inability to come to an agreement with several neighboring empires, Princess Alyssa would have already been sold.
Princess Alyssa unwillingly went to the Light Church. A few of her beautiful, close girlfriends accompanied her. All were golden daughters of Adrian Empire’s illustrious aristocrat families. Because Bishop Nichols was already dead drunk, it was clearly impossible to greet him, so they could only turn to greet the next person of highest status among the higher-ups of Light Church.
Clyde just happened to be sitting beside Bishop Nichols, so Princess Alyssa mistakenly believed that he was the person with the highest status after Bishop Nichols. Generally, the seats were determined according to their statuses. Among the higher-ups of Light Church on the scene, Princess Alyssa couldn’t help but examine him a few more times.
“Welcome to the banquet. We are all friends of Light Church, so if we are not attentive enough in any aspect, I hope you will excuse us.”
“Princess Alyssa, the dishes are very delicious. Thank you for your hospitality.”
“Eh… okay, sorry that I disturbed you.”
Clyde’s reply greatly surprised Princess Alyssa. She had the impression that the higher-ups of Light Church were accustomed to eating delicacies from the land and seas, and every time a host took the initiative to extend greetings to them, the host would be met with cold eyes, avoiding the dishes. Clyde was the first one to express gratitude.
