Chapter 281: The Deal
Chapter 281: The Deal
Half a month later, Connie Bergman 'accidentally' came across a news report in the newspaper. He rushed to the royal city, where he met his grandfather, Karl Bergman, and the two recognized each other. The News Daily even did a follow-up report on this event.
Of course, Connie and Karl were the same person, and with Karl's abilities, creating an illusion to deceive others was as easy as pie.
The only one who saw through it, Remille, had no intention of exposing the truth.
A few days later, the 'gravely ill' Earl Karl closed his eyes, and 'Connie' held a funeral for the old Earl with the help of others, inheriting the title of Earl and officially becoming the master of the manor.
"Hmm!"
Coachman Bastian carefully parked the carriage and looked into the carriage:
"Earl, we've arrived at the church."
"Mhm," Karl nodded, lifting the curtain and stepping out slowly. He glanced at the timid Bastian and said with a smile:
"You don't need to be so nervous. As an elderly servant of the manor, I don't plan on dismissing or replacing you."
After all, the two of them did have some connection.
"Yes, Earl," Bastian's face lit up with joy. He didn't know that the young man before him was actually Old Karl, and he had been nervous all this time:
"Thank you, Earl. I'll definitely do my best from now on."
"Doing your best is indeed important," Karl adjusted his shirt and gently knocked on the carriage:
"My grandfather's health wasn't good, and he rarely went out. As his coachman, you should know the roads in the royal city, yet you don't, which is a serious dereliction of duty."
"It won't happen again!" Bastian hurriedly replied:
"I bought a map of the royal city and asked some colleagues about the roads. It won't happen again."
"That's good," Karl took out his cane and tapped it on the ground, then strolled towards the church entrance.
The church's pillars were thick, holding up a vast expanse.
The rough texture, the dark colors—all testified to the countless years this building had endured.
Aged, ancient, vast, and majestic...
No other building had ever given Karl this feeling, and it was likely due to more than just the architecture itself.
Perhaps...
Divine power?
In a corner behind a pillar, a candle was lit, and a woman knelt before it, praying softly. The weak flame flickered faintly.
"Devout believer, the merciful Dawn Lord hears your prayers and will bestow blessings upon you."
Remille closed the scripture and turned to look at him:
"Go in peace. Your child has received redemption."
"Thank you, Father! Thank you, Father!" The believer's face was filled with joy, tears streaming down her face as she repeatedly bowed.
After seeing the believer off, Remille closed the scripture and turned to Karl:
"Earl Connie, have you come to pledge your loyalty to the great Dawn Lord?"
"The Dawn Lord is indeed great, but I'm just a mortal, and I can't abandon my worldly desires just yet," Karl spread his hands:
"Compared to one-sided devotion, I prefer a mutually beneficial deal."
"Hmph!"
Remille snorted:
"Let's go somewhere else."
She didn't want to defile the sacred church.
Side Hall.
Reluctantly, Remille took out a few items and placed them on the table, gesturing for Karl to inspect them.
Karl reached out and brushed his hand over the items on the table, pausing at the candle:
"This is a good one."
Not every item from the Divine Realm had essence, quite the contrary—those with essence were rare.
Essence +3
"Do you like things that have been used by the gods?" Remille's eyes sparkled as she asked.
"Why not worship the gods instead? With your strength, if you devoted yourself to the faith, you might even attain the position of an archangel."
Archangels, the mightiest beings beneath the deities.
Karl waved his hand in rejection and asked, "Can the items of the gods be shared among the followers in the Divine Realm?"
"How is that possible?" Remille shook her head.
"The Divine Realm also has its rankings. Those who newly enter the realm need to clean, cook, and tend to the fields and looms."
"Only after undergoing trials and becoming angels can one earn some privileges, but even then, their lives are undoubtedly much better than those of mortals."
For an unbeliever like Karl, she didn't describe the Divine Realm as perfectly as the books depicted.
"Hmm?"
Karl looked up, "Do people in the Divine Realm need to eat?"
"Of course," Remille nodded.
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The gods have the power to create food, but it consumes their divine energy, and using it for this purpose is not cost-effective.
As for those who enter the Divine Realm and only want to enjoy without working...
Such people cannot enter the Divine Realm, and if they do, they will be expelled.
"What about this one?"
Karl picked up a quill, squinting as he gently caressed it.
"It's made of a very special material."
"This is a white-headed eagle's feather, not an ordinary one, but a special legendary one," Remille explained. "The gods have used it to write before."
Essence +2
'It seems that only things imbued with the essence of the deities contain essence, and this is the same in the Divine Realm.'
Karl's thoughts turned, and he asked, "What if the Dawn Lord discovers that you've taken these things?"
"Don't worry, he won't find out," Remille assured him. "These are all items from the warehouse, already abandoned and unused. Even if we didn't take them, they'd still need to be dealt with."
"The gods wouldn't care about these things."
"That's good," Karl smiled. "I hope to obtain some items that have been touched by the deities next time, the longer they've been used, the better."
"Don't look at me like that."
Glancing at Remille's puzzled expression, Karl explained, "You should know that in the mortal world, some followers are willing to pay any price to obtain these things."
"In their hearts, the gods are irreplaceable!"
"Hmph..." Remille's face filled with disdain.
"Greed will forever bar you from the Divine Realm."
Using a pile of wizardry items, Karl acquired over a dozen 'specialties' from the Divine Realm and gained 7 points of essence.
On the carriage ride back, Karl closed his eyes in deep thought.
Ever since he advanced to the third circle of wizardry, it took twenty points of essence to increase one point of mental power or physique.
The third circle's value ranges from fifty to one hundred.
Relatively speaking, seven points of essence wasn't much, but this trade was valuable for its long-term benefits and safety.
Opening his eyes, Karl rubbed his forehead and sighed.
The lich Addison's final counterattack left a stubborn 'scar' in his inner sea of thoughts.
It would be difficult to repair in a short time.
Estimating...
"At least ten years!"
"The lich's heritage, Flame Meditation, Triple Disciple Technique, Ten Thousand Buddha Palm, Holy Demonic Transformation, and the art of concealing one's aura..."
"It's just the right time to cultivate one or two of these during this period."
Taking inventory of the items on his person, Karl muttered, "But before that, I should still make a trip to another world and find a safe place to settle down."
"Oh!"
"And over at Black Swamp, the stargate will open in a few years. I wonder if I can do something about it?"
With a plan in mind, he closed his eyes again.
(End of Chapter)
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