Chapter 365
Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW
You can buy coins here to unlock advanced chapters: https://gravitytales.com/coins-purchase-page/
Chapter 365: The Plan
"Do you know who your opponent is?" Karoso asked.
"Yes, the cancer of the empire. I will definitely remove them!" Aileen said firmly. "Father promised me that if I resolve these matters within three years, I can take charge of the Knight Tournament."
"I believe that one day, the spirit of chivalry will shine once more on the land of Pande."
With this incident, the Knight Tournament came to an end.
Tourists were fleeing Pande like crazy, and the price of a ticket skyrocketed to ten thousand Forged Coins, with no tickets available.
To recover, it will probably take a few years.
"Very good, very spirited." Karoso nodded, "As far as I know, the place you are going to is at the crossroads of the desert and the Numenor forest, and nearby there are the Chartou mountains, where the Chartou people live everywhere."
"The Chartou group is an enemy of your country and the Elves, so there you might be able to borrow the power of the Elves."
"Thank you for your advice," Aileen said softly. "I heard that you have been touched by the gods, and your body…"
Karoso’s face turned pale, looking as if he had been emptied out, which made Aileen feel very sorry.
He is her friend, but this happened to him in her country…
"I’m fine." Karoso hesitated, "Actually, I suggest that you don’t leave so soon. The people you are taking are Benson’s soldiers, and you don’t even have military funds. You might starve before you get there."
"There will be supplies along the way, right?" Aileen blinked, "Those city-states along the way belong to the Empire."
Karoso: …
Do you really think they will give you money? It will be a miracle if you can borrow any money!
Although Aileen’s popularity among commoners is rising quickly, she will surely become a thorn in the side of the nobles.
Even if Duke Benson made a huge mistake, killing him so easily without an imperial order or approval from the senate would make any noble feel nervous.
In this era, the reputation of commoners is helpful, but it cannot be used for food.
There are very few examples of successful peasant uprisings.
In the end, to rule this country, one still needs the reputation and support of the nobles, or at least to gather a strong enough group of followers.
"Wait for a moment," Karoso said. "Give me a few days, and you should also gather some supplies, especially what you need in the desert. I can lend you the money."
"I have one million and five hundred thousand Magic Crystal Coins, so I can lend you a million."
"How can I take your money?" Aileen waved her hands. "Our country has already wronged you!"
"The Shield Wind Fortress has two divisions of troops. One division’s daily operating cost is about three hundred million Forged Coins," Karoso said seriously. "Where will you get the money?"
Although they didn’t use firearms, their regular weapons were not much cheaper, as they were all enchanted.
"There must be a way!" Aileen said firmly. "Even though Benson has gone astray and many nobles are corrupt, I still have some uncles. I believe they are true knights!"
Karoso fell silent. No matter how good those people were, they would not help Aileen at this moment; it would be putting their own lives or even their entire families at risk.
"The proud descendant of the Knight King, the heir of the Sword in the Stone, wouldn’t refuse to pay, would you?" Karoso smiled, "I am not lending you money for free; I will be collecting interest. Let’s calculate it based on your national debt interest for now, as if I have saved the money with you."
"Of course I will pay you back, but…" Even Aileen, no matter how simple-minded, understood what Karoso was trying to do.
The country has just encountered trouble, and the national debt has not yet been issued; following the last time, the interest is really low.
If we wait a few more days, when the country tries to calm this incident and needs to spend a lot of money, they will definitely need to issue national debt, and the interest will rise.
Moreover, Aileen’s future is uncertain; if Aileen were to die, that money would be lost.
Even if Aileen is confident, she only believes in herself; she doesn’t want others to place such a big bet on her and take such a great risk.
"As long as you pay me back, it’s fine. If you won’t take this money, then you don’t see me as a friend," Karoso said. "One million, three years to pay it back. If you can’t repay it…"
"I leave it to you!" Aileen gritted her teeth and bowed to Karoso. "Thank you…"
"You’re welcome." Karoso stood up. "Go buy some supplies first. I know a good arms dealer. If you trust me, I can get him to help you bring some supplies."
Karoso is not at ease buying supplies in this country.
"You are helping me so much, I don’t know how to repay you…" Aileen, like Teresa, was not thinking about romance; instead, she was focused on working hard and didn’t consider anything else.
"There will be opportunities in the future."
……
After Aileen left, Karoso went to meet the Pope of the Flame War God Church.
The Pope’s name was Kroosh Mohan, a strong middle-aged man.
He is the highest-ranking person in the meeting here.
"You finally woke up, good child." Kroosh looked Karoso up and down and exclaimed, "Dual careers, you truly are someone who can bear the blessing of our Lord."
"Don’t worry, you are the Saint Child of our church, I will definitely bring out the best extraordinary holy artifact to help you restore your body."
"Thank you." Karoso nodded.
"I have wanted to see you for a long time, I heard that you just prayed at our Lord’s statue and received His favor?"
"Hmm…"
"What a pity!" Kroosh smacked his thigh, "Such an excellent talent, why be a Card Maker? You should be a warrior! Flame War God Church, you are the only one among the Favored Ones who is not a warrior."
"I’ve noticed that at a certain level, it seems that the profession doesn’t matter…" Karoso hesitated a bit, "Some people with divine power seem to be able to use cards across professions."
"You know quite a lot; talking to someone as well-off as you is easy." Kroosh nodded, "The key is that you have divine power. People with divine power are very unique; how many are there on the continent? And even those with divine power can only achieve the best effects using their own profession’s cards. Little one, when learning things, don’t be too scattered; focus."
"Thank you for your guidance," Karoso expressed his heartfelt gratitude.
"In this incident, you have done an incredible job," Kroosh showed a hint of appreciation in his eyes. "Tell me, do you have any wishes?"
This time, Karoso’s success in defeating the God of War has begun to shake the absolute power of the Church of the Dawn Goddess.
The reason the Church of the Dawn Goddess was so powerful before was that they had the most people, the strongest wealth, the most believers, and unmatched strength.
The Church of the Dawn Goddess did not use the Light Momentum; with Ricardo involved, and the matter being resolved by the Church of the Flame War God, it is impossible for them to hold absolute power anymore.
This situation, like the Pande Empire, will not allow other forces to dig too deep.
As a result, a great cost will have to be paid.
For example, before, only the Church of the Dawn Goddess had a veto power, and now they are discussing this matter.
If everything goes as expected, the Church of the Flame War God may gain a vote.
After this event, many small churches now look up to only the Flame War God Church.
"Archbishop Ricardo is involved in raising the Death Knight. This Laria is not peaceful; who knows how many secrets are hidden inside? If that is the case, it seems unfair to leave the judgment of Neymar’s divine identity to the Church of Dawn Goddess," said Karoso.
"Of course, we will monitor this matter closely," nodded Kroosh.
"Um… This is our church’s responsibility; it shouldn’t be seen as a demand, should it?" Karoso asked cautiously.
The ‘we’ that Karoso mentioned felt perfectly natural, as if he himself belonged to this church…
"Ha!" The admiration in Kroosh’s eyes grew stronger, "Our church has done something so significant; it is only right to participate in such matters and let the world know the reputation of the Flame War God Church."
"Years ago, our Lord wielded Levatin to bring about the Twilight of the Gods and joined with Marl to fight for humanity’s survival."
"Unfortunately, those before us failed our Lord, and His glory did not shine across the entire land."
"Now that I have become the Pope, it is time to change this situation."
"With your skills, you can definitely do it." Karoso continued, "The Shield Wind Fortress has a complicated mix of powers, and I believe there should be a branch of our church there as well. This is just a suggestion; whether to accept it is up to you…"
"Well, the nobles of the Kingdom of Knights can only worship the Knight King, but the people are not required to do so. The Katu tribe and the Fear Legion are known for their strength, so I believe the glory of our Lord should shine upon them too." Kroosh nodded, not refusing.
This is the difference between the church and the state.
For the Pande Empire, these two forces are enemies, but for the church, anyone can believe in their faith. Their hatred for each other has nothing to do with the church, as long as they don’t trouble it.
Karoso mentioned two things, neither of which could be considered his demands; they were merely suggestions that the Saint Child could offer.
Kroosh realized that Karoso was not only strong in battle but was also a rare talent even without his strength.
At least when it comes to securing benefits, he was very careful, and both suggestions were advantageous to him, making them easy for Kroosh to accept.
"As for my request… I want to send some people to Shield Wind Fortress, and I hope to deduct their daily supplies from my reward." Karoso finally made a serious request.
Strangely, this request did not concern him; it was about Aileen.
"It seems that princess is very important to you…" Kroosh raised an eyebrow.
Is this meant to be given to Aileen?
What does he mean by this, or what do Canglang Province and even the Presea Empire mean by this?
If it is the Empire’s intention, then it becomes interesting; having soldiers stationed can be a big or small matter…
"Is it possible?"
"Yes." Kroosh nodded. "How many people?"
"A few elite ones."
"Alright, I can help transport the firearms too." Kroosh was feeling quite confident; he was being very straightforward without any hints, "However, taking care of these people and helping them hide their identities is not an easy task. The Church has great potential for the future, but its current capabilities are limited…"
The meaning is very clear; Karoso’s request has reached its limit.
"Understand."
"You in Canglang Province also need a branch of the Flame War God Church, right?" Kroosh touched the ring on his finger.
"As a Saint Child, I should donate a church to the church; that is what I must do." Karoso emphasized a church.
Canglang Province was conquered by Grand Duke Osiris himself; he did not want other forces to interfere.
Even the Church of the Wisdom God has not built many churches; the church’s power is completely suppressed in Canglang Province.
Moreover, Canglang Province and the Presea Empire are both in the north, in a cold area with strong and brave people, where worship of nature is greater than worship of gods. There are few pastors, but many shamans.
"Hmm." Kroosh nodded with satisfaction, "I will send you the things that will help you restore your body later."
……
After meeting the Pope, Karoso communicated with Grand Duke Osiris again.
"Is everything alright?" Grand Duke Osiris, as usual, got straight to the point.
"It’s fine, just a divine event; the Flame War God Church will handle it."
"That’s good to hear. Were you involved in this incident?"
"I took part in some of it, for Neymar, for Aileen."
"Do you want a marriage alliance?"
"No, I just want to be friends with Aileen."
Osiris fell silent.
To be friends with Aileen…
Aileen’s reputation has now spread across the entire continent; becoming friends with her is not just making a simple friendship.
"Do you want to place a bet?"
"Yes." Karoso did not hide it.
"Alright, what do you need now?"
The Pande Empire is decaying; this is what Osiris taught Karoso. What Karoso and Aileen said were actually thoughts planted by Osiris.
So, Karoso’s bet this time aligns with Osiris’s wishes.
Right now, the situation is unstable, with conflicts between countries and between nobles and commoners, as well as issues with productivity; it clearly points to a world war.
At this time, to stand firm, one must rely not only on military strength but also on politics and diplomacy.
Canglang Province, in its early days, navigated between the three kingdoms, surviving in the cracks.
However, Karoso is clearly not satisfied with the status quo; from the people he interacts with, it is clear he wants to make a big move.
He does not want to survive in a tight space; he wants to gain more from the world war!
To get more, you must take more risks.
Not following those deeply rooted powers can easily bring disaster, but Osiris saw this important trait in Karoso.
The leader is too cautious, the second one has good skills but is a bit petty, only Karoso has great ambition.
If Karoso succeeds, Canglang Province will take a big step forward.
If he fails… at worst, he will have nothing.
Osiris started from nothing and built a huge business; his ambitions are still strong, and he wants a better Colloa.
If we don’t win, we might as well die!
"I need a master to take me home; I want to stay with this elite group, led by a seventh-tier Professional."
