Chapter 121

Chapter 121

Lorant stepped out and saw someone he was somewhat familiar with.

"Jeremy?" Lorant greeted the priest with some surprise as he welcomed him in: "It's quite rare to see you drop by."

The visitor was indeed Jeremy, a senior priest of the Church. He and Lorant first met at the winter item donation for pet Slimes.

Lorant had a rather good impression of this priest.

He rarely felt that anyone was truly a saint, even the two Archbishops, Diana and Frank. Lorant thought they might be competent leaders, but not necessarily qualified clergy.

Like many others, Lorant tended to idealize clergymen in his mind.

He always thought that a true priest should be gentle, pure, kind-hearted, and genuinely concerned about their parishioners.

Just as the Church promotes, people believe all priests are chosen by the Goddess of Light for their outstanding character and granted divine faith power.

This notion helps establish the Church's public image and aids in educating its followers.

However, in reality, most priests, like mages, awaken their abilities first and are then recruited by the Church.

Mages and priests tend to awaken their powers relatively early, so in the eyes of many uninformed people, it seems as if the Church trains priests rather than recruits them.

But this means that most priests are similar to mages, just more righteous and constantly invoking the name of the Goddess of Light.

Under Lancelot's influence, Lorant gradually developed little fondness for these hypocritical preachers.

One of the few exceptions was those priests he had personally interacted with, like Jeremy before him.

Lorant firmly believed that those who seemed like living Buddhas, radiating sanctity, could only be one of two things: either truly despicable people using such behavior as a cover for their dark thoughts, or genuine saints who do not hide from others' gazes and remain true to themselves.

Lorant couldn't say much about others, but he didn't think Jeremy was capable of hiding himself well. If he were a truly despicable person, his acting would have been too surprising.

Jeremy scratched his head awkwardly: "I'm really sorry, Store Owner. I don't usually come here; I only do so when I need something."

Lorant was taken aback. His jest would have made anyone else laugh it off, but only Jeremy took it seriously, reflecting on whether he was indeed only visiting when he needed something, and whether Lorant was truly upset.

Lorant quickly waved his hands: "No, no, Jeremy, that was just a joke, a joke, not a real complaint about your infrequent visits."

Jeremy visibly relaxed: "That's a relief. Honestly, Lorant, I've been incredibly busy lately and couldn't find time to visit you. This is true, not an excuse. I hope it hasn't affected our friendship."

"Of course not, Jeremy, please come in. Come inside and have a cold drink." Lorant smiled. Jeremy's honesty might make many people uncomfortable, but for Lorant, having a friend who laid everything out in the open was far better than someone who kept everything bottled up and resented others for not understanding them.

He liked this priest who was sometimes as straightforward as a small animal.

The weather was getting unbearably hot.

Lorant often suspected that the sun above his head was a different one from the one he remembered from his previous life; otherwise, how could there be such a significant difference in temperature?

Today's temperature already matched what Lorant remembered from midsummer, but the hottest days were yet to come.

Since it was still early summer, the temperature would continue to rise. When it reached its peak, even a ten-minute walk under the sun would drench even professionals in sweat.

Mauplan's climate was more extreme than Holland's, with colder winters and equally scorching summers.

To cope with such weather, Lorant had made thorough preparations.

A refrigeration machine produced by Liszt was already operating in Lorant's kitchen. This machine, with capabilities similar to a third-level elemental mage, could easily freeze a whole basin of water into solid ice blocks within minutes.

While it sounded like a convenient magical tool, apparently, no one else was willing to buy it.

After all, it was expensive and consumed a lot of resources. In comparison, elemental mages were much more cost-effective.

Many impoverished low-level mages chose to make ice blocks for sale during the summer. Making ice blocks did not require advanced magical skills; it was a common spell that even a first-level mage could easily cast.

Most common-born mages, who had just advanced to formal professionals, were left penniless after the enormous costs of advancement, astonishingly poor...

Only someone as obscenely wealthy as Lorant, who didn't care about the small price difference and valued convenience, would commission Liszt to create such a machine.

Lancelot was somewhat unhappy about this, feeling that some of his value had been usurped by this hateful magical device.

Previously, Lorant would always ask him to make a few ice cubes for his drinks.

If the machine knew, it would probably be proud of itself, having won the job over a powerful dual-cultivator...

Lorant sliced and mashed fresh sour fruits to extract a refreshing juice, then added some sweet honey to balance the acidity. He scooped out a cup of ice cubes from his belt and mixed them thoroughly before pouring in chilled spring water, creating a refreshing summer beverage.

Jeremy and his young assistant sat obediently on the sofa, eagerly accepting the drink as Lorant approached.

"Thank you, Store Owner." Jeremy politely sipped the drink: "Hmm? Sour fruits and honey? It tastes great. You always manage to create such wonderful dishes, Store Owner."

His compliment was a bit awkward due to his lack of skill, but it was sincere. The moment he spoke, he recalled the delicious sandwich Lorant had made, which he still remembered vividly.

"Thank you, Store Owner." The young assistant also thanked him politely.

She was almost inseparable from Jeremy, present wherever he was.

On one hand, she watched over Jeremy to prevent him from being deceived, and on the other, she was more adept at social graces, ready to handle any aftermath for Jeremy.

"Alright, now tell me, what brings you here?" Lorant savored his 'hand-shaken lemonade,' satisfied with today's flavor.

Although the honey flavor was a bit overpowering, it was unavoidable. Among all the exotic creatures, there was only one type of sweet source, and there was no choice in the matter.

"It's like this," Jeremy straightened up, placing his cup back on the table: "Mr. Frank asked me to invite you to give a lecture at the Church."

"Archbishop Frank?" Lorant keenly picked up on the key point. This wasn't a request from the Church, but a personal invitation from Archbishop Frank.

"That's right. He wants you to give a public lecture at our church in Mauplan, addressing all the congregation about the Dream Weavers." Jeremy was straightforward, as he came here at Frank's insistence.

To him, this was just another ordinary lecture invitation.

"Shopkeeper, do you have time recently?" Jeremy looked at Lorant with pleading eyes. Archbishop Frank had made it clear that if Lorant didn't agree today, he would be considered incompetent and confined to the church for three months of intensive training, during which he wouldn't be allowed to step outside.

Jeremy was quite talented, though he wasn't too fond of dedicated practice. Even with his sporadic efforts, he managed to keep up with others.

So, he preferred to spend his time on what he believed were more meaningful activities.

Like helping others.

Apart from personally overseeing every distribution of church aid, Jeremy would also visit the slums in his spare time to provide free medical care.

The healing abilities of priests were out of reach for most of the lower class, and Jeremy's free clinics often saved many people teetering on the brink of death, giving him a great sense of accomplishment and making him willing to invest more time in it.

Frank had also said that if he could get Lorant to agree readily, he would send a team of priests to assist him, allowing him to conduct a series of free clinics with their help.

More hands meant more strength, especially when it came to a team of priests. The thought of having their assistance, which might have saved the unfortunate man with a broken leg in the outskirts of Humility District, greatly excited Jeremy.

This gave Jeremy extra motivation today.

Lorant, however, was somewhat hesitant. He had ignored the Congress of Magic's request before, and he found such lectures uninteresting.

But...

"What exactly did Archbishop Frank say?" Out of distrust towards Jeremy, Lorant still chose to ask.

"Huh?" Jeremy looked at Lorant, clearly puzzled by his question.

The young assistant, observing the two, promptly interjected, "Shopkeeper, here's the situation: actually, this is Archbishop Frank's personal wish. He hopes to invite you to give a lecture under the name of the Mauplan Church."

Lorant suddenly understood. The incident with the Dream Weaver had propelled Diana to become the most renowned bishop in the church, which seemed to make Frank feel uneasy.

However, the power struggles among archbishops were none of Lorant's concern. Although Diana was Lancelot's mother, Lorant always adhered to the principle of balance regarding these matters.

He didn't want the Animal Pet Shop to clearly align with any side, not even between the two bishops within the church. Only when both sides were evenly matched and could go back and forth could Lorant maximize his gains.

It might seem opportunistic, but it was undoubtedly the best choice until he became strong enough to choose someone to support as his representative within the church.

"Since that's the case, I need to think about it," Lorant said after some internal deliberation, looking up at the young assistant.

The assistant, hearing Lorant's words, felt a glimmer of hope. He knew the task given by the archbishop had a chance of success, and today hadn't been in vain. Getting Lorant to commit on the spot was indeed quite difficult.

But Jeremy couldn't sit still.

"Lorant, don't! What do you need to think about? This lecture won't take much of your time!" Jeremy leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, looking pitifully desperate, almost ready to grab Lorant's sleeve and beg him to agree: "If I go back now, Frank will lock me up! For three months!"

Jeremy's urgency was evident, and he even called the archbishop by his first name, showing how desperate he was.

Lorant, unable to help but laugh at the childish man, couldn't bring himself to be angry: "Jeremy, I just... okay, okay, I need a bit of time to think, right? How about this: you two go to the backyard and wait while I consider it and give you an answer?"

After compromising, Lorant fell into deep thought. Hmm, could it be that Frank knew he couldn't resist someone like Jeremy and sent him here? He felt like he was onto something, that cunning bald archbishop!

Jeremy, relieved, happily picked up his cup: "No problem, Lorant. We'll go to the backyard. I want to see the Windbreaker horse again. The one the church assigned me is a bit aggressive; every time I walk by, it kicks dirt at me..."

The priest grumbled as he happily sipped his iced drink and headed to the backyard.

The assistant was quite surprised by the turn of events, never expecting Jeremy to actually persuade Lorant to give a definite response.

Once they were both gone, Lorant addressed the small door beside the stairs: "Lance, what do you think?"

Lancelot walked out calmly, as if he had just returned and happened to hear Lorant discussing church matters in the living room, making it awkward to enter or leave, so he stayed to listen.

He knew that with the Specter Spider, Lorant would certainly be aware of his presence. If there was anything that shouldn't be overheard, Lorant would have had the spider notify him.

The little creature's existence meant that any movement within the Animal Pet Shop could be quickly detected by Lorant.

"A lecture? I think you should do it," Lancelot said straightforwardly. He had just returned from outside and was sweltering, adjusting his collar as he walked.

He sat next to Lorant, despite the empty seats across from them, and the white-haired knight squeezed in beside the young man.

Lorant was used to Lancelot's boundary-crossing behavior and didn't find it odd.

His guard was gradually being lowered by the cunning knight.

Lancelot, seeing the iced drink on the table, asked knowingly, "Can I have some?"

Lorant hesitated for a second. The drink was his, and he had already taken a sip. But looking at Lancelot's open, almost mischievous expression, the words on the tip of his tongue changed from "This is mine, wait, I'll make you another one" to "I've had a sip, but if you don't mind..."

Lancelot, of course, didn't mind. With the speed of a seventh-level knight, he grabbed the cup and drank it all in one go, as if afraid Lorant might change his mind.

"Where were we? Oh, right, the lecture." Lancelot smacked his lips, trying to control his reddening ears, putting on a casual, unaffected expression as if nothing had happened.

"The Animal Pet Shop isn't short of money anymore, at least not for now, and it has a promising future," the partner of the Animal Pet Shop said. "I'm already looking forward to this year's dividends."

"But the Animal Pet Shop lacks prestige and authority," Lancelot said seriously. "This lecture is actually a good opportunity."

"Since both the Congress of Magic and the church have invited you, why not accept both, but on our terms. This is the Animal Pet Shop's lecture, not the church's or the Congress of Magic's!"

Lorant furrowed his brow in thought for a moment, then relaxed. "You're right. Not only will I host it, but I'll make it a grand event."

"This is a rare chance to gather practitioners from both professions. Lance, do you think the idea I mentioned earlier is feasible?" Lorant, unusually hesitant, asked. "Is it too early?"

He and Lancelot had discussed many aspects of the Animal Pet Shop's future development, and he had unconsciously become somewhat dependent on Lancelot's input when making decisions.

Lorant had always been decisive, making all his decisions alone without seeking others' opinions because he had no one to consult. He bore all the consequences himself, but things were different now. Lancelot allowed him to share some of the burden.

After Lancelot and he signed the contract, Lorant finally put down his last bit of wariness, becoming increasingly dependent on the other, treating him as a true confidant.

Even so, this was the first time he consulted Lancelot on such a significant matter.

Lancelot naturally understood this, so when he heard Lorant's question, he felt somewhat flattered, but quickly suppressed his excitement, maintaining a calm demeanor: "No, it won't be a problem. On the contrary, I think it's best to proceed with this while the Animal Pet Shop is still relatively small."

In the evening, Jeremy, overjoyed, rushed to the church with the news of Lorant's agreement.

Archbishop Frank was sitting in his Moonlight Grass Garden, having just finished his daily practice. After hearing Jeremy's words, he was somewhat surprised: "So, Lorant agreed just like that?"

He looked at his disciple's foolishly happy expression with suspicion, his gaze involuntarily shifting to the little assistant who followed behind.

The little assistant sighed and stepped forward, feeling that she had indeed borne too much for Jeremy.

"The store owner did agree to give the lecture, and it was largely thanks to Jeremy that everything went so smoothly." The assistant first acknowledged Jeremy's contribution; without his persistence, there might not have been an outcome today. Jeremy's pride swelled at the praise: "However, the store owner insists on setting the time, place, and number of participants himself, and it's very likely we will have to attend with people from the Congress of Magic."

Frank pondered seriously: "Is that so? What does this young man really want?"

The Cardinal Archbishop fell into deep thought, taking a long moment before continuing: "Regardless, you two have done a great job this time. Go rest now, and I'll fulfill my promise to you, Jeremy, once everything is settled!" Seeing Jeremy's mouth open as if he wanted to say something, the Cardinal Archbishop added hastily.

"Follow the plan I laid out earlier. We can start promoting this internally within the church now, emphasizing that Lorant agreed because of his fondness for the Mauplan diocese." The bald archbishop instructed, looking quite cunning in the moonlight.

While the church's upper echelons were engaged in their schemes, the students of the Knights Academy welcomed their second pet class.

Given that many students had to spend a lot of credits renting Windrunner horses for practice after the previous class due to poor time management, everyone made thorough preparations this time around.

"What kinds of food can Windrunner horses accept?" A girl with braids, waiting in the backyard of the Animal Pet Shop for the class to start, kept reviewing the information they had memorized from the pet shop's guidebook with her short-haired friend.

"Meat and organs from level-five or lower beasts," the short-haired girl recited quickly: "Also, five common plants, twenty-three plant beasts, and sixteen types of common grains."

"What does it mean when a Windrunner horse snorts?"

"It means its emotions are fluctuating significantly, but the specific direction depends on the situation."

"Windrunner horse speed..."

The two girls quizzed each other non-stop, as if preparing for an exam.

Many others were in a similar state.

Though those who needed to complete the course content on their own after the first class managed to catch up and pass, the frantic days they spent competing with wealthy merchants for horses, often sleeping outside the branch stores, frightened many.

To avoid a similar fate, everyone put in their utmost effort.