Chapter 47

Chapter 47

The young man rubbed the back of his head and chuckled. "Nothing, I was just thinking how well-built their city walls are."

His companion, who hadn’t caught his words clearly, assumed he was genuinely marveling at the sight and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it’s even better than our Yeni City..."

He cut himself off, not daring to continue, but the unspoken implication was clear to both of them.

The man glanced at the bishops seated in the carriage ahead; he began to feel their mission might fail.

When they were stopped by Yangcheng’s guards, that feeling grew stronger.

"State your business—do you have Yangcheng identification badges or any documents to verify your identities? If not, please register at the guard post on the right to obtain temporary passes."

Knight Captain Daniel glowered at the guard before him. In the past, officials would immediately defer to them upon seeing their attire and carriage. These men actually dared to block them.

Did they really think they deserved the same treatment as commoners?

"Open your eyes wide and look! The emblems we wear, the patterns on our robes—they all belong to the Hainie Church! You’re nothing but a mere gatekeeper—how dare you stop us!" Daniel’s voice burned with indignation, though inwardly, unease prickled at him.

Since when did ordinary city gatekeepers possess such bearing?

At this point, they still hadn’t realized their purpose had long been exposed. Ning Chan had specifically selected a few elite members from the Special Guard Corps to stand watch at the city gates.

No matter how much they had developed internally, they needed to display their wealth of talent first.

As for stopping them, the "guards" were simply following procedure. If the visitors insisted on interpreting it as a deliberate slight, let them think that—who cared?

"Oh, so you’re from the Hainie Church. My apologies. Recently, Yangcheng has been developing rapidly, with many important visitors conducting business. To ensure the city’s safety and better assist everyone, we need to verify identities and purposes in advance."

The "guards" were well accustomed to such exchanges. They had repeated this explanation countless times, and not a trace of nervousness showed on their faces now.

Seeing they weren’t intimidated, Daniel’s gut tightened. He wanted to draw his sword and teach this "insolent fool" a lesson, but the guards’ demeanor suggested this was routine—even with nobility.

If that were the case, provoking conflict with them would be unreasonable.

Moreover, the true concern wasn't these mere gatekeepers following orders, but the Lis Church’s stance.

Eliminating these men before any open conflict wouldn’t be wise.

Of course, Daniel refused to admit that the guard’s imposing height—well over six feet—had "slightly" unnerved him.

"Oh, so you’re saying this is for our own good?" Daniel’s sarcastic tone faltered when the guard nodded earnestly.

He wondered if this lummox had even noticed his mocking tone.

"Then tell me, what kind of ‘assistance’ can you provide?"

"Hold on, let me call someone to guide your men to get temporary passes first. Please don’t be upset. As part of Yangcheng’s hospitality, first-time registrants can also receive a small gift there. I’m sure you’ll like it."

Hearing there was a gift, Daniel, who initially found the process troublesome, had no choice but to return to the group and inform the two bishops. Then, he took two subordinates to follow the young squad leader for registration.

After briefly providing their names, ages, and other details, they received the promised gift—fifteen mint-green candies.

Daniel had one of his men taste a piece first. When no issues arose, he took one for himself and popped it into his mouth.

Sweetness danced on his tongue, swirling into a refreshing coolness that instantly eased the lingering summer heat.

The unusual flavor brightened Daniel's expression. He paused on his way back to the group and turned to look at the clerk still organizing the records.

"So, is it five candies per person registered?"

The recorder glanced up at him. "Yeah, got more people? Bring 'em over to register."

"No need, I know their details. I can just tell you directly."

The recorder paused, then picked up the pen again. "Alright. But since I haven’t actually seen them, I can’t provide portraits. You’ll just get unfinished temporary passes. Once inside the city, you’ll need to complete supplementary registration at Lis Church. Otherwise, those passes won’t qualify for city benefits."

"About the candies—since they’re not here, we can only give two per person now. The rest will be delivered after they complete the supplementary registration."

Not everyone wanted to cool their heels outside the gates for registration, especially those of high status. To avoid ruffling feathers right off the bat, Ning Chan had the guards conduct only basic screening at the gates, relying on various methods to gradually integrate them after they entered the city.

After all, you gotta test limits—one nudge at a time!

Daniel nodded right away—the deal worked for him. Two candies per person—with their sizable group, the total would still be substantial. "Fine."

The two underlings could only gawk as their boss swiped their teammates’ candy shares.

Noticing their gazes, Daniel fished out four more from the bag, handing two to each.

Now they were all in on the scam—no one could gripe.

As for Hamude and the others, after receiving their peppermint candies, their irritation eased somewhat.

But this relief was short-lived. After witnessing too many unusual aspects of the city, their arrogance began to erode.

Their fancy carriage clattered down the pristine gray pavement, leaving behind hoofprints and wheel tracks.

Though other carriages and pedestrians shared the road, their passage left almost no trace.

Next to the locals, these so-called nobles looked downright grubby.

Even Yenith, a major city, reeked of street filth—yet this remote, "backwater" Yang City had none of it. So who was the uncivilized ones? No brainer.

Amid Yang City’s lush greenery and flower-filled gardens, their long-dulled noses seemed to regain their original sensitivity.

These perfume-drenched neat freaks could actually smell themselves—how could they not feel humiliated?

They didn’t wanna think about people’s reactions—whether they’d be... grossed out.

Just the thought made their haughty chins wobble.

So, upon arriving in town, their first stop wasn’t Lis Church—it was the nearest tub.

They needed to scrub till they sparkled—pride was on the line.

After a good scrub-down at the public bathhouse, they felt like new men.

"Hah! Your back’s glowing—like a steamed crab!"

"Look who’s talking! They said the scrub felt amazing, but at first, I thought it was a scam. I almost decked the guy! But once you endure it, it’s like your whole body unlocks—pure bliss. Heaven. I’m hitting this place again—you down?"

"Absolutely! You wouldn’t believe the gunk that came off me—I had no idea I was that filthy!"

"Same! Right? Could’ve built a mud pie with mine. Oh, and they offer massages too. I bailed last time—folks were screaming—but if so many try it, it must be good, right?"

"You didn’t try? I did. Same as the scrub—gotta try it to believe it."

"No kidding? I’m booking one tomorrow!"

Thus, this group of aggressive troublemakers nearly had their bones turned to jelly in the grand bathhouse.

By the time they met the people from Lis Church, they were struggling to maintain their composure.

As for Bishop Hamude, who had advocated plundering Lis Church's belongings, his feelings were particularly mixed at the moment.

Damn it, why does Harry smell so good? Did he bathe in perfume?

Little did he know, Harry had recently received a bottle of perfume crafted by Lord Holy Son as a reward for completing his tasks well.

Just a tiny dab could make one exude an enchanting fragrance, even capable of attracting butterflies at times.

Harry usually hoarded it for special occasions, but now, hearing he was to meet the delegation from the Hainy Diocese, he felt he couldn't let them see him as inferior—such luxuries were meant for moments like this.

The result was that Hamude, who had thought himself perfectly clean after the bath, now looked at Harry with growing irritation.

What really got under Hamude's skin was that when they were taken to visit the Sacred Plant garden, a swarm of butterflies fluttered around Harry.

Watching those elegant, beautifully winged creatures and then the gently smiling Harry before them, Hamude and his companions' faces contorted in displeasure.

Why couldn’t such a lovely scene feature someone else? This crusty old bastard didn’t deserve it!

Harry paid no mind to their discomfort, ignoring their dirty looks as he actively interacted with the butterflies.

As the lovely butterflies perched on Harry’s fingertips and the back of his hand, Hamude and the others could only insist they’d seen enough of the Sacred Plant garden and wished to visit elsewhere.

Harry smiled, letting the butterflies take flight from his palm, and nodded in agreement.

When in Rome... especially with high-ranking diocesan visitors. Since they had made the request, a change of location was in order.

How about the Holy Tablet? Since they were here, they couldn't very well leave without paying respects to it.

The only question was whether these pompous asses would try to seize the Holy Tablet.

If they really dared... well, that would be... perfect!