"What's a ninja, Maxy?" Miraj asked with much excitement, since Sylvester was excited.
Sylvester smiled, somewhat looking forward to meeting the strange man again. "They are remarkable individuals with incredible stealth techniques. If that man was able to elude my senses and infiltrate the castle where multiple Grand Wizards reside, he must be of equal rank."
Sylvester then continued to descend the staircase, maintaining his composure despite the recent events. However, it was also a wake-up call for him as he began to understand how the Warsong Kingdom had been able to hold off the Masan Empire in a stalemate for so long — how a small kingdom was able to withstand the might of an empire.
If their combat and infiltration abilities were so highly developed, then there was no chance for an easy victory for Masan, he reckoned.
"Now I comprehend how those Masan forward commanders keep getting assassinated. There is simply no way to avoid that level of skill. If not for my sense of smell, I would have missed him as well."
Sylvester began to grasp many things about the West, but he also realized how much he still didn't know.
"I suppose I now know what my priority will be in the Holy Land. I must read about the history, geography, and politics of every kingdom in the world."
With a new focus, he arrived at the banquet hall. It was immense, with a white marble floor and golden chandeliers hanging from the ornate ceiling full of tapestries. However, the hall was empty, with only the King, Queen, the Prince, their family, and Sylvester's team seated at the long table.
"Perfect timing, Young Bard." King Highland voiced after noticing him. "Did they reach any resolution?"
"King Conrad has requested some time. If everything goes well, I believe the conflict will be resolved soon. But let us not discuss such matters while eating. Instead, I hoped to inquire about the agricultural suggestion I made. Was your dam successful?" Sylvester changed the subject.
King Highland nodded. "The land is currently being dried. The chief alchemist spoke highly of the nutrients he detected in the soil after conducting some experiments. Additionally, ever since I returned from the Holy Land after meeting you, I ordered animal manure to be collected and stored according to your recommended methods. Hopefully, this sowing season, we will have enough fertilizer for our main farmland."
'I anticipated as much. The Snake River lacks floods, resulting in the washing away of many minerals. However, only time will reveal if their crops will flourish.'
"It's delightful to hear, your majesty. With the end of the crisis in the Sorrow Kingdom, I believe the Highland Kingdom will soon have a food surplus. Please sell it to the Sorrow Kingdom at a fair price. Lord Einarr is doing his best, but rebuilding an entire Kingdom from nothing will require the assistance of neighbors and the Holy Land simultaneously," Sylvester requested earnestly since prosperity was one of the factors that could reduce the influence of Anti-Light in the area.
"Additionally, I must caution you beforehand. Keep a watchful eye on all your villages bordering the Sorrow Kingdom. Anti-Light is very active in that region and continues to turn minds against the warmth of Solis," Sylvester added.
"Outrageous!" Highland stood up, angered. "After your life-threatening battle for freedom, they still choose those preachers of darkness? Have they gone blind?"
"Not blind, but hungry," Sylvester corrected. "A hungry stomach does not care whether the food comes from the palm of a Solis preacher or otherwise."
"Indeed," Queen Trinity finished feeding Prince Rex Magnus. The child was almost a year old and had begun to consume regular milk and other stomach-soothing food solutions. "When there is a lack of leadership and chaos reigns, the values of society hold little significance. To satisfy one's hunger, one may go to any extent."
Sir Dolorem interjected, "That was the situation before the Fifth Pope, Pollux Ragthon, The Warrior, spread the faith across Sol and consolidated the church."
"But then Atrox, the Mad, brought madness, making the Church more militant, and from his reign began the Witch Burnings, which still plague us," the Queen added. "There have been good Popes and bad Popes. Fortunately, we are living in a good period currently. Pope Axel stopped the war, and now His Grace, Sylvester, has brought order to the entire East Sol. Before, Gracia and Riveria were constantly on the brink of war, and now they have flourishing trade relations. With the Sorrow Kingdom restored, the four Kingdoms of the East have the prospect of becoming stronger than ever before."
King Highland grinned gleefully and raised his glass to Sylvester. "Let's toast to 'Saint' Sylvester Maximilian!"
Sylvester chortled and gestured his hand. "Attaining sainthood is a more formidable feat than earning the rank of Cardinal, Your Majesty. The elderly gentlemen in the Council of Thirty-Two would rather perish than see a nineteen-year-old bestowed with the title of Saint."
The King sneered. "Nonsense! In just four years, you have accomplished more for the betterment of our realm than the Church has in four centuries, I regret to say."
Sylvester uncomfortably sat in his seat as he never liked to talk about his future with anyone, simply because he knew that his future was as unexpected as Miraj's hunger. Especially his life, which had more secrets, schemes, and mysteries hidden than clergymen in the realm.
"I will leave the decision up to them, Your Majesty. If they find me deserving, then it would be a great honor. If they deem me too young, then I must accept the reality. Being an Archbishop is already pushing the limits, and I would prefer not to seek more. By the way, this mutton is exceedingly tender and savory. I truly adore Southern cuisine for its generous use of spices. In the North, the dishes are generally bland."
The King and Queen sensed his reluctance to discuss the topic further, and they refrained from pushing the matter. Instead, they immersed themselves in food and talked of all the mundane things around the world, from the rising modern industries to the hopeful future.
From time to time, Sylvester offered a few ideas about governance and how vital it was to curb corruption. He did not propose anything revolutionary, for he was always wary of introducing too much industrial change. He understood it was not the time, for he wasn't in an absolute ruling position from where he could dictate how his technology could be used.
Amidst the laughter, japing, and some serious conversations, the night fell, and bedtime arrived. Sylvester retreated to his private chambers, which were more of a hall than a simple bedroom. It was decorated with aromatic flowers, light crystals, and much more. It overlooked the city from its tenth-floor balcony, and since the city was situated on a hill, the air also brushed into the room naturally.
Sylvester sat down cross-legend on the balcony to meditate. He did it not to calm himself but to remember all the schemes, future plans, and dangers he needed to be careful about. He didn't have a perfect memory, after all, so he had to remember everything every single day to not forget something crucial.
'I do hope to become a Saint, but it won't be feasible until more council members are replaced. However, I fear that with another promotion, the others will perceive me as a threat to the papacy.'
"Haaa… mumumumu… Ha… mumumum…"
Sylvester snorted while holding his laughter suddenly. He looked back and found Miraj sleeping on the floor, on his back, while weirdly snoring.
"M-maxy…banana…hehe…"
'What is he dreaming about?' Sylvester wondered and picked his furry best friend to tuck him into the bed.
"Hmm…" He touched Miraj's back and noticed the bone spurs had increased in size. "They are definitely wings. What the hell are you, Chonky? I'm yet to come across anyone as amazing as you."
"Mehehe…"
Sylvester noticed a grin on Miraj's face. 'Did he hear me?'
"Well, I should sleep too. If Conrad does not accept the proposal, it'll be utterly messy tomorrow."
Finally, he dimmed the light crystals in the room from the designated runes and went to sleep—a luxury he could rarely afford.
…
The morning came, and Sylvester cleaned his robes with some water, fire, and air — a great blessing he considered to have all elemental affinity.
Then, he donned his Archbishop's mitre and walked out with a sacred book in hand. Once again, he climbed the stairs and reached the rooftop. However, King Conrad and Kaecilius did not enter the chambers and remained under the open skies.
"I have made my decision, your grace," King Conrad declared as soon as Sylvester arrived.
Sylvester nodded and presented the holy book. "State your terms, Your Majesty. Then, if Kaecilius agrees, I will bind the terms in the name of the Lord."
"Clause one is accepted, but Kaecilius will not have the right to kill any noble above the rank of Knight without my order. Clause two is acceptable, but the sum of money cannot exceed five hundred copper Mud. As for the third clause, that is a matter for the Holy Land alone to decide. But I accept the fourth one wholeheartedly." King Conrad's voice softened a bit. "I am no monster who accepts the violation of children. Noble or not, none have the right to commit such atrocities."
Sylvester glanced at Kaecilius. "Do you accept these terms of the agreement, Kaecilius Silvanus?"
The burly slave nodded without hesitation. "I accept the terms. I will be made Lord of Fort Sunflower with Viscount's authority. His Majesty will be allowed to audit to ensure proper taxation. Meanwhile, I will be allowed to hear out the serfs and assist them as per the agreed-upon terms."
Sylvester walked between them. "Please step forward and touch this Holy book. Then repeat after me, using your name after 'I' at the beginning."
Soon, the two men stood face to face, a few feet apart. But King Conrad was no longer angry, as Kaecilius had just referred to him as 'His Majesty,' officially granting the recognition he sought.
"I vow, with my palm on the words of Solis, to abide by the proposed terms, word for word..."
Sylvester knew the entire ceremony was pointless, as there was no binding magic involved. It was merely a church gimmick to convince nobles that their vows were overseen by Solis.
Therefore, the book shone briefly to indicate that the ceremony was complete and the vow was bonded to Solis' magic.
"May the Holy Light Enlighten us. Let us go downstairs and break the fast together." Sylvester suggested, as it was necessary for them to break the ice and become closer.
For that was step two of Sylvester's master plan. After all, where better to bring down a castle than from within?
"Let's go, Your Majesty." Kaecilius played his part, as advised by Sylvester.
King Conrad, clueless, smiled warmly. "Let's go, my lord."
Sylvester walked behind them, silently and with hope in his heart.
'And the game continues — a slave has become a lord, but only time shall tell if we can reap the ultimate reward.'
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