Imperial Crown.

Chapter 12: Call it "Angel's Tears"

when--

The church bells rang over Eagle Town, heralding a new day.

Lux put down the bell hammer, gathered the strand of golden hair that escaped from behind her ear, picked up the bucket and mop in the corner, and began to clean the church bit by bit.

As the only priest in the Eagle Town Church, she is responsible for almost all matters.

In addition to collecting tithes, she had to ring the bell and clean the church every morning, lead the townspeople in prayer on weekends and at the end of the month, and organize two grand sacrifices to the gods in August and March every year.

As a second-level divine magician, Lux masters the divine art of quick cleansing, but she does not want to abuse it and prefers to express her piety through actions.

Divine magic is a gift from the Lord of Light.

After cleaning up half of the church, Lux stood on the second floor, straightened up, breathed a sigh of relief, and a smile appeared on her face.

Raven had only started training his troops for a dozen days and had not issued any decrees to Xiongying Town, but during these dozen days, Xiongying Town had undergone visible changes.

The streets and buildings were still dilapidated, but the puddles on the streets had disappeared, the originally bumpy road surface had been filled with gravel and ash, and there were fewer annoying mosquitoes.

Smiles began to appear on the faces of the residents, children were chasing and playing in the streets, and neighbors would greet each other when they met.

It all started with the 50 kilograms of coarse wheat flour that Raven distributed to each of his private soldiers every month.

Behind the thirty-four private soldiers are thirty-four families, and nearly one hundred and fifty people have benefited from this, and their lives are improving immediately.

Those who did not have private soldiers were not discouraged, as the Baron had already begun to take action and had indeed provided benefits.

Lord Raven won't always need only thirty-four soldiers, they also have a chance.

Only when they have a goal in life will they pay attention to the environment in which they live.

"It seems that he is indeed a kind person." Lux thought of Raven and a smile appeared on her lips.

Lux was once quite conflicted about helping Raven conceal the truth about Donald's death.

What if Raven lied to her?

But with the changes in Eagle Town over the past ten days, especially after going to Eagle Castle to treat Simon the night before, Lux was no longer worried.

Because she saw the changes in those private soldiers, their bodies were no longer hunched and their eyes were no longer confused.

Through Simon's narration, she also learned about how Raven took care of them - they could have three meals a day and meat at night.

If it weren't for true kindness, which lord would give meat to his subjects?

Jingle Bell--

The sound of the door being pushed open interrupted Lux's thoughts. She put down the barrel and walked downstairs quickly.

Today is not a day of prayer, who would come at this time?
In front of the statue of the Lord of Light, a black-haired young man was talking with his eyes closed. He was muttering to himself, and his right and left hands were outlining the sacred emblems of the sun and the moon on his left chest and right chest respectively.

Lux's eyes lit up. Even in the royal capital, it was rare to see such a standard prayer ritual.

The black-haired young man turned around and smiled at her: "Priest Lacus, hello."

Lux was surprised and asked, "Baron Raven, why are you here?"

"Of course I came to thank you." Raven picked up a basket from the ground. "I wonder if I will have the honor to have breakfast with you?"

"It's my pleasure." Lux nodded: "Please follow me."

Due to etiquette, Raven couldn't get too close, but Lux was sweating after exercising. In this sultry summer day, her clothes stuck to her body, with a hint of moisture, fully showing off her curvy figure.

As her steps swayed, her plump body also undulated and changed, as if it was made of water, and the occasional wrinkles in her priest's robe always attracted Raven's attention.

Especially the sun and moon on her chest, whose outline can be vaguely seen even behind her.

The stairs were narrow, and the smell of Lux's sweat penetrated Raven's nostrils. There was a hint of heat in the dampness, and a body fragrance unique to young girls, as charming as milk, which made people almost want to hold her in their arms.

Raven could almost imagine what she looked like under her priest robes. He swallowed and barely suppressed the beast in his heart.

Finally arriving at the restaurant, Raven sat down at the table without regard for etiquette, thus hiding the embarrassment of his changed appearance.

"Sorry, Priest Lacus, I'm a little hungry."

Lux nodded in understanding and sat down across from Raven.

Placing the basket on the table and opening it, Raven brought out the food inside.

A basket of sliced ​​bread with garlic butter, two bowls of hot oatmeal, two eggs fried to perfection, a shoulder of beef roasted to a crispy crust, and a glass bottle filled with purple liquid.

The moment she saw the red wine, Lux's eyes lit up: "Baron Raven, this is... red wine?"

"Of course." Raven smiled and asked, "Are clergy not allowed to drink alcohol during non-fasting periods?"

"No, of course not." Lux showed a hint of shyness on her face: "I am a loyal supporter of wine, but my teacher rarely allows me to drink it."

Raven smiled and said, "Then I believe that this bottle of wine today will satisfy you."

As he spoke, he poured Lux ​​a glass of wine and pushed the silver cup in front of her.

The latter took the wine glass, took a sip, and his eyes immediately narrowed into a cute arc. Then, like a little rabbit stealing carrots, he took one mouthful after another and couldn't stop at all.

Looking at her, Raven finally understood why Lux's teacher didn't allow her to drink.

Perhaps she was too sensitive to the alcohol, a blush appeared on her face, as red as rouge, which made her skin as white as porcelain even more attractive.

There was a trace of confusion in her eyes, beads of sweat oozed from the tip of her nose, her breathing began to become heavy, and her bright red tongue licked her pink lips.

Raven was a seasoned warrior and could tell that Lux was not trying to seduce him on purpose. That was why her actions made it even harder for Raven to control himself.

"Sorry, I lost my composure." Lux sat up straight, the sun and moon on her chest trembling slightly as they fell on the table.

She gathered her hair behind her shoulders and showed a shy expression: "This wine is really... too delicious. Could it be the [Frost Pearl] that is famous for its dense and gentle taste?"

Mengshuang Pearl is a well-known high-end red wine, and a bottle costs as much as three gold coins.

"No, I'm just a small baron. I can't afford such luxury." Raven tried to keep his eyes on Lux's face instead of below: "This is the new wine I developed myself."

"Sorry, I don't quite understand." Lux tilted her head, stared at her big watery eyes and asked, "Can you explain it in detail?"

Raven was waiting for this sentence: "It's a long story. I'm not afraid of you laughing at me, but I actually have a unique hobby, which is cooking."

"Just a few days ago, during a cooking process..."

This time, Raven did not exaggerate, and even the process did not change much. He just concealed some details and covered up the purpose and results to a certain extent.

According to his story, the saponification reaction was not intentional, but he discovered glycerin accidentally during the cooking process, and by chance he saw it fall into the wine jar. Finally, out of the desire to save money, he took a sip, and unexpectedly he got a brand new wine.

It is not difficult to make up this kind of thing. After all, almost every snack and special delicacy in the previous life has a similar origin.

"The Lord of Light always bestows blessings on devout believers." Lux said, "Your determination to improve the lives of Eagle Territory must have moved Him, so He guided you to discover this method."

The Lord of Light? He's also called Eugene Chevreul?

Raven complained in his heart, but of course he would not refute Lux: "Yes, all this is the best arrangement of the Lord of Light." As he said that, he suddenly sighed again: "It's a pity... Such good wine will probably be trapped in Eagle Castle forever."

"How could this happen?" Lux's curiosity was aroused: "Is the cost very high?"

Raven shook his head and said, "No, to be honest, the cost of this wine is mainly on the bottle."

Lux asked: "What is the reason?"

"...Alas." Raven sighed again, then suddenly smiled and filled another glass of wine for Lux: "Look at my memory. I came here today to thank you. Why are you saying something so disappointing? Let's drink."

This only aroused Lux's curiosity. She stared into Raven's eyes and said, "Baron Raven, we swore to work together to make the lives of the people of Eagle Town better."

"I have seen your efforts and I am trying my best to do my job. But you should also know that the output from the farm alone cannot really improve their lives."

"If it's true as you said, that the cost of this wine is not high, then it must be able to generate a lot of profit. Isn't it just right to use it to improve the lives of the people in the territory?"

Raven was shocked by Lux's words. He was still wondering how to convince Lux, but he didn't expect that she could have such a far-reaching vision and such a pure and clean wish.

Thinking that Raven was still hesitant, Lux placed her white and tender hand on the back of Raven's hand: "Baron Raven, you are the lord of Eagle Territory, and I am the priest of this territory. Our goals are the same. I believe that you have a kind and brave heart."

"No matter what difficulties we face, as long as we work together, we will definitely be able to overcome them!"

Lux's hand was not big, just enough to cover most of Raven's back of the hand. The touch was soft and boneless, and there was a little bit of sweat on the palm, which made Raven's heartbeat suddenly speed up.

At this moment, he almost couldn't help but hold Lux's hand with his backhand, but he still endured it.

He didn't want to destroy his image in Lux's heart, nor did he have the heart to let her down.

“Priest Lacus, thank you for your trust!” Raven was sincerely touched. “In that case, I will tell you my concerns.”

He thought for a moment and then spoke out his prepared speech: "The Eagle Territory is too remote! To the west is the Bloody Highlands, to the south is Viscount John's territory, and to the north is the Wharton family. Although the town of Shining Gold is prosperous, the market is too small after all."

"The only way to make enough profit is to sell to Mon'en City, but that's a full 337 kilometers away. As you know, in today's world, it's not enough to open up a market just by having a good product quality."

“If you want to sell wine, you must first make people recognize its quality and build its reputation.”

Lux nodded slowly after hearing this: "I understand what you said. Just like the saying goes: 'Gold buried deep cannot glitter'. This is indeed a big problem."

"Now that you have thought of this problem, do you have a corresponding solution?"

Of course Raven had already thought of this, otherwise he wouldn't have come so early today, but he couldn't show it now and could only shake his head.

Lux retracted her arm and gently pinched her delicate chin with her slender white fingers. After a while, her eyes suddenly lit up: "I can promote this wine in the name of the church."

"You also said before that you discovered the method of improving wine by accident. There is no doubt that this is a gift from the great Lord of Light."

"I can designate this wine as the special wine for the Eucharist at the Eagle Town Church. I can also send some to my teacher. It will definitely be helpful!"

Raven was more and more surprised. He found that although Lux seemed naive due to her lack of experience, she was not stupid. On the contrary, her comprehension and understanding abilities were far beyond the average level.

It is indeed a rare partner.

Found a treasure!

With these words, he could finally express his own opinion: "Priest Lacus, your words have given me a lot of inspiration."

"In that case, can I use this wine at Uncle Donald's funeral in three weeks, which is also my coronation ceremony?"

"Many nobles will be present at that time. After the ceremony, you can announce that it will be designated as the red wine for the Holy Communion. I think it will have a very good effect!"

If Raven directly proposed this idea, no matter how good Lux's impression of him was, she might see through his intentions and think that he was using her.

But now that Lux made the suggestion first and Raven was just a supplement, the nature of the situation is completely different.

"Baron Raven, you are truly a natural lord." Lux said with a smile, "This method is much better than mine, and it should be more effective and can open up more markets."

Raven said modestly, "No, thanks to you for helping me open my mind. Once this wine is sold well, I will definitely allocate funds to help you rebuild the church."

"If your wine sells well enough, the tithe will be very useful." Lux said with a smile: "I hope you can use the proceeds to benefit the people of Eagle Town."

Raven nodded, "You can always trust me on this, after all, this is my territory!"

Lux's sapphire eyes smiled: "Of course, what do you want to call this wine? Have you thought of a name for it?"

"Since it is a gift from God..." Raven thought for a moment and suggested, "How about calling it 'Angel's Tears'?"

"This is so... beautiful!" Lux exclaimed, "The angel couldn't bear to see the suffering in the world, so he shed tears of sympathy and mercy to comfort the Lamb of the Lord of Light."

"This wine is called 'Angel's Tears'!"

With Lux's enthusiasm, the two of them ate and talked, discussing many details, and became more and more excited as they talked.

Of course, what excites Raven is not exactly the same as what excites Lux.

The sight of this young priestess eating was truly a rare sight. Every movement of her fingers, every opening and closing of her lips and teeth, and every movement of her throat, all pulled at Raven's nerves.

Being able to look but not be able to eat is really a huge torture.

So after the meal, Raven said goodbye and left.

When he returned to the castle, Old Gordon was already waiting in his office: "Sir, the invitations have been prepared, please take a look."

Raven took the invitation with a look of satisfaction in his eyes.

The invitation was made of high-quality parchment, which was carefully bleached black. The four corners were decorated with gold powder and eagle patterns representing the Griffith family. The specific content was written in Gothic bold font with ink mixed with silver powder, which was clear and elegant.

There are two signatures in the lower right corner, the upper one is a red seal of the Griffith family, and the lower one is Raven's private seal.

The privately printed fonts are not the most popular cursive fonts, nor are they the recently popular Rococo fonts that are more fancy and graceful than the former. Instead, they are very rigid and sharp engravings, showing an ancient and elegant beauty.

"Thank you for your hard work." Raven placed the invitation on the table and said, "Send it out now. Don't be stingy with the money. Don't use the Empire's postal service. Send it to the Mercenary Guild."

"As you command, sir." Old Gordon pushed his monocle up. "Also, I have invited Master Lawrence to the castle. When you are free, I can measure your body and tailor a dress for you."

Raven asked, "How much money is left in the vault?"

"Reporting to the Lord, after the last purchase of armor and spears, minus the 360 ​​gold coins paid to the Imperial Council and the money for the alchemy equipment, there are still 58 gold coins left."

Gordon said in a very methodical manner: "Yesterday, Madam Denise sent another 300 gold coins, making a total of 358."

"Next, we need to deliver sixty-seven invitations. If we send them through the Mercenary Guild, it will cost thirty-eight to forty-two gold coins. Decorating the castle will cost at least one hundred gold coins. And your dress will cost at least one hundred and twenty gold coins."

"Then there are still ninety-six gold coins left..." Raven had a headache.

He originally wanted to buy a first-level [God-given Potion], but now it seems that he does not have the financial resources to do so in the short term.

Thinking that Raven was feeling sorry for the gold coins, Gordon advised: "Sir, please don't be stingy with the gold coins. This will be a crucial step for you to break into the aristocratic circle."

"I know." Raven breathed a sigh of relief and walked to the window. He looked at the private soldiers who were training in the courtyard and said, "This will be the first tough battle we face."

"Whether we can restore the Griffith family's reputation depends on this one!"

……

(End of this chapter)