Equipment Printing School Mage

Therefore, the Archbishop of the Lucky Church chose to run away from home after his successful promotion, and judging from his tone, Pastor Lucky obviously did not think there was anything wrong with it... Hearing this, even Emiya couldn't help but roll her eyes.

Grand Duke Silver Shield shook his head and continued to ask in the Grand Duke Hall, "Although the loss of an archbishop is a heavy blow to every church, it shouldn't be so severe that only one person is left in the church, right?"

"Yes. This was just the beginning of this period." Alaster took a deep breath and spoke faster. "Then, several fellow priests received news that their parents were dying of old age. Unfortunately, none of them were from the Sword Coast, and their hometowns were extremely far away. As a result, they all applied for long vacations, or simply resigned from their positions in the church, choosing to spend their final days with their families."

"That doesn't sound like a problem..." Emilia murmured, "But, within a short period of time, three priests suddenly chose to resign for the same reason? This is a bit..."

Bad luck, or rather... misfortune.

Yin continued, "Then, Mr. Zenia, who was about to take over as Patriarch, was discovered to be addicted to gambling..."

Mars's eyes darkened. "Gambling is a very delicate matter within the Church of Luck. In theory, the Goddess of Luck most admires the principle of careful planning, leaving victory and defeat in the hands of God. At the same time, the Goddess encourages believers to trust in their own good fortune and her glory, and disapproves of using various divine arts to manipulate the probability of various events to unity. In this context, gambling is more like a voluptuous, poisonous flower to the followers of the Goddess of Luck."

Gambling seems to align with religious doctrine, and good luck is a crucial element in gambling... But in reality, Luck's priests find it difficult to resist the temptation to cheat through divine magic. Even ordinary gamblers who cheat will have their fingers chopped off. Naturally, Luck's followers face even harsher punishments.

As Elastri spoke, sighing repeatedly, "And Mr. Zenia, while passionate about gambling, wasn't very skilled. After losing everything, he began to try cheating. After successfully using divine magic several times, he was discovered by the goddess. After being warned once, he was about to lose everything again, but he couldn't resist the temptation... and thus, the lady stripped him of his priesthood."

While we were talking, a church had lost four pastors... two of them were even the head and deputy of the church.

"Then, fellow believer Sindar was invited by the Eltoril Hell Knights to work with them for two months. Logically, he should have returned this month. But..."

At this moment, the envoys of Eltoril collectively stood up and bowed in the direction of Elastrid. "Although Lord Sindar was active in Eltoril for only two months, his deeds will live forever in the hearts of Eltoril."

The priest Sindar died south of Rivington in Baldur's Gate, suspected to have been caused by dragon's breath.

Elastrid continued, "Then, things are not peaceful in Waterdeep. We are the closest church to Waterdeep, the Church of Tymora. So, the Church of Fortune in Waterdeep requested emergency assistance several months ago, and several priests headed north. And yet, they remain unable to spare the effort."

"So, as of now, there are only two official priests left in our church, including me. We simply cannot maintain the official operation of the church while providing sufficient guidance and training for novices."

"Even more fatally, our church's finances suffered a misfortune some time ago: a fire broke out in our church's warehouse. To make matters worse, another fellow monk and I weren't in the church at the time, and it was already late at night, so the novices were also gone. So, by the time we realized the accident had occurred in the church's warehouse, most of the stored supplies had already been burned, leaving our reserves stretched to the limit. And just at that moment, a caravan with which we had long been collaborating capsized. All the supplies we had originally ordered sank into the sea. Our fees were no longer sufficient to hire another caravan."

Hearing this, Sig finally couldn't help but ask, "Have the murderers of the above incidents been found?"

"Murderer?" The female pastor was stunned for a moment, then she actually responded. "There's no murderer... The warehouse caught fire because the grass we usually use is very flammable when it's blown by the wind. The strong wind that day blew down a piece of glass on the warehouse wall, flooding it into the warehouse. The wind fanned the flames, and the warehouse burned down."

"There's no murderer?" Emilia was stunned for a moment and asked, "Are you saying that what happened to you was just a bit unfortunate?"

"Yes, it's unfortunate." The elven priest was silent for a moment, then replied, "When misfortune truly strikes, Lady Tymora's followers must be extra vigilant. This is also one of the reasons we chose to leave—the remaining forces are no longer sufficient to protect the church and the novices."

Although Karkoros said nothing outwardly, he sighed in their telepathic connection: "Trouble. The three great churches of Baldur's Gate, the people of Gond want nothing more than their wood and iron. We're just thankful Umberlee doesn't stab us in the back... and the Church of Tymora is actually disbanding?"

Sig's eyes lit up, and he waved his hands vigorously. "Miss Elaster, do you think this is related to Benshaba's new Chosen One? This rumor has spread throughout the outer city, but no one has seen her in person yet!"

The elf was stunned for a moment: "New God Chosen?"

She hesitated, thought for a moment, and shook her head. "Sorry, I've never heard of it. In fact, we currently have no contact with the Benshaba Church of the Twin Hymns."

"—Never heard of it?" Sig was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage. "I already knew those guys in the outer city were full of lies, but I never thought they'd even dare to fabricate something like the Chosen One!"

The elven priest saluted them again. "Anyway, I'm sorry, everyone. The original site of the Tymora Church has been rented out to Mr. Raphael over there. I hope that after we leave, Tymora's blessing will still be upon you."

None of the priests present were enemies of the Church of Tymora - it would be better to say that Tymora had no enemies except her sister, the Goddess of Doom.

Then the elf named Elastrid sighed and left early, and this time, Emilia finally saw the specific shape of the page hammer on her waist.

The shape of the striking part of the leaf hammer is extremely strange - it is not as smooth and hard as the ordinary leaf hammer, but is full of strange lines and even has some messy burrs.

It's like a hand extending from the handle to the hammer tip.

Or more precisely—

A monkey's paw.

Forty-two Devil's Chamber of Commerce

Elastrei didn't seem to be an easy person to get along with, and she wasn't familiar with the people present. So after she finished the notice, she just wiped the moisture from the corners of her eyes and walked out of the venue on her own.

Although Emilia was very curious about the monkey paw-like thing, he did not intend to reveal too much of his personal inclinations in public at this moment.

There were very few mages who were particularly interested in weapons. He couldn't let others connect his several fake images together.

However, other issues can still be addressed.

He stood up and asked, "Miss Alestria, is the Church of Fortune planning to leave Baldur's Gate immediately, only to officially cease operations during the Harvest Festival?"

Elastrid paused, tilted her head slightly, and answered seriously, "Yes. In fact, the church's use rights to the original church have been officially transferred, and the formalities have been completed."

"So fast?!"

Suddenly, more and more people were exclaiming in surprise—the bureaucrats of Baldur's Gate were not known for their efficiency. Quite the contrary, their cumbersome procedures often took an enormous amount of time. And those simple and concise parts often left huge opportunities for profit.

Under such circumstances, an outsider was able to so quickly seize the property of the third largest church... This must be due to the immense power behind it.

Or use money to pave the way.

At this moment, the elegant man named Raphael stood up and slowly walked to the podium.

He did not speak immediately, but bowed gracefully to Elastrid's back. The elf hesitated for a moment, then turned around and bowed his head in return.

Raphael stood at the front of the stage with an incredibly familiar demeanor, as if he had rehearsed this scene countless times in secret. "As you all must have noticed, Miss Elastrid isn't very articulate. Therefore, please allow me to do this for you."

He coughed lightly, a confident smile on his face. "Praise be to the goddess of fortune, Tymora. Baldur's Gate's reputation for freedom and openness is well known throughout Faerûn, and we've heard of it for a long time. Unfortunately, Baldur's Gate has been overcrowded since the Spellbane, with almost no room for outsiders. The fact that we were able to seize this fleeting opportunity must be a sign of fortune."

He looked up and found that Elastrid had already left on her own without even leaving a trace.

Mr. Silver Shield coughed lightly and said, “Mr. Raphael, you haven’t introduced yourself and your Chamber of Commerce yet.”

At this moment, Raphael's eyes drifted towards the Flame Fist and his group, intentionally or unintentionally. When he saw the appearance of Emiya and his group, surprise appeared on his calm face for the first time.

But then he coughed lightly. "I'm sorry, I've been so overjoyed since learning we'd be stationed at Baldur's Gate. Everyone, please allow me to introduce myself: My name is Raphael, and I'm the president of the Frostfire Merchant Guild. As Miss Elastrid said, our guild's Baldur's Gate branch will be established on the site of the former Church of Tymora. I hope the goddess will be willing to share some of her good fortune with us."

"Just luck?" Grand Duke Yar Valakon snorted coldly. "Even few people in Baldur's Gate know that such a big thing has happened to the Church of Tymora. And you even bought the church the first time you showed up? I don't think this is within the capabilities of an ordinary chamber of commerce."

"Ah." The topic had obviously returned to the scope that Raphael was familiar with. "That's because I forgot to mention that although our Chamber of Commerce is also engaged in the sale of goods, our main business is intermediary."

"Agent?" asked Grand Duke Silver Shield. "What kind of agent?"

Raphael was silent for a moment, then walked down the podium with a smile on his face. He looked around at everyone present and then opened his arms: "—Information intermediary."

"Information, what a perfect commodity—indestructible, yet sometimes with a frustrating timeliness. We can get information from anyone, at any time, anywhere. Where it's spread, it's just the most meaningless after-drinking gossip. But the same information in another place may be worth a fortune.

"At the same time, when protecting your cargo, you no longer need to balance concealment and defensive strength. The only problem is how to build a large network of contacts and control your mouth - it's perfect."

"Of course, like all businesses, on the first day of business, there should naturally be a grand opening ceremony. Please allow me to share some information that is not particularly important... but may be quite urgent to everyone present, to prove my ability."

He walked calmly toward an armed priest and said, "Sir, follower of Helm, it would be best if you refrain from drinking at Helm and Cloak at night these days. Your wife is almost there."

"What?! When did she find out?" Pastor Heim, who had been the most neutral, never expected to be swept up in the wave of controversy stirred up by this newcomer. Of course, what shocked him even more was the secret Raphael had brought with him.

How could an intelligence broker who had just arrived at Baldur's Gate know such a private matter?

"Ah, that's the scope of our fees. We're information intermediaries, so we naturally have to conduct thorough market research before settling in. During this time, we stumbled upon some street rumors—honestly, I'm not really confident in the authenticity of this information."

Similar things are happening one after another.

He would gather among groups of people and with just a few words he could make the listeners feel surprised, angry or happy, playing with their emotions through applause.

Finally, when Raphael arrived in front of Flame Fist and his group, a large number of participants had already left the venue in an emergency.

Raphael, with his usual confident smile, walked in front of the Flaming Fist group, put his hand to his mouth, and lowered his voice, "For example, I just happened to know that there's an unlucky family who, believing that there would be a war between Baldur's Gate and Elturgard, stockpiled armor early on. However, for years, both sides have maintained restraint, which has unfortunately broken their funding chain. If you're interested, I can make the contact on your behalf and resolve your difficulties at the same time.

"If you're interested, we can continue our discussion in the Supreme Hall tomorrow."

This time, even Karkoros couldn't sit still. However, at this moment, Emiya urgently shouted: "Lord Ranyan, please don't look at me at this time!"

This so-called Frostfire Chamber of Commerce is obviously one of the organizations that are most proficient in communication.

The appearance of Emiya and his group is the only variable in their carefully prepared appearance - their identities, occupations, abilities, and even appearances are all unknown.

If Karkoros had subconsciously glanced at Emiya when discussing the topic of armor and money, the Frostfire Chamber of Commerce might have immediately realized that Emiya and her group were related to the current crisis facing the Flame Fist.

I haven't made such a mistake yet. Karkoros shook his head and replied, "I can't answer that question at this moment."

"Ah, it seems you're hoping for a turnaround at the Council of Four?" Raphael smiled happily. "Then I wish you good luck."

He ignored the presence of Emiya and his group and simply turned around. His body tilted slightly towards Emiya and his group, but he still left with his head held high.

"An invitation." Sig sighed. "This guy doesn't look good. He smells dangerous all over."

"What's most shocking to me is that he could appear so brazenly in a human settlement." Karkoros snorted coldly. "He's a devil... a Cambion. His crude disguise can't hide from me. What Frostfire Chamber?! I won't make a deal with a devil, let alone attend a feast prepared by a devil."

devil.

When they heard this word, Emiya and Mars' bodies tensed up at the same time.

Along the way, there is the shadow of the devil behind everything they do.

However, they now have no time to pay attention to the Frostfire Chamber of Commerce.

Yar Valakn glanced coldly around the council chamber and asked, "So many attendees leaving early... This is extremely rare."

Raphael returned to the company of his guards and before taking his seat, he gracefully bowed and apologized to the two archdukes.

In the Grand Duke's Hall, the presiding officer, Grand Duke Silver Shield, gazed at the empty council chamber and sighed deeply. "Since the Council of Four has been held in the Supreme Hall, this is probably the first time such a large number of attendees have withdrawn early... It's okay, accidents always happen. The Council of Four doesn't just last one day. As a punishment, their agenda will be piled up until the last day. If they can't be dealt with, it will be carried over to the next meeting."

The Grand Duke of Silver Shield held up the documents, glanced at the empty seats below, and then threw them aside with a sigh.

Finally, he found the one who was still able to attend.

"The next speaker is the Flaming Fist Mercenary Group. The topic is the annual Flaming Fist financial report and the budget for next year... Please take the stage."

Emiya clenched her fist slightly.

This is the highlight of today.

If they could achieve something, all the devil's plans would be thwarted.

but……

He breathed out.

When the devil has laid a tight net, it will probably not be easy for the prey that has fallen into it to escape.

Forty-three tit-for-tat

"Ah, good."

Upon hearing this, Yar Valakn, sitting in the Grand Duke's Hall, said calmly, "It seems that amidst all the unexpected events and uproar, we haven't been without gain. The Flaming Fist deliberations, which might have been pushed to tomorrow or even the day after tomorrow, can now be held on the first day."

The reactions of the people present were similar.

The few days before the four-person meeting were almost destined to be filled with all kinds of things, big or small, that would not interest people at all as long as they did not concern themselves.

Amidst all the arguments and wrangling, the original agenda was delayed again and again, and in the end everyone was left starving - this kind of thing was common in the four-member council.

However, the fact that the Flaming Fist, an organization that has occupied seats on the Council of Four almost all year round, is going to publicly conduct a financial audit is definitely an extremely sensational event in Baldur's Gate.

As long as the Marshal of the Flame Fist is still the Grand Duke, this matter can be an internal affair between the four Dukes.

But now, the Marshal's agent of the Flame Fist had to come to the Supreme Hall and report the current situation of the Flame Fist in front of everyone.

What is even more fatal is that the person who was originally most suitable to perform this task can only stay in Wangyang Tower and communicate with them in an extremely troublesome way, which greatly reduces his effectiveness.

Carl Ola oversaw a vast array of Flaming Fist-related logistics, and his familiarity with all matters was difficult to disguise. And while Emiya and his companions were cryptic, they couldn't possibly perform better than Carl Ola in an audit—so the Supreme Hall might still turn a blind eye to their actions.

But a crucial figure like Carl Ola was a completely different matter. If this Burning Flame, after being expelled from the Supreme Hall, had simply disguised himself and tried to sneak back in...

First of all, there is no way this trick could be hidden from the most important people.

Just as Karkoros could see through the devil's disguise at a glance, Thorin Silvershield was equally difficult to be deceived - the Gund Church in Baldur's Gate had two highest-ranking priests, one was the Grand Master Gutenberg who focused on the church itself... and the other was the patriarch of the Silvershield family, the current Grand Duke, Thorin Silvershield himself.

The current rotating chairperson of the Supreme Hall is the Silver Shield family. Although Silver Shield and Flame Fist have theoretically been partners for many years, they have never made any further progress. Under such circumstances, he would most likely not tolerate Flame Fist's blatant disrespect for the Supreme Hall and his authority.

Of course, theoretically, it would be impossible for Flame Fist to find a replacement for Ola in such a short period of time - regardless of ability, Ola's familiarity with Flame Fist affairs is irreplaceable.

Yar Valaken looked at Karkoros below and chuckled. "Karkoros Ranyan, before this meeting, you publicly requested to bring an assistant with you when you go on stage to give your speech. Now, which assistant would you like to bring?"

As he spoke, he looked down at the people around Karkoros from afar: "That little girl who's dozing off? Or that canned food that doesn't even dare to show its face? Or that one that's not even as tall as the podium?"

Sig's face visibly twitched, and he gritted his teeth imperceptibly. He quietly nudged Amyia's waist. "Look, we made it clear last night: Miss Silver, I won't say anything more. I can't change this habit of speaking anytime soon, and the gentlemen in the Upper Town can't stand it. Mars is a good person in every way, but unfortunately, he has a fiery temper. If provoked by that Grand Duke, he'll probably lose control. Right now, you're the only one on our team who keeps his composure, presents a dignified demeanor, and can hold his own! Go ahead, go ahead. Negotiation is a game of the brave. Whoever loses his temper first will lose the upper hand!"

Finally, there was a team of paladins and bards, and finally a mage came out to negotiate.

Thinking of this, Emiya could only sigh.

When he and Karkoros stood on the stage together, the great wizard even took a step back and waved his hand forward, intending to give up the responsibility directly: "I brought Karl Ola here just so that I don't have to speak."

Emilia closed her eyes, sighed deeply, and bowed slightly to greet the audience and the two grand dukes: "Good day, everyone. I am Ranyan of the Flaming Fist, representing His Excellency Karkoros as the Marshal's agent. My speech will fully represent the attitude of His Excellency Karkoros and the Flaming Fist. First of all—"

Before Emya could even begin, Yair Valakon interrupted him.

The Grand Duke stood up while Emya was still speaking and asked, "Who are you? The report I received said that the Flaming Fist's original intended reporter was another Flaming Fist, Carl Ola, who was renowned within the Flaming Fist and throughout Baldur's Gate, not some unknown figure."

Before Emiya could reply, he pressed on, "Does the Flame Fist truly value this lecture? Even for such a significant matter, they're unwilling to send more than two Burning Flames? Yet, under these circumstances, they're willing to engage in a brawl in the sacred Council Hall. I have to doubt the Flame Fist's sincerity."