"You seem to be getting on well with Priest Louis."
After Louis left for a while, Annan chuckled and said in a low voice.
He planned to gather as much information about this world as possible before meeting the mayor.
What kind of form do righteous gods exist in this world, what is people's attitude towards the church, what is the relationship between people and gods...
This involves Annan's next actions.
Because Annan's expression didn't change at all, the militiamen couldn't tell whether Annan was happy or unhappy...
They could only tentatively say cautiously:
"After all... They actually treat us very well."
"Even if they ask you for money every day?"
Annan asked.
A young militiaman blurted out: "This is the rule of the church. Priest Louis is not a miser. When he hired us to build the church, he charged a very high price... and he also invested in the only elementary school in our town!"
Seeing this stunned young man's tone contradicting, the old militiaman next to him immediately came over and explained: "The Silver Lord taught us that silver coins are like streams, and only when they flow can they have life; if they stand still, they will rot, and they will be born with evil. These Louis Priests have taught us.
"Although the church needs money for everything, they don't want to make money after all. The money they get will always be spent again... They just pass the money once."
The old militiaman sighed: "When the fish can't be sold, only Master Louis is willing to buy the rest of the fish. He can't eat so much himself, and he can't ship it out...but it's life-saving.
"Priest Louis came from the royal capital. When he first arrived in Frozen Water Port, he mentioned that he wanted to provide us with a loan. But we were worried that we would not be able to repay it, so no one has borrowed it yet—maybe some people have gone secretly. I borrowed it, but I definitely didn’t tell everyone.”
"My lord," at this point, a militiaman who was only about sixteen or seventeen asked curiously, "I heard that the priests in the capital also help people buy things? As long as you pay them, you don't have to Can you buy special products from far away places when you go out?"
"You also said that you have to pay."
Annan glanced at him and replied ambiguously.
The militiamen seemed to have received an affirmative answer, exclaiming and discussing with each other.
Annan was very surprised.
This silver jazz... a bit trendy.
Provide fee-based services to collect money from the people on a large scale, and then find an excuse to return the money when the market is not good. After coming and going, he revitalized the economy of the entire frozen water port without any loss himself.
Is it because he didn't pay anything himself
According to this line of thinking, the church in the capital may also provide banking services... No, it will definitely provide banking services.
After all, Lewis has mentioned loans, and the banking industry must have developed.
I didn't expect the god of this world to be quite down-to-earth...
"What services does Priest Louis provide to you?"
Annan asked curiously.
If he guessed correctly, what Louis provided should be some service industry, no cost trading... He used this method of raising money to ensure the prosperity of this border town.
The answer was not what he expected:
"The main thing is medical treatment. He helps us treat illnesses and wounds... and presides over the burial of the elderly, and the baptism of the children when they are born. If the family is better, he will ask him to name the children. He will also teach the children in the town. Let them count and read, and teach some adults how to build houses better. Or he can also repair fishing boats and sell some baits that are particularly effective. The mayor will also entrust him to bring back a newspaper of the month every month, or Help the mayor to bring some books that are only sold in the capital."
The old militia sighed with some regret: "Of course, you have to pay...
"But after Priest Louis came, our life has indeed changed for the better."
Speaking of this, the old militiaman hesitated, but added in a low voice: "In fact, the change is even greater than that after the mayor came back... It's just that the money can't be saved."
I can understand.
Annan nodded.
Can't control krypton.
"When Louis first came," Annan asked again, "did any of you not want to give money?"
He was a little curious.
Logically speaking, this kind of thing is inevitable.
The old militiaman nodded in admiration: "As expected of the lord, you can predict things like a god. Although this kind of behavior will be condemned by the Silver Lord... But after all, we have a special history here, and we have never seen a Silver Lord's priest before, so..."
"So in the beginning, there were people who wanted not to pay. I wouldn't listen to anything."
A tired voice came from the front: "Really, Nick?"
Hearing this, the bluffing young militiaman shrank his neck in shame.
It was a handsome young man with short brown hair, but with bags under his eyes and a tired face.
He wears clothes similar to "Don Juan Geraint". It's just that there are much fewer openings in the front, and there are no pleats on the waist, and there are no complicated decorations.
Compared with Annan, he looks much simpler.
"My lord mayor."
The militiamen immediately saluted him.
The young man just waved his hands impatiently: "Go back."
"My lord, this is..."
"Don Juan Geraint, Count Geraint's third son, I know."
The young mayor interrupted the old militiaman and yawned again: "Go down first."
The militiamen looked at each other and left hesitantly.
The mayor looked at Annan very sleepily, and carefully sized him up:
"...Well, you look more... more confident than the rumors say, Lord Geraint."
"If you have anything to say, you can say it directly."
Annan replied coldly: "There is no need to make so many detours."
"Then I'll say it straight, Lord Geraint."
The young mayor said without hesitation: "Where's your teacher? Benjamin Foster, the wizard from the Black Tower in the Moor, take him with you no matter what you do."
"Maybe he didn't tell you... But in fact, he is also my teacher. I have studied in the Black Tower for five years and graduated from the Transformation School. He is my graduation tutor."
As he spoke, the young mayor stretched out his hand to pick out the bronze necklace around his collar, pointed to the eye engraved on it and gestured to Annan.
It was the same imprint as the eye on Benjamin's ring.
The mayor scolded "Don Juan Geraint", the son of an earl who was more noble than him, without politeness and fear: "Mr. Benjamin wrote to me four days ago, saying that he will arrive soon. Frozen Water Harbor, if he doesn't arrive smoothly in a week, let me write to Earl Geraint immediately... But what about the teacher
"Why are you the only one here?"
"—Would you believe me if I said that the teacher had died on the road?"
Annan was silent for a while, then asked the young mayor coldly.
The mayor replied without hesitation: "Of course not, even if there are more than five silver-level transcendents, they may not be able to stop the teacher."
That's good.
Annan replied bluntly: "Then you will be a teacher and die on the way—I won't tell you anything else."
Hearing this, the young mayor, who was very irritable before, became quiet instead.
He looked at Annan suspiciously for a while, and his tone suddenly calmed down a lot: "Did someone stop you on the way?"
Annan narrowed his eyes slightly: "It seems that you know a lot?"
"Don't be like this, my lord. Although you are the son of the earl, we were all wizard apprentices taught by the same mentor. The private communication between us should be the relationship between the senior and the junior... or the junior sister."
Looking at Annan's face, the mayor said mockingly.
But Annan was not provoked.
He just said flatly: "Then you should make a formal self-introduction to your junior, my senior."
Seeing that Annan was not angry, the young mayor gave him a surprised look.
He muttered: "Well, it seems that the rumors are not very credible...
"Let me introduce myself. Salvatore Heita, born in Frozen Water Port, the chief graduate of Zedi Black Tower's transformation school in 1498, the son of this generation of Heita, and a parade wizard of the transformation school. For rank...wait for me After retiring as the mayor of Frozen Water Port, I will advance to Silver.
"It's your turn, my lord."