Hyperdimensional Player

Chapter 389 Eat and take!

A gentle melody flowed like a rushing stream.

Duncan rested his head on the woman's soft thighs, and above his eyes were a pair of soft, full breasts. With just a gentle reach, he could sink into a warm and fragrant embrace.

"grown ups?"

"Do you feel a little more relaxed?"

Vera put down her lute, reached out and gently pressed her hand on Duncan's temple, even taking one of his hands and placing his palm on her chest. She was only wearing thin clothing underneath, and the pleasant touch gradually relaxed her.

—Ode to Joy (Blessed State).

The person sent by the Mother of Great Bliss is indeed extraordinary. Although Vera is a lower-ranking Pleasure Servant, she is skilled in many things. She can soothe people's emotions with music and knows many ways to make people happy. Just like the doctrine of the Church of Pleasure, joy is the thing they pursue throughout their lives.

Whether it was mental or physical pleasure, Vera did her best to satisfy Duncan's needs. She seemed to possess some of the abilities of a bard, able to soothe the mind with melodies.

"Ah."

Duncan's negative state had been cleared away. He lay lazily on the beautiful pleasure attendant and said calmly, "You don't seem to be from Sergant?"

Vera's gaze was gentle, her breathing quickened slightly, and she said softly, "Yes. I've come to Zambia."

Duncan stood up, looked her up and down, and with a flick of his finger, removed her dress, revealing her fair skin. He said calmly, "You have learned the skills of the Blessed Ones, so why are you serving the Mother of Great Bliss?"

Upon hearing Duncan's words, Vera looked slightly nervous and said softly, "In Serganth, all members of the Church of Joy are under the command of the Great Blissful Mother."

Duncan gazed into her eyes and slowly nodded, saying, "Help me change."

The cult of the Goddess of Joy has two branches.

Similar to the Dirty Clothes Faction and the Clean Clothes Faction of the Beggars' Sect, the Pleasure Cult, led by the Mother of Great Bliss, is centered on hedonists. Its core ideology is "self-pleasure," living for the moment, and they are true pleasure-seekers who do whatever makes them happy. The other Pleasure Cult, led by the "High Priest of Joy," has the core ideology of spreading happiness, meaning that in addition to their own happiness, they also want to make those around them happy.

The operating methods of these two sects can be described as if they had suddenly struck it rich.

If a member of the Pleasure Cult suddenly struck it rich, he would first indulge himself in a life of luxury and extravagance, then gather his followers for a three-day, three-night party, with all sorts of extravagant feasts. Before he had his fill of pleasure, he would hardly care about anything else.

If members of the Pleasure Cult suddenly struck it rich, their first instinct might be to find the tavern owner and say, "Buy everyone a drink, it's on me, praise the goddess of joy!"

Or perhaps he would use the money to hold a joyous celebration, allowing everyone in the neighborhood to eat, drink, and have fun for free.

This is a completely different promotion method.

The apprentices of the Pleasure Cult are called 'Indulgencers', and their secret promotion ritual involves staying awake for three consecutive days to participate in the carnival. The apprentices of the Joy Cult are called 'Joyful Attendants', and their promotion usually requires bringing joy to those nearby during celebratory ceremonies.

One is to make yourself happy, and the other is to spread happiness.

The messenger of joy sometimes does things that seem insignificant to others, such as passing through a village and treating all the farmers to a meal they've never had before, and inviting them to a legendary, joyous feast.

They considered this fleeting pleasure to be the spread of the goddess's gospel.

But making others happy is never as good as making yourself feel good. Spending money on yourself is the only way to make money wise.

Therefore, within the church, the Pleasure Cult will always be dominant, unless the core doctrines of the goddess of pleasure, Lira, change.

But once the doctrine changes, those hedonists may not necessarily follow her.

Don't expect any spirit of dedication.

The moral standards of the entire continent of Faerûn are very low, including those of the high and mighty gods.

A soft, melodious murmur rang out.

Vera clung to Duncan like a koala, swaying gently, and murmured, "Does Your Excellency also know the High Priest of Joy?"

Duncan nodded calmly, closed his eyes, and let Vera cling to him, saying softly, "Alicia - Starfall."

"Like me, I come from a family that originated from the Fallen Star Sea."

Vera's delicate body trembled slightly. She twisted her waist and said cautiously, her voice trembling, "High Priestess Alicia greets you."

understood.

Another force trying to win them over.

The Pleasure Cult truly lacks any formidable figures. Just look at the fighting prowess of the Great Mother of Bliss. The High Priestess of the entire cult, the lover of God, a being akin to a chosen one, was actually forced into such a sorry state by a legendary assassin.

After being favored by the Goddess of Joy, the Mother of Great Bliss received a divine blessing that allowed her to float and walk without consuming any resources, which was incredibly weak compared to other gods.

If it weren't for the Goddess of Joy's good relationships and many sisters, they wouldn't have been able to survive when the Holy Cataclysm broke out.

According to historical trajectory, the Great Blissful Mother will most likely die later!
Duncan was unaware of the major events following the Holocaust, but one of the most famous events near the Fallen Star Sea was the torture and murder of the Great Elysian Mother by the cult of the Goddess of Pain, Lauvita, who directly sacrificed her blood to this evil god.

The beloved of the goddess of joy, the high priestess of the Pleasure Church, and the patriarch of the entire church, was thus sacrificed in blood, and in a cruel murder, suffering unimaginable torment.

It's easy to imagine how pathetic the Pleasure Cult's fighting capabilities are.

She is good at living, obedient, and sensible.

Silent all night.

Before dawn the next day, Vera packed up and quietly left.

She had been married before, but her husband died at the hands of a monster. Coupled with the turmoil in Zambia, she came to Sergant to seek refuge with the Mother of Bliss. Because of her captivating beauty, the Mother of Bliss arranged for her to serve her.

As for her secret identity, whether she was a member of the Pleasure Cult or the Joy Cult, it didn't matter to Duncan.

He could only comment, "She's doing alright."

After last night's turmoil, Sergant seemed to have returned to some calm. When Duncan went out, he happened to encounter the returning 'Lord of the Carnival,' the title of the regional bishop, who was surrounded by carnival enthusiasts and street performers. Behind him was a man dressed as a clown, who gave Duncan a slight nod of respect.

— Scarlet Performer (3-star silver-gray).

The only assassination cult within the Pleasure Cult that they can be proud of, but in essence, they are all bards who also serve as priests.

However, it is a well-known fact.

Bards are all a motley crew, so don't expect too much from the Scarlet Dancer's fighting ability.

It seemed that overnight, the entire Pleasure Cult knew that Duncan was a favorite of the Great Bliss Mother. Church members they encountered on the road, whether they were indulgents, messengers of joy, or priests of pleasure, all took the initiative to greet Duncan.

Judging by this, the next time they throw a wild party, they'll definitely have to send an invitation to Duncan.

The human form resides in the port area.

Duncan walked through the bustling streets and onto the upper town of Selgent, from where he could overlook the entire Selgent Bay. Hundreds and thousands of merchant ships came and went in a row, and ordinary fishing boats could not dock in the center of the harbor and could only disembark at the small port on the side of the market.

This is the most important port city in Xingzhuihai.

As a trading hub in the eastern continent, the prosperous maritime trade supported the wealth of the Church of Wealth and allowed the faith of the Lady of Wealth to radiate to the surrounding areas.

But all of that is now history, because the goddess of fortune has disappeared.

Duncan walked toward one of the two-story villas, which was the human host's home. Before he even reached the door, a middle-aged man with a limp came forward to greet him, saying, "Master."

"You're back."

"Last night the guards were searching everywhere for assassins, I was very worried about you."

Rafe, a disabled veteran with a two-star silver-gray marking, is also Duncan-Starfall's butler and servant. He was a slave sold from the South and bought by Duncan, and has been by his side for seven or eight years.

Duncan nodded expressionlessly and said, "I'm fine."

Was anyone here yesterday?

Upon hearing Duncan's words, Rafe cautiously replied, "A lady wants to see you; she's already waiting on the second floor."

The human form is not talkative or smiley; Duncan can deal with all acquaintances as long as he has no expression.

Duncan pushed open the door and entered, first going into the armory to put on a full suit of armor. Then he drew two greatswords, resembling the Dawnbreakers. After fully equipping himself, he trudged heavily to the study on the second floor.

The human form is skilled in dual-wielding combat and does not frequently use a shield.

"You saved the Mother of Great Bliss yesterday?" a sharp female voice rang out.

As soon as Duncan entered, he saw the haughty woman sitting at her desk, her expression arrogant, as if she owned the place. The woman was extremely tall, ten centimeters taller than the average man, with a large ruby ​​necklace adorning her long neck and five magic rings on her ten slender fingers. She exuded an air of opulent wealth and luxury.

—Golden-Della-Isgil (Legend) (5-star blank).

One of the five shrewish women.

The bishop-level priestess of the Goddess of Wealth, she engages in open and covert power struggles with the other five shrewish women, yet they unite against external forces. She is also the major financial backer behind the scenes in her human form.

"Ah."

But today, Duncan-Starfall's expression seemed somewhat different. Facing the high-ranking bishop, he showed no reverence whatsoever, even looking down at her with a haughty air before calmly sitting down opposite her.

In the past, when the human form faced the five shrewish women, they could only stand by and watch.

Della Isgeel seemed to notice the change in Duncan's attitude, and her tone softened considerably as she softly asked, "Are you alright?"

If you're firm, she'll be soft.

The five women lived up to their names; the fact that she took the initiative to care and greet them meant that her imposing manner had been somewhat suppressed by Duncan.

Duncan calmly shook his head and said, "A legendary assassin has arrived."

"I suffered a minor injury, but it's healed now."

legend?

Della Isgil was startled. News from last night had been blocked because of the disappearance of Lady Wealth and the decline of the Church's power. She was unaware of the specifics.

The tycoons are also a bunch of opportunists; whoever holds the power of wealth, they become their servants.

But the five shrews were still the five shrews. Della Isgeel only asked one question with concern before immediately getting back to the main topic: "You saved the Mother of Great Bliss last night."

"This is the best opportunity to infiltrate the Pleasure Cult."

"You have to find a way to become her confidant, and it would be best if you could become her lover!"

"Only in this way can we find out information about the goddess."

Not everyone sided with the goddess of joy, Li'erla. Some were placed in their service by Shangjin, with the aim of gathering information about the goddess of wealth.

They didn't believe that the goddess of wealth could have suddenly disappeared without any news from Lira, who was acting as her godmother.

What about the liar?
They didn't tell you where they went, and just entrusted their priesthood to you?
In order to recruit the human host into the Pleasure Cult, the Church of Wealth, through the "Holy Coin" (i.e., the Patriarch), personally arranged for a scheme involving the theft of a large treasury. The human host was then ostracized for dereliction of duty and ultimately became a member of the Pleasure Cult.

same.

Besides Duncan, other members of the Church of Wealth joined the Church of the Goddess of Joy.

Upon hearing this, Duncan frowned and said in a deep voice, "It's a bit difficult."

"You should know that the Mother of Great Bliss is the lover of the Lady of Joy, and she almost never gets close to other men."

Upon hearing Duncan's words, Della Isge looked disdainful and scoffed.

Have the members of the Pleasure Cult become loyal?
It's simply that we don't have enough chips.

If you were a powerful legendary figure, you could see if the Great Mother of Bliss would personally cleanse herself and invite you to a salon gathering.

Each of the five players had their own role, with Della Isgeel serving as Duncan's contact person.

She pondered for a moment, then said seriously, "Then you also need to find a way to gain her trust."

"If we can find the lady."

"You will surely receive some credit in the future, and perhaps you will even receive divine favor from the lady."

Those favored by the gods.

Without that title, money alone might not be enough to win over Duncan, since the Pleasure Cult has money, manpower, and extravagant lifestyles.

Those favored by the gods hold immense appeal for mortals.

But Duncan remained completely unmoved.

He said slowly, "Gaining the trust of the Mother of Great Bliss will probably not be so easy right now."

In a word.

Add money!

The Wealth Church assigns tasks to people; surely they wouldn't be stingy with spending money?
really.

Della Isgeel immediately understood Duncan's subtext. She smiled and looked Duncan up and down, seemingly regaining her composure. As long as there was desire, he could be manipulated. This arrogant woman took out a document and handed it to Duncan, saying, "Take a look for yourself."

Duncan reached out and took it, glanced at it, and looked quite surprised.

The above is a share of a fleet of ships, from Serganth to Westgate, passing through the Sea of ​​Fallen Stars. It's a maritime trading fleet with sixteen merchant ships. Duncan can get half the shares as long as he signs the contract.

He flipped down the page again and saw a land deed.

In the direction of Dragon Lake, there is a place called Pross. The land deed marks a large manor with vast fields and hundreds of servants. It was once the territory of a baron, and once Duncan signs the contract, everything there will belong to him.

This wealth is enough for him to live comfortably as a nobleman for the rest of his life.

This is exactly the style of the Wealth Church!
Duncan calmly put down the documents and slowly said, "I need some funds to buy off the Lord of Revelry and the Messenger of Joy of the Cult of Pleasure."

This money is his reward.

However, the operating funds need to be calculated separately. Duncan is the world's biggest financier. Does the Wealth Church have to be frugal when it comes to his work?

Della Isgeel nodded happily and said, "I will send someone to prepare 100,000 Kindles for you."

She paused for a moment before continuing, "The Archbishop of Holy Coins has secretly sent people to purchase a batch of powerful magical artifacts from the red-robed wizards."

"I will arrange for someone to deliver it to you when the time comes."

Wealth teaches nothing else but having a lot of money.

They are the real capitalists in this world. If the Church of the Goddess of Joy did not have the authority to manage wealth, it would be nothing more than a 'good friend' clinging to the Goddess of Wealth.

Della Isgeel stayed there for a short while before secretly leaving.

The five shrewish women arranged for many people to infiltrate the Pleasure Cult, but they would only place their bets on who would ultimately rise to the top.

It's obvious what happened yesterday.

The five shrewish women have decided to place their bets on Duncan Starfall, as he is currently the only one close to the Mother of Bliss.

“If he were an ordinary person, he might actually be willing to work for the Church of Wealth.”

Duncan held the land deed in his hand, smiled, and casually tossed it into the drawer.

"But unfortunately, I am not."

"I want it all!"

A real man never makes choices.

He wants Lady Wealth, and he wants Lady Joy too.

The world's most prestigious divine positions have almost all been divided up, and Duncan has two juicy pieces in front of him, so he definitely has to take a bite first to see how they are.

Only after he has struck gold can he dabble in more powerful divine duties, such as death and slaughter.

Compared to other major events after the Cataclysm of the Saints, the disappearance of the Goddess of Wealth should be considered the lowest-risk opportunity and one that could lead to contact with the true God.

Duncan only has a chance to rise to prominence if he can't fight the Goddess of Joy or her church.

In places like Baldur's Gate or Neverwinter, it would be impossible for a human to have so many factions actively courting them, given their current strength.

This wave of attacks must be a massive feast, allowing us to quickly reach Legendary status!
………………

(End of this chapter)