Hyperdimensional Player

Chapter 392 The Divine Grace of the Goddess of Joy

Temple of Pleasure.

Duncan slept until evening. When he woke up, the room was lit with a blend of whale incense. The faint fragrance had a calming effect and could aid meditation. It was extremely expensive, almost equivalent to the same weight in gold. Needless to say, it must have been sent by the Great Mother of Bliss.

This is something that even the most powerful merchants can't afford. Only the Great Blissful Mother, whose treasury is virtually inexhaustible, can use it at will. Legend has it that her incredibly luxurious mansion is filled with all sorts of luxury goods.

"Lord Duncan."

Vera, dressed in a well-fitting red priestess gown with a cinched waist, entered, carrying a lunchbox. She carefully placed it on the table and said softly, "Are you hungry?"

"Let's eat something first."

After two consecutive major battles, plus the sacred funeral held by the Mother of Bliss in the middle of the night, Duncan returned exhausted and slept until evening, without even having lunch.

"Ah."

"Leave it alone."

Duncan nodded expressionlessly. In front of him, the newly appointed High Priestess of Joy, Vera, knelt on the ground and placed a tray of food on a small table. From Duncan's position, he could see a deep, white cleavage through her collar. She then knelt on the soft velvet carpet and poured Duncan a glass of wine.

"My lord, please enjoy your meal."

Vera tilted her head back, her eyes trembling slightly, her beautiful face showing a hint of reverence. She presented the silver goblet to Duncan with both hands, emphasizing impeccable service.

Duncan calmly took the glass and took a sip. He picked up his plate, grabbed a juicy roasted leg of lamb, and took a bite. Vera, who was standing next to him, brought him some prepared seasonings. It contained something like black pepper and a touch of minty herbs. When Duncan dipped his finger in the seasonings and took a bite, he was instantly amazed. His expression was one of surprise because the flavor far exceeded his expectations.

He glanced at the condiments beside him and thought to himself, "Is there poppy in this?"

Given the Pleasure Cult's modus operandi, it's really hard to say.

After all, they're willing to try anything in pursuit of pleasure, so there's clearly something wrong with this seasoning.

When Duncan returned after defeating the Order of Pain, he saw some injured priests of pleasure taking blue mushroom powder in the corner of the second-floor bar. This dreadful stuff has a strong hallucinogenic effect and is addictive; it's considered a drug even in the Abyss. They were lying in the lounge, each taking a puff, looking quite satisfied.

Also.

One important tidbit of information that must be mentioned is that the largest supplier of Blue Mushroom Powder is the demon lord of the 570th floor of the Abyss, the Succubus Queen Mechanshute. The floor she rules, 'Sadella,' is a beautiful and heavenly place that produces the largest known quantity of materials for making hallucinogenic drugs.

Those mortals trapped in the succubus queen's territory were basically high every day, or rather, they never truly woke up from the illusion.

When Duncan saw the priests of the Pleasure Cult using this stuff, he knew they were truly beyond saving.

Vera, who was serving nearby, respectfully left, whispering before departing, "Lord Duncan."

"The Mother of Great Bliss has arranged a banquet tonight."

"Please make sure you go."

Upon hearing this, Duncan nodded calmly and said, "I understand."

What a blast.

Even if others are after your lives, it won't stop you from enjoying yourself.

After Vera left, Duncan picked up a pen and paper and sat by the window, organizing the intelligence he had gathered over the past two days. Not only the Pleasure Cult, but also the Wealth Cult was within his scope of analysis.

"The Pleasure Cult is truly awful."

"Ordinary libertines, bards, and street performers are only one or two stars in strength, while church priests are only two to three stars, and the middle and upper levels barely have four-star combat power."

"But most of them are hedonists and never train diligently."

Duncan only sketched out a diagram of the church's structure before immediately shaking his head in rejection. The entire Pleasure Cult only had eight capable fighters: the Great Mother of Bliss, the Master of Revelry, and the High Priest of Joy. Apart from these three, the other five were all high-ranking members of the Scarlet Actor Order.

It's fortunate that the Crimson Actors Cult exists; otherwise, they would truly be a bunch of pushovers.

However, the churches of the gods in the Mingshui region are all quite weak, and it's not just Lady Joy. The main god she serves, Lady Love, is the same. What are the temple guards in her church called? Knight of Flowers, Knight of Roses, etc.

Just by hearing the name, you can tell how powerful they are.

Some powerful professionals were lured away by the Church of Love, only to be drained of their potential within a few years, leaving them weak in the knees even when fighting.

"Fortunately, the Golden Battle Group of the Church of Wealth is quite strong, but it is controlled by the Five Fierce Women. Without the Gold level, it is impossible to mobilize them."

“The whole of Sergant.”

"The only truly formidable church forces are probably the Golden Guard of the Church of Wealth and the Temple Guardians of the God of Protection."

The power levels in this world are rather subtle.

Normally, three or four stars is considered a high level of skill, and they are well-known figures when adventuring in the wild.

But when a major event occurs, they won't even get a chance to be cannon fodder.

In a metropolis like Serganth, a four-star silver-grey mark signifies a powerful figure, and a legendary figure is even more formidable, capable of shaking an entire region with a mere stomp of their foot. However, when faced with epic historical events, such as the birth of the Killing God Child at Baldur's Gate, the turmoil in Neverwinter, or even the shadow of future betrayers, the number of legendary creatures who perish is simply countless.

In the struggle for the throne of Baal, the god of murder, the number of legendary warriors who died could not be filled by a truckload.

"As long as the matter involves the divine realm."

"Legendary experts seem to appear out of thin air; no one knows where so many legendary figures are hidden."

Thinking of this, Duncan couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.

Other churches of gods have accumulated various powerful figures over hundreds or thousands of years, while the Pleasure Cult has enjoyed itself for hundreds of years, and the Great Mother of Bliss has few legendary figures with names.

No wonder the goddesses of the divine kingdoms, such as the Lady of Love, the Lady of Joy, and the Lady of Wealth, who reside in the Bright Water Domain, had to form an alliance to deal with major crises.

The night is getting darker.

Duncan spent some time organizing the intelligence; currently, he identified only two powerful factions.

In the hands of the Five Fierce Women, the Golden Battle Group of the Church of Wealth, while not the strongest, is absolutely equipped with luxurious gear, each member possessing powerful and rare artifacts, enough to shake the various forces in the Fallen Star Sea.

Another force, under the control of the Great Blissful Mother, is the essence of the Church of Joy, the Scarlet Musicians. Although small in number, their overall strength is considerable.

"These two religious groups."

"I could have a significant impact on the situation in Sergant just by getting one of those weapons."

Duncan never considered moving to another place to develop his career. Everywhere in Forgotten Realms is under the control of local powers, the Church of God, dark creatures, and so on. Let alone going to other places, as long as he leaves the territory of Selgant, he will be considered to have entered the territory of the Dragon Cult.

How about learning about the Dragon Lich?

Without a powerful background or divine support, it's incredibly difficult to gain a foothold in the world of business.

A clear bell sounded.

Duncan pushed open the door and saw several priests of pleasure walking out of the lounge. The middle-aged man in the lead was handsome and was Cordo, the master of revelry of the Cult of Pleasure. He and the High Priest of Joy were the right and left hands of the Mother of Great Bliss.

The other person looked at Duncan with a hint of wariness, as if Duncan's rise had affected his power.

"grown ups."

"plz follow me."

Vera and another priestess dressed in a light purple dress came to greet him. The priests of the Cult of Pleasure wore robes of various colors. If it was a carnival celebration, they would dress like a rainbow. They loved bright colors.

Duncan nodded calmly and followed Vera to the villa behind the temple.

Beside her, the priestess of pleasure, dressed in a light purple dress, walked with a cat-like gait, her slender waist swaying gracefully, her full hips gently rocking, and she would occasionally glance back at him, her eyes revealing a hint of seductive charm.

This was a rising star in the Pleasure Cult, and Vera was promoted to priestess simply because she became his lover.

In front of a marble-paved garden courtyard.

As Duncan and his group arrived, the Great Mother of Bliss emerged from the villa. She had changed back into a gorgeous and brightly colored outfit, with a skirt slit up to her thighs and a dress that almost exposed half of her breasts. The priestesses of pleasure on either side of her wore tight-fitting clothes, both men and women, in colors mainly red, orange, and yellow.

The Scarlet Performers were the most flamboyantly dressed, with one yellow leg and the other red, one orange sleeve and the other yellow sleeve, and orange clothes in the front and red in the back.

The priestesses of pleasure all wore low-cut dresses, all sleeveless cheongsams embroidered with yellow, red, and orange patterns on the front.

Everyone was dressed up.

Both men and women wore exquisite earrings, gemstone bracelets, anklets, waist chains, etc., and their makeup was basically full. The male members also applied powder and rouge, and many of the men even had long hair and had specially styled fashionable hairstyles.

There was a sound of heavy footsteps.

When Duncan's imposing figure appeared, it's easy to imagine how many eyes he attracted with his unadorned attire, his large sword slung over his shoulder, and his solemn expression. Hehe.

The soft laughter of the priestesses of pleasure echoed from a corner of the garden courtyard. A group of brightly dressed and charming figures watched the heroic figure striding confidently into the courtyard, and the priestesses couldn't help but whisper among themselves.

"That must be Duncan Starfall."

"He is indeed as rigid and boring as rumored. This is the banquet of the Mother of Great Bliss, and he actually came dressed like this."

"They also brought weapons."

Sure enough, the next second two carnival attendants stepped forward and stopped Duncan. At the master of carnival's signal, the two male attendants indicated that Duncan should take off his sword, otherwise he could not enter.

Vera looked a little nervous and hurriedly stepped forward, whispering in Duncan's ear, "In a little while, there will be the Church's sacred ceremony, 'Renouncing Violence' (Unsheathing the Sword)."

"It would be best if you, sir, did not bring any weapons in."

Duncan stopped, his brow furrowed, and remained silent, staring at the men and women dressed in their finest attire in the garden courtyard.

Unsheathe your sword, remove your armor?
Speechless.

Duncan didn't know how to comment; he even considered turning around and leaving.

"The Mother of Great Bliss has instructed Lord Duncan not remove his sword."

Just then, a bright-eyed young woman strode over, smiled at Duncan, and scolded the party servants beside her, "Why aren't you moving aside?"

The Carnival Master's gaze darkened, his expression turning somewhat sinister.

It should be noted that "abandoning violence" is a sacred ritual of the Pleasure Cult, yet today a precedent has been set for an outsider.

Duncan strode in and stood directly beside the Mother of Great Bliss.

"let's start."

The Great Bliss Mother looked Duncan up and down, noticing his tight-fitting clothes and then his sword. She showed no displeasure, but simply gestured to Vera and the others beside her.

Clearly, in her view, Duncan had not yet fully embraced the ideology of the Pleasure Cult.

They also lacked a deep understanding of the pleasures of hedonism.

Numerous priestesses began chanting, and some of the temple guards outside drew their swords and threw several weapons to the ground. At the same time, beautiful priestesses on both sides stepped forward, chanting as they covered the weapons with flowers.

At this time of year, many flowers are unavailable for picking.

The flowers used in these ceremonies were conjured by druids and mages at their expense, and then blessed with magic to keep them looking fresh and vibrant.

A series of beautiful melodies began to play.

After the High Priestess of Pleasure completed the sacred ceremony of "renunciation of violence," bards on both sides began to play music, and entertainers performed songs and dances. Many church members also sought out their dance partners, and a group of men and women dressed in their finest attire danced gracefully in the garden courtyard.

A joyful atmosphere immediately filled the air.

"grown ups."

Vera looked slightly nervous and asked cautiously, "May I invite you to dance?"

The Mother of Great Bliss influenced Duncan's perspective on things; at the very least, he couldn't be so out of place and had to conform to the style of the Pleasure Cult.

It is difficult for others in the church to accept a person who is not talkative and rarely seeks pleasure.

Duncan slowly shook his head, remaining silent, only glancing at the Mother of Great Bliss.

Seemingly noticing his gaze, the Great Mother of Bliss looked somewhat disappointed. She watched the dance with little interest, then led the priestesses to the backyard, and arranged for Duncan to enter as well.

Inside is the private space of the Great Blissful Mother.

Duncan noticed that almost everyone who came in was a woman. At that moment, the Great Mother of Bliss walked up to him, smiled meaningfully, and said, "Relax."

"You must know how to enjoy happiness in time."

The villa's interior was extremely luxurious, resembling a palace-like clubhouse. Soon, a bard began to play his instrument, and the attendants on either side began to dance. After the dance began, there was a period of leisurely and carefree relaxation.

Duncan stood there feeling a bit out of place. He frowned, looked around, found a secluded corner, put down his longsword, and sat down on the soft sofa.

As soon as he sat down, a waitress poured him wine and served him delicacies.

This location is not far from the Mother of Great Bliss, so he can react instantly in case of any emergency.

It is impossible to remove the sword.

Without weapons, the human host's strength is reduced by at least half.

Time passed slowly, and as the ball came to an end, the banquet entered free time. One after another, the elegantly dressed figures entered the rest area of ​​the garden courtyard, while the Great Bliss Mother lay lazily on the gilded sofa, her expression languid and beautiful. Her fair fingers held a crystal glass, listening to the laughter and chatter around her, while two maids massaged her shoulders and legs.

At this moment, her gaze fell on Duncan, who was drinking alone in the corner. The Mother of Bliss frowned slightly, raised her hand to summon Vera and another priestess, and said in a sweet voice, "Tonight, he must experience the meaning of joy in life."

"Do you understand?"

Vera and another priestess of pleasure nodded respectfully.

The banquet quickly moved into its second phase.

As the central hall emptied, the Mother of Great Bliss lazily rose, her bare feet treading on air, radiant and extraordinary. She loosened her long hair, letting it cascade down to her calves. Accompanied by chanting and melodies all around, the Mother of Great Bliss began a solo dance, praying for divine grace from the Goddess of Joy. Her movements were incredibly graceful, her steps otherworldly, her entire body suspended in mid-air, seeking the goddess's resonance with her beautiful and joyful dance.

But for some reason, the direction the Great Blissful Mother was facing was Duncan, who was sitting alone in the corner. Her ruby-like, charming eyes were fixed on him, and then she became like a joyful elf, charming and bright.

She is truly a rare beauty.

No wonder he attracted the favor of the goddess of joy, Lyra. Duncan raised his glass, drank it all, sat up straight, and admired the dance that prayed for divine grace.

But at this moment.

Vera and another priestess of pleasure sat down beside him. The two women exchanged a glance, and Vera, like a joyful butterfly, twirled and sat on Duncan's lap, her slender waist swaying gracefully. At that moment, in the center of the hall, the Great Mother of Bliss's dance changed from joyful to seductive, becoming more alluring and enchanting. She began to spin and dance in mid-air, her long legs and full breasts reflecting light under the crystal chandelier.

Unwittingly, the Mother of Great Bliss glanced at this place, but without pausing her movements, she continued to dance gracefully, while the chanting around her seemed to echo, and faint rays of holy light sprinkled down.

This is the divine grace of the goddess of joy, Lira.

Whenever the Mother of Great Bliss holds a ceremony, the Goddess of Joy almost always gives some response.

On a sofa in the corner of the banquet hall, Vera, swaying her slender waist gracefully, was glanced at by the Mother of Great Bliss. Her body trembled instantly. The next second, she gently raised her hips and, with the help of another priestess of pleasure, reached behind her back and unbuttoned the hidden buttons of her long dress. Soon, under the dim crystal chandelier, the red skirt that flared out on both sides resembled a blooming rose.

This subtle skirt design originated from the priestesses of the goddess of love, and the Pleasure Cult also adopted some of their clothing style.

Vera swayed her hips and danced gracefully, following the ritual of the Great Bliss Mother, moving her body in small, rhythmic movements.

Divine grace has been bestowed.

The priests and messengers of joy all around began to sing loudly, praising the goddess of joy, while the Mother of Great Bliss was bathed in the radiance of divine grace, appearing as a radiant and beautiful goddess.

Even the reflection of the goddess of joy appeared on her.

Pleasure, allure, dance.

After the sacred ritual of the three realms was completed, the Mother of Great Bliss stopped, glanced meaningfully at the corner, and then returned to the incomparably luxurious sofa with a smile.

—Sense sharing (divine magic).

A faint ray of light fell upon Vera. She needed to find some amusement and hoped this man wouldn't disappoint her, since she rarely took the initiative to experience other people's senses.

The Great Bliss Mother's delicate body trembled slightly, then she resumed her languid and composed demeanor, simply lying on the luxurious sofa and having a maid bring her a velvet blanket.

As long as she could integrate into the atmosphere of the Pleasure Cult, she was confident that she could gradually win this man over to her side.

A suppressed groan came from the corner.

After a while, the Mother of Great Bliss took a deep breath, calmed herself, and slowly rose to her feet. With slow steps, she stood under the dazzling crystal chandelier and began to promote a new batch of Pleasure Priests.

Tonight marks the beginning of turning Duncan Starfall into one of our own.

The ambitious Great Blissful Mother is ready to infiltrate the Wealth Church in reverse.

………………

(End of this chapter)