Mystery: Big Alarm Clock Ghroth Path

Chapter 335 The Deal with the Church of Knowledge
"The Church of the 'God of Knowledge and Wisdom'?"

Sam lowered his head and thought for a moment after hearing this:
“Cousin, you should know that Rune is not a legitimate missionary site for the Church of Knowledge. Currently, the only foreign orthodox church in the kingdom that can accept missionary activities is the Church of Mother Earth.”

"Moreover, the number of churches of the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess is also strictly limited... so finding clues about the Church of Knowledge is not an easy task."

Roger nodded:

“I know about what you’re saying, but I recently rescued a surviving human civilization in the ‘Forsaken Land’ and promised one of their key leaders that I would jump from the ‘Shepherd’ to the ‘Reader’ pathway to Sequence 4 ‘Prophet’.”

"I already have the recipe for the 'Prophet' potion and one of the main ingredients. The other main ingredient is mainly produced in Segal and is very rare in Rune."

“However, even if I go to Segal, I may not be able to get the corresponding clues, so I want to communicate with the local Knowledge Church liaison in Backlund to see if they can accept the exchange of sealed artifacts or the direct purchase.”

Seeing that Sam was still somewhat hesitant, Roger smiled again and reminded him:

"I'll give you an idea. Do you remember Isengard Stanton?"

“I remember, but Detective Isengard seems to be unwell lately and has been recuperating in a sanatorium, rarely making public appearances.”

Sam nodded, then said thoughtfully:

"You mean, Detective Isengard is a member of the Church of Knowledge? No wonder he seemed to have used some of the 'Reader' pathway abilities before..."

"Most likely."

Roger nodded slightly:

"Here's what we'll do: could you ask Detective Isengard which sanatorium he's in, and then come with me to visit him when you have some free time?"

"Wait a moment, cousin, I'll contact a friend of mine right now."

Sam put down his glass, stood up, and held a summoning ritual for the messenger right there in the living room.

A moment later, a cold wind blew by, and a phantom-like creature, resembling a clay doll, appeared in the living room.

It looked at Sam with its eyes, which seemed to be made of ceramic shards, and Roger could see the doubt and question in them.

"Please ask Joyna which nursing home Detective Essinger Stanton is currently in. I will visit him when I have time."

"Joyna will pay for the mail delivery, as we agreed beforehand."

After speaking, the illusory clay doll nodded and disappeared into the darkness.

Soon, the clay figure returned, holding a pink envelope with beautiful cursive Rune script written on it:

"To Mr. Sam Garonne."

Even from a distance, Roger could smell the faint perfume emanating from the pink envelope.

"Oh my, it seems this lady values ​​you quite a bit."

Roger raised an eyebrow and teased Sam.

Sam gave an awkward smile, opened the letter, glanced at it, and then looked up at Roger, saying:
"The Wisconsin Rehabilitation Centre, located at the border of Queens and St. George... Detective Eisinger can meet with guests from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. When you go, you can bring some special cigars or tobacco. He seems to be having some troubles lately and has a heavy smoking habit."

"The Wisconsin Rehabilitation Centre... I've been there. It has a really nice hot spring. Although it seems to be artificial, made using sealed materials, the effect is better than natural hot springs."

After hearing Sam's words, Roger finally spoke:

Do you know anything about tobacco?

"I do understand a little bit."

Sam chuckled sheepishly and scratched his head.

"Before Detective Moriarty left Backlund, he told me to learn more about tobacco and chemical trace identification, so I've been trying out various types of tobacco for a while now... Although I really dislike the taste, I actually used some of the research findings during a case once."

Tobacco and chemicals... Klein is really training Sam with Sherlock Holmes standards.

Roger suddenly understood, nodded, and then asked:
"In your opinion, where would tobacco or cigars be more suitable for someone like Detective Isengard?"

“The best choice is the Bachk high-mountain tobacco from the Blue Mountains near Bayam. First of all, it is more upscale and suitable for gifting. In addition, the taste is very mild, which is very suitable for an old gentleman like Detective Eisinger who is both old and particular.”

After a moment's thought, Sam suggested a suitable tobacco variety.

“Okay, I’ll go buy it first thing tomorrow morning, and then we’ll go see Detective Isengard in the afternoon.”

Although Roger is now a Sequence 4 demigod while Detective Isengard is only Sequence 7, Roger still places great importance on etiquette.

Although tobacco did little to aid Detective Isengard's recovery, Roger understood that when asking for favors, one should cater to the person's preferences rather than lecturing them on right and wrong.

"By the way, would you like to take a look at Bayam?"

Roger suddenly smiled.

"think."

Cecilia's eyes immediately lit up:
“But cousin, it seems the ‘traveler’s’ abilities can’t take all of us with him.”

"I'll just pack them into boxes for you, that'll be enough."

Roger laughed, then looked at the somewhat frightened Allister and Perseus:
"Don't be afraid, it's a toy space inside, and it's actually quite fun."

"Alright, go to sleep early. We'll leave for Bayam at eight o'clock sharp tomorrow morning."

Roger smiled and looked at Allist and Perseus:
"You two can ask for leave from class tomorrow; consider it a short break for you."

The twins cheered and then rushed to their room to pack their things.

"Just go for a morning, don't bring too much stuff!"

Roger said with a hint of helplessness, then glanced at Sam and Cecilia:

"You two should go to sleep early too, I'm going to sleep first."

"Okay, cousin."

The brother and sister nodded at the same time.

After Roger returned to his bedroom, he did not rush to sleep, nor did he let Bandit return to the bedroom. Instead, he cleaned up his desk and turned it into a simple altar. Then he held two prayer ceremonies, one for Adam the "Dreamer" and the other for Amanisis the "Goddess of Night," both Sequence 0 true gods.

During the ceremony, Roger explained in detail that what he was about to do was to digest the potion, hoping that the two gods would be fully aware of this.

Although he knew that Amanisis and Adam wouldn't be so petty, he still felt that his status as an Outer God was inherently sensitive, and handling things neatly was a form of protection for himself.

……

The next morning, Roger took his four younger siblings to Bayam, while leaving Cecilia and the twins in the dock area for a seafood feast and shopping for souvenirs. He and Sam went to a tobacco shop on Blue Mountain Island to buy a beautifully packaged Bach tobacco gift box.

Around 1 p.m., Roger took his four siblings back to Backlund. Alliste and Perseus stayed home to play with the souvenirs and toys they had just bought, Cecilia went back to work, and Roger and Sam took a horse-drawn carriage to the Wisconsin Nursing Home.

At the front desk of the nursing home, Sam handed over his business card and explained his purpose. The two were then led by staff to a quiet courtyard.

Here, Essinger Stanton is sitting in a wheelchair, speaking softly to a male caregiver pushing him.

Upon seeing Roger and Sam enter, Isengard waved to signal the caregiver to leave, while he himself turned his wheelchair around to face Roger and Sam.

"Sam, Mr. Jones, it's been a long time."

Although Essinger Stanton looked a little pale, he still had that cheerful expression, and this "Eye of Wisdom" gentleman seemed to be in a very good mood.

"Long time no see, Detective Stanton."

Roger bent down and shook hands with Isengard Stanton, who was sitting in a wheelchair, and then gestured for Sam to present the gift.

"Bach tobacco? That's quite an expense."

Aisinger Stanton sniffed lightly and then revealed the contents of the gift box Sam had handed him.

"You're a true expert."

Roger gave a thumbs up, and after getting Isengard's permission, he took the pipe from the table and began to fill it with tobacco.

Soon, the tobacco was loaded, and Eisinger lit the pipe with a match, took a deep drag, and then thanked him.

"Detective Isengard, what's wrong with you?"

Roger asked, somewhat puzzled.

Isengard sighed:
"I'm sorry, I was injured last month. Although I had surgery, I still often feel pain, so the doctor suggested that I come here to recuperate for a while."

"I came here because the hot spring water is very special and has a good effect on relieving pain. I also took a long vacation."

Roger shook his head upon hearing this:
"Are you sure? You don't look well. Were you shot in the chest?"

"How did you figure it out?"

Isengard was somewhat amazed. He knew Roger was also an extraordinary person, but he didn't expect him to have studied medicine as well.

"A little bit of experience."

Roger smiled, rummaged in his pocket, and pulled out a bottle of pale green potion:
"You can drink this when you have time. It's a potion prepared by a mid-sequence extraordinary individual on the 'Pharmacist' pathway to help with injury recovery. You should be able to be discharged from the hospital soon after drinking it."

"A mid-level 'pharmacist'?"

Isengard took the potion, glanced at it, and suddenly said:
“This is quite rare in Backlund… Either you’ve come into contact with members of the ‘School of Life,’ or you have a vampire friend, right?”

"You are indeed no ordinary person."

Roger's lips curled up; his knowledge of the "School of Life" and vampires was definitely not a characteristic of ordinary extraordinary individuals.

On the other hand, he was also certain that Isengard probably knew some of his background, but he wasn't sure exactly how much.

Instead of drinking the potion, Aisinger Stanton went straight to the point and asked:
"Did you two come to see me today because there's something I can help you with?"

"You have such keen insight."

Roger nodded and frankly stated his purpose:
"We'd like to contact the Church of Knowledge to purchase some of the main ingredients for potions."

"Is it the 'Reader' pathway? Which sequence?"

Isengard Stanton exhaled a smoke ring. He knew Roger had seen through his identity. Based on the intelligence he possessed, the seasoned detective judged that he didn't need to hide his status as an Extraordinary being associated with the Church of Knowledge.

"One of the main ingredients of the Sequence 4 potion is a pair of wings from a certain special bird, and 100 milliliters of its blood."

Roger did not reveal the name of the "Prophet's" potion or the name of the prophetic bird, which was a form of protection for Isengard Stanton, who was only at the middle sequence level.

Knowledge of high-sequence potions is a secret among the extraordinary beings under the Church's jurisdiction, especially for those of mid- to low-sequence.

Rather than letting Isengard know too much, it's better to give him some vague information. Roger believes that the high-ranking members of the Church of Knowledge can use this information to determine Roger's needs.

"Sequence 4???"

Isengard's eyes widened, revealing a very surprised expression.

He never expected that the last time he saw Roger was half a year ago. Back then, the roommate of Detective Moriarty was only slightly stronger than him at best, but now the other party was already considering matters related to demigods.

"May I ask, who wants to be promoted to Sequence 4?"

Isengard choked on his smoke, coughed a few times, and then asked the question.

In his view, it was unlikely that Roger himself was preparing for his ascension to Sequence 4. Isengard was unaware that the "Five Paths of Omniscience and Omnipotence" could jump between higher sequences, but he knew that if Roger was only at Sequence 5, he would never have come forward to discuss Sequence 4 materials with the Church of Knowledge. Either it was Roger himself, or some powerful figure behind him had already reached at least Sequence 4 or even higher and possessed immense backing; otherwise, it would be impossible for him to do something so outrageous.

In fact, Roger dared to contact the Church of Knowledge directly because he had thought through the cause and effect of the matter very well.

Ordinary extraordinary beings might not know, but the higher-ups of the Church of the True God could not possibly be unaware of Roger's role in the war between the Rune and the Fusak Empire.

After this war, "Imaginary Angel" Adam became a god, "Goddess of the Night" Amanisis obtained the Sequence 1 Extraordinary trait and uniqueness of the "Warrior" pathway, and their ally was none other than this mere pirate king.

Although most pirate kings are demigods, they are still far from being true gods. The reason Roger was able to gain the attention of Adam and the goddess of night was because he was an incarnation of an outer god, capable of influencing the final outcome of the war of the end times.

Because adjacent paths are inherently hostile, the same applies to the relationship between "White Tower" Herabogen and "Daydreamer" Adam. Not to mention that Herabogen had participated in the "Banquet of Betrayal" where the ancient sun god was devoured, the rift between the two is irreconcilable.

Therefore, when Roger took the initiative to contact the Church of Knowledge, this information was easily interpreted by the top echelons of the Church of Knowledge as a gesture of goodwill. They had no need to offend Roger over a Sequence 4 Extraordinary material, and they would rather do some good deeds than turn him away.

However, on the other hand, Roger had already informed his two allies, Adam and Amanisis, of his actions, making it clear that he was only trading potion ingredients and that he had not wavered in his stance.

Furthermore, since his transaction with the Church of Knowledge would inevitably be fair and just, with both parties contributing equal value, and he would not accept any benefits from the Church of Knowledge, no one could say anything about it.

In this way, Adam and Amanisis's understanding of the matter will deviate somewhat from that of the Church of Knowledge. Although everyone will eventually return to a unified consensus, Roger will also be able to achieve his own goals in the process.

"One of my subordinates is getting a promotion."

Roger knew that Isengard had guessed some things, so he told him the truth.

"...Mr. Jones, please forgive my negligence, but this matter is very complex, and I cannot guarantee the outcome."

Isengard's way of addressing Roger had subtly changed, and he looked at Sam:

"When Sam first took over the Moriarty Detective Agency, we collaborated quite a bit. I'll accept this tobacco as a token of our friendship."

"But I can't accept this medicine. I can't accept something for nothing. I need to confirm that my contact person is willing to contact you before I can accept it."

Although tobacco is not cheap, it is a worldly thing, and Eschenger can afford it and repay the favor.

However, the products of extraordinary abilities are different. Isengard was unsure whether he could facilitate cooperation between the two parties. To be honest, this Sequence 7 gentleman felt immense pressure at this moment, with a sense of dislocation, as if he, an ordinary old man, had been sent to single-handedly quell the storms of the raging sea.

However, considering Roger's possible background, Isengard did not refuse him, but promised to help inquire.

"It's alright, you can keep this medicine for now. If your contact person is sure they can make contact, you can drink it."

After Roger finished speaking, he stood up again, touched his top hat with his hand, gave a slight bow, and then handed Isengard a note that he had written in advance:

"I await your good news. This is my messenger's contact information. Please contact me anytime you have news."

After saying that, he took Sam and left the courtyard where Isengard was. The latter stared at their backs for a long time before letting out a long sigh.

"...I was thinking of retiring, but I got caught up in this kind of thing at the last minute."

He smiled, shook his head, took a drag of his cigarette, and began writing a letter to someone he hadn't seen in a long time.

Soon, the next morning, Roger received a letter from Isengard Stanton.

The letter inquired whether Roger would have time to visit Stone, the capital of East Chestershire, at 8 p.m. that evening, as a contact from the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom wished to meet Roger in a private room at an upscale restaurant.

"Not in Backlund, but in Stohn... It seems this is because it's inconvenient for people associated with the Church of Knowledge to operate in the Kingdom of Rune."

After a moment's thought, Roger replied to Isengard Stanton, indicating his willingness to go.

Roger then waited at home for the evening to arrive. Alice came by once, bringing Roger a new, expensive cane as a gift. She also gave him a brief update on her recent career and how well she had completed the tasks Roger had given her.

Roger readily accepted and exchanged some words with Alice. Around 7:40, Alice left, and Roger used his "Traveler" ability to arrive at the shade of a tree in the "Goddess of the Night" church somewhere in Ston City.

"...It's been a long time since I've been to Stohn, and the scenery hasn't changed at all."

Roger straightened his clothes, stepped onto the street, and looked at the passersby who were preparing to enter the nightlife scene.

The last time he came to Stohn City was when he was eight years old, accompanying his grandfather Benjamin to visit another small branch of the Abraham family. Unfortunately, everyone in this branch was an Extraordinary via the "Apprentice" pathway, so Roger did not attempt to find their survivors.

The architecture of Stohn is very old-fashioned, somewhat reminiscent of the early Fifth Age. The streets are not very wide, but there are many shops and bars along the way, giving it a unique and cozy feel.

Roger and the Knowledge Church liaison met in a private room on the second floor of a restaurant called "Iris" near the city center.

He had deliberately arrived early, but the restaurant waiter told him that someone was already waiting for him in a private room.

Roger knew that the contact had also arrived early on purpose to show that he valued Roger, so he hurried upstairs and pushed open the door to the private room.

Upon entering, he noticed an elderly gentleman, around 50 years old, wearing a black suit jacket and a black bowler hat, sitting there and looking at him with a smile.

After Roger closed the door, the other person stood up, extended his hand to shake Roger's, and smiled as he spoke:
"Your Excellency Abraham, it's a pleasure to meet you."

“My name is Bentley Morris, the first-level liaison of the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom in the Kingdom of Rune.”

Roger also spoke up:
"Hello, Mr. Morris, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Afterwards, the two took their seats. At this time, some dishes were already laid out on the table, most of which were Roger's favorites. In addition, there was a bottle of Olmere wine, which seemed to indicate that Bentley had done some research beforehand.

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Roger looked at the brooch that Bentley Morris hadn't removed and asked curiously:
"Mr. Morris, are you a faculty member at Stohn University?"

"Yes, please excuse my poor appearance."

Morris smiled:

"In the Kingdom of Rune, this is one of the few suitable professions for us 'readers'."

"On the one hand, the university library has many books that can help us enrich our knowledge and experience, and on the other hand, it will not arouse the vigilance of the three major local churches."

"I see."

Roger nodded slightly, then quickly got to the point:

"I wonder what your opinion is on my request to make a deal with the 'God of Knowledge and Wisdom' that I conveyed through Mr. Stanton?"

Morris stopped cutting his steak, put down his knife and fork, and nodded.

“I have consulted the church, and they have agreed to provide you with a pair of ‘prophetic bird’s’ wings.”

"As for the reward, there's no need to be too polite. We've all heard about your exploits at sea, and the Church of Knowledge is also willing to be your friend."

But Roger shook his head. He knew Maurice was testing his attitude, so he replied:
"Making friends is of course important, but I don't accept undeserved rewards, so I insist on giving equal value."

"I am also open to transactions involving extraordinary materials, formulas, and even sealed artifacts, as long as the effort and reward from both sides are roughly equal."

Frankly, Roger would have preferred the other party to ask him for a supernatural item or potion ingredient rather than cash, because the main ingredients for Sequence 4 potions were extremely rare and could not be bought with money.

If I pay in cash, it would seem like I'm taking advantage of the Church of Knowledge, which would inevitably give people something to criticize.

Morris's eyes dimmed slightly upon hearing this, but he quickly regained his composure and answered very readily:

"Can.

"If that's the case, you can consider paying for a Sequence 4 potion ingredient, potion recipe, or a sealed item from a non-'Reader' pathway... Of course, extraordinary attributes are also acceptable, and we will discount the difference in the transaction into a reasonable amount of cash for you."

Roger sighed:

"Sure. However, I don't have any suitable potion ingredients on hand, so I can only trade sealed items or potion recipes."

"As for Sequence 4 potion recipes, I have four channels to trade with: 'Mystic,' 'Lawyer,' 'Criminal,' and 'Assassin.' I wonder which one the Church of Knowledge would be most interested in?"

In fact, Roger possessed far more than just these few Sequence 4 potion recipes. He also had three other avenues to sell them: "corpse collectors," "apprentices," and "diviners," but he did not intend to do so.

The "Corpse Collector" route is controlled by the Church of the Goddess of Night, and the Goddess of Night has been of great help to Roger. If the latter rashly sells it, he would be suspected of betraying his ally.

Furthermore, the potion recipes for the "Apprentice" path are family secrets, while the recipes for the "Diviner" path are related to the number of enemies Klein faces later in the game. Although Roger does not intend to intervene in the conflict between Klein and Amon, he also does not intend to enhance his friend's strength.

In contrast, the four paths of "Secret Prayer," "Lawyer," "Criminal," and "Assassin" were all obtained through his own abilities, and he owed no favors to anyone. He could sell them without having to consider anyone's feelings.

If we had to say something, Adam would most likely become the true god through the "Mystic" path in the future, but in essence, there is no conflict of interest between the two. Roger and Adam are also equal allies who help each other, so there is no need to consider so much.

"We chose the 'Secret Prayer' route."

"As additional compensation, we will offer you 2 gold pounds as compensation for the price difference. I wonder if you can accept that?"

Morris seemed to have received instructions from the church. He knew that the "Mystic" path was adjacent to the "Reader" path, so he chose it without much hesitation.

Although the "Secret Prayer" path has the most negative effects among the five paths of "Omniscient and Omnipotent", considering the current silence of the "True Creator" and the need to provide the church's high-ranking extraordinary individuals with another option for advancement, they are not ruling out the possibility of giving it a try.

"can."

Roger nodded. In fact, he only spent 20000 gold pounds to buy the main tendon of the Orbis Mountain Worm, so he just broke even.

"Ok."

Morris nodded, and he stood up, saying:

"Please wait a moment, I need to leave temporarily to get your goods."

He didn't even ask Roger to provide the potion recipe first. In fact, it was completely unnecessary, since the principle of equal exchange had already been established between the two parties, and it didn't matter who made the first move.

Roger nodded, and while Maurice was away, he began to write down the "Black Knight" potion recipe using the paper and pen in the private room.

"The Black Knight Potion Recipe:"
"Main materials: the remnants of the Shadow Knight's curtain, and Grigor's flesh and blood concretion."

"Auxiliary materials: Grigg's Shadow Mark, Shadow Knight's Black Liquid, one drop of blood from each of the ritual subjects, and 10 drops of lemon balm essential oil."

"Promotion Ritual: Without using violence, it induces more than 10,000 people to fall. The higher the sequence of fallen individuals, the better the ritual effect. In addition, the more concentrated the transformation points from normal to fallen in time, the better the ritual effect."

Not long after he finished writing these words, Maurice returned carrying a very large box.

He placed the box on the table and gestured for Roger to open it and inspect the contents, while he himself took the "Black Knight" potion formula and examined it.

Roger used his "Secret Insight" to quickly confirm the authenticity of the two black wings, which were larger than he expected, and the blood in the test tube in the box, and then closed the box.

Afterward, Maurice handed Roger a check for 2 gold pounds, payable to an unidentified person rather than Maurice himself.

Roger knew this was a routine measure to evade oversight, but he didn't care. He simply nodded and accepted the check.

"Pleasant to work with."

The two shook hands, and the transaction was now complete. Both men relaxed.

They started eating and clinking glasses, talking about many things that didn't involve sensitive topics.

At the end of the meeting, Maurice handed Roger another of his business cards, which read:
Associate Professor of Mathematics at the University of Stohn
Senior Member of the Academic Review Committee
"Bentley Morris".

"Thank you, but I don't have an up-to-date business card. If you need anything later, you can contact me through Detective Isinger Stanton."

When Roger left, he had already secretly paid the bill. He then stood up and shook hands with Maurice again before using the "Traveler's" ability to leave the box.

……

The next day, Roger bought some more ingredients for the "Prophet" potion and returned to "New Fog City" in "The Forsaken Land," where he met Jack Burton, who was still organizing the final day of the celebration.

"Jack."

Roger walked up to him and patted him on the shoulder:

"I have prepared all the ingredients for your potion. You are ready to advance."

Upon hearing Roger's words, Jack was slightly taken aback at first, and then his eyes immediately lit up with excitement!
(End of this chapter)