I was an apprentice in Ferren

Chapter 169 Performance
The church was filled with lively food, and the dining hall was especially bustling, as if Midsummer had arrived.

The dining tables, which had been neatly arranged, were now all placed at the edges. The priest of the Church of Sunny placed a magical light source in the center of the venue that was cold but resembled a campfire. Girls in red robes sang light songs to the sound of bards playing the lute, while the monks in the venue gradually removed more and more clothes, making it difficult for DuPont to keep up with the sight.

Not only him, but even the paladins of Losanda stared blankly. Some of the younger knights were too embarrassed to look up and just ate their food with their faces red.

DuPont's dishes were highly praised, and even the salted duck that had gone wrong was brought to the table after being processed by the halflings, by which time more than half of it had already been eaten.

Upon learning that the monk who was receiving DuPont was a top student at the magic academy, the already crowded space around DuPont was completely filled.

Even the paladins who were originally chatting were moved to different seats by the girls in a soft and gentle manner, just to get closer to this rising star.

Suddenly, a cacophony of voices filled the air, and DuPont, with women on either side of him, couldn't keep his hands still, almost making him feel like he was back in the happy days of singing with clients while being paid by the government.

Of course, there are still some differences in details. The girls at Shuni's church are of much higher quality than the hostesses in KTVs. Although they don't have much of a service attitude, they also don't have that vulgar air or deliberately flattering smiles. The unique youthful vibe of the girls and their minimal makeup made DuPont feel great.

He now understands why Lavoisier's simulacra, despite being unable to do anything, still liked to have a bunch of girls perform various acts.

Even if they do nothing, just looking at them is truly pleasing to the eye, and their laughter makes me feel happy.

Especially the way he keeps calling DuPont "brother," it makes him look so young.

Alas, it's a pity these girls won't stay long. Otherwise, if you could be surrounded by beautiful girls wherever you go, even a king wouldn't receive such treatment. I really should eat more clams to nourish my body.

For a moment, DuPont's mind wandered, and he even found the thought of the Magic Church somewhat boring.

Look at their ceremonial feast! Even though the venue isn't great, the atmosphere is absolutely fantastic. There are non-stop song and dance performances, all for free. You can't take it all in. Even a paladin couldn't resist sneaking a peek.

As for the Magic Church, it only holds trivial events on Sundays, such as praising goddesses. It's old-fashioned and boring. The clergy are all old men and women. Dorothy and Angelina are relatively young and are from out of town. How can anyone like that?

If the Magic Church wasn't widely spread, it's because the priests weren't very capable. No wonder no one outside of Harua and a few northern city-states regarded her as their primary faith.

Although there are many electors in the church, to obtain this status, one must be at least a Grand Mage. What is the attraction of this for ordinary believers? If something happens to their own village, they would just spend money to crowdfund and find adventurers to solve it.

In this new era, you have to be able to work!

While DuPont was contemplating whether to apostatize and convert, the neglected paladins were somewhat disgruntled.

Although there were still quite a few beautiful women around them, not everyone had someone by their side anymore. Meanwhile, that kid had five or six women vying for his attention. It was like heaven and earth.

Many people couldn't even taste the food on their plates, and couldn't help but feel jealous when they saw the beautiful woman who had been beside them.

One of the conquering paladins, after enduring his anger for a long time, finally couldn't contain himself any longer and looked at the paladin who had greeted DuPont earlier: "Captain Eric, we've almost finished eating and the dance is almost over. How about I go up and spar with the locals to liven things up for everyone?"

"Do you think I'm stupid? Do you think I can't see through such an obvious provocation?" Eric kicked the other man and whispered, "This is Harua, not some small place you passed through before. Wouldn't it be even more embarrassing if you got a beating here?"

"I think he's only a bronze medalist. How much better can he be than us?"

"He's a mage, so he doesn't play by the rules. Besides, what's the point of a mage sparring with a warrior like you? It's not shameful if he loses, but it'll be quite a show if he wins. Be careful, he might order a human you didn't pass the immunity and end up lying on the ground barking like a dog. After that, no beauty will want to talk to you."

The paladin shuddered at the thought, but Eric said with a hint of disdain, "You need to use your brain in the future. Trying to slap your master's face on someone else's turf, which means it's your ally's territory, will only lead to trouble. When we get back, you'll be washing all the horses today. Learn your lesson."

The paladin looked bitter, feeling annoyed at his own immaturity, but then he heard the captain whisper, "After they finish dancing, have this guy named DuPont sing a song. He's a mage, so he probably won't do something like this. If everyone cheers him on, he'll probably have to go on stage even if he doesn't want to. Even if he doesn't, he won't be as famous. Wouldn't that achieve your goal?"

The paladin was initially delighted, then exclaimed in shock, "That's a brilliant idea! How did you come up with such a cunning plan, Captain? I don't think you're that much older than us. Is this what they call noble lineage?" "Diplomacy isn't about taking risks, it's not about fighting and killing, it's about using your brain," Eric said, pointing to his head and scoffing. "If I were as stupid as you, would I have been entrusted with managing you all? Remember to keep a low profile and don't be too conspicuous later, or you might incur someone's wrath and they'll come after you after they graduate."

The paladin wasn't angry when he was scolded; instead, his admiration for his captain grew even stronger.

No wonder I couldn't become the captain. It seems that in addition to strength, one also needs to understand tactics and set traps, otherwise it is easy to suffer losses.

No wonder the instructors in the Knights said that a qualified paladin is more cunning than an evil person; this training was definitely worthwhile.

As the dancing girls, drenched in sweat, returned to their seats and the singing and dancing ceased, the paladin stood up: "I've heard that Mr. Dupont is exceptionally talented. I wonder if he could perform some folk songs from Harua so we can appreciate the local flavor?"

As soon as the paladin finished speaking, the followers of Shuni started to cheer, and some even wanted to go up and dance with DuPont. The paladin, however, remained calm and simply watched the spectacle.

Benjamin, who came to accompany them on behalf of the college, didn't make a fuss. DuPont's current status was not easy to handle, and the two had clashed before. He let others stir up trouble and just watched the show.

The bards who can accompany Shuni's church may not be of a very high level, but their skills must be professional enough. How could this guy keep up with their pace?
Furthermore, he noticed that the bard's expression wasn't very friendly, so it would be strange if they could cooperate well.

DuPont didn't think too much about it. He took out a handkerchief, wiped the lipstick marks off his face, and stood up: "Well, since everyone is so enthusiastic, I'll make a fool of myself."

He took the lute from the bard's bewildered expression, plucked the strings to test the tone, and found it to be much better than the lousy one in his own academy.

Luckily, I was prepared in advance, so I didn't have to buy it on the spot.

"It's so lively today, so I'll talk about something that fits the atmosphere." DuPont looked at the beautiful women cheering him on behind him: "I'll dedicate this song, Holiday Sweetheart, to you. Wait a minute, you beautiful lady, yes, you, come over here and join in."

DuPont greeted the sweet girl who had pulled him along earlier. After she went on stage with a silly grin, he put the lute strap over his shoulder, took her hand, and asked, "Excuse me, beautiful lady, what is your name?"

"Lilith." The girl's eyes sparkled, even more captivating than the glitter she'd worn during the afternoon's celebration: "Handsome, how should we cooperate?"

But before she could get an answer, the strings of the lute were already being plucked.

"Tonight I tried everything to get your name~"

"How can I prevent my heart from slipping away at this moment, during this celebratory ceremony?"

The girl was taken aback, but couldn't help but smile at the casual yet hoarse and mocking singing. She had already figured out how to match the other person's movements in the song.

That is to match the lyrics.

Your shadow is so beautiful under the lamplight, I feel my heart fluttering~

You slowly approached and said "Baby," and I could smell your fragrance~

The pastors changed the lights, and the ceiling of the dining hall was brightly lit as if it were a festival. The girl in the center had a changing expression in her eyes. Her eyes moved like those of a close lover, and she gently swayed her body.

DuPont smiled knowingly; the pastor's heightened perception allowed her to understand the song's meaning—it truly was one plus one greater than two: "Darling~ come save me quickly, she seems to have ill intentions~"

"Darling~ I've entered the music, and am intoxicated by this passionate season."

(End of this chapter)