Goddess Kaleidoscope

Halfway through reading the plan, Evanrus looked around. The viscount's expression clearly showed that he was already somewhat tempted, and the attitudes of the other cult members around him were mostly approving, as if they were intentionally trying to help him. This was because the plan was profitable for most of them, giving those cults that had been driven out a chance to return.

It should be noted that Oyster Harbour is a rich and prosperous place. Although the total population is less than 200,000, the population density is very high, with more than 70% concentrated in the urban area. The surrounding villages and towns are also not far away, and the people are relatively wealthy. Therefore, it is an ideal place for missionary work, a tempting target for various religions.

Three years ago, Evanrus was demoted due to a scandal and was forced to leave the capital to become a regional bishop in the northern diocese, a position that was once a highly sought-after candidate for archbishop.

In order to prove his abilities, Evanrus used many methods, both overt and covert, to successfully destroy the base of other sects in Oyster Harbor, except for the Cult of Poseidon. This forced them to leave Oyster Harbor due to the loss of their followers, which led to the later situation where the Cult of the Four Seasons became the dominant force.

But now Lud is going to use this plan to make all his proudest achievements "nothing." Because the newly established Health Bureau is an agency directly under the lord's authority, aiming to improve the previously terrible sanitation conditions in Oyster Harbor, while also building a large hospital and a dozen community clinics.

Given that the local medical community had been almost entirely wiped out by infection in the early stages of the outbreak, the religious forces that possess divine magic will be invited by the lord to directly participate in the construction of hospitals and community clinics, which is tantamount to giving each religious sect an opportunity to re-enter Oyster Harbor.

Moreover, this opportunity is perfectly legitimate, with the lord himself endorsing it.

In fact, Ludd's plan, like his original intention, involved some compromises. He proactively proposed to unite with other sects to participate in the construction of hospitals and community clinics, partly due to the real shortage of local doctors, and partly to win them over.

To this end, Lude privately visited various religious sects and local powerful figures, including the Golden Axe Merchant Guild, and successfully persuaded them to stand on his side. This included the Sea God Cult, which had previously allied with the Four Seasons Goddess Cult.

Through the Golden Axe Merchant Guild's intelligence channels, Lu De learned that three years ago, the Four Seasons Goddess Cult carried out anti-foreign activities in Oyster Harbor. Except for the Sea God Cult, which could not be driven away due to geographical reasons, the other sects were made unable to survive in the area by their tricks.

Evanrus used a strategy of courting the Cult of Poseidon, making many empty promises, but none of them have been fulfilled to this day. This made the Cult of Poseidon realize that they had been tricked, but they were already powerless against the growing Cult of the Four Seasons.

It's no exaggeration to say that more than half of the people present had been tricked by Evan Ruth, and now that they finally had a chance to get revenge, none of them intended to show any mercy.

End of this chapter

The various religious sects that came to Oyster Harbor from other places all had their own agendas, and everyone present was well aware of this, including Lud himself. Therefore, the plan he presented was exactly what everyone wanted, and everyone except the Four Seasons Goddess Cult was happy with it.

Faced with this situation, Evanrus naturally couldn't stand idly by and watch the Viscount be persuaded by Ludwig right before his eyes, thus ruining his carefully planned sacrificial ceremony. So, without thinking too much, he directly launched his attack with a cold smile.

"This is absurd! Utterly absurd! To think that such a baseless plan could eradicate the plague? Don't you think that's ridiculous?"

"Why does Bishop Evanrus say this?"

"What do you mean by that? Hmph! I studied under renowned teachers of our religion at the Holy City Theological Seminary from a young age, became a priest at sixteen, and a bishop at twenty-eight. It has been nearly twenty years since then, and I have never heard of washing my hands frequently and drinking more hot water to cure the plague. What else could this be but nonsense? It's unbelievable that you all believed it!"

After Evanlus finished speaking, he looked around with a sneer. His smug expression seemed to mock everyone's stupidity, that they had been fooled by such a childish lie. He was the only one who was sober in a world of fools!

Although these words made everyone present quite unhappy, they did indeed express the doubts that everyone had in mind: whether Lude's proposed solution was actually effective.

Limited by the constraints of the times, the general public in this world has very little medical knowledge, let alone an understanding of what "public health" is. Some underdeveloped regions still regard some erroneous knowledge as common sense, ultimately placing their hopes on what they believe to be omnipotent gods.

This led to a very frustrating problem in Ludd's view: he couldn't explain to the public, from a scientific perspective, why many of his so-called "hygiene common sense" practices should be done this way. He could only resort to superstitions and even scare people.

However, this method only works for the lower classes who are accustomed to blindly following authority; it is not so effective in dealing with priests who are also their colleagues.

Fortunately, Evan Ruth initially relied on his seniority to intimidate others. Ruth thought to himself, "Your grandpa Ruth is now wearing the face of Gandalf and claiming to be nearly seventy years old. In terms of age, you, who are not even fifty, are a full twelve years younger!"

Therefore, Lude smiled slightly in response to Evanrus's provocation.

"Lord Evanrus, though I haven't had much formal education, my entire life has been spent fighting, solely to protect the good people from any evil. Therefore, the first half of my life was spent vanquishing tangible enemies, which also stained my hands with blood, leaving me lost in endless carnage. Fortunately, I received guidance from my goddess, and finally awakened to the truth, deciding to dedicate the rest of my life to fighting intangible enemies. Years of fighting have taught me a very simple truth: there is no such thing as invincibility in this world. You will lose, not only because you are weak, but also because you don't understand your opponent well enough."

In front of everyone present, Lu De also showed off his "resume," which was half true and half false. But when combined with his appearance and his superb acting skills, it was very convincing. The audience around him couldn't help but feel awe and believed that he was indeed a veteran who had been through many battles!

"Gentlemen, based on my years of experience fighting infectious diseases, this is like a purely defensive war. As the defenders, our priority is not killing the enemy, but preventing the city from being breached. Therefore, in addition to reinforcing the city walls, we must also understand the enemy's attack patterns and formulate targeted defensive strategies. The gradual deterioration of the epidemic in Oyster Harbor over the past two months is precisely the result of failing to do either of these two things properly."

"Oh! Judging from your tone, you're blaming us for being incompetent?"

"No! On the contrary, I believe that without the last line of defense that you all worked so hard to build, this city might have already succumbed to the ravages of the epidemic a month ago. If there is anything that you all did not do well enough, it is only the lack of unified command and cooperation."

Lude's words gave face to all the priests present, while also pointing out the real problem, preventing the fire that Evanlus had just stirred up from taking off.

Lud has clearly outlined the knowledge and prevention methods related to infectious diseases in his proposed plan, and the increasingly stable situation within the quarantine zone is undoubtedly the best proof of this.

The priests and local representatives present had already discussed the matter beforehand and naturally all chose to support the implementation of Lud's epidemic prevention plan. The Golden Axe Merchant Guild even donated 50,000 gold coins as a sponsorship.

"Oyster Harbor is where our Golden Axe Clan has made its home. We will do our duty to save this city!"

With the dwarves of the Golden Axe Merchant Guild taking the lead, the other wealthy merchants present also chipped in one after another. Only Evanrus persisted, still "earnestly" persuading the Viscount, trying to convince him that he, Evanrus, was the only one who genuinely wanted to save Oyster Harbor.

Seeing this, Lu De asked rather casually.

“Bishop Evanrus, are you... so determined to sacrifice the Viscount’s two children?”

"you you……"

These words were like a fatal blow to the spirit! They also made the viscount, who was still hesitating, suddenly realize the key point that had been troubling him all along.

Viscount Maup, now in his early forties, has three publicly acknowledged wives and five children. His eldest son reportedly holds a position in the capital, and his two eldest daughters have both married into noble families of equal standing. Only his youngest twin siblings remain by his side, whom the Viscount has always cherished dearly.

The reason Evanrus was so determined to sacrifice the two eight-year-old children was not only because of their noble status, but also because they were twins, the highest-ranking sacrifices in the ritual.

“Your Excellency, please believe in me, believe in the power of the goddess of the four seasons, Harareia! Calling for a miracle through a sacrificial ritual is the most effective and only way to save Oyster Harbor! No one can prove that this man’s (pointing to Rud’s) plan will definitely work, but the goddess needs no doubt!”

In an attempt to win back the Viscount's favor, Evanlus invoked the goddess of the seasons to endorse his cause, and casually referred to a "possible" miracle as a "certain" one.

Seeing how anxious this guy was, Lu De felt contempt for him, but then a very unethical idea suddenly came to him, so he pretended to be nonchalant and said...

"Your Excellency, from what you just said, you mean that only someone as concerned for the people as you can invoke your church's goddess to descend to earth and save this city? Is that what you mean?"

“That’s right! Only gods can save the world. As for your plan, you just said that you can’t guarantee it will be 100% successful.”

"So, in order to save the world, you're willing to risk everything?"

"That's only natural! It's our duty."

Evanrus looked arrogant, his upright and plump body radiating an aura of righteousness that seemed to surge up his thighs. Lud couldn't help but smile slightly, thinking to himself, "That's exactly what I've been waiting for."

"In that case, why doesn't Your Excellency, who cares so much for the common people, follow the example of your church's saint Danma and do everything in your power to eliminate the plague?"

"This……"

Upon hearing Lude mention "Saint Danma," Evenus's expression changed drastically.

Saint Danma is a figure that the Church of the Four Seasons always boasts about during festivals! He was an archbishop more than two hundred years ago. Because his diocese had suffered a three-year drought without a drop of rain, he suddenly took off his robes during a prayer ceremony, walked naked into the altar of the sacred fire, and offered himself to the gods. A miracle occurred on the spot, and it rained heavily for several days, relieving the drought.

Afterwards, local believers retrieved the remains of Danma from the extinguished altar, gilded them, and enshrined them in the local temple. The name of "Saint Danma" thus spread throughout the continent, becoming a noble symbol of selflessness.

Lude deliberately mentioned "Saint Danma" in front of Evanrus, and the meaning couldn't be clearer.

If you're so keen on performing a sacrifice, why don't you just burn yourself?

End of this chapter

Lacking the courage to self-immolate, Evanrus ultimately failed to prevent Ludd's plan from passing, watching helplessly as his lord sided with the other.

After the meeting, Evanrus returned to his temple and smashed things in his study in a fit of rage. Finally, he slumped into a soft chair, his small eyes, peeked out from between his muscles, staring blankly ahead. His anger had robbed him of his usual composure.

"We can't give up like this, absolutely not!"

The current situation is indeed very unfavorable in Evanrus's view, but it is not without a chance to turn things around. After all, the Viscount has only just agreed to adopt Lud's proposed anti-epidemic plan, and it has not yet entered the specific implementation stage. He still has a chance to make the lord "come to his senses".

Just thinking about Lude's smug and self-satisfied face in the council hall (imagine him looking ugly) made Evanlus furious, so much so that he wanted to tear him apart!

But his thoughts quickly drifted away from how to get revenge on Lud, and began to focus on the two beautiful female disciples beside him.

Evanrus still remembered the stunning impression he felt when he first saw the two beautiful girls. In comparison, although he had many capable nuns around him, even his favorite, Iria, was a level below these two. Therefore, he was very envious of Lud.

Born into a religious family, Evanrus was exposed from a young age to the darker side of the church, reading about saints and sages found only in scriptures. Growing up in this environment, Evanrus believed he had seen through everything and firmly believed that all crows were black.

Therefore, Evanlus naturally assumed that there must be some kind of "improper relationship" between these two beautiful girls and their mentor. That Lude certainly looked virtuous, but how could someone who could develop a potion like the Mysterious Oil be a decent person?

So before the two sides officially became enemies, Evan Ruth had always wanted to find an opportunity to talk to Rud.

Firstly, he was interested in the various magical potions produced by the Medicine God Cult, and secondly, he wanted to see if he could get his hands on these two top-quality items. If Lude really couldn't bear to part with them, then spending some money for a night of passion, or following the unwritten rules among some of the church's upper echelons, exchanging their respective "favorites" would not be an unacceptable and interesting way to play.

Unfortunately, once Lude arrived in Oyster Harbor, he plunged headlong into the quarantine zone, giving Evan Ruth no chance to negotiate face-to-face.

Now the two sides have completely broken off relations. Evanlus cannot tolerate Lud ruining his plans and has already harbored murderous intent. He also wants to get his hands on Lud's two female disciples and keep them in the temple's basement, where he can probably play with them for quite some time!

Although he secretly wished Lud would disappear tonight, his remaining rationality dutifully reminded Evanrus not to rush things.

After all, so many people witnessed the conflict between him and Lud during the day. If something were to happen to Lud in the next couple of days, everyone would immediately suspect him.

That night, a new moon appeared over Oyster Harbor, and the night sky was pitch black.

According to the world's native mythology, the world is watched over by the Lord of Light, who reigns over the sun, during the day, and by the moon goddess, who tends the stars, at night. However, the alternation of the sun and the moon is not entirely seamless. Therefore, when there is neither sun nor moon in the sky, it is called the "darkest hour," during which the evil goddess Mother of Lunar Eclipses will emerge to wreak havoc on the world, and her followers will receive blessings from the mother goddess during this time.

As believers of the Mother of Lunar Eclipse, the brothers Lasi and Lato, as usual, stayed up all night and went out at night to find a familiar intermediary to see if there was any suitable work for them.

The other party had recently introduced them to a "pickup" job with seemingly generous pay. However, after they successfully completed the task, the employer refused to pay the other half of the agreed-upon balance, citing "the goods are not correct."

The two brothers were furious, but the middleman revealed that the other party was a big shot they couldn't afford to offend, so they had no choice but to give up.

The two brothers stealthily made their way through the darkness and soon arrived at "Ant Nest," an underground bar run by the middleman. From the outside, it looked like an inconspicuous house. As long as they knocked on the back door and said the correct code, someone would open the door and lead them into the basement.

The middleman who runs this underground bar, like the two brothers, is a reclusive dark elf, and a woman whose real name is unknown, only known by her nickname "The Poisonous Woman." However, unlike Lassie and Lato, who joined the cult of the Mother of Lunar Eclipse, the middleman is a follower of Hume, the god of thieves.

Interestingly, if we were to categorize them by profession, Lassie and Lato should actually be more inclined to believe in the God of Thieves than the landlady. However, the problem is that believing in the God of Thieves doesn't bring the same blessings as believing in the Mother of Lunar Eclipses. Therefore, their choice of faith didn't align with their professions.

When the two entered, there were other "guests" in the bar, but apart from the person in the middle behind the bar humming a tune, everyone else remained silent, either drinking with their heads down or with their backs to others, each one resembling an autistic person.

The two brothers knew very well that people who came to this kind of place to drink were definitely not decent people, so they discreetly went to the bar and went directly to find the middleman.

"Boss lady, do you have any business opportunities suitable for us brothers today?"

Upon hearing Laxi's question, the proprietress, who was wiping wine glasses, looked up at the two brothers, silently poured each of them a glass of wine, and then whispered.

"There's a new job that would be perfect for both of you, but you might not want to take it."

"What form?"

"Poisoning."

As soon as the proprietress finished speaking, the two brothers' expressions changed drastically. When they first arrived in Oyster Harbor, they had made it clear to the proprietress that although they were thieves, they had their own bottom line and would not accept any job involving murder or arson, no matter how much money was offered.

But before they could refuse, the proprietress added.

"Don't worry, it's not a deadly poison, but a slow-acting drug that will make someone feel weak. The employer thinks someone is too energetic, so they want to weaken the target. This job shouldn't cross your bottom line, right?"

Hearing that it wasn't a lethal poison, the two brothers breathed a slight sigh of relief. Lassie scratched his head, then asked a rather crucial question.

"Uh... how much does the employer pay?"

"This amount, and it's full payment upfront."

The proprietress ran her fingers across Laxi's palm a few times, then pulled a crystal bottle filled with purple liquid from her four-dimensional cleavage and placed it on the table.

The two brothers exchanged a silent glance, and in the end, it was the older brother, Lassie, who made the decision. He tilted his head back and drank the ale in his glass in one gulp, then picked up the still slightly warm medicine bottle and nodded heavily to the proprietress.

"We brothers will take this order!"