Goddess Kaleidoscope

Before entering the city, Lud was worried that the power of the primal fire within him to enhance faith absorption would be detected by the gods through the temples established by various religious sects in the city. Therefore, he used the control abilities he had developed on his own to limit the range of the primal fire's effect to his own body.

Back in Pine Village, Lud had already tested Aina and discovered that there was some kind of bond between the statue in the temple and her. Aina could see and hear the scenes and sounds in the temple remotely through the statue, absorb the faith generated by believers praying in front of the statue, and even consume a certain amount of divine power to communicate with Lud in front of the statue in real time, or even teleport directly.

This means that a statue can be a one-way camera, a money transfer machine, a two-way video phone, or even a location beacon for time and space transmission, making its uses extremely wide-ranging.

Theoretically speaking, as long as Lud doesn't do anything reckless and go under someone else's idol and activate "full range," those gods might not be able to detect him... probably.

Through the power of the primordial fire, Lud once again saw faith flying everywhere in the air, its concentration indeed much higher than in Pine Village. Countless points of light flew around, just like colorful snowflakes dancing in the sky.

Most of the orbs of light are pure faith without any belief, but some belong to prayer, containing the believer's wishes or words they want to convey.

When Aina first heard the sound of prayer, she was startled, but later she figured out how to block out the sound on her own.

Interestingly, most religious sects encourage believers to pray more and tell their wishes to the gods they worship. As long as the heart is sincere enough, the gods will use their omnipotent power to help you realize your wishes.

Some believers' dreams come true, and they naturally believe it's because their prayers were answered, that the gods were moved by their sincerity, and that their faith became even stronger and more devout. Their success is then used as an example by missionaries. However, some believers fail to realize their dreams, and the priests will then earnestly tell them that it's because their hearts were not sincere enough, which is why God will not help them.

No matter what, those gods are always right!

This trick, which exploits survivor bias, was something Lud, who had spent eight years teaching con artists, was well aware of. However, he hated using this method to fool his followers into resigning themselves to fate. So, he usually told his followers that the goddess blesses those who are determined and courageous in their struggles, but also dislikes those cowards who only think about reaping the rewards without sowing. Therefore, on the road to success, you must rely more on yourself!

After observing for a while, Lude suddenly noticed a strange phenomenon: although there were many lights of faith flying in the streets, the vast majority of them really did melt away and disappear on their own, just like snowflakes. This had never happened in Pine Village.

Lud suddenly realized that this was the effect of the primordial fire!

To find out the cause of this phenomenon, Ludwig approached a missionary who was giving a passionate speech and secretly observed the passersby listening to his sermon. Indeed, several people were converted on the spot, and the small ball of light floated towards the temple not far away.

But just then, one of the young women was pulled by the man beside her. The two seemed to have some urgent business to attend to and couldn't afford to waste time there. So the woman had no choice but to leave with him, and the ball of faith that had risen above her head vanished before it even reached the temple.

In an instant! Lud felt he understood! He now knew exactly how those faiths that drifted away and disappeared vanished. The distance from religious sites and the strength of the believer's convictions—these factors all influenced the collection of faith.

"No wonder these gods have their sects build temples everywhere, and they especially like densely populated big cities."

"Master, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, I just suddenly had some interesting ideas. When we get back to the village, I'll teach you how to make some fun things!"

End of this chapter

After walking for a short while, the man and the god finally arrived at South Street, as the innkeeper had described. From afar, they could see a sign with words on it, which belonged to an alchemy shop called "Cat's Tail".

Because the illiteracy rate in this world is extremely high, with people coming and going on the streets but hardly anyone who can read, most shop signs in the city are actually blank, instead displaying various icons. For example, a tavern is represented by a bubbling glass of wine, and a blacksmith's shop by a large anvil—all very self-explanatory.

So when Luther finally saw one with words on it, he couldn't help but take a second look.

"It seems the shop owner is a cultured person!"

As Lude pushed open the door to enter the room, he was greeted by a strange, indescribable odor, like industrial waste gas from a chemical plant being used to brew medicine. Taking a sudden whiff sent shivers down his spine. Aina immediately covered her mouth with her sleeve and took several steps back.

"Master, I'll just stay at the door and not go in!"

Ignoring Aina's protests, Ludwig dragged the reluctant nun inside. Leaving this clueless goddess alone at the door, she might just be kidnapped by human traffickers the moment Ludwig turned his back.

The two endured the strange smell and entered the shop, only to find, to their surprise, that aside from the somewhat unpleasant odor, the shop's interior was actually quite nice, clean and tidy. A dazzling array of goods were displayed in rows of wooden display cases. Although there were no glass windows, they were covered with a finely crafted wire mesh; the coin-sized openings were too small for a hand to fit through, but just enough to see the displayed merchandise.

Looking at these strange and wonderful goods, Lud couldn't help but marvel. Just then, a slightly childish voice suddenly came from behind him.

"What would you like to buy, gentlemen?"

Turning around abruptly, Lud was surprised to find that he had only heard the voice but not seen the person. It was Aina who followed the sound to the counter, stood on tiptoe and peeked inside, only to find that the owner of the voice was actually behind there.

"Master, the person is here? They're so small!"

When Lude heard Aina call his name, he noticed a tiny figure sitting behind the counter. The figure was no taller than a meter. At first glance, it looked like a five or six-year-old human child, but it had a small, meticulously groomed goatee on its chin, which gave it an indescribable comical appearance.

At this moment, Lude noticed that the other person's ears were pointed and thin, and slightly upturned, and immediately realized that this was a demi-human. The other person, because Aina wanted to reach out and touch his head, spoke in a clearly displeased tone.

“This… High Priest, please discipline your disciple properly. It is very impolite to comment on the size of a cave elf to her face. I hope she will stop and apologize to me.”

"I am deeply sorry for the trouble I have caused you. She is just a child and this is her first time meeting a cave spirit. Please don't take it to heart."

Lud smiled and apologized to the cave elf before him, while simultaneously searching his mind for information about the other's race.

Cave elves, as the name suggests, are elves who live in caves. They are one of the many demi-human races that survived the War of the Gods. Because of their short stature, they are also called dwarf elves. They were once confused with another race called goblins.

There are two theories about the origin of this race. One is that the high elves, who originally lived in the forest, migrated to caves to escape disasters and gradually evolved into their current form after adapting to the environment.

Another version of the story is rather absurd. It goes something like this: an elf and a dwarf who disliked each other got drunk one day, and when they woke up the next morning, they found themselves sleeping together naked...

Putting aside the origin story, just based on first impressions, the cave elf guy (?) in front of him subconsciously reminded Lud of "Lalafel" because he was really cute. This kind of race must be very popular with philanderers.

Lude explained his purpose: he wanted to buy some paper and pens, so he wanted to inquire about the prices first. The cave elf looked Lude and Aina up and down, probably guessing that they weren't wealthy, so he quoted the cheapest price in the shop.

"One hundred sheets of papyrus cost one silver coin, and the good quality ones cost three silver coins. Brushes and ink are more expensive. Five finely crafted quill brushes cost three silver coins, and a bottle of ink costs five silver coins but can last a long time. The amount in this bottle is more than double the amount of the inferior goods that the human merchant next door sells for three silver coins a bottle. You definitely won't lose out if you buy from me."

The cave elf quoted a price and took out some samples from under the counter for Lude to examine. They were indeed very good quality, and the prices were quite fair in this world. However, these papers and inks were still "luxury goods" that the lower classes could not afford.

Lu De had witnessed firsthand how poor the farmers in Pine Tree Village were. The average annual output per person was estimated to be less than one gold coin, and in reality, they mainly lived by bartering with their neighbors. So, many times, a family didn't even have a single copper coin, let alone any silver coins.

Therefore, while people at the bottom of society may yearn for cultural knowledge, they do not actually pursue it; paper and ink have never been necessities in their lives.

Considering he didn't have much money, Ludwig did some quick calculations and finally bought a thousand sheets of the cheapest papyrus, ten quills, and a bottle of ink, for a total of twenty-one silver coins.

Perhaps wanting to attract repeat customers, the cave elf gave Lud a discount of one silver coin and even gave him fifty extra sheets of paper.

Since a thousand papyrus sheets were a huge pile, the cave elf saw that Lud and Aina, one an old man with a white beard and the other a silly, dazed girl, didn't seem like strong people. So he asked Lud for his address and said he would send someone to deliver it to his door later. There would be no extra delivery fee, and Lud only needed to pay half of the money as a deposit.

It's clear that because of competition from the shop next door, the cave elf guy provides excellent service and subtly criticizes the human merchant next door. While his goods may be slightly cheaper than the neighboring shop, the quality is guaranteed to be worth the price, and he certainly doesn't cut corners like some unscrupulous merchants.

After paying the deposit, Lu De left Cat Tail's shop, and the money bag that originally contained thirty silver coins had shrunk considerably.

Lude estimated that he had less than ten silver coins left (Aina had already eaten half of it), and he could use about five or six more to make purchases. With a little spare money left, he could see what to eat in the city.

However, just as Lude was figuring out how to spend his money wisely, a furtive figure suddenly and silently approached him from behind...

End of this chapter

On the bustling streets, it's perfectly normal to see children chasing and playing with each other. Even if they bump into someone occasionally, unless it's a grumpy nobleman, the worst that happens is a couple of curses or a kick.

So when two seven- or eight-year-old children approached him from behind, laughing and joking, Ludwig heard the sounds but didn't pay much attention. That is, until one of the children bumped into him, seemingly losing his balance. Ludwig paused slightly, then suddenly grabbed the child's arm.

"Ah! It hurts!"

Ludd didn't use much force, but the boy who was grabbed cried out in pain, as if his thin little arm was very fragile. At this moment, another, younger boy rushed forward and knelt down in front of Ludd without saying a word, pleading for his playmate.

"Sir, we're so sorry! My brother didn't mean it. We didn't mean to offend you. Please, have mercy and let us go!"

The older children spoke pitifully, tears welling up in their eyes, and they kowtowed repeatedly in a panic. The whole process was swift and seamless, giving Ludwig no time to react, while the uninformed onlookers, though not stepping forward to stop it, were all pointing and whispering about Ludwig.

If it were an ordinary person, they would probably have panicked and let go by now, and might even have had to explain to others to save face.

But Lud was unmoved. He reached into the waist of the kidnapped child and rummaged around for a while before pulling a money pouch out of the child's pants.

“Young man, this bag contains nineteen silver and twenty-three copper coins, as well as a sect emblem engraved with a medicine bottle. It was hanging properly on my belt until you seemed to accidentally bump into me just now. Can you explain that?”

Lude spoke loudly enough for all the onlookers to hear clearly. Ordinary people may be ignorant, but they are not all fools. Seeing the two children's pale faces, they understood everything.

Of course! Aina was completely bewildered the whole time; she genuinely didn't understand anything!

In Unos Town, thieves are not uncommon, and even children are thieves. Since the new city lord took office three years ago, although some of the good policies implemented by the previous city lord to stimulate economic development have indeed been retained, some harsh policies have also been introduced that the people do not like, especially in terms of criminal law.

In the past, when thieves were caught in town, they would usually be given a certain number of lashes depending on the amount stolen and the circumstances of the crime, and then punished by being sent to work in the quarry outside the town. But now the town lord prefers to hang prisoners in public on the unusually tall gallows in the center of town, making it as grand as a festival.

Therefore, some people with a perverse sense of humor have already begun to imagine the two little brats being hung on a swing and swaying in the wind with wicked smiles on their faces.

"Sir, take these two little bastards to the guard post! You can at least get enough for a couple of drinks!"

"Hehe! There'll be more fun to see in the square tomorrow!"

A group of onlookers with ill intentions started to jeer, and the two children's faces grew increasingly miserable. But Ludwig had no intention of giving in to their wishes; instead, he took the children's hands and whispered something to them.

"If you don't want me to take you to that place they're talking about, then come with me."

Lude pulled the two children to the roadside, and he looked them up and down. They were dirty and looked like mud monkeys, with sallow faces and thin bodies, clearly showing signs of malnutrition.

Lud initially thought the two were likely orphans, possibly part of a criminal gang that orchestrated the thefts; otherwise, such young children shouldn't know how to commit crimes as a group. So Lud tentatively asked them, "Where are your families?" and "Who told you to be thieves?" The answers he received were utterly astonishing.

"My parents sent us out to steal."

"...Alright!"

For a moment, Ludwig was at a loss for words; he even felt a strange sense of regret. If the two children were truly orphans, he could at least rightfully adopt them, take them back to Pine Village, and teach them to read and write, and how to be upright people.

All his unspoken words were finally reduced to a long sigh as he looked at the children and asked.

Are you hungry?

The two children nodded timidly, and Ludwig took out a silver coin and handed it to Aina, asking her to go to the bakery across the street and buy some food.

He dared not give these children money, because no matter how much he gave them, eight or nine out of ten would end up in the pockets of their unscrupulous parents. They would be taught some skills to make a living, but even if such young children mastered a skill, they probably wouldn't be able to support themselves.

So after much thought, Lud realized that the only thing he could do for them was to treat them to a hot, filling meal; it was the only way he could truly help them at the moment.

Taking the steaming bread from Lud, the two children immediately began to devour it. Lud released his grip on their hands, and the children seemed to understand that the white-bearded old man in front of them was not a bad person, so they ate with peace of mind and did not turn around and run away.

However, to prevent the two children from thinking that "it's not bad to pretend to be pitiful and beg" because he gave them bread, Lud deliberately put on a stern face and said to them.

"Is the bread delicious? But let me make this clear, this isn't a free gift. You have to answer some questions for me. If you satisfy me, this bread is your consultation fee. If you don't, hmph!"

Hearing Lud's "threat," the two children became a little nervous. Fortunately, the questions Lud asked them were all related to Unos Town, where the two children had lived for a long time, so they were able to answer them.

Lude learned from questioning the two children that Unos's current lord, or rather administrator, was the son-in-law of the previous lord.

Three years ago, the old city lord passed away due to illness. Since he had no sons, only a daughter and her son-in-law, he wrote a letter to the lord before his death, recommending his son-in-law to succeed him.

After the new city lord took office, although his governance was passable and he continued many of the good policies of the old city lord, he seemed to be somewhat inferior because of his status as a son-in-law. He was always afraid that he would not be able to win the hearts of the people, so he implemented some harsh laws and punishments to increase his deterrent power over the people of Unos.

These things were no secret in the city; people often joked about them behind closed doors, but they just didn't dare say it to the city lord's face.

The two children quickly finished their bread, then hesitated for a moment before asking Rudd if they could have some more. There were other children in the family, siblings whose parents, despite being struggling to support them, kept having more and more. Even knowing the harsh laws in the city, they still sent their two older children to become thieves to supplement their income.

Lud thought for a moment and nodded in agreement, but just like the bread before, these wouldn't be free.

Lude will probably stay in the city for another day or two and will need a few guides familiar with the city streets. If the two children want to earn some real wages, they can wait for him at the hotel entrance early tomorrow morning.

End of this chapter