Chapter 40: The Casino and the Gold-Trimmed Quill

Chapter 40: The Casino and the Gold-Trimmed Quill

After two days of attempting to concoct holy anointing oil herself, Charlotte gave up. It was an utterly monotonous and repetitive task, involving dissolving various supernatural materials into whale oil at specific temperatures, then shaking the small bottles endlessly...

There was no technical skill required, nor was it exclusive to supernatural beings, but it was incredibly tedious, time-consuming, and exhausting. By the end of the day, her mind felt completely numb.

So, Charlotte handed the task over to Beatrice Durand, who had little to do in the castle, and headed to the construction site in Elmwood Village.

The building timber from the Earl of Quirkwood's domain had finally arrived a full hundred carts loaded with fir trees over thirty years old. Fir, with its low oil content, fine and even grain, tough yet lightweight texture, and resistance to warping and cracking, was an ideal material for construction.

Countess Simonne offered fifty-year-old fir, but Charlotte politely declined. Since this was all on credit, she wasn't about to be picky. Besides, thirty-year-old fir was more than sufficient.

"The tavern will be here?"

Standing on a high ground near the Elmwood construction site, Charlotte compared the new market design with the actual terrain.

"Yes," Cecilia pointed at the map. "We'll level this elevated slope. The soil and stones can be used to pave roads to the west or cover the saline land. This will give us the open flat area you requested."

The new market design was a collaboration between Cecilia and Jonathan Hackman. After starting to work with Jonathan, Cecilia finally understood why Charlotte had credited her with uncovering his deception it was to help her establish authority.

Likely because of her reputation as the all-knowing scholar's disciple, Jonathan Hackman had been wary of her throughout their collaboration, diligently fulfilling his role as her assistant without daring to cut corners.

"Transporting soil and stones, huh?" Charlotte suddenly asked with interest, "How's the wheelbarrow I designed for you? Is it useful?"

The "wheelbarrow" Charlotte referred to wasn't the wooden-framed type common on the Loess Plateau in her past life, but the kind used on construction sites to transport cement and mortar.

"It's... not bad," Cecilia nodded vaguely.

Then, for some reason, Cecilia noticed that Lady Charlotte Melefeld's mood visibly improved.

Of course, Charlotte was pleased. She had finally accomplished something befitting a transmigrator.

When she first arrived in this world, Charlotte had tried to use her knowledge from her previous life to invent new things and change the world.

First, she set her sights on the go-to invention for transmigrators soap. As a baby, she racked her underdeveloped brain to recall the chemical formula for making soap. Then, she discovered that this world already had its own version of "soap."

It was a paste-like substance, primarily made from fat and plant ash, resembling toothpaste more than soap, but it had strong cleaning properties. People in this world also added various fragrances to create "scented soap," and high-end versions included special ingredients to make it gentler on the skin.

Disappointed, young Charlotte abandoned her soap-making ambitions and turned to the second choice for transmigrators glass. Then, she saw the walls of churches adorned with stained glass.

The natives of this world had long mastered glass-making, and their techniques were quite advanced. What they couldn't produce was large, perfectly flat, and completely transparent glass something Charlotte didn't know how to make either.

As she grew older, Charlotte also tried her hand at metallurgy, only to find that this world's metalworking was deeply intertwined with supernatural forces. Various rituals and supernatural materials could imbue metal products with a wide range of extraordinary properties.

In short, the wheelbarrow was Charlotte's first successful invention since transmigrating, earning her some praise.

However, what Charlotte didn't know was...

While her wheelbarrow was convenient, its frame required a significant amount of iron. The Bay Earldom currently had to purchase all its copper and iron from outside. Cecilia's stewards felt that using so much iron to build a small cart was wasteful, especially when the construction site desperately needed hoes, shovels, and chisels. They believed it was better to have workers carry soil and stones in baskets.

Thus, only one "concept car" had been built, sitting lonely on the construction site, serving more as a topic of conversation than a practical tool.

Cecilia's praise for the cart was largely polite, but seeing Charlotte's delight, she decided not to reveal the truth just yet.

"Once this area is leveled, enclose it," Charlotte drew an oval on the map. "I want to build a racetrack with a running track, fences, and spectator stands."

"A racetrack?" Cecilia asked, puzzled. "Are you planning to host a tournament?"

"No," Charlotte shook her head. "I plan to host horse racing bets."

In a trade hub with no resources, arable land, or even much manpower, how could one make money? There were many answers to this question, but Charlotte chose gambling.

There was no particular reason other than the fact that gambling was low-cost and highly profitable.

The Bay Earldom was primarily frequented by merchants and the Sokia mercenaries they hired. After a journey, these travelers often carried some cash. Neither group was known for frugality, especially the mercenaries, who, aside from fighting, loved indulging in food, drink, and gambling.

In the Sokia Peninsula, a mercenary's purse was synonymous with emptiness. In war-torn regions, mercenaries could earn money easily, but their reputation for squandering their hard-earned cash was well-known. They often spent their earnings as soon as they received them, as if they didn't expect to live to see the next day.

To ensure these mercenaries and merchants spent their money in the right place namely, the Bay Earldom Charlotte not only prepared horse racing bets but also chariot races, traditional card games, dice, and even bloodier entertainments like cockfights, dogfights, and beast fights. She even had craftsmen create a few mechanical gambling machines, primarily pinball machines. For some reason, the mechanical slot machines she designed wouldn't spin.

To ensure her guests gambled happily and freely, Charlotte instructed her people to buy extra alcohol when purchasing grain from the Greenfield Duchy.

After all, gamblers and drinkers were a perfect match.

Charlotte painted a grand vision of the Bay Earldom's gambling industry. After listening, Cecilia remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "But... what if the Church interferes?"

According to the Canon, gambling was explicitly forbidden as a sin. While the Church typically didn't punish individual gamblers that was the local lord's jurisdiction developing a gambling industry as openly as Charlotte planned would surely draw the Church's attention.

"It's fine..." Charlotte shook her head, about to say, "The Canon also forbids promiscuity, yet bishops still have so many 'nephews,' don't they?"

But before she could, Herman Green arrived on horseback in a hurry.

"My lady, a guest from the Cathedral of Angels has arrived," Herman Green dismounted and knelt on one knee.

"The Cathedral of Angels?" It took Charlotte a few seconds to recall what that was.

The Cathedral of Angels was the largest church on the Sokia Peninsula, located on Mount Albe to the south of the Fidi City-State. Albe was an angel under the Lord Ig, and it was said that Mount Albe was where he ascended to angelhood. Thus, the Cathedral of Angels was also known as the Albe Cathedral.

Why would the Church come to see her? Her gambling industry hadn't even taken off yet.

Or was it related to Beatrice?

Puzzled, Charlotte had Herman Green bring the visitor over. To her surprise, she recognized the man.

"Greetings, Lady Melefeld. I am Borodin, a humble servant of the Lord, and this is my disciple, Banaji," the well-dressed, plump Borodin bowed to Charlotte.

"Greetings, Borodin," Charlotte nodded to Borodin and the young man behind him, then asked, "Aren't you an inquisitor? Why do you say you're from the Cathedral of Angels?"

The Cathedral of Angels was a church, while the Inquisition was generally a parallel institution. It was unusual for an inquisitor to claim affiliation with a specific church, unless it was the Holy City of Moyes.

"I am indeed an inquisitor from the Fidi Inquisition, but the Sokia Inquisition is also part of the Cathedral of Angels. The Sokia Peninsula is a special case. The Pope decreed that the Cathedral of Angels oversee all religious affairs here, given our proximity to the Wolf Continent," Borodin explained.

"I see," Charlotte nodded, then smiled and asked, "Might I ask what brings you to my humble corner of the world?"

"I heard that you executed a necromancer?" Borodin said.

"Yes," Charlotte's expression darkened at the topic. "That heretic slaughtered my people. I was fortunate to capture him and sentence him to death."

Seeing Charlotte's genuine anger, Borodin felt a sense of agreement. "Indeed, every necromancer is a heretic who defies the Lord. I've been pursuing this necromancer, Regba Dando, for over two months. I thought he might escape, but he fell into your hands. Might I take his remains back to the Cathedral?"

"His body? Of course," Charlotte agreed readily, then added, "He also left behind some heretical artifacts. Please take those as well."

She called Renee over and whispered a few instructions. Renee nodded and left to fetch the items.

A moment later, Renee returned with a cloth bundle and a wooden box.

Banaji, the young man behind Borodin, stepped forward to take the items. He first opened the cloth bundle, revealing a notebook and some personal effects clearly Regba Dando's belongings.

The notebook contained extensive knowledge of necromancy and Regba's personal insights. Charlotte had, of course, copied it. While she had no intention of practicing necromancy, knowledge was always valuable. Borodin didn't ask if Charlotte had made a copy after all, nobles rarely told the truth. Even if Charlotte admitted to copying it, Borodin couldn't do much about it, so it was better to avoid the topic altogether.

Banaji put away the cloth bundle and opened the wooden box. His eyes lit up as if dazzled by the golden glow of Forso coins.

Indeed, the box was filled with golden Forso.

"This..." Banaji was at a loss for words. They knew Regba Dando had discarded all his valuables during his escape. How could there be so much money among his belongings?

Charlotte smiled, about to persuade Borodin and Banaji to accept the money, when Herman Green interrupted.

"My lady, Borodin and Banaji are mendicant monks. Mendicants cannot indulge in wealth or luxury," Herman Green said solemnly.

This was both a reminder to Charlotte not to bribe them and a warning to Borodin and Banaji to uphold their vows of poverty.

"The knight is right. Mendicants should not possess wealth beyond what is necessary for sustenance," Borodin said sternly. "Banaji, return the money to Lady Melefeld."

Reluctantly, Banaji handed the box back to Renee.

"Ah... my apologies. I didn't mean to offend your noble principles," Charlotte said with a smile, instructing Renee to put the box and coins away.

"No," Borodin sighed. "It's the clergy today who have become too worldly and greedy, giving the Church a bad name. But we mendicants are different. Our predecessors left the Church to pursue a life of asceticism and piety..."

Charlotte echoed his sentiments, praising the mendicant order's devotion and integrity. Then she gestured to Herman Green and said, "This noble knight also has ties to the mendicant order. He is the foster son of the great monk Mei Wu Luen."

"Oh? The foster son of Mentor Mei Wu Luen?" Borodin's expression turned to one of surprise.

Mei Wu Luen was the current leader of the mendicant order, revered as the "Mentor" by all mendicants.

Herman Green bowed again, this time using the Church's etiquette.

However, while Borodin was surprised, he only showed a slight increase in warmth toward Herman Green. After all, Mei Wu Luen had spent most of his life traveling and helping others, adopting countless orphans. Those who remained within the mendicant order formed a powerful faction, but someone like Herman Green, who had long since left, wasn't worth Borodin's full attention.

In the end, Borodin and Banaji only took the plain cloth bundle Regba Dando's body would be collected from the Bay Isthmus checkpoint.

As they boarded their carriage, Banaji let out a surprised exclamation. "Huh?"

Borodin looked over to see another wooden box on the carriage seat, larger than the one Renee had handed them. Banaji opened it to find even more Forso coins.

Borodin gently ran his fingers over the tempting gold coins, a satisfied smile on his lips. He looked up at Banaji and said, "Give our prepared gift to Lady Melefeld. Tell her we are deeply grateful for her help in capturing the necromancer."

"Understood," Banaji nodded.

Not long after, Charlotte received a small, exquisite cylindrical case, about the length of two palms.

Opening it, she found several quills adorned with golden patterns gold-trimmed quills, the official stationery of the Inquisition.

The quills themselves weren't valuable, even with the gold trim. But like the tattered Canon, they symbolized a valuable friendship.

Charlotte took out one of the quills, a token of friendship from an inquisitor, and waved it in front of Cecilia with a smile. "See? The Lord has approved my casino."

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