Chapter 15: A Pie from the Sky

"Lord Lister, I am Konrad, the Archbishop of the Church of Light in Huanyan. It is a pleasure to meet you," the old man said with a smile, exuding an air of celestial grace.

"Ah, Archbishop, it's an honor!" Lister stammered, attempting a clumsy aristocratic bow. The arrival of the Archbishop made him uneasy—he still hadn't resolved matters with Ikalu and Yilian, and in such a sensitive moment, he had to be cautious with every move.

"Lord, you have accomplished so much at such a young age—leading the righteous army to rescue Luoshui City from danger, driving out the heretics, defeating the undead army, and repelling the invasion of the Wild Flames. These achievements alone are enough to make me feel ashamed of myself," Konrad flattered, causing Lister, who had little experience with such praise, to feel somewhat relieved.

"By the way, I wonder which faith you follow, Lord Lister? The Church of Light, or the Star God Church?" Konrad suddenly shifted the conversation. Lister quickly understood—the old man was trying to win him over. Before seeing the full extent of his offer, Lister decided to remain silent and smile, creating a little psychological pressure.

Noticing Lister's silence, Konrad grew a little impatient. Though no longer a young man, he had never been so hasty. The impact of the Ortega incident was too great; the local Star God Church could easily spread or even distort the story to recruit followers from the Church of Light. In his eyes, a noble suffering such an insult was unforgivable, especially since this noble was a rising star, often discussed in court, and controlled a thousand elite soldiers. Even if they could not become allies, they must not become enemies.

"I spoke to the King this morning," Konrad continued, lowering his voice. "His Majesty seems willing but unable to provide support for Luoshui. With the southern campaign imminent, food and funds are hard to come by. However, if you wish, our Church can assist your territory... and your army." 

Konrad leaned in and whispered, "The King is rather suspicious at the moment, and I cannot stay too long. But in a few days, I will arrange a meeting elsewhere to discuss further."

After seeing off Archbishop Konrad, Lister felt a bit more at ease. At least now he could secure some funds and food. As for the King, if necessary, he could even get some military funds. Life suddenly seemed much brighter.

Just as Lister was still enjoying this feeling, another visitor arrived—the High Priest of the Star God Church in the Northern Territory!

"My lord! Has the Northern Territory not yet disheartened you?" The High Priest, named Cabuti, entered the room with a sorrowful look, getting straight to the point. "Luoshui has suffered so much, and your wife has been wronged. The culprits from the Church of Light are still free, and your King has not offered a single relief! Don't you feel heartbroken?"

Goodness! When did the heavens start treating me, Lister, so well? First, a fat lamb, and now another one? Lister maintained a composed demeanor, replying, "The King will always be our King. I believe His Majesty has his own difficulties. Although our family, the Gunns, has suffered this misfortune, and our people are enduring hunger and cold... I cannot..."

Noticing the softening of Lister's attitude, Cabuti took the opportunity to press further. "My lord, the Star God Church has been closely watching your rise in Mingyan! Those scoundrels from the Church of Light will one day be punished by the divine! I hope you will cooperate with us and lend your support. We will certainly help you through this difficult time. Just say the word today, and the Star God Church will be your eternal ally."

"I am not worthy..." Lister sighed. "My territory has no food for winter, and not a single copper coin has reached my soldiers. What am I, really?"

"Fear not, my lord. Five hundred carts of grain and one hundred thousand gold coins are our token of friendship, waiting on the border between Mingyan and the Northern Territory. As soon as you give the word, they will be delivered to Luoshui. We've already bribed the sentries along the way—there is no need to worry about leaks," Cabuti continued, trying to tempt him.

Lister hesitated internally. The Star God Church seemed to support Mingyan, and the conditions offered were tempting, but Luoshui was in dire need of food and funds. Finally, after a moment of "difficulty," Lister nodded. "Thank you. On behalf of the hungry and freezing people of my territory, I thank you."

"They are children of the Star God, only temporarily misled. They will soon see the light," Cabuti said, with a tone even holier than Konrad's.

Meanwhile, outside Pingbei City, Roland and the three hundred Blood Knights were also receiving pressure from various envoys, some from noble families, some from religious organizations, and even a secret envoy from the King himself, trying to persuade Roland and his men to desert the Blood Knights and serve the King, just like Simon did. However, they only received a cool reply from the handsome Roland: 

"The thirteen guardians and all the blood warriors under my command swear loyalty only to Lister Gunn! We will never waver!"

The next morning, after a sleepless night spent overthinking the sudden windfall, Lister accompanied Yilian and Ikalu to visit their alma mater—the Imperial Noble Academy of Huanyan, located in the northern royal district next to the Royal Magic Academy. The academy had two departments: military and political science. Ikalu and Simon had studied in the military department, while Yilian graduated from political science. Unfortunately, Ikalu only attended a short-term officer training program, so she and Yilian never had the chance to study together.

The news of Yilian and Ikalu returning to their alma mater was neither too big nor too small. Many of Yilian's classmates had not yet graduated, and the rumors about the "candidate saintess" had already been distorted by some of the local scoundrels. While Ikalu wasn't as famous, her presence still attracted a great deal of attention. These two beautiful women, despite their flaws, drew the gaze of many noblemen. Yilian's enchanted magic circle on her neck gave her a kind of fallen beauty, while Ikalu's long glove with the faint black edges on her right arm intrigued many.

As Lister accompanied the two women around campus, he was ogled by over a hundred young noblemen, their shiny clothes and jewelry only serving to intensify Lister's sense of inferiority. At the sight of their whispering and pointing, Lister could no longer stand it. He tugged at the corners of the women's clothes and whispered, "I... I think I'll wait for you both at the mansion."

Yilian and Ikalu had noticed the whispers, but they had been lost in nostalgia for their school days. However, Lister's unease ignited their anger.

"He!" Yilian suddenly declared, embracing Lister. "Lister Gunn is my husband! We supported each other in the hardest times, we fell in love amidst the flames of war, and we united in the cold dungeons! Who can compare to our love?"

These days, Yilian had finally learned a bit about married life and, thankfully, avoided embarrassing slip-ups. However, Lister still broke into a cold sweat.

Before Lister could react, Ikalu coldly shouted, "He! Lister Gunn! He doesn't have an immortal sword technique, and he can't cast magic, but he commands a powerful army! He saved Luoshui City from peril! His military strategies are unparalleled in my eyes! Who among you can compare?"

Lister was sweating buckets. Ikalu had quite the talent for spinning lies and boosting his reputation. But, after all, memorizing a few chapters of *The Art of War* had come in handy. At least Ikalu still had a great deal of respect for him.

"Then, allow us to challenge you with a military chess game," a few young men in the crowd stepped forward, their faces full of contempt and challenge.