NOVEL NEXT Chapter 37: Peter
Turns out, planning a villain out without his actual plan in place besides a vague idea is not the solution. Oops.
Might start updating chapters on Wednesday since it's the day I don't have school, but do have martial arts. Not sure yet. I'll tell you guys next week.
After making marshmallows, and then making marshmallow men inside the divine realm, Grant found himself just sprawled on his bed, desperately trying not to fall into stagnation and just sleeping for the next few years.
Oh, sorry, cultivation.
"Gone already" sighed Grant.
"Everyone just leaves in the end." he bemoaned dramatically.
[You were the one who sent them off.]
"Oh hush you! I'm not looking for logic right now, I'm looking for something to bitch about. Don't you know that you're supposed to validate your friends?"
[I already have something to bitch about.]
Sigh
[You]
What a dramatic system. Were it not for the way it was made, Grant would've suggested Flamel have made the system an ai implemented into a spiritual body, but unfortunately, he was stuck with this sassy aide.
[I told Flamel the same a century before he found you.] Shot back system 0, in a way that most other systems would never get to see their "mother".
You know what?
I'm going to go have fun solo again. Give the forest another tour. Nothing big yet(saving one of those for the decade coming), but surely there's a little quickie out there worth investigating.
Inside the quiet temple of Isis that resided in this very small town sat paladin Peter, behind him his shield hung from the wall, the very shield that he was known for.
Peter was a weathered man, as the years have clearly taken a toll on him.
His hair a dirty yellow now, rather than the radiance it had once been.
Sunken eyes, disheveled hair, and haunting eyes.
Inspite of the wear, he was still devout to his faith.
Those eyes still glimmered with devotion and faith.
The office was quiet, almost lifeless even. A modest room, lacking extravagance, only a desk and his gear found itself present in this room.
And a broken window of course.
In the room gathered the paladin and the other involved members of the church.
All the members devoted to their cause, as religious fervor was present in their eyes.
With a simple motion of the hand, he indicated for the meeting to start.
"They're dead" was the sudden report made by the follower who stood by him, a simple and quiet man, much like the rest of the followers.
Paladin Peter nodded as he listened to the report.
"After the candles bound to their life went out, scouts were sent to retrieve and locate the bodies. Unfortunately, nothing could be found."
The second group sent to kill the minotaur Granite did not know, but paladin Peter had set this plan in motion with the full expectation that they would die. They were adventurers, mercenaries really, merely sent to subdue the minotaur for an appropriate cost. They would likely "resist" dying for the cause.
"Not even a trace of magic. Whoever is behind this knows how to cover up murder well, good enough that a B-class tracker couldn't find any traces. "
"And the minotaur?"
"He has already moved on ahead from what reports indicate, with two beastmen in tow. Unlikely he was the one who did it, with the beast being weighed down with 2 hindrances"
"Good riddance to them all I say." muttered one devotee, only to be silenced by a glance from Peter, who did not appreciate loud discourse during meetings.
He never appreciated too much of their fervor at meetings.
Moving on, he continued with the report.
"Paul, did we have eyes on the variable Grant?"
"Yes, we have evidence that he left shortly after the scouting party did, leaving publicly through the front gate, and returned before our scouting squad did."
"Then it was likely him." concluded another.
Peter frowned.
Another obstacle to the purification he so desired. Annoying.
He just wanted it all to be done quickly.
That same devotee started letting his mouth run.
"A beast lover! To think a mere adventurer would dare to-"
"Silence"
The man shut his mouth again, yet still clearly grumbling inwardly.
He shot the man a glare. "I tolerate no insolence as long as we convene for serious matters. Speak again, and you will be replaced by someone more "devout" to our cause"
The devotee's face paled as he dared not speak again.
He'd only just been instated last week after his predecessor ran his mouth.
'If only those filthy beasts didn't exist.'
Peter turned his efforts back to the meeting at hand.
"Continue to do as we have done before. We will merely treat the adventurer Grant as another hindrance like the guildmaster and the mayor. They will not stop us. How has your efforts gone Daniel?"
"Very good lord Peter! The true people have been appropriately agitated, as they are starting to truly see the dangers, they have allowed to roam amongst them too long. And the beasts are feeling it. Soon..." He cackled.
Peter merely waived his hand and moved on.
Many efforts were being made from bringing in an increased number of beastmen to infiltrating the nonhumans and spreading negative thoughts.
All with the plan of conflict. To cause a riot, to purge the disgusting beastmen from the port, with this merely being one step in a long-established plan to purge the Romana empire of its "imperfections", so that the church may be pure.
The fire must be stoked so that it may properly be put out.
"Indeed" said Peter. "Once we're done, the temple will be cleansed and pure, worthy of Isis' love. How is our next plan coming along?"
"The beast feeds properly under the proper guidance of the goblin. Once it has fed to completion, it will be ready to be released amongst the people, so they may see the dangers of allowing inhuman things to walk among us."
Peter nodded solemnly, as he reminded himself sacrifices were necessary for his cause no matter how innocent they may be.
"Once it is prepared, kill the goblin. I do not wish to tolerate such a vile thing any longer once it's completed the task I desire of it."
As long as nothing went wrong, the beast would be the perfect push to rile up the emotions of both inhuman and people alike.
Peter could not help but look at the shield, adorned with the appearance of his beloved Goddesss.
'Not long'
Not much longer until he is done...
"A goblin fortress?" murmured Grant as he observed the makeshift camp.
He called it a fortress, but that was a bit exaggerated.
More like a bunch of makeshift huts gathered near the mountain side.
As much as you'd expect from a feral goblin, those dumb creatures.
Well, such a huge number of goblins, numbering in the hundreds was still an exciting find in places with low mana density.
It means something special is going on!
A variant species perhaps!
Secret sabotage by adventurers?
Artifact?
Maybe all of the above!?
It was sooo tempting to just use his appraisal abilities combined with Odin's eye to just comb through the whole thing, and find what made the place unique, but Grant managed to hold himself, because that would ruin the fun.
Interesting things should be savored, enjoyed, so that its value is truly extorted, to its full.
Now, let's open this blind box!