CH 71

Talking in a room where beasts are lying around is really not a friendly experience.

Although they are quiet and motionless, they have huge bodies and thick limbs after all. Their sharp teeth and claws are close at hand…

How can people not feel tremors in their heart, liver, gallbladder, and lungs?

Maldiz could at least maintain his composure by relying on his old experience, but Paul didn’t dare to glance around. He could only straighten his body and sit upright.

Regarding Xia Zuoy’s question, Maldiz calmly said, “Can’t Lord Desinia guess why we’re here?”

Xia Zuoyi leaned back.

He wore long boots, one leg casually on the other, a small black vest with a flat placket, and a white shirt.

The slightly open neckline is loosely tied with a black ribbon bow tie, the lace shirt cuffs wrap his wrists, and his white hands pull out the two books placed on the small table next to them. It’s the Stories of the Gods.

Xia Zuoyi said slowly, “Because of these two storybooks?” 

Maldiz nodded with a serious face, and the folds between his eyebrows could almost kill flies, “The lord really understands.”

“In that case, shouldn’t you hand over to me those who threaten the authority of the Holy See and offend its majesty?”

Fernandi and Walker’s eyes were sharp.

Udit’s face couldn’t help but sink a little.

Xia Zuoyi didn’t answer this question for the time being, but instead asked in a leisurely manner, “Does Mr. Howard thinks that these two storybooks alone can threaten religious rule and the spread of dogma of the Holy See?”

“Of course it’s impossible.”

Maldiz frowned, “Lord, don’t secretly change the topic.”

“I mean, the existence of these two gods’ stories has made people in your territory believe and worship the illusory gods in the book, which is very disrespectful to the God of Creation!”

Xia Zuoyi’s answer was to open the first page of the book in front of Maldiz, and his fingertips crossed a line of small words under the title, “Please read it.”

Maldiz looked at it suspiciously and read it subconsciously, “This story is purely fictitious. Even if it’s true, it’s merely…accidental…” 

Maldiz, who completely ignored this line of small words, “…”

He glared at Paul and motioned with his eyes—”Have you seen this small line before?”

Paul shook his head.

Of course, he didn’t pay attention. He just directly started flipping through the contents of the book.

…

“This can’t be a reason.” Maldiz said sullenly after returning to his senses.

Xia Zuoyi: “This can not be a reason.”

“But a fictitious story. Of course, my original idea was to create a children’s book. Who would have thought it would be so popular.”

“Since it is a fictional story, Mr. Howard actually has no need to worry that the belief in the God of Creation will be affected, which will impact the authority of the Holy See…”

“Wait a minute! You… You said these two stories are…”

Paul, in disbelief, interrupted Xia Zuoyi, then pointed to the two books on the table with his mouth wide open, “You wrote these?!”

Xia Zuoyi leisurely changed his position and nodded, “Yes.”

Maldiz: “…”

Paul: “…”     

Maldiz uncontrollably smacked the table and stood up, “Are you kidding?!” 

“How can you, as the lord, write this kind of book?!”

“Roar!” 

Egg Yolk lifted up his big head full of pigtails with a big red bow, Snowball opened his eyes from his feign sleep, and Briquette straightened up his upper body adorned with a small apron.

Three large beasts watched together.

Green Dumpling let out a loud screech and fanned his huge wings on the windowsill. The wind from the huge wingspan blew the combed hair of Maldiz’s head in a mess, and a wisp of it hung diagonally over his eyebrows. 

The blue veins in Maldiz’s forehead twitched.

He stiffly raised his hand to pick his hair then sat back on the sofa. Knowing the current affairs, he didn’t say anything.

As a cardinal, it was the first time that he felt so aggrieved. But he had to endure it.

Maldiz took a deep breath and said directly, “Lord Desinia, why are you doing this? For what purpose?!”

Does Desinia want to rebel against the Holy See and re-establish a new belief?!

Xia Zuoyi said innocently, “To sell clothes.”

“… Wh-what?!”

Maldiz suspected that his old ears were failing him, “You wrote these two books to sell clothes?!” 

Xia Zuoyi: “Yes.”

“Oh, no, more than that…”

Maldiz looked solemn.

“…And to also urge people to enthusiastically learn literacy and improve their cultural refinement.”

Maldiz: “…”

As one of the Pope’s right-hand men, he assists the Pope in managing the Holy See. With his extraordinary methods and wisdom, he can see through people’s thoughts.

And this is why.

After carefully observing Lord Desinia, Maldiz found that he was not perfunctory at all, but was indeed telling the truth.

Maldiz’s mood can’t help becoming more complicated.

He said, “No matter the purpose, you wrote these books… The gods in it had left a deep impression in people’s minds…”

“Presumably, Lord Desinia must also know the situation in his territory.” 

“Illusory gods must not become new beliefs in people’s hearts. The Stories of the Gods must be banned. The third book can no longer be written, and are even more prohibited to be sold in the Thorns Chamber of Commerce.”

Xia Zuoyi put down his legs and slightly leaned forward, “Then I will also clearly tell you that you are not qualified to tell me what to do. You can’t and could not teach me how to do things.”

Maldiz’s face froze.

“What’s more, the things you worry about can’t happen. No matter how beautiful the gods in the story are, they’re just a kind of spiritual sustenance and longing after reading it. It’s only a matter of time.”

“When the popularity fades, how can people really believe in a group of absolutely illusory, even artificially written gods.”

The culture on the Western Continent is too barren, just like a barren soil and dry desert.

And these two “Stories of the Gods” are completely novel, and they’re also rare existences that can arouse people’s interest in reading and entertainment. It’s like the barren soil finally sprouts, and the desert with water shortage finally ushers in a sweet spring…

When this kind of subconscious desire appears, the great heat burst out is naturally very amazing.

But with the passage of time, people will always get used to it and take it as normal until something new replaces the position left by these two books in people’s hearts.

But naturally, things have two sides.

The “Stories of the Gods” can be replaced by new things, but they can also become classics in the days to come and be remembered by people. At that time, the illusory gods may also become the faith that some people will never forget.

However, how could Xia Zuoyi say this to Maldiz and Paul?

He directly led the topic to the “positive” conclusion, and the faces of the two fooled men improved and gradually calmed down.

When Maldiz wanted to say something else, Xia Zuoyi stopped talking nonsense and directly took out the Pope’s Order and placed it in front of him.

“Mr. Howard, you and the archbishop can live in the castle first, and then go and observe the city in person.”

Maldiz did not respond.

In fact, the old-fashioned old man was stunned the moment he saw the Pope’s Order.

Now he didn’t know whether to doubt his ears and whether his eyesight had reached the point of hallucination.

Paul even blurted out, “The Pope’s Order?! Why do you have this?!”

Xia Zuoyi: “Apart from the Pope personally giving it to me, how can I have it?”

Paul looked incredulous.

Maldiz couldn’t help thinking of Cardinal Demps, who had never dealt with him. This man actually said “have a nice trip” before he left…

At that time, he thought that the old thing had eaten something wrong, or his brain was caught in the door1 before he said such uncomfortable words.

At this time, he remembered that before Demps came to him, he personally went to the residence of the Pope…

It turns out…

Maldiz looked ugly.

He completely misunderstood Demps.

Demps said this because he saw Segalot’s unusual look and the unfinished words.

—How do you think that Maldiz’s visit to Desinian Territory will not have any good results this time? That’s why he said such “good words”.

But it doesn’t matter if Maldiz misunderstood or not.

Now the Pope’s Order is indeed right in front of him. Facing Xia Zuoyi’s invitation, he can only suffocate his anger and nod in agreement.

Xia Zuoyi smiled with satisfaction, “Udit, arrange rooms for the guests.”

Udit bowed slightly, “Yes, my lord.”

He stretched out his hand to Maldiz and Paul, “Please follow me.” 

The two followed.

After they left, Xia Zuoyi relaxed and stretched out on the sofa, then turned his head with some doubts, “Strange, why haven’t Brown Sugar come to me after so long?”

Usually, Brown Sugar likes to sleep in his arms.

Fernandi pointed to the position where Briquette lay, “Already asleep.” 

The pitch-black little dumpling huddled around the big tiger of the same color. If you don’t look carefully, you really can’t find it.

Xia Zuoyi walked gently towards them.

The fresh little print skirt on Brown Sugar has long been kicked off. The skirt and the hat had long been lost somewhere no one knows. The small dark ball’s belly fluctuates and is shrinking beside Briquette, sleeping soundly.

Xia Zuoyi not only smiled but also gently stroked the little black panther’s head with his fingertips. Then he stood up and motioned for Fernandi and Walker to leave the room with him.

He stood in the corridor by the door, looking at the scenery outside the window, and said, “Cardinal… This Mr. Howard is not in a low position in the Holy See. I don’t know if his information is alright to check?”

Walker said, “Saint Airo Empire is not close to Desinian Territory. Investigating the news of a cardinal…it’s not easy.” 

Xia Zuoyi murmured, “Boris should know something.”

“The Anas Empire…by the water, no, I want to make the message pass faster… It’s also time for Green Dumpling to visit the empire.”

Translator’s Notes:

There’s a city-wide blackout yesterday so I didn’t have the chance to update and I forgot to schedule it XD. Anyway, this is late (again) but let’s thank our kofi donor, Nani~Laya, because it’s a double update today!! Yey~