Work Prophet
Chapter 107 - 23 A Rare Opportunity

Chapter 107: Chapter 23 A Rare Opportunity

Ireya could never have dreamed that her first banquet would be such a success.

Not only did she win a resounding victory in a skirmish with a certain self-important weasel, sending him fleeing from Teacup Castle in tears, but the rest of the guests also seemed to have a very high opinion of the event.

They would surely share the happenings of the banquet with their friends and families once they returned home.

Whether it was the Shrimp Cracker Snow Cake, the New Orleans Roasted Chicken with Lao Ganma, or those two bottles of Great Wall Wine served at the end, these would inevitably be talked about with great relish by the nobles of the western lands for some time to come.

After this, the Arias family wouldn’t have to worry about attracting guests to their banquets; on the contrary, the carriages of those eager to attend might block the castle gates.

Just thinking about that scene brought a crooked smile to Miss Rabbit’s face.

Was the Arias family about to rise under her hands? The young lady already began to indulge in the plot that lay ahead; her painstaking efforts and dedicated governance leading to the thriving development of her territory, with crops reaping a great harvest year after year, carrot sales booming, and the people on her lands living and working in peace and contentment.

In the end, she might lead the Arias family to surpass the Immanuel Family and become the wealthiest nobles in the western lands.

Miss Rabbit gently swirled the wine in her glass, lost in her rose-tinted fantasies until the banquet came to a close.

The guests gradually departed, but some chose to stay and spend the night at Teacup Castle, including Leo.

When most of the people had left, Leo finally found the opportunity he had been waiting for and stopped Li Yu, who was about to return to his room.

"I can’t let you slip away from me again this time," the young man from the Royal Family said, flashing his signature shallow smile.

"Do you need me for something?"

Leo didn’t immediately answer Li Yu’s question but instead said, "I’ve had quite a bit to drink tonight and need to sober up a bit. How about we go up to the battlements to catch some fresh air?"

Li Yu glanced at his watch, saw that there was still time, and nodded.

The two left the banquet hall and climbed the city walls, walking a good half-circle before Leo decided to stop. He found a crenel to lean against and waved his guards away.

Then he continued, "Do you know against whom the Arias family originally built this castle?"

"The lizard people from the swamps and the remnants of the Enríquez family lurking in the forest," Li Yu replied; he had also studied the histories of the major western families during this time.

Leo let out a soft laugh at the response. "Indeed, that’s what they’ve always told the public, and even the descendants of the Arias family have come to believe that. But in fact, when the castle was first constructed, it was actually built to keep an eye on neighboring Black Stone City."

"Really?"

"Although the Immanuel Family had declared loyalty to the Empire early on, and contributed greatly in the subsequent Blood Dragon Lament War, even losing several direct bloodline members, Snow Claw Philip never truly trusted them.

"The stain of betrayal is not so easily washed away, once you commit such an act, even just once, you must carry that infamy for a lifetime, and not only that, your descendants are likewise unable to escape it."

"In any case, Philip bestowed Green Field upon a trustworthy vassal, instructing him to build a castle upon the land. If there was any movement from the people inside Black Stone City, Teacup Castle could quickly get word and muster troops."

"At this time, the Immanuel Family had to weigh their options. The armies of the Arias family were certainly not their match, but that was only unless they could first take down Teacup Castle to their rear."

"Otherwise, no matter what they were planning, the moment their army left, their home in Black Stone City would be at risk of being raided, and Philip was the ruthless man who had slaughtered the Enríquez family in Dragon Flame City. If Black Stone City fell into his hands, well, heh."

As Leo said this, he glanced at Li Yu, then suddenly slapped his forehead, "Hey, look at me, I was having a good time, and suddenly I started talking about politics again, when I actually came to the Western Lands just to relax. Next, it’s your turn to talk. Tell me about Saturday and the Double Rest Sect."

"What, Sir Leo, are you thinking of converting?" Li Yu raised an eyebrow.

The young man from the Royal Family smiled slyly, "That’ll depend on how capable you and your Saturday are. Aside from recording and repeating sounds, what other tricks do you have? Show me."

Li Yu shook his head, "My tricks are not for performances."

"Then start by explaining your doctrines, or maybe the situation of your religious group. How many people do you have now, how many believers have you recruited?" inquired Leo curiously.

"The Double Rest Sect aims to ensure that every believer of Saturday can lead a better life. Currently, there are not many people in the sect, aside from my five assistants and myself, and as for followers... there are roughly more than a thousand now."

"A thousand?" Leo’s eyes lit up, "In just two short months, you’ve recruited over a thousand believers?"

"Yes."

"Your speeches must be very inspiring," said Leo. "But that’s not surprising. After all, back in Rock Snow City, you managed to turn the tide for Miss Irelia with your excellent oratory skills and even single-handedly decided the successor of the new Family Head of the Arias family. If I may be so bold, by continuing to stay in the Western Lands, you are underutilizing your talents."

Li Yu remained silent.

"If you wish, I can take you back to the Royal Capital with me and introduce you to the major nobles there. With your abilities, you’ll surely become their esteemed guest very quickly. And once you gain the favor of just one or two influential people, your Double Rest Sect could quickly take root and grow strong in the Empire.

"Oh, you’re not an imperial person, so you might not be well aware of this, but the situation in the Royal Capital is different from the Western Lands, there’s no dominant religious faction like the Silver Moon Church, and there are believers of all kinds of gods. So you and your Saturday will have more opportunities, and if you get to meet the Emperor, you might even convert him to Saturday."

"Are you trying to recruit me?"

"No, no, no, you’ve misunderstood me. Maybe I didn’t make myself clear last time, but I’m just a profligate who wanders around and occasionally looks for fun," laughed Leo. "I have no advisors by my side, nor do I recruit anyone. Seeing as I myself have nothing to do all day, I can’t burden anyone else.

"But I do enjoy making friends with different people and hearing their strange and interesting stories, and of course, if they need help and it happens to be within my power, I don’t mind lending a hand. However, don’t worry, I won’t ask for anything in return from you."

Leo’s tone was filled with sincerity.