Chapter 392 - 382: Knowledge is a Ladder

Chapter 392: Chapter 382: Knowledge is a Ladder

Elias led Velin and Tristan through the bustling crowd and past mountains of cargo containers. His pace was quicker than usual, the hem of his gray True Origin Sect robe speckled with mud.

Beneath a temporary wooden awning set up by the harbor office, two figures stood quietly, a stark contrast to the surrounding bustle.

An old man and a young man.

They wore clothes of coarse linen, simple in style but well-tailored, clearly intended for a long journey. Though dusty and weary from their travels, they stood with impeccable posture.

The old man’s hair and beard were gray, the wrinkles on his face as deep as a dried-up riverbed. His eyes were calm, observing a crane as it unloaded cargo.

The young man, meanwhile, was surveying the entire port. His gaze swept from the iron tracks laid on the docks, across the distant seawall under construction, finally landing on the laborers of all different complexions, each clad in uniform work clothes. His eyes were filled with profound shock.

"Lord Velin." Elias stepped forward, looking at them nervously.

The old man and the young man turned simultaneously, their gazes converging on Velin. Upon seeing Velin’s age, a flicker of surprise crossed the young man’s eyes, while the old man simply appraised him with a calm, steady gaze.

"This is Count Velin Klein," Elias introduced. "These two are my brethren in faith, who have traveled a long way from the Empire. This is Brother Mateo, and this is Brother Seras."

"Your Excellency." The old monk, Mateo, bowed slightly. His Common Tongue carried the unique lilting drawl of the Empire’s southern frontier, a stark departure from the local accent.

"To see it for oneself is better than to hear of it a hundred times. This port... it is a remarkable feat of engineering."

"This isn’t a good place to talk." Velin acknowledged the praise with a smile. "Please, follow me."

He turned and walked toward a two-story brick and stone building behind the main port area. It was the harbor office.

Tristan and Elias followed. The two monks exchanged a look, then quickened their pace to catch up.

The reception room was on the second floor. It was a small, simply furnished space containing a long oak table, a few chairs, and a glass window that faced the port, shutting out the din from below.

Velin took a seat at the head of the table and gestured for the others to sit.

"Forgive my impoliteness. I would have hosted you at the Lord’s Mansion, but... there are too many eyes and ears there. I trust you understand. Elias tells me you have important intelligence regarding the plague?" Velin cut straight to the chase.

Mateo did not take a seat. He walked to the table and placed an oilcloth-wrapped cylinder upon it.

"Your Excellency, before we discuss the intelligence, please allow me to confirm one thing." He looked at Velin. "The Blood Cough Potion... was it your creation?"

"Yes."

Though Mateo’s expression remained unchanged at the confirmation, the breathing of the young monk, Seras, hitched for a moment behind him.

"We traveled east, and in the towns we passed, nine out of ten homes were empty. Everywhere, there was the black smoke of burning bodies and the cries of the desperate," Mateo said, his voice low. "We believed that short of a miracle from the gods, this disaster was irreversible. That is, until we heard of your potion."

He paused before finally getting to the heart of the matter.

"This plague... we call it the ’Withered Blood.’ It is not a natural disaster."

Tristan’s fingers, which held a quill, paused for a moment before he resumed taking notes.

"Its source is the Imperial Alchemy Laboratory," Mateo said, enunciating each word. "It is a refinement of an ancient curse. A weapon... designed specifically for ’purification’."

"’Purification?’" Tristan repeated the word. He recalled the "Purification Decree" in the Marquis Domain of Minas Hill.

"Yes, purification." Mateo’s eyes grew dim. "Within the Empire, certain electorates that refused to submit to the Emperor and the Holy See have suffered outbreaks of similar ’localized plagues.’ The church calls it Divine Punishment and dispatches the Purification Knight Order. After the Order leaves, all dissenters have vanished, and the land returns to ’piety’ and ’tranquility.’"

The room fell silent. The only sound was the creak of the crane outside the window, again and again, like a heavy heartbeat.

"The True Origin Association... has faced severe persecution within the Empire," Mateo admitted frankly. "Our doctrine is ’to seek truth and know the source.’ This runs contrary to the Radiant Church’s dogma of ’justification by faith alone.’ We were branded as heretics, our scriptures were burned, and our monks were hunted."

"So, what does that have to do with me?" Velin was unmoved by what sounded like a sob story.

"Er..." Mateo was taken aback for a moment. He chose his next words carefully. "We have our own intelligence network. Our agents have infiltrated every level of the Empire, including the military command and the Low Tier clergy of the church. We can provide you with detailed intelligence on the movements of the Empire’s high command, troop deployments, and the communications between Marquis Hector and the Empire."

He took a step forward, his gaze imploring.

"In exchange, we hope to establish a secure contact point in your domain. We also request to purchase the Blood Cough Potion. Many of our brethren and the civilians under our protection are also being consumed by the plague."

Velin didn’t answer immediately. He leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping a light, unconscious rhythm on the tabletop.

[Inspect]

[Mateo]

[Level: Level 4 Priest]

[Bloodline: Scion of Insight (Silver Tier) 43%, Mixed Bloodline 57%]

[Abilities: Mental Sanctuary, Mind Barrier]

[Overall Assessment: His bloodline allows him to construct a resilient mental structure. This structure can be extended outward to form a ’Mental Sanctuary’ field, granting himself and designated allies direct resistance to mental intrusion, charm, and fear effects.]