Chapter 17 : Chapter 17
Chapter 17: Heading to the Capital
After talking with Kaff, Lin Qi began handling the remaining matters. After burying Alden's body, he returned to his previous home and brought some essential items to Roland Manor.
"View character panel." After dealing with everything, Lin Qi finally had time to check his current strength.
[Character Panel!]
Name: Isaris Roland (Lin Qi)
Race: Human (Viridian Kingdom)
Identity: NPC (Easter Egg Character)
Level: 20
Experience: 950/0
Health: 400/400
Stamina: 200/200
Main Class: Romance Pathway: Sequence 8: Balance Dancer [LV10]
Subclass: Painter [LV3]
Stats: Strength 40, Speed 30, Endurance 20, Intelligence 20, Faith 7
Special Stats: Charm 9, Willpower 6, Luck ???
Skills: Roland Secret Sword LV1, Alcohol Appreciation LV4, Gravity Thread LV10, Emotional Disturbance LV1, Dual Balance of Attraction and Repulsion LV10
(Remaining Skill Points: 0)
Combat Power: 45
[Evaluation: You're no longer the weakling you used to be, but in the eyes of true powerhouses, you're still a total pushover.]
"View main quest." Lin Qi's current strength was enough to protect himself. With his Sequence 8 strength and all the Forbidden Objects on him, he wasn't afraid even of a Sequence 7.
[Main Quest: Romance Finale]
1. Sequence 8: Balance Dancer LV10/LV10 (Achieved)
2. Collect three portions of mid-Sequence mystery pathway mystical substances (0/3)
3. Reach 10,000 Fan Value (0/10000)
Ding—
[New main quest issued]
1. Establish your own power in the capital before the public beta begins.
Power requirements: Headquarters (Incomplete)
Member requirements: Sequence 7 (0/0), Sequence 8 (1/3), Sequence 9 (0/5)
2. Reach 500 Reputation in the capital before Elaine arrives there (0/500)
Lin Qi stared at the quests in front of him, deep in thought. The next promotion quest actually required Fan Value. And from the main quests, it seemed that gaining attention in the real world gave Fan Value, while gaining it in the Epoch of the End gave Reputation?
Was the system telling him to create his own power in the capital and gain the people's admiration so he could help Elaine in the main storyline?
Even if he didn't help Elaine, Lin Qi planned to establish a power anyway. He needed allies. The downfall of the Roland family and his uncle Alden's death were both tied to the Eternal Blazing Sun Church and the Solar family.
He had enjoyed the Roland family's money and influence, so he had a reason to help the Roland family get revenge.
Besides, ever since he came to this world, Alden had taken care of him in every way. Even if the reason for that care was because he had taken over Isaris's body, Lin Qi wasn't about to forget that debt.
He would definitely collect on that score.
***
The next day.
"Kaff, is all the property sorted out?" Lin Qi looked at Kaff, who had changed into a butler's uniform, and asked.
"All sorted. According to your instructions, I had professionals appraise the Roland family's assets and this manor. The bill is right here." Kaff pulled a piece of paper from his pocket.
"No need. Are there any noteworthy people left in the Kissmark Town branch of the Eternal Blazing Sun Church?"
"No. The two strongest are already dead. And I suspect Sarich never informed the higher-ups of the church because he wanted to keep the Rose of Truth for himself. The church probably doesn't even know Sarich and Green are dead yet."
"There are no ordinary churchgoers there today, right?"
"Today is the church's day off. There are probably just a few nobodies."
"Sell the assets through the Pactum Mundi Chamber of Commerce. Then buy a horse-drawn carriage. Tonight, after we completely destroy the Eternal Blazing Sun Church, we'll leave for the capital immediately."
"Yes, young master Isaris."
Lin Qi's reason for daring to do this was simple. The conspiracy targeting the Roland family was only known to a few people like Sarich and Green. So even if the Eternal Blazing Sun Church was destroyed, they wouldn't suspect Lin Qi.
Even if selling off the Roland family assets and heading to the capital drew the church's attention, they wouldn't dare do anything to Lin Qi without evidence.
The conflict between the church and the nobility was already out in the open. They would definitely suspect Lin Qi, but they would have to look for evidence. And what could they find? Even if they found something, what could they do? Claim that the church priest had coveted the Roland family's Forbidden Object, attacked the Roland family, and got killed in self-defense?
If that news got out, the relationship between the nobility and the church would become irreconcilable.
Yeah, right. Which noble family didn't have some good stuff stashed away?
If the Kissmark Town church could attack the Roland family, wouldn't the church in their town attack their family?
If it sparked strong resistance from the nobility, even the Solar family, who were in bed with the Eternal Blazing Sun Church, would have a hard time avoiding the fallout.
And if the majority of nobles started boycotting the Eternal Blazing Sun Church, the other churches would be overjoyed.
Like the Quiet Star Gaze Society, which had always been at odds with the Eternal Blazing Sun Church.
All the other churches had long been unhappy with the Eternal Blazing Sun Church dominating everything. They all wanted to take its place.
The Morning Star family's dealings with the Quiet Star Gaze Society weren't unusual. Many nobles had ties with other churches behind the scenes.
It was just that the Morning Star and Roland families were a bit special. In other words, as long as Lin Qi didn't completely side with any one church, the Solar family and the Eternal Blazing Sun Church couldn't touch him.
If the Eternal Blazing Sun Church tried to use Lin Qi destroying their Kissmark Town branch as an excuse to attack him, he would openly reveal that Sarich had tried to steal the Roland family's Forbidden Object. That would make nobles everywhere feel threatened, unite them in boycotting the Eternal Blazing Sun Church, and also throw the Solar family under the bus.
Moreover, as the sole heir of the Roland family, as long as Lin Qi didn't fully defect to another church, the Solar family couldn't touch him either. Not many nobles knew about the kingdom's early history, but those who did also knew the Solar family had wiped out the Morning Star family. But since the Morning Star family had indeed been in contact with the Quiet Star Gaze Society, the other nobles couldn't say much.
But if the Solar family also attacked Lin Qi, who had no ties to other churches, then the other nobles would feel threatened.
The reason the Solar family had destroyed the Morning Star family was because they feared their power: family Forbidden Object + inherited techniques + complete Transcendent Sequence.
Those three things were the foundation of the Solar family's rule over the kingdom.
The Morning Star family had wanted to gather all three, which essentially meant they wanted to rebel.
If they went after the Roland family, that wouldn't make sense. If they moved against the Roland family, which didn't even have a complete Transcendent Sequence, then those families that didn't have inherited techniques but did have Transcendent Sequences would start getting nervous.
To protect themselves, they might just band together and fight the Solar family.
So Lin Qi's current situation, though seemingly surrounded by enemies, was actually rock solid.
Once the main storyline began and Elaine rallied everyone, Lin Qi would be the first to fire, hitting the Solar family and the Eternal Blazing Sun Church hard.
***
Nightfall.
"Well then, off to the capital, young master Isaris." Kaff sat in the driver's seat of the carriage and called out to Lin Qi inside.
"Let's go. Say, Kaff, why are you so familiar with all this?" Lin Qi asked through the carriage window, watching the Eternal Blazing Sun Church turn into a sea of flames.
"I did this plenty of times under your father."
"And your skills haven't gotten rusty after all these years."
"Not bad, haha."
"You're not my father's subordinate anymore."
"Then I am..."
"My butler."
"Understood, sir."