"What a fascinating place it is? I must go and take a look." Lord Borukain's eyes lit up with great interest as he listened to Asa's description of Ufoc City. He was originally here to hand over his position as a local official, but now he had nothing better to do. "To be able to govern the beastmen in such an orderly manner, and to establish such a city out of thin air... it's truly remarkable. It's like a dream city. I must go. That penal system is so creative, it's almost art." The former manager of Brakada's eyes shone with excitement, like a gourmet who had heard about the most exquisite dish in the world and was now fantasizing about it. He was completely absorbed in his imagination of that rough city filled with beastmen. "I'll set off tomorrow, I'll go tomorrow!" he slammed his fist on the table. "Boss, bring me another pound of braised beef."

  A Sa reminded him: "There is a war in the west, are you going to die now?"

  "I would have gone around other countries anyway. Thanks to you, I've earned enough for the fare." Porukan-sama said with a smug look on his face. "I don't know why you thought your friend was sure to lose? Even I could see that he had a much higher chance of winning."

  "Ah... I think it's pointless for someone like him, without any status or position, to get that championship. It would be better if he intentionally lost and gained the trust of the Prime Minister instead. That way, he could... So, I thought he would intentionally lose this match." Asa feigned profundity, passing off the harsh words spoken by the Prime Minister about Rodhart as his own judgment. "Now, I'm worried that he'll be ostracized by the Prime Minister in the future due to his momentary impulse."

  "Don't worry." Lord Borukh said with a wave of his hand. "He will definitely have more benefits if he wins. The imperial court is not dominated by the Prime Minister and his group, this victory over the Prime Minister's nephew at least proves to the military ministers that he has no connection with the Erni family. The military needs someone who can win people's hearts, and it happens that His Majesty the Emperor likes him too. So, he will have a brighter future in the military than in the Erni family where only blood ties matter. Hey, friend, do you know what the most valuable resource is in this era? It's talent! I saw this point, so I made a bet on your friend."

  "Oh? So that's it?" Asa was taken aback. It seemed to be true after all. "Uh... actually, it is like this. The prime minister had bought him over, and he had agreed at the time. If he really wanted to win the competition, why didn't he refuse in person? Is he not afraid of provoking the prime minister by changing his mind like this?"

  "You're wrong again." Lord Polukin slapped his judgment to death. "What he's afraid of is the Prime Minister. In the selection meeting of the Holy Knights, it's a serious crime to take advantage of the situation and cheat, so either he takes another risk to kill your friend and silence him, which is an even greater risk. Or he can only be caught by your friend with this handle and dare not deal with him recklessly. Good trick. Good brain, good calculation." Lord Polukin bit down on a piece of beef in his mouth and chewed it vigorously.

  Good intentions. Asa suddenly remembered the situation when he had just met Rodhart a few months ago. At that time, he was still very young and naive, but now the things in his mind were far beyond his own. It seems that once this person matures and makes progress, it is extremely fast.

  Baron Poluga continued to expound his theory: "When I saw him in Brakada before, he didn't seem like a cunning person either. Probably because of his relationship with Duke Mlak. When you follow good people, you learn from them; when you follow bad people, you become bad too. And if you follow a witch, all you can learn is how to dance with spirits."

  "Do you know anything about Duke Mlak?" Asa asked. He now knew a bit about the court, and Duke Mlak's good reputation was on everyone's lips.

  "I don't know him, but from his good reputation, I can tell he's a master of cunning and strategy."

  "Why?"

  "Who is the biggest liar?"

  "I don't know."

  "The person who never lies is the one who can lie the best."

  "What does it mean?"

  "This shows that no one has ever discovered his lies, and no one is on guard against him. For twenty years, Duke Mlak has been the fastest-rising and most unremarkable person in the empire. Without resorting to tricks, how could he have climbed from the bottom to his current position? Do you think it's because of honesty, hard work, and struggle that one succeeds in officialdom? The key is that he has managed to get to this point with such a clean reputation, which is truly masterful. Great skill appears clumsy, great wisdom appears foolish, and leaving no trace is the mark of a true expert. Just look at your friend - someone as talented and capable as him comes to seek refuge with him, but instead of entrusting him with important tasks, he lets him maintain his identity as an ordinary citizen. This move is truly formidable."

  "What did you say?"

  "How can an asset that has already been clearly marked as belonging to someone else's family still attract others to invest? Of course, it must first be presented as a clean and ownerless treasure. Once others have operated the business to great success, then suddenly produce the ownership certificate, effortlessly taking control - isn't this a lucrative deal? As for that important deed, heh heh, of course it's the princess rescued by the hero from the dragon's lair in Brakada. I saw how he was infatuated with the duke's daughter when we were in Brakada. And you've seen the effect of maintaining his commoner identity - this is a great way to win people's hearts. Everyone loves heroes who rise from humble beginnings. Completely without leaving any clues, he arranged the path for this important chess piece - such tactics are impossible for anyone but the upright Duke Mlak to accomplish. Truly brilliant." Lord Borukhun spoke fluently, his demeanor completely at odds with his appearance.

  "I'm telling you, you're the real genius." Asa looked at the rough-looking dwarf in front of him with a hint of admiration. "Hey hey hey, it's a waste for someone with your brains to not be doing those things."

  Mr. Borukan smiled. This smile was supposed to be just a slight expression of self-mockery, but his wide mouth slightly opened and immediately became very large, as if intentionally ridiculing. "Doing these things is not only about using your brain, but also about being mindful. You have to be willing to think carefully, always paying attention to others, every word and action considering the consequences that will arise. What kind of stance others take, how they react when they hear it, and what effects these reactions will have on other people... etc., etc. These things are more complicated than an alchemist mixing potions, I'm not capable of handling them. At most, I can only see a little bit of the tricks they're playing."

  "Damn it. X's." Asa cursed and said, "How can one by one be so brilliant, now I've lost confidence in my own intelligence."

  "That's just being clever." said Borukai-sama in a tone as if he was reading a book. "Those who are intoxicated with power and play with cunning tactics, are actually the weak ones who have been assimilated into this world filled with power. True greatness is true strength, it has a firm sense of self that isn't swayed by other emotions or environments. Such people won't try to compromise with the world, so they seem out of place in their surroundings, but they also won't rebel. In their eyes, the world and themselves are equal. Being able to be on an equal footing with the world spiritually, isn't that true strength? Like you and me."

  "Haha, this flattery sounds comfortable." Asa laughed. "Unfortunately, I know that those weak officials can summon thousands of people to chop us two strong ones into minced meat with just one order."

  "Because the spirit and reality are always two different things." Mr. Porukan read another sentence, then laughed, showing his big buck teeth. "Just reciting from memory. I used to be the librarian in my hometown library. Alright, I'm full now. I also need to prepare for my trip." Mr. Porukan ate the last piece of beef and let out a satisfied belch.

  After seeing off Porukamu, Asa returned to Sanduru's large house. Although he was about to be promoted to a high-ranking priest, he still lived in Sanduru's large house. He didn't think of moving to a different place and didn't think it was inappropriate for a high-ranking priest to live there; in his view, this was just a temporary bonus from helping the Archbishop. However, after a few days, rumors began circulating that he was devout, humble, and unassuming, and even after being promoted to a high position, he remained calm and continued to do basic work to comfort the spirits of the dead. His noble character and demeanor were considered exemplary for all priests. He also found it strange that his reputation was getting better and bigger despite doing nothing.

  Another petition has arrived today. Sandru is complaining that these messengers disrupt his peaceful life, as they come and see the situation here, either vomiting or losing control of their bladder, scared to the point of having aching waist and legs crawling out.

  Since being appointed as a clergy by Bishop Ronis, he had been receiving invitations from Duke Mlarak to attend various banquets and balls almost every day, each with an irresistible reason and enthusiasm. As a result, he could truly experience the splendor of life in the capital city every night. Surrounded by elaborately dressed noblewomen and young ladies, they savored unimaginable delicacies, while young nobles constantly signed up on the fans of beautiful women, waiting to dance to the point of dripping with sweat, before walking arm-in-arm with others to continue their revelry elsewhere. Many noblewomen and maidens were also interested in this new clergyman, but unfortunately, his notorious piety and an air that didn't belong to such an atmosphere made them hesitant to make a move.

  The exquisite wine and pastries were indeed delicious, even the ordinary fruit was carved into intricate designs and topped with honey. Asa had no idea what they were when he first saw them. The sheer luxury on display was truly eye-opening, with golden and silver utensils, crystal lamps, and even the clothes worn by the servants pouring wine were recognizable as the finest quality from his hometown village, only brought out for special occasions. Despite being dazzled by such opulence, Asa couldn't help but feel that he had been more spirited when sleeping in tree hollows, chewing on insects, and drinking raw blood in the wilderness. He also recalled seeing people who had starved to death with his own eyes and hearing about places where famine had driven people to exchange and devour their own children. Having developed a habit of measuring wealth using the methods he learned from Braka, Asa didn't think these things were anything special no matter what.

  Other people's flattering words made him feel inexplicably strange, because he clearly felt that they were insincere. Moreover, they were all flattery about his unshakeable faith and boundless future prospects, which seemed no more interesting than chatting with a butcher in the market. As for everyone's discussion of how some marquis had discovered mineral deposits on his newly purchased land and earned thousands of gold coins, or how some viscountess had two new scandals, it all made him feel extremely bored. Many times he wished there was a reason to start a big fight. For example, discovering that the marquis was a spy or which miss was a Death Cult's mage in disguise, but unfortunately, such good luck never came his way.

  Every time Asa got fed up with the occasion, the Duke would come over and talk to him, always finding a way to make him stay, wanting him to get used to this atmosphere slowly. But no matter how long, how many times, Asa still didn't fit in with that kind of environment.

  The night before last, one of his actions stunned everyone even more. He accidentally dropped a piece of cake on the floor, then picked it up, blew on it and stuffed it into his mouth with gusto. The people around him stared in amazement at this noble person. It wasn't until then that Asa realized he had probably done something very wrong, and he himself felt a bit embarrassed.

  The Duke of Marlborough was at this moment very excited, and applauded him warmly, praising his high breeding and the philosophical and suggestive action.

  When everyone understood the Duke's explanation and applauded with enthusiasm and respectful eyes, Asa noticed that a strange expression began to appear on the Duke's face. So yesterday, Duke Mlak didn't send an invitation again, and Asa finally breathed a sigh of relief. At the same time, he also felt a little sorry for disappointing the Duke's enthusiasm.

  But this time he received an invitation from Lord Rotherham, who was most pressing in his request that he should come.

  No matter what position one holds, once they enter the official circle, they must socialize and interact. So the military side held a celebration for this newly promoted knight. Asa had already found these things very annoying, but suddenly wanted to see how Rodhart would behave in such a situation as the main character, and what differences there would be with himself, so he went.

  Many people attended the celebration. Everyone was eager to see the knight who had been recognized by His Majesty the Emperor, and the ladies also wanted to take a look at this hero who was like the main character.

  Asa watched Rodhart smiling and chatting with others, mingling among the noble ladies. He found that in these aspects, he was really no match for him. That perfect, flawless smile was very approachable, covering up all other emotions underneath, like a charming mask. On top of it, various expressions could still be revealed at the right moment and in the right proportion. Asa remembered when they first met, Rodhart's impulsive and shallow nature, where every nervous twitch could be seen, his innocence. Comparing to now, only then did he understand that this smile was a skill. Although this skill was still a bit awkward, just starting to practice, it was clear that it had great potential.

  "I owe it all to you today. I really want to thank you." Rodhart walked over to Asa and said softly. Only when facing this friend, his face didn't have that charming smile, the genuine emotions on his face didn't have any dazzling light, but could be seen with a sense of gratitude and some other things that shouldn't appear on the face of such a triumphant hero.

  "I heard the conversation between you and the Prime Minister," Asa said softly to him. "Was it Duke Mlak who made you do that?" He thought only the duke had such a wrist and insight.

  Lord Rodhart looked surprised and shook his head. "No. How did the Duke know about this? Does anyone else know?"

  "Don't worry, no one else knows." Asa stared at Rodhart. "You're quite something, that kind of method is not like the chivalrous spirit you used to advocate for."

  Rodhart nodded reluctantly. "Things are there, and they have to be dealt with in an effective way. When I first started doing these things, it was inevitable that my heart would be uneasy, but this is like getting measles - as long as I can overcome the discomfort of the first time, the rest will be smooth." He looked at Asa with a very naive smile. "I have to face the problem head-on, muster up the courage to solve the problem, and not use some fantasy principles to restrict my actions. This is what I learned from you."

  "Are you sure?" Asa looked at him suspiciously. "I can't do these things."

  "Will you do me a favor?" Rodhart said in a low voice. "You have to help me. You're the only one who can."

  Asa suddenly remembered Bishop Ronis entrusting him with this task that day, and it seemed like he said something similar beforehand. His heart tightened immediately. This kind of busy was generally not a good sign, but facing Rodhart's trusting and slightly pleading eyes, Asa couldn't say no.