Welcome to the Ability Shop!

Chapter 80 A Brand New Way to Travel

“Actually, we’ve known for a long time that there are many non-human races in this sea, but we never expected the British to actually set their sights on them,” Malena said angrily. “Although we don’t know how the British army controls them, these hellish minions have become their most powerful weapon for dominating the seas.”

Charles VII looked at Chen Xuan and said, “I heard from the wanderers that the Eastern world refers to these strange beings as demons and has special means to deal with them. So I plan to send an envoy to the East to seek their support. Joan of Arc suggested to me that her divine messenger friend seems to have a deep connection with the East and has been approved by God. Perhaps you could act as a link between the two sides and achieve twice the result with half the effort.”

Does this work too?
"Can't France find more allies around it?" Chen Xuan asked. After all, the journey from France to Dongda University's territory is no small feat!
“Yes, that’s us.” Malena pointed to the woman in black robes beside her. “The council has decided to fight the British army with all its might and has now moved from its various hideouts to Paris.”

"As for other countries... they might be more pleased to see us defeated by Britain." Charlie smiled helplessly. "I have to say that's short-sighted. Once the British army has established a foothold on land and controlled all the seas, how could they possibly only covet France in the end? But they certainly won't understand this until their neighbors experience the pain firsthand."

Will Dongfang help then?

To be honest, Chen Xuan was also very curious about the current situation of this great Eastern power. Historically, it should be the early Ming Dynasty, shortly after Zhu Yuanzhang became emperor. How could it be that they were already dealing with demons and monsters?

But now that Britain is allied with demons and is poised to dominate the seas two hundred years ahead of schedule, the history he knows has probably changed drastically.

Lin Qing also mentioned that some worlds are only similar in appearance, and huge differences may have been sown from the moment civilization was born.

Therefore, even if Joan of Arc were alive, she would not have any impact on her own world.

Seeing that Chen Xuan did not answer for a long time, Charles VII continued, "Of course... if you are willing to help France, I will also pay you a considerable reward. I have roughly learned about your deal with Joan of Arc. If you need ability as a reward, the witches of the secret meeting place are willing to provide it; if you need money, my personal treasury will be open to you."

Does the witch provide power?

Chen Xuan looked at Malena, who, despite subconsciously showing resistance, finally nodded.

This offer greatly appealed to him.

Gaining new abilities is secondary; after all, the shop has already moved beyond basic needs and increasing inventory is no longer so urgent. What he values ​​is connecting with a new group of capable individuals, like the Spicy Village, and developing a trading market with immense potential.

“I accept this commission,” Chen Xuan replied after pretending to ponder for a moment. “We cannot allow evil to spread rampantly on this land, and I also hope that the East and the West can reach an alliance.”

“I believe they will seriously consider this. We have learned from British prisoners that their fleet is already extending eastward, surveying the land along the coastline. If this continues, maritime trade in the East will sooner or later be threatened by Britain.” Charles VII immediately announced with satisfaction, “Therefore, from this day forward, His Excellency Chen Xuan will be the leader of the French delegation!”

……

"These are documents bearing His Majesty's seal, this parchment scroll is a letter addressed to the Eastern monarch, this box contains gifts from the king, and this small bag contains Spanish gold coins, which are a fairly common currency here..."

Joan of Arc showed Chen Xuan the luggage carried by the mission one by one.

Chen Xuan toyed with the ivory statue in his hand. "I thought you were also a member of the delegation."

"My mission is on the battlefield. After today, I must return to the front lines."

"By the way, what about Marshal Gildre? Is he still leading troops in battle?"

The last time I saw him, he already had gray hair.

Joan of Arc shook her head. "His health is poor, and he is no longer suitable to fight on the front lines. His Majesty has sent him back to his hometown to recuperate. Recently, due to the frequent battles, I can only contact him by letter."

No wonder the marshal was not seen by the saintess's side.

"You said the witch stepped onto the stage thanks to me, but what exactly happened in between?"

Chen Xuan thought for a moment, but still asked the question, because he had a feeling that the witch named Malena seemed to have some issues with him.

"Do you remember what happened in Chinon Castle? You even recruited a witch as an accomplice to rescue me from prison. Although our enemy is also a witch, this is enough to prove one thing: witches are not born to be servants of the devil; they can also become believers in God."

Three question marks immediately popped into Chen Xuan's head.

However, upon closer reflection, Gildre did indeed regard Liu Shuyue as a witch at the time.

Or rather, any woman with even a little bit of extraordinary ability is considered a witch in their eyes.

“Later, I followed your advice and went into hiding in the countryside, but I wasn’t truly at ease during that time,” Joan of Arc said gently. “Your ability to reform witches has deeply influenced me, making me start to let go of my previous prejudices and earnestly seek the truth about witches. Until one day, Eidal Joy came to me. We spent more than half a year together and became very close friends. It was from then on that I understood that witches have the same likes and desires as ordinary people, only their powerful abilities amplify these influences.”

What followed was a natural progression.

Riding on Joan of Arc's established reputation, witches from across Europe began to flock to France, openly or covertly assisting the French army in battle and routing the English invaders. In less than two years, France achieved a complete victory.

The promise Joan of Arc made with the assembly was to provide them with a safe haven from further threats and persecution. After she was exonerated, she immediately fulfilled her promise.

Although residents in some cities still reject or even hate witches, in major cities like Paris and Marseille, witches can now openly walk the streets and dine in restaurants just like ordinary people.

"I never imagined there were so many witches living in seclusion among the common people, not even including those poor souls killed in the witch hunts. Now they can finally receive the right evaluation and live normal lives, all thanks to the enlightenment given to them by Your Excellency the Divine Messenger," Joan of Arc concluded.

Chen Xuan curled his lips. He had only led Liu Shuyue on a prison break, so how did he become the MVP?

It was Joan of Arc's honesty and her meticulous, long-term management that led to the current situation.

However, it was no use for him to decline the credit, because he knew that Joan of Arc never cared about such things—she was willing to give all the glory to France and God.

"Then why does Malena have a problem with me?"

“She’s not targeting you personally; she just feels wronged and aggrieved—in all these years of persecution, the gods have never protected them. And you are a messenger of God, so it’s no wonder she can’t hold back.” Joan of Arc said with some helplessness, “We are ultimately just mortals and cannot fathom God’s will, but I know she will come to her senses one day.”

Chen Xuan felt that this was the only option. "When does the envoy delegation plan to depart?"

"His Majesty believes the sooner the better. If you have no other plans, the convoy can depart tomorrow."

“Okay,” Chen Xuan agreed. “However, before we set off, I need Malena to go to the shop. Considering she doesn’t trust me much, it would be better if you invited her. As for the reason… just pretend she’s going to a regular store.”

“No problem.” Joan of Arc agreed without hesitation.

……

The next morning, the delegation's convoy set off from Versailles in a grand procession.

The group consisted of 124 people, including 20 diplomatic officials led by Baron Milton, a four-member witch team led by Malena, and the remaining 100 were coachmen, guards, cooks, and servants.

Charles VII even held a grand send-off ceremony for them on the outskirts of the city.

As the leader, Chen Xuan rode a white horse at the head of the convoy, while Parisian residents gathered on both sides of the road to watch the spectacle. Chen Xuan was surprised to find that they actually recognized him, rather than treating him as a symbolic figurehead. When they waved their hands and shouted, they didn't call him by the name of the divine messenger, but rather "Your Excellency Xuan".

Clearly, the statue and the story it represents have become a household name in major French cities.

This was the first time Chen Xuan had ever been cheered for by hundreds or even thousands of people lining the street, which greatly satisfied his vanity.

However, after they had traveled about ten miles, he ordered the convoy to stop.

"That's enough for today, everyone. Let's set up camp and rest," Chen Xuan announced.

Baron Milton stepped forward, somewhat surprised. "But Your Excellency, we've only just begun..."

"How long do you think it will take us to reach the East if we continue like this?" Chen Xuan asked in return.

"This..." The baron hesitated for a moment, "No one has ever been there, it must have taken at least half a year, right?"

That's right, how could he possibly accompany these people for more than half a year?
The store manager's time is very valuable, okay?
"It's too slow. At this pace, we'll definitely miss our chance. So we need to think of another way."

"Then can you think as you go?" Malena also came closer. "If you find riding a horse too distracting, you can also take the carriage in the back."

"No, we must camp here, otherwise it will affect my plans," Chen Xuan said, rejecting the idea.

“But—” Malena wanted to argue.

"Are you the team leader or am I?" he interrupted bluntly. "We're not far from Paris and Versailles. If you have any objections, you can go back and ask His Majesty to change the team leader."

The witch's words caught in her throat.

They are now able to appear in public, but their social status is still not comparable to that of the great nobles and saints and commanders like Joan of Arc.

"What you need to do now is set up a tent and settle down," Chen Xuan instructed. "I will send you a message when the time is right."

(End of this chapter)