Lord: My Shop Connects to Modern Times

Gray Rock Town.

Lynn sat at his desk in the study, his pen hovering over the paper, not falling for a long time.

The sunlight streaming through the window shone brightly on the documents spread out on the desk. It was a progress report on artillery fire that Hal had just delivered.

Due to Lynn's urgent need, the parts for the two cannons have now been preliminarily completed. At this rate, together with the two cannons that were already completed, if all goes well, there should be ten cannons by the end of the month.

But that's not what Lynn is thinking about right now.

Right now, he was thinking about the "alliance pact" that Earl Lehman had mentioned.

"I will send three hundred soldiers, the most elite of my troops, to help you resist the Southern Alliance."

This is the sentence Lynn remembers most clearly from yesterday's dinner table.

Even now, that sentence is still on his mind.

To be honest, Lynn had considered that Lehman would agree to appease the Duke of the Southern Territory, that the other party would be more assertive and not send troops at all, and that the other party would go with the flow and join the ranks of those attacking him.

But Lynn didn't expect that Lehman would be so bold... to have such high hopes for him.

This is a very risky decision; failure would bring the wrath of the new king and the purge of all the nobles in the South.

If Lynn were in the other person's shoes, he might not have had such courage.

This made Lynn feel flattered.

Overall, however, the threat to the east of Ironstone Fortress has been completely resolved. Those short-sighted nobles who dare to come from that main road will be met with a pincer movement from both sides.

"Phew—" Lynn let out a long sigh and put down his pen.

Next is the north.

Preparations for Dark Raven Pass have begun.

Roland personally led a team to oversee the situation, where landmines were being laid as needed, and musketeers were being rotated in shifts to guard the area.

Everything is proceeding as planned; whether we win or lose depends on fate...

"Knock knock knock".

The knocking interrupted Lynn's thoughts.

"Enter."

Leon pushed the door open and came in, his expression a little strange.

"Sir, a small group of people has arrived outside town," Leon said. "They say they are... from the Church of Holy Light."

Lynn's heart skipped a beat.

Church of Holy Light?

He has been in this world for so long, and has hardly ever had any dealings with the church.

There was no church in Greyrock Town, and he had only been inside the abandoned chapel in Ironstone Fortress once.

What are the church people doing here?

Lynn recalled the rumors about him in the capital, and the new king's justification for attacking him...

Yes, that's the only way. Even if the church's influence in this world isn't very high, it will definitely have zero tolerance for "cult members" like myself.

I just don't know why they came at this critical juncture.

How many people are on the other side?

"Four," Leon said. "The one in the lead called himself Deacon Logan, saying he was sent by the Archbishop to...take a look."

Have a look.

This word is used very subtly.

Lynn stood up, walked to the window, and looked out.

Four people stood at the town gate, all dressed in simple white robes. They had come on foot, not on horseback.

The leader was in his thirties, with a kind face, and stood very straight.

"Let them in," Lynn said. "Take them to the city hall reception room."

……

Logan stood on the street in Grayrock Town, his gaze sweeping over his surroundings.

This was his first time visiting this place.

Before he came, he had heard many rumors about Gray Rock Town.

Some say this is the devil's lair, and that Lynn Cole traded human sacrifices for those terrible weapons.

Some say that cults are everywhere here, and that ordinary people have been brainwashed into becoming zombies.

Some people say that nothing grows here, and even birds in the sky dare not fly over it.

But what he sees now is completely different from the rumors.

The streets were clean and flat, paved with a grayish-white material that made walking on them very stable.

Neat brick and stone houses line both sides of the street, with glass windows.

Glass is not common even in the capital, but almost every household here has it.

People were walking around on the street. Some elderly people sat in their doorways basking in the sun, some women were carrying their children back from the market, and several children were chasing and playing, their laughter ringing out.

They saw Logan and his group, glanced at them curiously, and then went back to doing their own thing.

No one flinched, no one was afraid, no one acted like a brainwashed puppet.

A hint of doubt arose in Logan's mind.

"Sir," a young cultivator approached, lowering his voice, "this place... seems to match the rumors..."

"I know," Logan interrupted him. "Let's see."

A young man wearing leather armor and a long sword at his waist walked over and nodded to them.

"Please follow me, my lord is waiting at the town hall."

town Hall?

What is that?

Logan was a little curious, but didn't ask any further questions.

He followed the other person and walked forward.

He continued to observe along the way.

I passed a house with a sign that read "Public Treasury," where people were queuing to receive their goods. I passed a small house with a sign that read "Agricultural Affairs Office," where people were talking to account books.

As we passed an open area, we saw a group of soldiers training.

They were dressed in uniform light armor, but instead of traditional swords, they carried straight "iron pipes".

Those iron pipes looked like ordinary metal pipes, nothing special.

But the people holding the tubes moved in unison and looked focused, clearly well-trained soldiers.

Along the way, most of the people Logan met had genuine smiles on their faces, just like the people the church usually helped.

Logan could tell at a glance that the smile came from the heart.

Strange.

Even if the rumors about the lord here being a "cultist" or a "devil" are false, the residents shouldn't be so optimistic.

He preached in many minor noble territories, and most of the inhabitants had a generally numb and bewildered expression on their faces.

Aside from the territories of some powerful nobles, smiles are only occasionally seen on the faces of ordinary residents.

Is the living environment here better than that of the territories of those old noble families?

Moreover, and most importantly, don't these people know that they are about to face a war that could be described as annihilation?

That's overly optimistic...

We've arrived at the city hall.

From the outside, it looks like a larger house, nothing special.

The gate was open, and a young man was standing inside.

They dressed simply, without the ornate decorations often seen on nobles.

He had a young face and a warm smile. He nodded slightly when he saw them come in.

"Deacon Logan?" he asked.

"It's me." Logan walked in. "Lord Lynn Cole?"

"Please sit down."

Logan sat down in the chair, with several attendants standing behind him.

He looked Lynn up and down.

young.

Younger than I imagined.

The rumors in the capital described him as a vicious devil's representative, but the person in front of him... looked like an ordinary young nobleman.

No, they are not quite the same as ordinary nobles.

The other person exuded an air of affability and maturity, qualities rarely seen in nobles of the same age.

Most people feel nervous, awe-inspiring, and instinctively bow their heads when facing church.

But the young man just looked at him calmly, as if he were looking at an ordinary visitor.

"Deacon Logan has come from afar," Lynn said. "What brings you here?"

Logan looked away, a standard, gentle smile on his face.

"Lord Lynn, I am here on the orders of the Archbishop to inspect the church affairs in the various territories of the Southern Territory," he said. "Although Grayrock Town was not originally on the itinerary, since I am passing through, I thought I would take a look."

Lynn nodded.

Just wanted to take a look?

Lynn wouldn't believe such nonsense.

The Southern Territory is vast, and there are countless places like Greyrock Town, which were originally small villages.

Moreover, there isn't even a church in this remote corner.

Who would "casually" take such a long detour?

But he didn't expose it.

"I see," Lynn said. "Then Deacon Logan must have had a long journey. Grayrock Town is small and doesn't have a proper church, so I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

Logan sensed the probing in his words.

There is no decent church—this means that there is no church presence in Grayrock Town.

"Lord Lynn, you jest," Logan said calmly. "A church is not defined by its size, but by the hearts of its people. Throughout my travels, I have seen smiles on the faces of the people in your territory, which pleases the gods more than any magnificent church."

Logan said this from the bottom of his heart. Logically speaking, according to the tenets of the Church of Holy Light, the residents here perfectly meet the "standards of happiness".

It would be even better if there were a Church of Holy Light so that the residents here could worship the great Goddess of Holy Light.

However, realizing this idea might be a bit difficult. Here, people might have more faith in the young man in front of them.

Lynn smiled but didn't reply.

The room was quiet for a few seconds.

Logan surveyed the room's furnishings. It was simple: a desk, a few bookshelves, and a map hanging on the wall. There were no tapestries favored by nobles, no ostentatious weapons, and no other superfluous decorations.

This lord is indeed quite different from what was rumored.

"Deacon Logan," Lynn suddenly spoke.

"Please speak."

"I have a question I'd like to ask."

Logan nodded slightly: "Please go ahead."

Lynn was silent for a few seconds, seemingly organizing his thoughts.

"I once visited a small chapel in Ironstone Castle," he said. "That chapel had been abandoned for a long time, and it was completely empty. But when I stood inside, I had a very strange feeling."

Logan narrowed his eyes slightly.

"How does it feel?"

"I can't quite put my finger on it," Lynn said. "It was like... something was vibrating slightly. Very slightly, and it disappeared after a few seconds."

Logan's heart skipped a beat.

This feeling...

In all his years in the church, he had never heard an ordinary person describe this feeling.

Only those clergy who have served the gods for a long time may occasionally feel a faint response when they pray with utmost devotion.

That was called "divine revelation".

But that is a state that can only be reached after decades of arduous practice, strict adherence to precepts, and day and night prayers.

How could a young lord who had never been to a church have such feelings?

"Mr. Lynn," Logan carefully chose his words, "did you used to go to church often?"

"Very few," Lynn said. "There's no church in Grayrock Town; the one in Ironstone Castle was the first one I ever went inside."

Logan was silent for a few seconds.

He didn't know what to say.

He said, "This is the blessing of the gods"? But he himself had never felt that kind of "tremor".

To say "it might be an illusion"? But Lynn's description is too specific; it doesn't seem like something she made up on the spot.

"To be honest," Logan finally spoke, "this is the first time I've ever heard of something like this."

Lynn looked at him.

"In the church, only archbishops and other clergy members can occasionally feel a faint response from the divine during extremely devout prayers," Logan said. "But that's a state that can only be reached after decades of arduous practice."

He paused.

"I've never seen anyone like you before."

Lynn nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

But thoughts were swirling in his mind.

The church senses it, the gods respond; only those of the archbishop level can access it…

How could I, a time traveler, receive such treatment?

Is it because of the Cole family bloodline in this body?

Or is it because of the fact that I traveled through time, and what is its connection to the gods of this world?

he does not know.

But at least I learned one thing—this kind of intuition isn't something just anyone has.

"Thank you for your clarification, Deacon Logan," Lynn said.

Logan shook his head: "It's not a matter of answering questions. I'll report this to the Archbishop. If he has further instructions, I'll come again."

Lynn nodded and stood up.

"Deacon Logan has come from afar; why not stay in Grayrock Town for a few more days?" he said. "It's small, but it's quite clean. You can see anything you'd like to see anytime."

Logan's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this.

It's time to observe for a few days.

He was now quite curious about this gray rock town, and even more curious about the young man in front of him who seemed to have a "connection" with the Goddess of Holy Light.

Logan also stood up.

"Please, Goddess, I'm sorry to bother you."

The two walked out of the reception room.