Equipment Printing School Mage

"Today's discussion regarding the Flaming Fist concludes here... Since Grand Duke Valakon has left, let's end the Council of Four as well. Thank you to everyone present, and we'll see you tomorrow—I hope Grand Duke Violet will be willing to attend tomorrow's meeting."

As soon as he finished speaking, thunderous applause broke out almost simultaneously from all directions.

Simple and concise, with climax after climax, it silenced the Grand Duke and made Valakan leave the table in anger.

Even the pastors who had nothing to do with the incident were thrilled by this scene and cheered enthusiastically.

Emilia looked at the clapping sound like pine waves, took a deep breath, and whispered to Karkoros beside her, "Acting Marshal...are they really not afraid of the Grand Duke's revenge?"

"Although Grand Duke Valakan presides over the outer city area, his core forces are very xenophobic and have no interest in these churches. What do they have to be afraid of?" As he spoke, Mr. Karkoros had already grasped Emiya's hand tightly.

He took a deep breath. "I never believed in the accuracy of divination before... but now I do! Meeting your industry is truly the only blessing I've encountered in recent times!"

Forty-five approaching

After successfully winning the first battle against the Council of Four, Emiya couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Although strictly speaking, the Flame Fist and the Council of Four are not actually in opposition, the Council of Four does not use its own money to approve the budget.

Moreover, they had only passed the first level—the Flaming Fist's biggest weakness was their lack of progress in the murder investigation. As long as Grand Duke Valakan planned to attack this point tomorrow, they would still be in a state of disarray.

As soon as the four-member council ended, the surrounding priests gathered around like ants seeing honey - in fact, there was not much difference.

No one knows the budget of Flame Fist last year, but no matter what, Flame Fist obviously has plenty of spare money now, and it is the easiest time to negotiate business.

Of the three major churches in Baldur's Gate, the Grand Duke of Silver Shield is the Grand Master of the Church of Gond. Regardless, it's not convenient to immediately spend the money just approved by the Grand Master on the people of Gond—although this isn't uncommon in Baldur's Gate, it still requires proper manners.

The Church of Umberlee is so isolated that it is almost aloof. It dislikes worldly interactions and has a bad relationship with the Flame Fist.

——Normally, the Church of Fortune would be the one most concerned about the proceedings of the Council of Four. Unfortunately, the Church of Fortune chose to leave Baldur's Gate at this very moment.

This huge power vacuum is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rise to power.

"Okay, okay, everyone, everyone!" Karkoros, who originally disliked socializing, was instantly surrounded by the crowd. "First of all, I don't have absolute control over these budgets. Secondly, this budget hasn't been officially approved yet. Please discuss these matters after the four-person council is officially over! After this council officially ends, please go to the Wangyang Tower of Flame Fist to formally discuss it! We'll..."

Elsewhere, Emiya and his group had already been warmly shaken hands by several priests, drowning in the warm courtesy. Although he wanted to pay attention to Raphael's situation, the mysterious man had already left the Supreme Hall at some point.

Now, he felt that the pressure he was under was even greater than when he was facing the two grand dukes.

But even so, he still thought of the most critical point at the moment in time.

[Kalcros is burning, don't forget the murder case! The priests are also quite well-informed, now is a good opportunity!]

Now is the time to use unsigned checks to attract investment - at any other time, if you want to go to the door to inquire about information, you may not be able to solve the problem by paying money.

And now, in Baldur's Gate, besides the Twin Hymns, the most diverse group of priests gathered in this council chamber. It can be said that it is difficult to have a better opportunity.

Karkoros was stunned for a moment, then quickly reacted and waved his hand. "Everyone, everyone! The recent murders in Baldur's Gate must have spread throughout the city. Last night, Eltoril's emissaries even caused a scene in front of Dragon Rock. This is one of the most pressing issues for Flame Fist right now. If you have any clues, just let Flame Fist know. If it can bring Flame Fist even one step closer to the truth, you will immediately gain Flame Fist's friendship!"

As soon as this ordinary sentence was uttered, the originally noisy scene immediately became as quiet as if it were frozen.

The pastors from various churches looked at their subordinates hesitantly, only to receive a unified shake of the head.

Emiya looked at the rather chaotic scene in front of her and couldn't help but grit her teeth slightly.

Who are the most informed people in a city?

The owners of taverns and inns, the petty thieves who roam the streets in the Thieves Guild, and the bards who stroll through every storefront.

Then, there are the pastors in the church.

They may not go out that often, but many church members come from all over the city. Once they see or do something and need a trustworthy listener, they often look for the pastor of their faith.

However, this information is self-evident and theoretically cannot be told to outsiders - at least not easily or for free.

Therefore, now is actually the best time - even just a slight hint is enough.

Even so, a brief silence fell in the meeting hall. The already crowded meeting hall suddenly seemed empty again as the priests subconsciously retreated.

——The priests present were from temples spread across almost the entire Baldur's Gate.

Even so, no priest took a step forward at this time.

Could it be because of fear?

Emiya glanced at Mars. Mars sighed, then stood up and played the clown. "Dear priests and ladies who serve the gods, the Flame Fist's Wangyang Tower will be open to you all for the next few days. However, today, the Flame Fist's true chief financial officer has left early for some reason. We need to return to the Wangyang Tower immediately. Please allow us to go ahead!"

This sentence temporarily put an end to the commotion. Both sides had their own things to do: Flame Fist still had to prepare for tomorrow's Four-Man Council, and the priests would naturally return to the church to see if there were any clues about the matter.

Watching the priests leave, Mars said calmly, "If nothing unexpected happens, we will encounter two possible outcomes—either we will be drowned by useless false information, or no one will visit the Wangyang Tower at all."

Sig yawned. "Since Lord Karkoros has already spoken, I suspect it will be the former. Even if the news turns out to be false, Flame Fist won't come to accuse me for this."

At this point, she suddenly thought of something, her movements faltering for a moment, and she trembled as she turned her head towards Emiya: "...Um, you guys don't need my help sorting out the news or anything like that, do you? This is really hard work!"

Mars said with a smile: "Those who are capable should work harder, and those who work harder should get more."

"Don't give me that! Aren't we eating from the same pot according to fixed share?"

As the two were bickering, Emiya looked towards Karkoros and said, "Lord Ranyan, did you receive the communication?"

This seemingly ordinary question brought a strange smile to Karkoros's face. He waved his hand and said, "I can't answer this question right now. We'll have to wait until we return to Wangyang Tower to find out."

"why?"

Silver yawned sleepily. "Because Karkoros isn't here... the spell used to transmit information is accurate enough. Messages meant for the original person will never be sent to the simulacrum."

"Simula... a clone?"

************************

"So, Mr. Karkoros."

Although Flame Fist had won a resounding victory in the Council of Four, Carl Ora was not happy at all.

On the contrary, he was shaking with anger in Karkoros' office.

And the reason that made him so angry was sitting right in Karkoros's seat.

He was a wizard gradually entering old age. It was obvious that he had not taken good care of his appearance in a long time. His beard, with a few white strands, looked quite messy, and his face was unusually pale from not seeing sunlight for a long time.

He is, Elios de Karkoros.

Even though Elios de Karkoros should still be in the Supreme Hall, another version of him appeared in his office without a doubt.

There was another difference between him and the one in the Supreme Hall: the magical items he possessed were an order of magnitude richer in both quality and quantity. If the Ioun Stones on one's head were as numerous as the planets around the sun, then the Ioun Stones on the head of the mage sitting in the Ocean Tower were a glittering galaxy.

And his appearance was exactly what made Karl Ola furious: "Tell me, the real Mr. Karkoros, how often in our lives have we seen the real you?"

"About 1.37 percent," Karkoros said calmly. "Midwinter Festival, Green Grass Festival, Midsummer Festival, Harvest Festival, Moon Festival. During these days, I will still come to Flame Fist."

"Out of 365 days a year, you only see us in your true form on those five days off?! On the other days, all we see are your clones?" Carl Ola roared, "Why?!"

"It's obvious—for safety." Karkoros's face showed a hint of guilt, but no regret. "Even if my clone dies, I can always summon another one. As long as I only use my clone when I'm out, I'll always be safe."

"So, do you also use your clone to sleep with others every night? Oh, no wonder you're still single at your age!"

"I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I completely understand your anger. You feel you're being disrespected by only being able to interact with my clone and not seeing my real self. I agree with that, which is why I've never looked for a lover. I can't reconcile my own safety with my respect for her, so I have to choose the former."

"Then why are you coming out now?!"

"Don't ask obvious questions," Karkoros answered without hesitation. "My real body rarely appears, but I synchronize my memories with my clone every day. You and Slani are my friends. I've already lost Slani, and I can't let you be strangled by the ambitions of others. Now that you've entered their sights, you're in danger of being attacked and killed. Since my clone has to separate from you, I have no choice but to come out in person to protect your safety. That's it."

"you you!"

At this moment, accompanied by a storm of magic, a group of people far away in the Supreme Hall returned to the Ocean Tower and appeared behind Carl Ola.

However, none of them expressed much surprise at the two Karkoros. Mars's gaze shifted between them repeatedly, and he couldn't help but sigh with emotion, "I've only seen in some notes that some great wizards have imagined that if they only used clones to travel in the future, their personal safety would be absolutely guaranteed... but I didn't expect anyone would actually do that."

The simulacrum of Karkoros, the Karkoros who had been meeting and walking alongside Emiya and her group for many days, spread his hands towards his original form. "The good news is that the fight for the budget is going smoothly. The bad news is that young people these days are truly astonishing... It seems my identity has long been seen through."

"It doesn't matter. The authenticity of the simulacrum isn't the key point." Karkoros even nodded to Emiya and his companions, then waved. "My simulacrum is more familiar with these matters, so you can discuss it directly with him. We think alike, and when I have the same information, I will reach the same conclusion. In that case, there's no need to waste your breath again. Thank you for your hard work."

As for attitude, it should be said that it is serious pragmatism.

Practical, rational, and even indifferent.

At this moment, Karkoros's true form paused, then raised its head and looked out the window. "...Will Rivengard has come to Wangyang Tower? Urd would probably be happy, right?"

However, young Will obviously did not arrive here as a lost child.

He didn't ask where his father was, but ran straight towards Karkoros, dodging all the elders who greeted him along the way: "Thank you, thank you! But I'm looking for Karkoros Ranyan, please make way! Please make way!"

****************************

"Things don't seem to be going exactly as expected."

Little Calimshan is the place in Baldur's Gate where good and bad people mix together.

The most important evidence is that in front of Grand Duke Valakan stood a haggard red-robed wizard.

The old wizard slowly turned around and asked, "In order to provide cover for you, we exposed our presence in advance. At the same time, I also lost a clone - and why is the Council of Four so unsuccessful? I don't see any meaning in our sacrifice. I demand an explanation."

Grand Duke Valakan was silent for a moment, and before he could answer, another guest beside him said, "I think we've gained quite a lot tonight—we've discovered some of Karkoros's spellcasting habits, and we've also discovered the mysterious foreign aid invited by the Flame Fist. So it can't be considered a complete failure."

He is the leader of the Frostfire Chamber of Commerce, an evil demon from the Nine Hells, named Raphael.

"Even if you go to the toilet, you can still fill your stomach!" The old wizard sarcastically said, "We got this information, but what on earth did you do?"

Just as the argument was about to escalate, Raphael suddenly seemed to have heard something and lowered his head slightly: "...What? The Friendly Arm was not taken down? Then why is there only news today?"

Forty-six Night Raid

“—Get out of the way!!”

Mr. Weir's efforts soon encountered real obstacles.

Many of the Flame Fist's soldiers knew him personally and wouldn't really try to stop him.

However, in the current Wangyang Tower, there is still someone who can stand in his way with confidence.

For example, Will Ravengard's biological father, Urd Ravengard Jingwei.

Although it was already night, Urd, still fully armed, stood atop the city wall like a towering tower. Even though his son had been missing for days, he didn't show any sign of anger; instead, his eyes seemed to be spitting fire.

"You've been missing for several days! Do you know how worried your mother is?"

"I'm here perfectly fine!"

Although his strict father was standing right in front of him, Mr. Will showed the same fearlessness as his peers.

Facing Urd's roar, he subconsciously took a step back, but immediately stiffened his body and retorted: "Look, my legs are not connected to my arms, and my head is not connected to my waist!"

It was not long before the Flame Fist shift change, and Wangyang Tower was bustling with activity. Even without turning around, Urd could still glimpse colleagues peeking from corners.

Everyone would like to see a Jingwei and her teenage child bickering with each other in public.

Urd's dark face flushed slightly: "You come back with me right now!"

"I'm different from you!" Will's face showed a hint of pride when he said this. "I have something to do now!"

This sentence made Urd Rivengard laugh in anger: "——What can you do?"

"You really have something to do—for you, nothing is more important than going home. After all, you're not the one listening to your mother's sighs at home!"

Just as the family conflict was about to escalate inside Wangyang Tower, Karkoros finally arrived with Karl Ola. Following behind them came Emiya and his group.

——However, when Karl Ola's eyes fell on Karkoros, his expression was always a little complicated.

Urd noticed that everyone around him was looking behind him. He coughed lightly and immediately turned around with a standard gesture, saluting Karkoros and Karl Ola. "I'm very sorry, my son has been too naughty."

"That doesn't matter. Today is Flame Fist's lucky day, so we can be more tolerant of the child." Karkoros waved his hand.

Carl Oula glanced at the current Marshal's deputy, sighed, walked forward, and said to Will: "What about me? Can I listen?"

"Ah, Ora Burning Flame should also work. Grandpa is still alive..."

"Will!"

This time, Urd was really angry. Before Will could blurt out anything, he immediately raised his voice and interrupted his son's gaffe with a thunderous roar.

The assassination of the former Marshal Slani Rivengard remained the highest secret of Baldur's Gate. Perhaps this could not be concealed for long, but at least the Rivengard people could not let this secret leak out.

Will shuddered in fear. "When they were still active in the Flame Fist..."

Perhaps out of fear, or perhaps some other emotion, his eyes reddened again as he spoke. He wiped his face heavily, "As I've said, you and Mr. Karkoros are the two people he fears most in Flame Fist."

"Now I fully understand this." Carl Ola sighed meaningfully. "Well, what do you want from us? I must make it clear that if it's a grand plan to rebuild the Flaming Fist or even Baldur's Gate, please wait until the new marshal and grand duke take office."

If it was a child's wild thoughts about the future, he wouldn't go along with them.

"Just one sentence. Someone asked me to tell you something, and told me that I could only tell it to someone I could trust."

"Then I'd be honored." Carl Ola lowered his head and tilted it. "What are you talking about? Oh, you didn't say I can't tell others, did you? I can't even catch a chicken."