am-books Chapter 155 The church [ 8 ]
Chapter 155 The church [ 8 ]
High Priest says "If you promise to let me go I will answer your questions!"
"If you tell me the truth, I promise I won't touch you."
High Priest says "Alright, what do you want to know?"
"First, where did you acquire knowledge of Holos?"
High Priest says "I was taught by another, but the knowledge originally came from ancient records."
"So Holos is from one of the other two ancient empires?"
High Priest says "How could you know about that?!?"
"The goddesses told me about it."
High Priest says "Why would they speak with a beast when they have ignored their worshipers for so long?"
"I'm asking the questions, not you. Now how widespread is the worship of Holos?"
High Priest says "This was the only group in this kingdom, but it is widespread in the empire."
"Alright, that is all the questions I can think of."
High Priest says "Then I am free to go?"
"Sure, ladies he is all yours!" Stay updated with empire
The rebels should be looking for new members, at least I hope they are. I really don't want hundreds of women following me around, every man who sees them will become my enemy. Some of them are from the Free Union or Illium, I really want to get them home if it is at all possible.
Mericel says "Master, I found the priest's treasure room!"
"Oh, excellent, show me!"
Mericel leads me through the back half of the church until we come to a very lavish bedroom. It is obvious from the smell, some of the things that went on in here, but Mericel heads over to a huge painting of the high priest. She disappears through the wall and then returns seconds later.
Mericel says "It is behind this wall, but I don't know how to open it."
"That's simple!"
I walk over and punch the wall, my fist goes right through it and a large section of the wall collapses. This also destroys the painting but I consider that a bonus. Looking through the hole I see piles and piles of gold, the entire room is filled with gold.
It looks like a dragon's hoard from a movie, I could even swim around in it like a certain cartoon duck. Tearing down the rest of the wall is easy enough, once I step through and look around I realize just how much gold there is. It is strange though, it's only gold coins, no jewels or items at all.
Just to be sure I search through several piles, but after all it is only gold coins. While gold will surely be useful later, I was hoping for something more useful right now. I will take what I can get though, I take the pouch of my belt and start shoveling coins into it.
My pouch is full after only about a quarter of the piles in the room have been shoveled into it. I'm guessing it is several hundred thousand coins but I am not going to stop and count them. If that is all I can take with me then so be it, I do not feel the need to be greedy.
"Mericel, go fetch those acolytes here please."
Mericel says "Yes, master."
When Mericel returns with the acolytes their eyes nearly pop out of their skulls when they see all the gold. That is enough to convince me that they did not know about this room and were not working with the priests. Based on that and their auras I think I can trust them to handle this gold properly.
"I am leaving this here for you and your villages, I suggest you spend it carefully. This kind of wealth should be kept secret or it will bring enemies. The first thing I suggest would be hiring some mercenaries from outside the kingdom to guard your villages."