Chapter 72

Mo Yin pondered how he should approach the protagonist in this world.

Creating challenges for the protagonist was his hobby. He enjoyed opposing
the protagonists, defeating them, and standing at the pinnacle of the world’s
power. This brought him joy, and he had no intention of giving up this source
of happiness.

However, he also did not want to be played by the Alliance, becoming their
tool.

How could he have it all?

He could continue to derive his pleasure without allowing the Alliance to
exploit him.

Mo Yin’s answer was to challenge but not completely destroy the protagonist.
Injure them severely but keep them alive, thus preventing the Alliance from
absorbing the world’s energy.

On further reflection, the protagonists in the previous two worlds were
quite resilient. Perhaps he could transform his enjoyment of instant
destruction into a sophisticated pleasure derived from prolonged torment.

But this approach meant he would miss out on the joy of seeing the world
collapse, which would significantly reduce his fun.

To compensate for not wasting his efforts in the task world, Mo Yin decided
to find pleasure in other aspects.

In the previous two worlds, besides the thrill of collapse, he had also
experienced other forms of joy—physical, emotional… There was no denying it.
These experiences brought him an unusual thrill he had never felt as a natural
person.

Although he couldn’t see Randes’s appearance, his hearing was exceptionally
sharp in this world. Randes’s voice was luxurious and magnetic, with a hint of
firm decisiveness, full of masculinity.

A subtle flame flickered in the chest of the natural person who had always
consciously forgotten such “animalistic” and “unevolved”
physical pleasures.

He shouldn’t reject these experiences. He had absolute confidence in
himself. Even if he changed, it should be towards evolution.

Having the ability to experience more joy, wasn’t that a good thing?

The silent, pensive appearance of the golden-haired priest was like an
extraordinary painting, making people feel as if they were witnessing the
descent of an angel.

But angels wouldn’t ask for money to “repair” a church.

Randes felt a bit impatient but was curious to see how far this priest would
go with his hypocrisy. He was not a forgiving person. He enjoyed seeing people
make fools of themselves, especially those like Eugene, who appeared noble but
were actually hypocritical and greedy.

He waited patiently for the priest to respond to his disrespect.

“Your Highness,” Mo Yin said softly, lowering his head slightly,
“you have suffered many misfortunes in the first half of your life, which
may make you believe that God has abandoned you. But in truth, God has always
been by your side. You just haven’t noticed His presence. You needn’t feel
sorrow or worry,” Mo Yin made the sign of the cross on his chest,
“God will not blame you for your despair. He continues to love you
silently,” he looked up, “just as I do.”

Randes stared intently at the priest, admitting that he had indeed provoked
his anger. This anger was unprecedented, making the muscles in his cheeks burn
and harden like rocks. Randes had long been aware of the Church’s hypocrisy and
cunning, but no one had ever been as outwardly virtuous yet inwardly deceitful
as this priest before him, spouting lies with a pure and beautiful face!

Look at those lake-green eyes, like gemstones, green ribbons, and calm
lakes, making one want to dive in and swim. But a true wise person could see
that if they really jumped in, they would surely drown and become yet another
unlucky corpse.

Randes smiled coldly, leaning slightly closer, his breath just inches away.
“Oh? I didn’t realize I was so well-liked that even someone as noble as
you, Father, loves me.”

The male scent wafted over, the aristocratic fragrance mixed with a hint of
sweat made Randes smell like a stallion, a proud and bad-tempered steed
refusing to be bridled. Though difficult to tame, wasn’t this strong sense of
provocation another signal? Perhaps he was secretly longing for someone to
subdue him, to make him willingly submit.

Mo Yin quickly appreciated the beauty of this new pleasure.

Unlike using it as a weapon in the first world, he was determined to explore
this aspect seriously, purely for the joy it brought.

“Your Highness, of course, you are welcome here. To show my
hospitality,” the priest asked gently, “would you like to stay here
for a while?”

“What? Your Highness, are you planning to stay here?”

Bill was greatly shocked. Wasn’t His Royal Highness always complaining about
the unbearable stench in the monastery? Although he didn’t feel that way
himself, he wisely didn’t inquire further, lest the prince utter more offensive
remarks. But for the prince to say he wanted to stay at the Cathedral of
Kansburg, it was simply beyond comprehension. What did the priest say to the
prince to suddenly ignite his faith in God?

“Is staying here not good enough?”

Randes strode briskly under the shade of the trees, leaning on his cane.
“It’s better than staying in the palace, playing the role of a mourning
bird for Sharman. Let him go to hell on his own to meet the real devil, without
me having to lead the way.”

“God bless—”

Bill couldn’t help but exclaim, then lowered his voice. “This isn’t
Oss, Your Highness. You should mind your words and actions. If others hear
this, they might think you’re cursing Lord Sharman to hell. Imagine the damage
it could do to your reputation!”

Randes chuckled dismissively. “Alright, then. I wish him a swift
journey to heaven.”

Bill: “…”

Bill and the carriage driver helped Randes carry the luggage into the
priest’s residence.

“Father Eugene has been very sincere to you,” Bill said as he laid
out the deep red silk bedsheets, “offering you a floor of his own priest’s
quarters.”

Randes sat on the sofa by the window. “He’s just playing tricks, trying
to get a better price.”

“After you’ve spent three or five days in this shack, eaten their
meager beef and cheese, you’ll find that the charges here are several times
higher than even the most expensive brothel in the capital. When you ask them
why it’s so expensive,” Randes made the sign of the cross on his chest,
then glanced apologetically at Bill, shaking his head, “they’ll say it’s
the cost of faith.”

Bill, carrying a pillow, suggested, “Your Highness if you’re so
unwilling to stay here, why not go to an inn or rent a suite? You don’t have to
stay in the palace. I can arrange it quickly for you.”

The prince, full of derogatory remarks, fell silent for a moment, muttering
incomprehensibly as if to himself, “I want to see what else he has up his
sleeve.”

“Who? Father Eugene?” After finishing his tasks, Bill walked over
to the prince. “Allow me to remind you, Father Eugene is only eighteen
years old this year. Compared to you, he’s practically a child.”

The prince sneered, “A child? Even better. Children are the most
cunning. With their pitiful little faces and their affected pleas, they can
deceive a hundred foolish adults like you.”

Bill found himself speechless against the prince’s rebuttal and could only
say, “At least you can’t be deceived by him, Your Highness.”

Randes pursed his lips. “Of course not.” He tugged at his collar
forcefully. “It’s so hot here.” Standing up, he seemed somewhat
irritated as he paced in place. “Go fetch some water.”

As Bill went downstairs to fetch water, Randes walked to the window and
opened it. The lush oak forest emitted the fragrance of plants. The bold
proposal of the priest made him feel challenged. People in the capital were
indeed all extremely cunning. Since he didn’t want to return to the palace for the
time being, he decided to stay here and see if the priests in the capital had
improved over the years.

When he was twelve, at his father’s insistence, Randes had received the
baptism of the Cardinal in red. However, on the day before the baptism
ceremony, the Cardinal died unexpectedly.

It was a complete accident, but ugly rumors spread throughout the palace.

His mother had died of shame after giving birth to him, her disfigurement
turning him from a child rescued from the flames into a monstrous creature. The
sudden death of the Cardinal before the baptism ceremony confirmed everyone’s
suspicions—Prince Randes was abandoned by God.

The nobles, when faced with baseless rumors in private, would wisely choose
to ignore them, letting them be, maintaining an air of nobility and innocence.
But Randes’ actions turned those rumors into reality.

He beat his brothers who mocked him, declaring that the Cardinal had died
because of his curse. If anyone dared to attempt to baptize him again, the
devil would immediately summon them to hell. After making himself infamous, Randes
contentedly turned himself into a terrifying figure whom the entire palace and
noble circles avoided at all costs.

King Yarlin, with all the love a father could muster, gave him a remote
fiefdom, allowing Randes to enjoy wealth and freedom, to frolic as he pleased
in Oss.

Randes was very satisfied. He kept away from the capital and managed Oss so
well that it became the wealthiest place in the entire Lecy. Now he was
becoming popular again, with letters flying to him like birds, all of which he
burned.

Prince Oss was ugly, reclusive, wealthy, and mean. Apart from himself and
the peace of his fiefdom, he didn’t care about anything. But now the turmoil in
Lecy was gradually affecting Oss, and an excellent lord wouldn’t let his own
land fall into chaos.

Sharman was an incompetent fellow, and Randes believed he had the ability to
solve Lecy’s current problems.

For this, he was willing to temporarily use God as his shield.

He chose the youngest and least experienced priest to make a deal, although
he admitted that he had too many grievances with the church when he was young.
Finding other clergy members might be more troublesome, but the young priest
turned out to be much greedier and more hypocritical than he had imagined.

Refusing to easily reveal the terms of the deal and keeping him in the
monastery showed that this person was an experienced extortionist who wanted to
spend time negotiating with him.

Randes had a sarcastic smile on his face. Despite his pretense, he wanted to
see who would end up outsmarting whom in the end.

Bill brought water over while Randes was washing his face. The monk hurried
over and, seeing Randes’s wet face, couldn’t help but tremble, “Your
Highness, the captain of the palace guards has come to see you.”

Chief Brune was nearly fifty years old, dignified in appearance, with silver
hair set among brown curls. His deep brown eyes looked loyal and stubborn, a
trait he shared with Randes, making them look remarkably similar.

“Your Highness.”

Brune approached to kiss the hand Randes extended, but Randes hugged him
directly, “Enough, uncle. You know how rude your nephew is. Let’s skip the
noble etiquette.”

Brune chuckled, patting Randes, speaking with a firm and affectionate tone,
“You troublemaker, always finding joy in embarrassing everyone around
you.”

“Not necessarily.”

Randes released his beloved uncle, taking his uncle’s still strong hand,
solemnly kissing it, lifting his lion-like eyes, “Chief Brune, you have my
eternal respect.”

If there was anyone left in the capital whom Randes respected, it was
undoubtedly his uncle. Though Brune’s stubborn loyalty to the royal family
seemed foolish to Randes, Brune’s love for him was genuine, even though they
hardly corresponded. True affection didn’t need surface warmth to sustain it.

But Brune’s visit this time was not about saying what Randes liked to hear.
That was Brune; he said what he felt needed to be said, even if it made others
unhappy, even when facing this bad-tempered nephew of his.

“Randes, I’m extremely pleased with your decision to return to the
capital. Besides Sharman’s remarkable dancing, I can’t think of any reason he
represents Lecy. But you’re different, Randes. I’m not flattering you because
you’re my nephew, you know I have several nephews, and your brothers are all
hopeless. You’re brave, clever, arrogant… I admire your arrogance the most.
Good leaders should be a bit arrogant. I believe you can lead Lecy out of its
current predicament, considering my position…”

Brune pointed to the knight’s medal bestowed upon him by the king, “The
above is not just my personal opinion, do you understand?”

Of course, Randes understood.

None of Brune’s praises were too heavy for him to bear.

His innate disability hadn’t dissuaded King Yarlin from considering Randes
as the crown prince; it was Randes’s own mad behavior that forced Yarlin to
give up.

Now Sharman was on his last legs, and Yarlin was also faltering. He had to
find a reliable heir for Lecy.

Regardless of Randes’s shortcomings, Yarlin understood that Randes was the
choice.

There wasn’t much surprise on Randes’s face at his father’s favoritism, even
appearing rather matter-of-fact. He stretched his arms over the arms of the
chair, crossing one leg over the other. The proud and aggressive aura about him
was unmistakably that of a king on the rise, in Brune’s eyes.

For the sake of the future monarch, Brune began to say that Randes didn’t
like to hear it, “but there are still two mountains to climb in front of
you, one is your faith, and the other is your marriage.” ”