The oak door of the conference room, carved with ripple patterns, was slowly pushed open, and sunlight traced a golden path across the floor through the gap.
What came into view was the figure of Furina sitting upright in the main seat.
"Greetings, Your Majesty the Pope." Thunder Leopard and Minister Wang saluted in unison, their voices stirring a slight echo in the spacious conference room.
Furina raised her eyes from the scroll in her hands, her pupils, as deep blue as the ocean, shimmering with a subtle luster as the light shifted. A faint, almost imperceptible smile played on her lips, and she nodded at the two of them.
"Minister Wang, you have worked hard on your travels." Her voice was crisp and melodious, like a stream striking rocks in a mountain ravine. Although it carried no sense of oppression, it possessed an inherent, reassuring power. "Go back and rest first."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Minister Wang bowed deeply, retreated three steps, and then turned to leave. The heavy wooden door closed behind him with a dull thud.
"City Lord Lei, I have summoned you today because I have an important matter to entrust to you."
Her voice was crisp and melodious; although it lacked any sense of oppression, it also carried little majesty.
Thunder Leopard straightened his back involuntarily. Although Furina was very young and usually carried an air of innocence—sometimes even acting in a whimsical manner, making her seem like an idealistic child—she had the powerful Water God Special Envoy, Neuvillette, under her command. She herself was exceptionally gifted and could always produce various rare Medicinal Pills, not to mention that fourth Spirit Ability which was like a divine technique—all of this filled Thunder Leopard with awe.
"City Lord Lei, please sit."
Furina waved her hand gently, and Gentilhomme Usher, standing by her side, elegantly pulled out a carved wooden chair: "It is too formal to talk while standing; it is better to sit and chat."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Thunder Leopard sat down as instructed, placing his hands flat on his knees, his palms slightly sweaty.
Furina used a small silver fork to pick up a macaron from the porcelain plate in front of her, while nodding to Mademoiselle Crabaletta on the other side. Mademoiselle Crabaletta immediately brought over an exquisite tray, on which were placed the same snacks as in front of Furina and a pot of steaming flower tea.
"This is a new creation by Huo Yuhao," Furina said, taking a small bite of the dessert in her hand, "Give it a try; it goes perfectly with this fruit tea."
Thunder Leopard respectfully took one, and the sweet, cloying taste melted in his mouth, but his mind was not on the food at all. "I wonder what important matter Your Majesty has summoned me for today?" He put down the snack he had only taken one bite of and said solemnly: "Please rest assured, whether it is climbing a mountain of blades or descending into a sea of fire, I, Thunder Leopard, will certainly go through fire and water without hesitation."
Furina gently wiped the corner of her mouth and let out a light laugh: "City Lord Lei, you are being too serious." She gently placed the teacup back onto the tray, the porcelain clinking with a crisp sound, "Actually, it is not a big deal; let us eat while we talk."
She paused, her gaze turning to the horizon outside the window: "Look, the villages of all sizes around Fontaine have now all come to believe in our Axis Cult, not to mention those within the city. Every morning, when the church bells ring, believers all over the streets stop to pray. This sight brings me great comfort."
It was indeed comforting, because the points increased rapidly every day, and now there was no need to be timid when buying those Medicinal Pills in the system mall; she could buy whatever she wanted. The incomplete volume of the Water God Cultivation Technique she had drawn previously had also been made complete. Thinking of this, Furina's fingertips tapped lightly on the armrest inadvertently, revealing her inner joy.
Thunder Leopard nodded, recalling the spectacular scene of hundreds of people bowing and praying toward the grand cathedral when he passed through the Central Square yesterday morning.
"So I think it is time to expand our influence outward," Furina turned her head back, her gaze calm but firm, "and let the other cities in the vicinity also receive the grace of my Axis Cult."
Thunder Leopard leaned forward involuntarily, listening with full attention.
"Of course," Furina added, her fingertips tapping gently on the armrest, "we will not touch powerful forces like the White Tiger Dukes Mansion or the Imperial City for now. The Axis Cult is still relatively weak and has not yet fully established a firm Foundation in the Star Luo Empire; I do not want to invite unnecessary trouble."
Thunder Leopard pondered to himself: Actually, if we just sent Lord Neuvillette to intimidate them, those forces would probably surrender immediately, and perhaps the Axis Cult could become the state religion overnight...
But immediately he patted his forehead, cursing himself for being slow-witted. The Pope must be planning to win people's hearts in a gentle way first, starting from the common people, from the bottom up, from the countryside to the cities. In this way, the Foundation of the Axis Cult would be incredibly solid, and its prestige among the masses would be unprecedentedly strong. In time, let alone surpassing the prestige of the royal family, even surpassing Shrek Academy would not be impossible.
"I understand," a light of realization flashed in Thunder Leopard's eyes, "Your Majesty is far-sighted."
Furina nodded slightly; although she did not know what he had understood, it was good that she did not have to explain more. After all, before her Transmigration, she was just a useless college student; things like graduation theses were all bought online and then submitted to get by.
But having a subordinate who was good at self-brainwashing and over-interpreting things did indeed save a lot of trouble. She picked up her teacup, using the action of sipping tea to hide the corners of her mouth curling slightly upward.
"So I want you to discuss this matter with the city lords of the surrounding areas, and you shall have full authority to handle this. You only need to ensure that the secrets within the Cult are not leaked, but for those who are trustworthy, you may give them more benefits and reveal some less important secrets."
"This subordinate understands; I will take care of this matter." Thunder Leopard patted his chest to give his assurance, then stood up, placed his right hand over his chest, and performed a standard Axis Cult salute. "I have a close friend who is also a city lord, and we have known each other for many years. I believe that using him as a Breakthrough point, it is only a matter of time before the surrounding city lords accept the grace of our Axis Cult."
Furina also stood up and walked over to him. She was a head shorter than Thunder Leopard, but the aura she exuded at this moment made Thunder Leopard lower his head involuntarily.
"Very good." Furina handed him a storage ring, her fingertip tapping lightly on it, "This is for you. I know that those who can become city lords, in addition to having high cultivation and strong power, must also have some ability in strategy. These things are meant to give you a little assistance, and also serve as your reward."
Her voice was soft but carried an unquestionable power: "Do not let me down, City Lord Lei."
Thunder Leopard knelt on one knee, lowered his head deeply, and respectfully received the storage ring with both hands: "This subordinate will certainly not fail the mission."
When he raised his head, he saw that Furina had already turned and walked toward the window, her long blue hair shimmering with a soft luster in the sunlight. She gazed at the silhouette of the city in the distance, as if she had already seen the future where the glory of the Axis Cult shone upon the land.