This is destined to be a frustrating negotiation.

Sitting at one side of the long table, Todd glanced at the empty seat beside him, then at the opposite side, where the church members with unfriendly expressions were sitting in a packed room. He touched the bridge of his nose and thought to himself.

Both Huggins and Karin had initially offered to accompany the monk, but he refused. Ultimately, their presence was inappropriate for negotiations with the church.

Besides, negotiations aren't like a brawl where having more people gives you an advantage; that's completely unfounded.

"I don't think I've seen Father Paul?"

Todd asked first.

A man dressed in a short white acolyte robe said in a disdainful tone, "Brother Paul has more important matters to attend to in the church, and his time is more valuable than you think."

That bastard!

There's a limit to arrogance!

Calm down, calm down.

Thanks to the thick skin I developed in front of leaders and students during my university years. Todd was seething with anger inside, but he kept a friendly face. He looked at the people opposite him, rolled his eyes, and said, "I see. I can understand completely. Father Paul is of high rank and power. It is not necessary for him to go to such lengths to talk to a lowly monk like me. It is just that I appreciate the hard work of everyone here."

Upon hearing this, the church members displayed a variety of expressions.

Some people seemed to remember something and looked indignant; some had serious expressions and began whispering among themselves; and some, like the deacon who had just spoken, looked smug and pleased with themselves.

Todd carefully observed the changes on the other side and a smile appeared on his lips.

At first glance, what I just said seemed harmless, but it was actually a test of my status.

From this perspective, the church members who participated in the negotiations were by no means a monolithic group.

They also belonged to various small factions within the church, perhaps the bishop's confidants, or perhaps the deacons' allies.

Before the negotiations even began, Father Paul made a grave mistake. He was the bishop's appointed leader, but he forgot that he wasn't the highest-ranking member of the delegation. In other words, he was on equal footing with many members of the church delegation. Had he been more humble and cautious, and managed the internal relationships within the group better, things might have been fine. Instead, he did something foolish: to assert his authority, he deliberately absented himself from the negotiations and, like a leader instructing subordinates, appointed someone else to fill in.

This is disrespectful to colleagues and a sign of extreme arrogance.

Todd recalled how, in order to apply for research funding, he had to be humble and subservient to the department head. When dining with leaders and officials, there were detailed rules about everything, from whether to attend to the specific occasion to how low to place the glass when toasting.

These kinds of social niceties may seem unimportant, but once they are brought up, they can always stir up the darker side of people's hearts.

"Ladies and gentlemen, although I am a monk, I still have some contact with the Church. I once attended Bishop Fabian's blessed Mass, and His Excellency's study of the Word and his theological insights left a very deep impression on me."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the church members changed once again.

The group of deacons who spoke first were expressionless, as if it were none of their business; the other group, however, looked pleased and concerned, and some even whispered in agreement.

Todd smiled and extended his hands, having secretly memorized the faces of the people. "Fellow believers, let's talk."

The negotiations lasted from the afternoon until evening, from the bright sunshine to the first light of dawn.

When it was time for dinner, the church members intended to invite Todd to join them. The meal consisted of simple marching fare, such as a stew of vegetables, boiled beans, and ham bread, with the sour pomegranate juice stored in the camp as a beverage.

To their utter surprise, Todd spared no expense in having people purchase large quantities of wine and food from nearby villages and deliver them to the church's camp.

What started as dinner turned into a banquet.

Todd, waving his wine glass around, seemed to find a echo of his past life. His perfectly timed compliments, impeccable manners, and opportune moments to ignite the atmosphere propelled the banquet to one climax after another. The laughter and praise could be faintly heard even several kilometers away.

In a corner of the camp, the short, stout Walton, holding a piece of roasted meat in one hand and a wine glass in the other, walked up to Captain Alfonso, gestured with his chin, and asked in a low voice, "Are we outdated or has the world changed? When did ascetic monks become like this?"

The Iron-Faced Knight remained silent, his eyes fixed on the gray-robed figure in the arena. He placed his hand on his chin and gently stroked it.

The outcome of this negotiation was naturally a win-win situation for both the host and the guests.

The church obtained a great deal of firsthand intelligence from Todd, and also received his promise to fully cooperate with the church and take over the San Sidlow Monastery.

Todd acquired the following rights from the Church: the right to recruit members for the Exorcist Guard within the Silver Ring Parish, the right to operate Church-licensed goods, tax-free passage through secular countries, and most importantly—the exclusive right to operate the West Coast Harbor.

As I walked out of the church camp, I glanced back at the still bustling banquet, filled with laughter and chatter.

Todd, his face flushed, tightened his grip on the several authorization documents in his arms, let out a long burp, and chuckled to himself: "How could you possibly master the social etiquette and drinking culture passed down from our ancestors for five thousand years?!"

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Three days later, in Silver Ring City, at St. Co's Cathedral.

Bishop Fabian sat on the Roman chair, looking at the two reports in front of him with a mixture of amusement and disbelief.

A report from Father Paul describes the monk Todd as a money-grubbing, rude, and ignorant pseudo-monk. One particularly jarring comment is that he uses the power of the Father to cover up the sin of greed.

Another report came from the bishop's confidant. Todd was described as a church-loving, learned brother who was devout, humble, and courteous, and that efforts should be made to win him into the church.

Those who participated in the same negotiations produced two completely different reports, leading even the bishop to suspect a mistake. Fortunately, the two reports agreed on one point: Todd was a key figure in bringing the San Sidlow Monastery under the Church's wing, and he was very willing to cooperate with the Church.

Bishop Fabian turned his gaze to another document at hand, a complaint letter. Its contents clearly stated that someone in the church delegation accused Father Paul of being arrogant, conceited, and negligent in his duties.

Taking off his crystal glasses, the bishop rubbed his temples, with only one question in his mind.

What exactly happened at the San Sidlow Monastery?