178 Guild II (2/2)

It is likely I am to make this agreement official. To put it on paper, so to say.”

”Try not to let the temple have a complete monopoly over healing for the regular citizens,” said Li. ”They are not yet fully comfortable with us, but in time, they will be.”

”I shall keep that in the back of my skull,” said Ven'thur with a sly smile. ”And as to the matter of the merchant's guild, well, I expect some standard thinly veiled threats to begin with.”

”Really now? Even when they know that a high priest of the light got smote down by us?” said Li. ”I thought that would be threat enough. I really do not have the time and effort to be wasting on intimidating more fools.”

”Oh, I assure you that I can handle that,” said Ven'thur. ”But when the threats fail to come to pass, I am sure the merchants will be more willing to negotiate with clearer heads. Until then, I shall do my best to limit harm to them or the rogues they hire.”

”Nobody better to do that than you,” said Li.

When it came to subduing without harming, Ven'thur was a master with his expertise in mind manipulating magic. Plus, the lich was quite good with his words and had been a good Lawspeaker when he was yet human.

All he had to do was brush up on laws he was a few centuries behind on, but when he did so, he made an incredibly competent Master of Commerce that was not only good at negotiating, but also immune to brazen threats.

It also helped that the temple of Light was still being monitored by Swift, and it was evident even further measures had been made as the Head Priest of the temple had stepped down and been replaced.

A few weeks after Li had almost melted the high priest into mush, he had heard tell of some of the priests drumming up outrage against the old faith, but before that could lead to anything, the Head Priest of the entire temple retired.

More likely, the duchess had ordered the head priest to retire, and with that, things became quiet again, leaving just the Merchant's Guild to contend with.

Ven'thur leaned back into his chair, indicating he was done reporting

”Then Ivo, I already know what's going on in your end,” said Li. ”So, as usual, let's plan for the future.”

Ivo, as Master of Ceremonies, was responsible for everything related to the old faith. Management of the priesthood, procession of faith based ceremonies, and the like. But as Li's comfortability with his divinity had increased, so had his range of powers.

He could inherently sense where Ivo was at any time. To a lesser degree, he could also focus to know where the other priests were and what they were generally doing, and the less advanced in their faith someone was to Li, the less he could perceive them innately.

This allowed Li to have a general sense of what his priests were doing, so he had no real reason to ask for reports from Ivo in the same manner as he did with the others.

”Yes, Good Seer,” said Ivo with a deep nod.

”I have heard tell from the harpies that they have scouted almost an army of ogres nearing the Winterwoods and headed straight to Riviera.

What do you propose we do about this?”