Lacus said that the wraiths were a secret of the Holy See involving currency. However, this was overly complex knowledge, so for now, Edrick could only give a rough summary of what Lacus had said.
The Luminous Pontificate wielded immense power in this world. After integrating many countries into the Luminous Covenant, the Holy See even monopolized the right to mint coins. Edrick couldn't help but think of the Federal Reserve and the Vatican.
"The tulip bubble led to a shortage of gold reserves, so the Holy Pontificate issued the Luminous Pound, an unprecedented paper currency. Every cathedral became a mint for producing paper money. Of course, it's no secret among the top circles of power that wraiths are needed to mint Luminous Pounds." After Lacus finished speaking, Flower Maiden and Edrick both fell into deep thought.
They had never seen a Luminous Pound before. One Luminous Pound was worth 20 shillings. As members of the lower class in Stellaxis, the Croft family couldn't save up that much money. They only needed shillings and pennies to get by and had no use for such large bills.
"They're using Faith Essence Points... No, they're using the power of faith to mint currency." After thinking for a moment, Flower Maiden realized what the Holy See was doing. Faith Essence Points were similar, but she didn't know what technology the Holy See was using. "By condensing a certain amount of Faith Essence Points onto a banknote, a single banknote can be used to cast spells without consuming the caster's own power."
Edric thought deeply. He understood that this society was in a period of drastic change where magic and industrial civilization were developing simultaneously, resulting in a social structure unlike that of Earth. Though its industrial capabilities rivaled those of the 18^(th) and 19^(th) centuries, its social structure was closer to 16^(th)-century Europe or earlier.
During this period, it was inevitable that credit money would replace traditional precious metal money. However, it was extremely difficult to unify the issuance of paper money. In Edrick's memory, the Luminous Pound was in circulation throughout almost the entire continent. With currency in circulation on such a large scale, the endorsement of a single bank or even a country's credit was insufficient; a general equivalent was needed to stabilize the currency's value.
In a world where magic was common, the Luminous Pound was naturally scarce and valuable because it was used in magic. On Earth, the US dollar was tied to oil trading; the Luminous Pound was a petroleum-like energy source.
"How clever."
"Earlier, in the wraith's sealed area, I saw that fake Lacus absorbing the power of the wraiths." Edrick suddenly remembered the scene he saw behind the bronze door where Bishop Lacus had extracted ghost fire from a wraith's arm in a chilling manner. "Is that how coins are minted?"
"I knew it. I felt that she had some strange power. She actually wanted to use the wraiths to empower herself. How foolish." Lacus was not surprised to hear this. She had expected it. "There's nothing to worry about. She is a Pathseeker of sacred magic. She can't absorb the power of the wraiths directly. Even if she could, it wouldn't be a big deal. The enhancement is very limited."
Edrick had worried that the fake Lacus would absorb the wraiths' power and surpass the real Lacus, but he felt relieved after hearing her explain.
After all, improving one's power was not a simple matter in any world. Eating a bear wouldn't give humans the power of a bear.
If direct absorption could grant corresponding power, this world would have been in chaos long ago. All of humanity's proud inventions would be nothing more than more efficient ways of converting energy. The underlying logic of how this world works wouldn't change even if one traveled through time.
He asked why the wraith was sealed there, only to confirm that it would not have any unexpected consequences. The most pressing task was to learn the basics of this world's mysticism.
"Can you teach me your magical spells?" Edrick asked Lacus sincerely. "In return, I can help you spread the news."
The best way for Lacus to regain power or ensure her own safety was to expose the scandals that the Church had been desperately trying to cover up. Once that became futile, there would be no need to cover them up anymore.
To his surprise, Lacus shook her head. "I don't want to oppose the Church, nor do I wish to get involved in the power struggle between the royal family and the Church. All I want now is to find a safe place for them."
Looking at Lacus's kind face, Edric thought that she must have had a high-ranking mother in the Church; otherwise, someone so innocent and without ambition would never have risen so quickly within its ranks.
"In the current situation, I'm afraid you have no choice but to oppose the Holy See. They will search for you with all their might," Edric analyzed the situation almost coldly. "Not to mention, how will you escape Stellaxis? Even if you leave here, these people will not be able to survive outside. The Holy See's Patroler will catch you in less than three days. Even if you escape the Kingdom of Zodiac, how will you escape the Holy See's sphere of influence?"
This was a very realistic problem. In prison, Lacus had fantasized about escaping that dark dungeon one day and had a rough plan for afterward. "It's impossible to leave Stellaxis in the short term. With something this big happening, all the city gates will be sealed off, and all vehicles and ships will be subject to the most rigorous searches for at least three days."
After all, Lacus was a former bishop who had been imprisoned for three years, so she had matured a lot in her thinking and was still able to predict some of the Church's basic actions.
"For now, we want to lie low in Stellaxis and build up my own forces, but I won't participate in the struggle. It's just a means of self-preservation. At the same time, I need to gather information about Witch Town."
"Witch Town?" It was the first time Ederick had heard that name. "What kind of place is that?"
"It's said to be a small town founded by witches who escaped persecution by the Church. Among the general population, it's nothing more than a folk legend, but I've seen documents about it. Witch Town does exist, but it's hidden so well that the Church can't locate its exact position. My mother suspects that the town's location shifts constantly."
"A town full of witches that moves around—how cool is that?"
Edrick was immediately interested but realized that finding the town wouldn't be easy. "If the Church can't find it, how will you? Wait… If Witch Town is really a refuge for the persecuted, then they must have their own way of finding those who are persecuted, right?"
"That's right, and they seem to have a way of distinguishing between bait and real victims," Lacus explained. "But they are very cautious when recruiting new members. The Church has tried many times to lure them into a trap but failed. It seems that they accept people completely at random."
"Okay, so we have a long-term plan full of uncertainty and a short-term plan with only a basic idea." Edrick nodded. "We still have a lot to do, and we need more information. How do you plan to survive in Stellaxis over the next few days?"
Edrick asked the most crucial question. If they couldn't find food, then nothing else mattered.
"Don't underestimate me. I was a bishop, after all," Lacus replied.
As the conversation progressed, Lacus noticed that Edrick was growing increasingly disrespectful toward him. He needed to show this young man his true strength. "Most of my followers have been eliminated or betrayed me, but a few loyal confidants remain. Even the Church would hesitate to touch them. Additionally, my parents left me some connections, and I can try to reach out to them."
"Apart from the royal family and the Holy See, could there be other powerful forces in Stellaxis?" Edrick was puzzled. As a lowly laborer, he couldn't think of any.
She was truly the princess of the kingdom. Even after being locked up in a dungeon for three years, she still had connections that Edrick couldn't match.
Seeing the slight admiration in Edrick's eyes, Lacus felt smug. "Of course. After all, Zodiac is not ruled by the Holy See alone. The royal family and the Holy See are constantly fighting for power, which naturally gives smaller forces room to survive. For example, the university. Didn't you want to learn the basics of Ethercraft? You can study it at the university."
Edrick was taken aback. He knew about universities. Stellaxis, the royal capital, had several very good ones, but "Ethercraft" was a very unfamiliar word to him.
Fortunately, he quickly realized that this must be what this world called extraordinary powers.
On Earth, esotericism is called esotericism because it is too niche and rare, which is why it is mysterious.
In Stellaxis, where steam spirits roamed freely, this discipline was obviously not called mysticism. It had an official name: Ethercraft. "Ethercraft is a skill that teaches how to use Aether more efficiently and practically. Those who are skilled in Ethercraft are collectively called Pathseekers. Pathseekers have many professions, such as wizards, sorcerers, priests, and holy mages like me," Lacus explained patiently.
Lacus explained patiently. Although this was not secret knowledge, it was too far removed from the lives of ordinary people who had never attended a church school. "There are roughly five levels of Pathseekers. The higher the level, the stronger they are. If you want to systematically study Ethercraft, you must go to university," Lacus continued.
Edrick recalled his fragmented memories. In the minds of ordinary people, there seemed to be only three levels of Pathseekers: Levels 1, 2, and 3.
"Five levels?" Edrick was puzzled. "I thought..."
"Ordinary people only know levels 1, 2, and 3, which is normal because Pathseekers who reach level 4 are considered extraordinary."
Edrick understood. He had always been a little confused. According to common knowledge, Pathseekers were rare but not particularly remarkable. The police captain in the dock area was said to be a level 3 Pathseeker.
Compared to the security captain and the fake Lacus behind the bronze door, however, he was like a child facing a full-grown brown bear. They were completely different species.
"What level Pathseeker are you?" Edrick asked. This was a very important question. Lacus was arguably his biggest source of support at the moment, and the stronger her support, the smoother his plans would go.
"Um...half level 5, I guess." Lacus was in a strange state and couldn't explain it clearly, so she just said "half level 5."
"Half level five is that strong? Then how powerful must a true level 5 be?" Edrick recalled the battle between the fake Lacus behind the bronze door and the wraiths. He estimated that not even a hundred Griff would be a match for her.
Edrick then wondered why, despite this world's calendar having spanned over two thousand years, its level of development remained so low. Individual abilities that are too powerful inevitably lead many areas to diverge from Earth's developmental path, especially in military affairs. A single Level 5 could easily destroy a fortress, leading to changes in military structures.
"You'll have the chance to meet a real Level 5 when you go to university," Lacus said, silently adding: "Then you'll see how impressive it is that I've reached Level 5 at my age."
Though she was not yet thirty, Lacus was not very skilled in political intrigue. However, she was not detached from the world. Born into royalty, she had a compassionate heart. She had visited many slums and rescued people from harsh living conditions herself, so she knew that while Edrick was clever, he lacked knowledge.
There were three very famous universities in Stellaxis that even Edrick had heard of. These three universities were the pride of all Stellaxis citizens: Holy Radiance Pontifical University, StarOak Naturalis University, and TradeStar Polytechnic College. One belonged to the Holy See, one to the royal family, and one to wealthy and aristocratic families.
"There is a professor at TradeStar Polytechnic College who was once my classmate," Lacus said. "If she's still there, she could provide us with shelter. You could apply to study there, and I could write you a recommendation letter. Though I can't write it myself, I should be able to find another way."
Is that the confidence of a great noble? But there was another, more practical problem: "We need money. Do you know where we can get funds?"
Upon hearing this, Lacus also looked troubled. She had a few trusted confidants, but their lives were likely not easy after she was imprisoned by the Church. As for the friends she wasn't as close with, she didn't dare meet with them.
"I wonder how much the professor earns..." Lacus muttered.
Hearing this, Edrick knew she didn't have a good solution, but the matter still needed to be resolved.
Edrick might not have money, but he knew who deserved to die and who had money — especially the ones who deserved to die.
"By the way, have you heard of a human trafficking organization called Broken Barrel?"