Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

This was clearly a slum within the Holy City.

For Lai Gou'er, it was a common sight and he didn't find it remarkable.

In the past, even beggars in Yu Ding City had designated gathering places.

Every city has such places. If not, it doesn't prove that the 'rats' have disappeared; most likely, they've gone to places far from people, living in even more miserable conditions.

However, Father Solje obviously didn't have his optimistic mindset.

He had seen slums before. During his missionary work in Frica and other countries, he had encountered places where the poor gathered.

But the Holy City was different!

It should be a perfect and flawless sacred place, a paradise of bliss, especially after seeing the incredibly luxurious Temple Mount, which only strengthened this belief.

But now, this scene brought him an unparalleled sense of rupture.

Extreme prosperity and extreme poverty, with absolutely no transition zone in between... it was the most intense contrast he had ever seen!

Father Solje's face was pale, his lips moving slightly as he trembled forward.

Lai Gou'er quietly followed behind him.

They walked forward for several hundred steps, officially entering this impoverished area.

Everywhere they looked, there were mostly small, dirty, and dilapidated houses. Further away, they could see many drafty shacks, a desolate scene.

And in the center, the most eye-catching was an ancient but towering church.

The two walked and observed, turning a corner along the way, when suddenly a group of people appeared before them.

They were busily working on the street, some holding boards as if building shacks, others sweeping up the garbage on the street.

The most conspicuous was a person dressed in luxurious clothes, looking to be in his early fifties, standing on the roadside with his hands behind his back, watching people work.

This lively scene clearly brightened Father Solje's mood somewhat.

He was about to quickly step forward to inquire about the situation when, unexpectedly, the person in luxurious clothes saw him first. Seeing him wearing a priest's uniform, he sized him up, a playful look in his eyes.

He said without any politeness, "From the inner city?"

Father Solje paused, hesitatingly nodding his head, and extended his hand, saying, "Solje, how should I address you?"

"Hoppe." Hoppe still had his hands behind his back, the playful look in his eyes even more pronounced. He hadn't expected that there would be people in the Holy City who didn't know his famous name. "What brings you, Father, to this slum? Could it be that you heard the priest here is sick and volunteered to take his place?"

Solje awkwardly withdrew his hand and said, "I came from Frica, preparing to wait for the Pope's second baptism and be officially promoted to Archbishop. Mr. Hoppe, do you perhaps live here?"

Hoppe raised an eyebrow, spread his arms, and turned around, "Do I look like I live here?"

Father Solje was somewhat embarrassed, then went straight to the point, "I'm new to the Holy City. Why is the inner city so prosperous, while the environment here is so terrible? The Holy See clearly has money, why not use it to help the poor?"

Hearing this, Hoppe suddenly became very interested in the priest before him, "The church is already doing them a favor by not taking their money. You want them to help the poor? How did you become an Archbishop, are you even real?"

Hearing these words, Father Solje was somewhat displeased, "Are you not a believer? How can you say such things about the church? I was naturally chosen."

Hoppe sized him up again, "Who in the Holy City isn't a believer? Chosen... how much money did you pay for it?"

Father Solje's face flushed red, "You... I was chosen, is there a problem with that?"

Hoppe curled his lip, somewhat disdainful, "I've never heard of the middle and high-level members of the church being chosen. But seeing how foolish you look, you don't seem to be pretending, so you must have some background in Frica."

This person was too rude!

Father Solje furrowed his brows tightly, enduring the urge to leave, and said, "Since you look down on the church so much, why are you still a believer? Wouldn't it be better to leave as soon as possible? Aren't you afraid I'll spread what you've said?"

Hoppe chuckled, "If I didn't believe in the church, how would I get by outside? If you don't believe, how can you get any benefits? It seems you really don't know anything. I thought you came to the slums to have some fun."

"Besides, what if it gets out? These are just private words. How many people in the Holy City don't know me, Hoppe? Who would believe a little bishop like you."

Father Solje said with a sullen face, "So, you're very famous in the Holy City. Then what are you doing in this slum?"

"Me? Doing a little business. At least twenty percent of the furniture in the Holy City is sold by me," Hoppe said unhurriedly, "As for why I come here, isn't it because this old man has a kind heart and can't bear to see the poor suffering, so I come to give a little charity and help them improve their lives."

Father Solje looked at the busy crowd around him, his expression softening somewhat.

Although this Hoppe's words were a bit confusing and arrogant, it was obviously a good thing to be able to do something practical for people.

Hoppe glanced sideways at Lai Gou'er behind him and asked with great interest, "Your slave is quite sturdy, and his appearance is a bit special. Where did you buy him from?"

Slave? Who are you talking about?

Father Solje opened his mouth, somewhat at a loss.

Lai Gou'er looked at Hoppe in confusion and pointed at himself.

"Yes, you! Where did you buy him from?"

Two veins immediately popped out on Lai Gou'er's forehead.

Damn it, someone said he looked like a nobleman earlier, and now this inexplicably appearing person says he looks like a slave.

No wonder this son of a bitch hadn't looked at him properly.

"What? Do I look like a slave?" Lai Gou'er said slowly.

Hoppe laughed, "I've traveled north and south for so many years and seen so many people. I think your temperament is almost integrated with the surrounding environment. But this mouth of yours doesn't sound like a slave, it even has a bit of a noble accent."

"If I guessed wrong, then I apologize."

Lai Gou'er's expression gradually became serious.

This guy's eyesight isn't ordinary... He was often with Duke Alvis, and over time, he inevitably picked up some of his style.

To be able to hear these subtle things from just one sentence shows that this person has extremely rich experience in the world. Asking this kind of person for information might be a good approach.

Lai Gou'er said, "Mr. Hoppe, the priest and I are also visiting the Holy City for the first time and don't know much about this place. Since we've met, it's fate. Why don't I treat you to a drink, and we can become friends."

Hoppe didn't give him any face, "There are many people in the city who want to have a drink with me, but not just anyone can waste my time so easily..." Saying this, he paused, a smile appearing on the corner of his mouth, and pointed to the church not far away, "But it's not entirely impossible."

"There's a church in this slum. Originally, there was only one priest in the church. This person was good, he came from the inner city and wanted to help the poor."

"But after working for ten days or so, he said he was sick and went home. I think he couldn't stand it and ran away on his own. Now the church is empty. How about you, Father, fill in for a while, and I'll have a drink with you, how about that?"

"Okay, I agree." Father Solje didn't hesitate for a moment.

There can't be no clergy in the church. Besides, he originally wanted to stay and take a closer look.

After seeing this slum, he always felt a little uncomfortable. Thinking about returning to the prosperous place, he also felt awkward.

"Father, you're really going to do it?" Hoppe was surprised. He had just said it casually.

He didn't expect him to actually agree, which made him look at him in a new light.

"I never lie." Father Solje's eyes were firm.

Hoppe couldn't help but clap twice, "Good! It seems you are indeed different from ordinary people. There are also bars in this slum, let's go have a drink!"

.....