Her words hung in the air, their weight palpable. James studied her carefully, the flicker of a question in his eyes.

  “And why,” he asked, his voice measured, “would the imperial princess of Solious’s lineage wish tthen a fading faith, particurly one so far removed from the empire’s favor?”

  Ravenna leaned forward, her expression sharp and deliberate. “Because this isnd belongs to me,” she said, her voice steady. Then, with a faint smile, she added, “And by extension, so does this church.”

  James chuckled softly, his ugh a mix of amusement and disbelief. “Such greed, child. It’s not good for the soul.” He paused, his gaze momentarily dropping to the table. When he looked up again, there was a subtle shift in his demeanor, a quiet resignation. “Fine,” he said at st. “I accept that answer, for now.”

  Reag into his robes, he retrieved a folded dot and pced it oable betweehe part was creased but impeccably , the ink bold and authoritative. He slid it toward her with a calm but questioning look. “But perhaps you’d care to expin this, Yhness?”

  Ravenna’s gaze dropped to the dot. It y of her decree, an official annou tralizing power within her dukedom. The words on the page detailed a sweeping policy: the solidation of all businesses under direct ht, including those associated with religious institutions.

  James tapped the dot lightly with his finger. “From what I uand,” he began, his toral, “you io trol every single business in your territory. I see the logi ruling with an iron fist. However...”

  Before he could finish, Ravenna interjected smoothly, “Donations are cssified as businesses. As such, the donations made here will now be sent to the city’s treasury.”

  The head priest gave a slow nod, his expression thoughtful but irely pleased. “And that,” he said, “is precisely the issue, Yhness. Yes, it’s true that our donations have been sparse these past months—almost ent, in fact. But to take what little remains is to strip us of our means to fund our operations. By doing so, you reduce faith to mere erce.” He looked at her pointedly, his voice carrying a rare edge. “Freedom of faith is an integral part of the Ana Empire’s imperial stitution.”

  Raven his gaze without fling, a sharp smile pying at her lips. She tapped the dot lightly with a gloved finger. “And freedom of faith,” she said firmly, “is being upheld here in Jo.”

  She poio a specific cuse in the decree, her tone fident. “As you see, only the business aspects of the church fall uhis policy. Donations, after all, are not purely acts of faith—they are transas, voluntary though they may be. This part of the faith, whether anyone admits it or not, is business.”

  James raised a skeptical brow, but before he could respond, Ravenna tinued. “To ehe church’s tinued operations, the state will provide funding. Allocations will be made each year based on your proposed budgets and operational needs. This way, the church will not only survive but will have the means to uake grander projects, even if private donations remain insuffit. Wouldn’t you agree that this is a fair promise?”

  The head priest sat in silence for a moment, weighing her words. At st, he offered a faint smile. “That does seem reaso least for now. But given the look in your eyes and the meticulous way you’re managing this city, I suspect your ambitioend far beyond the present.”

  Ravenna didn’t flinder his scrutiny. “The policy will remain unged,” she said simply, her voice devoid of eboration.

  James studied her for a moment longer before shaking his head, a quiet chuckle esg him. “May the goddess bless yreedy heart, Yhness,” he said, his tone ced with irony. Rising to his feet, he adjusted his robes. “Very well. I’ll ehe church is restructured to ply with your new ws.”

  His decration was calm but resolute, a clear aowledgment of the shifting tides.

  “We are staying,” he added firmly.

  Ravenna crossed one leg over the other and leaned back, a small, satisfied smile grag her lips. “That’s good to hear,” she said, her tone as smooth as silk.

  With her business at the Herptian Church cluded, Ravenna stepped out into the golden afternoon light. The t spires of the church cast long shadows across the cobblestoreets as she desded the stairs with deliberate grace. Her imperial carriage awaited, its polished surface gleaming in the sun, the royal crest embossed proudly on its doors.

  The an opehe door with a bow, and she climbed inside, her silken dress whispering against the cushioned seats. As the carriage began its journey back to the lord’s castle, the rhythmic ctter of hooves on stone was apanied by a souirely ingruous with her posed demeanor—Ravenna’s soft giggles.

  Her ughter bubbled up, darkly triumphant, as she reflected owofold purpose of her visit to the Herptian Church. First, the church represehe only power base in Jo that could potentially oppose her. With no other nobles present on this isoted isnd, the priests wielded a unique influence over the people’s hearts and minds. Seg their loyalty, or at least ensuring their pliance, was a critical step in solidating her trol.

  The sed reason, however, was far more practical. Herptian priests, unlike many of their terparts in the Solious faith, were rigorously trained in architectural principles. It was a tradition born of y: priests were expected to build churches in aerritory where their faith read, often with limited resources and ernal assistahis core traini that the clergy of Herptian faith were not just spiritual leaders—they were master architects.

  Now, with the church firmly under her thumb, Ravenna had access to their invaluable expertise. These priests would design and oversee the stru of projects she had long envisioned, from fortifications to buildings. Additionally, the church’s influence over the people would be a powerful tool to bolster her reputation.

  Leaning back against the plush carriage seat, she allowed herself a rare moment of satisfa. “Checkmate,” she murmured under her breath, the fai smirk tugging at her lips.

  As the carriage rumbled through the city streets, Ravenna summohe interface of her reputation system, her fingers moving through the air as though scrolling through an invisible ledger. The glowing, translut panel sprang to life before her eyes.

  [Reputation System v0.1]User: Ravenna Sorius / Joy Cha KimReputation Level: 60 (6067/8200)Curreation Points: 16,987Titles: Raven of Sun Pace, Unruly Princess{View Reputation Log} {Speation Points}

  Her eyes sed the details with satisfa. The day’s efforts had not been in vain—her reputation had surged, just as she’d pnned. A low chuckle escaped her as she tapped on the log to review the breakdown of her ret gains. Every move, every versation, had been calcuted to extract the maximum be.

  Finally, her gaze settled on an option that had taunted her. Geographical S. Her lips curled into a grin, and a manic gleam lit her eyes.

  “I finally have enough points for the Geographical S,” she whispered, her voice brimming with untained glee. Then, uo hold back, she let out a ugh—wild and urained, eg within the fines of the carriage.

  With this, her pns could advao the phase. The s would reveal the untapped potential of Jo’s nds, unc resources and strategic opportunities she could exploit. It was the key t the isoted isnd into a thriving city.

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