"... I think we should be more proactive. We need Baron Floutt's assistance to assemble a group of guards and soldiers to accompany us. We should also assess whether Baron Floutt has been corrupted by this malevolent force."
"We must also consider the people. Allowing fear and blasphemy to spread would be an affront to our Father," said a group of priests who supported the more aggressive approach. The others remained silent until one spoke up.
"Sir, are you certain this is the correct approach? If we find that Baron Floutt is indeed influenced by this evil, what then?"
"This isn't *cough* - This isn't a simple matter. We might be on the brink of a new era. First, this abominable object, and now my apprentice..."
"Your apprentice? What does Cleric Aaran have to do with this?"
"Not Cleric Aaran. I have a new apprentice named Robert. I have mentioned him to some of you before, but now that everyone is here, I must take this opportunity to inform you all about him. He... He is a miracle. He has been blessed by the Lord."
"What? Julius, what you're saying is quite serious. Are you sure about this?" The priests who had not yet heard about Robert were taken aback.
"I swear by His name! Have you heard about the papermaking method we recently discovered with Baron Frederic? It was actually a gift from an angel to Robert! He was sent here with a divine mission to share this knowledge with us."
"Paper..." The priests fell silent, reflecting on what they had just heard. "Priests of Calistoga, listen carefully," Julius said, as he sat at one end of the table.
"A few days ago, he was baptized, and during this, he received another divine mission from the Creator. He now has three objectives and, along with these objectives, was granted additional divine knowledge."
"Wait, High Priest! We cannot be so certain about this. A newcomer claiming divine missions and miraculous gifts? For all we know, he could be a heretic exploiting the Father's name for personal gain." One of the more reactionary priests spoke loudly, pointing at Julius. Two others nodded in agreement.
"Preposterous! Cleric Robert is a miracle! He might be the heavenly answer to the devious happenings in the south, and perhaps even the entire war!"
"I can prove what I say is true. With his new objectives, he has acquired knowledge previously unknown or long lost. He taught me how to produce liquid stone, the same as used by the Romans."
"No way! Is that true?!" Half of them were astonished. "Do you doubt me, the High Priest of Calistoga?"
"Forgive me, sir."
"My apprentice also taught me that this substance has another name: cement. And there's more..."
"More?!"
"Yes, in addition to the papermaking process, he has been imparted with three more heavenly ideas. I've already mentioned one, and the others are the printing press and distillation." Julius took a few minutes to explain these concepts and their potential benefits.
By the end of his explanation, everyone was amazed, including the priests who had already spoken with Julius.
"I *cough* - I have something to ask of all of you... I hope to have your support next month to elevate Cleric Robert, my apprentice, to the rank of priest."
He received a positive response from 5 of the 8 priests. The remainder of the meeting focused on discussing how to handle the situation in the south, the new knowledge from Robert, the fugitive and heretic who had fled to Calistoga, and various other matters.
Rafael walked for a while, trying to get a better look at his follower but was unsuccessful. 'Damn it! Do they already suspect I'm this dangerous fugitive? I can't let them corner me here. The best I can do is stay at the church and wait for things to settle.'
He returned to the inner circle. 'This is so boring. Now I can't go out, and there's nothing to do here... Ah, I'll go get something to eat.' With a couple of hours until lunch, Rafael decided to have a light snack to pass the time.
He walked to the kitchen and found the cook, along with a younger assistant, preparing ingredients. "Hey, you again. We're still a few hours away from lunch, so the soup isn't ready yet," the cook said to Rafael.
"Don't worry, I just came to grab something small until noon. What do you have available?"
"Well, the usual. There are fruits, grains, ale, and these biscuits..."
'Goddammit, of all these, the only thing I'd eat is the fruit... Wait... What if I teach him about new types of food like pizza, hamburgers, and other things?'
"Uh, sir, what's your name?"
"Huh? I'm Brandyc, the cook! You've been eating my food and didn't even know my name?!" He seemed offended and walked toward Rafael.
"Wait, wait, sir! I came from the capital and saw a new type of food there! I can teach you the recipe. Trust me, it's something entirely revolutionary!" Rafael took a step back as Brandyc approached with a rolling pin in hand. Brandyc stopped after hearing Rafael.
"What kind of food? I also came from the capital, and I would know if this revolutionary food you're talking about is real!" Despite his irritation, Brandyc's curiosity was piqued.
"It's true, sir! Just listen—it's called pizza!" Rafael taught the chef how to make a pizza, and within half an hour, they had a simple one ready to eat.