Chapter 66: Scholars Temple, Bet
"What should I do for the next two hours?" Su Yu muttered as he walked through the bustling streets, leading Dima along. He had just left Kelderon's residence and was looking for something to occupy his time while waiting for his next task.
He opened his quest panel. The only quests remaining were the main storyline [Glory of the Gorse Empire], [The Holy Maiden of Oran City], and a hidden quest related to Tina, [The Love between the Horses].
"Should I head to Oran City and start [The Holy Maiden of Oran City]?" Su Yu thought, touching his chin in consideration.
But after a moment, he shook his head. "No, if the quest there is particularly challenging or time-sensitive, I might not make it back in time."
Deciding against that option, Su Yu shifted his thoughts to another possibility. "Why don't I take this time to join the [Scholars Temple]? Their headquarters is in Gorse City, after all."
He hadn't forgotten about the invitation from Pism, the old magician in the novice village. Joining the Scholars Temple would likely bring him numerous benefits, so the decision was made. Su Yu asked one of the city guards for directions to the temple and soon began riding Dima through the crowded streets toward the southwest side of the city.
The Scholars Temple headquarters was located alongside churches and temples dedicated to various faiths. Its design was similar to that of a church, though its focal point was not a statue of a deity but a massive stone book, open for all to see.
The scholars and magicians who joined the temple sought knowledge above all else, not divine protection. As Su Yu stepped into the temple, the noise from the busy streets disappeared, replaced by the solemn quiet of a place dedicated to study.
Rows of bookshelves lined the hall, and many magicians dressed in robes were deeply immersed in reading. They didn't even glance at Su Yu as he entered.
After a short while, an attendant approached him quietly. "Sir, how may I assist you?"
"I'm here to join the Scholars Temple." Su Yu handed the attendant the [Scholars Temple Invitation Letter] from his backpack.
The attendant's eyes widened upon seeing the signature. "An invitation from Lord Pism?"
He quickly composed himself. "Please wait here, sir. I'll inform Lord Heimleck immediately."
"Thank you." Su Yu nodded and watched as the attendant hurried off. With time to spare, Su Yu wandered over to the bookshelves and began casually flipping through some of the texts, soon losing himself in the wealth of knowledge.
Ten minutes passed before an agitated voice broke the silence from the corridor behind the stone book statue.
"Outrageous! Pism must have psionic coins on the brain if he thinks I'll allow some upstart to join this sacred temple!" the voice boomed. "Not while I'm here!"
"But, Lord Heimleck, Lord Pism has the authority to extend invitations," a calmer voice responded.
"I don't care! I refuse to let some nouveau riche tarnish the sanctity of the Scholars Temple. Where is this upstart?"
The attendant nervously pointed in Su Yu's direction. Heimleck, a middle-aged mage in a slightly wrinkled, khaki-colored robe, stormed toward Su Yu. His face was pale, likely from too many hours spent in study, but the magical energy swirling around him made it clear he was a powerful mage, at least of the fifth order, and a respected figure within the temple.
Heimleck stopped several paces from Su Yu, not bothering to hide his disdain. "Please leave! Our temple will never accept an upstart whose mind is filled with nothing but psionic coins! Even with Pism's signature on that invitation, I won't let you join!"
Su Yu calmly closed the book he had been reading and placed it back on the shelf. "Is that so?" He turned to face Heimleck, already piecing together the situation.
It seemed he had walked into a deeper conflict within the Scholars Temple.
…
The temple had long been divided by a growing debate over its future.
Pism and his supporters believed that the temple should open its doors to wealthy merchants and nobles. Their contributions could fund the temple's activities, allowing it to acquire rare books and even establish its own academic journals to foster collaboration and innovation among scholars.
It was this philosophy that had led Pism to invite Su Yu.
On the other hand, Heimleck and his faction were staunch defenders of the temple's purity. They believed it should remain a sanctuary for scholars, unsullied by the influence of merchants and nobles. They feared that admitting such individuals would allow them to infiltrate the temple's leadership, reducing it to nothing more than a tool for the political and business elite.
Both sides had valid points, but Heimleck's faction held the upper hand for now, hence the hostility Su Yu was facing.
Su Yu didn't take offense at being labeled a "nouveau riche"—after all, he was one. But the accusation that his mind was "full of mud" rubbed him the wrong way.
"Who says that people with money can't be knowledgeable? Many wealthy individuals are quite learned. Take me, for example." Su Yu spoke with a calm confidence as he met Heimleck's gaze.
"You?" Heimleck sneered, sizing him up.
Su Yu was just a low-level mage wearing leather armor, albeit rare-quality gear. But Heimleck's disdain only deepened. "Ah, an adventurer from another world."
He had heard of such individuals—foreign adventurers summoned by some great force. Yet this only solidified his scorn.
"What knowledge could an outsider like you possibly possess? You've only been in this world for a few days. Do you really think you can match the knowledge we scholars have accumulated over decades?"
Heimleck huffed, dismissing Su Yu with a wave as he turned to leave. But before he could take more than a few steps, Su Yu's voice rang out, calm but challenging.
"How about a bet, Heimleck? If I lose, I'll pay you 1 million psionic coins."
(End of chapter)