The collapsed little hut.
The Knights helped to rebuild it.
Aililan let out a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, it was just a few panels to put together…
She paused, a flicker of regret in her eyes, feeling ashamed for that moment of relief.
So many poor people can only live in these houses, put together from just a few wooden planks—this is nothing to be happy about.
Aililan sighed.
She spoke to the Knights.
“Look.”
“Even under the Church, there is still so much poverty. We must take this as the motivation to strive even harder. I am willing to scatter my Virtue upon every inch of land I have witnessed.”
Renata and the Knights all saluted and said, “We are willing to fight for your ideals, Saintess.”
They then looked toward that family.
Aililan opened her mouth, wanting to comfort them.
After a moment, she only had Renata leave them two Silver Coins as compensation.
Then she led everyone away.
Milisanel suddenly asked, “Saintess Aililan, that family clearly longs for your comfort as well. Why didn’t you encourage them?”
Aililan answered softly, “What’s important is not how much I say, or how much hope and promise I give, but what I actually do.”
“Saintess, your nobility truly moves me. There are many in this world who do good deeds, but they wish only that every grain of food they donate be engraved with their names, so others might praise their reputation.”
“Milisanel Knight, those benevolent people you speak of who seek fame—I wish there could be more of them! Even if they’ve only saved a single poor person, I’d be willing to personally crown them in the radiance of honor.”
“I understand. Saintess, are you teaching me to judge by deeds, not intentions?”
“No, Milisanel Knight, you must judge both deeds and intentions. You can’t forgive the Bandit for their sudden repentance and ignore their many crimes, nor can you wholly affirm the character of a Noble or Rich Merchant for a single act of kindness.”
Milisanel scratched her head, then shook it, saying, “I… I’m a bit confused.”
Aililan smiled and continued, “So remember what I say! View problems dialectically. A good person isn’t always a good person; a bad person isn’t always a bad person.”
Milisanel furrowed her brows, somewhat troubled, and said, “Could you explain it to me in detail?”
She wasn’t the only one.
Renata and many of the Knights all quietly pricked up their ears.
Although Aililan still looked young, the character she had shown made them willing to listen—and she was their Saintess!
To witness the Saintess’s character.
To hear the Saintess’s teachings.
Both were greatly beneficial to them.
“That’s a good question.”
Aililan looked at everyone.
“Gentlemen and ladies, right now I am not your liege to whom you owe fealty. I am speaking to you as a friend.”
“I’ll start with a question.”
“Tell me, are Bandits good people?”
A female Knight immediately shook her head, answering firmly, “How could a Bandit be a good person?”
“Then let me ask you this: if these Bandits used their stolen goods to save an entire village, would they then be good people?”
“Ah, this, this…”
The female Knight hesitated, then nodded slightly, “I suppose… yes?”
“Then I’ll ask you again: if the Bandits robbed other villages, so that while they saved one, they plunged several more into hellish misery—would they still be good people?”
The female Knight was stunned.
Many Knights were stunned.
Aililan smiled and continued, “I know this question is hard to answer precisely. To the village that was saved, the Bandit is a savior. To the villages that were robbed, the Bandit is a demon from hell.”
“This is why I said earlier: learn to look dialectically at the essence of a problem.”
“But we must also believe that Truth will not remain vague, and Justice will not grow cold.”
“In the future, when you deal with problems—”
“You must think.”
“You must reason.”
“See the Truth with your own eyes, so you aren’t deceived by trickery.”
“Discern good and evil with your heart, so you don’t drown in rumors.”
Aililan spoke at length.
The Knights listened humbly.
In fact, Aililan sometimes wondered if she herself had changed too much.
If someone spoke to her about morals, she might just laugh, because she believed her true self was a Player with a small head controlling everything. Yet she was influenced by Virtue, practiced her own Virtue, and didn’t think that was a bad thing at all.
Afternoon.
Aililan had two matters to attend to.
First, to receive Briana Tell, the woman with a taste for married ladies.
Second, to deal with that group of Knights from the morning.
But actually, these two matters could be combined. Briana arrived first.
This wealthy Noblewoman who preferred married women even brought a gift for Aililan.
Inside an ornate wooden box—
lay an exquisite earring.
After a courteous greeting, Briana said, “I’ve heard that you, Saintess Aililan, lost an earring. As luck would have it, I obtained your missing item. I hope you’ll accept this small token from me.”
Aililan had someone receive the earring and smiled, “Miss Briana, you are so thoughtful.”
One knew how to make herself useful.
The other gave face.
The two quickly fell into conversation.
“I thought Saintess, you’d already forgotten me!”
“Even if I forgot anyone, I would never forget you, Miss Briana! Especially after receiving such a grand gift today—I don’t even know how to thank you!”
“Haha, Saintess, you flatter me. If, next time you visit Emile Cathedral for worship, you could save me a seat in the front row to hear your hymn, that would be more than enough.”
“I hear Miss Briana, you have a knack for business?”
“That’s mostly others exaggerating things.”
“Then may I ask, Miss Briana, what kinds of businesses do you run?”
“A bit of everything—clothing, food, shelter, and travel. Recently, I plan to establish a Wine Estate.”
Aililan’s eyes lit up, and she asked, “Oh? Have you chosen a site yet?”
“I’m still scouting locations.”
“……”
Aililan’s thoughts became active.
The Jewelry Factory was already running, but revitalizing the entire Slums’ economy was not something that could happen overnight.
As someone in power.
She had to learn how to attract investment.
Just like in another world, many projects and enterprises didn’t spring from the earth, but were brought in through the efforts of ‘capable’ officials, seeking investors, persuading and negotiating—such contributions could not be ignored.
Aililan was about to mention the possibility of building the Wine Estate in the Slums—
When Fina Nisi and Pella walked in, needing to explain the events of the morning.
But Aililan clearly saw it.
When Briana looked at Pella, her eyes flashed with intense interest.
Briana: So this is a little minx, delightfully ruined and alluring!
Fina Nisi also looked at Briana, licking her lips: What a luscious, tempting beauty!
Aililan smiled and said nothing.
Dance, blondies.