Ruger and Mahama turned to look him over.
"Of course, I hold that lord in very high esteem. When I struggled to make people laugh, I tried many things. Eventually, I discovered an approach that was the slowest yet also the fastest, one that showed little immediate effect yet ultimately proved the most effective: spreading knowledge."
The ordinary-looking young man calmly accepted their scrutiny and spoke slowly.
"Knowledge can make them happy, make their lives easier, help them catch more fish, keep their children from going hungry... make their bread taste better. Oh, sorry, I'm simply stating the facts, not poking fun at that lord. In short, those things can make them laugh from the heart. Even if life is busy, even if some people still get eaten by fish, things are gradually getting better. Just like now, they're celebrating a bountiful harvest. There's no need to guide them, no need for incomprehensible spells... they'll offer up their wholehearted laughter. And, of course, a great deal of Faith Power..."
The young man, whose face was so ordinary it would be forgotten the moment he disappeared into a crowd, stood there speaking slowly. His steady pace of speech was unconsciously reassuring, and, seemingly afraid of being misunderstood, he made no unusual movements.
"Are you that lord's student?"
Mahama spoke up.
The man withdrew his gaze from Ruger and looked at Mahama, whose burly frame could have held two or three of him.
"Of course not. I'm not there yet. I'm not qualified. That was merely a scene arranged by the God of Theater's envoy," the man said with a smile. "I've never even met that lord. What I called guidance was simply inspiration I drew from him, without his knowledge... You... the two of you must have only just arrived here..."