The Erdtree personally entrusted him with the plan to execute, and he immediately mentioned the entire country? What on earth is this guy talking about?
Inside the church, almost everyone looked puzzled.
Except for Dola.
"You've got quite the appetite, kid. Aren't you afraid those councilors in the capital will impeach you and strip you of your title?"
She understood what Muska's "plan" was referring to, after all, the gods had previously revealed to her that vision of the future—to transform the entire Northern Kingdom into a land of Erdtree.
She wasn't questioning the gods' decision, but rather wondering how Muska intended to complete this plan—it wasn't a task that could be accomplished simply by talking.
"Ms. Dola, you don't need to worry about that at all."
"Those of you here have surely already personally experienced the power of blessings and divine strength; their miraculous effects need no further explanation."
His gaze lingered for a moment on Dola's stunning figure and heroic face. He still couldn't believe that this was the same old woman who had snatched his precious Volucite.
The power of the gods is truly great.
"Imagine if this blessing were presented to the important figures in the capital, such as an aging parliamentary leader; a wealthy merchant who has ruined his health through indulgence in sensual pleasures; or a military general driven mad by old injuries and illnesses—how would they react?"
Muska spread his hands, answering his own question, "They will go mad, they will stop at nothing, just for a chance at a blessing or healing."
"And once they become enamored with this power, they will all become Lord Erdtree's most loyal followers."
Dola narrowed her eyes; she admitted that Muska had a point.
But this idea seems too obvious; there are always people who can resist temptation, such as—the devout.
"And what about the church? Those devout charlatans won't stand idly by while you promote the name of the Erdtree," she asked again.
In accordance with the church's consistent practice, the Golden Faith was labeled as heresy, false god, or even demon from the very first day it appeared.
People at the bottom of society may not understand politics, but most of them still believe in the church's doctrines, Muska cannot bypass this hurdle.
Upon hearing the word "church," Muska revealed a slight, disdainful smile.
"Over the years, the number of clergy members that the Intelligence Department has personally dealt with is too many to count on your fingers."
"Embezzling parish donations, selling illegal drugs, having affairs with noblewomen—ha, before they were caught, they were all incredibly 'devout'."
"Believe me, true believers have no access to the church's central leadership. Those bishops are no different from politicians; a little bit of benefit is all it takes to shut them up."
At this point, Muska's tone became even more excited.
"We can even use this against ourselves."
"Thanks to the church's efforts over the past century, more than 90% of the people in this country believe in the existence of God," but what they believe in is a Void and ethereal concept that only appears in murals and scriptures.
"What would happen if a living god— the Erdtree, who can heal wounds, perform miracles, and bestow power—truly descended before them?"
He paused for a moment to give everyone time to consider the deeper meaning of his words.
At this moment, Duffi, who had been listening silently, couldn't help but speak up, "But—what does all this have to do with Valley Town?"
Muska's speech was entirely about power, interests, and faith, which seemed completely irrelevant to the people of Valley Town.
"Of course it's relevant," Muska said with a slight bow. "This matter is of great importance to everyone in Valley Town. You were among the first to receive the grace of the Erdtree, and your hearts are filled with piety and gratitude, aren't you?"
Duffi nodded subconsciously; they were just wondering how to repay the gods for their blessings.
"That's right. With me mediating at the higher levels, the only difficulty lies in how to demonstrate the power of the divine being in the mortal world."
"And this requires a group of people, a group of true believers, to spread the gospel and miracles."
"These people are not my agents. They obey me because of my position, and they can betray me at any time if the Queen needs them."
"So----"
Muska's gaze swept over Duffi, Wilson, Pom, and all the residents of Valley Town.
Duffi and the others exchanged glances and gradually understood what Muska meant.
Muska was tasked with using his identity to infiltrate and influence, ultimately gaining control of the kingdom's upper echelons.
He needed the people of Valley Town as the initial spark, responsible for spreading the faith in the mining areas, factories, and slums, replacing the local power of the church.
No one voiced any objection.
Just a few days ago, Lord Erdtree had vaguely hinted at a similar mission to them through Pazu —that they would become "Apostles" walking the world.
The simple and devout townspeople are the best candidates for this task.
The only one who sensed the crisis was Dola.
In this seemingly well-defined plan, there appears to be no place for her.
But she was the first person favored by the gods, so why should this suit-wearing bastard, who was an enemy just minutes ago, take the lead?
She conveniently ignored the fact that Pazu and Sheeta received the blessing before her; who says the first batch wasn't the first?
Muska glanced at Dola, his admiration for the god's scheme growing even stronger; the god had foreseen everyone's reactions all along.
"Oh, right, there's one more very important thing." He spoke casually, as if it were just a casual remark, "Lord Erdtree has other important arrangements regarding you, Ms. Dola, as well as Pazu and Sheeta."
The two children looked up curiously. Was there something else going on with them?
"The three of you will be responsible for continuing the Laputa Plan," and finding that Castle in the Sky. Simon will provide you with the necessary assistance.
Simon immediately faced Dola and stood at attention. " Goliath and I are ready to serve you at any time."
As a newly promoted chief of staff, he was already used to following Mouro's orders; now he had simply changed the object of his loyalty.
"What?" Dola blurted out.
Pazu's eyes widened as well. " The Laputa Plan? Us?"
Dola and her two children were stunned by the news.
To Laputa? Or aboard that majestic Goliath?
"That's right, this is indeed the will of the gods." Muska nodded again in confirmation.
Although he felt a little regretful, he valued power and status more, and Laputa was merely a tool to achieve his goals.
" Sheeta! Did you hear that? We can go to Laputa together! This is my dad's dream—and mine has always been!" Pazu was already flushed with excitement.
"Yes, I heard you." Sheeta nodded gently, a tender smile on her face. "I really want to see Laputa with my own eyes too."
In reality, Sheeta wasn't interested in Laputa, but she would accompany Pazu whenever Pazu wanted to go.
Dola's eyes shone brightly, her golden pupils literally Winky.
Becoming a follower of the Erdtree does not mean that her desire for treasure and wealth will diminish.
Laputa, the land of gold, the city of treasures!
Even though it's done for the gods, what if we could find some "souvenirs"?
Muska took in everyone's reactions and chuckled to himself.
Getting rid of Dola, this shrewd, difficult, and hostile woman, would undoubtedly make him more successful in his endeavors with the Erdtree.
Don't be fooled by his earlier denigration of aristocratic politicians; if he were in their shoes—
He also desperately longed for that blessing power!
"Now that the direction is clear, the next step is the specific steps, a total of five steps." Muska held up five fingers.
These steps were directly transmitted to him by Mu En during the mental link just now.
The first step is to use Dola's eloquence to educate all the townspeople who voluntarily join the plan, so that they can truly understand Mu En's philosophy. The second step is to select devout believers from among these people, bless them, and make them missionaries.
The third step involves Muska bringing the blessing power back to the capital and, under the guise of the Laputa Treasure, infiltrating powerful figures who have an urgent need for health and longevity.
The fourth step involves missionaries being dispatched in batches to provide relief to the poor in major cities and to spread the faith in gold. Muska will arrange legal status for them and provide them with convenient access to services.
Muska left with his last finger, and his voice rose accordingly.
"Step 5: From top to bottom, and from bottom to top."
"As the powerful and wealthy increasingly rely on 'blessings,' and as the common people rally under the sway of the gold faith..."
"The entire Northern Kingdom will, like a ripe fruit, naturally fall into the hands of Lord Erdtree."
Muska lowered his hand and looked around at the faces in the candlelight, some excited, some thoughtful, and some thrilled.
"This is the Golden Realm Plan."