29 Meeting Robert, Infiltrating the Church!

Sam turned around and began walking around the city, finding where this tavern was, but as he walked around he continued to be met with scrutiny from the citizens.

Some saw his act of giving food to the refugees, but most of them didn't. Sam knew that he was still considered suspicious, but he continued treading forward.

"Kid, what can I do for ya?" A tall-looking middle-aged man stopped Sam in the middle of the road and looked down at him with an aggressive look.

"Looking for a tavern" Sam replied, but that answer made the man stare at him with even more scrutiny.

"If you know what's best for you, scram kid."

"Can't, I have a job to do."

"… and what is this job?"

Sam raised an eyebrow and made eye contact with the man, "Why should I tell you?"

The middle-aged man looked shocked at first, before bursting into laughter.

"HAHAHAHAAHA! It is been a long time since someone told me that! Alright kid, I'll tell you something if you tell me something."

Sam questioned who this man was, but decided to agree because he couldn't find any leads to this group at all.

"You first kid."

"Not going to happen. You proposed, you tell me first."

"HAHAHAHA! Again, another thing that hasn't happened to me in a very long time. Kid, you are full of surprises! Sure, I'll go first!"

The man suddenly changed his laughing and carefree demeanor and turned cold, "I run this town kid, anything that happens, it goes through me and my group."

"So you are the leader of this mysterious group people were telling me about."

"Did you tell the dimwit city lord?"

"No, doesn't involve me to talk about the city's underworld. I just need to do this task for the city lord and return to my home."

"HA! You didn't tell the City Lord! People who didn't know best would run to tell the City Lord that he doesn't have control over his town, you got a smart head on you kid."

The tall man raised his hand for a handshake, "Names Robert. Head of the Thorns Gang"

Sam smiled and shook Robert's hand. "Okay Robert, my name is Sam, leader of Hope Village."

"Hope village? We haven't heard word of a new village nearby, you hail outside the kingdom?"

"No, the original village was destroyed by the Mankirks crew. We rebuilt and turned into the Hope Village."

"Noted. Now kid, what is this task that the City Lord got you on? Is it about the kidnappers?"

Sam nodded, "Many adventurers rejected his offer, and so I am the only available person to investigate this kidnapping group. I also got the news that his daughter was the latest victim."

Robert clicked his tongue, "Now he is desperate huh? Well kid, lucky for you we are also looking for the kidnappers!"

"I figured as much, any losses on your side?"

"What do you mean by my side? This entire town is my side! All those people are my problem to deal with!"

Sam looked surprised, "So you care for the people, why not join sides with the City Lord?"

Robert thought about it for a moment, "The kingdom is a major reason."

"The kingdom?"

"They don't tolerate commoners leading other commoners, if they heard of our existence, we will be executed. We let the City Lord be the leader, meanwhile, we handle the city's problem in the shadows."

Sam takes note of that, "Is this common throughout the kingdom?"

"Other than the capital and a few dukedoms, yes this is common. Nobles are selfish, arrogant people who put honor before the well-being of the people. If a family has a dispute and goes to the noble, they would spit on their face and laugh at them. We on the other hand would listen and take care of it."

Robert turned around and walked forward without warning, Sam who saw this followed behind him without questioning where he was going.

The citizens who saw Sam and Robert talk cordially began appearing on the streets again, although weary of Sam they didn't see him as a threat when he was following Robert.

"Don't mind them, they are scared that you might be doing the kidnapping!"

"Me? Why would I appear before them then?"

"Don't ask me why they think like that, I just came to confront you on their behalf!"

Robert then stood before a wooden building with a sign that states "CLOSED FOR BUSINESS!" and opened the door with a key.

"This is where we were going to do the meeting, I'll introduce you to the crew and we can talk plans when everyone is ready!"

Sam took a seat on a stool and began waiting for the meeting to start.

The sun began to set, and soon it was nighttime. The tavern he was in was soon flooded with people that took a seat far from Sam as if he had the plague.

"Now now! Sam here is on our side investigating the kidnappings, and he could be the one who can solve it!"

Sam perked his ears, what does Robert mean by only he can solve it?

A few moments later, the tavern was filled with people, huddled around each other all staring at Robert with hope in their eyes.

Sam could even hear some of the mutterings going on amongst them.

"Robert… he can save our kids!"

"My wife… she can be saved!"

"Oh, these kidnappers need to pay!"

Robert who saw that no one else was joining them stood on a wooden box and quieted down the audience.

"Alrighty! Now that everyone is here, let us get down to business! Sam, get your butt over here!"

"Huh?" Sam who was listening to Robert suddenly jumped in surprise and walked towards Robert questioning what was going on.

"Let me introduce you guys to Sam here, he was invited by the City Lord to investigate the kidnappers!"

"Robert, you know that City Lord can't help us!"

"Whoever said that in the crowd, next time you speak, I'll remove you from the tavern! Now, where was I! Oh! Sam here was invited by the City Lord and guess what? The City Lord's daughter was kidnapped!"

The tavern was then filled with gasps and whispers.

"That means… the City Lord has to help us!"

Robert clapped, and the crowd simmered down awaiting what else Robert had to say.

"Yes, that means the City Lord finally is going all out in searching for the kidnappers. But we might be able to solve it before him!"

Sam turned his head and stared at Robert, "How?"

"Well, the answer is you, kid!"

"M.. Me?!"

Sam pointed at himself and Robert nodded his head, "We have a lead but we need someone to go in. Someone not part of the town who can get there undetected."

One member of the crowd stood up, "You mean you want to send this young man to the Church?"

"Church?" Sam said, "The City Lord told me he couldn't investigate it due to kingdom laws, you telling me you can get me in?"

"We got an inside man not affected by this illness going on there to get you in there as a volunteer."

"Illness?"

"I'll tell you about it after the meeting, but I just wanted to first introduce you to the people here so they can help you out in the future if this investigation goes bust!"

"Alright, any more questions before I begin this plan? None? Alright, get out of here! Go home! Look after yourselves, if you got issues to talk to one of our men and we get it sorted!"

The crowd soon dispersed, and only a few people were in the tavern alongside Sam and Roberts.

"Alright kid, what do you want to know."

"Illness, what is that about?"

"Apparently, according to our sources inside the church, the Pastors and elders are all acting like zombies, they mutter the same thing over and over and do tasks unfitting of a religious man."

"Like?"

"They have been building something, something not far from the town but since they are members of the church, if anyone investigates them and we get caught, the City Lord is obligated to execute us on heresy charges."

"This kingdom… how religious is it?"

"Not religious at all! But the King himself is a different story. I don't know the details but people say the King and the Bishop are very close."

Sam took mental note of that, "I'll infiltrate the church now if possible, I need to be as fast to capture the kidnappers before they do anything crazy."

Robert patted Sam's back with a laugh and smile on his face, "Alright, follow the men here to the church and you'll get in super easy. Don't draw attention to yourself!"

Sam felt a slight pain in his back, but he shrugged it off and walked toward the men who were waiting for him.

"Name is Lothar, we are members of the church. Robert's crew makes a large donation to us yearly, so this is a favor from him that we can't reject. Do not draw attention to yourself, and the next part is important so remember this…

Do not ENTER the Pastor's room. It is forbidden."

"Why can't I enter the Pastor's room?"

Lothar stopped for a second before turning around and staring down at Sam.

"Because I said so. Follow the two rules and you'll be good."

Sam shrugged his shoulders and followed Lothar and co to the church.

'Lothar… he sure is suspicious. But, let us focus on the task at hand.'

Lothar might be suspicious, but without evidence of him doing anything wrong then he can't just go after him. Sam knew that he must first investigate what this illness is in the church and also why he can't enter the Pastor's room.

They arrived at the Church district and were met with the same two guards that rejected Sam earlier.

"Brother Lothar, why are you taking in this man we rejected earlier?"

"Because he is a member of a church outside of the city. Do not worry, he won't cause any harm to the Pastor."

"I will trust you in the name of the Seven, Brother Lothar!"

The guard then moved away and allowed Sam and Lothar's group to head into the church district.

Soon they arrived and Sam saw a large campus filled with small individual buildings and a main large building in the middle of it.

"Welcome to the Church District. As Law by the Kingdom, this is no longer the City Lord's territory but rather the Churches. You follow our law, no one else. Remember that!"

Lothar then walked away towards the large building in the middle of the district and left Sam alone.

Sam looked around and saw that the people working in the church district didn't even look at him, they all seemed…

"Like NPCs in a game…"

Sam walked around the district to get a baring of his surroundings, but whenever he accidentally bumps into anyone, they don't react at all.

At first, Sam thought it was a coincidence, but he did it again and the same 'non' reaction happened again.

"Could this be… the Illness Robert was talking about?"

Sam then reached the large building in the middle, which Sam guessed to be the main church, and headed into the building quietly, he didn't want to draw unwanted attention to himself.

It was nighttime, meaning not a lot of people were in the church but still, people looked to still be working at this time of night.

Sam walked around the church and saw that someone drew a map detailing where everything was.

Sam was currently in the lobby, many churchgoers would stay and talk with one another, and in front of Sam was a large door that lead to the main place of worship.

In that main place of worship, seven doors lead to more worshiping areas, each room dedicated to one of the seven gods.

'I still don't know what religion this Kingdom believes in, but I'll get more knowledge in the future whenever I have free time. For now, let us find clues!'

Sam walked into the main worshiping area, and it looked similar to a throne room but instead of a throne at the head of the room, it was a statue of the seven Gods each looking down on the room.

'I get the shivers staring at that'

Sam wasn't a religious man, but staring at the statue felt somewhat magical, he couldn't describe what he felt, but to him, it looked as if someone was staring at him.

[[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: Congratulations Player "Sam"! You have gained a Note!]]

'A note?!'

Sam stopped investigating and found a small table to sit on, 'Take out the note!'

A piece of yellow paper suddenly appeared in Sam's hand. In all his years in this world, he has never gained a note or anything from the system. However, he has been suspicious of where this system came from, and that feeling had been growing stronger and stronger as months went on in this rebirth.

'So… what does this note say…'

In big bold writing, a single sentence was on the paper.

"Stop The Summoning!"

[[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: Congratulations Player "Sam"! You are the first Earthling to speak to one of the Seven Gods!]]

"Huh…? Wait what?"