Welcome to Ability Store-Chapter 80 - 79: A Brand New Way to Travel

"Actually, we’ve long known that there are many non-human species existing on this ocean, but we didn’t expect the Brits to set their sights on them." Marina said angrily, "Although it’s unclear how the British Army manages to control them, these Hell minions have become their most powerful weapon for dominating the sea."

Charles VII turned to Chen Xuan, "I’ve heard from wanderers that the Eastern world refers to these anomalies as Demon Fiends and possesses specialized methods to deal with them. Therefore, I plan to send an envoy team to the East, hoping to gain their support. Joan suggested that her Divine Envoy friend seems to have deep connections with the East and has been recognized by the Lord. Acting as the link between both sides, you might be able to accomplish twice as much with half the effort."

Can this be done?

"Can’t you find more allies around France?" Chen Xuan asked. No matter how you look at it, traveling from France to the Eastern territories is quite a long journey!

"We can, we are one of them." Marina pointed to the woman in the black robe beside her, "The gathering hall has decided to fully combat the British Army, and has now relocated from various secluded places to Paris City."

"As for other countries... they might rather see us defeated by the United Kingdom." Charles grinned helplessly, "I must admit this is short-sighted. Once the British Army establishes a foothold on land and controls all the oceans, how could they ultimately only covet France? Anyway, until neighboring countries experience pain for themselves, they surely won’t understand this point."

Will the East help?

Truth be told, Chen Xuan was also curious about the current situation in the big Eastern nation. Historically, it should be the early Ming period, with Zhu Yuanzhang having just become Emperor; how did they come to specialize in dealing with Demon Fiends?

But now that the United Kingdom has begun to ally with Demon Fiends, aiming to dominate the seas two hundred years ahead of schedule, the history he knows might have already changed drastically.

Lin Qing had mentioned before that some worlds only seem similar, but significant differences may have been seeded from the moment of their birth.

So even if Joan is alive here, it won’t affect her world at all.

Seeing Chen Xuan not responding, Charles VII continued, "Of course... should you choose to help France, I will also pay you a considerable reward. Regarding the deal between you and Joan, I have a rough idea. If you need abilities as compensation, the witches of the Secret Gathering Hall are willing to provide them; if you need money, my personal treasury is open to you."

The witches provide abilities?

Chen Xuan looked towards Marina, who instinctively showed resistance but eventually nodded.

This offer greatly tempted him.

Acquiring abilities was of secondary importance; after all, the shop is no longer at survival level; there’s no urgent need to increase stock numbers. What he valued was the potential to connect with a new group of abilities, just like Hot Pepper Village, and open up a promising trading market.

"I accept this commission," Chen Xuan replied after pretending to think for a moment, "We cannot allow evil to spread unchecked on this land; I also hope the East and West can form an alliance."

"I believe they will seriously consider it because, according to intelligence from the captured British soldiers, their fleet is already extending eastward, surveying land along the coastline. At this rate, the Eastern maritime trade will sooner or later be threatened by the United Kingdom." Charles VII announced with relief, "From this day forward, Lord Xuan is officially the leader of the French envoy team!"

...

"This document bears His Majesty’s seal, this piece of parchment is a letter to the Eastern monarch, this box contains gifts from the King, and this small pouch contains Spanish coins, which are a relatively common currency here..."

Joan presented the envoy team’s luggage to Chen Xuan.

Chen Xuan played with the ivory statue in his hand, "I thought you were part of the envoy team too."

"My mission is on the battlefield. After today, I’ll be returning to the front line."

"By the way, what about Marshal Gildre? Is he still leading troops in battle?"

The last time he saw him, he already had white hair.

Joan shook her head, "He’s in poor health and no longer fit for front-line warfare. His Majesty has allowed him to return home for recuperation. Recently, due to frequent battles, I can only contact him through letters."

No wonder I don’t see the Marshal by the Holy Maiden’s side.

"You mentioned that the witches coming to the fore was because of my blessing; what exactly happened during this period?"

Chen Xuan pondered for a moment and decided to ask this question as he vaguely felt that the witch named Marina seemed to hold some opinion towards him.

"Do you remember what happened in Hino Castle? To rescue me from prison, you called upon a witch to help. Although our enemies were witches too, this proved one point: witches are not inherently the Devil’s minions; they can also be followers of the Lord."

Three question marks popped into Chen Xuan’s mind.

On further reflection, Gildre did indeed regard Liu Shuyue as a witch back then.

Or, simply put, any woman with extraordinary abilities was considered a witch in their eyes.

"Later, following your advice, I lived incognito and returned to the countryside, but during this period, I wasn’t truly idle," Joan said gently, "Your ability to reform witches deeply influenced me, leading me to set aside previous prejudices and seriously seek the truth related to witches. Until one day, Idal Joy actively approached me. We spent half a year together, becoming close friends, and from that moment, I understood that witches, like ordinary people, have similar preferences and desires, only their formidable abilities amplify those influences."

The subsequent events unfolded naturally.

Leveraging Joan’s previously accumulated fame, witches from across Europe began converging on France, openly or covertly assisting the French Army in combat, defeating the British invaders so thoroughly their army was devastated. In less than two years, France achieved complete victory.

The agreement Joan reached with the Gathering Hall was to provide them with a refuge where they would no longer face threats and persecution.

Once she was exonerated, she immediately fulfilled her promise.

Although some city residents still reject and even oppose witches, in major cities like Paris and Marseille, witches can now openly walk the streets and enter restaurants to dine like ordinary people.

"I never expected that there were so many witches hiding among the populace, not to mention those poor souls who were killed in the witch hunt movements. Now they can finally be evaluated correctly and live normal lives, all thanks to the enlightenment from the Divine Envoy," Joan concluded.

Chen Xuan curled his lips slightly, thinking he merely broke Liu Shuyue out of jail, yet somehow he became the MVP?

Clearly, it was Joan’s sincerity and years of meticulous management that created the current situation.

However, he knew declining credit wouldn’t work because Joan never cared about this—she was willing to dedicate all glory to France and the Lord.

"Then why does Marina have an issue with me?"

"She’s not targeting you personally; she’s just feeling aggrieved and unfair—despite the persecution over the years, the gods never protected them. And since you are a Divine Envoy, it’s inevitable for her to feel uneasy," Joan said somewhat helplessly, "We are mere mortals unable to fathom the Lord’s intentions, but I know she will come to terms with it someday."

Chen Xuan thought it could only be this way, "When does the Envoy Team plan to depart?"

"His Majesty thinks the sooner the better. If you have no other arrangements, the team can set off tomorrow."

"Alright," Chen Xuan agreed, "But before departure, I need Marina to visit a shop. Considering she doesn’t trust me much, it’d be better if you invite her to go. As for the reason... just treat it as a visit to a regular store."

"No problem," Joan agreed without hesitation.

...

Early the next morning, the envoy convoy majestically departed from Versailles.

The journey comprised a total of 124 people, including twenty diplomats led by Baron Milton; four members from the Witch Group led by Marina. The remaining hundred were drivers, guards, chefs, and miscellaneous staff.

Charles VII even held a grand farewell ceremony for them in the city outskirts.

As the leader, Chen Xuan rode a white horse at the forefront of the convoy, with both sides of the road filled with Paris residents eager to catch a glimpse of the spectacle. Chen Xuan was surprised to find they could recognize him, not as a symbolic figure, but as himself. When they waved and shouted, they called out "Lord Xuan," not the Divine Envoy’s title.

Clearly, the statue and the story it represented have become well-known tales in France’s big cities.

It was Chen Xuan’s first time being cheered by thousands of people on both sides, and his vanity was greatly satisfied.

However, after advancing a little over ten miles, he ordered the convoy to stop.

"We’ll stop here for today; everyone set up camp and rest," Chen Xuan announced.

Baron Milton looked surprised as he approached, "But Sir, we’ve just set out..."

"How long do you think it will take us to reach the East at this pace?" Chen Xuan countered.

"Well..." the Baron hesitated, "No one has been there before; at least half a year, I suppose?"

Exactly, he couldn’t possibly spend half a year with this group!

A shopkeeper’s time is quite precious, after all!

"Too slow, proceeding at this pace will surely miss the opportune moment, so we need to come up with another method."

"Can’t you think while we move?" Marina also moved closer, "If you find it distracting to ride, you could take a seat in the back carriage."

"No, we must camp here; otherwise, it will disrupt my plan," Chen Xuan denied.

"But—" Marina tried to argue.

"Who’s the leader here, you or me?" he interrupted her bluntly, "We’re not far from Paris and Versailles; if you have any objections, feel free to go back and ask His Majesty to appoint another leader."

The witch’s words were stuck in her throat.

Although they could now show their faces publicly, their social status was still not comparable to that of great nobles or Holy Maidens like Joan.

"What you need to do now is set up camp and settle down," Chen Xuan instructed, "When the time is right, I’ll send you a message."