I changed the world.

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Saint-Fos is an important port city on the southeast coast of the Republic of Grande, and the second largest city in the Republic of Grande after the capital. It is the core city of the Saint-Fos metropolitan area on the eastern coast of Grande.

As a city with a history of over a thousand years, St. Fosse, like most Grand cities, is part of the Grand Papal District of the Orthodox Church of St. Enlightenment. In fact, the city is named after St. Fosse, a saint of the Church of St. Enlightenment.

However, although there are several historically significant churches in St. Fosse, the influence of the church is far less than it was hundreds of years ago due to the progress of human civilization.

Chapter 457 Grand Branch in Action

Especially with the dramatic changes in social thought following the Renaissance, young people today go to church far less often than their parents and grandparents. Today, St. Foz has become a secular city with a strong commercial atmosphere, attracting a large number of merchants and tourists every year due to its advantageous port and location.

It was already dark, but in St. Fosse, the nightlife was just beginning. There were plenty of nightclubs and bars, and even on the beach, you could see open-air parties being held from time to time.

In Block 8, a black luxury sedan sped down the street and stopped in front of a building near the coast. The formally dressed driver then got out of the front seat, went to the back, opened the door, and braced himself against the top of the door frame with one hand to prevent passengers from hitting their heads as they exited. With his other hand, he gestured for them to proceed, bowing slightly and saying, "Gentlemen, we've arrived."

This is what locals call a "black taxi." Unlike ordinary gray taxis, these taxis cost more than twice as much and are mostly used by upper-class people who consider themselves important.

In the West, where class consciousness is strong, this service is particularly prevalent. Some nobles, when traveling without their own transportation and unwilling to pay for long-term rental of a luxury vehicle and driver, would take these "black taxis" to maintain their image on certain occasions.

Of course, you get what you pay for. These black taxis are all painted black, and they are all luxury brand vehicles. The drivers also undergo special etiquette training, and there are usually some value-added services available in the cars.

Although Grand is now nominally a republic, the king and nobles still exist, and the republic recognizes their titles, so this type of service remains popular.

After all, during the French Revolution more than two hundred years ago, the Constituent Assembly attempted to abolish the king, hereditary nobles, and titles of nobility, confiscate church property, and declare the Grand Church to be separated from papal rule and placed under state administration, thus achieving the separation of church and state.

As a result, this move was immediately condemned by almost all the monarchies in the Western Continent at the time, and some even resorted to military intervention. Under strong external pressure, the Constituent Assembly eventually compromised with King Philip III, who had fled to the border between the Grandes and Holstein. After repeated negotiations, they finally drafted a constitution that claimed "all political power is generated by the people."

The constitution stipulates the separation of powers as follows: executive power belongs to the king, legislative power belongs to the legislative assembly, whose members are elected by the citizens, and judicial power belongs to the courts at all levels.

The church, however, became the biggest victim, and Grand successfully achieved the separation of church and state.

A middle-aged man in a crisp official uniform, with an Asian face, a meticulously groomed mustache, and a silver crown, stepped out of the back seat of the taxi. Behind him, a white man with brown hair climbed out of the car, handed the driver a 5-kroner tip, and then, carrying a briefcase, followed the man toward a building not far away.

The middle-aged man walking in front was named Joryn, a senior investigator for the Historical Relics Preservation Foundation stationed in Grand, and one of the first three senior investigators dispatched by the foundation to the Western Continent.

Because they did not have much experience working overseas before, the foundation was relatively cautious about expanding its business in the western continent. The first batch of senior investigators who were trained and sent overseas all had relevant overseas business experience.

Besides Joryn being sent to Grand, the other two were sent to the United Kingdom of Rune and the Seljuk Empire. Unlike in the home country, because they were far from headquarters and considering cost issues, they were granted greater authority, allowing them to recruit employees locally and build and train small teams.

For example, before joining the foundation, Jo Ryan had a long history of working at Grand, and his resume was very impressive. What the foundation valued most was his experience working at Ruland Auction House, which gave him some industry experience.

The young man following behind Joryn was Lofler Federó, an overseas intern investigator for the Foundation and the first local employee of the Foundation's Grand branch. Lofler Federó was a native of the area who had worked as a counter clerk in an antiquities shop in St. Fosse for three years, and was said to have ancestors from a fallen noble family.

Looking at the luxury car gradually disappearing behind him, Joryn sighed slightly at the expensive transportation costs. The foundation has a fixed amount for the daily expenses of its overseas personnel and conducts regular audits. There is no unlimited reimbursement. If it weren't for today's mission requiring him to "make a good impression," he would usually use rail transit or ordinary taxis.

Not far away was their destination for the day, number 117 in Block 8, a standalone building surrounded by a metal fence with a rose pattern.

This is a five-story Grande classical-style building with a sense of history. It has gray stone exterior walls, huge arched window frames with exquisite patterns around them, a rectangular front, a domed top in the center, and a parabolic shape. It also has a pavilion, a common feature in the Renaissance period, on top.