Chapter 1000
The last time Loren came to church, but when he went to Imperial Capital Golovin.
The Byrne Cathedral at that time still did not emerge from the shadow of the "Red Blood Castle Beast" incident a few years ago-because of the Centaur War, the Civil War of the Dwarf Kingdom plus the new army, the wizard guild and the " For the construction of "Legion", Byrne simply didn't have much funds and materials, and could really invest in the restoration of the church.
In addition, a large number of middle and high-level churches frantically reselled various metal utensils in the church, and even the Holy Cross statue, resulting in three years later, many ruins that were destroyed by explosions and fires can still be seen at that time, only The cathedral itself has barely been repaired.
On the one hand, it is really helpless, and on the other hand, it is also to avoid the influence of too many church voices when developing the wizard guild. For a long time, Byrne Cathedral is more like a carefully decorated tomb. Everyone living inside can't wait to leave.
When Weber took over the Byrne Church, the whole church was completely renewed in only one year.
Although the Byrne Church lost a lot of wealth and stable income after abandoning a large number of diocese management staff, land and real estate, it also reduced its expenses and won the friendship of the Duchy upper class.
Even if Loren resists the church no matter how much he has to admit their influence in the empire and even Duchy, the belief in the Holy Cross and the traditional worship of Martial Goddess accounted for almost half and half, no less inferior.
After reaching an agreement with the female count of the Scarlet Blood Castle and having a small stable income, Weber used the donations from Duchy to repair the cathedral, and planned and designed it according to his inner thoughts.
The little priest who was born in Imperial Capital but spent a long time in Lothair dislikes Golovin’s mysterious majesty or Byrne’s extravagant style, but he respects it very much. Lotaire's "simple style"-the place for church sermons, only needs to cloth Dao Altar, icons, benches and holy water pools.
As for organs, incense pots, crystal chandeliers and marble statues... After seeing the corrupt deacons of Byrne Church, Weber was extremely disgusted with these things.
He repeatedly denounced these all are "goods" that "corrupted the soul", and told Charlotte that thrift should be upheld, and money should be used for moral cultivation, so that the workshops in the city would be more productive. Cheap tools, medicine and daily necessities, rather than expensive luxury goods, should reduce the number of monthly banquets and drinking.
Of course, the proud female count of the Scarlet Blood Castle is impossible to hear.
The banquet is still open. The Duke's seat in the round table hall is replaced with a marble high-back chair, and the crystal chandeliers are replaced with better fluorite lamps; the luxury goods produced by the alchemy workshop are similar to those of Byrne Fine wine is still marketed throughout the empire.
For a "pure Byrneman" like Charlotte, if there is no banquet, no food and wine, music, painting, sculpture, art, incense and beautiful costumes...
What is the meaning of such a boring life?
Weber even doubts that for Charlotte, the faith of the Church and the Holy Cross in her eyes is the same as good wine, food or beautiful clothes, just to enrich life and spirit "Luxury"?
After several failed "attempts to save", Weber was helpless and could only focus on the purity of the church itself—from start to finish, he was trying to restore the ancient church model. He has always hoped that Holy Cross Church will become a moral model and be a benchmark for believers.
"I already know about Ai Yin...ah, I'm sorry."
Outside the corridor of the cathedral, seeing the obviously unhappy expression of black hair wizard, Webber quickly apologized. "I was outside when you and Isaac were arguing. I didn't mean to..."
"It's okay, I know what's going on." Waved his hand helplessly, Loren interrupted him: "You didn't come to persuade me, did you?"
"Of course not, I am your friend, but not your family, and I have no right to interfere with your marriage." Little priest Weber nodded, with an expression as it should be by rights:
"The Holy Cross belongs to the Holy Cross, and the right belongs to those in power-what I want to do is to marry you and bless you in front of the Holy Cross, not to interfere with your rights "
"As for Charlotte and Ayn, they are both good girls, although...none of them are devout believers of the Holy Cross." At this point, Weber sighed involuntarily.
Whenever I fail to teach myself or are not understood, I feel a deep sense of frustration.
"Really, just not religious enough?" Loren glanced at the little priest Weber: "I thought you would use the power of bishop to force me to judge them."
Weber At first he was stunned, then he let out a smile.
This kind of "joking" can only be opened between the two of them.
"The old scriptures of the Holy Cross say that birth, knowledge... these are never sins. The real sin comes from our own infinitely expanding desires. This is the power that can destroy everything."
p>Speaking lightly, Weber stared at Loren with a sincere expression: "Ayin is also my friend, and I also know who she is; as a humble servant of the Holy Cross, her kindness and bravery still make me feel blushed. with shame."
"As for ungodly...that is the sin of us people; it is like letting an innocent lamb disappear in the pasture, it is the sin of a shepherd dog."
"If Someone uses the excuse of'witch' to send her to the torture frame, so the cause is by no means ungodly-this kind of ill-intentioned, profit-driven, harboring malicious intentions is the pitiful person who is truly destroyed by the inflated desire."
Nodding silently, Loren relaxed in the bottom of my heart.
Of course he is not only joking, but also to confirm Webber's attitude.
Weber was impossible to inform, or reveal the real identity of the little wizard, otherwise he would not have to wait until now, but his views on this matter are still very important.
For witches...even wizards, the church’s attitude has always been tough; little priest Weber from Imperial Capital knows better than Loren what the church’s attitude towards witches and heretic is, and deliberately ignores or even conceals it. , What is the crime in the church.
In a sense, this is equivalent to making Webber and the Byrne Church behind him completely split from Holy Cross Church.
"Actually, you don't have to worry about me at all, Loren." The little priest's usual peaceful voice sounded: "From the day I became a Byrne bishop, this kind of thing is almost inevitable for me. ."
"At first, I had a fantasy. The fantasy can change the atmosphere of the church little by little, but the story of Jr. Yod quickly taught me a lesson and made me see one clearly. …Very terrifying fact."
"That is, the current church is not so much a church, but more similar to a semi-independent'duchy'-it's just that the duchy is too divided, and the'territories' are distributed All over the empire, the system is more dispersed."
"This'duchy' has independent army, finances and people; bishops and church priests everywhere are more like governors and tax collectors appointed to be sent. Responsible for exploiting money, or fighting for power with the local lords..." The little priest seemed to sigh, as if resolutely:
"If we don’t destroy this monster, if we don’t deny it fundamentally, I hope The church... can only exist in hope forever-because if they really understand what I am going to do, they will definitely kill me."
Close your eyes, the little priest with a painful expression shuddered slightly.
This expression was once seen by Loren once; that was when little priest Webber finally saw him in the imperial trial.
He knows that his actions are cruel. He knows that he will hurt a lot of people, and even make his former friends, faithful, relatives and even mentors the enemy he must defeat... Don’t just do it, just do it. Just want to make him feel bad.
But he will definitely do it, because this is Weber.
No matter how painful and unbearable, the heart is like a knife...As long as he thinks he is right, he will not stop-crying so much that he can't make a sound, shaking his whole body, without the slightest hesitation waving his hands Butcher knife.
"They won't kill you." Loren's voice is calm and serious:
"They have to kill me first, and I will never give them this opportunity "
The slightly startled little priest opened his eyes, and an impulse to laugh and cry came up.
But in the end he also pressed his mouth tightly, just slightly nodded.
"I won't interfere too much with the wedding. Just tell me when you think about it, or when you need my help." The little priest whispered:
"Now we want It’s dealing with the issue of Holy Cross Church and the giant dragon-as far as I know, the leaders and nobles of the Scarlet Blood Castle have very big opinions on the scarlet giant dragon."
Although Webber has already He considered the vocabulary as carefully as possible, but Loren couldn't help twitched the corner of his mouth.
In just two or three days, the people of Scarlet Blood Castle have quickly changed from fear, curiosity and excitement to extreme chaos for the existence of giant dragon.
Little Yod complained to Loren that the request made by the scarlet giant dragon was almost unimaginable, and the demand for live cattle and sheep was “enough to eat up Byrne within a year”;
p>Unconstrained, even giant dragons that are free to move around in the Red Blood Castle often harass the woods and farms. Although there are very few casualties, the damage caused is very bad.
And the emergence of the giant dragon is more like a fuse for Byrne-or questioning the loyalty of the Torino family, or hoping to improve Byrne's position in Duchy; various Such sounds are endless, and the noise is on the dust.
"I have always believed that Loren you are loyal to the empire, or at least to His Royal Highness Brandon, and you have no ambition to become the emperor." The little priest reminded: "Just like I absolutely believe in those brave worshippers. Well, Knights, I’m as loyal to you."
"If this chaotic situation is allowed to continue, coupled with deliberate guidance from the Vault of Heaven and the church, things will soon become impossible. Clean up and develop towards the worst."
"The worst result is that before the invasion of the Azores, the civil war between Byrne and the empire will first break out-this We must do everything we can to avoid the situation of fighting in the same room!"
When the voice fell, Webber's expression was already extremely serious.
"Then what are your plans?" Loren asked bluntly.
Since Webber brought up this matter, he must have already had an idea.
"I'm just making a suggestion to you." Slightly paused, little priest Webber's face showed a smile-this feeling is like returning to the Ancient Wood Town in Lotaire. The same:
"The chaos right now is not so much because of the giant dragon, as it is because of you-Loren Torino. It is precisely because of the prestige you won at the Battle of Eboden, in Byrne and even The admiration within the empire leads to this situation now."
"The nobles of Byrne hope you can go further, and the Knights of Byrne have unrealistic ideas; and the Sky Vault The attitude is more subtle, and the church is full of hostility." The little priest one by one lists the questions:
"In this case, any idea you put forward is impossible to satisfy everyone. , It’s even more impossible to get the approval of most people; if you want to make mistakes, you can only offend everyone."
"So my advice is not to take a stand immediately and let this chaos continue—Teaching of the Holy Cross We, only in hell, can weigh the weight of faith; faith that has not been tested is worthless."
"Only after the test of chaos can you know who is your true My enemies, who are the friends you can unite with; faith is so, so is loyalty..."
The little priest who touched his heart sighed. Loren, who saw this, did not interrupt him. Just keep going.
"Don't talk about this, let's talk about the next wedding." To cheer up, Webber smiled reluctantly:
"There are only less than ten days left. Time, although this is a bit abrupt, but I still want to know...Have you decided?"
"What?!"
Loren turned pale in fright: "Only left It's been less than ten days?!"
"Yes, everything is proceeding step by step." Webber frowned: "Charlotte didn't tell you?"
She Tell me what? !
A word almost blurted out, but Loren hurriedly stopped him-he suddenly remembered that since that day, he has hardly seen Charlotte again.
"To be honest, at first, I was surprised when I heard about this." Webber, who didn't notice Loren's expression, continued, "I thought I was as practical as you. Guys, don’t care about traditions and things at all-I thought you would marry Charlotte and Duke Sarika at the same time."
"After all, you are the leader of the Torino family. , Even if you don’t have this idea, the Torino family definitely hopes to strengthen themselves, and even fight against the Desalion family. I know how proud the descendants of the ancient Knight King are."
"How dare I?" Loren thought he was joking: "even more how to marry two at the same time...Holy Cross Church and the imperial law, are both impossible to agree to this kind of thing?"
tone barely fell, and Webber, who was still smiling just now, suddenly turned his head and looked at Loren with a puzzled look:
"Holy Cross Church and the imperial law have restrictions on this aspect? Why don't I know?"
Huh? !