The last time Loren came to church was when he went to the capital, Golovin.
At that time, Byrne Cathedral still did not come out of the shadow of the "evil beast of red blood Castle" incident a few years ago - because of the Centaur war, the civil war in the dwarf Kingdom, the construction of new army, wizard guild and "sky wing corps", Byrne did not have much funds and materials to really invest in the restoration of the church.
In addition, a large number of middle and high-level churches are crazy to resell all kinds of metal utensils in the church, even the statue of the Holy Cross. As a result, three years later, we can still see many ruins damaged by explosion and fire at that time, and only the cathedral itself has barely been repaired.
On the one hand, it is really helpless. On the other hand, it is also to avoid being influenced by too many church voices when developing the wizard Guild - for a long time, Bain cathedral was more like a well decorated grave, in which everyone living could not wait to leave.
When Weber took over the Byrne church, the whole church had taken on a new look in only one year.
Although the Byrne church lost a lot of wealth and stable income after abandoning a large number of parish administrators, land and real estate, it also reduced expenses and won the friendship of the upper echelon of the principality.
No matter how much Loren resisted the church, he had to admit their influence in the Empire and even in the principality. Almost half of them had the faith in the Holy Cross and the traditional worship of the female warrior God.
After reaching an agreement with the Countess of red blood castle and having a small stable income, Weber used donations from all over the principality to repair the cathedral and planned and designed according to his inner thoughts.
The little clergyman, who was born in the imperial capital but stayed in lottel for a long time, was very disgusted with the mysterious and dignified style of Golovin or the extremely luxurious style of Byrne. Instead, he respected lottel''s "simple style" - the place of church sermon, which only needed a sermon platform, a statue, a bench and a holy pool.
As for the organ, incense cans, crystal chandeliers and marble statues... After meeting the corrupt deacons of the Byrne church, Weber was extremely disgusted with these things.
He denounced in public more than once that these were "wealth goods" that "corrupt the mind". He told Charlotte that he should advocate thrift, spend money on moral cultivation, let the workshops in the city produce cheaper tools, drugs and daily necessities, rather than expensive luxury goods, and reduce the number of monthly banquets and drinking.
Of course, the proud Countess of red blood Castle couldn''t listen at all.
The banquet was still held. The Duke''s seat in the round table hall was replaced by marble high backed chairs from wooden chairs, and the crystal chandelier was replaced by a better fluorite lamp; The luxury goods produced by the alchemy workshop and Byrne''s wine are still sold throughout the Empire.
For Charlotte, a "pure Bain", if there is no banquet, no food, wine, music, painting, sculpture, art, incense and beautiful clothes
What is the meaning of such a boring life?
Weber even doubted that for Charlotte, the faith of the church and the Holy Cross, like wine, food or beautiful clothes, was just a "luxury" to enrich life and spirit?
After several "attempts to save" failed, Weber was very helpless. He could only focus on the purity of the church itself - he was trying to restore the ancient church model from beginning to end. He always hoped to build the Holy Cross Church into a moral model and a benchmark for believers.
"I already know about ayin... Ah, I''m sorry."
Outside the corridor of the cathedral, seeing the obviously unhappy expression of the black haired wizard, Weber quickly apologized and said, "I was outside when you quarreled with Isaac. I didn''t mean to..."
"It doesn''t matter, I know what''s going on." reluctantly waved his hand, Lauren interrupted him: "you didn''t come to persuade me, did you?"
"Of course not. I''m your friend, but I''m not your family. I have no right to interfere in your marriage." little priest Weber nodded with a natural expression:
"The Holy Cross belongs to the Holy Cross, and the power belongs to those in power - what I want to do is to marry you and bless you in front of the Holy Cross, rather than interfere with your rights."
"As for Charlotte and Ayn, they are good girls, although... They are not devout believers of the Holy Cross." Weber sighed involuntarily.
Whenever you fail to preach or are not understood, you will have a strong sense of frustration.
"Really, just not pious enough?" Lauren glanced at little priest Weber. "I thought you would use the Bishop''s power to force me to judge them."
Weber was stunned and then lost his voice and smiled.
This kind of "joke" can only be opened between them.
"The old Scripture of the Holy Cross says that birth and knowledge... These are never sins. The real sins come from our own infinitely expanding desires. This is the power that can destroy everything."
With a faint remark, Weber stared at Loren with a sincere look: "Ayn is also my friend, and I also know her; as a humble servant of the Holy Cross, her kindness and courage still make me ashamed."
"As for impiety... That''s the sin of us; just as it''s the sin of shepherds to let innocent lambs disappear in the pasture."
"If someone uses the excuse of ''witch'' to send her to the frame of fire, the cause is not pious - this kind of people with ulterior motives, lust for profit and bad intentions are the poor people who are really destroyed by inflated desire."
Nodding silently, Loren breathed a sigh of relief at the bottom of his heart.
Of course, he was not only joking, but also confirming Weber''s attitude.
Weber can''t snitch or expose the real identity of the little wizard, otherwise he won''t have to wait until now, but his view on this matter is still very important.
The church''s attitude towards witches... Even wizards has always been very tough; Weber, a little priest born in the imperial capital, knows more about the church''s attitude towards witches and pagans than Loren. He deliberately ignores or even conceals what is the crime in the church.
In a sense, this is tantamount to the complete separation of Weber and the Byrne church behind him from the Holy Cross.
"In fact, you don''t have to worry about me at all, Loren." the little priest''s usual peaceful voice sounded: "this is almost inevitable for me from the day I became bishop Byrne."
"At first, I had fantasies that I could change the atmosphere of the church bit by bit, but the story of little Joad soon taught me a lesson and let me see a... Terrible fact."
"That is, the present church is more similar to a semi independent ''principality'' than a church - but the principality is too divided, the ''territories'' are distributed throughout the Empire, and the system is more dispersed."
"This'' principality ''has an independent army, finance and people; bishops and church priests everywhere are more like appointed governors and tax collectors, who are responsible for exploiting and collecting money, or competing for power with local lords..." the little priest seemed to sigh and decide:
"If I don''t destroy this monster, if I don''t fundamentally deny it, the church I hope... Can only exist in hope forever - because if they really understand what I want to do, they will kill me."
Closing his eyes, the little priest with a painful expression trembled slightly.
Lauren had seen this expression once; That was when the little priest Weber finally came to an end at the Royal trial.
He knows that his actions are cruel. He knows that he will hurt many people, and even let his former friends, believers, relatives and even mentors become the enemies he must defeat... Don''t say or do, just thinking so will make him miserable.
But he will, because this is Weber.
No matter how painful, no matter how unbearable, his heart is like a knife... As long as he thinks he is right, he won''t stop - crying to tears, trembling all over, and waving the butcher''s knife without hesitation.
"They won''t kill you." Loren''s voice was steady and serious:
"They have to kill me first, and I will never give them this chance."
The little priest opened his eyes, and an impulse to laugh and cry came up.
But in the end he closed his mouth, just nodding slightly.
"I won''t interfere too much in the wedding. Just let me know when you think clearly or need my help." the little priest whispered:
"At present, we have to deal with the Holy Cross Church and the Dragon - as far as I know, the leaders and nobles of red blood castle have great opinions on the red dragon."
Although Weber had considered his vocabulary as carefully as possible, Loren couldn''t help but pull the corner of his mouth.
In just two or three days, the people of red blood castle have quickly changed from fear, curiosity and excitement to extreme chaos.
Little Joad complained to Loren that the red dragon''s request was almost unimaginable, and the demand for live cattle and sheep was "enough to destroy Byrne within a year";
Unrestrained, even the giant dragons moving freely in the territory of red blood Castle often harass the woods and farms. Although there are few deaths and injuries, the damage is very bad.
The appearance of the dragon is more like a fuse for Byrne - either questioning the loyalty of the Turin family, or hoping to improve Byrne''s status in the principality; All kinds of voices emerge in endlessly, and the noise is on the dust.
"I have always believed that Loren, you are loyal enough to the Empire, or at least to his highness Brandon, and have no ambition to become an emperor." the little priest warned, "just as I absolutely believe that the brave Byrne knights are loyal to you."
"If this chaotic situation continues, coupled with the deliberate guidance from the heavenly palace and the church, things will soon become out of control and develop to the worst."
"The worst result is that before the Azores invasion, a civil war will break out between Byrne and the Empire - this kind of roommate situation must be avoided as much as we can!"
The voice fell, and Weber''s expression was extremely serious.
"What''s your plan?" Loren asked simply.
Now that Weber has raised the matter, he must have had an idea.
"I''m just giving you a suggestion." after a slight pause, little priest Weber smiled - it was like returning to the ancient wood town of lottel:
"The current chaos is not so much because of the dragon as because of you, Loren Turin. It is precisely because of the reputation you won in the battle of eboden and the admiration you received in Byrne and even the empire that leads to this situation."
"Byrne''s nobles hope you can go further, and Byrne''s knights have unrealistic ideas; the attitude of the heavenly palace is more subtle, and the church is full of hostility." the little priest listed the problems one by one:
"In this case, any idea you put forward cannot satisfy everyone, let alone win the approval of the majority; if you compromise, you can only offend everyone."
"So my advice is, don''t make a statement immediately and let this confusion continue - the Holy Cross teaches us that faith can only be weighed in hell; faith that has not been tested is worthless."
"Only after the test of chaos can you know who are your real enemies and who are your friends you can unite with; so is faith and Loyalty..."
Weber, the little priest who touched his mind, sighed. Loren, who saw this, didn''t interrupt him, but just continued to move forward.
"Not to mention that, let''s talk about the next wedding." Weber forced himself to smile:
"There are less than ten days left. Although it''s rude to say so, I still want to know... Have you made a decision?"
"What?!"
Lauren was shocked and said, "there are less than ten days left!"
"Yes, everything is moving forward step by step." Weber frowned. "Charlotte didn''t tell you?"
What did she tell me?!
A word almost blurted out, but Loren quickly stopped himself - he suddenly remembered that he had hardly seen Charlotte since that day.
"To tell you the truth, I was surprised when I first heard about it." Weber, who didn''t notice Loren''s expression, continued: "I thought a guy who pays attention to practical interests like you wouldn''t care about tradition - I thought you would marry Charlotte and Duke Sarika at the same time."
"After all, you are the leader of the Turin family. Even if you don''t have this idea, the Turin family must want to strengthen themselves and even compete with the desalion family - I know how proud the descendants of the ancient Knight king are."
"How dare I?" Loren thought he was joking. "Not to mention marrying two... Holy Cross Church and imperial law at the same time, can''t agree to such a thing?"
As soon as the voice fell, Weber, who was still smiling, suddenly turned his head and looked at Lauren with a puzzled face:
"The Holy Cross Church and imperial law have restrictions on this? Why don''t I know?"
Huh?!