Chapter 8: The Last Faith

Back in the council room, the solemn and solemn award ceremony witnessed by the luxurious crystal lamp and the guardian angel Irun Saibei has become an elegant and pleasant aristocratic dinner and ball, and the door of the winner of the Iron Oak Medal who has just been neglected is undoubtedly the focus of attention at this moment, and the figures of imperial ladies appear in front of the young people of the Iron Oak Order winners, even if they are quite hateful-looking "giants" Sein, there are one or two imperial celebrities around them.

Augustus, who belongs to the latter, who is quite a bit of "the first to be strong, the beautiful women are like clouds, and the second is to rob the sad nuns", returned to the council room, not to mention the celebrities, there was not even a female animal around. Sain, who had already left the boss behind for the sake of beauty, barely greeted Augustus with his eyes, and continued to talk about his heroic and fearless performance in the holy war.

I have to say that this honest-looking guy is eloquent, and the two aristocratic ladies whose temperament is not special in the aristocratic socialite, but they are not stupid, are fascinated by the scene described by Sein. The two ladies who looked at Sein, who was quite funny, had a sparkle in his eyes from time to time, obviously did not expect that he who belonged to the latter and suffered would choose a piece of gold covered with rust on the outside.

In the eyes of the commoners, there was always an inseparable connection between the knight and the noble lady.

Augustus smiled, picked up a glass of smiling wine from a crystal goblet that had been filled with wine and red wine on a high platform nearby, and did not go to those aristocratic ladies to join in the fun, hoping to win a beautiful woman in today's rare opportunity to bring back to the hotel or home. Augustus thinks that a man who has reached his level will never make a move unless he meets a woman at the goddess level! Generally, it is the girl who takes the initiative to find herself, where do you need to lower your identity and take the initiative to get up.

With a crystal goblet in hand, Augustus walked straight to one of the less conspicuous benches in the bright lights of the council chamber, and looked at the old man in front of him, who was at least seventy years old and dressed in a bright red religious robe that dazzled even everywhere. Augustus made a very pious religious gesture, bent slightly, bowed his head, and said, "Your Excellency Cardinal Archbishop of Jackaloa, may I sit here?" His voice trembled.

Hai Ge Yasu raised his head, his deep and wise eyes were calm and did not have the slightest wave, he moved his position, and at the same time gently tapped the empty space beside him with his left hand, looked at Augustus and said, "Augustus, can you tell me where you know my name?" ”

Augustus stood straight. Quite embarrassed, he said, "I wonder if Lord Haige Yasu still remembers that he met a reckless young man on the road and accidentally disturbed your carriage?" After a moment's pause, Augustus pointed to himself and said, "I am the reckless young man, and I was fortunate enough to meet Lord Haige Yasu in the council room, so I specially came to apologize, and I hope that Lord Haige Yasu will accept my apology." ”

How is it possible to forget? St. Peter's has always been calm and orderly. Therefore, today's accident was enough to make Cardinal Archbishop Hai Ge Yashu, who almost overturned his horse, the owner of the carriage, remember the culprit who caused it all. That is, Haige Yasu has been cultivating himself in the Popal Affairs Hall for more than ten years, and he doesn't care too much, otherwise Augustus, who disturbed the cardinal, would not have been chased and torn to pieces by the eight angry and ashamed knights of light who have always considered themselves incompetent and did not protect the cardinal?

With a faint smile on her face, she picked up the crystal goblet that had been placed on the bench with about two-fifths of the red wine left. Clinking glasses with the flattered Augustus, he took a sip, looked at the somewhat cramped Augustus with a smile and said, "The young girl who has been chasing you with a delicate knife behind you is the Du you mentioned?" Katarina, the daughter of General Quekao? ”

Augustus nodded with a smile, his eyes involuntarily glancing down at the delicately shaped scimitar hanging from his waist. At the same time, the woman wearing a fiery red dress and waving a knife at him with a cold face appeared in his mind, and his heart was slightly cold.

For Augustus's small actions, Hai Ge Ya Su saw it. He didn't say anything, but knocked on the bench next to him again with his left hand, and said with a smile, "You better sit down." I'm not used to talking to people like this, it's tiring! ”

Augustus smiled reluctantly and sat down slowly. Augustus, who was sweating profusely from his back, thought that he hadn't tried his best to get a cardinal archbishop to look up at him and speak, and he didn't want to annoy the kind and holy cardinal archbishop in front of him, and the ghost knew what kind of face this cardinal lord was hiding under the kind and holy face.

For cardinals and other big people who control the authority of the Holy See, Augustus has an attitude of staying away. Otherwise, who knows that on that day a group of wolf-like night watchmen came to him and invited him to tea at the Inquisition? Then he wouldn't even have a place to cry.

There is only one life in a human life, and the danger of death is likely to be infinite, and Augustus did not want his carelessness to lead to the sudden end of a life that could have continued, such a sad end.

In the ensuing conversations, Augustus remained cautious in his words and deeds. The two talked about why Augustus was successively deducted from the Order of Iron Oak by Burnham to how Augustus obtained the Order of Iron Oak, and then talked about the Holy War, and finally talked about Noxus and the Holy See that has been split into two Holy Sees.

As the conversation deepened and he observed carefully, he found that the papal dignitary in front of him had no idea of taking him to the Inquisition for tea, and Augustus, who was originally uneasy, relaxed, and as the chat deepened, Augustus would make a small joke with the cardinal who had no frame of conversation.

"I love a quote from the First Saint, St. Jesus, in The City of the Sky: Every clergyman begins by looking for light in the light and heresy in the darkness! When the priest gradually realized that he could not find the light in the light, and that he could not find heresy in the darkness where he could not see his fingers, he would lock himself in a dark room and follow the footsteps of the light, and in the darkness he would light the flame of light, and walk forward cautiously, using the holy fire in his hand to destroy the evil heresy! After a long time, the priest realized that the light he sought in the dark room was not the real light, and when the heresy he sought in the darkness was not really heretical, he chose to abandon the world of light. Walk into the darkness alone and ignite a light that belongs to the light in the darkness! It was then that the priest realized that only the light he sought in the darkness was the light he really sought, and that the real heresy was none other than himself standing in the darkness. ”

Augustus slowly recited this passage from the Castle in the Sky that was different from the easy-to-understand language recorded in obscure texts such as The Hand of God and the Teachings of the Holy See. He sighed softly: "The truly great priest does not want to blindly follow the light in the footsteps of God, but to open a light that illuminates the world in the darkness of obscurity and crisis, and such a person is qualified to be called a saint." ”

After saying this, Augustus stood up, faced the guardian angel of Irinsaibe, and once again solemnly and reverently performed the Holy See religious rites.

He looked at the Iron Oak Medal winner in front of him, who had a strong foundation and insight into theology, despite his vast status. There is no contempt for Hai Ge Ya Su. Treating the talented young man in front of him on an equal footing, he said softly: "Whether it is St. Jesheris, who wrote "The City in the Sky", or St. Iyeta, who spent his life writing "Teachings", or Santiago who wrote "The Hand of God" in prison in the last days of his life, they have their own understanding of the God in their hearts! This may be too primary, but you can understand that they are not believing in the Sovereign Lord of the Holy See as they are always pursuing their faith! When the faith in their hearts is determined, the gods they believe in will naturally be understood. ”

As soon as the words landed, Augustus was stunned on the spot.

Back. Augustus looked at the noble cardinal in front of him in a daze, who said something very inconsistent with the doctrinal ideas of the Holy See, didn't this noble cardinal know that if such an idea was disseminated, if someone believed it, even in his identity as a cardinal, it would be possible to take off the luxurious bright red robe on his body? Even if you don't get lucky enough to be stripped of the red robes that symbolize the power of the cardinal, you may never be able to wear the crown that symbolizes the supremacy of the pope or the scepter in the hand of the patriarch in this life.

Suddenly, Augustus found himself unwittingly caught in a terrible maelstrom. The originally relaxed look was suddenly replaced by a taut panel. Large droplets of sweat were already flowing from the back of his forehead.

Hai Geya smiled, picked up the magic wand that symbolized a powerful magician, patted Augustus on the shoulder for the third time with his left hand, and said softly, "Today's conversation is not only beyond your expectations. It also exceeded my expectations! Augustus, do you know why I am willing to say these words to you? ”

Augustus shook his head, he really didn't know.

Hai Ge Ya Su smiled faintly. Looking up at the guardian angel Iren Saibe, who had been smiling at the world, he said slowly: "A thousand years ago, the Holy See split into the Byzantian Holy See and the Vatican Holy See! Since then, the once perfect Holy See no longer exists. In the following millennium, both the Byzantian Holy See centered on Noxus and the Vatican Holy See dominated by the Demacian Empire faced the embarrassing situation of contradictory doctrines of the Holy See, so in the following thousand years, successive clergy devoted themselves to the study and interpretation of the teachings of the Holy See, and then a saint was born who was recognized by both the Byzantian Holy See and the Vatican Holy See! But even so, the contradictions between the doctrines of the Holy See have not yet been resolved, and there have been many conflicts between the writings of the saints on the interpretation of the doctrines of the Holy See. This may not be a big deal for ordinary believers, but it is a big deal for us public officials of the Holy See! ”

"Amending and perfecting the doctrine of the Holy See is the responsibility of our public officials who cannot shirk or shirk it!"

Augustus stood quietly behind Hygea, looking at the back of Burnham at this moment, his expression was solemn, and there was more devotion in his eyes that he did not have in the face of Burnham, such a priest is a real priest.

Keep listening.

"What I said to you before, and what may even be called heretical now, is the conclusion of my thirteen years of reading the Holy See canon in the Papal Affairs Hall!" At this point, he stopped talking in detail, and he smiled and glanced at Augustus.

He said softly: "In the future, when you see me again, you may call me Your Excellency the Holy Sea Pavilion Yasu, or curse me for my evil heresy, who knows about this future except God Almighty??" In short, Augustus, I hope you will remember the conversation with me today. ”

"Because here is my faith, probably my last faith!"

After speaking, he walked out of the shadow corner under the luxurious crystal lamp and walked towards the light with an unathletic step.

Augustus looked at the cardinal in front of him, a little helpless, but he did not expect that the original apologetic conversation would evolve into the current situation, he sighed softly: "A clergyman with a firm faith has become a clergyman who is worshipped by the devout believers or an evil heresy who is reviled by the believers!" In the face of such a priest, whether he is a saint or a propagandist of evil heresy, we must take them seriously and study their learning with reverence or judgment, because they have a firm and persistent faith! Can you tell me where my faith is, Mistress Santa Ijeta? ”

Reading this passage, written at the end of the Teachings, has been criticized and even almost branded as an evil heretic who spreads heretical ideas! Had it not been for the sentence that followed this passage, the Teachings, which was supposedly written in response to God's revelation, would not have appeared on the continent of Valoran.

The latter sentence reads, "It is the duty and duty of each of us to find the shadow in the darkness and the hope of the light in the darkness." ”

Muttering the words of the Teachings, Augustus remembered the woman standing on the top of the hill of Alder Castle and wielding a magic wand to gather a sea of fire.

Augustus muttered, "Perhaps this is my faith!" (To be continued.) )