On the continent of Westeros, except for the north, every town must have a temple dedicated to the seven gods.

Naturally, Eagle's Beak Island is no exception.

Although not all the people here are followers of the Seven Gods due to the "negligence" of the lord, Monk Ivan believes that it will not be long before he can spread the light of the Seven Gods all over Eagle's Beak Island, so that everyone here can listen to the gospel of the Seven Gods.

He was standing in front of the newly built church, smiling, greeting every believer who came to worship.

At this moment, a middle-aged man with a panicked face caught Ivan's attention.

He knew a man named Gongga, who had been a savage, and because he had joined the realm early and was clever and quick-witted, he was soon appreciated by his lord and became a retainer of Lord Caesar, in charge of a vineyard.

"Lord Gongga, are you here to worship?" Ivan smiled and stepped forward and asked.

He remembered that Gongga believed in a certain mountain god, and if he could convert this person to the Seven Gods, he should lead a group of savages to convert to the Seven Gods.

"Your Excellency Ivan......" the monk addressed him as an adult, which made Gongga a little uncomfortable, but inevitably a little happy.

He thought of what he had done, and his heart was apprehensive, but he still asked with a glimmer of expectation:

"I have heard that the Seven Gods are merciful and can forgive all sins if they pray sincerely. Isn't that so? ”

"Yes, Lord Gongga." Ivan smiled more and more kindly, "Heavenly Father judges all sins, and Our Lady forgives all sinners." Do you want to pray for your sins? ”

"Yes, prayer of atonement!" Gongga rubbed his hands wincingly, "But...... But I'm not a believer in the Seven Gods......"

"You can become a believer in the Seven Gods at any time if you wish."

"Really? That...... Then I am willing to serve the seven gods! If only they could forgive my sins. ”

"You made a brave choice." Ivan drew a seven-pointed star on his chest, "Please come with me, you need to confess your sins to the seven gods first, and then sincerely repent." ”

"Good, good!" Gongga nodded repeatedly.

He followed Ivan into the temple, and when he passed by the prayer hall, he saw many worshippers waiting for worship, and Gongga couldn't help but whisper:

"Brother Ivan, am I delaying you from leading these believers in the service?"

Ivan smiled gently: "It's okay, I'll help you make an atonement prayer first." ”

Although everyone is equal in the eyes of the Seven Gods, Ivan knows that some people are more equal.

"Thank you so much!"

Gongga followed Ivan to a confessional room in the side hall of the Templar.

The confessional chamber was small, with a small altar made of white rock in the middle, on which was placed a delicate white crystal.

Ivan's expression became extremely solemn, and he said:

"Gongga, you should bow your knees to the seven gods."

Gongga hurriedly knelt in front of the altar.

"I ask, you answer, there must be nothing to hide in front of the seven gods." Ivan's voice became empty and distant, as if it came from above.

"Yes, yes." Gongga seemed to feel the brilliance of the Seven Gods, and nodded excitedly.

"Gongga, what are you guilty of?"

"I, I killed someone."

"Killed whom?"

"Tiffy. She is a female worker on the plantation I manage. ”

"Why did you kill her?"

"I, I didn't mean to. She didn't listen to discipline and was always lazy, so I had to teach her a lesson with a whip, but ...... But I accidentally beat her to death......"

Ivan's brow furrowed, and he didn't speak for a long time.

Gonggar gradually became apprehensive, he raised his head, looked at the monk beside him with a hopeful gaze, and prayed:

"After killing her, I was upset and guilty, but I really didn't mean to! That's why I'm here to pray! Ask Our Lady of Mercy to redeem my soul! ”

"Sinners!" The monk's voice was like rolling thunder, shaking Gongga with fear, "Your sins will send your soul to hell!" Forever scorched by fire! ”

Gongga suddenly cried and hugged Ivan's thigh:

"O Merciful Mother! Please save me! I don't want to do that! Ivan-sama, you said that the Seven Gods would forgive all sins! Please! Please! ”

"The Seven Gods are merciful." Ivan's tone softened suddenly, "But they will only forgive pious souls." Gongga, are you religious? ”

"Religious! Reverent! Gongga hugged Ivan's thighs as if he were holding a life-saving straw.

He knew that if he killed someone, he would be hanged according to the law of the territory.

Gonggar didn't want to die, so he came to the temple with a glimmer of hope.

"How will you prove your piety?" Brother Ivan asked.

Gongga hurriedly took out a money bag from his bosom and stuffed it into the monk's arms:

"It's all my savings! I'm dedicated to the Seven Gods! I only ask the seven gods to forgive my sins! ”

Ivan took the money bag, didn't open it, put it aside, and said:

"Pray, sinner Gongga, and pray to the Seven Gods with your greatest devotion! Let Our Lady of Mercity see your true heart and He will save your soul! ”

Like a drowning man catching driftwood, Gongga quickly knelt down in front of the altar and began to pray aloud.

Ivan picked up the crystal from the altar and placed it in the light that came in through the small window.

The light was refracted by the crystal, and a rainbow of seven-colored light appeared on Gonggar's face.

"Well, you are indeed a pious." Ivan nodded, "The Seven Gods have redeemed your soul. ”

Gongga wept with joy when he heard this, and he was bathed in seven-colored light, and he only felt as if all sin and pain had left him, as if he had been reborn.

The feeling made him intoxicated.

"Thank you for the merciful Seven Gods!" Gongga said sincerely, "From this day forward, Gongga will be the most faithful servant of the Seven Gods!" ”

Ivan put down the crystal and lifted Gongga from the ground, a kind smile regained on his face:

"Lord Gongga, you are innocent."

Gongga immediately thanked him again and promised to help promote the gospel of the Seven Gods.

Ivan smiled kindly and personally sent Gonggar out of the temple.

But as soon as the two of them went out, they saw Sheriff Bruce standing there with a solemn face.

"Gongga!" The sheriff said, "Someone reported you for killing Lady Tiffy, come with me." ”

Gongga shuddered, then looked at Brother Ivan with a pleading look.

Ivan stepped forward and said with a smile:

"Lord Bruce, Lord Gongga has repented before the Seven Gods just now, and Our Lady has forgiven his sins."

Bruce shook his head with a cold face and said, "I'm sorry, Your Excellency, Gongga violated the laws of Hawksbill Island, and the forgiveness of the Seven Gods could not save his life. ”

Ivan asked unhurriedly, "Which law did Lord Gongga violate?" ”

"Murder. Hang you! ”

Ivan smiled slightly, and said, "Lord Bruce, then you are mistaken, Lord Gongga accidentally killed Ms. Tiffy when he was punishing her, this is not considered murder, right?" ”

Bruston was stunned.

Gongga hurriedly shouted, "That's right! That's right! It was that woman who made a mistake, and when I was punishing her, I accidentally killed someone, and the seven gods have already forgiven my mistakes, what right do you have to hang me! ”

"Nonsense!" At this time, a young girl stood up and pointed at Gongga angrily, "My sister didn't make a mistake at all!" It's you who covet her beauty and want to rape her! She resisted and was beaten to death by you! ”

"You're lying!" Gongga scolded, "When am I going to rape her? What about your evidence? ”

"My sister told me! Say you've harassed her many times and want her to marry you! But you already have a wife! ”

"Lies! It's all a lie! ”

Ivan looked at the girl and asked, "Who is Lady Tiffie?" ”

"She's my sister, and my name is Time."

Ivan nodded, and turned back to the sheriff, "Lord Bruce, if it's just Miss Time, it doesn't prove anything. She is likely to lie in order to avenge her sister. ”

"I didn't! I dare to swear by the name of the mountain god! Ti Mei said.

"Then I dare to swear in the name of the Seven Gods!" Gongga also followed.

Ivan smiled and looked at the sheriff, "Lord Bruce, who do you believe?" ”

Bruston frowned, though his instincts told him that Timei wasn't lying, but that he was a Riverbend and a follower of the Seven Gods.

At this time, many people had gathered around, and among them, the believers of the Seven Gods accounted for the majority.

This put more pressure on Bruce.

In desperation, the sheriff had to call in his superior, the Knight of Todd Ford, who was in charge of the defense of the territory.

It's a pity that Todd is also a believer in the Seven Gods, and he can't make up his mind after hesitating for a while.

In the end, Gavin, the governor of the territory, was found.

The key Gavin is also a Riverbend and a believer in the Seven Gods......

Brother Ivan's smile became more and more kind, and at this moment, he seemed to be the embodiment of the Father:

"Ladies and gentlemen, since you are unable to decide, why don't you leave it to the Seven Gods and their spokesmen in the world? I propose that a sacred seven-man jury be formed to decide this case. ”

Gavin glanced at the fearless Gongga, and then at the angry Ti Mei, and didn't speak for a long time.

He was no longer the same dock laborer on the banks of the El-Mandeb River, and after managing Hawksbill Island for so long, Gavin certainly knew that this was not just a murder case at the moment.

It's a battle for territorial arbitration!

Regardless of whether the final "seven-member jury" declared whether Gonggar killed by mistake or intentionally, the church had achieved its goal-

Interfering with the judgment of criminals in the territory.

From then on, if the people made a mistake, they would all run to the temple.

At that time, where will the majesty of the lord be?

But for Gavin to make it clear that he was working against the Church of the Seven, he really didn't have the courage to do so.

Moreover, he was also worried that if he did not handle it properly, it would likely cause dissatisfaction among the followers of the Seven Gods, and even lead to turmoil in the territory.

After hesitating for a while, Gavin decided to put it on hold for the time being:

"Let's wait for the lord to come back and deal with this matter in person."

Ivan said: "Isn't Lord Caesar still fighting in Dorne? I'm afraid I won't be able to come back anytime soon. ”

"Nope. I received a letter that my lord had already returned with his army. ”

Ivan was stunned.