Lord of Glory

Andrew took a deep look at the bag.
Suddenly he laughed and said cheerfully: “Paladin, you are really good.
Come on, why don't you have dinner, let's eat together!” Andrew immediately called Paladin to sit down.
There are already prepared knives, forks and plates on the rectangular table.

Paladin thanked and sat down.
He slightly scanned the food on the table.
Roast suckling pig in red wine, cream of pumpkin soup, a rare Engerland steak, fresh strawberries, green apples and grapes.
A large portion of vegetables and the best bread baked with honey sauce.
The food was not rich, but extravagant!

Paladin lamented Andrew's financial resources and extravagant style, and prayed before dinner with his hands crossed in a well-mannered manner.
And Andrew and the priest in white just ate on their own, quietly waiting for Paladin's prayer to end.
When Paladin put down his hands piously, he picked up the knife and fork on the table and was about to cut the beef in front of him, Andrew personally for Paladin poured red wine in the glass next him.
He laughed and said, “Father Paladin is really a pious believer.
This red wine came out of the principality's court.
Let alone whether you can buy it, the price alone, humph! Fifty gold coins! It makes me heartbroken.”

Paladin was a little surprised that this bottle of wine could be so expensive, but there were outsiders present at this time, and Andrew didn't intend to introduce it.
Paladin could only pretend to go on: “It is clearly stipulated in the canons that priests are not allowed to drink alcohol.
My lord bishop, you are blatantly violating the sacred iron law of the Holy See, which really makes me sad.” “Huh?”

Andrew slightly froze, saw the hypocritical look on Paladin's face, and knew in his heart that this invited guest made Paladin wary, so he began to spread his fingers and pointed at the priest and said, “O Paladin, we are all servants of God.
This is the Dean of the largest monastery in our diocese of Edley, Father Kanarawa.
Don't look at him as a young man, but he has inherited everything from the monastery! Today he is still an ascetic monk who is determined to fulfill his daily asceticism!”

“Oh! What a pleasure to meet you.
We are under the same roof, eating together under the eyes of God.
This is a divine arrangement.” Paladin's eyes lit up and he immediately stood up and picked up his glass, complimenting this Kanarawa with great grace and without pretense.

Paladin understood very well the deep meaning of Andrew's words.
The largest monastery in Edley is located in the hills on the outskirts.
Many of the preachers and ascetics are gathered there.
According to the rules of the Holy See.
The master monastery that leads all monasteries in a diocese.
In addition to the superficial work of propagating the doctrine.
There is also the place where all the nuns and the formation of the clergy [preparatory priests] in the diocese are in charge.
Not only that, but the monastery also holds the power to request the military power of the Holy See!

Able to report to the Holy See, send Templars based on certain circumstances! Moreover, some monasteries also have their own local religious troops in the diocese.
It is an organization like the Monastic Knights Association.
Although the number of people is not large, they can really be assigned as a force like a messenger! The bishop of the diocese cannot interfere with such a great power as mentioned above.
It can also be regarded as a means by which the upper echelon deliberately arranges to balance the local parish.
Although all priests are under the jurisdiction of the bishop, some priests are more inclined to the dean of the monastery because of the relationship between teachers and students.
This shows how great the power of this young Kanarawa is.

But at this time, the observant Paladin found that this Kanarawa does not eat meat! He originally thought that the so-called asceticism of the other party is just a look, but it seems that it is not what Paladin thought, the other party is a real ascetic!

But just when Paladin was thinking about it.
Kanarawa, a young man with long hair, did something that made Paladin very angry! Kanarawa looked at Paladin's empty wine glass and ignored it.
He turned to Andrew and said, “Your Excellency, is this the new auxiliary bishop you are talking about?”

After all, he ignored Andrew's non-stop winks and Paladin's embarrassing expression.
He gently pulled his floating hair to the side, and his expression was indescribably conceited and contemptuous: “Your Excellency the auxiliary bishop, you brought a big bag of gold coins, right? Your Eminence, Bishop Andrew, you are buying and selling the priesthood.
If I were to report this to the Holy See, I might have to replace Your Eminence.” Paladin's eyes showed some displeasure, but his face smiled kindly and shook his head, sitting back in his seat and keeping his mouth shut.
He intended to see how Andrew handled the scene.

“Ah, hahahahaha!” Andrew glared at Kanarawa with some anger, and suddenly laughed up.
Attempting to defuse the bizarre atmosphere, he pretended to talk and laugh as if nothing was wrong, “Kanarawa you are joking.
Father Paladin is not only a priest, but also a nobleman! And Nurba is in his care and is in good order, the people's lives are rich, business is booming!”

The last few words, Andrew deliberately intensified the tone.
I hope Kanarawa can understand.
Sure enough, Kanarawa suddenly looked at the ordinary-looking Paladin with a deeper meaning.
As if it was only now that he really looked at this new auxiliary bishop, he said something irrelevant: “I heard that there has been a war recently, right, Your Eminence the auxiliary bishop.” The subtext was: “I heard that you control all the ironworks in Nurba.
Now that there is a war, you must be earning a lot of money.”

Paladin immediately understood Kanarawa's meaning, nodded slightly, and said very confidently: “There is a war, and judging from the broken armor that keeps coming back, the war should be in a tug-of-war.
It will not end for a while.” The subtext is: “Humph, there is still war to be fought! This income is nothing! More gold coins are still to come!”

With these words, Kanarawa's eyes instantly lit up! More gold coins, isn't he and this old man just for more gold coins? In that case, this Paladin is really a powerful person! It's not that no one has thought of pulling in the relevant people from several nearby towns that are rich in iron.
But these guys either do not care, or just ignore it!

But he couldn't understand, what method did this Paladin use to win over these businessmen who looked down on the clergy? You know, some of these people are even backed by Earl Torch's cronies! Although capable, Kanarawa, who works vigorously and swiftly, always thinks he is excellent.
But there are some things that a person with such a conceit like him would never do.
That's dirty and mean.
And this is precisely the root of Paladin's survival.

So thinking, Kanarawa, under Andrew's relieved sigh, picked up the wine glass, the first smile on his lonely face: “His Eminence, the auxiliary bishop, please forgive me for my previous rudeness.
This is my bad habit, and I can't change it no matter how.” “No, no, it's because I'm not very good at talking, and I've offended you, Dean.
Dean, you are young to take up the important task, and your future achievements in proclaiming the grace of Enos for the world are unlimited!”

Paladin and Kanalava met each other's gaze in the air, and laughed at the same time.
Seeing this, Andrew also smiled sincerely.
Thus, the three scumbags in priestly robes laughed happily in the hall of God.
This is how justice died, accompanied by cheerful laughter.