"Bishop Dominic, Uncle Gray, thank you for your hard work."
Phil Gray sat in the Pope of Fate's exclusive seat, below whom stood Eli, Ernest, Patrick, and the rest of the Church of Fate. Apart from Bishop Dominic and Uncle Gray, there were also the heads of three small families of the Church of Fate, who stood trembling at the edge of the palace, seemingly trying their best to be ignored.
He fixed his gaze on Uncle Gray, who bore a striking resemblance to the original owner's father.
Uncle was tall and straight, with broad shoulders and a thick head of silver-gray hair tied back, which made him look both dignified and elegant. His face was more resolute than the original owner's father's. Time had etched faint marks on his forehead and the corners of his eyes, but these lines did not diminish his handsomeness.
"It's good that His Majesty is alright. We were useless and caused you to suffer." Uncle Gray's deep voice carried a hint of guilt and sorrow.
“Yes, that damned Wendell, always pretending to be a good person. I’ve disliked him for a long time, but I never thought he would dare to plot against you! God of fate, it’s too easy for him to die so easily. I’m going to throw his body into the stinking ditch outside North City!” Bishop Dominic’s anger did not seem to have subsided because of Wendell’s death.
“That won’t do. I’m afraid his filthy blood will flow into the land of our destiny again. Let’s just throw him into the sea to feed the fish!” Patrick interjected, then shut his mouth after seeing a glance from his father.
Phil Gray chuckled. Death was already the greatest punishment for those traitors. He had no intention of dwelling on venting his anger anymore. The focus now was on finding those members of the Papacy who had committed atrocities under the leadership of Wendell and Valck Dodd.
This includes not only the knights and priests at the Papacy headquarters, but also the knightly orders and city lords stationed in several cities within the Fate Territory.
He still remembered the knight commander of the city of Khao, who took an innocent life with the cold tip of his sword without the slightest remorse. Such a person did not deserve to believe in fate!
"How many people are there at the current headquarters of the Church of Destiny?" Phil Gray asked.
Bishop Dominic knew that His Holiness the Pope wanted to understand the current state of the Church, so he immediately became serious. "The total population of North City is about 50,000. We have allocated 500 priests according to the normal ratio. In addition, the Holy See has about 100 senior priests, about half of whom are chosen by God. There are five district bishops, and about 400 core knights of the Knights of Destiny, all of whom are chosen by God. They have always been led by Valk Dodd. There are about 3,000 ordinary knights on the periphery, who are responsible for maintaining the daily security of North City. There are also several knight squads, each responsible for carrying out specific tasks."
Phil Gray nodded, indicating that he understood. He turned to look at the knight Ernest beside him and said, "When we were in exile, I personally appointed Ernest as the Knight Commander of the Order of Fate. Now that Valk Dodd is dead, it is time to fulfill my promise."
The Pope's gaze was peaceful and calm, filled with trust in the knight.
A flicker of excitement crossed Ernest's brown eyes. He immediately knelt on one knee, his left hand gripping the hilt of his sword, the tip touching the ground, while his right hand solemnly rested on his chest. Without hesitation, he replied, "I, Ernest, hereby swear an oath to you, the supreme leader of the Church of Fate, and to Ansel, the god of fate whom we both believe in."
The reason he didn't decline or offer any modest courtesy was because he had to stay by His Majesty's side no matter what; he had to be the Knight Commander!
Historically, the Grand Master of the Knights of Destiny would also serve as the Knight Commander responsible for the Pope's safety, which is why they were called Knight Commanders rather than Grand Masters. Later, many knight orders could be established, and there could be many Grand Masters of knight orders, but the Papacy only had one Knight Commander.
The Knight Commander is only responsible for protecting His Holiness the Pope.
"I pledge my life and honor to the Holy See, to protect the faith, defend the doctrine, and uphold justice. I will lead the Knights to confront threats with wisdom and courage, and to protect His Majesty with my life and soul."
"No matter what difficulties I encounter, I will uphold my oath until the end of my life. This is my promise, Ernest, as the Knight Commander, and may the gods of fate witness my loyalty."
His voice was loud and clear, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.
He had been waiting for this day for a very, very long time.
"Good, my loyal knight, may your sword always be sharp, may your faith never waver. The Church of Destiny and the God of Destiny will be with you."
Phil Gray helped him up himself. Although he was the Pope and the Knight Commander, he had long regarded Ernest as his friend.
"Me? Cousin!" Patrick shouted happily, only to be slapped on the head by his father.
"Don't be so insolent in front of the Pope!" Uncle Gray glared at him.
“You are now a prominent figure, and I would love to continue to appoint you as a cardinal despite the rules of the Vatican. But you don’t want to be bound to the Vatican for the time being, do you? Besides, the things that a cardinal has to deal with are too complicated. You are still too young and I’m afraid you can’t handle it.”
Phil Gray knew exactly what his cousin was thinking. This guy definitely wanted to be a "high-ranking official," but being a "high-ranking official" naturally comes with a price to pay. He was still too young; he should enjoy his freedom for a while first.
“But doesn’t North City still have five districts? Among the bishops of those five districts, there must be someone who colluded with Wendell back then. If you find him, he can become the bishop of that district.” Phil Gray smiled and looked at Patrick.
“Okay!” Patrick nodded happily. It was a pity that Edith had to settle things at sea first and couldn’t come with him. Otherwise, she would have been able to see herself wearing a silver crown and becoming the district bishop.
Eli couldn't help but laugh when he saw his silly expression.
Patrick rolled his eyes at him, but still thinking of his companion, and asked, "Cousin? Where is he?"
Just as Eli was still somewhat moved, Patrick continued, "I think you're missing a coachman or a gardener, aren't you? This guy is a chosen one of the gods of life; he must be very talented in animal taming and planting, right?"
"Who was it that said they wanted my cousin to appoint me as a bishop?"
Eli grinned dangerously; he felt that if it weren't for the presence of the fool's father, he would have definitely made a move!
Phil Gray watched them bicker, a slight smile playing on his lips, as if he were back in that little tavern in Durr City.
“Although Eli is not one of our chosen ones, he has indeed helped me a lot. It’s not impossible for him to become a bishop. After the reorganization is complete, we’ll see which positions are vacant and then make arrangements.”
Upon hearing this, Eli looked smugly at the red-feathered rooster.
“Uncle, the position of cardinal is currently vacant, and Bishop Dominic alone may not be able to handle it all. Could you temporarily take on the role?”
“It is my honor to share His Majesty’s burdens.” Given the Papacy’s current situation, he naturally had to support his nephew.
“Alright, the two bishops will take care of dealing with the other corrupt elements within the Church of Fate. The Knight Commander, Eli, and I will go to Kao City tomorrow. We still have one last step to take in our revenge.”
Phil Gray's voice was somewhat cold.
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