Naval Council 1

Paul Greiman and the others rode back to the Church, the townspeople along the way bowing to them. After the declaration at the public trial, the residents of Franklin Harbor finally had some heartfelt respect for their lord.

The streets were bustling. Without the presence of pirates, merchants no longer needed to hide at home. They set up stalls on both sides of the road, loudly hawking their wares. Children frolicked and played everywhere, men hurried about their business, and women gathered in small groups, either discussing family matters or carefully selecting goods at the various stalls. The entire town presented a thriving scene.

Paul looked at all of this and suddenly said, "We need to recruit sailors for the future navy!"

Bryce, upon hearing this, said with difficulty, "There are quite a few people familiar with the water, but those proficient in naval combat are few and far between."

"Time waits for no one, everyone. There are still many pirates on the sea, constantly threatening the Alarda Territory. Small groups of pirates are easy to deal with, but what if a large pirate fleet comes? Even if they can't beat us on land, what if they come ashore, grab what they can, and leave? I can't possibly station a soldier every few meters along the coast. So, we must take the initiative and clear out all the pirates, big and small, in Northwest Bay. Only then can I sleep soundly."

Bryce said, "The Earl is right."

"And then there's Edward the Great Pirate. Although I don't know what he's up to, he might return any day. We must prepare in advance. We killed his henchmen, and he will definitely retaliate. I can't afford to lose Franklin Harbor and run away again, or I'd be slapping my own face after what I said at the public trial, wouldn't I?"

Cecil said, "The Earl is very far-sighted!"

Paul looked troubled. "Although I know you're all telling the truth, please refrain from saying things that could be mistaken for flattery in public. It makes me very embarrassed. Please offer more constructive suggestions."

Everyone was speechless.

"Ahem!" Bryce cleared his throat awkwardly and said, "Earl, I can recommend a naval officer for you. I wonder if you'd be willing to hear about it?"

"Oh? Tell me about it."

"Lieutenant Austin Kelly of the 6th Company, 2nd Battalion, comes from a family of ship merchants. He has been making a living at sea with his elders since childhood and is accustomed to rough seas. I think he's a very suitable candidate for the navy."

Paul stroked his chin and thought for a moment. "Well, have him come see me when we get back. In this situation, we have to push the ducks onto the shelves. Are there any others?"

Bryce scratched the back of his head. "Uh... he's the only one I can think of for now."

As they spoke, they approached the entrance of the Church, where they saw a crowd gathered. On the steps stood Father Morrison, gesturing wildly and speaking loudly.

Everyone listened carefully, and the priest's voice carried over.

"After praying, I slowly opened my eyes, and standing before me was a ferocious-looking man, one of Shark's subordinates. Because I refused to submit to him, he sent an executioner to end me."

"Just when I thought I was going to heaven to serve the almighty Lord, suddenly there was a loud bang."

"I looked closely and saw a large hole in the villain's chest. He struggled, twisted, and ended his depraved and sinful life with endless fear in his eyes."

The townspeople surrounding him were silent, listening quietly as Morrison described the scene.

"I looked up and saw a figure at the door. The figure was not tall, but it was incredibly reassuring. A ray of golden sunlight shone on him, so holy, so radiant. I thought to myself, is this an angel sent by the almighty Lord to save me?"

"Ah, all-knowing, all-powerful Lord of Light, you have not abandoned your most devout servant after all."

Morrison's narration was vivid and moving, and the listeners were enthralled.

"Yes, this angel is Paul Greiman. Paul Greiman is the angel sent by the Lord of Light to save me, the angel sent by the Lord of Light to save you, and the angel who will save all living beings in the world."

"He holds the Thunder Staff bestowed upon him by the Lord, and with just one strike, he can put the devil's followers to death. He shares the power given to him by the Lord with the warriors who follow him, and with a spirit of fearlessness, he drove out the pirates entrenched in Franklin Harbor."

"A majestic voice rang in my mind, 'Follow him, assist him.' I knew this was the sacred decree given to me by the Lord of Light."

"Wow!" The listeners exclaimed in surprise. The common people of this era were still very superstitious.

Morrison made the sign of the cross on his chest and closed his eyes in prayer with a pious expression. "Praise the almighty Lord!"

The listeners followed, saying, "Praise the almighty Lord!"

Morrison: "We will always follow your teachings."

Listeners: "We will always follow your teachings."

Morrison: "Praise the great Paul Greiman."

Listeners: "Praise the great Paul Greiman."

Morrison: "We will always follow in his footsteps."

Listeners: "We will always follow in his footsteps."

Bryce said with emotion, "It's a pity this Father didn't become a theatrical actor."

Cecil said with disdain, "All he knows is flattery, a sycophant." He completely forgot that he had also been flattering the Earl just now.

This guy is still quite perceptive. He can grasp the spirit of his superiors so quickly. No wonder he was able to survive safely in a pirate den until now.

To be honest, Paul felt a little awkward seeing the scene at the church entrance; it was enough to give anyone goosebumps. But he was quite satisfied with Morrison, because the common people of this era just ate that kind of thing up.

"Alright, let's go in from the back and not disturb Mr. Morrison's performance." He chuckled and led everyone towards the back door of the Church.

In the afternoon, a nervous Captain Austin arrived at the Earl's temporary office.

He snapped to attention with a "smack," straightened his body, and gave a salute. "Reporting, 6th Company Commander of the 2nd Battalion, Austin Kelly, reporting to you!"

Paul looked Austin up and down, then pointed to the chair in front of the desk. "Sit down and talk, Captain."

"Yes, Earl."

After Captain Austin sat down, Paul asked, "Captain, do you know why I called you here?"

Captain Austin blinked. "Uh... are you going to promote me?"

Damn! This guy really wasn't holding back at all. Why couldn't he follow the usual routine? He was truly defeated.

He had no choice but to say, "You actually guessed right, Captain Austin Kelly. I called you here to promote you."

"Huh? No way?"

Captain Austin looked incredulous. He actually guessed right?