The air in the dungeon is freezing cold.
The torch cast a scarce light on the damp stone wall.
Arlan monk's face lost the previous enthusiasm.
What replaced it was a deep disappointment, like looking at flaws in a nearly perfect work of art.
"I thought you were different from them, Lord Suleiman."
His voice echoed in the empty cell, with a hint of exhaustion.
"I thought you would take on this burden without hesitation, just like everyone imagined, a devout believer in Seven."
He looked at Suleiman, shook his head, and taunted the corner of his mouth.
"So, you are also seeking personal gain for yourself in the name of Seven?"
He didn't wait for Suleiman's answer and smiled to himself.
"But it doesn't matter."
Arlan monk's eyes became sharp again, and the scorching flame ignited again.
"The deeds do not matter the heart, Mr. Suleiman."
"No matter what you are thinking in your heart, your actions have put you on this path."
"We will help you become a saint of Seven, praised by millions of believers."
Suleiman listened quietly without any expression on his face.
He responded calmly, "I am not a saint, a monk."
"I have no intention of becoming a saint either."
Arlan monk's smile widened, it was a kind of confidence that sees everything.
"You will."
"When you die, the Church canonizes you, your ancestors and your adoptive father."
"You and your ancestors and adoptive father will be worshiped by thousands of believers in every Seven church."
"You asked the church what it wants, and I'll tell you now, my lord."
"Now, listen to what the church wants, listen to what Seven wants."
His voice became solemn, like an oracle reading from Great Sept of Baelor.
"One, the church is the only church established by Seven himself."
"Two, High Septon elected by the church will also become a universal leader."
"Three, only the church has the right to depose or restore the status of a lord."
"Fourth, even if the messenger of the church has a lower position, his status is higher than that of all secular lords, and he can directly depose the lord."
"5. The church can depose an incompetent lord."
"6. Any believer who is excommunicated from the church shall not be allowed to live with him or her."
"Seven, only the church can formulate new laws according to changing circumstances."
The monk's voice became louder and louder, and every word sounded like a sacred chant.
"Eight, all monarchs must kiss High Septon's feet to show their submission."
"9. When praying in church, you can only mention the name Seven."
"10. The church has the right to depose the king."
"11. When necessary, the church can transfer the lord's fiefdom at will."
"12. No document may be considered law without the sanction of the Church."
"13. The judgment of the church cannot be overturned by others. Only the church can revoke its own judgment."
"Fourteen, monks are not subject to any mortal judgment."
"15. No one may curse or obstruct civilians who complain to the church."
"Sixteen, Westeros's important cases must be handed over to High Septon for decision."
"Seventeen, the church has never made a mistake and will never make a mistake. <The Seven-Pointed Star> testifies to this."
"Eighteen, those who disobey Faith of the Seven are not worthy to be called Seven believers."
"Nineteen, the church has the right to dissolve the oath of allegiance of its subjects to the tyrant."
"Twenty, the canonization of knights must be approved by the church."
The monk's words seemed to have not stopped and kept flowing.
In the dark dungeon, only his fanatical and firm voice remained.
Suleiman looked at him with cold eyes.
He suddenly spoke, interrupting the monk's sermon.
"Are you making a wish to me? Friar."
Suleiman's voice was very soft, but it made the monk's words stop abruptly.
"Do I look like Father?"
There was dead silence in the dungeon, with only the crackling sound of burning torches.
Brother Arlan frowned tightly, Suleiman's offensive words to Father made him feel extremely unhappy.
Suleiman took a step forward and stared at him through the iron bars.
"You have made so many wishes."
"What can the church give me?"
Arlan monk took a deep breath and suppressed the anger in his heart.
He understood that people had misunderstood. The man in front of him was no different from most of the lords of Westeros. Preaching was useless, only benefits could move him.
"Riverlands."
Arlan monk's voice returned to calmness, but the power contained in it was even more astonishing.
"Riverlands will become the direct fiefdom of the church, and House Lychester will forever rule Riverlands."
"And, you and your descendants will receive two new titles."
He paused and uttered the two words he had never heard of before word by word.
"Guardian of the Faith throughout the realm, and Commander-in-Chief of the Sword of the Church."
Brother Arlan looked into Suleiman's eyes and explained in detail the actual power behind these two titles.
"As the guardian of the faith, Riverlands can be exempted from all taxes paid to the church."
"These taxes will be used directly by House Lychester to arm Seven's army."
"You will have the power to levy a tax throughout the entire Seven faith, and you will have the right to use the tax directly to maintain this army."
"If someone is accused of blasphemy, House Lychester must lead the Seven Kingdoms coalition to wage jihad against him."
"In Riverlands, for all cases involving faith and morality, the final jurisdiction belongs to House Lychester, and the church will never interfere."
Arlan monk's eyes flashed with light, he knew what these conditions meant.
"Your army only takes orders from the church and House Lychester leaders, and does not need to respond to any call from Iron Throne."
"On the contrary, you have the right to call for jihad."
"When you think that the Seven faith is threatened, whether it is the Drowned God believers of Iron Islands, the Old Gods faith of the North, or the heretics in the hinterland of the kingdom, you can call on all the devout lords of Seven Kingdoms to send troops together."
"You also have the right to appoint bishops and abbots of all important monasteries and churches in Riverlands."
The voice of monk Arlan was full of temptation, and he painted an unprecedented power map for Suleiman.
But he changed the subject and his voice became serious.
"Of course, power also implies obligations."
"You must defend your faith."
"You are Seven's strongest shield and the sharpest sword."
"Any attack on the church, whether it is an armed robbery of a church or the killing of monks, is a direct provocation to you, and you must respond with the strongest possible force."
"You must ensure that the pilgrimage to Oldtown is completely safe."
"When lords in different regions conflict with the church, House Lychester needs to mediate and arbitrate as the guardian of the faith."
The gaze of monk Arlan became meaningful. He stared at Suleiman and said the last and most critical point.
"When the interests of the church conflict with those of the kingdom, Lord Suleiman."
"For example, High Septon demands that a certain king be deposed, or the king demands that the church be suppressed."
"You all have to side with the church."
The dungeon fell silent again.
The light of the torch cast a deep shadow on Suleiman's face, making his expression unclear.
He just stood quietly, as if digesting the information.
"Brother, all your words are illusions about the future and are meaningless in this war."
"I see no hope of victory."
"I will never raise an army."
He turned and left.
The monk's face instantly twisted, and he rushed to the railing, grabbing the cold iron bars with both hands.
"Suleiman-sama!"
His voice was hoarse and crazy, echoing in the long and narrow corridor.
"You don't have time!"
"Every minute! Every second! Will bring you one step closer to death!"