Before leaving the church, a Ecclesiarchy monk approached Lynn and bowed respectfully:
"Your Excellency, Archbishop Goodwin has invited you to his administrative hall, saying he has important matters to discuss with you."
Lynn instinctively wanted to refuse his invitation.
He felt uneasy at the thought of Goodwin's pure white eyes, which seemed to see right through him.
Nobody likes the feeling of running around naked, especially in front of a grumpy old man.
He pondered for a moment, then turned to look at Carter beside him.
" Carter, do you think I should go?"
Carter was somewhat surprised.
He hadn't expected Lynn to ask for his opinion.
But he displayed the composure expected of a chief Archon, replying in a low voice:
"I have to go."
" The Ecclesiarchy carries far more weight in Brevis than you realize."
"Archbishop Goodwin is a truly wise and capable man."
Lynn looked into Carter's eyes.
In those eyes, there was no flattery or calculation, only an almost stubborn "loyalty".
Lynn nodded and turned to the Ecclesiarchy monk.
"Alright, please lead the way, cultivator."
He followed the monk toward the administrative hall deep inside the church.
Carter watched Lynn's retreating figure and fell into a brief moment of contemplation.
This newly arrived governor actually took the initiative to seek his opinion.
Instead of ignoring himself like other governors, only setting aside his pride when faced with dire straits.
Seek advice from yourself, beg for help.
Will he bring about new changes for Brevis?
Carter didn't know, but he chose to believe it.
Because Brevis has been silent for too long.
It needs change; it needs someone to inject new blood into it.
Archbishop Goodwin's administrative offices are located on the middle level of the main tower of the cathedral.
The room was small and simply decorated, a stark contrast to the ornate exterior of the church.
There was only a desk, a few chairs, a bookshelf full of books, and a portrait of Emperor hanging on the wall.
When Lynn entered, Goodwin was sitting behind his desk, holding a silver goblet filled with a pale red, sweet liquid.
He tilted his head back and drank the wine in his glass in one gulp.
Then he let out a satisfied sigh.
"Ah~~~~~~"
Lynn was speechless. He hadn't expected that the archbishop, who had just been solemn and holy during Mass and possessed pure white eyes, would be like this.
He's actually a heavy drinker in private?
His appearance is the result of consuming less than two kilograms a day.
Goodwin smiled when he saw Lynn.
It wasn't the solemn, benevolent smile of a standard Priest, but rather a smile tinged with slyness and a hint of smugness.
Come, come, sit down.
He pointed to the chair opposite him.
Lynn sat down, cautiously observing Goodwin.
Goodwin poured himself another glass of wine, took a small sip, and smacked his lips.
"The reason I called you here is actually nothing special."
He put down his wine glass and looked at Lynn with his pure white eyes.
But this time, the gaze no longer carried that oppressive feeling of "seeing through everything," but instead appeared very peaceful.
"But since you're new here, there must be many things you don't know about Brevis."
"What those people outside tell you is mostly the truth, but not all of it."
Lynn listened silently.
But you must trust your own judgment.
Goodwin paused, then said meaningfully:
"Don't worry about your real identity."
"You are the true chosen one recognized by the God-Emperor."
" The Ecclesiarchy has always been very lenient towards the selection of the God-Emperor."
Lynn felt extremely uncomfortable after hearing these words.
Don't need to care about your real identity?
tolerant?
It feels like these words are subtly directed at him.
Does this old man know something?
He looked into the other person's eyes, and that feeling of being able to see right through him returned.
Lynn's back began to sweat.
He hated the feeling, as if his privacy was being forcibly exposed to the public eye, and he was powerless to do anything about it.
Just as he was about to get restless and was preparing to make an excuse to slip away...
Goodwin suddenly burst out laughing.
That smile was like that of a child who had successfully pulled off a prank.
Hahaha, were you scared?
He pointed at Lynn and laughed so hard he almost fell over.
"You little rascal, weren't you pretty arrogant on stage just now?"
Holding the scepter high, bathed in divine grace, he displayed an air of 'I am ordained by Heaven.'
"Didn't you feel great when I bowed down to you?"
"Why are you chickening out now?"
Lynn: "..."
The veins on his forehead bulged, but he still maintained a forced smile.
We mustn't let that old man find any dirt on us.
Goodwin finished laughing and wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes.
"Alright, I'll stop teasing you."
He waved his hand, his expression returning to calm.
"Go, child."
"Go do what you're supposed to do."
"Remember,"
He performed a Aquila Salute.
" The Emperor is with us."
Lynn quickly stood up and returned the salute with a Aquila Salute.
Then, he fled Goodwin's room as if he were escaping.
It wasn't until she walked out of the administration building and closed the door that Lynn finally let out a long sigh of relief.
That old man is terrifying!
He wiped the sweat from his forehead.
The other party has definitely discovered something; that was just a warning.
But at the same time, he also had a feeling in his heart.
Archbishop Goodwin may not be an enemy.
His last few words are worth pondering carefully.
The vehicle that took them back to the Governor's Mansion was a luxurious heavy armored vehicle.
The car has a spacious interior, luxurious decor, and excellent sound insulation.
Lynn, Gus, " Isolde ", Doudou, Butcher and others rode in the same car.
The car started and drove away from the church square.
Silence fell over the car.
Gus tried to speak several times, but didn't know what to say.
Everything that happened today had a huge impact on him.
Lynn glanced at Gus and suddenly spoke:
" Gus."
"Yes!" Gus quickly sat up straight.
How's the task I assigned you going?
"Not bad, it's easy to gather information on Lord Carter."
He thought for a moment, then organized his thoughts:
"Lord Carter is quite famous in Brevis."
Nicknamed "Iron Heart" Carter.
"Because he is upright, hard-hearted, and stubborn."
Gus began to recount what he had gathered about Carter:
Carter came from a commoner background in Midtown and joined the PDF in his youth, starting as a low-ranking soldier.
He was brave in battle and disciplined, and was quickly promoted.
Later, he gained the appreciation of the then governor and was transferred to work in the governor's office.
The governor recognized Carter's loyalty and ability, and promoted him all the way up until he became Chief Archon.
Unfortunately, the governor later passed away.
But Carter was not affected by this.
He secured his position in Brevis's complex power game through his own abilities and his "loyalty only to the governor" stance.
All governors, whether incompetent or capable, have chosen to retain Carter.
Because Carter never takes sides and never participates in the struggles between the Noble Council, the Industrial Alliance, or other forces.
He was only loyal to the position of "Governor" itself.
He pledges his allegiance to whoever sits in that position.
Moreover, his rule was extremely strict.
His PDF troops were among the few PDFs under Brevis that had not been infiltrated by the Noble Council.
Soldiers only wear PDF rank insignia and are not allowed to wear insignia of any other faction.
Therefore, Carter was also known as " the Governor's Loyal Hound ".
They are a force that the Noble Council and other powers both fear and cannot win over.
After listening to Gus's story, Lynn seemed to be deep in thought.
Are they only loyal to their "position" and not to the "person"?
This sounds ideal, but in real politics, it is often difficult to achieve.
But Carter did it.
Moreover, judging from his behavior in the church today, he seems to be genuinely expressing his loyalty to Lynn.
Lynn needs reliable allies.
Carter might be a good choice.