"Cough... cough cough cough..."
A soft cough echoed in the dimly lit hall.
It was late at night, and His Majesty Adam was still awake.
The passage of seventy or eighty years has finally taken its toll on this once-arrogant pope; his temples are now gray, his face is lined with wrinkles, and he looks old and frail.
"Your Majesty, it is late. Please return to the palace to rest!" A middle-aged man who looked to be in his forties or fifties was waiting beside him. Seeing Adam's posture, he immediately spoke up with concern.
"It's alright." His Majesty Adam reached out and gently stopped the man's outstretched hand that was trying to help him up, then took a deep breath.
People do indeed have to accept getting old. His Majesty Adam, who was once full of vigor, is now like an old man, physically weak and spiritually depleted, with the vicissitudes of many years clearly visible to the naked eye.
Indeed, His Majesty Adam has aged considerably.
Upon first seeing the divine corpse, he was filled with fear and trembling. He then made a grand vow to suppress the surrounding nations, which had been struggling for two hundred years. However, fate is unpredictable. Just as he was fulfilling his ambitions, a New-Type Vampire suddenly appeared, completely disrupting his plans for the Southern Continent over the next two hundred years. This led to his downfall, forcing him to retreat and leaving behind only the opportunity to delay the recovery of the nations.
In order to eradicate the Vampire of the Papal State and consolidate the rule of the Church, he had no choice but to close the country off on the eve of his success and launch a " Demon-Hunting Campaign " that could be described as a dark half-century, in order to completely wipe out the Vampire of the Papal State and prevent the Papal State from being overthrown.
However, his actions in war, his subsequent Demon-Hunting Campaign, and even the Werewolf invasion of the Holy Lord City all earned him the infamous reputation of being incompetent and cruel.
The people of the Papal State considered him a brutal and ruthless tyrant.
The major bishops of the Church believed that he had no political achievements whatsoever, and instead had brought the once glorious Papal State to its current pitiful state, deeming him utterly incompetent and tyrannical, a scourge to the country and its people.
No one, no social class, understands Pope Adam today. Over the years, countless doubts and denials have weighed on Adam, leaving him misunderstood and utterly alone...
However, the Church leadership's actions made him realize that they did not have a suitable candidate for the next pope.
Left with no other choice, he could only start with those around him, selecting those who were not yet fully formed to train, so that they could have a higher vision and status, ensuring the safety of the divine corpse.
" Edward, have you been studying Church scriptures lately?" His Majesty Adam put down the documents in his hand, then looked at the man serving beside him with a scrutinizing gaze.
This is his confidant, but also one of His Holiness Adam's chosen candidates for the next pope, and is currently undergoing training.
Of course, they were unaware that they were the next pope chosen by His Holiness Adam.
Edward gave him this holy name after his Baptism; his secular name was Karl.
"I study it every day without the slightest slackening, Your Majesty!" Edward immediately bowed respectfully in response to His Majesty's question.
"Very good!" A hint of satisfaction appeared on Adam's face, but he immediately asked, "Then do you feel that what is written in these Church is true or false?"
"It is true, Your Majesty, it must be true!"
"Very good!" His Adam was even more satisfied. He had answered this question before, so he knew what Edward's answer meant.
"So, as you think, do you think what I've done all these years has been right or wrong? Don't be afraid. According to your opinion, I won't blame you for your words and actions." A rare hint of kindness appeared in Adam's eyes.
Edward had been by his side since childhood, and seventy years had passed since then. For His Majesty Adam, who had no children and no wife, Edward was more like a child he had carefully raised.
Of course, Edward wasn't the only one selected; several others were chosen, but Adam would ultimately choose only one to become the new pope.
Listening to Adam's words, Edward hesitated slightly, not because he was afraid of saying the wrong thing and being killed by Adam — Adam always kept his word—but because he was thinking about how to say it.
After a moment's hesitation, Edward finally spoke, "I think you did the right thing, Your Majesty. It's just that I don't quite understand it."
Your actions seem to be intentionally depleting my Papal State and the allied nations. Although I do not know your specific thoughts, I feel that your actions are too kind and your methods are too orthodox, as if you are concerned about the holiness of my Church.
My... I was once taught by a beggar in Lino City that it doesn't matter if a cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice, it's a good cat.
Your attempt to wear down both nations through war is far too slow and unstable. It would be better to temporarily shield God's holiness and directly send Holy Judgment Order to behead all nations, wiping out all their administrators. Instead, lure their armies into surrendering without killing them, and then massacre them when they are no longer capable of fighting. Once their armies are wiped out, the remaining serfs can be slaughtered at will, and there will be no more crisis to speak of!
As for the internal affairs of our Papal State, we can strictly control the Church and allow Vampire to develop in the city. When their numbers become more and more numerous, we can start painting murals of God, carving images of God on the armor of Holy Knight and Church knights, and sprinkling holy water on their silver swords in the name of cleansing evil to wipe out Vampire. In this way, we can both wipe out Vampire and effectively reduce the population of our Papal State!
"I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness; my thoughts are biased and my ideas are stubborn, truly unfit for refined discourse."
Edward held his breath and became increasingly humble, but the desire in his eyes was so intense that it revealed a wildness, though he kept his head down and could not be detected by His Majesty Adam.
"Hahahaha..." Unrestrained laughter echoed in the hall. His Majesty Adam laughed heartily, his eyes filled with surprise.
"Very well, Edward, your answer did not disappoint me! Alright, you may leave now. Pack your belongings and prepare to assume the position of Archbishop of Rod."
Archbishop Rod was an acquaintance. Before the Werewolf invasion of the Holy Lord City, he had managed to return to the Holy See with mutated Werewolf to meet Adam. One of Adam's confidants, who had narrowly escaped the attack, was also the culprit who burned Norton at the stake.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Edward's face lit up with surprise, and he knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly to His Majesty Adam before leaving the hall with a look of delight.
The gentle breeze that followed Edward opening the door caused the candlelight on the table to flicker slightly, casting an even more uncertain glow on His Majesty Adam's already somber face.
The hall remained silent for a long time before a weak sigh finally rang out once more.
"Ruthless and cunning. But unfortunately, he doesn't know how to avoid showing his strength, his vision is short-sighted and pathetic, and he acts without any scruples... Without experience, he is ultimately unfit for great responsibilities! The position of archbishop is the end of his reign..."
The main hall fell silent once more.
The crescent moon shone like a hook, its light illuminating Edward's path.
As he stepped out of the hall, the surprise and smile on his face vanished completely.
"The old man has trained several successors and is using all sorts of methods to assess them. Those who don't meet his standards are all released from the center of power. I think he's getting senile!"
Not satisfied with my answer? Then I'll make you passively satisfied! Whether it's the papacy or the Holy Judgment Order, I want it all!