It turns out that I was Called by the Lord's Grace.
Samuer muttered to himself:
"The Cardinal's plan actually..."
He looked up at the old man on night watch:
"Leave this to me. You go back and continue guarding it. Keep an eye out for any other Soul Tree that died in the same way. If there are, wait for me here."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
A few minutes later, Samuer knocked on Luxiusi's door.
As usual, the cardinal, who was already one of the three highest-ranking members of the Tree Worship Church, did not sleep, but instead sat in meditation in a small room with a statue of the World Tree.
Samuer, carrying several Soul Tree on a withered branch behind him, pushed open the door and entered. Luxiusi already knew why he had come.
"Sir, it is ' Called by the Lord's Grace,' your arrangements have been effective."
" Aduolin Province?"
"Yes."
" White Wax Town?"
" Blue Gum Town."
"I understand. I estimate it will happen within the next few days."
Luxiusi was not surprised by this; rather, his attendant looked rather strange.
"My lord, I'm sorry I questioned your decision before..."
"It's alright, that's because you don't know Nuolun."
"You mean the Grand Knight Commander who was sent?"
Samuer asked thoughtfully in return.
As a cardinal's attendant, he was almost Luxiusi's most trusted confidant, the cardinal who was his former mentor and who kept almost nothing from him.
Therefore, Samuer naturally knew that a group of Pure Ones Holy Crusaders Knight Order had been dispatched to the northern Aduolin Province to carry out a special mission some time ago.
However, the specifics of Grand Knight Commander Nuolun's situation and the Cardinal's reasons for sending troops were not fully understood.
Samuer was unaware that Luxiusi's military campaign was due to two letters he had received from Duolin and Antiya Lisi, one of which he had personally delivered to Luxiusi.
As for the other two cardinals, they were theoretically aware of the matter, but neither of them took any action to stop it.
Samuer could probably guess what the two were thinking.
The entire Tree Worship Church Theocracy is like a chessboard in front of the three cardinals. After one person makes a move, the others should respond by making their own moves, rather than forcing him to take back his move.
It's likely that the two cardinals have already taken some covert actions, but given their status, it's impossible for them to find out the details.
Upon hearing Samuer's question, Luxiusi nodded and said:
"Yes, her character and talent are one in a million. Once she falls into depravity and becomes Stained Ones, she may replace Sailesi in a decade or so and become the most terrifying enemy of the Pure Ones."
Luxiusi, expressionless, brought up another cardinal, saying something clearly unpleasant, Samuer, unsure of what to say, could only listen quietly.
He was merely a servant, and although many treated him with utmost respect, this was essentially a gesture of deference to Cardinal Luxiusi rather than a sign of respect for him.
Therefore, he knew he had no right to interrupt regarding these mutual evaluations among cardinals.
After Luxiusi finished speaking, the attendant asked:
"So you sent her there actually as a form of protection?"
"It's also a form of training. That's why I had you clean up her Fallen One and replaced them with some reliable newcomers."
Samuer's expression was somewhat puzzled:
"You really trust that Duolin? He just graduated less than..."
I don't believe him.
Luxiusi shook his head, looking at Samuer with a complicated expression:
"It's just an attempt to test my intuition."
"I see."
The attendant nodded thoughtfully, without raising any questions.
After all, for a powerful figure like a cardinal, intuition is no longer just a simple thought or guess, but rather a subconscious summary of faint information.
"Should we continue sending the Knights, mainly composed of Pure Ones, out to other regions? If we send too many out, the situation in the Holy City might become Imbalance..."
Luxiusi thought for a moment and said:
"Perhaps... Samuer, would you like to go out and see?"
The young attendant lowered his head:
"I am your personal attendant."
That's what I want.
A smile spread across Luxiusi's face:
"Maybe an opportunity will come in some time, and I'll let you go then."
"So, what about the work here...?"
"Taking a rest won't kill me, and I'm not so old that I can't move."
Luxiusi spoke gently and tactfully, indicating that the position of his personal attendant would be reserved for the other party.
Samuer looked at the old man with gratitude, and after a while said:
Is there anything else you want to say?
Luxiusi shook his head, Samuer turned to leave but was called back:
"My esteemed attendant."
The cardinal suddenly addressed the young man before him by his official title.
"Your subordinate is here."
Samuer turned around very politely to await instructions.
"I have never asked you before: do you believe the Tree God to be 'good' or 'evil'? Or something else entirely?"
The question of whether Tree God are good or evil has a long history in Tree Worship Church, especially in seminaries, where it is a topic of debate that every student faces.
People won't be divided because of differing answers to this question, because each direction of discussion has its own supporting evidence.
Moreover, in this world with extraordinary powers, many so-called "mythical stories" are not fabricated; on the contrary, they can serve as valid arguments to launch a powerful attack at crucial moments.
Samuer hadn't expected this question. He lowered his head, gathered his thoughts, and said:
The Holy Scripture say, "Creation is the greatest good."
Luxiusi was not surprised by his answer, but shook his head and said:
"The demons are also creations of the Tree God, and at the same time, they are humanity's greatest enemy. The number of humans killed by the demons is countless. So how should we view this evil?"
Samuer answered frankly:
"This should also be considered the Tree God's 'evil'."
Luxiusi nodded and said:
"So you supported the view that 'there is both good and evil' when you were in seminary."
Samuer nodded, Luxiusi didn't ask any further questions, but said thoughtfully:
"I understand, go ahead and get busy."
The official returned to his workstation and, under the illumination of the fluorescent plants, continued to organize some past documents.
Suddenly, the chest area of his robe stirred, and a small bird, entirely brass with brightly colored feathers, darted out from his collar, nimbly hopped onto the table, and began pecking at non-existent food on the surface.
" Icarus."
The official called softly, and the little bird looked at him, tilting its head slightly to indicate that it was listening.
Do you think the Tree God is good or evil?
The little bird hopped twice on the spot, making clear, mechanical sounds:
"Good."
"Why?"
Because He gave me life.
"What if the Tree God wants to take back your life? Is it good or evil?"
The little bird tilted its head and pecked at the non-existent food twice more.
"I have no idea."
"That's great, you can say so much at once now."
The young man reached out and ruffled the bird's head before continuing to read the text in front of him.