Looking at the red baby dragon with fluttering dragon wings in the sky of the palace, Deirdre said worriedly: "When did this happen?"
Todd looked helpless: "Aurora told me that she could complete the transformation three months ago."
"But she never told me!"
"She just doesn't want you to worry."
Deirdre bit her thumbnail and looked anxiously: "There are guards and city walls in the palace. This is the safest place. But now that she can fly, how can I protect her?!"
Todd took one last look at the red baby dragon flying happily in the sky. As he turned around and walked towards the hall, he said to Deirdre: "Parents cannot protect their children forever. Sooner or later, she must learn to take care of herself."
Deirdre looked at Todd's leaving back, her fingers tightly crossed, and the back of her hands looked bloodless due to excessive exertion.
Walking into the corridor of the palace, Todd saw Evie walking towards him from a distance.
"There is a guest from the Papal States, and he wants to see you."
Todd was stunned by Evie's words.
"guest?"
"A Cardinal of the Church of Our Father."
When Todd saw Cardinal Yarbrough in the Kingdom Council, his first impression reminded him of a former friend.
Yarbrough is over sixty years old, with gray hair and a face full of grooves, but he has a tall and straight figure, a loud voice, and a lot of witty words.
Terrence, who was standing next to him, was obviously the same age as Yarbrough, but he looked older.
"The Holy King is here."
Terrence saw Todd's appearance, and with the help of Elijah, he tremblingly tried to stand up from his seat.
Todd waved his hand, indicating that the old man didn't need to be polite.
Terrence supported the armrests with both arms, stood up and bowed, then sat down and said: "Your Majesty, this is the Yarborough I often mentioned to you. The reason why those students and I were able to escape from Taipei was
Most of the credit for Luodu City belongs to him."
Todd stared into Yarbrough's eyes and asked, "Tristan is yours...?"
"Tristan is my student."
Mentioning this name, Yarbrough's voice sounded a little hoarse.
Todd sighed, sat on the throne, looked at Terrence and asked, "If I remember correctly, you and Terrence were both members of the Jade Alliance?"
Terrence nodded and said while recalling: "Me, Yarborough, Theodore and Eliade, the four of us..."
Yarbrough smiled and said: "Do you remember the laboratory built under the San Sidro Monastery?"
Terrence nodded.
"After we left there, the laboratory was entrusted to a monk for temporary management. Later, after many twists and turns, the owner of the laboratory finally..."
Yarbrough turned his attention to Todd, who naturally understood who he was talking about.
Todd smiled at Yarbrough and said, "It is undeniable that that laboratory helped me a lot."
Yarbrough bowed slightly: "It doesn't matter whether it's a tool or a material. Only in the hands of the most suitable people can it play its greatest role."
Todd touched his chin and looked at the calm cardinal.
Since the other party saw me, neither his expression nor his tone showed any eagerness, let alone any humility.
When we talk, it's like old friends we haven't seen for a long time, chatting with each other about daily life.
Todd sat up straight and asked Yarbrough calmly: "I want to know, are you coming to see me this time for personal or business reasons?"
When Terrence heard Todd's words, he turned to Yarbrough and coughed lightly without any trace.
Yarbrough turned back to look at his old friend and said apologetically: "I am very grateful that you can accompany me, but the topic that I will talk to the Holy King next may put you in a dilemma."
"Terrence, go back."
Terrence looked at the cardinal robe that Yarborough was wearing, thought about it again and again, and finally sighed heavily.
He stood up, bowed to Todd, and after receiving the Holy King's permission, Terrence left the palace with heavy steps.
Waiting for Terrence's figure to disappear from sight, Todd lowered his head and said to Yarbrough: "If you are here to be a lobbyist for the Church of Heavenly Father, then you can leave now."
Yarbrough shook his head: "The church is out of control."
Todd was a little surprised that the other party would say this, and asked: "Out of control?"
"The Pope has been dead for many years, and no one has succeeded to the throne. The bishops and cardinals have long been torn apart due to internal disputes. The radical faction in the church has completely controlled the military power of the church. They are conducting a religious purge in the city. Whether it is
Princes, nobles, or common people, as long as you are not a believer in the Church of Heavenly Father, all that awaits you are prisons and instruments of torture."
Yarbrough shook his head sadly: "Two royal members of the secular kingdom of the Papal State were arrested by the church last week on charges of being close to Protestants and violating the will of God."
Todd frowned and said nothing.
"Five cardinals from the radical faction of the church, headed by Bishop Jacob, formed the "Water Society" and began to suppress all opposition voices in the country. Within the capital, all entertainment activities and political propaganda were banned, and every
Citizens must go to church to hear the voice of God.”
"The Cleansing Society issues an order to all church believers, advocating people to report and expose, and secretly report those remarks and writings that are unfavorable to Heavenly Father's Church. It may be just a complaint after dinner, or it may be just a short poem written casually a few years ago.
, may be identified as religious reactionaries by the church, and then arrested or even persecuted.”
Yarbrough closed his eyes and said helplessly: "Wives reported on their husbands, students betrayed their teachers, and sons reported on their fathers. The entire capital has been under the terror control of the church and has turned into a city of only crying and betrayal."
Todd pondered for a moment and said to Yarbrough: "Why did you come to me?"
"I hope you, the Holy King, can put an end to this chaos."
"End the chaos? How?"
Yarbrough took a deep breath and said in a deep voice: "On behalf of the royal family of Tyro Capital and those church people who yearn for peace, I implore you to correct this tragedy caused by religion."
After saying these words, Yarbrough reached into his arms, took out a document with a gold seal from his pocket, and presented it to Todd with both hands: "With the help of the royal family and other bishops, I tried every means to escape.
That city is here to bring this thing to you.”
Evie took the document from Yarbrough, checked it over and over again, and handed it to Todd after making sure there was nothing unusual.
The latter opened it and took a look, and found this paragraph clearly written on the document.
"In the name of Christ the Lord, we, by our testimony, choose under the rule of God those who I think should be chosen. The Church of the Father and the Protestant Church are united, and the Church legally elects Todd Fisher as Supreme
Bishop, this appointment has been approved by an overwhelming number of votes, and those who participated in the voting have clearly expressed their opinions without any reservations."
At the end of the document, there is a long list of names signed.
They include not only bishops of all levels in the church, but also kings and nobles of the secular kingdoms of the Papal State.
Todd solemnly put away the document, handed it to Evie, and said to the latter: "Bring this to Emerson, he knows what to do."
Watching Evie leave the hall, Todd turned his attention to Yarbrough: "I don't understand at all. Why do you think everything will be better than it is now, rather than worse, when you elect me as the pope?
?”
Yarborough turned his head and looked towards the square outside the hall door: "On the first day I arrived in Duxi City, I visited the pilgrim stone."