kingdom of nations

Chapter 38: Selection Ceremony (Part )
Before the patriarch finished speaking, the priest who had warned or reported the matter before came forward impatiently. Even though everyone was glaring at him, he was not afraid. It was not because he had superhuman courage, but because the patriarch was standing behind him and he was facing a group of sinners. Could they still dare to attack him?

Someone wanted to stop him, but before the king could signal him, the knight hesitated, and the priest strode into the gap between the crowd and grabbed the blue-eyed boy's arm - hey! He knew that in the Holy Land, both residents and pilgrims called him "Little Saint", but these tricks could not be mastered by these foolish and lowly people, so how could priests like them not understand?
He had no fear of Cesar, nor any respect for him. He just saw through the thoughts of his superior and wanted to take this opportunity to embarrass Amalric I and use it as a stepping stone to advance himself.

In an instant, thousands of thoughts flashed through Cesar's mind.

He could certainly argue, explain, and question, but what good would that do?! Regardless of whether his followers would be more willing to believe him, even Amalric I could only endure the shameless insults with a sullen face in the face of the Patriarch's fury.

Precisely because a bishop dressed in a white robe and wearing a high crown must be God's appointed agent, everything he does can be done in the name of God. Even if he does something evil, the secular court cannot judge him. This is God's power.

The priest's malicious advice put him in a dangerous situation. As long as he was dragged out - the priest was an adult, and at this time the priest was also trained with the knights, and no matter how clever he was, he was only a nine-year-old child - once he stood next to the patriarch, whether it was voluntary or not, Baldwin's guilt would be determined!
He didn't want to think about why Amalric I was silent at this moment. He didn't have much time to think. Baldwin had already eagerly turned his body to the side, trying to push the priest away. He could even see the priest's mocking expression and open mouth. Perhaps in the next moment, he would shout "Sinner!"

Cesar looked at the priest and stretched out his hand behind him. He remembered that there was a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre standing behind him, but he didn't know that Geoffrey had sneaked up to within three feet of him. Before the Knight of the Holy Sepulchre could react, he pulled out a Hungarian dagger he carried with him and stuffed it directly into Cesar's hand.

The priest only felt some resistance on his hand, but he didn't take it to heart. If the other party didn't struggle or howl, he would feel that something was missing. The despicable guy lowered his head to meet those cold green eyes, licking his lips like a lizard, and the most vicious words were already on his lips. Then he saw a ray of white light.

He was just wondering who was holding up the mirror, or maybe it was the gold foil on the icon that reflected the sunlight... when he couldn't help but fall backward. He grabbed with both hands, but only one hand managed to grab a knight's belt.

The priest fell to the ground, and then he realized something. He raised his right hand and found it was unusually light. Then he found...

His hand, his hand, gone! His hand is gone!

The priest screamed hysterically, more in fear than in pain. When he watched the lord or the king chop off the hands and feet of thieves or tax debtors, he not only had no mercy, but also commented on the miserable postures of the victims with relish, and he only regretted that there were no more shows for him to enjoy.

But when it was his turn, he didn't care about anything else. He cried and yelled, and rolled around on the ground with his arms in his hands...

Amalric I snorted with satisfaction.

Baldwin stared at Cesar with wide eyes, almost unable to believe that his little friend was so bold. Geoffrey pushed away the Knight of the Holy Sepulchre who was in the way, pressed Cesar's shoulder, and said in a very small voice: "Well done!" At the same time, he took away the shiny Hungarian dagger and put it back into the scabbard.

It is true that there were conflicts between the Knights Templar and the king, but they shared the same goal of preventing Alazarus from becoming a theocracy. The Knights Templar had a good relationship with the Roman Catholic Church because of the distance, but if there was suddenly a patriarch on top of them, they didn't believe that he would be indifferent to the Knights Templar's huge wealth.

The Patriarch was also stunned.

A priest could be so disrespectful to Cesar. As the only spokesman of God in the Holy Land, the Patriarch never took this little man seriously. No matter what this little slave did, it was not worth him to keep it in his mind.

Even if there was that grand charity, yes, he did a good deed, but so what? It only made the nobles laugh. Would a king or a lord buy a priesthood for him afterwards?

He was, is, and will continue to be a little attendant beside the prince.

But it was this little servant who chopped off the hand of the priest beside him!

Now it was the Patriarch's turn to have his face change drastically. First, his expression turned pale with disbelief, then red with rage and shame, and finally dark as a pool of water. He raised a trembling finger and shouted in an equally trembling voice, "Sinner! Sinner! Sinner who deserves to be thrown into the lake of fire and burn for ten thousand years!"

Amalric I could finally smile: "Did he do anything?"

"He killed a priest!" the patriarch roared. At this time, the priest crawled to his feet and begged him to save his hand, but he kicked him away. He then went to beg other priests, mumbling incoherently that they had received more grace from God than others and would definitely be able to restore him to his original state.

But since the patriarch said "he is dead", these priests and monks just frequently made the sign of the cross on their chests, praying for God's mercy, but did not move.

The patriarch's shouting was also heard by the people behind the team, or rather, while the priest was still struggling, the priests around the patriarch also issued the same harsh questioning.

Geoffrey thought that César would panic and start to defend himself when Amalric I did not immediately stand up to protect him, but unexpectedly, the blue-eyed boy just stood there calmly, motionless, without movement or speech.

At first, the people did fall into a brief period of anger - this is a holy place! Killing a priest, even if you buy indulgences for a thousand years, can't atone for the sin, and such a sin should not be forgiven in the first place!

They shouted and asked where the murderer was. They wanted to catch him, tear him to pieces, and wash away his sins with the blood of a sinner!
But when the patriarch's priest pointed out the murderer, they quieted down instead of becoming enraged as the patriarch had expected. The men and women looked at each other, seemingly unable to understand what the priest said, even though the priest's finger was stubbornly pointing at Cesar.

"Stop talking nonsense," a half-dressed woman said in a voice that sounded like it had been burned by a burning coal. "How could such a young child kill a priest?"

These words were like a stone dropped into a calm lake, and people immediately began to talk about it. They said, "It is indeed a child," and "We all saw how many good things he did," or "The Patriarch also said that he was a pious and good man." Others said, "Could it be that this priest has committed some sin, or is he possessed by the devil, and the little saint hit him with a stick to drive the devil out?"

This kind of thing has happened before, people were accidentally beaten to death while trying to exorcise demons...

Now, regardless of whether they saw Cesar cut off the priest's hand with their own eyes or not, everyone in the team laughed heartily. The patriarch was furious and wanted to get angry and roar, but when he looked up, he saw Prince Baldwin standing next to Cesar, holding his hands tightly, and immediately remembered the most important thing.

He spat at the groaning priest and said, "Don't think you can use some devilish tricks to intimidate us, and we will let you in." The patriarch straightened his back, which had been unknowingly hunched. "One person's blood has been shed here, and the blood of the second, third, and fourth can also be shed here. Use your sword to threaten me and see if I will surrender!"

Amalric I really wanted to try it, but unfortunately the weight of a priest and a patriarch was completely different.

"We can't stay here." Heraclius whispered, looking solemnly at the thin line of white light in the distance: "According to tradition, the person being tested should enter the church during morning prayers (five to six in the morning)." Although it is not that no one has chosen to enter the church after the morning prayers (nine in the morning), Baldwin's status is special, and the patriarch's interception and questioning are even worse. His "selection ceremony" must be impeccable.

"Besides the Holy Sepulchre..." Amalric I hesitated. Heraclius had previously discussed with him which church they should consider as a backup if something were to happen to the Holy Sepulchre (which Amalric I didn't think was possible). Churches and chapels dotted the Holy Land like stars dotting the sky, but few could compare to the Holy Sepulchre.

The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem (where Jesus was born) was three miles away from Alaska Road, and it was definitely impossible to get there in such a short time, not to mention that they could not ride horses. The procession after the mass was also part of the entire ceremony. Without it, the ceremony would hardly be recognized by people.

What about the Church of St. James and the Church of St. Anne? Unfortunately, they were not built for God and the Son of God. The former is for Jesus' disciples, and the latter is for the parents of the Virgin Mary. Perhaps you will also say that there is also a "Church of the Holy Weeping" built where Jesus shed tears, but it is still a small chapel at this time and cannot hold ceremonies at all.

Amalric I raised his eyes and glanced at the Patriarch, "Let's go to the Temple Church!"

Following the king's order, the huge procession turned around with difficulty on the narrow stairs and headed towards the Temple Mount, leaving only the patriarch with a fluctuating expression in front of the Passion Square. The priests and monks behind him were jubilant, thinking they had won. Only a few people wondered if their master had suddenly fallen ill.

—If Prince Baldwin had been “chosen” in the Temple Church, wouldn’t the Patriarch’s actions today have made him a thorn in the side of Amalric I?
And if the sinner he judged received God's blessing, wouldn't that mean that he had made a mistake? This matter could be big or small. You know, the position of Patriarch of Alaska was also coveted by many people.

------

"How dare you?" Baldwin whispered as they made their way to the Temple Mount.

"If someone wants to stab me with a knife, can I still slowly reason with him?" Cesar also answered in a low voice.

"Teacher Heraclius always said you were calm and composed, and you never took any risks when playing chess with me."

"That's different..." Cesar wanted to say something when he heard Chirac coughing slightly in front of him. The two children immediately shut their mouths and dared not say anything.

The Temple Church was not far from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. When they arrived, the sky was just getting light. Amalric I and Heraclius breathed a sigh of relief.

The Grand Master and the High Priest of the Knights Templar pushed open the heavy door of the temple. The candles and oil lamps inside had been lit, but looking in from the entrance in front of the corridor, it was still pitch black.

Baldwin closed his eyes slightly and took a few deep breaths. He turned his head and looked at Cesar: "Let's go in."

"Let's go in." Cesar was a little nervous, but he never engaged in unnecessary speculation or internal friction. Just as he always thought before taking action, he was prepared for the possibility of not being "chosen," or even being "chosen" but not "favored" but "given." In other words, the greatest crisis in this "Choice Ceremony" might not have arrived yet...

People watched the children walk into the nave, the door was closed, and then the procession circled the temple church - everyone here would be witnesses to this sacred ceremony, the priests and monks would pray all night, and the knights would recite scriptures in their hearts, hoping that God would choose a new and good ruler for the Holy Land, who must not be cowardly, cruel, or lewd, but pious and wise, able to overcome all the evils in the world, and defend and save every lamb of God.

Some people advised Amalric I not to wait here, saying that they could understand a father's concern for his children.

But based on past experience, if children are told during the "Choice Ceremony" that their loved ones are just outside the door, they will instead develop a sense of dependence and be unable to fully devote themselves to thanking and calling upon the saints, thus causing the ceremony to fail...

Even if the square in front of the Temple Church was very wide - even the most skilled Turk would have difficulty shooting an arrow from one end to the other - Amalric I would have been better off not staying here.

Amalric I accepted the advice, but he did not return to the Holy Cross Castle. Instead, he lived in a new building built by the Knights Templar on the west side of the temple. The building was very tall and the gate of the temple could be seen directly from the window. In this way, as long as his child came out, he would know immediately.

------

Knight Geoffrey saw Longinus in the stables east of the temple. This was a chess piece left there by César. "What did your young master say to you?"

The sudden question startled Longinus so much that he nearly jumped up from the pile of boxes. Only when he saw it was Geoffrey did he relax his tense expression. "So it's you."

The stables here can be traced back to the time of Solomon. The Knights Templar did not change the foundation, but built new walls and roofs on it. It is not known what the original designer was thinking, or perhaps it was restricted by the terrain. The layout of the stables is not square, but tortuous, with many blind spots that cannot be easily found.

Longinus chose one of them and climbed up the pile of cargo boxes, from where he could see the side of the temple church, while it was difficult for others to see him.

"I'm asking you."

"Something that is better not to happen," said Longinus.

"Is there anyone in this holy city whom your master trusts?" Geoffrey sighed.

"That's a lot of money," Longinus said with a gesture. "If gold could float on water, this amount of money could allow me to walk all the way from the Alaska Road back to my hometown of Brest." He added, "Brest is a peninsula town in the northwest corner of Brittany. If Brittany is an outstretched finger, this is the tip of the nail on this finger."

Geoffrey lowered his head to copy the map, then looked up again. "Do you think that will happen?"

"I hope not."

"Okay, you stay here."

"and you?"

"I'm going to take on a very urgent mission," Geoffrey said, turning away and waving his hand casually. "It's going to take me away from the Holy City."

(End of this chapter)