CHAPTER 318: 0316 REPRESENTS A PERSON OF DIVINE AUTHORITY WHO IS A NON-BELIEVER

Are the rulers in ignorant regions and countries as ignorant as the people?

Definitely not. Ignorance, backwardness, and isolation are actually means by which rulers govern the people. It’s like the past aristocracy blocking access to knowledge. Incompetent rulers do not want the people they govern to have the ability to think independently.

They hope everyone is foolish and stupid, and simply acts according to their requirements each day without thinking too much, because the more people think, the less stable their rule becomes.

For example, when people start to wonder "Why is it me?", the rulers begin to panic.

Because following the question "Why is it me?" is "Why isn’t it you?" and "How to change?".

So, even in the most ignorant regions, the rulers are not ignorant, just like the High Priest standing before Lynch.

He has many children, several of whom are non-believers, for instance, the youngest ones.

They were born in an era that the High Priest considers very good, with advancements in communication, transportation, and society. These children went abroad to study, encountering some of the world’s most cutting-edge technology and culture. They are no longer within the scope of ignorance and are starting to scrutinize the society they were born into.

Knowing that sending a child abroad may introduce potentially destabilizing factors to society, why does the High Priest still send his children out and even plan to send the last one?

Because he is not an ignorant person, or rather, not as imagined. He knows the people may be ignorant, but rulers cannot be.

If a fervent believer genuinely becomes the High Priest, it won’t bring religious prosperity but destruction. He hopes one of his children, a non-believer able to successfully blend among believers, can become the High Priest and take over his rule.

In fact, the High Priest himself can be considered a non-believer, and precisely because he holds this significant position, he understands how can there be gods in this world?

Even if they exist, those gods have long been at rest or have left. Despite countless prayers and rituals over the decades, not even a slight response from the divine.

Initially, he was terrified. When he first became the High Priest, he was very uneasy and alarmed. He approached his father, the previous High Priest, to discuss these matters.

His fear and uneasiness came from the lack of response from the gods. He thought that the gods despised him, did not like him, and hence did not respond to his prayers.

How can a person whom even the gods despise be qualified to become a competent High Priest?

Until his father, the former High Priest and an undisputed religious leader within the Province, personally told him that there were no gods in this world!

At that moment, faith collapsed, but he endured it. He became like his father, became like the High Priest as perceived by everyone.

Mysterious, kind, yet maintaining distance from the people, often listening to the teachings from the gods.

But this is not a solution. With the expansion of interactions with the international community, more and more foreigners have come to Nagariel, which cannot be resisted.

No matter how closed this country is, it cannot stop the fervor of "Gold Diggers". Everyone knew from the beginning that they would come.

And these people will bring something terrifying, like ideas, which might awaken those deceived by political and divine authority.

Their guesses were correct, so they expelled some merchants who brought dangerous ideas, leaving those willing to exploit society alongside them.

But this absolutely cannot last long. Whether it takes years, decades, or even longer, all of this will eventually be broken, and what will the angry people do then?

They will tear apart everything that once loomed over them and establish a new order. As noble and invincible as today’s priests and aristocratic families seem, they will be equally miserable when the true "Great Cataclysm" arrives.

So when Lynch casually mentioned that there were even followers of a religion advocating eating horse manure as a cure in the Federation, the High Priest was intrigued.

This is a retreat route, and it’s so... wonderful, yes, wonderful!

The Federation is wealthy, but its people are also stupid or, one might say, ignorant. This is not much different from the locals. He does not expect his faith to rival the Federation’s biggest religion, but as long as ten thousand people believe in his god,

and each of these ten thousand people donate one dollar a month, that’s ten thousand Federation Sols, around over one million Nagariels, which is enough for his family to live a decent life.

Even if everything here is lost, their future life is carefree.

Thinking of this, the High Priest already had some ideas. He originally planned to send his youngest and most beloved son to Gafura, currently the best-positioned country with high status and great development potential.

But now the High Priest’s thoughts have changed. Maybe the Federation is the most suitable place.

Thinking of this, his mind was made up. By the time he came to his senses, he didn’t know how much time had passed.

"Just now, the gods were calling me..." He explained his absentmindedness with a reason very fitting of his status, "What were we talking about earlier?"

"The Federation and those ignorant religions!" Lynch gave a slight hint.

"Yes, the Federation and religion." The High Priest nodded noncommittally and quickly changed the subject, "I heard that you are going back these days, will you come again?"

Many people knew that Lynch was going back to the Federation. Naturally, the High Priest knew, but he wasn’t sure if Lynch would return.

Frankly, this time, the Provincial Governor and others posed a problem for Lynch. Originally, the High Priest didn’t care and just wanted to watch the drama unfold, but now he felt these people were really not using their brains, always considering immediate profits without seeing the long term.

He was worried, worried that if Lynch was targeted by these people, he might not return, and that wouldn’t be good.

Soon, Lynch’s response set his mind at ease, "Why not? I like it here, and I will come back. This time, I’m just transporting some things back and looking for cooperative projects locally."

This answer relieved the High Priest, and in a slightly negotiating tone, he asked, "My youngest son is of school age, he is younger than you, and for young people, seeing the outside world greatly aids their growth."

"Do you think it’s okay if I send him to the Federation?"

Naturally, Lynch wouldn’t object, as this was also part of his plan, "Of course, it would be great. Although the Federation didn’t participate in this world war, didn’t showcase our military and technological prowess, I must say that we are always at the forefront of technology in the world."

"We just happened to encounter a somewhat foolish President, but we won’t continue being foolish."

"In the Federation, your child can enjoy the best education in the world, the most lenient attitude, the freest environment, things he cannot get anywhere else!"

This is not an exaggeration. In semi-feudal countries like Gafura, people cannot discuss the Imperial Family, anything related to it, nobles, or sensitive current events.

Only in the Federation can someone stand outside the President’s Mansion holding a sign that says "The President is an idiot". As long as they don’t shout loudly and disrupt the office order within the President’s Mansion, or illegally cross the yellow-marked warning line outside, no one can do anything to them.

According to the Federation’s constitution, it’s every person’s fundamental right to express and convey ideas, which is hard to achieve in some other countries.

The High Priest immediately made a decision, "He will go with you, is that okay?" Lynch shook his head, the High Priest clapped the armrest, "Then it’s settled."

At first glance, letting his favorite youngest son accompany Lynch looked like he wanted Lynch to take care of the boy on the journey or even in the Federation, but that wasn’t the case.

The tensions between Lynch and some current figures within the Province had not been resolved. Some had already hinted at causing him trouble, and rumors even said that as long as Lynch doesn’t align with a faction, he won’t be allowed to leave Nagariel or, if he leaves, return.

It’s not easy to leave, and maybe not even possible. The High Priest didn’t know how Lynch planned to leave, but it didn’t stop him from doing Lynch a favor. If his youngest son left with Lynch, no one would dare to intercept him and his ship.

Because doing so would not only completely exacerbate the conflict with Lynch but also offend one of the major powers in Magulana Province. Offending so many people at once would make them seriously consider if it’s worth it.

Of course, the High Priest also intended for Lynch to look after his youngest son in the Federation, selling a favor to Lynch to gain something in return.

Both were well aware, and the matter was settled.

Initially, the High Priest wanted to take this opportunity to slightly remind Lynch of the value of religious belief locally, but now he let himself be led by Lynch, no longer bothered to discuss the supremacy of divine authority.

Casually asking if he was accustomed here, if anything was unfamiliar, and offering a few costless blessings from the gods, he allowed Lynch to leave.

After Lynch left, the High Priest sat in the empty room, a strange expression on his face, with a hint of laughter, sarcasm, and self-mockery.