Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters-Chapter 895 - 14 Divine Arts
Chapter 895: Chapter 14 Divine Arts Chapter 895: Chapter 14 Divine Arts Firewood crackled in the stove, the bright yellow flames flickering unpredictably.
“If you are implying that ‘all Divine Arts originate from the Church’s Divine Arts,’ it’s a bit too arrogant.” Winters put down his cup. “But that does sound like the usual style of the Church.”
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Saul placed the peeled beetroots on the stove, stirred up the fire a bit more vigorously, and added some more wood: “No, quite the opposite.”
“Oh? Why?”
Saul, with his back turned to Winters, didn’t answer directly: “You have seen Heretic Divine Arts, haven’t you? From your attitude, I should say… you have personally encountered Heretic Divine Arts.”
Winters was not a devout believer and did not shy away from the fact that he was saved by Hurd the Shaman: “Yes.”
“You have also encountered Church Divine Arts.”
...
“Isn’t Father Kaman one of your priests?” Winters said without thinking: “I’ve seen him heal the wounded.”
Hearing Winters’ words, Saul shook his head: “What do you think is the difference between the two?”
Winters weighed his words: “Different paths, similar destinations.”
“In other words, you also think they are similar, right?”
“Within what I know, a part of them are indeed similar.” Winters answered cautiously. “But I don’t know much.”
Saul paused for a moment, calmly using the third person: “For the priests, even ‘similarity’ is already a grave offense.”
“Heretics also eat bread with their mouths, wield a knife and fork with their hands, and have limbs and facial features.” Winters frowned slightly: “Isn’t such blatant copying even more offensive?”
The door was pushed open, and Father Kaman stormed into the kitchen: “Saracens do not eat bread! Nor do they use cutlery! Saint Philip considers them ‘the fourth nation,’ so it’s completely understandable that Saracens look like us!”
“Why are you back again?” Winters asked helplessly.
“Ignoring a breach of confidentiality is also a violation of my oath,” Kaman replied stiffly.
“Rest assured, Father Kaman, I have not broken my oath,” Saul slowly sat back on the stool and sighed: “I’m just talking about some past events to someone who wants to listen.”
“May I listen in?” Kaman immediately asked.
“Of course, of course.”
The kitchen in the officer’s quarters was very cramped, with only two stools, one for the old man, one for Winters. Kaman, reluctant to leave in a huff and unable to bring himself to sit on the table or stove, had no choice but to stand.
Winters noticed there was another stool in the woodpile, but he planned to wait a bit before telling Kaman: “I suppose I’ve rounded back to the origin of Saracens for you. What about further east? Brother Reed has two arms and two legs, doesn’t he? And he is from the Far East.”
“The Far East also has a rich, powerful nation that worships the Church, and their ruler is named Priest King John,” Kaman suddenly became serious: “Thus, they are also descendants of Adam and Eve, naturally looking like us.”
Winters’ expression turned a bit delicate, and with pity, he looked at Kaman: “You… weren’t you deceived by that old man Reed, were you?”
Since Saul the elder was present, Kaman couldn’t erupt in anger and explained seriously: “Priest King John is the descendant of the three wise men from the east, blessed by the Lord with immortality and eternal youth, [he is stronger and richer than anyone else in the world. His roof and inner walls are built with gold, and so are the weapons of his army]. In the year 237 of the Empire, the pope at that time received a letter from Priest King John, and many popes have sent people to find Priest King John…”
The more Winters listened, the more outrageous it seemed, and he turned his head to ask Saul the elder: “Do you believe that?”
Saul the elder seemed to smile, non-commitally.
Silence being the deepest contempt, Kaman felt slightly aggrieved: “Everything I have said is clearly recorded in the archives of the highest cathedral.”
Winters didn’t want to continue the topic, but couldn’t help but retort: “Is everything written on parchment true?”
Feeling aggrieved and defiant, Kaman gradually became cold and stern: “Your current thoughts are no different from those advocated by the Heretic Oath.”
Winters was silent for a long while, and then softly reminded Kaman: “You forgot? I am not one of your lambs.”
Kaman’s momentum immediately dissipated.
“If the transcripts are wrong, then the papal decrees might be wrong. If the papal decrees are wrong, then the Gospels might also be wrong,” Saul the elder slowly spoke while peeling the beetroot: “The more authoritative it is, the less it should be questioned. No matter when, people’s willingness to defend their own beliefs is always strong. Because it’s not only about denying the doctrine, it’s also about denying the significance of the clerics’ existence.”
“Denial isn’t such a bad thing, people still live all the same,” Winters decided not to tell Kaman about the other stool: “Someone once told me ‘existence precedes essence, reality always comes before the concept.'”
Saul the elder stopped his work: “Material first, consciousness later, has the Enlightenment spread to Paratu already?”
“I’m Venetian.” Winters said, somewhat embarrassed.
Saul seemed to smile again and continued peeling beetroot: “Actually, looking at Father Kaman, you should also understand why the clerics do not think—or do not want to think—that Heretic Divine Arts originated from [the first schism].”
Winters did not fully understand, waiting for Saul to continue.
