[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-reborn-king":3,"chapter-the-reborn-king-the-reborn-king-chapter-185":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Reborn King",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1100942,1437,"Chapter 185: The Old Bishop","the-reborn-king-chapter-185",185,"\u003Cp>\"Thank you for meeting me, brothers.\" Blackwood sat with a glass of water in his hands as his fellow bishops took a seat opposite him. There were six in total and he recognised them all as being the members of the faction who called for greater church control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is nothing. And whilst we have an idea we wonder why you have called us.\" The oldest of the six spoke first, his cane between his legs as he rested his old body on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Relqisuh your place in the race for the Archbishop seat. Cased your votes for me instead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why would we eve..\" A bishop next to the old man called out but with a single raise of his hand, he silenced him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who are you working for in the holy seat?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I only work for His Holiness. That’s a stupid question.\" Blackwood didn’t drop his smile in front of the peering gaze of the old bishop. Sparks of tension flew through the air as the pressure around the old man increased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I will ask once more. Who sent you here?\" Blackwood and the old man remained staring at each other, not one backing down. Their appearances contrasted with his unseriousness and the old man’s unyielding pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I work for His Holiness and the Holy Seat of Sol. But Cardinal Francis is my teacher.\" The old man smirked hearing his playful voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But why should I pull out the runnings? You lack both the experience and your attitude is distasteful, to say the least.\" Before he could speak the old man raised his hand once more. \"And the little stunt you pulled in the Cathedral. Are you a fool? To directly antagonize the master of this land when we are so weak.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You worry too much Brother.\" Blackwood clapped his hands loudly and a cloaked figure walked in from behind. \"And this is why I ask you to follow me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you threatening me?\" The grip on his cane tightened as he looked at the cloaked figure. The old man knew who he was and what he represented in the holy land. The unseen hand of its operations. The ones who learn the secrets of their enemies and carry out the dirty work the Inquisition can’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I would never harm my brothers in faith,\" Blackwood said happily. \"But, measures have to be made to carry out the will of the Holy Seat. Measures you have not got the right to enforce.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tell me.\" The old man brushed off the cloaked figure giving his full attention back to Blackwood. \"Is this your ace? Do you honestly think this will be enough? If you do then you are more foolish than I thought.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s very rude,\" Blackwood said in a sulky voice that disgusted the old man to hear coming from a grown man. \"But I can understand why you believe that. My name is not known within the church after all. You see, the state of the Empire right now is distasteful. Let alone marrying a heathen the Emporer has been too lenient on them and we have allowed it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We lost one of our Brothers because of this and I believe it’s time to return the world to its natural order. Those bright enough amongst the followers will turn to Sol’s light but I can’t say the same for them all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A lot of empty words.\" The old man spoke again. \"Answer my question.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blackwood smiled, not buckling under the blatant threatening tone he took. \"We can’t challenge the Emporer directly, but his power if you think about it is only so much. He commands everything within his lands sure, but he is only able to due to the people and operations under him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Target the ones who allowed dear Raven’s death. We have all the pretext to do it. Also, did you know that he has a man working under him who killed members of the Inquisition?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A man who was sold into slavery because of it. Judgment was already passed to him. We can’t interfere with him anymore.\" The Old man said getting a nod from Blackwood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes. But that was in hopes he converted to the true faith. Something he never did. This is the problem with those here.\" Blackwood grabbed his forehead and sighed. \"You are all too passive. The Emporer got his power because he took action. We should follow in his footsteps. Target the military who failed to protect the Archbishop. Maybe not the General, he is too powerful to go after, but I’m sure he has many under him who would happily want that position.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The one who was a slave runs a large workforce here. Hinder him with all we have under the pretext of his past crimes. Divert attention away from us. Meanwhile, our brothers who are more than willing to preserve the status quo. Have them see the errors of their ways.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blackwood turned away from the old man to the cloaked figure behind him. \"How has the investigation gone on that front.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not well. Raven was truthful about clearing up the church. Those who remained from his tenure are those who don’t delve into worldly desires. Only a few exist where we could find material.\" Blackwood’s smile went bitter as he turned back to the Old man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You say a lot of plans that are hard to pull off.\" The old man spoke with a smugness. \"Target the military. Easier said than done. They are fervently loyal to the Emporer and the general.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Perhaps.\" Blackwood swirled the glass of water in his hand. \"But do you honestly believe they don’t hold greed in their hearts? The fact they are so loyal is better. The opportunity to get closer to the Emporer by taking the General’s place is a massive incentive.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"One which the General knows all too well. Do you know how the military apparatus works here? Because you don’t seem to. It was created so one man can’t have too much power.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blackwood nodded, waving off the old man’s words. \"I know. But I also know it’s not hereditary. One thing this place is good for is the laws are very clearly laid out about government positions. They may have created a system to not allow one man to become too powerful, but it also means competition is fierce. Something which is encouraged it seems.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The man who oversaw the city when Raven died was the second in command. The second most powerful member of the military has now been forced away. His power will dwindle and his position soon replaced. I assume that the general son will take it, which, if I am correct about human nature, will make the others who have a shot at one day taking that seat, angry.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You make a basis on human nature. Something unpredictable. And yet you wish for me to vote for you. Everything you have said is ifs and maybes. Will you waste my time more?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’He is a really tough opponent. The Elder was right about him.\"You’re right. Those plans are very reliant on my predictions coming true. So I will give you something solid.\" The old man raised his eyebrow, intrigued. Blackwood’s playful demeanor he had worn the whole time shifted to become serious, his smile falling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The offer he made to us to keep the peace. You remember.\" The old man nodded, \"It’s a weak offer we both can see that. Enough to appease us but take us away from what is important. I have done a little studying on what the educational reforms were here and while it’s mainly increasing literacy rates there is one part of it that’s strange. Ammary History and culture.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s quite expertly done to build a national identity, something I have never seen done. He is quite big on this you see. But if we are in charge of that, a few new things can be woven into it. Faithfulness, church supremacy, obedience to God. Sermons are fine to do this and it keeps the people faithful, but having it woven not just through religious teaching but as a part of their culture will see in the future a new generation of people who think their very identity is linked with Sol and the Church.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A very long game you play with that. And the Emporer could undo it if he believes it dangerous.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He could. At great risk. He has openly said that the church will be left in charge of education. It makes sense why he did. Under Raven, the man was in charge of tracking the increased rates of literature and using the church to enforce mandatory schooling.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Old man fell into thought. It was the first time he had deeply considered one of Blackwood’s plans. \"The problem is, will he care about the risk?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blackwood clicked his tongue. \"For now yes. They are too weak to go against us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But I can’t say in the future. He knows what we want and we know what he wants. It’s a fine balance we have now.\" Blackwood brushed his hand through his hair. \"We are just lucky someone like Peter ’The Holy’ was king here once. That is the main way I wish to promote obedience to the church through education.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Considering what you said about risk. We have to act quickly with the educational reforms. We can’t play the long game and he knows it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are there ways to target the leadership of the Empire?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dangerous thought.\" Despite what he said the old man lowered his head once more in thought. \"Maybe his son.\" A cruel smile spread on his lips. \"Nothing physical has to be done, but if we could show that the Emporer has tainted his blessing by marrying a heathen, we could use his son to prove it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He a cripple. Spread the word through preachers about how straying from the church will lead to their children becoming like that. Only the church has the power to save your children from a life of misery and torment. Only through the church will your children be normal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blackwood took a deep breath. \"He won’t take it easy if we go that way.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He doesn’t have to. People disappear because of those preaching then we have ammunition to show that he’s a tyrant who will suppress the truth.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blackwood went silent.’Maybe he should become Archbishop.’It was a momentary thought but he couldn’t help but be impressed. That being said he pushed the thought aside. Cardinal Francis was giving him too much support to not become it. If he failed he knew his return to the Holy Seat would mean a life of misery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’It’s awful being a pawn.’He thought himself independent but Blackwood knew that he was simply part of a game going on between those above him. Only if he became Archbishop could he hope of escaping that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man saw Blackwood going silent and stood up followed by the other bishops. \"I will take my leave. Your proposal, I reject it for now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1854,"2026-06-03T11:17:48.775Z","2026-06-03T11:17:51.400Z",1,"novelbin.me","7b518fd10d4a11573939379660ebe056c3dbc648533cb9463919853214a33311","the-reborn-king-chapter-186","the-reborn-king-chapter-184",487,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-reborn-king-cover.jpg"]