Chapter Seventy-One: The Knights of the Silver Hand

However, the Paladin Hall would never grant all its treasures and knowledge at once to those deemed worthy. It would first bestow some basic skills; only after the paladins adapted to the power of the Holy Light would other abilities be passed down to them gradually, in accordance with their growing strength. In simple terms, the Paladin Hall served as a training ground for paladins, but how far each paladin ultimately progressed depended on their own efforts.

In the end, only nine out of the eighteen candidates succeeded; the other nine failed for various reasons. Watching the expressions of delight and excitement on the faces of the successful ones, Link spoke in a deep voice, “Before the Father God, you must not become arrogant. You are merely newly initiated paladins, far from meeting the standards of the Father God. Should you break the code, the Father God will reclaim the power granted to you.”

The nine successful candidates quickly composed themselves, responding loudly and assuring that they would uphold the Eight Virtues of the Paladin and the doctrines of the Father God’s Church, vowing never to disappoint the High Priest or the Father God.

Link nodded in satisfaction and turned his gaze to the nine unsuccessful candidates, whose faces were pale and dejected. He said, “Do not be disheartened. Though you did not pass the trial, reaching this point proves you possess a heart of light. Continue to strive, discipline yourselves, and contemplate the Eight Virtues of the Paladin. Perhaps next time, you will pass the assessment.”

Hearing this, the nine felt their spirits lift and responded with renewed determination.

Link uttered an encouraging sound and said no more. He was not merely comforting them; though these individuals had failed due to insufficient adaptation to the Holy Light, their character was exemplary. With further exposure to the Holy Light and purification by its power, they would eventually receive the inheritance.

Link then looked at the nine new paladins. Among them were two women, both former members of the Celestial Spirit Church, while of the remaining seven, six were long-standing members of the Father God’s Church, and one was a recent recruit—Uther Mark.

Uther Mark’s success as a paladin surprised Link. This burly man had once been a bandit and, at over thirty, was less talented and promising than the others. Yet, unexpectedly, he succeeded, and among the nine, his affinity with the Holy Light was the highest. After his transformation, he possessed the strength of a second-tier peak, making him the strongest of the new paladins.

“Come to think of it, there was a hero paladin named Uther in World of Warcraft,” Link mused, his mischievous side surfacing. With a devout expression, he proclaimed, “Before the Father God, as the first generation of paladins, you will become the model and vanguard for all who follow. Thus, I shall have you establish the first Paladin Legion, to be named—the Order of the Silver Hand!”

The nine paladins were thrilled at the prospect of forming their own legion, while the nine who had not passed looked on with envy.

Led by Uther, the nine paladins immediately knelt on one knee and performed the knightly salute to Link. “Rest assured, High Priest. For the glory of the Father God and the brilliance of our Church, we will embody the Eight Virtues of the Paladin and never tarnish the sacred name of the Order of the Silver Hand!”

Link nodded with satisfaction. “Excellent. Maintain this spirit. Moreover, since a legion is to be founded, it must have a commander—Uther, from this moment, you are the commander of the Order of the Silver Hand.”

Uther was taken aback, unable to comprehend why Link had chosen him, a ‘newcomer,’ to lead. The others, though puzzled, could not help but gaze at Uther with admiration.

Noticing Uther’s stunned expression, Link feigned displeasure. “Uther, do you object to my decision?”

Uther snapped back to attention, responding with anxious reverence, “No, High Priest, I do not object. I simply do not understand why you chose me as commander. By seniority and strength, I am far behind…”

“This is the will of the Father God. The commander of the first Paladin Legion must be you.” Link, of course, would not admit it was his own whim, instead invoking divine will as the ultimate authority.

Hearing this, all doubts and dissatisfaction vanished. Who could question the will of the divine? Uther immediately straightened, expressing his devout resolve to fulfill his duties as commander and never disappoint the Father God. The determination and brilliance in his eyes greatly pleased Link.

While there was a touch of mischief in Link’s choice, Uther’s abilities and character truly made him suitable. He had led a band of bandits without harming anyone, demonstrating both management and leadership skills. His righteous nature and highest affinity with the Holy Light, coupled with his newfound zeal, made him the ideal candidate.

Afterward, Link appointed a man and a woman as deputy commanders, balancing newcomers and veterans, though among paladins such considerations were hardly necessary.

With the leadership chosen, Link detailed the size and selection criteria for the Order of the Silver Hand, setting the membership limit at three hundred. The number was modest, but if all were paladins, their combat strength would be formidable. Too large a force for a religious military unit might arouse suspicion from other factions and even official authorities; the Bass family might offer support, but they were not the true rulers of the Star Kingdom.

Moreover, more members meant greater expenses—food, pay, equipment, and so on. Even arming three hundred could strain the Church of the Father God, though currently, with only nine members and a modest congregation, there was no immediate financial concern.

At this thought, Link decided it was time to develop some industries. Relying solely on donations from the faithful was not sustainable; a church should at least be self-sufficient in basic needs.

Link then led the paladins and the unsuccessful candidates out of the hall, introduced the nine who had become paladins one by one, and announced the founding of the Order of the Silver Hand. He painted a grand vision for those who had failed, giving them a long-term goal to strive toward.

After the announcement, the congregation dispersed to their respective tasks. Link entrusted the Paladin Hall to the nine new paladins and summoned all church leaders for a meeting to carefully plan the future of the Church of the Father God.

Though Link had long since borrowed the developmental models of successful earthly churches to draft a series of plans, he was neither arrogant nor stubborn. He did not assume what worked on Earth would work in the world of Sola. Gathering wisdom and seeking excellence was always better than rigid self-reliance. Previously, the lack of vision among the leadership was a limitation; now, with the addition of the Three Elders of Celestial Spirit, he intended to make full use of their expertise.

The Three Elders had now become Cardinal Priests, as the Church of the Father God had no elder positions. Link appointed each as a Cardinal Priest, second only to himself, fitting their status and reassuring former Celestial Spirit members that he would not disregard newcomers due to lack of seniority.

At the meeting, Link had Jack present the former development plans of the Celestial Spirit Church to the three cardinals. The three were astonished at the breadth and detail of Link’s plans, but also pointed out some issues and added new ideas, resulting in a thorough revision and improvement. In particular, they suggested, alongside orphanages and schools, establishing shelters for elderly and homeless people. Among these groups were wise individuals and retired soldiers who could serve as teachers; even those incapable would be recipients of great charity, enhancing the church’s reputation.

Link was very pleased. The trope of exceptional individuals among the elderly and homeless was common in novels; while reality differed, who could say such opportunities would not arise? Should he come across one or two such hidden talents, it would be a boon. Moreover, these acts of charity fit perfectly with the church’s path, and Link would not refuse.

Thus, the church’s finances now had a new, moderate expenditure.

The group then discussed other matters, resolving and improving many issues, though some had to be deferred due to a shortage of qualified personnel.

For example, developing industries, producing medicines, and food supply. The first two needed no explanation. The food issue arose because, as the church grew, mouths multiplied, but cooks were scarce. Few new members from the Celestial Spirit Church could cook; most who could had taken their settlement money and pursued their own lives, leading to a severe shortage of chefs.

While communal meals could suffice, Link did not want his followers to live too frugally. If even basic meals could not be guaranteed, how could other benefits be assured? In this, Link followed the example of major companies on Earth; though faith made such measures unnecessary, some things were not about need, but about willingness.

After much discussion, they decided to openly recruit talent. With the church’s current reputation and benefits, it would be hard for unaffiliated talent within a hundred miles to resist.

To show their eagerness for capable people, Link emulated the great Cao from the Three Kingdoms and established a Talent Recruitment Hall, assigning the newly appointed priest Lingmu to oversee it, whose status was more than sufficient.

While recruiting talents, the church also prepared to send personnel to other town chapels. With the influx of Celestial Spirit members, there was now enough low-level management to consolidate the ten chapels granted by the War God Church. However, since the Celestial Spirit members had just joined, they needed time to adapt; faith alone did not mean they were fully devoted to the Church of the Father God.

Link had no intention of rushing these matters. He now had ample time to slowly develop the church, and taking a few months to handle these affairs would not trouble him.