I am the Pope in the Western Fantasy World

After thanking Bishop Eugene of Dark Night who testified for them, Phil Gray and the other two were led by their servants to Mr. Dwyer's door.

Eli walked up and knocked gently on the door.

After a while, the door creaked open. Mr. Dwyer looked a little surprised, and then asked coldly, "I wonder what brings you here, Your Highness?"

"Mr. Dwyer, we have something to ask you." Phil Gray said with a smile.

"Are you here to ask me about the theory of believer selection?" Dwyer laughed at himself. "I'm afraid there is nothing I can answer for Your Highness the Saint."

After saying this, he acted as if he was seeing the guest off.

His lean and thin body, like a dead tree, was full of strength. He was clearly a scholar who acquired knowledge from books, but at this moment he was like a warrior resisting the whole world.

Phil Gray looked at Dwyer with a hostile look and sighed in his heart. Just because he mentioned this famous theory in front of everyone, the old man who was friendly and gave him books at the beginning became like this?

But don’t scholars generally enjoy having their theories known? Don’t they all want their ideas to be widely disseminated? Don’t they all hope that their research results can be recognized by the world?

Although the truth he advocated was defined as heresy by many sects, isn't it precisely because of this that a rare confidant is even more valuable?

Thinking of this, Phil Gray felt that Mr. Dwyer might have misunderstood something, and explained sincerely: "I know that you have been questioned and misunderstood a lot because of your theory of believer selection, and many people have laughed at you for it, but I absolutely want to ask you for advice. To be honest, I agree with your theory, and I had the idea of ​​discussing it with you as early as when I was in the Western Continent. I didn't mean to embarrass you by bringing it up in front of the representatives of various religions today. I was just too excited to see you and lost my manners. I'm really sorry. Please give us a chance to ask for advice. By the way, this book needs to be returned to its original owner."

As he spoke, Phil Gray took out the "Divine Anecdotes" he had obtained from the impostor from the holy stone, "This was found from a guy who pretended to be you in the Western Continent."

After listening to Phil Gray's explanation, Dwyer's expression eased a little. He took the book and gently stroked the cover with his hand. The surprise of getting it back overwhelmed his previous dissatisfaction, and he said "Thank you."

"Whether you believe it or not, the reason we believe in your theory so much is that something is happening to us that happens to verify your theory," Phil Gray said after thinking for a while.

Dwyer nodded and turned to walk towards the sofa in the middle of the room. "Your Highness, please take a seat."

Phil Gray and Eli sat down opposite Dwyer, while Ernest closed the door gently and stood guard at the door.

"What exactly do you want to ask?"

"Generally speaking, the theory of divine selection holds that gods choose suitable people to become their favored ones and spread their faith. The choice is made at the moment of birth. Those who are destined to serve gods will sooner or later become favored ones of gods. People who believe in the same god for generations are more likely to be chosen by this god. This is why church families that have been passed down for hundreds of generations have been formed.

But you think that it is the choice of believers that determines which god they are favored by. If they cannot become the favored god of this god, they can choose to believe in another god. There will eventually be a god that is suitable for me and accepts me as a favored god, right? Do you think it is possible to go a step further and have people who have become believers of a certain god choose to believe in another god and become its favored god as well? "Phil Gray asked.

Dwyer raised his head. "Your understanding is correct. In fact, the theory of believer selection does not simply emphasize the choice of believers. It should be said that it is a two-way choice between gods and believers. It was not me who first proposed this, but a priest of our Light of Wisdom hundreds of years ago. This book "Divine Anecdotes" was also written by him. It is the only work of his that was not burned, but there are only a few copies left. It is currently listed as a banned book by various religions."

Phil Gray nodded. He had indeed heard the ghost Mr. Frank mention that the priest was his good friend when he was alive.

"Have you read this book? His theories and ideas were considered unacceptable by all religious sects at the time. He placed God on an equal footing with humans, attempting to dethrone God. He even viewed the believers' pure faith as a transaction of interests with God, which caused a huge uproar at the time."

Dwyer sighed, "So all the sects unanimously wanted him, the Light of Wisdom did not tolerate him, he was burned to death, and even the Kingdom of God would not accept him despite the prayers of many believers."

"Although I admire him very much, I only agree with part of his ideas, which is that believers can freely choose their own beliefs and not be burdened by their respective families. When believing in a certain god is fruitless, they can choose another god to believe in."

Phil Gray hummed, and after all he agreed with this pragmatic tendency.

Dwyer continued, "Even though it's just this point, this theory still seems like a sharp arrow I'm throwing at God and poison to believers in other sects. Many sects are afraid of me, and I've almost died because of it. Many people in the Light of Wisdom also think that my faith is not pious enough. I came to Dawn this time with the idea of ​​hiding away."

Phil Gray said with some guilt: "I'm sorry."

He really shouldn't have brought up the theory of believer choice in front of so many denominational representatives, and perhaps he had inadvertently put Mr. Dwyer in danger.

"It doesn't matter. But what you just said, that after becoming a favorite of a certain god, one can believe in other gods and become a favorite of other gods, I have indeed never thought about it. Although it is the believers who make the choice, the decision-making power is still in the hands of the gods. In theory, if one is already a favorite of a certain god, why would other gods choose him? Isn't that a provocation to the previous god?" Dwyer asked.

Phil Gray smiled bitterly and said, "But this kind of thing really happened. My friend was the Son of the Dead Church, but..." He did not tell his own situation, because that was much more complicated than a simple conversion of faith. He just recounted Eli's experience in detail.

Eli added from the side, and the two of them echoed each other, causing Dwyer's eyes to gradually widen.

The Son of the Church of the Dead believes in the God of Life?

After becoming a favored one of life, he turned back into a favored one of death?

This... Dwyer frowned. Although his many years as a scholar had allowed him to search for many cases of people changing their faith and becoming Favored Ones to prove his theory, that was all based on the premise that they had not become Favored Ones before. As for the conversion of a Favored One of one god to a Favored One of another, he had never heard of such a bizarre thing.

His sharp eyes kept scanning Eli up and down, with a hint of fanaticism. His gaze was like an x-ray, penetrating through the flesh and bones and reaching the soul.

Eli coughed uncomfortably, his green eyes revealing helplessness, "Do you have any ideas? If you ask who I believe in, I think I still believe in the God of Life more."

Mr. Dwyer finally withdrew his gaze and said, "Try to mobilize your divine power."

"Okay." Eli nodded and concentrated his divine power on his palm. A small skeleton crawled out from his palm and hugged his fingers crookedly.

Dwyer murmured something and closed his eyes. A soft light yellow emerged from above his head, and runes in the style of ancient characters continuously surrounded Eli until a human-shaped halo was formed.

Phil Gray watched quietly from the side, even breathing lightly.

After a moment, Mr. Dwyer retracted his light yellow divine power, then opened his wise eyes and asked, "Mr. Eli, you said you had a sister when you were born. Are you twins?"

"Yes," Eli's green eyes dimmed a little, "It's a pity that she left me like that."

Mr. Dwyer smiled and shook his head. "No, I'm afraid she never left you."