"So you speak Rus', then? I thought I'd have to speak Greek with you. It's been a while since I spoke Greek, and my spoken language has probably deteriorated a lot."
Although the Rus' accent of the person opposite him was a bit strange, it was still understandable. Rostislav was very happy about this; he did not want to speak other languages.
"If my Rus' was not up to par, then I would not have been appointed leader of this team, Prince Rostislav."
The man respectfully bowed to Rostislav, placing his hand on his chest. Then he looked at Adam and spoke in Bulgar. Rostislav had also learned Bulgar recently and knew that what he said was similar to what he had just spoken.
A look of surprise flashed across Adam's face, then he spoke a Bulgar greeting, and the man replied very calmly.
Although this was just a small greeting, it conveyed a very important message: the person in front of him had an understanding of Bulgar culture, and Rostislav knew how rare that was.
Rostislav was very happy to see this. It seemed that Constantinople hadn't just sent some random person; they had truly sent an expert. This was really too good.
The reason Rostislav thought this was because historically, this was often the case. Among the many people sent to spread the faith, there were certainly many who were devoted to the Lord.
But more often, they were marginal figures in the Church who had been excluded for various reasons, or even because they had made mistakes, and so they were sent away.
"My lords, my name is Tiberius. You can call me that from now on. As for my surname, my name is already very proud, so I completely abandoned it the moment I entered the Church. According to the Patriarch's instructions, I am leading this team with Prince Rostislav to participate in the conquest of Bulgar. Once a Christ Prince sits on his ancestors' throne, I will also become the Bishop of Bulgar."
Tiberius's words made Rostislav feel very comfortable. This was a true Christ, not some charlatan.
This made him very happy, very, very happy. What he needed now were such believers, not people who were just making up the numbers.
Adam was also very happy. What he lacked by his side were such figures—Christians who clearly had solid theoretical knowledge. Without such people, how could he debate with Islamic scholars and argue for the superiority of Christian?
The young people sent by Rostislav were not enough in this regard; they couldn't even debate as well as the exiles who had come to him, so how could they face greater difficulties? This was also a significant reason why those exiled Bulgars were difficult to convert.
Tiberius, who came from distant Constantinople, was also very happy. Although he was a devout man and never feared any hardship or fatigue in his Church duties, this particular matter seemed to him too much like something a distant Christ Prince would do to trick others into providing aid.
However, the Patriarch was completely immersed in how to defeat the catholic, as well as dealing with the losers generated by multiple political struggles within the Church and Constantinople. So, he was sent here, leading a large but resentful team.
This team was very bloated, as many of those traveling north were wealthy and brought a large number of servants. Tiberius could only comfort himself that at least they made the team look stronger.
Then his team crossed the sea, traversed the steppe, and crossed the great rivers, arriving in Northeast Rus. Tiberius prayed to God every day, grateful that the team had encountered no problems.
Upon reaching Northeast Rus, he indeed saw a scene of a major military expedition.
Farmers discussing the war were seen everywhere on the roads, and passersby spoke of future distant conquests. Everything indicated that the news the Rus' had brought to Constantinople was accurate; they were not up to any tricks.
This temporarily calmed his uneasy heart, assuring him that he had not come in vain.
Such a war was exactly what Tiberius longed for, as he had long realized that in the vortex of struggle in Constantinople, a person like him, without a powerful backer, could only achieve success in distant lands.
He had prepared for this for a long time. Initially, he thought he would be sent to the Rus Church, where he wanted to make a name for himself, but he was unexpectedly appointed Bishop of Bulgar.
However, regarding this Christian, after his initial happiness, a slight worry also arose in Rostislav's heart. A true Christian was naturally good, but what if this person's faith was too strong?
If it was too strong, many things would be difficult to do. Matters of faith could never be achieved solely through coercion and fanatical will; many times, compromise and cooperation were needed.
Blindly imposing, while it might suppress temporarily, would inevitably lead to a furious backlash.
So Rostislav decided to test this person. His question was somewhat risky, and it caused everyone around him to change their expressions.
"Then, Lord Tiberius, can you tell me why so many people have come north this time? You know, generally speaking, the teams dispatched by Constantinople for such matters are not so... grand in scale."
Rostislav's wording was already very subtle, but it still caused everyone's faces to change drastically. His words, if taken to an extreme, could be seen as an attack on the Church.
If this guest from Constantinople used this as an excuse to say that the Rus' were disrespectful, and then took his people back, it would be quite amusing.
However, the protagonist of the matter, Tiberius, showed no fluctuation in his expression due to these offensive words—just as Rostislav had predicted—his face still bore that gentle smile, and then he spoke:
"Prince Rostislav, I know what you are worried about. I can tell you clearly that, as a military priest, I understand what attitude should be taken in newly converted areas, especially those forced to convert by fire and sword. To save the souls of pagans, only respect and integration are needed."
Tiberius's words made Rostislav let out a huge sigh of relief. Since this future Bishop dared to say such a thing, it meant that he was well aware of certain matters and knew how to handle them.
"As for why this team is so large, Prince Rostislav, are you aware that the Macedonian bloodline has died out?"
Macedonian, this refers to the monarch who became Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire from the status of a stableman. Rostislav certainly knew this person, and he naturally knew about the extinction of the Macedonian dynasty.
Rostislav did not interrupt the man's words but continued to listen.
"After the Macedonian dynasty died out, the situation in Constantinople was very chaotic. First, the bureaucrats elected an emperor, but this emperor was quickly overthrown by the military aristocrats he despised. They became the rulers of Constantinople. They elected Komnenos as monarch, and with Komnenos's death, the rulers of Constantinople have now changed again, with the Ducas family taking power… Prince Rostislav, I think you understand what I mean."
As he said this, Tiberius smiled slyly. Rostislav vaguely seemed to see a fox, not a clergyman, smiling.
And how could the Moscow Prince not understand his meaning? It was that the political struggles in Constantinople had been very intense in recent years, and the political situation was very turbulent, and the Church of Constantinople was closely linked to this.
Political turmoil would inevitably produce a large number of losers, and the change of rulers would also bring about many personnel changes. They came from both the political arena and the Church, and their numbers were considerable.
An outlet also had to be found for these losers, after all, they couldn't just be massacred on a large scale. The empire's political tacit understanding had not yet deteriorated to that extent.
It was at this time, when the Patriarch was troubled, that a letter arrived from the Rus' in the north—a letter that could help the Patriarch solve the current population problem for the Emperor, and gain an advantage in the struggle with the catholic.
So, the Patriarch's response to this was naturally self-evident. Thus, Tiberius, a well-known figure within the Church who was interested in the frontier, was brought out, and then he was entrusted with such a large team.