It does explain why it always felt like there was much more to Ferdinand than just being a random noble and the head priest. It also explains why Ferdinand and the high priest had such a strained relationship; the high priest always considered Ferdinand an unwanted bastard, whose existent lowered his own value in the lord's eyes. Without Ferdinand, maybe Sylvester would have spend more time with his poor uncle, must be what the high priest was thinking. It didn't help Ferdinand was obviously much more intelligent than the high priest.