I Became A Black Merchant In Another World-Chapter 173: Peace in Front, Hate in Back (2)

It’s better that as few people as possible know about my visit to the Papal States.

No one will file a lawsuit or impeach me for visiting the Papal States. However, if people hear where I’ve been, they’ll surely start suspecting that something’s up and wonder what kind of trouble is brewing.

It’s unbelievable—everyone seems to have instincts sharper than a ghost’s.

“The Cardinal wishes to meet with you personally. Please, come in.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

In the Tuscany Empire, it’s quite difficult to even see a bishop in a cathedral where archbishops or cardinals preside.

However, at Gyeryongdae, even a soldier wouldn’t salute a colonel, and a lieutenant colonel might empty trash bins alongside soldiers as if they were equals.

In the Papal States, especially in the holy city of Shakoshi, it’s relatively easy to see a bishop.

To be precise, they are ‘bishop-level clergy,’ which is slightly different from bishops from other dioceses, but such small distinctions don’t need to be overly scrutinized.

‘After all, they wield the same level of power as bishops.’

“But before meeting with His Excellency, may I ask you something?”

“Ask anything. It is the duty of a shepherd to listen to the questions of his flock.”

You are a shepherd, but a shepherd who shears the wool off sheep and slaughters them to sell the meat. The commercial shepherds, if you will.

It’s not wrong for a shepherd to make money, but at the very least, is it not a violation of conscience to smile so piously while pretending to be holy?

Oh, the world is so barbaric and grim, I suppose I should set things right.

“Your Excellency, you must always be busy with state affairs. Why is it that a mere baron like myself is able to meet with you at this time?”

The role of the cardinal is primarily twofold.

He either oversees all clergy in a given state or works as a head of an institution within the papacy.

Due to such important roles, cardinals are treated like dukes in most countries.

Of course, their titles may reflect a duke’s standing, but in terms of actual power, they are far below.

One thing is certain: a lowly baron like me would never be able to approach such a person.

“Your Excellency said that a devout young man like yourself has come on a pilgrimage, and he thought it appropriate to meet with you at least once. Since you’ve come on pilgrimage, he has also promised to offer you a blessing prayer.”

In our Deus Church, it’s standard practice to pay for a blessing prayer.

As a result, it’s quite common for the poor to never receive a blessing from a priest throughout their lives.

‘I’ve heard that the Deus Church is in urgent need of money, and it seems they really need cash right now.’

Of course, it’s entirely normal for a devout young baron on a pilgrimage to pay a ‘large sum’ for the cardinal’s blessing prayer. That’s why the cardinal is willing to meet with me.

The cardinal welcomed me with a broad smile the moment he saw me.

“You’ve traveled all this way. At such a young age, to make the effort to come on a pilgrimage to such a distant place—what a commendable spirit you have.”

“Your Excellency is too kind. Any follower of Deus must visit Shakoshi at least once in their life, don’t you think?”

“The world has become so harsh, and there are many who lack faith. Thus, those who make the effort to fulfill such an important task are rare.”

The heirs of noble families usually travel the world at least once in their lifetime.

They travel across the entire Albanian continent, socialize with foreign nobility, cultivate their cultural knowledge, and enjoy various pleasures during the night.

Sometimes, passionate ones end up falling in love with foreign noblewomen.

So, while they originally traveled with just a young lord and his entourage, they might return with a wife, adding to the spectacle.

‘These days, though, people avoid the Papal States while traveling.’

When you visit the Papal States and make a pilgrimage, you’ll be extorted for an immense sum of money.

Between all the overcharging, the clergy’s blessings, and the tithes you’re forced to give during the pilgrimage mass held weekly in the holy city, you’re easily spending...

The equivalent of the taxes of an entire small village in one year...

‘If you guys weren’t so obsessed with money, it wouldn’t be this bad.’

“Deus said that true holiness begins with doing the obvious things every day. Now, let us bow our heads.”

The cardinal placed his hand on my head and offered the blessing prayer.

As customary, I handed the cardinal a check with the amount of my donation written on it.

Until he checked the amount, his face was full of smiles, but when he saw the amount on the check, his expression stiffened.

“... Hm.”

As I held the check, a hymn I remember from when children used to sing in church came to mind.

Was it the one where “God hates when people take out crumpled 1,000-won bills from their wallets”?

If Jesus himself had descended, he would have nailed that pastor to the cross for such acts.

Now, this cardinal is doing the same thing.

‘500 gold coins is not a small amount.’

“I would have liked to give more, but there are some deeper reasons for this.”

At the mention of “deeper reasons,” the cardinal signaled for me to explain.

“I’m sure news has reached the Papal States as well, but after I had the honor of performing a great deed for Deus in Pisa, Archbishop Urban came to me and asked for 20,000 gold coins as a thank offering for the rebuilding of the diocese.”

Upon hearing this, the cardinal frowned.

Had it been anyone else, I would have cursed about the clergy’s hypocrisy, but hearing that 20,000 gold coins were extorted from a mere baron...

‘Even such absurdity should make you feel some sympathy, right?’

“That’s too harsh. To give such a large sum and still come here to donate 500 gold coins... this is like the widow’s mite, the rarest of donations.”

The widow’s mite.

Updat𝓮d fr𝙤m ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com.

It’s a simple story of a widow who, after starving for eight days, offered her last coin at the temple. Deus, seeing that she had sacrificed all she had, declared that she had given more than anyone else.

While this story emphasizes the sincerity of serving Deus...

In our fallen Deus Church, the same story is now used to preach that even poor people should give every last bit they have.

“You’re young, and you’ve made the pilgrimage. I’m sure you’ve learned a lot. Please, feel free to speak your mind.”

Anyway, since I’ve given money, he’ll probably be willing to chat for a while, right?

Then, after about 5-10 minutes, he’ll claim to be busy and leave.

I’ll make sure to say something that grabs his interest immediately.

By the end of tonight, he’ll be eager to hear everything I have to say.

“Shakoshi is truly a beautiful place. The site where Saint Peter, the foremost apostle, was martyred, and where countless popes have laid the foundations of faith—it feels holy just to breathe the air here.”

“You’ve read the Scriptures, haven’t you? You sound like a seminary student.”

“But there’s one thing—just one thing—that I find regrettable.”

Usually, when pointing out problems, the proper way is to start with compliments.

Even in Joseon-era petitions, where the content might be questioning the king’s fitness, they would begin by praising his wisdom and the peaceful reign.

“What is it?”

“The cathedral is too old. How can a place dedicated to Deus be smaller than a mere secular ruler’s palace?”

At this, the cardinal’s mouth fell open in shock.

“I know Deus is present everywhere and that everything in this world belongs to Him. But some foolish monarchs mistakenly believe that what they enjoy is greater than Deus’s glory.”

The dream of all the high-ranking figures in the Papal States is simple:

They want to place the Deus Church above all other powers.

After all, didn’t the Pope once humiliate the Emperor at Canossa, making him kneel and beg for mercy for three days?

Why did that legendary humiliation training come about?

To obtain greater power, more wealth, and stronger pleasures.

“To crush these people, a visible symbol is necessary. A grand cathedral to show the glory of Deus as immense and magnificent.”

On Earth in the 21st century, just because a president’s office is enormous doesn’t mean that nation’s power or prestige changes.

But in pre-modern societies, the size and grandeur of a monarch’s palace were directly tied to the nation’s prestige...

So, for the Pope and his high-ranking clergy, my words must sound like a much-needed scratch on an itch.

“Exactly. That’s a very accurate observation. But to build such a cathedral, funds would be required. Do you have any ideas on how to solve that?”

Historically, this is where the notorious indulgences came into play.

But I have no intention of issuing indulgences myself.

Issuing indulgences is solely the Pope’s decision.

“I have a good idea.”