I Became A Black Merchant In Another World-Chapter 175: Peace in Front, Hate in Back (4)

After wrapping up my schedule in the holy city, I went straight to an orphanage.

It’s not like I’m here to heal or volunteer with some altruistic mission, playing the part of a good Samaritan.

I came to meet someone who could be the most important key in my plans.

“This is the opposite of the typical orphanage I know.”

No matter where you go in the Tuscany Empire, or even across the Albanian continent, orphanages are usually hellish places.

In a world without social welfare or even the concept of it, where the underprivileged are often seen as a social evil, there’s practically no budget allocated for the care of orphans.

It’s so bad that even if the orphanage director leads child abuse, sexual assault, or human trafficking, no one would bat an eye.

Their living conditions are so poor, they are barely better than a slum.

‘But here, I can smell a human presence.’

The building being used as the orphanage is run-down, but it’s clear that care has been taken to maintain it. The children’s expressions are bright.

Their nutritional status also seems relatively good.

As I briefly surveyed the area, a young child cautiously approached me.

“Excuse me, noble sir. May I ask why you’ve come to our orphanage?”

Most orphanages neglect education altogether, but it seems that here, they at least teach the children some basic manners and etiquette.

“I’d like to meet the priest here. Could you pass along a message?”

I handed the child a picture book.

The child took it and led me to where the director was.

“Ah, such a distinguished guest coming to this humble place. My apologies, let me offer you tea right away.”

“It’s fine.”

Though this orphanage is among the better ones, by orphanage standards, the children’s living conditions are still barely better than the slums of a city.

The director, a middle-aged priest, is wearing a shabby priest’s robe. Given the circumstances, there’s no way the tea would taste good here.

“My apologies for the delay in introducing myself. I am Fabio de Rothschild, Baron of the Tuscany Empire. It’s truly an honor to meet you, Father.”

No matter how foreign I am, I’m still a noble. A simple priest wouldn’t dare to challenge me.

But this priest is someone I definitely need for my future plans.

In any deal, the one in a hurry bows first.

“You’re too kind to show such respect to someone as humble as me.”

“Someone as devout and honest as Father Stefano deserves to be treated with respect. While I am just a mere merchant, I know how to show the proper respect.”

Stefano Luther—whether by coincidence or not, he shares the same surname as the good madman who led the Reformation.

During my time here, I had my informants look into him.

Most clergy have mountains of corruption once you scratch the surface.

Yet, Father Stefano was an exception. The more I dug, the more I found only positive things about him.

“I used the information guild to look into your background, and it turns out you were born as the second son of the Luther family, graduated at the top of your class from the University of Mainz, and performed excellently during your master’s and doctorate courses.”

“It was simply a matter of studying the teachings of Deus, and I was fortunate enough to receive good results.”

The University of Mainz may not be as prestigious as Shakoshi Theological Seminary in the Papal States, but in terms of theology, it is highly regarded.

It’s equivalent to a top-tier university like Yale or Cambridge.

To graduate with high honors from the master’s and doctorate programs?

Even if you were of common birth, as long as you lived by the rules, you could probably become a bishop of a small rural diocese by the time you’re in your forties.

Even though 98% of the high-ranking clergy here are from noble families, occasionally a commoner can rise to the rank of bishop.

“Now, you’re working as a priest at the Lateran Basilica. Following the usual path, by your mid-forties, you could become a bishop. But I hear you’ve rejected all the wealth and glory and, with your modest salary, dedicated yourself to caring for orphans.”

I, too, have saved many of the downtrodden during my time here.

But it wasn’t for free; it was because I saw profit in it.

Well, hypocrisy is still a virtue, I suppose.

To those people, I was a life-saving benefactor, feeding them, sheltering them, and clothing them.

But honestly, someone who helps others purely out of faith without expecting anything in return makes me uncomfortable.

‘He’s worthy of respect, but being around him makes me feel guilty.’

“Why do you do such work without expecting any reward?”

This was my personal curiosity, a test to see if I could really use him.

Father Stefano smiled faintly after hearing my question.

“If Deus were here, I believe He would do the same. To care for the weaker children and help them become independent in this world—what could be more noble than that?”

As expected, he seems like someone I could use.

A man who lives by the Bible, the faith, and Deus’s will.

Such a person could stand at the forefront of the Reformation.

If someone is willing to throw away all wealth and glory to care for orphans, who else would be a better fit?

Once the Church starts selling indulgences, he’ll be the first to write a rebuttal and put up a sign.

“Faith alone, faith alone is what I will pursue for the rest of my life. And faith is demonstrated by following Deus’s path.”

“You are different from other clergy.”

“That is the path I must walk.”

“Very well, then. I’ll make an offer. If you come to my estate, the Rothschild Barony, I will offer you a position as the parish priest. You can research and study whatever you wish while ministering at the church. If you wish to run an orphanage, I will fully support you, providing better facilities to care for many more children.”

Sola fide—faith alone. This is the fundamental theological theory behind the Reformation.

Without this completed, there can be no Reformation.

Think about it: even though we complain about the world, those who seek to overturn it without any proper cause don’t usually fare well.

What if the Reformation fails?

‘The Deus Church will only grow stronger and keep draining my wallet.’

It’s not that I can’t survive, but I’d rather die than have my money taken.

That’s why I’m planning to abduct this middle-aged man to my estate and have him finish his theology.

“You’ve made a wonderful offer, but I must decline.”

Father Stefano turned his eyes to look at the children nearby.

“I must continue to care for these children. What will happen to them if I leave?”

“Take all the children with you. I will ensure they live in a better home with better food, better clothes, and better conditions.”

I had planned to build my own orphanage anyway.

It was to solve the manpower shortage in our Rothschild Barony, to have loyal high-quality servants trained from a young age, instilling loyalty to the Rothschild name.

“Hmm... But I’m currently working at the Lateran Basilica...”

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This is the part I hadn’t wanted to bring up.

But since I need this person, what choice do I have?

“Bishop Doria, who’s in charge of the Lateran Basilica, is trying to kill you. The Vatican is just waiting for the Cardinal’s approval.”

The information related to this man was easy to gather once I got a hold of a few priests at the Lateran Basilica and bribed them with 2 gold coins.

“You do know what will happen to these children if you die here, don’t you?”

In one famous manga, there are only two professions: men are gangsters, and women are prostitutes.

Children living in the slums have no other options besides these two.

Begging is only something that’s possible in a somewhat developed society.

“Remember how Saint Paul faced death multiple times but always escaped because it wasn’t his time? If you die now, it will be for nothing.”

Father Stefano let out a deep sigh after hearing my words.

“I will follow you.”

“Good choice.”

If those trying to kill Father Stefano hear that I’m taking him, they’ll protest a lot.

But with a few words from my ally, the Cardinal, and a little gift, they’ll all be convinced.

“We’ll leave with all the children the day after tomorrow.”

And we returned to Florence.

The day after we arrived in Florence, Duke Visconti came to visit our estate.

“Our son-in-law seems to have no time to settle down.”

What could he possibly want, coming all the way here?