I Became A Black Merchant In Another World-Chapter 402: Money can even summon ghosts (6)

In this world, things that are logically impossible often happen.

There are humans who march forward with an army, crossing mountains that have no trails and are almost impossible to climb, or generals who think their country's army is made up of herbivores, among other absurdities.

And right now, in this very room, something was happening that, according to the common sense of the Toscani Empire, was completely impossible.

"Are you Archbishop Apia?"

Archbishop Apia pointed his finger angrily at the officer and soldiers of the Toscani Empire standing before him.

"Do you truly have no sense? Do you even know where you are stepping right now? This is the temple, the body of Deous himself, the Apia Cathedral! How dare you defile this holy place with your filthy, dirt-covered feet? Aren’t you afraid of divine retribution?!"

Had the officer standing before him been just a lowly captain, that pressure might have worked.

While religion is said to be independent of secular power, a bishop at this level holds as much power and influence as a count.

However, the man standing before Archbishop Apia was no mere officer; he was a Colonel, one who was carrying out the Emperor's direct orders.

It was true that a bishop ranked higher than a colonel, but the officer in front of him was not someone who would prioritize a bishop’s words over the Emperor’s command.

"Rest assured, Your Excellency. I’ve already brushed off the dirt from my shoes. And I am simply carrying out the orders of His Majesty, the Emperor. Any further insults or accusations against me will be regarded as directed at His Majesty himself."

"What exactly did I do wrong? I was only fulfilling my duties as a bishop, nothing more."

"I am simply carrying out His Majesty’s orders. Whether there is fault or not, that will be decided by the High Court judges."

The colonel was not someone deeply devout.

Even so, if the archbishop were truly being wrongfully arrested, the colonel might have tried to delay the arrest, trying to calm the situation by persuasion, giving the bishop time to explain his case.

But he had no intention of sparing the bishop. He knew that touching Deous’s servant might bring judgment upon him.

‘The archbishop is truly despicable.’

But now, knowing the kind of man he was and the sins he had committed, the colonel felt no sympathy for him.

"I’ll now read the decree."

The archbishop made a show of his dissatisfaction, but he still gave the proper respect to the decree.

"After a thorough investigation, it has become clear that Archbishop Apia has °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° committed numerous crimes. He has used church funds to engage in usury, and when serfs could not repay their debts, he sold them into slavery, using the proceeds to send money to the Holy See. Furthermore, several whistleblowers have revealed that he ordered the murder of honest clergy members who threatened to expose his corruption. Additionally, although he took a vow of celibacy, he has maintained six mistresses and fathered seven illegitimate children with three of them."

Upon hearing this, Archbishop Apia turned pale.

The murder accusations were something he himself knew would be problematic if exposed, but the other allegations were things that other clergymen also commonly did.

"Usurers charge 50% interest, but we only charge 45%. Isn't that relatively fair?" freёnovelkiss.com

Wasn’t this more righteous than many others?

And while having mistresses was a bit of a blemish, wasn't it common for most clergymen to have 'regular' visitors to brothels near the cathedral?

It wasn’t unusual for a priest to live with a woman (usually disguised as a nun or a church staff member) once his clerical position was secure.

Even the most lowly priests would often disguise their lovers as ‘nuns,’ father children, and live well. Shouldn't that be overlooked too?

‘The Emperor really plans to kill us all.’

"Furthermore, clergymen are selling indulgences to the poor and foolish peasants, impoverishing them. While I have been tirelessly working to make them even a little more full and warmly clothed, how is it that Archbishop Apia, who claims to be their shepherd, is leading the charge in exploiting and tormenting the people? Can you truly call yourself a descendant of the apostles who devoted their lives—and ultimately their lives themselves—to serve Deous?"

"...No, that's..."

"Deous himself drove out those who turned the temple into a marketplace, using a whip made of cords, and overturned their tables. I too must do the same."

The Archbishop's face went dark.

Had he known it would come to this, perhaps he should have simply handed over the appointment rights to the Emperor, but...

Once time passes, it never returns, and opportunities lost are never given a second chance.

"I, by the decree of His Majesty, strip you, Archbishop Apia, of your position, and Nicola de Crescendo’s clerical status is hereby revoked. You will be tried as a sinner and punished accordingly. Therefore, Nicola, you are to appear before the High Court and face your punishment."

As soon as the decree was read, the colonel gestured with his hand.

Immediately, several soldiers bound the Archbishop, or rather, Nicola.

"Normally, when arresting a criminal, it’s customary to beat them to ensure they cannot resist, but out of respect for the last formalities, I will simply bind you and take you along."

"Wait! Wait just a moment!"

"What is it that you wish to ask?"

"What about the other clergymen? What happened to the bishops?"

The colonel, looking at the already-bound Nicola, smirked.

"Have they not all been arrested by now? Those without guilt are not bound and will retain their positions."

Upon hearing this, Nicola, overwhelmed by despair, fainted on the spot.

No matter how he thought about it, there seemed to be no way out for him.

**

When Nicola’s declaration, as Archbishop Apia, had circulated throughout the Empire, there was a brief wave of support for him, with some claiming the Emperor had gone too far.

After all, the church was considered sacred and untouchable. The thought of the Emperor meddling with the clergy’s appointment rights seemed unthinkable.

The analogy even went as far as comparing it to a father arbitrarily replacing members of his own household, which made the argument even more compelling.

But that had now become nothing more than a ridiculous joke.

"Political authority is guaranteed by the state and not easily toppled. But the authority of clergymen is ultimately based on how sincerely the people believe in their god. Isn’t that right, Sebastian?"

"Your Excellency, it is not uncommon for me to hear things I never imagined, but the words you have just spoken are so shocking that I can hardly accept them."

"But isn’t it true?"

"Your Excellency’s insight is often so unsettling that it frightens me. Before this incident, I too thought the belief in Deous and the authority of the clergy were as natural as breathing... but now, seeing the Emperor's authority and the filthy deeds of those clergymen, I never imagined the authority of Deous's church could crumble so quickly."

Strictly speaking, the authority of Deous's church hadn’t collapsed.

Deous’s religion still remained the national faith and ideology of the Toscani Empire.

But the clergy handling that ideology had lost the unlimited respect of the people.

‘These clergy were selfish, so they got what they deserved.’

"Everything has its cracks if you look hard enough. Even the most impregnable fortress has weaknesses if you observe closely enough."

"Your Excellency speaks the truth."

"By the way, have you found any of those highly devout or highly educated, but low-ranking clergymen who couldn’t rise through the ranks due to their humble birth?"

"Yes, Your Excellency. We have already begun to find candidates to replace those dismissed."

Strengthening the monarchy always involved promoting those of humble origins or those who were competent but had some issue with their background.

Sometimes, they would even select loyal but incompetent individuals...

Anyway, like how Jeong Yak-yong’s father was appointed by King Jeongjo or how Admiral Yi Sun-sin, despite his lack of social skills, was appointed for his outstanding abilities...

By the way, King Seonjo also appointed Won Gyun, not because he showed great abilities in the north, but because he was greedy and deeply entangled in corruption...

‘Won Gyun hypnotized Seonjo into thinking he was a loyal subject.’

To win the war against the Holy Empire, the Emperor must have control over the clergy as well.

So, it’s better to promote those people and make sure they owe me.

And of course, they will sell indulgences at a cheaper price in my territories.

If anyone who has received a favor from me tries to betray me, I’ll make them end up like the Kingdom of Lyon or the Holy Empire.

"Just tell His Majesty directly. Say that the clergy will now be in your hands."