109 – ready(2)

Even though she is a high-ranking bride higher than most nobles, I thought that a very unique person would come to participate in the difficult plan…

Senior Father Harry Wycliffe, whom I saw upon entering the drawing room, was more unusual than I had imagined.

Because he wasn’t wearing the purple robe that symbolized the authority of a senior priest.

If you think about how people around you will treat you differently depending on whether you are doing this or not… He’s a man I can’t understand.

And when he confirmed that I had come to the drawing room, he saw me and bowed his head first.

“My humble servant, Harry Wycliffe.”

“I called you. Please sit down comfortably.”

I naturally sat in the empty seat of honor, and Wycliffe sat across from me.

“Thank you for coming.”

“No, as a servant to all Deus believers. If the Count, who serves the people wholeheartedly, calls, I will come, even if it is during Mass.”

I heard that priests continue to hold Mass even when they hear that their parents are dead.

That’s what I thought, but when I saw that Wycliffe, who was in his 60s, looked at me with sincere admiration…

That must be sincerity without a single lie, the old priest’s heart is too heavy.

“Thank you for saying that. By the way, is the fortress ministry worth doing? I have ordered two priests in the village, and I wonder if the dispatched ones are doing well.”

“Yes, thanks… Numerous wandering preachers have now settled in the villages and serve the souls entrusted to them by God. During the day, he teaches the children of the village the teachings of Deus and basic knowledge necessary for living, and when the sun goes down, he teaches the children’s parents the teachings of Deus and letters. Adults who have received that teaching say that they are happy to be able to read the Bible now, so they gather the children on their day off and read the Bible in the town hall.”

Tears welled up in Wycliffe’s eyes as he said that.

“Not only that, there are some serf children who want to study harder to help the Count… Children who are impressed by our teaching tell us that they want to become priests like us.”

“Then, how is life in the village?”

“Unless there is a great famine, serfs do not starve. No, on the contrary, I eat porridge and bread for three full meals a day. Well, the kids even grumble about side dishes, something that only well-to-do kids in the city would do… Being able to work as a priest in such a prosperous environment, as a shepherd serving the teachings of Deus, is the greatest blessing in my life, or to all priests.”

If another priest says so, please show yourself well in front of me and work hard to become a bishop.

would have thought of doing

Because, no matter how true that is, it is a compliment that goes beyond the road and sounds like flattery.

However, Wycliffe in front of me was looking at me with sincere eyes, and his voice

In one, I felt desperate sincerity.

And once again I felt a strong conviction.

If I send men with the same thoughts as Wycliffe in front of me right now to Maxburg, I will be able to burn down that territory just like the Lutherans and Calvinists who started the Thirty Years’ War did.

I asked as if testing Wycliffe.

“Then that’s all you have to do… Why do you want to follow Chris Belladora’s suggestion to you?”

“Because that’s the way as a shepherd.”

No more, no need to try and pass.

As a commoner, I thought about giving up the position of Auxiliary Bishop, who could be treated equally with a baron, and when I saw her dressed like a normal priest even though she was a high-ranking priest higher than most nobles…

A bride like that would undoubtedly covet any self-interest, and would enter the Duchy of Maxburg and practice what she had learned in our territory.

In other words, they will spread the teachings of Deus they have learned in their spare time while pulling the plow and farming with the lowly serfs.

The serfs will sincerely follow the priests who show such appearances, and the merchants who are engaged in commerce will follow them, saying that the faith of such a person is profitable and much purer.

So I clapped three times and said.

“Okay, now I won’t doubt you any more. Then I’ll let you in on a secret I’ve been hiding.”

“The Count is telling me a secret… what the hell is that…”

“I wrote the one who blinds Deus.”

Upon hearing this, Wycliffe opened his eyes wide and spoke in a surprised voice.

“How is it possible for your Excellency, who is not even a priest, to have such profound knowledge… And why on earth can someone so rich write such a book…”

I just mixed various theological concepts with the concept advocated by Martin Luther in the hope that you would drop the bomb of the Reformation.

And those theological concepts can all be figured out by reading a little bit of a book dealing with the Reformation.

However, the words I recorded in the book are a practical theology that goes far beyond the theology of this era.

And I recited the most important passage in the book.

“Only salvation is received gratuitously according to the redemption of Deus, not by human actions. Therefore, all shepherds must devote themselves to feeding, clothing, and rearing the lambs properly…

You must not dominate.”

“God…”

“Because I had such an idea, although I was not a priest, I tried to feed, clothe, and protect the people as a lord who ruled.

I want to send it to Maxburg.”

Having said that, I don’t think so.

The reason I protect and enrich my serfs and other citizens is to protect my own wealth and glory, and to protect precious people like Ella, my father, and Balt.

For this, I am an honest person who reigns over them and enjoys wealth and power as much as necessary, and sometimes more.

However, in front of Wycliffe, who is now in front of me, I really have to act like I have no greed.

I handed him a document with the equipment and amount to support him and said.

“I have already prepared 20,000 gold coins to support you, and I have made it possible for you to purchase other necessary items from the Baron of Mainz with that money.”

“Mainz must have been occupied by His Majesty the King of the North, the count’s father-in-law…”

“That’s right, but don’t worry. My father-in-law must also be kind to you. As proof, after the occupation of Mainz, he introduced the quadrennial farming system and lowered taxes. Just like I did.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, and don’t you wonder why I am doing this?”

At that, Wycliffe pricked up his ears and asked.

“Please let me know, I will do my best to carry out Your Excellency’s high will.”

“I imposed a huge indemnity on Maxburg to protect the serfs and citizens in my territory. So, the duchy of Maxburg will be a difficult place to live in. Of course, as the lord of the county, I

I don’t regret it… but what are the sins of those who die there?”

“Yes… Your Excellency.”

“But if you send money and food directly to the Maxburg guy, the wicked guy will definitely use the money and food to start another war.

It’s best to help them survive.”

Personally, I don’t think it’s very good for Maxburg’s innocent serf to suffer for reparations, and if Maxburg was a little wiser…

I’ll raise taxes so much that I can pay for the war, then I’ll declare that I’m not going to pay my debts, and I’m going to raid our estates with maddened serfs.

If that happens, I will suffer a great deal of damage, so the best way is to at least not let the serfs starve to death.

So you can eat it for a long time.

“Also, if you look here, you’ll see a piece of equipment called a printing press.”

“Yes, sir. But how do you write this?”

“It’s a machine that collects metal letters and makes them into a single plate, and presses them down like a press to print them. With this, I plan to print a Bible for the serfs to read. That’s how Maxburg’s serfs got hungry.

Even if you’re hungry, I’m trying to help you find the right faith on your own.”

At those words, Wycliffe was so moved that he suddenly began to cry.

“dismissal…”

“Yes, in this way I will make all the serfs able to read the text and the Bible. And more people will have access to the teachings of Deus. And you will lead the priests on my behalf.

We can do this by dispatching priests throughout Maxburg from Lothringen as a base. However, spread the Bible very secretly and you guys just pretend to be a wandering missionary organization and move on. Then Maxburg’s own

I won’t carelessly harm the priests who are dedicated to serving the serfs.”

**

After sending Wycliffe away, Chris entered the drawing room and naturally stood where Wycliffe had been.

I looked at her and signaled her to sit down, and I quickly sat down and asked.

“I just read the plan that His Excellency gave me, but I don’t quite understand it, so I’m curious.”

“What do you mean?”

“How far are you looking? No matter how much I think about it, I don’t know what His Excellency wants.

Of course you can’t imagine, because this is one of the worst kinds of madness history will ever produce.

At first, Maxburg and Wycliffe will live together, but over time, Maxburg will collect more taxes from the serfs, who are able to make ends meet thanks to the priests.

Right now, they probably lost the war and raised the tax to 70%, and if the priests are active, they will try to pay off the debt by raising it to about 80%.

Then the serfs will starve to death despite working harder…

As I learned on my estate, some of the men with a sense of duty who toiled with the serfs will revolt like the German Peasants’ Revolt.

Then there will be fires all over Maxburg, and then what?

“Chris, look a little farther. This is sure to be a profitable business for us. Although future historians will call me the world’s most evil bastard.”