179 – 35. Faith and Money
Signatures of the three cardinals.
McLaren of the neutral faction, Squall of the saint faction, and Cassandra of the opposing faction.
All three don’t know.
‘This is my first time hearing that name.’
Amman Even though I have played Nearly 30 times, in the end, all I can know is the knowledge in the game. Even if it was a character that appeared other than that, I couldn’t help but be unaware of it.
There is no information about the other party. That is the worst of propaganda and fraud.
It’s almost impossible to deceive someone when you don’t even know who they are.
So, it is impossible with Namgoong Min, the rotten character from And . In the first place, I doubt whether the person holding the position of cardinal would meet me.
‘My fame is limited to the Romance Academy.’
Thanks to my performance during my freshman year, my advancement to the martial arts competition finals, and my media play with Kim Woo-sung, the number of people who know me has increased, but that’s it.
Right now, Archbishop Carlella is a high-ranking person who has built up goodwill by showering countless gifts and can only be met by making an appointment at least a month in advance. Even more so if he is a cardinal.
In the end, I can’t do it alone.
So I decided to utilize my personal connections.
Not Namgoong Min, a Romance Academy student and
Fortune teller.
What if Namgoong Min, who has Arthur’s letter of introduction and is wearing a medal symbolizing his qualifications as a temporary diplomat of the Korean Empire, is a direct subordinate of a wealthy man?
“It must have been a sudden appointment, but thank you for meeting me, Cardinal Skoll.”
“What are you talking about? How could I treat a distinguished guest whom even the Pope acknowledged?”
This way, if you want to meet in the morning, you can meet right at lunch.
Cardinal Skoll was a middle-aged man with graying hair.
A person who wears worn-out robes and top-quality glasses, has a gentle smile, and has a sturdy physique that cannot be hidden even under clothes.
At first glance, he seems like a gentle scholar, but if he were really just gentle, he wouldn’t have been able to become a cardinal.
His office was located just below the top floor of the Vatican Cathedral.
I smiled as I looked around the somewhat ordinary office, which was uncharacteristically frugal for a position with hundreds of millions of believers.
“I’m so embarrassed to be a VIP.”
“Don’t worry. It’s not news that many people know.”
First of all, I need to understand my current situation.
Let me be honest right now, I am an illegal immigrant and a terrorist suspect.
A vicious criminal who asked Cloel to secretly come to the church, came here as a criminal, was imprisoned, and escaped through the self-destruction of that murderous bastard.
That’s who I am now.
Fortunately, thanks to the Used by the Pope, I was able to avoid things like wanted letters flying around with my face on them, but even now, countless priests and paladins are busy outside looking for me, whose face I don’t even know.
“Did you hear from the saint?”
“Yes, the heretic who attempted to terrorize the Romance Academy was caught in an explosion caused by a vicious serial killer who was previously imprisoned in that prison and died. It’s a shame.”
“Oh my, then who is the serial killer…?”
“I heard he ran away and is hiding somewhere. Until then, the church will be in turmoil as well.”
Oh, the work is done quickly. Was the charge of the explosion placed on the serial killer, not me?
It is not incorrect to say that the person who actually caused the explosion was a serial killer.
I opened my mouth as I looked down through the window at the people busy trying to find the non-existent serial killer who had already died in the explosion he caused.
“Did you also hear about the signature?”
“That’s of course. I was just wondering how to convey it to you. Lately, Cardinal Cassandra’s control has become more severe…”
“The rumor that the saint is losing his strength… Will be like a rain during a drought for Cardinal Cassandra.”
“It’s just as you said. Fortunately, I was able to meet you thanks to your various statuses. Arthur’s letter of introduction, a temporary diplomat from the Korean Empire, and a direct subordinate of a wealthy person… It’s more than I expected.”
“That’s too much praise.”
“It’s really fun to talk to distinguished guests, but it might be hard to spend too much time on. Here, my signature.”
As if seeing a hundred words is worth seeing, Cardinal Skoll handed over the signature he had prepared in advance.
Up to this point, everything is as expected by Saint Nome and Archbishop Carlella.
Is this the same for squalls?
“Hmm… I think I know why you’re staring at me. I heard the saint and Archbishop Carlella expressed concern, right?”
“Yes, the Cardinal…?”
“…The saint wants to overthrow the church with lies that he has lost his power, and Archbishop Carlella is aiming for the position of cardinal.”
“……….”
“Both of you are a little disappointed compared to your goals… Your abilities are excellent, but your political insight is somewhat lacking. Isn’t that right?”
“It sounds as if I wouldn’t.”
“Actually, that’s true. There’s no way the saint would have given me advice to visit me under a false identity. To be honest, I’m very surprised. From my perspective, the distinguished guest is just a lump of blood who has just turned 20… But compared to him, he has a good sense of perspective. Because you are very nice.”
“That’s too much praise.”
“I can’t say this is too much praise, but as someone who serves the saint, I’m just happy to have a helper like a distinguished guest by his side.”
“As expected, since he is a cardinal, he really cares about the saint. Ah, now it is time to meet Cardinal McLaren…”
“I guess I kept the distinguished guest for too long. Please forgive my rudeness.”
“It is me.”
Squall smiles gently, and I smile as usual.
The conversation was smooth, there were no strange parts, and there were no clashes of opinions.
‘…… ‘He’s Cardinal Squall.’
A frugal office, old court uniforms, and polite manner of speaking.
But his glasses are of the highest quality and his political insight is excellent.
‘That chair…….’
A person with a chair that looks like ordinary wood on the outside, but is made of gold on the inside.
Many people gild wooden chairs, but how many people add wood to golden chairs?
──Cardinal Skoll is someone I have relied on since I was young. He is a frugal and honest person, so you can trust him.
‘Well, you saint.’
If it weren’t for my extreme
Observation, I probably wouldn’t have noticed. Who will recognize the chair? Pope?
And is that single chair in the office golden?
…… You can keep digging if you want to think about it, but for now, stop.
Cardinal Skoll is now on the side of the saint. For now, that was enough.
While walking inside the cathedral to meet with Cardinal McLaren, I naturally smiled and bowed my head.
“Hello, Cardinal Cassandra.”
“…You are the distinguished guest the Pope spoke about. Fortune teller.”
“But there is a letter of introduction from Arthur, he is a temporary diplomat of the Korean Empire, and he is also under the direct control of a wealthy person.”
“Well, I only believe what I see.”
“Is that so?”
“Of course, I personally checked the letter of introduction, and she is currently receiving a temporary diplomat’s medal… And seeing as McLaren is restless, it must be true that she is under the direct control of a wealthy person.”
“Thank you for your trust.”
“I told you earlier that I only believe what I see in person, right? I can tell when I see it in person. He is a trustworthy person.”
Cardinal Cassandra.
Although she was over 50, the , Who looked like she was in her late 20s, raised eyebrows.
This isn’t Cassandra’s office, it’s just one of the countless hallways in the cathedral. If you want to talk properly, it’s better to move somewhere.
But Cassandra did not move. I also had no intention of leaving the road.
“I heard that you are under the saint’s command.”
“It’s true.”
“How about you come my way? Even taking into account the fact that you are a fortune teller, that you are a heretic, and that I find your existence very annoying, you are a desirable talent.”
“You’re painting my face with gold. It’s embarrassing.”
“After looking at it, I like his face quite a bit. I like his speaking skills even more.”
“Then how about a signature? It might break my heart.”
“Why?”
“There are about three things.”
“Tell me.”
“First, the saint’s climbing the Tower of Proof is what the opposition, including Cardinal Cassandra, wants. Second, if this is not an opportunity, there is a very low probability that the opposition will depose the saint. Third, no matter what, no matter what. Since we plan to collect signatures, it is wiser to preserve power by resolving the issue through gentlemanly dialogue rather than an all-out war between factions.”
If I had to choose, it would be these three.
In the first place, the goal was to force the opposition, including Cardinal Cassandra, to ‘prove’ the saint, so getting Cassandra’s signature was also a simple task.
Of course, neither the saint nor Cardinal Carlella knew such things.
“……I want it, I want it so much… If it was a joke just now, it might be somewhat serious now.”
“Thank you.”
“Then let me ask you one question. As you said, our goal is to have the Saint climb the Tower of Proof… However, it is contradictory for the Saint who should avoid the Tower of Proof more than anyone else to be so eager to receive signatures. “Wouldn’t that work?”
It is because of this part.
The saint who is lying that he is losing his power should be reluctant to go to trial. But at the same time, he acts to prove himself.
Because it is difficult to resolve the contradiction, the opposition may be cautious if done incorrectly, so I just wrapped my head around it.
But I have nothing to do with it.
“It won’t matter.”
“Why?”
“Because I am not on the saint’s side.”
“……?”
“To be more precise… I am on the side of the person who benefits the wealthy.”
“…Hoo.”
To Cardinal Carlella and his opponents, I am nothing more than an outsider.
I don’t know what kind of ability he has, but he is an outsider who receives support from Arthur, the Korean Empire, and a wealthy man.
First of all, since he is acting with the saint and receiving help from Archbishop Carlella, he is considered to be on his side.
Even looking at my behind, I can’t help but be someone who is very desirable to Cardinal Cassandra.
“How can I believe that? If it’s an Oriental counter-trick, I know it.”
“$1 Billion (approximately KRW 10 trillion).”
“………?”
“This is a donation from a wealthy man to Cardinal McLaren.”
“…1 Billion dollars every year.”
“And Cardinal McLaren was worth about $1 billion… But now it’s worthless. That means you’re thinking of changing your investment destination.”
“Aha.”
The current investment destination is Saint and Archbishop Carlella.
If it shows enough value── it could be an investment for Cardinal Cassandra.
When I hinted at him, Cassandra’s eyes changed somewhat.
I am changing myself from a servant of a saint to a servant of a wealthy man.
In the end, I’m just someone’s lackey, but recognizing that I’m following a great rich man rather than a saint makes a huge difference.
Like this.
“What does the rich man want…?”
“It’s ‘proof’. Either the Holy Son proves it somehow with his feeble power on the verge of disappearing, or the opposing party deposes him. The rich will invest in the winner.”
“That’s such a sweet temptation. The saint deserves to move desperately to prove it.”
In an instant, my thoughts change from ‘The saint may be lying and pretending to lose his power to prove it’ to ‘I’m trying to prove it as quickly as possible before I lose my power for the investment of a wealthy person.’
It couldn’t be said to be just money or just an investment.
If Carlella, who sided with the saints following Squall, becomes a cardinal, the pendulum of power will tilt, unlike McLaren, which had previously maintained neutrality.
It is a gamble worth taking as a saint.
And the same goes for Cardinal Cassandria and the opposition.
‘In the end, it’s money.’
It is money that can create a cardinal, it is money that maintains its position, and it is money that brings down a cardinal.
Cardinal.
Excluding those who hold professions such as saints or saints, this is the highest position that an ordinary believer can reach, just before becoming the Pope.
They stand at the top of a church built on faith, but they are swayed by money.
Religion can become money, and money can become religion.
That’s why my relationship with Rio was the greatest weapon I could wield.
…… Cassandra laughed, and I laughed along with her.
When I started walking down the hallway again a little while later, there was one more cardinal’s signature in my arms.
*
“That’s what happened.”
“Cardinal McLaren…”
“As soon as he saw me, he got down on his knees and gave me his signature.”
“McLaren…”
Unlike Carlella, who gritted his teeth as if he was disgusted with McLaren, which was more focused on money than faith, the saint’s expression was not good.
Well, it’s not that I don’t know what you’re thinking.
‘Because it is very different from the overthrow of the church that the saint had in mind.’
Seongjanom dreamed of a church that was truly faithful and pure, not the current church that is secular and rich in money.
For his sake, I pretended to have lost my power, interacted with me, a heretic who had no intention of getting close, and finally reached the verge of proof.
In order to get to this point, the ‘money’ that corrupted the church was used recklessly.
It is like a pacifist starting a war for the sake of peace.
‘Is this a saint’s character event? … ?’
I know that Seongja is a character who worries about power and money.
Power and money are the culprits that corrupted the church, but they are also essential for reforming the church.
So how will this matter end?
‘What is the hidden ending?’
Among the hints Jisoo gave, it was said that you can see the hidden ending through the character event of the saint.
As the saint’s head was complicated, so was mine.
But no matter how much you worry, time passes by the same way.
The saint and I, Archbishop Carlella, have collected the signatures of the Pope and the three cardinals, and if we submit them tomorrow, we will be able to climb the Tower of Proof.
“…I’ll walk outside for a moment.”
“Ah, I hope you come back!”
“……….”
That’s why I didn’t stop the saint from taking a walk at night.
Anyway…… Because I knew where I was going.
“Okay then.”
“Oh, Namgoong Min too…?”
“I’ll be back for a bit.”
From Noble mtl dot com
Now, now.
It’s time to go meet Cloel Martina.