I Became A Black Merchant In Another World-Chapter 300: Reformation (3)

"Thank you for your long journey, Father."

"I’m so happy that I can finally explain the theology I’ve spent years researching to you, my lord. I’ve come without feeling tired at all."

Last time, when the Pope started selling indulgences, he looked like he wanted to crack open the heads of the priests right then and there.

But now, he’s wearing a very gentle smile.

It would be rude to say this directly, but how should I put it...

It feels like I’m looking at a living Buddha who has attained enlightenment.

"So, have you finally finished organizing the contents of your new theology?"

Father Stefano nodded, affirming my words.

"Yes, now I can face the church of Deus, which has become nothing more than a servant of Satan, in an open and fair battle."

"You’ve worked hard."

"Without your support, my lord, who saved me from the corrupt priests who tried to kill me and allowed me to study theology as I desired, none of this would have been possible."

Although I may be a person tangled in worldly matters, I am not someone who fails to respect clergy like Father Stefano, who serve only for the public good.

It’s not easy for someone born evil to shed their malevolent instincts entirely and live a purely good life, guided only by religious faith.

Isn’t this something discussed in many games?

What’s greater: being born good and living a good life, or being born evil, overcoming your evil instincts, and choosing to live a good life?

Father Stefano is likely living such a life, suppressing all his instincts and living righteously...

He’s someone worthy of respect.

"So, what is the theology you have completed?"

Father Stefano pointed to the sky with his finger as he spoke.

"Only faith. Humankind can only be saved through faith alone."

"Are you saying that one doesn’t need to go to confession through the priests or receive sacraments like baptism or confirmation to enter heaven?"

Some priests in the Church of Deus claim that if one believes in Jesus but doesn’t receive baptism, they cannot enter heaven.

They also further teach that without regularly confessing sins to be forgiven, one will end up in purgatory, suffering for an indefinite period instead of reaching heaven.

The Bible doesn’t mention purgatory or anything like it, and it says that anyone who believes in Jesus will be saved and go to heaven.

These priests, preying on the poor faithful, spread such lies.

I can’t help but feel furious when I think about the money they’ve taken from our family...

‘Just thinking about it makes my head want to explode.’

"Such sacraments are nothing more than rituals where the faithful personally promise to devote themselves to Deus. And yet, using that as an excuse to extort the poor by talking about purgatory and hell..."

Father Stefano paused for a moment and then continued.

"It is a wicked act deserving of hell and a heretical behavior."

"Isn’t baptism essential?"

"The vow to forsake all worldly things and be reborn in front of Deus is certainly important. But using it to satisfy the personal greed of the clergy is unacceptable. And think about this for a moment. Isn’t it strange?"

I feigned ignorance and asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Deus did not grant any privileges to the clergy. Deus’s first apostles carried nothing but a staff and the clothes they wore, traveling across the continent to preach. They were respected as leaders of faith, but the services and sacraments they performed were merely acts, not something of divine significance."

This is the biggest difference between pre-Reformation Protestantism and Catholicism.

If you believe in Jesus, you don’t need to attend church services or go through sacraments like baptism to avoid purgatory or such.

Belief in Jesus alone saves you from hell.

‘Only faith will save you.’

"Furthermore, after Deus died on the cross, the need for priests to confess others' sins and forgive them was long gone. The so-called 'confession' performed by priests, claiming to forgive the sins of the faithful, is merely the work of those driven by greed to steal from the faithful. It’s a lie to get money from them."

"Does the Bible say so?"

"Yes, it does."

"Then selling indulgences to reduce the punishment in purgatory must also be a lie."

Father Stefano, who had been smiling just a moment ago, now clenched his teeth.

"The power to forgive sins belongs only to Deus in heaven. He died on the cross without asking for anything in return, so that those who deserved hell for their sins could be saved. We are saved through his one sacrifice and resurrection."

Honestly, as Father Stefano passionately preached his faith, my attention kept wandering elsewhere.

A large-scale war will break out when I work to overthrow the corrupt Church of Deus and establish a new Church of Deus in its place.

To the east, the Kingdom of Lyon, the Kingdom of Granada; to the west, the Tsardom of Russ and the Sultanate; to the north, the United Kingdom, and many more...

Many countries are sure to rush in, seeing the Holy Empire faltering.

‘It will be a world war.’

If I seize the right moment, I can earn enormous profits from this.

I briefly let my thoughts wander as I nodded along to Father Stefano’s passionate speech, reaching its climax.

"Deus has already forgiven the sins of all those who live in this world and died for them. If you believe in this, you are saved from hell! The evil Church denies the truth and is only focused on amassing wealth. Can such people be called priests?"

As in any religion, clergy are those who swear to abandon everything in this world for the god they serve.

But these individuals, seeking personal gain and money?

That’s behavior that betrays the very essence of priesthood.

It’s like moldy, rotten food or a broken-down car that won’t move no matter how you try to start it.

"They are already enemies of Deus. They are Satan himself! Worse than heathens, they are Satan!"

If this faith spreads throughout the devastated Holy Empire, it will be extremely popular.

For so long, the poor peasants, artisans, and merchants trembled, believing they’d fall into hell if they didn’t obey the priests who took their money for indulgences.

But now, priests who share their struggles, who live in poverty just as they ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) do, are coming to tell them:

‘Those men are heretics! Deus told priests not to live in luxury!’

What will happen to the serfs, artisans, and merchants who have been bled dry by these priests?

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Just like the nobles during the Donghak Peasant Movement were impaled, these men might soon find themselves crucified.

"So, I will risk my life, I will offer everything, to restore the corrupted Church of Deus to its original state. Please, do not stop me."

Last time, when he encountered the evil indulgence trade, Father Stefano wanted to burn all heretics in a fire of passion. But now, it seems he is preparing to destroy the corrupted Church systematically, like dousing it in flammable material and setting it ablaze while carefully removing anything that could spread the fire.

‘The plan is solid, and the timing is right.’

There are countless geniuses in this world, but if they miss the right timing, their efforts are meaningless.

Now, we’ve reached the tipping point where a religious reformation is inevitable.

"I won’t stop you. Go ahead."

Father Stefano expressed deep gratitude upon hearing my words.

"Thank you, my lord. Thanks to you, I can give my life to bring even a small light into this world."

"I will send you off, but I can’t let you leave empty-handed."

There’s a saying the nobility often tell young ones:

"Do you want to change the world, young one? To do that, first, you must adapt to this rotten system and chew through the rotten meat until you reach my position. Then, you might be able to change the world, even if just a little."

I don’t plan to help Father Stefano rise as a high-ranking clergy member...

‘How can he do missionary work without any funds?’

"Do you have others who share your ideals?"

"Yes, there are about six of us, including myself."

"I will give you 5,000 gold coins. Use it to buy whatever you need for spreading the doctrine—whether it’s materials, buildings, or anything else. There’s no need to repay it."

Even if the clergy aren’t fulfilling their own selfish desires, religious reform still boils down to money.

I must provide the funds for the religious reform bomb to explode.

"Go and spread the gospel as much as you like."

I’ll be focusing on how I can profit from the war that this gospel will cause.