The Medieval Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset
Chapter 42

The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 42

42. The Date Palm Bears Fruit

Barnardo, Bishop of the Diocese of Powys.

Born as the second son of a humble family, he gave up his inheritance rights at an early age and devoted himself to the Church. He spent his days and nights studying scriptures and classics, and was ordained as a priest at the age of 32.

After that, he vowed to be abstinent and humble, and worked hard, but unfortunately failed to manifest a sacred mark. Instead, his diligence and hostility toward pagans caught the attention of the reigning Duke, Athelbear, and he was appointed as bishop.

However, his determination quickly crumbled after he became a bishop. As Bishop, Barnardo indulged in luxury, pleasure, and promiscuity, causing countless rumors.

In the end, when the reigning Duke Athelbear began to consider dismissing Barnardo, Athelbear suddenly died without leaving a proper heir, and the Duchy of Powys fell into chaos.

Barnardo intervened when numerous claimants to the throne were about to emerge.

After summoning Aethelton, Aethelberht’s younger brother, to the cathedral, Barnard proclaimed the will that Aethelberht had left behind. The will stated that Aethelton was to be his rightful successor.

Needless to say, few believed this will at face value.

However, there was an unspoken agreement among the lords that they could not afford to go to civil war with the mighty Eowas standing by. As a result, Aethelton ascended to the throne with Barnard’s backing, and the lords accepted Aethelton as their liege lord.

For the time being.

King Aethelton’s precarious support base meant that he could not move against Bishop Barnard. There was a reason why the lords had been so quick to turn their backs on Eowas.

King Aethelton was in a precarious position. If it were not for his eldest son, Aethelred, who was adept at charming the lords, or his second son, Theobald, who had gained enough military achievements, he would have been challenged at any moment.

Unfortunately, one man’s crisis is another man’s opportunity.

The more King Aethelton faltered, the more Bishop Barnard was able to profit.

For example, by subtly pressuring the king when the canon law clashed with customary law or municipal law, he obtained favorable judgments. Or by using his authority to ignore petitions accusing the bishop of corruption.

Barnard was a man who knew how to savor the sweetness of power.

Thus, he was also a man who knew how miserable he would be if he lost his power. Especially when he had a bastard son he was grooming to inherit his bishopric.

The reason the mighty Eowas was such an eyesore?

Unlike the weak-based King Aethelton, they were a family that could not be trifled with.

The reason the Holy See and its theologians were such a pain in the neck?

Because they were the ones who brought up musty old traditions, saying that the inheritance of parishes and churches could never be tolerated.

Barnard always acted in his own interests. He mocked abstract and sentimental things like doctrines or righteousness, walking a tightrope between the two. All for the sake of passing on what he had to his son.

However, tightrope walking is always a dangerous act. The reason tightrope walking is thrilling because the moment you fall, your life is in danger.

And Barnard, the former Bishop of Powys, had fallen from the tightrope.

“My, my land was originally land belonging to the church. Just because I paid rent to the lord, it’s my fault for offering it up without permission.”

“I sent my daughter because he said he would give me the blessing of the Lux Stella, but then she got pregnant out of nowhere? Immaculate conception, immaculate conception! Her mother believes it!”

“I can’t sell it at that price. If you don’t want to sell it on this street, keep doing what you’re doing.”

All sorts of people crowded in front of the cathedral, crying and complaining.

Serfs in ragged clothes, fathers of (un)immaculately conceived children, and merchants who had been forced to give discounts. And it wasn’t just that. As soon as they heard the rumor that Barnard had been dismissed, people from all over the streets rushed in like a cloud.

The makeshift courtroom set up in front of the church was filled with the hateful petitions of countless people, and it was filled with uproar. Barnard could not bear to look at them and hung his head.

‘Those bastards who couldn’t say a word in front of me!’

The problem is not the petitions of the rabble.

Barnard glanced sideways. There was Aethelton’s third son, Narva, sitting in the chair where Barnard had been sitting, his chin raised and his mouth pursed.

Then, at one point, Narva began to click his tongue.

“Former bishop, how come not a single person has anything good to say?”

“He… hehehehe. I, I guess that’s how it is.”

Barnard, who had been briefly taken aback by the condescending tone, shut his mouth when he saw the priests guarding Narva. The black capes with gold trim were that fearsome.

‘His Majesty is fully prepared. I never thought he would actually send them, not just rumors. I was too hasty…!’

Those who don’t know might think it’s a nice color combination, but those who do know are different. The black cape could only be worn by priests and monks who had martial skills recognized by the Holy See.

To top it off, the gold trim around the cape symbolized various authorities that took precedence over the authority of the local diocese. Even if only one was sent, it would make the local church tremble.

The ‘Black Trim’, the core members of the Holy See.

The moment they arrived, twenty instead of one, Barnard’s fate was sealed. But sometimes, you have to defy fate.

Even if it means dragging your old body naked and prostrating yourself.

Although he was now wearing clothes because he could not resist the pressure, Barnard could take them off at any time to save his beloved son.

“My…Lord Bishop.”

“Lord Bishop.”

“Oh, oh your grace. I realize my wrongdoing. Looking back, I, this old man, have lived a wretched life.”

“Then you shall be sent to the gallows?”

Thinking of my future hanging and dangling from the noose, my head already feels dizzy. Barnardo bit his lower lip and desperately tried to stay conscious.

“Well, that’s true, but…The deacon I was looking at as a candidate for the next bishop has nooooo connection to this old man.”

“That’s strange. Doesn’t the right to appoint belong to His Majesty the King?”

“Heh, heh heh. I meant that he was someone I wanted to recommend to His Majesty.”

“Hmm. Recommend.”

Barnardo is now desperately trying to save his illegitimate child.

It’s a fact that everyone knows, even if they don’t say it out loud.

It was natural for the eyes of the Inquisition to become fierce. The very act of having children was a customarily forbidden act because of the risk of heredity. Among them, Narva was not openly hostile.

For a long time, he just kept tapping the armrest of the chair with his index finger, with a faint smile on his face.

“Okay. Then let’s check the condition.”

“Yes?”

“If the condition report is okay, I’ll spare you both. If not, let’s go together.”

It was as clear as day where we were going.

I could also see the future where two large fruits, split open on the scaffold in the middle of the square, would be stoned to death. Barnardo knelt down in a hurry with a face as pale as a ghost.

“Oh, oh your grace. At least… not the guilt by association.”

“Sigh. If anyone saw it, they would think we were tying you up unfairly. If you’re not confident, let’s just go now.”

“Ah… No.”

“Your grace! Just kill that bastard!!!”

“Cawww, ?! You’re going down, you son of a b*tch!”

As soon as Barnardo agreed amidst the crowd’s heated enthusiasm, the search without any separate instructions.

Marcello volunteered to lead some of the inquisitors to replace the illegitimate child. The death was cast. Barnardo knelt down quietly and prayed desperately with his head bowed.

‘My son, please be brought in with a polite and humble attitude. Please save me, your father, with the kind and beautiful character you showed me.’

But unfortunately, Barnardo’s prayers did not reach his son.

As expected of the black-edged blade that the Vatican is proud of, within a few dozen minutes of the search, a young man was caught and dragged out by Marcello.

“Let go, you church bastards! Don’t you know who Bard is? My father is Bishop Powis! Do you think our father will leave you alone if you do this?!”

Of course, he struggled and was impressed.

Marcello looked down at Bishop’s son, Bardo, with pitiful eyes and opened his mouth.

“It was easy to replace you because you were proudly bragging about your father even when the angry crowd was swarming in.”

“Let go! eeek… You just wait. Our father is a man who can handle the King!”

In the end, Marcello couldn’t stand it and threw Bardo down with an attitude of being fed up.

Bardo, who rolled on the floor in shock, tried to glare with an angry face. Not until he saw his father, who had turned completely white, in the makeshift courtroom.

Bardo was startedled rather than angry, and he made a fuss.

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“Father? What’s that shabby tunic?”

“….”

“You usually don’t wear anything but silk… Who’s that kid next to you? Why is he sitting in your chair?”

Narva, who had heard enough, could no longer hold back his laughter.

Narva poked Barnardo’s stiff side with his fingertip and laughed out loud.

“You’re good at farming children. Anyone can tell they’re your kids.”

“…”

“But there’s no way a clergyman who has risen to the rank of Bishop would have raved without thinking. Could he be an imposter pretending to be the son of the former Bishop because of their resemblance? When seen by a faithful clergyman who has the holy mark…”

“Bi… Bishop.”

In this world, the law of collective punishment is uncivilized, savage, malicious, and cruel. Even traitors who break their oath of allegiance to their lords are not subject to the yoke of collective punishment.

However, there was one mortal sin to which collective punishment applied.

“Like heretics or apostates who tarnish the authority and morality of the Church and its clergy.”

Following the heresy of denying Lux Stella and the Inquisition while supporting the heresy of Yubas, or acceptable Lux Stella and the Inquisition but colluding with Yubas for personal gain, heresy.

Both of these charges are considered mortal sins of apostasy, to which collective punishment is applied.

Narbar’s statement was a threat to apply the mortal sin of apostasy. It was natural for Barnardo to feel as if he were drowning in water.

At that moment, Narbar whispered in a voice so small that others could not hear.

“The Papal States do not intend to completely overturn Yubas. This country does not have the power to overthrow Yubas, and the other duchies are still watching and gauging the situation. In order to turn the situation around, we need an opportunity for each other to step back or come forward and compromise.”

A sudden outpouring of information.

Barnardo pondered why Narbar was saying this, vigorously turning his rusty head that had not been used for a long time. Fortunately, Narbar was a very kind person.

“I intend to pin the charges of apostasy committed by Yubas on you. Officially, it will be known as corruption and public outrage. I will continue to coordinate the details through ongoing dialogue with the Papal States, but even from Yubas’s standpoint, which must secure internal stability through unreasonable force, it would not be a bad thing to restore relations with the Church. I plan to broker peace among the five duchies, taking advantage of this period to prevent each other from acting rashly.”

“…What do I get out of it?”

Barnardo realized that the greatest opportunity of his life had come. Barnardo looked at Narbar with an expression of utmost sincerity.

Then Narbar looked down at the bottom of the court with a mischievous smile.

“Father! Why are you doing this! What’s going on!?”

“Kill that bastard!”

“Hang him!!!”

Barnardo, the illegitimate son of the former Bishop, inspired in bewilderment, looking around him. He was just among the angry crowd, and no one paid any attention to him, so his voice just scattered like an echo.

Narbar looked at the illegitimate son, Bardo, and said in a hushed voice.

“I will deny all ties between you and your foolish illegitimate son. The charges of apostasy will at least spare your illegitimate son.”

There was silence between the two for a while.

The angry shouts of the crowd filled the surroundings. The crowd was urging Narbar to hang him quickly as he pondered deep.

In the end, it was Barnardo who broke the silence.

He knew that Narbar had shown him the utmost mercy and leniency.

“Bishop, I tried to kill you.”

“So you will die. Your child will also be flogged for impersonation.”

“…?”

And Narbar abruptly pushed away Barnardo, who was strangely moved and clinging to him.

“If you commit many sins, you will die even if it is not apostasy. Pray that your child will live a good life.”

***

“….”

“Ah, Father! Th… This is not right! Let go, let go! Ugh…”

Thud.

The sound of a neck breaking was particularly clear.

If you plant beans, beans will grow, and if you plant red beans, red beans will grow.

I looked at the two rich men hanging upside down and deeply realized that saying. Marcello recited only the charges of the illegitimate son, Bardo, beside me.

I would rather have died honorably with the single charge of apostasy.

“She raped a woman, robbed a merchant on the road, broke into someone’s house to steal, and extorted jurors and judges at her trial, claiming to be the bishop’s daughter. She even got acquitted.”

“At least she didn’t kill anyone.”

“There have been several reports of missing persons. It seems the searches weren’t thorough enough, and the circumstances suggest the previous bishop covered it up.”

Oh, how well that bastard got off. I looked at the hanging ex-bishop, my appetite whetted.

“I was going to let her off with a few lashes, but the wench was too defiant.”

“…”

“We’ll have to educate her better next time.”

The rabble didn’t even bother to mourn, so used were they to living like animals. They were busy throwing everything they could get their hands on at the two rich men hanging there.

“You son of a b*tch!”

“Ugh… My insides are… spilling out!”

“We should tear him to shreds!”

The Middle Ages, a time of savagery.

Even in death, the hung couldn’t rest easy. They became targets for the townspeople’s insults and missiles. I couldn’t help but click my tongue at the sound of their bodies bursting open.

Still, my heart felt lighter now that I had got rid of that wretch who had tormented me. The gathered crowd seemed to feel the same, their faces blooming with smiles. It was time to flatter the new man in power, rather than keep taunting the mangled corpses.

“Long live the new bishop!”

“So the rumors were true! The madman who’d torture people for a laugh, they were all lies!”

“I’ve never seen such a fiery, satisfying judgment in all my life!!!”

The sight of young and old alike dancing the shoulder dance filled me with a strange warmth.

As I basked in my contentment, Boniface, who had been standing silently, approached me.

“My Lord Bishop, you have won the hearts of the people.”

“?”

“Shouldn’t you go and speak to His Majesty, the High King, about the investiture?”

Ah.