I Became the illegitimate son of a duke

73 – Ecclesiastical Disposition (3)

Provincial archdioceses were established one by one in an independent kingdom or empire. Things over the years.

If Claude’s request is accepted by the Holy Office, a new Archdiocese will appear in the world after 200 years.

“Your Majesty, no. Establishing a Provincial Archdiocese by receiving kingdom recognition is too risky. It is no different from creating another Holy Office in the country!”

The history of Canaanism has lasted for over a thousand years, and the fact that only six archdioceses have existed during that long period of time explains the importance of the archdiocese.

The Archdiocese of the Provincial Archdiocese began with the idea that the Seonghwangchung tried to manage believers in distant regions and respond to powerful monarchs.

The secular monarchs were afraid of the distant Seonghwangcheong, but they were not at all afraid of the nearby churches because they were weak and scattered. The Seonghwangcheong was very disliked of such a situation, and eventually led to the appearance of the Provincial Archdiocese, a huge church that manages the churches, similar to the Seonghwangcheong.

The Archdiocese of the Provincial Archdiocese has so much power that it can even excommunicate others if it obeys the canon law. Most of the priests working in the Archdiocese of the Provincial Archdiocese are composed of high-ranking clergy, and representative among them are the cardinals who have the right to vote and the right to be elected.

The archdiocese of such a strong province has always acted faithfully to the orders of the Holy Emperor, which has resulted in the monarchs of each kingdom and empire always suffering from the church.

In this situation, Leclerc opposes, fearing that Claude will swallow the deadly poison of the Archdiocese with the goal of being recognized as a kingdom as in the case of Carolingian.

“I know. But they will no longer be able to use their powers. The time of man will come.”

“…?”

“Hmm…”

As expected, I don’t know.

If I were to tell Leclerc and others what would happen next, they would think it was nonsense.

People in this world are not particularly low-level. Even on Earth in the past, very few people predicted that Catholicism would fall like that at that time.

“Leclerc, the church of the future will not be the church you knew. The church that monopolized the ideology of faith and wielded unbridled power will no longer be able to do so with the emergence of a new competitor.”

“You mean heresy.”

“So, among the heretics, the most powerful and protected group of the emperor call themselves reformers?”

Reformers worship the same god as Canaanism, but what they follow is not the Bible.

Whether one side wins in the civil war in the Empire, the church will no longer be able to control the spread of heresy the way it used to.

I will do my best to coax the lords by any means necessary. In the process, the Archdioceses of the provinces under the orders of the Seonghwangcheong have no choice but to weaken.

If you want to wield the same power as before? Then, Seonghwangcheong would know better than anyone that monarchs would become disrespectful and convert to the reformists.

In the first place, the majority of the emperor’s figures were feudal lords who became reformists after being disgraced by the Canaanite religion, so there’s no way they wouldn’t be able to think of that even after seeing that.

“So think of the Provincial Archdiocese as just a big church without power.”

“A big church… You mean?”

“Yes, just a resplendent and beautiful church that will imprint the results of my reign in the eyes of my descendants.”

It’s great that you can confiscate church territories, use the Archdiocese as bait to get permission from the Holy Office, and even receive financial support.

Even if some of the people in Seonghwangcheong notice my plan, there’s nothing they can do about it. It is common sense that an increase in the number of archdioceses leads to an increase in the power of the church. How could the Holy See, the head office of the church, insist that no archdiocese be established?

“Even so, can’t the Seonghwangcheong, who has not abandoned its lingering attachments, still try to interfere in His Majesty’s affairs through the Archdiocese?”

“Um… It could be, let’s think about it then.”

“…Yes, I understand.”

They know very well that conversion is a last resort, but Claude and Leclerc do not mention it.

The two just try not to know and move on to the next topic.

…………

“Ohh… How can you be faithful…!”

“That’s true. It seems we misunderstood the King of Rotharing to be such a devout believer.”

After receiving Claude’s proposal, Seonghwangcheong is calling Claude the King of Rotaling, not the Duke of Burgon, as it always was.

It is not possible to establish an archdiocese in a mere duchy.

“How do you see King Lotharing’s will?”

“Doesn’t that mean that we will simultaneously solve the problems of the unrecognized kingdom, the discord with the Seonghwangcheong due to the dispatch of mercenaries to the empire and the confiscation of church territories?”

“We think so too.”

In trading, if there is something to be given, there must be something to be received, and this proposal fits that idea very well.

No one here could even imagine that Claude would just suck up the gains.

“But… It is true that King Rotaring’s intentions are a bit impure. To use faith as an ingredient in a transaction like this. Doesn’t it seem like an act of eating and shutting up?”

“It can’t be helped. Let’s take comfort in restoring the sanctity of the church, which has been shaken by the rise of heresy.”

“I understand.”

The Archdiocese of the Province is worth it.

Because all the churches in the country can be completely gathered under the Holy Office, and the monarch who is trying to run rampant can be very effectively suppressed.

There have been many monarchs in history who have tried to get rid of the Archdiocese, but this is the first monarch in history who has been clamoring for the establishment of an Archdiocese.

‘I must have been in a hurry.’

Certainly, Rotaring has many enemies.

Caroling is the undisputed main enemy of Rotaring, to the extent that it hurts to mention it, and the relationship with the Holy Office is on the verge of collapse due to matters related to the Empire and the Church.

I was desperately trying to find a way out, but what I finally found was the installation of the Archdiocese…

Hmm… Well, it’s true that I didn’t like it, but generosity is a virtue. You should listen to the author’s will.

“That… Your Holiness, the current Seonghwangcheong has few funds available due to the temple’s support and the hiring of mercenaries.”

“Hmm… That’s not good.”

It is quite a new provincial archdiocese in 200 years. It means that the ruler even installed it because he wanted it.

If you make the church that will be the center of such a provincial archdiocese small or shabby, you won’t be able to show off your divine majesty to those cults…

“I have no choice but to accept more donations. I need to send more donations to churches around the world.”

“The… Faithful churches have already received their maximum contributions to support the temple. I don’t know if they can afford it.”

“Hmm…”

That’s right. If they were asked to pay more donations here, the burden on people’s livelihood would be greatly increased.

It’s a way to get funds without harming people’s livelihood…

“How about indulgences…?”

“Hmm?”

At that time, a priest who was watching carefully opened his mouth.

The priest, who had received countless people’s attention in an instant, hesitated as if he was nervous, and then calmly explained to everyone what he was envisioning.

…………

“Saint!”

“Wow…?”

As soon as she turns her head, she sees Jeanne, who is staring at me from her cage.

Once things were going smoothly, she came to see Jeanne’s condition, and she said that Jeanne already knew I was coming.

“How did you know I was coming?”

“It’s thanks to the holy energy that comes from the saint.”

“Ummm… Well, okay.”

I don’t think I’ll ever feel that kind of energy, but from what I’ve experienced, Jeanne’s words must be true.

Oh… I never thought such a small child would have such ability.

“What about prison?”

“It’s very comfortable. It’s actually a noble bedroom called a prison.”

“Ummm… I’m glad then, but don’t you want to come out?”

“…Yes?”

At my unexpected words, Jeanne’s eyes widen.

Because Jeanne knows better than anyone else the circumstances of her own rebellion.

Jeanne was always preparing her heart so that she would not despair even if she was executed, and she felt her strong heart shake with her whole body.

‘Do you want to go out? That’s not natural I want to get out of this barracks, deal with the witches, and live comfortably with the saint.’

But… I have committed a great sin against the Holy Son.

What is the Holy Son thinking? Are you testing me?

Jeanne desperately looks at her eyes to read Claude’s intentions, and Claude laughs inside her, then continues her explanation.

“Oh, I don’t mean release or anything like that.”

“Then…?”

“Hmm… What should I say… Ok, should I say it’s walk time?”

“…Yes?”

Listening to Claude’s words, Jeanne becomes even more confused when she sees the door behind her barricade open.

Walking, I had never heard of a prisoner going out of prison to go for a walk.

“Are you going to run away?”

“No… No.”

“Then what’s wrong with me?”

“Yes, yes…”

Jeanne, with small shackles hanging on her arms, staggered out of the cage at Claude’s urging.

Claude, who has memories of her previous life, recalls the time of the walk in the prison and at the same time felt sorry for Jeanne, who couldn’t move a step in prison, and invited her to take a walk, but Jeanne, who received the offer, thought the other way. It does.

It is said that the Holy Son loves him enough to break the law.