Chapter 8
Christian looked at me and grinned.
"As a bishop of the Deus Church and a doctor of theology, I have studied the words of Deus since you were suckling. I, who have sought only His will for many years, am condemning you according to the words written in the Bible. Do you think it makes sense to stubbornly persist based on your short-sighted view?"
If Christian and I were to debate theology, I would lose.
I didn't major in theology in Korea, and I don't have titles to boast about like he does.
Although the title of Assistant Bishop might sound a bit weak, he was still officially a bishop.
And a bishop was a powerful clergyman with power equivalent to a baron in any region.
In this situation, how could I hold out until the Archbishop arrives without losing face?
"Respected Bishop, I respect the rights and responsibilities that the Lord has bestowed upon you."
Christian's face wrinkled.
Puzzled sounds rose from the gallery.
They couldn't help but think that way when someone who should be expressing their grievances seemed to be affirming the judge's unreasonableness.
"Furthermore, I respect all the hardships and trials you've gone through to receive Deus's calling."
"Knowing that, how can you be so arrogant! Repent all your sins now, and the church will show you mercy."
"However, respected Assistant Bishop and spectators, I swear to Deus, who is the head of the church. If I have committed no sin, wouldn't it be deceiving all of you if I confess to having sinned?"
This was one of the effective ways to drive someone mad in an argument.
Acknowledging parts of the opponent's statement that didn't conflict with your own argument while firmly denying what's wrong.
This way, on the surface, it looks like I was having a very cultured debate, while the opponent appeared to be forcing their point.
"Since I'm standing here due to a misunderstanding, I will explain everything here. Cafe Medici is absolutely not a lewd place."
If this were Joseon, a country of Neo-Confucianism, I would indeed deserve to die.
Providing a place where a young lady from a noble family can talk to a man other than the fiancé chosen by her father?
That would be no different from facilitating prostitution in Korean terms.
However, in the Tuscan Empire, providing a place for men and women to date...? It's not a crime.
"Those who have used Cafe Medici will know. It's a place where people, regardless of gender, can come to enjoy tea and cake, and have comfortable conversations with their companions without being bound by formalities."
Some of those present nodded in agreement.
"And the issue of men and women meeting, which the Bishop is concerned about, happened very naturally."
"Are you confessing that you created a space where men and women can gather and natural romance occurs?"
I understand you want to eat me alive, but...
I can see the saliva forming in your mouth, try to hide it a bit.
"The Bible says, 'Be fruitful and multiply.' It also says that man and woman should become one flesh. So how can it be a sin for men and women who came separately to be attracted to each other and fall in love?"
There's one big misconception people have about the Middle Ages.
That only Latin was correct for the Bible, and that only using Latin was recognized as a proper mass.
However, even the latter was openly disregarded by 'priests who didn't graduate from theology' assigned to rural villages, and while there was a 'Latin Bible first' principle, it didn't mean that other translations of the Bible shouldn't exist.
It's just that many of those who translated the Bible into vernacular languages were considered heretics from the Catholic perspective.
And it seemed to be problematic because it was added as one of the charges when burning heretics at the stake.
The Tuscan Empire was similar to this.
"If I had deliberately seated eligible young men and women at the same table, that would be one thing. But can it be a sin for men and women to naturally become close?"
Even though this was the Middle Ages, the reaction of the spectators was subtly important.
Why? Because the spectators who came here out of boredom were like journalists who would spread gossip about Christian and spread my reputation after the trial ended.
"Is it wrong for men and women to fall in love after seeing each other at beautifully dressed balls?"
Most titled nobles took their legal wives through political marriages.
However, just as there were 'troublemakers' in any era, there were not a few who marry after falling in love at balls.
Such marriages were often done by second or third sons like me who weren't bound by succession...
Even those who had political marriages considered this a kind of romance, so that says it all.
"I too would like to experience such love someday."
It's absolutely not an empty word.
Even I think it's quite romantic.
The image of two people slipping away from the banquet hall where everyone else was dancing to have a conversation.
And then even a kiss... honestly, just imagining it feels good.
With a logically flawless rebuttal and having captured the public opinion of the spectators, the atmosphere unanimously tilted in my favor.
"Yes, one could fall in love while dancing at a banquet."
"It seems Cafe Medici is innocent."
Christian glared at me and spouted more nonsense.
"Strictly speaking, even men and women falling in love after meeting at a banquet violates church law. Seeing how confidently you answer, do you think you're receiving the Lord's grace? How dare a mere second son of a baron family insult my authority as a judge in a church trial."
I don't know who's behind Viscount Valiano.
But one thing was clear.
There were forces of evil, and quite high-ranking ones at that, who were trying to completely get rid of me even at the cost of ruining the Assistant Bishop's face.
Otherwise, that bastard wouldn't make such an unreasonable move.
And that damned question was a trick to brand me a heretic no matter how I answer.
"If the Lord bestows His grace upon me, I pray that grace continues, and if not, I only hope that He will bestow His grace upon this poor soul from now on."
If I said I was receiving grace, he would have arbitrarily branded me an infidel for the sin of arrogantly claiming to receive grace while being accused of insulting church law.
If I said I wasn't receiving grace?
He might have sentenced me to be burned at the stake right there, calling me a heretical bastard not receiving Deus's grace.
But by giving an ambiguous yet most faithful answer, he was left speechless...
Christian grabbed the back of his neck after hearing my words.
"You, you, you... blasphemous fellow."
The trial spectators' eyes sparkled as they looked at me.
Some even gaped at the sight of a mere noble family's young master verbally outmaneuvering a bishop in a church trial.
They might get flies in their mouths at this rate.
"It's the Archbishop's cross! The Archbishop himself has come!"
He should have come much earlier originally, why is he coming so late?
Did something happen?
"It's His Grace the Archbishop of Florence!"
Upon hearing those words, the faces of our Bishop Christian and Viscount Valiano turned not just pale white, but truly blue.
This church trial itself was held by making unreasonable claims...
And now comes the Archbishop with authority more than enough to overturn it?
It meant they were dead here.
"Be quiet."
If a bishop had power equivalent to a baron, an archbishop was a big shot with power roughly equivalent to a count.
Especially the 'Archbishop of Florence' was the highest among archbishops who were almost certain to be promoted to cardinal, which was above archbishop.
He had incomparable authority to a bishop.
"Fabio de Medici is innocent."
After that declaration, the scripted words followed.
"I just visited Cafe Medici. The tea was delicious, and the cake tasted good. I went with other bishops, and they all liked it. Usually, people would come with friends, regardless of gender, to have conversations. It seems some fell in love in the process, but that's not at all unnatural, either doctrinally or biblically."
The Archbishop pointed his crosier (the staff carried by clergy above the rank of bishop) at Viscount Valiano.
"So Viscount Valiano must have been jealous of the cafe's success and accused him with absurd excuses."
Valiano's face turned pale upon hearing those words.
"And you, Christian, as a bishop, must have sold your conscience and faith for a few coins. Otherwise, such an absurd trial couldn't have been held."
Sold conscience and faith.
In Korea, selling one's conscience was used as a relatively light insult.
However, in the Tuscan Empire, saying someone sold their faith was 1,000 times heavier than calling someone's mother a prostitute in 21st century Korea.
Especially when the target was a clergyman?
You could draw your sword and stab their neck right now, and the judge would truly declare you not guilty.
"Although the final judgment will be made by His Eminence the Cardinal himself, and the verdict will be confirmed after receiving permission from the Holy See. As the Archbishop of Florence, I sentence Viscount Valiano to be burned at the stake for the crime of trying to profit by abusing the church's authority."
The Viscount collapsed to the floor upon hearing those words.
"Furthermore, Bishop Christian, I will request your excommunication to the Pope, and have you burned at the stake with the same procedure as punishing heretics."
Christian fainted upon hearing those words.
In a world where everyone believes in the existence of hell and heaven, being branded a heretic and falling into hell is a fear beyond death.
Moreover, if he got labeled with excommunication, his family was also essentially doomed to fall...
Because of one idiot, hundreds of people would end up on the streets.
"This concludes the church trial of Fabio de Medici."
With those final words, tremendous cheers erupted.