episode_0172

172 – Hyde refutes Archibald Medici #3

Aaron Orleans.

Cathy Orleans.

The two were arrested at the scene and taken to the park, seemingly as defendants in a public trial.

Judge Simmons sentenced them to death by stoning.

If the jury in a public trial is unanimous -.

Now people would mercilessly throw stones at Aaron and Cathy.

“Selling stones. Selling stones that are good for throwing.”

“How much is a stone?”

Stone vendors have already established themselves in the park.

Throwing stones at sinners was one of the few pastimes of people in this world.

“Boo, how can it be a sin for a couple to love each other? I realized! The world is strange after all! Everyone, come to your senses! we are… I need to have sex… !”

Cathy, tied to the cross, shouted at the people.

However, people only barked loudly, saying, “Noisy!” or “Witch is reciting a hex!”.

People did not like to judge what sins a sinner had committed or whether they were right or wrong.

They just wanted to throw stones at the people tied to the cross.

When I saw that, I found it very funny.

So I laughed.

“You seem like such an idiot.”

The sound of laughter begins to spread among the people…

One by one, the people who were talking noisily fell silent.

Judge Simmons.

he asked me in the quiet park.

“There’s a gentleman wearing a mask. Who are you? Who are you to laugh so arrogantly and arrogantly in this righteous judgment hall of the divine Lord Elohim?

Everyone’s eyes were focused on me.

I took advantage of that opportunity to go in front of everyone and shout loudly.

“Sex!”

Huh?

Everyone held their breath.

They were afraid as if they had heard a curse they should never have heard, and some closed their eyes and covered their ears, and many even forgot how to breathe and fainted.

Judge Simmons shouted hurriedly, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.

“Why are you saying that! Yes, you guy! You are trying to insult this judge!”

“No. I only came out to defend the guilty.”

“Are you saying you came out to defend Cathy Orleans and Aaron Orleans?”

Instead of answering right away, I looked around.

People seemed very angry and seemed to want to throw rocks because they felt like it.

“What is the reason for stoning sinners?”

Simmons growled at my question.

“Of course it’s because they committed a crime! Stones must be thrown at sinners!”

“Then is it right to stone sinners? According to the Bible you speak of, hating your brother in your heart is considered murder. What kind of crime is it if you stone me?”

“Puhaha! You’re an idiot who talks like he’s great just because he read a few passages from the Bible! Hating sin is not a sin!”

“Are you saying that punishing the wicked is not a crime?”

“Yes! You little brat!”

According to the priests, hating sin was not a sin.

Sze-.

I said, pointing at Simmons.

“Simmons. According to you, I guess throwing stones at you is not a sin? Because you are a sinner too.”

“What? What nonsense! I am a sinner!”

“Simmons. You won’t say you don’t know. Condemning another person is also a sin. Only God has the right to condemn and judge humans.”

It’s a story from Matthew 7, but-.

There is no need to explain all that to Bishop Eunpae.

“… … .”

Simmons seemed at a loss for words.

Because my story was so biblically correct.

Man had no right to judge man.

“Simmons. Are you qualified to call yourself a judge when you are not even a god? Can we be sure that this is really the will of the Lord Elohim? Can you swear in the name of God?”

“… … .”

Simmons still couldn’t open his mouth.

Priests originally did not say the word ‘God’s will’ carelessly.

It was because of the Ten Commandments: Do not take God’s name in vain.

It was truly arrogant for believers to carelessly discuss God’s will and take it upon themselves.

Simmons eventually kept his mouth shut.

It was right then.

“So. All these trials have no effect and are meaningless. Are you saying that?”

Someone appeared in the courtroom.

He had a straight back and a rather bony face, like a stick struck from the sky to the ground.

However, his eyes were shining brightly.

“Me, Archbishop Medici.”

“Archbishop!”

People cheered.

Medici Archibald sat at the high table in place of Simmons, the judge who hesitated and retreated.

And then he asked me.

“So. You say humans should not punish humans now… Is that what you are saying? So, are you saying that we should just sit back and watch as a murderer who killed countless people walks the streets?”

Medici seemed to have a lot of questions.

“Are you saying that if you catch and kill him, that would also be a sin, so you shouldn’t do that? Even if releasing that man means more people will die?”

“It’s none of my business.”

Heo-eok-.

Many people took their breath away from my story.

Then, they began to say things like “ is a heretic! ” or “ is a sinner! ”.

Archibald Medici patted his chin and said, “Hmm-.”.

It was as if he was disappointed.

but-.

My story isn’t over yet.

“Actually, aren’t you guys already doing that? Aren’t you aiding and abetting the murderers roaming the streets? Aren’t we ignoring the sinners who make people shed tears of blood?”

“We are ignoring those who have sinned?”

Medici tilted his head.

He didn’t seem to know that they were aiding and abetting a murderer.

I took a deep breath and shouted in a loud voice.

“Even now! Somewhere in this world, people are dying! There are a lot of people being murdered! But you didn’t stop them, and now you’re sitting here thinking about throwing stones!”

My story was truly correct.

Even at this moment, many people were dying.

Someone will be killed and someone else will be beaten for no reason.

However, most people just lived their daily lives ignoring that fact.

“If this is not aiding and abetting, what is? It’s happening too far away… Are you saying it doesn’t matter because it’s out of my sight? That’s a narrow-minded excuse. Shouldn’t we somehow do our best?”

In the biblical worldview, humans, no matter how righteous they were or how hard they lived, were destined to become sinners in the end.

Even my neighbor Chul-su, who was quietly doing his best to survive in his own position, was actually a sinner for ignoring the people dying in the civil war in Africa and not doing his best for them.

Even Minsu, who left to do medical volunteer work for people dying in civil wars in Africa, was a sinner who was ignoring people dying from drug addiction in South America.

It was something that could not be helped.

Because we have already had the bondage of original sin wrapped around our necks since we were born.

“We are already sinners just by being born!”

“This is such an extreme story. Young theologians often fall into such extreme claims.”

Archibald Medici grins.

I asked him to be sure.

“So can you say my story is wrong? Medici Archibald. Are you sure my story is wrong and yours is right?”

“… … .”

Archibald Medici seemed to have nothing to say to my story.

That was natural.

My story was extreme, but no one could say for sure whether it was correct or not.

That’s what theology was.

The same goes for faith.

We humans did not know the ‘right answer’.

Only God knows the answer.

“Nevertheless, I came here to defend the criminals. I am here to give sinners who should be stoned to death another chance! Is having sex a sin worthy of being stoned to death? Is the mere fact that humans are born a sin worthy of being stoned?”

“… … .”

“Only those of you who were not born through sex should throw stones at these people! If there are still people who want to throw stones, first throw a stone at the head of someone who was born of sex!”

Loud roar-.

My voice, capable of preaching in front of 50,000 people, clearly rang out in the park.

“What kind of bizarre nonsense is this?”

“Uhm-. Indeed.”

People showed various expressions upon my ruling.

Some people stuck out their tongues and snorted, as if their excitement had been broken, saying, “You really hear all sorts of things.”.

Among them, the one who frowned the most was Medici Archibald.

“You. No matter what, don’t you ultimately judge the world by your own standards? You are judging humans by saying that humans have no right to judge others. Is this contradiction correct?”

“Medici Archvolt. you are stupid I am not an ordinary human being. My yardstick is thick, long, and strong. That is why I have the right to condemn, judge, and execute people.”

Sze-.

I moved my hand.

It was to untie the knot that was tightly tied to the mask.

“Look. And praise—! I am the human being chosen by God, the reference point that all humans must reach, the axis on which the world rotates, and the center of the universe.

The mask finally peels off and falls to the floor.

Ssaaaa-.

It felt so good to feel the wind blowing through my sweaty black hair and cooling it down.

“I am Hyde. He is also Rust, the shepherd Henry, the author of The Book of Demons, and the author of the world’s greatest work, The Back Alley Nymph. So I make a decision, and you are all suspended.”

# # #

Aaron and Cathy were released.

This was because the punishment that was to be meted out to them was postponed through the story of one man.

He was truly an arrogant person who called himself the judge.

but-.

People didn’t comment on his story.

Suye (猶豫).

It was because I felt a subtle sense of hope and mercy from his judgment.

Human beings wanted to love themselves and extend warm hands to others as much as they wanted to destroy each other.

The same was true for a society created by individuals.

Cathy and Aaron were released from the cross and hugged each other.

“Aaron!”

“Cash!”

Jjuap-.

They shared a deep kiss.

That sight lit a fire in people’s hearts and made them feel empty. It was a loneliness I had forgotten since a strange halo appeared in the sky.

It was natural that a hot flame bloomed in their hearts.

“Is that—really a sin?”

“Is it really a sin for people who love each other to kiss each other?”

“If being born as a human is such a terrible sin, then why did God create humans?”

People looked at the people standing next to them, and men and women held hands, hugged, and kissed.

A small spark that bloomed from a kiss between Cathy and Aaron.

It will soon become a huge flame and burn everything in Barakhan.

At least Medici thought so.

“Hyde. Rust. Is it Uniger, the one who pours oil? What is truly scary is not guns, knives, or the violence of soldiers. The truth spreading. Is there anything more terrifying and powerful than that?”

Medici Archibald slowly closed his eyes.

Everything went dark.

“Hyde. What do you want to do? I no longer know what is right. What kind of being is the God we have been exploring?”

Medici.

He was lost.

Was it from 20 years ago when my beloved wife died?

Or it could have been even longer than that.

The birth of human beings may have been destined for a long and winding crossroads.

“I am called a great theologian and archbishop, but-. In fact, you are just an idiot who knows nothing. I don’t even know if God exists… I really don’t know what’s right anymore.”

Medici covered his face with both palms.

darkness.

Only pitch-black darkness filled his mind.

Someone said something to that man.

“The life of a believer is always a series of doubts and convictions. Of course, the life of a chosen prophet like me has nothing but certainty.”

“I envy that confidence. Because I didn’t have that confidence. I was not a fabled butterfly, I was just a moth. A moth flying after a flame.”

“Archbolt. I know you owe Gregory. It was Gregory who introduced you to your wife, Johanna.”

The man’s voice reminded Medici of a long time ago.

During his time as a wooden beggar priest who had nothing.

Gregory had introduced the Medici to Johanna, the only daughter of the Archibald family, who was reputed to be the prettiest and kind-hearted person in the kingdom.

Medici’s ‘debt’ at that time was so great that he considered Gregory to be his benefactor.

however-.

Honestly, I had no idea what was what right now.

Medici closed his eyes and there was only darkness in front of him.

“Medici. You are the man who introduced me to Milione. She saved my life, so I guess I owe you a big debt too. So, I will especially answer you who are lost.”

Hyde was a fiery man.

The flame burns everything regardless of whether it is paid or free, but-.

Sometimes, it became a light and guidepost for people walking in the dark.

“ I, Hyde, are indeed human beings with the right and wisdom to answer all the questions in the world. I will share that wisdom with you all! Listen carefully!”

In Medici’s opinion, Hyde, like Gregory, was a person with his own ‘answer’.

People who are looking for answers like you are drawn to that light.

Even though he knew that it was a flame that would burn his entire body-.

‘Kings are definitely people like that.’

The living flame said.

“Read the masterpiece, “The Village of Back-Alley Nymphs,” which I wrote with revelation from the Lord. This is a book that contains all my theological essence! Then all your questions will be answered and you will realize the truth of salvation!”

“… … .”