episode_0015

015 – Objections! # 2

The Agarpe estate was quite spacious and large as it was a manor run directly by the earl family.

It was nice to see that it had all the facilities that a decent city would have.

Buzz, buzz, buzz.

There was also a square where a lot of people could gather.

Looking at the shadow of the sundial installed in the square, the current time is approximately 2 PM.

I think the number of people gathered in this square right now is around 100.

“What’s going on?”

“They say they are checking to see if Lady Psyche is possessed by a ghost or not.”

“Are you a ghost to the lady?”

Perhaps word had spread that it was a fun attraction, but people became interested and began to flock more. Seeing this large crowd and crowd of people, Count Dovan was very worried.

“Mr. Hyde, what on earth are you trying to do? A public trial. Are you planning to put my daughter in a public place and make her an attraction for people?”

Count Dovan seemed to be a man whose reputation as a nobleman was very important. Also, as a father raising a daughter, he probably doesn’t want his daughter to be seen in public.

“It seems like my daughter is trying to accept you as family, but I am not yet. If this doesn’t work out, Mr. Hyde, you’ll have to think about how to take responsibility for this.”

“Don’t worry. The Count just needs to stay still. No matter how they provoke you, it will be enough as long as you don’t do anything that will cause them to find fault.”

Doban groaned, perhaps understanding what I was saying or not.

What about Psyche, who became the main character of the trial?

Psyche wore a white veil on her head, as did the ladies attending this medieval church. It may have been to hide her face, but it also made her look like a new bride.

In a way, I felt like I was a new bride.

If this matter goes well, you will marry me!

As I was thinking that, Archibald’s silver priest Oscar appeared with the knight Loras. Loras waving his hand back and forth.

People cheered for him.

“Lord Loras!”

“Congratulations on finishing second in the tournament!”

“Fool, you should say it’s a shame you didn’t win!”

“Is that so?”

Loras seemed to be the most popular man in the manor.

Of course, there was a man who got angry when he saw that, and of course it was Count Dorban.

“Loras That bastard! Standing next to Archibald’s second son like that! If that damn father had seen this scene, he would have picked up a club and broken his limbs right away!”

From the looks of it, Loras, the knight of Agarpe, seemed to have completely decided to join hands with Archibald. It was common for knights to raise their money and go to a better place.

Until recently, I had seen many knights who had surrendered and converted to the cult, so I was not that surprised by Loras’ defection.

Rather, I was glad that he defected.

Collecting trash in one place makes it easier to clean it up later.

Soon Oscar Archibald stood on a high platform and shouted.

“Dear residents of Agarpe Estate! Brothers and sisters! What brought people together here today is the poor woman and the person trying to scam her by using her.”

Woo-woo-.

Soon, boos began to be heard everywhere.

They were residents of Agarpe.

Doban, who was sitting in the audience watching this, clenched his fists.

“Public opinion is important in open trials! We, the people of Agarpe Territory, hate priests and Archibald more than anyone else! That’s a good thing!”

Doban was right.

However, when soldiers wearing swords entered the square, people fell silent one by one.

They were probably Oscar’s guards sent by the church.

“From now on, anyone who opens their mouth carelessly will be considered an insult to the Creator of all things and the church that represents him, and will be severely punished by Baldwin of the Knights of the Temple himself!”

Clap!

A man holding a huge spear in his hand slams the lower part of the spear onto the floor! He hit it and made a threatening noise. He was a middle-aged man with graying hair, and one eye was covered by a scar.

Looking at him, Count Dovan clicked his tongue.

“Is this Baldwin, the one-eyed knight? Did that guy even come to our territory? The guy who killed so many soldiers in our territory is stretching out his neck like that─.”

Bronze Knight Baldwin.

He was a man who seemed quite strong.

As people were silent one by one, several men approached the square, escorted by soldiers.

It was Manaan, dressed in clean priestly clothes, and his assistant priests, Gurban and Ogid.

Looking at them, Doban spoke with worry, lamentation, and anger as if scolding me.

“Hyde, why did you choose them as witnesses? They are nothing more than spies planted by Archbishop Archibald in the Agarpe domain! Do you think they will say something favorable to us!”

indeed.

There was a reason why the church in Agarpe territory was declining. Count Dovan also noticed that they were similar to those planted in the Agarpe domain.

He probably didn’t maintain his position as a count based on his form.

Of course, there was a reason why I appointed them as witnesses.

Sze-.

I got up from the special audience seat reserved for the count’s family and approached the courtroom set up in the square.

When people’s eyes focused on me one by one, I spoke to them.

“I will defend myself. And before I begin my defense, there is something I would like to ask the witness. Can Priest Manaan and his subordinates swear today to tell only the truth?”

At my question, people’s eyes turned to Priest Manaan and his crew.

Manaan gave me a fishy smile and finally nodded.

“As a priest who pursues truth and goodness, I have always pursued only the truth. I swear on the Bible that I will speak only the truth here today. Amen.”

Soon, the Cheolpae priests also made the same oath and pledged to say Amen.

Everyone is paying close attention to this situation.

I asked Manaan.

“Manaan, do you know what the shape of this earth was that the Creator of all things made? No, let me put it another way. How does the church teach about the shape of the earth?”

Priest Manaan.

He looked around and then laughed as if he were dumbfounded.

“The church says this land is shaped like a huge plate. And the stars, moon, and sun created by God revolve around our earth. This much is common sense.”

“That’s right. So what about Archbishop Archibald’s claim? Does Archbishop Archibald also say that this land is shaped like a saucer? Does he also say that the sun revolves around this earth?”

“… Right… .”

Manaan was about to say something but closed his mouth. He clutched his chest as if he was in great pain, took a deep breath, and didn’t know what to do.

Perhaps my conscience is being pricked.

Actually, I knew.

The fact that Archbishop Archibald argued for the sun-centered heliocentric theory and the spherical earth theory about three years later.

Archbishop Archibald is a priest and theologian with quite progressive theological views. According to my memory at the time, the research had already been completed 10 years ago and I was just waiting for it to be published.

So I liked Archbishop Archibald.

Because I felt like I could talk to him!

Therefore, if Priest Manaan is truly Archbishop Archibald’s confidant and maintains a close relationship with him, he would know very well what Archbishop Archibald is researching.

Manaan was clutching his chest, sweating profusely and not knowing what to do.

I looked around and said lightly.

“Priest Manaan, you are probably familiar with the 9th commandment of the Ten Commandments: “Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.” It’s better to be honest and not commit a crime.”

“Ugh… Ha, yes. Archbishop Archibald designated the word Earth by comparing this land to the shape of a round sphere, and said that the Earth also revolves around the sun… .”

The people who were listening to this story were greatly surprised.

Probably because it was such a radical story.

The one who was most embarrassed was Oscar Archibald.

“Priest Manaan! What do you mean now!?”

Oscar had been smiling very arrogantly ever since he presented Manaan as a witness, but now his expression looked like a deer that had encountered a crocodile while drinking water.

It was hard to hide the fact that the wooden cup in his hand was shaking.

I took advantage of the chaos surrounding me to quickly add a few words.

“According to Prince Oscar Archibald’s story, Archbishop Archibald’s claims would also be heretical. Priest Manaan, was Archbishop Archibald, who made this claim, also possessed by a demon? Is it the ghost that possesses him that makes him say that the earth is round?”

“ Archbishop Archibald… It wasn’t haunted. He is normal. He is an outstanding theologian and a respected priest… .”

“Then! Isn’t Hyde, who made the same claims as Archbishop Archibald, also a great theologian and a more pious and faithful person than anyone else?”

I spread my arms out and screamed.

# # #

Priest Manaan was dying.

It was because from a while ago, my heart was in pain as if someone was stabbing me with a thick needle.

Did I have a sudden heart attack?

Manaan noticed that this pain appeared whenever he tried to ‘falsely bear witness’ to something.

‘Is God really trying to punish me? How can this be… !’

punishment.

As he came to that thought, fear began to spread like black ink in Priest Manaan’s heart.

I have never been so scared in my life.

On the one hand, I felt a sense of awe because it felt like the ‘God’ and ‘truth’ I had longed for were personally testifying in my own body.

‘Really, God exists.’

The kid who recently wanted to chew him like an enemy is shouting at him.

“Then! Isn’t Hyde, who made the same claims as Archbishop Archibald, also a great theologian and a more pious and faithful person than anyone else? Please answer!”

Manaan wanted to keep his mouth shut.

Why should I speak in this situation, with Oscar Archibald watching?

‘If you lie like that, I will die from the pain that pierces my heart! I can’t die in a place like this! I must become a silver-plated bishop! After that, you must become an archbishop!’

Manaan closed his eyes tightly and decided to do his best to survive.

“Monk Hyde, I honestly don’t know if you are more pious and faithful than anyone else. It is certain that you are making the same argument as Archbishop Archibald.”

When I answered the truth, I felt at ease.

I didn’t even feel the pain stabbing my heart.

But this was a temporary comfort.

‘If that damned bastard asks another question, it’s sure to break my heart!’

Manaan felt like leaving his seat.

Just when I thought it would be nice for this trial to be over, the monk with the wooden board shouted.

“Did you all hear it? It is absolutely theologically correct to say that the earth is round! This can never be a reason to testify that a person is possessed by a demon! Therefore, Lady Psyche is not possessed by a demon! Rather, you deserve praise for recognizing and choosing a faithful and godly man as your husband!”

He was a very talkative guy.

How dare you brag about yourself like that.

‘Look at that arrogant bastard! Does this mean he has no face? Aren’t you embarrassed? The face must be thick like a mask. ‘It’s so bad!’

Priest Manaan thought so as he looked at Oscar Archibald’s face.

Oscar Archibald was blushing profusely and was straining the wooden cup in his hand so hard that it cracked.

‘Monk Hyde, how dare you mention my father’s name?’

While Oscar was uncontrollably angry inside, Monk Hyde asked him:

“Prince Oscar, will you put your father, Archbishop Archibald, on trial for heresy? I can also help you write the report. My hobby is writing.”

Pudduk-.

Oscar tensed his jaw so hard that his molars hurt. My eyes turned red and my intestines felt like they were twisting.

It was the first time in my life that I felt this much humiliation and anger.

‘I want to hit that guy’s head right now! I want to capture him and hang him on a scaffold!’

But it couldn’t be done. Because Oscar was a pretty smart guy, he knew what to do in this situation.

Oscar said with a grin.

“I think I have many shortcomings in the church’s doctrine due to my lack of learning. Monk Hyde, your argument was not at all heretical. It is not the answer of a demon-possessed person.”

Oscar’s stomach was churning and cold sweat was rolling down his face. He felt like he was going to die. His anger was now directed at the priest Manaan, whom he considered to be his trusted confidant.

‘How does that stupid black-haired bastard know the story that my father told only to a few people?’

Oscar’s father, Archbishop Archibald, said:

‘Faith’ cannot be established in human-human relationships.

When he remembered those words, it seemed to Oscar that Priest Manaan was already a traitor who had colluded with the Agarpe family and betrayed them.

‘Manaan, that useless bastard must have opened his mouth. You probably didn’t tell me everything about your father’s plans, right? ‘Is this trial also in collusion with that guy Hyde?’

In reality, the situation looked like that. In this trial, Manaan testified only in Hyde’s favor.

The reason Hyde requested the Manaan priest as a witness was probably because they colluded with each other.

‘They conspired with each other and deceived me. I invited Manaan, my father’s confidant, as a witness, thinking he would testify in my favor. ‘These guys are working together to make fun of me.’

Sze-.

Oscar called Baldwin, the Knight of the Bronze Plaque, and spoke softly.

“Lord Baldwin, kill Manaan and his priests as soon as this trial is over. It must be done secretly so that no one can notice. Let’s decorate it with the work of the Sisters of the Crescent Moon like before.”

“Okay.”

Nod-.

As the man with his head bowed disappeared somewhere, a monk wearing a wooden tablet stood in front of Oscar. Those black eyes looked at Oscar and said.

“Now, since I have proven my innocence as promised, please notarize the wedding of Hyde and Psyche Agarpe in the name of Archbishop Archibald. Since so many people have gathered here, let’s proceed right away.”

‘이 개새끼, 이렇게까지 나를 모욕하겠다 이거야?’

But there was no way.

It would not be possible to get rid of the promise mentioned in the name of Archbishop Archibald. There were too many people there. There was also Count Dovan.

Count Dovan opened his face, which had been like a dark cloud all day, and clapped his hands.

“Good idea! Let’s hold the wedding here! Why would anyone blush and fight on such an auspicious day as today? Call the musicians and have them play music! Hey, open the storehouse and distribute bread and rice cakes to the people gathered!”

People liked the sudden wedding.

The atmosphere has already become very tense.

Although Oscar was very angry, he had no choice but to admit defeat.

‘수도사 하이드, 이 개같은 개새끼. I’ll memorize your name.’