Chapter 218: Did You Like the Donation? (4)

Forisco immediately returned to his office and drafted the assignment letter for Piote.

"The confirmation of a parish requires a council meeting and the Archbishop's approval, so I can't make a decision immediately. However, assigning Piote to a post is within my authority, so I'll take care of it right away."

"Please write it in a way that minimizes interference from others. So that Priest Piote has complete freedom."

"It's under the pretext of a permanent mission assignment, so Priest Piote can remain there for as long as he wishes."

Now, Piote could freely reside in the Fenris territory. Typically, such permanent mission assignments for missionary purposes granted significant freedom.

Although the church could forcibly summon or relocate him in the future, he now had grounds to refuse if he wished.

"Well, isn't that settled now? You've secured Piote and the holy relic, haven't you? Let's hurry and proceed with the revelation."

As Forisco subtly tried to wrap things up, Ghislain pulled out a contract from his bosom.

"Write down the events up until now in your own handwriting, and affix your seal as the bishop."

'Hah, this meticulous bastard.'

Pulling out a contract on the spot? That meant he had planned this all along.

Forisco glanced at Ghislain's expression and started writing the contract, deliberately making it complex and lengthy.

Ghislain tilted his head as he read the draft.

"...'Oh creator of this world, our mother and merciful guide, Goddess Juana, please help us follow your path. We entrust all our needs to you...' Are you kidding me right now?"

"Ah, no, but as a bishop, I thought I should begin with a prayer—"

"Forget it. Just write down the facts clearly."

"Right, right, it was too long, wasn't it? Then let me draft it again—"

"No, it seems it'll be faster if I dictate, and you write."

Ghislain immediately tore up the contract and pulled out a new one from his bosom.

Contracts typically had certification and preservation magic embedded in them, much like credit notes, which made them quite expensive.

And yet, he pulled out another one as if it were nothing.

'What the hell! Why does he carry so many contracts around? What are you, a loan shark?'

Forisco stared at Ghislain in disbelief. It dawned on him that there were likely many others ensnared by this person.

He had tried to complicate matters by mixing in a prayer, but it had failed. His attempts to create a loophole were thwarted by Ghislain's thoroughness.

"Alright, write this down: I, Forisco, bishop of the Juana Religious Order, have received food support from Baron Fenris, and in return—"

With tears in his eyes, Forisco wrote down the contract as Ghislain dictated and affixed his seal.

Now, he had a clear weakness in her hands.

'Damn it, just wait. Once I become Archbishop, I'll take it back and tear it to pieces!'

The contract explicitly stated that Forisco had received support from Ghislain in exchange for handing over the holy relic. With the relic in Ghislain's possession, there was no way to deny it.

Handing over the contract with gritted teeth, Forisco spoke bitterly.

"Now hurry up and proceed. We must solidify public opinion before the council begins. The Archbishop surely won't stay idle once he hears the rumors."

"Don't worry. I have another expert for such matters under me. Oh, but I'll offer you some advice first."

"Advice? What advice?"

"That stash of bribes you've been hoarding. The Archbishop will undoubtedly aim for it, and it could cause problems if you're not careful."

"Ugh…"

It was true. Although he had hidden it in a secret vault, it was unlikely the Archbishop was unaware of its existence. He had probably been aware of it all along, saving it for a moment like this.

Forisco pondered how to deal with it. The wealth, painstakingly amassed over a lifetime while enduring scorn, was not something he was willing to lose.

"What do you suggest I do?"

"Just hand it over to me."

"You want me to... give you all that wealth?"

"Do you think you can hold onto it? The Archbishop will seize it sooner or later. Your justification for having it is that you amassed it to follow a divine revelation and purchase food, but… can you handle the backlash if it's discovered? It'll backfire on you."

'You're the one who set up that justification!'

Forisco found the whole justification suspicious now, but it was too late to argue.

"It's still my life's work..."

"Why is a priest so greedy? Doesn't that go against church doctrine?"

"…If it's discovered, I'll claim it was for food expenses. If not, can't I just keep it? Or move it elsewhere…"

For Forisco, this seemed like the best option. He was indeed cunning in such matters.

But even that depended on Ghislain's agreement.

"Even if you move it, keeping it in your possession would still leave you vulnerable if it's discovered. It's better to resolve it cleanly. Hand it over to me, and I'll package it well to enhance your reputation."

"Ugh…"

Though it seemed suspicious, Ghislain's reasoning wasn't wrong.

Handling it after the problem arose would require far more effort than preemptive measures. Cleaning it up now was undoubtedly the safest approach.

For now, survival and maintaining his position were paramount. In the end, Forisco reluctantly handed over the key to the secret vault, clutching his chest as if it were breaking.

'Could I have made a pact with the devil?'

A sense of foreboding crept over him, but he shook his head, trying to dismiss the thought.

'I just need to survive this crisis. Once I become Archbishop, I'll have a chance to take it all back.'

At that point, he would devise a way to deal with this brat. For now, it was best to maintain this profitable "partnership."

"Ahem, let's proceed quickly. It must be handled cleanly."

"Don't worry. I'll take care of it in no time."

Ghislain grinned and tucked the key to the secret vault into his bosom.

The two had now built a bond thick enough to share even secret vaults.

As soon as Lowell received Ghislain's orders, he raided Forisco's vault, redistributed the food, and manipulated public sentiment.

Not only Forisco's name but also Ghislain's began to spread like wildfire in the capital.

The two even set a date to put on a grand display in the capital's plaza, distributing food to the people.

"Bishop Forisco!"

"It's Baron Fenris!"

The two stood with radiant smiles, clasping hands and raising them high.

"The Goddess watches over you through me and Baron Fenris! All of this is the Goddess's will!"

Forisco proclaimed loudly, and the crowd erupted in cheers.

"Waaaah! They are chosen by the Goddess!"

"Saint Forisco!"

"Saint Baron Fenris!"

Though the royal family, Marquis Branford, and Count Ailesbur also distributed some food to calm public unrest, they couldn't distribute enough to satisfy the people due to their rivalry with the Duchy. Despite the capital being the center of trade, food couldn't appear out of thin air.

Meanwhile, Ghislain's massive food distribution, coupled with the absurd pretext of a divine "revelation," caused a sensation.

What was more shocking? It worked splendidly.

"Bishop Forisco received a revelation and informed Baron Fenris!"

"That's why Baron Fenris was stockpiling food!"

"How can you believe that? Because Baron Fenris received the same revelation!"

"Of course we'll win the war! Why? Because the Goddess watches over them!"

Lowell's planted agents stirred the pot, spreading and reinforcing the rumors.

The mystery of why Baron Fenris had amassed such an amount of food was now solved.

The truth no longer mattered. In desperate times, people needed something to believe in.

A priest who embodied the Goddess's will and a noble blessed by the divine provided food and relief in their time of need.

What could be more trustworthy than that?

The two's popularity soared to unprecedented heights.

Of course, while they smiled and clasped hands in front of the crowd, their true thoughts were far from harmonious.

'This bratty noble… How can I get rid of him later? Still, I have to admit, his popularity has been helpful… Ugh! No, don't think about it anymore!'

'This is going even better than expected. Anyway, what should I eat for dinner? What delicious options are there?'

While Forisco's mind was filled with complexities, Ghislain had no such worries.

In the chaos of civil war and tribulation, the contract might become meaningless. Whether it was the church or the magic tower, they would ultimately side with the strongest.

For now, Ghislain was content to extract every ounce of benefit before then.

***

The Archbishop of the Juana Church was thrown into panic by this turn of events.

He had planned to oust Forisco, weaken the opposition, and elevate his chosen successor.

However, with Forisco's popularity soaring to the point of being called a saint, it became nearly impossible to target him.

"Quickly! Raid Bishop Forisco's vault! There must be records of the bribes and wealth he extorted from people!"

The Archbishop had already located Forisco's secret vault.

Originally, he had planned to hold onto this information until the right moment to deliver a decisive blow. But now wasn't the time for caution. If he waited, Forisco would become untouchable.

He ordered the temple knights to raid Forisco's vault immediately.

But when the knights entered the vault, they were stunned.

"This… this can't be…"

There was no gold, jewels, or treasures. Instead, the vault contained only old scriptures, priestly garments, books of prayers, and sacramental items neatly arranged.

It looked like the vault of an extraordinarily upright and devout clergyman.

The unexpected sight was shocking, but what truly stunned them was the massive writing on the vault wall:

[The Goddess foresaw your arrival, sent by the wicked Archbishop. Do you truly wish to fall into the fires of hell?]

It was as if everything had been preordained.

The temple knights, trembling at the sight, found Forisco and Ghislain standing behind them.

"Now, do you see the truth?"

Forisco's dignified voice made the knights drop their weapons and kneel.

"Ah, Bishop Forisco…"

"Forgive our blasphemous sins…"

"We were blinded and followed the Archbishop…"

The knights, now weeping, began to confess their sins.

Forisco, with a benevolent smile, nodded.

"I forgive you."

The knights wept even louder. Truly, they thought, they had misjudged a saint, slandering him as a greedy pig.

In the face of divine revelation, their loyalty to the Archbishop was meaningless. Temple knights prioritized their faith above personal allegiances.

Witnessing this miracle before their eyes, they couldn't afford to doubt and risk eternal damnation.

Watching the scene, Forisco heaved a sigh of relief.

'Phew, if I hadn't cleaned it up in time, I'd be screwed. This brat was right. He's smart.'

Forisco had devised a plan to turn the Archbishop's impending raid against him.

As Forisco basked in his new found glory, Ghislain smirked.

'He's craftier than I thought. No wonder he climbed to the bishop's position despite being so greedy.'

Rather than lamenting his loss, Forisco had turned it to his advantage, reaping benefits wherever he could. He was no ordinary man.

This kind of blatant opportunist was easier to handle. With the right mix of incentives and pressure, Ghislain could continue exploiting him.

The results were undeniable. The rumors spread rapidly, amplifying Forisco's prestige. His arrogance grew in proportion.

In the end, this incident completely flipped the power dynamic between Forisco and the Archbishop.

At the council meeting, Forisco leaned back in his chair with a smug expression and spoke.

"Archbishop, you've made a grave mistake. How could you suspect me, a paragon of integrity, and even send knights after me? Tsk, tsk. If the Goddess hadn't warned me, I would have been in serious trouble."

"…"

The Archbishop had no words.

He knew the so-called revelation was nonsense. He had known Forisco for years.

But he had missed the timing, falling into his opponent's trap. That much was obvious to everyone in the room.

Politics were like that. A failed attack became the enemy's rallying point.

The Archbishop, sweating profusely, attempted damage control by apologizing.

"My apologies. It seems I made a mistake. I acted on false information…"

"Ha! Does that excuse such a grave accusation? You were clearly trying to frame me!"

"No, no… I truly acted on a false report…"

"That's a pathetic excuse!"

Forisco's relentless pressure left the Archbishop drenched in cold sweat.

Seizing the momentum, Forisco even pushed for recognition as a saint. Moments like these were perfect for pressing an advantage.

"You've heard the rumors, haven't you? Don't you think I deserve to be called a saint? Let's take a vote, shall we?"

With a brazen attitude, Forisco spread his arms wide.

But not everything went according to plan. While his timing was excellent, he didn't know when to stop.

The Archbishop and his supporting bishops vehemently opposed the motion, and the council quickly descended into chaos.

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