I Became A Black Merchant In Another World

Before the trial commenced, I had everything prepared.

I had secured a powerful current archbishop and a duke, stronger than any public defender.

At this point, I could practically kill someone in the street and still get a slap on the wrist.

However, I was still putting on a show.

Acting as if I had made no preparations despite the upcoming trial.

“Antonio, since we don’t know when our guests will arrive, let’s keep the current hires. I’ll pay them as promised.”

“Yes, Young Lord.”

“And how about we serve fruit juice instead of coffee? Something like lemon juice?”

Antonio couldn’t respond properly after hearing my words.

He looked at me with a hint of pity.

“Are you really okay, Young Lord? How could Deputy Archbishop Christian bring such absurd charges against you…”

Since Christian had indicted me and this cafe in the church court, customers had nearly disappeared.

Given I had no backing in an ecclesiastical trial, it would be extremely difficult for me to survive.

Being associated with this could tarnish my reputation as a nobleman.

“It’s fine. Deus knows I’m innocent, so why worry? The church will surely clear my name.”

Although I said this, I actually don’t trust the Toscan Empire, let alone the Deus Church.

There’s a possibility of gods existing since I’m in an isekai, but those clergy members don’t even understand the sanctity of marriage and are popping out bastards like it’s nothing.

They’re using a washing machine for social status just to clean up the bastards’ identities.

And here they are, dragging me, an innocent person, into a church trial to ruin my life.

How can I trust the church?

“If you say so, Young Lord, I will accept it. Just please don’t forget that we are always praying for you.”

Since I’m already in a different world, I won’t deny the existence of a god, but what good will believing in Deus do for my rice pocket?

Still, it makes me feel good that Antonio is genuinely worried for me.

“The rosary was bought with money pooled by the staff. It was blessed by Father Bio, who frequently visited our café. We bought it hoping that your innocence will be revealed.”

A silver rosary meant to be worn around the neck, usually not used by nobles.

But if the priest blessed it, then it must have cost quite a bit.

Did all the staff pool their week’s wages for this?

It’s been 20 years since I reincarnated in this world, yet I feel a bit choked up.

All the staff looked at me with encouraging eyes.

My innocence will surely be proven. There’s no way a good noble like you has a lack of faith, and so on.

So there’s absolutely no way I can say this.

That all of this has been set up between the archbishop, the duke, and me for an innocent verdict.

And why am I going through this troublesome play?

Bang!

Suddenly, someone kicked the door open, and a crowd rushed in.

“Is Fabio de Medici, the owner of Cafe Medici, here?”

“I’m here.”

“In the name of Deputy Archbishop Christian de Torolone, we arrest you for spreading immoral customs among the youths! If you resist, you will be handed over to the Inquisition for defying the church’s authority!”

Normally, even a second son of a noble wouldn’t be arrested in public like this.

That’s a rule of the noble society.

But it seems Christian has a personal vendetta against me and is breaking this taboo.

I’m about to be dragged away tied up in front of everyone.

“Arrest him!”

The church priests quickly bound me with ropes.

I felt like a traitor in a historical drama, tied up in ropes.

“Take him away!”

I was immediately dragged to the ecclesiastical court.

There were Christian, the deputy archbishop, and Baron Valiano, who accused me.

Other priests sitting as judges and church staff were glaring at me.

It looks like the deputy archbishop, who would chew me up, filled the court with his subordinates to judge me.

The priest dragging me mocked me.

“Hey, Young Lord Medici.”

“What’s this about?”

“Let’s wrap this up nicely. If you come to court and acknowledge your wrongdoing, we won’t sentence you to death, just some house arrest. This is a mercy bestowed by the Deputy Archbishop himself.”

He wanted to kill me but thought that it would be too troublesome to off the second son of the Medici Barons over something trivial.

What a bunch of funny guys. They might be the ones getting their heads smashed by the archbishop who happens to drop by at the verdict time.

“Deus is on the side of the righteous. My innocence will be revealed in the courtroom.”

“Looks like you’ve read the Bible a bit, despite not going to the Academy.”

I had read it countless times, thinking it might come in handy in the 20 years since my reincarnation.

Because just knowing the Bible a little leads to being treated as an educated person.

“If you do not acknowledge your crimes, the Deputy Archbishop could sentence you to burn at the stake. Think carefully.”

Galileo Galilei’s trial was conducted in a similar fashion.

Those marked as dissenters by the church would face interrogation in the ecclesiastical court.

After the interrogation, a chance for repentance is given, and confessing significantly reduces the sentence.

Galileo was originally sentenced to execution, but he got off with house arrest.

Christian, sitting at the highest seat, immediately declared the audience entry and the start of the trial.

As is typical of the Empire, where even court audiences become entertainment, nobles of all ages gathered in their seats.

[The Man Leading the Trends in Florence, Turns Out to Be a Heretic?]

If we were to put this into Korean-style headlines, this would be the article’s title, so it’s no wonder nobody is missing.

The reason I came here was precisely for this.

In a world where reputation equals power, to gain the title of a proud man who maintains his beliefs even when facing death during a religious trial.

“I will now begin the trial. Does the defendant Fabio de Medici acknowledge any of the charges against him?”

“I can’t acknowledge a single one.”

At my words, the ignorant nobles stared at me with fascination.

“Very well, then the plaintiff Baron Valiano will present the charges against him.”

Valiano rose from his seat and began to list my charges one by one.

“The defendant Fabio has opened an immoral establishment called Cafe Medici, disrupting public morals in the imperial capital of Florence!”

In the 21st century, disrupting morals would typically end up being classified as a minor offense unless it involved rape or sexual crimes.

However, in this era, disrupting morals could lead to death.

In some sense, it’s almost akin to murder.

“This is all the evidence I’ve heard and witnessed. And esteemed Deputy Archbishop, normally marriages are supposed to be blessed unions between men and women chosen by their parents. How can noble men and women engage in such shameless acts as meeting and falling in love at a place like a café?”

Hearing this, the younger crowd reacted coldly.

“What’s this old man rambling on about? Falling in love at a ball is acceptable, but falling in love at a café isn’t?”

On the other hand, a few old-fashioned guys nodded in agreement.

“The marriage between a man and a woman should naturally be based on family interests. Young ones these days are so clueless, tsk tsk. Back in my day, such thoughts never crossed my mind.”

I can’t say anything to those old-fashioned guys right now.

You’re the ones who keep your noble daughters locked away at home while bragging about your prowess to courtesans and maids.

Isn’t that abnormal?

Deus taught us that men and women are meant to become one.

The ones who pretend to be devout believers with their mouths are the real…

However, the judge in this courtroom, Deputy Archbishop Christian, crossed himself upon hearing those words.

“Oh, my Lord, the world is in such a rotten state… Truly, we are in the last days.”

I mean, if anyone’s in the last days, it’s you.

What on earth goes through your head to think that merely talking between a man and a woman leads to an immediate relationship?

You look like you’re around 50.

Must be that you still have plenty of vigor at that age?

“Nevertheless, I will do my duty.”

The deputy archbishop struck the ground with his cane.

“In addition to Christian, there are a whopping 15 others who have provided similar testimonies. While we cannot call them all to testify, they have all taken an oath to Deus and submitted written testimonies.”

The content of the testimonies is probably obvious.

If all the logical connections are tied together, it would be nothing but nonsense.

However, those who testified likely hold quite high social status.

In a society where status equals credibility, protesting against that is futile.

But what does he think he’s going to do?

The Archbishop of Florence will soon arrive to sort everything out.

So I just need to put on the best show I can in this predetermined fight.

Pretending to be calm even with death looming over me.

“O Deus, please recognize my innocence.”

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