Guild Meeting (4)
The leader of the Lyon Guild.
No one knew Benjamin de Lyon better than Bishop Verkis.
Being from the same family meant that they were close, and indeed, Bishop Verkis had been watching him closely since they were young.
According to his judgment,
Benjamin was not a man who would easily bend to Rockefeller's will, as he had said.
He was not only stubborn but also as obstinate as a bull, and he did not care about the church's opinions like others, so from Bishop Verkis's point of view, Benjamin felt like a sore thumb.
He had no choice but to keep him close because they were from the same family, even though he wanted to get rid of him.
"As you said, Benjamin is not someone who helps me. He's like family, so I've had to leave him alone even though I didn't like it."
Rockefeller calmly waited for his next words.
He couldn't know what choice he would make after that.
He could insist on a family member to replace him, bending his arm inward.
"When I think about it, he's only been a hindrance."
Bishop Verkis recalled the past and said,
"If someone other than Benjamin had been the guild leader at that time, I would have pushed them with all my might to crush the forces that plotted against me with the church's money. No force in the church can be above the tithe."
The more money that was donated to the higher diocese, the more interest the church would gain.
It was entirely due to the power of the church's money that he, once a mere priest, could rise to the position of Archbishop, and the various factions within the church were also determined by the amount of money donated.
The power of the church's money was indeed tremendous.
So his thoughts had to be in line with that.
"But at that time, because Benjamin was the guild leader, I couldn't push the money-making guild too hard. I told Benjamin that even though it's difficult now, if I reach a higher position than the Archbishop, I can push for more comfortable business, so please help me this one time."
Rockefeller listened quietly to his words, and Bishop Verkis, recalling the events of that time, shook his head.
"He didn't listen at all. He just kept repeating that it was difficult like a parrot. It was really a matter of just a little more effort. I could have aimed for the position of Chamberlain, but I couldn't help it."
His words were filled with frustration.
Rockefeller offered him some bland words of consolation.
"It must have been difficult for you."
"Is that what you call it? Of course it was difficult. It's been downhill for me ever since. Everyone in the church knew I was close to the Banco Alliance. I was someone who could bite if I decided to bite. On top of that, my close relationship with the Pope made it impossible for others to leave me alone."
To Rockefeller, it seemed that Bishop Verkis had aimed for high risk, high return at that time.
Being close to the Banco Alliance in a church that despised banco dealers was a double-edged sword.
"I don't think my choice was wrong at that time. Even now, I'm sitting as a bishop, and it's partly because of the banco dealers who are doing business here comfortably. And because of the tithe they give me, I can still hold this position. I just regret that time. That time."
Bishop Verkis, who had been staring into the void with a weak gaze, opened his heavy mouth after a short silence.
"Sometimes it's good to be from the same family. But in my opinion, it's rather uncomfortable. Especially that guy. He's even using the money line to pressure me subtly. He's sitting there doing such things when it's all thanks to someone."
What would follow next was important.
Depending on his words, Rockefeller would go between heaven and hell.
Ahem!
After a short cough, Bishop Verkis unexpectedly asked a question.
"What would you have done if you had been in the guild leader's position at that time?"
It was an obvious answer, but Rockefeller conveyed it with as much sincerity as possible.
"I would have pushed you forward, Bishop, without any hesitation. We would have had to see it through anyway, right? We can't always be watching the church's opinion."
"Ha ha... you should have been the guild leader back then. No one knows what would have happened. Maybe I would have received the Pope's blessings and gone all the way to the position of Chamberlain."
The Chamberlain was a position similar to the Pope's secretary, with immense power and influence within the church. The Chamberlain oversaw the church until the next Pope was elected, and was sometimes called the Pope's deputy.
Another short silence followed.
Judging by the different expression on Bishop Verkis' face, he seemed to have made up his mind.
"Even now, you should take over as the guild leader."
At that single sentence, Rockefeller almost involuntarily let out a sound.
The arm that bends inward was just a saying.
'Fortunately. I was worried. He could have insisted on that person instead of me. After all, he's from the same family.'
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