Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World

TL: Etude

After Joe Foster put forward his suggestion, the hall once again erupted into intense discussion.

“Marquis, the last meeting already alerted the Church. Would calling another meeting targeting them provoke their retaliation?” one council member expressed his concern. Before the last meeting, the Church had secretly orchestrated the kidnapping of the Grand Duchess of Eton’s sister-in-law. Fortunately, she was rescued, preventing a major diplomatic incident. The thought still sent shivers down their spines.

Marquis Foster replied, “We were unprepared last time and didn’t expect them to resort to such tactics. This time, with thorough preparation, I believe we won’t face any major issues.”

Being a member of the Council had its advantages, such as openly discussing anything under the guise of protecting the interests of the Alliance, including measures against the Church, which was deemed sacred and inviolable in the hearts of the common people, without fear of being accused of sacrilege. Despite the Church’s influence, the Horn Bay Alliance was still controlled by the descendants of its founders.

Simons, a devout believer, was furious at Horace, Foster, and others for trampling on his faith. However, he couldn’t really stop them. After all, like him, devout believers were a minority in the Council. If you’re in the game of power, you play by its rules.

“Mr. Chairman, Marquis, and esteemed council members!” Simons stood up, drawing everyone’s attention. “I’d like to remind you all that even if we can unite the power of Horn Bay’s nations, the Horn Bay Church has powerful backers. The Papacy is a colossal entity; all churches across the continent revere and are regulated by the Papacy. If we take extreme measures against the Horn Bay Church and anger the Papacy, in the worst case, we might face sanctions from all of human civilization!”

He was exaggerating a bit. The relationship between the Papacy and local churches could be likened to that between secular kings and local lords; there were local lords who defied kings in secret, just as there were local churches that defied the Papacy.

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“Councilor Simons—or should I call you ‘Devout Simons’—we are not planning any extreme measures, just defending Horn Bay’s normal commercial order. It’s the Church who’s being extreme. Their witch hunts have severely disrupted our daily lives. Horn Bay now has a bad reputation; foreigners fear being falsely accused of witchcraft. How can we do business like this?”

The Council debated this issue from dawn to dusk, and in the end, those in favor of imposing restrictive measures on the Church prevailed.

Bang, bang, bang!

The chairman pounded his gavel, quieting the hall. “Now, let’s begin the vote. Council members, please value your sacred vote; it will determine our policies moving forward!”

Meanwhile, as the Horn Bay Council debated fervently, a handover ceremony was taking place in the grand cathedral of Fort Ness.

Elvis, the Bishop of Fort Ness, would no longer hold this position from today onward. He had been promoted to a higher role—Archbishop of the Horn Bay region. The former was only the bishop of Fort Ness and its nearby areas, while the latter oversaw the entire Horn Bay region’s church affairs. Although Fort Ness was just a city, as the capital of the Horn Bay Alliance, its bishop’s status was comparable to that of bishops in smaller Horn Bay nations.

The position of Alliance Bishop would now be assumed by Angelo, a highly respected clergyman.

In truth, Elvis was not entirely in favor of Angelo succeeding him. Within the Church, Angelo had always opposed the witch hunts Elvis had presided over, criticizing them as being too radical or dogmatic, leading to numerous wrongful cases and tarnishing the Church’s image.

It was preposterous. Did Angelo not understand the principle of erring on the side of caution, even if it meant making mistakes? Witchcraft was like the venomous fang of a snake; one bitten must be prepared to sever the entire arm to prevent the spread of poison.

However, Angelo’s appointment was a decision made by the Papacy, and Elvis could not oppose it. Horn Bay was wealthy and a significant source of religious tax, so the Papacy maintained tight control over the churches in the region. Moreover, Angelo, a monk of humble origins, was indeed popular within the Fort Ness church and a local of Fort Ness, qualifying him to succeed Elvis. �

“Congratulations on your promotion, Archbishop of Horn Bay—Lord Elvis.”

Antony, an envoy from the Papal States, congratulated Elvis at the handover ceremony.

“What promotion? Regardless of our positions, we are all servants of God,” Elvis replied humbly, though his eyes conveyed gratitude towards Antony.

Antony had hinted on his last visit to Horn Bay that his task was to assess the conduct of local bishops to aid the Papacy in selecting the new Archbishop of Horn Bay. Now that Elvis had achieved this position, it was likely Antony had spoken well of him. Of course, his own exemplary performance was crucial. Over the past year, he had devoted himself to eradicating heresy in and around Fort Ness.

“Well said,” Antony replied with a smile, turning to Bishop Angelo. “And congratulations to you too, Bishop Angelo.”

Angelo nodded modestly. “I will faithfully fulfill my duty as a shepherd, glorifying the Heavenly Father.”

“Bishop Angelo, I must remind you,” Elvis interjected, “after my departure, the witch hunts in Fort Ness must not be slackened in the slightest.”

Fort Ness, although the capital of Horn Bay’s largest political power, was not the seat of the Archbishop of Horn Bay. Its secular power was relatively strong compared to Collins, an inland kingdom of Horn Bay where the Archbishop resided. From the king to the commoners, everyone in Collins was a devout believer, obediently following the Archbishop’s directives.

“I will heed your instructions, Lord Elvis,” Angelo hesitated before responding. It was the day of their promotions, and in front of the Papal envoy, it was best not to create tension.

Elvis sensed Angelo’s reluctance and sighed internally. Leaving the church affairs of Fort Ness in the hands of someone like Angelo was worrisome. But now, as the Archbishop of Horn Bay, he had the status and influence to impact Fort Ness if needed. Should Angelo show any untoward intentions, he would be swiftly removed.

Antony, observing the dynamics between the two, had a flicker of indescribable light in his eyes.