Devouring World Dragon

Chapter 177 The Shadow of History
The century between the 15th and 16th centuries was a period of great upheaval. With the fall of the Byzantine Empire, a large number of Greek refugees fled to Central and Western Europe, bringing with them a wealth of ancient Roman and Greek writings. These works of ancient sages astonished the Europeans of the time, who, long bound by religion, were unaware that such a great era had ever existed.

New architecture, new art, new knowledge, new systems...

Ancient wisdom was rediscovered in Italy, where scholars discussed previously unheard-of ideas from ancient philosophers. Following in the footsteps of scholars like Leonardo da Vinci, these new ideas spread throughout Europe: Venice, Milan, Austria, Prague, Luxembourg, Hamburg, Paris, London… More and more people began to access this knowledge, and ultimately, these new ideas gave rise to something entirely new…

A new religion.

……

"The righteous will live forever through faith..."

On September 21, 1517, in a church in Wittenberg, Germany, a middle-aged man nearing 40 was patiently explaining biblical passages to the congregation. Many listened attentively, but some were not very focused, looking around. The man noticed this but did not get angry; it is only natural for mortals to be impatient with sacred teachings.

After the sermon and Holy Communion, according to local custom, it is time for confession. Traditionally, the middle-aged bishop listens to the confessions of believers in a private room. Believers can confide in the priest about sins they cannot normally speak of. Even if the priest knows, he cannot tell others, because when a believer confesses their sins, they have already repented; God has forgiven them, and the priest cannot punish a believer who has been forgiven by God.

As with any confession, it was filled with a multitude of sins that would leave most people speechless: adultery, incest, theft, robbery, rape, murder... The sins ranged from minor to major. The believers either lingered in unease, tears streaming down their faces, or were bewildered and at a loss, not knowing what to do. And listening to these many sins, the priest could only sigh and offer them words of comfort.

Confession proceeds step by step, and when a person comes to the priest to repent and asks if they can go to heaven, the priest comforts them, saying that as long as they repent of their sins, they can be atoned. However…

“Father, but I bought indulgences.”

The believer, eyes wide open, spoke to the priest, who was momentarily speechless.

Indulgences were issued earlier this year by the Pope under the pretext of repairing St. Peter's Basilica. The Pope decreed that anyone willing to purchase an indulgence would be able to quickly escape hell and enter heaven, regardless of the size or number of their sins.

"The coins jingled as they fell to the bottom of the vault, and the soul instantly escaped purgatory and ascended to heaven."

The priests who sold indulgences promoted them extensively, and out of fear of hell, many believers bought indulgences, a fact the priests were well aware of.

The Church is the mediator between God and believers. The Pope has the right to interpret doctrine. Since it is the Pope who says it, it is naturally the word of God. Even if many clergy are dissatisfied, they can only accept it.

Hearing the believers' words, the middle-aged priest blushed and didn't know what to say.

……

As night deepened, the priest was still thinking about the events of the day.

This has happened more than once. During each confession, believers will present indulgences to some extent. He cannot deny the indulgences because they are the church's instruction, but he also cannot accept them because they completely deviate from the meaning of the Bible.

"What should I do..."

Lying in bed, the priest tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

Two weeks later, he received news through his own channels that Cardinal Albrecht von Brandenburg of Mainz was selling indulgences on a large scale. This cardinal had spent a lot of money on bribery to get into the position of cardinal, and was heavily in debt and urgently needed funds to repay them.

This kind of thing is actually quite common in the church, because even the Pope openly has mistresses and illegitimate children, and tries every means to find positions for his illegitimate children within the church. The indiscriminate singing between bishops and nuns is also an open secret. The entire church is rotten to the core, so bribery in elections is not surprising. But what is truly astonishing is...

This is a secret decree from the Pope himself...

When he heard the news, the priest remained silent for a long time, then waved helplessly to signal the messenger to leave.

That night, the priest couldn't sleep.

On the bookshelf beside the bed were numerous Greek and Roman works, "heretical doctrines" that the church explicitly forbade. But no matter how much they were forbidden, scholars always managed to find various ways to preserve them, and priests were no exception.

After a long while, the priest sat up in bed, silently put on his monk's robes, solemnly put on the cross, and then walked towards the church. He wanted to find an answer...

Inside the empty church, the dome was covered with classic stories from the Bible, but none of those stories could explain the priest's confusion.

Over the years, he has read many Greek works, learned the ancient Greek alphabet, and been deeply influenced by the philosophers of ancient Greece and Rome. Just like his silent change of signature, from Luder to Luther, the difference is enormous. Luther comes from ancient Greek and means "the liberated one" or "the free one," revealing his discontent and struggle.

Looking up at the many classic stories on the dome, the priest felt increasingly lost and uncertain.

"what should I do……"

Although he was confused, a ray of light shone persistently in his heart. It was an answer he understood but dared not understand, because the answer was too heavy, so heavy that it terrified him and he could not bear it. However, a flame seemed to be burning in his heart, and an unnamed anger prompted him to try to do something, at least to write something down.

He clenched his fist, then slowly loosened it after a long while, clenched it again a moment later, and then hesitated before loosening it once more…

Finally, he picked up the pen and tried to write something, but the usually ordinary action became incredibly heavy. The pen felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, so heavy that he could barely hold it.

"call……"

Without realizing it, his breathing became rapid, and he gasped for breath. Although it was early autumn, a fine layer of sweat inexplicably appeared on his forehead, and his hands trembled uncontrollably.

Saint Peter, Saint Basil, Saint Cornelius, Saint Ambrose, Saint Andrew, Saint Bartholomew, Saint Francis, Saint Gregory I, Saint John, Saint Jerónimos… as well as Justin, Clement, Aurigine, Ambrose, Augustine, Gregory, Thomas Aquinas… Beneath that answer lie the illustrious saints and theologians of all ages.

At this moment, it was as if all the saints and scholars appeared before him. What he was facing was not a pen, but countless saints and scholars from ancient times to the present, and many predecessors whom he admired.

The saints and scholars who were once kind or serious now seemed to have incredibly sharp eyes, like razor-sharp swords, making him instinctively try to look away.

"What are you doing! Stop right now! This is blasphemy!"

The saints angrily rebuked them.

She bit her lower lip, unaware that it had drawn blood, and gripped the pen tightly, hesitating to put it down even though she could do so at any moment.

Why are indulgences necessary?

A confused voice seemed to echo in my heart.

"The Church is God's spokesperson, and the Pope is God's apostle on earth. You must not presume to know God's will."

The saints answered him in this way. No, it wasn't the saints who answered him, but his heart that was telling him. However, another voice was telling him.

"The church is corrupt; it needs to change."

The two voices tore him apart, almost ripping him in two, and he screamed and howled in agony within them. One of them must be wrong, but who was wrong? The church? Or himself?
In a daze, he seemed to see that believer again, the believer who confessed to him but stared at him with wide eyes.

“Father, but I bought indulgences…”

Is this the church I see? Is the church really right? Has the church really not made any mistakes?
Churches that sell clergy, churches that are extremely wealthy, churches that are overweight, churches that are snobbish and materialistic, churches that sell indulgences, churches that have affairs with noblewomen, churches that indulge in debauchery with nuns, churches that vie for worldly power, churches where the pope has illegitimate children, churches that incite believers to rebel against the king, churches that pass off animal bones as the remains of saints…

Is this really the church I've seen?
After a long while, without realizing it, the pen in my hand no longer felt heavy, and I put it down. This time, there was no hesitation in my heart.

……

A few days later, on October 31, 1517, Halloween Eve, in a church in Wittenberg, Germany.

As soon as it was light, the sweepers arrived as usual. It was a light job, and the church could get a discount on the work. It was a job that people envied.

However, just as he was about to clean, he saw a long notice posted on the church door. He was puzzled; the illiterate young man couldn't understand what it said, so he went to find a scholar in the castle. When the scholar arrived, he first carefully looked at the words on the notice, and after understanding them, he paused, then involuntarily took a few steps back, almost falling to the ground, his face showing a look of fear and panic.

"The Ninety-Five Theses..."

……

Fifty-eight years later, in the evening of 1575, outside Florence.

"Ding-a-ling..." On a country road, in the gradually setting sun, a caravan of several carriages was slowly moving forward. The carriages behind were full of things, and the bells on the bridles rang out from time to time, making a pleasant sound.

The carriage window was slightly lifted, and a noblewoman whispered something to the butler beside the carriage. The butler understood and asked the coachman.

"Aresio, the lady asked me to ask you how much further it is to Florence."

The coachman dared not be negligent and hurriedly bowed his head to reply.

"We'll be there soon, my lord."

Although he was merely a steward of a fallen noble family, a nobleman is still a nobleman, and even a nobleman's steward is addressed with reverence as "Master" by commoners—this is customary. Inside the carriage, the noblewoman, who had overheard their conversation, spoke softly to the listless little boy beside her, who was weary from the carriage ride.

"We'll be there soon. I'll find you a doctor in a bit."

"It's just a little discomfort, why bother seeing a doctor? The children of the Galilee family aren't that delicate."

On the other side, a stern-faced gentleman gazed out the window and spoke in a deep voice. He was impeccably dressed, and even when he was moving to Florence by carriage, this old nobleman was unwilling to abandon his dignity and not to let a single corner of his clothes become disheveled.

The lady glared at him with displeasure, then turned to look at the child beside her, her face showing a look of heartache.

Looking out the window, the old gentleman thought the day would pass by and he might be able to get into the city to avoid spending the night outside. But a sudden event disrupted his plans... and even the future fate of his entire family.

"Lord Galilee! There's someone lying here."

Suddenly, the coachman exclaimed in surprise.

people?
Galilee frowned, then alighted from the carriage. Not far from the carriage, in the grass, lay a man covered in blood, his body riddled with wounds, some deep, and a bundle scattered beside him. He walked over, examined the blood-soaked man closely, and gently shook him.

"Hey! Can you answer me?"

After shaking him a few times, just when the old gentleman thought the man was dead, he heard a barely perceptible groan.

"Someone, bring me a water bag."

The old gentleman remained remarkably calm. He immediately called for his servant, who quickly brought a water pouch. The old gentleman helped the man up and gently poured water into his mouth. After a short while, the man slowly opened his eyes, his pupils still seeming somewhat dazed.

"Are you alright? We saw you lying here on the roadside."

The man seemed not to hear the old gentleman's words. Suddenly, his eyes showed urgency. Ignoring his wounds, he struggled to turn his head and look around. When he saw the package not far away, his face immediately showed relief and joy. He struggled to break free from the old gentleman and climbed towards the package.

"Wait, you're still injured."

However, the old gentleman quickly grabbed him and said hastily.

The weakened man was powerless to break free from the old gentleman's strength and could only helplessly give up the struggle, breathing heavily. Then, as if he had calmed down, and then remembered something, he looked around, his face showing deep fear and worry.

"Quickly... take him..."

He opened his mouth, trying to say something, but it seemed as if his throat was injured, and he struggled to finish speaking.

The old gentleman frowned, looked at his expression, and tentatively said...

"You mean that package?"

A strong sense of urgency and hope suddenly appeared in the man's eyes. His weak body seemed to have suddenly gained strength from somewhere, and he gripped the old gentleman's clothes tightly with incredible force. His lips opened, but he couldn't utter a word.

"……escape……"

In the end, he managed to utter only one word.

Quickly, take them with you, escape...

These three words puzzled the old gentleman, and seeing the confusion on the old gentleman's face, the man became increasingly anxious, eventually revealing a look of despair and regret. However, the old gentleman could hardly understand what the man meant with just these few words.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind, and he couldn't help but ask.

"You mean you want me to grab the package and run away?"

The old gentleman could never forget the meaning in the man's eyes at that moment. It was as if a drowning person had finally surfaced and breathed their first breath of fresh air. The excitement and joy were simply indescribable.

The hand gripping his clothes tightened even more, and the old gentleman understood, simply nodding in agreement.

"Don't worry, I'll leave with that package."

But the hand on his chest did not loosen its grip. The old gentleman looked at the man before him and realized that the man's pupils had lost their light. He was dead, but the obsession and unwillingness in his heart prevented him from letting go even in death. In fact, he did not hear the old gentleman's words before he died...

After a great deal of effort to pry the hand off, the old gentleman's clothes were already stained with blood, but the old gentleman, who always liked cleanliness, did not care about these things at the moment, and instead looked at the man in front of him in silence.

It's hard to imagine what kind of obsession could have enabled this man to unleash such power before his death.

The contents of the package were brought up by a servant. It was a small statue less than a foot long. The statue depicted a very valiant young girl in armor. Her spirited expression and lifelike appearance were unlike anything the old gentleman had ever seen before. However, what was strange was that it was covered with all sorts of bizarre patterns, which seemed to be some kind of religious symbols.

The old gentleman didn't understand any of this; he couldn't comprehend it. He simply looked up at the gradually setting sun, his brows furrowing more and more on his stern face.

"go!"

Without saying much, the old gentleman spoke decisively.

"But... sir, this man's body is still lying here."

A servant said, somewhat at a loss, but the old gentleman resolutely refused.

"There's no time, let's go."

The old gentleman wasn't stupid. A man covered in blood, a statue that was highly valued, and an obsession that he couldn't let go of even in his dying moments—this was definitely no ordinary event, and it was absolutely not the right time to linger.

Before they could even bury the bodies, the group hurriedly boarded a carriage and left the area, disappearing into the horizon.

After a while, the sky turned dusky, and suddenly thick dark clouds rolled in, making the sky gloomy and terrifying.

As the weather turned gloomy, swarms of bats appeared under the cover of dark clouds, their mournful cries echoing all around.

Then the swarm of bats hovered over the man's body for a while before transforming into a group of men and women who landed beside the body. These men and women had different temperaments, but their only characteristic was that their faces were abnormally pale and bloodless.

The leader of the group looked at the corpse and, finding nothing he was looking for, his face turned exceptionally cold, a hint of anger flashing across his face. Finally, he let out an angry owl's cry to the sky.

……

At this moment, in a manor in Florence, a little boy is sitting on a high stool, looking out the window at the gloomy weather with a bored expression.

The fatigue from the carriage ride didn't affect the little guy too much. His natural liveliness quickly cheered him up, and he started clamoring to find playmates. However, the adults, busy moving, ignored him, which made him quite discouraged.

"Galileo..."

Hearing his mother's call, the little boy immediately turned his head...

(End of this chapter)