Change the World Chapter
1
There is a world where the existence of sunlight is rejected. Dense tree cover extended wherever the eye can see and the earth greedily garbs the blessings of the sky. Pale darkness drifts through the forest floor, thus human sightings here were very rare.
People lived by clearing a path through the forest and sheltering themselves in the earth. There were a few scattered villages but it was not easy to communicate with each other since the sheer power of nature is a big hindrance. If one were to walk continuously from sunrise until sunset, he would reach his limit. Any travel longer than that is called a journey, a journey where it is said that one should bet his life on.
The forest is fraught with danger. People passing by were sometimes misled by soul eating spirits and ferocious beasts. There were ideas like aristocrats bringing their vassals who are able to use hunting wolves, but still, anyone who steps into the forest would feel weak from the power of the spirits. The falling leaves and the view of the landscape would suggest that winter has decided to stay. Winter, the opposite of summer. Anyone <Travelling> during this season were said to be mad.
There were 3 reckless people.
Dean Silva was carefully observing his 2 companions in his mind. An alchemist who made a name for himself, Pierre Baiyan, whose intentions were far from pleasant and Elizabeth Arye, who is the cause of Dean’s concern.
“Why did Pierre come?” until now, it is often that this question entered his mind. Dean viewed himself with contempt. “What is the point of thinking of this? Isn’t he also a missionary?” The young man passed by the person leading, he exhaled deeply while wiping the sweat off his brow. Similar to his situation, Liz and Pierre were burning with eagerness to fulfill their life’s work as missionaries. Aside from that, there was nothing else to devote oneself into.
“But, only –,” he held back his thought.
“I haven’t failed as a bishop,” Dean thought. “But still, Pierre Baiyan is a criminal.” Pierre decided and stole a year’s payoff from the organization he worked for and just as expected, he went to the capital and lived it up for a night. The price of such momentary pleasure was paid by those workers who had to starve. He had no conscience over his sin, even a little bit was nonexistent. Upon his return to the village, Pierre immediately headed towards the church and knelt in front of the archbishop confessing his sin. While his tears were dropping, a smile was plastered on the edge of his lips, as always.
“Foul devil!” the villagers cursed Pierre. “it was a deceitful confession!” they shouted. This too had happened in the past.
Even so, the archbishop had to declare that Pierre’s heart had been cleansed. By the power of God, any criminal can repent and change his ways.
Like the dark clouds before a storm, the people’s disbelief in the church grew.
Even with his status as bishop, Dean could not even forgive Pierre. “Still, there are sins that could not be cleansed,” he thought. “The existence of something can be a sin. This refers not to those who were tainted black by sin, but to those who were born with an evil hearts. Look at the Devil who opposes God. That type of evil which fell from grace has no means of salvation. Extinguish, then purify and that would lead to salvation.”
Dean served under the Territorial Church. This church in most cases is located in the lord’s manor and the ownership and control belongs to the lord of the village. In other words, a private church.
Guillaume de Buurman, aside from being in charge of the manor, is himself the archbishop who taught his views. Archbishop Buurman was not the type who displays his authority. He is said to be the ideal clergyman, zealous and pious. Except for the talk of one vice.
He loved women more than anything. Of course, he will not lay his hands on any woman on the street. He chooses his love interest exclusively from the church. <Baptism> is the slang term for this and it lasts until dawn.
Like Dean Silva, within the clergy there were people who condemn the archbishop but that largely lay in the gossips. If there were people who had no way but to be taken in by the church, they would grow up as clergymen. Even though Buurman had no obligation to them, they still sing praises to his charity. Even the thought of another man’s woman consenting to be with him at night, people would not go to the trouble of accusing him or even entertain that thought. Also, if the church falls, a lot of people would have trouble getting tomorrow’s bread.
Guillaume de Buurman did not have the look of a person who displays authority. With his merciful heart, even if he consciously wanted to stay without power, overtime, he was changed into a person with a great authority. People who resisted him did not exist.
to be continuedTranslator notes and answers to questions:
Thank you all for appreciating my efforts.
It is painful to translate, some of the words used were in archaic Japanese...
ooohh my head is swimming... hmm, is Ricordanza any easier to translate?...What is this novel? I'm not familiar with it.
This is a novel published in the Japanese magazine LOGOUT from 1992 to 1995.
The story was written by Ichiro Tezuka and illustrated by Masaki Takahashi. It was originally intended to be a novelization of Super Castlevania IV but the author decided to create an original story.