Gloria von Caldwell's Condemnation and Revenge - Episode 38: Trust and Faith, Bread and Paper

One of the changes in Cedric this time around is not just that he’s no longer wearing glasses, but that his focus has shifted from accumulating knowledge to accumulating wealth.

“Your attire today is truly impressive,” she remarked.

He wore a simple yet exquisitely crafted outfit made from the finest fabric, with carefully chosen accessories—watch, shoes, and other details—that showed no lack of attention to detail.

It was likely more expensive than the watch his father had proudly shown off. Cedric, now, seemed to have a larger vault of wealth than his father did when he was head of the family.

“Thank you. I particularly focused on the color today, for your special occasion.”

The watch on his wrist had a modest yet elegant purple dial, and the gold-threaded embroidery decorating the cuffs of his black outfit complemented Cedric’s silver hair perfectly.

His attire, more attuned to Gloria’s colors, seemed more fitting than that of Edward, his fiancé.

(*Even though he’s not your fiancé, that’s still a bit much…*) A-ko muttered quietly, agreeing with her own thoughts, but Gloria nodded approvingly at Cedric’s attention to detail.

“Your devotion is truly remarkable.”

“That’s thanks to you.”

Cedric beamed, his smile almost sparkling as he spoke, in stark contrast to the more practical, down-to-earth faces of the Hattlestone Count, who had been running around behind the scenes at the ceremony, and the eldest son Abram, who had been smiling at Gloria from the side of the new bishop.

“The thing about paper currency,” Cedric continued, “is that it’s just paper, but it holds value only because there’s trust and credit behind it… What you said that day really strengthened my faith in that concept.”

It seemed the words Gloria had said at their first meeting had left quite an impression on young Cedric. At the time, he had been puzzled by the idea of selling the wine made for God, and he had asked, “Why not just give it away for free?” Such a naive question.

Cedric was the type who couldn’t think beyond the problem presented to him.

It was no wonder that the saint, Gloria, had encouraged him to gather knowledge, to think for himself.

That’s when Gloria had explained about paper currency and trust.

If someone can’t think for themselves because they’re blinded by idealism, it’s easy to steer their thoughts.

The existence of God is invisible, but it’s undeniable because humans, animals, plants, the earth, and the seas all exist in this world, created by Him.

Similarly, paper currency, at its core, is just paper, and its intrinsic value is nothing more than the material it’s made from.

Yet, it holds more value than that because it can be exchanged for something of equal worth.

The value of paper money exists because people trust and believe in it, and that trust allows people to trade bread for paper money.

That trust, ultimately, extends to the nation issuing it, the church that endorses it, and the God that the church worships.

Therefore, the bread bought with paper money is a tangible representation of faith and trust in God.

The act of gathering money—and even more so, using it to purchase things—is an act of making one’s faith in God visible.

People are often uneasy about things they can’t see, but they can trust in what is clearly tangible.

“Faith and trust are invisible, but that’s precisely why it’s important to demonstrate them in visible ways. Whether it’s returning profits from God’s Tears through visible contributions like hospitals or research institutes, or you taking such care in your attire, Cedric, it all boils down to making trust tangible.”

Gloria spoke to Cedric with utmost sincerity, despite the fact that A-ko, who had lived in a world with a far more advanced understanding of currency and economics, was tempted to scoff at such simplistic notions.

“I say this knowing how fortunate I am to receive such a wonderful gift, but to me, God’s Tears are ultimately just a means to gather funds and, even more importantly, make visible the evidence of faith.”

Gloria toyed with the pendant around her neck, her brow furrowed in slight distress as she spoke.

“To speak frankly, collecting money is the same as collecting faith. Selling the wine made for God and circulating it will, in turn, gather faith.”

“Of course, I understand,” Cedric replied quietly, almost conspiratorially, his voice matching Gloria’s in its hushed tone.

“What matters is what we do with the money… the faith we gather. For whom, and for what purpose,” she continued. “That’s why I want you to make a lot of money.”

Cedric nodded eagerly, his green eyes gleaming in a way that reminded Gloria of the shady investors who once flattered her father when he was in good health.

It seems that Cedric, who had once devoted himself to accumulating knowledge until his eyesight deteriorated, was now using that knowledge for something else entirely—to conceal the infidelity of the saint and the crown prince, and to shift the blame for his father’s crimes onto Gloria.

Without glasses and wearing a smile like those dubious investors, Cedric now appeared to be turning his attention to something else—what would he do with the faith he had gathered?