Of course, it was his own story.
The guild members knew roughly what was going on, but they didn't bring it up here.
"So, as the guild leader, I called the author and had a long conversation with him. I asked him why he had done such a thing, out of curiosity. And that young man said this. He was blinded by the church's wealth and made a wrong judgment. He confessed to me that it was all a mistake."
Then the entire conference hall began to buzz again.
It was because the rumor's assistant had gone to the guild leader and said such things.
Guild members sitting in the conference hall chatted in low voices, with incredulous expressions.
"Did he really do that?"
"Haha... he said it was a wrong judgment."
"He must have felt strange after trying it. It's better to receive gold storage fees than to pay interest."
Benjamin, who had been making eye contact with Rockefeller all this time, soon showed a friendly smile.
"Isn't that obvious? No one here had ever thought of giving interest to customers, so how could an inexperienced assistant like him, who is not even a goldsmith, have done such a thing? He must have just tried it without knowing what it was like. And then he regretted it."
Benjamin, who was mocking Rockefeller without realizing it, continued.
"So, today, in this place, I want you to hear directly how foolish this young man was in what he did."
Then he opened his index finger as if to emphasize it.
"And from this time on, we will announce the guild rules and completely ban the payment of interest according to gold deposits. This is not a gain for us, but rather a harmful act. It's not enough to encourage competition between each other, but to completely withdraw from the gold storage fee business that has been going well so far. Does this make sense?"
As Benjamin pointed at Rockefeller, everyone's attention focused on him.
"Then let's hear what this young man has to say."
After finishing his speech to the whole, Benjamin also told Rockefeller this, so that he wouldn't have any other thoughts.
"Although your experience is still very lacking now, you should show deep reflection on your mistakes in order to get along well with us when your experience accumulates later. I've prepared this place for you out of consideration for you, so feel free to speak your mind. Tell us what you did wrong at that time, and what kind of wrong judgment you made."
Rockefeller, who was given the right to speak, stood up from his seat.
"My name is Rockefeller Rothsmedici. I have been working as an assistant at Carter Bank in Montefeltro territory for several years, and I am also a goldsmith recognized by the royal family."
At his words, the conference hall began to buzz again.
"What? He said he's not a goldsmith?"
"That's right. I heard he's not a goldsmith either."
"Wasn't he just an unqualified assistant?"
"Well, it doesn't seem like that."
"Then did he become a goldsmith in the meantime?"
"That doesn't make sense. As everyone here knows, you need the guild leader's approval to become a goldsmith."
"The guild leader wouldn't know..."
According to the guild leader, he was not a goldsmith, but there was chaos when he said he was a goldsmith himself.
Benjamin, who was also confused in the noisy conference hall, asked.
"What the hell are you talking about? Goldsmith? You're not even qualified yet."
At his words, Rockefeller raised his voice again toward the buzzing conference hall.
"As you all know, in order to become a goldsmith, you need the approval of the two famous bank unions in the empire. However, even this is nothing more than the royal family delegating the selection and appointment of goldsmiths directly because it is troublesome. In other words, as long as you have the approval of the royal family, you can become a goldsmith."
In the buzzing conference hall, Benjamin asked Rockefeller.
"What are you, ignoring even me, the guild leader, and saying that you have received the approval of the royal family?"
Everyone had the same thought.
The young man named Rockefeller was just an insignificant commoner's son and a bank assistant.
It was impossible not to question how such a person could have become a goldsmith by ignoring the bank alliance and having a connection with the royal family.
Then.
At this moment, an unexpected person intervened.
He was a person who had been quietly sitting in his seat waiting for his turn since the beginning of the meeting.
"Let me see. I made him a goldsmith."
Bishop Verkis, who had been quiet, suddenly spoke up, and the conference hall became even more noisy.
"Your Grace... what do you mean? You made that young man named Rockefeller a goldsmith?"
It was so unbelievable.
Benjamin asked with a pale face, and Bishop Verkis replied in a nonchalant tone.
"Isn't it impossible for me to do that when he's trying to increase the church's wealth by giving interest to the bank's customers?"
The atmosphere was strange.
This place was supposed to be a place to let everyone know that the business of giving interest to bank customers was very wrong.
However, the bishop's attitude was completely opposite, which caused confusion for everyone.
"What are you talking about..."
"From the standpoint of a believer who wants to serve God, isn't it only natural to reward him for trying to take care of the church's wealth and increase it? So I sent a letter directly to the royal family. I asked them to make that young man and his family members all goldsmiths."
It was so unbelievable that Benjamin lost his words.
Bishop Verkis, who still had a grudge against Benjamin, decided to further tease him using his power and position.
"Well, since it's come to this, I think it would be nice to do this as well. I've been quietly watching from the beginning, and you guys are constantly trying to exclude that young man just because he's not a fellow guild member. Well, let's see how powerful I am. From this time on, let's accept that young man as a guild member here."
Bishop Verkis' gaze turned to everyone.
"Is there anyone who objects to this? Speak up if there is. God is watching."
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