'Summer City can be a nest of vipers to the uninitiated.'
"that is true, my lord," Lucas replied. Continuing guiding Alden to the bathhouse.
Noted that his plans to gather funding have started, now all he needs is to establish a base to begin manufacturing necessities. Alden knew by the yearly income things that the lower nobles spend on are mainly exported goods from other countries, commodities such as clothes, jewelry, and well-made handicraft materials sought after. An unending trend to look and be cultural, An aesthetic judged meaningfully for its beauty. A colorful peacock, to be precise.
For far too long, the lower nobles have always enjoyed a lavish lifestyle; gold stolen for the poor are pored into their pocket, only to be spent on another country. The word growth to your nation will flourish does not seem to register with them.
And as for the poor, Alden especially needs to pay more attention to them. The poor are the driving force of the economies. In every land or country, they are the ones who need the most help in terms of economic condition. If the people are always poor, then the country, without a doubt, is lacking in quality. That's why Alden needs to start manufacturing straight away, distract the nobles all around, and mainly focus on amassing loyalty. Alden could provide them with healthcare and access to a good life without being bothered by the lower nobles. Even though Alden does not know the poor people's behavior in this world, but he can guess that they are not different from earth. Guide the poor to a standard quality of life, and they would almost likely worship and sing a song of praise for decades of him.
Then there is the church. For Alden, these people will become a threat to his life if he's not careful.
Back on planet earth, the western civilization during feudalism middle age, Bennet was born in a mountain village of Nursia. Northeast of Rome and just about the fall of the Roman Empire. Bennet was hailed to be a serious child who thought a lot about rights and wrong. He was described as having "the mind of an old man" in a young man's body. Bennet's parents sent him to Rome to study, but the lying, cheating, and dishonesty he saw in the city upset him. He left Rome and decided to live as a monk, devoting himself to religious life. There were many monks in Asia, but very few of them were in Europe. The existing European monks lived isolated from the world—alone and away from all other people. They denied themselves the comforts of life for religious reasons. Many of them did things that were harsh and painful to themselves. They went without food or lived in a cave for years on end. That is what Bennet did at first, But after three years of torture, bennet said, "Nah fam im out."
Precisely speaking, he did not say such words; he simply left for a greater ideal for a man than self-harm.
Anyway. As he aged through trials and tribulations, bennet, through life's experience, had produced ideas of how the life of the poor should live. He found a purpose in life through years of watching ordinary people go about their unguided life.
Farm, eat, pray and write. He, Saint Benedict, made rules of Self-Sufficient and Hard-Working. He made the entire world recognize that with just a mere effort, one with discipline in mind would be able to live comfortably. With the church's support and aligning himself with religion, To this day, Saint Benedict, the father of discipline and the inventor of libraries and nuns, has taught many that even a farmer can change the world.
That is where Alden sees himself and the church of this world. For all he knows so far, is that if he were to make manufacturing necessities for the poor and change things around. The churches in this world, without their acknowledgment, the road to fame is almost impossible. They are as influential as the king and well connected throughout the continent. Should they dislike Alden's ideas of a systematic standard quality for the poor, the church simply because Alden did not share or, to be more specific, did not donate his good intentions. They would stop at nothing and condemn Alden as heresy. A heretic who the orthodox churches enemy. Judged nonconformity. Thousand of his citizen would burn him alive.
The only people the poor wholeheartedly run to during rough times are the church.
In one case, the deceased Alden heard that a proclaimed a mad beggar spoke ill of the church and said that the church is as evil as the devil themselves. Thousand had rushed and beat the mad beggar to death. They say that it was a preacher that had ignited the mobs to attack the mad beggar. Simply because of what he said. This story sent a shiver down Alden's spine.
Even more so, the nobles will find that as an opportunity and steal his ideas. They'll probably tattletale to his father, adding oil to fire, complaining that Alden provides freedom for the ignorant plebeians without their permission. Label Alden as the ignitor of revolution that could end their noble reign.
But Alden already has a plan for that day. He did not make a big scene on the first day of his rebirth for nothing. The king of the country will hear of this sooner rather than later. He will need help. Alden is sure of that. A king or someone of a higher power would do anything when they found out a talented young man who had the ability to match one of their powerful servants. A young man with a bottomless pit of potential would help him with any political dogma. Should the king step in during the young man's "dire" situation, save him from the church and the nobles alike. Then the young man would indeed be indebted to the king, no?
Even now, Alden has been feeling a storm brewing; He has been feeling like the king will create a situation where he would not have any choice but to fall onto the old man's palms. But Alas, before all of that could happen, Alden is pinning all his hope on father Telly. That's right, even now, as puzzled as he is, Alden is not stupid enough to neglect the smell of corruption. Alden knows from miles away that this so-called Father Telly is the type of man who would stop at nothing to get what they want. Judging from his curious investigation on Alden, Alden has already guessed that this Father Telly wants something from him. so taking the initiative, instead of father telly could make his moves, Alden will get to him first.
Alden Abruptly put a malicious smile on his face. A plan to deal with father telly has been brewed.
This smile made Lucas shiver and scared of him. Giving not an ounce of care, Alden delved back to thinking.
[but that king cannot be treated lightly, He would probably try and interfere if I openly establish a connection with the church,] Alden thought. Noticing Lucas looked concerned in his eyes, Alden stopped his strange behaviors and replied to him.
*Sigh*
'All I'm doing is giving them a drive.'
'There are a lot of things that need to change. Lucas'
"Admittedly so, my lord," Lucas replied, trying to sound as calm as water.
"For far too long, the city bustles with people who have treated it like a hub, a stepping zone."
"I am very proud of my lord to realize that it could use someone like you finally."
"Let those fools have a taste of their punishments for once."
'mmmm,' Alden replied.