Rafael and Julius exited the church, and Julius immediately addressed the cleric. "Aaran, I've declared Robert as a new cleric under my name. He will be baptized this afternoon, so please prepare everything and answer any questions he might have." With that, Julius headed toward the mansion to discuss the percentage the church would receive from the sale of paper with Frederic.
"Congratulations, brother, you're now one of us. How do you feel?" Aaran greeted Rafael with a warm smile.
"I... I'm happy," Rafael replied, masking his uncertainty with a positive response. I don't know if this will be good or bad down the road.
"Brother Robert, we clerics forget everything we did in the past before our baptism. It's like being reborn," Aaran explained as he submerged the sheet of paper back into the water, mixing the fibers before scooping them up again.
"This is incredible. I never would have thought that paper was so simple and easy to make. I must confess, I was skeptical when you first told us about it." He dropped the wet fibers onto the table and placed the wood and stones on top to press them.
"Yeah, and I only came to know its use because of you and Julius," Rafael added. They continued to chat until noon when the high priest returned from the mansion. Rafael bowed slightly as Julius approached, following the etiquette Aaran had taught him. Julius nodded, pleased with Rafael's progress.
"That damn man. I had to argue with him for hours to get the church 40 percent. Can you believe he wanted 80 percent?" Julius grumbled, still frustrated by the negotiations. Despite Frederic's title as a Baron, it wasn't enough to outweigh the influence of a high priest, especially when it came to church matters.
Frederic had a valid reason for wanting such a high percentage—he would handle all production and sales—but ultimately, he had to relent due to the church's power.
"Can you tell us more about it?" Rafael inquired, curious about the details.
"He plans to send a group of people to learn the entire process from us. They will then set up production, find trustworthy individuals who can keep a secret, and put them to work."
"But isn't 40 percent a good deal? I mean, we won't have to do anything," Rafael said, thinking it sounded like a fair arrangement.
"It's not bad, but it could be better. You see, this money won't stay with us," Aaran interjected, pointing to the church. "We have to share it with all the other churches in Calistoga. We need to buy food, miscellaneous products like ink, parchments, candles, and sometimes even paper."
Shit. I won't become rich this way. Time for plan B, Rafael thought, deciding to wait for the right moment to introduce new ideas.
"Is everything ready for Robert's baptism?" Julius asked his longtime helper.
"Yes, sir."
"We can start now if you want, Robert, or we can wait until the evening," Julius offered.
"No, it's okay. I prefer to do it now," Rafael responded. From what Aaran had explained, baptism would cleanse him of his past, making him a new person devoted to Christianity and the church.
All his past deeds would be forgotten, and Rafael was eager to ensure this happened as soon as possible. I hope this protects me if they discover everything that happened in that village.
They entered the small church, where a bowl of water, a wooden cross, and a twig with leaves were set on the altar table. The high priest stood by the altar, and Rafael was instructed to kneel before him. Julius recited religious words and passages from the Bible throughout the ceremony.
He dipped the twig into the water and then flicked it at Rafael, sprinkling him with holy water. Rafael then took a vow in his name and the name of Jesus, pledging to be fully devoted and just. Afterward, Julius took the small bowl of holy water and poured it over Rafael, baptizing him as 'Robert.'
"May this wash away all your sins, wrongdoings, bad thoughts, and all the darkness from your soul, for now, you are a new man," Julius intoned, watching as Rafael remained motionless, eyes closed and hands clasped together in prayer.
"How are you feeling, brother?" the high priest asked, but received no response. Rafael stayed still, seemingly lost in the moment.
"Brother Robert?" Aaran called out, puzzled by Rafael's behavior. Julius moved closer and gently placed a hand on Rafael's shoulder, but Rafael suddenly jumped, startling the old man.
"Ahhh! Don't do that, son. I'm old and—" Julius began, but stopped when he saw Rafael drop to his knees, looking up with arms raised above his head.
"Oh God, thank you for your blessing! I won't fail your mission!" Rafael exclaimed passionately.
What's happening? Both men wondered, with Julius being the first to recover his composure. "What mission are you talking about, Cleric Robert?"
"Oh sir! I— I received a mission from our Lord! An angel came into my mind and revealed my life's purpose!"
"What? Calm down. Come, let's discuss this back in our room," Julius urged, leading the way. Once they were inside, the old man didn't even sit down before pressing for details.
"When you poured the holy water on me, I felt a lightness, and a bright light shone in my mind, just like the first time in my dreams. It told me that I had completed my first mission and now I had another," Rafael explained, his voice filled with conviction.
"You said it was an angel. Did he tell you his name?" Julius asked eagerly.
"No, but I know, I just know he was sent by the Lord himself," Rafael replied with certainty.
"Hmm. And what is this new mission? Can you explain it to us so we can help you?" Julius was intrigued, leaning in closer.
"He gave me knowledge of things... things that are hard to describe. He wants me to protect, teach others, and save lives," Rafael revealed, his words leaving both men in stunned silence.