The Shadow of the Simulacrum

Chapter 11: Etablish an alliance

September 1808 (18 years old)

For a year now, I had been a reverend, and the villagers came to me to confide their problems. I knew what each family was going through. I who had believed I was the only one who had suffered all my life, discovered women who were victims of domestic abuse, people suffering from illnesses, and others falling into poverty. With the faith and teachings of my father, I managed to reassure the villagers in the face of their trials.

My words had an undeniable power over them, and I realized the influence that my position granted me. However, I lacked something more rewarding and fulfilling than the simple role of a reverend. My father continued to belittle me, and his obsession with perfection had never faded, even after he had passed on his position to me.

Since my encounter with Artemis Goldwin, my perspective had changed. He showed me aspects of life I had never considered. We met every week in the cemetery late at night, where he taught me how to be more persuasive and authentic, helping me understand that my role as a reverend should not be limited to believing and praying. He suggested that my position could become one of absolute mastery over the villagers by gaining their trust. His ideas fueled my ambitions and my desire for power.

Artemis knew my weakness, which was my father, as well as the negative emotions buried deep within me. He told me he understood because those people had no self-worth. As the eldest son, I had always been treated as worthless. Now that I was a reverend, I needed to overthrow my father and gain the trust of the townspeople.

Thanks to the art of rhetoric taught by Artemis, I spoke with eloquence at church meetings. I also began to organize community projects to help the less fortunate and to advocate for the vulnerable, thus proving my commitment to them. Each positive action I took strengthened my position and increased the villagers' trust in me.

Tuberculosis was spreading throughout the village; my mother had contracted it, and we knew there was not much time left before she would die. We were searching for a cure, but it took four days to reach the neighboring village.

The villagers rushed to pray, asking the Lord to help them. I took advantage of these moments of vulnerability to offer my support to the townspeople by providing care. I made them believe that the Lord was listening to their prayers, even though I myself had little faith in it, as tuberculosis relentlessly killed people. Locked away in my own church, I hadn't contracted the disease. The village leaders began to support me, seeing in me a guide capable of making our community thrive.

December 1808 

Tuberculosis had finally left the village, taking with it my mother and my younger sister, Delora. My late mother had never defended me against my father, and I had never felt any real love from her. While my father sank into a deep depression, I found myself strangely liberated from this emotional burden. My brother Julius took care of him.

Although the death of my youngest sister deeply affected me, I could not afford to let this pain hinder my ambitions. My other siblings, Andoloris and Damian, took care of the household tasks while I focused on my projects.

I began forging strategic alliances with the village leaders. I promised them security and prosperity, exploiting their need for stability to gain their trust. My sermons during the prayer nights had evolved into real displays of persuasion, where I played not only the role of reverend but also that of a charismatic leader, capable of guiding our community toward a brighter future.