Chapter 54

The Medieval-Modern Man With A Gamer Mindset 54

54. Let’s Share Good Things

I was not a person who cried easily.

It wasn’t because of the conservative macho belief that if you were born with a hunchback, you could only cry three times in your life. It was just that I was slow to recognize sadness, and there were few things that moved me.

However, even a country like this could not remain indifferent in the face of such a heartwarming sight. Time passed slightly, and February 4, 1212 arrived. The events that had unfolded over the past day were nothing short of moving.

I once again called the people into the chapel, both to share the emotions I had felt at the time and to reveal the results of the interview. The remarkable passion they had displayed spoke volumes, rendering any sermons or moralizing completely unnecessary.

All that was needed for our clergy was a fiery homily. I opened my mouth, struggling to conceal my reddened eyes.

“I was truly moved by the sight of you all, casting aside the opportunity to sit comfortably and idly by, and stepping forward to take on tasks. I would like to take you all with me, but it is also the duty of a superior to plan for adequate rest. Therefore, with the exception of an entourage of 20, the rest of you shall remain at the parish.”

In that instant, the emotions within the chapel became a jumble of joy and sorrow.

A silent outcry, a stifled scream, shook the chapel. Those priests and monks who had been denied the opportunity to contribute with all their fervor wept sincerely, even going so far as to reproach themselves for not having been chosen.

A wave of sorrow washed over me.

Why had such sincere and dedicated individuals not received the Stigmata? Despite having taken the Vow of Diligence, their passion should have been enough to manifest the Stigmata long ago.

The reason for this was easy to guess.

Those who are truly diligent in this world take their diligence for granted. Moreover, if they are deeply devout, they may even shun the act of demanding recompense from God for doing what they believe to be their duty.

This must not be allowed to continue.

Looking at those who had been disappointed at not being able to join the entourage, I made a firm resolution. I would ensure that they too were given ample opportunity.

“But do not be disheartened.”

“…?”

“You too are individuals who follow the doctrine and practice its teachings. As someone who has taken a step ahead, I feel a responsibility to guide both the laity and yourselves. I ask that you look forward to my return from my apostolic journey.”

The reason why a teacher or a senior is respected is nothing special.

They are respected because they pass on to future generations the wisdom and experience they have gained by being born earlier and progressing further. And I was not stingy in sharing the enlightenment and wisdom I had gained.

“Upon my return, I shall devise a special curriculum… a training plan that will allow everyone present here to manifest the Stigmata.”

“….”

“!!!”

Cheers that could not be expressed in words were conveyed through sheer force of will.

But even that force of will was enough. I smiled with satisfaction as I watched the monks and priests, their eyes wide with boundless joy.

Even in the modern era on Earth, those who yearn for religious enlightenment enter monasteries or hermitages to engage in regular acts of asceticism and prayer. Fortunately, the monks and priests of our parish were able to replace this with a more productive and enjoyable method.

In other words, I planned to personally create countless pastimes that would follow the Find the Differences format. Of course, I also intended to provide them with enough work to justify the Vow of Diligence.

It was at this point that Bishop Garnista approached.

Despite his age advanced, his eyelids were slightly drooping from having enjoyed the new entertainment all night long. It was a refreshing sight to see the bishop gradually beginning to enjoy himself.

I gestured towards our clergy and smiled brightly.

“I have left some behind, as I felt you might run out of playmates if I took them all.”

“Hohoho. That is fortunate, most fortunate. I am truly relieved that this old body will not be left alone. I thought that since you had sent everyone, this old man would be left behind all by himself.”

It seemed that he was already excited. The bishop’s eyes, as he searched for playmates, sparkled eagerly.

***

And so, on February 17, I set out on a full-fledged apostolic journey with my entourage.

My companions consisted of 15 monks and 5 priests, as well as 30 mercenaries who would serve as guards. Including myself, this made for a sizable entourage of 51 people.

One noteworthy detail was that I did not ride in a carriage. Just before leaving the bishop’s domain, I declined the carriage and, dismounting from my own saddle, took the reins in hand and looked back at our entourage.

“While my brothers walk, I cannot rest comfortably in a carriage or upon a saddle. We shall walk together, just as the monasteries we shall visit walk alongside the poor and destitute.”

This was both an attempt to build camaraderie with the entourage and a political performance expressing my strong will.

To put it bluntly, it was a declaration that while the bishop who had received the Stigmata refused to ride upon a saddle and instead walked until the soles of his feet bled, any monastery that indulged in comfort and luxury would be thoroughly defeated.

There was also another hidden motive… which I decided to keep as a surprise gift.

Fortunately, our entourage was comprised of individuals who had been thoroughly prepared for this very purpose.

“Do not worry, Your Grace. Every penny shall flow to where it is needed.”

Poros, the priest who had secretly embezzled money to provide for his family after setting up a separate household.

This punk accepted my generous offer to employ him as a notary if he would refrain from running for bishop or other important positions and instead return to secular life. He planned to fully exploit his embezzlement and misappropriation skills to fleece the monastery’s double-entry bookkeeping.

“Yes, Your Grace. Leave the wine tasting to me!”

Germa, the crazy monk who wanted to laze around, eat, and drink at my expense.

People do not change, and a damaged liver cannot be restored. So I planned to bring this guy, who already had a scarred liver, and make him taste wine.

He was a talented person I recruited after learning that the monastery’s main products were wine and various dairy products. I brought him in to cut off the trash who dared to postpone paying their religious dues while making low-quality wine that was losing value.

Of course, there was a possibility that this punk was actually decent. In preparation for that, I threatened to cut off the tongues of anyone with low taste. After all, if they have no tongues, they won’t be able to taste anything anyway, so they might as well cut them off and drink like crazy.

“Everyone here looks familiar. I wondered what happened when Barnardo left… Well, I’ll do as I’m told as long as I get paid on time.”

Ernin, the mercenary captain who only did what he was told and nothing more. Sёarᴄh the NôᴠeFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

He was a mercenary who lived and died for money, but he was also armed with the ironclad spirit of a public servant. Former Bishop Barnardo had ordered him to do many wicked things, but he only did exactly as he was told and nothing more.

At first, I thought he had a strong conscience as a human being, but when I actually talked to him, that wasn’t the case.

“If you act based on customs and conventions that are not specified in the contract, they will later become a leash around your neck. Twisting words is the specialty of nobles and priests. …Oh dear. It’s even more so for people like Your Grace. It’s too easy for people in power to hang others on flimsy pretexts, even if they are powerless.”

Judging by his speech, he seemed like a ruffian, but his thoughts were surprisingly sharp, like a professional mercenary. He was also a bit like a public servant, which was unusual for an opportunistic mercenary.

For now, I hired him because I thought he would be useful if he wasn’t a troublemaker. The cost was 12 gold pieces.

It was an outrageously expensive price, but I valued the fact that he had done less evil under Barnardo. A disciplined and orderly army is valuable everywhere.

Of course, there were many others who played important roles, even if their names were not mentioned.

They were all talented people who were ready to vent their anger at the tyranny of the monastery. They were people who had been moved by me after realizing how terribly Barnardo had treated his subordinates.

I seized the reins of my overwhelming emotions and impressed.

“Let’s go, my retinue. It’s time to walk the pilgrimage for the poor!”

Today, we will become…

Monk Slayers.

***

The monasteries of the cozy and quiet diocese of Powys.

Even without the rule of silence, the sound of a bell tolling like a war bell rang out in one of the idyllic communities that had been quietly pursuing happiness. The monastery’s bell ringer rang the bell incessantly without even wiping the grease and seasoning from his hands .

“Emergency, emergency!”

But the monks only yawned or shrugged their shoulders at the sound of the bell.

“The bishop’s successor is coming!!!”

Not until they heard the bell ringer’s piercing cry.

“What?”

“T, the bishop’s successor?”

At first, no one could accept the fact. They questioned each other, and some even cursed the bell ringer.

“Why is the bishop’s successor coming here?”

“Who is the monk in charge of the bell ringing? H… Everyone who shares the same room, gather in front of the abbot’s room.”

But the situation changed when monks who had been out in the village came running in. Covered in mud and sweat, the monks gasped for breath and all frustrating to the same thing.

“I, it’s the bishop’s successor. It seems that the rumors of him leaving the cathedral a while ago are true.”

“He said he would be hosted by others when we offered him hospitality, and he went to the serfs!”

People who have committed sins are more fearful. This was especially true for a monastery that was originally unqualified for the evaluation criteria, and even more so for a place that had committed evil deeds as soon as it passed the evaluation.

The senior monks, who belatedly realized the seriousness of the situation, turned pale and impressed.

“Hide the ledgers first!”

“That’s impossible… How could the retinue come so secretly?”

Once the incident broke out, everyone was shocked even as they hurriedly moved.

If the bishop candidate visited the monastery, it would definitely be to check the evaluation criteria. Most monasteries were currently gathering offerings to present then.

If they had known that the bishop candidate was coming, they would have squeezed the surrounding serfs even more to secure funds. Or, they might have embezzled the taxes that were supposed to go to the lord under the guise of putting out an urgent fire.

However, what the monasteries who were trying to prepare bribes didn’t expect was Bishop Candidate Narva’s plan.

The reason Narva intentionally refused the carriage and horses and walked, delaying the procession’s speed. The reason he was able to move so covertly that the monastery didn’t notice.

The reason lay with the local minor lords and knights who owned estates.

While the priests were busy hiding their corruption, Narva seriously toured the estates, receiving hospitality from the serfs.

And the owner of the estate that was to receive this round of inspections, Knight Germain, knelt before Narva in full dress uniform. He didn’t care that his pants were dirtied with mud.

“Bishop Candidate, the sword of Lux Stella, the pillar of faith.”

“It seems you hid it well, considering how surprised the priests were.”

“Of course. The other lords will also welcome Your Grace in the same way!”

The reason the knights and minor lords were so devoted was simple.

Bishop Candidate Narva placed his hand on Knight Germain’s head with a satisfied smile and recited a blessing.

“Then, half of the monastery’s wealth shall be yours.”

It was slightly a worldwide prayer.