Translator: Cinder Translations
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The faith in the God of Light, spread across the human kingdoms, has varying requirements for its clergy depending on the region and denomination. However, there are some general principles, such as high-ranking clergy cannot marry, are prohibited from drinking alcohol during non-major holidays, and must maintain a simple and modest material lifestyle.
Of course, these are merely the surface rules. In fact, aside from the former head of the North Shore Monastery and the current Archbishop of the Northwest, Anderson, Paul had never encountered a high-ranking clergy member who lived simply.
However, to openly place wine on the table in front of someone unfamiliar is simply...
"Fermented grape juice… Yes, it's fermented grape juice, haha," Volor said, feeling relieved by the Lord's choice of words.
"Earl, please take a seat, and Miss Setia, please have a seat as well."
Seeing Volor so courteous, Paul couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. If only he knew that this beautiful lady before him was a witch, it would surely be an amusing scene.
"Have you been to Sente recently?" he asked Volor.
"Oh, I just visited Lord Anderson there last week."
"How is that old gentleman's health?"
A look of sorrow appeared on Volor's face. "His condition is concerning. Ever since he was imprisoned by that cursed Maltz Kent, the Archbishop has been in poor health these past few years."
Paul shook his head. "That's truly sad news."
"Yes, it is."
After a moment of lamentation, Volor quickly revealed a hint of happiness. "But fortunately, with the assistance of Lords Woz and others, the church's various affairs have been running smoothly."
Woz? Paul felt a surge of unease. From the intelligence he knew, this was a thoroughly corrupt individual.
Poor Anderson—he wouldn't have encountered some ridiculous plot, would he?
Never mind; he couldn't extend his reach that far.
"What do you think of Archbishop Anderson?"
Upon hearing this, Volor paused, then cautiously replied, "Lord Anderson serves the Father devoutly and is well-versed in the key tenets of the scriptures. He is, of course, a great person."
Paul continued, "Recently, someone suggested to me that to promote medical advancement and better serve the people, doctors should be allowed to dissect corpses. What do you think? If our Archbishop knew, what would his attitude be?"
"Oh my! That's outright blasphemy!"
Volor exclaimed as he stood up in shock.
"Hmm?" Paul raised an eyebrow.
"Ah, I meant… this… this goes against tradition and doctrine, right? My Lord, could it be the city's doctor, that madman Ward? He and his student, Susan, always preach some shocking heresies."
Despite his dislike for them, Volor felt helpless against the two because Susan's grandfather, Old Peter, was an official in the city hall.
He guessed that the lord might be supportive of this proposal.
Indeed, Paul said, "There's no tradition that is unchangeable. Don't you think? As for doctrine, I recall that the Scriptures do not prohibit drinking alcohol on ordinary days, yet somehow, the church established that rule. It seems this… has changed over time as well."
Hearing the lord teasing him about this, Volor felt slightly embarrassed. He was also internally complaining, indeed, the Scriptures are merely a set of guidelines for the faithful. The few hundred pages of content cannot cover everything, yet some fools in later generations added so many restrictions, especially regarding clergy, making them oversee every aspect of their lives.
"However, if you were to ask Lord Anderson, he would certainly oppose it."
Volor placed his palm over his mouth, bending slightly and whispering mysteriously, "Earl, let me tell you, Lord Anderson is strict with himself, and he is just as strict with others. He enforces all church regulations rigorously; the period right after he took office was quite difficult for everyone."
Fortunately, he didn't say that Anderson had been sick since then.
"This isn't slander on my part; everyone thinks this privately. In short, given his character, he would surely strongly oppose the desecration of the deceased."
The rigid archbishop's opposition was within Paul's expectations, but Volor's attitude was somewhat surprising to him.
It seemed that clergy like Volor instinctively opposed the dissection of corpses but were not opposed on principle; they seemed rather noncommittal.
John Morrison, the vice-principal at the North Shore Monastery, was also like this; it could be said that they treated their time in the church more as a means of livelihood than a pursuit of faith.
Oh, and then there's the legitimate principal of the North Shore Monastery, a disciple of Anderson, who throws all the monastery's affairs onto the vice-principal while obsessively observing flowers and plants all day. Recently, under Paul's guidance, he started cultivating peas to explore the variations in traits between different generations, even though he is a theologian, he's engaging in biological research, just like another famous priest from a different time and place.
I wonder how many "enlightened" clergy like them exist in the Northwest church.
"Volor…"
Just as Paul was about to say something, a person burst in from outside; it was the deacon from earlier.
He looked nervously at Paul, bowed apologetically, then turned to Volor, saying, "My Lord, that Hershey has come again."
Volor frowned, "That country bumpkin again? Hurry and chase him off; can't you see I'm entertaining a distinguished guest?"
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a commotion outside, with someone shouting, "Today, I must see Lord Volor!"
In front of Paul, Volor felt embarrassed, his face reddening.
Paul chuckled, "Volor, let him in for a moment."
"My Lord, you don't understand…"
Before Volor could react, the person from outside barged in.
"How rude! How rude!"
Volor was furious at the newcomer, pointing at him in exasperation. "Hershey, you barged in without my permission and disturbed my esteemed guest. Do you see your current state? Do you have any sense of decorum as a clergy member?"
Paul looked at the newcomer, who was burly and coarse, his beard meticulously trimmed but with rough skin and thick joints, suggesting years of hard labor. He wore a clean clerical robe, indicating he was a clergy member, yet the robe was patched in many places.
Compared to Volor beside him, he looked less like a priest and more like a country farmer.
(End of the Chapter)
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