Published at 5th of August 2021 10:34 pm

Volume 2 Chapter 31: Conflict with the Church 2/2

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

“First of all, why is there a set fee for praying? Usually, how much one donates isn’t set, it’s up to how they feel. Moreover, isn’t a silver coin way too expensive for an ordinary local?”

From the very beginning, Cain went on the offensive, asking priest Stagg about the fees for prayers and treatment.

At Cain’s words, priest Stagg didn’t seem to take offense and fanned his face.

“Viscount Cain, in regards to the fee, there are too few ordinary citizens who pray, most of whom are heads of business associations. So it hasn’t been a problem even if the standard fee is a single silver coin. Some merchant councils will leave a large silver coin. And as for the healing fee, there are only a few sisters in this church who can use healing magic, so we can’t handle a crowd. That’s why we’ve set up a fee, for screening.”

Priest Stagg replied, fanning his sweaty face.

“So, why not increase the number of Sisters? Priest Stagg-dono should also be able to use healing magic. This is a town with many adventurers, so many people are in need of treatment. You could just make a request to the church in the royal capital, couldn’t you?”

“Even if they sent a Sister, we’d have to pay the church in the royal capital in advance. This church can’t afford it. Or will the subsidies from the Viscount-dono increase?”

In response to Cain’s question, Priest Stagg told him to give him more money in return with a grinning face.

“Out of the question. The size of this church, this luxurious room, there are quite a number of things here that a church has no need for. Also, for the time being, I’m stopping all subsidies.”

Cain answered immediately. He wasn’t subsidizing the church so the priest could live such a luxurious lifestyle. Not to mention that the priest in question had a belly so fat it was sagging down and was wearing bejewelled rings on both hands. Cain had no intention of doing anything for him.

“Hmm… I guess I have no choice then. I’ll have to raise the cost of prayers and healing. This will cause even more trouble to the locals.”

Priest Stagg answered with a grin that made it look like he didn’t care at all.

Cain was convinced that priest Stagg had absolutely no intentions of changing his behaviour.

“Priest Stagg-dono, I understand.”

“Oh, as expected of Viscount Cain-dono, you understood? Then, regarding the subsidies, keep them the same as they have been up until now.”

“No, with my authority as the lord, I will send an official complaint to the church headquarters in the royal capital. Drinking alcohol in the middle of the day, extorting the citizens with illegally high fees. There is no need for you in this town, now that I’m in charge. Well then, I’m going home.”

Not sympathizing with priest Stagg’s thinking at all, Cain turned completely hostile and stood up.

On the other hand, priest Stagg, hearing about an official complaint to the royal capital, panicked.

Priest Stagg realised immediately that an inspection coming from the royal capital would be a problem. Until now, all he’d had to do was submit financial reports, so he had been able to deceive as much as he’d wanted. To be able to see the town first-hand would reveal his dishonesty. Stagg imagined all the luxuries he had built up during his life come crashing down.

“Viscount Cain, please wait a moment.”

Stagg asked Cain to stop in a panic, but Cain simply left the reception room.

Stagg stared at Cain’s back, then just sat there shaking his head, biting his nails, and muttering to himself.

“You… little brat, you’re getting carried away. Hey, who’s there!?”

One of the church knights rushed over at Stagg’s call.

“Priest-sama, did you call?”

“Yes. Tell Betty, the sub guild master of the adventurers’ guild, that I said ‘Tonight’s moon is black’. She should understand.”

“Understood.”

The church knight bowed to the priest and left the room.

Leaving the church, Cain had nearly forgotten that he’d planned on praying and meeting the gods.

“I left with so much vigour I can’t just very well go back inside and pray. Eh, well, I’ve got business in the royal capital’s church now anyway, so I guess I’ll just go pray then.”

On his way back to the lord’s residence, Cain admired the townscape, peeked at the stores and stalls, and stopped by the adventurers’ guild.

Now, he wanted to know the status of the current treatment.

He had passed by it on his way to the church, and the guild was close by, but it took longer than he had expected because of all the extra stops.

Cain opened the door and went inside.

The moment he entered, he felt people looking at him, but they soon stopped. Looking around, Cain saw that people who didn’t know about him were immediately disinterested, thinking it was just a child coming in. On the other hand, those who knew about the other day looked away and avoided eye contact, shaking.

Looking at the receptionist ladies, they were all equally beautiful women lined up behind the counters. Because Betty, the sub guild master wasn’t there, Cain went up to a free receptionist lady and said to her.

“Excuse me, but I’d like to meet with guild master Rikisetsu.”

“Do you have an appointment? Generally, only high-rank adventurers or people who have appointments may meet with the guild master.”

The receptionist lady responded to Cain’s question in a businesslike manner.

“I don’t have an appointment, but I think it’ll be fine if you just tell him my name. I’m Cain.”

“Then, I will ask the guild master, so if you have a guild card, please show it.”

Cain handed the receptionist lady his gold, shining A-Rank guild card.

“Eh… A-Rank!? Excuse me. I’ll confirm it with him immediately.”

The receptionist lady was surprised that the young boy in front of her eyes was A-Rank, but she left for the guild master’s room soon enough.

Only a minute after the receptionist had gone to ask him, the guild master personally appeared, making an impatient face.

“Oh no. Cain-sama, I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. I’ll show you in, this way.”

“Rikisetsu-dono, thank you for last week. We only managed to talk a little, so I’m sorry for coming without an appointment. I’m sorry for being a trouble.”

He bowed to Rikisetsu and greeted him.

Cain walked behind him, guided by a fearful Rikisetsu.

Once Cain wasn’t anywhere in sight any more, the receptionist ladies started raising a fuss.

“What was that child!?”

“He may have been cute, but even the guild master cared about him!?”

“Heeeeey Aura! Please explain.”

She was the receptionist lady with whom Cain spoke earlier.

“Even if you tell me to explain, all he did was say he wanted to meet the guild master, so I had him show me his guild card, and when the guild master heard, he came out here in a rush. Also, even though he was just a child, he was an A-Rank.”

“““A-Rank!?”””

A child who had seemingly only just registered was already an A-Rank. How could they not be surprised?

“I wonder if he likes older people…”

“This, again…”

“But being A-Rank at his age…”

“““Maybe I can… marry into money…”””

The eyes of the receptionists were shining like predators all at once.

Unbeknownst to Cain, he had begun being targeted by the receptionist ladies.

Guided by Rikisetsu, he sat on the sofa in the reception room.

Rikisetsu, who sat down opposite him, nervously waited for Cain’s words.

A receptionist lady entered the room and served black tea, and, for some reason, she winked at Cain before leaving.

“So what do you want to talk about today…”

Rikisetsu anxiously asked Cain.

“Weeell you see, earlier, I went to visit the church, and there was a spot of trouble. So I came because I have questions to ask of Rikisetsu-dono regarding that happening.”

“Umm, did you by any chance… destroy the church– –”

“I didn’t!”

“– –I’m sorry, that was rude of me.”

Cain corrected Rikisetsu’s misunderstanding and asked about the current situation.

“There are a lot of adventurers in this town after all, and some of them can use [Heal]. However, only priests or high-ranked Sisters can use [High Heal]. And seeing as it costs a gold coin, a normal adventurer can’t afford it. If an adventurer gets injured but can’t heal it, they have no choice but to retire… It would be nice if they could all become guild officials like me, but it’s not that simple. They usually end up in the slums… “

If Rikisetsu could have received healing magic easier, he wouldn’t have had to retire from being an adventurer either.

“I talked to priest Stagg today about the exorbitant amount of money they charge for recovery magic… Negotiations broke down, so now I’m going to lodge an official complaint at the church in the royal capital. It’s way too expensive compared to other cities.”

Cain told Rikisetsu about what had happened earlier.

“That orc priest! Living in luxury like that!”

Rikisetsu also seemed to have a bad relationship with priest Stagg.

It seemed like he’d also tried negotiating price cuts multiple times before, but to no avail.

“Speaking of which, I’ll give you this.”

Cain pulled out a small bag from his pocket.

There were three platinum coins inside.

“It won’t be enough to cover the cost of repairing the training grounds, but this is a form of subsidy from my personal funds. Please make sure you handle the taxes properly. An internal affairs officer is scheduled to be assigned to this town, so we’ll audit once they’ve arrived. Please be prepared by then.”

“I’m sorry about this. I am grateful for your help. I have absolutely no idea how to calculate income and expenditure, so I’ll be leaving it to Betty.”

With a bitter smile, Rikisetsu checked the contents of the pouch containing platinum coins and then put it away carefully in his pocket.

“Speaking of which, I haven’t seen Betty today.”

Cain thought it was strange that Betty, who was usually always nearby, wasn’t there.

“Oh, someone suddenly came in, and then I think Betty said something like ‘I’ve got some urgent business’ and then just up and left.”

Cain didn’t really pay attention to Rikisetsu’s answer, so it slipped past him.

And thus, the start of a battle began.

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