A Crusader with System in the Middle Ages

A Monastery is different from a Church. A Church is built for believers to worship and receive Mass, so the more people in its vicinity, the better.

A Monastery, on the other hand, is another matter. If a Church primarily serves ordinary believers, then a Monastery primarily serves Priests. It is a place for Priests to conduct their spiritual practice. For this reason, the Priests of a Monastery are called Cultivators. In principle, they do not accept believers for worship, so Monasteries are usually located far from cities and populated areas.

However, principles are one thing, and many Monasteries are quite flexible. When possible, they will also take on the functions of a Church, opening their chapels to ordinary believers and providing food and lodging for travelers.

After all, increasing contact with laypeople makes it much more convenient to develop services like ”intercessory prayer,” and the opportunities to receive donations also increase.

People believe that sins can be mitigated through the prayers of a devout Cultivator. The greater the Cultivator’s Devotion, the more potent their prayers, and the more sin is mitigated.

Killing is a grave sin. Though Knights may not care in their youth, they worry about their souls burning in old age. Thus, any member of the Nobility who has killed on the battlefield and has spare wealth will invest in this service: intercessory prayer from a Monastery.

But the more a Monastery engages in the business of intercessory prayer and receives donations, the more the Nobility deems it impure. This lowers the value of its prayers, leading them to gradually reduce donations and support for such ”busy” Monasteries, instead investing in ones that are isolated from the secular world and appear quite pure.

This forms a strange cycle.

Fortunately, the Monastery Anselm was heading to was not so remote, located just a short distance outside the city.

After crossing a small patch of Forest, Eric thought he could hear the faint sound of a Mass hymn.

What was slightly troublesome was that it was on the summit of a small hill. The hill wasn’t high, but the slope was rather steep, and the mountain path was muddy from the rain, making it impossible to ascend on horseback.

Eric had the Knights dismount. Some remained at the foot of the hill to watch the horses, while the rest followed him up the mountain.

By this time, the sky had grown completely dark. The sun had withdrawn its last ray of light.

Eric produced a Torch and flint from his spatial storage and handed them to a nearby Knight. Belem was surprised that Eric could keep the Torch dry after so many days of rain, but being uninterested in anything besides warfare, he merely marveled for a moment before dropping the subject.

Because of this, traveling with Belem was relatively relaxing for Eric.

After considerable effort, they finally reached the summit. The full view of the Monastery unfolded before Eric’s eyes.

The walls surrounding the Monastery were similar to those of other Christian temples, with nothing particularly unusual about them.

The chapel in the distance, however, surprised him somewhat.

It was an octagonal building, but from a distance, it looked like a quadrangle (a perfect shape, signifying the impregnability of the City of God).

The southern side of the structure sat on the Monastery’s high ground, while the northern side jutted out from a steep cliff, standing tall and imposing.

Viewed from certain points below, its color and material were identical to the rock, making it seem as if the cliff face itself extended upward into the sky, forming a fortress and towers.

Three rows of windows signified the harmony of the Trinity. Its perfectly square form on the ground became the triangle of the Holy Spirit as it soared into the heavens.

As he drew closer, he could clearly see a heptagonal tower at each of the four corners of the quadrangular building. Five of each tower’s faces were visible from the outside—giving it the form of a great octagon.

It had four sides, each with a smaller heptagon, yet its appearance was that of a pentagon.

Thus, anyone could discern the many harmonious numbers, each holding a subtle and sacred meaning.

Eight, the number of perfection for every quadrangle;

Four, the number of the Gospel Books;

Five, representing the five regions of the world;

Seven, the number of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Anselm knocked on the door. A moment later, it opened, and a white-haired Cultivator emerged. The old Cultivator was startled by the dense crowd of Knights, but he calmed down upon seeing Anselm and his accompanying Priests.

The old Cultivator, his back stooped, slowly opened the main gate wide.

”What do you think of this place?”

Anselm, who had been silent throughout the journey, suddenly asked Eric in Latin.

”It’s good. Magnificent. I’ve never seen a more outstanding Monastery in all of England. But...”

Compared to the monotonous, drowsy Romanesque architecture of ordinary Monasteries, this one was already quite impressive.

”But is it truly fitting for a Monastery?”

Just as he had interrupted Belem earlier, the senior Priest named Anselm also cut Eric off.

Even though Eric hated being interrupted.

”When people start paying attention to a Monastery’s form and architectural style rather than the Devotion of the Cultivators within it, then in my view, that Monastery is beyond saving.

Remember, Cultivator Eric, from the perspective of both faith and doctrine, Christ was poor. If His Apostles possessed anything, it was only out of practical ’necessity’.

And now, how many Priests use this as an excuse.”

Anselm looked at Eric.

”You know me?” Eric was somewhat surprised.

”On my way back from Rome, I heard some rumors about you while passing through Normandy. They said Duke Robert had a new, particularly favored Cultivator by his side. I subconsciously assumed it was Odo, but people call him Count more often than by his clerical title.”

”Then it seems the rumors were mostly bad.”

”Most people subconsciously resist anything new, be it a person or a thing. They usually hope for matters to proceed along the old paths.

But just because it was so in the past, does that make it right?”

Although the Knights made a considerable stir as they entered, not a single extra lamp was lit inside the Monastery.

Apparently, the old Cultivator was the only one here.

”Look, only the Monastery remains. Is this even a Monastery anymore? How can a Cultivator so casually abandon his own Monastery? How can such a person be a Cultivator?

Even the most ignorant village woman would scorn such a Cultivator. Who would believe the sermons and prayers of a Cultivator who lacks Devotion?

And yet, the King and the Nobility are always stuffing such people in here. They don’t want virtuous devotees who serve God with all their heart. They want loyal servants who will obey them, profit for them, and weave a veil to hide their shame.

This is also why the Holy See has offered this banner to Duke Robert. What do you think, Eric?”

”Me?” Eric chuckled and shook his head. ”I’m not as formidable as you imagine. For a matter of this magnitude, you should be asking Odo.”

”I want to know your answer.”

Anselm was unmoved.

”If my answer doesn’t satisfy you, will you refuse to hand over the banner from the Holy See?”

Anselm did not answer.

Eric sighed.

’The banner is a small matter; the support of the Holy See is a major one. Besides, there’s been no news yet about the Holy See’s decree of excommunication. Perhaps Anselm... ’

”The Monastery’s architectural style. The interference of the King and the Nobility. The personal conduct of the Cultivators. I believe none of these are the decisive factor.

If the Holy See wants a pure Monastery, the most important thing is to make the positions within it unprofitable.”

”For instance?”

”To hold no permanent property. To live by begging for alms.”