Berserk, Total War: Second Son of Nobles

"Deacon Minzer."

At this moment, a shout suddenly came from outside the door. Min Caier turned around and saw an ordinary deacon standing at the door.

This kind of deacon is usually someone in the seminary who has little money and poor academic performance. They are responsible for some clerical copying work and are busy with mountains of documents all day long. They are pure low-level people who are treated like cattle and horses. The reason they are called "on the job" is because they are in charge of quite a few people, such as choir members, gatekeepers, gravekeepers and the like.

"The priest wants to see you."

The deacon said hurriedly.

"I'll come right away!"

Min Caier responded quickly. He told the students in the class to study on their own first, and then followed the deacon and quickly left the school.

The two men walked through the streets of the town, and soon they arrived at the priest's office in the monastery.

The monastery is tall and solemn, with green vines climbing all over the walls, making it look quaint and mysterious.

The priest's name was Gavi. He graduated from the same seminary as Minzer and was his junior.

After arriving here, it took Gavi a full ten years to be promoted from a deacon to a priest.

He went through countless hardships and trials before he finally gained a foothold in this hierarchical church system.

"Father Gavi, you asked for me."

Min Caier walked into the office and said respectfully.

"Min Caier is here, please sit down first."

Gavi smiled and asked Min Zeer to sit down. His attitude was very gentle. After all, they were alumni and it was easy to get along with them as there was no conflict of interest.

After Minzer sat down, Gavi asked:

"Deacon Muenzer, why didn't you come to the midday prayer?"

Minzer immediately told Gavi everything about how his student Yeka was about to be arrested by the conscription officer.

His eyes revealed a hint of anxiety and anger, and his voice trembled slightly:

"Father Garvey, those recruiting officers are too arrogant. They didn't even let the child go. He just buried his father the day before yesterday, and they want to take him away today. I really can't stand it."

"Harmful……"

After hearing this, Gavi sighed deeply, with a hint of helplessness in his eyes.

He was silent for a while, then said slowly:

"Deacon Min Caier, I think it's best if you don't get involved in this matter. I'm afraid you may not be able to help."

When Min Caier heard this, he stood up anxiously, clenched his hands into fists, and said loudly:

"How can this be possible? I am the academic deacon and I have to be responsible for the students. If I arrest one today and another tomorrow, how can the students still have a stable environment to study in? I absolutely cannot sit back and do nothing."

"Hey, please sit down first. Let's sit down and I will tell you about this slowly."

Gavi quickly stood up, grabbed Min Ze'er's arm, and persuaded Min Ze'er for a long time before he sat down again and listened to him.

Garvey frowned and said seriously:

"The matter of conscription is not something you and I can decide. The first person in charge of this matter is the city's conscription officer, then the governor and noble lords, and then the people in the Yoda Empire Council. We clergy have nothing to do with this, so we can't interfere."

"Moreover, the forces behind this are complicated and intricate, like a web that keeps expanding. Even those involved don't know who will be implicated. We are at the bottom of the clergy, so how can we change it?"

Min Caier frowned and asked anxiously:

"Can the archbishop and the bishop just watch these officials take these believers away to fight some meaningless wars? Those believers are also the lambs of the Lord. Can they bear to watch them fall into danger?"

Gavi shook his head helplessly, sighed and said:

"The archbishop and the bishops don't have time to deal with these things. Although we are all the Lord's lambs, when we are besieged by wolves, shepherds can abandon sick and old sheep in order to protect the sheep that can produce the most wool."

"In their eyes, perhaps these ordinary believers are just sick and old sheep."

Min Caier felt angry and unwilling, but he still advised:

"But if it works, could you write to the bishop and tell him what's going on here? Maybe the bishop will take it seriously and intervene."

Gavi smiled bitterly, shook his head, and said:

"If I had the connections and ability, I would have done this a long time ago. Why wait until now? Although my grades in the seminary are not outstanding, they are also in the upper-middle level. I still have to wait for those with power and money to be promoted so that I can follow them."

"I am just a small priest. In this complex church system, I don't have enough weight and influence to write to the bishop to report this matter. If I'm not careful, I will get myself into trouble."

Min Caier's eyes were firm. He stood up suddenly and said in a resolute tone:

"No, I'm going to the city and explain things to the bishop! I must seek justice for these students and cannot just watch them being arrested."

"No, senior!" Gavi immediately stood up, rushed forward and grabbed Min Caier.

His face became extremely nervous, and he was so anxious that he even called out to his senior.

My goodness! If Min Ze'er really met the bishop, then he, as a priest, would become famous and would definitely not be able to escape the blame for his poor discipline.

If he managed to put the bishop in a dilemma or even make him upset, not only would he have no hope of promotion in his life, he might even be severely punished.

"Actually, there is a way. That is to bribe the conscription officer and ask him to find a beggar to take his place. There are so many beggars in the city, and they don't need a student like yours. This way, we can solve the problem without offending the powerful."

Gavi said hurriedly while pulling Min Caier. After that, Gavi took out a small bag from his arms, handed it to Min Caier, and said:

"I found out that the cost of recruiting a soldier, including weapons, equipment and maintenance, is one gold coin. Five gold coins are enough to bribe the recruiting officer and his men."

Min Caier did not take the money. He was very surprised at this moment. You know, in the countryside people don't use gold coins for transactions, and they have never even seen such a thing as gold coins.

The clergy had no salary, and the town gave him at most ten silver coins a month through donations.

He couldn't help but frowned and asked:

"Where did you get this gold coin?"

Garvey's eyes dodged for a moment, then he said:

"A wealthy businessman in the city gave it to me, saying that I must vote for him at the meeting that will decide the ownership of the abandoned mine near the town."

After hearing this, Min Caier's face became very serious and he said quickly:

"You are accepting bribes. Although the mine is abandoned, it is still the property of the town. These five gold coins are not enough to buy the mine!"

Garvey sighed helplessly and said:

"I wasn't the only one who took it. The mayor, the gentry, and the landlords all took it. And not only in the town, but even in the city, people used the money to pave the roads."

"If we don't take it, how can the mayor take it? If the mayor doesn't take it, how can the gentlemen in the city council take it? This is not a question of whether to take it or not, but a question of giving face to the merchants and letting the higher-ups make money or not."

Min Caier fell into deep thought. He looked at the small bag in his hand with mixed feelings.

He knew very well that what Garvey said might be the helpless reality faced by the public, but the justice and conscience in his heart prevented him from easily accepting such bribery.

He frowned, his eyes revealing struggle and hesitation.

"Okay, just take it. Life has to go on. Hurry up and settle your affairs first."

After Gavi stuffed the purse into Minzer's pocket, he ordered his men to see him off. Before leaving, Gavi suddenly turned around and reminded him:

"I almost forgot. The area around this town is not safe these days. There are robbers everywhere. Remember to lock your doors and windows at night and don't walk around at night."