I built a manor in the Middle Ages

Chapter 231 The Brotherhood of Charity

The blast furnace and the Agate River Bridge were basically completed before spring plowing.

However, their owner, Sir Luke, was already having dinner at the Count of Macon's mansion with Count Kahn, nicknamed the Golden Lion.

Inside the dimly lit castle, Kahn, whose hands were covered in hair, picked up a wine glass and, with a continuous swallowing motion, sipped a glass of sweet wine.

"what!"

Kahn wiped the wine stains off his beard and said readily, "This maple wine does taste quite good, and the price is reasonable. How about this, we'll sign the trade contract after the dinner!"

There were only a few types of wine in the Middle Ages. Wine and mead were too precious, while cider and malt wine were too common. This maple leaf wine was just in the middle, slightly sweet and inexpensive, making it suitable for drinking often.

"Thank you, Your Excellency." Luc swallowed a piece of fishy-smelling meat and smiled slightly.

Putting the wine glass back in its place and gesturing for the maid to pour more wine, Kahn finally looked at Luc with a serious expression.

The knight before him wore a neat and tidy white linen shirt, with a pigskin belt around his waist fastening his brown riding breeches. His deerskin boots were gleaming and new. Unlike Kahn's hair, which resembled the roots of an old tree, Luke's brown hair was clean and neat. His beard, which stretched from his cheeks to his chin, showed no signs of greasiness, as if it had been washed frequently. It also emitted a faint, unique fragrance. Luke sniffed it carefully and found that it was not the smell of any spices.

Kahn paused for a moment on the outermost stag cloak, then gently stroked the coral ring on his thumb and said, "I have carefully considered your proposal regarding religious knights."

"Oh?" Luc put down his knife and fork, took a linen handkerchief from Ryan to wipe his mouth, and then looked at Kahn and said, "So what do you think?"

"You're quite wealthy."

Kahn glanced at the linen specifically used as a mouth wipe, "You're quite shrewd; no wonder Vice-Chancellor Hugo has repeatedly supported you."

Leaning his burly frame against the sturdy wooden chair, Kahn finally nodded under Luc's gaze: "Since Cluny has sent word that he supports your proposal, how could I possibly refuse?"

"So congratulations, Sir Luke. From now on, you are a member of the Saint Cluny Charitable Brotherhood. Archbishop Hugo will serve as the Brotherhood's Apostolic Priest, and I will..."

Kahn paused for a moment, then shouted, "He will be the guardian of this brotherhood!"

……

Kahn's dinner party lasted until the moon climbed to the treetops, and clowns from the city performed one ridiculous dance after another.

Luc didn't like this kind of entertainment, so he left the banquet early and rushed back to St. Vincent's Church.

Duss had already gone to sleep, so Luc followed a monk named Cluny straight to a secret room inside the church. Pushing open the door, he saw a dim candlelight illuminating a corner of the wall, where Hugo was sitting.

Luke quietly walked into the depths of the secret chamber. At that moment, a second cultivator slowly emerged from the darkness.

"Sir Luke, it's been a long time."

"Lynn?"

Luke looked at the monk in surprise, then suddenly realized and said, "The monk who is about to be sent to Knight's Castle, could it be you?"

“That’s right, it’s him.” Hugo stood up, picked up the conversation, and while explaining to Luc, chuckled, “So, Count Kahn didn’t reject your offer, did he?”

"Of course."

Hugo smiled with satisfaction upon hearing Luc's reply.

Seeing that Luke was leaning against the wall without any politeness, he didn't say much. They were old acquaintances, and besides, after tonight, they would only become closer.

Cluny's church reforms were not merely about cleaning up the corrupt practices within the church; they had a deeper purpose.

—They want to place the church above secular power!

The church has indeed gained considerable power, but it is far from its peak, and many powers remain vacant.

For example, the power of bishop appointment.

Another example is the right to independent armed forces.

"According to your plan, the Saint-Clunis Charitable Brotherhood will comprise the Temple Restoration Society, the Pilgrims' Hospital, and the Pilgrims' Guard. You are a member of the first two, and for the last one, I will directly appoint you as the captain of the guard along the route from Macon County to Knightsburg!"

Hugo slowly rose, clutching the cross to his chest, and said in a deep voice, "I hope you can protect the pilgrims well."

Hugo emphasized the pronunciation of the word "pilgrim," and Luc smiled and agreed. When the Duke of Burgundy refused Luc's offer to become a baron, only one path remained before him: to continue as a knight of Burgundy.

However, in return, the entire valley will officially become his legitimate fief.

But Luc, who felt relieved, also knew that the ruthless Berry was only temporarily compromising, and the rift between them was difficult to mend. Therefore, he needed a powerful ally, such as Count Macon.

It's easier said than done. Under a system where the vassal of a vassal is not my vassal, how could Luc openly gain the support of the Count of Macon?

It should be noted that Berry could only contact the Duke secretly, and dared not openly betray Count Macon.

Otherwise, Count Macon could have simply led his army to annex him, just as Berry did in his conquest of Luc.

After much deliberation, the Charity Brotherhood was born.

The nobles, especially the great nobles, would not tolerate the church, which already possessed divine authority and wealth, once again possessing armed forces.

Therefore, the members of the Temple Repair Society under the Charity Brotherhood are the church contractors.

As its name suggests, the Pilgrims' Hospital will provide free medical care for pilgrims.

The guard team, which appears to be protecting the two mentioned above, is actually secretly accumulating strength; it is the real focus beneath all the layers of packaging!
This is the real reason why Hugo was moved to want to elevate Luc to the rank of baron!
If a high-ranking nobleman were to question them, the church would have a perfectly valid reason: it was merely a matter of building churches, providing relief to the poor, and establishing hospitals and trade unions for devout pilgrims.

We are simply spreading the gospel of God.

As for Luc, he is no longer a great nobleman; he is merely the lord of a manor of a hundred men.

The establishment of the charity would not only allow him to reap the benefits offered by Berry, but also to forge a deeper bond with the Church of Cluny.

Count Marcon, as the Brotherhood's protector and patron, could also use this as a pretext to intervene in Berry's territory.
For example, when Luc's pilgrimage route was harassed by bandits, the Count of Macon, the guardian, sent troops to defend it.
If we raise the banner of fighting for God, even the Duke probably wouldn't say anything.

As for why there are pilgrimage routes.

Luc smiled silently.

As a place of God's protection acknowledged by both Hugo and Lynn, Knightsburg is the new pilgrimage site!

"The church in the territory of David will be the starting point of the pilgrimage route, then continue north, cross the River Agate, and end at your bountiful fields."

“Your little chapel needs renovation. I will allocate funds for you in the name of the Temple Restoration Society to help you rebuild it for free.”

“Since it is a pilgrimage site, a qualified monk should be sent to reside there. Lynn is very suitable. You are the Holy Knight, and he is a saint.”

Hugo devoutly drew a cross and explained all the arrangements in detail.

"As for the baronship you lost, I will try to find a way to help you."

Deeply rooted nobles would not become vassals of the church; only lesser nobles with shallower foundations and great potential could attach themselves to the Cluny church, which was also in the process of expansion.

In Hugo's view, the devout Luc was a good man, and helping him ascend to the barony would be of greater benefit to the church.

Of course, it still needs to be tested.

This has nothing to do with his personal relationship with Luc.

……

The following day, under the auspices of Count Marcon and Archdeacon Hugo, Luc swore an oath to God and formally joined the Brotherhood of Charity.

At the same time, the Duke of Dijon's letter of appointment and charter of fief were delivered to Luc.

From the northern forest of the Knights of David all the way to the southern valley of the Treff Bridge, the entire mountain range fell under Luke's control.

Of course, this includes the original Treff Bridge and half of Tiha village given by Berry.

Hugo inscribed Luc's family lineage certificate in the Church of Saint Vincent, noting that the family came from the Duchy of Upper Lorraine.

(End of this chapter)