I built a manor in the Middle Ages

Chapter 53 A Cat
St. Martin's Abbey was some distance away from Cooper's Castle. By the time Luc arrived at the abbey, most of the pilgrims from nearby had already dispersed.

This small monastery is located in a quiet meadow, covered by lush creepers and surrounded by extensive farmland and gardens.
These tasks are of course the responsibility of ordinary monks, and cleaning, cooking, gardening, etc. are all forms of spiritual practice for them.

Luc dismounted from a long distance away, let Ryan lead the way, and he took the package and slowly walked to the gate of the monastery.

There was a monk at the door receiving the believers. When he saw Luc, he didn't say anything.

In addition to being a religious place, the monastery is often more like a contact point for the upper class. Ordinary people cannot enter. Only on such occasions are ordinary believers allowed to enter the monastery to pray.

So the monk didn't care about Luc's specific identity until Luc took out a sous and stuffed it into the monk's wide sleeve. Then he raised his head and looked at Luc.

"Dear sir," the monk said, changing his previous indifference and smiling, "How can I help you?"

"It's nothing serious. I just want to see the dean."

Luc also smiled and kindly told the monk his request. At the same time, he opened the package, revealing the paper inside, and handed it to the monk.

The monk took the package with some confusion at first, then his eyes widened when he looked down.

Unlike the yellowed parchment, what was before my eyes was a piece of paper as white as clouds!

This greatly surprised the monks who also had to copy religious books occasionally.

"Where did you get this kind of paper?"

"This is exactly why I wanted to see the dean."

Seeing that Luc just smiled and refused to answer, the monk knew that it was impossible to ask anything, but he also understood that this alone was enough to meet the dean.

After all, the dean has been having some troubles lately.
The monk twisted his body and suddenly said, "I'm sorry, sir. The dean just met with the baron and needs to rest."

Looking at the monk's greedy eyes, how could Luc not know what he was thinking? Without hesitation, he decisively took out another half a sou and stuffed it into the other party: "This is a contribution to God."

"You are such a devout believer!"

The monk suddenly smiled.

……

Luc stood where he was. He had expected the monk's greed, and he didn't feel bad at all that an ordinary person's week's salary was given away in the blink of an eye. After all, it was Henry's money.

After a while, the monk returned and waved to Luc. Luc understood what he meant and told Ryan to wait while he walked into the monastery alone.

The main body of the monastery is a very plain stone building with slightly rough walls and a pointed roof covered with dark tiles.

The gate in the center is heavy and simple, with some simple carvings on it. Entering the courtyard, the ground is paved with long stone slabs, which looks very peaceful.

"The dean is inside."

The monk stopped and pointed at a door in front of him. Luc nodded and pushed it open. In an instant, the light turned from bright to dim.

Behind the wooden door was a long corridor and small rooms on both sides. At the end of the corridor, a middle-aged man, probably in his forties, was sitting on a chair, quietly looking at the white paper in his hand.

Luc walked closer to the man, stopped a few steps away, put his hand on his chest, bowed slightly and said, "Respected Dean."

"Get up, child."

Luc's voice echoed in the hall, and after a while, a magnetic voice was heard.

Luc raised his head and saw the dean looking at him with a smile.

The dean had a high nose and deep eyes, his face was as strong as a sculpture, and his eyes were full of the depth condensed by the baptism of time. At this moment, he looked at Luc with a kind face:

"Where are you from, kid?"

"I'm from Upper Lorraine." Luc pulled out Henry's address.

The dean nodded. It was obvious that he was just asking out of courtesy and didn't really care about Luc's background. He asked some irrelevant questions and finally pointed to the white paper in his arms and said seriously: "Then, child, can you explain the origin of this paper?"

Here it comes! Luke's heart trembled, and he lowered his head and said, "This is a craft passed down from our family ancestors. It can make white paper."

"Oh?"

The dean raised his eyebrows, his eyes sharp as if he wanted to see through the other person.

A piece of white paper might arouse some curiosity for the abbot of a small monastery, but it would never be enough to make him marvel. In fact, in his experienced eyes, the durability of white paper could not even compare to that of parchment.

But things are valuable because they are rare, and the price of parchment has always been very high. Even if the white paper in my arms is not as valuable as parchment, it is still very valuable.

As if hearing the abbot's thoughts, Luc said, "I have always admired the abbot's virtues, so I brought this piece of white paper today as a tribute to the Abbey of Saint Martin on the day the abbey celebrates its founding."

"In order to listen to God's teachings more, I think I will come to the monastery to visit the abbot more often."

The dean, named Pierre, narrowed his eyes; he understood the hidden meaning in Luc's words.

St. Martin's Abbey is just one of the branches of the mother abbey in the county. The abbot of the county abbey has recently passed away, and it is a critical period for the abbots of the smaller abbeys to be promoted.

But don’t think that the selection of a new regional bishop depends on prestige and devotion to God. No, no, no, Pierre knows, it depends on money!
The sale of holy offices is insignificant nowadays. In Pierre's opinion, even the position of Pope can be bought with money, let alone a bishop.

In fact, he did not know that five years later, a priest had indeed bribed his way to the papacy, and only a year later, he was deposed by the Holy Roman Emperor for selling simony.
What Pierre was thinking about now was the benefits of the white paper.

White paper itself is not very useful, but if you can obtain it continuously and then exchange it for money, it will surely add a powerful boost to your path to becoming a bishop.

A trace of greed flashed across Pierre's kind face, then immediately disappeared. He gently stroked the surface of the white paper with his hand, and after a while, he smiled and said:
"My child, God has noticed your piety. Do you have any difficulties that need help? Tell me, and God will bless you."

Pierre began to talk about the exchange of interests.

He didn't think that Luc would come here purely to pay tribute without any purpose.

Pierre waited quietly for Luc's request, but Luc's next words almost made Pierre think he had misheard.

"A cat, Dean, I want a cat."

"A. cat?"

Pierre looked at Luc with eyes full of surprise and absurdity, then he burst into laughter, and stopped laughing, with a hint of coldness in his deep eyes.

A cat that costs a few pennies is almost the same as free for Baizhi.

But free is the most expensive, and Pierre knows this very well.

"Well, son, a cat is a cat."

Pierre decided to make the money first and then do anything else.

The two talked for a while, and then Luc walked out of the room.

Before leaving, Luc donated a silver cross to Pierre.

Luc was walking out of the courtyard when he suddenly saw a monk holding a handful of rapeseed. His eyes lit up immediately, "Wait a minute, can you give me some rapeseed?"

The monk who was stopped was surprised at first, and then he was extremely angry. Who are you to dare to ask us for things?

Just as he was about to scold Luc, he heard Pierre's deep voice coming from the dean's office:

"John, give all the rapeseed to Mr. Luc!"

John was stunned for a moment, and before he could react, he saw Luke smiling and taking all the rapeseed from his arms.

"Thank you."

Luc nodded politely and strode out of the monastery.

(End of this chapter)