Chapter 106

Isaac learned from the merchants not only about taxation but also about extracting donations as an order, methods of selling indulgences, items exclusively produced and sold at the order's monasteries, and how to disguise taxes owed to the empire as expenses for the order to receive tax exemptions, among other things.

The mix of absurd and plausible strategies made Isaac realize how deeply entrenched the corruption and malpractice were within the order. The system was so sophisticated that Bishop Juan seemed less like a Bishop of the Codex of Light and more like a regional head of the Golden Idol Guild.

Of course, Juan's teaching of these methods was also meant to ensure that Isaac would contribute his share upwards.

"Do we really need to extort money to such an extent?"

"Oh, to such an extent? Do you know how much money has gone into securing your position as a Knight of the Holy Grail, the abbacy of the Issacrea estate, and the title, all to quell dissent within the order?"

Isaac was taken aback by Juan's words.

"Is there a lot of dissatisfaction with me within the order? I thought becoming a saint would eliminate such issues."

"The order is full of mouths. Many are inept yet line up hoping to become saints. And the bishops are desperate to promote their own people to sainthood to strengthen their positions. So, regardless of your character, there are those who oppose you, Isaac."

Isaac got a rough idea of the political situation within the order.

While there was a common agreement on elevating a saint as a counterbalance to the emperor, opinions varied on who it should be. Everyone wanted to delay the decision to promote their own candidates until Isaac appeared—a person with no affiliations but guaranteed capabilities and achievements.

This expedited Isaac's elevation to sainthood.

And it was Bishop Juan who had aggressively pushed for it.

"It seems you've spent a lot of money to protect me."

"A significant amount, indeed."

Juan's expression twisted.

Isaac had thought of him as stingy for not providing much support beyond debt forgiveness, but in unseen ways, Juan had spent a lot to protect him.

"Now, with the delay of my sainthood, it must be troublesome for you."

"That's true. But securing an estate directly controlled by the order is not a common occurrence, so it's not a huge loss."

Juan looked at Isaac with a sardonic smile.

"That's why I need to firmly place 'my person' in that rare estate. You, even more so, need to learn how to extort money to repay me."

Isaac's brief feeling of gratitude quickly faded, realizing he was being taught corruption and bribery to expedite his repayment to Juan.

Yet, it wasn't entirely bad.

If it meant establishing a connection with Juan, one of the top echelons of the order, the cost was irrelevant. Such connections couldn't be made by simply wishing for them.

If it was a matter solvable with money, it was easier to handle.

Juan glanced at Isaac, then spoke in a comforting tone.

"Of course, for someone as innocent and devout as a Knight of the Holy Grail like yourself, my mercenary ways might be repulsive. What was it? Blind and deaf to goodness? Some call people like me that."

"Ah... How could anyone dare say that about you, Bishop?"

Isaac recalled hearing this from Gebel.

But Isaac pretended it was the first time hearing it and held back his words.

"But it's because of people like me that many in the Codex of Light order have something to eat and live on."

Bishop Juan looked around at the priests and paladins.

"Think about it. All these people have are their prayers and sword skills. Worthless in earning a living. If the Codex of Light doesn't answer their prayers, half of them would starve or turn to banditry within a month. What about the orphans, beggars, and employees the monasteries take care of?"

Was he surprisingly consistent in paying wages?

As Isaac pondered, Bishop Juan continued.

"Sure, many are volunteers, but just feeding and sheltering them costs a fortune! It's not all free!"

Isaac remembered his time in the monastery. Even the powerful Abbot Yevhar, capable of great miracles, couldn't afford to feed everyone well. But if Juan had been the abbot, Isaac wouldn't have needed to catch rats for food.

Of course, as a clergyman, the abbot was a better person.

However, for leading an organization, the capabilities of someone like Bishop Juan were also necessary.

"Do you really think the order runs solely on pure donations? Absolutely not. You're a lord now, so you should be starting to understand. When leading a group of any significant size, regardless of its purpose, the ability to attract money becomes more important than any inherent talent it might have."

Juan was essentially saying, 'Fighting against evil forces like the Immortal Order requires a certain level of corruption as a necessary evil!'

Isaac added a bit more to Juan's statement.

"...And we receive a portion of that effort as our due."

"Exactly."

Juan seemed pleased with Isaac's response and answered with a smile.

"I had already recognized your exceptional talent as a Knight of the Holy Grail, but seeing how you took control of your estate with just a few words made me realize you're a kindred spirit. I know you're capable, but from now on, you'll need more than just the money you can earn honestly."

"Yes, Bishop."

"Excellent. If you show sufficient zeal, it's entirely possible for you to not just remain a mere Knight of the Holy Grail but to rise up to a bishopric."

"A bishop? How could I possibly stand alongside Bishop Juan..."

"Ha-ha-ha! If not you, then who would I pass my position to?"

As Juan and Isaac shared these pleasantries, their carriage stopped at the docks. Unlike the impoverished appearance of Norden's port, there were quite a few ships moored at the docks.

Gaunt-looking sailors looked down at Isaac.

Only then did Isaac remember the matter of the Salt Council.

'Now that I think about it, why did Bishop Juan bring me all the way here to lecture me on making money?'

When Isaac looked at Juan, the latter flashed his yellow teeth in a grin and said,

"This is the most important lecture. I'll teach you how to extort money from heretics."

***

As Juan and Isaac's party approached one of the moored ships, the sailors turned their heads. Even after making eye contact with the bishop, they remained indifferent, which was enough to identify them as followers of the Salt Council.

However, at this moment, the sailors were experiencing a fierce internal conflict.

Clearly, a high-ranking priest had arrived, but should they respond or not? Even if they belonged to a different faith, they were worried about incurring bad luck at sea for disrespecting a 'priest.' Yet, they also fretted over the possibility of attracting misfortune for casually addressing a heretic priest.

The reason the Salt Council's sailors were caught in such an indecisive dilemma was because they had lost clear doctrinal guidance. Lacking a logical foundation, they clung to their own superstitions. Sailors navigating the unpredictable seas often had to rely more on uncertain fate than on meticulous order.

Therefore, they desperately hoped the bishop would initiate the conversation.

"Who is in charge here?"

A young priest leading the group with Bishop Juan shouted out loud. A somewhat older sailor hurriedly rushed forward as if he had been waiting for this moment.

"Uh... What brings you here, priest?"

This time, it was the young priest, not Bishop Juan, who responded.

"You fool! This is Bishop Juan Liar of the Codex of Light! A mere sailor has no right to speak to him; summon the captain of this ship!"

Juan sat on his horse, silent as when Isaac first saw him. Isaac quietly asked Juan a question.

"I noticed that even when you visited the Hendrake estate before, you had this priest speak on your behalf. Is there a reason for that?"

"Of course. I am a bishop of the Codex of Light. Each of my words holds the value of gold. I don't cheapen my 'words' by spending them lightly, so it's natural to borrow someone else's tongue. Only those who have proven their worth can directly hear my words. Like you."

'He's really insane.'

Witnessing Juan's madness in putting a price even on his own tongue, Isaac could only shake his head.

Meanwhile, as the sailors hesitated and glanced around in confusion, Juan whispered something to the young priest, who promptly relayed his message.

"We already know you are followers of the Salt Council. The order governed by the light is generously inclusive, and we haven't come here to drive you away, so don't worry."

"Uh, yes, thank you, Bishop, I mean, Priest...?"

The sailor, unsure whether to speak to the priest or the bishop, eventually turned to address the young priest.

"I'll bring someone to greet you right away. You there, run to the captain's quarters. He's probably passed out drunk, so splash some seawater on him. And make sure he's dressed properly."

"Yes? Oh, yes, understood!"

The sailor designated ran off in a hurry. While the sailor who had been dealing with the bishop busied himself away, he turned to the priest with a deferential attitude.

"If you could let us know your business, we might proceed more swiftly. The captain has been heavily inebriated since last night and might not be thinking clearly. There's no need for you to waste words on us lowly ones; I can relay and organize everything for you."

Isaac observed the sailor's nimble response with keen interest. Clearly, this sailor was of a higher rank than the others and seemed experienced in dealing with figures like Bishop Juan.

Before the young priest could reply, Isaac stepped in and asked,

"What's your name?"

The sailor turned to Isaac.

"Hyanis Nikos. And you are... Sir Isaac, the Knight of the Holy Grail?"

Isaac was slightly surprised that even a follower of the Salt Council recognized him. When Isaac nodded, the sailor's gaze sharpened. Isaac felt a curious urge to activate the Eye of Chaos, but with the bishop beside him, it seemed unnecessary to take such a risk.

"And what brings a bishop and a Knight of the Holy Grail to this humble port? Is there a demon that needs vanquishing?"

A smile formed on Bishop Juan's lips. The young priest shouted in his stead,

"Exactly!"

Isaac turned to Juan with a look of surprise.

"We've received intelligence of a monstrous heretic emerging in the seas near Norden Harbor. For the safety of the faithful, this monster must be vanquished immediately, and we seek the cooperation of the Salt Council."

***

A monster in Norden Harbor? This was new to Isaac. However, something clicked in his mind.

'Are they calling that a monster?'

If so, Bishop Juan was committing a tremendous act of rudeness.

The so-called "monster" was likely one of the angels of the Salt Council residing in the North Sea.

With the Salt Council's deity sealed beneath the salt deserts, not only the followers lost their connection to the afterlife but also the angels on a mission on earth were left stranded.

But earth was not an environment suited for angels. Their geometric and unnaturally shaped forms were designed for the afterlife, not the physical world. Hence, the Salt Council's angels, waiting for their deity's return, spent most of their time in slumber.

'I did have business with that angel, but was it already awake at this point?'

Isaac intended to share some secrets of the Salt Council's doctrine with the angel and, in return, gain the cooperation of the Salt Council. He had even planned how to awaken it. However, the angel being awake already was an unexpected development.

"I've brought them!"

At that moment, someone rushed down from the ship in a hurry. True to Hyanis's words, a man drenched in seawater, wearing an ill-fitting captain's coat, came down. The captain looked around, bewildered, trying to grasp the situation before his gaze met Isaac's.

Isaac and the captain both froze.

'Eidan?'

The man coming down in captain's attire was Eidan Bearbeck, a follower Isaac had sent ahead to facilitate the Salt Council matters.