"Father Miller?" Mark turned to look at Irene in confusion.
But after saying those words, Irene ignored Mark as usual and just focused on driving away the ignorant crows.
Mark shook his head helplessly and walked towards the confessional.
After walking nearly twenty miles early in the morning, he was already feeling dizzy with hunger, and filling his stomach was his first priority.
Sitting in the dim confessional, eating two pieces of throat-roasting rye bread with mint water, Mark finally had the energy to consider the visitor's problem.
Father Miller is the bishop of St. John's Church in Champagne and the bishop of the Champagne Diocese appointed by the Church of Holy Light after the death of old Stuart.
In terms of the distribution of power in the church, his old church is actually under the jurisdiction of Father Miller.
However, since St. John's Church was built half a year ago and Father Miller took office, this bishop from above has not cared at all about the old church in the west of the town that is on the verge of bankruptcy.
Of course, little Mark, who had been reselling church relics in exchange for faith points to change his job, did not dare to take the initiative to visit Father Miller.
"Whether they're here to collect religious taxes or to question the sale of sacred objects, they most likely have ill intentions."
Mark didn't think that a bishop of the Holy Light Church would suddenly want to take care of the younger generations of Champagne Town on a whim. Even in the more "civilized" era of his previous life, not many people would show kindness to others for no reason.
The higher the status of the person, the more so.
"Maybe because he is the bishop of the Holy Light Church, he has a more compassionate heart?" Mark thought to himself, but he did not stop walking towards the small auditorium.
When he pushed open the faded oak door of the small auditorium, Mark vaguely saw the stained glass that his father had repaired before his death swaying in the morning light.
The peeling gold paint and mildew spots were entangled into strange totems, which looked very much like the afterimages left by the tentacles dancing in the candlelight last night.
Father Miller, a tall monk in a bright red robe, was standing in the mottled halo with his back to Mark.
He was looking up at the cracked angel relief behind the podium. A long and thin crack ran right through the wings of the statue. It was the mark left by the uncontrolled holy light that exploded when the original owner failed in his last job transfer two months ago.
"The Stewart child." Miller didn't turn around. His hands were clasped behind his back, and his fingers rustled softly as they rubbed against each other. "Yesterday, the missionary from Cider City brought a warrant from the parish elder. The parish ordered the Stewart Church to pay the two years' worth of church taxes within two weeks."
really!
Hearing Miller's words, Mark felt relieved.
It's okay if you just come to ask for money, as long as you don't want to kill yourself.
"Bishop Miller, I wonder how much tax our church owes now?" Mark asked tentatively.
There are only two people in his shabby church, so even if he owes two years of church taxes, it probably isn't much.
Fortunately, Mark was a member of the church and no longer had to pay the kingdom's head tax. Otherwise, the original owner would have been captured by the kingdom's soldiers and forced to do forced labor before he could even cross over.
"There are three registration staff at the Stewart Church. One is a third-level job changer, with an annual tax of 10 gold. Another is a second-level job changer, with an annual tax of 5 gold. As for you, you are registered as someone who has not changed jobs, but you reached adulthood two years ago and met the job change requirements. You will be charged an annual tax of 2 gold as a first-level job changer. A total of 100 gold." Miller's voice came calmly.
"Shh, 100 gold!?" Mark couldn't help but gasp. "Bishop Miller, was your math taught by an art teacher? Or abstract art? Shouldn't the total be 34 gold?"
"Don't worry, child. The Holy Light won't blind its believers." Miller continued calmly, "If the Stewart Church's normal dues are indeed 34 gold, then the 'Holy Law - Penance for Malfeasance' stipulates that any clergyman who fails to perform twelve monthly Masses for two consecutive years, fails to maintain the integrity of sacred vessels, or fails to complete the baptism quota for the believers in their jurisdiction must atone for his sins at a rate of N times the tax payable."
"Also, in the past six months, St. John's Church has held forty-three funerals, performed nine exorcisms, and maintained the barrier surrounding the Western Suburbs Cemetery. According to the Parish Mutual Aid Charter, you charge a certain service fee. Doesn't that make sense?"
"Ugh!" Mark couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth. To be honest, this was the most blatant extortion he had ever seen in his past and present life, and it was also well-founded.
Damn it! Those businesses mentioned above are the main source of income for the church. Not only did St. John's Church steal that business away, but now they're actually asking him for service fees in broad daylight!?
However, even if he felt aggrieved, Mark could not refute Miller's statement, because what he said were the clauses in the Holy Law of the Inquisition, and it would be a bit uncomfortable to dare to question these words.
He could only try his best to fight for his rights and said, "But our church has never entrusted St. John's Church, and my father died two years ago. His taxes and penalties should also be cancelled!"
"However, the Fruit Wine City Diocese did not receive your father's body, and his registration was not cancelled. As for the entrustment, according to the division of responsibilities of the Champagne Town Diocese, the believers west of Champagne Town were originally the responsibility of your church. Since they found St. John's Church, it was tacitly accepted by your church as the entrustment."
Having said that, Mark actually knew that he no longer needed to struggle.
Just like my past life experience, reasoning with people within certain organizations is pointless. As long as the punishment is presented, it means they have already set the terms to severely rip you off.
Even if anyone with a discerning eye could see that Miller's asking price was unreasonable, it would probably be meaningless if he took the matter to the higher diocese.
After all, Mark no longer has a father who is a third-level job changer that he can rely on, and the higher-ups will not offend Bishop Miller, who can make the church business prosperous, for him.
If anyone is to blame, it can only be blamed on the original owner, Mark, who, out of inertia, thought that selling holy artifacts and not protecting believers were insignificant matters under the unspoken rules, and was caught in the act.
But it is impossible for him to ask Mark to take the blame for the mistakes made by little Mark!
100 gold is enough for a commoner to live comfortably for most of his life! If you want to take it from him, there is no way!
"Bishop Miller, since you've been to our church, you should know that our Stuart Church is broke." Mark spread his hands and acted like a deadbeat. "Why don't you report this to the court and let them punish me?"
Mark was not saying this to show his disgrace. Although the original owner always failed to change his job, he dared to sell the holy relics in the church because he had a thorough understanding of the church scriptures and doctrines.
Church bishops like him who cannot pay the church tax will generally be deprived of their priesthood by the church and demoted to trainee missionaries. They will no longer enjoy free resources from the church, and will have to pay for the use of all holy water and holy objects like ordinary civilians.
Only when a certain amount of donations are received from believers can it be upgraded again.
Hearing him say this, Miller finally let go of his hands behind his back and turned to look at Mark.
It was not until then that Mark saw Miller's appearance. He was an ordinary-looking middle-aged man.
After staring at Mark for a moment, Miller chuckled and said, "Father Mark, there's no need to bother the court with such a small matter. Even if you don't have money, don't you still have the church?"
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