118. Childhood Friend – Argument

“Daniel! I’m sorry, but could you spare a moment?”

Lena rushed into the library and called out to Daniel, who always occupied the same spot. He lifted his eyes from the book and greeted her.

“Oh, Lena. Of course. What’s the matter?”

“I have something I’d like to ask you. It’s about…”

“Um… Lena, I think it would be better to talk outside.”

The Veronian, who had hardly ever interacted with women, blushed as he tried to pull his hand away from Lena’s grasp.

He gestured that they should keep quiet in the library, and moved to the library lobby where it was acceptable to chatter with the higher-ranking apprentice named Daniel. As soon as they sat around a small table there, Lena threw her question.

“Daniel, do you know why priests are forbidden to marry? Please tell me.”

Daniel felt a bit flustered but also pleased.

Her question implied she must already know, which made him feel proud, and he answered earnestly.

“It was determined that it would be better for clergymen to live a celibate life in order to serve God. If I remember correctly… this was established during the time of the Fifth Saint, ‘Tigorof’. Until then, there were no rules regarding a priest’s marriage. I think this prohibition makes quite a bit of sense. Because…”

His explanation went on for a while, and Lena listened with growing disappointment.

She didn’t care about instances of priests being excommunicated for forgetting their duties and marrying.

What she wanted to hear was whether it was okay for priests to marry, or if there was a way for priests to get married.

“I see…”

As she heard about how many clergymen had fallen during the time when there was no rule, Lena felt more disheartened and stubbornly asked again.

“So, there’s really no way for priests to get married? Maybe getting the church’s permission… isn’t there a case like that?”

“…No. I can answer that quite decisively. Because I know the procedures one has to go through to give up their priesthood to get married. They must downgrade to a regular believer and also transfer the divine power they’ve received to another. Also, they have to pay the costs for their education, but that can be offset by serving the church for several years.”

Hearing there was already a system in place, Lena felt her throat tighten.

Frustrated at the thought of “Isn’t there any way?”, the Veronian chimed in.

“But isn’t that a bit silly? No, it even feels childish.”

“What do you mean? Are you talking about the church’s rules?”

Daniel was taken aback and slightly defensive.

However, the Veronian had no intention of retracting his opinion. This timid gentleman was once again transformed into a passionate scholar eager to discuss theology.

“Yes. I think it’s a ridiculous custom to expel someone who is devoted to God, especially a priest, simply for wanting to marry someone they love.”

While Daniel was momentarily stunned, he argued.

“I think of the church as merely a tool for serving God. The truly important thing is the human heart directed toward Him, isn’t it?”

“How bold of you. I understand your point, but there’s a reason why the holy church has set rules. Given that you call the church a ‘tool,’ it seems you’ve attended the ‘Udean Lectures’; however, you haven’t finished your studies, yet Udean himself acknowledged the necessity of the church as an organization.”

Daniel raised his voice slightly.

“Ideally… What’s your name again? Yes, just as you, Veronian, said, ideally, the human heart should come first. However, there are thousands of clergymen on this continent. Let’s say that massive organization is indeed a tool, as you mentioned. For that enormous tool to be used effectively, rules and norms are necessary. That’s why the Fourth Saint, Udean, also endorsed the existence of the church.”

“Indeed. I don’t wish to deny that, and I have read Udean’s works thoroughly. I just want to point out that he seemed to favor the concept of the ‘Wandering Shepherd’ more. He stated…”

With just a single thread of logic, the Veronian continued his arguments.

Lena thought this was getting out of hand, but she still perked up her ears.

“…To beware of the ‘bureaucratization’ of the clergy. He warned that clergymen devoted to others might lose the more crucial mindset of serving God. In my opinion, the church has already reached a point where it should heed that warning.”

“I’m sorry, but I find it hard to agree. Our Cross Church is educating more believers than ever before, and we have just started to offer aid to the poor all across the continent. Until recently… I won’t deny it. We were certainly busy building new churches and expanding our influence. I learned from Lena recently, but there’s now a church even in remote mountain villages. However, I don’t think that’s a bad thing. By building churches everywhere, we provide teachers for the believers and opportunities for healing. When considering the population, there’s even a shortage of churches in the cities.”

Although Daniel countered, the Veronian surprisingly showed understanding.

After all, he grew up in a small village where not many people lived, and the person who took him in after losing his parents was a monk working in the village church.

After agreeing with the church’s accomplishments, the Veronian said.

“…However, bureaucratization is another matter. Today’s clergymen are terrible compared to ancient ones. Ancient clergymen dedicated their entire lives with only the mindset of serving humanity. They plowed alongside the farmers without being officially recognized as priests or monks, doing their best to help their lives. The only reason they deserve respect is that they overcame adversity solely based on their beliefs.”

For a moment, Daniel stayed quiet, seemingly conceding to his words, allowing the Veronian to continue speaking.

“However, too many actions are carried out in the ‘name of the Cross Church’ nowadays. It is merely following the commands of cardinals who have reached the summit of bureaucratization rather than arising from personal beliefs. Think about it. How many holy knights have been mobilized to slaughter barbarians in recent decades? The first thing I realized when I came to the church is that the number of holy knights punished for disobeying orders has surged since they began massacring barbarians. It has only recently trended downward because there are hardly any barbarian tribes left that believe in a false god. This phenomenon signifies only one thing: the church has forced the holy knights to carry out actions they don’t wish to perform in the ‘name of the Cross Church.’”

The Veronian scoffed lightly.

“In the name of the Cross Church… I find this utterly laughable. When did the church place its name above the convictions of priests? Our great Lord didn’t even reveal His name. I think this indicates that the bureaucratization of the church has progressed severely. At such times, we should emphasize not the efficiency of the church as an organization but the individual’s belief instead. Of course, this belief should be a free conviction of humans that isn’t placed in a ‘box.’”

“Well… You’ve read ‘The Servitude of Creation’ and ‘The Responsibility of Creation,’ haven’t you?”

Daniel sighed dramatically.

This was merely the beginning of a deeper and substantial debate.

‘The Servitude of Creation’ is a book written by the Second Saint, ‘Constantino Raono,’ explaining the relationship between God and creation, and it was a profoundly philosophical book.

The fundamental philosophy of theology is derived from several chapters of this book, which deeply covers a vast array of topics.

“Yes, I’ve read ‘The Servitude of Creation,’ but I don’t agree that God has placed humans in their positions.”

“…Since you’ve read both books, we can have a more detailed discussion.”

Daniel sighed once more and opened his mouth. He knew from experience that conversations with someone who thinks like this are really, really exhausting.

“That’s a term from the fifth chapter of ‘The Servitude of Creation’, isn’t it? The term ‘placed.’ I think I’ve expressed it a bit excessively, but…”

“Yes, precisely. It suggests humans may be born and placed according to the divine’s intentions. I can’t agree with that. According to ‘The Responsibility of Creation’ written by ‘Lazar Raono’…”

“Wait a moment. Before we go there, I’d like to summarize what we discussed earlier. So the reason you, Veronian, oppose the actions carried out in the name of the Cross Church is precisely due to the ‘free will’ given to humanity. Is that right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“And you hold this opinion because of what the Third Saint, Lazar, wrote in ‘The Responsibility of Creation’. Then…”

As she listened to the debate unfolding, Lena began feeling overwhelmed by it.

She also dedicated herself to studying theology, which Daniel acknowledged to some extent, but she couldn’t go beyond a solid foundation since she hadn’t read either ‘The Servitude of Creation’ by Constantino Raono or ‘The Responsibility of Creation’ written by her great-grandfather.

So she said, “Um… I’m sorry, but could you explain a bit more? I would like some elaboration,” and Daniel and Veronian were happy to oblige.

Perhaps it was necessary to confirm what each person knew and what their premises were before formally engaging in a debate.

“‘The Servitude of Creation’ suggests that each human’s way of living might have been predetermined by the divine because the Absolute Owner of everything possesses limitless power. Most of the theological understanding that you know, Lena, must highlight this—let’s emphasize: ‘most,’ not ‘all’—assumes that creatures are enveloped by this servitude. Because of this, humans should be grateful for the lives assigned to them and shouldn’t take them lightly.”

As Daniel briefly summarized ‘The Servitude of Creation,’ the Veronian explained ‘The Responsibility of Creation.’

“‘The Responsibility of Creation’ is primarily focused on refuting ‘The Servitude of Creation.’ It states that God bestowed free will upon humans, and that it is their responsibility to ignite that will and live their own lives. Some might even argue this is a right, but how can the life of a creation be considered a right? That is a ridiculous assertion for royalty and nobility.”

“Cough.”

Daniel cleared his throat, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

The truth was, he himself was of noble birth. Although he had given up his title upon entering the Cross Church.

Daniel spoke.

“Anyway, to put it simply, that’s how it is. You’ll learn this soon in your studies, so you don’t need to wear such a disappointed expression.”

“…Hehe, it’s fine. How long has it been since I came here…”

However, she couldn’t finish her sentence, as another person who came later than she did had arrived right next to her. Daniel and the Veronian returned to their original topic, and Daniel made the first move.

“What were we talking about? I can’t remember. I’ll talk about whatever comes to mind now. So you were opposing the prohibition against priests marrying, Veronian. It’s due to your belief that the free will of the clergy should take precedence over the rules of the church, correct?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Very well. But don’t you think that the desire of the clergy to marry is also entangled in the servitude? …I see. You don’t seem to think that. Then any argument I make won’t hold since you wouldn’t respond as I expect, so I’ll need to quote ‘The Responsibility of Creation’.”

Daniel raised his head a moment to consider accepting a perspective he didn’t believe in, gazing into the void, before quickly returning his gaze.

It was too much, indeed.

“If every person has free will, then the person who made the church’s rules must also possess free will. As stated in ‘The Responsibility of Creation,’ that will must be exercised rightly, not recklessly. If so, does that mean those who established the church’s rules didn’t fulfill their responsibilities? No. If everyone has free will, then their wills are bound to clash. However, if one person’s free will crushes another’s, that’s irresponsible. Neither the victor will be righteous, nor the vanquished powerless.”

Daniel took a moment to catch his breath.

“It might seem like a common occurrence, but this is a perspective born from a misguided view of the world. It is the thinking of those who truly do not believe in God. Our fates are predetermined. Who we are born as, the moments of victory and defeat we experience, and how we live and die have already been set. We can only be grateful for the lives we are given and must live vigorously without being swept by the ups and downs of our destined fate.”

“But…”

“I’m sorry. I just want to add one more thing. Earlier, we mentioned that the church is a tool, and the human heart is more important. Just because the servitude has been placed upon someone doesn’t diminish the value of that human heart. Therefore, it’s more appropriate to elevate it by calling it destiny or a ‘mission’ bestowed by God rather than servitude. I will conclude by referring back to our earlier discussion about the holy knights. You argued that cases of holy knights being punished for disobedience increased because they were pressured to punish barbarians in the ‘name of the Cross Church.’”

Daniel fixed his gaze on the Veronian to confirm if he was correct before asserting.

“That’s a flawed conclusion. Because driving out the barbarians who believe in a false god has been identified as a key goal of the church for decades. The mobilization of holy knights drastically increased during that time, and thus the instances of disobedience soared. However, look here. The current assembly of holy knights retained by the Cross Church is considered the best in both quantity and quality in history. Not only their skills but also the divine power and faith they embody. This was possible because the incidents involving punishing the barbarians served as a filtering process—the knights who realized their destiny was not to be holy knights left, while those who understood their mission remained.”

Daniel concluded his argument. The turn came back to the Veronian, who took his time before responding thoughtfully.

“…That might be so. But such a mission can be misinterpreted. Let’s think of it this way. If humans are indeed placed within a servitude, with everything about their nature to their environment predetermined, then they won’t have the motivation to improve themselves. Is this what God desires? God wishes for us to live our lives to the fullest. That’s evidenced by the fact that this land is ‘as abundant as the effort put forth.’ Therefore, I hold a grudge against the term ‘placed’ in ‘The Servitude of Creation’. It’s a cruel notion that all humans are placed and have their lives determined. Moreover, I don’t believe the world operates that way.”

Taking a light breath, the Veronian pointed alternately at Lena and himself as examples.

“Both I and Lena, for instance, could enter the monastery through recommendations. I’m not sure how you came here, Lena, but if it weren’t for the help of the townspeople and my father, I wouldn’t have been able to come here. I’m incredibly grateful. But would this be thanks to the people around me being ‘placed’ for me? I don’t think so. To put it bluntly, there’s no way that God played a role in this. While He may have ignited the warmth in those people’s hearts, it was truly the townspeople saving up for me over the years, along with the assistance of the monk who was my father’s instructor at the educational facility that allowed me to barely enroll here. This is a process achieved by human hearts and efforts. Of course, if it’s stated, ‘All of this was bound by servitude!’ then there’s no escape from that argument. Therefore, I merely conjectured that it might be predetermined in ‘The Servitude of Creation’, but I did not conclude it.”

Lena, listening to the dialogue between the Veronian and Daniel, was also deep in thought.

Is my life predetermined?

Was my coming here preordained?

According to ‘The Servitude of Creation,’ it had been predetermined.

It was fated that Priestess Ophelia would pass through the village of Demos in autumn, and I was destined to come to this monastery from the very beginning.

However, she had a rebuttal.

The reason I could come here was because Reb asked me to become a priestess and because I accepted that request.

I had given up.

Truly.

And I wanted to confess to Reb and marry him. I was thinking of happily living together in Demos village for the rest of our lives.

But…

– “I hope… you don’t give up on your dreams.”

When Reb asked, “Do you want me to go become a priest? Or do you want me to not go?” he hesitated tremendously.

It wouldn’t have been strange if he’d said the opposite and told me not to go, so I didn’t think Reb was the one ‘placed’ to send me to the church.

Also, whether to accept his advice to not give up on my dream or to confess again by saying, “I like you”… that was also a choice given to me.

After much deliberation, Lena came to a conclusion.

“Yeah. I’ve decided not to give up on my dreams. This is my will, not something predetermined.”

Because the decision to marry Reb and live happily, too, had been made just moments before.

With the two choices so close that it wouldn’t have been strange to pick either, it was hard to believe it was a predetermined path.

When Lena snapped out of her contemplation, she found that Daniel and Veronian were still arguing about the issue.

However, since the concept of ‘The Servitude of Creation’ was too broad for such reasoning, it offered no easy way out, and ‘The Responsibility of Creation’ offered relatable content to support the very processes we contemplate and ponder.

“By the way… wouldn’t it be something you could ask the Holy Woman?”

Lena inquired, but before Daniel and Veronian could respond, an answer popped out from behind her.

“The Holy Woman doesn’t answer such questions well.”

Lena turned around to find an old man standing there, and Daniel gasped, springing to his feet.

“Cardinal Michael!”