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The monastery was poor and the Church of Eridrahan had declined. Thus, since Archbishop Victor took office, the temples of Eridrahan operated Healing Centers and charged for the Sanctuary.
Previously, they had been run on donations, but apparently, the priests couldn't starve forever.
Of course, they didn't intend to make money from magical beasts, which rarely appeared. In the first place, the appearance of magical beasts was as rare as beans sprouting in a drought.
The primary source of income was the Healing Center operated by the monastery.
Priests healed patients with divine power. Unfortunately, ordinary divine power could not cure diseases; it could only treat wounds caused by external forces.
Furthermore, it was difficult to treat wounds deep enough to cause death. Apparently, the power of God did not simply dote on humans.
However, the Sanctuary was different. A Sanctuary was the greatest of the powers used to defeat demons. And demons were also beings that brought disease.
Naturally, a patient within a Sanctuary would not see their illness progress, no matter how deep the disease. Thus, the sick from noble families paid large sums of money to the priests to prolong their lives.
Thanks to this, the Church of Eridrahan became wealthier than before, but its honor plummeted.
Even so, people sought out the Healing Centers. Priests were far more reliable than herbalists who smeared egg whites on wounds.
However, it seemed Priest Wilbert did not take money from the nearby villagers. Laura also shook her head.
“I know he doesn't take money. But just because I know doesn't mean we can shamelessly make the Abbot suffer and then wash our hands of it.”
“If it's that bad, I'm here too...”
Iris murmured. Rahan tilted his head.
“You're going to defeat the magical beasts?”
“Oh, it's not that.”
At Rahan's question, Iris giggled and replied.
“I can perform a Sanctuary Declaration.”
This time, Rahan was truly surprised.
“You can?”
“Yes.”
Iris shrugged her shoulders at Rahan's question. Robbie snorted and cut in.
“You really know nothing about Iris!”
Thanks to Robbie's chatter, Rahan learned that Iris, who had been a mere apprentice priest, had become capable of performing a Sanctuary Declaration around last year.
Apparently, whenever Priest Wilbert was away, Iris was the one in charge of the Healing Center.
“Geez. We only met the day before yesterday, of course he doesn't know! Acting all high and mighty just because the whole village knows!”
“Ow! That hurts!”
Laura, who had given the bragging Robbie a flick on the forehead, added.
“Thanks to her, I received great help from Iris early this year as well.”
Iris laughed sheepishly, looking embarrassed. Looking down at her, Rahan narrowed his eyes and said, “Excuse me for a moment,” as he led her to the backyard of the cottage.
Then, he asked Iris, who was looking up at him.
“You don't mean you intend to make money through Sanctuary Declarations, do you?”
“Well, since I'm not an official priest, that might be a bit difficult.”
Iris was a gentle person, but not a stupid one. She knew very well how troubled Abbot Wilbert would be if she, not being an official priest, wielded divine power recklessly.
“Would it be okay to treat people like the herbalists do?”
In other words, she meant she would pretend to be an herbalist and subtly use her divine power. Rahan smiled thinly.
“Iris, it might be a bit harsh to say this, but...”
“It's not allowed. I understand.”
There was no need to tell her that if one of his subordinates had said such a thing, they would have received ten slaps on the back.
Iris was quick-witted. However, she seemed disappointed.
“But I'm not a priest anymore, so I'll have to earn money...”
That again. Rahan, wondering why the daughter of the Achen Ducal House kept talking about needing to earn money, paused.
To reiterate, Rahan had never thought about her earning money.
It was just that yesterday, when Iris talked about ways to make money, the conversation suddenly shifted to sharing a bed, which had flustered him into silence.
On the other hand, considering Iris's position, her words were not incomprehensible.
Of course, Iris was the daughter of House Ahen and the primary heir to the Elector title. But right now, she had nothing.
If she had married Philod Ahen, she would have likely gone to the Achen Ducal Castle and held a considerable amount of wealth. But she had married Rahan Norwich, and her home was...
At that point, Rahan glanced around the cottage. A small, old cottage. It was well-maintained, but that was all.
'...This is certainly not a place for a daughter of a noble house to live.'
In truth, Rahan hadn't given it much thought until today. To him, this cottage was just a place to stay briefly before leaving.
Moreover, he had never worried about money in his life. Although he had been abandoned as soon as he was born, the one who took him in was the wealthy Grand Duke Lacheize.
Having grown up in a castle, there was no way he had ever worried about making a living.
But Iris was different from Rahan. To avoid her cousin, she married some man, and that man had even been exiled. Furthermore, all she had in her hand were ten gold coins.
No matter how wealthy her family was, wealth must be in one's hand to be used.
“I don't know much, but criminals can't work...”
Hearing her speak while glancing at him tentatively, Rahan pressed his hand to his forehead.
He felt a bit stupid for having just gone out to pick wild berries while unaware that Iris was consumed by such worries.
Looking back, there was nothing in the bag Iris had brought from the monastery yesterday that was particularly valuable.
Since she had lived in the monastery her whole life, she likely had no savings, so her entire fortune was probably the ten gold coins Abbot Wilbert had given her. It was reasonable for her to worry about money.
Rahan let out a short laugh and spoke.
“I've become a total piece of trash.”
“What?”
Iris's eyes widened. But it was true. To make his newlywed wife worry about earning money—he felt like trash.
Rahan winked.
“Iris. Your husband is probably richer than you think.”
* * *
“Oak! Buy oak!”
The first place Iris ran to was the carpenter's house.
She chose the bed very carefully. At the same time, she meticulously haggled over the price. The Vandel carpenter's eyes widened.
“Iris! You've become a complete highwayman since leaving the monastery!”
“You're the one who's practically a robber, just without the knife! This wasn't the price when you supplied the monastery!”
“You brat! That's because I didn't charge the monastery for labor!”
After some bickering, Iris bought an oak bed for two at the price she wanted.
“You must deliver it within ten days! Definitely!”
“Good grief. I don't know what she sees in a guy like that. What bad luck...”
Exhausted from the haggling, the carpenter glanced at Rahan and clicked his tongue.
Rahan gave a bitter smile and handed over the money. Thanks to Laura, he had a rough idea of how he was perceived in Vandel.
He was called a thug who had kidnapped and swallowed up the precious daughter of a noble house, Iris.
Furthermore, his Red Eyes played a part.
'Ignore them no matter what those country folk say, okay? And make sure to stop by my general store!'
Even without Laura's request, Rahan could easily overlook such glares. Due to his innate appearance, he was far too accustomed to people's coldness.
“Here you go, mister.”
“Eh, what kind of money is this?”
Regardless, the carpenter's eyes widened at the money Iris handed him. It wasn't a Foldenbach Empire gold coin, but a gold coin he had never seen before.
“They say it's southern money! Abbot Wilbert brought them...”
As she said this, Iris stole a glance at him. Rahan gave a light shrug. Even if it wasn't the empire's common currency, it was clearly gold, so there wouldn't be any problem.
As expected, the carpenter bit the gold coin once and stepped away, saying he would weigh it.
“Phew, I was worried he wouldn't take it.”
Iris smiled, clutching Rahan's arm. Rahan nonchalantly let her hold his arm and replied.
“Gold is gold wherever you go.”
What Grand Duke Lacheize had gained from the expedition to Til Nebe Cedric was honor and the support of the Electors.
Then, what had Rahan, who went in the Grand Duke's stead, gained?
It was immense wealth.
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