Inheriting a Lost Bloodline, My First Task is to have heirs?! Chapter 663 - The Saintess of Radical Changes (Part 1)

The elders’ eyes widened at the sudden question or rather the condition that I presented to accept the position. The pope looked down as if thinking carefully and deeply about the sort of changes a woman like might be thinking of implenting in a territory such as theirs.

One of the older mbers of the council asked, "May I know what type of changes you are thinking of implenting? We just want to know if it will be for the good of everyone or it may result into the destruction of everything our ancestors have built over centuries?"

I looked at the elder that talked and smiled. I followed it with a question, "Do you think I would waste my ti accepting the position of saintess just for the organization to crumble after a short amount of ti? Your church seem to not be doing so well anyways no matter how you pretend everything is alright in front of . I can just watch all of your crumble to dust in a few years at most. I only care about Clarence and maybe the pope for just a bit since he is this fool’s grandfather."

I can hear audible gasps around the room after my blunt statent. One of the paladins by the door even let go of his spear by mistake. The clang of tal to stone echoed throughout the room, making the others’ shoulders flinch in surprise. The man hurriedly apologized as he picked up his weapon from the floor.

The pope coughed once to get everybody’s attention and asked for the first ti, "What do you know about our church, Madam Luna?"

I simply answered, "Everything I needed to know. I have Noir and a few other credible sources working for to give all the information that I needed."

The pope nodded and replied, "As you know, we do have believers but the number haven’t had increased that much. As the older generations died of old age or even sickness, the next generation of their families do not have the sa strong belief as their parents or grandparents. Less believers an less tithes. Less tithes an that we will have less resources to keep the church running and even keeping the mbers fed."

I knew it. An economy built on donations. tithes or goodwill can easily crumble when the believers stop giving them money. The church has to have its own source of inco independent from the tithes which is a very unstable resource.

I looked at the pope which is also my soon-to-be grandfather-in-law and asked, "I think the best solution is to find another source of inco that is independent from tithes and donations from believers. At the sa ti, look for a way to increase believers either by creating miracles like healing a sick person or a more tangible thing like a healing potion or holy water. Sothing of that sort should work I believe?"

One of the elders imdiately interjected as he said, "Miracles are given by the goddess so they are free for everyone. We do have holy water but we give it freely to believers as a gift for their faith. We don’t sell those things."

I looked at the elder and replied, "That is where the issue lies, old man. Don’t you use resources to produce that holy water, to fund the sending emissaries to other places or to implent those charitable work that you do? Yeah, it sounded like selling but you won’t be putting a huge price tag on it. Maybe it can be a small fee akin to a donation for the holy water, healing potion, a blessing, a prayer or a visit. I don’t think that’s too much, that is, if you want this church to still exist for many more centuries to co."

The elder who was trying to contradict my suggestions suddenly kept his mouth shut, not having anything to retort with. He knew I was right. Since it has gone quiet, I asked another question, "How do you get you basic needs like your food, clothing, heating, water and dicine for common illnesses?"

The pope imdiately responded, "From the tithes of believers, of course. So of the priests that like to take care of plants keep small gardens in their courtyards where we get so fresh vegetables. So of the paladins go to the forests to forage and hunt too when there is nothing much to eat."

I quickly suggested, "Then why not make farming more widespread and the hunting and foraging a regular thing? Don’t you dare tell that nobody had the ti to do it if it was scheduled beforehand because everyone’s praying all the ti or nobody is left in the church to do it. Even young children can take care of plants or animals in a farm if they were given simple tasks."

I suddenly looked at the paladin not far behind the pope and asked, "You, sir paladin, do you think you would be able to forage more edibles if you could only concentrate with guarding the people with you or if it is done regularly enough that you get used to the environnt in the forest?"

The paladin was stunned at first but he still nodded his head. After he cald down a bit from being asked, he added, "If I could focus on one task like either protecting those foraging or just focusing on hunting animals only, I think our trips to the forest would be more productive. We used to do it when it is only deed as needed by the elders. Once we are there, we have to make our own decision as to what we think we needed to bring back and not because we are assigned to a specific task so it is confusing most of the ti."

I thanked him for his honest response and for sharing his personal experiences whenever he joins the resource team. I looked back at the pope and suggested, "It would be helpful if you could assign a team to do the foraging and hunting once a week. It can also serve as wilderness training for the paladins as well as learning experience for those that are learning about botany and alchemy. It will also give a constant supply of resources to your commissary. Tell if I am wrong."

Well, I do not know who coined it first but I always believed that "rcy is in God while work is in man". You have to combine faith with your own hardwork for your life to get better. You can’t just depend on others to give you the things that you need or think that faith can fill an empty stomach.