第１７８８堀：教会の名は (Part2)
"In other words, they are also beneficial."
That said, only those with talent can command them, and the danger remains unchanged. Thus, exterminating monsters to liberate land is a practice common to every nation. If an organization like the Church were to undertake this separately, I could see why they would be welcomed with open arms rather than viewed as an affront to a nation’s prestige.
As I pondered this, Yuki, having listened to the explanation, appeared deep in thought.
"Adventurers exist in your country—or rather, in your lands—do they not?"
"Yes, they do. But why do you ask?"
"Don't those adventurers and the Church serve the same purpose? How do they maintain their relationship?"
Now that he mentioned it, he had a point. The primary work of an adventurer is often monster extermination. Even in Ohe, adventurers hunt monsters to secure food. While it is true that adventurers exist partly because soldiers alone are insufficient, I could see why one might wonder if their roles overlap with the Church. In short, he was asking if there was any friction between the two factions.
Wherever people gather, conflict is born. It is an unpleasant truth, but a truth nonetheless.
"Ah, as for that, it’s a matter of managing the balance."
"Could you be more specific?"
"Certainly. The Church is, so to speak, the elite of monster extermination. While there are adventurers who qualify as elites themselves, adventurers are, at the end of the day, just adventurers. It might sound rude to call it 'odd jobs,' but they perform tasks other than monster hunting, and they do so for the sake of reward."
That is only natural. They work to earn their bread. Of course, an adventurer's job isn't limited to monster hunting; it encompasses everything from gathering materials to acting as escorts.
"The Church, fundamentally, operates without pay. They hunt and exterminate monsters as a voluntary act, and they sustain themselves through that. Of course, they also perform the duties expected of a church, such as healing and charity. Ah, as for the monsters themselves, they supply them to the nations, the Adventurers' Guild, and the Merchants' Guild."
"...I understand the situation. Well, it’s not as if the churches here don't engage in monster extermination either."
Indeed, even the Haire Church deals with things like bandit suppression. It is not rare for them to maintain their own independent fighting forces. If they didn't, they wouldn't be able to defend themselves against bandits, let alone monsters.
"You seem to have some lingering questions?"
"Yes. It’s just... the Clear Church seems unusually fixated on monsters. Furthermore, the attrition rate against monsters must be incredibly high. How do they handle the replenishment of personnel?"
It is true—fighting monsters, which possess such a diverse array of lethal capabilities, is not something one can do without sustaining injuries. If it were easy, the world would have been rid of monster-related casualties long ago. Moreover, there aren't that many people capable of fighting. Such talent should be a subject of fierce competition.
"I am not privy to the intimate details, but the North suffers from frequent monster incursions. The nations and the adventurers go out to meet them, but even then, they often cannot keep up. It seems that when that happens, 'Exterminators' dispatched by the Clear Stream Church arrive to fight without compensation, and it appears many are drawn to them because of that. The Church is constantly recruiting, so it doesn't seem like they have a surplus of manpower. They also provide soup kitchens when they rescue people, so if one manages to join, they at least won't go hungry, but..."
"I see. So that is how they replenish their ranks."
If that is the case, they will certainly attract people, but whether those people are actually capable of fighting is... questionable.
"Of course, the Church does not send raw novices straight into monster extermination. They have training centers in various regions where they educate newcomers. Because they go to such lengths, their quality is highly regarded."
"I see. I am curious about their funding, but that is a separate matter. So, the Clear Stream Church is not only part of this coalition but is also actively promoting the exclusion of demi-humans."
And so, the conversation continued, delving deeper into the nature of the Clear Stream Church. How and why did they turn toward the exclusion of demi-humans? Originally, there was the Clear Church, which sought a future through monster subjugation. Then, the Clear Stream Church split off, seeking a future through the subjugation of both monsters and demi-humans.
That is the information we have for now. Honestly, I haven't thought through how this will unfold, but it feels like a situation beyond saving.