Just a Monk

At two o'clock in the late night, the crow of a rooster pierced through the dismal gray clouds, while the cold winter wind swept away all vitality from the earth, leaving behind only withered remnants.

The monks of the Gothingen Monastery rose from their beds, tidied up, and emerged from the communal dormitories, ready for their 20-minute Christian morning service.

Despite being accustomed to this routine for eight years, 20-year-old Damian Bovendon still harbored doubts about a significant reason for the short lifespan of medieval people— they always treated midnight as dawn, staying awake through the night to read the Bible.

Yes, Damian was a transmigrator. One day, while he was immersed in a war game to unify the world, he inexplicably became the new owner of this body amidst a burst of light.

Damian Bovendon, from the county of Gothingen, a young son from an ordinary knight's family. Following the tradition of noble eldest sons inheriting family businesses and sending younger sons to the church, Damian, at the age of 12, was sent to the Gothingen Monastery to become an ordinary monk.

The days of chanting were extremely dull. Despite his knightly background, there was no special treatment in the monastery.

Rising at two in the morning for morning service, reading the Bible, singing hymns, studying theology until eight in the morning, laboring for four hours, and then studying again until lunch at three in the afternoon, followed by dinner at five in the evening, then retiring to bed.

Not to mention the abstinence, even between male and female monasteries, they were kept separate, and there was no hint of the opposite sex during regular times.

This was the life of an ordinary monk. The healthy lifestyle was likely one of the reasons their average lifespan was only 20 years.

The original monks were dedicated to sincere seclusion, but today's monks mostly seek to please the abbey's dean and various officials in hopes of securing a good position.

And due to the separation of male and female monasteries, the consequence of pleasing was the flourishing sale of laxative drugs.

Unfortunately, Damian was an upright person and refused to engage in dirty deals, so he always ended up doing laborious and unprofitable tasks.

As a result, Damian was called to the abbot's chambers by Abbot Scoke.

"Young son of a knight, you have martial skills. I know you can traverse the dangerous wilderness. Please deliver this letter to the Countess of Gothingen Castle."

The abbot's expression was gentle, but anyone with common sense knew that beyond the town's borders, in the wilderness and forests, lurked numerous dangers such as bandits, brigands, deadly monsters, and magical beasts. Scorpion-tailed lions and harpy-like creatures flew in the sky, while nameless and eerie creatures hid underground. Therefore, in normal circumstances, postal deliveries required an escort.

Yet the abbot wanted Damian to go alone?

Not to mention Damian, even his dormitory companions showed dissatisfaction, and some even rebuked the abbot, "With all due respect, Abbot, this is unfair!"

Abbot Scoke had a notorious reputation. He didn't seek to improve the monastery's academic standards but focused on amassing wealth and promoting cronies. During prayer sessions, his fees were the highest, and he did the least work. The priests he sent out were all illiterate relatives. Unfortunately, his brother held considerable power in the county of Gothingen, making him untouchable.

Therefore, Abbot Scoke warned Damian with confidence, "Boy, do you think my command is negotiable? Or perhaps you'll find someone else to go in your place?"

The companions were intimidated, hastily retreating as they didn't want to be scapegoats.

At that moment, Damian calmly responded, "I'll go."

Judging by his expression, he seemed completely unaware of the life-threatening journey ahead.

Abbot Scoke smirked cunningly.

"Brat, you have the news, but you still dare not agree?"

...

In fact, Damian did it on purpose.

In the Middle Ages, people's freedom of movement was heavily restricted, and leaving the monastery required a legitimate reason. Graduating from here to go elsewhere was even more difficult.

The abbot forcing Damian to leave was particularly malicious.

The village controlled by Damian Bovendon's parents was located on a major thoroughfare and had a decent income from road tolls. The odious Scoke and his brother Howard had repeatedly pressured Damian's father to give up the fief. Now, Scoke informed Damian that Howard would soon launch an attack on Bovendon village!

When the monastery doors opened, Damian was thrilled to mount his donkey and bid farewell to his roommates.

"Hurry up!"

However, in this dangerous world, what can Damian use to survive?

After reaching the forest not far from the monastery, Damian stopped and silently recited 'summon.' A large figure suddenly appeared in the open space in front of him.

That's right; Damian inherited the system from a war game before his transmigration.

In this game, he could unlock many types of troops by continuously advancing in rank or title, allowing him to vie for dominance.

Unfortunately, Damian was still an unknown entity with no status, so he could only summon the lowest-level basic troops.

Of course, as a modern game, Damian could also spend a significant amount of money to randomly draw a lucky unit for 250 gold coins. However, the drop rate was dismal, and Damian had never drawn anything worthwhile.

Eight years passed, and Damian accumulated points by completing some daily tasks, which he exchanged for beginner rewards during the protection period.

Now, he was ready to summon his troops!

Basic troops: Spearmen (base number: 40 men, monthly wage: 2 gold coins. A group of poor peasants armed with spears—who knows if they can withstand a knight's strike? Anyway, the lords don't care).

Basic troops: Peasant archers (base number: 40 men, monthly wage: 2 gold coins. You can't expect them to shoot very far, but as long as they're cheap, it's fine).

Damian summoned two units of spearmen and one unit of peasant archers. They were all peasants; the spearmen wore armor and thick padded clothing, with small round or kettle helmets as simple protective gear. The archers had only a bow, making them look quite shabby.

As soon as they appeared, they gathered around Damian automatically. Each unit comprised 40 men and could be upgraded to 80 or 120 men.

According to the knowledge instilled in them by the system, they were ordinary farmers following Damian. As long as Damian ensured their monthly pay and food supply, they would remain loyal.

During the beginner protection period, the system would provide one month's salary and food, leaving the rest for Damian to handle.

The three groups of troops would cost six gold coins per month—a significant burden.

However, Damian had a letter.

After opening and reading it for a while, he realized it wasn't a letter Scoke sent to the Countess but a request for military aid from the Countess, who was trapped on a hill.

Scoke's malicious scheme was clear: he wanted Damian to deliver the letter, expecting his death would absolve Scoke of responsibility for the Countess's death while surrounded.

In reality, Scoke's elder brother Howard was the chief steward of the court stables and one of the Countess's key aides. He managed military affairs in Gothingen County, especially the Countess's guard and travels. Given the timing, who wouldn't suspect a conspiracy?

Once the Countess died, Howard could organize the nobility and run for the position of count—an excellent plot.

"But Scoke, you've chosen the wrong person!"

Damian clenched the letter, showing a confident and cold smile.

After eight years of hardship, he finally caught a heaven-sent opportunity.

Whether for the sake of saving his family and the world, or simply ensuring his survival, Damian must take a brave step forward.

It all starts with saving the Countess and gaining the support of her knights!