"Oh, sorry. That was terribly presumptuous of me."
Before Jerome could figure out how to refuse, Raymond took the initiative to apologize, as though he had suddenly realized the potential issues with his spur-of-the-moment suggestion.
His gaze withdrew from the stack of manuscripts, and he very naturally patted the young monk on the shoulder, apparently untroubled that his curiosity had gone unsatisfied.
"Times have changed. Unpublished results truly should not be shown to others at will.
"I have been away from Dunling for too long, and I am usually occupied with worldly affairs. I have become somewhat slow when it comes to matters within the academy. If I inadvertently do something wrong, please point it out directly so that I may correct it. Do not let resentment take root in your heart."
Such forthrightness made Jerome deeply embarrassed, as though he had become some narrow-minded man who judged another's intentions through the lens of personal interest.
Thinking of the string of suspicions that had instinctively flashed through his mind just now, he felt even more ashamed, having gone against Heavenly Father's teaching: "Believe in all things; do not judge others."
"It is not anything important," he said with an awkward laugh, taking the initiative to explain his work. "I was merely entrusted with sorting through the inheritances of the surnames and estates in your diocese, tracing bloodlines back to their roots."
"You know how it is. After some families have passed through several generations, their kinship ties become a complete mess. I have not even sorted them out yet—it will take at least a few days."
"You have worked hard. Compiling genealogies concerns the maintenance of worldly order. It is no small matter."
Raymond affirmed the value of his work, but showed no further interest. After offering a few words