nyslfriends Chapter 45 Class and Faith
Chapter 45 Class and Faith
The street was completely silent, all eyes were on the two people facing off.
The beaten refugees restrained their emotions, trying to shrink into the shadows behind the priest of light. The little boy clung to his leg, sobbing uncontrollably.
Looking at the outstretched, greedy hand, the young priest's face turned pale and then red.
...
Seeing this scene.
Richard felt there was no need to continue watching.
He pulled back his outstretched body, leaned against the soft cushions of the carriage, and tapped the interior wall of the carriage with his finger, signaling Im to hurry up and leave.
I picked up the slightly cooled wheat bread, spread apple sauce on it with a knife, and slowly savored it.
I was just wondering how the refugees managed to sneak into the city, and now I know.
The guards turned a blind eye and let people pass through in an orderly manner, while the city patrols then brazenly made arrests.
Two teams work together.
Under the guise of maintaining public order, they deliberately extorted money from the Church of Light.
It's obvious to anyone with a brain that countless similar scenes are unfolding in the city right now.
and.
Those refugees who were deliberately allowed to pass were certainly being watched by informants, and it was absolutely impossible for them to successfully reach the church in the city to seek asylum.
Otherwise, this "money-making scheme" would have to be abandoned, and it's likely that some of the refugees are actually reservists in disguise.
Just to be on the safe side, they might even have sent someone to notify the priest of light before beating the refugees...
This method of making money is truly shameless!
but.
Behind this lies a delicate power struggle between the Holy See and the lord class.
The Church of Light has churches in almost every human territory, and a large number of priests use light magic to heal the wounds and dispel diseases for the people free of charge.
When faced with an invasion by a foreign race, they would also carry their staff and voluntarily rush to the front lines to treat wounded soldiers.
In terms of contributions, they can be considered powerful allies of the lord.
The faith is very pure and noble.
But that's exactly where the problem lies!
Once you become too rigid, you're prone to sticking to your own ideas and being as stubborn as a cow that won't drink water.
They upheld the so-called divine decree of the Goddess of Light and stood up for the free people in every way.
If a lord levies excessive taxes, they will stand up and advise him; if a lord punishes free people, they will demand a public trial.
These actions all weakened the lord's rule and influence over the territory.
What bothered the lords even more was that the Church of Light also collected donations of faith from the free people.
The clinking silver and copper coins, along with the grain, together constituted a considerable fortune.
In the lord's eyes, the priests were a bunch of big-headed flies and thieves, utterly detestable!
In recent years, things have gone especially far, with priests even starting to extend their reach to the serf community, preaching their doctrines to them.
They even demanded that lords release the serfs and grant them free citizenship.
This is the lord's private property, how dare you?
Their actions were shaking the very foundations of the lord's rule, leading to increasingly intense conflicts between the two sides.
However, the Church of Light's influence is deeply entrenched, and it openly possesses several formidable Holy Light Knight orders.
They also have a large, hidden supporter base, so large that even the royal family has to compromise on certain decisions.
Although the lords were furious, they dared not openly break ties with the Papacy.
It's understandable that Frostcity would use the orc invasion as a pretext to target the Church of Light.
Kind-hearted priests, unable to bear the suffering of refugees, will surely step forward to redeem them.
This redemption meant that piles of gleaming gold coins flowed into the viscount's purse.
Richard chewed on his wheat bread, feeling quite emotional. No matter what world it is, as long as there are people, there will always be people scheming and plotting.
It is foreseeable.
A major conflict is inevitable between the Holy See and the traditional lord class in the future.
If the Papacy wins, the empire might even become a theocracy, but the other two great empires are unlikely to stand idly by.
In order to maintain class rule, they will inevitably put aside previous frictions and ties, and form a united front to besiege the Holy See.
This is not just a struggle between imperial power and divine authority, but also a clash between class and belief.
They will not stop until the world is plunged into chaos and rivers of blood flow, and a horrific massacre is unleashed.
I used to think that chiffon cakes were located in remote areas and could stay away from disputes, but now I realize that was a bit naive.
In a war that can engulf all of humanity, it is impossible to remain unscathed.
Thinking of this.
Richard sighed deeply.
It seems we need to relax the policies a bit more so that chiffon cakes can grow quickly.
...
The carriage wheels rolled over the cobblestone road, slowly making their way towards the castle in the city center.
The streets gradually widened, and the buildings on both sides changed from low stone houses to mansions with pointed roofs.
As Richard passed by a few alleyways, he indeed spotted several patrol teams on standby, their eyes scanning passersby warily.
It seems so.
Waiting for the next "show" to begin.
Richard ignored this, simply straightening his fox fur robe and smoothing out the wrinkles at the collar.
As a new neighbor, since you've come to someone else's territory, paying a visit is basic aristocratic etiquette.
not to mention.
He still has a few important things to do.
First, to gather accurate intelligence on the orc invasion so that we are well-informed; second, to see if we can get a batch of linen and wool from Viscount Brad.
Although he had sold all the silver starfish, he still had one ultimate trump card in his hand.
With this trump card played, not only can we exchange a batch of military supplies for a gold mine, but we could also do it directly.
Not long after.
The carriage stopped in front of the gate of Frostholdt.
Richard got out of the car, his eyes quickly scanning the building in front of him, and he couldn't help but mentally rant about it.
This is hardly a noble castle; it's practically a crude defensive fortification.
--So ugly it's beyond belief!
The rock walls are uneven, as if they were haphazardly piled up with stones brought from the mountains, without even the most basic polishing process being skipped.
The castle's layout was chaotic, with no order between the main building and the auxiliary towers. All the spires and eaves were bare, and there was no idea how to decorate them with beautiful statues.
That's fine.
Why don't you put some flowers and plants on that cramped balcony to decorate it?
It's absolutely devoid of any aesthetic appeal!
whispering sound!
Richard, who loves to praise castles, approached the castle guards with a blank expression and showed them the noble's golden seal.
"Lord Richard, Lord of Chiffon, has come to pay a visit to Lord Viscount Brad, Lord of Frost."
The guard respectfully verified the golden seal, then turned and went inside to report.
After a while.
A butler in a grey tailcoat strode over and bowed.
"Your Excellency, the Viscount is waiting for you in the garden. Please follow me."
Richard nodded, waved for Im and Lina to stay in the carriage and wait, then followed the butler into the castle.
After walking through a dimly lit corridor, the view suddenly opened up before me.
A meticulously maintained garden came into view, planted with roses and tulips, rare in the North.
A gentle breeze carries the fragrance of flowers, and a fruit platter and wine glasses are already set on the marble round table in the center of the garden.
A tall, middle-aged man stood with his back to him in the flower bushes, pruning the flowers with a pair of golden scissors.
He wore a dark red noble robe with a sapphire-encrusted belt around his waist, and his blond hair was neatly combed.
Richard could clearly sense that the man exuded a rich life force.
Introverted.
Yet it was extremely oppressive.
...
--Star-level Extraordinary!