I was an apprentice in Ferren

Chapter 231 Praise of the Father
old capital.

Harvest month is arguably the farmer's favorite holiday.

The wheat, cultivated through a year of hard work, has turned golden. Mother Earth seems to be protecting the farmers by reducing rainfall this month. The joy of the harvest brings smiles to the faces of the farmers in the countryside. However, the thought of taxes to be paid and the repayment of spring's seed loans weighs heavily on their minds.

The government of Harua did not accept grain as tax deduction. Their grain was either sold to grain merchants, or several families would work together to harvest the wheat, charter some carts, and sell it to the state grain depot in town. After exchanging it for gold and silver coins, they would carefully hide them and go home to wait for the tax officials to start collecting taxes according to how many acres of land each person owned.

However, this has nothing to do with the people of the old capital. As citizens, most of them do not engage in farming. The land passed down from their ancestors is usually managed by hiring people or renting it out, earning them a considerable income each year.

Those with ambition can open a small shop or learn a trade in the old capital to make a living, while those without ambition can spend their days bragging and playing cards aimlessly, which will also take a year: anyway, if a potential mage is born in the family, they can take out a loan to go to school, and when the child graduates, the loan can be easily repaid.

Even if I work hard all year, I can only earn a hundred or so gold coins. How many years would it take to support one person?

However, the decisive use of force to quell violence in Nas City a few days ago demonstrated the might of the Heavenly Army. The apprentices could only borrow from relatives and friends to fill the gap for now.

Fortunately, the apprentices had a bright future, so borrowing some money wasn't too difficult. Things were peaceful for a while, but with the emergence of the major embezzlement case, the calm waters surged again. With the instigation of some people, the anger that had been forcibly suppressed was reignited, and the complete tacit approval of the guards and airships emboldened them. The mastermind behind the scenes was also excited.

"As expected, this apprentice disturbance is also a conflict between mages, and the council will definitely intervene to suppress it for the sake of the overall situation. But the citizens are different. They are just ordinary people, and the airship force, which is mainly composed of professionals, will definitely not take action against them. After all, if something like this happened, it would definitely be reported in the newspapers of major cities all over the world. It would be too rare for such a wealthy and powerful country as Harua to have such trouble, and the officials of the council certainly cannot afford to lose face."

"This has really put those nobles on their toes." The others were also incredibly excited; bringing those self-proclaimed nobles down from their pedestals was exhilarating. However, Bird felt a little worried: "But how do we clean this up now?"

“As the saying goes, the law doesn’t punish everyone. Today, everyone had their fill of punching and kicking. Once it gets dark and everyone disperses, their servants will come to rescue them. What chance do we have then?” Mikhail was clearly prepared. “However, it is somewhat unexpected that the guards didn’t come. Do you have any ideas?”

"I've heard there's some shady stuff going on in the council?" While there's gossip about the secrets of the upper echelons, no one can really say how much of it is true. "They're probably just badmouthing each other."

Hearing this, everyone couldn't help but laugh at the contempt of those who ate meat. However, one person thought for a moment and couldn't help but angrily say, "Look at this! The council is coming up with all sorts of new policies, and those lords are fighting amongst themselves. Where is the so-called light of civilization in our country now? How did Harua become like this?!"

Upon hearing this, everyone's initial excitement vanished into silence, and even the cider they had prepared to celebrate lost its flavor.

Yes, things were fine last year, but this year something went wrong and all sorts of things went wrong, making it impossible for everyone to have a good life.

“It’s alright, I think the men will eventually reflect on this,” Bird said, breaking the heavy atmosphere. “If even the apprentices can borrow money from that bank, I think the council will gradually open up to us soon, and then these things won’t be a problem anymore.”

"Ha, I heard that those banks are all owned by noble lords, just to appease the apprentices. Even if only half of the 40,000 mages in Harua are local, if each of the remaining 20,000 pays 1,000, that's still 20 million gold. If the council had that kind of money to give us, why would they resort to such an ugly way of asking us for money?"

After hearing this, everyone looked at each other. Thinking about it, this argument did make a lot of sense, but then another problem arose: "But I don't think the council can tolerate everyone's protests indefinitely. After all, the autumn harvest is coming soon, and if the city hall can't do its job, it will affect tax collection. I think a countermeasure will come up soon, and we will probably still have to pay our money."

"...What should we do then?" Everyone was dumbfounded. They were risking being arrested to do this, and it wouldn't be good if they ended up with nothing but trouble.

“Don’t worry, I’ve heard about a solution recently.” Mikhail lowered his voice, and the others immediately leaned in to listen: “I heard that there’s a new church in Black Iron Street in the lower city. The people there worship the Lord of R’lyeh. If you join, you can borrow a considerable amount of money, which should be enough to help us get through this crisis.”

"Lord of R'lyeh?" Everyone was puzzled by the title. Bird frowned, sensing something was wrong: "What a rotten place the Lower City is. I remember Black Iron Street being a slum for outsiders. It's probably not a good thing to start a Protestant movement in a place like that."

Everyone was puzzled after hearing this, but Mikhail didn't seem to care: "Hey, we're just going to pretend and borrow the money. What does it have to do with God or God the Father? We can just pay them back when we have the money. As long as we don't get too involved with them, that's fine."

Everyone thought it made some sense, but Bird still had doubts: "This isn't a good idea. Where would you find such a cheap benefit?"

He didn't say one more thing: those who recruit people like this are probably cults, and only those with ulterior motives would be so generous.

“That’s how it normally works, but we’re all mages, top-tier geniuses. Even if they’re really up to something, we can just leave. We could even report them to the police department; the benefits aren’t out of the question, and we wouldn’t be at a disadvantage, would we?”

Mikhail's words were met with a chorus of agreement. Bird thought about it and it seemed to make sense, but for some reason he felt uneasy: "Then you guys go ahead. My wife will start nagging again when she gets home and sees I'm not here."

"Hey, that's so unfair! Remember to pay everyone's bill for the drinks!"

"I have no money. All my money is with my wife!"

Everyone laughed at this, and Bird laughed along with them. After paying his bill, he quickly left, while the others had another drink in the private room. They didn't leave until the sky became a little gloomy. However, they hadn't gone far when they heard someone crying and shouting.

The group sensed something was wrong, but they didn't know what was going on. When they stopped a man, they got a clear answer: "Run! Those gangsters have gone mad! Those bastards from the Bone-Piercing Gang came out to rob people under the cover of darkness. If they didn't pay, they would beat them with sticks. Many people were beaten until they vomited blood, and some were even thrown into the sewers to drown!"

"Huh?" The mages exchanged glances and couldn't help but shudder.

Unlike Yarakh, where mage towers stand tall, the old capital, while not cheap, also has a considerable number of working-class areas. Recently, due to the competition for demand during the Twin Dragons War, the black market trade and gangs have become more active than ever before, and as professionals, they naturally have a lot of contact with them.

Normally speaking, gangs are like rats that can't be brought to the table. At most, they oppress ordinary people and bully small vendors. Some gangs with vision and connections don't even look down on these small businesses. They directly open casinos, build brothels, and set up black markets, making a fortune by taking a cut from these lucrative shops. They don't care about these small businesses at all.

In the group's memory, the Bone Spike Gang, though not a large gang, was not a bunch of scoundrels either. How come they've started robbing people on the streets now?
If this gets out of hand and reaches the security department, how much money will those thugs have to pay to settle things?
This is completely contrary to the survival wisdom of gangsters.

"Forget it, guys, let's get moving." Mikhail said, casting a mage's armor and slipping on his feet. "Otherwise, while we're not afraid to face these trash head-on, if a few poisoned arrows come from behind, it's not worth spending a hundred gold to see a doctor at the temple."

The group nodded repeatedly and quickly headed northwest after casting the spell.

Less than 15 miles outside the city lies a swamp, the most dilapidated slum in the city. Traveling swiftly, they encountered thugs committing robberies and violence along the way. Occasionally, the cries of men and women could be heard from the alleyways. The mage squad felt a chill run down their spines. Many had already donned their full magical gear and clutched scrolls. Fortunately, when they encountered troublemakers, they would occasionally conjure sparks in their hands or illuminate their silver badges, causing the masked thugs to back down.

However, the group did not relax; instead, they became even more tense.

These gangsters have become almost lawless, and in the eyes of the public, the monk is a notorious easy target. They all feel that many people are already watching them, and if they let their guard down even slightly, they might get a beating from behind.

"Should we use invisibility magic? That would be safer." One person nervously wiped the sweat from his forehead: "I feel my heart pounding."

“We don’t have any communication runes. What if we lose track of the people ahead using this invisibility spell?” Mikhail was also a little nervous. “Don’t worry, there are too many of us, they won’t dare to do anything to us. By the way, let’s fire fire arrows into the sky as we walk, taking turns to intimidate them. We have to let them know that we are not to be trifled with.”

The group nodded in agreement; it was indeed a good idea.

Whether it was due to the large number of people or the effectiveness of the fire arrows, the group hurriedly arrived at a dilapidated ancient village. The fishy stench emanating from the fish stalls not far from the entrance made several people pinch their noses. Mikhail, however, breathed a sigh of relief: "We're here. Remember to be careful when you go in. I will introduce you to the chief priest there as new believers in need. Just say whatever they tell you to say. Once we get the money, we can leave."

Everyone nodded in agreement. Mikhail and the burly gatekeeper handed over an ancient gold coin before leading the group into the house.

This is an old-fashioned room, with dim candlelight casting a faint glow. The name Mystra is written on a shrine to the side, but there is no shrine inside. Several beautiful young girls are praying inside, and they all stand up and bow when they see the group of people arrive.

Her snow-white skin and delicate expression made the young mages feel a little dizzy. Her clean yet simple clothes were enough to prove that she did not come from a wealthy family, but her soft and sweet voice made them particularly attracted.

With their abilities, finding a wealthy heiress in the old capital is out of the question. At most, they might be generous when seeking pleasure, but where can those professional women find such a pure and charming girl?
I never expected this underground church to have such resources. If I became a senior believer, there would probably be a lot to discuss.

"Good evening, sisters." Mikhail greeted the girls with a smile, and they all gave a ladylike bow. He didn't stand on ceremony, but said in a low voice, "Alright, be careful not to make your eyes pop out. There will be plenty of opportunities to discuss life and ideals with them in the future, but don't forget what we're here for. Besides, there are even more beautiful nuns down there."

The monks understood immediately and followed him to a basement, which was only a few steps away, but was completely different from the simple room on the ground.

Bright lights illuminated the spacious basement. These were not the cold lights of magic lamps, but rather the valuable glow of whale oil. A dozen charming young women in nun's robes, led by a beautiful woman in a dark blue priest's robe, danced gracefully around the altar in the center, which was covered with a tarpaulin.

Their expressions were holy yet slightly aloof, but their form-fitting priest robes were simply outrageous, revealing the curves of these beauties' bodies to the fullest. Their snow-white skin was so smooth and alluring that even a casual glance was enough to make it seem irresistible.

"Listen to the bell, the sweet sound of the silver bell."

"They all seem to be telling us to get rid of that useless caution."

"The Heavenly Father has returned, bringing wonderful blessings~"

"Whether old or young, whether weak or brave."

"Ding-dong, ding-dong~ This is the Holy Envoy's song~"

"They are radiant with youth, singing songs of celebration for their return~"

"Blessings are everywhere in this world~"

"The rhythm gradually rises, and their fairy tales echo even in the mountains and valleys~"

"The singers joyfully play their instruments, and as we sing these hymns, we welcome the Father to give us eternal life~" (The song is called Carol of the Bells; you can search for it on NetEase Cloud Music; it's quite cheerful.)
The monks listened with rapt attention, yet they couldn't understand why this supposedly sacred hymn sounded like decadent music, making their blood boil just from the melody.

For some reason, they felt an intense heat rising within them, while the number of girls surrounding them seemed to dwindle, and even the bright lights gradually dimmed.

Someone let out the first roar, and these mages, known for their reason, charged at the beautiful women like wild beasts. Even the seemingly holy priest could not escape their fate. What was supposed to be a ritual quickly turned into a chaotic mass, the panting of young men and women echoing repeatedly in the basement.

The mages' stamina was ultimately only average. As their excited voices grew deeper, one of the mages collapsed onto the smiling nun, shivering uncontrollably. But just then, a bright dagger suddenly appeared in the hand of another nun.

As she gently stroked the mage's neck, a line of blood appeared on his throat.

Blood gushed out like a waterfall, but the monk showed no pain on his face. Instead, he looked as if he were seeing heaven, with a look of relief on his face.

The other mages did the same. Mikhail chuckled and went forward to collect the magical items from them. The beautiful female priest, looking disgusted, wiped the filth off her clothes, put on her priest's robe, and frowned after touching it lightly: "Weren't there seven? Why is one missing?"

"There's nothing we can do; one coward ran away because he was afraid of trouble." Mikhail shrugged and said somewhat helplessly, "But it's alright, I'll bring you a few more in a few days."

"So that's how it is." The female priest said softly, taking a step forward. The next second, a semi-transparent shield appeared in front of Mikhail, but it was easily pierced by the dagger in the female priest's hand, which went straight into his heart.

This sudden turn of events made Mikhail's eyes widen. He looked at his former lover in disbelief, wanting to say something, but the sharp pain in his chest and the loss of strength left him limp to the ground.

"I didn't want it to be like this either, but who told you to be so incompetent?" The female priest smiled coldly, grabbed the priest by the collar and led him to the altar. She poured her hot blood on the ever-holy altar, and the ever-growing power made her tremble uncontrollably.

"Sisters, continue the ceremony. The Holy Father has sensed our call. The Holy Father and His faithful people are about to return. This ignorant and foolish kingdom will surely be destroyed, and we will become His messengers, embracing eternal life!"

(End of this chapter)