I was an apprentice in Ferren

Chapter 89 The Blame
If their plan had failed, so be it. If that annoying and arrogant paladin had been smart, he would have kept a low profile. If he had dared to cause trouble, they weren't without backers. As an extension of the will of the city's masters, they were quite certain who the adults here trusted more.

But what happened next was beyond their expectations.

When they learned that the paladin was going to arrest the old woman, the group was even more delighted. They immediately signed all the detention procedures written by the paladin and the carriage party moved quickly.

Although professionals and ordinary people can be said to be two different worlds, Harua is known for its civilization and openness. The local residents are much wealthier than those in other countries because many of them are descendants of Netherians and have the talent of mages. You never know which unassuming farmer might have a mage relative.

Although the two sides may not have any contact, ordinary people here are not as worthless as in Ser, and professionals who break the law will also be held accountable if they are caught.

Compared to professionals who might run away after committing a crime, kind-hearted paladins are full of weaknesses. Many tricks that pose no threat to others can be used against them. If the public sentiment is stirred up, the paladin girl will definitely be in deep trouble. At that time, whether to arrest or release her will be a dilemma, and she will be caught in the vortex of public opinion.

Once things escalate, this girl, who supposedly has powerful connections, will naturally no longer linger in their remote and impoverished place. She will likely be transferred to another location soon, which will be a way of retaliating against those powerful figures in Whitestone City who don't take them seriously.

However, when the guards learned that the paladin had brought out the church and priests, they suddenly realized that they had underestimated this seemingly foolish girl.

The priest represents the will of God. Even in Harua, where the faith is shallow and based on mages, the Church of the Mysterious Lady is unshakable. Whenever there is a vote on important matters, the local archbishop has two votes, just like the speaker of the Harua council. It can be said that theocracy and politics are inseparable.

Compared to mages who produce scrolls and magical items, priests monopolize healing potions and methods for treating diseases. Many high-ranking priests were mages in the past. The two sides have intertwined power, but since local churches do not allow interference in politics, mages still have more influence.

But to ordinary people, mages are high above and very dangerous. They are only seen occasionally when they are building fortifications or when they encounter natural disasters during the autumn harvest and the undead help with the harvest. They are very mysterious.

Compared to them, pastors are much more approachable. They preach and give lectures, organize choir classes to answer questions, and distribute free food and drinks during festivals.

In some places, pastors even teach children to read and write. If they know the children well enough and donate enough, they can also help with healing and recovery. This is much more reliable than herbal medicine and alchemy doctors.

Of course, occasionally some pastors will have a bad reputation, but those are just isolated cases. These representatives of the gods have a high reputation among the people, and with the help of various divine powers, their words and actions carry far more weight than those of guards and judges. The public almost never questions any of their decisions.

It can be said that as long as you get in touch with a priest, it is not a problem to get a title, make a fortune or obtain a position. However, dealing with these arrogant messengers of the gods requires a lot of effort, and they may not even accept gifts if you don't like them.

It depends on how the other person is feeling.

The former captain of the guard had close ties with the church and even had powerful connections in Whitestone City. This allowed him to command all the work of the guard even when he was bedridden and no longer went to work, enjoying the highest benefits and respect. The deputy captain, who actually did the work, was always a slave under the old captain's command, and he could not overstep his authority.

They finally made it to the point where the other person was about to retire this year, but then a young girl was parachuted in as the team leader. She dared to point fingers at them as soon as she arrived. How could they possibly be convinced by that?
The people in the countryside lack patience. After two days of discussion, they found an opportunity for her to back down. If the paladin was smart enough to delegate authority, they wouldn't mind having another uninvolved superior.

Anyway, they held all the real power. Once this girl had gained enough seniority and been promoted, the town of Beer would be theirs again. But they didn't expect to run into such a tough nut to crack. Not only did she have powerful backers, but she also had a powerful figure in the town who was more influential than the deputy city lord.

"Didn't we find out that this person is a paladin who worships the Moon Lady? His coming here was completely accidental. How could he be related to the church?"

"I told you long ago that all charlatans are in cahoots. This plan is unreliable. What do we do now?"

At this moment, a young man next to him said, "If it's just about punishing that woman, that's fine. We can go through the procedures, detain her for a few days, and then, out of respect for the elderly and care for the young, we can release her with a fine and probation. No one can say anything about that sentence. The problem now is what the worst-case scenario is. If she really starts biting people randomly, then Sheriff Richard will be in real trouble."

Hearing this, everyone nodded. At this moment, the deputy captain spoke up: "Although we told him in advance to slow down the carriage, it's not far, and we should be there soon. Richard, you go home now and take your wife and children with you. I will write a document to prove that you were assigned to work in Damai Village last night. During the interrogation, I will also remind the old woman to recant her confession. Anyway, she is old and it's normal for her to be a little confused."

"If the worst-case scenario really happens, you can lower your profile, for example, by saying you look down on women for being your superiors, or that you just don't like her and want to cause her some trouble. Never say that you support extortion. At most, you'll be transferred to another post and fined, and no one can say anything more serious about you. As for us, you don't need to worry about anything. Just do your job well outside and don't make any mistakes. Come back when things have calmed down, and the position of deputy captain will be yours."

Richard was unwilling to accept this, but with time running out, he couldn't think of any good solutions. So he nodded in agreement and, with the help of a colleague, called a carriage to leave through the back door.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as soon as Richard left.

Although it was Richard who hired the people, everyone present naturally got involved. If he didn't take the blame, this matter would blow up and no one could escape responsibility.

"Alright, everyone forget about this. I'll contact you if anything else comes up. Oh, and you all need to keep Siling quiet and prevent him from saying anything out of line. If necessary, give him some money to shut him up. His mother will definitely be back soon."

After hearing this, everyone left, and soon only the deputy captain and the young man who had come in first remained in the makeshift meeting room. At this moment, the young man's panicked expression had completely disappeared. He went to his uncle's side, patted him on the shoulder, and said with a flattering look, "Uncle, with Richard gone, there's a vacancy for the sheriff of the second squad, don't you think?"

"What are you thinking? There are plenty of people with more seniority than you. At this critical juncture, you still want to be the sheriff? Aren't you afraid of being envied to death? You can forget about being the sheriff. But I don't think others will say anything if you become a deputy. But you should remember to keep a low profile and listen to instructions. You'll definitely get a share of the profits."

The young man was overjoyed upon hearing this, and the room was filled with a joyful atmosphere, resembling a loving father and son.

On the other hand, after arranging for his wife and son to leave, Richard did not go with the carriage. He simply told his colleague that he still had some things to do and asked him to find a hotel for his wife and children to rest first. He would find a house to stay in after he arrived. Then he changed into an inconspicuous set of clothes, put on a hoodie, and left.

As colleagues, the guard driving the carriage probably knew what Richard was going to do, but he said nothing and simply drove the carriage away with his sister-in-law. Richard, who was in a hurry, did not notice that there was an inconspicuous figure following behind him.

(End of this chapter)