Chapter 260 Church

It was the morning of Winters’ fourth day back in Wolf Town, and it was also a Sunday morning.

Winters took a pleasant walk around the town, picking up one or two nails from the scorched earth.

People who were going to mass saw the resident official from a distance and waved hello. Winters also greeted the villagers.

In the early years when villages were merged to form a town, there was only a church in the center of Wolf Town besides the town hall - to be precise, there was a church first and then there was a town center.

The vast majority of people in Lang Town make a living by farming, and the only handicraft industry is scattered in various villages.

Girard tried his best to make Wolf Town grow into what Winters saw when he first arrived.

For example, in the blacksmith workshop-Girard forced Misha to unconsciousness several times before he successfully persuaded the old brother to move the workshop from the village of Dussa to the center of the town.

As fate would have it, the people of Lang Town have been in trouble for thirty years, and a round of military disasters completely destroyed it.

Fortunately, Winters came back here and rebuilt her with his own hands.

Next, there was another round of military disaster, and Winters' hard work was also wasted...

But the proverb goes well: "Don't spit in the well, one day you will drink the water from the well".

Currently, the main people responsible for the "Second Destruction of Wolf Town" are weaving baskets in the labor camp to atone for their sins, and this town that Winters loves so much is once again full of vitality.

The cold forge burst into flames, and the clanging sound came from the blacksmith shop again. The key components and drawings were still there, so the sawmill resumed production quickly.

The prison rose from the ruins of the military camp - there was no reason to abandon the flat land that had been hardened with great effort.

Samkin learned from Winters, and he did a good job.

Father Carman may be a little unhappy because his church was burned down again just after it was rebuilt.

Logically speaking, it doesn't matter if it's burned, it just needs to be rebuilt. Wolf Town has tools, people, and wood. Burning it will just make a more beautiful one.

The problem was that Kaman was a formally ordained clergyman of the Old Church, and Samkin...Samkin was a Protestant.

So Samkin was able to assess the importance of the Wolftown church with an objective and dispassionate attitude - undoubtedly at the bottom of the rebuilding list, and from time to time being jumped in the queue.

Samkin built a shed without walls for Father Kaman, which temporarily provided a place for the old believers to hold ceremonies.

Kaman did not come to Winters for an explanation, and Winters did not apologize or explain to Kaman.

On the first day after returning to Wolf Town, Winters sent someone to escort Brother Sean, the potter, to Gevaudan. In the remaining few days, he spent most of the time at Mitchell Manor.

Carman was indifferent to Winters, but Mrs. Mitchell was happy to have Winters back.

Winters chatted with Mrs. Mitchell, mainly talking about Pierre and Scarlett: Pierre's experience on the moor? What is Scarlett busy with recently?

From time to time, we also talked about the current situation in the United Provinces and Veneta, as well as interesting things, customs and customs on the Tanilla Islands.

When Winters and Kaman first met, Kaman always had a gentle smile on his lips, while Winters always looked impatient and was too lazy to pay attention to the former.

Now the relationship between the two is completely reversed: Carman is extremely anxious every time he sees Winters, so much so that he appears irritable; but Winters proactively greets the priest with a smile.

But Winters never mentioned the words "come with me to Gevaudan" once.

Bells sounded from the old church site, announcing that the ceremony was about to begin.

Winters heard the bell and walked back to the labor camp. Samkin was waiting at the door.

"Have the prisoners been assembled?" Winters asked with a smile.

"Everything is ready." Samujin saluted.

"Not bad." Winters handed the nails in his hand to Samkin: "These are still usable, why not recycle them?"

Samujin didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He rummaged around for a long time like a blood wolf digging into the ground for food. He was just picking up rags.

Samujin suppressed his laughter and replied seriously: "Yes, I will arrange for someone to pick it up right away."

"Forget it." Winters sighed: "I've been searching all morning, I should have found them all."

On the other side, Father Carman saw that the believers had almost arrived, so he began to preside over the ceremony.

Kaman wears a long white coat inside and a dark green velvet embroidered sacrificial shawl outside. The sacred belt goes around the back of the neck and hangs on the chest, which is sacred and solemn.

He saluted and was about to speak when he saw Winters walking into the "teaching shed" happily.

Kaman took a deep breath and continued to host the ceremony.

The next moment, the words he had not yet spoken were choked back into his throat by chants of "Right! Left! Right...".

The prisoners marched out of the labor camp in single file, one after the other, like a long snake crawling toward the new church site. They walked all the way outside the wooden shed and sat down on the ground one by one under the guidance of the guards.

The old believers in Wolf Town didn't know what was going on. They were even a little panicked and looked around.

No matter how well-educated Kaman was, he couldn't bear it any longer.

He walked up to Winters angrily, gritted his teeth and asked, "What on earth are you going to do?"

Winters was sitting in the first row of this simple shed and answered solemnly: "Watch Mass."

"You are a magician, what the hell are you looking at!" Kaman's face turned red.

"Keep your voice down," Winters scolded, "it's not good for believers to hear you curse."

"Winters Montagne! You think I can't deal with you because you are a magician! Don't you?" Carman gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and his cheeks were twitching: "You think you can challenge me again and again. The limit of endurance, isn’t it?”

"It's not because I'm a spell caster." Winters put his arm around Kaman's shoulders: "It's because we are friends."

Carman slapped Winters' arm hard: "I'm not your friend!"

"But I am your friend!" Winters tried his best to put on the most sincere smile.

"What are you going to do?!" Kaman was almost going crazy.

"You really want to know?"

"explain!"

"I want to pardon most of the prisoners in the labor camp." Winters replied seriously: "Before announcing the pardon, I want to let them hear a mass and give them some religious advice to prevent them from doing bad things in the future."

"That's all?" Kaman felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured on him.

"that's it."

"Is that really all?"

"That's all." Winters told the truth: "There is absolutely no second purpose in bringing prisoners here."

Kaman sneered and turned around, returning to the altar with hesitation.

After presiding over the previous ceremonies, it was finally time for the sermon. Kaman sighed, put down the speech he had prepared in advance, and began to tell the believers about "The Calling of St. Matthew."

"[I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance]..." In response to today's emergencies, Kaman published the doctrine of new life, repentance and salvation.

The green sacrificial cape he wore also happened to mean "hope and rebirth."

Winters listened and watched carefully. But he was not listening to the content, but to the sound; he was not observing the altar, but observing Carman's demeanor.

The sound effect of the shed without walls was very poor, and the prisoners sat outside the shed until they were dozens of meters away.

Kaman had to preach in a loud voice so that the believers in the back row could hear him clearly.

The voice of Kaman's sermon was indeed loud, clear, sacred and solemn, and even the captives sitting at the end were listening carefully.

But as a senior speaker, Winters was sure that such a level of sound could not be easily produced by human power. At least it would require a red face, hoarse voice, and shouting at the top of one's lungs.

From this, Winters judged that Kaman must be using a divine magic similar to [Amplification] to preach; or conversely, divine magic can also achieve the effect of [Amplification].

Winters even wanted to write down the discovery on paper on the spot. It took a lot of effort to resist the urge to reach for the notebook with his right hand.

In this way, the ceremony went smoothly.

When receiving Holy Communion, Winters also walked to the altar with a smile and did not avoid it as he had done in the past.

Winters thought clearly now - there was no need to deliberately act like a spellcaster, as that would be a waste of time; when it was time to eat and drink, he would just eat biscuits for free.

Kaman, on the other hand, saw Winters coming to receive Holy Communion. He deliberately gave Winters a piece of unconsecrated bread and did not give Winters a drink of "holy blood." Winters felt unfair by sending him away casually.

After the ceremony, Winters asked the prisoners to line up in the open space, with the believers of Wolf Town watching not far away.

Plato has a tradition of using prisoners of war as slaves - slavery does not deserve to be called a tradition. All the ancient countries recorded in the epic had slaves. But while others abandoned slavery little by little, the Platoans continued it.

From a practical point of view, it is understandable that the Platons captured the Hittites as slaves. They want to weaken the Hed tribes, but cannot "move the barbarians in", so just killing men is of little significance, women and children are the key.

But the Platons were equally merciless to the Platons. In the past, the Palatine nobles fought private wars, and prisoners of war who had no money to ransom were either served as serfs or sold overseas. Before the woolen textile industry flourished, slaves were Plato's main export.

Therefore, although Winters' captives were reluctant, they accepted the situation of forced labor to a certain extent - after all, they were not sold overseas, so it was not too miserable.

Seeing that all the prisoners who were about to be pardoned had arrived, Winters stood on the podium made of a carriage and asked them loudly: "Do you recognize me?"

His eyes swept across the crowd, and the prisoners lowered their heads. No one dared to look at each other, and no one dared to answer.

Who doesn't know the blood wolf? It was the blood wolf who captured them here.

"Then do you know why I treat you like slaves?"

Still no one dared to speak.

Winters paused for a moment and answered for the prisoners: "Because you lost the battle, right?"

These words spoke to the hearts of the prisoners, most of whom were members of the food collection team who were ambushed later. After screening the early ambush of the food collection team, most of the prisoners were released directly.

"What a big mistake! You are working because if you don't work, you deserve to starve! You are standing here, but it is not because you have lost the war!" Winters scolded: "Look up and look at me! You are standing here You are here because you once robbed the people of their food! You made it impossible for them to survive! If we don’t deal with you, only you will survive, and everyone else will starve to death!"

The expressions of most of the prisoners were blank and confused.

How many people can understand this? Winters didn't know, maybe the logic of "lose the war and become a slave" was more acceptable.

Winters sighed inwardly. Da Benting escaped with his life today. Bud firmly opposed the public trial of Bentine, because as long as Winters still wore the cloak of the garrison, he had no legitimate reason to try the "dutiful Mayor Bentine."

What is the legitimacy of the regime he wants to establish? Divine right? force? public opinion? This was a question Winters had to grapple with.

But Winters wasn't here to hold a meeting with prisoners today.

"Among the enemies I captured, all those who committed serious crimes such as murder and rape during the food collection process." Winters pointed to the gallows outside the labor camp, and his voice made all the prisoners shudder: "They have all died."

"Among the enemies I captured, all those who committed minor crimes such as wounding others during the food collection process." Winters announced without any doubt: "Continue to serve their sentences."

"You are left! You mediocre villains are left! I will give you a chance to regain your freedom. I will give you a chance to return to your family."

Winters waved his hand, and Samukin led someone to carry out the brazier. There were six soldering irons in the brazier.

"But I only give you one chance!" Winters pointed to the brazier, coldly and majestic: "If you want it, come forward."

The prisoners looked at each other and did not dare to move.

Samkin strode up to a thin prisoner in the first row: "You! Do you want to go home?"

"Me?" The prisoner swallowed in panic and timidly said: "Think."

Samutin dragged the prisoner back to the brazier and took out the soldering iron. The head of the soldering iron turned out to be in the shape of a holy symbol, and it was already burning red.

"Tear off his shirt." Samujin ordered his subordinates coldly.

Two strong guards immediately held the prisoner down while a third guard pulled off his shirt.

Samkin started expressionlessly.

The branding iron was mercilessly clamped on the prisoner's left chest, and anyone who was close could hear a squeaking sound similar to the sound of fat hitting a hot pot. The prisoner's screams were unbearable to hear, and the onlookers in Wolf Town subconsciously looked away.

Samutin didn't want to kill the prisoner, so he only touched the iron for about a second and then took away the iron. The prisoner's left chest was marked with the mark of a holy symbol.

The guards dragged the prisoner aside and applied a scalding ointment of turpentine, egg yolk and rose oil on him.

"You only have one chance." Samujin issued the most realistic threat to the prisoners on behalf of his centurion: "If you dare to pick up weapons again, what is waiting for you is the sharp sword inserted from the holy emblem! Whoever is not willing, just Go back and serve your sentence! Next!"

The prisoners were shaken, but still no one dared to speak out.

I saw only one person coming from the back row - the prisoner Ivan walked out of the queue and stood tremblingly next to the brazier.

He didn't want anyone else to hold him back, but first swore on the holy emblem iron, then exposed his chest on his own, closed his eyes and waited for Samutin to take action.

Samujin nodded and said nothing. He only branded it for about half a second before letting go.

"Follow him!" Samujin pointed at another prisoner in the front row and shouted: "You are next!"

With Samkin here, Winters doesn't have to do everything himself, which is very worry-free. He got off the carriage and saw Kaman, who had taken off his priestly robes and put on regular clothes, walking towards him.

"What are you doing?" Kaman asked with a frown.

"Leave a souvenir for the prisoners. I hope they will remember it next time they want to point a sword at me. They can't just let me go, right?" Winters answered honestly. He said with a smile: "I also chose it specially. A universally beloved symbol."

Not far away, prisoners were sworn, branded, and finally taken aside to be healed. The screams came one after another, and the air was filled with the fragrant smell of barbecue, which was nauseating.

Widely loved symbol? Kaman was puzzled, and then he saw the mark of the holy symbol on the prisoner.

He was angry at first, then helpless, and finally sighed deeply.

"You no longer let them be slaves, which is a good deed anyway." Kaman looked at the prisoners in the open space and excused himself: "This holy symbol is very suitable to be used here."

"I thought you were going to fight me." Winters was a little regretful.

Kaman snorted disdainfully.

"Do you want to know how I became the protector of the Seven Towns?" Winters suddenly asked casually.

"Do not want to know."

"It doesn't matter, I agree to tell you." Winters said nonchalantly: "I ambushed the food collection team and took the prisoners back to the villages for the people to identify. Which ones killed, set fires, and raped women? Which ones stole and injured people? This was originally A stupid way to screen for prisoners, but if you do it enough, I become the Protector of the Seven Towns. So the seven towns south of the St. George River are willing to support me, and the eight towns to the north are keeping me at arm's length. That's it."

Kaman sighed deeply again. He looked directly into Winters' eyes, as if he wanted to see into Winters' heart, and Winters met his gaze without any hesitation.

"Mr. Montagne, I respect you, and I know you are a good person." Carman told Winters seriously and solemnly: "But I have sworn an oath of secrecy, and I will not tell you any secrets about divine magic. Even if I am not bound by an oath, I am not willing to tell you. You should not try to explore, because this is not an area that you can touch. I hope you understand."

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Winters asked with a smile, "I didn't ask you that either! Did I ask you? Not even a word, right?"

"Stop pretending." Kaman became irritable again: "You might as well ask me directly so that I can reject you outright. Didn't you come back to Wolf Town just to pry the secret of divine magic from me? I Tell you, it’s impossible! You can’t even expect to get anything about divine magic from me!”

"I am indeed very curious about the principles of magic. But this time I returned to Wolf Town, I really came to pick up Brother Shaun, the potter!" Winters shouted that he was wronged.

He also calmed his expression and spoke solemnly and solemnly: "I know you don't believe me. I swear on my parents' graves that I will never ask you for any secrets of magic without your permission. How about this? ?”

"Without my permission?" Kaman snorted coldly.

"Maybe one day you will tell me voluntarily?" Winters smiled.

"I can tell you now." Kaman said shockingly.

"I do not believe."

"Divine magic comes from the devout belief in the only savior. Divine magic does not belong to me, but is performed by my hands. You can't understand." Kaman said coldly to Winters: "You unbeliever wants to Use divine magic? Convert first and then talk."

"Is that so?!" Winters said happily: "I will convert now! You can teach me!"

Kaman clutched his chest and bent down. It took him a while to regain his composure.

"You..." Carman looked at Winters who was hesitating to speak, and said with a complicated expression: "You... you have changed."

"It's all taught well by Father Rhett."

"No wonder." Kaman coughed: "No wonder."

"Brother Kaman, I'm going back to Gevaudan." Wintel grabbed Kaman's arm and said reluctantly: "Let me give you a gift before I say goodbye."

Kaman shook off Winters' arm: "No, just leave as soon as possible."

"No, I've been thinking about this gift for a long time." Winters blinked: "I'll give you a cathedral."

"Gevaudan Cathedral." Carman sneered: "You have removed the emblem of Saint Adaus, what else can't you do?"

"You have really wronged me." Winters was surprised at first, and then extremely aggrieved. He asked: "The Cathedral of Gevaudin was robbed and set on fire by thugs. Was it not my people who saved it? The lost sacred vessel , wasn’t it recovered by my people?”

His words hit Karman like cannonballs: "Do you know how short of money I am now? It was for your sake that I didn't melt down the gold and silver sacred vessels in Gevaudan Church! The emblem of Saint Adaus is It’s in Bard’s hands, but it’s just a loan with an IOU! He’s using it to do good deeds! This time when I come to Wolf Town, I want to bring back the emblem of Saint Ados!”

"Father Carman, we have been through blood and fire together. How could you make such a serious accusation against me without any discrimination?" Winters grabbed the hem of his clothes in pain: "I'm so sad. Got it!"

"You didn't destroy the Cathedral of Gevaudin?"

"No!"

"You did not seize any property from the Cathedral of Gévaudin?"

"No!"

"You did not harm any clergy?"

"No!" Winters added: "Although the bishop died, it was because he ran to the roof to take refuge in panic and accidentally fell. It was not killed by me, nor was it killed by my people."

Kaman stood for a while and then said with difficulty: "I'm sorry..."

"It's okay, I'm very happy to forgive you." Winters laughed and put his arm around Kaman's shoulders: "Although the church in Wolf Town was destroyed, how about I get a bigger one? Isn't it good?"

"Not very good." Carman knocked off Winters' arm again and retorted coldly: "The church is the property of the church, not your gift. How can you allow you to give and receive the bishopric in private? Besides, Wolf Town is mine. Parish, how could I leave casually? What will happen to the believers in Wolf Town if I leave Wolf Town?"

"Send another one from Gevaudan." Winters disagreed: "As for the position of Bishop Gevaudan... I have the final say at the moment in Gevaudan, and I can recommend you."

"Oh? Mr. Montagne. So you are not the resident official of Wolf Town, but our Pope?" Carman angrily retorted: "You will be elected as you say. Do you have the final say?"

"Okay. If you don't want to accept this gift, I won't force you." Winters patted Carman on the shoulder regretfully: "I will go back to Gevaudan today."

Kaman sneered and waved his hand.

Winters nodded in greeting and left without looking back.

Kaman stared at Winters' back, and it wasn't until the latter disappeared from sight on horseback that he realized in surprise: Winters was really gone.

After a while, Charles ran over: "Father Carman!"

"I knew it wasn't over yet!" Carman was both angry and amused: "What's wrong?"

"My brother asked me to tell you that Mrs. Mitchell is also going to Gevaudan with us. She is leaving today."

A mouthful of blood surged into Kaman's throat: "What?! Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"My brother said, if you ask like this, let me answer you like this." Charles cleared his throat and imitated Winters' incomprehensible tone: "Who are you? Why do I want to tell you?"

[Thanks to book friends for their collection, reading, subscription, recommendation votes, monthly votes, rewards and comments]

[The legitimacy of governance is an issue that Winters cannot avoid. This chapter will briefly mention it and expand on it later]