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CHAPTER XIV Auxiliary Bishops

That night, the Federman family also stayed up all night.

Uncle Federman sat on the mossy stone steps outside the house, holding a pipe and inhaling the burnt smell of inferior tobacco.

He lowered his head and blew out smoke rings one after another. Under the moonlight, it was dyed with a calm halo.

The Federman family's house is made of scrap iron sheets and has almost no sound insulation.

Because of this, Uncle Federman heard clearly the entire conversation between Howard and Mrs. Federman.

However, compared to his wife, Uncle Federman is not so optimistic.

He knew that although Howard was a magician and was considered a big shot in this remote town, there were many people who were more powerful than magicians in the Braden Kingdom.

Moreover, even if Howard temporarily stopped the Light Church cavalry who collected taxes, it would not fundamentally solve the problem.

"Has your factory really decided to lay off employees?"

When the eastern sky turned white, Mrs. Federman walked out of the room and came to Uncle Federman.

Uncle Federman put away his pipe and nodded.

"The factory owner has made up his mind," he said in a hoarse voice. "If the situation remains unchanged, he will sign severance agreements with more than 20 boiler workers, including me, on Monday."

"Can't you beg him again?" A worried look appeared on Mrs. Federman's face. "You can beg him again and tell him that you don't mind a lower salary and a harder job, but please make sure he

You stay. Our family has ten mouths waiting for food. With my own strength, it is impossible for me to carry it for long."

"I've already said it," Uncle Federman sighed, "the factory owner is a kind gentleman. He sympathizes with our situation, but he also has his own difficulties."

"But he is so rich, can't he..."

Uncle Federman stretched out his index finger and shook it slightly to stop her from continuing.

"The new church tax imposed by the Light Church is not only aimed at us, but also at the factory owners," he said in a calm tone. "Under the pressure of taxation, if we do not lay off employees and reduce production in time, I am afraid that the entire factory will be heavily in debt.

And it went bankrupt.”

After hearing his words, Mrs. Federman lowered her head and bit her lip, her face almost pale.

"Old man, when do you think these damn days will end?" Her voice trembled slightly, "Although Howard said... that he was willing to help, but now that he knows, we can no longer bring Julian or

The other children were sent away. But you are unemployed again, and you don’t know when you will find a new job...

"Old man, you also know that our family is a devout believer in the goddess of light. We go to church every week and have never done anything bad. But why, we still receive punishment from the goddess and the church, and we have to

Dragging the children to suffer together..."

Uncle Federman still sat quietly where he was, silent for a moment.

"Tonight, I suddenly thought of a way." He said expressionlessly.

"What can I do?"

His wife narrowed her eyes slightly and stared at him. From her sharp eyes, he felt that it was difficult to hide his true thoughts.

"A year ago, the Braden Kingdom promulgated the "Workers' Rights Protection Law," Uncle Federman said calmly. "According to this law, if a worker unfortunately dies due to overwork or an accident, his family members can go to

Go to the Royal Government and receive a generous pension.”

"Old man," Mrs. Federman's face turned deathly gray, "Why are you talking about this all of a sudden?"

"In a few hours, the cavalry of the Church of Light will be here. By then, we must give them all our savings."

"Howard said he was willing to help."

"Howard can only stop him for a while, but he can't stop him forever," Uncle Federman interrupted his wife. "What's more, my weekly salary is only a few pennies, but the pension is a full hundred pounds. If I save it,

If we go to the bank, our family can have enough food and clothing for the rest of our lives."

Hearing these words, Mrs. Federman stared at him blankly, her lips trembled slightly, and her eyes seemed to have lost focus.

"Then, old man, give me the rope you use to hang yourself," she said coldly, "don't just walk away and leave this mess to me alone."

"What about the children?" he asked.

"You ask me, I still want to ask you!"

"You have to live," Uncle Federman said in a commanding tone, "I have been a boilermaker for so many years, and I have already suffered from injuries. Now that I have no job, I am already a useless person.

"Maggie, don't be emotional, look at the current situation objectively and weigh it carefully!

"If you promise me, not only will our family be able to raise one less disabled person, but we will also have enough funds to send several children to school.

"You said this was your dream.

"When you go to the government department, say that I became sick due to overwork and died of overwork. With Her Majesty the Queen's generosity, she will definitely give you this pension."

After his wife listened to his words quietly, the confusion and doubt in her eyes gradually disappeared, and instead became stoic.

"Okay." There was no emotion in her voice.

After she finished speaking, she turned and left.

She walked very quietly.

It wasn't until her back disappeared around the corner of the cabin that Uncle Federman heard her whispering sobs.

A bleak smile appeared on his face.

"Sorry, Maggie," he said softly, "I'll have to work hard on you from now on."

Then, he took out a small transparent box from his pocket, which contained several white pills.

He got this from the factory owner. It is said that it can make a person die painlessly, just like falling into a peaceful dream.

He squinted his eyes and glanced at the rising sun that had just risen from the east.

It hangs on the horizon, emitting orange-red light, like the energetic face of a child.

And when it moves to the top of the sky, the cavalry of the Church of Light will arrive.

Time passes minute by minute.

Uncle Federman picked up a pill and brought it to his mouth while silently chanting the children's names.

"Julian, George, John, Judith..."

"I haven't said goodbye to them yet!"

He trembled all over and suddenly stopped what he was doing, remembering something important.

But when he thought about it again, he felt that he had been mediocre all his life, accomplished nothing, and could not find a good background for his children. He felt that he was ashamed of his family and his children. There was no reason for them to blame him for his failed father.

shed tears.

So, he picked up the pill again and put it to his mouth.

His breathing became rapid, his nose was slightly sore, and his mood was extremely heavy, as if a huge stone was weighing heavily on his heart.

The morning sun fell on him, but cold sweat broke out on his back.

At this moment, he heard the sound of horse hoofbeats coming from the end of the road.

So he knew that the people from the Light Church had arrived much earlier than expected.

He closed his eyes and half opened his mouth, ready to swallow the pill.

"Stop!" a voice came from far away.

Then, as if bound by invisible ropes, Uncle Federman suddenly found that he could not move his hands.

He opened his eyes and saw a priest wearing a white robe and riding a white horse, and more than ten light church cavalry following him.

"You took away our family's savings for several years, and you didn't even let me die?"

Seeing such a scene, Uncle Federman felt that if anger could be condensed into flames, then these people would have been burned down to ashes.

"Sir, you misunderstood," the leading priest got off his horse and explained to him with a polite smile on his face. "We are not here to collect taxes. Let me introduce myself. My name is Eliza. I am in charge of Alexandria.

The priest of the church came to issue a new announcement on the order of the new auxiliary bishop.

"The Auxiliary Bishop said that because there are indeed some detailed problems in the tax collection process of the Church of Light, which damages the majesty of the goddess and the image of the church, he decided to postpone the tax payment for one month until full discussion on it.

Then decide to continue the implementation.”

"Auxiliary Bishop? You didn't lie to me, did you?" Uncle Federman frowned, doubtful of his words, "If I remember correctly, there is only one Archbishop Yak Nelga in the entire Braden Kingdom. There is no

What auxiliary bishop?"

"As I just said, this young auxiliary bishop is newly appointed, so it is reasonable that you don't know his existence," Father Eliza explained politely, "After all, under the gaze of the goddess

,How dare we lie?”

"So what this new bishop means is that we don't have to pay taxes today?"

"Yes. Not only today, you don't have to pay it this month."

"What about next month? Will we be asked to pay double the amount?"

"The auxiliary bishop said that he would personally go to Archbishop Nerga to discuss the matter and try to persuade him to reduce the tax to show the mercy of the goddess of light."

"Really?" Uncle Feldman still felt unbelievable.

"These are the golden words of the Auxiliary Bishop."

Uncle Federman stopped talking.

The pills in his hand had already fallen to the ground, but he didn't even notice.

He really couldn't figure out who this newly appointed auxiliary bishop was, who was actually capable and willing to go against Archbishop Nerga's decision and do such a thankless thing for himself.

Is it possible that he is really a compassionate angel sent to the world by the goddess?

Just as Uncle Federman was puzzled, Father Eliza then said: "By the way, the auxiliary bishop has one more thing to say to you and your wife."

"You said."

"He said you don't have to send any of your children away. Just leave this matter to him and he will take care of it."

Hearing these familiar words, Uncle Federman suddenly made a bold guess in his mind about the identity of the new auxiliary bishop.

For a moment, hot tears rolled out of his eyes. Shock, gratitude, joy...many emotions were mixed together, flooding into his heart, making his heartstrings tremble uncontrollably.

"Father, can you convey a message to the auxiliary bishop for me?"

"sure."

"Please don't be stingy in your praise for him. Tell him that his soul is as noble as an angel. May the goddess praise his good deeds and protect him for a lifetime of peace."

…………

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