The weather was not good this Sunday, and the sky was always gray. Carr Van Bate's mood was as gloomy as the weather.
Walking on the wet stone street, people greeted him from time to time. In this small town, Carr ran an academy. Unlike the academies in Graycastle that only children of nobles could attend, he also taught for ordinary children. Therefore, he had a high reputation in Border Town.
"Hey, Mr. Van Bate, good morning."
"Sir, is my son doing well?"
"When are you free, Carr, let's go fishing together."
Usually, Carr would respond to them with a smile, but today he just nodded without saying a word.
Since witnessing Anna's hanging, the world in his eyes had cracked — or it had been there since he left Graycastle, but he deliberately turned a blind eye to it. He used his busy work to numb himself, and the innocent smile of a student covered the crack to some extent.
It was not until Anna died that he realized that the world had not changed at all. Not only did the crack not disappear, but it expanded.
His memory of Anna stopped at half a year ago. She was not conspicuous among the more than 30 children in the academy. She looked ordinary and did not talk much, but there was one thing that impressed Carr.
That was her passion for knowledge. No matter what he taught, whether it was literature or history, she was always the first to remember. Even the history of religious evolution, which even he found boring, could be read for a whole day. He had also seen the little girl helping to take care of the neighbor's sheep — in the sun, Anna carefully brushed the sheep's hair, her movements as gentle as taking care of a baby. He still remembered that scene very clearly. The girl's smile was sweet and cheerful, and it was impossible to associate it with evil in any way.
Later, there was a fire in the neighborhood, and Anna's mother unfortunately passed away, so Anna did not come to the academy again. Until a week ago, she was proved to be a witch and hanged in the square in the center of the town.
Tempted by the devil? Unclean person? Evil person? All bullsh * t! For the first time, he doubted the Holy See and the knowledge he had taught.
He didn't know whether Anna was a witch or not, but the word "evil" didn't belong to her! If a young girl full of curiosity about the world could be called evil, then the administrators of Graycastle should be devils from hell! For hundreds of Golden Dragon, they deliberately changed the stone, causing the collapse of the new theater, and more than 30 members of the Mason Guild to die.
But did they go to the gallows? Not even one! The judge finally sentenced the leader of the Mason Guild to be exiled, and the Mason Guild was disbanded. Karl, who knew the inside story, had to flee the Kingdom of Graycastle with his family in order to avoid the limelight. He went all the way west and finally arrived at Border Town.
He started a college, had many students, met new neighbors, and made new friends. But the crime in the Kingdom of Graycastle was always engraved in his mind. Now, he once again felt the mockery of the world. What exactly was evil? Could the gods in the sky really see it clearly?
Nana was different from Anna, and could even be said to be the complete opposite.
She was a very lively girl, and she was quite famous in the academy. She was a very lively girl, and she was also quite famous in the academy. As long as she was not in class, she rarely stopped. She was either riding on a tree and playing with birds, or rolling in the grass. When asked what she was doing, she giggled for a while, and then answered that she was listening to a quarrel between a grasshopper and an ant.
Nana's face was always full of laughter, which seemed to be her nature. This miserable and difficult world had nothing to do with her. At least in the academy, she could always laugh carefreely. Carr was even a little curious — had she ever cried since she was born?
Until two days ago, Nana came to him with a sad face. "Teacher, will I be hanged like Anna?"
Only then did he know that his student, Nana Pine, had also become a witch.
"Ah, isn't that Mr. Van Bate! Please come over here and help us see what's written on it. "
Carr felt someone pulling his sleeve. He looked up and found that he did not know when he had walked to the town square. Many middle-aged people were shouting around the bulletin board, and when they heard Van Bate's name, they consciously made way.
"You came at the right time, sir, please help us see."
"Yes, originally it was Meg who read it, but she said she had a stomachache and went to the toilet. She hasn't come back yet."
Usually, he would smile and nod, and then explain the contents of the bulletin board in detail to the crowd. But now Carr found that he could not do it — these people's smiles and enthusiasm did not seem fake, but for him, it was more unbearable than wearing a fake smile.
The notice to hang Anna was also posted in the same way, and everyone was discussing it in high spirits. In a sense, you are all murderers, he said in his heart. Your ignorance and stupidity killed her.
Carr suppressed his emotions, took a deep breath, and walked in front of the bulletin board.
"The Prince is recruiting people to build Border Town, there are a variety of jobs to choose from," he read.
But I am also one of the murderers, so what right do I have to blame them? Wasn't it me who told them that witches were evil? Karl felt bitter at the corner of his mouth. Look at what I've been saying to the children. I've been repeating the church's teachings, and I still think I've taught them well.
"Gravel worker, male, 20 to 40 years old, strong body. Daily pay 25 copper royals. "
"Clay worker, no gender limit, 18 years old or older, with experience in masonry, daily pay 45 copper royals."
"Handyman, male, 18 years old or older, daily pay 12 copper royals."
"…"
No, he had to do something, if Anna's death was irreversible, then at least he couldn't let Nana repeat the same mistake. There was a voice in Carr's heart, he didn't stand up when the Stonemason Association was destroyed, he didn't stand up when Anna was hanged, did he have to stay silent and watch these lovely children be sent to the gallows?
But what could he do? Take Nana and escape from Border Town – he had his own family, he and his family had come here from Graycastle, the situation had just improved, and now he had to leave? Not to mention that Nana herself was born in a rich family, how could she stand a life without a fixed place to live?
"Stonemason, no gender limit, no age limit, anyone who has participated in municipal construction, stronghold, or fortifications, long-term recruitment in City Hall, monthly pay 1 Golden Dragon."
"Additional terms: experienced and outstanding performance can be awarded an official position."
After the announcement was read, the crowd was already noisy, "1 Golden Dragon monthly pay, this is comparable to the Longsong Stronghold's cavalry!"
"But will you? You can't even build a dung pit, how can you build a stronghold? "
"Don't just stare at this, the first few are also very good, if you pay every day, it won't be much less than hunting."
"Indeed, you can lose your life hunting, the Concealing Forest is not a place you can go casually."
Carr van Bate didn't pay attention to this, all his attention was focused on the seal and signature at the end of the announcement. That was the autograph of the 4th Prince, Roland Wimbledon.
Doesn't the prince know that soon it will be the Months of the Demons? No matter what he wants to build, this is not a good time to start. It seems that His Highness Wimbledon knows nothing about construction, if I can attract his attention with the name of the Stonemason Association … Carr suddenly had an idea, maybe through this recruitment, he could meet the prince himself – the supreme ruler of Border Town.
This idea made Carr swallow his saliva. Convince the prince that witches are not evil? It is said that His Highness has a unique way of thinking, different character from ordinary people, and extremely hates the church. Maybe it will work! He thought, although in the end it was Prince Roland who ordered Anna to be hanged, it was obvious that he was unwilling.
The prince himself is only in his early twenties, he should be able to understand, how can those budding girls suddenly become unforgivable evil people?
Of course, there is another possibility, that is, he will be regarded as an accomplice of the witches and sent to the gallows together. The law of the church clearly states that anyone who harms or pleads for a witch should be regarded as a degenerate evil person.
I can only hope that the prince, who hates the church, will also regard the law of the church as waste paper.
Carr prayed in his heart.
Although he didn't know which god to pray to, he still closed his eyes and prayed for a blessing.
For the dead Anna, for the still alive Nana, so that the crack in his heart will not expand.
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