When the Saintess Arrives, No King Exist-Chapter 685 - 643: People Cannot Voluntarily Be Slaves!
Along with Lupher's departure, it's not just Lupher leaving, but also noble students like Silvanic and the latest edition of "The Truth News."
The ferry docks by Wild Spider Forest, tying bundles of newspapers wrapped in kraft paper with hemp rope, and stuffing them into a canvas-topped carriage.
Two draft horses neigh and gallop along the cement road on the Holy Ry Court Barracks - Joan of Arc Castle Highway.
Not just the carriage loaded with newspapers, but also carriages loaded with woolen fabric, cement, peat, and other goods are galloping on the road.
The carriage drivers, wearing thick wool robes and hanging water pouches full of beer around their necks, line up on the wide road, crudely sharing newly heard vulgar jokes.
From Wild Spider Forest by Nanze Lake to Joan of Arc Castle, the distance is approximately 120 miles. Back then Horn and his companions took a full ten days, but with the construction of this cement road, drivers now easily complete this arduous journey in a day.
Once the Erno River is completed, this time can be reduced further to half a day or even a morning.
The drivers set off in the morning and arrive at Joan of Arc Castle by dusk, where they diverge outside the castle.
Those carrying cement and wool fabric head towards the southern industrial dock, while those carrying newspapers and peat head towards the town dock.
The dock workers lift bundles of newspapers hand over hand, tossing them into the ship's hold, while peat needs to be processed into coal briquettes before being loaded onto ships.
The flat-bottomed mail barge sets off under the cover of night, traversing waters reflecting starlight and lanterns, driven by autumn winds sailing through the dark river channel.
However, unlike the past, apart from a few unremovable bridges, most tax toll bridges used for collecting taxes have been dismantled one by one.
So it only takes three days, or even less, for the latest issue of the Truth News to appear in Rapids City's dock area.
The Truth News may even arrive in Rapids City before Lupher and be distributed to the eager newsboys waiting by the dockside.
The Saint Father Association specifically set up a fund in Rapids City for orphaned children from the Charitable House to serve as newsboys, and even arranged literacy for them.
These orphans, dressed in ragged hemp clothes, each with a cloth bag, shake the newspapers in their hands as they begin hawking along the streets.
"Newspaper, Newspaper!"
"The latest Truth News!"
"Today's newspaper has four pages, more content without extra cost!"
The window on the second floor of the hotel suddenly opens, and a young monk's head pops out: "Hey, newsboy, bring me a newspaper."
Tossing a large copper coin minted in Rapids City, a half-Dinar, Modie obtained the latest issue of "The Truth News."
Holding this newspaper, Modie didn't return to the second floor but instead settled in the first-floor restaurant, ordered oatmeal porridge and barley tea, and began eating and reading.
In the past, Thousand River Valley people's breakfast table inevitably had a cup of beer, but since Moliat came to power, the "Frugality Edict" was issued.
One provision of this edict is a ban on taverns serving any alcohol before noon and encourages citizens to report violations, rewarding reporters with one-third of the fines.
Thus, these inns and restaurants have had no choice but to substitute beer with barley tea, though sometimes they provide fermented barley tea to regulars.
As an Assistant Monk in Kasha County, those who perform well during the winter are sent to Rapids City for training and exams.
Modie, being one of the monks in training, naturally doesn't treat "The Truth News" as an ordinary read but as a crucial tool for receiving signals from the Pope's Palace.
Needless to say, this issue of "The Truth News" is as extensive as four sheets of sixteen pages, yet still costs only half a Dinar.
Modie didn't bother reading a single word of the disordered news poems, skipping directly to the theology section, only to discover it's still filled with political commentaries.
Then he realized those extra two pages, tightly packed with small print, were actually supplements to the theology section!
As Modie drew a deep breath, other priests and monks in the restaurant burst out with exclamations and sounds of utensils dropping.
Because these pages are less an introduction to theological content and more a lively debate among priests, theologians, and Saint Father Order monks, with quite intense content.
In the article on "On Mason District," the topic about whether a person willingly becomes a slave was already quite sensitive.
In the second issue, an anonymous theologian immediately contributed an article "Refuting the Two-Wheeled Monster" to the Truth News, which was published.
The article primarily reiterates the old patchwork of the church, simply stating that man can freely renounce freedom, for freedom is essentially the right to choose, and the existence of choice implies that man has the right not to exercise freedom, even choosing to relinquish freedom.
Therefore, voluntarily becoming a slave is a full manifestation of freedom.
Initially, Modie thought this was merely a radical test by the Holy Path faction, assuming it would end with "Refuting the Two-Wheeled Monster."
But he hadn't expected that "The Truth" not only didn't ease up but instead ramped up the effort!
Responding to this article "Refute the Two-Wheeled Monster" was a new author under the pen name "Mr. Horn."
Compared to the Two-Wheeled Monster, Mr. Horn's words were sharper and more biting, opening this refutation without any pleasantries.
"To this anonymous theologian, I have only one thing to say: You confuse the intrinsic essence of freedom with the external execution of freedom! I don't know if you're dumb or dense.
The act you speak of — choosing to give up freedom (voluntarily enslaving oneself) — is itself an exercise of freedom, and thus the so-called giving up of freedom is logically impossible, just like you can't lift yourself up!
... On this point, we can look at the account of Saint George's conversion in the 'Gospel,' which clearly states...
... This example further illustrates the essence of freedom — it is out of faith in God that he autonomously chose submission, not forced obedience in a state of unfreedom.
... If a person truly completely abandoned freedom, then they wouldn't even be able to make a faith choice, because freedom is the foundation of all choices."
"Well said."
"Yes, exactly like that!"
It was as if this debate were happening right in the tavern, with many monks and priests from the Holy Path and Juanist Faction unable to hold back their applause.
Meanwhile, some monks still faithful to the old denomination spoke with a sarcastic tone, "So eager, you're so eager, isn't there more to come? Look, this monk in yellow is the true insight!"
Modie had paused his hand that was originally drinking porridge, now focusing intently on continuing reading even if the oatmeal cooled.
"This Mr. Horn clearly fails to understand what the purpose of freedom is.
Is freedom meant to let you enjoy happiness in this world? The highest purpose of freedom is not to maintain autonomy but to enable mankind to choose good, to choose God...
... Just as Saint Pierre said in the 'Gospel,' I am the servant of Miseria, which is precisely the ultimate destination of humanity!
Thus, when a person chooses to give up freedom, it actually enters a higher level of freedom, namely true freedom.
... This freedom lies in completely dispensing with the constraints of one's will, submitting to the absolute will of God."
Seeing this, sweat was forming on Modie's forehead. As a member of the Juanist Faction, he had to admit these points were almost conclusive, and he had to think hard about how to refute them.
In simple terms, the 'Gospel' clearly states that the saint declared himself a servant of the Saint Master. Isn't that willingly becoming a slave?
The tavern was instantly filled with sighs of "restoring the original source," laced with compassion and arrogance.
But their sighs quickly quieted because those reading quickly had already turned to the second extra edition.
The second extra edition introduced a third author, seemingly another contributor, as it was the first time seeing this pen name — Red Mill Master.
"If the abandonment of freedom is seen as a way to true freedom, then in essence it still needs to be completed through freedom, thus it fundamentally can't achieve a true state of abandonment.
God grants people freedom, not to let them deny their existence by abandoning it, but to enable people to actively understand God's existence through the selection of freedom.
Saint Pierre's parable of servitude is based on moral awareness stemming from free will, not true enslavement.
Giving up freedom completely strips away this awareness, thereby denying human meaning. Isn't this refuting oneself?"
This Mr. Red Mill Master inserted extensive logical arguments and examples in the article, but essentially the first four sentences suffice for summary.
But soon the original sounds of clicking in the restaurant gradually ceased because this group of assistant monks and citizens saw the end of the article.
"... If freedom is merely to be abandoned, then as a gift from God, it loses its meaning, for if it were only something to be abandoned, why would God grant it?
So, abandoning freedom under any circumstance denies the image God bestowed upon humans — created in the image of God.
The Holy Father created humans and other intelligent beings, be they El people or Dwarves, as part of humanity: humans are the primates of all creatures, as decreed by the Holy Father.
If people could freely abandon freedom like pigs and sheep, subjected to slaughter, then what point is there to human intelligence? Why would the Holy Father bestow wisdom and freedom upon humanity?"
"So, a true devotee should not only refuse to voluntarily become a slave but also forcibly restore the freedom of slaves and those who voluntarily enslave themselves, for it is a desecration of the Holy Father's grace!"
Modie's breaths were halted for several seconds at the concluding sentence of this issue.
"For the Holy Father, we should be willing to pay the price of hostility, even if the unfree are not on our land!"
