Free Web NovelChapter 1185: Chapter 1117: Strife on Parliament Hill
In the circular council chamber on Parliament Hill, nearly a hundred silver candelabras illuminated the hall, which was dim due to overcast weather.
The flickering light cast wavering shadows on the walnut long table.
Despite no arrangements being made, over two hundred members sat divided according to factions on either side.
The silk robes of the Falan faction and the coarse wool robes of the Holy Alliance faction were in stark contrast, while several farm representatives huddled in the corner, their benches beneath them somewhat askew.
"Silence."
As soon as the voice of the usher fell silent, Chief Justice Hardius El, with a white beard and hair, walked onto the platform holding the heavy "Gospel Book".
This elderly judge was recognized by both the Holy Alliance and Dawn Island as the "neutral speaker".
Pressing his hand on the gilded cover of the "Gospel Book", his aged voice echoed throughout the chamber: "May the Holy Father bless Dawn Island, may justice and equality descend upon this land..."
The members lowered their eyes, hand over heart, and even the most arrogant oligarch temporarily restrained his pride.
Concluding the prayer, Hardius raised his right hand high: "Amen!"
"Amen!" In unison, hands were raised, and their response collided against the dome, leaving faint echoes.
Hardius stepped forward and rang the small bell in front of him: "The Dawn Island meeting is officially commenced!"
Before the bell’s sound had dissipated, Colin, a member of the Holy Alliance faction, suddenly stood up.
"Gentlemen, we won against Leia, should there not be equality for everyone?" He pointed a finger to the corner, "But look here, why should the farm representatives only sit on benches—is this equality?
I propose we redistribute the seating so every representative is treated equally!"
The chamber immediately burst into commotion, with farm representatives lowering their heads and shrinking back nervously.
"Absurd!" Gartz immediately retorted, "Member Colin, please note, equality for all does not mean everyone gets the same; they are poor and cannot sit on good chairs—what does that have to do with me?"
"That’s not right!"
Colin wanted to argue but was interrupted by the voice of a farm representative.
The farm representative stood, rubbing his hands and bowing: "Member Gartz is right! We... we volunteered to sit on benches, Member Colin, please don’t meddle, being able to attend the council is already very satisfying for us!"
These words left the Holy Alliance members all dumbfounded.
"Foolish farmer, we’re speaking on your behalf!" The Holy Alliance member Valoris was instantly red in the ears, clenched his fists, and shouted at the farmers.
The startled farm representatives almost fled in panic.
Bradak immediately pulled him back, staring and shaking his head at him.
"Silence!" Hardius rang the bell again, "No personal attacks, no interruptions of speeches!"
At this moment, Valeris, the leader of the Falan faction, slowly stood up.
The mayor of Silver Castle, wearing a dark blue formal suit from Falan, carried himself elegantly like a noble.
He raised his hand to calm the room, bringing considerable quiet: "I agree with Member Colin’s proposal, equality is inherently our pursuit."
Everyone was stunned.
Even Gartz furrowed his brow, perplexed as to why Valeris would support the Holy Alliance’s arguments.
But Valeris didn’t look at anyone, simply waved to the doorway: "Bring in chairs for the farm representatives."
Two attendants quickly carried in about a dozen ordinary wooden chairs, placing them behind the farm representatives.
The farm representatives rose consecutively, bowing deeply to Valeris.
"Thank you, Lord Valeris! You are a truly good person!"
"Thank you, Lord Valeris for the seats!"
"This is what I should do." Valeris nodded with a smile but glanced over at the Holy Alliance members.
Colin was trembling with anger, many Holy Alliance members were both puzzled and furious.
This is the power I’ve fought to gain for you, and you are thanking Valeris instead of me?!
However, Bradak was fixated on Valeris, understanding that Valeris had effortlessly resolved their maneuvers.
Bradak and his allies had intended to delay proceedings, using various small issues like speaking order to buy time until Jeanne arrived.
Once Jeanne arrived, the situation would undoubtedly shift.
But whether to avoid suspicion or due to genuine reasons, Her Highness the Saintess had yet to appear.
He subtly glanced at the window, noticing the clouds were even thicker, and raindrops were starting to strike the glass.
Bradak and Tora’s hearts felt drenched by the rain, growing heavier and heavier.
For the following two hours, the confrontations within the chamber never ceased.
From voting methods to speaking order to speaking duration, they tangled over everything.
Tora, on several occasions, sought new excuses, such as "questioning the election eligibility of certain Falan members" and "requesting to discuss Leia’s withdrawal agreement first".
But each was effortlessly resolved by Valeris.
Every time the Holy Alliance raised objections, the Falan faction would either make slight concessions or propose "neutral solutions", consistently steering the meeting’s direction toward the first agenda topic.
The copper bell on the wall tolled eleven times, the rain grew heavier, and the air in the council chamber became more oppressive.
The members of the Holy Alliance were sweating from their foreheads, with sweat soaking their cuffs, sticking to their arms.
"Gentlemen," Valeris glanced at the copper bell, his voice gentle yet carrying undeniable authority, "it’s getting late, we should proceed to vote on the first core issue — shall we abolish the Committee of Common Devotion..."
"No way!" Workshop Master Bucklieke immediately stood up, "The Committee of Common Devotion is responsible for coordinating the cooperation between the Holy Alliance and Dawn Island workshops!
Cancel it, and our orders and food aid from the Holy Alliance will be cut off. Who will compensate us?"
"Councilor Bucklieke." Garth sneered, "Your so-called cooperation is just helping the Holy Alliance use the committee to investigate competitors, isn’t it?"
"You’re talking nonsense!"
"Last time, my leather workshop was found to be using contract child labor by the committee’s monks, and I was fined five hundred gold pounds, wasn’t it you who reported it?" Garth retorted.
Bucklieke stiffened his neck, "Reporting child labor is everyone’s responsibility."
"I think this committee is just the Holy Alliance’s spying and internal traitor, it must be abolished!"
"If I’m a spy for the Holy Alliance, aren’t you a spy for Falan!"
"You’re the traitor!"
"Damn you!" Bucklieke stormed toward Garth.
"What? Want to fight?" Garth stood up, rolling up his sleeves, "Am I supposed to be afraid of you?"
Chaos erupted instantly, with the Falan members all standing up and pushing around Bucklieke.
The members of the Holy Alliance pointed angrily at the Falan members’ faces, grabbing chairs and benches, rushing in to help.
The council chamber was filled with the sounds of tables and chairs colliding, angry shouts, and dull thuds of fists hitting flesh.
"Stop it!" Chief Justice Hardius roared, shaking with anger, "Anyone who dares to fight again will have their council membership revoked!"
Under Hardius’s command, guards quickly swarmed in to separate the two groups of councilors.
The chaos gradually subsided, Bucklieke’s mouth was cut and bleeding.
As for Garth, his dress was torn, revealing a hairy belly, and his hair was a mess.
Hardius collected himself, stepped forward, and reorganized the voting board: "Now, let’s vote — whether to abolish the Committee of Common Devotion, those in favor, please raise your hand."
The members of the Falan faction all raised their hands in unison, even a few neutral self-governing members hesitantly raised their hands.
The members of the Holy Alliance gritted their teeth, watching more and more red crosses appear on the voting board.
Many monks were so angry their eyes turned red.
This was not just about abolishing a committee, but also about Falan weakening the Holy Alliance’s influence over Dawn Island.
"156 votes in favor, 58 against, 12 abstentions." Hardius’s cold voice resounded as he rang the small bell, "The first resolution — to abolish the Committee of Common Devotion, takes effect immediately!"
"Dong! Dong! Dong!"
As the small bell tolled, the church’s noon bell also began to sound.
The dull bell sound penetrated through the rain curtain, reaching every corner of the council chamber.
The members of the Holy Alliance sat down one after another, no one speaking, only the "pitter-patter" of rain hitting the glass windows, extremely piercing.
"Noon break for one hour." Hardius announced, "At one o’clock in the afternoon, we will continue voting on the next issue."
The councilors split into two groups and gradually left the council chamber.
The oligarchs of the Falan faction walked into the adjacent banquet hall with their arms around each other’s shoulders, laughing.
Garth threw an arm around Valeris’s shoulder, "Sir Valeris, you’ve got a way! The first resolution passed smoothly, the rest will be easier!"
Valeris smiled and nodded, his eyes contemptuously sweeping past the banquet hall window, looking at the victorious councilors.
The members of the Holy Alliance gathered in the hallway, their expressions grave.
Tora whispered to Bradak, "I just saw that several workshop master councilors including Bucklieke, were dragged to the banquet hall by the Falan people."
"Didn’t they just have a fight?"
"What’s more important, face or money?"
Bradak frowned, taking out half a dry piece of bread from his pocket, but he had no appetite to eat.
He looked out the window, Longbow Castle blurred in the rain: "Where on earth is Jeanne? If she doesn’t come soon, we’re really going to lose.
What’s her backup plan? Could she really be so outdated as to let the Dawn Islanders make their own decisions?"
"I don’t know." Tora shook his head, his voice fatigued, "This morning, the person I sent to deliver a message to the Defensive Army hasn’t returned, not even the Holy Alliance’s monks can be contacted.
It seems as if the entire influence of the Holy Alliance in Longbow Castle has suddenly gone silent."
The two looked at each other, sighing in unison.
Just when they were at a loss, a burst of urgent footsteps came from the end of the hallway.
A young monk ran over, his face pale: "Councilor Bradak! It’s bad! The news about abolishing the Committee of Common Devotion has spread, and the laborers outside the city have blown up!"
