Drawing Cards in the Middle Ages to Rise in Ranks-Chapter 560 - 335: Rob the Rich to Aid the Poor

The night deepens.

The full moon hangs high.

Elmer appeared unusually excited, with a rosy flush from just finishing some strong liquor: "Losa, when you’re wealthy later, don’t forget about me."

"Of course."

"What do you plan to do next?"

"Stay by the lady’s side and do whatever there is to do."

Losa replied in a relaxed tone, after all, with the backup lady, oh no, Lady Lavinia, his range of pursuits had expanded to two people. Even if he couldn’t gain Lady Valentina’s approval, he could settle for second best.

Moreover, from his brief interactions with Valentina.

He felt that even if he gained Valentina’s approval, she might not be willing to abandon everything here and leave with him.

Because the impression Valentina left on Losa was someone ambitious with a strong will, such a person has ideals and goals, quite different from the confused Lady Lavinia.

Losa’s previous attendants did not have such a disposition.

Prajna, wasting countless days in the boundless hell gatekeeping career.

Hans, with an uncertain future, if unable to be promoted to a knight, he might be sent back home to be a peasant.

Marles, once the most outstanding craftsman of the Boli Federation, was exiled due to a mishap that was not entirely his fault.

Jeanne, though reborn, possessing a long life, had grown weary of the endless years fighting against dark creatures.

Chelina, after her family was destroyed, was pursued by former friends, fleeing alone with nowhere to settle in this vast world.

As for Furin... most likely just bored.

In Losa’s view, Lavinia was actually quite similar to Urding; she should be more willing to leave together with Losa.

Thus, at the crossroads, Losa proposed to part ways with Elmer.

He traversed a narrow alley and arrived under the courthouse he had visited earlier in the day.

Inside the building, in Lavinia’s office, the dim yellow gas lamp still flickered; Losa stood in the shadows, silently lighting a cigarette and waiting quietly.

Unknown to how long it took.

The lights in the building finally went out.

Momentarily.

Lavinia emerged holding a stack of dossiers, draped in a deep brown wide overcoat.

"Who?"

Her ears twitched, looking toward where Losa was hiding.

"It’s me."

Losa revealed himself, smiling: "May I have the honor to invite Miss Lavinia for a walk?"

Lavinia gazed at Losa with some surprise, and after a moment, reluctantly nodded.

Losa saw in the corner of the alley, many homeless people collecting dry branches and leaves, piling them together to light a fire for warmth.

They were not strictly homeless; some perhaps even had jobs, but the meager salary barely allowed them to make ends meet. In this era, even in old industrial powerhouses, the lower-class citizens lived tough, let alone the Apennine States.

"The weather is getting colder."

"Many people won’t survive this winter."

Lavinia spoke softly, her voice so light it was almost self-talking: "This year, there are far more bankrupt farmers than usual. In Turin’s alleys and under bridges, unknown to where they hide."

Turin’s textile industry is thriving, which leads to a demand for wool that multiplies by dozens in a short time, like the enclosure movement the English once experienced, where sheep replaced men.

Nobles owning land converted farmland into pastures.

Many tenants lost their lands.

"The family is involved in this too; any family member with a bit of status possesses their own funded estate. How could they not be among those forcing farmers to sell the land they live by."

Losa replied somewhat mockingly.

Farmers losing their land were forced into big cities like Turin to make a living, like firewood thrown into the furnace of a massive steam engine, burning themselves to ashes.

"Is there a way to change this?"

He remarked: "No, it’s unsolvable."

Lavinia fell silent again: "Yesterday, in the city council meeting, I submitted a poor relief bill."

"Didn’t pass, right?"

"Mm." "I’m not sure how to change the current state."

"There will always be people suffering, Miss Lavinia, even a hundred, two hundred years later it will be the same; you can’t change it all, but even if it’s just a drop in the ocean, perhaps you can try to help as many poor as you can."

Lavinia said in surprise: "I thought you would advise me to turn a blind eye to it."

Losa smiled and said, "Having compassion is never a bad thing—do you know Bishop Urding?"

"Of course, but he hasn’t appeared for a long time. I heard he was assassinated by Saluzzo’s Assassins."

"Actually, I saw him not long ago; he founded the ’Saint Lazarus Redemption Order,’ freely helping impoverished and suffering patients. Those he cured often eagerly joined to assist others in need."

"Where do they get their funding from?"

"They don’t refuse to treat the wealthy, and they received funding from a major noble."

"Do you think we can be like Bishop Urding?"

"That depends on where Miss Lavinia’s capabilities lie."

A trace of disappointment crossed Lavinia’s face: "You know, the Wolf Race’s power is more suited to fighting than healing. That’s the attribute of the Holy Light Domain."

Losa said while snapping his fingers, a flame dancing on his fingertip: "Like fire, it can consume everything, yet also dispel cold for people—such as those homeless individuals, accumulating enough kindling for a bonfire isn’t easy."

This era isn’t unique; the Middle Ages were just the same.

For the forests were the Lords’ resources, ordinary farmers cutting wood freely amounted to theft, thus, most of the time, tenant farmers and peasant slaves under the Lords ate cold food.

"Are you saying we should help keep them warm every night? How many people would that help?"

Losa shook his head, lowering his voice: "Judge Lady, in Turin, there are many wealthy merchants and city nobles; just target a few council members, and the money comes, we could distribute this wealth to the poor, in short, rob the rich to give to the poor."

"You want me to be a thief?"

Lavinia’s large golden-brown eyes widened.

Golden thorns wrapped around her wrists.

Yet Losa remained unfazed: "Is our Judge Lady planning to arrest me?"

She was silent for a moment, her eyes dimming: "I don’t wish to hear such words from your mouth again... It’s late, I should return to rest."

Losa responded with an "Mm," quietly watching Lavinia’s departing figure, not stopping her nor explaining.

Time will prove everything.

An idealist is destined to face setbacks in this era; being born into the Bologna Family is both an aid but also a shackle and confinement.

Lavinia’s mind was in disarray.

Her leaving footsteps unexpectedly paused, intending to say to Losa: "We shouldn’t meet anymore."

But when she turned back to look at Losa still standing there, he merely slightly bowed, offering her a very gentlemanly aristocratic courtesy. The words on the tip of her tongue were swallowed back entirely.

She quickened her pace.

As if wanting to escape, she hastily departed.