Helpless (Part Two)

New Year was the most important, most lavish festival in the world.

It began on December 25 and lasted twenty days, until January 15.

During that time, servants and soldiers who served the lord indirectly went home on leave. The lord gave them bonuses, food, clothes, wine, and firewood to ensure they enjoyed the New Year Festival.

Servants who could not go home because of their duties, along with the servants and soldiers who lived at the Lord's Villa, stayed to serve their master. Each day, they received an extra loaf of white bread, a plate of food, and a bottle of ale, and could eat and warm themselves by the fire in the hall.

The New Year Festival had arrived!

Noble or lowborn, rich or poor, everyone was swept up in the celebration.

Lords generally hosted their vassals and representatives of their subjects at lavish feasts. They also gave them New Year gifts, earning their gratitude.

At night, people held grand street celebrations. Masked performers went from house to house,

dancing and gambling.

The city's nobles held magnificent dinners, raising their glasses and reveling together. Afterward came masquerade balls, and only late at night did they leave in noisy processions.

Of course, offerings and prayers to the gods were indispensable.

Throughout the world, everyone was a subject of a kingdom and had to obey its ruler. They were also children of the gods. Once discovered, an unbeliever was as good as condemned to death, with no protection for life or property.

So even Romon had to visit the Goddess of Agriculture's temple to pray, bathe, and make a monetary offering.

That afternoon, snow fell from a sky that had remained gray all day. The flakes were small, but as soon as Romon emerged from the temple, he received shocking