Chapter 243 George's Experience (I)

"George! Stop sitting there in a daze, it's almost time for lunch!"

The young man called "George" felt a heavy pat on his shoulder. He turned around as if awakened from a dream and looked at his co-worker Howard - he saw that he was holding a stack of this morning's "Kingdom Morning Post" in his hand.

Howard smiled and said, "Let's see what's new today."

George nodded quickly in agreement and followed him, while many workers also stood up from their workstations with expectant smiles on their faces.

Poor workers like them naturally did not have the spare money to buy newspapers. What's more, the "Kingdom Morning Post" was the most expensive newspaper in the country and was a reading material only available to well-off citizens. One copy cost several copper coins, which was almost half a day's salary for George.

This was of course Howard running errands for the factory supervisor to buy newspapers.

As a reward, the workers were able to listen to the scribes reading the newspaper.

"Hurry up!"

"Do you want me to come down and get it myself?"

Rough and deep curses came from upstairs.

The workers' supervisor is naturally the manager of this food factory, but the identity of this supervisor is a bit strange - he is an ogre named "Big Head", who is said to be a close subordinate of Prime Minister Trump. Everyone in the factory respects him, but the proportion of "fear" is much higher.

When he first arrived here, George was so frightened by the ogre supervisor that he trembled and almost became incontinent, fearing that he would go crazy and eat him.

But as time went by, he gradually got used to it, and even didn't think it was strange that a three-meter-tall ogre appeared in the factory. Instead, he thought it was a normal thing.

Big Head enjoys delicious food all day long, so why would he want to eat his own lean meat?

George often thought like this.

"Your newspaper for today, sir."

"get out!"

Howard nodded and bowed, delivered the newspaper to the supervisor's office, and was kicked out.

However, there was no sign of anger on his face. Instead, he stood there expectantly, listening attentively. The other workers showed the same reaction and gathered in a group at the door.

"Don't push it."

"I came here first, and he's holding it for me."

George also quickly squeezed in and got a good position with the help of Howard.

Soon, the sound of a clerk reading aloud came from the office, and people immediately pricked up their ears.

The content of the Kingdom Daily is rich, including domestic policy changes and anecdotes from all over the country, but what they like to hear most is the jokes in the column, which often make them laugh and say it is very enjoyable. This is one of the few entertainments in the workers' stagnant lives, and listening to the newspaper is also the time of the day they look forward to the most.

"Commander Doro conducts joint exercises on the outskirts of the city"

"The Kingdom's economic growth has reached a record high"

"Lord Trump has issued important instructions to further integrate magic and industry."

Howard complained, "Why is today's article so long? I really hope the adults who write newspapers can write less of this kind of nonsense."

George reminded quietly: "It's good to listen to some of them, but don't disturb the supervisor."

Sure enough, before he finished speaking, the ogre's impatient roar came from the office: "Do you still want to listen? If you make any more noise, I'll let you get out!"

George shrank his neck in dismay and continued to listen.

"Yesterday, two citizens bravely reported the spies from the Principality of Bosk to the kingdom, and were personally commended by Lord Rump." "As a reward for loyalty, they received fifty gold coins, a luxurious residence in the center of North Wind Castle, and the opportunity to obtain the precious gift of dragon veins. Fellow citizens, this newspaper hereby solemnly reminds everyone that it is everyone's responsibility to protect the kingdom!"

Howard sighed, "Tsk, tsk, look at these lucky people. I heard that people who get the dragon vein can live for more than a hundred years. Compared with this, even gold coins and houses are nothing."

Fellow workers were also talking about it, with undisguised envy revealed in their words.

"Yeah, it would be nice if I could catch the spy, too."

"If that person were me, I wouldn't work here anymore. I would use the gold coins to buy a shop and do business!"

"Haha, stop daydreaming."

George did not participate in this fantasy-filled discussion, but silently kept the news in his heart.

Soon, the workers' favorite small column came on. They quickly forgot about the previous topics and listened to the jokes with excitement on their faces.

"The boy is possessed by the devil and goes to the Rackman family church for an exorcism."

"The priest said: Damn devil, get out of this child's body!"

"The devil said: "It's you who should get out!"

"Hahahahaha!"

The workers immediately burst into laughter, and the ogre's rude laughter and cursing could be heard in the office. This was a rare time when the workers could let their guard down.

Howard was so happy that he was laughing and patting the floor.

"These adults in the church are so ungentlemanly! No wonder they were driven away!"

But George was still thinking about the story and didn't hear clearly what the clerk said. He could only follow his fellow workers and laugh, blending into the lively atmosphere.

The workers worked until very late and could not leave until it became pitch dark.

George said goodbye to several familiar co-workers and walked alone on the road with his tired body. There were very few pedestrians on the street.

"Another day has ended."

George licked his lips, as if savoring the taste of the "paste" he had eaten in the evening.

He lived in the most rudimentary basement in the city. It was just a room of a few square meters that could accommodate more than ten people, but it was the only place he could afford to live in.

George was one of the tens of thousands of liberated serfs. He came to North Wind Castle three years ago and is still alone.

His mother had frozen to death in a cold winter ten years ago, and his father had starved to death in a famine six years ago - he was not very sad about this, because it was a common thing on the manor. He was just an insignificant "gray animal", living a numb life every day, worrying about his own survival.

And now, he came to North Wind Castle, saw many new things, filled his stomach, and had some new expectations.

Big Head once said something very profound: "When you are full, you will think about women."

George agreed with this and took it very seriously.

He secretly peeked into the houses on both sides of the road. In the brightly lit windows, there were figures sitting opposite each other, as well as the petite figures of children - it was a family enjoying a wonderful candlelight dinner.

George would love to have a home in Northwind Keep.

But this only remains in my mind.

He knew clearly that for someone like him with a meager salary, this was simply wishful thinking.

(End of this chapter)