CHAPTER 485: CHAPTER 463 "AUTUMN DUSK ISLAND GUILD ACT" (PART 1)

"Hurry up, hurry up, don’t be late." The always impatient Asle shouted to Sharet behind him.

Sharet quickened his pace but didn’t break into a jog like him; the Night Watcher had just announced that the time was seven in the morning.

The so-called artisans’ meeting would only begin at seven-thirty. What’s the point of arriving so early?

But when Sharet finally stood on the platform in front of the Senate Building’s lobby, he realized he was gravely mistaken.

Hundreds of artisans and laborers from Rapids City had already crowded at the entrance, seeking shade beneath the leaf-carved stone pillars and the wavy cloud-patterned marble eaves.

Most of them wore simple linen long-sleeved shirts; those with more money wore linen or blended fabric, with a vest on top.

Anyone in the know could easily distinguish who were artisans and who were laborers.

Those clad in gray, brown-yellow, or white garments, wearing leather cowls or straw hats, were essentially laborers.

On the other hand, those wearing black, dark blue, or dark orange matte fabrics, with brimmed hats styled like the nobility but without gemstone embellishments, were usually merchants or artisans.

The ones wearing black leather studded caps were the Night Watchers; they walked back and forth on the platform, maintaining order with their T-shaped iron-tipped batons.

Hanging from their waists were either clubs or iron hooks, and some even carried gleaming single-handed axes, as if the penalty for thievery was decapitation.

In front of that red-lacquered oak door with brass rings stood two gendarmes in blue uniforms, clad in leather armor and with standardized sabers hanging at their waists.

This was a remnant from the Salvation Army battle; many unused or retired weapons ended up with the Night Watchers, gendarmes, and the Defensive Army.

Sharet remembered that in the Ten Households Leader’s prayer room, behind the wooden statue of the Saint Master, hung a hunting bow, a quiver of arrows, and two round shields, with two hooked spears leaning against the corner.

"I told you we were late, but you didn’t believe me." Asle glared at Sharet, "I knew they’d definitely arrive early."

"I guessed wrong this time." Sharet thought their insula was right by Mansion Square, so there was no need to rush. Who would have thought these refugees were so eager.

Asle made a circle around the platform, muttering disdainfully, "We’re artisans, so our presence is justified, but what are these black laborers doing here?"

"Don’t say that." Sharet knew Asle couldn’t keep quiet, so he rushed to cover his mouth. "They’re still here."

"So what if they are?" Asle shrugged off Sharet’s hand with disdain, "Are they going to revolt?"

"This is an order from His Holiness. They may not qualify, but indeed, it’s His Holiness who summoned them here. Do you really want to drive them away?"

"Why didn’t they say this when they were secretly copying our fabrics and clothes?"

"I heard we might have the chance to run our own workshop. If you anger them, we’ll have no one to answer our work calls."

Hearing this, Asle finally held his tongue, as manpower was indeed tight.

The military families on the island didn’t care for small change; the only reliable workforce were these outside laborers.

Nonetheless, Asle remained dismissive, turning his head to sit beside a bronze-decorated pillar.

There’s a natural reason for their sense of superiority.

Though not masters, they were official artisans.

Their visit to Autumn Dusk Island was because Horn promised to elevate their status to official artisans, and that’s why they came.

In a guild, there are generally four levels: apprentice, assistant, master (official artisan), and grandmaster.

Sharet and Asle were both assistants before, belonging to different workshops.

Sharet’s master, also his uncle, died, leaving him without a sponsor, making it hard to advance to official artisan status elsewhere.

During the war, Asle’s master didn’t die but fainted from a fall.

However, Asle, misunderstanding the situation, spread the news of his master’s death and was ultimately expelled by his furious master.

In the end, they were registered artisans in the guild; even apprentices had better standing than these skill-stealing, odd-job doing black laborers.

Dirty outsiders begging in our Rapids City.

In the past, Asle would have cursed a few times, but given that he was now also a dirty outsider, he held back.

Luckily, the meeting started before he waited too long. Eight Night Watchers stood in two rows at the door, organizing the artisans and laborers into lines.

"Quiet! Quiet!"

"Maintain order, stand still, don’t push or crowd!"

In neat lines, hundreds of artisans and refugees slowly entered the spacious hall, a place where senators usually held meetings and announced policies.

Thus, one could still see some unwashed bloodstains, cracks, and dents on the walls, pillars, and even the bronze vases.

Moreover, given that it had been recently repaired, many parts were hastily covered with wooden boards or even straw mats, preserving the original spirit of the Gulag era.

Walking through the main gate, Sharet and Asle looked around the lobby of the Senate Building.

This Senate Building was converted from a noble palace built during the Ancient Aer Era, displaying a distinctive retro style.

The interior is spacious, with thick columns supporting the high vaulted ceiling, and the blazing sunlight streaming through window panes into the broad atrium.

On both sides of the atrium are temporary tiered wooden platforms, where dozens of senators sit, casting sidelong glances at these timid-looking refugees from Rapids City.

Ascending two curved staircases clinging to the walls, there is a terrace overlooking the first level, where His Holiness the Pope, Saint Son Horn, is currently standing.

"Welcome, welcome everyone." Horn spread his arms wide, "Please do not feel constrained, this shall be your second home.

I always say, once you come to Autumn Dusk Island, you become a resident of Autumn Dusk Island."

Once the refugee artisans had calmed down a bit, Horn spoke again with a standard introduction, asking them if they had been eating well these days and if there were any places where they felt uncomfortable.

Even though Horn himself was eager to get to the point, these formalities were necessary.

After briefly going through the opening remarks, he spoke again.

"Alright, I won’t waste any more words.

I believe you’ve heard that Autumn Dusk Island has yet to form guilds as of now."

Concerning their own interests, these artisans perked up.

Some of them even craned their necks in the crowd, as if they were about to raise their hands and ask questions at any moment.

Horn did not give them this opportunity and instead continued to explain, "I know you’re anxious, but please don’t be in a hurry. I have more to say.

Do you feel that the existing guilds have significant issues?"

Upon hearing this, some artisans began to discuss softly. They certainly had complaints about the guilds, with restrictions on this and prohibitions on that.

But to truly abolish the guilds, they were unwilling, because the guilds were also organizations that protected the artisans themselves.

Without them, these wealthy but weaponless individuals wouldn’t know how they would be manipulated by the nobles.

"We do have some complaints about the guild leaders, but isn’t it too much to abolish the guilds?" A bold artisan raised his hand to ask.

The artisans from Joan of Arc Castle were already familiar with Autumn Dusk Island’s atmosphere of having no guilds, and they were certainly willing to endorse the policy Horn was pushing.

But these artisans from Rapids City, having been craftsmen for over a decade, had traditional inertia that couldn’t be eliminated with just a few words.

Horn still needed to gradually dispel their wariness and integrate them fully, leading to the present meeting.

"No, no, no, you misunderstand. It’s not the guild itself I wish to rectify, but the monopoly of the guilds."

Horn said firmly to these artisans, "Take the clothing industry, for example. There are guilds for tailoring, fur, gloves, shoemaking, and cobbling.

I can make you a new pair of shoes, but I’m not allowed to put a new sole on old ones.

I have the right to put two new sleeves on an old jacket or add a new jacket to two old sleeves, but I’m not allowed to make a new jacket with sleeves.

Work that clearly one person can do is forcibly divided between two people—is that reasonable?"

After these words, the artisans looked at each other in disbelief.

"Hasn’t it always been like this through the ages?"

"Just because it’s always been like this through the ages, is it necessarily right?" Horn slowly shook his head. "Clearly, some people have better skills or equivalent skills, yet because they belong to different guilds, they can’t earn the same wages. This is too unfair.

It’s because the guild leaders monopolize and profit personally, artificially erecting technical barriers, little courtyards with high walls, establishing salary hierarchies, and invisibly stifling technological advancement."

Standing on the terrace, Horn surveyed the artisans in front of him. Most of them looked confused, not understanding, or even fearful.

Horn knew well that they had been unable to move out of the warm pool constructed by the guilds, which is why the Norn Kingdom, originally a group of barbarians, could gradually keep pace with the Empire in terms of craft development.

The guilds of those Norn barbarians operated like gangs, generally not following any rules.

In fierce commercial confrontation and violent physical competition, the level of craftsmanship was instead significantly enhanced.

For Horn himself, this formality of the guilds could not keep up with his strong desire for products, severely impeding societal progress.

Therefore, on this experimental ground of Autumn Dusk Island, Horn wanted to first try slowly separating from the guilds.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Senate has now passed the Autumn Dusk Island Guild Act. From today, artisans are not allowed to form their own guilds; all guilds shall be established with the initiation of the Pope’s Palace.

The head of the guild will be held by a senator, with artisans electing the stewards themselves. The head will serve a four-year term, and the stewards a ten-year term.

The guild courts are abolished and integrated into the commercial or civil courts of the Judgement Court.

Its functions are solely to set industry standards, supervise product quality, and prevent malignant competition, among other things..."