Publication Review

Translator: Cinder Translations

...

"Achoo!"

Paul suddenly sneezed loudly, startling everyone present.

He awkwardly said, "Sorry, everyone. I don't know which beauty is missing me quietly."

"Haha!"

The lord's joke made everyone laugh.

Paul suddenly stopped laughing.

"Alright, now raise your head."

Paul rubbed his hands together as he looked at someone trembling in front of him.

Sam Russo was shaking all over, forcing himself to lift his head with all his might.

Slowly, the person who could decide his fate came into view.

Beside him were other important figures—the Minister of State, Lord Ford, the head of the Public Security Department, Lord Hayden, the head of the Intelligence Department, Lord Cecil, and the Chief Judge of the lord's court, Lord Thomas.

Heavens! Did I really commit such a serious offense? So many big shots are gathered here.

Sam Russo, the owner of a printing house, had been suddenly visited by the police three days ago and thrown into a cell.

He had come to Alden as a refugee a few years ago. When he first arrived, Alden had just invented the printing press, and the printing industry was beginning to thrive. Sam Russo, who could read, found a job as a typesetter in the government-run printing house. He was quick-witted and soon mastered the printing-related techniques.

Later, printing presses began to be sold to the public, and the government started to invest more in cultural education.

Seeing an opportunity, Sam gathered some money from friends to buy a few printing presses and opened his own printing house.

In the following years, his small factory grew bigger and bigger, and he became one of the wealthy people in Alden.

Just as his career was flourishing, a lucrative business opportunity fell into his lap.

Several clients from the Horns Bay approached him. They were regular customers, and Sam's printing house had taken many orders from them in the past. However, this time, they wanted to print a banned book.

Specifically, it was a banned book from Horns Bay, filled with incriminating evidence against the Horns Bay church, in both Horns Bay and Aldoran languages.

The clients asked Sam to help them print this book, and the price was negotiable.

At first, Sam was unwilling, although the religious atmosphere in the Northwest Bay was quite relaxed, he didn't want to get into trouble.

However, the amount of money they offered was too tempting. Sam knew that if he turned down this business, he would surely spend the rest of his life asking himself, "How much money would I have made if I had accepted this order?"

Not wanting to accept this soul-searching in his remaining days, Sam reluctantly took on the job.

And then there was no stopping it.

After the first batch of books was delivered to Horns Bay, the clients responded very positively.

So, the second batch, the third batch…

Sam's initial doubts vanished in the sound of clinking coins.

He had convinced himself that "what is not prohibited by law is permitted." There was no law from the lord that forbade printing books attacking the Horns Bay church. Moreover, the incriminating evidence was against the Horns Bay church, which was thousands of miles away from the Northwest Bay church.

Until one day, two uniformed individuals—police—knocked on the door of Sam's office.

The matter was exposed.

After spending three anxious days in jail, Sam was brought before Lord Paul Grayman, the lord of Alden.

"Sam, oh Sam, you really embarrassed me in front of the church."

Paul spoke to the printing house owner in an unkind tone.

"Wise Lord, I… I won't dare again."

Sam's legs went weak, and he knelt on the ground, his voice filled with sorrow.

"I will donate more to the church in the future to atone for the sins I've committed against the Lord of Light."

Paul replied, "Uh… that's not necessary."

"Is it over? Am I going to be burned at the stake or hanged?"

Poor Sam Russo collapsed on the ground, crying uncontrollably.

Seeing the printing house owner like this, Paul was speechless. Is this person really that easily frightened?

The situation was clear: the printing house that printed this book wasn't owned by the Grayman family or the government; the Horns Bay investigators probably assumed that all printing houses in Alden belonged to him.

Well, let's stop the joke here.

"Sam Russo, I was originally going to punish you, but after searching through all the laws I've issued, I couldn't find a single provision applicable to your situation."

"Ah?"

"Even if I were to create a new law for your situation, I adhere to the principle of 'laws do not apply retroactively,' so I cannot punish you."

Sam cautiously asked, "Do you mean… I'm fine?"

Paul nodded gently, "Theoretically… in reality, yes, you've escaped this time."

"Thank you, Lord Grayman! Thank you, Lord Grayman!"

Sam was almost moved to tears, continuously wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.

"Sam Russo, do you want to continue making money?" the lord suddenly asked.

"Uh… of course, but only under the condition that I don't violate your laws."

Paul laughed, "Haha, Sam Russo, you are a good citizen, so I allow you to continue fulfilling your agreement with your clients."

"Ah?"

Sam was a bit confused; it seemed the lord didn't care whether the book blasphemed the Father.

"I will send some people to your factory; let them handle the book's matter."

Still in a daze, Sam was taken away.

In any case, it was safe to follow the lord's arrangements.

The key point was the lord's final instruction—if anyone asks about this book in the future, just say you don't know.

The room fell silent. Paul looked around at everyone and said, "If anyone from the church asks about this book in the future, say it was done by an underground printing house."

"Yes, Lord Grayman."

Everyone understood the unspoken message.

Gathering these officials here was certainly not just for watching the printing house owner earlier.

Paul continued, "However, this incident has reminded me that we should establish some regulations for the printing or publishing industry and increase legal provisions to restrict it. I don't want to see something truly embarrassing on the market one day."

"So, I've decided… Thomas."

He called out.

"Yes, Lord Grayman!"

The Chief Judge stood up.

"Draft a charter for me to review."

"Yes!"

At this moment, the legislative body consisted of the king and the lord, which was quite convenient.

Paul turned to Lord Ford.

"Establish a publication review committee. All books must be reviewed by this committee before they can be printed."

"The book from Horns Bay will be added to the banned book list by the publication review committee."

"Of course, we will still handle it discreetly according to what I mentioned before."

(End of the Chapter)

---

Read (FF) ahead on (pa treon . com / CinderTL) – Chapter 735. {We've Caught UP!!!}

Early access starts at $5. Your support keeps this going!

Use Code CINDER2025 to get 50% first month discount on TUR and TUP Tiers. Valid Till 15Jan2025. \(^O^)/

Subscribe & Read Nightmare Strikes FREE!! ;)

Translated 4 Series, 1.5K+ Chapters and 1.78M+ Words.