New Gods of North America.

Chapter 707 Manuscript
Compared to the "minor conflict" being discussed by the two parties involved in the banquet hall,
Meanwhile, in the villa of the manor, someone was studying a seemingly intangible "minor problem."

Bishop Tyrell, who had recently made a brief appearance at a charity dinner, was now seated in the most spacious and private reception room of the annex.

The orderly rows of crystal wall lamps illuminated the entire reception room as bright as day. Bishop Tyrell finally closed the unpublished manuscript he was reading and glanced once more at the proposed title on the cover—"The Necessary Good."

In the center of the reception room, there are three sofas arranged in a "品" shape around a long, low table: one long and two short. These sofas are all larger than typical styles, and the fabrics used are softer and more comfortable.
Bishop Tyrell sat on the sofa with his eyes closed, leaning back slightly as if to relieve eye strain. On the two short sofas to his left and right, people were also sitting.

The first person to speak was Congressman Adam Stephens from Georgia: "Tillier, what do you think of this book?"

Generally speaking, because members of the House of Representatives serve shorter terms and have more seats, their status is generally lower than that of senators from the same state.

However, since the law does not limit the number of times members of Congress can serve consecutive terms, there are occasionally some very senior members of Congress who can serve for several terms, making their positions more secure than many short-lived senators. They can not only command a large following in their own districts, but also have considerable influence within Congress.

The reason these people didn't run for other positions may simply be because they have some real influence and could generate greater value in the right place.

Adam Stephens is such a senior member of Congress.

When Bishop Tyrell heard his question, he simply stroked the cover of the manuscript without opening his eyes or rushing to answer: "Who else besides me has read this manuscript?"

“Many. I traveled all the way from Georgia and visited many old friends along the way.” Adam Stephens was also sitting casually. “It’s just that Virginia is closer, so I chose to take some time to come during a break in the conference.”

After saying that, Adam Stephens pointed to the man sitting opposite him: "This is Mr. Calvin Raffin, who currently resides in Georgeburg and is devoted to theoretical research at the 'Academy.' He is the one who compiled this manuscript, and he will seriously consider any revisions you may make."

"Which old friends of Virginia have you visited?" Bishop Tyrell pressed on.

Adam Stephens thought for a moment: "The Lecher family, the Pryor family, and the Norton family all think the book is well written, while the Beaton family seems to have some concerns and has not made a clear statement."

This book, *Necessary Goods*, is actually an academic compilation of some Southern ideas. Its initial theoretical source was a late former president of the United States who was of Southern origin.

It elaborates on the various advantages and rationale of slavery from different perspectives, including race, civilization, law, society, and economy, and also specifically criticizes the various enormous harms that the abolition of slavery might cause.

The Bible explicitly mentions prophets who practiced slavery, and the Holy Spirit clearly never criticized or condemned the prophets. The Roman Empire, which the United States strives to emulate, also had a large number of slaves.

Even from a theological and historical perspective, the Bishop of Tyrell could not be found to be wrong at first glance.

However, the most crucial content is often not simply written down. In such cases, choosing to compile and publish certain opinions, and quietly building consensus, is essentially a gathering and showdown of attitudes.

Bishop Tyrell quickly guessed: "Is the Kanx Statehood Act about to pass?"

“Yes.” Adam Stephens nodded slightly. “Although the specific content of the bill still needs to be agreed upon by both houses, based on the current vote count, it will likely end in a compromise. In order to avoid the creation of more seats in Congress that support abolition and cause a complete imbalance in the votes between the House and Senate in the future, we may have to provide them with the necessary guidance and assistance in advance.”

“Richmond has been through a lot lately, and I need to focus my attention on dealing with these issues.” Bishop Tyrell gently pushed the manuscript aside. “Since several major families in the state have already chosen to support us, there shouldn’t be a need for me to do the same.”

Adam Stephens is very knowledgeable in this regard: "Most things are normal, is there anything I can do to help?"

“These are all internal church matters.” Bishop Tyrell said, glancing, seemingly intentionally or unintentionally, at the unfamiliar scholar named Calvin Raffin.

“Mr. Raffin, could you please call Governor Leitch over?” Adam Stephens quickly understood.

“Please do my best.” The other person stood up and left the reception room readily. After the two ornate and heavy wooden doors of the reception room closed again, Bishop Tyrell continued: “Some people are far too reverent, daring to collude to release even dangerous extraordinary beings imprisoned in monasteries without even asking my opinion beforehand. What do you think I should do?”

"Which gentleman is so brave and fearless?" Adam Stephens asked casually, as if he were praising the other person.

“Andrew Pryor. For now, I’m still wondering whether this was his own unauthorized action or represented the entire Pryor family.”

"..." Adam Stephens hesitated for a moment, trying to confirm first, "What kind of extraordinary being?"

"It corresponds to a Level IV threat. It's not particularly dangerous, and its actual impact is limited, but its level is not low. The number of people who have died because of that guy may have reached three digits."

Level IV threat...

That means it's on the list of major cathedrals in the state. According to church practice, a threat of this level would not only be reported to all exorcism departments within the state, but also to the archbishop and other potentially affected dioceses.

Releasing such a target privately would affect the prestige of the state cathedral, both internally and externally. Even if it were used as a bargaining chip in a private transaction, the decision should be made by the state bishop himself.

Therefore, excuses such as "perhaps the goal isn't important, so there's no need to bother you with such a trivial matter" cannot be used to exonerate that member of the Pryor family...

Adam Stephens thought for a moment: "Old Andrew is a longtime friend of ours, he wouldn't act so recklessly. When I visited the Price family before, he was complaining about young Andrew, who had been publicly exposed for deliberately deceiving the state legislature, forcing him to spend time and effort to clarify the rumors."

“I remember that old Andrew had three children. If we replace one of them with another, do you think that would be enough to clear up this little misunderstanding?”

The Pryor family had been operating in Virginia for many years. Back when Georgeburg was still the state capital, their ancestors had been appointed governor of the colony by the Kingdom of Windsor.

Such established families may experience ups and downs, but their accumulated foundation over the years should not be underestimated. Regardless of their previous intentions, their sincerity in choosing a new generation of successors is evident.

Upon hearing this, Bishop Tyrell finally laid down his bargaining chip: "There are currently more people in the bishopric who advocate abolition, and I have only been ordained for a short time, so it is impossible for me to openly confront them. However, Virginia has always respected the free will of priests and believers, and the cathedral will not interfere with whatever ideas they choose to spread."

“Very good. I will talk to Old Andrew as soon as possible to find out the situation, and I believe I can give you a satisfactory result in the end.”

Adam Stephens nodded in agreement. “The recent news of the discovery of a large gold mine in the West has been making headlines. Some local wild extraordinary individuals who have been on the East Coast for too long might be thinking of trying their luck there. Could the Cathedral perhaps consider making a slight exception for some of them and allowing them to move to Missouri or Kansas to settle down?”

Bishop Tyrell did not give a direct answer: "Let's wait until we have results. You seem so enthusiastic this time, is there something appealing about Kanx?"

"That area is suitable for wheat cultivation and livestock farming. Some people are already planning to go there and merge several large slave plantations while land prices are still low. I don't plan to get involved in that; I feel the profits aren't even as high as exporting cotton. However, I think a few oil fields are quite good. Kerosene is a necessity for lighting, and heavier oil can also supply lighthouses and shipping companies. Orders should be signed thirty years in advance. Are you interested in taking some shares?"

"It's too far. I need to try to join the bishops' conference as soon as possible. It's better to focus more on the east coast."

"It's just a matter of regular dividends; you don't need to handle it personally. But right now, we still need to make sure nothing unexpected happens there, lest they end up passing some outdated state constitution. I still suggest you consider having people settle there."

"If a large number of Virginia criminals suddenly appeared over there, it would also have a negative impact on Virginia's reputation."

"No. We will screen the candidates. The ultimate goal is to control the voting results and who will come to power. Simply sabotaging them is meaningless. The Federation does not prohibit people from moving freely, so they will all be considered true Kanx people by then."

(End of this chapter)