Chapter 322 Western Territory Security Bureau


    Returning to the castle hall, Rnd went to sit in the Lord’s seat that was overlooking the subjects gathered within the hall beneath him.


    In his memory, the only time the 4th Prince has ever used his right to exercise a trial was the first time he hade to Border Town. Later, after his fallout with the nobles and his dissatisfaction with his current lifestyle in general, he had thrown everything into the hands of Barov, never asking him anything about it.


    Seeing that everyone was present, Rnd called for the trial to begin.


    At first, he let all sides state their case, then he asked them questions of his own – with Nightingale there secretly assisting him it wasn’t necessary for him to determine who was deliberately lying and who spoke insincerely, nor did he need to have the meticulous mind of a grim reaper, concluding who was responsible became effortless and simple.


    Soon the whole truth of the story was revealed.


    At heart, Khoya Harvie was unwilling to ept that he was deprived of his identity as a knight, at the same time he had also grown tired of the tedious writing work at the City Hall, which resulted into a stomach full of resentment against the refugees. He made use of the opportunity presented by the distribution of the wheat porridge to purposely charge the refugees a fee and instigate dispute between both sides. He deliberately told them that it was because the serfs didn’t turn over all their grain that the wheat stock wasn’t enough and for that reason they could not give out porridge free of charge.


    In fact, what made Rnd the most aggravated was that Khoya was only able to charge them for several days because he had been wearing the eye-catching uniform of the City Hall and that the refugees had been worried about the possibility of retaliation from officials that they kept silent. Until today, when a refugee named Vader had stepped out in protest against his behavior, and from thismotion everything had then been exposed.


    When Rnd finally understood the whole situation he felt relieved.


    An organization on the rise should be brimming with vitality, full of youthful energy. Later on, when the situation was more stable, corruption and rigidity would be inevitable, but that should only be something that happens after the unification with Longsong Stronghold. If those problems were to appear in the beginning, then the organization would be doomed to never go very far.


    However, it now appeared that Khoya had acted on his own and that none of the other officials of the City Hall had been rted to this matter. Furthermore, it was only a matter limited to extorting money, and not the thing he had feared the most, which was serfs selling and reselling grain in private.


    Of course, to some extents, Rnd was also the one responsible that the situation had develop to this. Due to City Hall originally being so desperately short of manpower, Rnd had ced the surrendered Knights under Barov after only giving them a warning about the circumstances and no further screening or training. The result showed that not everyone had been able to ept the job withoutint or bare the great mental pain of dropping in rank from a knight to a civilian.


    Rnd called Barov to his side and asked him in a low voice: “What would other Lords do in this case?”


    “Your Highness, there are two possibilities,” thetter respectfully replied, “If the offender is a nobleman, after paying a few gold royals the situation would be turned over and they could be let go without any further punishment. While the punishment for a civilian attacking a noble can be big or small, from cutting off one hand to flogging.”


    “But Khoya is no nobleman,” the Prince responded, “I have deprived him of his title.”


    “Yes, that’s true, Your Highness. In this way, the disposition will be based entirely on the mood of the Lord.”


    “There are no fixed numbers?”


    Barov shook his head.


    Hearing this Rnd began to frown, that it is entirely dependant on the mood of the Lord means that in the eyes of the nobility it doesn’t matter how civilians are treated, they do not consider them as “people” at all.


    “In addition to cutting off hands, breaking feet, whipping and pulling fingernails are there anymon punishments? For example, imprisonment?”


    “Imprisonment?” Barov asked startled, “You mean to simply lock them away? What kind of punishment would that be? A prison is only a temporary ce for holding the sinner, sooner orter they will be brought to trial and their case will be closed. During their imprisonment, you have to feed them the whole time, I’m afraid that it would be a reward for some people.”


    Well, it seems that the general term of imprisonment used inter generation won’t be very useful here. After thinking about it for a moment, Rnd decided to follow the rules of the castle. He stood up, and let his gaze wander over the people gathered beneath him, “I’m ready to give my verdict now.”


    “Khoya Harvie, because of dereliction of duty, extortion of refugees, you are abolished of your position within City Hall, sentenced to work in the mine for ten years, and to be fined with three times the amount you have stolen.


    “Vader, as the first to attack a City Hall officer you will be sentenced to tenshes with the whip.


    “All the other refugees and serfs involved in the fighting are fined two silver royals or fiveshes with a whip.


    “The distribution of the wheat porridge will continue to be free of charge, all previous extorted money will be refunded.” He looked to the Prime Minister of the City Hall, “You will carry out the above ruling and also announce the result to the people in the temporary residential area.”


    “As youmand, Your Royal Highness,” Barov said.


    Back to the office, Rnd leaned against the back of the chair and stretched, he then felt a pair of hands resting on his shoulders and gently massaged them.


    Closing his eyes Rnd enjoyed a moment of leisure.


    This matter had made Rnd realize that with the increasing number of people in the city, the authority of the City Hall had also expanded rapidly and that they might already have to face the problem of internal regtion by now.


    He did not want to set up an institution simr to the prosecutor’s office, but he was also unwilling to set up an independent public security bureau ofter generations. Not only would the former need arger number of literacy personnel, they were also prone to attack each other, interfere in themission of the policies, the appointing and expelling systems of government, and hinder the implementation of new policies. While thetter weakened the Lord’s authority in disguise. It would still be better if he kept those powers, such as the formtion and interpretation of thew and holding a trial, in his own hands.


    What he needed was a simple yet effective System which didn’t require many people to y the role of a supervising organization.


    Rnd took hold of one of the hands ced on his shoulders.


    Feeling her hand being grasped, Nightingale stepped out of the fog and sat on the edge of the table while holding the Prince’s hand, she then crooked her head and asked: “What’s up?“


    Her slender legs dangled from the table, swaying in the air, forming a perfect curve with her high tube masins and her close-fitting pants.


    Rnd coughed twice, “I intend to set up a new department which will supervise the City Hall, as well as arrest other people who attempt to harm the Western Territory or destabilize themunity. This department only needs to report to me and will bepletely independent of the City Hall or the First Army.” Emphasizing every word Rnd went on, “I will name it the “Western Territory Security Bureau” and I want the first supervisor to be you.”


    “Me?” Nightingale blinked confusedly.


    “That’s right, only you can easily distinguish the truth of the spoken words. Furthermore, any cheats or tricks will be meaningless in front of you, “Rnd nodded. “How is it? If you wish, I can provide you with my own afternoon tea’s ice cream during winter, and also...”


    Nightingale gently pinched his hand, “It’s unnecessary to say that, I promise I willply – anything, as long as it is something you want me to do.”


    “...” Rnd suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.


    Sheughed, but didn’t let the silence continue for too long and instead said, “But what should I do?”


    “Well, the supervising part will be very simple,” the Prince got his emotion back under his control, “I will set up an usation box at the entrance to the castle area, thus you only have to check the contents of the reporting letters inside.”


    If he wanted to solve the problem in the least costly way, it would be to use the masses to supervise, as well as make the City Hall supervise itself. Just likest year when they had caught the spies during the Months of Demons.


    For future generations, this method wouldn’t be easy enough to use. No matter if it was the reported target or the reporter themselves, it would need a lot of effort to verify. Simultaneously, there could also be cases of false reports, mistaken reports about correct situations, and not to mention deliberate framing. But in front of Nightingale’s ability these shorings wouldn’t be a problem. Verifying the information would be very easy for her, she merely had to question the user in person – truthful reports would be rewarded while false usations and false reports would be punished. Centering the implementation around these two points, the system was bound to be extremely efficient.


    “As for maintaining the stability of the Western Territory, and eliminating threats and hidden dangers, it will be more resemnt of a national intelligence system. However, for this, I will slowly extend your hands until your eyes are spread over the whole of the Western Territory.”