Bab 88: Chapter 88: Reclaiming the Territory
The soldiers meticulously cleansed the area using high-temperature flames, burning everything suspicious.
They even carefully scorched the ground to ensure nothing was left behind.
After the soldiers confirmed the area was thoroughly cleared, Eden scanned it with his psychic abilities one last time. Once he was sure there were no lingering Chaos remnants, he ordered the lab to be sealed permanently.
Eden then extended his psychic senses across the entire Hoffman family territory.
He identified traces of Chaos and marked them for the Imperial Guards and defense forces to eliminate.
Most of these Chaos traces were left behind by the followers of the "Broken Eye" cult.
Their combat capabilities were weak, and they were quickly wiped out.
Unfortunately, the leader of the cult remained elusive, disappearing without a trace.
After issuing orders to hunt down the cult leader, Eden turned his attention to a more important matter:
The complete dismantling of the Hoffman family's rule and the full reclamation of their territory.
Yusef's slaughter of his family for sacrifices to the Chaos gods had already weakened his hold over the territory.
Now, with his schemes foiled, his army crushed, and his capture imminent, the remaining forces of the Homan family and their vassals had scattered like dust.
Eden led the Imperial Guards into the Hoffman family's estate, where he swiftly judged and executed those deeply connected to Chaos or corrupted by its influence.
These people, tainted by Chaos, were beyond redemption.
The longer they were left, the further they would fall into depravity.
Thus, the main offenders, accomplices, and their families were all condemned to death by fire—reduced to ashes!
Soon, officials and minor families formerly loyal to the Hoffman family scrambled to pledge their allegiance.
While not directly involved with Chaos, these individuals had simply worked under the Hoffmans.
Now, they begged for the Governor's mercy.
"Governor, we were forced into this!"
"Great and merciful Governor, we swear our loyalty to you!"
"Death to the Hoffman family! Long live the Grant family!"
"We pledge our absolute loyalty!"
"Governor, you can do whatever you want with us, even with our daughters~!"
Eden: ???
These two need extra monitoring!
The surviving officials and vassals from the Hoffman family's structure swore their allegiance to Eden Grant, the Governor.
Eden neither accepted nor refused their pleas; instead, he told them to return and wait.
He warned them:
"Anyone who attempts to flee will be seen as challenging the King's Court, and they will face the consequences!"
The consequences often involved an explosive end.
After all, if they had done nothing wrong and had no ties to Chaos, why would they flee?
To run was to admit guilt, and punishment was inevitable.
The Governor's authority could not be challenged!
Most heeded this warning, choosing to stay put in their homes, not daring to act rashly.
However, a few either foolishly conspired to flee or mount a rebellion.
Before their plans could even unfold, Imperial Guards kicked down their doors and passed swift judgment.
Word of this spread quickly, striking fear into the hearts of others. They now fully understood the message: the King's Court would not tolerate disloyalty.
Loyalty was everything!
The remaining officials waited anxiously for their impending judgment.
At Eden's command, Deville, head of the investigation team, arrived from the King's Court to handle the scrutiny of all relevant personnel.
Deville, dressed in a black uniform with a red armband, was like the embodiment of death.
Beneath his warm smile lay a cold-blooded killer, feared wherever he went.
"Absolute loyalty!"
"Give everything for the Governor!"
These were Deville's frequent mantras.
He scrutinized each target's crimes and loyalty with a meticulous process.
Those who failed to meet his standards were purged.
Some were executed, some exiled.
Others had their identities and wealth stripped, reducing them to beggars.
In the end, one-third of those examined passed and were allowed to serve the Governor.
"These filthy traitors should all be executed!" Deville would often grumble in private.
"But the Governor, in his infinite mercy, has granted them another chance to pledge their loyalty."
Once his investigation was complete, Deville reported back to Eden.
Eden, after reviewing the reports, was quite pleased.
"You've made great progress and have done an excellent job."
For loyal subordinates, Eden was never stingy with praise. Compliments cost nothing, after all.
Deville trembled with emotion, nearly moved to tears.
"All for the Governor!"
For Deville, this was the highest honor. Eden had recognized his hard work!
Deville had lived in fear since Eden had once expressed dissatisfaction, saying, "You're not doing so well, especially you..."
That comment had haunted Deville, keeping him awake at night.
He feared his incompetence would shame his family, the Lapp family.
But now, he had earned Eden's approval!
Once his duties were over, he couldn't wait to share the news with his mother and his sister, Lilith.
After delivering his report, Deville respectfully withdrew.
Eden also took note of the overly emotional subordinate.
"Not bad, seems pretty loyal."
"What was his name again? De-something?"
Whatever. He'd figure it out next time. There were more important matters to attend to.
Reclaiming the Hoffman territory was just the beginning. Much work remained to consolidate control.
Looking over Deville's report, Eden noted the individuals who needed to be integrated into the current administrative system of the King's Court.
Deciding where to place them and what authority to grant required careful consideration.
The sheer number of names made Eden's head spin.
Sigh.
Turns out he really didn't like dealing with bureaucratic matters.
It was more exhausting than the grind of his old life!
If not for his body's modifications, sustained by the power of hope, he'd have probably collapsed from overwork by now.
Eden tossed the report onto the table. He'd leave it to Baiyev to handle.
Summoned by Eden, Baiyev took the report and assured the Governor that he would handle everything appropriately.
Three days later, Baiyev completed the task, placing all the necessary personnel into their roles.
With that, the Hoffman family was no more.
The King's Court's administrative system took control, officially reclaiming the territory.
New regional institutions began operating, and industrial sectors were restored to function.
The logistics department was tasked with resuming the supply of starch blocks for sustenance.
Since the farmlands hadn't yielded crops yet, only basic starch blocks were available for now.
The more delicious Type I starch bars were reserved for top workers.
But the logistics department promised that in six months, Type I starch bars would be available to all across the reclaimed lands.
Even this temporary solution filled the people with gratitude—they had endured starvation for far too long!
Claudie, head of the law enforcement department, was also given an important task.
He would personally lead the effort to restore order and ensure the new territory's law enforcement was on par with other regions.
By the time all this was in place, over half a month had passed.
With the reclamation complete, the land was now a part of the King's Court.
Finally, Eden announced an important public trial would take place at the Holy Plaza.
(End of Chapter)
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