Chapter 48: Fiefdom
A sudden political tsunami swept across the entire West City of Eston.
Baron Augustin von Neumann, the mayor of the western city of Eston, the lord who held all the power in this territory and personally appointed by King Delman, died suddenly and inexplicably at the hands of a group of black-robed bandits.
The suspected leader blew a huge crater in the square in the city center. Although Andre Lu Huntington, deputy commander of the Kingdom Knights' Eston West City branch, swore that he saw the suspected leader escape from the smoke, neither the other knights present nor the officials who came to investigate believed that anyone could escape alive from an explosion of this scale.
The remaining four gangsters also failed to escape.
After they slaughtered everyone in the city lord's mansion, they were surrounded by the knights of the kingdom who had rushed over. Knowing that there was no hope of escape, they simply bit the poison hidden in their mouths and crushed it.
Clean and efficient, loyal and devoted. Andrei guessed correctly that these people were all carefully trained assassins. From the moment they took on this mission, they had no intention of returning alive.
Baron Neumann and his family also died in a miserable and ironic way.
Baron Neumann, who was assassinated by his own golden dagger in his seat as city lord, died on her bed, surrounded by her own gold and jewels. A wax mask of gold foil was tightly attached to her face, revealing her panicked struggle and painful suffocation.
The suspect poured melted wax into her throat and poured it on her face, forming an airtight and hot mask. She died from the heat and suffocation.
Before the wax mask solidified, the prisoners sprinkled gold foil on the wax, making a tragic yet terrifying death mask.
The butler who had worked for Baron Neumann for many years did not escape the punishment of the gold. He was crushed to death in the atrium by a box of heavy gold that fell from the second floor. He obviously struggled in pain for a long time before he died.
The remaining slaves, guards, and private soldiers who remained in the city lord's mansion were all beheaded neatly with steel wire. The prisoner's message was clearly conveyed: "A greedy traitor, killed for the wealth he plundered."
The tragedy in West Eston was quickly reported through various channels to the various factions in the capital. At a dinner hosted by members of the Kingdom Parliament, Baron Neumann's daughter, upon receiving the news, screamed and collapsed in the arms of her parliamentarian husband, before everyone's gaze.
Two hours later, she regained consciousness and rushed into the palace with her husband, demanding an explanation from His Majesty the King.
"An explanation? There's no explanation." His Majesty, holding a briar-root English pipe, scattered the account books that Andrei and the Shadow Detectives had brought to her at full speed. "Your father secretly collaborated with Evil Eye Moon, intending to overthrow the entire country. However, not only did he intend to rebel, he also supported and cooperated with Evil Eye Moon in committing all kinds of heinous crimes across the country. He also greedily stole money from Evil Eye Moon, ultimately incurring Evil Eye Moon's bloody revenge."
Baron Neumann's daughter, Tritana van Neumann Drosos, flipped through the black accounts with trembling hands, her face full of horror and disbelief.
His Majesty the King took a puff of his cigarette and blew out a grayish-white smoke ring. He knew that what frightened Tritana was not "how could her father do such a thing?", but "how could these things be known to His Majesty the King?"
"Evil-Eyed Moon and I have always been at loggerheads," King Huntington said. "But this time, they simply struck before me. Their methods were indeed brutal. But that's Evil-Eyed Moon. When collaborating with such outlaws, Baron Neumann should have expected their retaliation."
A meaningful smile appeared on his usually serious face: "Even if Evil Eye Moon didn't do it, I would still send him to the gallows."
Tretana trembled even more violently. The direction in His Majesty's words was so obvious that she almost anticipated her own fate. She shouted, "Your Majesty, I had no idea my father had committed such a crime! This has nothing to do with me or my husband! My husband and I are absolutely loyal to you!"
"Oh?" His Majesty narrowed his eyes slightly, a cunning glint in his wise green eyes. "Then, I believe you both understand: Anyone who betrays the country, even if he is a noble, will be stripped of his noble status. All his territories and property will be reclaimed by the duchy according to law and distributed accordingly."
The two fell silent. After a moment of mental struggle, Tretana finally made her decision: "I voluntarily give up the Neumann family's property. It was all ill-gotten gains my father acquired, and it should be returned to you."
The king was pleased with her tactful attitude. "Well, since Mrs. Drosos has married Senator Drosos and renounced her inheritance rights to the Neumann family, she naturally has no connection with Baron Neumann's treason. I see your loyalty."
He looked at them meaningfully, and only waved his hand when they began to tremble uncontrollably again. "Please go back, both of you. From now on, focus on being a good MP and your spouse, and speak up for the poor. Even without your titles and lands, you can still live a comfortable life in upper-class society."
The couple knew that this was the greatest tolerance from His Majesty the King.
They arrived with such vehemence, only to depart in disgrace, their tails between their legs. His Majesty watched them from behind, the corners of his lips curling slightly. He took a drag from his pipe and raised a finger, and immediately a herald stepped forward: "Your Majesty?"
"Draft an edict," His Majesty the King said. "Andrei has done a great job this time. In just one month, he's set a new record. It just so happens that he's a viscount and needs his own territory. Rather than transferring a viscount all the way over, why not give him the land? Hmm... first, have him return to the capital to report on his work and take over the title of lord."
"yes!"
The herald was secretly shocked. In just a few minutes, he witnessed a bloodless transfer of power between the old and new nobles. The era of the German Kingdom and its old royal family had passed, and the Huntington family would eventually hold this country firmly in their hands.
——Maybe this is not a bad thing.
The herald walked briskly, already drafting the king's decree in his mind before reaching the study. He would write it, hand it over to the kingdom's ministers for review and revision, and then submit it to His Majesty for final approval, signature, and seal. It would then be delivered to the west city of Eston by the fastest courier.
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