No one knew how much time had passed.
Aililan seemed to have vented enough.
At last, she calmed down and said, “Go bring Akoma’na here, I have something to ask her.”
Yarikel’s face twitched, and it took all he had to reply, “Akoma’na has already… already been executed.”
As soon as these words left his mouth—
Yarikel lowered his head.
Wilma even covered her face, cursing inwardly.
Are you kidding me? You silenced Akoma’na, isn’t that just making your City Guard look even more suspicious?
Aililan simply looked at him deeply. A minute passed. Two minutes… No one knew how long. For the two below, each second felt like an eternity.
Aililan turned away, her tone low, raising the stakes for what she wanted. “Chief Yarikel, it’s not that I refuse to give you face, but I really can’t trust the city’s security anymore.”
“Starting tomorrow.”
“I want to station the Chastity Knights inside the city, with full authority to operate within. Since you can’t be relied upon, let those who can protect me come in.”
“Of course, as the Chief of the City Guard, you can object to this.”
What, the Chastity Knights stationed in the city?
Wouldn’t that mean letting the Saintess tighten her grip?
From now on, at the slightest stir, the Saintess could wipe out all the nobles of the Inner City in an instant.
But Yarikel was already at his wits’ end. If he agreed, he might still have a sliver of hope; if not, he’d be thrown in prison by tomorrow. He hurriedly shook his head, saying, “No, no, no, you are absolutely right, Saintess, your safety is most important.”
Aililan cut him off. “Then, starting tomorrow, the Chastity Knights will be stationed within the city. I trust you will have no objections?”
Yarikel replied, “I wouldn’t dare.”
Aililan hinted further, “But with this move, I fear the army may have their objections!”
Yarikel gritted his teeth, casting a pleading look at Bishop Wilma. She wore a troubled look as well and said, “This matter… this matter, we will try to persuade them. We’ll position it as an internal reorganization of the city guards, with the Chastity Knights assisting from the side.”
Aililan pondered for a moment longer, then concluded, “Then let’s end this matter here!”
Yarikel: “Ah? T-that’s all?”
Aililan snorted coldly, “Would you prefer I convene a full meeting of Atester City’s governors, make tonight’s events public, assign blame and praise, and let this scandal be known to all? What do you think?”
Yarikel hurriedly shook his head, dropping to one knee. “As you say, let this matter rest here! Your mercy, Saintess, I shall remember forever.”
Aililan said nothing more.
After the two left,
She curled her lips into a smile—tonight’s gains exceeded her wildest expectations.
Aililan cracked her knuckles, sneering. “Of the three major ‘power’ institutions in Atester City, I now have two under my control. Only the army remains.”
“But it’s also the hardest one.”
“Still, there’s no need to rush.”
To govern a city,
It’s not enough to simply decree benevolence.
If you don’t have the power to check them, they’ll pay lip service, or even over-enforce your orders, sabotaging everything you do.
When morning came,
The Sun of Atest rose as usual.
Except for a burned-out manor left behind, it was as if nothing had happened the night before. None of the city’s upper echelons dared to ask more.
If something seems light, best not to weigh it; once you do, it could turn out to be a thousand-pound burden, implicating scores of people. Whoever asks, perishes.
Since Aililan now had no place to stay, Wilma and Yarikel led the effort to present her with a newly built manor named “Frezeya.”
The manor covered a vast area.
Amusingly, there was not a single piece of furniture within. Crowds vied to send her gifts.
Aililan commented: Just their little tricks.
But she could not accept these gifts. She gave strict orders for them all to be returned.
Renata thought it a shame, sighing, “So many gifts—aren’t you planning to develop the Slums? Selling these could bring in a lot of funds.”
Aililan smiled faintly. “That’s not how you should count the cost. If any among them are deeply corrupt, someday when I confiscate their property, I won’t miss a penny. But if any are honest, wouldn’t accepting their gifts just burden their lives further?”
Renata opened her mouth, then hung her head in shame. “Y-yes, I was too shallow!”
Yet pride rose in her heart.
Because this was the master she served!
Aililan, the Saintess, was pure beyond doubt. The Saintess was the Saintess, greatness was greatness, because their noble character was beyond compare.
Aililan waved her hand, changing the topic.
“Akoma’na is dead. What about the David Family?”
“Reporting to you, Saintess, the David Family has been detained for helping Akoma’na pull strings. A public trial will be held soon.”
“No one interceded for the David Family?”
“Everyone was afraid to get implicated. They ran as fast as they could.”
“Alright, then that leaves only that merchant, Beryon.”
“Yes. Should I send someone to put some pressure on him?”
“No need. Go tell Betiliana to have the Inspection Office pay extra attention to Beryon’s business. For someone running such a big operation, I trust he isn’t a fool.”
What made Aililan happiest now was that nothing blocked the Workshop anymore.
With raw materials in place, hundreds at the Workshop immediately began production.
Aililan’s goal was not profit, but to revive the stagnant economy of the Slums.
For now, wages were paid daily.
With cash in hand, the workers began to spend.
Spending would drive demand, and demand would spur people to provide services. The once-dead pool of the Slums was now starting to ripple.
It was the scent of life.
Even the most dull-witted now had a glimmer in their eyes.
Inside a cozy wooden cabin, the blind girl Theresa turned in Aililan’s direction and said, “So, Miss Aililan, what is the price?”
She, who controlled the Heart’s Scales,
Knew well that gain and loss were always balanced.
Aililan did not hide it. “The price is that the warehouse is now piled with hundreds, thousands of clothes. Daily expenses top ten gold coins. If we can’t find buyers, the Workshop will close sooner or later.”
“But, Miss Aililan, you shouldn’t have to bear this burden.”
“Well, Miss Theresa, how do you know it’s not my responsibility?”
“I don’t know, nor can I see. All I can sense is your pure heart and kindness.”
Theresa walked behind Aililan, reached out slender, delicate fingers, and gently massaged Aililan’s temple. “Though it’s a bit forward of me, this is all a blind girl like me can do for you. Please, do not refuse.”
Aililan smiled softly. “Heh.” Then she closed her eyes, enjoying a rare moment of peace.
“Um,” Blind Theresa hesitated, then finally spoke, “This may be rude, but may I ask you a few questions?”
“Go ahead!”
“How old are you this year?”
“Seventeen.”
“What are your hobbies?”
“Eating and sleeping.”
“Um… If you were to find a partner, would you like girls, or boys?”
“Hmm?” Aililan didn’t give it much thought and shrugged. “Of course I like girls! But only pretty ones. Why do you ask?”
“Forgive me for my rudeness. I was just worried you might be bored, so I wanted to make conversation.”
So Miss Aililan likes—
Girls?