Subordinates shock

It has been a few days since Ryan arrived in his new domain. As a prince exiled to the desolate city of Bathsheba in the Thornvale region, he finds himself in a starkly different setting from what he was accustomed to.

Ryan has spent two days in Bathsheba city.

Eager to serve the people of Bathsheba, Ryan has encountered resistance. Corrupt officials frequently visit him in the castle, while some of the city's elders have patronizingly told him, "Don't worry, my Lord. Leave the city's affairs to us. You don't have to concern yourself with everything."

Such reassurances might satisfy other lords, but not Ryan.

Armed with the "My Empire System," he is determined to improve the city under his governance. However, the corrupt officials prefer him to remain idle within the castle walls.

For example, the few merchants entering and exiting Bathsheba have only dealt with the City Treasurer Gura and the Trade Overseer, who is also an Elder, Slyff.

From what Ryan has observed, it seems the officials have been offering these merchants deals that are not only corrupt but also disregard the well-being of the Bathsheba people.

He has noticed that the merchants were given kickbacks in return for exclusive trading privileges and lower tariffs.

While the larger merchants have established trade with the tribes in the Thornvale region, many smaller merchants turn to Bathsheba city for their trade. This is because these smaller traders either lack the secret passages that lead to the tribes or do not have the necessary connections with them.

Moreover, even if these smaller merchants have the means and connections to trade with the tribes, they continue to engage with Bathsheba to expand their supplies. This practice is not exclusive to them; even the larger merchants do the same.

In his office, Ryan has occasionally been studying the city map of Bathsheba, aiming to decipher the routines of the local officials and pinpoint their locations at specific times.

Many of these officials have been noted to frequent a place known as Bathsheba's Tavern. Ryan assigned Gilbert to investigate this establishment, which turns out to double as a venue where officials are entertained by women, mirroring the services of a red-light district.

In summary, beyond functioning as a tavern, the place operates similarly to a brothel.

Up to now, Ryan has devised a plan to have these corrupt officials apprehended by his soldiers. He wasn't sure whether it was due to their complacency or overconfidence, but these officials seldom had bodyguards with them.

Except when they were in the Elders Hall or the Treasurer's Vault, these officials were generally unguarded outdoors.

Moreover, the investigation revealed that these officials had been spreading false rumors about Ryan's governance, leading to a widespread negative perception of him among the city's inhabitants.

While Ryan was outside the city, his head concealed beneath a robe and hood, he overheard a group of people engaged in conversation.

One sighed, "I really thought our new lord was a decent man, especially after his speech in the city square two days back..."

Another chimed in, "I heard he promised to settle the previous lord's debts with the laborers, but so far, they've heard nothing from him."

A third person added, "At least our elders seem to care about us..."

"Elders? Ha, I reckon they're just as crooked as the lord."

The first speaker continued, "Exactly, but at least they're doing something. The lord, on the other hand, just lounges in his castle all day, living the high life without a care."

A second person agreed, "True. The elders might be corrupt, but at least they play their part. Our lord? He just squanders his days in luxury."

Someone else countered, "Really? But I've actually seen the lord and his soldiers patrolling the streets."

"Yeah, I've seen them too, aimlessly running about. I can't figure out why."

Ryan sighed deeply upon hearing these remarks from his own people.

He continued to walk through the streets, his face still hidden, then returned to the castle. Inside the hall, he summoned Gilbert, who had just completed his assignment, and instructed him to assemble the soldiers in the castle hall.

Puzzled, Gilbert complied and relayed Ryan's command to Captain Claude, the leader of Ryan's soldiers, to gather them in the hall.

The soldiers, led by Captain Claude, filed into the castle hall. As they lined up, Ryan noticed their discipline was still lacking, their demeanor too relaxed for his liking.

In the past two days, aside from devising a plan to apprehend the city's corrupt officials, Ryan had been instilling discipline in his troops with rigorous morning drills, which is the reason why Ryan increased his own [Strength] by two points.

However, Ryan knew that two days were hardly enough to fully instill discipline in his men.

He also remained vigilant regarding his plan, employing servants to monitor the soldiers, wary of any potential alliances forming between them and the city's officials that could jeopardize his strategy.

Luckily, the officials seemed disinterested in his soldiers, which simplified matters for Ryan. He had spent the days teaching them tactics and formations, aiming to harness their collective strength and intellect.

Despite the short time frame, the beginnings of discipline were emerging. Moreover, the soldiers were growing to respect and admire Ryan for his tactical guidance.

Even Gilbert, close as he was to Ryan, found himself impressed, though he harbored doubts about the practicality of these new tactics in real battle.

Surveying the rows of his soldiers, Ryan felt a measure of satisfaction. He pondered whether this was due to his enhanced [Leadership] skill, now at level 2. He believed this skill had significantly improved his ability to lead the soldiers more effectively over the past two days.

"Greetings, soldiers," Ryan began, noticing he had captured the full attention of everyone present—Gilbert, the soldiers, and even the nearby servants. He offered a reassuring smile, then lifted a finger to emphasize his point. "We are gathered here with a singular purpose—to devise a strategy aimed at removing all the corrupt officials from our city."

A wave of astonishment swept through the room as Ryan's words sank in.

The soldiers exchanged wide-eyed glances.

Did they hear him correctly?

Ryan's ensuing words dispelled any doubts, "Yes, you heard it correctly. My plan is to eliminate those officials who have been thwarting my efforts to govern this city properly."

As the reality of Ryan's intentions dawned on them, the soldiers were left in shock, collectively wondering, "Is our lord truly serious about this?"