Chapter 48: Result
After the news of the Assassin Guild's eradication reached the royal family, Leon's fame soared to unprecedented heights. Events began unfolding rapidly and dramatically.
First, families implicated in the guild's dealings started flocking to the Bartfort estate, as well as the lands of the barony and viscounty. They brought extravagant gifts and offered substantial investments. Each had the same plea: to beg Leon not to reveal their crimes to the kingdom. Leon was forced to agree, realizing that exposing this information could spark a civil war. The number of individuals who had collaborated with the guild was astonishingly high, and among them were even members of the high aristocracy.
However, Leon had no intention of letting everyone go unpunished. In his possession were undeniable pieces of evidence against an organization called the "Forest of Ladies," as well as several nobles who could potentially become traitors in the future. Leon decided to temporarily set this evidence aside to focus on dismantling the Forest of Ladies.
He handed over the collected documents to the court and the royal family for review. At first glance, it seemed the royal family had been aware of this organization's existence long before Leon's involvement but had chosen not to act. Despite Leon's immense contributions to the kingdom, the family could only punish a few members of the Forest of Ladies. This was surprising, as the organization's members had remained confident and composed—until Leon took matters further.
He made a bold move: he spread the documents across all social strata—from the high nobility to commoners. This step became the catalyst for a wave of public unrest.
When the commoners learned of the Forest of Ladies' heinous crimes and corruption, they began organizing mass protests. Their outrage stemmed not only from the crimes themselves but also from the nobility's willful blindness to what had been happening. The high nobility remained silent, but barons and viscounts acted differently.
Barons and viscounts, joining forces, started breaking off engagements with women tied to the Forest of Ladies and filing numerous complaints in court. They stood united and demanded that the royal family severely punish all members of the organization.
Under pressure from society and the nobility, the royal family was forced to act. They declared the Forest of Ladies a treasonous organization. Mass arrests followed, all members were stripped of their titles, and the most prominent figures faced public executions.
When news of these events reached the victims of the infamous organization, many couldn't hold back their tears. They wept with joy and sincerely thanked the Bartfort family, especially Leon and his father, Barcus.