Chapter 268. Payoff Secured (2)
"The Holy Kingdom has chosen to grasp the hands of its allies to drive out the darkness looming over the continent! People of the Light! A new era has begun. To save this land from the shadows, your help is essential! March forth across the continent with the Warrior, Caron Leston!"
A grand festival erupted across the entire Holy Kingdom. The people, who had long suffered under the grip of the Order of Truth, poured into the streets to praise the Pope, the Warrior, and the Grand Saintess.
How many lives had been lost under the banner of a crusade? Those among the rebels who showed true remorse were granted forgiveness and returned to their families. Those who refused to repent were led to the underground prisons of the Vatican.
It was all Caron's doing. The Warrior had changed the Holy Kingdom.
The once closed-off Vatican now declared the opening of its gates to the world. Until now, goods from the empire and the Sultanate had entered only through smuggling. But now, full-scale trade had been initiated.
A few of the clergy submitted complaints, protesting that holy relics could be sold for money.
To that, Caron responded with biting sarcasm, "Oh? Then will you go out and earn some cash yourselves? Or do you plan to keep leeching off the people forever? I could help pass a new law—make labor mandatory for all clergy."
"I-I'm sorry!" one of the clergy said.
"Watch yourselves. Unless you want your necks on the chopping block," Caron said.
Faced with Caron's fierce pressure, the complaints ceased altogether.
Fortunately, the empire had sent administrators well-prepared for this. They quickly began identifying the flaws of the Holy Kingdom.
"So they call this a holy kingdom," one muttered, "but it only functioned by squeezing its people dry."