At this point, Roland had also outlined a general plan for the future security system of the territory.
The town currently has a population of around 20,000, including both indigenous residents and surrendered people from the Changge Fortress, as well as refugees from the eastern borderlands. When Barov's envoy returns, they might bring more people from the southern and northern regions of the kingdom, further diversifying the population composition and creating a mix of varying social statuses. This will only lead to more conflicts like the one we see today.
He therefore needs to establish a public security system to replace the First Army's current patrol operations. Separating domestic and foreign violence was inevitable. Although he had considered this earlier, the plan was shelved due to manpower shortages. With the First Army now focused on combating evil beasts and population growth accelerating, the time has come to implement this strategy.
The system allows individuals to draft and interpret laws, adjudicate major crimes with finality at first instance, while the police enforce arrests and resolve civil disputes. The Security Bureau safeguards system integrity to prevent corruption, while deploying officers for targeted operations to optimize human resources—this outlines Roland's envisioned security framework.
Ideally, the security system could first be piloted in Border Town, then rolled out across the entire Western Frontier when the city is built next year.
At that time, whether it was a self-governing territory of Noble or not, all would be governed by the same laws and subject to the control of a unified department. Only he alone could transcend the law.
Roland knew he was the most powerful Noble in the Western Borderlands, so he couldn't declare equality before the law or abolish the Noble system. Yet he could at least eliminate traditional feudal Nobles from his city. To seek protection from the Western Borderlands, one had to relinquish their autonomy.
As for the head of the public security department, Roland had already made up his mind.
Chief Knight Carter Lannis, a man of strong justice yet unpretentious in his actions, is a commendable choice.
...
As Vaid staggered back to his temporary lodging, the elderly Kukasim immediately came to greet him.
"You... are alright?" "I'm fine," he grinned, "just got ten lashes from Your Highness." "Let me see," Kukashim demanded urgently.
"Let's go inside and talk." As Wade entered the room, the warm air instantly dispelled the chill around him. Closing the door, the space felt like a world apart. Compared to the leaky wooden shack he had been living in, this modest mud house—slightly lower and narrower—offered far greater comfort.
By the way, locals apparently call this type of house a 'yao dong' (a traditional cave dwelling)?
The old man made him lie on the heated brick bed, undid his clothes from behind, and he couldn't help but gasp in shock.
"Your back is covered in blood. I'll fetch some ash to sprinkle it on you." "No, absolutely not. These are only the marks left from the torture. The bleeding has long ceased," he insisted repeatedly. "Lord Knight said it's fine to leave it open like this. The wound will heal in just two or three days." "Two or three days?" Kukashim shook his head in concern. "No, child. You might develop a high fever and a swollen lump on your back. Even with your robust constitution, it'll take at least a week to recover. You know better than I do what it's like when the disease strikes." "You might not believe it," he said, licking his parched lips. "I didn't feel much pain from the wound on my back. Instead, there was a cool, slightly itchy sensation—signs of healing. After the whipping, they poured a bucket of water over my back..." "Saltwater?" The old man frowned.
"I thought so too at first, but the scorching sting I expected never came," Vaid chuckled. "The executioner Knight said this water could kill all germs. If you want to heal faster, stop doing unnecessary things and just leave it." "Germs... what?" "Microbes," he pouted. "Who knows what that is. Probably witch-related again." The old man lowered his head. After a long pause, he said solemnly: "You shouldn 't have stood up for me. If you just..." "If you just... you'll face even worse treatment. I know that guy's nature. Or rather, Nobles are mostly the same," Vaid spat. "They say the snow here lasts for months. Our combined savings won't last that long." He paused. "And... I deliberately chose that time to beat him." "So, deliberately?" Kukashim froze.
"Since Your Royal Highness would appear at the West Wall every day at this hour, and having promised free food distribution, he must detest such actions that tarnish his reputation. This is the most effective method. If it were just a simple brawl, it might not even reach Your Highness's ears. After all, Koya Havis might be acting under orders—municipal officials want to suppress these reports, and our words are useless." "But he could also be acting on Lord's orders..." "The likelihood is extremely low. If Your Highness wants to save money, he could simply reduce meals to two. Besides, I've already inquired, and both locals and serfs have praised Your Highness's benevolence and wisdom." He smiled smugly, "See, I didn't bet wrong, did I?" "So...," the old man let out a sigh of relief, "You really see through things." But there were parts he missed, Vaid thought, particularly the sentencing.
Having served as a patrol officer in Jin Sui City for over a decade, he had a profound understanding of the ugliness lurking beneath the city's glamorous facade. He had encountered no fewer than a dozen such' Nobles 'who exploited their authority for extortion, and such incidents even occurred within the patrol team. Thus, cracking down on these high-and-mighty' Nobles' was no challenge for him.
His Royal Highness's reaction was largely as expected, but the penalty came as a complete surprise to Vidal.
In such cases, Lord, who values reputation above all, would typically acquit the oppressed, yet he punished everyone—Your Highness seems to prioritize the system over fame.
For a Lord accustomed to acting on impulse, this is indeed a rare quality.
"What are you going to do next?" the old man asked after a moment of silence.
"Two days 'rest—Lord Knight's special permission—then resume your usual errands for those armed with peculiar weapons." "You could have settled in the inner city, living decently with the craftsmen." "But you're barred from entry, Kukashim. Let's not dwell on this," he shook his head. "I won't leave you out." The old man was neither his kin nor his elder; six months prior, he had been a prisoner in the dungeon. Everyone knew the old man was merely a pawn pushed out by the underworld, but such occurrences were commonplace, and the patrol squad paid him no heed. Later, when Jin Sui City fell to a pirate raid, he was nearly killed in the chaos. Yet in the nick of time, the old man hid him in the cell, covering him with a foul-smelling sheet, and he narrowly escaped.
Vide never imagined he'd be rescued by a prisoner he'd never even glanced at, and suddenly realized he was no different from those detestable Nobles.
The other two in the room knew Kukashim's identity too. While it was manageable if he stayed, they'd definitely cause trouble for the old man if he left.
"Don't worry, everything will be fine," Wade said, patting the other person on the shoulder.
Two days later, he received news from the inner city about Your Royal Highness recruiting police officers.