To Build An Empire

Jonas had never felt this uncomfortable in his life. The sheer amount of people literally freezing as he casually strolled down the road followed by a number of his guards was simply unrealistic. Every single person automatically recognized him then began to stare like madmen with nothing better to do than look at you.

He shivered as a few of the younger folk had a hint of something he found only once a year during the annual prayer service to the Father. In their eyes was a tiny bit of fanaticism and crazed worship that made him want to run back into the manor as quickly as possible.

They would drop whatever they were doing, regardless of how important or timely it seemed just to watch him walk by. Some even began to walk behind his entourage of guards whispering in unison. Prayers mostly, but some even began say things he feared would spread far enough to reach the Grand Church.

He did not want to be hanged for calming to be a false prophet, much less cause a crusade against him and everyone that stood by him even once in his life time including his father, Duke Hadin, and his entire estate. They were merciless and unrelenting, no matter how far he traveled or what powers he calls to his banner, they would never give up until there were none left to carry out their 'holy' and 'righteous' tasks that were 'ordained by God'.

Yep, keep those rumors and fake claims as far as possible from him. He wanted nothing to do with any priest unless it's to be blessed.

It probably was a mistake to go out and see what had happened with his own eyes. Frezar had told him about the riots and the catastrophic ending it could have unless order was returned. Every single villager could end up being slaughtered for 'standing against their lord'. Much less being accused of stealing and damaging the Emperor's property.

No matter how ridiculous those claims sounded, someone out there could use them to fleece these already poor people of everything they called their own.

Then, the only people he had out was half of the Hardened Shields organizing the food drives and making sure no one tries to horde most of the food for themselves or attempt to make a shiny penny of them. That was the most Jonas had expected, not the crazed race to grab and stuff their faces as quickly as possible without once thinking about how their bodies would react to such large amounts of sustenance after years of eating nothing but scraps and dirt.

He had to get most of his mages to slowly heal and use the energy gathered in the people's bodies from the fruits to heal any damages and help adjust them to stronger and more efficient sources of food. Thank heaven the Father had blessed most of his mages with the ability to heal by literally wiping over the afflicted area. Without it, he probably would have ended up killing half the population from trying to feed them too much.

Honestly, he had thought the fruits were going to be okay regardless of how much they ate. It was worth the least among the things he ate daily. Barely a snack to stomach before he got to eat the good stuff. They were barely worth a single gold coin much less anything special like cream and cheese made by a cow on the seventh stage of the Path. Jonas got to eat the best, most energy stuffed food they could find anywhere on the colony and archipelago

Excluding the damned sea monster! When the hell is that thing going to finish? Every day and night he was forced to fight against his urge to simply throw out his pot full. Jonas had begun to get sick of just hearing about any sea monster no matter how they tasted.

Either way, Jonas had to institute martial law to make sure the common people didn't hurt themselves trying to climb over each other, much less take a beating from any guard or soldier. They'd probably die from a single light swing.

He had fully armored and mounted BlackGuards stationed on each street and intersection. Cavalry men from PennyHarbor were guarding alleyways and the smaller streets with the help of the guards and Destrian's few thousand starved knights.

Curfews were set from sunrise to sunset without any quarter. Anyone outside of their homes or not stuffed in a hut was arrested and detained for questioning. Any civil unrest was quenched with auras instead of physical beatings with batons and blunted weapons. Anyone breaking into another's home was arrested and given a thorough dose of aura.

To be truthful, Jonas didn't know auras could be used in so many different ways. The mercenary leader of the Hardened Shields seemed to have experienced many riots and similar situations through his tenure, so he had suggested to simply use aura as a mental beating rather than risking killing anyone with a single held back hit. The man was quite intelligent if a bit crude, though his name seemed to slip Jonas's mind every time he tried to call for him.

Shabaz...err...Shablar?

Shab. Perfect nickname, isn't it. Well, he has to live with it now. Hopefully, he takes it with class rather than make a fuss out of it.

Yet, the most beneficial part of the military law had come unexpectedly. Within the first day, they caught no less than four sting operations to rob food drive stations and seven attempts to smuggle large quantities of food out of the city by gangs and bandit crew members.

The worst of them walked next to Gregor as Raneria stared daggers at him for taking her spot. The thin and old bastard had started out trying to make problems before they found out that he could actually take a beating. His super thin frame--probably the thinnest living being in the city, rodents included--held hidden muscles and a vitality that should not exist in such a malnourished person.

Took a while before he finally broke down and gave up his secret.

Lieutenant of the Big Cats. The most influential bandit in the city and a part of the most infamous bandit crew this part of the entire colony. More importantly, he had broken through the first stage almost three decades ago and is at the pinnacle. Probably was trying to horde most of it for himself to help facilitate his own break through.

Though he was much weaker than a soldier of the same stage on the Path. Might have to do with the training and physical differences between a normal soldier and a malnourished old man.

The old gezer had given Shab an earful before the riots began. His innocent, old, weak, and naive suspicion act had fooled everyone until he was caught leading twenty other young men of the same stage, but much less experienced, out of the city gates.

They thought they would find their usual guards. Ha!

make

Jonas had changed the guards secretly from the first day. Those faces they knew were nothing more than statues. A safety measure he never thought was going to actually reel in anything. Instead of what he thought, it brought in the big fish indeed.

"Tell me again about how you were going to make your escape again? Just doesn't much sense to me with all the orcs raiding everything in sight." Jonas said. The talkative man had been silent ever since the beating of his life time.

"Y-Your lordship. I ain't know nothing more-"

One of his BlackGuards quickly jabbed him with the b.u.t.t of his spear bringing the old man to his knees clutching at his side. He hacked and coughed for a good minute before his body visibly lost its bruising in that area.

The man had gained the ability to regenerate anything smaller than a major cut or anything fatal. Special indeed.

Jonas smilled. He should feel bad for the old man being treated this way, but something in him just couldn't give a damn.

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