CHAPTER 43: TO PROTECT, TO AQUIRE

A total of 11,979 people were successfully admitted to normal public housing.

Within just half a day, the city managed to record the identities of all those who were admitted, as well as the homes where they would live, in the population register, and it was filled with more than 15,000 people.

Everything was clearly stated. Every rule in the city had been placed in each room of every house during this one and a half month period.

A person who violates the city rules only three times will be expelled from the city immediately. Well...some of the rules at least...

[1-Theft will be punished with a fine at first, and if the crime is repeated, the thief’s hand will be cut off.

2-Rape or sexual harassment will be punished by death.

3-Adultery will be punished by the guilty party giving all their wealth to the other party, and if the parties agree to continue their relationship and the same incident is repeated, both parties will be expelled from the city.

4-Any person who commits racism will be booed by the city, and if this is done a second time, the person who committed racism will be fined 100 gold pieces, and if this fine cannot be paid, the person who committed racism will be sold as a slave.

5-Wasting water, food, clothing, and similar items will result in a monetary penalty.

6-Deliberately blocking toilets and bathtubs in homes will result in a monetary penalty.

7-Hunting without permission will result in the immediate confiscation of every animal hunted, a monetary penalty, and imprisonment, all applied simultaneously.

8-As in the imperial capital, anyone under the age of 18, anyone who is not of legal age, will be considered a child, and marriage is prohibited for those who have not reached this age. If there are married individuals, and if these individuals were forced into marriage, their marriages will be dissolved by imperial law. The party who was forced into marriage will be protected under imperial law. The party that forced the marriage will be executed.

9-According to city law, individuals under the age of 18 may not consume alcohol anywhere in the city (inns, bars). Individuals under this age may only consume alcohol in their own homes. Those who violate this law will be fined 3 gold coins.]

The other rules, other than those 9 incredibly IMPORTANT rules, were obviously the Imperial Rules of the Empire, which were, of course, already known by the people.

Even after the day had ended, purchases in the city continued.

Four days had passed, and when the morning sun rose again, Luke had begun to observe who the businesses to be rented out would be rented to.

For three hours straight, without moving, he had reviewed Kevin’s compiled personal documents one by one. Luke had observed the details of over fifteen thousand personal documents, including identity information, personality traits, and much more.

Additionally, the unique gifts individuals had received from the gods and goddesses set them apart. Even if the gifts were not what was desired, those with experience were carefully monitored by Luke.

The four businesses in the city centre, that is, the area connecting the four roads, were operated by the three hundred or so elves who had first arrived in the city.

The subsequent businesses were then gradually being rented out one by one.

Luke did not want to sell any buildings directly. More precisely, he wanted to do so, but he needed people he could truly trust.

The owners of the four businesses in the centre would not pay rent. Their duty, and that of their families living with them, was to directly maintain the system in the centre.

Meanwhile, within three days, the military led by Zoey had begun to take action.

Nearly three thousand seven hundred soldiers were training continuously. Regardless of whether they were experienced or inexperienced, none of them had been given ranks. Regardless of the circumstances, they had to earn those ranks themselves. Zoey had started the training two days earlier, after giving the soldiers a day of rest.

While Luke continued to manage the situation within the city alongside Kevin and the young elf boy Cain, Juliet was overseeing the soldiers’ training.

Callum, meanwhile, was occupied with maintaining order within the city.

Of course, no one was foolish enough to cause trouble while someone like Callum was in the city and the city was being ruled by a Hiera, but... everyone was certain that it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious.

Actually, Callum was supposed to be the one to train the soldiers in Zoey’s place, but at the last moment, the middle-aged man had decided to give the task to Zoey. The reason was very simple.

There would come a time when Callum might not be here to protect Luke, when Luke might be elsewhere on his orders. When that time came, the task of protecting Luke’s fiancée...no, his wife, would fall to Zoey.

And the task that fell to Zoey would fall to the thousands of soldiers she commanded.

This city did not belong to a Wirgo, a Typhoon, a Cestis, or a Moneta. The Freley family did not even have a city of their own.

In short, this city belonged to Hiera, and it had to be protected no matter what. Whether dragons or phoenixes came, whether hydras or amaroks came, this city must not fall.

That’s why Callum had entrusted this task to Zoey, one of the few people he could rely on to protect Luke after him.

Zoey, like him, was determined to create a system that could protect him and this city.

Once everything was in place, Luke found the people he was looking for in just one day and summoned them to his command with Kevin’s help.

Within thirty minutes, eleven people who looked like ordinary citizens, some with tired eyes, others with energetic ones, but all of whom appeared genuinely happy when looked at, entered the workroom and lined up side by side.

Luke already knew each of them well; their personality traits, hobbies, identification documents... everything was meticulously documented.

Shortly thereafter, Luke began his explanation:

"I have an offer for you. I want you to take charge of the businesses marked on the map I just showed you. You have the necessary experience and the required qualifications."