"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I... don't quite understand." Marquis Wick wiped the sweat from his forehead, "elimination... What does it mean?"
"Gallows, servitude in mines, confiscation of property, deportation," the prince said lightly. "The rules of the game conform to royal law and are very fair."
"No, I worked for your father, you can't—"
"I'm your king now, so of course I can," he interrupted. "Don't panic, if you pass all ten questions, you can still get promotions and rewards. It's interesting to win and lose, right?"
"I… can't accept it," Ser Pylaw shook his head. "It's a joke! The punishments you're talking about must be decided by the Inquisition. Your Majesty, I'm feeling a little unwell. Please allow me to retire first."
He turned around and wanted to leave the hall, but found that the door had been closed, and the two soldiers stood at the exit with expressionless faces, with no intention of backing down.
"I'm not asking for your opinion, Mr. Pallao," Roland said, spreading his hands. "If you insist on leaving, you'll have to add another method of elimination." He gestured to shoot, "Be shot."
The nobles widened their eyes and took two steps back involuntarily, while the soldiers on both sides raised their guns and watched the group's movements vigilantly.
"Then now, the game begins." Roland stood up and clapped his hands. "The first question is about forcibly recruiting refugees from all over the country and forcing them to attack the Western Territory. Have you participated in it? Let you start first, the former Prime Minister. gentlemen."
"..." The Marquis of Wake was silent for a moment, "I did follow the will of Tifeko and recruit refugees from the east and the south, but I didn't know the second half of what you said."
Roland felt a slight pinching on his right shoulder.
"Unfortunately, I told you that there is only one chance," he waved his hand. "Take him down, and there is a prison under this great hall."
"Your Majesty, what I said is true—"
"However, you and I both know that even this sentence is a lie," Roland ignored the appeal of the former Prime Minister and watched him being dragged down the hall before slowly saying, "If you are a little smarter, don't choose Lying, that would do you no good—I can tell lies."
Everyone stayed where they were, and no one dared to speak for a while.
"If no one takes the initiative to answer, then I will name you," he looked at the Minister of Justice indifferently, "Mr. Pallo, how about you?"
…
As Roland thought, this is a trial.
He had to cut through the mess with a quick knife and finish the nobles here before he had the energy to deal with the matters south of the Falling Dragon Ridge. It is impossible for him to stay here for too long. In the end, the talents cultivated by the city hall have to manage the affairs here - and the resistance to take over the city, one comes from the local nobles, and the other is the black street gang.
Due to the limited investment, it is impossible for him to sort out as thoroughly as Changsong Fortress, so he still needs a certain amount of cooperation with traditional forces. The purpose of this trial is to quickly eradicate those nobles who have colluded too deeply with Tifeko and are guilty of serious crimes, leaving small nobles with clean backgrounds as partners to maintain the basic operation of the city. As for the black street, it can be handed over to Thassa to coordinate the order.
After all, the purpose of his decision to launch the Spring Offensive was to worry that Tifeko would conscript the people and waste it on a meaningless war of attrition. If Tifeko is overthrown and left, the city will definitely fall into chaos in a short time, then he is no different from the fake king.
After a year of tedious development, Roland's power at hand is no longer the same as at the beginning. Therefore, although he does not intend to develop the capital as a key city, he does not need to give it to others to represent him like a fortress.
Whether it is the noble class or the church, he has the qualifications to take the stage and turn the table.
"The last question, have any of you oppressed or persecuted the people? Witches are also included."
After the nine questions, there are more than fifty nobles in the hall, and now there are less than ten people left. This elimination rate is not surprising, because those who can serve in the city hall have been screened by Tifeke first. Roland was surprised that all those who thought his position was wrong and that the cause of Wimbledon III's death was in doubt were kicked out of the palace by him, and that there were seven other people who had never participated in the conspiracies he planned, and had nothing to do with the church at the same time.
"Your Majesty, I was wrong," a nobleman knelt down sweating profusely, "I once ordered my subordinates to beat a commoner, and he rubbed the mud from his feet on my trousers, I couldn't hold back for a while. ...but it was just a beating, it didn't kill him."
"I... I secretly possessed the daughter of a shop owner, but she seduced me first!"
"The butler slept with my wife while I was out hunting. I didn't pass the court's ruling, but cut off his guy... But Your Majesty, the butler shouldn't be counted?"
The various answers from the rest of the nobles made Roland work hard to hold back his smile. If it was normal, these things would not be considered crimes at all, not even mistakes. But now, they are obviously panicking, for fear that they will be considered a lie by concealing these problems, so that they are all tilted out.
After the other party finished speaking, Roland cleared his throat, "Nothing else?"
"No," the nobles affirmed.
When there was a light pinch on his right shoulder, he nodded, "Congratulations everyone, you passed the game."
This sentence made the people who answered the answer obviously relieved.
"I said at the beginning that reward and punishment are interesting... Rest assured, my promises are always valid, especially when there are so many seats in the city hall. But before that, I was a little concerned," Roland Looking at the two people standing at the end of the crowd - they didn't say a word other than answering "No". In other words, these two people admitted that they had not violated any law, and Nightingale also confirmed it. Their judgment, "What's your name, any position at City Hall?"
"Alva Tabor, Your Majesty." One replied, "I am in charge of matters related to the horoscope."
"Blanche Orlando," said the other, a woman, "as ceremonial officer."
It turns out that it is difficult to do something bad in such a position... The two of them are the only clear stream among the city hall nobles. Roland sat back on the throne, "You can leave the palace first, and I will notify you when I finish sorting out the family order." He paused, "You will soon see the way I manage and how my father is in charge. , Tifeko are all different, don't forget the reason why you can pass the game... Keep it up, this game won't happen just once."
After the nobles obliged to retreat, Roland also left the hall and walked towards the basement with Nightingale.
Time to meet his "brother", he thought.