Chapter 468: The Return
Two weeks later, Roland came home.
He had cleared out the four noble families and the Black Street Rats with something approaching surgical efficiency, and what came after — relief programs, resettlement, the quiet installation of new order in Longsong Stronghold — was underway. The gold and provisions seized from the Maple Leaf, Wolf, and Wild Rose territories were not as abundant as what had been taken from Duke Ryan, but they were enough. Enough to expand the porridge distribution to the entire city without scruple. Enough to make his policies legible to people who had never had reason to trust a lord before.
By the day of his departure, the Second Army had reached its target of five hundred recruits, and the police department had added two hundred more. He left half his soldiers and Vader in Stronghold — defense, order, training — and let the machinery run.
There could be no construction without destruction. The destruction was done. What remained was the harder work.
His confidence came from Border Town, whose population had grown past thirty thousand, more than half of them receiving elementary education. By the standards of this era, it was a staggering number — equivalent to two modern middle schools, which was itself a useful comparison only in that it helped him hold the scale in his mind. What mattered was not the number but what the education contained: not just reading, but basic science, civic knowledge, and the early grammar of something he was choosing to call patriotism.
Small sparks. He watched the dark water of the Redwater River slide past the hull and thought: every one of them a small spark.
As the sky deepened, a voice behind him: “What is that?”
Then another: “A bridge? It can’t be — that’s impossible. It must be two hundred meters long.”
“It’s made of steel.”
The lower-ranking nobles who had survived the cleanup occupied the deck in clusters. They had been exclaiming since they boarded — first at the stone boats that somehow floated, then at the steam engine’s rhythmic puffing, then at the spinning wheel turning without hands. Roland had let them exclaim. Now, as the fleet slipped under the steel bridge, the gasps stacked on top of each other and he almost laughed aloud.
It’s a shame the Three Supplies Project isn’t finished, he thought, watching a nobleman grip the rail and crane his neck upward at the passing steel span. If they saw a working light bulb, they would simply stop functioning.
The boats docked with a long whistle. Barov, Carter, and a delegation from the City Hall were already at the shore. Celebration cannons were set off. Roland shook hands and clapped shoulders and then drew Barov aside to look at the assembled Stronghold nobles.
“Housing, daily needs, education,” he said quietly. “Treat them like new graduates, regardless of their titles. They’re barons at most. I want to see results.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
When Roland entered the castle, the witches were waiting in the lobby.
He did not have time to register the warmth of the heating system before something warm collided with his chest. He knew the scent of her hair without needing to look. He patted her head.
“I’m back.”
“Uh-huh.” Anna lifted her face. Her blue eyes were very bright. “I’ve been waiting a long time.”
“Me too!”
“And me! Coo!”
Something additional attached itself to each of his arms. He didn’t look. He didn’t need to.
“You two basically came along,” Mystery Moon said from somewhere behind him.
“No shame,” Lily agreed.
“I’m just glad you’re all home safe,” Wendy said.
“We should celebrate.” Scroll surveyed the lobby.
“Ice cream bread!” Andrea declared. “With Ashes’ and Shavi’s portions, I’ll be feasting.”
The last to approach him was Tilly Wimbledon. She extended her hand with the ease of someone for whom formality was a second language rather than a first.
“You’ve had a long journey.”
Roland took her hand. “Thank you.”
After dinner, he retreated to his office and exhaled.
The Stronghold castle was larger, grander. This room was more comfortable. He stood there a moment just appreciating the fact.
He was kneeling to sort the books he had carried from Stronghold — historical records, legendary tales, secret histories of the Western Region, everything from Duke Ryan’s library that had survived the cleanup — when the office door opened.
“You came at the right time.” He gestured at the scattered volumes. “These are for you. Historical records, legendary tales, some secret Western Region histories, all from Duke Ryan’s library. Oh, and this one here is—”
The sentence stopped when her lips met his.
The kiss was warm and unhurried and tasted faintly of the evening’s celebration. When Anna drew back, she looked at him without speaking for a moment, then spoke each word separately, with weight.
“I really missed you.”
Something in Roland’s chest settled that he hadn’t known was unsettled. He looked back at her.
“This book—” he began.
“I’ll read it later.”
“Good idea.”
The books remained on the floor.
Chapter 468: The Return
Translator: TransN Editor: TransN
After two weeks, Roland was finally on his way home.
After clearing out the four noble families and Black Street Rats with an iron hand, he could, for the time being, start the reform of Longsong Stronghold from scratch. Relief and resettlement measures were underway in an orderly fashion. Although the gold royals and provisions seized from the territories of the Maple Leaf, Wolf, and Wild Rose families weren’t as abundant as the ones seized from Duke Ryan, they were still a shocking amount. That was why he could expand the relief program to the entire city unscrupulously, and successfully promote his policies during the porridge distribution.
By the day of his departure, the Second Army had reached its target of recruiting 500 people, and the police department had newly added about 200 new members as well. Roland left half of his soldiers and Vader in Stronghold, so that they could not only manage defenses and maintain order, but could also train the new recruits into usable warriors.
He knew the time for him to implement his policies was limited. If he failed to facilitate the direct communication between the people and the City Hall and did not establish his authority among the masses quickly enough, the ancient power would return to fill the current power gap. As the saying goes, there could be no construction without destruction. He had already completed the destruction, and now it was time to construct and boom Stronghold.
Roland’s source of confidence was Border Town, whose population had grown to over 30,000 people, more than half of which were receiving elementary education. This would equal to the size of two modern day middle schools, but it was a shocking number for this era. Furthermore, elementary education was not just about reading skills, but also included
basic knowledge of science and politics, as well as a universal sense of patriotism.
The increase in literacy rate would provide him with enough manpower for the revolution. Also, compared to ignorant and meek civilians, a sense of patriotism will enable them to burst out unimaginable power. The town’s subjects were each small sparks that would one day set off a great fire in the entire land.
As the sky dimmed, Roland saw the town looming against the darkness.
“Look… what’s that?” a member of the nobility shouted behind him.
“A… bridge?” said another person, craning his neck. “My goodness, it’s way too long.”
“That’s impossible! How could such a long bridge be supported with only two pillars?”
“Wait… it seems to be made of steel!”
On the way back, apart from the witches, there were dozens of lower-level nobles on Roland’s boat, who had not participated in the rebellion and therefore survived the cleanup.
According to Roland’s plan, those lower-level nobles would learn to hierarchically manage the City Hall. After the city construction was officially under way, they would return to Stronghold and help Petrov build the secondary City Hall to carry out and give him feedback on his orders. After the nobles lost their feudal privileges, they would all want to improve, and the only thing they could rely on was their own abilities.
As the fleet passed the steel bridge, Roland heard the astonished gasps of the nobles behind him. Everyone held their breaths and stared as the steel bridge that stretched over the entire width of the river flitted over their heads.
The prince couldn’t help but laugh at these people, who had not stopped exclaiming since they boarded the boat. First, they were shocked that a boat
made of stone could float on water, and then they were amazed by the spinning wheel and the puffing steam engine. “It’s a shame that the town’s Three Supplies Project isn’t completed,” he thought, “otherwise their jaws would drop to the floor when they saw the power of light bulbs.”
The boats slowly docked with a sharp whistle. Barov, Carter, and a group of City Hall officials had received the carrier pigeon and were waiting by the shore. When they saw Roland, they set off celebration cannons and welcomed him with a set of formalities fit for a king.
Roland smiled and patted the two men’s shoulders, and then he brought Barov over to the Stronghold nobles and introduced everyone to each other. “You’re in charge of these people’s housing, lives, and education,” he said quietly to Barov. “Don’t mind their identities and titles, since they are barons at most. There’re all kinds of people in the mines, and they all have to work to live an honest living. Train them like you would do to new graduates. I want to see the results as soon as possible.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
When Roland returned to the castle, all the witches who had heard about his return were waiting in the lobby. Before he could even feel the effects of the heating system on entering the door, a warm body leaped into his arms. He smelled the familiar scent of her hair and patted her head, smiling. “I’m back.”
“Uh-huh.” Anna raised her head, her blue eyes sparkling with joy. “I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”
“Me too!”
“And me! Coo!”
Soon, Roland felt an extra weight on each of his arms… He didn’t even have to look to know that it was Lightning and Maggie, because no one else would interrupt him and Anna.
“Hey, you two basically went along with him.” Mystery Moon complained.
“Yeah.” Lily scoffed. “No shame!”
“I’m just glad you’re all back safe and sound,” said Wendy gently.
“We should celebrate tonight,” Scroll suggested.
“Yay! I want ice cream bread!” Andrea exclaimed. “With Ashes’ and Shavi’s portions, I’ll be feasting tonight!”
The last to walk up to him was Tilly Wimbledon.
She stuck out her hand and said casually, “You’ve had a long journey.”
“Thank you.” Roland smiled and grasped her extended hand.
…
After a hearty dinner, Roland returned to his office and sighed heavily. Although the castle of Stronghold was much bigger, this small place was much more comfortable.
Just as he was about to sort out the books he brought over from Stronghold, Anna entered the room.
“You came just in time.” Roland pointed to the books piled on the rug. “Look, these are my presents for you. They’re mostly historical records and legendary tales, while others are secret stories of the Western Region, and they were all taken from Duke Ryan’s library. Oh, right, this one is…”
Before he could finish, he felt a pair of soft lips press onto his.
They brought a sweet scent mixed with passion and warm moisture.
“I really missed you,” Anna pronounced each word with due stress after she disengaged from Roland, looking deeply into his eyes.
As he stared back at her, Roland felt a sense of warmth swarming upon his heart. “This book…”
“I’ll read it later.”
“Good idea.”
The two became entangled in a kiss.