Chapter 699: A Bloody Purge

The new year has only just begun, and the people are still savoring the joy of the recent festivities and Peace Haven's vast territorial expansion.

The upheavals that follow immediately cast a shadow over that happiness.

Every day, people are put to death at the execution grounds in Peace Haven's Los City.

They include ruthless merchants who grew rich through exploitation, high-ranking officials, decorated soldiers, and hardened criminals.

Anywhere from a handful to several dozen people are executed each day, and the killing continues for more than a month.

Thousands are put to death there by different methods, leaving the surrounding area steeped in a nauseating stench of blood.

Everyone in Peace Haven feels Henwell's fury.

Opinions vary wildly, however, as to what has made him so angry.

The one point on which everyone agrees is that the lord of Blood Hill has finally bared his fangs at those within his own realm.

Only now do they realize that the lord of Blood Hill, whose name terrifies his enemies, is not always gentle with his own subjects.

Amid this atmosphere of fear, neither the forced relocations nor the personnel transfers meet any open opposition.

Henwell may be unusually enlightened and grant his people the dignity and rights they deserve, but this remains a feudal society built on serfdom.

A thousand years of custom have taught the people to obey their lord without question.

To Henwell's surprise, Peace Haven's many new policies proceed smoothly without causing any major disturbances.

No one dares criticize his decisions, much less resist his policies.

Their obedience relieves Henwell, yet it also leaves him deeply saddened.

He has spent twenty years trying to educate and awaken the people. In the end, however, Peace Haven seems to have produced only a group of capable, educated serfs.

Late at night, gazing at a sky filled with stars, Henwell wonders whether he can truly reach the Abundant Continent within his lifetime, let alone the legendary Divine Grace Continent.

Will he ever have the chance to launch the Great Expedition?

Henwell had gradually begun to delegate authority, but now he has no choice but to take the reins again and return to a punishing schedule from five in the morning until nine at night.

This time, however, he no longer works from the study at Blood Hill Manor. He has moved into the Administrative Office.

A large staff of trainee secretaries assists him, and only a single door separates his office from Victor's.

Henwell spends several hours there every evening, working through and approving a mountain of documents.

In the mornings, he teaches classes at the various academies.

In the afternoons, he inspects the work of the different departments.

For two full months, he does not spend a single night at home.

One evening, Henwell does something rare: he leaves work on time.

But leaving the Administrative Office does not mean he has finished working for the night. Instead of going home, he heads to the most secure underground prison run by Peace Haven's Military Intelligence Office.

Only a handful of cells occupy the lowest level. Knights guard them, and each one is completely sealed.

A layer of extraordinary alloy steel plate is also sandwiched between the stone slabs.

One of the cells opens, allowing the dim light outside to spill in.

The cell contains no bed, only a blanket and a toilet. There is nothing else.

A figure lies curled in one corner. After a long while, she rises and straightens her clothes.

She then kneels before Henwell and salutes, her voice hoarse. "My lord!"

Henwell gestures to the guards, who replace the light outside with something softer.

Looking at the woman on the floor, Henwell asks, "How did you know it was me?"

Meredith smiles bitterly. "My lord, these are the Military Intelligence Office's highest-security cells. Only the director and deputy director have permission to come here."

"So much time has passed without Chick visiting, which means he has presumably been removed from office."

"And the new director would never risk being implicated by coming to see me."

Henwell does not answer. He turns and walks back outside. "Come out. We'll talk there."

Meredith refuses the guards' assistance and staggers out of the cell.

When she remains standing, Henwell points to a chair. "Sit. I have time tonight, and I came here to have a proper talk with you."

Meredith does not refuse again. After sitting down, she drinks several mouthfuls of the hot broth a guard hands her.

"My lord, do you want to ask why I did it? Why I betrayed the Military Intelligence Office?"

Henwell shakes his head. "No. There is no longer any point. I also know you did not act for purely personal reasons."

"At least, the reasons you would give were not about yourself. You would say you did it for Peace Haven and for me."

"But in truth, all of you wanted to become founding ministers of a new dynasty. You all wanted to be part of some greater undertaking."

Meredith remains silent for a long time. "My lord, it was not easy for a woman like me to rise this far."

"I also know very well that you intend to abolish the aristocracy. Under Peace Haven's rule, no one will stand above the law."

"I have two children. They are ordinary and possess no particular talent. Even with my help, they would struggle to establish themselves among all the gifted people in Peace Haven."

"I needed an achievement great enough to outweigh everything else, one that would let me pay with my life and secure wealth and comfort for my children."

"I did not sell out Peace Haven, and I did not betray you."

"Before I revealed those intelligence stations, I found reasons to transfer away everyone with talent or potential."

"Nor did I care about the wealth and titles Jonathan and the others promised me, because I knew they could never defeat you."

"I also suspected that Veil was behind this affair, but I did not expect them to join forces with the Western Regions."

Henwell asks, "Did you work all of that out during your time in here?"

Meredith brushes back her hair, revealing a deathly pale cheek. "My lord, I have always believed myself reasonably capable."

"I have spent all this time reviewing what happened. It was not difficult to conclude that they had joined forces."

Henwell waves a hand. "Enough. There's no need to discuss that. I've erased every trace of your two children."

"They have been given new names and identities and sent to Yosui City. Their past is unknown there, and no one will seek revenge against them."

"They will have respectable livelihoods. Their work won't place them in danger, but it won't bring them any great achievements either."

Upon hearing this, Meredith rises and kneels before Henwell once more. "Thank you, my lord!"

Henwell sighs. "We have served together as lord and retainer for many years. You've rendered great service to me and to Peace Haven."

"Your merits cannot cancel your crimes, but I will not mistreat one of my own."

Meredith says, "My lord, you do not need to preserve my dignity. Execute me in public. Only then can you establish a firm rule for the Military Intelligence Office."

Henwell says nothing. He turns and leaves the dungeon.

Three days later, Meredith is publicly beheaded at the execution grounds for rebellion, treason, conspiring to murder her colleagues, and several other crimes.

That night, Henwell returns to Blood Hill Manor.

No one notices him change into black clothes and make his way to the bank of the Ouse River in Peace Haven.

When the figure waiting by the river sees Henwell dressed in black, she drops to her knees. "My lord, you shouldn't have saved me!"