Bandits targeting nobles had emerged in the royal capital, even daring to attack noble carriages near the palace grounds. This incident had truly enraged the king.
Of course, His Majesty wasn't concerned about the safety of other nobles—what truly frightened the king was the potential threat to his security.
This had happened right beside the palace! Who could say whether these criminals had originally intended to target members of the royal family?
Unlike China's ironclad, heavily guarded imperial palaces, the royal palaces across the Western continent, due to differing systems, frequently experienced incidents of assassins infiltrating to kill kings and royal family members. Moreover, such assassination attempts often had a disturbingly high success rate. Even in the history of the Pradi Empire, one or two kings had met their ends this way.
With what appeared to be an abduction occurring near the palace, the life-conscious king naturally feared that these madmen might have been targeting him. Driven by such concerns, the king swiftly issued wanted notices and appointed a trusted minister to investigate the matter, demanding that the perpetrators be captured at all costs.
With the king ordering a thorough investigation, neither the responsible minister nor the commanded magistrates and city guards dared to delay. Even the royal guards dispatched personnel to join the investigative team.
Buck Green, the royal guard squad leader who first inspected the scene, was personally appointed to the investigation team. This was an opportunity to gain the king's attention, and he naturally wanted to seize it.
What made him even more grateful was that, due to Wei Wei's words at the time, Buck Green had grown suspicious of the missing carriage. After seeing Wei Wei off, he returned to the scene with his men, noted the direction the carriage had taken, and though he hadn't pursued it immediately, upon receiving orders, he reported his findings. Combined with the city guards' patrol routes, they quickly deduced the likely escape path of the perpetrators.
However, the central district was, after all, a residential area for nobles. The gates connecting to the upper district were guarded by soldiers, making it difficult for non-nobles to enter. The gatekeepers had some impression of passing carriages, especially those without noble crests. After showing the suspects' portraits to the guards on duty that day, they concluded that the group likely hadn't left the central district yet.
Exchanging glances with his colleagues, Buck Green, who was leading the pursuit, knew this spelled trouble.
While the city guards searched the central district, the roads offered no hiding places, meaning the perpetrators could only be hiding within some noble's residence.
With nobles involved, the investigation became far more complicated.
But with the king's strict orders to find the culprits and the investigating minister being no pushover, the team had no choice but to press on.
Thus, entry and exit from the central district suddenly became heavily restricted. All vehicles, even those belonging to nobles, were inspected, and individuals matching the suspects' descriptions were thoroughly questioned. Under such scrutiny, escape became impossible.
When the king personally signed search warrants allowing the investigative team and city guards to search noble residences—whether he had ulterior motives for agreeing to this was hard to say—the nobles' expressions soured for quite some time.
With such fearless searches, one of the six suspects was soon found.
But the trail ended there, as the man was already dead when discovered.
"The body was found in the river. Likely, realizing the situation had spiraled out of control, the mastermind chose to silence him."
A major river ran through the capital, serving as the primary water source for its residents. Of course, lacking any sense of hygiene, they also dumped all kinds of waste into it. Once again, the river became a "dump."
At dawn, the body of a wanted criminal was discovered by several women from the middle district who had gone to the riverbank to wash clothes. Panicked, they immediately reported it to the magistrates.
Through portrait comparisons and the coachman's identification, they confirmed the deceased was one of the six suspects.
Ideally, Wei Wei, who had provided the descriptions, should have identified the body for accuracy. But both the investigative team and Felix ignored this tacitly, neither considered it appropriate for a noblewoman to view a corpse. What if she were frightened?
So the coachman, who had been the first to see the suspects, was called in instead.
As the victim's family, Felix had been closely following the investigation. Though he had privately conducted his inquiries, they paled in comparison to the official efforts, so he paid close attention to the team's updates, which they shared openly with him.
And when Felix knew, Wei Wei naturally learned as well.
"Though only one body has been found, all six may have been killed," Felix relayed the team's speculation, which also hinted that the investigation might hit a dead end.
The central district had been under strict戒严, with patrols day and night. That someone could still commit murder and dump a body under these conditions suggested the perpetrator had even greater influence than imagined.
"Did they search the river?" Wei Wei frowned. "Though it's winter and diving is dangerous, if there are more bodies, wouldn't the river become polluted for those who rely on it?"
The thought of corpses in the water was unsettling.
Felix shook his head. "Winter diving is indeed perilous. Unless someone is skilled in cold-water swimming, they wouldn't dare. However, the team has posted guards at the drainage outlets, confirming the grates are intact. Any additional bodies would eventually be caught there."
The drainage outlets referred to sections where the river passed through the outermost city walls. To prevent enemies from infiltrating via the water, iron grates had been installed beneath the walls, with gaps too narrow for passage. Unless trapped elsewhere, any bodies would flow downstream and be caught there.
Thus, while the capital didn't prohibit dumping waste into the river, there were strict regulations on the size of discarded items.
"Besides, they don't care. Every district except the lower city has wells. Only the lower district's poor rely on the river for drinking water. Better-off commoners use well water for daily needs, reserving river water for laundry and such."
As for whether the poor fell ill from tainted water, no one cared.
Having lived in the capital for years, Felix knew this all too well.
"Why don't we hire people to search the river ourselves?" Wei Wei suggested. "Waiting isn't helping, and we won't stay here long. If the remaining suspects escape during the lapse, we'll never find them. Leaving them uncaught feels unsafe."
Though shocked by the mastermind's ruthlessness, this only strengthened her resolve to uncover them. Such a hidden enemy was deeply unsettling.
Felix agreed. Such foes were best dealt with swiftly: "I'll arrange it immediately."
Wei Wei added, "Spare no expense, and ensure proper preparations to prevent frostbite."
"Understood."
With sufficient pay, finding divers was easy. Even in winter, many impoverished souls braved the icy waters to fish for survival. These individuals typically lived in the lower district, the so-called slums. Felix sent soldiers there to recruit, offering generous wages. Many skilled swimmers volunteered, eventually forming a hundred-strong team.
Divided into sections, the divers were well-compensated. Before entering the water, they performed warm-up exercises, limited their time submerged, and upon exiting, drank ginger tea and thick barley porridge prepared by hired women. Fires burned brightly on the banks, and plenty of blankets ensured no one suffered frostbite.
The arrangements earned widespread praise for Count William of Sardinson as a generous and kind noble. The overseeing soldiers would then casually mention how this was nothing compared to life in Sardinson, where even serfs and slaves had full bellies in winter, and hardworking freemen lived so well they could idle through the season without fear of starvation, their stores lasting till the next harvest.
If questioned further, the soldiers eagerly elaborated on Sardinson's workshops, where even women could earn steady wages to support their families, and its local delicacies, described so vividly that listeners drooled over their porridge.
Eventually, some couldn't resist asking if Sardinson needed more workers.
Exchanging subtle smiles, the soldiers—secretly tasked with attracting migrants—replied that Sardinson indeed needed people, but only the hardworking and skilled.
"Though the count is kind, he won't tolerate laziness. Only the diligent are welcome in Sardinson."
Repeated often enough, such messages had a brainwashing effect, especially on the lower district's poor, who barely scraped by even in milder seasons. Now, with winter depleting their meager stores, many faced starvation, hence their willingness to risk diving for pay.
Of course, with earnings in hand, most regained their footing and hesitated to uproot. But some began considering Sardinson as a new home.
As word spread, the slums buzzed with tales of a land where hard work guaranteed survival, even prosperity. Though it sounded too good to be true, the desperate had little to lose.
Freemen might sound privileged, but often, their lives were worse than serfs'. Facing starvation, many would risk anything—even selling themselves into serfdom—for a chance to live.
Yet in the capital, becoming a serf wasn't easy. The surrounding lands belonged to the king and his direct vassals, already staffed with serfs. The poor couldn't even secure such positions unless they accepted slavery.
One might argue freemen could seek opportunities elsewhere, but that was easier said than done. Beyond their scant plots, freemen held empty titles. The outside world teemed with bandits who robbed and enslaved. Even if they evaded such perils, reaching a prosperous city or noble domain didn't guarantee acceptance, as winters were harsh everywhere, and locals often distrusted outsiders.
Thus, freemen who left home often perished on the road, finding neither work nor shelter.
Consequently, few freemen migrated annually. Historically, their last resort was selling family members—or themselves—into slavery.
The lower district's poor, mostly landless freemen surviving on odd jobs, or their ancestors, had once flocked to the capital seeking prosperity, only to find life harder than before. With their original lands sold, they were trapped.
Now, selling themselves seemed their only option.
As Felix recruited divers, many slum dwellers were already contemplating or enacting this.
Amid this despair, news of a welcoming land, endorsed by a generous count, sparked hope. For the desperate, even a slim chance was worth pursuing.
Three days later, a second corpse was found in the river, and the discoverer received a gold coin. This spurred others to dive eagerly, hoping for similar luck.
The body was swiftly taken by investigators, but the coachman confirmed it was another suspect.
"The second corpse was in a sack weighted with stones to prevent surfacing. Nearby, another stone-filled sack was found, its opening loose. The first body likely escaped from it."
Poetic justice, perhaps.
"Where was the second body found? Any other leads?"
"In the upper district's river section, far from the central district. We're still searching nearby but found nothing else."
Felix instructed his knight, "Check which boats traveled the river between the carriage incident and the discovery, especially at night."
The capital's river wasn't wide enough for large vessels, but small boats—fishing or cargo—plied its waters, and some offered passenger rides for romantic outings. However, winter's freezing currents and floating ice deterred most traffic, making investigations easier.
"Though the team will likely pursue this too if they intervene, just request their findings."
With the mastermind still at large, Felix wanted the investigation high-profile enough to deter further attacks.
Even if the culprit remained hidden, his priority was ensuring his household's safe return to Sardinson.
This wasn't surrender; he'd unearth the rat eventually.
The knight hesitated before leaving, adding, "Per your orders, the soldiers spread the word of Sardinson's labor needs in the slums. Many seem interested—inquiries have surged, with some even offering to become your serfs."
For desperate freemen, serfdom was preferable. Their logic: if Sardinson needed workers, becoming Count William's serfs would guarantee survival during the journey, and perhaps some initial provisions.
Freemen turning serfs voluntarily (not through crime or capture) could negotiate for food, buying them time.
Kingsley Hall, whose family had served the Williams for generations, inherited his father's knighthood five years prior under the old count's decree. His loyalty was absolute, extending now to Felix.
European knights were famed for unwavering fealty, even unto death. Thus, Felix trusted his knights above all.
Kingsley and his peers had witnessed Sardinson's transformation under Wei Wei's influence, reaping rewards alongside their lord. Their outrage at her attack matched Felix's, and they eagerly hunted for clues.
Meanwhile, they meticulously executed Felix's orders to discreetly recruit freemen.
The knights and soldiers accompanying Felix knew Sardinson's labor shortage firsthand, which impacted their interests. Thus, they wholeheartedly supported "recruitment" (not abduction).
Some knights even hoped to select capable individuals for their fiefs, as the count's rewards had enabled land purchases. Even untilled plots, if cultivated, could yield profits.
No one refused more land, even if newly broken ground required taxes.
Many knights shared this sentiment, awaiting Felix's lead.
If the count approved freemen and serf recruitment, they'd accompany the retinue home—and why not bring personal picks along?
Felix wasn't opposed to acquiring serfs, potentially in large numbers.
Compared to freemen, serfs (bound to the land and subject to lords' orders) were more manageable, almost akin to slaves in nobles' eyes.
"I'll need the king's consent. First, register willing candidates. Upon signing agreements, we'll pay market rates."
Though formal approval was pending, Felix doubted the king would refuse. Having served as a royal knight, he'd often heard the king bemoan the slums' drain.
Thus, Felix was confident that with nominal compensation (or perhaps none, given his taxes), the king would gladly let him take the poor off the capital's hands.
Hence, while paying lip service to royal permission, Felix instructed Kingsley to proceed—the two weren't mutually exclusive.