Chapter 137: A Striking Precedent

With the full circumstances of the incident completely revealed, a large number of people were arrested. 

From the underworld boss who ran the illegal gambling den to the scammers who had worked as house players.

The defendants alone numbered a staggering 55.

Among them, I was assigned only Randy Eplin’s trial.

It had been my case from the beginning, and it held quite symbolic meaning.

Up until now, the sentences for fraud have been extremely light.

Moreover, it was the first case where the diverted funds were fully recovered.

How I ruled here would set the standard for the future.

I can’t let this world become one where fraud runs rampant. I’ll show them what true education really is.

I stood on the dais with a solemn expression.

“I will now pronounce the sentence. The defendant has deceived numerous people using rigged gambling techniques, and his connection to the illegal gambling den has been confirmed. Randy Eplin is sentenced to 20 years in prison for fraud. Additionally, the defendant’s assets will be temporarily seized to compensate the victims.”

“Huh? Th-that’s…! Just a moment!”

Viscount Eplin shot up from his seat and hurried forward in a panic.

His expression and eyes full of injustice.

Regardless, I cast an emotionless gaze at him.

“Isn’t this too much! 20 years for mere fraud!”

“Why do you make such a claim?”

“Up until now, no matter how high the sentence, it was at most 2 years with 4 years suspended. So why am I the only one getting this? Are you holding a grudge because you lost the game?!”

In a way, it was quite an effective attack.

It would make it look like I, having lost money in gambling, was abusing my power to persecute him.

But that only worked when the situation was ambiguous.

With clear evidence and witnesses now, it was nothing but a cheap trick.

“The defendant was caught using gambling techniques right in front of Prosecutor Sears and me. If the hand had returned to normal, I would have won. But none of that process matters.”

“Why?”

“Because I received no personal gain whatsoever while assisting in the investigation. That illegal gambling den must pay a fair price.”

Viscount Eplin fumbled with his lips before gritting his teeth.

His eyes still showed he hadn’t given up.

“How do you distinguish between committing fraud and a normal game?”

“There’s no need to.”

“Huh?”

“If there’s a rotten apple in the box, the rest of the apples rot in an instant too. It’s only a matter of time. Weren’t you planning to fleece everyone who frequents that place with rigged gambling anyway?”

In truth, the rotten apple theory wasn’t meant for this situation.

It referred to how a negative individual influences others and worsens the entire organization.

But as long as the meaning got across roughly, it was fine.

As I answered Viscount Eplin’s outburst simply, the gallery immediately began to stir.

“Living off scamming others and acting so cocky?”

“There was a merchant last time who skipped out on his tab and ran. He ended up with a suspended sentence.”

“How much was the damage?”

“200 goldens. Because of that he couldn’t pay his trade dues on time and racked up a ton of debt. He had to pay an extra 400 goldens just in interest.”

“Even though it’s not a small amount, the punishment is so light. People really take fraud too lightly.”

“In that sense, this ruling is incredibly satisfying.”

“Haha! With who presiding over the trial, there’s no way human scum can slip away easily.”

“Going so far as to infiltrate a den of criminals himself—now that’s a true man of the law.”

“By the way, when are they dragging that guy away?”

At the people’s outcry, the court knights finally moved.

They must have been waiting for the verbal battle to end.

Soon Randy Eplin flailed like a fresh fish and started screaming.

“T-this can’t be…”

Thud! Thud!

The price of resistance was brutal.

After taking a few hits from the court knights, Viscount Eplin went limp.

The people watched the scene with refreshed expressions.

I hid the smile that naturally crept onto my face and left the courtroom.

***

Starting with Viscount Eplin, the organization ‘Kuras’ related to the illegal gambling den was completely dismantled. 

It was a fairly well-known underworld group, but in front of public authority it was no different from a neighborhood thug. 

They were swept away in an instant, and for a while all the illegal gambling dens closed their doors entirely.

Fearing any sparks might fly their way, they were lying low for now.

“By the way, this is a bit of a problem.”

I flipped through the documents with a serious expression.

These were the results of a random survey conducted across all of Perias.

Surprisingly, over 80% of nobles had visited an illegal gambling den at least once.

For freemen it reached 70%, and even serfs had visit experience at around half.

There are quite a lot of addicts.

If left like this, society would become seriously diseased.

In truth, for nobles, a moderate level of luxury or gambling was a necessary social activity.

Ostentatious spending befitting one’s status acted as a sort of virtue.

In that sense I was quite a boring guy, but it wasn’t a big problem.

I didn’t engage in personal luxury, but I spent enormous amounts of money in various fields.

Ah, of course Mrs. Sears’ case is different.

The virtue of luxury only applied to high-ranking nobles who had their own territories.

For bureaucrats and freemen, adjusting spending to income was essential.

They simply couldn’t earn that much money.

Anyway, people of lower status couldn’t help but admire noble culture.

That’s why I already implemented measures in my own land…

In the Midias game hall, betting was limited to 1 silon per day.

I had set a limit so that it became play rather than gambling.

It might feel boring, but the employees’ satisfaction was quite high.

“But it’s only a temporary measure.”

The root of the problem was clear.

Although higher wages had created surplus money, there were too few places to spend it.

The most accessible place to recharge dopamine was the illegal gambling den, so they hovered around there.

Once they started even one round, they couldn’t help but fall into an endless swamp.

“For now, I need to crush all the illegal gambling dens first?”

Originally this was something I couldn’t even start.

If I were the governor like in Delriat, maybe. But here I was merely the Chief Justice, head of the judiciary.

But the Emperor had entrusted me with the market position as well.

I could just exercise administrative power to regulate the illegal gambling dens.

We’re right in the middle of the war on crime, so the justification is plenty.

The problem was that simply installing game halls like in Midias everywhere wouldn’t be enough.

Blindly blocking wasn’t the best policy.

Human greed is endless and people repeat the same mistakes.

So what should I do?

“I need to create lots of healthy entertainment options.”

What are you going to do?

As I muttered alone at the office desk, Shugl approached and asked.

The guy who had shown no interest until now seemed drawn to the word “entertainment.”

I lightly shrugged my shoulders and said.

“That’s what I’m going to think about starting now. Maybe something like soccer.”

─Soccer? What’s that?

“There is such a thing. You kick a ball with your feet… Huh?”

Shugl standing straight up like a meerkat and Feltron sprawled on the desk snoring away.

Looking at the two, a pretty good idea came to mind.

Sports were the perfect healthy offline game.

Nobles do it too. Things like jousting tournaments.

A soccer match, which was more complex and thrilling than something so simple, would likely be more popular.

“Shall we start with the Dapan Group first?”

─No, explain what soccer is properly first.

“Before that, there’s something you two need to do.”

Feltron, who seemed interested in the conversation with Shugl, slowly lifted his head.

I smiled brightly as I looked down at the two.

“I’m going to create teams with your appearances as their symbols. Team Shugl, Team Feltron—that kind of thing.”

─Oh? Us?

“Yes. We’ll put your images in the team logos. How about it?”

─Sounds good?

I briefly explained the rules of soccer to them.

The two then glared at each other as if they were really competing.

The atmosphere felt like a fight might break out any second.

─Why are you staring like that?

─Is there a rule that says a junior can’t look at his senior?

─What?

Of course I stepped in appropriately before it got too heated.

I wanted to create soccer teams, not pit them against each other in a brawl.

“Alright, alright. We need to recruit players starting now. Bring people with good physical ability and footwork.”

─Us?

“Of course. They’re your teams.”

─Oh…….

They looked somewhat reluctant, but Shugl and Feltron soon nodded.

They seemed delighted at the mere fact that their own teams were being created.

“Alright, let’s go!”

─Let’s gooo!

─Move aside, you junior punk!

─Ugh! That detestable senior bastard.

The two bickered as they quickly left the office.

I watched them leisurely, then snapped my fingers.

Snap!

“Sir McNeil?”

“Why are you suddenly calling me?”

Cordell McNeil, who popped out abruptly, had a somewhat anxious expression.

He seemed to think I was going to assign him work too.

What does this guy take me for…?

His senses are ridiculously sharp.

Obviously, there was only one reason to call a hidden escort knight.

To have him do something.

I quickly scribbled something on a piece of paper.

I had sketched the appearance of a soccer field as closely as I could from memory.

“Deliver this to Vice President Xavier.”

“What is this?”

“It’s a blueprint for a soccer stadium. It would be good to build it at a suitable distance from the Midias shopping district.”

Cordell McNeil stared at the drawing for a while before tilting his head.

“Will this really be popular?”

“Haha!”

I let out a dumbfounded laugh.

After all, kicking around something round was human instinct.

Moreover, watching it was just as fun as playing it yourself.

I spoke with a confident expression.

“Stop talking and go already.”

“Yes.”

I had no intention of convincing Cordell.

That man only knew how to hit on women.

There was no point discussing the popularity of sports with someone like him.

“The stadium is taken care of for now. Having only two teams would be boring, so shall we make a few more?”

With four teams we could at least play six matches.

Once soccer gained popularity, sponsors would appear and more teams would pop up one after another.

At that point we could divide them into leagues based on skill.

“Since we need motivation, we should also offer prize money. Then next…”

It was just playing with a ball in earnest, yet there were so many things to prepare.

For the safety of players and spectators, it would be good to dispatch priests as well.

While jotting down various thoughts on paper, a huge obstacle suddenly came to mind.

“Wait a minute. Other things can be handled gradually, but what about the ball?”

I couldn’t have them play with something as unsightly as a tied-up pig’s bladder.

My thoughts suddenly hit a wall, and everything went dark before my eyes.

Making it isn’t that difficult.

I just needed to connect pentagons and hexagons.

The problem was the lack of rubber to fill the inside.

I would need to find a similar material, which would require numerous experiments.

If Princess Eustia were here, I could easily get results.

But that would be too much of a free ride.

There was no way I could summon a married woman all the way from the distant Crawford Principality.

“There’s still plenty of time, so I’ll approach it step by step from the basics.”

I was about to head straight to Vargas’ laboratory.

But at that exact moment.

“Your Grace.”

The newly appointed head butler, Hayden Chase, suddenly appeared.

“What is it?”

“His Majesty the Emperor…”

I closed my eyes tightly and pressed my forehead.

Ah, what is it this time.

Does he really have to assign me work at exactly this moment, Your Majesty?

I was inwardly cursing Emperor Karon when Butler Chase continued.

“He has granted you a vacation. His order is for you to go to the southern villa and rest thoroughly.”

“…..Pardon?”

Just what is he plotting now?