Chapter 59: The True Culprit

Who would have thought Hozein Allegan was the mastermind behind all this?

Honestly, it was a completely unexpected outcome.

Of course, he must have been quite shocked too.

He’d stabbed my abdomen with a massive knife, yet here I stood, perfectly fine.

“H-How on earth?”

He seemed so startled that his jaw trembled.

Ah, maybe from the head smack?

But I hadn’t hit that hard.

No matter how angry, I needed to talk first.

I smiled brightly and slowly spread my left arm.

While gripping the blade with my hand.

Tss tss tss tss!

Crimson aura blazing fiercely.

What saved my life in that split second was Beast’s Heart.

The skill allowed me to catch the opponent’s subtle movements.

I looked down at Hozein coldly and said,

“Why did you do it?”

“Do what?”

But the response was utterly brazen.

His expression of feigned innocence was pure as could be.

‘Wow! What kind of sociopath is this?’

A hollow laugh escaped at those eyes devoid of any guilt.

Still, I asked once more.

“Delriat was rapidly normalizing. And didn’t I give the administrator ample salary and authority?”

What was lacking to make him do this?

Until now, Hozein Allegan had held the administrator position without pay.

Wasn’t it to see Delriat stand tall?

His expression twisted.

My words seemed to shake his venomous resolve.

“That’s…”

Soon, Hozein’s mouth opened.

His face deeply furrowed.

But then subtle pressure built on my left arm.

I let out a short sigh and gritted my teeth.

“Ha! Incorrigible.”

He was stealthily pushing force into the knife.

What did that mean?

He intended to stab again in a moment of carelessness.

“No, wait a second.”

“Don’t play games. No need for further talk.”

Ddudeuduk!

I applied force to my left hand, crumpling the blade like paper.

Then buried a punch full of rage into Hozein Allegan’s face.

Kwa—jik!

“Keureureuk!”

This time, a genuine punch with no mercy.

Probably far more impactful than the communication rod hit.

Hozein flipped backward, eyes rolling white.

Finally, the culprit who regressed Delriat was apprehended.

A bit coercive, but no method more efficient.

‘No, rational talk wouldn’t have worked no matter what.’

From officials to citizens, everyone was filled with barbaric thoughts.

The empire seemed the same to me, but here it was especially worse.

Probably because the territory had once collapsed utterly.

Then a very strong remedy was needed.

‘Everything from one to ten needs reform.’

The parasites gnawing at the governor-general’s office were rounded up one by one.

So many were involved that the security detention cells were bursting.

But it didn’t matter much.

I’d be trying dozens at once anyway.

Procedures would be arbitrary, of course.

‘The investigating security force is a mess, and prosecutors are riddled with accomplices.’

Still, trials would proceed smoothly.

All criminals were caught, and evidence was fully uncovered.

Then just sentencing guidelines…

No, there were no such things.

I’d just hand down judgments as I saw fit.

Imperial law applied directly in Delriat.

Three days after Hozein Allegan’s capture.

The first trial finally opened.

“We will now begin the trial for the governor-general’s office state affairs corruption case.”

With no associate judges, I had to handle all procedures myself.

So I lightly skipped the salute to me.

‘It feels embarrassing anyway.’

I’d watched Judge Josef Padiya often, so no mistakes.

As Hozein sat in the defendant’s seat, loud outbursts erupted from the gallery.

“Th-That! Trash bastard!”

“Ignoring His Excellency the Governor’s grace and ruining the territory?”

“They say the embezzled taxes alone could build a small mountain of gold.”

“We thought the Allegan family wouldn’t be like that—all the same scum.”

Every voice fiercely condemned.

It aligned with my feelings, so I wanted to hear more, but couldn’t.

Tang! Tang! Tang!

“Order.”

I struck the communication rod to calm the heated atmosphere.

But excitement didn’t subside easily.

Most spectators were wage laborers who’d lived off government projects.

‘I’m bad at this. Not as shameless as Josef.’

Of course, I had thick skin too.

No guts, no police work.

Honed rolling around in the field.

“Order!”

Kwaang!

With a shout and rod strike, silence finally descended.

Not just from the echoing sound.

The momentarily surged Beast’s Heart had unleashed formidable presence.

Most in the gallery probably felt their hearts drop.

“Ahem! Due to no prosecutor, this trial proceeds ex officio by the court. Defendant, is your name Hozein Allegan?”

“Yes.”

“Documents show embezzlement of 50,000 goldens. Yet why was only half that in valuables at the hideout?”

Hozein bit his lip, then hung his head.

His mind probably spinning hard.

Which option benefited more.

But it wouldn’t make much difference.

“Stop deliberating. Hiding embezzled funds anyway—you won’t spend a single coin.”

“What does that mean?”

“With charges so far, you’ll spend life in prison.”

“Nonsense! For stealing a few coins…”

“Defendant!”

I shouted at Hozein spouting bullshit.

All eyes focused.

Silence so deep a pin drop would echo.

Soon, I drove in the wedge.

“Is 25,000 goldens some household dog’s name? Even the entire Allegan family fortune wouldn’t reach that, right?”

An amount that’d make imperial nobles stick out their tongues.

A Delriat administrator was just a local notable in a small territory.

‘So his eyes flipped.’

With enormous taxes collected, manipulable at will?

Anyone would be tempted.

It must have felt like his own money.

‘No reaction.’

Even pressing again, Hozein’s mouth stayed shut.

Time to coax gently.

“Fine. Reveal the rest of the funds’ location, and I’ll halve the sentence.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes.”

“Explain specifically. From what to what.”

Ah, awfully quick on the uptake.

I’d planned to hit hard, then say reduced to this.

He wouldn’t know the original sentence length.

A monkey banana trick.

But that ruined the ploy.

After brief thought, I said with confident eyes,

“From 50 years to 25 years.”

“Y-You planned such excessive punishment? I’ve dedicated so much to Delriat!”

Honestly, it was admirable.

But Hozein’s merits were past.

Now charged with embezzlement and dereliction.

Wrongs far outweighed rights.

I pointed to the gallery and said,

“Defendant, how are those people looking at you?”

Hozein unwittingly turned.

I couldn’t see his face, but probably bewildered.

Countless glaring at him.

“Wh-Why are they looking at me like that?”

“Because you stole their hope. You broke the wings of Delriat poised to soar. Why haven’t you realized yet?”

“I-I just did what previous governors did! Why is that wrong!”

From another view, it was valid.

Past governors had squeezed Delriat for personal gain.

But I wasn’t swayed by such dogshit logic.

“That doesn’t permit your embezzlement and dereliction. Nothing more to say? Won’t confess?”

Hozein clamped his mouth, fists trembling.

Still denying his wrongs.

Negotiating sentence with such a guy—too merciful.

‘I can find hidden funds by squeezing others anyway.’

I immediately picked up the communication rod.

“I will pronounce sentence. The defendant is sentenced to 60 years imprisonment. Additionally, assets seized temporarily to trace embezzled funds.”

“N-No!”

Hozein leaped up, screaming.

Then glared at me, ranting heatedly.

“You clearly said 50 years! Can a judge flip-flop like that!”

‘Yeah. I can.’

I wanted to say that, but held back in court.

I twisted my lips and resolved Allegan’s doubt.

“You didn’t reveal the rest of the embezzled location? Aggravating factor added.”

Ah, almost forgot that line.

Soon, I addressed the room.

“All embezzled money will be recovered, and Delriat normalized. Sorry for the worry caused.”

Bowing politely, thunderous cheers erupted from the gallery.

“Waaah! We’re saved!”

“Keuhuk! Th-Thank you, Your Excellency the Governor!”

“Long live! Looong liiive!”

“Please don’t leave again. Your Excellency!”

I was probably Delriat’s most trusted governor.

I didn’t want to betray their fervent cheers.

‘Sorry, but someday I must return to the empire. This time, I’ll ensure the system never collapses.’

Retiring from court, I vowed inwardly several times.

Trials continued one after another.

So many involved—no choice.

No leniency for low officials who “just followed orders.”

Set firm precedents now to prevent future nonsense.

After sending countless to prison, work finally ended.

I exited the court with a weary face.

“Whew!”

A long sigh escaped naturally.

Essentially restarting everything.

Most officials imprisoned—massive administrative vacuum.

No public duties would function properly for a while.

Until recruiting literate administrators and straightening the system.

“Already seeing stars?”

Sorting my tangled mind while trudging, someone approached.

Cheok!

“I greet Your Excellency the Governor.”

Looking up, a quite welcome face stood there.

It was Kuro Allegan.

Chief caravan leader handling dried cordyceps pills and board game distribution.

And Hozein Allegan’s brother.

Uh, this feels highly suspicious.

“One question. Did you know about this incident?”