Building a Kingdom and Conquering the World - Chapter 208

Chapter 208: Dealing with the remnants of the nobles
After finishing the executions, Henry looked down at his blade, now completely covered by blood. A faint look of disgust flickered across his face. With a sharp flick, he shook off the excess, then handed it to Luther, visibly displeased by the thought of this “dirty blood” staining his clothes. He didn’t mind the blood of the battlefield, but he had come to hate the idea of getting stained with it during his daily life, a trace of the original one he came to accept.

Luther took the blade without a word, stepping back behind the throne. He used the edge of his own cloak to wipe the sword clean, removing the last traces of blood. Then, he got back to his position, standing watch over the hall as if the corpses under the throne didn’t exist.

Henry surveyed the crowd before him – “The heads of your households have taken your place in punishment” – He said, his voice echoing off the stone walls of the grand hall as he pointed towards the headless corpses. “By giving up their lives, they have ensured that you and your children all have a future ahead”.

The king let his words settle, watching as relief took over their faces. Mother held their children a little less tightly in their embraces and men finally had the courage too look up in the throne’s direction. It was as though a weight had been lifted, and for a moment, they dared to hold a slight sense of hope.

“But understand this” – Henry’s voice remained cold and sharp, cutting through that brief relief like a blade – “Under my rule, you are all the same. You have no more lands, no more tittles, no more wealth. You have nothing left of those things that defined who you are. From this moment forward, you are nothing more than commoners, subjects under my throne.”

The past days had been hell for these people, and despite the king’s words about a future without land or riches, they hardly seemed to care. Humans were driven by immediate needs, and right now, the only thing on their minds was surviving another day and finding even a single meal to quell their hunger.

Henry continued – “You will be divided and sent to different parts of my kingdom. Aside from mothers and their children, your families will not remain together, and none of you will return to your old lands. However, you, your children, each of you is free to become anything you desire, even a General or my right-hand man. But only if you remain loyal and obedient to my throne. You will go where I send you, and you will serve where you are needed.”

At those words, some eyes lifted, barely able to grasp their full meaning, yet too desperate to question them. Their gazes lingered on the bloodstained steps beneath Henry’s throne, where the bodies of their former leaders lay still, blood pooling and dripping down each step. For many, there was a fragile relief at the thought of surviving another day, yet in a few pairs of eyes, that relief was tinged with hidden anger.

Henry studied them in silence, noticing that hidden anger within those few pairs of eyes. For a brief moment, he considered dealing with the owners of those gazes, cutting down any threat at its root. But he knew it would be counterproductive; their loyalty was needed more than their blood. He needed workers, bodies to rebuild his kingdom, talents that could be shaped to serve his rule. For now, he would let them live, watching and waiting to see who might truly serve, and who would need to be dealt with later.

“You can take them out and give them some food” – Henry said as he looked at the dirty and hollow-eyed figures before him – “They look more like corpses than living people” – He turned to Luther, who gave a nod and signaled the guards. The soldiers began to lead the crowd out in an orderly fashion, their shuffling footsteps filling the hall. They heard the king’s promise for food and followed willingly.

Henry returned to his throne and leaned back, watching in silence as they left the grand hall. His fingers drummed rhythmically on the armrests.

After a moment of silence, Leier spoke up, her tone cautious yet direct – “Shouldn’t we have killed them, my liege?” – Luther and the others exchanged glances, as though the question had been lingering in their own minds as well. In times of war, kings often eliminated conquered nobles to ensure loyalty, or at least to remove any potential seeds of rebellion. It was the expected path of choice.

Henry’s drumming ceased as he considered her words, his gaze still distant, lingering on the crowd leaving the hall – “That would certainly be the simplest route” – he said, his tone low and calm – “But also the most wasteful. These people are remnants of the old order, yes, but they are also resources. Their skills, their experience, and their bloodline’s ability to wield mana… these could all serve my rule, if properly pulled into my grasp”

Leier nodded slowly, though the doubtful look in her eyes didn’t fade. “And what if they choose not to serve you, my king? What if they resist?” – She wanted to eliminate every single threat to her king.

At that question, Henry’s gaze grew colder, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth – “They won’t have the chance. I killed those who held their strength and they will be separated, scattered to different corners of the kingdom, far from their former lands and allies. Alone, they will have little power to resist, and if any of them even hints at disloyalty…” – He paused, his gaze looking at the now-empty hall – “I will make an example of them that even the most stubborn would fear. They need to understand that the old order is gone. They can either adapt to my rule…or be erased from it entirely.”

After he finished those words, Henry got to his feet and walked down the throne, treading carefully to not dirty his boots with the pool of blood. The others followed right behind.

“What about that queen you left alive” – Luke asked as he jumped two steps to get away from the dirty ground, his short stature making it difficult – “Is she not a potential problem, liege?”

Henry kept walking until he paused at the door, his hand resting on the iron handle. His mind wandered briefly to the woman broken woman he had spared. He could still see the desperation in her eyes as she clutched her child, silently pledging loyalty in the only way she had left.

“She poses no threat,” he replied after a moment. “In fact, she’ll be useful. If rebellious forces rise up, they’ll see her as a symbol, a beacon to be around. They will reach out to her, and that will draw them out into the open. She will be an ally, drawing any resistance directly into my grasp.”

“Are you certain, my liege? Can we trust her not to betray you?” – Leier intervened again, unwilling to let any problem that might become a danger to her king pass.

Henry couldn’t help but remember those desperate eyes – “I’m certain. She won’t risk her children’s lives a second time,” he replied firmly. “But if it puts your mind at ease, assign someone to watch her, someone unknown to her or the other guards. Let’s keep her on a short leash.”

Satisfied, Leier nodded. Henry had already placed several guards to monitor her actions, but another layer of caution couldn’t hurt.

“Now, Luke, what’s the next meeting on my schedule?” Henry asked, turning to the midget, who immediately shuffled through his documents, his breath a bit haggard as he had to walk faster to keep up with the group.

“We have a meeting with the Sun God Company at the headquarters,” Luke replied, marking off the item labeled “dealing with the remnants of the nobles” with a swift flick of his quill.

Henry nodded and turned to the others. “You three, return to your tasks,” he ordered, his eyes briefly drifting towards the mess under his throne, his gaze laced with a mild disgust – “And bring someone to clean that mess.”