Supreme Magus novel Chapter 4465

Chapter 4465: Reward and Punishment (Part 1)

"Or like Ufyl." Tista said. "Wouldn’t Soaring Dragufyl be better?"

Lith and Faluel turned to stare at her, and Tista could even feel the silent gaze of Solus and the other Sigil Demons on her.

"I apologize, Lith. I always thought you had a terrible naming sense, but your sister takes the cake." Faluel patted his shoulder.

"Apology accepted." Lith sighed. "Seriously, Tista. The next time... just don’t. I’m saying this for your own good."

"Why? What’s wrong with Soaring Dragufyl?" Despite the crimson-red scales that covered her face, the Hekate managed to turn an even deeper shade of purple.

’The "soaring" part is okay.’ Solus replied. ’It’s the "Dragufyl" that’s messed up. It sounds like a disease.’

’You guys have no taste.’ Tista pouted. ’And you’re mean!’

’This can wait.’ Lith replied. ’Please, be quiet now.’

He activated his communication amulet again, and the hologram of the Royals filled the space before him.

"The issue with Ghishal has been temporarily resolved and the criminals punished according to the law, Your Majesty." Lith said. "The Isharas refused to surrender, and we had to kill them."

"That many?" Sylpha was impressed. "Just the three of you?"

"We also had the help of my Sigil Demons." Lith said. "We wouldn’t have done it without their help. I believe they deserve a proper reward."

Valia, Varegrave, and Locrias were still active-duty members of the Royal Army and were paid for it. They also received bonuses for acts of extreme valor like their still-living colleagues.

The Sigil Demons no longer needed money, but their families did. Everything the Demons earned while serving under Lith went into a trust fund. It gave the fallen members of the Queen’s Corps the certainty that their loved ones would lack nothing even after the black chains came undone.

Lith knew it was only a matter of time before his Sigil Demons deemed they had fulfilled their duty and moved on. He wanted Locrias and the others to prolong their existence because they wanted to.

Not out of worry for those they left behind.

"And the Crown agrees." Sylpha nodded. "Our loyal subjects will be properly compensated. We’ll assign them a fair share of the acquired goods."

"What goods?" Lith asked in confusion. "The Isharas didn’t have their share of the robberies on them, and everything stockpiled by the bandits and the corrupted nobles already belongs to the Kingdom.

"Without the money the Isharas took, there isn’t even enough to compensate all the families of the bereaved and cover for the losses the Distar Marquisate has incurred."

"Ah." A light of understanding sparked in the King’s eyes, and his expression softened. "I forgot you are not familiar with many laws of the Kingdom. I suggest you sit down, Magus Verhen. You’re not going to like what I’m about to say."

There was a mix of compassion and sadness in Meron’s voice. The same Lith had used countless times as Nana’s apprentice to deliver bad news to the families of the patients he had failed to save.

"Please, tell me everything." He said after conjuring a stone chair for himself.

"Countess Lark and all the other counts but Jadon Lark are the Isharas’ unwitting accomplices. They played in the enemies of the Kingdom’s hands and orchestrated their own downfall without even noticing.

"Such irresponsible conduct can’t go unpunished. Pride can’t come before duty. Rivalries can’t outweigh the lives of our citizens. Every person who died because the local rulers refused to inform Marchioness Distar of the situation is an unacceptable loss.

"From absolute power comes absolute responsibility, Magus Verhen. The local nobles of Distar have made their decisions and will be held accountable for them."

Lith felt bad for Keyla, but he couldn’t argue with the Royals’ reasoning.

’They are right. Doing anything less would breed corruption and complacency.’ Solus said. ’If there is no consequence for being careless or incompetent, nobles have no incentive to put their citizens first.’

"For this reason, the gold you’ve retrieved will be only used to compensate the bereaved families and the merchants for their losses. Whatever is left will be entrusted to Marchioness Distar to use it as she sees fit.

"The local nobles have made their bed, and now they can lie in it. They won’t see a single coin of what they have lost due to their own foolishness, and it will be up to them to rebuild the wealth they have squandered."

Lith raised his hand, and Meron permitted him to speak.

"Not to be... well, myself, Your Majesty, but the Ishara called Ankhuta mentioned the Hydras’ bloodline awakening project and a secret lab for their species." He said.

"We are aware of that." Sylpha nodded. "We listened to your conversation with him."