Steampunk Era: Mad Abield
Chapter 795: Section 536: Bright Mirror (3)_2

Chapter 795: Section 536: Bright Mirror (3)_2

Old Hagelberry was very satisfied after listening—compared to how the Northern Kingdom deals with such traitorous subjects, they use the Blood Eagle torture.

Malin, this child, is still too merciful.

With this thought, Old Hagelberry saw the crowd part very tacitly, a middle-aged man fell to the ground, apparently having fainted.

The paladins from the Church of Justice were empathetic; those who grabbed chairs, those who grabbed potions, those who pinched mouths, and even one who, upon finding a mouth that could not be opened, physically punched the Minister of Finance’s stomach to force open the mouth for the potion. After swiftly accomplishing this, Old Hagelberry watched as the pitiful Minister of Finance broke free from the paladins’ grasp and knelt before the assembly and His Majesty.

"I and the Prime Minister, no, this sinful subject was coerced by the traitor Sanders! He said if I did not comply, he would send my illegitimate son to battle! Your Majesty! I and my wife have borne nine daughters! There is but this one son! I am guilty! But please spare my children!"

Old Hagelberry glanced sideways at Sanders, the former Prime Minister in everyone’s eyes, who was shivering, evidently devastated by his close friend’s betrayal at the crucial moment.

Alas, you see, what was supposed to be a profitable venture, turned into a human tragedy by this bald man, how lamentable.

"Guards, please have the former Minister of Finance step aside, and Sir Malin, have you discovered anything else?"

"Yes, still concerning the Minister of Finance, I had previously sold rear-loading cannons to your army generals, which after usage received rave reviews, and your military ordered three hundred from me, also through the Minister of Finance, Sanders, the former Prime Minister recorded here as winter, day forty-three, Minister of Finance Mack Dressey purchased from Malin’s workshop a batch of cannons, three hundred new rear-loading cannons, along with forty-five thousand accompanying cannonballs, the accounts clear, verified without error, hereby recorded."

"Are not the numbers of cannons correct?" His Majesty Manheim’s voice was filled with joy, but his face showed no hint of happiness, Old Hagelberry even saw the concealed fury in the man’s eyes.

"Yes, the number of cannons is correct, after all a rear-loading cannon costs twenty thousand Mowish each, and they aren’t produced in high quantities, I had no reason to give extras. But the list came that three thousand cannonballs were ordered, out of the kindness of helping our human brethren against Chaos, we went ’buy two, get one free,’ gifting fifteen thousand cannonballs." Malin said with a smile, then turned to glance at the Minister of Finance: "Mack, you truly are a genius, you even dared to tell the military that Sir Malin had oversold you one-third of the cannonballs, the fools in the military truly believed it."

Old Hagelberry glanced at the military representatives, by nature of the military’s temperament, this should have caused an uproar, but this time the military representatives either hung their heads silently... it seems they had already been in contact with the military, because Old Hagelberry saw General Sergei from the military simply step forward to bow to His Majesty: "Your Majesty, this is our military’s oversight."

"This incident is not your fault." Manheim His Majesty, wearing a grave expression, dismissed the military representative taking the blame and looked towards Malin: "Sir Malin, in your view, how should such treacherous subjects be dealt with?"

"Hanged, this is my mercy, Your Majesty," Malin said lightly.

"You are too merciful, Sir Malin," His Majesty Manheim shook his head: "I think it’s not enough."

"Old Keders also commented similarly, Your Majesty, but I still insist, hang them," Malin likewise shook his head.

Old Hagelberry watched the monarch and this dual legendary figure, suddenly feeling these two were really stubborn, yet at the same time happy for his cousin, fortunate to meet Sir Malin in the twilight of his life; Keders, your luck is good indeed.

"I think the Blood Eagle torture is quite suitable for them, but since I’ve asked you, could you possibly intensify the execution a bit more? I don’t want future history to mention me, the King, as the most merciful monarch in the history of the Northern Kingdom." His Majesty Manheim said this, almost admitting he wouldn’t use the Blood Eagle torture, making Old Hagelberry sense His Majesty’s regard for Malin.

Yes, for the first time in history, this is a monarch of the Northern Kingdom allowing an outsider to decide the punishment. This in itself is a mercy... perhaps because the Minister of Finance is his cousin.

With this thought, Old Hagelberry turned his attention towards Malin, wondering how this young man would decide the punishment.

After all, hanging is too gentle, could Malin think of a more severe form of execution?

In his view, young Malin thought for a moment, then smilingly said: "Then let it be burning, Your Majesty, what do you think?"

Old Hagelberry fell silent, the lords behind him gasped in horror.

Is this your tenderness, Malin, my child? I truly feel your strength.

Executing traitorous officials with the fire death used for Chaotic Believers, what an innovative idea!

Malin finished discussing the new execution method, the young High Priest looked around, his elder Hagelberry was silent, with the officials behind him in shock.

"Mr. Silva, is there anything wrong with what I said?" Malin then asked the young Grand Holy Knight.

"There’s nothing wrong, I should say it’s fitting for the High Priest, indeed. Burning at the stake is our Church’s specialty. If Manheim His Majesty does not have enough manpower to build the stakes, our Church of Justice can offer help," the young Grand Holy Knight said with a smile.

This reply made Malin nod his head—indeed, as a child raised in the Church, Malin was all too familiar with burning at the stake, from a foreign peasant girl of short stature, who was sent to the stake by the English and Burgundians in his past life, to those stakes built for Chaotic Believers in this life, all told Malin that this was the preferred method of execution for a High Priest.

The gallows? That’s just a makeshift result, frequently used in the Church in regions where branches cannot dry due to rain, but here, Malin believed there would never be an absolute shortage of dry wood and branches.

As for the blood eagle punishment mentioned by His Majesty Manheim, it seemed too cumbersome to Malin, both for the executioner and the executed.

In this day and age, whether it’s in business or executions, efficiency is paramount.

Thinking of this, Malin turned to His Majesty Manheim: "Your Majesty, although constructing the pyres is somewhat time-consuming, in terms of the impact of the execution, it should be more shocking to the heart than hanging."

His Majesty Manheim nodded as if reluctant to end the topic: "Well then, just as you say, Malin... So, old Hagelberry, you handle the construction of the execution site. To my former Minister of Finance, former Prime Minister, and our dear Earl Sigran, three stakes, would half a day be enough?"

"Enough, Your Majesty," answered old Hagelberry.

Malin faltered a bit: "Just these three?" Malin asked.

His Majesty Manheim fell silent for a moment, old Hagelberry’s eyes widened, the officials murmured among themselves.

"Malin, why do you say this?" His Majesty Manheim finally asked.

"Your Majesty, in our Church, whenever we speak of using a stake, we must judge the entire family of the sinner. So... the blood eagle punishment you mentioned earlier, is it really just for these three?" Malin looked at His Majesty, feeling that his previous understanding of the number of blood eagle punishments might have been a bit off.

I thought you planned to apply the blood eagle punishment to all three families, hence I felt pity for the executioners and the executed, thinking to give them a swift end.

And you tell me it’s just these three people?

That’s it?

Seeing the confusion in His Majesty Manheim’s eyes, Malin smiled helplessly.

So, it really is I who am too compassionate.

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