The Hunt for the Truth Begins
After the noble executions, the aristocracy had become paranoid. Those who had barely escaped judgment hid in their estates, scrambling to erase their tracks before Solis could turn his attention to them.
But Solis wasn't done.
Sitting in his office, he glanced over a mountain of documents, each detailing the wealth, trade routes, and hidden dealings of the noble families.
"I know there's more filth to clean up," he muttered.
Julius had warned him about moving too aggressively.
But Solis had learned one truth about power—if you strike fear into the hearts of your enemies, you must never give them time to recover.
"Captain Marx, enter."
The door opened, and Marx Francois, Julius' personal aide and master of memory-reading magic, stepped in.
"Your Majesty," Marx greeted with a bow.
Solis leaned forward.
"I need you to begin a full-scale investigation. We're hunting down every noble involved in embezzlement, bribery, and corruption."
Marx hesitated.
"This will cause chaos, my Lord. Some of these nobles hold… significant power."
Solis smirked.
"Not for long."
The First Breakthrough – Merchant Bribes
Within a week, Marx and a group of hand-picked investigators had uncovered something huge.
In a secret report, they discovered that several high-ranking nobles had been funneling money through merchant guilds to fund illegal projects, including:
• Bribing Magic Knights to look the other way.
• Funding mercenaries to assassinate business competitors.
• Smuggling goods to foreign kingdoms for personal profit.
Solis read the reports, his golden eyes glowing with fury.
"So, they've been robbing the kingdom under my nose?"
He clenched his fist, flames briefly flaring around his hand before he exhaled deeply, calming himself.
"Summon the Merchant Association leaders immediately."
The Merchant Association Interrogation
Inside the grand hall, the most powerful merchants of the Clover Kingdom gathered—many of whom were secretly aligned with corrupt nobles.
Solis sat on the throne, observing them with sharp intensity.
One merchant, Garris Vole, a wealthy textile trader, stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, may I ask why we've been called?"
Solis threw a stack of documents onto the table.
"Do you recognize these transactions?"
Garris hesitated, eyes darting over the pages.
Solis smirked.
"We tracked every payment, every bribe, and every stolen coin. You've been caught. The question is—will you cooperate, or will you be the next heads rolling in the square?"
The room fell dead silent.
Several merchants swallowed hard, realizing there was no escape.
One by one, they betrayed the nobles they worked with, providing names, locations, and even hidden ledgers.
Solis stood up, his presence overwhelming.
"Effective immediately, every merchant found guilty of fraud will have their assets seized and will be banished from the Clover Kingdom.**"
The merchants fell to their knees, pleading for mercy.
But Solis had no sympathy.
"You've stolen from the people for years. Now, it's time to return the favor."
The Final Blow – Noble Accounts Exposed
Armed with merchant testimonies, Solis launched the final strike against the nobles.
A public announcement was made across the kingdom.
"The following noble families are found guilty of economic treason…"
A list of over 30 noble houses was exposed, revealing their hidden accounts, stolen funds, and involvement in bribery.
The nobles panicked—many fled the kingdom overnight, others begged for forgiveness.
Solis gave them a simple choice:
"Return everything you've stolen and submit to the law, or be executed."
Reactions Across the Kingdom
• Commoners: Rejoiced, finally seeing justice served against the nobles who had oppressed them.
• Merchants: Feared Solis but understood that resisting him meant losing everything.
• Nobles: Terrified, realizing they could no longer operate in the shadows.
• Magic Knights: Divided—some admired his efficiency, while others questioned his growing power.
• Julius Novachrono: Watching closely, wondering how far Solis would go.
• Foreign Kingdoms: Alarmed, realizing the Clover Kingdom's power structure had shifted dramatically.
End of Chapter 22