Chapter 387: Chapter 382: Chase Fame and Fortune Chapter 387: Chapter 382: Chase Fame and Fortune Fifteen days ago, the sergeant major had seen this style of armor. However, at the time, there were hundreds, even thousands of Cloud Giants wearing this armor, serving merely as a backdrop for Duke Mureya, and they were far less majestic than the Storm Giants riding on Giant Pengs.

But when he saw this inconspicuous Cloud Giant, who appeared in person before him on the magical images broadcasted from the Royal Capital, the sergeant major felt shaky and unsteady on his feet.

It was too late for him to do anything when he saw this Cloud Giant break through his loyal lord’s castle and take out the lord who he saw as extremely noble, almost as if he were picking out an insect.

Throughout the process, the sergeant major did not move a muscle. He didn’t dare to. Facing the Giant, who stood tall at fifteen meters, was enough to take away all his courage. Not to mention the twisted heavy sword at his side, which served as a constant reminder of the terrifying power of Cloud Giants.

“What do you want to do? I am a noble of the Lockman Kingdom. How dare you treat me like this!”

At that moment, the Cloud Giant broke open the squat, flimsy castle to extract the nobleman clutched in his hand. The nobleman was genuinely frightened. Anyone taken from the comfort of their home by a giant would be equally terrified.

“Do you still remember that you are a nobleman of the Lockman Kingdom? Why aren’t you obeying Duke Mureya’s orders?” asked the Cloud Giant. He was assigned to capture the nobles in this city – succeeded in doing so effortlessly as they were but insignificant viceroys who lacked the strength to oppose him.

Before the capture, his identity was withheld to confirm whether the nobleman was indeed disregarding the Duke’s orders. After the confirmation, the capture commenced.

“I…” Upon hearing the Cloud Giant’s question, the nobleman regretted and tried to explain but the Cloud Giant neither allowed him to explain nor cared for it. His duty was simply to capture.

“Enough, there’s no need for more unnecessary words. Save it for the execution officer in the Royal City.”

Similar situations occurred throughout the kingdom of Lockman. After the twelve giants got the list of rebellious nobles, they immediately distributed the tasks. After confirming that the targets were indeed disregarding the orders of the Duke, they proceeded with the capture.

Among them, the ones with the least power and lowest hierarchy were barons and viscounts. The highest-ranking noble they seized was an earl, making the job easy.

Barons and viscounts disobeying the commands were not surprising, what Mureya couldn’t understand, though, was how even earls – who had personally witnessed his sovereignty and regality during his induction ceremony – could dare to rebel. It was not as if they could wipe out an entire Cloud Giant family. If they lacked sense, they should at least learn from the legendary dukes and soul intent marquesses to obey orders.

After all the rebel nobles were arrested and brought to the Royal City, Mureya sent people to interrogate them to find out why they dared to disobey his orders.

Some believed Mureya’s position as a ruling duke to be temporary and expected Princess Remilia to assume the throne, hence ignored his orders.

Others thought that even if they angered Mureya, the Golden Dragon, they wouldn’t face severe consequences. They believed that if they begged for forgiveness, they could evade punishment.

The last group gambled on the hope that their minor lordship would go unnoticed, so they disregarded the new tax laws, thinking the Duke residing high above in the royal city wouldn’t notice them.

Once the reasons were clear, Mureya, feeling somewhat “helpless,” ordered the nobles to be handed over to Dragonborn Maid Mia for punishment. As rebellious nobles, they were of no use.

Soon, the commoners living in the Royal Capital discovered the gruesome sight of hundreds of horrifying corpses hanging from a tree outside the city. This occurred three days after the Duke returned with more than a hundred Cloud Islands.

The most astonishing part was that each of the corpses, hung on the tree, were clothed in silken robes, the kind that could only be afforded by nobles and wealthy merchants.

At first, passing merchant corps and adventurers were merely curious about the nobles’ identities. Soon, the news spread and attracted city dwellers who came to observe the spectacle from close quarters.

Later, people discovered that each corpse was accompanied by a wooden plaque carrying the identities of the deceased along with their crimes. The plaques chronicled all the transgressions they committed during their lifetime.

All the nobles who could accomplish good deeds were few and descriptions of their repugnant deeds invoked curses and resentment from passersby.

The Royal City surged with excitement and speculation when people discovered that all the nobles hanging from the tree were ordered to be executed by Mureya. No king in the history of the Kingdom of Lockman had ever executed so many nobles at once and then hung them from trees.

Regardless of the uproar outside, Mureya, seated on the throne in the Council Hall, observed the frightened nobles and officers, asking, “Have all the officers been assigned to the rebels’ territories?”

“Your Grace, all officers have been duly dispatched to these territories. Soon, control over these territories will be fully in the hands of the kingdom.”

“Good! Keep a close eye on the implementation of new tax laws, provide feedback on any unreasonable points, and provide voice to data.”

For the next three months, things were relatively peaceful, and Mureya didn’t stir much trouble or commit major incidents like the extermination of three hundred privileged nobles.

One day, after receiving reports of some talented young woman causing trouble for the hundredth time, Mureya had a new idea. Sitting at his desk, Mureya had a headache and said,
“Too many geniuses can be a problem, especially when they’re young with too much energy and accomplish too much too soon, causing trouble.

It’s somewhat manageable with noble prodigies as they’re constrained and guided by their families. Those commoner prodigies are the real problem with no restraints and powerful abilities. We must devise a way to register and manage all these wild genius talents.

Young people often seek fame and fortune. I swear to appease you all with name and benefits, and I doubt any troublemaking afterwards.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read