Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World-Chapter 565: The Punishment 4
Chapter 565: The Punishment 4
TL: Rui88
Hansel’s applause seemed to be praising Paul, but the expression on his face made him very uncomfortable.
“What, is there a problem with what I said?”
“Lord Grayman,” Hansel looked at Paul, his expression changing to one of sincerity.
“I know, there are always some people in this world with a strong sense of morality…”
Paul narrowed his eyes and looked at Hansel unhappily, his tone unfriendly, “Are you mocking me?”
Hansel stared into Paul’s eyes, “If you believe I am speaking offensively to you, you may very well send someone to chop off my head. You have that power.”
Paul rolled his eyes at him but said nothing more.
Hansel continued, “I know that satisfying one’s own sense of morality is indeed a pleasant thing for both body and mind. Sometimes I also give alms to beggars on the roadside. Whenever I do such things, I feel that my soul has been elevated.”
He changed the subject, “However, the matter of me giving alms to a beggar, apart from benefiting the beggar and myself, does not harm a third person.”
Paul heard the implication in his words, “What do you mean? Are you saying that if I am a little soft-hearted, it will harm others?”
“Yes, Count Grayman!”
Hansel no longer held back and said bluntly, “If you were just an individual, forgiving your enemies would be fine, a magnanimous and highly commendable act. But…”
Hansel stood up from the sofa, walked slowly to the window behind Paul, and fully opened the half-drawn curtains.
By now, night had completely fallen. A starlit sky covered the city. The lights in every household were lit. The window of Paul’s office faced the central avenue of Lakeheart Town, which ran from north to south. Looking from here, the brilliance of the lights was a magnificent sight.
“But you are not alone now, Count Paul Grayman. Look at this town. You are the master of this town. This means that a large group of people are loyal to you and serve you. In other words, you are now a leader.”
“Think about it, Sir Ford, Cecil, Schroeder, Victor, Bryce, and Steward Philip, and so on and so forth, there are simply too many. Many of them have served your family for generations, dating back to traceable ancestors. Your relationship with them can be described as sharing in both glory and ruin.”
“Does Your Lordship not think for these loyal and devoted subjects? You can disregard your own safety, but can you bear to let them be in danger as well? If you insist…I say if, after all, you have always shown yourself to be overly merciful…insist on not eradicating potential enemies root and stem, is this not a form of selfishness…to exchange the safety of your subordinates for your own false sense of moral superiority?”
“You…” Paul was agitated. He wanted to say something but couldn’t get any words out. After an awkward silence of half a minute, he finally said, “It’s simply ridiculous. A group of criminals’ family members, imagine, they are almost all old, weak, women, and children. What threat could they possibly pose? Would the great men of our Lakeheart Town be frightened by such people?”
“Oh… you cannot think that way, Lord Grayman. Rising up in rebellion in broad daylight, this group may not be capable of it, but what about carrying out assassinations while hiding in dark corners? The appearance of the old, weak, women, and children may be more deceptive. And when the children among them grow up, who knows what they will be capable of? You must know that assassins are important figures who change the course of history. How many famous and illustrious figures have fallen at the hands of assassins? You and your subjects, and even your families, will all be in danger.”
“Yes, your moral standards are very high, but you cannot hope that the moral standards of your enemies are on the same level as yours. Our current prevalent value system is such that…avenging one’s closest relatives is a highly esteemed act.”
Paul sank back into his chair, powerless. Hansel’s use of his subjects’ safety to admonish him had struck a deep chord. Yes, he could be reckless with his own life, but he could not disregard those who were loyal to him.
Should he really eradicate them root and stem, nipping all possible dangers in the bud?
He thought for a moment, and finally said, “Hansel, you can call me selfish, but the path of history should be forward, not in circles. Someone has to take the first step in the forward direction. Regardless of the mindset of the person taking that first step, whether it’s from the heart or for the sake of reputation, he still chose to walk forward.”
Hansel said with some emotion, “Lord Grayman, the road of history is full of thorns. Those who walk first are often pricked until they are covered in blood.”
“Yes, I know, that’s not fun at all,” Paul said helplessly. He shrugged his shoulders. “But I’m prepared.”
The conversation with Hansel made him feel even more tired. He decided to end the discussion.
“Hansel, there is still more than a year until the final judgment. During this time, I will think it over carefully and try to make the result accommodate all aspects. Now… I am a little tired.”
Hansel sighed softly, walked slowly to stand directly in front of Paul, and then bowed slightly.
“Since I have known you, I have witnessed many things I would not have dared to imagine before. Perhaps the principles you hold in your heart are correct. Whatever choice you ultimately make, I trust in your wisdom, Lord Grayman.”
“Thank you, Hansel.”
…………
In the few days since Paul had returned to the Lord’s Manor, news of the unusual events in Lakeheart Town began to spread in all directions. So many residents had witnessed what had happened in the city from beginning to end: the large-scale martial law, the comings and goings of the mobilized militia, the sound of cannons from the Lord’s Manor, the standoff of armies outside the city. It was impossible to keep it a secret. As for the matter of Paul being attacked in Babor Village, because the location was too remote, not many people knew about it yet.
The news became more and more outrageous as it spread. By the time it reached places far from Alda, some rumors even claimed that the current Count Grayman was not the original Count Grayman at all; the one now sitting in the lord’s seat was just a puppet double who looked very similar to Paul Grayman.
Two groups of people were most concerned about this news. First were the vassal lords of Emden. Clarifying who was now their boss was undoubtedly of the utmost importance to them.
Then there were the other lords of the customs union. They sent envoys one after another, or even came in person, to Lakeheart Town to confirm that the one now sitting in the lord’s seat was still Paul Grayman.
Many people only then discovered that Paul Grayman had already reached a position of being watched by all in the Northwest Bay.
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Chapter 565: The Punishment 4
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