Chapter 53: Flourishing Development |
After Jonas appointed Liliana as the treasurer of Thunderkeep, the territory seemed infused with new vitality, undergoing changes from the ground up.
Jonas personally led the effort to sever the chains of racial discrimination and completely eradicated the slave trade.
Olivia was assigned as the overseer.
As for Liliana, she fully utilized her talents in commerce, bringing continuous prosperity to the territory.
Through her efforts, every person in the territory, regardless of their humble origins, could find work and earn their rightful wages.
With the collective labor of the people, rows of cement houses rose from the ground.
Gazing at these new houses, the slaves and commoners of Thunderkeep wore expressions of disbelief.
For them, enduring harsh conditions had long been the norm, yet now, under Young Master Jonas's arrangements, they could live in houses as comfortable as those of nobles—something that would have been unimaginable in the past.
Comparing their old, crumbling shacks that swayed in the wind to these new "cement" houses that could even withstand blizzards, the people couldn't help but exclaim, "All of this is thanks to Lord Jonas's reforms!"
"Lord Jonas's implementation of the 996 work schedule is truly brilliant."
"With such stable work, I feel like I could keep at it forever."
"Fleeing here to Thunderkeep was the wisest decision I've ever made."
Amidst the rising enthusiasm of the populace, the construction of the city walls also accelerated day by day.
Standing atop the watchtower, Holdo surveyed everything before him, his eyes filled with astonishment.
The speed at which the walls and houses were being built stood in stark contrast to the past.
Before, he had always had to force the slaves and laborers to work, and they would often resist or make excuses.
Now, Thunderkeep buzzed with an unprecedented fervor for labor, with workers chatting and laughing, their faces radiant with happiness.
Holdo could hardly believe slaves were capable of smiling.
Unable to contain his admiration, he remarked, "Jonas, the systems you've implemented are truly effective. This 996 work schedule has drastically improved construction efficiency."
Jonas smiled faintly, gazing into the distance. "Father, this is only the beginning. I intend to make Thunderkeep a place where everyone who comes here wishes to stay. That way, it will naturally become the strongest territory."
Holdo paused briefly before nodding. "You make a compelling point..."
Jonas added, "Father, he who wins the hearts of the people wins the world."
"The hearts of the people, huh..."
...
Beyond Thunderkeep, following the meeting in Tars City, other lords had also migrated here.
Having witnessed Jonas's ruthless methods, they understood his strength all too well.
Rather than passively waiting to be plundered, it was better to submit willingly—perhaps they could at least preserve themselves.
However, many of these lords couldn't help but grumble:
"Instead of building up the grand Tars City, he's holed up in Thunderkeep, where the walls were practically crumbling before. If the Destiny Army attacks again, what will he use to defend? Does he really think he can rely on himself alone?"
"Exactly... I mean, huh?!"
When these lords arrived and laid eyes upon the unfamiliar Thunderkeep, their jaws dropped in shock.
Between the mountains stood a massive city wall.
Though still rough, its future grandeur was already evident.
The wall spanned an entire mountain range, with workers carrying what looked like mortar, continuously filling in gaps.
One of the early-arriving minor lords licked his lips nervously.
He could already envision it—with this wall and the natural barrier of the mountains, the Regin Family could easily repel countless armies.
The man beside him stammered, "Skolk... is this magic? How is this possible?"
"A wall of this scale... even magic couldn't achieve this!"
"So this is Jonas's doing? It's terrifying..."
Skolk, himself a lord, couldn't help but sigh. "No wonder he gave us the choice back then. To Thunderkeep, we might not even be necessary."
...
When these minor lords were led into Thunderkeep, they encountered an old acquaintance—Liliana.
Now the president of the Golden Cloud Chamber of Commerce, she had become the treasurer here.
She wore an unusually conservative high-necked gown, covering her arms and legs completely—a stark contrast to her previous flamboyant attire.
Her steps, however, were slightly slower than before.
Liliana personally arranged for them to stay in rows of neatly constructed houses.
The orderly layout of these houses gave off an overwhelming sense of novelty.
The lords looked around in amazement, unable to believe Jonas had prepared such fine accommodations for them.
The sturdy material rivaled even the refined houses of many nobles—they wouldn’t have to fear even a blizzard.
Initially, they had assumed Jonas merely intended to give them land to develop on their own—using them as cannon fodder.
Yet, Jonas had already arranged everything for them.
It truly lived up to his promise of "shared prosperity."
Witnessing the thriving state of the territory, the minor lords couldn't help but murmur:
"In this chaotic world, seeking refuge in Thunderkeep might not be such a bad choice after all."
They knew full well that if minor noble lords like them fell into the hands of the Destiny Army, the natives who despised nobles would tear them apart.
...
Later, with the addition of these surrounding minor territories, Jonas reorganized them into his military forces.
Thunderkeep's army grew significantly stronger overnight.
At the same time, Jonas selected individuals with decent talent from among them, placing them under the leadership of Karis and Olivia to form specialized swordsman regiments and mage corps.
While Thunderkeep flourished...
...the news of Jonas's defeat of the Destiny Army's Sixth Division reached Postana's capital—Spandel City.
However, the subsequent report of Jonas taking control of Tars City was blocked by Kuroth's information suppression and never made it back.
...