As expected from the power of fear, the speed at which the new rules decided by Cifera were issued was nothing short of astonishing.
On that very same day, in the afternoon, official announcements had already been posted throughout the entire city-state of Dolos.
Whether in the bustling marketplaces, the busy streets, the entrances of residential districts, or the central plazas, the announcements could be seen everywhere, and their contents were as blunt and direct as they were impossible to ignore.
At their core, there were only three points.
First, every noble family was to hand over their wealth for the relief of the city's poor, with special priority given to homeless children.
Second, renovation of the commoner district was to begin immediately, bringing it up to the same standards as the noble district.
Third, from today on, the anti-fraud decrees were lifted, but this applied only to the corrupt nobles and the corrupt wealthy. Anyone who defrauded innocent people would still be severely punished.
Just like that, the moment the citizens finished reading the announcement, the entire Dolos was thrown into an uproar, only for that initial disbelief to be swept away by a tidal wave of ecstasy and celebration.
"Handing over their wealth?! Helping the poor?!"
"Is this for real?! Long live the new city lord!"
"T-The commoner district's gonna be rebuilt to match the noble district?! Talanton above! Am I dreaming?"
"Hey, the anti-fraud decrees are gone! Haha! Finally, we ain't gonna get dragged off and tortured just for messing with those crappy, corrupt nobles!"
"Bless the new city lord. He's a good man."
Across the streets and alleys, people, especially the commoners, spread the news frantically.
Groups of strangers excitedly gathered together to discuss the announcement, while others ran through the city to tell their families and friends. Some even broke down in tears of joy, unable to believe that such a day had finally arrived.
In no time, countless impoverished refugees flooded toward the distribution points, receiving food and clothing they had only ever dreamed of.
Children eagerly changed into clean new clothes on the spot, their once lifeless faces now overflowing with bright, innocent smiles.
Parents clutched the food they had received with trembling hands, repeatedly thanking the new city lord, as though afraid this miracle would disappear if they let go.
At the construction sites in the commoner district, work was already in full swing.
Under the direction of the city's workers, countless commoners voluntarily joined the reconstruction effort with remarkable energy and determination. Men, women, and even the elderly all contributed however they could, carrying materials, clearing rubble, or assisting the laborers.
As a result, the entire district, which had once been shrouded in despair and lifelessness, was now filled with the sounds of hammers, laughter, and lively conversation, causing the entirety of Dolos to cast off its previous gloom and burst forth with unprecedented vitality.
Such major news naturally spread like the wind and once again reached the camp of the rogues in the abandoned temple.
By the campfire, after hearing the latest news, all the rogues fell into collective silence.
Now, their expressions became unusually complicated as shock, joy, disbelief, and even a trace of reverence quietly surfaced in their eyes.
"Redistributing wealth, equal treatment, lifting the anti-fraud decrees... heh, gotta admit, this city lord—I kinda like his style!"
"Looks like... we don't gotta think about assassination anymore."
"Yeah, this new city lord seems like a pretty good guy."
"C'mon, let's head into the city! We'll meet him and see for ourselves!"
With that, the rest of the rogues present voiced their agreement one after another before immediately extinguishing the campfire, packing up their belongings, and setting off toward Dolos together.
As for the remaining rogues, they were still scattered across other city-states, so the news had yet to reach them.
===
Inside the audience hall of the city lord's manor, Lucian sat calmly in the main seat, exuding the composure of someone already accustomed to being in command. Beside him, Cifera sat curiously on a small chair, gently swinging her dangling legs back and forth as she looked at the people gathered before them with wide, curious eyes.
At this moment, the spacious hall was unusually quiet.
Aside from the representatives of the Council of Nobles, who all wore bitter expressions while forcing stiff smiles onto their faces, there were now more than a dozen additional black-clad figures kneeling respectfully on one knee.
Each of them possessed a fierce aura that ordinary people could never hope to imitate, and the moment they entered the hall, the atmosphere became noticeably heavier.
'The Thousand-Faced' Hirendou, 'Bladed Black Velvet' Ferrum, and 'The Fearfool Birds' Four Perla Sisters—all of them were famous rogues among the Three Hundred Rogues of Dolos.
Their names alone were enough to make many merchants and nobles grit their teeth in frustration, as quite a few of the nobles present had once been robbed, deceived, or thoroughly humiliated by them.
Now, however, these notorious rogues were kneeling before Lucian without the slightest trace of arrogance.
"Big sis, the city lord's so handsome..."
"Yeah, he looks really good..."
While gazing dreamily at Lucian, the Four Perla Sisters whispered quietly among themselves, their eyes lingering on him from time to time, clearly captivated by his appearance.
Coupled with everything they had heard about his righteous actions and the sweeping reforms he had carried out after taking control of Dolos, their impression of him couldn't help but soar, and their favor toward him rose inexplicably.
"We heard that your grand ambition is to make Dolos a better place..." Hirendou said solemnly while gazing straight at Lucian, and after pausing briefly, he continued, "We also heard that you do not oppose us rogues, so we took the liberty of offering our help."
"Same here."
""Mm-hmm!""
Ferrum and the Four Perla Sisters echoed in agreement one after another, each expressing their willingness to lend Lucian their strength and help him transform Dolos into a better city.
Lucian naturally accepted their offer without the slightest hesitation.
He knew very well from the original story that these rogues, despite their notorious reputations, were all people driven by a strong sense of heroism and righteousness, robbing the corrupt, protecting the weak in their own way, and despising the city's rotten nobility.
Since they all shared the same goal, there was no reason not to make use of such capable allies.
Cifera, who had been quietly observing everything from the side, watched the entire exchange with complete concentration. Yet despite her focused expression, her small head was completely filled with question marks.
It couldn't be helped.
Who could have imagined that changing Dolos would be so much easier than she had ever imagined?
It felt as though she had simply made a wish to the gods before going to sleep, only to wake up the next morning and discover that her wish had somehow come true overnight.
Maybe the only difference was that, in her case, the one who had granted her wish was not a god but the man sitting quietly beside her.
Cifera slowly turned her head and quietly gazed at Lucian's side profile.
As she silently watched him handle both the rogues and the nobles alike with calm confidence, a gentle light gradually flickered to life within her clear blue eyes.
It was a light called affection.
Back then, on that unforgettable night, when Lucian had asked her what her greatest wish was, she had answered without the slightest hesitation that she wanted to change Dolos. Unexpectedly, on that very same night, he had truly begun taking action to make that wish a reality.
Even now, she still remembered that conversation vividly, as though every word they had exchanged had been engraved deep within her heart.
Not only had he remembered the wish she had casually spoken that night, but he had also personally begun turning it into reality for her, step by step, without ever breaking the promise he had silently made through his actions.
===
In the blink of an eye, an entire year had passed.
During that year, despite the overwhelming suppression of Lucian's absolute power, there were still those in Dolos who outwardly obeyed him while secretly defying his authority behind his back.
As a result, the city walls gained several new 'specimens,' their lifeless bodies displayed as grim warnings to anyone who dared to challenge the city-state's new order.
Thankfully, after an entire year had passed, no one dared to go against his will anymore. Every noble and priest carried out their duties obediently, not only because they feared Lucian's unquestionable authority, but also because the rewards and benefits they received in return were far from insignificant.
Under his rule, life had steadily improved, giving them more than enough reason to faithfully uphold the new order he had established.
Now, the entire city-state of Dolos had visibly come back to life, as the once-filthy streets had become clean, commerce had gradually recovered, and the people's expressions no longer carried the same despair they once had.
Yet for Cifera, all of it was still not enough.
Cifera leaned against the windowsill, quietly looking out at the streets below.
Even though they had become noticeably cleaner and livelier than before, in the corners of the roads and beneath the shadows of buildings, there were still small, thin figures curled up together.
In her eyes, their timid, fearful eyes looked no different from her own had been in the past, making it feel as though she were staring at the lonely child she used to be.
In the end, after silently watching those frail figures for quite a while, she suddenly ran into the living room, grabbed Lucian's hand, placed it on top of her head, and rubbed against his palm like a spoiled kitten.
"Lucian, I saw a bunch of kids today who still don't have anywhere to go, and they're going hungry..." Cifera said softly, her voice full of hope. "Can we make a place to take them in? Like... how you took me in?"
Lucian set down his teacup, looked at his little cat's pleading face, and gently rubbed her head.
"Of course. As long as that's what you want. Land, money, people... you can handle all of that."
As always, even though Cifera was only a nine-year-old child, Lucian fully supported her idea and agreed to her request without the slightest hesitation, indulging the script's protagonist just as he always had.
It was only natural.
What if her request was one of the conditions needed to complete the script?
Besides, with that kind of unconditional trust and support, what woman would not be moved?
For Lucian, as long as it was not something vile or morally unacceptable, he was willing to do anything that could help him obtain the heart of the script's protagonist.
"Lucian, you're so good to me! Thanks!"
Cifera was so touched that she immediately threw herself into Lucian's arms, happily rubbing her face against the nape of his neck, looking no different from an affectionate little cat seeking attention from its owner.
Lucian had to admit that her soft, delicate cheeks felt quite pleasant brushing against his skin.
Thinking back to their first meeting, when Cifera had been extremely wary of him, and comparing it to the clingy little figure now nestled comfortably in his arms, the difference was like heaven and earth.
Needless to say, all the effort he had put into usurping the authority of Dolos had not been in vain.
===
A week later, near the center of the commoner district, a new estate had been completed. At its heart stood a massive mansion, surrounded by a spacious, sturdy yard enclosed by solid fence walls.
The entire estate was bright, clean, and well-lit, a sharp contrast to the rundown surroundings that had once defined the district. Above the front gate hung a brand-new wooden sign, carefully polished and engraved with two simple words: 'Hearth Mansion.'
Why Hearth Mansion?
Cifera had chosen the name herself because she had once said that, when she had shivered from the cold in the sewers as a child, what she had longed for more than anything else had been a warm house with a burning hearth, where she could finally sleep without fear or hunger.
In her view, a hearth represented warmth, safety, and a place where no one would ever have to face another freezing night alone.
On the day the sign was hung, a long line of people immediately formed outside the mansion's gate.
Standing there were ragged, sallow-faced children whose eyes were filled with both hope and timidity as they quietly waited for the doors to open.
Most of them were street children who had struggled to survive like weeds on the harsh streets of Dolos, as well as children orphaned by war. Among them, the oldest were around ten years old, while the youngest were only four or five, clutching one another's tattered clothes with nervous expressions.
"Come in!"
Wearing a clean, warm sweater and a pair of comfortable long pants, Cifera pushed open the gate and called out loudly, her voice carrying an unmistakable note of pride.
"From now on, this is your home!"
"You'll have food to eat!"
"You'll have beds to sleep in!"
"You won't be freezing!"
"And no one's gonna beat you anymore!"
Hearing her words, the children froze in place for a brief moment, as though they couldn't quite believe what they had just heard.
A moment later, however, gratitude gradually spread across their faces.
Some lowered their heads and quietly thanked her, while others could no longer hold back their tears.
"T-Thank you..."
"Hiks... Thank you..."
"Thank you, big sis!"
Seeing their reactions and hearing their heartfelt gratitude, Cifera simply nodded with a bright, satisfied smile.
However, the next moment, as though she had suddenly remembered something important, her cheerful expression faded into one of deep thought as Lucian's words from the past suddenly resurfaced in her mind.
—"Giving a man a fish is not as good as teaching him how to fish."
As she recalled those words, Cifera immediately understood what they truly meant.
If she genuinely wanted to help these homeless children build better lives, then simply giving them food, clothing, and a roof over their heads would never be enough, because they also needed the ability to survive on their own.
In the end, after arranging the children inside the mansion and making sure they were settled in, she hurried straight toward the rogues' newly built headquarters near the city lord's manor without wasting another moment.
"Hey, you guys are, like, crazy good rogues. Why not teach the kids at the Hearth Mansion?"
As soon as Cifera entered the headquarters and saw the busy rogues, she asked without any hesitation.
In that instant, the rogues, who were still busy cleaning up their headquarters, moving furniture, and arranging supplies, paused what they were doing and exchanged puzzled looks.
After a moment of silence, one of them scratched his head and asked with a confused expression.
"Teach...? Teach them what?"
Hearing the question, Cifera immediately rolled her eyes as though the answer should have been obvious.
"Duh, obviously gotta teach them how to steal—ahem, I mean, how to survive!" Cifera said with both hands planted firmly on her hips. "Lockpicking! Spotting escape routes! Running fast! Sharp eyes! Steady hands! And... how to trick bad guys outta their money!"
"..."
Upon hearing her proposal, every rogue in the room fell silent, completely at a loss for words.
Apparently, this city lord's cat had some rather unique requirements.
Instead of asking them to teach the children reading, writing, or arithmetic, she wanted them to teach practical rogue skills such as lockpicking, infiltration, gambling, deception, and all the other tricks necessary to survive in the city of thieves.
However, after giving it some more thought and remembering that this was Dolos, the infamous city of thieves, none of them could honestly say that her proposal was unreasonable.
In fact, under the city's unique circumstances, it strangely made perfect sense.
Ultimately, several rogues who had pledged their allegiance to Lucian accepted Cifera's request and became part-time instructors for the children living at the Hearth Mansion.
A group of former thieves who had become rogues now openly taught the children how to better survive in Dolos, passing down not only the tricks of the trade but also the instincts and awareness that had allowed them to stay alive for so many years.
A while later, when Lucian eventually learned about the entire situation, he couldn't help but feel that this unexpected development was, in its own peculiar way... strangely inspiring.
In the end, thanks to Cifera's unexpected initiative, Lucian unknowingly cultivated a large number of loyal rogue reserves for the future.
===
[A bonus chapter for every 300 Power Stones.]
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