Fangzhou Xier, starting with failing the art exam

Serafina dismissed everyone around her and opened the letter alone.

The letter was concise and direct: Miss Gertrude Strolo of Viseheim wished to have a secret meeting with the leader of the Leitanian Workers' Party to discuss their mutual interests.

-Moon_Ripples* First release @Viseheim? The Strolo family?

Serafina quickly recalled the relevant information.

Viseheim is a small town near the capital Trilintelme, not too far from Salem, but not exactly close either.

Its lord, Earl Strolo, was identified as a remnant of the Witch King during a recent purge and died under mysterious circumstances.

Why would the daughter of a fallen nobleman seek out the Workers' Party?

Serafina did not make a decision on her own. She held the letter up to the candlelight and watched it slowly turn to ashes.

Then she walked to the window and looked in the direction of the prison.

“Lassie, it seems a new player wants to enter the game you’ve set up,” she said softly.

……

Holy Leitanian Empire: Chapter Seventeen: Release from Prison and Change

Today, the iron gates of Salem No. 3 Prison will witness the most attention they have ever received since its construction.

Behind the door, the warden was personally adjusting Lacey's collar, his movements careful as if afraid of neglecting her.

“Mr. Lacey, there are quite a lot of people outside, um... please bear with us.”

“Thank you for your hard work, Warden.” Lacey’s tone was calm. “Thank you for taking care of me these past three months.”

"You flatter me, you flatter me!" The warden waved his hands repeatedly, almost shaking his hat off. "It's our honor that you can stay with us!"

He himself found his words absurd.

It is an honor for the prison to have a prisoner in it.

But it is what it is.

In the past three months, the guards of the Third Prison have been walking with their heads held high, and their salaries have inexplicably increased.

The authorities allocated funds to renovate the prison cells and improve the food, ostensibly to "raise human rights standards," but everyone knew it was all thanks to the man in front of them.

Prison guard John followed behind, carrying a small bag containing Lacey's old prison uniform and a few books.

The autograph his son received has now been framed and hung in the most prominent place in his home.

The iron gate creaked and slowly opened inward.

The light from outside flooded in, almost blindingly so.

What followed was a deafening roar like a tsunami.

When Lacey appeared in the doorway, the sounds coalesced into a ballad:

"...crossing the hills piled high with corpses,

The hero's medals gleam in the blood...

Among the people singing were workers in oil-stained overalls, farmers with tanned skin, peddlers pushing carts and hawking their wares, elderly people with white hair, and children being carried on their parents' shoulders.

They filled the entire street in front of the prison, stretching to the horizon.

Their eyes burned like flames.

Lacey stood on the steps, quietly watching the sea of ​​people.

He saw the firelight in their eyes, and now it had coalesced on his body.

His gaze swept across the crowd, and he saw Serafina standing at the back, her eyes slightly red.

Lacey gave her a reassuring smile in her direction.

He raised his hand and pressed it down.

The singing gradually subsided, and thousands of eyes were focused on him alone.

"I am back."

He only said those four words.

However, the crowd erupted in cheers once again.

"Lassie!"

"Lassie!"

"Lassie!"

Taylor the blacksmith wiped his eyes with his large, fan-like hands and grinned.

He led a few members of the picket line, struggling to clear a path through the crowd.

As Lacey descended the steps, the crowd parted to both sides like Moses parting the Sea.

People reached out to touch him, but at the last moment they withdrew their hands, following him only with the most reverent gaze.

They offered us their own bread, wheat cakes, and even a few eggs covered in dirt.

Lacey did not refuse; he took the still-warm black bread from a child and thanked him.

He walked over to Serafina, shared half of his bread with her, and said with a smile, "See? I told you I'd be fine."

Serafina took the bread, her fingertips lightly touching his hand, feeling its reassuring warmth.

She didn't speak, but simply nodded. The tears in her eyes finally welled up and turned into a single, glistening drop that slid down her cheek before she quickly wiped them away.

“Boss, welcome home!” Taylor said in a deep voice. He wanted to give Lacey a bear hug, but seeing the crowd around him, he scratched his head sheepishly.

……

On the way back to the slums, Lacey saw a different side of things.

The once muddy road has been paved with gravel and become much smoother.

Along the roadside, the once stinking garbage heaps have disappeared, replaced by rows of newly planted oak saplings.

Some dilapidated houses are being demolished, while the foundations for new brick houses have been laid nearby, and workers are busy at work.

He saw workers' pickets patrolling in uniform; though poorly equipped, they were in high spirits and maintaining order.

Children on the street were loudly reciting the alphabet along with an elderly teacher.

There is something new here called "hope".

When they arrived at the Workers' Party headquarters, hundreds of members were already lined up and waiting at the entrance.

When they saw Lacey, they all straightened their chests, raised their arms, and saluted their leader.

Lacey responded to them in the same way.

……

"...In the first week after your imprisonment, the number of membership applications in Salem tripled."

"We reorganized according to your previous plan, with groups of ten people each and branches of one hundred people each."

"Currently, in Salem alone, there are 3,700 registered core members and countless peripheral supporters."

"Taylor's workers' picket line has expanded to three hundred men and has completely taken over the security of the slums."

“We have set up three public canteens and a basic clinic, and there are more than 500 students in the literacy classes…”

In the Workers' Party headquarters office, Serafina was giving a clear and organized report.

Taylor added from the side, "Now, if anyone in the slums has a fight, they don't go to the city guards anymore, they go to the picket line."

"We also caught more than a dozen thieves and swindlers and dealt with them according to Party regulations. That was much more effective than those guards who only knew how to collect money!"

His dark face was full of pride.

Lacey nodded, turning her gaze to Serafina, signaling her to continue.

“From an external perspective, the impact of the public trial has exceeded our expectations.”

“In some surrounding towns, organizations that imitated our workers’ fraternities and mutual aid societies have emerged.”

　 "They are secretly disseminating the content of your speech and regard you as a spiritual leader. I have already sent people to make initial contact with several of the larger organizations."

"At the same time, many people have come to us on their own initiative."

“There are small workshop owners who are on the verge of bankruptcy due to being squeezed out by large factories. They hope that we can organize their workers to boycott their competitors.”

“Some lower-level tax officials, who couldn’t stand their superiors’ exploitation, were willing to provide us with evidence of tax evasion by certain nobles.”

"There are also some speculative businessmen who want to sponsor us so that they can get a share of the pie in the new order that may come in the future."

"What do you think of these people?" Lacey asked.

"Most of them are opportunists, but a few are genuinely dissatisfied with the existing order and can become our temporary allies."

"My abilities can help me distinguish between truth and falsehood. I have already made a record of those with ill intentions, and I can deal with them at any time."

“Well done,” Lacey praised.

"The united front is about uniting all forces that can be united."

"We can discuss their demands as long as they do not conflict with our core principles. We need their resources and information to buy us time."

He paused for a moment, then looked at Serafina: "Is there anything else?"

Serafina pulled a letter from the files and handed it to Lacey.

"This is a confidential letter that was sent to headquarters half a month ago."

Lacey took the letter and glanced at it.

“Miss Gertrude Strolo of Viseheim wishes to have a secret meeting with the leader of the Workers’ Party,” Serafina explained.

“Viseheim is an important town near the capital. The lord of the Strolo family, that old Earl, was identified as a remnant of the Witch King in the recent purge and died mysteriously.”

"The family inheritance now rests with this Miss Gertrude and her incompetent brother."

Lacey nodded: "A letter of appeal from a fallen nobleman."

Serafina continued, "She's a smart woman, but the right to succession is her biggest obstacle."

"The Elector and the Empress clearly prefer a useless person to inherit the title, so that they can control him."

“So she found us.” Lacey smiled.

“In their eyes, we are more dangerous rebels than the remnants of the Witch King, and the most useful black gloves.”

“Use us to deal with her brother, and after it’s done, kick us aside as a credit for avenging her brother.”

"Killing two birds with one stone, a clever plan."

Taylor was completely confused, but he grasped the key point and said in a low voice, "No nobleman is a good person! Boss, this woman is definitely trying to use us, we can't trust her!"

“Taylor, you’re right, she certainly wants to use us.” Lacey put down the letter. “But the question is, why can’t we use her instead?”

He stood up, walked to the map, and his gaze fell on the location of Viseheim.

“We are just local bullies in Salem now. No matter how loud we shout, we only have influence in a small area.”

“If we want all of Letania to hear our voice, we must plant a knife in the heart of power.”

"And this Miss Gertrude has just given us a good opportunity."

“She’s very sincere,” Serafina said. “Or rather, very impatient.”

"Her attendant, a man named Heinrich, arrived early this morning."

"He knows you're being released from prison today, and he's waiting for you in the next room now."

"The guest room?" Lacey was taken aback.

Seraphia blushed slightly and pointed somewhat shyly to the next room: "It used to be the tool storage room. I had it cleaned up..."

Lacey shook her head with a wry smile.

"Then let's not keep our guests waiting."

He straightened his collar and strode toward the door.

“Taylor, you stay outside. Serafina, you come with me.”

……