Knights and Magic Wand
Chapter 514 - 514 243 Estate Affairs and 4 Rangers_2

514: Chapter 243 Estate Affairs and 4 Rangers_2 514: Chapter 243 Estate Affairs and 4 Rangers_2 The modern spirit of law is evidently unsuitable to be fully implemented in a discordant era.

Now, Leon can only explore laws that are fair to the people and appropriate for the social environment based on the current era.

However, the regulations currently managing the Baron Domain remain quite simple because the difficulty of rule of law lies not only in formulating rules but also in law dissemination.

To punish without teaching is called cruelty, and not to correct before punishing is called tyranny.

The common people’s cultural level is too low to understand overly complex decrees, so how can they be arbitrarily judged?

Currently, in the territory, there are very few who really have the capability to understand legal clauses, let alone those who can independently go out and spread legal knowledge to the grassroots populace.

Every time he reaches this point, Leon can’t help but recall those clergy members he saw in the countryside of Seryan in the past.

They read religious decrees to the populace, able to read and write while also possessing medical skills and knowledge guiding agriculture and gathering.

They not only hold the people’s faith but also serve as equivalent grassroots officials dispatched by the Church.

Yet, after all, the talents on his side are far fewer than those in the Church.

Until those children from Avalon Academy graduate and enter the workforce, he cannot drastically change the prevailing traditional laws of the current era.

After all, ingrained customary laws, such as “a murderer shall die” and “injuring and stealing are crimes,” are understandable even to illiterate civilians and are more than adequate for managing a population of ten to twenty thousand.

Nevertheless, he is not leaving everything untouched, as Leon will not tolerate some patently absurd customary laws continuing in their status quo.

For example, in some villages and towns within the territory, especially areas within southern Kantadar, civilian families where a husband violently kills his wife only need to show remorse and regret for their “impulsiveness” to evade severe punishment.

Furthermore, in common domestic violence cases, if someone kills their own child, the punishment is so light as to be almost negligible, and the more ridiculous, perhaps such as incestuous deeds, receive virtually no substantive intervention or punishment.

Leon is aware that the evils beneath the surface must be more than what he’s heard.

There are realistic reasons for this.

For the lowest level of civilians, clothing and housing conditions are luxury goods.

Many poor families are barely clad, with entire families sharing only one bed in their small house.

Such a rudimentary environment is a hidden danger for nurturing such evils.

There are also mental reasons.

The North and South Kingdoms clearly lack the secular Confucian moral consensus of his ancestral country’s ancient times, while a place like Seryan, controlled by the Church, at least has the spiritual restraint of the Holy Sun Faith as a baseline.

In Orland and Kantadar, only folk traditional morals exist, and how effective they are depends only on personal morality, as the external constraints of the environment are practically non-existent.

If personal morality were reliable, there would be no need for laws and rules in this world.

Not all apparent injustices and evils should be tolerated to suit the times, and in this regard, there is no room for negotiation for Leon.

Of course, addressing such loopholes in rules that shouldn’t be ignored is still treating the symptoms.

To truly eliminate such issues, only by giving the populace ample food and clothing and better shelters can the root be treated.

When the granary is full, proprieties become known; when there is enough food and clothing, honor and disgrace become known…

The task of governing the land and the people underfoot remains arduous and long.

Besides the obvious injustices needing correction, many absurd folk customary laws must also be strictly abolished.

For instance, treating suspects by immersing them in hot water before a deity, where the innocent float and the guilty sink—Leon sees no reason to leave such nonsense intact.

He has repeatedly confirmed with Lola that the gods in the traditional faith of the Felu people are nonexistent false idols, mere primitive faiths of the hill folks.

It’s engagement with such rural divine judgment methods would indeed be a joke.

After finally reviewing the various major and minor events and administrative tasks within the territory during this period, Leon checked the time.

Approaching noon, it seemed like a good time for lunch to meet those Ranger Knights.

Leaving the office, Leon didn’t summon them but instead actively went to their lodging.

Avalon’s main castle is large, a fortress accommodating the troops under Galron back in the day, with ample guest rooms and dining halls, easily sectioned off to entertain guests.

Leon reached the northeast corner of the main castle, guided by a maid, and saw several unfamiliar warriors dining.

An old knight with a full beard, three middle-aged knights, and three young knights.

Larian was also among them.

Seeing the Lord’s arrival, he set down his utensils and greeted, “Good day, Mr.

Leon.”

Others, hearing his address, quickly stood up to pay their respects as well.

Leon hurriedly returned the gesture and exchanged pleasantries, instructing the maid to bring him another serving of food as he wished to dine with the rangers who had traveled from afar.

Once Leon took his seat, Larian introduced these fellows responding to the oath alliance: “This gentleman is Glenn Soren from ‘Upper Beiso,’ known for slaying the enormous water monster plaguing both sides of the ‘Piscia River.’ He is a renowned hero in the ‘Ostania Territory’…”

Leon looked at the old knight with a full beard, surprised, and raised his wine glass in salute: “To your bravery, sir, forgive my youthful ignorance for not having known your illustrious name sooner.”

The old knight lifted his glass with a hearty laugh: “Just a hollow title.

When killing that beast back then, it wasn’t entirely my effort, but I have heard much of Lord Leon’s fame instead.”