After Surviving the Apocalypse, I Built a City in Another World-Chapter 1223: Fall of Golds (Part 1)

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While another mass wedding was ongoing in Alterra, something big was brewing a few thousand kilometers away from them.

An entire family was imprisoned in Bleulle City's top-level prison. They were all a bit unkempt, an extreme contrast to their usual well-put selves.

They were captured a few days ago, their house ransacked, and their items confiscated. The only wealth they had left was the money in the system and the things in their spaces, which could not be taken by force—at least not yet.

Anyway, although their relationship with the Lord wasn't as close as it was a few generations back, they didn't think it'd develop in a downward spiral so quickly.

However, they had—at one point—thought things were softening up, in particular when they gave a few Blueprints for the Hospital in exchange for the half-orc and some goodwill.

They thought all was well. For one, the Lord really liked the hospital.

But then he applied for it to be included in the Sanctum of Constructs so it could become a System Building, and therefore he could make even more money out of it. However, since the patent wasn't on him, it did not work.

It was then that he tried bringing Oslo back, pressuring them to do so. However, the Golds blocked this and had been trying to delay his return. Because they didn't know where Oslo was, exactly, they couldn't send him direct news, either, which was a good thing.

Anyway, Oslo's return wouldn't have done anything in terms of the patent because it was not solely his—it was also Alterra's. Instead, he'd likely just be bound to work for the territory as an Architect, being pushed to create more and more blueprints.

He would lose the freedom he loved so much.

However, while the Lord didn't like the delays, he didn't seem to mind as much as they had feared. They thought it was because they, their deals, and the buildings were bringing in a lot of money, particularly on taxes.

The market also witnessed a boost and, at least until three months ago, the trade was active and everyone earned huge amounts of gold.

Most importantly, their family's service since the inception of the territory should have some bearing right?

Otto even managed to contact the Great Alchemist—or his guard, at least. The primary goal was to purchase a limb regeneration potion for Miss Althea. She also asked for a favor—to pass on a letter in her stead. Hopefully, he managed to receive it.

Grandmaster Hoffen was a rare Class A Alchemist who had been in seclusion for a long time, and he hadn't been seen by any of them for months. This was completely normal and it'd work against their favor if they bothered him now.

However, because of the nice products they brought in, they caught the attention of Master Hoffen's sole guard and adopted son, Sir Gregory, so they managed to send the letter through him.

Alas, they were captured before anything could happen.

The reason for the capture was not clear, either.

Zaol and Gaia looked at Orion, who sighed. "They claim I'm cooperating with Holt City to take over Bleulle."

"Well, are you?" Obi asked.

Orion gave him a look and if Obi's hands weren't cuffed, he'd have raised his hands in surrender. "Just asking."

Gaia and Zaol naturally knew their son well and believed in him. "Didn't they believe you? Did you ask if you can swear an oath?"

"I offered, but they didn't believe me. They said I could manage to word myself out somehow."

"Well, you can…" Obi couldn't help but add.

Orion sent him another look, making him flinch.

"Sorry."

Gaia sighed and ignored the exchange, forcing the discussion back to their supposed 'transgressions'.

"What evidence did they show? After all, they incarcerated all of us."

Without proper reason, there'd be repercussions, even to the Lord.

It wasn't that Lords couldn't do something like this—they could do more or less whatever they wanted in their land. However, for Towns and Cities, there would be repercussions.

The Golds were the #1 family next to the Lord.

If the entire family was imprisoned, there were bound to be a few doubts—even amongst the nobilities who had something to gain with their fall.

Even if no one asked the Lord himself, there'd be questions in their minds and amongst each other.

This would show that no matter how powerful, the Lord could capture them at will!

If so, which powerful family would stay in the city?

Wouldn't they all just move out before they become the next 'Gold' Family?

"They brought forth witnesses that I have been having close contact with Holt City for the past few years," Orion said, his baritone voice a little raspy, showing how tired he was.

For this to happen to someone like Orion, it was obvious that this weighed heavily on him.

The older couple sighed in pity. Zaol's eyebrows were furrowed as he thought of past events. "That doesn't prove anything," he said. "This doesn't make any sense."

Orion heaved a deep breath.

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"They also found about a study Holt city had been doing the past few years," he said, "The past few years, it seems like the regeneration rate of resources had been fast declining—everywhere, in all parts of the world."

This made everyone flinch and look at him, even paler than before. "What?"

"They claim that I had known this for a while so that's why I've been decentralizing my capital from Blu extraction—which had indeed been declining. The fact that I knew but did not say anything was taken as a sign of my imminent betrayal.

"The truth was that I was simply diversifying our investments," Orion said before looking down, unapproachable.

He failed his family.

He was the heir to the Gold Family, and he had been raised to build it up and protect it.

And during his 'time', it fell instead.

For a perfectionist with a deep love for family, the burden could become crushing.

Hilda tentatively placed her palm over his hand. However, he did not hold it, but he also didn't take it away.

The tense muscles softened though—even if just a little—which told Hilda her warmth was not unwelcome.