Similarly, development will also open Hamlet to the world. When the time comes, there will be a lot of personnel exchanges, and they cannot be allowed to harbor such hostile ideologies. Lance aims to control this extreme ideology.

Emphasizing rules is about protecting all who abide by them, including those from other regions.

...

The success of the [Rat Extermination] operation is undeniable, capturing those spies active in Hamlet.

There might be more we don’t know, but at least they can no longer act so brazenly, reaching in without considering the risk of getting caught.

Hamlet’s police force, reorganized from the sheriff, has made a name for themselves through this battle, proving their capabilities.

The security situation has been cleared up, and people quickly forgot about those matters, not even paying much attention to internal changes in Hamlet.

In reality, significant changes have occurred. The vacant positions were filled, Lance promoted some who performed well, and purified the bureaucratic system.

After Grendel fully disengaged, Lance needed to find a way to maintain the town’s operations once he left.

Appointing a governor to manage administrative affairs is the simplest move, but currently, he’s surrounded by young people who lack sufficient capability.

Walter, whom Lance considers a reliable candidate, is managing the situation in Ovando, but Lance doesn’t dare use him hastily; after all, Tiffany is also in a high position, and it can’t afford any accidental outcomes.

So, it’s only him.

Baldwin was called back from the wilderness, having been tasked by Lance recently with overseeing the development of the town and the wilderness as a form of test.

It seems just as Reynard had mentioned before, Baldwin is like a king, handling these affairs with great expertise.

For a person who manages a kingdom to manage a town, it’s too easy.

Moreover, the tormented Baldwin is a benevolent person, without an overly radical style; rather, he is steady and aligns well with Lance’s ideas...

"Come! I have good news to tell you."

Lance didn’t directly bring up those matters but took Baldwin back to their initial starting point once he returned.

Yet, when they arrived, they found the Leprosy Camp had been dismantled. Nearby was a brand-new camp.

Upon seeing this, Baldwin instantly realized something, instinctively exclaiming.

"This... so fast?"

"Still too slow. I promised to do my best to heal you all. If it weren’t for the calamities and several accidents in Hamlet, it would have been healed sooner."

Speaking, Lance didn’t dwell on grievances, instead making an invitation.

"Come, see how your old friends have recovered."

The sanatorium has always served its purpose. Once Grendel was relieved from extensive political duties, she could return to her primary work.

Under her and Paracelsus’s research, a new batch of medicine was quickly produced, completed treatments for those with leprosy.

Lance also sent Baldwin to the development area to partially separate them, as Baldwin frequently visited to care for the patients’ treatment while employing [Flesh Reconstruction] to expedite it.

Although unsure if such relationships can develop between them, those people regard Lance as their savior reborn.

Lance never intended to take over power nor make them choose between him and Baldwin, as it means nothing to him.

His vision lies far ahead, not just before him.

"I won’t go in; it’s inappropriate for me to appear in such a scene." With that, Lance produced a box from his hands, "This is something nice: a new distillation wine from the brewery. Once consumed, those matters will pass."

After handing the box to Baldwin, Lance waved and left without mentioning his actual purpose.

The most fearsome aspect of Lance was neither else but his determination and patience, never easily revealing his intentions.

Like a spider that never aggressively attacks but meticulously weaves its web.

However, once the weaving is complete, the target realizes it’s impossible to escape.

He doesn’t even have to specify things directly, but guides the target to act according to his will, as if it were their spontaneous decision.

Anyway, Baldwin hasn’t sensed Lance’s plans concerning him; he holds a box of wine, and nobody knows the expression under his mask, but the gaze toward the camp already betrays his excitement.

Quickly walking inside, he sees people active under the autumn sunlight.

The cooling weather has them mostly wearing long sleeves, but their exposed skin is no longer the ugly, disgusting festering decay, rather newly formed skin.

The twisted, deformed limbs mostly recovered, taking more time to fully correct some excessively terrible cases.

Now these people are moving their bodies, quickly shaking off years of strangeness, even a simple action can bring them immense joy.

It’s true that only after losing can importance be understood; they greedily absorb the vitality of a healthy body.

Baldwin also recovered in this way; merely swinging a sword could stir absolute excitement, a feeling unmatched by anyone.

"My lord!"

"My lord, why have you come?"

Soon, the people noticed Baldwin, seeming cured of blindness and with restored senses.

Seeing his followers who suffered alongside him in this current state filled Baldwin’s heart with complex emotions.

We will all find redemption in Hamlet...

But soon he smiled and raised the wine box, shouting in relief.

"Come, drink!"

...

Several large ships sailed into Hamlet’s dock, the first batch to arrive since the lifting of the blockade.

Among them were mainly Hamlet’s own ships, but what truly mattered was safely bringing back supplies and personnel.

This dispelled the fear induced by monster attacks and opened Hamlet’s waterways to the outside.

The ship decks were crowded with people eager to view the increasingly legendary territory.

However, most were ultimately disappointed; compared to Totnes, Hamlet was just an ordinary town.

Low buildings, a few fishing boats, and lacking that big city hustle and bustle.

Nevertheless, it didn’t matter; many weren’t here for these reasons.

The largest cargo wasn’t metal or gunpowder, but adventurers filling the ship cabins.

They brought their thirst for fortune to Hamlet, affluent ones occupying private spaces with tasks, while more who couldn’t afford much squeezed in the harsh environment of cargo holds.

Now finally they arrived in Hamlet, a place of dreams.

"Disembark in order!"

"Line up, line up!"

"Everyone, pay attention..."

While management controlled the situation, people on the speedboat had already disembarked first.

With Little John’s introduction, the professor met the Lord.

"Hahaha! Are you saying they were afraid to offend the Church so they abandoned those doctors?"

Lance listened to the professor recounting the high-level decision of those associations and couldn’t help but laugh aloud; it was truly comical.

This rendered the professor slightly embarrassed, though he could only continue explaining.

"But later, for unknown reasons, they changed their strategy, seeming to want to connect with Hamlet. I suspect the news of relics spreading gave them a sense of profit."

The professor uncovered this issue post-return to the academy, yet soon heard the upper echelon had reversed their stance, the association not abandoning the investigating teachers, and plans to conduct business in Hamlet.

To silence him, the association aimed to let him bear responsibility for this work, offering benefits to quell disputes.

However, he needed to avoid those people today, meeting Lance alone, which spoke volumes.

Indeed, he refused the association’s proposal, standing firm on his justice.