The impact of the Baron's decrees spread quickly across the central districts of Rammstein.

His relentless orders against the underworld created ripples that no one could ignore. Criminals were hunted down with merciless precision, their influence cut away like rot.

The ordinary citizens of the city, who for so long had lived in constant fear, began to walk the streets again with a sense of safety they had not felt in years.

For the first time, shopkeepers dared to keep their stalls open after dusk, mothers allowed their children to play in alleys without fear of abduction, and men no longer looked over their shoulders with every step they took.

Yet, these sweeping changes were not universal. The entire city did not share in this sudden peace. Only the central districts, the heart of the city where the City Guard maintained its strongest presence and felt the full effects of the Baron's reforms.

Beyond those borders, the outer neighborhoods could only observe with envy and bitterness. They watched as the central wards thrived while they themselves remained plagued by criminals, extortion, and chaos. Their contempt grew, for they understood well enough that the Baron had the will to cleanse the whole city, but his reach had not yet extended far enough to grasp them.

Word of these developments shook the underworld to its core. Reports filtered through hidden channels, and the many criminal groups who once held sway over Rammstein came to the same realisatio, the new authority in the city was no friend to them.

This Baron, unlike others who had held power before him, did not tolerate compromise. He sought eradication. He would not be bribed, placated, or deceived. If the Baron declared war on crime, then it was war to the knife.

Many of the smaller gangs understood the inevitability of their defeat. No matter how clever their schemes or how strong their leaders, they knew the truth, they could not win against a government determined to destroy them.

Even if they succeeded in toppling Estefan himself, another Angeras or another official backed by the Ducal power would rise in his place.

Their defiance would only ensure their annihilation, while the city itself would move forward without them. Thus, many began slipping away, abandoning their dens and disappearing from Rammstein altogether before the jaws of the law closed too tightly.

But not all departed. The strongest allies of Zorthar and Lutis, the two most dominant factions in the underworld, remained entrenched.

Protected by their leader's power and reputation, these groups refused to flee. They believed that under the shadow of Zorthar's gambling empire and Lutis's brothel network, they would remain untouchable.

Meanwhile, a third, far more secretive faction, kept entirely to the shadows. Neither openly fleeing nor openly resisting, they simply watched, biding their time, waiting for the outcome of this new conflict to reveal itself.

For those who did try to resist, the results were brutal and decisive. A handful of gangs made a show of force, but the confrontations always ended in the same manner the City Guard emerged victorious.

Their discipline, their superior numbers, and their sheer determination under the Baron's leadership showed a vast gulf between petty criminals and a reorganized army of order. Each failed skirmish underscored the futility of rebellion.

At the same time, the Baron expanded the City Guard with an aggressive recruitment campaign.

Notices were posted on walls, criers shouted through markets, and promises of pay and honor echoed through every ward.

Young men, weary of living under criminal tyranny, rushed to enlist. Even some former thugs, desperate to shed their past and earn legitimate standing, attempted to join.

Yet, in neighborhoods still controlled by gangs, potential recruits were often beaten or intimidated into submission before they could ever report to the Guard.

Only the boldest and most determined managed to slip past these threats and register. Still, the results were undeniable, the numbers of the City Guard swelled, and with it, the morale of Rammstein's law-abiding population.

It became clear to all that the city was turning against its tormentors. A tide was rising, and the Baron Estefan Angeras stood at its crest.

In taverns and marketplaces, whispers spread like fire. "The Baron is the greatest thing that has happened to us." Others countered with cautious reverence. "He is an Angeras after all they have always stood for the Duchy." Whatever the words, the meaning was the same, the Baron had the people's support, and with that support came legitimacy and strength.

Buoyed by this growing loyalty, the City Guard became bolder in their actions. Raids struck at the very establishments that were once considered untouchable, the gambling houses of Zorthar and the brothels of Lutis.

These assaults were not subtle, but deliberate demonstrations of power. Each raid carried a single, uncompromising message, the law cannot be avoided. Those who broke it would be hunted down, their walls smashed, their businesses torn apart until nothing remained.

The Baron's approach gave no quarter. There would be no compromises, no second chances. To be a criminal was, in his eyes, to be already condemned.

The saying began to circulate among the people. "Criminals must die." No mercy for those who had shown none themselves. The city, for too long drowned in lawlessness, now thirsted for justice and justice, under Estefan's vision, came in the form of death.

As raids intensified, the brothels under Lutis's control began to feel the pressure most keenly. Complaints poured in from their wealthy patrons, many of whom were nobles or influential merchants from beyond the city.

These individuals had long favored Rammstein's brothels not simply for their pleasures, but for the veil of secrecy they offered. Lutis prided itself on protecting the anonymity of its clientele, attracting men and women of high station who wished to indulge their darkest desires without fear of exposure.

But now, with the City Guard bursting through doors and dragging out criminals in chains, that precious anonymity was threatened.

Patrons who once believed themselves untouchable now trembled at the thought of their names being revealed. The embarrassment of being discovered in such establishments would ruin reputations, tear apart marriages, and invite scandal into noble houses. The fear of discovery was enough to drive many away, cutting deeply into Lutis's profits.

The structure of these brothels had always been tailored to shield the identities of their customers.

Special entrances and exits were designed to allow nobles to come and go unseen. The workers themselves were tightly controlled, often confined to the brothel to prevent them from spreading tales.

In some cases, clients even murdered the individuals sent to entertain them, confident that Lutis would cover up the deaths for a sufficient price. The entire organisation thrived on exploiting human perversity and shielding it with ruthless efficiency.

Those who frequented Lutis's establishments came from families of wealth and power. Outwardly, they lived respectable lives, hiding behind their polished reputations.

But beneath that surface, they craved cruelty, sadism, or debauchery so depraved that they dared not show it to their spouses or kin.

Rammstein's brothels became their sanctuary, a place where they could indulge in wickedness without consequence. Many told their families they were traveling elsewhere for business or pleasure, when in truth they were slipping into the city's shadows.

This was possible because the brothels, despite their moral corruption, operated legally. They were recognised businesses under the law, shielded by bureaucratic loopholes and noble indulgence.

Travelers entering the Duchy could pass through checkpoints without difficulty, their identities protected.

Nobles crossing from one territory to another were rarely scrutinized, the Royal Government had ensured that border patrols would not conduct invasive searches. It was a deliberate policy, meant to keep travel between noble lands smooth and efficient.

But beneath that convenience lay a more cunning purpose, by discouraging territorial obstruction, the Crown prevented noble houses from growing too independent, sowing rivalries instead of unity.

The Angeras Duchy, however, had always been different. Its borders were guarded with vigilance, and entering its lands was no easy task.

Yet even here, special allowances were made at key checkpoints, particularly those used by nobles and wealthy merchants visiting the city. The Angeras family did not wish to provoke the Kingdom by cutting off these channels entirely, knowing full well that their Duchy was already seen as a latent threat for refusing to bow fully to the Crown.

Thus, Lutis thrived. Its brothels, frequented by the powerful, continued to generate obscene profits.

Even when the Duke himself had once attempted to suppress the criminals of Rammstein, his efforts faltered. Corruption within the city government leaked information to the factions, undermining his campaigns.

Worse still, the noble patrons kept the brothels afloat with steady streams of money. No matter how many criminals the Duke's knights killed, the factions endured, fattened by endless wealth.

Baron Estefan, however, saw matters differently. Standing on his balcony, surveying the city below, he muttered to himself. "I am not my father. Why should I allow them to grow rich while they remain criminals? Better to strangle their wallets until nothing remains, to make their very survival impossible unless they walk the path of law."

He sipped his tea, his gaze sharp and unyielding. "They do not even deserve the right to operate such establishments. Yet the nobility protects them, and the law, twisted as it is, declares them legitimate. Very well then, if I cannot shut them down entirely, I will ruin them piece by piece. I will let them starve within their gilded cages."

Though frustrated by the limitations imposed upon him, Estefan did not waver. He wanted nothing more than to banish such corrupt businesses from existence, but he knew the storm it would unleash if he openly attacked noble interests.

For now, his strategy of relentless harassment and economic suffocation was working. That, at least, was enough, and he would press forward until the day came when he could strike harder.

[To be Continued]

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