"I bought this information."
"Bought it? From whom? The nobles?"
"No, from orphans who gather in the streets. I buy news from them."
"Orphans..."
"Does the Temple not care for the orphans? Why are they allowed to sell information?"
"Your Highness, these orphans are those who have been abandoned and weeded out."
Abandoned... and weeded out?
"Lola, tell me more."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Lola thought for a moment.
"In the Kingdom of the Moon, there are many sources for abandoned orphans. They might be refugees from wars in other nations, children born in secret to slave women, or the only children left behind after their parents died in accidents. Regarding this, the Temple has regulations. Until the age of fourteen, they can live in orphanages established by the Temple, where nuns are selected to care for and train them."
"Then what is the deal with the children on the streets?"
If the rules were strictly enforced, why were there still orphans selling information?
Was their goal in earning money not simply survival?
Since the Temple guaranteed their survival, why did they come out to sell information?
And what did being weeded out mean?
Lola explained in a low voice.
"The Temple's orphanages gather these orphans. Once they reach a certain age, nobles and childless families come to adopt them. Children with better potential are taken first, while those left behind are mostly unremarkable. These weeded-out children grow up in the orphanage but receive no proper education. Furthermore..."
"Furthermore what? Say it all at once, do not hesitate."
"Your Highness... the supplies provided by the Temple's orphanages are meager. Each child is basically limited to two pieces of black bread and some vegetables a day. Children with larger appetites might go hungry. Gradually, they end up on the streets. Some learn to steal, others learn to scam. Eventually, these children gather together and form groups that survive by selling various types of information."
"Why is there so little? Is the Temple out of money?"
In a metropolis of a million people, a high number of orphans was normal. After all, the population base was large.
But even then, there could not be more than a few tens of thousands.
Could the Temple really not afford to support that many people?
"Your Highness, the fixed rations are a Temple regulation."
A bunch of idiots!
If Luo Li were not in a position where cursing was inappropriate, she would not have been able to hold back.
Truly stupid.
And they let nobles adopt them?
Did the people in the Temple not realize that these orphans were actually the Temple's most useful pawns?
"Who is leading these orphans now? What is his name and background?"
"His name is Baker. He is currently a hotel owner, but secretly, he is the leader of these children. The information is bought from him. He was also a child from the orphanage."
Luo Li's fingers lightly tapped on the bed rail as she fell into deep thought.
Could this Baker be useful?
The orphanages were funded by the Temple, which meant the Temple had shown them kindness. No matter how small the favor, they survived because of the Temple's generosity.
With this connection, she could win Baker over and make him her man. Then, gathering information would be even easier.
She could not rule out the possibility that excessive kindness might eventually breed resentment.
But... those who achieve great things do not get bogged down by trifles.
If Baker was useful, she would give him a path to glory.
If not, there was no need for him to stay alive.
"Lola, make arrangements. I want to meet this Baker. Do not let anyone know. Set the time for... after the Holy Trial."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The Holy Trial.
It was a public trial conducted by the Temple for those guilty of heinous crimes.
The execution site was Moon Square in front of the Temple.
And this time, the target of the trial was Cyrus.
The purpose was twofold: to make an example of him to warn others against resistance, and to provide an outlet for the people who had lost their families to vent their anger.
"What is the situation on the battlefield? Any news?"
Although the war was won, the cleanup was ongoing. Massive numbers of demon corpses needed to be burned and buried, and large quantities of supplies had to be tallied and stored.
"Your Highness, most of the knights have returned. However, to prevent any large-scale remnants of the demon army from gathering, Knight Yuna and Knight Nar are still patrolling the front lines."
"I see. Make arrangements to reward the army in three days. Ensure Knight Yuna and Knight Nar are present."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The discussion ended there. Afterward, she met with the Chief Financial Officer and the Chief Executive.
Both were old-school nobles, and the moment they met, they showered her with congratulations.
They congratulated the Saintess on her first great victory.
Without wasting words, she conducted an in-depth review.
She finally had a general grasp of the situation in the Kingdom of the Moon.
Next, she met with the officials she had selected. After some discussion, she kept those she intended to use.
It was a probationary period.
They were four men: Weber, Conrad, Rodney, and Simmons.
She wanted to implement something like the Three Departments and Six Ministries system, but for now, the priority was building a core team, starting with the Cabinet system and expanding downward.
The Ministries of War and Rites were unnecessary. The powers of the Ministry of Rites were held by Nara and Ella, and the powers of the Ministry of War were held by herself and the Heavenly Punishment Knight, Cromwell Kevin.
Personnel, Revenue, Rites, War, Justice, and Infrastructure.
She did not need these men for the Ministry of Revenue either, as she did not quite trust them. It was better to have Lola handle it, but Lola's capacity was limited, so she needed to find assistants for her.
That left the Ministries of Personnel, Justice, and Infrastructure.
Although she would not use those exact names, the responsibilities would be similar.
These four men had good personalities and resumes, no complex backgrounds, few ties to other nobles, and were generally clean.
And so, she spent a busy day without a moment's rest. From waking up at four in the morning until eight at night, she was even discussing matters with Lola during meals.
As the sky turned pitch black and magic lamps lit up inside the Temple, Nara and Ella yawned repeatedly.
Lola was also exhausted.
Luo Li herself felt dizzy from the day's work.
But fortunately, she had a rough understanding of the structure and foundation of the Kingdom of the Moon.
Next, she could begin to transform this... country of hers!
Rate on N.U.
