71 - Stop Hypnotizing Me, Villainous Princess!

### Chapter 71: Let Me Bear the Infamy "So, what exactly are the things you asked me to prepare for?" Grey asked, curiously eyeing Lynn, who was leaning over the edge of the platform. The two stood atop a towering structure with a massive bronze bell hanging in the center, etched with the marks of history and time, exuding an aura of antiquity and weight. Clearly, they were at the highest point of a bell tower. This bell tower, known as the Rennes Bell Tower, is one of the most iconic buildings in Orne City. Funded by the city council, it stands 169 meters tall, the highest in the city, and has a history stretching back over three centuries. Beyond a single street from the Rennes Bell Tower lay the municipal building of the southern district and the vast municipal square before it. In the very center of the square stood a statue commemorating the first Speaker of Orne City. But these details were not the main focus. The main point was that Lynn, from his current vantage, had an excellent view of a large portion of the district. At this moment, the usually deserted municipal square on a day of rest was surprisingly crowded with various citizens, and despite the distance, the murmurs of bustling discussions could still be faintly heard. Hearing Grey's inquiry, Lynn replied without turning his head, "Those things? They're for donations, of course." Upon returning to the estate last night, he had Grey commission the creation of twelve massive glass storage boxes, transparent so their contents could easily be seen. Each box had an opening at the top. Grey hadn't understood their purpose at the time but now realized they were merely donation boxes—albeit unusually large and transparent ones. "Donations?" Grey paused for a few seconds, then looked at him suspiciously. "How is this any different from the charity galas held by the Duke?" "The difference is, his is like begging on one's knees; mine is daylight robbery," Lynn chuckled. Grey was even more puzzled. This fellow loved to keep people guessing. "Are you planning to take money from the poor?" "As if." "Then whose money do you want?" "Whoever has money, I'll take theirs," Lynn's tone was enigmatic. "In short, let the nobles and the church suffer a bit; I'll take the blame." For some reason, staring at Lynn's figure brimming with a patriotic aura, Grey suddenly felt an urge to punch him. In the center of the municipal square appeared an array of large, transparent glass boxes, standing as tall as a person, empty and immaculate in their arrangement. Upon counting, there were twelve boxes in total. Observing the strange occurrences in what was once an empty square, many citizens paused to stare. Some noticed it while passing by, others hastened to the scene upon hearing news of it. Orne City is neither too big nor too small, hosting a population of eight to nine hundred thousand. Should a piece of news break out, it wouldn't take more than two days for the entire city to discuss it. Now, those observing these boxes did not share some emergent understanding of their purpose. Some wondered whether they were related to the upcoming tax reform being announced by the city council. "What do you think these boxes are for?" someone asked quietly amidst the bustling crowd. "Not sure, maybe for gathering public opinion?" another shrugged, making an unamusing joke. "Wait, it looks like someone's approaching!" someone in the front observed keenly. A regiment of private guards, clad in armor typical of the Augusta family, was approaching the square's center with goods in tow, directed at the twelve glass boxes. This spectacle caught the attention of many. It seemed the Augusta family was behind this occurrence. Since the Augusta family maintained a low profile with a generally good reputation, the crowds felt no adverse reaction. Under the watchful eyes of countless onlookers, the guards began fastening wooden plaques inscribed with words onto the front of the twelve glass boxes, in a particular sequence. The people strained their eyes towards the plaques, and upon discerning the carved inscriptions, they collectively froze. Destiny Church, Quietude Church, Abundant Church, the Desolation Sect, War God Cathedral, the Yadur Knowledge Society, the Serran Doctrine... The inscriptions were precise and succinct. As they read, each wooden plaque bore the name of a local church within Orne City. Moreover, every plaque corresponded to one of the empty glass boxes. Seeing this, the people came to an understanding: there were twelve boxes, each corresponding to one of the city's well-known churches. Due to Orne City's location at the border, faith regulation was relatively lenient, and neighboring countries' beliefs found soil here to take root, like the War God Cathedral from the Dust Kingdom Tutkhamun. These strength-worshippers did not abandon the tiny territory of the Holy Rowland Empire. Furthermore, given the proximity to the demon battlegrounds, and the frequent outbreaks of war, over time they garnered a large number of devoted followers. Similar churches were plentiful, though somewhat weaker compared to the empire's own major churches: Destiny, Quietude, and Abundance. Occasionally, amidst denominational clashes, there were open and hidden frictions. Now, the Augusta family's antics bewildered everyone present. What exactly was their purpose in orchestrating this? Not only the citizens present but also the nobles and church officials observing discreetly from carriages or hiding places were never more puzzled. Fortunately, these questions were soon answered. Gazing at the glass donation boxes labeled with church names, the guards next carried over some ladders and mounted several banners above. The first banner unfurled, displaying a long string of text, clear for all to read. "Every year, around 30% of soldiers retire with lifelong disabilities from war, and incomplete statistics show that after leaving the military, these disabled veterans often become disconnected from society and live without security." Eyes widened at the sight of the banner's message. What did this mean? Clearly, nobody could grasp the situation just yet. But moments later, another banner was hung below the first. "Another statistic: among these disabled veterans, 60% suffer from mental health issues within three years of discharge, with some even resorting to suicide." Previously unnoticed by many, the plight of these disabled veteran groups post-discharge was shockingly dire. Faces turned, with no idea what to say. Soon, the third and fourth banners joined the display. "The Governor of the Southern Province, the Duke of Tyr Wirus, hereby calls upon local churches and nobles of Orne City to donate generously." "Let not the soldiers who safeguard our homes and nation shed blood and tears!" A rare collective silence took over the square. Now, rather than being puzzled about what they were doing, the people were captivated by the facts laid bare on the banners. So, it was a donation drive? But the intended donors seemed not to be ordinary citizens, but rather the local churches and nobles. The people speculated what this could mean. Lastly, the fifth banner was hung conspicuously above the twelve large glass boxes. Utterly eye-catching. "Let’s see which faith is the most kind-hearted and generous."