Inside the governor's office at the top of the spire.
"Governor, here is the report you requested."
Bayev handed Eden a chart detailing the manpower and resources needed to restore the saint statue.
He looked concerned, "Sir, do we really need to rush the restoration of the saint statue like this? It's putting a great strain on the Court District."
Eden's tone was firm and unyielding, "The Court District needs the saint statue of the God-Emperor to stabilize people's hearts. From now on, our top priority is the restoration of the statue!"
The shortage of food supplies had gradually weakened the control over the Court District.
If this issue wasn't resolved, the army that maintained order would collapse, the Court District would fall, and Eden would face his own demise.
Thus, Eden needed a powerful backing, a spiritual symbol to support him.
It was to make the people and the army believe in him and to nurture a power of hope.
In simpler terms, Eden needed to paint an illusion of hope, and the people had to believe it.
The "miracle" of the God-Emperor was the best, and only, choice!
Of course, the "miracle" was fake, but the hope it could generate was very real.
Once enough hope was gathered to open the portal to the space ark, the food crisis would be resolved.
Eden carefully explained the surface-level goal of restoring the statue to Bayev.
Naturally, he didn't mention a word about the secret of the "Little Sun."
"I understand your intentions," Bayev listened carefully and nodded in understanding.
In his mind, although the task seemed troublesome, if done right, it could benefit the Court District.
With careful planning, things shouldn't get too out of hand.
If worst comes to worst, they could suppress dissenters, which would help clear out some of the surplus population.
"The restoration of the statue is crucial, and I'll leave it to you to handle."
Eden looked at Bayev, "Prepare a detailed plan for me to review..."
"Governor, I'll make sure you're satisfied!"
Bayev's attitude was resolute.
Since the governor had made the decision, as the senior steward, he had no right to question it.
His only duty was to execute the plan with determination!
Bayev accepted the order and immediately went off to make preparations.
After Bayev left, Eden continued scribbling and drafting.
The restoration of the statue and the display of the "miracle" were just the beginning; a series of follow-up actions were needed to ensure the best effect.
Before long, the office door was knocked again.
Bayev returned to report on his progress.
As expected of a senior steward, his efficiency was impeccable.
In just two hours, he had come up with a comprehensive plan.
According to Bayev's plan, since the "miracle" was to be showcased, the restoration of the statue had to be conducted in secret to maintain an air of mystery.
He proposed relocating the residents closest to the Sacred Square and tightening patrols around the area, prohibiting anyone unrelated from approaching.
To cover all bases, he also assigned a team to ensure confidentiality.
The restoration deadline was set for the night before the "Emperor's Ascension Festival," ensuring the saint statue would be fully restored by the time of the festival.
There were two weeks until the deadline.
During this time, Bayev would mobilize all available personnel from the Court District.
Using engineering machinery, they would work around the clock to ensure the restoration was completed smoothly.
In short, everything was ready, and they could begin as soon as Eden gave the green light.
"I'm pleased with your plan, but isn't it too simple just to restore it?"
"What do you mean, sir?"
"If we're going to do it, let's do it properly. Use more precious materials. How else will we demonstrate our loyalty?"
Eden decided to use the gold and jewels from the Court District's treasury to embellish the statue, turning it into a golden saint statue.
The aim was to shock and awe the masses!
After all, those items were of no immediate use anyway.
"What a brilliant idea!" Bayev flattered seamlessly, "I'll instruct the craftsmen to come up with the best designs!"
With everything mostly settled, Eden still felt a bit uneasy and added a few more points.
"I have two additional requests. First, make sure to provide compensation for those being relocated. Second, during the construction, be as gentle as possible to avoid casualties."
Given Bayev's track record, it was better to remind him.
After all, a project resulting in numerous deaths would be too cruel.
For Eden, the people were the most precious resource for generating hope.
They needed to be treated well to nurture that power of hope!
"I understand," Bayev replied solemnly, "I will carry out your orders to the letter, and everything will go exactly as you wish!"
After making his promise, he saluted Eden and quickly left.
Having a capable subordinate made everything easier—there was no need for Eden to worry about the details.
Eden leaned back in his soft chair and stretched contentedly.
He had a few more ideas for the plan in mind and pressed the button on his desk.
One by one, the officials of the Court District entered the office, took the documents, and set about implementing the plans.
This was the power of authority.
Whatever Eden thought of, no matter how far-fetched, the entire Court District and its people would do everything in their power to make it a reality!
Time passed, and the restoration plan for the saint statue had reached its halfway point.
Everything was proceeding quietly, and the public remained unaware, only noticing the increased strictness of the night curfew.
Only Eden knew that this was a high-stakes gamble, and the Court District had paid a steep price for it.
The restoration was going smoothly, though a small hiccup occurred along the way.
According to the craftsmen's calculations, the Court District's gold reserves weren't enough to cover the entire statue, which would reduce its impact.
Eden couldn't accept that—the spectacle had to be flawless!
With no other option, he decided to raid his own spire residence.
He ordered all the gold decorations from his home to be stripped, including golden furniture and even the dinner plates.
Jewels were no exception!
In short, not a single piece of gold or jewel was spared!
Anyway, Eden wasn't too fond of the extravagant style—it was too flashy!
After this ordeal, they finally gathered enough gold.
The gold would undergo special treatment and be applied to the saint statue on the night before the "Emperor's Ascension Festival."
The jewels would also be embedded into the statue at that time.
After stripping all the gold and jewels, Eden's spire residence took on a much simpler appearance.
It even had a bit of a bare-bones look.
Linda, the head maid, had been feeling upset these past few days, quietly shedding tears.
She worried that something had happened to the governor and feared she might be abandoned.
If anything happened to the governor, what would become of the maids?
Eden noticed Linda's strange behavior. "What's wrong? You're not happy?"
Linda, having held back her emotions for days, broke down and threw herself into Eden's arms, trembling.
Tears streamed down her face as she pleaded, "Please don't send me away, sir..."
Linda had grown up in the Court District, raised and trained by the Grant family.
Her sole purpose in life was to serve Eden.
She had barely seen the outside world, but she knew it was a terrifying place.
A few years ago, she even heard the sounds of artillery outside, and the house nearly collapsed—it was terrifying!
Thankfully, that time had passed.
Many people had disappeared, but she was still able to serve the governor.
Now, the governor had become even more charming, treating her more gently.
She often found herself fantasizing about being held tightly in his arms, longing to rest beside him.
But those fantasies were soon shattered.
Many people had come into the house, dismantling things and taking them away, even the governor's dinnerware.
She had loved that dinnerware, polishing it carefully every day to give the governor the perfect dining experience!
But now, it was all gone.
Linda worried that she, too, would soon be taken away, just like the beautiful dinnerware...
Eden listened patiently to Linda's concerns, gently stroking her back. "So that's what you're worried about? You've misunderstood..."
He didn't tell Linda the truth, simply comforting her.
The reason for dismantling the gold and jewels was that he had grown tired of the decor and wanted to change the style.
"Do your job well, and I won't send you away," Eden said firmly, "I never will."
Linda looked up at Eden, her eyes misty and shimmering.
"Governor..."
(End of Chapter)