Her Graceful War Song novel Chapter 1338

Salvador promptly dispatched Ian to personally oversee the riverworks. Upon arrival, Ian found himself greeted by Cameron, who skillfully guided him through an inspection of the project's progress.

The riverworks had been ongoing for a while, and the reservoir was nearly complete. The quality of the reservoir was excellent, with the dam built solidly.

After inspecting the reservoir, they also checked the river channels. The dredging of the channels was complete, and the previously damaged dams had been repaired, raised, and reinforced.

Ian also sent people to chat with the riverworks project workers. The rough men, tanned from the sun, seemed a bit shy in front of the officials. Basically, they answered every question posed to them. When asked if they had any complaints, they hesitated for a moment before asking if the food could be improved, requesting more fatty meat.

Ian found them to be straightforward men with no signs of hidden resentment or malice.

Next, he inspected the temporary accommodations provided for the workers. The makeshift shelters, primarily constructed of wood and thatch, were modest at best. Each hut contained a communal sleeping area with large shared platforms, housing seven or eight men. The arrangements were untidy but functional.

There were no weapons in sight. Tools and equipment were stored in a large central warehouse, accessible only during work hours and meticulously returned at the end of each day.

After inspecting the area, Ian found nothing suspicious. The workers seemed no different from the usual riverworks workers.

As for Cameron, he presented himself as a man of simple means. Clad in plain garments, he dined alongside the workers and spoke passionately about the riverworks project. However, when it came to court matters, he appeared shy and clueless, acting as if he didn't understand much.

After days of scrutiny, Ian returned to the capital and presented his report to Salvador. His opinion was that neither Cameron nor the riverworks project workers seemed problematic.

Salvador furrowed his brow slightly. "Keep watching them. And ensure that the warehouse is closely guarded."

"Do you suspect something is amiss, Your Majesty?" asked Ian, confused.

"Caution is never misplaced," Salvador replied curtly.

In truth, the king had been uneasy ever since Carissa mentioned the head of the Waterworks Department. To cover all bases, Salvador had already ordered Galen to investigate Cameron and his subordinates.

Cameron was flawless in every way, but the officials under him were indeed living well, just as Carissa had said. In contrast, Cameron, their superior, lived very simply, almost to the point of poverty. Of course, Salvador knew exactly how much salary they received each year.

Thomas was a seasoned military commander with a scout's sharp instincts. He would never allow Nicholas to leave Nerovia so easily.

If the prince couldn't make it to the capital, then the riverworks project workers posed little threat. A rebellion required a leader at the helm. Even if an uprising succeeded, Nicholas' subordinates could easily seize power for themselves.

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Meanwhile, Carissa sat by the riverbank, chewing on dry, flavorless bread as she watched Ian lead his men through another round of inspections.

He had already spent several days investigating, and was now simply going through the motions. His attitude had grown noticeably lax, his inspections perfunctory at best. After a cursory glance at the ongoing riverworks, he and his men would retire to a nearby coffeehouse to relax.

Carissa knew Ian didn't believe there was any issue with Cameron or the riverworks project workers. He was merely fulfilling his duty in the most superficial way possible.

She couldn't rely on Ian, so she took it upon herself to keep watch. She also observed the officials from the Waterworks Department, hoping to find one who appeared overly fearful—someone she could interrogate later to at least get some information.