Sasrir, seeing the situation, decided not to press further and changed the topic. "Can I learn more specifics about this power?"
He admitted he was deeply interested.
After all, with mutual restraint to prevent losing control, establishing proper rules could genuinely improve the world.
Medici and Adam cast curious glances as well.
"Well…" Alaric grinned, raising a hand. A book, shimmering between illusion and reality, appeared in his grasp... the "Book of Stories."
"Truth is, I'm still figuring out this power myself, so this is a perfect chance to test it."
His gaze shifted to the people from City of Silver and Moon City, his smile widening.
Who better to experiment on than those fresh from the Forsaken Land, yet to form solid perceptions of the outside world?
"Let's see… since it's a test, let's try a cute little rule…" Alaric mused, holding a quill that flickered between reality and illusion. After a few seconds of thought, he scribbled a few lines in the "Book of Stories."
Sasrir, standing close, saw what Alaric wrote and his expression turned odd. He couldn't help but ask, "Are you serious?"
"Absolutely serious," Alaric nodded matter-of-factly, smiling. "Doesn't it sound adorable?"
Sasrir was momentarily at a loss for words.
Alaric had written in the "Book of Stories": "Building No. 1 is under the rule 'Stay up and turn into a kitten.' Anyone in this area who stays awake past 11 p.m. will transform into a kitten. This causes no harm, but they won't revert for an hour."
The area referred to was where Alaric had settled the people from the Forsaken Land, and Building No. 1 was one of their designated residences.
"What's next?" Sasrir asked, finding the rule frivolous but still inquiring earnestly.
"There's work to do, of course. My rules don't just take effect on their own... they need people to believe in them!" Alaric said with a smile, showing no intent to hide the mechanism.
"Believe…" Sasrir mulled over the word.
"Yep, trust is a kind of power!" Alaric grinned, conveniently omitting that once a rule took effect, it would persist unless he actively canceled it.
…
As City of Silver's Chief and a member of the advance team exploring the outside world, Colin Iliad had largely grasped the lay of the land. So when Alaric and Sasrir informed him of a certain rule, his first reaction was confusion.
He'd never heard of anything so absurd.
But Colin didn't think Alaric would joke about such a thing. After a brief moment of bewilderment, he began pondering why such a bizarre rule existed.
"Your Excellency Lucifer, is this a rule set by an Arbiter pathway Beyonder? Or perhaps a curse from the Demoness pathway?" Colin asked cautiously, looking at Alaric.
"You could say that," Alaric replied with a smile, not denying it. "Think of it as a prank by someone with a twisted sense of humor. Don't worry, it's harmless."
Colin's expression turned indescribable. He'd known high-Sequence Beyonders were unpredictable, but he hadn't expected anyone to be this bored.
What was the point of such a rule?
"Maybe because kittens are cute?" Alaric offered, still smiling.
"…Kittens are indeed cute creatures," Colin said, his expression stiff as he went along with it. "Thank you for the heads-up. I'll inform everyone."
Alaric smiled, confident that with Colin's endorsement, everyone from City of Silver and Moon City would believe in the rule.
After all, in the mysterious world, rule-based powers and curses that turned people into animals were very real.
But Alaric paused, calling out to Colin as he turned to leave. "About this rule, I might need volunteers for a test. It's not mandatory... if no one steps up, that's fine."
He could grab a couple of villains for the experiment, but volunteers would save him the trouble.
Colin froze, hesitating for a second before saying firmly, "If Your Excellency needs it, can I volunteer?"
Though the rule seemed harmless, Colin preferred to shield others from potential risks.
Alaric blinked, eyeing the Sequence 4 powerhouse. After a moment's thought, he nodded. "Sure, but it'd be best to have others too, preferably from different Sequences. Don't worry, I'll ensure your safety."
He also wanted to test how a regional rule's binding strength varied across different power levels.
"Understood. I'll handle it," Colin said, accepting without further objection. He knew that since City of Silver had accepted Alaric's protection, they owed him some cooperation.
Colin was willing to take risks for his people, but he wouldn't coddle them like greenhouse flowers.
City of Silver had no such flowers.
"I trust your ability," Alaric said with a smile.
Colin saluted and went to work.
As City of Silver's Chief, Colin's efficiency was unmatched, and his authority lent him immense credibility. Soon, everyone believed the absurd "stay up and turn into a kitten" rule applied to Building No. 1.
Recruiting volunteers went smoothly too. Both City of Silver and Moon City folk were seasoned warriors used to battling monsters; no one shied away from this.
By evening, a large crowd had gathered outside Building No. 1... volunteers and curious onlookers alike.
Alaric and his group were there too.
He gazed at the building, deep in thought.
He could sense that once around two hundred people genuinely believed in the "stay up and turn into a kitten" rule, a force had begun to manifest inside Building No. 1. At first, it was weak, likely only affecting ordinary people, and even then, its reach was limited.
But as more believed, the rule's power within the building grew stronger.
"So, the binding strength of a regional rule isn't fixed... it strengthens as more people believe," Alaric mused internally, rubbing his chin. "What about a rule targeting specific individuals? How would that work…"
***
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