The contract had been drafted and both parties had signed.
Veronica sent a retainer from one of her accounts to a popular merchant house to obtain the money.
Jeline and a few other maids had gone to the kitchen to prepare something for the masses.
Even though breakfast was long over, they had to feed these rescued people.
Marcus stood before these people, watching as many reunited with those they cared about.
A portion of them grieved silently, with their gaze trained on the ground.
What do I say to them, make promises that I might not be able to keep, or…?
Marcus was lost for words.
A small but significant portion of the current population trusted him greatly.
But this trust of theirs has never been truly tested. He was afraid that he would lose them if he spoke, but at the same time, he needed to speak to them.
To calm the waves of emotions in their hearts, and the ones in his.
That was his duty.
"Everyone?" Marcus started, drawing attention his way.
"I have to be honest with all of you. Agard is facing a major crisis. As you can all see, a cult has wrapped its filthy hands around everything and everyone we love, and they have caused great suffering here." He said solemnly.
The crowd listened with tears rolling down many faces.
"And I fear that defeating them… will be very difficult."
"Won't the rest of the kingdom help?" A voice from within the crowd asked.
Hearing this Marcus shook his head. "No. We have long been abandoned by the kingdom. Right now… or perhaps long ago, we had become a necessary sacrifice."
Everyone frowned, not understanding what Marcus meant by that.
"I can say to you now, with every fiber of my being. With my honor on the line, the ones who run Ulha have been aware of what was happening in Agard, and they let it be. Whatever it is that they want, they have decided that your friends and family. Your lives… our lives, are a worthy exchange."
The air of confusion slowly turned into understanding… and then doubt.
Those who couldn't comprehend received explanations in whispers.
Some of the doubts transitioned to belief, while others remained the same…
Veronica looked at Marcus's figure from behind, wondering why he was telling the masses this.
She also couldn't understand why he said that the Kingdom had abandoned them. She didn't know why, but this young man continued to pique her interest, raising it to greater heights.
What exactly runs through your mind, Marcus Sirdi?
"Some of you might be wondering why I'm telling you this. A part of me didn't even want to, however, I have to let you know that things might get harder and more dangerous than before. So, if you think you'd be safer outside of Agard, this is your chance to leave." Marcus looked at those who were here on contract.
He couldn't help but shake his head, making peace with the fact that many of his plans would progress more slowly than he projected if they chose to leave.
The option I chose on the Edge Of Death… was it wrong? Could it be that there's a better option?
Marcus had to consider this thought again. Now he was aware that there were thousands of people in captivity, somewhere under the ground, in Agard.
It revealed to him how little he knew of the Faceless cult and what they wanted. As well as how much they had been played in his previous life.
He could somehow see why they had lost.
Over a minute had passed, and no one said anything or made a move to leave.
This made Marcus frown. Do they not understand the words I'm saying?
"Remaining in Agard would put you in danger. A lot of you might perish…"
The crowd continued to stare at Marcus.
Those who had been staying in his estate for the past month had settled into a life of comfort. They never imagined the young lord would say this.
Marcus was essentially telling them to leave to save their lives, but what was the guarantee that their lives would be saved if they left?
The last time they left Agard, all they were faced with was hatred from people they thought were their own, and discrimination.
Who's to say that they won't face the same again?
This life that they had here, even if it meant dying, was better than leaving.
This was the way many of them thought.
And for those who considered leaving, they were scared that they would be kidnapped on the way.
Just as they had heard from the people that Marcus rescued. Many of them were taken on their journey out and into Agard.
"If the Kingdom doesn't want to help us, then we will help ourselves. Didn't you say this to us before?"
"Yes! What difference would it make if we leave, will they start caring about us then?"
"Yeah!" Many heads nodded in agreement as their voices overlapped.
Like a domino, voices from the crowd rose.
"If it weren't for you, many of us here would have already died. We owe you our lives and now you want us to shamelessly run away? I'd rather die!"
"Yeah!"
Marcus felt a rush of blood flow into his head. This reaction was something he didn't expect.
Their refusal to leave soon overwhelmed him. It gave birth to a feeling that he experienced when he first realized what the system could help him achieve.
It was hope, at the same time, a belief in him.
Only now did Marcus realize that he had been having depressing thoughts.
"I cannot protect all of you," Marcus said, but it was as if they didn't hear him.
"Lord Viscount, if the Kingdom don't want to do it, then let's punish those bastards ourselves. Make them pay for what they have done to us!"
It took Marcus a few more seconds to process this feeling.
My choice might have been wrong, but it doesn't change the fact that I have to find a way to deal with this cult.
Cassir Mayores.
The name crossed Marcus's mind.
Raising a hand, Marcus smiled. "Then, I will try my best."
"Yeah!!"
The crowd burst into an emotional roar.
The knights around held their weapons tight as they too felt the weight and trust of these people. The fight to come might be difficult, but they had no fear of it.
To the eyes of those outside, those who had been watching from afar, they witnessed a rare interaction between a lord and his subjects.
It was inspiring to some, and disgusting to others…
[+130 Days].
[+3721 Achievement Points]...