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{3rd Pov}
The following day, the general populace was once again summoned before the grand podium. However, this ti, it wasn't to listen to another speech. No, the reason for this assembly was far more serious—it was a day of judgnt.
Emilia stood at the podium once more, but unlike the previous day when she stood alone, today she was accompanied by Zero and Reina. A squad of soldiers flanked them, and among the soldiers were several individuals in restraints—clearly nobles, as evidenced by their clothing and air of arrogance now turned to sha.
The crowd began to murmur amongst themselves, unsure of what exactly was happening. The scene unfolding before them was unlike anything they had witnessed before. After Emilia's lengthy speech the previous day, those who had not attended had instead noticed sothing equally startling—guards were seen escorting groups of slaves openly through the streets.
Technically, slavery wasn't outright banned in the Kingdom of Lugunica. Certain forms were still legal under specific conditions—naly, war slaves captured during conflict and debt slaves bound by law. However, the random or private enslavent of individuals, especially demi-humans, was strictly illegal, even if the law was often ignored.
For years, the existence of demi-human slaves had been a well-known secret. Everyone was aware of it, but no one acted upon it. As long as the slavery was kept discreet and didn't disrupt public life, most people chose to turn a blind eye. The nobility, after all, had always used their power to bend the rules in their favor and hatred ran among the common people against demi-humans.
That's why, upon seeing such a bold display—slaves being openly escorted and seemingly freed—there was a wave of panic among the citizens.
They didn't know whether it was a new order, a rebellion, or so form of noble retribution. However, as more information spread—it beca clear that the slaves weren't being paraded, but rescued.
A collective sense of surprise and relief followed. The citizens who had returned from Emilia's speech shared what they had learned with the others, and gradually, the confusion gave way to curiosity and cautious optimism.
Suddenly, Reina stepped forward, her voice amplified by the magical audio crystals designed to carry sound across the large plaza. "Silence! You now stand before the Lord of this land—Marquis Zero himself!" she declared with authority. Instantly, the murmuring died down. A heavy silence descended upon the crowd.
Zero then took a step forward, his expression calm yet commanding. His voice bood across the plaza as he addressed the crowd. "Good morning, everyone. I am Zero, the newly appointed Lord of this city and its surrounding territories."
"I have received news of Lady Emilia's speech yesterday, and I must say, I am impressed by how well you all responded to it. Your willingness to accept her leadership and consider her policies seriously is not only admirable, but a sign of the maturity and unity within this community."
"I fully support every policy that Lady Emilia has introduced. I stand behind them not just in na, but in principle. The education reforms, the economic changes, the restructuring of land rights—these are all steps toward a better future for all of us, regardless of bloodline, race, or class."
"I strongly encourage each and every one of you to register your children for the educational programs that are being set up. These schools will not only teach reading and arithtic but also ethics, governance, and history—knowledge that will empower the next generation. I also urge you to cooperate with the agricultural reforms that will soon be implented across the region. These changes are aid at increasing productivity and reducing the burden on individual farrs, while ensuring food security for the entire city."
Then, Zero paused, taking a deep breath. The mood shifted. His eyes beca sharper, more focused, and his tone turned grave. "Now," he continued, "let us address the main reason why you have all been gathered here today."
"If any of you are still unaware, the individuals standing here in handcuffs are not re criminals or petty thieves. These are nobles—the ones who were assigned to govern not only this city but the territories surrounding it as well."
He gestured toward the shackled figures. They looked disheveled, stripped of their usual dignity, their once-grand clothing now wrinkled and torn. So hung their heads in sha, others stared defiantly at the crowd.
"You must be wondering," Zero said, "why they appear like this—disgraced and in chains. The answer is straightforward: they have been found guilty of embezzling funds that were ant to be delivered to the Royal Treasury and to the forr Lord of this region, Roswaal."
A collective gasp echoed through the crowd. The people looked at one another in shock, disbelief, and sheer confusion. For a few monts, there was nothing but silence and wide eyes.
'How could this have happened?' so thought.
'The nobles? Stealing from the kingdom?' others whispered to themselves.
Zero continued, "Yes, it is true. For years, these individuals have siphoned off royal funds—resources that could have been used to improve your lives, build infrastructure, provide security, and support education. Instead, they filled their own coffers while pretending to serve the kingdom faithfully."
"They are no longer above the law," he said firmly, "and starting today, that principle will be upheld across the land."
The crowd remained silent, their expressions slowly morphing from disbelief to indignation, and eventually, to quiet approval.
'Maybe… things really are going to change,' soone in the crowd thought, as murmurs of hope began to replace the earlier fear.
Their Lords… they were really capable of doing sothing like this?
For the common masses standing in the plaza, that thought echoed in the minds of many. Despite living under an unfair system for generations, where nobles lived lavishly while peasants barely got by, people still held so shred of faith in their Lords. It wasn't necessarily trust, nor admiration—it was more a habit, an acceptance. A form of survival.
Because what else could they do? 'It's not like we can oppose them,' many thought over the years. It wasn't resignation—it was fear masked as realism. The nobles controlled everything.
They held land, armies, political influence, and above all, connections. Many of them were linked to powerful magicians.
They had private knights at their beck and call. And if things escalated, all it took was a single ssage to summon the Royal Guards or the Kingdom's elite forces to crush any hint of rebellion.
Even if peasants knew they were being exploited, they didn't have the ans—or the courage—to rise up.
As long as the nobles left them just enough to survive, just enough money to eat, and just enough stability to avoid chaos, the people would tolerate heavy taxation and harsh policies. They didn't live comfortably, not at all.
But they could live. And that seed good enough... until now.
But what they were witnessing today—the nobles in chains, exposed as criminals—was shattering that fragile illusion.
"You are making a huge mistake by insulting us like this! Free us at once, you lowlife filth!" one noble bellowed with barely restrained fury, glaring daggers at Zero.
"Yes! Do you even understand who you're dealing with? We have connections—dozens of them! The Royal Guards will be knocking at your door, and your head will be rolling the mont you lose their favor!" another shouted, his face red with rage.
There were five nobles lined up in chains. Four n, each dressed in what used to be pristine garnts now torn and stained, and one woman with blonde hair and cold blue eyes. Even now, she tried to maintain her composure and nobility, but the tension in her jaw and the sweat on her brow betrayed her fear.
But to Subaru, it was all the sa. He looked at them not as powerful figures, but as pests—no different from monkeys in a cage throwing tantrums. Their status ant nothing to him now.
'I know removing the local ruling class all at once is bound to cause instability,' Subaru thought. 'There'll be a power vacuum, no question. But it doesn't matter—I have ti. And more importantly, I've got Roswaal.'
Roswaal, the flamboyant magician and forr lord, now stripped of his freedom and bound by debt and contract, was effectively Subaru's free labor. A magical work-slave with centuries of knowledge, perfect for bridging the gap until new leadership could be properly installed.
Stepping forward, Subaru raised his hand and spoke clearly for all to hear. "Now, I will ask my knight, Lady Reina, to use her Divine Protection of Truth Extraction. These nobles will confess their cris publicly, in front of all of you."
The crowd erupted into cheers. The people were hungry for answers, for truth. If they knew what popcorn was, half the audience would've been munching away while the other half drank soda, eyes wide with anticipation.
Reina gave a solemn nod. She turned to the first noble—an aging man with a sharp face and sunken eyes. "Sir Baston," she said, "tell us everything. Every single cri you've committed."
Reina had only acquired the Divine Protection the day before, after Subaru made it clear that the nobles would not be allowed to squirm out of responsibility through silence or clever legal maneuvering. Her power compelled truth from the unwilling—and Baston was the first to face it.
The man struggled for a mont, trying to clench his jaw, to stop his lips from moving. But it was useless. The magic compelled speech like a curse.
"I… I have embezzled over 350 Royal Gold Coins in the past ten years," Baston began, voice shaking. "I've trafficked 34 demi-human individuals into slavery… seventeen humans as well. And… I've…" His voice faltered, but he couldn't stop. "I've committed violations… terrible acts… against seven won, I have raped them, beat them, until they bled, until they died, until I was satisfied. One of them was a young girl, no older than twelve. After raping her, and venting my lust I… I left her in the forest afterwards…"
Gasps filled the plaza. The expressions on the faces of the townsfolk went from confusion to disgust to outright rage. The energy in the crowd shifted like a storm brewing at sea.
An elderly man near the front trembled as the words echoed in his ears. He clenched his fists. His eyes welled up, not with tears but with fury. Then, without warning, he picked up a rock and hurled it straight at Baston.
"It was you, wasn't it?! They told my Mary was taken by beasts! Beasts?! But you raped her?! My poor daughter! I hope now that was true! That she was taken by beast! That she at least died quickly! But you—you monster—what did she ever do to deserve that?!"
The stone struck Baston in the temple. Blood trickled down his face. Then another stone flew. And another. The crowd, overwheld by grief and rage, erupted. Rocks rained down on the chained nobles. Screams rang out—not of pain, but of wrath.
The nobles tried to shield themselves, their dignity forgotten. They bled, their bodies bruised and broken under the hail of justice delivered by the very people they once oppressed.
Finally, Reina raised her hand. "Enough!" she shouted, her voice booming with authority. The crowd hesitated, then relented. But their hatred had been unleashed, and the atmosphere remained heavy.
The remaining nobles stood silently, too terrified to speak, even though they had no choice in the matter. One by one, Reina questioned them, and one by one, their cris spilled into the open like filth from a broken sewer.
In the distance, minor nobles and governnt officials watched in horror. Many of them hadn't committed atrocities on the sa level—but fear gripped them all the sa. Sweat poured down their faces, their legs shaking. 'Will we be next?' they wondered. 'Is this the end for all of us?'
After every confession was aired, and the cris exposed beyond any doubt, Subaru delivered his verdict. "All five are guilty," he declared. "Their sentence is death—by public hanging."
The decision sent another wave of cheering through the crowd. The people had never seen justice delivered like this. It was raw, it was real—and it gave them hope that perhaps, this ti, change wasn't just a promise.
But Subaru knew the truth. 'I've probably just broken at least ten of Lugunica's official laws by doing this,' he mused to himself, watching the bodies hauled away for execution. 'Nobles are entitled to formal trials, legal procedures, rights. What I just did… goes against all of that.'
And yet… he didn't care.
'If my current authority doesn't allow to cleanse this rot, and others try to step in and stop —well, I have a Plan B.'
A revolution.
Who the fuck can even challenge at this point? Subaru thought.
He had Reina—a knight of terrifying strength and unwavering loyalty. He could resurrect the Witches of old at will, unleash six ancient spirits bound to him through forgotten pacts, and on top of it all, he wielded the Authority of Lust. The most broken, most absurd power anyone could imagine. With it, he could end anyone's life—anyone except Reina and Satella.
The world didn't know it yet.
But Subaru was done playing by their rules.
To be continued...
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