The people who were roaring with great enthusiasm had gone completely silent as they watched the lifeless body of a Pureblood at their feet.
They were so shocked that they weren't even able to react in time as if they had seen something impossible. It was only now that some of them had realized what they witnessed here.
A pureblood was said to be impossible to kill. But there he was, lying at their feet, lifeless. A Pureblood was actually killed! And the one who killed them was none other than their city lord.
After they came out of their daze, they looked at Karyk with an incredulous look on their faces. For them, the man before them was a Pureblood but he was different from others.
He didn't hate them for their mixed bloodline. Instead, he was even willing to fight against the other purebloods to protect them
Within their heart, a respect like never before had made place for the man before him, further boosted by their current hatred towards the nobles.
"He had killed my people and he deserved death!" Karyk exclaimed, breaking the silence. "However, I also know that by doing this, I have stepped on a path that would bring me at a crossroads with the Royals!"
"I don't want to put you in harm's way. If it's a war, I am prepared to fight this war alone!" he roared.
"You're all free to leave this city and protect yourself. If you think I was wrong, you're even allowed to expose what happened here to the Royals! It doesn't matter! For as long as you live, you'll all be my people and I'll never take away your freedom from you!"
"However I promise you one thing. Even if I have to go against the entire world, I won't let this city fall! Even if I'm the last person left in this city, I'll fight against those people!"
As Karyk spoke, his voice was continuously merged with his magic, reaching deep within the hearts of his citizens. Most of the citizens felt great respect for him. Even in this moment, he was willing to be transparent to them.
He wasn't paranoid about their loyalty and didn't take their freedom from them. He felt like a true leader, much more than the Royals. For him, everyone was equal!
"I will never leave this city! You stood up for us, and I'll stand for you! As long as I live, I shall always be loyal to my city lord!" A voice sprung in the distance.
Many people glanced back, noticing a man who was speaking. They didn't realize that it was a man planted by Karyk as well, to further swing public opinion. The man was the same assassin who had started siding with Karyk.
"Even if we leave, how long will we live? I can't forget what they said! They're already planning to kill us all in the near future! Even if we expose you to them, does anyone think that they'll start treating us with respect? They'll still kill us as we're dirty for them!"
On one side, Karyk had told them that they were free to leave, showing his benevolence. On the other hand, the assassin was telling others that it was better to stay here.
In this way, Karyk made sure that he was going to win their absolute loyalty and crush any seed of betrayal right here.
The Puppet Master looked at the assassin in the distance, wondering just how far Karyk had planned everything. He didn't even know when the assassin was told about this place.
He couldn't help but glance at Karyk, frowning. It was clear that Karyk also didn't trust him entirely with his plans. Both of them were suspicious of each other, but neither of them could remove the other.
They needed each other. The stronger Karyk's hold over this city became, the better it was for their future plans. In the end, he remained silent and let the act play out.
"He's right! Why should we leave someone like our City Lord, only to go to people who want to kill us? If we're going to die anyway, I would rather die in the city where I was born! I would rather die fighting!" Influenced by the assassin, another man voiced his thoughts.
It was as if these words were contagious. Before long, everyone had the same opinion that they would rather die than betray the City Lord who was fighting for them.
It had only been a few days since he became the City Lord yet Karyk had already won the level of loyalty that the previous City Lord couldn't win even after a lifetime.
The son of the previous City Lord, Arkam, didn't realize just how much this city was going to change in his absence. With every passing moment, the city was changing beyond what it was meant to be.
Previously, the only meaning behind its existence was to stop the beast tides. But now, the city was starting to think about itself, even if it meant defying the Royals.
Karyk acted as if he was really touched by their reaction. "I could never have expected that I would gain this kind of support from you all. Even a lifetime's worth of gratitude won't be enough to thank you."
"But I promise you one thing! As long as I live, I'll bring this city to a glorious height that even the Royal City wasn't able to achieve! It doesn't matter how long it takes! I won't let any harm come to this city!"
He got down from the rubble, walking over to the General's body on the ground. He picked the body, keeping it in his spatial storage along with the Royal Insignia.
"However, I also know that we aren't prepared for this war at the moment. That's why I ask you for time and your support," he said, his gaze roaming over the tens of thousands of citizens here.
