Finally, the main part of the meeting came to an end.

  People reacted differently to the truth about who I really was. For the tieflings, it was almost joyful news. For the others, it felt more like an answer to questions they had been holding onto for a long time.

  But the meeting wasn’t over yet.

  There were still several important matters left to discuss. In particular — the future of our village.

  And that was when Harsul spoke.

  He cleared his throat and stepped forward.

  — Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention. I would like to inform you of something important. I will most likely be stepping down from my position as the elder of our village.

  His words immediately stirred the room.

  For most people, Harsul was exactly the kind of person who should hold that role. Kind, thoughtful, fair. And now he was saying he intended to leave it.

  — What? But why?

  — Lord Harsul, there’s no one better for this position!

  He listened quietly, letting people voice their objections.

  — Calm down, — he finally said. — I’m only stepping down as the village leader. I’m not disappearing anywhere. I’ll simply focus on civil matters. Besides, I still need to review the project Rein mentioned earlier.

  Garen, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.

  — But Harsul… — he paused, scratching his beard. — Who are you planning to appoint as the new leader?

  Harsul simply smiled and looked at me.

  — What…? Me?! But I…

  — Gha-ha-ha… relax, Rein. I believe you’re perfectly suited for this role.

  He spoke calmly, with clear confidence in his voice.

  — Besides, you’ve already proven it. You know how to take control of a situation without panicking. Something I unfortunately failed to do the day I learned our village would be attacked.

  He paused briefly before continuing.

  — You’re also good at assigning responsibilities. You helped the tieflings and gave them shelter in our village. And thanks to you, last night ended far better for us than it could have.

  Harsul spread his hands slightly.

  — Isn’t that enough to become a leader?

  I stayed silent.

  But everything I had done… I had only done because I wanted to help people.

  I had never been chasing power or anything like that.

  — I agree with Harsul, — Garen added. — Even an experienced strategist would envy the kind of instincts you have.

  Kai nodded at Garen’s words.

  — But…

  — Oh come on. You’re not losing anything. A respectable position… and a salary on top of that.

  “Why are they even talking about money… I don’t really need it.”

  Seeing my hesitation, Harsul stepped closer and placed a hand on my shoulder.

  — If you run into any difficulties, I’ll always be there to help.

  I looked around the room.

  Everyone was staring at me, waiting for my answer. In their eyes I saw anticipation… and hope.

  ?Damn… I can’t disappoint them.?

  If I backed out now, they might feel discouraged. Some might even see it as weakness.

  So what should I do…

  For several seconds I thought silently.

  Up until now, I had mostly just gone along with whatever happened, trying to stay afloat.

  But after last night, I saw what people in this world truly had to face.

  And now…

  I had a reason to become stronger.

  A reason to protect the people I cared about.

  Finally making my decision, I straightened up and returned confidence to my face.

  — Alright… you convinced me. I accept your offer, Harsul.

  Harsul smiled with satisfaction.

  — Good. I knew you’d agree.

  — Hooray! We never doubted you, Lord Rein!

  The tieflings, as always, were in their element.

  ?Wait… what do you even have to do with this??

  But there was still one question bothering me.

  — And how will the rest of the villagers react to this?

  Harsul thought for a moment, then smiled slightly.

  — We’ll hold a public ceremony for your appointment in the main square. That way we’ll see how people respond.

  That sounded reasonable.

  In any case, it was an important event for the whole village. And people would decide for themselves whether they wanted me as their leader… or not.

  — Alright, I agree. Then let’s move on to the next topic.

  We still had to decide what to do with the Reapers.

  Originally, we planned to hand them over to Kai and his group so they could take them to the kingdom for trial. Their fate would be decided there.

  But some of the Reapers — willingly or not — had surrendered directly to me.

  And I had an idea about what to do with them.

  I paused briefly before saying:

  — I suggest we use the Reapers as labor. If they go to the kingdom, they’ll most likely just be executed. But here they could at least be useful… and maybe even find a better path.

  The people at the table fell silent for a moment, thinking.

  In truth, it was a fairly reasonable plan. Essentially, the Reapers could become a workforce — and one that didn’t even require wages.

  — Hm… that’s actually not a bad idea, — Oven said. — But are you sure they won’t rebel someday? Or try to escape?

  For a moment, I thought about it.

  Suddenly the tearful face of that Reaper appeared in my mind — the one who had knelt before me, begging for mercy.

  I quietly nodded to myself.

  — Don’t worry, — I said with a small smile. — I’m sure that thought won’t even cross their minds.

  Seeing my confidence, no one argued further.

  — Very well. As our new leader says.

  It still felt strange hearing people call me that.

  But there was no escaping it now.

  I would have to accept my new role… and the responsibility that came with it.

  With that, our meeting came to an end. After discussing everything that concerned us, people gradually began leaving the room.

  Everyone went their separate ways.

  Kai went to find his group somewhere in the village.

  Sophie returned to the infirmary.

  Oven and Suron disappeared somewhere as well.

  Soon only Garen, Harsul, the tieflings, and I remained in the room.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  — In that case, I’ll go inform the villagers to gather in the main square after lunch, — Harsul said.

  Then he looked at Garen.

  — And please prepare the place for us.

  Garen nodded silently and left the room.

  Harsul followed him.

  Now only the tieflings and I remained.

  I had already stood up and was about to leave when Lucia’s voice stopped me.

  — Lord Rein… — she hesitated for a moment. — Do you remember our conversation before the battle?

  ?Damn… I completely forgot about that.?

  Our agreement — to continue the conversation if we survived the battle.

  — Yes… I remember, — I scratched the back of my head awkwardly. — Are you still sure you want to serve me?

  — Not a single doubt! — Zorru said firmly. — We can’t imagine serving anyone better than you.

  — I agree, — Ursus added.

  — Well… — I muttered, slightly confused.

  I thought for a moment.

  ?Serve… that sounds a bit too grand.?

  I had barely gotten used to the idea of becoming the village leader.

  But looking at their faces, I realized something.

  They had already made up their minds.

  For them, this wasn’t just an impulse — they truly wanted to stay by my side.

  And honestly, I wouldn’t mind if they stayed.

  In the time we’d spent together, I had already grown a bit closer to them.

  And if I ever found the one responsible for destroying their home… and the other villages as well, I would make sure to teach him a very painful lesson.

  So he would understand that it had been the biggest mistake of his life.

  I let out a quiet sigh.

  — Alright… — I said. — If that’s truly what you want, I don’t mind.

  The tieflings immediately cheered.

  Aria and Lucia ran up and hugged me from both sides.

  Lucia’s chest pressed against my arm.

  I froze for a second.

  It felt strangely soft and warm… like my hand had accidentally sunk into a pillow.

  *Stop thinking about that!*

  Oh…

  Elaris instantly snapped me back to reality.

  Hey! Stop interrupting me and let me enjoy the moment!

  [That is unacceptable.]

  What?! And what does it have to do with you?!

  Why the hell is the Skill Manager getting involved too?

  I frowned.

  It had never been this active before.

  I swear… you two are definitely working together.

  Fine… we’ll have a serious talk later.

  The awkward hug dragged on, and I glanced at the guys standing nearby, silently asking for help.

  Zorru immediately understood that I needed saving.

  — Alright, that’s enough, — he said with a light grin. — Let Lord Rein go already. He’s starting to run out of air.

  ?Not that much!?

  Realizing the moment had dragged on a little too long, Lucia and Aria quickly released me and stepped back.

  — Sorry… — Aria said quietly, looking down with a faint blush.

  — Heh… it’s alright, — I replied and glanced at the clock hanging above the office door.

  It was almost lunchtime.

  And yes… clocks existed here too.

  ?Sigh… what a wonderful world.?

  — I think it’s time for us to go.

  Everyone nodded, and we finally left the room, heading toward the central square where the villagers were already gathering.

  .

  .

  .

  After stepping outside, I suddenly remembered something important I still had to do.

  I told the tieflings not to wait for me and to head to the square, while I turned around and went back into the town hall.

  Then I went down the stairs leading to the basement.

  That was where the village dungeon was located.

  One of its cells now held the Reapers.

  Technically Garen and Harsul had put them there… but that didn’t really matter.

  What mattered was that the Reapers were still here.

  Approaching one of the cells, I looked at the prisoners inside.

  Even though it was called a dungeon, there was still light. The only downside was the damp air.

  But for them, even that was good enough.

  One of the Reapers quickly approached the bars when he noticed me.

  It was the same one who had apologized to me earlier on his knees. Quasar, I think.

  — Please forgive us again… We were only following our boss’s orders.

  Behind him, several others exchanged awkward glances. Some lowered their eyes, while others nodded quietly as if confirming his words.

  Of course… orders.

  But I had heard something else as well. Zorru had told me that one of them admitted they didn’t do it just because of orders… but also for money and enjoyment.

  By the way…

  Where did their boss go?

  Only now did I remember him.

  — Calm down. I didn’t come here to listen to your apologies, — I said, pausing briefly. — I came to offer you a job. You’ll have plenty of time to apologize later.

  I looked around the cell.

  The room grew quieter. Several Reapers straightened up cautiously while the others watched me closely, trying to figure out where this was going.

  — Instead of sending you to the kingdom for trial, we decided it would be better if you at least brought some benefit here. That’s better than rotting in a royal prison.

  Silence filled the cell for a moment.

  — We’ll do anything you say! — Quasar blurted out.

  Immediately several people behind him nodded quickly, and some even stepped closer to the bars.

  Hm… did I really scare him that much?

  Judging by the others faces, though, he wasn’t the only one willing to agree.

  And there were more than forty of them.

  ?Where did so many of you even come from…??

  *Some were hiding in the forest. The rest are the ones who survived*

  Hm… I see.

  — Anyway, if you agree…

  — We agree!

  He didn’t even let me finish.

  Where does he get so much energy?

  [This is due to your racial skill “Commander.”]

  Well then… that explains it.

  — In that case, starting tomorrow you’ll be working for us. That will be the best apology you can offer the people of this village.

  — Of course! — several of them answered immediately.

  — We want to make up for what we did.

  — Alright then. Since you agree, I’ll leave you here for now. I still have a few things to finish, so I’ll be going.

  — Understood!

  Several of them nodded again.

  Why the hell do they remind me of the tieflings now…

  Having them was already enough.

  And now I have these Reapers too…

  .

  .

  .

  After leaving the building again, I headed toward the fountain in the main square.

  The closer I got, the louder the voices became. Judging by the noise of the crowd, the speech was about to begin soon.

  Almost the entire village had gathered in the square.

  To my surprise, someone had even set up a small wooden stage near the fountain.

  When did they even manage to do that?

  I spotted Harsul. He waved me over, and I walked up to him.

  — Everything’s ready, — Harsul said.

  — Good. What’s the plan?

  Harsul quickly explained the ceremony.

  First he would go on stage and announce his resignation. He would talk to the villagers for a bit and then reveal that he had chosen a new leader.

  After that, I would come up.

  I nodded and looked at the gathered villagers.

  ?Damn… I hope they don’t throw tomatoes at me…?

  A few minutes later, when nearly everyone had gathered, Harsul stepped onto the stage.

  The villagers greeted him with loud applause.

  He raised his hand, signaling them to calm down. Gradually the noise faded, and silence settled over the square.

  Standing on the stage, Harsul cleared his throat and began speaking.

  — First of all, I want to thank all of you for coming here today.

  The villagers listened carefully.

  — I am sincerely grateful to every one of you. Especially to those who volunteered to defend our village last night.

  He paused, looking over the crowd.

  — But I didn’t gather you here today just to say thank you.

  His voice became slightly more serious.

  — I must share some important news with you. And I believe it would be wrong not to inform you. All of you know me as the elder of this village.

  He glanced across the square.

  — For many years I have served in this role, trying to care for the well-being of every resident. Together we’ve cleaned the streets, maintained order, and worked to keep this place comfortable for everyone.

  He smiled faintly.

  — And even today you proved it again when you all came together to clean up the village after last night’s battle.

  The villagers continued listening attentively. I listened too.

  And it was true…

  While we had been in the town hall, the villagers themselves had gone outside and cleaned up the damage from the battle. No one even asked them to — but they did it anyway.

  Harsul continued.

  — But time moves forward… and I grow older. Each year it becomes harder to fulfill all my duties.

  He paused again, looking at the villagers.

  — Therefore, I have decided to step down and leave my position as the elder.

  The crowd immediately grew uneasy. A murmur spread through the square.

  But he raised his hand to calm them.

  — Don’t be too upset. I’m not leaving. I will still handle civil matters and continue working to improve life for all of you.

  Several voices rose from the crowd.

  — Then who will become the new elder?

  — Is there really anyone better than you, Lord Harsul?

  Harsul looked calmly over the crowd and smiled.

  — You’re right to worry. There aren’t many candidates for the role of elder, — he paused slightly. — In fact… there are almost none.

  He allowed his words to settle among the villagers.

  — But!

  The crowd quieted slightly.

  — Recently, a new person arrived in our village.

  Harsul took a few steps across the stage as he continued.

  — In a very short time, he has already proposed many interesting ideas to improve our village. Some of them we have already begun discussing and even plan to implement soon.

  People in the crowd began exchanging quiet glances.

  — But more importantly…

  His voice grew louder.

  — It was he who proposed the plan to fortify the village. A plan that allowed us to prepare for the attack and survive last night.

  The crowd murmured more loudly.

  — Thanks to his ideas, we strengthened our defenses, set traps, and were able to repel the enemy.

  Harsul paused again and looked over the villagers.

  — Many of you already know this person.

  He smiled slightly.

  — You all know him as… Rein.

  A wave of noise spread through the square. People looked at each other and began whispering.

  Harsul turned to me and gestured for me to come up.

  Before stepping forward, I looked at my friends.

  Oven and Suron nodded quietly.

  Garen placed a hand on my shoulder.

  — Good luck.

  The others also wished me luck.

  I smiled and thanked them, then turned and walked toward the stage.

  The closer I got, the more I could feel the villagers eyes on me.

  Well… there’s definitely no turning back now.

  ?Damn… where do I even start??

  I hadn’t prepared a speech at all.

  Almost the entire village stood before me now, dozens of eyes watching closely.

  It felt like standing in front of a classroom defending a thesis again.

  I had always gotten nervous speaking in front of large groups.

  And today was no different.

  I took a deep breath, slowly exhaled, and finally began.

  — Once again, thank you all for gathering here today. Even though Harsul already thanked you, I want to express my gratitude as well.

  I looked at the villagers to make sure they were listening.

  — I’m grateful to Garen and his friends for not leaving me in the forest and bringing me to this village.

  I glanced toward them.

  Then I looked at Harsul.

  — I’m grateful to Harsul for allowing me to stay here.

  He simply smiled warmly.

  I turned back to the crowd.

  — And I’m grateful to all of you for accepting me as one of your own.

  I slowly looked across the villagers.

  — Last night you did incredible work. You proved that you are willing to fight for your village and for your freedom.

  I paused.

  It was incredibly difficult to speak without revealing my true emotions. Inside I was anxious, worried about what people might think.

  But this wasn’t the time for doubt.

  Sometimes you simply have to take control.

  So I continued.

  — Harsul has already told you that he chose me as the new leader of this village. To be honest, this decision surprised me as well.

  Several people in the crowd exchanged quiet looks.

  — This decision was made in Harsul’s office. But we never asked for your opinion.

  I briefly looked at my friends and then at Harsul.

  They all nodded silently, telling me to continue.

  — So I want to hear what you think. I won’t be upset if you reject me or judge me for something.

  I paused again.

  — If I were in your place, I would also be cautious about someone I’ve only known for a short time.

  When I finished speaking, I gave them time to think.

  Silence filled the square.

  People looked at one another. Some whispered quietly to their neighbors. Others scratched their heads while discussing something.

  I started to wonder if I had said something wrong.

  Then suddenly a loud voice rang out from somewhere in the crowd.

  — What’s there to think about?! He saved us!

  Several people immediately supported him.

  — That’s true!

  — If not for his plan, we would’ve been slaughtered last night!

  Someone even laughed.

  — Just let him be the elder already!

  The crowd slowly came alive. People spoke louder, talking over one another.

  — I don’t mind!

  — Me neither!

  — We all saw what he did!

  The noise grew quickly.

  I stood on the stage, watching the villagers, trying to understand what was happening.

  It seemed…

  They truly didn’t mind.

  I relaxed slightly and let out a quiet breath.

  The worst part was over.

  People shouted words of support, and the square filled with voices.

  But there were still a few things I wanted to say.

  I hesitated for a moment, unsure how to continue.

  Harsul noticed and raised his hand, signaling the crowd to quiet down.

  Gradually the square fell silent again.

  I nodded to him in thanks and continued.

  — Once again, thank you for accepting me into your village. But there are still a few important things I need to say.

  I paused briefly.

  — Since you have chosen me as your leader, from this day forward our village will become a refuge for those who need help, shelter, and safety.

  A murmur passed through the crowd.

  — Any refugees who need protection will be welcome here. No matter your race, species, or origin.

  My voice became firmer.

  — On this land, everyone is equal. Whether you are human or monster-born, everyone deserves a peaceful and safe life.

  I looked at my tiefling friends and gestured for them to join me on stage.

  They quickly walked up, glancing awkwardly at the crowd.

  — Not long ago, these people became victims of the Reapers and found shelter here in our village.

  I gestured toward the square.

  — If not for the information they gave us, last night would likely have been far more difficult.

  I nodded toward them.

  — And last night they fought beside us. Shoulder to shoulder. As equals.

  I looked across the crowd.

  — From this day forward, there will be no division here based on race or origin.

  I no longer hesitated. Confidence filled my voice.

  — Here, we are all equal.

  I gestured toward the villagers.

  — Each of us plays a role. Some defend the village, some work the fields, some build homes or care for others.

  I paused briefly.

  — But together we create the place we call home.

  After finishing, I bowed slightly to the villagers.

  The square erupted with noise. People began talking excitedly, and soon loud voices rose from the crowd.

  — Yes!

  — That’s right!

  — As our new leader says!

  Within seconds the square was buzzing with approval, and people began chanting my name.

  ?Phew… looks like I worried far more than I needed to.?

  .

  .

  .

  Eventually the day began to come to an end.

  After the villagers supported me and my ideas, we spent some time discussing plans and future matters.

  When my speech ended, I returned to the others. They greeted me with cheers and applause.

  It was beginning to get dark, and everyone was clearly exhausted after such a long day.

  Villagers slowly began returning to their homes.

  Kai said it was time for them to leave as well. Their work here was finished.

  In fact, they hadn’t even done anything — we had handled everything ourselves.

  He promised to tell the king about everything that happened and about the village choosing a new leader.

  Today he had acted as a mediator between our village and Elysium — something that might become a good start for future cooperation with the kingdom.

  We walked them to their pegasi and said our goodbyes.

  A moment later the riders climbed into their saddles, and the pegasi spread their wings.

  One by one they rose into the air.

  A few powerful wingbeats — and they were already climbing higher into the evening sky.

  I stood there watching them leave.

  Their silhouettes slowly grew smaller, fading somewhere among the clouds.

  The sky above the village gradually darkened.

  But somehow… it felt especially vast right now.

  As if something new had opened before us.

  Our new future.