Chapter 5: Legend

"W—What are you saying?! I'm not ready yet. What's more, the entire principality is in a dire state, and you're thinking of such a trivial thing?" Felix was angry about Shao Xuan's irresponsible statement. Especially after she was touched by his vows earlier.

"This is lesson number three with regards to being a good ruler - 'always give the people what they want, or at least the false pretence of it.' People are suffering as we speak. They are in need of a hero to save them. Isn't that why you have summoned me?" Shao Xuan explained.

After a slight pause to ensure that Felix had fully digested his words, he continued.

"However, what they want isn't a hero. The thing that they truly and desperately want is hope. They are craving for it and they are starting to demand for it. That's why, we have to give them hope now, Felix. To do that, we have to use advertising to create legends!" Shao Xuan smiled with his palms facing up and arms stretched out, like a mad scientist introducing his newest invention.

"Advertising?" Felix's tilted her head with question marks filling her mind, it was the first time she had heard such a word.

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"Extra! Extra! Shocking news everyone! Come and gather around me!"

"I Gu Shi, the renowned storyteller of this town has a piece of shocking news to tell! Come and hear it before you regret it!”

"Hey there, Da Shen from Waterloo street, stop walking away. Da Tie the blacksmith, come and listen, it won’t take too much of your time!”

A piercing voice resounded throughout the town square in the early morning, grabbing the attention of the citizens and passer-by.

Many of them stopped in their tracks to hear what the storyteller had to say. Listening to the stories about the demons' history from Gu Shi had always been their favourite source of entertainment.

After quite some time, once he was surrounded by people, Gu Shi began to clear his throat and rehearsed the words that were taught to him by Shao Xuan. He had received a gold nugget for this work, and it was crucial that he does not mess this up.

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When he saw Hu Li had brought a bunch of human refugees to the town square and had stopped along the outer perimeter, he knew that it was his signal to start.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. I’m proud to tell you that the princess had summoned a human hero!” Gu Shi said loud voice using his diaphragm that he had trained in his work. That way, his voice could reach out far to everyone gathered in the square.

"What?! A human? A human scum is the hero? Is this some sort of mistake?"

"Hah! That human-loving princess have finally done it! I always knew she would betray us!"

Clattering sounds from the demons instantly filled the town square. Emotions of anger and sadness were the majority that made up the noise.

Sensing that the situation might go out of his control, Gu Shi began to reassure the gathered demons in a calming voice.

"Have no fear, my fellow people! For the hero is a higher human that originates from another world. He is totally different from the humans that we fight! I’ve met him personally, and had heard from him that in his world, higher humans love and worship demons and elves alike. Some of them would even give up their lives to wed us. Their love for us is so great that they would create shows about us. Some of them would even create pillows in our image to carry around!”

"Wha—What! Is this really true? Do higher humans really love us so much?"

"What is show? And what is pillow? Does anyone know? Can anyone explain it to me?"

"Does the females of their race like male demons? Is this finally my chance to find a wife?"

"Furthermore, the hero had divulged to me that as a higher human, people in their world can obtain special job class, and his job class is an accountant! Can you imagine that? He told me that unlike the warriors, mages, and archers, an accountant can kill millions with just a swing of their weapon! What’s fortunate for us is that he is willing to share the training method to the people of Greenwich. Anyone from any races can become a higher being!”

Once Gu Shi announced the news, everyone on the square became visibly excited. The news had given them hope for the future.

“Last but not least, I’m honour to announce that the hero and the princess have fallen in love at first sight! It was a fated destiny that was meant to be! I was honoured to be invited by the couple to witness the proposal. The hero knelt down in front of the princess and gave her a kiss on the hand, and he helped her wear a ring on her index finger! An engagement ceremony will be held a hundred days from now! And to celebrate the event, the princess had pardoned everyone with minor offences.”

“A proposal? How romantic! If someone did it to me, I’ll definitely marry him!”

“Does that mean my darling can be release from the prison? Oh! Thank the hero!”

The crowd immediately exploded into an optimistic discussion. Everyone’s faces reflected happiness and joy. It didn’t take long for the news to travel to everyone’s ears.

Soon, the bard in the tavern began singing the hero’s praises. The town had revitalised. The look of the people’s eyes had slowly changed. There was now hope in their eyes.

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“And that’s how advertising is done.” Shao Xuan explained to Felix. They were still in the dining room talking.

“I see… By telling the demons that humans could become higher human, and they could become an entirely different being, you have eliminated the grudges the demon and human have towards each other. And the engagement that you suggested is just an excuse to release those people that were locked up because of fighting in town.” Felix murmured to herself while deep in thought.

“Genius… you are simply a genius. By announcing that you and I are going to be married, the citizens will become more accepting to the human as well… thereby allowing them a chance to be integrated.”

As her train of thought became clearer, Felix got gradually more depressed. She could have never thought of that. However, she raised her head all of a sudden, and said, “But, your plan is just a plain lie to the people! You aren’t capable of killing millions with your weapon. You can’t even defend yourself against Captain Shi Zi!”