The captains felt their blood boil in sympathy with their leader. They, of all people, knew all the things that were happening, and their leader need not explain it to them.
They were witnesses to what had been happening, and they were the ones who had personally informed him on some of the issues.
They were the ones who conducted the investigation that revealed the King's Legion captain being an informant of Ikenga.
And it was for that that Armad sought his arrest which led the captain to kill their comrades. Armad was furious as a result, and he did away with him, causing an uproar from the King's Legion.
His men knew all of that firsthand.
"We are not going to let that happen, your Highness." They chorused in one voice. "Even if we are going to lose our lives and that of our families." Their voices were filled with faith and trust in their leader.
Armad beamed at them with pride.
"I have already made my plans to ensure that we succeed." He said. "And I assure you that we shall henceforth not withstand any victimization from whomever. And that we shall accept any challenge from whomsoever presented it to us."
The soldiers cheered at this. It was a rare spectacle to see their prince making such statements and with such high spirits.
They understood that he was furious today more than ever, and he wasn't likely to take any more bullying from his brother.
"Let's go and eat," he said. "The bill is on me tonight, and we shall afterward start taking special training together."
His last statement caught their attention the most. They had known him to always keep an eye on their affairs, but this last statement made them wonder. Would he personally join their group, or was he going to get more acquainted with them to learn the matters of cultivation?
None of them was aware of the fact that their leader had any special plan or that he had acquired the System.
But they had observed a positive change in their leader which was absent before.
He had always been timid and used to be reluctant about facing his brother, giving the impression that he had always foreseen failure on his part.
And the thought of failure made him discouraged.
But today his reluctance and lack of courage were suddenly absent.
He was acting with pure courage today, making their blood boil with a thirst for action.
And with great enthusiasm, the horses were brought out and readied for their journey into town. They were eager to go and eat out as promised by their leader and to hear what plans he had in store for them.
***
The king's entourage continued on their way, with their horses trotting steadily rather than in full gallop.
People watched them as they passed by; some waved enthusiastically, while others threw white lilies, a symbol of welcome. It was evident that these people enjoyed Armad's leadership.
A brief history of this town reveals that before Armad's arrival, another king, Kulumboto, ruled. Kulumboto possessed traits associated with nobles, such as snobbishness and arrogance, as perceived by commoners.
The poor were kept at a distance, and commoners' property was seen as belonging to the nobles. Though Kulumboto didn't display these traits blatantly, underground, he resembled most nobles, creating a false perception of kindness.
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People didn't enjoy Kulumboto's leadership, especially regarding discriminatory property confiscation from the less privileged. However, with Armad's arrival, those wronged or with complaints sought resolution from him.
Restitution was provided for anyone whose property was wrongly taken, and monetary compensation was offered to those with non-restorable liquid assets. Ayrids were distributed as well.
Money was not an issue for the prince, given the impressive wealth inherited from his mother, along with land and jewelry, totaling almost a trillion in paper notes. His popularity among the masses stemmed from judicious spending on essential matters.
Armad's army earned an impressive salary from him, comparable to that of the King's Legion. This popularity and support were the reasons why Armad was adored by his people.
The riders arrived at a restaurant, where the owner personally ushered them inside. Despite the warm welcome, Armad insisted on paying the bill, creating the impression that the guests were there for an unpaid meal. Armad's warning about accepting payment from him was clear, as going against it would deter his return. The owner reluctantly accepted the payment, bowing respectfully to his king.
Tables were set, and Armad's men ate with great flourish. The atmosphere didn't, in any way, mirror a city under the threat of an attack by the King's Legion.
It didn't escape his notice, amidst all the merriment from his people, that some shops were locked as they passed by.
There was a cosmetics market he used to pass during his tours, which opened daily and was always filled with young maidens. However, today, he could see that only a quarter of those who usually patronized it were present.
He had once disguised himself and visited the market to take stock of things there and elsewhere. What he witnessed then was different from today in terms of patronage.
Another restaurant not far from his location, where many people used to patronize, was closed today. Additionally, signs of people leaving the town were evident, as some of them had luggage. They hid away when they saw him coming, unaware that he had already noticed them.
All these signs pointed to trouble brewing in his city, which could likely cause setbacks for him.
His judge had informed him that High King Arion was due to visit the town in the next three years. When he did, he would conduct a headcount of the people and compare it to when the prince was first enthroned.
He would also observe and compare their welfare, both present and past. Observing the markets and sales records would be part of his survey. All these factors would contribute to the final decision concerning the prince's kingship.
The movement of his people away from the town was unwelcome news to Armad, and he blamed the King's Legion for it. However, his face never betrayed his emotions as he ate and made merry with his men.
His men sat around him, chatting merrily until the meal was over. Just before they left, a hefty man came and stood not far away from them.
He stood there by the door without coming inside, essentially blocking the entrance. Obviously in a foul mood, when the manager saw him, he excused himself respectfully and edged his way towards him.
The manager had stood behind Armad and chatted since he entered, but seeing the hefty man made him excuse himself rather hastily. Even before the manager spoke, the hefty man gave him a slap that sent him flying across the room. He hit the wall with a sickening thud and fell to the floor, half his teeth falling in the process.
"What did I tell you?" The hefty man asked, unconcerned with the manager's injury. "You were instated as a caretaker of this place, not its owner. You don't have a right over it. What we told you is what you do, or else we never want to see your face here again."
He fumed as he spoke without any indication that he saw the prince. Armad looked up to see what the ruckus was all about, but he couldn't hear what was spoken.
His men were already incensed because they saw all that had transpired, even without hearing a word of what was being said.
With a great effort, the manager picked himself up and stood before the man, apologizing.
"Get out of my sight," he told him. "I didn't come here to see you apologize instead of doing what you were asked to. Let me repeat myself. No one should be allowed here as long as we don't want him. Tell them to leave this moment," he said, indicating Armad. "This place belongs to the King's Legion, and those who are against us, the killers of our comrades, aren't wanted in all of our places."
Armad and all his men had by now recognized the man. He was a member of the King's Legion and also one of the Legion's treasurers in the city.
Because of its influence, the King's Legion had businesses in every part of the kingdom. They had factories in some places and also restaurants, while some minor tribes worked for them for pay.
They had an array of businesses that brought them cash. Many believed that the wealth they possessed surpassed the one in Arion's palace.
But this wasn't an acceptable theory, as experts believed that no way such a thing could happen. The Legion worked for the king, and their might remained under him no matter what. There was no possible way they could possess what he lacked.
Whatever the case, Armad and his men were currently sitting in a restaurant owned by the Legion.