The crowd shouted its joy at the army’s entrance. Children ran along the length of the security cordon set up by the SF along the main street, throwing flower petals. Young men stared at the gleaming soldiers pass by with intrigue and admiration, which would likely mean an increase in recruits in the coming days.
Expectant mothers and older women watched the parade with more reservations, likely waiting to see if the other shoe would drop. Leonard would do his best to reassure them of their safety in the coming days.
Urging his horse forward from where it had stopped to taste a carrot proffered by an old man—only after an SF mage had checked it over for poison—Leonard left the entrance plaza and entered the trade street proper, where thousands of people cheered for his passage.
I wonder how much of that is genuine happiness at being relieved of a terrible lord and how much is hope we'll see their compliance and not crack down on possible rebels. Huh, we are now big enough to have our own rebels.
All the while, Leonard kept waving, his photoshoot face on. It wouldn’t do to let the newly conquered population think he was already bored of them. And it wasn’t even true. He was pretty sick of parades and other pr events, but conquering Treon had taken so long that it felt more like a relief. He was just too used to thinking about what else he needed to do to fully enjoy the moment.
Especially because the hard part starts now. Yes, I had to build up an army from scratch, but the enemies so far were barely worth considering an obstacle. Only Locke could have been dangerous, but he was hamstrung by the idiotic Count Luster-Treon and had to commit several mistakes not of his own volition. Pollus will be more in control, and if we beat him and take Hetnia, things will escalate again.
A little girl running with other children and throwing flower petals, which Leonard was starting to suspect had been conjured by his own men, accidentally slipped and tumbled right through the two soldiers maintaining the corridor, stopping only a little to Leonard’s left.
As the men made to grab her and pull her away, Leonard lifted a hand to stop them. He sincerely doubted that what looked like a six-year-old with a bandage around her eye was a threat to him, but knowing he’d never hear the end of it if he was too reckless, he quickly looked her over with his mana sight.
As expected, she was an ordinary little girl. She had a surprisingly high affinity for water magic that might develop into something interesting with a few years of training in her belt and a left eye rendered blind by a childhood illness. Nothing dangerous.
Leonard gestured for the parade behind him to halt, which they did without complaint, if with a bit of confusion.
Dismounting from his steed, he slowly approached her, ensuring she saw him coming. It wouldn’t do to spook her and ruin the moment.
But there was no need to worry. She had just picked herself up and turned around, only to freeze in surprise at seeing him so close. The girl let out a “meep” of shock but didn’t run, showing a courage that would serve her well.
From his periphery, Leonard saw a young woman rush toward the scene, likely the girl’s mother, but subtly gestured for the men to slow her down. He didn’t intend to keep them apart for long, but he had a miracle to perform.
Leonard knelt down in front of the little girl, his armor gleaming in the sunlight. The sun's rays strategically framed him, casting a halo of light that made him appear almost ethereal, like a divine figure descending to offer salvation. He smiled gently at the girl, radiating calm despite the overwhelming power he wielded.
“Don’t be afraid,” he said softly, his voice soothing and reassuring. The girl stared up at him, one wide eye open while the other was hidden beneath layers of bandages. She was understandably anxious but didn’t try to run away.
Slowly, with deliberate care, Leonard reached out and placed his hand over her bandages. The street around them fell into a hushed silence, the crowd’s breath collectively held in anticipation. Leonard could feel their eyes on him, their hopes and fears intermingling as they waited to see what he would do. He knew very well a first impression was hard to shake, and while most might know of the terrible battles he fought, seeing with their own eyes who he was would be much more powerful.
He kept his gaze kind, calling upon the Light that had guided him through so many battles. Golden radiance began to emanate from his hand, at first a soft glow, then growing more intense until it burst forth like the dawn breaking after a long night. It was overwhelming, spilling out into the street and casting away shadows, filling the people's hearts with awe.
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It was more than what was needed for a simple healing, but Leonard knew that spectacle was as important as substance in this moment.
The bandages around the girl’s head disintegrated, the Light consuming them without harming a hair on her body. The golden glow continued to pour over and through her, not just healing the damaged eye but also erasing every small blemish and minor scar and even cleaning the dirt from her clothes. It was as though she was remade, leaving her pure and whole.
As the Light finally receded, the girl blinked, her newly healed eyes wide and astonished. She looked around, taking in the world with a clarity she had not known for too long. Her gaze landed on Leonard, and for a moment, there was nothing but uncomprehending awe in her expression.
Leonard stepped back, giving her space to absorb what had just happened. His smile was kind, his heart warmed by the joy that radiated from her small frame. The girl’s voice, filled with wonder, rang across the street. “I can see!” she exclaimed, her words carrying easily through the still air.
The sound was enough to shatter the silence, and a murmur of disbelief rippled through the crowd. Leonard, sensing the moment, subtly enhanced the girl’s voice just enough for it to be heard by everyone gathered. He wanted them all to witness this miracle, to feel the hope and joy it brought. This was what the Revolution was about.
He nodded to the soldiers holding back the mother, and they let go. She rushed forward, frantically reaching for her daughter. The woman’s hands trembled as she touched the girl’s face, as if afraid that she might be dreaming. When she saw her daughter’s clear, unmarred eyes looking back at her, her breath hitched, and tears of overwhelming joy streamed down her cheeks.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice breaking with emotion. “Thank you.”
Leonard simply offered a gentle smile, acknowledging her gratitude. He then turned around and mounted his horse once more as if what he had done was nothing exceptional. The crowd watched in stunned silence, still struggling to conciliate the image of the conquering rebel with what they had seen. Then, as if a dam had broken, a wave of cheers and applause erupted, filling the air with the sound of jubilation that felt much more real.
———
“I haven’t even sat down, and you already tried to scare me. Is this what I should expect from my most loyal men?” Leonard asked jokingly, staring at where Damien had managed to hide through the sweep his guards had done of the room.
“Ah, I have been caught.” The priest chuckled, emerging from a hidden nook close to one of the bookshelves. An illusion spell frizzled around him, fading away into harmless sparks.
The guards shouted in surprise, unsheathing their weapons and preparing to rush the sudden threat, but were halted by Leonard’s raised hand. It wouldn’t do to have one of his most valuable people skewered by his own soldiers, “It’s fine. He’s one of ours.”
The guards took a moment to recognize the vicar, but they relaxed their stance once they did.
Leonard dismissed them with a wave of his hand, waiting until they had all left the room to turn around and face the other hidden surprise. “You two must have had a lot of fun if this is how you’re greeting me, Neer.”
The half-orc exited her own hidden alcove, scratching the back of her head in embarrassment. “Ah, I suggested we surprise the guards to see how they’d react and then Damien started casting illusion spells… It might have gotten a bit out of hand.”
Leonard chuckled, shaking his head in amusement as he approached the heavy, carved ironwood desk. “You two are going to give my guards a heart attack one of these days. Though I suppose it’s good to keep them on their toes.”
Damien and Neer exchanged conspiratorial glances before sitting on nearby chairs to debrief. “So,” Leonard began, leaning forward slightly, “give me the rundown. What are we dealing with?”
Neer went first, tone shifting from playful to serious. “Unrest is nonexistent at the moment. The people are relieved, for now. They’re too busy celebrating the end of the Count’s rule to cause any trouble. But,” she added, lineaments sharpening, “we’ve noticed a few higher-ranking members of the City Watch acting a bit too clever for their own good. They’re keeping their heads down for now, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they try something later.”
Leonard nodded thoughtfully. “Have them watched. Discreetly. We can’t afford to let them organize, but they might lead us to more rebels. Better to rip them out by the roots.”
“Already on it,” Neer confirmed. “I’ve got my best people keeping tabs on them. They won’t eat dinner without us knowing what spices went in it.” She tapped her fanged lips in thought, and added, “Supplies are running low, but now that the siege is lifted, we can start bringing in merchants and farmers again. I’ve already made arrangements with my people in the nearby villages. They’re preparing relief caravans as we speak. We just need a few more alchemists to prepare the brews if we want to set up a few hospitals like in the other towns, but I heard from Lia that she already has a group of those coming, so the army shouldn’t need to waste too much time or resources to take care of the worst cases until they arrive.”
As always, the half-orc’s talent for establishing order was amazing. Just thinking of how wasted she was being a bodyguard to a minor noble like De Hoop made Leonard angry. Still, he didn’t let that distract him and smiled in acknowledgment before gesturing to Damien.
“The local congregation was a bit more resistant, but after a few... conversations, they’ve seen the light. The youngest priests were awed at being let in on higher healing magics and at our approach to the sick. The most stubborn members have been persuaded to see our way, and the Bishop’s unfortunate ‘accident’ helped smooth things over.”
Leonard arched an eyebrow. “Accident?”
Damien smiled faintly, his eyes glinting with satisfaction. “He fell from grace, so to speak.”
Leonard chuckled. “Efficient as always. Well done. The temple can be a powerful ally or a dangerous enemy. Make sure they incorporate our doctrine in their next sermons. But do it slowly. Big cities like this have many more learned people and we don’t want to appear like tyrants hurriedly taking over.”
Damien inclined his head in acknowledgment, the smile never leaving his face.
After the initial debrief, Leonard shifted the conversation to their next objective. “We’ve secured the city, but now we need to bring it fully under our control. That means incorporating the best fighters from the Mage Tower and the Adventurer Guild. I have already sent Gerard to see what can be done to bring them under our wing, but we’ll need to be careful not to be too heavy-handed. The two Masters might have submitted, but they wouldn’t hesitate to betray us too if we give them a reason.”
Neer crossed her arms, considering. “That’s going to be tricky. They’re a proud lot and love their independence.”
“That’s why we won’t strong-arm them,” Leonard replied. “We’ll incentivize. Use the loot from the minor noble households to set up ‘gifted’ programs all over the city, especially in the slums. Make it appealing for the best and brightest to join us voluntarily. If we flood the city with opportunity, we’ll win them over without ever having to draw a sword.”