As it turned out, the way Kell’s voice carried was indeed supernatural.

Sound was its own school of magic, like Light, Fire, Gravity, Movement, and Body, which made me wonder for a second how the whole thing worked. Usually, it came down to elements, or some kind of structure built on the workings of untapped energy.

But this made no sense to me.

Luckily, I’d remembered to add the new shelving unit to my mind, so I had room for more questions to gather dust.

The crowd beneath us was breathtaking. Within the plaza, it appeared as though every single citizen—young and old, human and elf, man and woman and everything in between—had gathered to hear my address. They were packed like sardines in a tin, or office workers on the tube, a low murmur overcoming them as I stepped forward.

I silently beckoned Kell to the front, and a few gasps rang out from below. What was the King doing, they probably wondered? Had he taken a wife already?

Imagine their disappointment when she started singing.

Velvet and rainbows and soft, gooey love weaved together in her rhythm, stunning the assembled into silence. They listened intently as her powerful voice filled every crevice of the city.

In that moment, I felt like if I leaped from my balcony, I’d soar, ever rising on the current of her lilting melody, gliding until I pierced the veil of pure mystery and ascended on steps of fire into heaven itself.

But like all good things, her song ended, and my shoulders slumped as I let out a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding. I was awestruck.

So were the audience, if their palpable silence was anything to go by.

It only lasted a moment, though, before deafening cheers echoed across the walls of the palace, bouncing in every direction to create a crescendo.

Waving, Kell smiled and bowed, retreating behind me. As I stepped forward, the hush returned, every gaze in that square suddenly laser-focused on me. Sweat poured from my brow, and my spine tingled.

How did people do this? How could Kell be so enthusiastic?

Deep breaths, Oliver. You can do this. I had little confidence in my public speaking skills, but I’d done it before, hadn’t I? I’d rehearsed the words in my head over and over again.

The problem was that they were only words. They meant nothing without actions to back them up.

But I’d get there. Until then, words were all I had.

I leaned on the railing, giving it a quick test to see if it creaked. Then, I looked over my public, who awaited my speech with bated breath.

[Persuasive], don’t fail me now.

Clearing my throat, I steadied myself. “People of Larm,” I began, and the rehearsals disappeared from my memory. Every word I’d practised had suddenly decided it was a bit shy and needed some alone time.

Fuck it.

“Look,” I said, “I’m not gonna lie to you. Life’s shit, then you die. Every now and again, something comes along to pick you up, to dye the world in vivid colours that conspire to overwhelm the grey.

“And it’s in those moments that we really shine. By now, you’ll all have heard about Duke Ribera’s secession, and his offer.” I paused, allowing them to consider. A few thoughtful glances came my way, but the hush persisted.

They were waiting for more, hooked on my words.

“He’s promised you food and security, but what’s the cost? To live in a principality where the only truth is what one man tells you? To toil under his boot, still trudging through piles of shit, but content that at least you know your place? Is that what you want?”

A dissenting grumble ran through them.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Or would you rather be free? Would you rather have a kingdom where you can forge your own path, free of the watchful eye of a tyrannical dictator? Free to believe what you please? To find joy in the simplest of words, the simplest of songs?

“Life is hard, but it’s full of gilded lies.” Oh, great spirit of Terry, please guide my tongue! “Love and loyalty and honour and morality, ideals and hope and justice—if you stripped down the universe to its barest form, to the tiniest of magic that creates existence, would you find them there?

“Of course not! But that doesn’t make them any less real. The song you just heard was proof of that; seeing your faces, hearing your energy, it tells me that I’m on the right path. Because everything I’m doing is for you. For my new people.

“I was brought to this world and given a second chance, so I am committed to bringing the same to this kingdom!” At this point, I was trembling, and my vision began to blur. No. Don’t lose it now. “I want a place where those lies can become truth.

“Where the greatest fantasies are seared into all our hearts equally! And so, I announce that we’ll be building a great amphitheatre in this city!”

Even as I tried to continue, a roar emanated from the crowd, so strong it threatened to blow me all the way through the palace and across the border to Zaleria. I raised my hand, gesturing for quiet.

It took a couple of minutes, but the noise died down.

“We’ll accept any performer,” I continued, “as long as they have the power to stir our hearts. And at the forefront will be our own Royal Theatre company, represented by,” — I gestured to Kell — “the lovely Kell Flahaut!”

The roars reached fever pitch, but this time, I didn’t wait. “This will create jobs, giving many of you greater security, but more importantly, it will show Aleister Ribera that we cannot, and will not be cowed!”

“Long live the King!” A chant erupted, a messy mish-mash of different sentiments, but mostly positive. Some screamed ‘let him come’, others ‘down with Ribera’, and others still ‘crush him where he stands!’

That last one struck me as a little unhinged, but I’d take it. Knowing Aleister, he’d force my hand eventually.

But for now, I had the people on my side. Somehow, I’d managed to convince them that blowing a shitload of money on a centre for the arts, rather than putting food in their bellies, was a good idea.

I’d underestimated this Skill—it was way too overpowered.

I bid them farewell, waving as I returned to my room, drenched in sweat with the adrenaline pumping so hard it threatened to burst my skin.

Slumping into a chair, I smiled at Kell.

“That was quite the speech,” she said, smiling back, “but I hope you don’t intend to use those fancy words to convince me of anything, here, in your rooms.” The mischievous glint in her eye told me what she hoped, and it wasn’t what she’d said.

“Fuck no,” I replied, panting. “That was way too exhausting.”

Ding!

Achievement Unlocked! [People Pleaser]

Reach 50 AP.

Wait, what? How could one measly speech jack my AP up by almost 30?! Okay, they’d been impressed, and [Persuasive] definitely gave me a leg up, but I’d still barely done anything. I hadn’t proved myself.

It hit me like Truck-kun.

All I’d given them were words, true, but they held more power than the raging seas and the shifting sands. Every action, every hero, every march forward and every revolution, they all began with an idea, a culmination of hope and desire torn from the fabric of dreams. I finally understood.

Words could change the world.

“It has been a pleasure,” said Kell, “but I think I should retire.”

“Yeah.” I threw my head back, grinning like a fool. “You’re never allowed to retire. I’ll have you singing songs for me from beyond the grave.”

She chuckled, then shook her head. “I believe you. But without sleep, how could I hope to soothe you with my gilded lies?”

“True,” I said. “Go on, then—I’ll be in touch.”

“I look forward to it, si—Oliver.” With a curtsey, she left.

Alone with just my thoughts and breathing, plus the racket still going on outside, I thought about where to go next. I’d made the announcement, but could we afford it?

We needed to bring Ribera back to the fold as soon as possible. Not just for the food, or wealth, but to give its citizens the same kind of hope I’d given the ones outside.

My reverie was interrupted by a pressure inside my skull.

I gasped, hunching over and clutching my head. What… was going on? Where had the pain come from? Was it stress?

Then, Ruler View forcefully materialised, Cannara’s dot—now on the border with Ribera—pulsing dangerously. Apparently, she had something urgent to tell me.

Wait, since when could it do this?

[Information: Skill info—]

When it becomes relevant, yeah, yeah. I didn’t know why I bothered.

Opening the connection, I sighed. No rest for the wicked, I supposed, or even the moderately shameless.

What’s up? I thought.

They bypassed my information network. Her tone was rushed and frantic. I only just learned—it’s not important! Oliver, there’s a force heading for Asha.

I bolted upright. When?

Now.