Chapter 704 - The People's Worries
William made his way majestically to the execution ceremony alongside his family, his 'aunts' and several of his men.
Well, the execution was actually taking place before the palace walls.
Several newly built execution stands had been placed on the walls for the occasion.
The simple wooden stands had just been built over these past few days and were made to be somewhat higher than the balcony railings.
In this way, once the execution began, those below would have a good look at how the heads would roll.
Just within the Capital city, there were over 4,000 nobles that had a hand in the politics of the empire.
Of course, one could say that only about 300 of them truly held any sort of power, while the rest were lackeys in their fractions.
Again, one should know that the Capital was the empire's most powerful and grandest city.
So other noble homes all around Arcadina had 1 or 2 representatives in the Capital.
The Capital city's size was a lot bigger than Baymard's, as Baymard used to be the 3rd largest city while the Capital was the largest.
Thousands of years back, the Capital was about the size of a single moderate city.
So after it's leader colonized more than 6 neighbouring cities, small 20 villages and 4 towns... The Capital back then had turned into the Pyno continent's first empire.
And just like that, the other places that were annexed later were seen as lesser regions and were agreed to be ghetto regions instead.
And so as battles and time went out thousands and thousands of years later, Arcadina was formed and the Capital that was already too massive was recognized as the Capital city.
Most cities retained their sizes after they were annexed.
So the ruler of Baymard thousands and thousands of years back had actually annexed quite a lot of places and had already united the entire Baymardian region before getting defeated.
By then Baymard wasn't barren and was seen as quite a prosperous place.
Anyway, after most OP laces got annexed, they retained their sizes... And that was how Baymard remained as the 3rd largest city, while the Capital was the largest.
.
Anyway, being the largest city in Arcadina, the sheer number of nobles who either sent their representatives there or their children was great.
Upon arrival, many of these representatives had to enter a fraction under some of the leading ministers who could potentially influence his Majesty's decision.
These fractions have always been battling against themselves to get more people in their groups, so many noble children who wouldn't inherit their father's title were usually sent to the Capital to wait for his majesty's instructions.
Some got deployed somewhere else, while others just stayed in the Capital and continued expanding his majesty's influence.
Long story short, the Capital was the gathering place for all nobles and their forces within Arcadina.
So even though there were over 4,000 so-called nobles, only 300 of them were the real mover and shakers of things.
With that, today, 83 of these 300 leaders would be executed alongside Alec.
These were the people whose crimes were too hard to overlook.
Without a doubt, none of the nobles and ministers were truly innocent since they had messed up here and there occasionally.
Many of them did these things because of their leaders.
Some were too timid and frightened to refuse, as they would immediately be assassinated or crippled by their own fraction.
So they were people that could be easily straightened up with time.
But the ones that were getting executed were those that were too rotten and bad to the bones.
Keeping them would undoubtedly stagnate Arcadina's progress in due time.
So they had to die alongside Alec.
.
"Oh, my heavens!
I can't believe that I lived to see this day.
Finally, we'll be free!"
"Hmhm.
After this, I'm going to drink till I pass out."
"You're not the only one thinking about it.
Can't you see that several people have taken it upon themselves to decorate the city these past few days?
The entire place looks as if we were preparing for some festival rather than an execution.
Everyone is in a celebratory mood.
And I don't blame them."
"Hahhahahahahaa!
Who would've known that after all these years, the Tyrant's past would come to hunt him?"
"I'm glad Minister Joffrey is getting executed.
That guy had killed my cousin's entire family on a whim."
"That's nothing!
Someone accidentally startled one of minister Reagan's carriage horses when he was dining at the Heaven Gate restaurant.
And do you know what Minister Joffrey said?
He said that he values his horses more than he values peasants and slaves.
So he killed the guy up front.
That day, I watched everything and shivered uncontrollably.
That guy was just too scary."
"Heh... for me, I'm only here to witness minister Hemshaw get executed.
The bastard defiled my little girl of 7 years old and then killed her in the process before telling his men to throw her lifeless body on the streets as if she was nothing more than a harlot.
I thought of how I would get my revenge all these years.
But who would've thought that the heavens would be on my side?
Today, the bastard will die!!"
(*^*)
.
The talk from the crowd below continuously echoed throughout the entire place as they looked at the palace walls expectantly.
And soon enough, the trumpets were finally blown.
'Puuuuup-pupupuppuppupup-puuuuuuup!'
Everyone quickly quoted down as they listened to the royal announcer introduce William and the test.
All eyes were focused on the soon to be king, as many began plotting for the position of queen already.
"We greet the royal family!" Everyone said in unison while on their knees.
William hadn't been crowned yet, and Oden wasn't king too.
So the people could only greet them like so... at least until everything got settled properly.
"You may all rise!" William said while speaking into the Megaphone that was held close to his mouth by the royal announcer.
He waited for the crowd to stand before continuing his speech.
"My good people of Arcadina.
Life has been hard on you all over the past few decades.
The empire has grown worse year in and year out, and many of you have lost your families due to the influence of several people in power.
Corruption, bribery, discrimination and murder have grown rampant over time.
Our beloved empire has gotten worse because of the rotten people who we were supposed to place our trust in.
Yes!
These people were supposed to be the pillars that held our empires firmly.
But not only did they fail to do their duties, they also greedily gamble with our lives too.
They robbed our children, bullied our families, stole our goods, forced us to do things that we didn't want to and made our lives so unbearable that we lived in constant fear all this while.
But today, I say no more!
No more will we allow these people suppress us.
Today, we will rid ourselves of these people and start anew.
Today, we will take our first step together and build a new Arcadina for us all!"
"Yahhhh!"
'Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!'
"Thank you, young prince!"
"May you live long your highness!"
"Long live the young prince!"