After the battle ended in Oden, the town was left nearly half burned down by the dragon. Raze decided to capitalize on the moment for the next step of his plan.

He stood in the town square. Beside him was Fey, and kneeling on the ground with his hands bound behind his back and mouth gagged properly was, Viscount Luke.

The townspeople gathered. Those who had fled, those who had hidden, those who had lost family and homes, everyone came together. Confusion, anger, grief, and fear mixed heavily in the air. Lives had been lost when the dragon attacked, yet they didn't know who was truly responsible. With no clear target, their anger drifted aimlessly.

Their eyes turned to Raze.

Was he the enemy who had come for them? If so, wasn't he the reason their town lay in ruins? Was he the one meant to bear their hatred?

Raze saw the uncertainty spreading and spoke quickly, settling the situation before it spiraled out of control.

"Hello, everyone," he said. His voice boomed across the town square, reaching every ear. "My name is Raze Grimhold, son of the Baron of Ribest. As of today, the town of Oden and every land linked to it now fall under the Grimhold family."

His words struck like thunder.

Faces shifted, shock, disbelief, confusion.

Raze continued calmly. "From what I understand, many of you have suffered under Viscount Luke, in one way or another. Children taken. Women vanished. People punished without reason. Yet you lowered your heads and endured, because you had nowhere else to go."

He looked down at the kneeling Viscount.

"You lived under a tyrant who decided when your lives had value. Who killed when he wished. Who took when he pleased. That is not how a lord rules his people."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"But your Viscount did exactly that," Raze said. "And now, I am here to reveal the truth. Those missing children. Those vanished women. The horrors whispered in secret. All of it was caused by your Viscount. He used his own people for trafficking and other diabolical, unspeakable acts."

The crowd stiffened.

"The man you bowed to and called Lord of Oden was nothing more than a sick, selfish individual. He used every one of you to serve his desires. No one deserves such evil, not even commoners."

Raze's voice held no exaggeration, no forced passion. He spoke plainly, truthfully.

"I was sent here by the Kingdom. By the Queen of Remillon herself. She uncovered Viscount Luke's crimes and ordered that he be removed, for your sake, and for the kingdom."

He paused, then added, "And if you still doubt my words, then consider this, today's dragon attack was his doing. In an attempt to stop us, to stop me and my people from bringing him to justice, he unleashed an undead dragon upon his own town."

Gasps spread through the square.

"He was willing to risk everything, your homes, your lives, just so he could escape. That is the Viscount who ruled you."

The crowd erupted.

Anger boiled over. Shouts filled the square. Insults were hurled. Someone threw a tomato at Viscount Luke. Others followed.

"Please," Raze said sharply. "Do not riot yet. I am not finished."

The corner of his lips twitched, and he forced it down—but Fey noticed.

"Oh shit," Fey muttered under his breath. "He's about to do it again."

Raze straightened.

"I, Raze Grimhold, was sent here to free you from the clutches of this evil Viscount," he declared. "And that is exactly what I have done."

He couldn't hold it back anymore.

A wide grin spread across his face, shocking everyone present. He swung his hand through the air.

"As of today, I am in charge of the town of Oden and everything connected to it."

Gasps rang out.

"And as your savior," he continued loudly, "you are all indebted to me, for ending this tyranny and saving your lives. From this moment onward, Oden will become an extension of Rybest, and you will all work under me."

Fear spread instantly through the crowd.

Were they to be enslaved? Forced into labor because their town had fallen? Had one tyrant simply been replaced by another?

Sensing the panic, Raze raised a hand and spoke immediately, cutting off the rising dread.

"You'll all be working for me," Raze said. "Not as slaves, not as prisoners of war, or anything like that, just workers. You'll be paid, given proper incentives. Your houses will be repaired, your time respected, and everything will return to normal, if not better."

He paused, then added, "None of you are forced to stay. But I hope you will, considering I saved all your lives."

His eyes shone as he spoke those last words.

The people looked at him, fear still lingering in their hearts. He had said they wouldn't be slaves, yet something about the way he spoke, about being indebted, sent a chill through them. It felt like he was telling them, without saying it outright, that there was no running away.

Raze stood there smiling.

Fey finally spoke. "Your mouth's gonna get stuck that way if you don't drop it."

Raze glanced at him and shook his head. "No way I'm stopping smiling now. This is a happy day, isn't it?"

"People lost their lives here," Fey said quietly.

Raze clicked his tongue. "That's sad news, honestly." Then the smile returned.

Fey saw it and muttered, "No… don't do what you're about to do."

Raze turned back to the crowd, ignoring him.

"As for those of you who lost people," Raze said, his voice carrying, "to show that I am truly here to make a good change, I will provide compensation to everyone who suffered losses. Your loved ones will be laid to rest in a mass burial, with proper rites, to honor their souls."

He paused deliberately.

"That is, if you choose to accept me as your ruler and agree to what I have just said."

The condition slipped in smoothly, gold offered with an unseen leash attached.

The people listened. It sounded fair. It sounded good.

Someone began to clap.

Then another.

Soon, cheers followed, and before long, the entire town square erupted into applause and shouting.

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