"Those ignorant fools made light of my warning and disregarded my mercy. I gave them jobs for them to have a chance of contributing to society and proved their worth as a man of their status. But what's the result? I would not care if they just stay quiet but to question my authority. That's a totally different matter. Solo you continued."
"Yes, Your Majesty. Everybody I believed we all, not just the nobles but all human, hold livestock for many purposes, whether it horse, cattle, sheep and chicken. But for what purpose we keep them, my friends? Just to let them live idly? Then why would we waste our money and effort to raise them?"
Solo answered David and continued his speech, asking everyone in the hall. Although using a question, Solo did not wait for the answer and continued with his speech.
"We raise them so that we could benefit for them. We gave them food, shelter, and protection. They, in turn, give us supplies, help us with transport and agriculture which give us large quantities of grains and other foodstuffs. Please do not mistake that I treat magician as livestock, human worth is more than that." Solo paused for a little then continued.
"Why do we have to pay taxes? Have you ever ask yourself? I asked myself when I was young and glad that my dearest friend helped gave me a reason." Solo eyes swayed to David for only a second, their eyes met and smiled was formed on David's face.
"Our society, long based on the power of magic. That why people gave the magician houses their money or pieces of stuff as a form of gratitude toward the magician help, but the world had changed, our living became more complex and many things need to organize in the different ways, what was a gift became a duty to perform. Now the world has changed again, my fellow citizen of the Sacred Ramale empire. With our sole ruler there was no need for the former unorganized way of handle things, there is no need for many scattered house of magicians, sect and wander mages anymore. The magician bureau would handle everything, what we ask of them is just to register under the government and follow the order of the Emperor. Sadly many could not adjust themselves with the flow of time. They addict to their old way of life and become conservative afraid of change." Solo sighed.
"Solo, let's me take place from here." David stopped Solo and he himself began to speak.
"The change was made so that we could bring more benefit for the land and the people, yet they misinterpret and refuse to join, that in itself was acceptable. However, some of those that could not understand keep blabbering and question the way we do things. Is it acceptable? No!, this is not acceptable. What would you do if the horse broke his legs? Kill him? I would let him live if possible, but the horse was not human and unlike human horses don't talk foolishly and excessively."
David stood up from his throne and knocked the floor with his scepter, it was a majestic show of emperor dominion authority.
"This is it, I want to do this for a long time." David thought inside but remained his poker face on the outside.
Should he worry about what he gonna do?
Why would he? If he worries about something like this, his enemy would kill him a long time ago. Also, this was not like he gonna killed all of them, some innocence may be killed, however, some sacrifice was need to uphold for the greater benefit.
As the people in the hall saw David stood up, everybody knew that David gonna passed an edict by now.
"As of today, we will begin the purge of those buffoons. Fieldmarshal Thiw, where?"
"This general here!"
"Minister of finance, Solo, where?"
"This officer here!"
"You two will took care of this case, the offender that proved as guilty would be punished without mercy, within the 3 steps of their bloodline will be all judged by me at the designated place and time."
"Thiw, take this sword, all officers and nobles will obey your words as my words" David called the steward, took the sword by the middle of the scabbard and hold the sword in front of him. Thiw walked out from his place kneeling and accept the sword from David.
The emperor had declared his edict, all that left would be for everyone to follow and do what he wants. However, there was a voice rising from a man that every people in the hall did not expect.
Minister of magic, Woden, stepped out and kneeled to David. Although a trembling could be heard in his voice, the message was clear for everyone to understand.
"My Emperor, I beg for your mercy, please reconsider this!"
David was confused, Solo too was confused. In fact, all the people were confused and shocked.
Some confused why Woden would defy the emperor, some confused why Woden could not see the situation, Some may felt deep respect for Woden but they too confused with Woden action.
Did Woden not care for his life?
Did he think that being the emperor brother in law will prevent him from punishment?
Put it frankly, Woden too did not want to defy David, if possible. But could someone who as merciful like him could withstand this without doing anything?
The answer was hard but when put comes to shove. Woden would try to save them.
After a minute of silence passed, Solo was the first to break this silence.
"What's are you saying, Woden? Do you understand what you are doing?"
"….." Woden did not answer Solo, he keeps kneeling without utter a word.
"….Woden…Raise your head."
"Please, my lord, grant them mercy." Woden raised his head and looked straight at David without battling an eye, now that he had made a decision, Woden would not back down.
"You….How dare you defy the order of the emperor!" Thiw pointed his sword at the chest of Woden. They knew each other for more than two decades, Thiw would not point a word at his friend even as a joke. However, Thiw made a vow and he would not break it even if his life was on the line. He was David's sword, for every word that David said he will do it and obey even if it means to killed the person in front of him.
If someone as strong as Woden wanted, the sword could not pierce him. But from the look of it, there was no will to resist at all in Woden eyes. A former grandmaster would die easily even if Thiw just thrust the sword in his hand by just one foot without any use of martial art.
The sword tip may only vibrated at a very little small scale but this could be told how hard it is for Thiw, an accomplished warrior who survived a hundred match in the arena, to lose even a tiny moment of control over his sword.
"….Why?" David asked.