The confiscation of the council member's properties which continued on for several days as well as the arrest, interrogation, and execution of the extremists who had been appealing to resist till the end were almost over.
Grandfather seemed to be doing an excellent job in containing the violent acts and plundering of the soldiers from the Quordentz Allied Army. The commotion within the city had fallen into silence, and the citizens were attentively watching the council's actions.
The work concerning Nambonan's surrender was finally entering its final stage.
「And, its about the official announcement of their surrender tomorrow…」
Viscount Galliana spread the city map on the table and pointed at its center.
「It will be held here, the square in front of the assembly hall. The contents will be mostly about the official announcement of their surrender.」
The details concerning Nambonan's surrender would finally be announced to the citizens tomorrow. Viscount Galliana took several office staff working in the council to my camp for our meeting which covered matters such as the order in which the information would be announced, how much information should be disclosed to the public, and who would appear on stage at what time and their introduction on stage. They seemed to have done the preparations for the program already, and the only thing I had to do was to approve it.
After we'd finished discussing about the announcement, Viscount Galliana spoke as though he remembered something.
「Oh yes, I've made a list of Nambonan citizens who may be suitable as an administrative official for the new organization. Please have a look.」
It seemed that this was also included in the agenda, and an office staff immediately arranged wooden boards in front of me. I took a random one.
「The civil officials under the Quordentz are excellent indeed, but we would also need the help of the local people to effectively run things. I suggest employing several of them.」
Viscount Galliana grinned, and he pointed at the wooden board. It had the information and simple background of the citizens. While I looked through the names, I spotted the name of Kohali's brother among them. As he was the only one I was familiar with, my hand stopped.
「Is there anything wrong?」
Finding my behavior strange, one of the office staff approached.
「No, I've just noticed a familiar name.」
There was no need to hide it, so I pointed at the name on the wooden board. Then, the office staff looked like he understood it and began to explain.
「His father has that kind of character, so people often speak ill of him, but Rumon himself is an excellent and honest person. 」
According to him, Rumon wasn't the type of person to start-up or lead people, but he was knowledgeable when it comes to organizational management. He was apparently quite popular among the office staff in the council, and they were well aware about his hardships due to his father's bad reputation.
If that assessment was true, considering that Rumon was the successor to his father who had built up their firm in just a single generation, wouldn't he be a suitable person? Their firm was already gone now, though.
…..
….
…
Next day.
It was a bright and sunny day, just the perfect weather for today's official announcement of Nambonan's surrender. The citizen's faces were most likely just as blue as this sky.
I was standing by behind the stage which had been set up in the square in front of the assembly hall. The citizens couldn't see my figure because a partition curtain was hanging down. Nevertheless, I judged that there was a large number of people gathered in the square from the noise coming from beyond the curtain.
「Well then, I will head first. Let's see each other on the stage later.」
Viscount Galliana smiled, left the partition curtain, and then headed towards the stage. An office staff from the council gave the opening greetings. Afterward, he called the main host—Viscount Galliana—into the stage.
In the next instant, the crowd burst into cheers. Wondering what was going on, I popped my head out of the curtain and saw that Viscount Galliana had just entered the stage. The square was so packed with people that it wouldn't be strange even if someone were to say that every resident living in Nambonan had gathered here. And such a large crowd all felt overjoyed upon seeing Viscount Galliana.
「He sure is popular.」
「He is Nambonan's star, after all. Haa, I think he's a very great person.」
Sitting beside me was Anna, and she let out a breath as if in love. Same as me, she was standing by here waiting for her turn to enter the stage.
「Is that so?」
「Yes. He is Nambonan's living legend, you know?」
The living legend was silently waiting for the crowd to quiet down. Since his body was massive, he appeared very dignified.
The square gradually calmed down, and before long, a silent and tense atmosphere filled the place.
After confirming the silence, Viscount Galliana first started by expressing his thanks to Marquis Quordentz.
Long story short:
『I'm really thankful for letting me stand in today's stage in front of my beloved Nambonan! Marquis Quordentz, your the best! Please give me a hug!』
The content was roughly like that.
In the first place, it would've normally been impossible for Viscount Galliana to give such a significant performance in Nambonan which had already become a territory under the Quordentz.
As expected from a former councilor, he was good at speaking, and the citizens were beginning to feel grateful towards Quordentz's lenient treatment. They were such an easy bunch.
The Viscount informed them about Nambonan's surrender and explained to them about the matters such as the punishment received by the councilors and the reparations they needed to pay.
They would feel depressed every time they heard bad news, and they stared at Viscount Galliana as if they were seeking salvation.
「... Because of that, the walls protecting Nambonan will be demolished. The cost for demolishing the walls...」
He continued publicizing the conditions of their surrender. According to the schedule, it would be grandfather's turn next.
「It's my turn already?」
As grandfather spoke, he was called by Viscount Galliana. Upon his entrance on stage, the citizens raised an undescribable cry.
「General Garphis will be in charge of Nambonan's...」
Nambonan was located in the northwesternmost part of Quordentz's territory. Yet, the lands around the area were previously controlled by the nobles of the Jinkaen Empire. At present, the Quordentz had been one-sidedly overwhelming the Empire's nobles, but no one knows when that would last.
In order to solidify this area as a territory under the Quordentz, father decided to construct a solid fort to prepare for the Empire's counter-offensive. Grandfather would oversee the construction of the fort in the front line with the Empire while maintaining control of the northwest area including Nambonan. Incidentally, Nambonan's citizens were only told that the commander to defend Nambonan would be General Garphis
「Anyone who rebels against the Quordentz—turn into ashes.」
As grandfather spoke in a low sharp voice, he released maximum output magic from the stage towards the sky. He unleashed the same tide of flame which had turned the mercenaries into ashes in the field.
The crimson spiral—as though a dragon flying towards the heavens—burst and scattered high in the sky.
「Eeek...!」
Upon seeing it, Anna let out a low cry. The citizens in the square felt the same thing. They neither cheered nor screamed, they were only so shocked from seeing such an unbelievable scene as well as fear towards the heat which had pricked their skins. And, they'd immediately realized. What would happen if they were to rebel against the Quordentz.
Seeing that they'd understood it, grandfather went down the stage feeling satisfied. Next would be Anna and my turn. I was feeling slightly nervous.
At this moment, Viscount Galliana finally informed them that Nambonan's autonomy by the citizens would continue on. The citizens, who were worried about that matter the most, burst into cheers and the square was immediately enveloped in excitement.
Praises filled the square, and just as they'd started to sing his name, Viscount Galliana gestured them to be silent with his palm and spoke.
「I'm not the one deserving of your praise.」
The crowd was taken aback, and confusion spread.
If Viscount Galliana wouldn't accept it, then who will? That was the question on everyone's mind.
「The one who saved Nambonan, was a single courageous citizen.」
Then, Viscount Galliana began to talk about the rumors that had become a hot topic within the city. The story was about how the Blue Demon, in his fit of anger, cut down the citizens who tried to rebel. Then the single citizen who stood up and expressed their love for Nambonan to appease the demon's fury.
「Let's go.」
「...Yes!」
As Viscount Galliana called our names, Anna and I stood on the stage.