The lone figure on the small podium in the center of the square began to speak in a firm, authoritative voice. His eyes, impassive, observed the attentive crowd in front of him, and his presence exuded confidence and authority.
- Dear citizens of our beloved village, today we gather here before this public trial to witness justice being done. You all know the man before us, Gerald, who dared to challenge the established order and incite revolt against our noble Baron.
A murmur of assent spread through the crowd, indicating that many there knew Gerald and his fiery rhetoric.
- Our village has always prospered under the Baron's wise leadership. He protected us, provided security, and made sure our needs were met. However, with protection comes responsibility, and any threat to the stability of our home cannot be tolerated.
- We must remember that order and obedience are fundamental to maintaining peace and prosperity in our village. Anyone who dares to undermine that order, to challenge the Baron's legitimate authority, will face the consequences.
He paused for a moment, allowing his words to sink in to the crowd before continuing:
- Gerald committed an act of treason by inciting rebellion and threatening our stability. Today, we witness the punishment for those who venture down the dangerous path of insurrection.
After the speaker's speech, two soldiers come to the platform in the square and place Gerald on the stone and cut off his head.
The crowd watched in silence, some with somber faces, others with expressions of approval, but all aware of the seriousness of the situation.
Raphaello, after Gerald's execution, sees Draxer who was listening to the conversations of some soldiers, Raphaello raises his hand to indicate his position to Draxer, he observes Raphaello and heads towards him.
After Gerald's execution, Raphaello spotted Draxer nearby, leaning over a group of soldiers and listening intently to their conversations. With a wave of his hand, Raphaello signaled his position to Draxer, who immediately noticed and headed towards him.
Raphaello, curious about the speaker on the podium, asked Draxer in a low voice:
- Who is that man on the podium, Draxer?"
Draxer glanced briefly toward the podium and responded in an equally low voice:
- That's Captain Jarek, the second strongest swordsman under the command of Baron Jericho."
Draxer's words echoed in Raphaello's mind as he watched Captain Jarek. He wondered about swordsmen in general, whether they were individuals who lacked magical abilities and therefore focused on developing their physical abilities, or were they individuals who could not use magic and that's why they called themselves swordsmen.
Raphaello could see that Captain Jarek was strong and it became a question that intrigued him, as he was beginning to understand that perhaps strength could come in many forms, whether through magic or physical dexterity.
-Draxer, do you have any idea of Baron Jericho's strength or the size of his army and where he is concentrated?
Raphaello rarely went to the center of the village, but at that moment he understood the importance of being aware of certain information that could significantly affect his plans.
- The baron's lands are about an hour away, I guess he must have between three and five hundred guys in that group. If you want, we can try to take a look there one of these days, but you have to know that it can be a little dangerous, you know?
After Draxer's revelation, Raphaello rested his chin between his fingers, a thoughtful expression on his face. He carefully processed the information, recognizing its importance for his future plans for wealth and power.
- Good job, Draxer. You really helped me. I promise we will find a way to reward you.
A grateful smile lit up Draxer's face, his cheeks flushed slightly as he felt valued. Then, with a glimmer of hope in his eyes, Draxer asked a sincere question:
- Raphaello, with this, could we be like brothers?
Raphaello's gaze softened as he better understood Draxer's personality and needs. It was clear that the young homeless man longed for friendship and bonds, something that was scarce in the village.
- Of course, Draxer, we are already like brothers. And you can consider Lancer the same way, he's like a brother to me too.
Raphaello did not have a genuine fraternal bond with Draxer, but he saw the value of this friendship for his future plans. He decided to go through with it, even if it was a more pragmatic relationship than an emotional one.
Raphaello and Lancer shook Draxer's hands and said goodbye, heading towards Roger's blacksmith's workshop. It was the beginning of the first phase of his plan.
When they arrived at the workshop, they found Roger busy, focused on his task of putting more coal on the fire to heat the iron. The blacksmith was immersed in his work, and the crackling of the flames accompanied his meticulous activity.
- Hello Mr. Roger!
Raphaello tried to get Roger's attention, but the blacksmith seemed completely absorbed in the task. He continued to add charcoal, adjusting the heat of the fire carefully, preparing to forge a sword. His face was sweaty and covered in soot, showing the effort involved in his work.
Raphaello cleared his throat and tried to speak again, raising his voice a little to be heard above the noise of the flames.
- Excuse me, Mr. Roger, I would like to speak to you, if possible.
Roger finally looked up from the fire, and his eyes met Raphaello's. He frowned, clearly annoyed at being interrupted in his work.
- What is so important that it can't wait until I finish this sword? Can't you see I'm busy?
After Roger's question about the importance of the matter, Raphaello was undeterred. he approached where Roger was, throwing coals on the fire. The crackling flames cast a dancing light over the sweaty blacksmith intent on his task.
Raphaello began to concentrate deeply, slowing the pace of his breathing as he pointed his palm toward the small fire that burned between the coals. He recited the words to cast the spell:
- Incrementum Temperaturee in Hoc!
This time, unlike his previous attempt, the fire began to grow rapidly, doubling in size in a matter of seconds. Roger, the blacksmith, was surprised by the sudden intensification of the flames and expressed his concern:
- Stop this! If you continue like this, you'll end up burning everything down!
Raphaello, observing the high, crackling fire, saw the opportunity to test the same magic, but now to lower the temperature. With renewed focus, he recited the words:
- Decrease Temperature in Hoc
As he spoke the words, the fire began to gradually cool down, and after a minute of casting magic to lower the temperature, the fire returned to its original state. Raphaello finished the magic successfully.
Based on what Raphaello witnessed when casting these spells at that time, he came to some important conclusions. Firstly, he realized that increasing the temperature of an already hot space was a faster process, while decreasing the temperature of a hot environment took much longer. It was another piece of the puzzle of understanding how the Ignis Frigoris magic works.
After Raphaello regulated the temperature of the fire, Roger couldn't help but notice how useful that magic could be in speeding up his work. He would gain much more time and be able to forge weapons much faster. Roger looked at Raphaello with a sparkle of interest in his eyes that said:
- Mr. Roger, I have a proposal.