I landed in front of a small house with a barrier around it. Sitting on the doorstep was a young man. When he looked up and saw me, I noticed him let out a sigh of relief. I guess he was worried something might have happened to me. I waved my hand and removed the barrier, and bowed my head: “I apologize for locking you in I was doing it to….”
“We know. And we thank you.” The young man cut me off. I raised my head and smiled.
“I never got your name. My name is Faith Cyrilia.” This man would be perfect for someone to be the city lord. I figured with the help of the girls who had resided in the castle all these years. They could help him along. This was the other reason why I did not erase their memories. Although I am sure, they will figure this out over time.“My name is Thomas Higgins,” Thomas replied.
“Thomas, you own a stall on the street, if I am correct?” I had noticed his wife and him setting up when I was walking towards them before.
“Yes, it is just a small shop, but it gives us just enough to get by,” Thomas replied.
“Then Thomas, you are your wife will follow me. This city needs a sensible person who understands the plight of the people. A city lord who will not use his status to do wrong but to help those in need. As such, I would like you to take charge of the city.” I said with a smile, causing the young man’s face to go blank.
“No! Wait, I am not fit….” I raised my hand, cutting him off. “You know basic math, or else you couldn’t run a stall. You know how to read from the books I saw stashed in the corner of your house. And you know how to write as your name is written above your door. These are all the skills you need. And I have many people who can help you along. But just be warned, while they may look young most of them are older than you. I just reversed their age a little.”
An hour later, I walked back through the castle gates that now had a crowd forming around them. Inside were the sixty or so girls from early swinging swords. It really seems they took my words to heart. Some barely had any strength to lift the sword, but from the expressions on their faces, they were so determined that even though they were covered in sweat and their arms were shaking, they still forced the sword into the air and swung it down.
“This is?” Thomas looked at the scene in confusion. He had no idea why so many girls were practicing swordsmanship in the front yard of the castle. “They will be your new guards. While they are just starting out, so are you. Plus, as I said, while they look young, they are actually much older. They have all suffered under the hands of the previous city lord. Some actually worked inside the castle, so they would know a few things and should be able to assist you. But do not get any funny ideas. If you cheat on your wife, she will kill you.”“I would never!” Thomas yelled out, causing me to laugh. Even his wife, who was at his side, chuckled.
“Everyone gather up!” I yelled out. The girls all turned and stopped what they were doing. They hurried over to me and bowed. “Young Miss, your orders?”
“I have no orders. From this moment on, Thomas Higgins is your new city lord. I hope you all will support him mentally. Help guide him on the things you know about the city. Those who know math and know how to read will assist him so that he is not overburdened. You will all be learning how to run things together. I want you all to make this city into a place you all have dreamed of. A place where every citizen is able to live fulfilling lives. But always remember, never leave the city short. Keep taxes low but not so low that you can not pay the fees needed to sustain the city.
“A city needs, or even a kingdom for that matter, needs two things to keep it sustained. First is happy citizens! The second is a stable and competent government that is doing its best for the people and not itself. Do not pad your own pockets but do not leave yourself hungry either. There is a fine line that needs to be met, and it is up to you all to figure out where that fine line is. You might make mistakes, but this does not mean you will not learn anything in the process of things. I tomorrow we will address the people of this city. For now, everyone should settle in. I will supply a bit of funds for you all to go out and get necessary items for the castle since I burnt it all except for what is in the library.” After finishing my speech, I left the castle and found a spot nearby on a tree branch to lay down. I was actually quite tired. Today was a long day, and many things have happened. But tomorrow, I hope once the sun rises, a new hope will be brought to this city and the people within it.
“I guess I am not really being very demon lordish anymore….” I sighed as I cast a barrier around me and fell asleep…..
The next day things went rather smoothly, and celebrations filled the streets. The citizens were told they could either leave the city if they so wished or stay and try to make a place for everyone. I have no idea how many left, but the city has many citizens who were offering up services. I knew Thomas and the girls had a long road ahead of them.
After leaving the city, I ran into many more incidents like this and cleared them up at the same time. After almost what felt like a month of travel, I arrived at the capital’s entrance. I did not go into the city since I needed to wait for the others. My mana was tethered to them, so I knew they had not arrived yet. I am sure they had it just as hard as I did. On the third day, Sophie, Adel, and Iena appeared. They looked very tired.
When Adel saw me, her eyes lit up as she yelled out: “Faith! My love!”
–AN) If you find mistakes in the past two chapters, please let me know. Something came up and did not allow me to edit these chapters very well. I will fix any all mistakes later today.–
Occasionally missing content, please report errors in time.