The Runic Alchemist

Chapter 744: Changing The System of Sanctum 2

Damian looked at him. “Tell me, Prince Leon—what is your greatest fear?”

“Huh?” The prince made a sound in confusion, then added when all eyes turned to him, “Some rogue transcendents or a fourth-ranker destroying our home.”

“Right. Most of us have that fear. But for a simple farmer living in a village, the biggest fear is not being able to feed his family and watching them starve to death. Our priorities are different. The things we take for granted with our powers are still a dream for many in this world. You and I can lead them from one perspective—like protecting everyone from external threats—but what of the everyday struggle all these people go through? Yes, we can lead and protect. But in times of peace, we put our weapons down. They still keep fighting. Their fight only ends when they die and are buried beneath the ground.”

“We simply can’t understand them.. making us not the best people to make rules for them or manage them..” Lucian murmured.

The Souldealer from the side said, as if thinking aloud, “Which is why no matter how much a king tries to get rid of poverty and slums.. they never succeed.”

“Look, I’m not saying that my rules are the absolute best. We can change them as we go, when we notice a flaw here and there. But without taking this leap forward, breaking the centuries-old traditions—we cannot do anything different from the other lands. Yes, we are powerful and we can match them in battle. But that is not enough. Our Sanctuary should truly look like a paradise in this world—that and only that will win us the hearts of all the people of the mainland.”

Souldealer and Sam looked at him with surprise. They understood the underlying meaning of his words. Once we become the desire of people all over the mainland—the whole mainland will easily become ours. A king takes decades and decades of time to assimilate foreign-won lands into his kingdom. And still, people resist the rule—rebellions here and there. But what if people were so entranced by their land that they wanted them to rule their land too?

Sam and he had already talked about it. And Souldealer.. well, she was the oldest person in the room. She had seen the lifetime of nobles and their political schemes.

“What else?” Maelor asked. The usual unserious attitude of his was completely gone.

“No one person will be in charge of dungeon towns and other villages,” Damian said, and instantly, all three Dawnstar nobles’ eyes changed. This would remove all their people from the prominent places. He was well aware of that.

The people of Dawnstar were the majority of the Sanctuary’s population—not just the nobles, even the commoners. Still, they couldn’t just grab all the best jobs and rule over others. Who knew what they did in all those villages? There were no inspections or anything. And who would risk a dangerous journey just to complain about something that happened to them, something that no one could prove?

“Things are going to change even if I don’t do it. With waygates connecting all of Sanctuary—think about it..”

Damian added when the faces of the Dawnstar people started shifting more toward contemplation than alertness, “A lord, no matter how good, is still a human—just like all of us. It is our nature to put ourselves and our interests before others. I myself am such a person. I am making Sanctuary the best place to live in this world because I want to live in a peaceful and innovative country that has no giant issues hiding in the dark corners of its cities. A country where its men don’t fight useless wars of nobles for barely any significant difference in their own lives.

I don’t want to worry about all that when I make my runic tools. So I will do everything needed to shape a bright future for me and all my loved ones—those that are here and those who will come after.”

Lucian looked at him with both a little surprise and a little shyness as her cheeks flushed slightly. He did not look at her—instead, his eyes rested on the three Dawnstar nobles present in the room.

“So today, I have a few choices that you can make. Prince Leon, Souldealer, Maelor—Dawnstar people are a big part of Sanctuary. I won’t deny that. But that won’t be the case forever. Sanctuary first, then all else is a discipline one will have to accept in the coming future—at least for officials. People can believe whatever they want—that doesn’t affect me. But if you are to work for Sanctuary, become a part of this effort of mine to shape its future—that is the most basic requirement.

“But I won’t force you to make that decision. There is another option if you prefer.”

“Are you saying we should forget about Dawnstar forever?” Prince Leon said in a not-so-amused tone.

It was clear the Dawnstar people were trying to gather resources and power so that one day, they could attack the empire and claim their land back. Even a child could see what they were thinking. The thing was—they only had one transcendent, and even that one only cared for her own family and house.

“Can we hear what this option is?” Maelor asked when Damian said nothing in reply to Prince Leon’s question.

“We have three islands to the north—the biggest of which being Virestone Reach. You can take all Dawnstar people, noble or commoners who will follow you, there and live there. You will still be under Sanctuary’s rule. All the laws of Sanctuary will still apply to you.

“But I will give you the dungeon rights of that place as long as I receive a certain amount of loot and crops from you every year. You can rename the place, keep your own people in charge—the system has to follow the Sanctum’s style though. With Souldealer being the highest authority, or Prince Leon, you guys can decide on your own.”

Not only the three Dawnstar people but all present in the room had their eyes wide open. The island of Virestone Reach was over one-fourth the size of the whole Sanctuary region.

“You will give us separate land?” Prince Leon asked to confirm—or maybe he was just putting it into solid words.

“No. The land still belongs to Sanctuary. But you will have the right to manage it. It will not be taken from your people no matter how much time passes—given that you follow all the rules and don’t think about extending borders,” Damian replied.

“Why?” Sam asked this time instead of the other Dawnstar people.

“Because divided loyalties don’t make progressive authority. I want in my Sanctum only those people who believe in the words plastered on this building. They are not just for show. I do not care for the land—with my waygates, I can build palaces even on the moon. I want people who genuinely want to make their families and their future bright—alongside me—working in this building.”