The Runic Alchemist

Chapter 910: What is An Ultimate Leader?

A few minutes ago, the House of Lords, Velen Highmarsh.

They did it.

With 317 votes, the bill passes.

That was an overwhelmingly high number for a bill. It was up to the high table now, but ignoring such a majority was not a good idea. Velen expected it to end there, but it didn’t. To his and everybody’s shock, the Lord Keeper started discussing the bill right in front of everyone.

Velen was the second son of a viscount. Their land was near the Dawnstar capital. All his life, he was exposed to a high level of politics. From a very young age, he was pushed to be part of the social events going on in the capital and in the region surrounding it. His childhood was a tool for his parents, so was his youth, his options for marriage, and everything else.

What was the ultimate leader? Ultimate noble?

All craftsmanship and skill had an absolute, untouchable version that sits at the very top. What would that be for a leader? The king who fights and sacrifices himself for his lands, just to leave thousands of starving people behind? The king who plays the game of politics and keeps everyone in control using his cunning, no matter the price he has to pay? The king who is loved by the people but ultimately brings no improvement to the lives of his subjects?

The answer of the question Velen tried searching for in their vast history and present politics time and again, but found nothing but hollow answers.

Most Dawnstar nobles hated losing power, including Velen’s family. But in one hidden corner of his heart, Velen was happy that acursed place was gone. He was happy that his father never returned from the battle, which was very fucked up to be honest. He was happy that the Lord Keeper abolished all noble houses and stripped them of their lands.

All of mainland’s history was just one vicious cycle of power, betrayal, and violence after another. Until Sanctuary came to be.

A place that had no king. No nobles. Each and every person in the country could take part in shaping the future of the country. A place that picked up all useless noble traditions and threw them away. A place where pretending all the time was not necessary. The ruling system was efficient and impartial.

The discussion of the bill by the high table was full of surprise and hidden revelations that even Velen had missed at times. Lady Souldealer, Evrin, and Lord Torwin’s words truly felt like something their enemies would say, but then Velen realized he was not impartial. Staying with Lord Keeper, working day after day to bring his vision to life, had influenced his critical thinking. He favored the man too much.

There was truth in Lady Souldealer, Evrin, and Lord Torwin’s words.

A truth that was not ignored by the high table. The way they functioned, Velen always assumed they respected Damian too much to effectively go against him on certain issues, but this was the opposite. The final decision was still in his hands if they declared martial law, but the Damian he knew would never ignore the views of the high table and use such tricks.

Velen had no idea why Lord Keeper had suddenly decided to marry the Spellmaster or make such a partnership with Eldoris, secretly at that. It did not look good, in that he fully understood the people of Sanctuary’s feelings. But it shouldn’t be such a big deal.

Damian Sunblade had brought Sanctuary from barely a town to having the biggest city in the mainland. He had won wars left and right, dominated the politics and technological fields like it was nothing, led the whole mainland with his absolute strength and revolutionary decrees. Everything he did made Sanctuary a powerful country.

If a man like that did not deserve power, who did?

Half a year ago, all these people who were shouting their opinions wouldn’t have even lifted their heads to meet the powerful third-ranker’s eyes. But the Lord Keeper’s government system gave power to all people. A right of existence, being heard, capable of change. For the first time in history, a man was more than just a farmer or soldier. Financial independence and the right to own things, land. People had purpose, dreams, and ambitions.

Free thinking.

They do not realize what an absolute mountain of achievement this is.

He may be biased, but Velen truly believed Damian had done more to push the world forward in just one year than many kings failed to do in their entire lives. History was the proof of that.

This bill was influenced by many things he knew. The red priests, the shadow organization, and the Dawnstar nobles who were following Leon. Probably other factors also played a part in it, but they will never know. No one truly believed they could undo this partnership for real.

Velen suspected these sudden changes in people of Sanctuary were mostly due to external factors like Faerunians losing their king, the Empire ignoring Sanctuary rules, and trying to impose their faith.

’It all started after that day.. Damian met several important figures in a single day and even secured the partnership with Eldoris by the evening of that day.’

That day, something changed. Velen couldn’t put a finger on it, but it was something very important.

Velen focused on the heated discussion between the sanctum heads that had the whole hall on the edge of their seats. The reaction against Lady Ilvanya was expected. No matter what she says today, people will only see her as Eldoris Noble grabbing Sanctuary by the limb.

The support Lord Torwin, Lady Einar, and Souldelaer’s words were having was an interesting thing to observe. Trained in the courts all his life, Velen recognized the influence someone’s words carried when he noticed it.

Lady Evrin, Lucian, and Lord Sam had no ulterior meaning behind their words at all. They spoke from the heart, and it showed. That was a type of strength as well, Velen knew. Especially when their points had both intelligence and feelings in them. Velen was especially touched by the loyalty Lord Sam showed whenever any kind of question was raised against Lord Keeper’s name.

He expected that from Lucian, considering their relationship and Lady Ilvanya, who wished to establish a better connection between the two countries. But felt most natural from Sam because of the history he shared with Lord Keeper.

The story of Damian Sunblade and the prime Esper of Dawnstar had been spread far and wide by now. Some eager scholars had even written that if Dawnstar King had managed to secure these two talents on time, today the history would have been something entirely else. Dawnstar had the chance to truly dominate the mainland with how many talented transcendents had emerged from there in just the past decade.

But the future was never a certain thing. And Velen was grateful that it did not go like that, and they had Sanctuary now.

Lord Keeper asked for the votes, and no hands rose. As expected, the Lord Keeper’s decision was not a bad one despite its mysterious reasons.

But this was bad. Velen sensed the disappointment and dissatisfaction that was growing in people. They had failed. This hall was somewhat civil; the streets of Sanctuary will take these even more badly. Something had to be done.

“…don’t you dare believe for even a single second that this Sanctuary.. My Sanctuary can not stand shoulder to shoulder against all these ancient nations! Hell, forget being rivals, we will lead them one day! That’s what I believe! Do you know why? Because this place protects and cares! This place gives shelter…”

As most people present in the hall, Velen’s eyes widened, and a fire ignited in his chest after hearing the words of their Keeper.

Indeed, the Damian Sunblade he knew would have sensed the implications of his decisions kilometers away. If it came to this, then it had to be the best-case scenario! Velen truly believed that.

“…If the problem lies with Lady Vidalia and me, it’s easily solvable. Eldoris remains…”

NO! This can’t be!

Velen’s eyes widened in horror. Why? Why? His words had already convinced almost 80% people in the hall. They were broadcasting these proceedings on the live receiver channel as well, and all of Sanctuary had heard it. Even without seeing, Velen was sure these words of their leaders were more than enough to calm down the riled-up people, even with external forces meddling in their business.

Then why? Why would someone like him give up the power now?

He resigned and named Samuel Stormcaller as the candidate of becoming third keeper.. Velen noticed he wasn’t alone in realizing what was happening and the absolute shock that followed. Lady Vidalia’s wide eyes were expected. But even Leon, Hellstorm, Alex, and all foreign nobles were caught completely off-guard.

Thoughts raced in Velen’s head wildly till finally his eyes noticed the smile on Damian’s face as he patted Sam’s shoulder. And he understood..

’He gave up power because this is the most efficient way of keeping peace in Sanctuary.’

Even though Lord Keeper’s words convinced most of them, there was still enough ammunition for these haters to keep riling up people. If he stayed in power, his every decision from now on would have been a battle against old foes. All his goals and hopes for the Sanctuary would have been stained with this one unexplained selfishness that people would just never be able to ignore.

Any other king, noble, or leader would have doubled down and started acting stubbornly to prove how righteous he or she was, even after all that had happened. But Damian Sunblade was not one of them..

Velen smiled.

The Lord Keeper, he knew, cared more for advancement and progress than he did for silly political games. For most powerful men, giving up their power would have been the ultimate sign of defeat.

But the man he followed gave power to the title he was bestowed upon, not the other way around.

What was the ultimate leader? Ultimate noble?..

Wasn’t the answer very simple?

An ultimate leader is the one who effortlessly brings respect to the position he holds, even after he is gone. Becoming a Keeper? For Damian’s goals and dreams that were never necessary, Velen realized. The other Sanctum heads gave him the position because they believed Damian to be the best person for the position, and he had already proved that a hundred times over.

From a weird town to the very center of the mainland’s power – Their second keeper had placed Sanctuary on the map. A time will come when people will write stories about this insanely fast rise to power. The main reason for this will be none other than this beast of a man, who gave up power with a casual smile on his face!

Anything for Sanctuary.

Velen thought those were just empty words. But he was proven wrong.

The sanctum heads urged Damian that it was not neccessary but the decision was made, words spoken.

The eight heads of the sanctum high table took a vote right before the shocked eyes of hundreds, and with 6 votes, Samuel Stormcaller was appointed as the Third Keeper of Sanctuary.

Lady Souldealer voted for herself, and Lady Ilvanya supported her for some reason. But people ignored all that when the majority voted in favor of Samuel Stormcaller.

Later that day, Velen heard the speech the new keeper gave on the receiver channel. A promise of making an enormous wall that will cover the entire Sanctuary border from all sides. It will be a powerful runic mechanism that will have an unbreakable barrier powered by liquid mana. A barrier that even fourth rankers could not break.

Moreover, the third keeper will take Grace Ashborn as his wife; the wedding will be held in one month.

All the worries of the Sanctuary people dissolved in just a single day. Velen smiled in his house. Building a wall was Damian’s oldest ideas and so was holding a massive surprise wedding for Sam and Grace.

Sanctuary may have rejected him, but that man will never stop improving Sanctuary.