Chapter 154 152: Race To The Finish
The crowd went wild as soon as the captive princess was led to the platform. There were cheers of happiness, regret and even anger. No one gathered here could say for sure that they knew what the significance of this death was, and they would likely not even know till it was too late.
For ordinary people, life had changed as soon as their kind had died. The promised retribution, the oppression, it had all but been lifted from their shoulders. Or so they felt, having seen the differences. But many questioned this new change as well.
The royal family was beloved but they had reached their end. It was just time for the change. But not everyone was willing to accept this change in the same way. Many of them still held doubt in their mind.
"Today humanity will become free. The royal family had given shelter to demons. Demons who took away our brothers and sisters from us and wore their skin like clothes to protect themselves. Today we get retribution" the crowd went wild even as the princess struggled.
Most of the older citizens had faced the challenge of seeing their loved ones being turned into strangers. As such there was a wave of lingering anger in most of the society. This anger had helped Rosewell before and now he looked forward to employing it again.
"Coward" Trisha muttered, getting a shove by the guard. Her words had not been appreciated and now she paid the price.
"But isn't the princess human? Would it even be right to do this?" A human questioned and whispers broke out. The people in favour of saving the princess spoke up all of a sudden.
It was tiny oppression that could be seen coming from miles away. Rosewell did not mind such distractions since they helped him set the stage up for what was about to come next. It was all going accordingly to how he had wanted it to go.
"It's a precaution. You don't wait for an infection to grow before you cure it. Rather, you cut it off at the start. This is just what we are doing here" the man boasts, his voice confident. He had confidence in his words and his actions. He knew he was right in his ways.
And even if he was not, who was going to question him and risk the wrath of the gods. Everyone knew President Rosewell had been blessed by the holy powers which he had passed onto his son. They did not need to know that it was something hereditary. That lessened the impact of his words overall.
"You're right", "I feel bad for the princess but it's for our good"
Slowly but surely, the voices in favour spoke up and got louder. They started to dwarf the opposition's voice till they could no longer be heard over the victorious cheer of his name. He took in the defeated look of the princess and knew that he had won this round.
She could say nothing as she watched her people condemn her to death. These people were the ones whom she had abandoned and they had abandoned her in return.
"Ready to open the gate? Not that you have a choice" Rosewell knew well enough the significance of the key to the node. His good wishers from Albest had been through when they had detailed out what the significance of the key was.
As such, he was really excited to see the Key's magic in action. His hand twitched to get to use the key and now the activation was in his grasp. Finally, he could make do with his wish and gain infinite power.
"I-It won't do anything for you. I would love to see your face once you realise that the node's power can only be granted to a demon" The princess taunted as if it would change things.
They were not going to change anything. The node's power was demonic but Rosewell had his ways to be able to channelling that energy. He just needed a demon who would be under his control and follow him without question.
And luckily for him, his good wishes had given him just that. A chimaera form Albest a perfect solution - obedient enough to where he would not have to worry and politically inclined to not be harmed even if people prostrated. It was the perfect solution to his problem.
"Don't worry your little head about it. Just worry about keeping your expression straight. We won't want people to worry about you now and find out the truth" Rosewell was not a bad man, he was just ambitious. As such, he did things in his own way.
The magic circle activated and started to power right off of the princess. The area of effect was big enough to eclipse the whole Royal garden. However, the magic circle had been modified in such a way that it would only affect the demons, leaving humans behind without even a single scratch.
"Then, let's get you settled in. I don't think anyone is going to protest against your death now" Rosewell asked, his voice certain. The people down in the gardens seemed to have understood that their presence meant nothing. All the protests had stopped and now it was time.
"My people, fear not. The princess and her family have sinned but no more. She would give her life here and now purge this world of the evil and demons" the magic circle shined a bright red and then is activated.
There was nothing anyone could do to stop it and people started to drop down on the ground as the light spread wider and wider. The demons hidden among humans were starting to be revealed and fall to the ground.
Soon their energy would be consumed by the circle and force the node open. He had known that there were demons hidden among the humans but he had never really done anything about it. It had all been for this very moment when they would become the foundation for the better Imu.
But for that to happen, the old order needed to be first abolished and then re-established into the right image of the holy text.
"Trisha. Hang in there. I'm coming" people and demons were falling all over, the chaos unimaginable. And yet the voice-only had one target - the princess.
The elder watched as a very familiar female ran through the crowd, her body brimming with power and he felt fooled. Of course, she had come. He could not have expected his foolish son to do even one thing right.
"Capture her. Don't let the demon through" the guards would buy him time.
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