CHAPTER 70 #7
Ngunit ilang hakbang pa lamang ang kaniyang nagagawa ay bigla siyang natigilan nang makita kung sino ang nakatayo sa harapan ng pangalawang grupo. Dahan-dahang bumaba ang kaniyang tingin sa lalaking nakatayo sa unahan.
"So... you are the captain, Russel Silas Quentin."
Bahagyang yumuko si Russel.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Despite his young age, Russel had already been chosen as the captain of the second squad. He carried himself with a maturity that was unusual for someone his age. His posture was firm, his expression composed, and there was a quiet confidence in the way he stood before the Emperor.
Galsarius had trained him relentlessly for years, preparing him to carry the name of House Quentin and eventually stand among the empire's strongest warriors.
Lurtheron studied him for a moment.
"You are younger than I expected."
"I may be young, Your Majesty, but I will not allow my age to become a weakness."
Bahagyang tumaas ang kilay ni Lurtheron.
"Interesting."
Russel remained composed.
"I intend to prove that I deserve the position."
"You are... fourteen years old..." ani Lurtheron, nananatiling blanko ang kaniyang ekspresyon. "Are you sure? I suppose Galsarius has been treating you harshly, boy..."
This kid... kahit bata pa lamang siya, ramdam ko ang kaniyang mana presence...
He is a Quentin, after all... the younger brother of Rassia Saint Quentin.
Bahagyang pinagmasdan ni Lurtheron si Russel, noticing how composed he was despite his young age.
I suppose everything that happened forced him to mature far earlier than he should have. Poor boy...
Russel, despite his young age, was already tall for a fourteen-year-old. Gayunpaman, siya pa rin ang pinakabata at pinakamaliit sa buong squad. His expression remained cold and composed as he stood firmly before the Emperor, showing no sign of intimidation.
"No, Your Majesty. Grandfather trained me, but this was my own decision. Hindi niya ako pinilit na sumali sa rito, at lalong hindi niya ako pinilit na tanggapin ang posisyong ito. I chose to stand here because I wanted to."
Bahagya siyang yumuko, ngunit nanatiling matatag ang kaniyang tinig.
"And my squad would not have chosen me if they believed I was unworthy of becoming their captain. They had the freedom to choose whoever they trusted, Your Majesty. They could have chosen someone older, stronger, or more experienced than me, but they still chose me."
Muli niyang itinaas ang kaniyang tingin kay Lurtheron.
"So I will not use my age as an excuse. I know I am fourteen. I know there are many things I still have to learn. But if my people have placed their trust in me, then I will carry that responsibility. I will become stronger, and I will prove that their decision was not a mistake."
Bahagya namang yumuko ang babaeng lieutenant ni Russel.
"I am Keisha, Captain Russel's lieutenant, Your Majesty!"
magalang niyang sambit. "And I swear, among all of us, Russel is the strongest and the most strategic. He may be the youngest among our ranks, but he has already proven that he can think faster than most of us and remain calm even under pressure. We trust his judgment, Your Majesty,
and that is why we chose him as our captain!"
"Good choice, then. You are a Quentin, Captain Russel. I have no doubt that you will become much stronger in the future."
Bahagyang tumingin si Lurtheron kay Russel, nananatiling blanko ang kaniyang ekspresyon.
"Though..." bahagya siyang ngumiti. "It is rather ironic, isn't it? A young Quentin destined to become one of the empire's strongest captains, despite having a sister who was branded as a demon."
Bahagya niyang iniangat ang kaniyang baba.
"Perhaps you inherited the better part of the bloodline, boy. After all, not every Quentin was fortunate enough to remain worthy of that name."
Nanatiling kalmado at malamig ang ekspresyon ni Russel. Ngunit sa likod ng kaniyang walang emosyong mukha, kumukulo ang kaniyang galit. He could feel the anger running through his veins as he listened to Lurtheron's words about his sister.
Patago niyang pinagsiklop ang kaniyang kamao, pinipigilan ang sarili na ipakita ang kaniyang nararamdaman.
I... am always angry. My heart and mind have felt empty since my father and sister died... But this man...
He just keeps making that anger worse...
I wanted to kill this... moron...
"Perhaps, Your Majesty. But I suppose even a 'demon' can leave behind a brother capable of becoming a captain."
Bahagya siyang yumuko muli, his expression remaining completely cold.
"I'll make sure to live up to the Quentin name... regardless of what you think of my sister."
Nag-aalalang napatingin sa kaniya si Keisha, maging ang mga miyembro ng Crimson Vanguard.
They could feel the sudden change in temperature as the air around them grew colder.
Russel's mana was unconsciously leaking from his body, betraying the emotions he was desperately trying to keep under control.
Lurtheron, however, simply smirked. He tilted his head before turning away and proceeding toward his throne as though nothing had happened.
Maging sina Caspian at Dazro ay tila natahimik at natigilan. They had heard what Lurtheron said about Rassia, and neither of them could deny how disrespectful his words had been.
Ngunit wala silang magawa.
He was their Emperor.
Meanwhile, in the towns, villages, and homes across Sartores, the people began wondering about the mysterious envelopes they found waiting for them when they woke up.
"Anong liham ito? Galing ba ito sa Holy Cathedral para maningil na naman ng utang?" takang tanong ng isang babae habang hawak ang itim na sobre.
Napatingin ang kaniyang asawa sa sobre at maingat itong sinuri.
"Itim ang sobre, at iba ang seal. Hindi 'yan galing sa Holy Cathedral..." bahagya siyang napakunot-noo. "Buksan mo nga upang malaman natin kung ano 'yan."
Dahan-dahang binuksan ng babae ang sobre.
Sa loob ay may isang simpleng liham, ngunit sa ibabaw nito ay nakatatak ang isang pulang phoenix.
Napatitig silang dalawa sa seal.
"Walang pangalan... at walang nagsabing kung sino ang nagpadala..."
Tahimik silang nagkatinginan bago muling ibinalik ng babae ang kaniyang tingin sa liham.
To the people,
You have been silent for too long.
Do not afraid to speak. Do not fear your own voice. Speak of the injustice, the burdens, and the suffering you have endured.
Speak the truth, and stand together.
You may not see us, but you are not alone. We will stand in the shadows and protect you.
Nagkatinginan ang mag-asawa at napaawang ang kanilang mga labi.
Lahat ng mamamayan ay halos pare-pareho ang naging reaksyon. Isa-isa silang nagsilabasan mula sa kani-kanilang mga tahanan, dala ang mga sobre at liham na kanilang natanggap. Nagtataka sila kung sino ang nagpadala ng mga iyon at kung bakit tila pare-pareho ang mensaheng natanggap ng lahat.
Sa mga kalsada, palengke, at maliliit na plaza, nagsimula silang mag-usap-usap. For the first time, people who had once been too afraid to speak began asking the same questions.
"Sino kaya ang nagpadala nito?"
"May iba rin bang nakatanggap?"
Unti-unting kumalat ang balita sa buong Sartores.
At habang mas maraming tao ang nagtitipon at nag-uusap, isang bagay ang nagsimulang mabuo sa kanilang mga isipan.
"Kung tunay ngang may magpoprotekta sa atin, kung gayon, gawin natin itong pagkakataon upang magsalita at kuwestiyunin ang mga taong nasa kapangyarihan!" sigaw ng isang lalaki.
"Tama!" agad na pagsang-ayon ng isa. "Base sa nakasulat sa liham, dapat tayong magsama-sama. Kung magkakaisa tayo, mas mahihirapan silang patahimikin tayong lahat!"
"Karapatan natin ito!" sigaw ng isa pang mamamayan. "Hindi dapat tayo habang-buhay na matakot!"
Isa sa mga mamamayan ang humakbang pasulong. Makikita ang matinding galit sa kaniyang mukha habang mahigpit niyang hawak ang liham.
"Kahit wala tayong natanggap na liham, dapat matagal na tayong nagkaisa! Ilang taon na tayong nagdurusa sa ilalim ng mga batas na ito. Binubuwisan tayo nang sobra, ibinabaon sa utang, at pinapatahimik sa tuwing sinusubukan nating ipaglaban ang sarili natin!"
Huminga siya nang malalim bago tumingin sa mga taong nakapaligid sa kaniya.
"Kung patuloy tayong mananahimik, walang magbabago. Kaya ngayon, dapat tayong magsama-sama at kuwestiyunin ang Holy Cathedral at ang mga taong nasa palasyo! Hindi tayo humihingi ng espesyal na pagtrato. Ipinaglalaban lamang natin ang mga karapatang matagal nang ipinagkakait sa atin!"
"Tama ka! karapatan nating malaman kung saan napupunta ang perang kinukuha nila sa atin! Karapatan nating kuwestiyunin ang mga batas na ipinapataw sa atin!" sigaw ng matanda.
"Huwag nating hayaang takutin tayo ng kanilang mga titulo at kapangyarihan. We are the people who keep this empire alive! tayo ang nagtatrabaho, tayo ang nagbabayad ng buwis, at tayo ang sumusunod sa kanilang mga batas. Kaya dapat marinig din nila ang ating mga tinig!" ani ng isa pa.
Dumami nang dumami ang mga mamamayang nagkakaisa. Halos hindi na mabilang ang mga naroroon. Pinangungunahan sila ng isang babaeng hayagang galit sa Holy Cathedral, habang ang iba naman ay nagsisimula nang maglabas ng kanilang sariling hinaing.
The Holy Knights and Imperial Knights stationed around the area could no longer control the growing crowd on their own. They were outnumbered, and any attempt to force the people back would only make the situation worse.
"What's happening?" takang tanong ng isang Holy Knight habang pinagmamasdan ang mga taong patuloy na nagtitipon.
"Narinig ko na may mga misteryosong liham na ipinadala sa bawat mamamayan," sagot ng isa pang knight. "At dahil doon, mas lalong nagkaroon ng lakas ng loob ang mga tao na magsalita laban sa Holy Cathedral."
Napatingin ang unang knight sa napakalaking grupo ng mga mamamayan.
"Then this is no longer just a gathering..."
"Exactly."