255 We Can Protect Our City
Scarlett was currently standing on a platform with Lieutenant Valeria on her right side and Colonel Louie on her other side.
In front of her, the citizens of Nightshire City were paying attention to her intently. Some of them wore worried faces, while others wore curious expressions.
Even though they had different expressions, they had the same curiosity.
They wanted to know what their city mistress was going to tell them!
Of course, they hoped it was not bad news, but from the number of bells ringing, they knew it was related to the future of their city and their lives.
After looking at her people, Scarlett uttered, "I gathered you all in this place because I have good news and bad news to tell you."
One by one, the citizens felt uneasy.
However, they remained silent and kept paying attention to their city mistress because they wanted to know about it.
"I will start with bad news first." Scarlett spoke and paused for a second before she continued, "Countless magical beasts will attack our city again."
Boom!
Chatters erupted right after she told them the bad news.
"Does that mean a great calamity will befall our city again?"
"Magical beasts will attack us again?"
"You mean what happened five years ago will happen again?"
Actually, they had guessed this before because Scarlett rang the bell three times, but hearing it directly from her made them panic.
Scarlett did not do anything and only stared at her people.
'I know they will panic.'
She kept looking at her people.
"What?! Magical beasts are going to attack us again?" Melissa said in surprise.
"Even if countless magical beasts will attack our city again, we must protect our city." Alvaro stated.
"That's right." Lexie added. "We can protect our city once, so I'm sure we can do it again."
As most of them panicked, a young man, who was in his mid-twenties, uttered, "City mistress, even though I'm not an awakener and only a farmer, I will help you protect our city."
The name of this young man was Josh.
Even though Josh was only an ordinary person, he wanted to protect his city because Nightshire City was his hometown.
He was born and raised there, so he would not run away from magical beasts and would not let them destroy their city.
Scarlett was pleasantly surprised by Josh's braveness. "What is your name?"
"My name is Josh, city mistress." Josh introduced himself.
"If you really want to defend our city with us, then go to city guard headquarters later." Scarlett would order her subordinates to teach him how to fight magical beasts.
"Understood, city mistress." Josh responded politely.
Scarlett looked at Louie and uttered, "Colonel Louie, I will leave him under your care. Teach him how to kill magical beasts and survive."
"Understood, city mistress." Colonel Louie responded.
Right after Colonel Louie's voice stopped, the citizens shouted one by one.
"City mistress, I want to defend our city too."
"Me too. I want to protect our city, too."
"Count me in."
"City mistress, I'm willing to die protecting our city."
"This is my hometown. I won't let magical beast destroy our city."
"That's right. We will protect our city together."
After hearing Josh's words, a feeling of wanting to protect their city suddenly arose.
Josh was right.
Nightshire City was their hometown.
Even if they had to sacrifice themselves, they had to protect their city.
They should not let magical beasts destroy their city!
A soft smile spread across her face when Scarlett saw their determination to protect their city.
"Alright. People who wish to protect the city with us can come to city guard headquarters later." Scarlett spoke and paused for a second before she continued, "Now, I will tell you the good news."
Everyone instantly stopped talking.
"Ever since our city's founder suddenly disappeared, the strongest awakeners have only been at the Master rank." Scarlett responded, "But it's different this time because we have an awakener at Grandmaster rank now."
"We have an awakener at Grandmaster rank?"
"Who is it?"
"Did city mistress break through to the Grandmaster rank?"
"Is it Colonel Louie? Or is it General Valeria?"
The citizen began to guess who it was.
"Who is it?" Lexie asked curiously. "Do you guys know?"
"Maybe it's city mistress, Colonel Louie, or General Valeria." Alvaro responded.
"I think so, too," Melissa added.
"City mistress, who is that person?" the brown-haired man inquired.
"Is that you, city mistress?" the red-haired man uttered.
"Is it General Valeria?" the green-haired man asked.
"Or is it Colonel Louie?" the black-haired man said.
"It's not me, General Veleria, or Colonel Louie." Scarlett gave an honest answer. "It's Ace. Ace broke through to the Grandmaster rank this morning."
"What?! Ace?!"
"Ace has broken through to the Grandmaster rank?"
"Does that mean he is the strongest now?"
"Isn't he still eighteen years old?"
"Is it because he is an Aeris?"
"I'm sure he can easily break through to Grandmaster rank because he is an Aeris."
"I think so too."
"Un, un."
One by one, the citizens were startled and happy at the same time.
They were shocked because he was only at Master rank a few days ago, and they were thrilled because this meant their city was stronger than before.
"What?! Ace has broken through to the Grandmaster rank?" Melissa and her husband said in surprise.
Lexie smiled softly. "He is really an amazing young man."
Unlike Lexie and the others, Liam clenched his fist and gritted his teeth.
'I have to tell my lord about this.'
Henry was not in the mood to listen to the announcement, so he ordered Liam to attend it.
Scarlett turned her head to look at Ace. "Ace, come here."
Ace walked closer to her before finally standing on her right side.
'What should I do now?'
He stared at Scarlett.
Even though he did not say anything, she could understand it because it was written on his face.
"Say something." Scarlett said in a low voice. "Say something that will lift their spirits."
Ace did not know what to say because he had never expected this to happen before. "I was not born in this city, but I already regard this city as my hometown, so I will try my best to protect our city from magical beasts."
[God of Wind utters, lame!]
[Several divine beings agreed.]
"With Ace's help, our chances of protecting our city are much higher." Scarlett uttered, "If we can protect our city once, we can do it again."
"We can do it again!"
"We can protect our city again."
"We can protect our city."
One by one, the citizens shouted with determination in their eyes.
The fear they felt earlier had been replaced with determination to protect their city, and a fire of passion burned within their bodies.
They were the citizen of Nightshire City, so they would kill anyone who tried to destroy their city, including magical beasts.
----
Henry's House, Family Room.
Henry was sitting on a couch alone.
Like usual, he was thinking of a way to take revenge on Ace and the people who mocked them.
As he was thinking about it, Liam stepped into the family room.
"What is the announcement about?" Henry inquired.
"It's about magical beasts, my lord." Liam responded, "Countless magical beasts will attack this city soon."
"Oh! Countless magical beasts?" Henry's lips curled up into a smirk.
'It seems like the heavens are helping me. Son, father will avenge you soon.'