"Stab your own hand."
"W... what the fuck!?"
The excited look on everyone's face was completely replaced by shock as they stared at Rhys's hand. And as Ayesha removed the knife, everyone watched as his blood started to shower everywhere on the stage.
The people would have probably been screaming or whispering to each other right now, but their shock was too overwhelming to the point that they could truly only just stare at Rhys.
"I have placed enough knives in front of the stage." And finally, after letting the silence linger on for a couple of seconds, Rhys spoke up and gestured to the table that was on the front of the stage—and there, the crowd finally noticed the knives,
"Stab your hand, and you will be considered part of the guild. If not, you will be compensated for all the expenses you have wasted going here."
"This... this is crazy!" And soon, people started raising their voices.
"Who would even do something like that!? We... we promised equality when—" The person that opened that topic instantly shut his mouth as Rhys's blood started to trail down the stage, "I'm... I'm going home, I'm not going to be a part of whatever this—!!!"
And before the man could finish his words and anyone else could complain, one of the applicants approached the table and stabbed his hand without any hesitation.
"Kh..." He was clearly in pain; tears immediately falling from his eyes. But he just gritted his teeth.
"K...Kobe!?" The man's Commoner friend, who seemed to have accompanied Kobe to take the admission, could not help but rush toward him with a panicked expression on his face, "What are you doing, brother!? Are you trynna kill yourself out here!?"
"Don't," Kobe quickly moved his hand away from his friend as he tried to check it. And instead, he looked up at the stage and looked Rhys in the eyes, who quickly nodded his head in response before placing his hand on his chest; the blood flowing from his hand, dampening his suit.
"...Aight," Kobe once again greeted his teeth and sucked in a deep breath before pulling the knife from his hand. And without breaking eye contact with Rhys, he also placed his hand on his chest and nodded; pulling down his hood and revealing his braided hair that was even darker than his dark brown skin.
"This... is fucked, man," Kobe's friend shook his head, "Something ain't right about this, I am telling you that dregga crazy. I thought we was just hanging out here and looking, man. Not getting impaled by no knife, bro. This is fucked up and we need to get that hand checked."
"No. I'm tired of mopping them floors and getting shout at, man."
Kobe's friend tried pulling him away, but Kobe just remained in his spot; his eyes, not leaving Rhys at all. It wasn't only his friend, there were a lot of people that just started leaving; mostly Commoners, but there were still some, however, who seemed reluctant to leave as they all just looked at each other.
But soon, another grabbed a knife from the table; her hand, completely terrified of what she was about to do. She looked up at Rhys, who was also now looking at her.
"Please..." The woman whispered, "...Let this mean something."
And with those words escaping her lips, she gritted her teeth and lowered her head as she pushed the knife through her hand.
[What I said was true,] Rhys glanced back at the screen, [They burned me, tortured me, shattered my bones, and played with my broken limbs until the shards grated the inside of my flesh — and all fully knowing what happened to me when I was just 12 years old, almost like telling me that I should always and forever suffer.]
The people watching Rhys speak could not help but take in a small gulp as they looked at Rhys's medical records, and there were even some photos showing his injuries.
[And you know the reason why all of those things happened to me in the first place?] Rhys let out a sigh, [Because of my face. I'm not boasting, but they tortured me because my face is a little better looking than theirs. Because I, someone who should be lower than them, is better than them at one thing — and they did not want that. If I did not awaken my blood when I did...
...I would not be standing here in front of all of you right now.]
The people were extremely silent as they all just closed their eyes; the tears some of them had been trying to hold back, now completely trailing down their cheeks. Even the Commoners who stabbed their hands, who did not really go through what their Lowborn friends had gone through, could not help but shed a tear for the people beside them.
[The reason for all of this theatrics...] Rhys let out a small chuckle, [...is not just a test of trust, loyalty, or knowing how to follow orders. After all, I did say that what I needed were soldiers, but no. This test... is for us to share our pain. To finally feel what each and every one of us are going through...
...to know that we are together.]
And what followed those words was a silence that none of them could ever imagine hearing. It was almost comfortable, but at the same time... sensual, deep. Like all of their breaths intertwine.
[Welcome to Wilder's Harem, everyone.] A small smile crawled on Rhys's face as he looked at the people in front of him, [Just to be clear, I didn't choose the name.]
"Pft..." The solemn and somber air floating in the air very slowly disappeared as everyone started letting out a chuckle.
[And also, Dr. Katarina will actually be healing all of your hands,] Rhys then turned to Katarina once more, [You... are safe with her, she is also one of the reasons why I am still standing in front of all of you right now. She more than healed me.]
"Rhys..." Katarina whispered to herself as she returned Rhys's gaze.
[And she will more than heal all of you too. Just wait for her to—]
"Wait!"
And before Rhys could start stepping off of the stage, one of the people that left the crowd earlier shouted.
"Can... can I still join!? I'll stab my hand!"
[...Of course, but you would have to wait for a few hours before we can heal your wounds.]
"What? That's...
...that's not fair!"