CHAPTER 1023: CHAPTER 1023: THE BEGINNING OF CHANGE

People gasped in shock at Ferdinand’s announcement.

But it’s not because of their kingdom becoming a vassal state. They already expected it when Valerian knights and magicians had remained here after the war.

Thus, they were far more surprised about the permanent and irrevocable abolishment of slavery in Crux than of their kingdom becoming a vassal state of Valeria.

Even the slaves themselves were in disbelief since they did not know what to do with their lives from now on.

The murmurs in the crowd got louder and louder as they could not perceive that abolishing slavery would ever work in Crux.

It had existed in the kingdom for so long that they could not perceive that their society could continue without them.

Ferdinand raised his hand a bit to silence the crowd. They did in fear.

"All people who had been slaves must be freed and surrendered to any Imperial Knights you see.

Anyone who still tries to keep a slave shall be punished according to the laws of Valeria.

And let me tell you now, it’s life imprisonment for keeping even just one slave and execution for further offenses," Ferdinand said, concluding his speech with a warning.

The people were stunned to hear that keeping a slave would now mean they were the ones who would be punished.

It was outrageous to the nobles and all those who kept slaves.

Meanwhile, the commoners and nobles who thought there was no hope for change in Crux thought that perhaps Crux would finally change.

The slaves were at a loss for words and stupefied to hear their former masters would be the ones to get punished for keeping them.

The murmurs continued once again.

The crowd discussed with the ones near them if this was even sane. They thought it was Valeria’s side being crazy for demanding something like this.

Finally, they questioned where all the slaves would go if they were no longer with their masters.

Ferdinand once again raised to his chest level, and the crowd was silenced.

{Can you push through with your speech?} Ferdinand asked Arabella telepathically.

{Yes.} Arabella replied. She was determined to do what she must despite the growing dizziness and nausea.

{Are you sure?}

{Yes.}

Arabella did not want to be the only one who did not do her job.

Before coming here, they had agreed about the sequence and content of their speech.

Raymond would take care of informing the people of what truly happened, and someone from the temple, whom they did not expect, was the Pope himself, who would deliver the temple’s message and stance.

Once again, Ferdinand volunteered to take on the role of the mean one even when they discouraged it. Thus, he was the one who delivered the news of the execution and incorporation of Crux as a vassal state.

And for Arabella, Ferdinand wanted her to maintain her reputation as the kind and merciful Empress who helps people, because, of course, he fully believes she is such.

Even when Arabella told him she was not that good a person and was simply doing her duty, she could not change his mind.

Ferdinand said he did not want her to receive the anger and hatred of the people, so he wanted her to be the one bearing good news.

He walked back to where she was standing and escorted her to the podium. He stood by her side to wait on her until her speech was over.

While the people were silently observing their dynamic, Arabella then took the chance to speak.

"We understand that most of you are unsure of your future due to these sudden changes.

However, you need not fret because with Crux now a vassal state of Valeria, we will allocate funds for what needs to be rebuilt and reorganized here.

There will be various projects in all of Crux, and former slaves shall be taken in as workers wherever possible.

As a worker, you will be paid equally to a normal citizen of Crux and Valeria.

Temporary housing shall also be provided until you can build your own homes.

To all of you who still think you are slaves who do not return to those whom you call ’masters,’ because as of today, you no longer have a master.

You are free.

You may not understand what this means, but you will gradually.

For now, you must go with our knights to a temporary shelter and residence that has been built for you near the palace grounds.

There will be food and clothing for all of you for free.

Medicine and healing will be provided for free as well to help you recover from those injuries you have gotten from your former masters."

[Everything will be given for free?! Is there even such a thing?!!]

[Doesn’t this mean they are our new masters?]

The former slaves perceived this as simply a change in masters. That they were being bought by a master, who is Valeria, who would treat them so much better than their former masters.

This was how they saw things.

It was heartbreaking, and it was getting more difficult to explain as her chest felt heavier the more she listened to their thoughts.

As for the nobles and some other people, they doubted that this would last. They thought that this would only be for now, and things would return to how it was because having slavery was what was normal to them.

"For those who do not believe that Crux can move forward without slaves, it is high time for you to know that in all of Eliora, only Crux and two other territories have slavery.

It is not we who have crazy ideas.

The entire continent simply did not function as you were made to believe.

In my home kingdom, Lobelius, and Valeria, slavery had stopped more than several millennia ago.

Your history books say that the rest of the world kept slaves to this day, and were filled with lies.

Your former rulers and everyone who had gone out of Crux knew about this.

It was kept hidden for you to keep believing that slavery is normal.

But it’s not."

Even louder murmurs spread as the people were in disbelief at Arabella’s words.

They refused to believe they were the minority. They fully thought slavery was present in all nations.

"See for yourself. This is a view of Riva, the capital City of Valeria," Arabella said, and Alwin used magic to show a record of the people freely bustling about the busy streets of Valeria.

There was no one in chains or being used as slaves.

Sure, they were working, but no one was shackled or collared, nor getting whipped and forced to work.