Dark Warlock in the Apocalypse

The law the civilians had broken was simple:

Always show respect to the nobility.

Up until now, it had been so obvious that there hadn't even been a designated punishment for breaking it. And until now, no one had ever violated this law. But today, for the first time, it had been broken by the newcomers.

"..."

Justin stood silently, gazing down at the civilians who knelt before him, unable to even make eye contact. They all looked terrified, their faces betraying the fear that had overtaken them as they became aware of their reality. Perhaps the only reason none of them were having a breakdown was because of the lingering effect of his skill.

'Punishing them harshly would be easy. The real question is whether they'd accept it or not.'

In this harsh world, whether the subjugated accepted their punishment was irrelevant. They had no means to resist their fate. However, Justin didn't want them to mistake him for the same kind of leader they had fled from before.

'They've run away once. There's nothing stopping them from trying again.'

Those who understood reality would know that escaping from here was not an option—no other domain offered better conditions. But these people had already fled once, finding refuge in this much better city. They hadn't even considered the possibility that Justin might be more ruthless than their previous rulers.

In short, their first escape had been a success.

'And they only know two domains—this one and the one they fled from. While they won't try escaping to nearby territories, if a distant land with better conditions is discovered, they might reconsider. They might start fantasizing about a utopia where they'll be treated better, even though such a place doesn't exist.'

Sure, if they made it to that distant place, they'd find reality far harsher than expected, but it still wouldn't benefit Justin to let them go. After all, civilians were a source of tax revenue, labor, and potential pioneers.

Having considered all this, Justin finally spoke to the civilians.

"If you have something to say, now's the time."

"...?"

"You didn't lash out at the nobles just because they were bragging, right? You must've been pushed to your limit after bottling up so much frustration. Tell me what's been bothering you. It's a lord's duty to address the grievances of his people."

Justin smiled warmly, speaking gently as if he truly cared about them. At the same time, he withdrew the pressure from his earlier skill, The Gaze of the Enraged King. The civilians, both the original residents and the newcomers, blinked in confusion, unable to believe the sudden change in his demeanor.

"What's wrong? Go ahead, speak up. I'm being sincere."

"...."

"Nothing? You might not get another chance to speak. This could be your last opportunity."

The mention of "last chance" sparked murmurs among the civilians. After about a minute of whispering, a young woman, her face streaked with dried tears, hesitantly stood up.

"Are you really going to listen?"

"Yes, I am," Justin responded with a bright smile.

Before the woman could continue, Justin quickly added, "I'll do my best to find you a better place. I promise that on my name."

The woman froze, her mouth agape.

"...."

"...."

An even heavier silence settled over the crowd. The civilians who had been whispering now pressed their foreheads to the ground, terrified of being caught up in something they didn't want to be part of. The young woman, pale as a ghost, stood frozen, her lips trembling.

She hadn't used any skills, yet she seemed on the verge of a breakdown as she struggled to speak.

"S-sorry... I'm sorry...!"

"What for? I said I'd find you a better place," Justin replied, feigning confusion.

"P-please... Please, no…!" she sobbed, tears and snot pouring from her face as if she were facing certain death.

Surprised by her reaction, Justin shrugged his shoulders as if he didn't understand.

"What's the problem? If you're unhappy with this domain, it means there must be a better one out there for you, right? That's why you're dissatisfied. I'm offering to help you find it."

"N-no! There isn't! There's nothing better!"

"No, I'm sure there is," Justin continued, his smile still fixed on his face.

"There must be a place where they'll make proper gravestones for the dead. A place where the leaders won't use farmland as labor quests and will gladly give it up for burials. And there must be people willing to live side by side with bodies that aren't even their family's."

"...."

"There must be pioneers who will gladly use their healing skills, not just for emergencies but whenever anyone asks. They'll even use their own mana stones because they care so much. It's only fair, after all."

The smile on Justin's face twisted into something colder. No matter how hard he tried, his voice was laced with sarcasm.

"And of course, such a domain might not be as strong as the others, but I'm sure it will survive these waves by some miracle, overcoming all hardships with endless power from somewhere."

"...."

"Even though they'll be far weaker than pioneers who've devoted everything to their own growth, perhaps lightning will strike their enemies and help them win. And then, you'll live happily ever after in your dream utopia."

"...."

"There must be leaders who, after realizing they're about to die, suddenly discover how harsh reality is and decide to force you to work or kill you. Where could you possibly find leaders like that?" Continue reading stories on empire

"Sniff..."

A new civilian, one of those who had been lying face down, suddenly began to sob. The crying quickly spread, and soon the plaza was filled with weeping. The original residents and the newly promoted pioneers shook their heads, watching the new civilians cry.

As the sobbing grew louder, Justin activated his skill again.

"Shut up."

Whoosh.

"Ggh...!"

The thick pressure fell over the civilians, silencing the entire plaza in an instant.

"I'll say it one more time. If you have any complaints, now's your chance to speak up. I'll gladly send you to another domain."

"...."

"How strange. No one has any complaints? So, you're telling me you acted like that just because someone bragged a little?"

"Lord!"

At that moment, someone stood up. It was Dylan Morgan, who had previously explained the situation to Justin. Despite the overwhelming pressure bearing down on him, Dylan managed to speak as clearly as possible.