Back in his office, Marcus was writing down his future plans, outlining possible variations of how they could pan out.
He wanted to be in control, or at least, have an idea of where he was going and how it could end up for him.
Just when he thought he had a bit of time to practice a few spells, Bradley's worried tone reached his ears.
"Sir, the people are fighting outside!"
Bradley didn't even knock, before charging into the office.
Marcus looked up from his table. "What happened?"
"I'm not certain, but some of them are complaining of favouritism. Some people have been getting seconds while others have been denied seconds."
'I didn't give orders for seconds… but I also didn't restrict it.'
"Let's go see what's happening."
By the time Marcus reached the estate gates, Brown and the other knights had already forced themselves between the crowd.
Dust hung in the air, and several men clutched bruised faces while others shouted angrily over half-empty bowls.
Joshua had one man pinned against the fence while Logail pushed back a group that looked ready to surge forward again.
"Lord Viscount!" The knights greeted him upon sighting him.
Even the crowd paused upon his arrival. Slowly, their angry shout retreated into silent murmurs.
Not many had seen him before, so they were quite curious about who had been feeding them religiously for the last few days.
"Who started the fight?" Marcus asked with furrowed brows.
"Sir, it's that man." Out of the people he expected to respond, Jeline wasn't one of them.
She pointed at a tall, skinny man who had a rough beard. He was dressed in an old sackcloth that barely passed for clothes.
Marcus's gaze fell upon the man and the man subconsciously retreated a few steps.
He was scared, yes. But he also felt guilty at the same time. Never did he think that his simple question would cause a fight in this place.
"What is your name?" Marcus questioned.
"A-asipen, Milord."
Asipen ran his hands through his hair, trying to look a bit more presentable.
However, it only made him look more… out of place.
His attempt didn't go unnoticed by Marcus.
"Why did you start a problem in front of my mansion, don't you realize that it could cost you your life?"
In a way, Marcus was teasing this man.
He had long thought that problems would occur from feeding so many people for free, but he didn't think it would happen so soon.
They hadn't even started to get used to it and they were already starting fights.
Marcus needed such fights to happen, though in a controlled manner.
Some people within the crowd, those who were against the fight, felt scared.
The lord governor was already doing them a favor, why incur his anger and cut their food supply?
Some clutched their bowls tightly, afraid the food might suddenly disappear.
"Milord I didn't start a fight on purpose, I only asked why some people could receive two portions, and then things went out of control from there. I urge your forgiveness, milord!"
Asipen fell on his knees.
Marcus paused before turning to face Jeline. "Why can some people receive double portions?"
"Lord Marcus, those whom I have given more are either pregnant or are taking care of children that aren't theirs," Jeline answered truthfully.
Her reason was admirable and plausible, however, she failed to account for how the general public would react to this.
Everyone was hungry.
Hollow cheeks, sunken eyes, and trembling hands gripping wooden bowls made that painfully obvious.
In this barren land, even a single extra portion of food could feel like the difference between life and death.
None of them could eat to their fill.
In spite of the reason, if they're not told, the public would complain.
Birds die for food… so could men.
Marcus's initial plan was to slowly reduce the portion he fed them, creating a condition where only those who had worked could eat to their fill.
But he soon realized that this plan was a bit naive in a sense.
He quickly adjusted his decision.
"I see… Jeline, next time inform me of such things before doing them. Or you can inform Bradley." She nodded and Marcus turned his gaze to Asipen.
"Get up, Asipen."
"Yes, Milord?"
"What would you do to feed yourself?"
Asipen's eyes shot wide open. He thought Marcus was going to punish him by banning him from receiving food from his estate.
"Lord Governor, I beseech you, forgive me!" His voice shook as he fell back to his knees.
"Asipen, I'm not going to punish you. I am asking a genuine question here. Are you willing to work?"
Asipen became a bit confused. His eyes darted to the sides a few times before he responded.
"Milord, if I can work and put food on my table, I will be willing to do so."
"Then why haven't you done so? Why have all of you chosen to live this way?"
"Of course, I am partly to blame, but the embers of fire do not travel without firewood to carry them. Didn't you consider leaving Agard to find a better life?"
With each word, Marcus's tone got higher, and each sentence hit the crowd like a rock to the chest.
Haven't they thought of this?
Of course they did!
They had traveled to many neighboring States to find greener pastures…
But they were all refused entry or even banished when found out that they were from Agard.
Agardians had turned to bandits, causing a lot of people in the kingdom to hate them.
None of them could find work. None of them could live in peace, they had to run back with whatever little they had.
Those who hadn't returned still haven't given up or have settled for degrading jobs.
A few eyes amidst the crowd began to tear up as though old wounds had opened up.
A few drops of tears even rolled down Asipen's face. "Milord, it's not that we haven't tried, but the rest of the world rejects us. We are treated even worse than slaves in other places. We could only save our dignity and return home. Even if it meant starving."
He sniffed, trying to stop his tears.
"Milord, have we done any wrong? They say let a man go out and hunt an elephant, if he's successful, then he shall eat, and if he's not, then he still ceases to know hunger. But we have been prevented from going out or even hunting."
Asipen clenched his jaws so hard that his gums began to bleed.
Marcus listened to this with a heart filled with guilt. The words struck harder than he expected.
He wasn't aware that the rest of the kingdom treated his people this way.
Was it because of him?
Absolutely not.
Though Ulha is a kingdom, it is also an amalgamation of several foreign lands, conquered and forced to be one.
If he had known that his people were treated this way, he would have adjusted his plans since.
Marcus really thought that they were just lazy people who refused to work.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Marcus sighed.
"Asipen, get up. Don't fall to your knees before me anymore. I seem to have made a mistake in my assumptions and for that… I owe you all an apology.
"I am sorry… for the life I had left you all to lead," Marcus said honestly, even bowing before the crowd.
"Lord Governor!"
"Lord Viscount!"
The crowd exclaimed with shock and fear.
A noble bowing to a crowd of commoners?
It was unheard of.
He was of pure birth, and they weren't.
Bradley rushed forward and tried to straighten Marcus's back. He would accept a lot from this young Lord of his, but this… this was too much.
Brown and the other knights watching felt their hearts move.
Or rather, they sense their Blood Force being provoked, and then subtly, it calmed down.
This apology from Marcus, even though it wasn't directed at them specifically, affected them.
They too had been implicated by the young lord.
It wasn't his fault, but it was his responsibility. Such is life.
Clear and many times, unfair.
They had never seen a noble apologize in such a way to his subjects.
Because of what they saw, all the knights who were present, those of them who chose to uphold their oaths. They all suddenly felt proud of the decision they made.
Silently, they renewed this oath in their hearts.
Even if it's just because of this, they would continue to serve Marcus.
Until death breaks the oath!