Blacksmith of the Apocalypse

So it was just about something that neither concerned nor interested him. In the end, it wasn’t like there were any civilians living in that place. Seth found himself thinking that it was overkill to call all the big shots of Delta because of that. However, he saw many people’s faces full of shock.

Maybe he had to re-evaluate his opinion? He had to admit that his scale may have been a little skewed. After all, what was one building, when you personally burned down a city or three.

“The church is pressuring us for an explanation. Initial investigation shows that the assailants have a high probability to be the same people that keep causing havoc in the refugee quarters. We hope all of you can help us collect more information so we can once and for all put an end to their activities in Delta!”

Seth had not cared about this in the beginning, but now his mood had hit rock bottom. They had not acted when the criminals messed with the refugees of Sigma, but the moment some foreign cult was struck, they suddenly see a need to step up in a grand manner. Delta’s government had been mostly silent about the attacks. They didn’t offer any incentives to persuade other guilds to help with the guard duties. Aside from standard police work, there had been no action to help the people before, aside from offering basic food and shelter. But now when some foreign force asked them to take responsibility, they suddenly stood up and acted. Seth knew that he was not someone who had covered himself in glory. He had not blamed anyone for not getting too deeply involved, but now they did it for this kind of reason? At least he was consistent in his slanted values.

The blacksmith had only come because it said that Leana asked for his presence. He had thought he would just sit here a be bored while listening to stuff that didn’t concern him. But now? Seeing as he felt thoroughly peeved, he saw no reason to stay.

“I would like to ask….”

“We are leaving Mary,” the blacksmith informed her and attempted to stand up in the middle of the chancellor’s speech.

“Wait! What? We just came, why are we leaving?” Mary tried holding him back.

“This publicity stunt is not worth any more of my sleeping hours.”

Seth stood up before Mary could say or do anything to stop him. Since he was seated in the very first row he attracted a lot of attention with his move. Even the chancellor halted for a moment and looked at him.

Facing the gazes of many influential people, Seth completely ignored them and turned to leave. He may have been nervous a couple of years ago, but especially the perks of a bard helped a lot with dealing with the attention.

He had made a few steps, the chancellor was still silent and didn’t continue- To not just Seth’s surprise, his move was like kicking off an avalanche. People he knew and people he didn’t know suddenly also rose from their seats to follow his example leave.

Some of them were friends, like Brock, Elza, and Marcel who had also been sitting quite prominently in the first row. Among the others were people he met as business partners but also a lot of people he never met or saw.

Overall, the chancellor was facing a third of his audience suddenly standing up, as if Seth’s move was a signal for the others.

“W-Wait, why are you leaving?!” the Chancellor suddenly called out.

Although he seemed to ask all of the people leaving, his gaze was fixed on Seth’s back, he could feel the man’s stare drill into his back. He deliberated for a moment whether to say what was on his mind or just keep walking. He didn’t mind if the government didn’t make a move. He would have silently stayed seated if this was just about the situation of the refugees. But seeing they only acted because they were afraid of some stupid cult…

When he looked back, he saw Leana in the audience for the time since he came in. Her eyes were on him, but she didn’t seem to care that he was about to ruin this event. At least she didn’t make any attempt or gave a signal to stop. It didn’t seem like she would have minded if she blasted him, but then again, why should he tell the little man?

“Me? I have to answer the call of nature.”

“Them too?”

The chancellor looked at everyone who had followed his move. Seth theatrically turned around, following the chancellor’s move, looking at the people who were in the process of leaving too.

“Dang, I guess have to hurry before they form a queue in front of the toilets,” he answered sarcastically with a shrug.

He then quickly left the hall, before the chancellor could continue speaking. As if they were racing to the restrooms, the other people who had stood up followed after him. Funny rascals.

“Mary, make sure to remember all of them. If they want to curry favor with us, I don’t mind reciprocating it …to an extent.”

Seth was not interested in the waves his action would make after a third of the audience did, in fact, not return from the restrooms. He wanted to get home, get some sleep, and concentrate on the items for his friends and the upcoming expedition.

…

“Who was that man?! To think that almost half the people we invited left at his signal.” the chancellor lamented after finishing his speech.

The result was underwhelming. Most people that stayed listened, but only a few guaranteed their cooperation in finding and fighting the culprits under the banner of the parliament. Those who had the highest chances to give them support had actually left with that mysterious man.

“Congrats on meeting Seth Smith, the Tower Master of Minas Mar,” Leana mentioned sarcastically.

Satisfied, Leana saw Ichabod choke at the sudden revelation. The princess was not in the best mood and it was not Seth’s fault. Supporting and handing back authority to the native people of the world was a standard procedure of Chrona. The problem was that sometimes, annoying people like Ichabod Longbottom would come into power.

“Why did he leave?” The chancellor obviously didn’t believe the restroom story. He asked Leana since she was the only one in the room that answered him.

“I don’t know, maybe he was displeased with your actions? Have you forgotten that it was Minas Mar that stepped in to help the people of Sigma first? I told you back then, that Delta has to take the initiative on this, but you wouldn’t listen.”

The way Ichabod and his cronies had vehemently resisted the advice of the princess because she represented Chrona, but then immediately bend the knee when some shady church came along was not funny anymore. It was as if they made dumb decisions out of spite against her.

Because they didn’t listen, Chrona ended up with bound hands, only able to offer basic support to the refugees, while Delta technically abandoned them, after offering them shelter. It was a blessing that Minas Mar had stepped up to at least offer some form of hope for the people, although Leana did not overlook that they were siphoning out cheap and happy laborers, away from the district’s influence.

The sole reason the princess did not get involved, was because she came to trust Seth. Even if those people were at his mercy, the blacksmith didn’t seem like a person who cared enough about profits to exploit people with force.

Chancellor Longbottom’s face darkened, being berated by the princess. There was nothing he could do. What she said made sense, even if he would never admit it. She knew that man better than he did.

“What should we do now?”

“Oh, now you want my advice? Fine. Keep the church of Gatris at bay without making any definite promises. Investigate it, but don’t be too eager about it. They have no influence here and if they come here with forces of their own, Chrona also has a justification to get involved if they try anything funny.”

Although Longbottom didn’t seem happy about having to depend on Chrona’s help again, he agreed.