Kaelen woke up and quickly looked around. He saw about two hundred villagers. Some wore red cloaks, others black, and some just plain clothes.
The leader, wearing a blue cloak, laughed and said, "Hahaha, a Leonheart? We'll make the lord bend to our will. We'll demand lower taxes and help against the monsters. Or the Leonheart family will destroy this lordship."
He was extremely happy—until Kaelen decided to speak.
After thinking it through, Kaelen knew that if he told them he wasn't part of the Leonheart family, he wouldn't get any money. But if he didn't say anything, his life would be in danger.
He decided to take a gamble.
Confident that luck was on his side, he said, "I'm not a son of Leonheart. I'm a rebel."
They were shocked and thought he was lying. But they knew only a madman would dare call himself a rebel—since the kingdom's laws kill three generations of anyone who claims that title or is one.
Kaelen told them his goal was to overthrow the king and the Holy Church.
He improvised this, knowing that in every medieval monarchy, there's a church, a king, and a suffering people.
Kaelen asked, "And what about you? Who are you?"
The leader tried to speak but no sound came out—he was too shocked. He gathered himself and said, "We're peasants. Some of us control magic like normal humans. Others are sword fighters in their own way. We're just trying to live better lives—even if I'm crazy for that. But don't ever call me a rebel. Just people who are angry."
Kaelen, serious, said, "You're funny. Dogs afraid of their master, afraid to bite, afraid to rebel."
Then the peasants started talking among themselves, saying that this kind of talk probably came from a rich noble or a thinker—and that they needed a real leader.
Their leader was only leader because he was the only one who could use wind and water magic.
The villagers' voices grew louder and louder until the leader heard them and got angry—but thought at least that would take some weight off his shoulders.
Kaelen watched all this and inside, he was amused. His gamble had paid off.