"My people, good morning. I am your lord, Baron Phield."
Standing on the platform, Phield waved to the crowd.
"Good morning!"
"Greetings, my lord!"
Many voices answered back. Some slaves even waved enthusiastically, bright smiles on their faces. Phield recognized at a glance that most of those responding were slaves who had joined the guard.
Finally, some real reactions, Phield thought. Last time it felt like I was giving a speech to a pile of wood.
His gaze swept across the crowd, firm and bright. "I'll keep this brief. I promised before that anyone who earned one gold coin for me would be released from slavery and restored as a free citizen. As of today, six people have achieved that. They all come from my guard."
Phield pointed directly at Sam and the others.
"Damn, are they beasts or what? How did they earn it so fast?"
"They've been killing rotting corpses nonstop. I heard each one is worth a silver coin."
"I'm so jealous…"
