“We weren’t manipulated into starting this revolution by anybody. This revolution has been a long time coming.” Arla’s voice was by no means beautiful, but something about it made one want to listen. Like my father, she had inborn charisma. “The nobility abandoned us. They left us to starve! I don’t care what reasons there were, someone must pay for their crimes, and who better than these two elites of the nobility?”
Unlike Salas, Arla had no dirty secrets we could reveal. It was hard to argue against her.
“Down with the old world!”
“Kill the aristocrats!”
“Long live the revolution!”
It certainly didn’t help that the commoners were on her side, their shouts only gaining in intensity. Rae tried to speak, but nobody cared to pay her any mind at this point.
But then a soft sound rippled through all the noise. At first it was too faint, drowned out by the voices of the mob. It slowly became heard, however, the soft, undulating tones washing away the anger of the people. It was the sound of Thane’s harp. He stopped and spoke in a low baritone voice, bearing all the grace of a king. “My people. Listen to this girl, just this once. She has something to say.”
Everyone—even Arla—went silent.
“Rae Taylor, what do you have to say?” Thane prompted.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Rae addressed the crowd again. “My beloved countrymen, what is it you desire?” She spoke slowly, choosing her words carefully. I could tell she was focusing on her tone and expression as well. “Is it to kill nobility? I would think not. I believe what you truly yearn for is stability in your lives.”
The crowd was perplexed. The majority still seemed out for blood, but some—a few—connected with Rae’s words.
“Master Dole and Miss Claire have worked harder than anybody to bring peace to us all. What reason do we have to kill them?”
A man shouted, “But we, the people—”
“You are individuals before you are a group! You there, what is your name?” Rae questioned the man. He clammed up, so she moved on. “Then what about you, who threw the rock? Or you, next to him?” Another man went silent, so she continued. “You’re all living, breathing people. Tell me your thoughts, not what you think the group thinks. Do you really want to kill Master Dole and Miss Claire?”
Nobody spoke up in opposition this time. Rae had craftily dismantled their mob mentality by reminding them of their individuality.
“Certainly, many nobles disregarded the needs of the commoners. But these two are different,” she continued. It was clear the commoners were fully listening now. “If you execute these two today, will you be able to tell your children you did so with pride? Will you be able to tell them of the righteousness of the revolution?”
To think I had been the one to teach her to speak like this.
“And don’t think I’ve got nothing to say to you, Miss Claire!” Rae said.
“…Huh?” I made a face like a pigeon hit by a peashooter, not having expected the topic to shift to me.
“If you’re dead, then who will restore Dole’s honor once peace returns?”
“W-well…” I hadn’t thought of it like that before. She had me there. I hemmed and hawed, unable to answer.
“Does being a noble mean you have to take blame for crimes you didn’t commit? Do you feel pride in sacrificing your life for nothing?!”
“Wait, Rae. Let me speak—”
“Why not live for me instead of dying for temporary honor?”
“…I’m sorry, but I—” I believed dying here to give the commoners closure was my duty as a noble. But Rae didn’t approve.
“Shut up! Can’t you just listen to what I want for once?!”
I felt my heart stir as she shouted at me for the first time ever. “Rae, I—”
“Shut up, shut up! How could you be so stupid?! I can’t believe you!” She was in tears. The ever-aloof and teasing Rae, in tears. Her face was a sorry mess that was hard to look at, and it was all my fault.
What are you doing just standing there, Claire François? The woman you love is crying. Quit dawdling and go wipe her tears!
“Look…if you two are going to squabble, could you do it somewhere else?” Arla’s voice brought me back to my senses. She made a face like she’d just swallowed a fly. “Someone get this girl out of here.”
“No! I’m not going anywhere without Claire, not ever again. If Claire is going to die, then so am I!”
“W-wait, Rae!” I yelled.
“Augh!” Arla groaned. “All right. Fine, all right, stop with the screaming and crying. It’s not like we can have an execution now, anyway.”
“…Huh?” I said.
“See for yourself.” Arla pointed to the crowd.
“Huh… I suppose if they’re not nobles anymore, then it’s not a real problem, I guess?” someone said.
“Miss Claire saved me from starvation, you know.”
“She helped me too. The noble I served was corrupt, but Miss Claire found me a new post after she had him arrested. She saved my whole family.”
The crowd’s opinion had shifted. Arla untied the rope binding my hands and looked off into the distance. “The people have started thinking for themselves. I don’t need to pull them along anymore.”
“Arla…”
“My mission is complete. So long as the system of titled nobility is abolished, I don’t care what else happens. I won’t take your life. Most of you nobles probably aren’t going to make it in this new world, anyway.” Arla laughed. “I look forward to the day I see an ex-noble begging a commoner for a loan. Now, go on and get out of here. You can’t welcome the dawn of a new era dressed in mourning clothes.”
“…Thank you.”
Together with Rae, still in tears, I left the courtroom behind.
“You really are impossible, you know that?” I sighed. In the nearby park, I made Rae sit on her knees in the grass, preparing her for a lecture. She looked like she had complaints to make, but she certainly wouldn’t make them before me. “Do you realize how much trouble you caused everyone?”
Under her breath, she mumbled, “Uhhh, that’s weird… Isn’t this supposed to be the part where the rescued damsel showers me in love and gratitude…?”
“What nonsense are you muttering there?”
“Nothing!”
“Goodness, Rae. I just don’t know what to do with you. You’re always so reckless and—” I began lecturing her at length. Of course, I was just being bashful. I wanted to hug her right this very moment, to tell the truth.
It wasn’t just Rae I was thankful to, of course. I was happy beyond measure that everyone had worked together to help me. If it weren’t for my pride as a noble and my desire to look strong before Rae, I’d probably be on the floor in tears this moment.
“…Don’t be too hard on her, Claire.”
“Master Thane! I-I mean, Your Majesty!” I exclaimed. “Is the trial over?”
“It’s been canceled, given all that happened. The trial was only for Salas to make a public example of you and Dole, anyway. The revolutionary government considers the whole thing behind them.”