At the town hall, a nervous mayor could be seen wiping the sweat off his forehead. After much talking and thinking, General Becker and his group decided to set up a mercenary system in the country. He even made a deal with Etrium. The materials the mercenaries would get would be sold with priority to them, and in exchange, Etrium would send some of their master artisans to teach the art in Frant.
The mayor was concerned about the possible consequences of this decision on the town's safety and economy, and he wondered if there were any alternative solutions to the problem. Before making such a significant change, he hoped General Becker had carefully considered all the risks and benefits.
It was clear that after this whole ordeal with the attack on the city, there was a need for more people to take care of the thaids. So that the soldiers could be deployed on Hinian's battlefield, hoping to conquer the nation.
This would also give the people a false sense of freedom, while the truth was that they would do precisely what Becker wanted: take care of the thaids, and have more soldiers at his disposal. Frantians didn't need to train that much since they had been in the military for at least ten years before being discharged and changing professions.
The mayor was briefed about this and was now at the town hall to speak to the reporters. He was sweating due to nervousness, as he didn't really like to speak to huge crowds; besides, many influential people from all over the nation were there.
The man was waiting for the press conference to start in a room where only a table full of food could be seen. The city was going to offer a buffet for the guests that were going to attend. He took a deep breath and tried calming himself down by grabbing a cup of coffee, hoping the caffeine would help him stay alert during the conference.
Among the personalities that were going to participate were people representing the city's council, people like Matthew McConnel, as he was one of the wealthiest men in the city and had many businesses around New Alexandria, and many other people from the upper classes.
The press was going to attend this event too, and this was what worried Calvert the most. He knew that they could be ruthless, and he didn't want to say anything that could be taken out of context or misinterpreted.
It was true that Becker actually governed the city, but because the mayor's figure was still present, most of the blame would fall on him if what he was about to say was unpopular. But he reminded himself how important this announcement was for the country's future. Then he took a deep breath and turned to face the crowd.
As the first people started to come, the man went to greet them. "Welcome, welcome!" he said to each of them as if he were the house host. He maintained a friendly and approachable demeanor, hoping to put the attendees at ease. As they settled in, the mayor couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility and pressure weighing down on him.
He knew that how well this announcement went would significantly affect the nation's future, so he was determined to make it with confidence and clarity. The mayor took a deep breath and scanned the room, making eye contact with as many people as possible. He began by thanking everyone for coming.
After everyone arrived, including the press, some of the mayor's staff gave a brief presentation of the event. After their speech ended, the mayor walked up to the podium and went behind the microphone, and it was then that he started his speech.
"As you know, New Alexandria was recently subject to a beast tide." The people in the room started murmuring; after all, they were there when the city was attacked, and they could hardly forget the horrors they saw that day.
"Many sacrifices were made that day; we lost a lot of people, be they proud soldiers defending the citizens or us being part of the powerful economy that New Alexandria has shown, and of which I'm very proud," the mayor said with emphasis. He was proud of what he and his staff achieved during their service in terms of military might and economic power.
"Unfortunately, the lives that we lost that day taught us a lesson; we will never be safe against the beast lurking in the shadows. We will never be safe from the thaids." At that point, the people attending the press conference were looking at the mayor with teary eyes.
The mayor's speech went on for five minutes, five very long minutes, during which the crowd of people listened to what he said with rapt attention.
<It's going well...> The mayor thought.
He knew that he was obtaining the best possible result. Now, the best part was coming, and he hoped that people would positively take this information.
"For this reason, we have decided to allow mercenary teams and guilds to be established. Everyone, after military service, can join this career path. If we all join the effort, we can clear Frant of the thaids presence. We will enter a new era and conquer the world!"
Cheers of applause could be heard through the town hall; some people already knew of this, like Nathaniel's or Amber's fathers, but many did not.
The press had the strongest reaction; they recorded the event and wrote things in their notebooks, jotting down any useful information. They took photos of the mayor and the other people attending the conference, and it was clear to them that the government had already told these people everything they had to know.
A man asked, "Isn't this a blatant attempt to keep us fighting even after military service?"
"Joining a mercenary team is not mandatory, contrary to military service, and many profitable opportunities can be taken from this job. Look at the Band of Giants. They are filthy rich, and their members are extremely powerful!"
Then, the people began to talk and murmur. Many people had intrigued looks on their faces, and some others had indifferent ones.
"What does Mr. McConnel think about the matter?" a woman asked.
Matthew then told what he thought about it: "As you all know, we have been facing numerous threats from the monsters that roam the lands around us. These threats not only pose a danger to our citizens but also hinder our progress and development as a city. However, with the help of well-trained and organized mercenary teams and guilds, we can effectively reduce the number of monsters and ensure the safety of our people," Matthew said. He turned to look at the press, which was recording him speaking.
"Moreover, by establishing such teams and guilds, we can create employment opportunities for our citizens, as these groups will require skilled individuals who can handle combat and strategic planning.
This will not only help us in our efforts to reduce the monster population but also contribute to the growth of our economy." Matthew grabbed an olive from a nearby table and swallowed it.
"Furthermore, these teams and guilds can also help us in our quest for valuable resources that can be found in the wild. They can venture into uncharted territories and bring back valuable goods that can benefit our city's development. In conclusion, establishing mercenary teams and guilds can bring numerous benefits to our city, including reducing the monster population, earning money, and securing our city's surroundings. I urge you all to support this initiative and help us make our city a safer and more prosperous place to live in."
<Nice assists,> the mayor thought. He also nodded in agreement, impressed with Matthew's glib tongue.
"We will allow this starting from the next week," the mayor added. "If you are interested or know someone who would like to join the thaid exterminating effort, feel free to share the news with as many people as you can!"
The press went on for half an hour, and the mayor spent the rest of the time trying to sugarcoat the situation for the people present. It was clear that countless articles were going to be published the following day, and the mayor was hoping that the coverage in the news would get enough people interested in the initiative for them to form teams and support the government decision. However, the man wanted this for purely egoistical reasons; he wanted to keep his position and wealth.
After the banquet ended, the mayor and his secretary left the room, and then Mayor Calvert said, "It went better than I anticipated after all." The woman nodded energetically, aware that the mayor's message had been well-received by the attendees and that there was a good chance that many of them would take action to join guilds and mercenary teams or spread the word to others who might be interested.
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