Dark Warlock in the Apocalypse

Chapter 102 The beginning of the great migration

The craftsmen shuddered, their faces pale with shock.

Despite not voicing any objections, the craftsmen exchanged confused glances, as if unsure why they were being demoted.

"What? Do you have a complaint?" Justin asked sharply.

"N-No, sir!"

"No? Your faces say otherwise. You all look like you're wondering why you're getting dragged into this when it was the dead guy who caused the trouble."

Their silence was an answer in itself.

With a derisive snort, Justin addressed their unspoken question. "Do you think if that bastard's demands had succeeded, only he would've benefitted? Obviously, you would've been promoted to nobles as well. Don't pretend you weren't waiting to reap the rewards from afar. Just accept it."

One of the craftsmen tried to protest. "But that's—!"

"I'll forgive you if you really didn't know what was going on, if he didn't say a word to you before organizing this strike. But if you knew full well what he was doing, waiting for the scraps to fall your way, then you'll die just like him. So, which is it?"

The craftsmen, their faces drained of color, quickly shut their mouths. Clearly, none of them had been unaware. For Darius to have organized something this audacious, he must have tried to gather accomplices in advance. While no one had sided with him in the end, the only person who actively tried to dissuade him was Eugene.

If Darius had succeeded, the rest of the craftsmen would've gladly ridden on his coattails. The mere thought that they had stood to gain without any risk enraged Justin even more.

"Eugene, you're no exception," Justin said, his gaze shifting to him. "I saved you at your request, and now these fools have insulted me as a group. Do you think I should let you keep your status just because you tried to stop them?"

"No, sir. Your decision is absolutely correct," Eugene replied, visibly relieved, even though he too was being demoted to commoner. Unlike the other craftsmen, he seemed to fully understand the severity of Darius's actions.

"Good. That concludes the trial. If you've seen enough, disperse," Justin said, standing from his seat and walking away from the fountain. The crowd that had gathered behind him remained still and silent until he had disappeared into his house, too afraid to speak for fear of provoking his wrath.

For a day and a half, the territory remained unnervingly quiet. Both the pioneers and the townspeople were still in shock over Justin's first execution order. Until now, he had never made such a command, making the event all the more jarring.

However, as time passed, whispers began to spread.

"Come to think of it, didn't he deserve to die?"

The murmur came not from the pioneers but from one of the townspeople. Continue reading at empire

But now that they had fallen out of favor, they were on their own.

"If we had known this would happen, we should've stopped him, no matter what..."

But it was too late for regrets. The craftsmen resolved to keep their heads down and focus on their work, fearful that any further complaints might see them shackled and enslaved.

As the days passed, the noisy territory slowly returned to normal.

Around this time, the system notification suddenly appeared:

"Fifteen days have passed since the dungeon emerged."

"The main quest 'Dungeon Conquest' has been removed due to exceeding the time limit."

"The new main quest 'Traces of an Ancient Civilization' has been added."

"Take over the abandoned city of an ancient race and use it as the foundation for a new civilization."ting this quest will result in the automatic transfer of the town.

"Compleerritory and all development progress."

"It's here!" someone shouted.

"Finally!"

The pioneers could hardly contain their excitement as the system message popped up. The previous quest, Dungeon Conquest, had been an exclusive mission for Justin and his companions. The pioneers had been aware it was too dangerous for them, but after tasting the rewards from previous missions, they had been eager for something they could participate in.

As they listened with anticipation, another message followed:

"Once 'Traces of an Ancient Civilization' is completed, the main quest 'Great Migration' will begin immediately."

"Prepare to receive a large influx of people from Earth to lay the foundation for building a nation."

"...!?"

The entire territory was struck by this bombshell.