Rise of empire: From gamer to emperor

The villagers murmured in awe at the sight of the coin.

Gareth scoffed, shaking his head. "Really, Chief Ethan? A single silver coin? That's your grand proof?"

A few villagers murmured uncertainly. One man scratched his head. "It's not that strange… Maybe he got lucky?"

Gareth latched onto that. "Exactly! What if our new chief—who, mind you, barely remembers anything—simply wants a scapegoat?"

Ethan turned to one of the wealthiest villagers, a merchant who ran the grain trade. "Tell me, Henry, when was the last time you saw a villager holding a silver coin?"

Henry frowned, rubbing his beard. "Silver? In a village? Hah! They'd be lucky to have a have a handful of bronze coin. Only the town and city merchants use them."

Ethan turned back to the crowd. "And yet, one of our villagers has one hidden right under his bed. Isn't that strange?"

Gareth cut in, his voice hardened. "You want to burn a man for having savings? That's madness—If we burn an innocent man tonight, his blood will be on your hands, Ethan Cross."

"Indeed Elder Gareth. But you see I uncovered another piece of evidence at the traitors house."

Gareth snorted. "For all we know you could have planted it there."

The villagers nodded in agreement.

Ethan tilted his head, studying Gareth's face. "Strange. You're awfully defensive for someone who has nothing to hide. Do you perhaps have some skeletons in your closet Gareth?"

Gareth cut in sharply raising his voice. "Nonsense! I am an elder of this village and you will speak to me with respect!. I'm only make sure that due process is followed before we cast our judgement."

The villagers nodded some casting doubtful glances at Ethan.

Gareth smirked thinking. You're still too green to debate with me.

Ethan raised his brows staring at him impassively. Then he smiled. "You're right. Due process must be followed."

A hush settled over the crowd.

Then Ethan raised a hand, gesturing toward the village road. "So let's follow it. Straight to your house."

Gareth's eyelids twitched. A single drop of sweat rolling down his temple.

A villager gasped, as if finally realizing. Someone muttered, "Wait… is he really—?"

One of the elders stepped forward, voice hard. "Elder Gareth, if you have nothing to hide, you won't mind us taking a look right?"

Gareth's eyes flicked to the crowd, then to Ethan, before resting on the path leading away from the village square.

A woman in the crowd, arms crossed, frowned. "I've known Elder Gareth since I was a girl. You're saying he'd betray us?"

Hearing the word Gareth's turned back facing the crowd his eyes sorrowful. "After all I've done for this village, you now want to drag me to my own house! Like a criminal!"

Ethan shook his head, "No one's dragging you anywhere Gareth, all we want is for you to lead the way, that way no one plants incriminating evidence on you."

Ethan smiled, voice turning cold. "Or should we skip the walk and go straight to the Trial by Fire?"

Gareth letting out a sharp mocking laugh, shaking his head. "A single silver coin and a few words, and suddenly I'm the traitor? This is madness!" He turned to the crowd, voice dripping with disbelief. "Think, all of you! Who benefits the most from this? Our new chief, who just survived a brush with death, now claims to know who our enemies are? Convenient, isn't it?"

"For all we know, this could be the side effect of the poisoning."

A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd. "Enough of this!" A burly man stepped forward, arms crossed. "You survived death, and now you accuse an elder?

Ignoring the man Ethan took a step towards Gareth, his voice dropping dangerously. "I'm done asking Gareth." Gesturing at the dirt patch leading towards Gareth's house. "Move."

The villages let out a collective gasp. Anna shouted excitedly, "Come on get it going! I want to see flames!"

Gareth scoffed. "Fine! Search my home! And when you find nothing, I want every single one of you to remember this humiliation!"

The villagers hesitated. A few of them nodded at Gareth's words. While the rest just observed.

Anna shouted from the back again. "You talk too much! Lead the damn way!"

Ethan shot her a look. "Anna."

She huffed, pouting. "Fine, fine, I'll behave, I calls dibs on lighting the fire though."

Gareth glanced at the villagers seeing no one coming to his rescue anymore he slowly started walking leading the way, as they proceeded through the dirt patch. His eyes darting wildly searching for an escape route.

A notification popped up in Ethan's view prompting a smile from him.

[Mission complete..]

[Rewards have been delivered to your inbox.]

The moment the arrived close to Gareth's house near the edge of the village overlooking a dense jungle.

Gareth's eyes darted from villager to villager, seeking an ally—but all he found were cold, expectant stares.

Letting out a bitter laugh, he snarled. "You're all fools! The real traitor is—" He turned, pointing a finger at another elder. "Morris! He's the one working with outsiders! Ask him where he was last night!"

Morris frowned. "I was home Gareth. With my wife and—"

But Gareth wasn't waiting for an answer. The moment eyes shifted to Morris, he turned and ran.

Shocked expressions appeared on the face of all the villagers, even the Elders weren't spared as they stared at Gareth's aged body weaving through the dense jungle with agility. It took them a few minutes before they recovered from the shock.

"He… he really was the traitor," someone whispered, voice trembling.

The burly man, Romelu, took a shaky step back, his face pale. "I vouched for him... I trusted him…"

Ethan approached him, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. "It's alright Romelu. Sometimes people aren't what they seem."

Turning to the rest of the villagers. "Let this be a lesson to all of us—power doesn't make a man good. Trust must be earned, not given blindly. Because the ones who smile at you today… may be the ones poisoning you tomorrow."

After a few minutes, passed by Ethan spoke again. "Alright people, we can't dwell on the past and refuse to embrace the future."

Henry crossed his arms. "So what now, Chief?"

"It's time we start rebuilding."

Elder Morris the bearded elder nodded. "Aye! You couldn't have said it any better Chief we need do to start focusing one the future. To ensure the mistakes of the past do not happen again."

Romelu took a deep breath his gaze steady as he stood up, "You're right Chief"

As he walked back to the main village, the rest following him as the crowd dispersed.

Watching the crowd disperse, another notification interrupted Ethan's train of thought.

[Side mission: Hunt down the rat]

[Objective: Catch the escapee before he relates news of your survival to Lord Bolton.]

[Reward: Unlocking the hosts Mana circuits.]

[Bonus Perk: Host attribute screen.]

[Punishment: Lord Bolton learns of your survival ahead of schedule and sends an assassin.]

His gazed slowly ran down the message, his lips twitching as he read the punishment. WTF. I thought I already solved that.

[Oh, you thought? How adorable.]

[Congratulations, you successfully bullied an old man into running. What a strategic mastermind you are.]

[Would you like a medal? Maybe a cookie?]

"Okay that's just too much." Ethan muttered, his eyes twitching as he rubbed his temples.

Anna walked over. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Ethan sighed. "Just an AI with an attitude problem."

Anna's head tilted to the side, curiosity gleaming in her eyes, "What's an AI?"

Ethan chucked, "You talk too much." Thumping her forehead with his finger. He walked towards the village square.

Anna clutched her forehead, muttering "Ouch." Before shouting. "Wait up!" Chasing after him.