Everwood Palace.
As Aksai approached his home, he noticed a large group of citizens waiting outside the palace gates.
Everwood Palace, situated far from the city square in a suburban zone near the city walls, remained unaffected by the tree devil calamity. At least for the time being.
The threat posed by the tree devils did not extend this far from the central city square, and the corrupted druid remained rooted beneath the demon tree, refusing to budge.
Thus, Everwood Palace stood as one of the few safe zones available to the citizens of Serenity Peak.
Most of these individuals originally resided closest to the central city square, an opulent and hence expensive area, before the tree devil calamity struck.
These wealthy mortals and well-established martial families would never have considered relocating to the suburbs if not for the fact that their neighborhoods had become danger zones due to the presence of ever-roaming tree devils.
Of course, Everwood Palace was not the sole sanctuary.
Various martial arts schools had established themselves in suburban areas free from the threat of tree devils, attracting many citizens seeking shelter. Those who had chosen Everwood Palace were but a small minority.
As Aksai walked toward the palace gates without pausing, the crowd instinctively parted to make way for him. Bickering ceased, replaced by a hushed silence as the citizens realized the return of their lord.
Some may have wished to directly beseech Aksai for assistance, while others might have sought to bargain or deceive him into assuming responsibility for their safety. However, nobody in the crowd approached Aksai lightly after they saw who he had come up with.
Step. Step. Step.
The sounds of heavy footsteps were heard.
Aksai’s Scarecrow puppets had surrounded him as he walked. The two Scarecrow fiends had flanked him. With such secure protection, there was no way for the mortals and low-level martial artists to get close to Aksai.
Of course, people started murmuring to themselves when they saw Aksai and his force. Some of them had goosebumps on their skin and almost yelled out loud in surprise when they realized Aksai’s Scarecrow Puppets were carrying two tree devils on their shoulders.
These two tree devils weren’t completely killed. They could still move their limbs and open their mouths to release some hushed sounds that sounded like someone had their throat choked while they were in the middle of releasing their loudest screams.
However, these tree devils were constantly getting injured by the Scarecrow puppets that held them. Plus, the recovery speed of these tree devils had drastically slowed down after they were dragged so far away from the city square.
The tree devils emitted low murmurs toward the crowd gathered at Everwood Palace, though they posed no threat. Despite this, the crowd couldn’t help but feel uneasy in their presence.
Aksai paid little mind to the citizens’ concerns as he approached the palace gates with his entourage of puppets and tree devils, ignoring the onlookers entirely. He didn’t even bother to listen to their murmurings.
In Serenity Peak, distinctions of wealth, status, and appearance held little significance in the face of such a crisis. Aksai, for one, remained indifferent to such superficialities.
Amidst the chaos, true strength proved to be the only meaningful currency. Plus, Aksai had little reason to be swayed by the possessions of others when he possessed all he needed.
However, Aksai couldn’t simply dismiss the citizens; doing so would tarnish his reputation and potentially cause issues down the line. He always believed in taking preemptive measures so that some problems are eradicated even before they are born.
Upon his arrival at the estate, palace guards approached and saluted Aksai, promptly closing the gate behind him to prevent any citizens from entering.
Utilizing his Spirit Sense, Aksai detected the guards’ initial hesitation in keeping the citizens at bay, quickly discerning the reason behind their reluctance.
“My lord, I am relieved to see you safe and sound,” Zinnia greeted Aksai with a stoic expression, accompanied by an entourage of maids who wore various expressions ranging from panic to resolve.
The atmosphere within Everwood Palace had clearly been affected by the calamity outside. Aksai nodded at Zinnia before addressing his palace guards and some of his maids.
“In the face of this unprecedented calamity that has befallen Serenity Peak, we must stand united,” Aksai spoke with a fake empathy with as much sincerity as he could, meeting the determined gazes of his audience.
“Any staff of Everwood Palace wishing to bring their families within the palace walls may do so. We will provide tents in the outer perimeter and palace garden, along with food, water, and shelter for the duration of the tree devil crisis,” he declared solemnly, noting the relief that washed over some of his guards and maids at his words.
“Zinnia, you will oversee the arrangements for these families’ shelters. You can use the palace’s resources as needed,” Aksai commanded, his gaze resting on Zinnia, the head maid.
“However, make it clear that the inner courtyard and some private zones are off-limits to outsiders. Inform them that any breach of security or palace rules will result in their expulsion from the premises.
If they try to sneak some more people later on, they will be shot and killed along with the new infiltrators. The Everwood Palace’s resources are not for everyone. Plus, they will not be offered for free either.
A select portion of the shelter seekers will be used as palace guards. They will also be given other duties. They’ll basically make sure that they carry their own weight in the estate and help out the main fighting force of the palace in any way they can.”
Aksai instructed with a stern voice, making sure that his palace guards as well as the maids heard him loud and clear.
“Yes, my lord,” Zinnia replied politely, offering a light bow to Aksai.
The tree devil crisis had left many citizens shaken, their desperation driving them to extreme actions.
By allowing the families of palace guards and maids to seek refuge within the palace walls, Aksai ensured the loyalty of his staff remained steadfast in the face of adversity.
Basically, the cunning and caring Spirit farmer had used these families as collateral to maintain peace within the palace.