My words were met with dead silence. Nobody moved, and nobody cheered. It was as if the air itself had grown heavy with their disbelief.
Well, of course. Who could blame them? The person they all depended on had just announced she was leaving. If I were in their position, I'd probably be mad too.
Malrang stood off to the side in her small, adorable form, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She looked at me eagerly, clearly expecting to accompany me.
"When are we leaving, Gaon?" her voice echoed excitedly in my mind.
But I didn't respond. Instead, I turned my attention back to the crowd and continued my speech.
"I know this may come as a shock to all of you," I began, my voice steady despite the weight in my chest. "I didn't plan on doing this at first, but the empire needs a strong leader—one that I am not at the moment. My goal is to reach a level where all of you will feel truly safe under my protection. I hope you can understand my decision."
