Legendary Extraction: Kingdom Builder in a Ruined World-Chapter 32: Interrogation.

Soon, the shimmering barrier of his territory came into view, glowing softly under the midday sun.

But then—Elias stopped.

A large crowd had gathered inside, near the edge of the dome.

Dozens of people stood there, their eyes fixed on the Embergrove forest... waiting for someone.

Waiting for him.

As he stepped out from the trees, one man spotted him and gasped.

"Lord Elias has returned!!" he shouted.

The effect was immediate.

The group—recently freed from slavery, their hearts just beginning to heal—rushed forward against the dome’s barrier. They screamed, they cheered, some even dropped to their knees.

"Hero!"

"Savior!"

"Bless the young Lord!"

Elias blinked, surprised. He had expected a few people to welcome him back to his territory—but not like this.

Still, a gentle smile tugged at his lips. He stepped forward, passing through the dome and into the territory.

The crowd parted for him reverently, forming a path down the middle as he walked through them.

He moved slowly, nodding once or twice as he passed, letting them see he heard their words—even if he wasn’t quite sure how to take them all in.

The cheering continued behind him, echoing across the field as more voices joined in.

Eventually, he reached the base of the storey building where Vael stood waiting.

The undead had already sensed Elias’s approach through their bond. He bowed slightly, his expression calm and respectful.

"Master," Vael said.

Elias nodded back with a soft smile, then stepped onto the outer platform on the building’s ground floor.

The crowd followed, gathering around the front of the building, still chanting his name, their hope now filling the air like heat from the sun.

Then Elias raised his hand—and the crowd fell silent almost instantly.

His gaze swept over them slowly, seeing faces that had once been filled with fear but were now full of a different mix of emotions. Some looked stunned. Others trembled with anticipation. Hope, doubt, relief—all tangled together in their eyes.

He could see it clearly.

After a few moments, he cleared his throat.

It was time.

Time to use everything he had learned from all those speeches in fantasy books and movies back on Earth.

He took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and lifted his chin slightly. Then, in a clear and steady voice that rang through the silence, he began.

"Men and women."

The already silent crowd grew even quieter. No rustling. No shifting feet. It was as if the whole world paused for this moment.

Elias let that silence stretch a little longer before continuing.

"I won’t pretend to understand everything you’ve been through. I won’t stand here and claim I feel the same pain you carry."

He paused.

A few heads dipped. Some turned their faces away. The memories were still raw. The pain still close.

"Kael and Veran..." he said, voice steady but heavier, "they used you. They hurt you. They claimed you. And for what? Their greed. Their hunger for power. To them, you were not people—but tools to control."

He looked across the crowd, his voice now stronger.

"But today... that ends."

Gasps spread through the crowd.

"Kael is dead. Veran will follow soon. And from this moment on, you are free."

The word echoed through the air, bright and powerful.

"You are no longer slaves. No longer victims. No longer bound by fear."

"You are people. With free will. With choices. With voices that matter."

A gentle gust of wind swept through the area, lifting Elias’s hair slightly as he continued, his voice firmer now.

"You are not to be led by chains, but by your will. You are not to bow under commands, but to rise with choice."

Elias took a step forward.

"You may choose joy. You may choose to weep. To fight. To rest. To build. To begin again."

He let the words hang in the air, his hand clenching into a fist before throwing it forward.

"No longer will your lives be controlled by the whims of cruel men."

He looked out at the crowd, their faces full of emotion—some trembling, others holding their breath.

"You owe me nothing. But you owe yourselves everything."

A soft murmur moved through the group. Some cried openly, while others stood frozen, too stunned to react.

"So live. Laugh. Cry. Fight, if you must. Love, if you can. But do it on your own terms."

He gave the crowd one final look and nodded once.

"From this day forward... you are free people."

And with that, he turned and walked into the building, Vael silently following behind him.

---

A long silence settled over the group as the door closed behind Elias. For many, it felt surreal. Like waking up from a dream they had never dared to believe in. For years, the word "freedom" had sounded like fairy tales to them.

But now...

Now it was real.

Tears streamed down the faces of men and women who hadn’t cried in years—faces once hardened by pain, now soft with hope.

Then suddenly—

"All hail Lord Elias!"

The voice came from a man in the crowd. His cheeks were wet with tears, and his voice was hoarse with emotion. He raised a fist into the air.

"He’s our hero!"

Another voice shouted, "All hail Lord Elias!"

And more joined in.

"All hail Lord Elias! All hail Lord Elias!"

The chant spread like wildfire.

Soon, the entire camp was echoing with their voices—loud, proud, and full of life. After years of silence and fear, their voices rose in celebration. They were no longer broken. They were no longer property. They were people again.

---

Inside the building, Elias stood still in the hallway, listening to the chants pouring in from outside. A faint smile appeared on his lips, and his eyes shone with pride.

That was loyalty—and he had earned it.

He turned slightly toward Vael, who stood a step behind, his eyes locked on him.

"Time to deal with the last bit of trouble," Elias said calmly. "Take me to the prisoner."

Vael gave a curt nod. "Of course, Master."

He moved ahead, leading Elias down the corridor. They walked together in silence until they reached a wooden door at the far end of the hallway.

From inside, Veran’s voice rang out.

"You damned creature! Release me! Do you have any idea who I am?! You’ll regret this—do you hear me?! When Kael gets back—!"

His threats were met with silence as the door creaked open.

Veran’s face lit up, eyes wide with sudden hope. "Finally! Kael, what the hell took you so—"

His voice stopped cold.

It wasn’t Kael.

It was Vael.

And behind him stood the young lord.

The very one Kael was supposed to deal with.

There was no Kael now.

Only the distant sound of chanting from outside—chanting Elias’s name.

A chill ran down Veran’s spine, and for a moment, his composure cracked. But then, almost instantly, he straightened up and forced a confident smile, clearing his throat.

"This... this is a joke, right? Kael—he’s somewhere around here. You’re trying to scare me—"

Yes, that had to be it. Kael must’ve captured Elias, enslaved him, and this whole scene was just a twisted prank to mess with him. But deep down, Veran knew that was nonsense. Kael wasn’t the type to play such games.

Elias didn’t respond. He didn’t even look at Veran as he walked forward, dragged a chair across the floor, and sat down directly across from the bound man.

Veran’s eyes widened with panic as he stammered, "W-Where’s Kael?"

Elias tilted his head slightly. "Dead."

The word hit harder than any punch. Veran’s heart sank.

Then Elias smiled—slow, cold, and cruel. "You’re next."

Veran’s confidence shattered.

"N-No. No, you’re lying! Kael wouldn’t lose to someone like you! You’re weak! We saw you train!"

He struggled against his restraints, eyes darting wildly in disbelief.

But what he didn’t know was that during those past few days of watching Elias train with Vael, Elias had deliberately acted weaker than he was. He had made mistakes on purpose, let them see flaws that weren’t real. That false image made them underestimate him—and pushed them to rush their plan.

Then realization struck Veran, and his breath caught.

"You... you must have more undead. Vael isn’t the only one, is he?! You tricked us! You filthy—"

Elias smiled again, but said nothing. He simply stared at him.

Truth be told, Elias wasn’t surprised Veran reached that conclusion. It was easier for someone like him to believe in some secret army than to accept that Elias had outsmarted and killed Kael alone.

And Elias had no reason to correct him.

He chuckled softly. "Think whatever helps you sleep."

Then he leaned forward slightly.

"Now that we’ve cleared that up... let’s get down to business."

Veran’s brows furrowed. "What do you want?" he asked cautiously.

Elias crossed one leg over the other. "Just a few answers."

Veran sneered. "And why would I tell you anything? You’re going to kill me anyway. So give me a reason—a deal, some hope to survive—and maybe I’ll cooperate."

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