His subordinate agreed, “Exactly. What does this have to do with the mayor? They’re only causing trouble here because they’re afraid of the Duke’s anger. If they had the courage to protest at the castle, I’d have to respect them.”

The mayor of Algaba was an innocent party in this. Although the Duke had mandated that the first batch of successful candidates conduct a trial run in Algaba, the protestors had targeted him out of convenience.

The group of cavalry was highly noticeable, and as soon as they arrived, many who were merely onlookers quickly dispersed. However, their curiosity kept them lingering around.

In the midst of their uproar, the...