Gorbach slid his arm into Sophia’s, as in the tradition of noble and they walked back to the balcony once again. His little advisor was dressed in a gown that was cut specifically for her that day; a cross of white and blue waving pattern, with the fabric fitting her around the chest into a pattern of flowers, its long sleeves reached passed her hands. The frill all around the gown once was also decorated with baby pearls that rattled every time she walked, but Sophia had ripped them all off piece by piece, before announcing it was perfect.

“You have been very disrespectful to the other advisors of late.” Gorbach pointed out, his tone more curious than scolding.

“It is fun to rile them up.” Sophia spoke with the voice as innocent as a thirteen years old, but the confident of one as well “Especially the bald lord, he always twitched when I as much speak up.”

Gorbach allowed himself a smile, though he found little enjoyment from his advisor’s suffering, it brought a small joy into his heart to see Sophia acting this way “Some say that you are being stupid, but some will say that it is very brave.”

“My sister always said I am a very soul of bravery,” Sophia mentioned, she still often mentioned her dead sister, even though she had seemed to already pass on.

“And is it true?” He asked back.

She shrugged “I think I’m just stubborn and always lets my temper got the best of me.”

‘She is still a kid after all.’ Gorbach thought, he had always treated her the same way as he treated his other friends, so he didn’t often realize that fact. He snatched up a single ball of grape from the nearby table and flicked it into his mouth, then turned to meet his little advisor.

“How is your life here so far?” Gorbach asked.

Sophia stopped to think for a moment, and then frowned “Fine, I guess. The food is too good for my common’s taste but living here is more comfortable than my old life to be sure. Between studying histories in the stronghold’s archieve, reading the book you left me and chatting with you, I have little time to do much else.”

Gorbach found something missing in Sophia’s routine “I had noticed that I am the only friend you have in the Last Stronghold. If you wish, I can arrange for some noble girls your age to accompany you…”

Sophia raised her eyebrow “Why should I wish to hang around spoiled girls who know not a single day of hardship?”

That took him by surprise “Surely you did not believe that every noble had the personalities that are similar to my advisors.”

“I’m not that bias.” Sophia snapped back, so Gorbach knew that she was still a little bias after all “There is some exception, like you for example, but I just believe that living with all this useless finery ruined a person.”

Gorbach sighed, he forgot that he was talking to an especially stubborn child for a moment “Most of us are not all mustache-twirling degenerated, if you believe it or not, try opening up once in a while.”

“I only promise that I’ll try.”

Gorbach gave a grim nodded ‘That is the least I can hope.’

After a moment, the two were back at the balcony, Sophia separated from him returned to her chair, so Gorbach adjusted his clothing and took his seat cushioned seat once again, crossing his legs so he could be more comfortable.

“You’re back, your leadership.” Lord Rubos said.

“I noticed.”

In the gathering plaza and beyond the gate castle were now row and row of boys and girls, thirteen years of age, most dressed in their best cloth in a strange attempt to impress the orders. Plastered on their chest were their popular id, so the recruiter could instantly reach into their record and their score. There were about ten thousand of the fresh recruit down there, maybe even twenty thousand, and they were all about to be chosen to be work as one career for the rest of their life. The thought alone sent a shiver through his spine.

Around all of them were the representatives of each order, most were the head of their respective work, along with a dozen recruiters, each with the number of recruits they was allowed by their supreme leader to take this year. Gorbach could saw the order of guard in their white armor, along with a few hundred platoons of them patrolling the area, the order of agriculturers was there too, along with scavengers, servants, constructors, sellers, courtesans, miners, distributors and a few dozen more. Gorbach remembered his uncle once said that these orders are the lifeblood of the city and were what kept it alive, and he inclined to believe it. Beyond all of that were common people who came to watch the ceremony from afar, blocked away from the plaza from a barricade of guards, with only a slight view of their relatives.

When everything was ready, lord Corlius gave a signal to the nobles arranging the ceremony down below, and then it all started.

The entire plaza fell into silence as Howland climbed onto the raised platform in front of the gate and below the balcony, he was on. Gorbach had assigned his good friend and advisors to be the one who opened the ceremony, and to his delight, Howland was doing very well.

Howland went on about the history of the city and how it came to be, as per the tradition of the ceremony. He spoke of the supreme leader who established the concept of order, Stalus, Gorbach’s far ancestor, and also the namesake of the high-tech device still in use to this day. Howland spoke of the importance of the picking day and how it sustained the city, while the fresh recruits listened on in silence, waiting for the moment of picking to come.

When Howland finished his speech, he gave a bow to the people, which brought some gasps from the nobles around him, then addressed Gorbach to make his speech, as per tradition as well.

The band of musicians below started to play their instrument and burst into the tune that Gorbach remembered Fill nicknamed ‘supreme leader’s theme song’, he chuckled at the memory, knowing it was his turn.

“Wish me luck,” Gorbach said to nobody, lifting himself off his seat and striding forward. He grabbed on the balcony’s railing and gazed at his people below, all silent despite their number, their eyes fixed at him.

‘This is mostly the first time they see me too.’ Gorbach thought, he had rarely attended ceremony such as these and made no progress officially, though he did from time to time cladded himself in common’s clothing and took a walk around the city to see the state it became. Standing here, above the crowd of his people, reminded Gorbach of the time he saw his father at the same spot when last he bothered to attend to this ceremony. Perhaps it was about thirteen or maybe fourteen years ago, Gorbach had a smaller chair next to his father’s, and on the other side was his sister on an even smaller one. His father’s speech was written pre-advanced by one of his old advisors, and it was about obeying the supreme leader, following orders, accepting what you were given, and expected nothing more than what was provided. Gorbach’s speech was given to him as well, tucking safely back in his massive chamber.

‘This is the moment.’ Gorbach thought, his hands grabbed the railing tighter as he prepared himself for his speech ‘This is the time to give them something different.’

“My people” Gorbach raised his voice, the words were received into the device that was installed into the balcony and echoed through the entire plaza “Today is a very important day for us all, for you, for me, even for the people who did not come. This picking day is sacred and essential to our growing city, and I hope that it will be that way for all my reign and also the reign of my successors, whoever that may be.”

“As for me, I wish that my reign as a supreme leader will be hopefully better than my father’s, and hope that I can create a true peace and happiness in this city, it will be a long and tiring process, but I promise I will at least try, so the only I ask from you all, my people, are to try believing in me and don’t make any uprising. Regardless, though unlikely, I hoped that you all were picked for the work you wish to have. Thank you.”

When the last word passed his lip, the silent from the gathering plaza down below broke as the populants who heard his speech took up a chant and raised their hands to accompany their shout.

“ALL HAIL GORBACH!! ALL HAIL GORBACH!! ALL HAIL GORBACH!! ALL HAIL GORBACH…”

Gorbach spread out his arms, as a sign of receiving the chants. Most of them were doing it as per tradition and were forced to, Gorbach knew full well. But for a short childish moment, he hoped that some of them were sincere.

Alas, Gorbach could not know if that was the case, so he turned back to his seat, his coat flapped against the blowing wind as he strided back and took his place over the cushioned chair once more.

“Your leadership…” Lord Corlius said, his voice concerned “What you say…”

“…is not the traditional speech, I know.” Gorbach did not wish to continue the cycle of oppression no more and meant every word he said. Though it did not truly come from his heart, as he prepared it beforehand, it was the next best thing. He found himself turning to meet Sophia, who gave him a smile of approval.

‘A supreme leader seeking validation from a thirteen years old.’ Gorbach mused with a faded smile ‘This world is truly starting to go mad.’

Gorbach watched the rest of the opening ceremony unfolded, the highest priest climbed onto the platform and gave the blessing of God and himself to the recruits, quoting from his holy tablet about obedience and hard-working. Admittingly, Gorbach never truly bought all the things that the faith was preaching, but declaring himself a heretic would be quite a large political misstep, so it was best to keep believing. As the highest priest went on, Gorbach contemplated that though the position of the head of the faith required you to cast away one’s name, Gorbach grimly noted that this old priest was once Pious Guardhand, Lord Ptis’s uncle.

Regardless, the highest priest closed his tablet and left the platform along with his escort of 4 high priests, all nobles converted to work for the religion. Following them were Howland who stepped up in his place and announced that the picking had officially begun.

The first to go was the guards, marking the strong looking and well-law recruits they picked with pale white marking, on their cloth or even on their face. Quick to follow were the courtesans with their shade of hot pink, choosing out the prettiest girl for their order, and even some boys, for some nobles had that sort of taste too. The thought of these practices alone left a bad taste in his mouth.

‘If all are good, this should be gone by a few decades.’ Gorbach contemplated, though he would prefer it if it went away quicker, these things took time.

As Gorbach gazed into the plaza below and watched more and more orders marked their recruits with different shade of dye, he noticed that Howland had returned to the hall. After giving a loving kiss to his wife, gently holding his hand over her growing belly as a sign of protection, he claimed his rightful seat as an advisor behind him.

“So you are really going for change, huh,” Howland asked in a friendly tone.

Gorbach smiled “What give it away? Is it my speech or the policy I tried to administer so far?”

Howland chuckled “To be true, what you said sound…how should I put it…very sincere.”

“I work on it for a few hours, if you are wondering. And give yourself some credit too, your opening speech was actually very decent.”

He shrugged “I just said what I suppose to say, not to mention I was stressed the whole time, any one of the recruits could stole a gun from the nearby guard and killed me on the spot.”

This time it was Gorbach’s turn to chuckle “Why would they want to assassinate you? I am the one who is the supreme leader, remember?”

Howland grimaced “Aye, when you give me the honor of opening the ceremony, I had been researching in the archive, so to say, and found that that had already happened 4 times.”

“In over many centuries” Gorbach pointed out “And only one of advisor actually died, so what’s your point?”

Howland sighed but then smiled “By the god, I am all for your plan, but think of your friends sometime, alright?”

Gorbach nodded “Speaking of which, Fillius and Churchier managed to attend.”

“Really?” Howland glanced behind him to the seat reserved for Corlius’s children, Fill’s was the only one empty “This is a big event after all; they had to show u Did Leaf have someone to take care of her little husband?”

Gorbach shrugged “Something like that.”

Things went silent for a while, so Gorbach managed to continue watching over the ceremony, gazing upon his people as the sacred picking commenced. After a moment, he had an urge to reach into his coat and brought out a book to have a quick read and passed some time, but he resisted the temptation.

Afterward a blurry of blue and gold went passed his eyes, as Sophia left her seat and walked toward the balcony.

“Stupid girl! Retreat from there at once!” Lord Corlius called out as Sophia rested herself the railing to have the better view of the ceremony, but Gorbach called him off and placed himself beside her, the hot breeze compliment the shining sun and blew through Sophia’s growing hair as she gazed down below.

“You know what funny?” Sophia started to say, her eyes still on the picking “I always never give a shit about the picking, but also dread it a little too. And now, I don’t suppose I have to attend it next year.”

“You are already picked, in a way.” Gorbach told her “You are my little helper, after all.”

“Maybe,” She said, her expression shifted to longing. Gorbach recognized it at once, it was the same face she made when she spoke of her sister “It’s weird, I rarely thought of my brother, but right now, somewhere down there, he is being picked for some work he probably doesn’t want. He might even notice me up here, confused, most like…”

“What does your brother want?” Gorbach asked, curious. Sophia had never mentioned having a brother before.

Sophia shrugged “He is fascinated with heavy machines, and always said he wanted to be a mechanic, but it makes no matter…”

“What’s his name?”

Sophia seemed startled “Renin, but my sister and I called him with just Ren.”

“If you want, I can…” Gorbach started to say, a little bit unsure whether or not if he actually wishes to do this “…contact a certain people, so to say, and maybe have your brother train for the work he wants.”

Sophia raised an eyebrow “You can do that?”

Gorbach gave a click to his golden pin “I am the supreme leader; such little thing can be easily arranged.”

Sophia gave out a warm smile “Then perhaps, I would be most happy if you see to it.”

“It’s an agreement then,” Gorbach concluded, but as he was about to make the preparation for the arrangement, Sophia kissed him.

It was just a little peck on a cheek, a sisterly kiss if you will, but it was nonetheless unexpected.

“That was…uncalled for.” Gorbach said as she moved away, his hand moved over his cheek.

“Relax; you are not the first boy I kiss,” Sophia told him with a smug smile.

Gorbach smiled back “But the first supreme leader, I imagine.”

He moved his hand over Sophia’s head and nuzzled her hair, which she complain upon. So after a quick apologies, Gorbach returned to his seat, leaving her to continue gazing over the ceremony.

When he reached his cushioned seat and crossed his leg, he reached into his coat and brought out a headset. He put it into his ear and turned it around, a hologram flashed over his eyes, shifting through each contact as the knob moved.

After a moment, he gave a press into the headset, and a voice came on.

“This is your supreme leader.” Gorbach told the noble arranging the ceremony below “There is this kid name Renin, his resident is in the street of slum, I like him to be sent over toward the order of mechanic.”

The noble did not question the request and quickly answered through the headset “I will make the arrangement at once, your leadership.”

“See that you do.”

“There is also an incident that may require your attention.” The noble continued “The head of guards had reported missing recruits who did not attend the assembly, and also there is suspicious activity with some of their family.”

“Suspicious?”

“Yes, your leadership, some guards reported that a group of them are gathering toward a certain direction, and are waiting for a command to proceed.”

Gorbach sighed, though it might seem like a minor incident, it still might interfere with his plan of reformation “See that they are brought back, use force if you will, but to keep the casualty low.”