Ragnar remained rooted on the same spot as the crowd pressed around him, making all sorts of excited noises.
The grieving parents of the deceased baby also managed faint smiles. Though still deeply sorrowful over their child's death, they rejoiced with the others at Ragnar's resurrection.
"What is wrong with these people?"
Ragnar couldn't stop himself from whispering the question.
He wondered if the people in the original game world lacked any logic.
How could they so quickly believe in resurrection?
Ragnar felt a splitting headache from simply trying to understand the thought process of these people.
But on the other hand, he felt relieved that he had been able to convince the crowd without much effort on his side.
"If they actually believe I resurrected from the dead then it would be very easy for me to take them under my control and make them do whatever I ask!" Ragnar began to accept the new scenario.
"I can send them on difficult, life-threatening errands and claim it's a message from the ancestors they worship. My new position as their leader would be much easier, and if I should start awakening supernatural abilities and strength from the system, it wouldn't be much of a surprise to them—they might even conclude that the ancestors are blessing me with power to rule!"
Ragnar's thoughts began to wander as he realized the bright advantages his situation had brought him.
A smile adorned his face as he imagined everything he could do—he could even convince all the beautiful women to marry him and blame it on the ancestors… COUGH!
|| Host is brighter than I imagined, cuddles. ||
Onyx's voice remarked in his head.
The smile on Ragnar's face vanished immediately. "Onyx, please do not speak for the next ten minutes or I might lose my mind!"
|| Alright! ||
To Ragnar's surprise and relief, Onyx agreed. "It is good to have an obedient virtual assistant."
Ragnar returned his attention to the jubilant crowd.
A few of them, especially the young ladies, hugged him tightly, refusing to let go as though they feared he might disappear. He could feel their soft bodies—particularly their warm, gentle chests—pressing against him, it took sheer willpower and control to suppress an erection.
The others reached out and softly touched him, wanting to confirm he was real.
Ragnar was overwhelmed with the attention.
"Everyone, calm down," he cleared his throat and said in a clear voice.
The noise around him died down gradually, the crowd became attentive, ready to hear what their 'resurrected' leader had to say.
The women who were hugging him and those pressed close gracefully stepped back, giving him space to speak.
Ragnar arranged his clothes and turned to the crowd, forcing a gentle smile.
"Do not worry, good people, nothing will take me from you again, not even those brainless brutes who tried to steal our harvest!"
Ragnar punctuated his last sentence with a louder, determined tone, igniting a spark in the crowd that quickly burst into cheers!
"Yes!"
"Ragnar is back!"
"We should deal with those brutes!"
Ragnar kept his smile as his eyes darted from one face to another, studying their expressions.
"Since the ancestors have granted me a second chance at life, I am determined to use this opportunity to foster the development and prosperity of our community!
I will work to make life better for everyone—no more hunger, no more illness, no more needless death.
From this day forward, all our actions will be aimed at improving our people's well-being and securing a safer future for our unborn children.
We would no longer live in fear of others. Anyone who tries to stand in our path of development would be dealt with mercilessly!"
As Ragnar spoke, the crowd's eyes brimmed with hope and excitement.
Some of them began to shed silent tears of joy.
Ragnar's simple words had transformed his image in their eyes as he shifted from a scrawny youth to a leader shrouded in divine light.
Ragnar continued speaking for about two minutes.
The crowd's reaction made it easier for him to go on far longer than he could imagine, even though he felt a bit nervous.
As he spoke, his gaze settled on the grieving mother and he asked, "A few minutes ago, you asked me how I could help?"
The woman, still clutching her deceased baby, nodded calmly, sadness still lingering in her reddened eyes. Her husband who stood beside her also looked extremely sad and worn out.
"This is how I can help," Ragnar said. "I will improve everyone's living conditions so that a tragedy like this can never happen again. You will be able to raise healthy children without the fear of losing them overnight."
Both parents of the deceased child felt moved by his caring words, a new wave of hope washed over them, easing their sorrow.
|| URGENT QUEST: Console the mourning mother has been completed, 20 XP has been awarded ||
Ragnar smirked at the notification—he had completed the impossible quest much more easily than he'd imagined.
If he wasn't in the room with so many people, he would've taunted Onyx for doubting him earlier.
Nevertheless, he could not be bother with such trivial things at the moment.
He paid more attention to his new position and continued addressing everyone.
The atmosphere inside the room shifted entirely from sorrow to hope.
The people's eyes continued to brim with expectation.
The future they once thought impossible suddenly seemed within reach.
Ragnar's promise to end starvation—one of the major causes of death in their community—made them even more hopeful.
The assurance that their lives would become comfortable and healthy, along with the other promises Ragnar made, created a new feeling within them.