Chapter 27: The Curtain Falls
This is a simple and conventional process.
First, demonstrate your capabilities to make people believe you are someone they can follow.
Second, paint a big picture to show them the benefits they can gain by following you.
Finally, incite hatred and promote a grand cause. Elevate the goal and tell them that what they are doing is not for personal gain, but for justice and the future of the desert people. They are launching a just rebellion against the Akademiya.
The process is just like that.
Personal gain is a small matter; what we value is the future of the desert. We hope that all desert dwellers can have a bright future, so we must stand up and resist.
National interests and the bright future of the masses… say whatever you want, but try to link it to something grand, without mentioning personal gain.
You can talk about personal gain with your own people, but in this step, you are addressing all desert people. You need to make them believe that you are fighting for their future and the future of their children.
Objectively, Rama is not a qualified orator, but he excelled in the first step.
Everyone admits that even though this person has openly shown his desire for control, to the point where it's almost off-putting, he can bring victory more than any elder.
He did so well in the first step that for the remaining two steps, it was not Rama convincing them but rather them already valuing this future and choosing Rama.
Yes, his desire for control is a bit high.
But he can't do all the work by himself, right? He must leave room for others to rise.
After all, being a middle-tier member of a tribe is not the same as being a middle-tier member of a kingdom in terms of treatment and power.
He can win; this is the greatest ability.
The elders of the Tanit tribe invested many warriors in this battle. They did want to kill Rama, but they also hoped Rama could break the stalemate.
They didn't expect immediate success, just weakening the enemy.
When the enemy weakens, they will retract their defenses, naturally leaving many resource points vacant.
This decision brought two results.
Tanit did become richer because Rama managed to swallow another tribe entirely, and all their resources became the foundation of Tanit.
Additionally, after this victory, the warriors' loyalty leaned towards Rama.
This means that although Tanit became wealthier, it was no longer the elders' Tanit.
Because the soldiers did not want to be Rama's enemies; they wanted to follow him to win victories.
Without the warriors' support, the elders were just ordinary people and couldn't maintain their power.
The leadership of the tribe began to fall into Rama's hands.
On the way back, Rama promised the conquered tribe that in the next war, warriors who performed well could bring their families and shed their slave status to join the Tanit tribe.
Usually, this would be difficult.
After a war, generals typically allow soldiers to loot the city, including women and wealth, as spoils of war.
The logic is simple: you won, but it's not yours.
However, your soldiers are the foundation of your power. If you want them to risk their lives, you must give them something in return.
Relying solely on military pay to encourage soldiers to risk their lives is unrealistic.
Spoils of war are what comfort and motivate them to fight.
Rama withheld a significant portion of the spoils, but this did not cause dissatisfaction.
Mainly because this war had nothing to do with them; it was Rama who single-handedly won the victory.
Even if he gave them nothing, it wouldn't be entirely inappropriate, though it might seem unfair.
Moreover, he spared the families of the opponents, avoiding further hatred. But he took all the wealth of the tribe and distributed it among the warriors.
As losers, they preserved something important and received a promise of freedom, so they dared not complain further.
As victors, they did nothing but still received considerable resources and wealth, so they had no objections.
Wealth will always flow back to the upper echelons in other ways. Rama did not mind distributing wealth to these warriors.
Then the elders were at a loss.
They knew Rama could fight but never thought he could suppress an entire tribe's resistance single-handedly.
Technically, Rama only thwarted the first wave of the enemy's counterattack. However, seeing the warriors behind Rama and hearing his promise, almost no one resisted.
The Tanit tribe's warriors seemed to play a minor role, but without them, Rama couldn't have achieved ultimate victory.
The number of war machines was limited; they could secure an advantage but not victory.
The Tanit tribe's warriors thought it was Rama's victory alone, as they indeed did not experience any real fighting.
This small issue went unnoticed, and the elders saw the final result.
Their choices facilitated Rama's success.
"Upper power comes from the support of the lower levels. The elders' power comes from their ability to mobilize the tribe's warriors to fight for their desires."
"Elite warriors wielding the cursed weapons and ordinary tribe warriors form the foundation of tribal rule."
"And in this war, you have taken all their foundation."
Babel's expression was complex. "Anyone who witnessed last night's battle would not consider rejecting you for the elders."
"Not all of them." Rama remained calm. "If I rise to power, I will certainly weaken the elders' power. Some people's interests are already completely tied to the elders' interests."
"Touching the elders' power means touching their interests."
Cutting off someone's financial source is like killing their parents; power is even more crucial than wealth. Rama's actions would be hard for them to tolerate.
"But they will ultimately endure. Even the elders themselves chose to compromise. Those who merely rely on the elders have even less will to fight."
Babel took a deep breath.
She found it hard to relinquish power, but the logic of the situation was simple.
"What about you, Mother?" Rama's expression was serene. "I know you are passionate about power. My only offer is to ensure you still have the opportunity to rise, but you can no longer be the 'Matriarch.'"
Babel had abilities but had shown she even considered killing Lumine.
But this was not a major issue; many similar cases appeared in main storylines or character quests.
In the isolationist Inazuma, even Kamisato Ayaka had heard of Lumine's reputation.
By the fourth nation, Sumeru, there were still people who didn't know the famous adventurer Lumine and thought they could kill her.
It's quite baffling.
How could any random person have such thoughts?
"What choice do I have?" Babel shook her head. "Everyone knows you are my adopted son. Isn't this what you told me?"
When all else fails, play the family card.
(End of this chapter)
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