Thick smoke, laden with the stench of scorched flesh, curled around the execution platform's weathered wooden beams.
Waves of heat surged upward, until every bug saw what remained at the end.
A charred corpse.
"Hahahahaha! Ahahahahaha! Hahahaha!"
The Silver-White Bug roared with laughter, his coarse, cruel cackling trampling the last scraps of hope the lowly Bugfolk had left.
Aside from his laughter, the only sound in the entire square was the crackle of flames.
The rioting swarm gradually stilled, its tide coming to a complete halt before the iron wall of guards.
Just as the Silver-White Bug had expected, doubt arose in their hearts.
Why?
Why did you allow all this to happen?
O Sunfire God, wasn't Raily your Saintess?
Oppressive, negative, defeatist thoughts began spreading, and the faithful once again felt that old crushing helplessness, like weeds adrift in the sea.
At last, the Silver-White Bug had laughed enough.
After confirming the success of his plan, the Silver-White Bug gave it a little thought and decided to move on to the next step.
I've used facts to break the Sunfire Heresy's brainwashing. Now, with proper education and guidance, these believers will soon regain their senses.
Miners should do miners' work, and their descendants will be miners too. Keeping everything at peak efficiency-that is the ideal system.
Most importantly, of course, this will earn me another achievement and raise my standing in the Council.
"Ahem, you rabble! Listen up! You've finally realized your mistake, and I..."
"Hm? No, something's wrong!"
A strange feeling struck the Silver-White Bug. He had been about to launch into a lengthy speech when he suddenly realized something was wrong.
All the bugs present were looking toward him. That was certainly what he wanted, but why were their eyes filled with such shock and emotion?
Some