Redmont Manor,

Serisis.

2:52 p.m. 19 th Banem 1092.

With the most pressing issues resolved, the meeting room’s atmosphere significantly improved. The ministers no longer sported tense expressions but instead, calm smiles, eager to tackle the remaining issues. Everyone looked to the strong wisben at the center of the room, anticipating her next words.

Leila took in the room’s atmosphere, gauging each person’s expressions. After reading the room, she finally said, “You’ve all done an excellent job so far. Thank you for keeping this civil and respectful. Thankfully, we are done with the most contentious issues. Now, let’s go through the last few items on the list, shall we?”

Leila nodded as she received approving nods from the kings and then said, “Trade. The bedrock of every growing economy. We do not intend to change the status quo too much. Except that the Empire’s territory will be a free-trade area. For those not cognizant with economic terms, this means that merchants would have to pay tariffs when taking their goods between cities or across borders.” Leila glanced out the corner of her eyes at Miote, who sported a massive Cheshire grin. “To better explain the economic ramifications of this policy, I call on Miote, our Chief Economist.”

Miote rose from his seat, drawing the room’s attention. Sporting a brilliant smile, the chesch bowed at the waist in every direction. He then acknowledged Leila and turned his attention to the round table’s occupants. “Good Afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. As the lovely Ms. Lightwood introduced, my name is Miote. I run the Hopeful Maggots’ finances and am in charge of overseeing the growth and allocation of the guild’s funds.”

“However, before any of this, I am first and foremost a merchant,” admitted Miote. “Fortunately, my unique position as a Summoned merchant has granted me the time, opportunity, and ability to deliver goods across cities and country borders.” Miote’s smile turned wry as he recalled, “Unfortunately, during my time as a merchant, I saw first hand one of the major reasons why many Resident merchants tend to stick to a small province: It is far too expensive for ordinary merchants to trade across cities.”

“Aside from the obvious cost and dangers of transporting goods, several cities and towns impose unreasonable tariffs on imported goods to line the pockets of the higher-ups.” Miote’s gaze turned hostile as he narrated, “I once had this horrible experience in a small town just north of Rosendun. I traveled from Kerta with some Iron ores, looking to sell them in this town because they were rare in the north. Only, I was met with an impossible 60% tax on reaching the gate. Keep in mind, I had to pay for these ores and also pay for the transportation. A 60% tax would put me in the red. Naturally, I chose to leave that town and go elsewhere. Only later did I learn the reason for the tax. Apparently, a mine owner had bribed several mayors to raise tariffs on iron ore. This way, his mine alone supplied about seven towns. And since he could control the output, this ensured there was always a scarcity, driving up the price of ores.”

Miote folded his hands behind his back. “Now, you might think this is anecdotal evidence, but I can assure you: thousands of merchants face this problem every day. However, it has become so commonplace that they see it as a normal cost of doing business. Of course, this forces all but the absurdly rich to limit their activities to a small region.”

“A free trade policy will eradicate this issue,” Miote stated. “Also, it will encourage merchants to engage in business spanning country borders. This, in turn, will increase the chances of consumers receiving cheap but high-quality goods as they will have far more options to choose from.” Miote glanced at Asha and said, “This policy will also encourage migration between nations. With so many races mingling with each other, it won’t be long before prejudice against certain races drops to an all-time low. The times of labeling certain tribes as war-races or savage will be long gone.”

Asha revealed a hopeful smile as she nodded, but there were still traces of doubt in her eyes. Miote noticed the doubt but chose not to press the issue. Instead, he raised three fingers as he stated, “The most significant obstacles to prosperous trade among our nations, aside from unreasonable tariffs, are: Distance, Time, and Danger.

“Our countries are thousands of kilometers away from each other, and with current technology, it can take months to travel from between the cities.” Miote paused and mock-glared at Kashi as he let out an exasperated sigh. “Unless, of course, you are a certain daeben. In which case, the rules don’t apply, it seems.”

“Preach!” shouted a bored Syèl from a corner, drawing a round of loud laughter and chuckles at Kashi’s expense. In turn, Kashi glared at Syèl, but the halben only revealed a toothy grin and winked.

Miote, meanwhile, waited for the commotion to die down. When the atmosphere had returned to normal, the chesch continued, “Thankfully, through the guidance of the gods, a group of brilliant minds at The Hopeful Maggots, with help from Aygorzi’s dwarfs, have solved these issues with a series of inventions.” Miote looked to his side and said, “Jade. If you please?”

Jade rose to her feet and looked at Kashi, who turned around and released a large screen from his inner world. The screen sat on a small table, preventing it from falling over. Jade walked to the screen and took out a vid-crystal from her inventory. She then turned to the room and introduced herself with a cute smile, “Hey there, guys. Uh… I’m not so good with the formal stuff, so sorry in advance, okay?”

Luckily, Jade’s energy was infectious, so no one took offense to her frivolous attitude. Seeing that she hadn’t ruffled any feathers, Jade released a sigh of relief. “So, my name’s Jade Yuhi. Technically, I don’t have a formal position. But I am currently in charge of the Skyboat, Train, and other miscellaneous projects in Aygorzi. Today, I’m here to show off the fruits of our labors and prove to you guys that your trust in us wasn’t misplaced.”

With those words, Jade slotted the vid-crystal into a compartment and then offered a quick prayer to every god in existence as she pushed a button. Thankfully, the blank screen sprung to life, showcasing a playback of the skyboat floating in and then flying laps around its hangar. Moments later, the screen switched to a train speeding down a track, shot from different angles.

King Xafier and the Maggots, who had seen this, did not react all that much, but the rest of the room stared at the screen in shock and disbelief. It took all they had not to run to and shake the screen to see what was inside.

Jade, seeing their reactions, revealed a proud grin. She puffed her chest and then said, “This is a video screen. It depicts things which have been caught on a vid-crystal.” Unfortunately, her explanation only brought more question marks floating above the audience’s heads. Noticing this, she switched gears. “Uh… I’ll explain this in detail later. What you need to know is that what you are looking at is something that really happened a few days ago. Think of it like a… vision from the gods.”

This time Jade’s explanation got through to the crowd. Following which, after a short pause, they erupted with ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs.’

Miote smiled, seizing the opportunity when the frenzy was at its highest to state, “These trains and skyboats will heavily cut down transportation times for merchants. According to our estimates, a flight from Aygorzi to Redmont Manor should take around 18-20 hours with no stops. A train ride from Aygorzi to Riven should take roughly around 15 hours. This, I believe, is a marked improvement, don’t you think so?”

“Brilliant!” The fastest to react was King Chu, who shot to his feet with fervent joy and awe in his eyes. The primary reason he had agreed to this alliance in the first place was the prospect of receiving food from Rosendun. The refrigerators had initially pleased him as they could preserve foods over long distances. But now, with the skyboats, fresh produce could reach Serisis in under an hour. Furthermore, with the train tracks, those produce could then be sent to any corner of the country within a day!

By his side, Chu Ling sent Paris a provocative but appreciative smile. With a smile, she mouthed, ‘Well done.’

In reply, Paris shook his head, pointed at Kashi, and then mouthed, ‘He’s the star.’

Princess Chu Ling’s gaze grew heated as she turned to examine the daeben. Battle lust grew in her fervent gaze as her desire to fight Kashi exponentially grew. Meanwhile, King Parissius sipped his tea, choosing to pretend he did not see Chu Ling’s fiery gaze. That was Kashi’s problem now.

King Chu, oblivious to his daughter’s exchange, regarded Miote with burning eyes. “Let me know if there is anything you need to fast-track their development. All of Serisis is at your disposal!”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Miote acknowledged with a bow. He then admitted, “We require experienced handymen to build railway tracks and roads connecting every town and city in Rosendun, Merriheim, and of course, Serisis. From my understanding, Serians are currently the best in this field. I have seen your roads and buildings for myself. They are without compare on the continent.”

“Roads connecting every town and city… A project of this magnitude,” King Chu stared at Miote in shock.

“Yes, it will be expensive,” Miote admitted. “But it is a price we must pay for progress.”

“Father.”

King Chu looked to his left to see his beautiful daughter, Chu Ming, holding a handkerchief with a compassionate smile. The king raised his hand to his cheeks and was surprised to find it wet. ‘Oh, I’m crying.’ Why wouldn’t he be? He had just been worrying about how his people would find jobs to pay for the influx of food, and now Rosendun was offering an unbelievable opportunity.

Truth be told, it wasn’t like Serisis had not considered expanding its roads to all its towns. But, unfortunately, the crown barely had enough money to keep the country afloat. It could not take on the monetary burden of any massive projects. But now, they had seen a glimpse into their future with Rosendun. As long as they could provide something worthy of export, Rosendun would have no problem footing the bill. This would create thousands of jobs and, in the process, get unwilling bandits off the highways.

King Chu’s brows furrowed a bit as his thoughts reached this point. What would Serisis do when the constructions were all done with? They needed something. An export which the entire continent would appreciate. Only then could they raise their heads in pride and not worry about coins or jobs.

“There is one other thing we are in desperate need of,” Jade said, cutting into the king’s thoughts. “All our inventions rely on mana to work. If you know of any material or item that has high mana concentrations, we would be really grateful.”

“Crystal Mines!” shouted Chu Ling, causing her father’s eyes to shine in realization. “I’ve come across tons of them while patrolling. Mines filled with nothing but mana crystals. We’ve never had a use for them, but could those be helpful to you?”

Kashi’s brows shot up, and he shared a look with Jade, both wondering the same thing. ‘What the hell kind of coincidence is this? Are we the main characters in some anime? How does something so wonderful happen without a lick of warning?’ Kashi wondered how it was possible for Serisis to not have become a hegemon while having something as valuable as mana crystals littered around the country.

“Remember. Until you came along, the Artificer class was dead,” Lunette said as if reading Kashi’s mind. “I don’t think anyone knew how to effectively use runes to manipulate mana, except probably the daeben, so no one searched for them.”

Kashi’s eyes widened as realization dawned. Lunette was right. This was a lucky case of the circumstances playing in his favor. If Artificers and array masters were prominent in this world, many countries would have sought out mana crystals to make new magic staffs and the likes. Unfortunately, any sorcerer could fill up a gemstone with mana for the paltry need of adding a few elements to an article of clothing.

“Excuse me. If we’re talking about mana deposits, I have something that might interest you.”

Kashi and the round table turned in surprise as the person who had spoken was someone from the crowd. King Xafier shot up from his seat upon seeing the speaker. Eyes wide, he exclaimed, “Farvulia? Rudega Farvulia?”

Rudega Farvulia revealed a wry smile as he stepped forward and bowed. “Yes. Your Majesty. The Farvulia family congratulates Your Majesty on ascending the throne.”

King Xafier stared at Rudega in shock, but then remembering where he was, coughed and sat back down. “We will speak later. Please, tell us what you know.”

“Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty.” Rudega stepped forward and faced the kings with a steady gaze. “My people once built a tunnel from Daggerfall in case we needed to escape.” This admission expectedly garnered harsh glares from the Serians in the room. Still, Rudega continued unfazed, “While down there, we discovered a river of mana. Unfortunately, it was very volatile and often exploded, causing several deaths. However, without a doubt, it is the most potent and pure source of mana on the continent right now. I do believe there should be more pockets of the mana river throughout Serisis. It might explain why this land is so rich in mana but can’t grow vegetation. Mana—”

“Poisoning in the soil is way too thick!” Jade exclaimed with shining eyes and then turned to Kashi. “Hey! If what this guy’s saying is true, we won’t have to worry about mana for life!”

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Hearing these words, King Chu excitedly looked at Rudega and said, “Did you say your name was Rudega? For this revelation, I award you a chance to tell your story before us all. I dare say you won’t get another opportunity like this…”

Rudega Farvulia’s heart trembled as he stared at King Chu in shock. Just like that, they were willing to listen to his tale? Only now did he understand just how valuable his information must have been. The dwarf took a moment to collect himself and then said, “Your Majesty, I will forever be grateful for this mercy.”

King Chu smiled and waved his hand. “Please. You earned this yourself. Come, tell us what troubles you, and we will see if we cannot be of help.”

“As it pleases Your Majesty,” Rudega acknowledged, but then asked, “If it pleases you, may I call upon the brave orcs who saved my life. Their input is just as valuable as mine.”

King Chu glanced at the other kings and then said, “As you wish.”

“Thank you, Your Majesties,” Rudega said, and then beckoned Durst and Ragnaf forward. Durst and Ragnaf stepped out from the shadows, their massive frames drawing loud cries and shocked gasps from the crowd. Orcs were enormous creatures, easily growing beyond 7 ft. (2.1 m) tall. Furthermore, Durst was considered big, even amongst the orcs. So, one could imagine how he absolutely towered over everyone in the room.

Shockingly, though, despite their intimidating visages, neither Durst nor Ragnaf said a word upon reaching Rudega’s side, choosing instead to keep their mouths shut and observe.

Rudega let out a rueful smile at the orcs’ attitudes. Orcs were immensely proud. They would never bow their heads nor offer platitudes to anyone other than the recognized War Chief. Well, them not talking was better than saying something obscene.

Some ministers wanted to raise the issue, but luckily, their kings were knowledgeable about the orcs’ cultures and thus urged the ministers silent. Rudega, realizing any further delay could lead to an unforeseen outcome, immediately said, “This is our story…”

Rudega proceeded to narrate the complete tale of how Silver Spear ran them out of Daggerfall. He explained that the dwarfs, himself included, had joined hands with Silver Spear to deal with the orc threat. Unfortunately, Silver Spear colluded with a few traitor dwarfs to eradicate a couple of orcish villages unprovoked, the purpose of which was to incite a war.

Rudega, realizing what had occurred and the most likely culprits, rushed to hold a meeting with the orcs. This meeting was supposed to prevent a war. But Silver Spear had unknowingly hired people on both sides to sabotage the meeting. As a result, a war would most likely erupt soon, heavily damaging both sides, which would then allow Silver Spear to swoop in and claim both sides.

“That is not all,” Durst said, and then added with a grave expression. “Our War-Chief died this morning. A new one must have taken his place—most likely Ragelock.”

King Parissius’ eyes widened in surprise. “I’d read that orcs were psychically linked to their war-chief. It would appear that is true. Is this how you knew your war-chief has passed away?”

“Yes,” Durst confirmed with a stiff nod. “With most war-chiefs, it is but a simple feeling that lets us know their will. But in some extremely rare cases, some war-chiefs can manipulate the orcs around them to carry out their cause. These kind of war-chiefs are what you all know as Orc Kings.”

The word Orc King sent a shiver down the spine of everyone in the room. The birth of an Orc King often signified a period of chaos and death across the continent. An Orc King’s ability to unify the warring orc tribes under one banner and make them fight until they were beyond dead was far too terrifying.

Unlike the others, Kashi was not fazed. Instead, he looked at Rudega and the orcs with a deep, curious gaze. There seemed to be many thoughts and calculations going on in the pools of those eyes. But no one aside from the man himself knew what he was thinking.

“So,” Kashi said, prompting many eyes to turn towards him. “What would you like from us? Do you want us to attack? If this Ragelock is the new War-Chief, then he automatically has the orcs on his side. We won’t be able to stop this war without killing or deposing him. But to get to him, we will have to get through an army of orcs. In the end, it will come down to either getting killed in a war against the dwarfs or getting killed in a war against us.” His eyes narrowed as he pressed Rudega. “Is this what you want?”

Rudega hesitated but then shook his head. “No, we do not want you to go to war. We would never ask that of you.” The dwarf took a breath and then said, “I only wish to ask that you give those seeking to escape the war asylum like you have granted us.” The dwarf released a defeated sigh as he regretfully admitted, “Going to war now will only add fuel to an already out of control fire. Instead, I wish to convince as many people on both sides to escape before the war begins. Hopefully, that will bring down the overall casualties.”

Kashi revealed a sarcastic smile as he prodded, “You do realize doing so will allow Silver Spear to take over Daggerfall even easier.”

“Land is but land,” Rudega replied with a shake of his hand. “The true inheritance of a nation is its people. As long as they survive, the nation lives on regardless of where they set up posts.”

“Hmm…” Kashi murmured and then turned to Durst and Ragnaf. “What about you two? I don’t suppose orcs also choose to run away in the face of adversity?”

“Run, huh?” Durst repeated with a snort. “Yes, I suppose I am running. If orcs knew how to retreat, we would not be in the state we are in right now, locked into a corner of the world, unable to travel freely as our ancestors did.”

“Locked, is it?” Kashi questioned as a ghost of a smile played across his lips. “So, to the orcs, which do you think is more important, sovereignty or freedom?”

“What!?”

Durst was not the only one who reacted this time. Nearly everyone in the room stared at the daeben like he was a madman. By now, they knew what this mad man was planning.

“I said…” Kashi, ignoring the loud gasps, rose to his feet and approached Durst. “What is more important to the orcs: Sovereignty or Freedom?” Kashi stopped in front of Durst, eyes boring into the orc’s. Despite looking down on the daeben, Durst could not help but feel overwhelmed by Kashi’s commanding presence. “Will they be satisfied with Daggerfall when I can offer them the world?”

Collective gasps rang out across the room. Free the orcs from Daggerfall? That was madness! Orcs were a crazy race. Who knew what chaos they would cause upon being released into civilization!?

Kashi continued to ignore the commotion. “Your Majesty, King Parrisius,” he called out while keeping his gaze fixed on Durst. “What is Rosendun’s policy towards intelligent races?”

King Parissius issued a brilliant grin as he waved his hands and said, “All intelligent races shall receive equal treatment under the country’s roses. They shall partake of her sweet nectar as long as they abide by the rules. Otherwise, they’ll get pricked by her thorns.” The king’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Durst and Ragnaf. “All races are welcome in Rosendun. Here, we judge by the individual, not the race.”

Ragnaf, who had kept quiet, trembled when he heard the last phrase: ‘judge by the individual.’ The individual. So, he would not have to be treated as an outcast because of his mixed-race? Could such a place truly exist? Looking at King Parissius, he questioned, “You’re really gonna let us roam free?”

“I don’t see why not,” replied King Parissius with a shrug.

“Even if we never bow to you?” Ragnaf questioned with disbelief.

King Parissius laughed. “Listen, I do not need your respect. I am but a man: fallible and weak. It’s the country’s laws you must respect and adhere to. The law judges not by race, religion, or creed but by the guidelines written and passed countless generations. If you obey them, you will have nothing to fear from the world.” Suddenly, the King’s smile turned incredibly sinister. “If you flaunt the laws, however, you must suffer the full brunt of the law like everyone else. Do you have the courage to prove yourself to be more than the world labels you?”

Ragnaf’s heart trembled as he stared into the King’s eyes. He could not understand it. How was it that this man, whom he could beat within an inch of his life, was able to intimidate him? What gave King Parissius the courage and valor present in his gaze. It was something beyond his own personal strength. Something the king believed would never break no matter what happened to him.

‘Ah…’ Ragnaf let out a sigh of realization. When King Parissius spoke, it wasn’t just him talking; it was the weight of an entire nation, powerful beyond compare. That weight could crush Ragnaf like a bug with so much ease. Orcs never had that type of backing. Usually, when orcs spoke, they spoke only for themselves. If an orc got in trouble, they could only rely on themselves to resolve the problem.

But that was not the way of the outside world, was it?

“I understand what you are trying to say,” Durst said to King Parissius, breaking Ragnaf out of his thoughts. “If we had the choice, I do believe many would choose freedom over sovereignty. However, if Ragelock is indeed War-Chief, I doubt he would allow it. And orcs, if nothing else, are loyal to their War-Chief… for the most part.”

“For the most part is enough,” Leila interjected, drawing the room’s attention. “You do not need to defeat Ragelock directly. Just convince as many orcs as possible to seek asylum in Rosendun, Merriheim, or Serisis.” She then glanced at Rudega and said, “The same goes for you too. All you need to do is convince as many dwarfs as possible to relocate to these lands. The world is entering a new age. But for that new age to arrive, thousands of strong, skillful workers are required. Your people will find work, shelter, and peace should they seek it.”

Leila paused for a moment, then added, “This will, in turn, destabilize both camps, as they see their war numbers drastically reduced. Gods-willing, the war might be delayed as both parties decide how to fight with reduced numbers.” The wisben tapped her forearm in thought, a deadly glint in her eyes. “Naturally, we cannot rule out the chance Silver Spear will try to influence the situation somehow. However, a move planned and a move made in haste in response to an unforeseen event are of two completely different levels. The latter presents more risks and increased chances of mistakes. Those mistakes will be our opportunity.”

Leila stopped upon realizing the room had gone deadly silent. She looked around and was surprised to find the crowd giving her strange looks—many of which were filled with mixtures of fear and amazement.

King Parissius whistled under his breath as he admired Leila and then whispered to Kashi, “What deity did you save in your past life to have her working for you?”

“She doesn’t work for me,” Kashi retorted, but then added with a nervous laugh, “But I do wonder about that all the time.”

Leila, meanwhile, after a brief moment, chose not to acknowledge the weird looks as she turned her attention back to Rudega, Durst, and Ragnaf. “So, do we have an understanding? We will grant asylum to as many of you that seek it. Now, it falls onto you to convince your people.”

“It will no doubt be a dangerous endeavor,” Kashi interjected. “We have a pressing occasion coming up which requires the presence of every Maggot we can muster. But afterward, I promise I will find any willing Maggots to accompany you on this dangerous quest.”

Rudega looked at Kashi with massive gratitude in his gaze. “Thank you,” he said, tears brimming down his eyes. “I promise I will never forget this favor.”

“Do not worry about it,” Kashi replied with a smile. “It’s not like I’m doing this out of the goodness of my heart. Both dwarfs and orcs are indispensable races in helping to build this Empire.”

Strangely, the daeben’s words, rather than irk Rudega, filled him with warmth. Indeed, warriors were different from politicians. Warriors could bare their hearts freely before each other, whereas politicians kept theirs hidden within chambers of secrets. It was much easier to trust someone who revealed what they wanted from you than another who claimed they were only ‘looking out for you.’

Kashi, seeing Rudega’s reaction, nodded and then turned to Leila. “We’ve only got one more item on the list, right? Let’s finish this.”

“I agree,” Leila said and then said, “The last item is a short one. The concept of Food & Agriculture. Of the three nations, only Rosendun is blessed with an abundance of green and farmland. As such, we the Hopeful Maggots partnered with the Empire to promote commercial farming growth in Rosendun. We’ve also cleared out some islands on the Forever Sea and converted them into massive farms. The aim is to grow enough produce to feed all three nations and then some.”

“Rayatha,” called Kashi, and the forever disgruntled druid stepped out from the crowd. Kashi ignored the old man’s irritated look as he said, “This is the man who will be researching our agricultural products to produce even better grains and meat each year.” He looked at Rayatha and announced, “I have tasked him with finding possible solutions to farming in both Merriheim and Serisis.” Kashi paused and then looked at Rayatha. “Have you got anything to say to them?”

Rayatha frowned as he stepped forward, visibly unwilling to participate in any human interaction. He was more than fine in the thick of a forest with the trees and animals around him for company. Fortunately, his respect for Kashi outweighed his disgust of humans. So he opened his mouth. “I have never been to Merriheim, but from what I have heard, the land is indeed fertile. The temperature, however, is too hot for ordinary plants to survive. But, there are certain seeds, which, while difficult to find, can indeed thrive in a place like Merriheim. If I cannot find them, I will find a way to reproduce them in time.”

Rayatha paused and then said, “Serisis is a bit trickier, but at the same time so much easier to solve.” That bombshell sent the room reeling, but the druid continued, unfazed, “Serisis’ problem is that the mana in the soil and air is too thick for the plants. They thus perish from mana poisoning.” The druid paused and then pulled out a red rose from his sleeves. “This is an ordinary rose, but I am sure all of you can feel the vast amount of mana oozing off it.”

As the room nodded, he explained, “This is a rose from Orez, Kashi’s world. There is nothing special about it. It is but an ordinary rose. However, this rose has been bathed in the thickest concentration of mana I have ever seen. But, while it should have died, it instead thrived. This is because it was simultaneously soaked in the most potent healing aura in all of Destia. This aura healed the poisoning quicker than it could spread until eventually, the rose grew immune to the poison.”

Rayatha stopped and then looked at Kashi. “It will take some time, but I believe I can produce enough seeds immune to mana poisoning to kickstart Serisis’ vegetation.”

*CRASH*

Everyone turned to King Chu, who had shot to his feet, tears pouring freely down his eyes. Before anyone could stop him, the old king dropped to a knee and bowed to King Parissius. “I swear now, before Gods and Man; Serisis will forever be in service to the Empire. She will shield Rosendun from all arrows and cut down whoever dares raise a sword to you. Serisis, from this day onwards, is yours to command as you wish!” King Chu Tianjo raised his head, hot tears burning in his eyes as he shouted, “Long Live the Emperor!”

To Kashi’s shock, the Serians did not bother raising their King from his knees, but instead, with tears in their eyes, joined their King on their knees and shouted, “Long Live the Emperor!”

Rayatha, meanwhile, stared at the shouting Serians with a questioning gaze as he muttered under his breath, “Technically, he’s not Emperor yet…”

Luckily no one heard him…