The great hall of Kaelenspire trembled with the footsteps of thousands. Tall
stone pillars still bore the scars of war, now veiled by the purple-and-blue
banners of Valoria. Torches burned along the walls, their flames flickering
across the faces of nobles, generals, and city lords gathered in long rows.
On the left sat the old nobility of Valoria; on the right, the lords of
Riverbend, newly bound under the empire. In the front rows were the generals of
Ethereal—once enemies, now reluctant witnesses of history. A hush fell over the
hall, so heavy it seemed every breath was being held.
The great doors opened. The march of armored boots echoed, and Arthur
entered. His cloak of deep purple trailed behind him, twin katanas gleaming
faintly at his back. The whispers that had rippled through the chamber died at
once. Every person rose—not out of duty, but because his presence demanded it.
Arthur ascended the dais. At his right, a chair had been left empty—the
place meant for Elara. His eyes lingered on it for a heartbeat before sweeping
across the hall.
Behind him, Lionel Drest, Head of the Defense Council, stood with the weight
of a fortress. To the other side, Hadrick, Head of Intelligence, watched the
crowd with eyes that seemed to pierce through skin and thought alike. Further
back, generals and civic leaders held their posts in solemn silence.
Arthur paused. When he spoke, his voice rang clear, carried by the runes
etched into the stone walls.
"Once, Kaelenspire was a fortress against us. These walls resisted us. These
swords struck at us. But today, we do not stand here as conquerors and
conquered. Today, we stand as one."
His gaze swept the hall.
"From Valoria. From Ethereal. From Riverbend. Three crowns that once stood
apart now stand together. No more lines on maps, no rivers to divide us. There
is only one banner—the banner of Valoria."
The hall fell still, every ear straining. Then Arthur's voice deepened.
"Today, I am no longer merely King of Valoria. I stand before you as the
Emperor of Valoria—an empire born not from empty words, but from the sweat,
blood, and sacrifice already given."
The first cheer came from the generals, spreading cautiously. Some nobles
clapped with hesitation, others only nodded, but no one could look away from
Arthur.
He lifted his hand, quieting the hall.
"This assembly is not for celebration alone. It is for deciding the future.
From this day, we will no longer speak only of survival—we will speak of
building."
His voice softened but sharpened all the same.
"First, I will build a mana railway from Draxenhold to the farthest reaches of
Riverbend. Every city will have its station. Twenty percent of the income shall
belong to the city; the rest will be managed by the empire. You provide the
land, and Valoria will provide the steel and stone."
Excited whispers spread. Riverbend's lords exchanged glances, their faces
bright with awe.
"Every city will have schools," Arthur went on. "At least three secondary
schools and seven primaries. And the empire will establish eight great
universities: economics, development, knighthood, magic, city planning,
cuisine, tourism, and technology. Your children will grow not in ignorance, but
in knowledge."
Some nobles clapped politely; others stiffened, weighing what change would
cost them.
Arthur straightened.
"The nobility shall remain. But garrisons will be fixed: no more than ten
thousand, no fewer than six. Taxes will belong first to your cities, but thirty
percent will be delivered to the empire. No more fractured, uneven systems. All
equal. All fair."
Hadrick's eyes roamed the chamber, catching every flicker of unease.
Arthur lifted his hand as if drawing invisible lines.
"The Mage Towers of our three lands will be united. Monster hunts will remain
with the hunter guilds, unless they fail—then the garrisons will march. Every
city will be armed with mana crossbows for defense. But mana cannons will not
be spread. I will not see cities reduced to ash by noble feuds."
A murmur of agreement came, this time from the generals who knew that fear
too well.
Arthur inhaled, his tone firm.
"I will found the Valoria Bank—a place for the people to safeguard their wealth
with protections no thief can break. Your gold will not vanish. Your savings
will not be stolen."
"Mana lamps will light your streets. Thunder energy will be drawn under the
empire's hand. The night shall no longer belong to darkness, but to you."
Then his voice fell quiet, carrying a weight heavier than stone.
"And I will share with you the Heavenly Valior Technique—its intermediate form.
Use it to strengthen your families' legacies, whether sword, spear, bow, or art
passed down through generations."
Arthur's hand lingered in the air. On his wrist, unseen by all but him, the
Oculus shimmered—the artifact bestowed by Ramiel. Its unseen wave swept through
the hall, pressing into hearts like a silent judgment. The nobles did not know
what had happened, but Arthur saw it clearly: hesitation, greed, hidden
treachery.
Some turned pale. Some bowed their heads. Soldiers clenched fists. Arthur
read them all—not with mortal eyes, but with the sight of a god.
When the vision faded, he spoke with chilling calm.
"I have seen your hearts. No traitor will leave this hall. Only those who truly
choose this empire remain."
The silence was suffocating. Then Arthur unfurled the scroll of qi
techniques.
"Now," he said, "I give this to you. Use it not to oppress, but to strengthen.
Protect your people. Lift your honor."
His final words thundered across the hall.
"And last, I will found the Council of Law. They will judge criminals,
oppressors, and the corrupt. Even the imperial family will not stand above
them. Every city will have its council, every village its post. If there is
bribery, if there is tyranny—you may report directly. I swear, I will hear
you."
The silence shattered. Applause and cheers thundered, rolling through the
chamber like a storm. Nobles looked pale, but the city leaders and common lords
shouted with hope.
Lionel inclined his head, satisfied. Hadrick's eyes burned, already
memorizing names. Arthur stood tall, knowing that this day was not only the
birth of an empire—it was the foundation of a new world.