Trullinczentyr, a secret chamber deep within the Imperial Palace.
Emperor Lacey stood before the sand table, idly toying with a black chess piece representing Kazdel.
The door to the secret chamber was pushed open silently, and a tall, upright figure walked in.
He wore a well-tailored black military uniform. There was no rank on his shoulders, yet that iron-blooded aura, honed from mountains of corpses and seas of blood, was more intimidating than any decorated general.
Theresis, Chairman of the Kazdel Military Commission.
"Your Imperial Majesty, your palace is simpler than I imagined," Theresis said, looking around.
"A true empire is not built on luxurious decorations." Lacey turned around, smiling as he motioned for Theresis to sit in the chair across from the sand table.
"Welcome to Trullinczentyr, Lord Theresis. I hope this secret journey did not bore you."
"Compared to listening to those endless quarrels in Kazdel, any journey counts as enjoyment."
Theresis sat down unceremoniously, casting his gaze upon the sand table.
"Your Imperial Majesty certainly has a grand hand."
"First Siracusa, then Kazimierz, and now you have cast your gaze upon Victoria."
"Leithanien's appetite is far larger than I imagined."
"Lord Theresis flatters me." Lacey lifted the black tea before him and took a gentle sip.
"I am merely cleaning up the mess left by my predecessors and, incidentally, establishing a more stable order for this riddle-filled world."
"Order?" Theresis let out a low laugh. "An order defined by you?"
"Why not?" Lacey asked in return.
"Lord Theresis, we are both pragmatic men; there is no need for hypocritical pleasantries."
"You came personally today, presumably not to discuss philosophical questions with me."
Just then, the door was pushed open.
An aged figure slowly walked in.
He wore a plain scholar's robe, and phantom blue soul-fire burned within his pupils.
It was none other than the long-unseen Lord of the Royal Court of Liches, Flemont.
The moment he saw Flemont, Theresis's face, which usually resembled an eternal iceberg, showed a ripple of emotion for the first time.
"Lord Flemont..." He slowly uttered the name.
Flemont did not pay him any heed. His gaze landed on Lacey, his look somewhat complex.
Subsequently, he walked to a seat beside Lacey and sat down, as if he were born to sit there.
"Lord Theresis, let us continue," Lacey said with a smile, not surprised in the slightest by Flemont's arrival.
"I imagine you are clearer on the current state of Kazdel than I am."
"Surrounded by enemies on all sides."
"Ursus in the north views you as a mortal threat. Although Gaul in the west has fallen, Victoria has inherited its hostility."
"Yan in the east guards strictly against you. You are like a male lion trapped in a cage, possessing strength in vain but finding no way out."
"Your military strength is undoubtedly still top-tier in Terra, but no country can rely solely on an army."
Lacey stood up and began to pace beside the sand table.
"Can your agriculture feed all the Sarkaz people?"
"Can your industry manufacture advanced weapons sufficient to rival Columbia?"
"Aside from exporting mercenaries, what pillar industries does your economy have?"
"In your diplomacy, aside from me, who else is willing to sit down and talk with you?"
"You do not even have a solid homeland in the true sense."
"The ideals of Babel were great, but that was ultimately just a dream."
"The future of a race cannot be pinned solely on an ethereal dream."
Theresis remained silent.
The string of questions from the other party left him unsure where to begin his rebuttal.
Because every word Lacey spoke stabbed at his greatest sore spot.
He could conquer all enemies, yet he could not conjure bread out of thin air.
"I admire your ambition, Theresis." Lacey stopped pacing and looked him straight in the eye.
"You want to find a way out for the Sarkaz, to win a land where your compatriots can settle down and get on with their lives."
"And I can give you this chance."
"What chance?" Theresis finally spoke.
"Victoria."
Lacey's finger pointed to that fertile land on the map.
"Once I have resolved those obstructing Dukes, I will assign an entire Grand Duke's territory—including the land, cities, ports, everything—to you, as a new home for the Sarkaz people."
At these words, even Theresis's pupils could not help but constrict.
An entire Grand Duke's territory!
That meant at least tens of thousands of square kilometers of land, millions of people, and a complete industrial and agricultural foundation.
This was something the Sarkaz people had dreamed of for thousands of years.
"And the conditions?" Theresis's voice was somewhat hoarse.
He never believed that pies fell from the sky.
"Very simple." Lacey extended two fingers.
"First, in the coming war in Victoria, the Kazdel Military Commission needs to dispatch your most elite troops to accept my unified command and serve as the spearhead for storming fortifications."
"Second, you need to mobilize all your intelligence networks and military forces across the Terra continent to provide cover for my strategic operations. Especially in the directions of Ursus and Columbia, I need you to attract their attention for me."
"Using Sarkaz blood to trade for your Victorian crown?" Theresis sneered.
"Your Imperial Majesty's calculations are truly shrewd."
"This is not a transaction; it is an investment," Lacey corrected.
"You are investing your present; I am investing in your future."
"Do you think that relying on Kazdel alone, you can snatch a piece of meat from the jaws of those eight hungry wolves in Victoria?"
"Moreover, don't you want to see with your own eyes the look of terror on the faces of the nations of Terra when the Sarkaz war flag is planted atop the city walls of Londinium?" Lacey changed his tone, his voice laced with temptation.
"Don't you want to make those races that once despised, expelled, and hunted you kneel before you and beg for your mercy?"
These words struck the deepest desires within Theresis's heart.
He had established the Military Commission and integrated the power of the Sarkaz not merely for survival, but for revenge.
He wanted all of Terra to pay the price for the crimes once committed against the Sarkaz.
The room fell into a long silence once again.
Theresis closed his eyes, seeming to weigh the pros and cons of this deal.
After a long while, he reopened his eyes; the hesitation was gone.
"How do I ensure that after the war is won, you will honor your promise?" he asked.
"And not discard us after use like everyone else?"
Lacey smiled.
He did not answer but instead looked toward Flemont at the side.
The old Lich slowly spoke, his voice seeming to come from the ancient void: "The era of Herkunftshorn has passed. The new era requires a new contract."
"I will be the witness to this contract."
The weight of the Lord of the Witch King's Royal Court was enough.
Theresis slowly stood up and extended his hand toward Lacey.
"I hope you will not disappoint me, Your Imperial Majesty."
Lacey also extended his hand, clasping it tightly with his.
"History will prove that this is the most correct choice you have made for the Sarkaz."
________________________________________
Get rewarded for helping with our community goals!
🎯 Reward for all: +1 bonus chapter at 50 Powerstones.
🚀 Tier Reward: Help us reach 20 members for +5 chapters on all stories!
👻 Join the crew by searching Ms. Medusa on (P). You know the spot! 😉