Flowered Metal

“I formally declare the war with the Tress Kingdom, over!” The Emperor declared, his voice carried via magic over the large square at the foot of the Palace walls.

“Victory to the Empire!”

“Long Live the Emperor!

“Its over! We can see Daddy!”

Fireworks illuminated the stone-tiled roofs of the Emerald Empire’s capital city, Ju. Its streets became flooded with lights as music and laughter filled the street as the sun began to set. Almost as if it too had grown wary of war. The war between the North-western and the South-eastern powers had come to a close after 20 years. Closing the chapter on this bloody chapter in the annals of history – with the Tress Kingdom as the Emerald Empire’s vassal.

Similarly, from a non-descript window of the palace, the Emperor overlooked it all. His wrinkled face tinged with annoyance. Despite the momentous day – the Empire never sleeps. He did allow himself this moment to enjoy the fireworks from the window of his office. Of course, it was a moment to ignore the annoyance that stood at attention 5 feet from his desk. The war had officially ended today, as the scholars would teach. For those who fought in the trenches, the fields, and in the courts, the war had long been over for the last three months.

For the common folk, news described it as a period of uneasiness as both sides kept each other at bay at the point of a side. A few skirmishes here and there, but with casualties limited to the haughty young nobles fresh to the lines.

For the nobles who’d been drafted into the Emperuim Strategies Center for their sharp minds, it had been a breath of fresh air. Many would accuse these minds to be lazy merit-seeking individuals who suckled at the tit of the Palace’s taxes. No, it had been the opposite. They worked like dogs to think of plans and devise countermeasures to possible plans of the enemies.

The first month had been the worst as they had to worm their way through mountains of intelligence-trained seekers brought from the Kingdom after their surrender. The second month had been the Emperor and the ESC piecing together the picture. The final month had been the actual implementation of the final plan – a formal declaration of vassalship from the Tress Kingdom, actual Imperial forces taking up new posts throughout said kingdom, and patching up whatever holes were found in the fabric of that nation.

A whole pony show that eventually led to this moment.

Duke Renaldo Te Herlad, Bulwark of the North. A noble of the Kingdom – specifically, the one that was responsible for guarding the northern land that bordered the Eastern Monster Lands.

The Emperor previously regarded the Duke as a steadfast individual. To be responsible for such a large swath of land that was rumored to be monster-infested would… Such a position would certainly be held by someone honorable given that it was a thankless position. Yet, as the Duke looked pale, the Emperor no longer held such notions as he turned back to face the noble.

“Have you decided?” The Emperor asked.

“Your Majesty, I wish to petition you for le–” He was interrupted by a single hand from the Emperor. A simple open palm that gestured for him to stop.

A few tense seconds of silence passed before the Emperor brought his hand down, tapping his right index finger on the stack of neat white papers on his desk. “Conclusion on Falsified Reports from Herlad Region”. The Emperor’s left eyebrow raised as if to ask “What of this?”

“I understand that It may look like I falsified the reports to my King, but –”

“You king was slain on the battlefield – your Queen has surrendered herself to be personally. Do remember the new hierarchy.” The Emperor said in a dangerously low voice as a wicked grin began to form on his lips.

“... Yes, Your Majesty…” The Duke bowed deeply. “I did not falsify my reports, yet I would be insulting your intelligence if I did not admit I did not also update them…”

“Is that your defense to the accusations of lying to your previous liege?” The Emperor asked.

“... I would like to add that the King no longer asked for my reports towards the middle of the war, and only asked that I continue my duties.” The Duke explained. “While I admit I was remiss in my reporting – I felt I was owed the peace. My family has fought against the monster hordes for several generations and these last five years have been a blessing to say the least.”

The Emperor nodded. “I will not hold you accountable for your misdeeds to your previous liege. However, I will warn you that you will not have any chances under my rule. Tread lightly, and thoughtfully. With that said my agents have reported an uptick in activity on the frontier within the last six months. Many adventurers have migrated to your lands, along with reports that you lost a platoon of your special troops. Care to inform me on why this is?”

“... Yes, Your Majesty…” The Duke cleared his throat. “Within the last five years, monster activity has trended downward with consistency. Scouts have confirmed that the monsters seem to be migrated further north – deeper into the myriad of mountain ranges. Yet, six months ago, strange metal monsters had appeared on the Black Lake. It is a location reported to be home to the Beast People. Said beast people seem to live in harmony with the strange monsters.”

“And the loss of your troops has to do with the attack on their village.” The Emperor said matter of factly.

The Duke nodded with shame. “I had stationed a platoon of Black Hunters – my family’s specially trained Monster Hunting Knights – within Eagle’s Fort, the last town. I only received word from a passing merchant. By then, it had been a week since. I had commissioned adventurers from beyond my lands to investigate with my funds. The investigation turned into a scandal beyond my belief.”

The Emperor nodded along, then gestured for the man to continue. /

“The Mayor had bribed the Captain of the Knights to destroy the beastmen after an altercation where members of the Thieves Guild had brazenly attempted to assault the daughter of the Chief of the Beast people. From there, they had garnered the attention of a new type of monster that attacked from range with precision. Further investigation has confirmed that the monsters seem sentient and do not attack those who leave them alone, or come near any locations they seem to frequent. Several adventurers have attempted to test the boundaries and have thus been killed without fail.

At the moment, there is a Declaration in place. It forbids all from bothering the new type of monster to avoid another incident like the first one.”

As the Duke spoke, the Emperor read the reports. In the middle of the explanation, two guards came alongside a bookish woman who brought more reports. She was middle-aged, and dressed in a muted green dress. He glanced at the new reports and then gestured for the woman to stay. The Duke gave a curious glance but continued until the end. Once finished, the Emperor leaned forward with a sigh.

“Have you looked into the origins of these monsters?” He asked

The Duke shook his head. “They appeared around the time my old liege had been killed in single combat against General Lenin Obin. It was… that news that caused the events on the frontier to unfold. The Queen had sent up a full mobilization order that pulled from every region’s army, and to draft the peasantry into the fold as well. Unfortunately for the Queen, the frontier does not possess the kind of people that the queen would like.”

The Emperor nodded. “I have read that the Frontier attracts many of the kind that wish to hide from the eyes of Authority. It seems that is true.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” The Duke nodded. “In the Age of Enlightenment, when exploration was all scholars and adventurers could think of, the frontier bustled with good folk. I'm sure Your Majesty also remembers it.”

“I do. It was a time when humans held great hopes for this world. After the collapse of Saratoga at the hands of the Demons, the Sage Achilles opened a portal to this world to allow the survivors to leave our old world for this one.” The Emperor noted.

The Duke nodded. “Then I won’t waste my time explaining it – to the point, we don’t have the kind of manpower and fervor to explore this world. With at least some major war happening with each generation, less and less honorable folk turn to the frontier. It’s more now a place people who wish to escape the eyes of authority, or be forgotten, go. Thus, the stock of those my family hires has deteriorated. We often have to recruit from other regions at a higher expense.”

“That explains how this issue had gotten to its current point.” The Emperor sighed. “With the war, the frontier itself on our end had also fallen to the bottom of the list. This has been quite an eye-opener. The Empire will cast its gaze at the frontier once more, now that the mainland is unified of course.” He looked back out the window.

Night had set. With it, the a lack of fireworks as the festivities began to die down. The stars began to shine as the town began to dim as revelers returned to their abodes. With their conversation coming to a halt, both admired the serene view. But, like everything in the life of government, they only had a few minutes to smell the roses.

The Emperor turned back to the Duke. “It is time for this meeting to end, Duke Herlad. While the circumstances are simpler than I expected, the underlying issues must be investigated. The matter of a new monster type appearing on the border is an ill omen no one can ignore. Neither is the issue that both frontiers have seen a reduction in monster sightings. I feel this is but the calm before the storm. Yet, I fear whether it is a storm we can weather out while the people are weary from war. It may be the final wave that breaks the levies…”

With that, he turned to the woman beside him.

She nodded, taking that as her cue to enter the conversation. “Using what has been stated, I propose that the Emperium Strategic Center channel its efforts into espionage focusing on key fields. In regards to the Frontier: Unusual monster activity, unusual adventurer activity, and strange wounds. Pivoting over to settling down people of the Tress Kingdom we will watch the commons for unusual activity in general.”

The Duke interjected. “Allow me to add that the commons do not particularly care who is in charge. There have been many power changes within the Kingdom in the last 20 years and never has the peasantry ever revolted. Unless you begin to treat them excessively badly and or raise their taxes. You will probably want to look into the Nobility to the south. Those bordering the sea have much to lose and gain when changing hands due to the amount of coin that passes through.”

The girl scoffed. “I know how to do –” She was interrupted by the Emperor.

“Ms. Yeru, while I see you as a fine strategist, might I remind you that you’ve been chastised for your shortcomings – particularly in regards to the commons and their ways. Listen to the Duke. He of all the nobility in the Tress Kingdom has seen the least amount of issues in regards to the peasantry. Thus, we will defer to his advice on this topic. And given that Crows and the Isles have been active recently compared to normal, I think it will be best to turn our eyes to the ports for now.” The Emperor said as he rubbed his temples.

He continued. “Its not that you’re wrong Ms. Yeru, do understand that we are changing from wartime to occupation time. The rules are changing and thus we must keep these new changes in mind. We must rebuild and beat off the vultures that will come – from within and outside. You are young, and this is your first war… I pray it will be the last… At least for a long time…”

She bit her lip but eventually softened. Towards the end, she gave a small bow. “I will defer to the Duke then on this.”

The Emperor stood. “See to the issue on your Northern border, Duke Herlard. The Empire will support you. Just see that the issues do not exacerbate, or you and your family will no longer see the benefits of nobility a moment longer.”

Duke Herlard bowed and left the office. Thus, the Emperor stood, stretching his aged body. Ms. Yeru kept silent. After 10 minutes, the Emperor gestured for her to follow as he exited the office. Both of them stepped out into a grand stone hall. Knights in golden armor stood at attention. Their helms were adorned with small molded wings painted white. Polished polearms pointed upward with trained precision.

A puff of smoky blue floated downward across from the Emperor, coiling itself on the floor before one of the knights. With silent speed, it took on a kneeling figure. Hooded and bowed. Its voice a light rasp “The Duke has left the Keep with haste...”

“I suspected as much, follow and give me your side of the report.” The Emperor said as he turned down the hall and walked.

The figure was silent and took up the right flank of his liege while Yeru took the left.

He gave his report as thus. “The Duke speaks true for most – yet speaks one half-truth. The Beast people and the origins of the monsters… My agents have managed to break into the Herlard’s estate. There appear to be records that the Duke has no interest in pushing the Kingdom’s borders more than where they lay. Rather, there were records from years ago about how a disguised Beastwoman Mage saved the Duke from an assassination attempt. From there… It appears that the Duke had moved assets away from the Monster Land Acquisition department.”

The Emperor interjected to ask a question. “The Monster Land Acquisition Department?”

“It is a department within the Herlard region – comparable to our Land Management department, but aimed at dealing with acquiring raw land beyond. And it is managed by the regional noble rather than the nation itself. Thus, its inner workers and records exist only with the Herlard estate.”

“I see.” The Emperor nodded. “We will have to change that in the future. I believe the duke is an honorable individual given the overview report, yet I could not place the reason to why he abandoned all pushes into the wild. Is it safe to assume that this has something to do with the Beastwoman? Is it something we can use?”

The figure answered. “It matches with the whine-down periods. We were not able to breach the last fort town on the border to check their records. That may require an official visit to confirm. I can say that from what I’ve seen, heard, and read – I can concur with your assumption of the duke. With that said, I can assume that a deal was struck between the two parties. The Kingdom had an abundance of land already from their push southward and the late-king had no motivation to acquire more.”

“So Duke abandoned the land grab as well, and the late-king never objected, most likely due to having new lands deal with.” The Emperor stated.

“It was also towards the middle of the war as well.” The figure added.

The Emperor amended. “And he had our war to deal with as well.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” The figure hummed. “

“And what of the funds meant for the land grab process?” The Emperor asked.

“Paid out to infrastructure, better training and benefits for the region’s soldiers, and support for the farmers.” The figure reported. “While I hesitate to say he is a man of the people, it is clear he knows how to keep the commons on his side. It still is not a cakewalk. Most of his region is still new to the kingdom. Three-fourths of the land has been acquired in the last 3 generations. As you are aware, the Age of Monsters had ended 200 years ago. Thus, it is still developing.”

“Then we should strike while the iron is hot.” The Emperor chuckled. “While I would like to keep the Duke within our graces, he will not be needed in the coming years. If he wishes to remain a noble in the slightest, he will need to prove his station. Despite what you say, the full report states the region has entered a state of entropy. Send a company of troops to the Duke’s lands. Secure a clear route to the fort town, and we will use prison labor to weed out monsters and those who will not bow equally.”

Ms. Yeru finally spoke up. “My Liege, I believe this will be a mistake. We are stretched thin as is, and the army is fatigued.”

The Emperor stopped. “We have a new type of monster on our new border. We may be witnessing the birth of a new Age of Monsters. I will not hand the Empire over to my children while that sort of calamity hangs like an executioner's blade over us all.”

“I understand, Your Majesty, however, the war has just been officially declared over!” Ms. Yeru persisted. “Our troop effectiveness has declined below 30 percent! Please give us a year at least before we begin another deployment! If we only send the fresh recruits, I fear they will be eaten up by any rogue elements heedlessly!”

The figure added his agreement. “The War Scholar speaks truthfully. Desertion is only kept low as it is under the threat of death and war with the Kingdom. One of those two reasons is now gone. Its safe to say that the rate will skyrocket if you attempt to deploy the army – and it will take a full deployment if you want this done correctly.”

“I agree with the Spy Master!” Ms. Yeru hastily said. “If we tried to send anything less than corps risks failure and possible loss of the troops. We will have to secure nearly 500 miles of road. Calculating the supplies, wages, and time – we’re looking at an expenditure of almost 200 million gold!”

The Emperor stopped and took a deep breath. After a few seconds, turned to face the two. “We have an abundance of prisoners. Empty the prisons, jails, and any such holding facility. Fast-track criminal trials and forward them to the frontier. Split them between our front and the new front.” The Emperor said. “We will sell this to the people as a push to reinvigorate the economy. Make sure farmers are well cared for and tend to any need their crops may have. Use the mages to clean up the battlefields if we need to.”

“Your Majesty! I—” Ms. Yeru spoke up but was stopped by the Emperor.

“I know that the time after any war is a nation’s weakest. I’m gambling that the Crows and the Isles will not make a move. The Black Stone will go with whoever pays them. If need be, hire whoever we need from them.” The Emperor rubbed his temples. “Too much was lost in this foolish war my father started. And I refuse to hand a broken nation over to my kids as he did. We need to restore hope that the future is bright…”

“Yes, Your Majesty…” Both Spy Master and War Scholar bowed – still reluctant to carry the orders out, but… Nonetheless, they will...

“Now leave, it is late. Notify the Duke in the morning before he leaves.” The Emperor said.