Chapter 100: The Children of the Emperor
The throne room remained silent.
The false Imperial badge sat on the table between Kael and the Emperor.
Nobody touched it.
The First Prince leaned slightly forward, studying the object.
One of Kael’s brothers folded his arms.
Another looked toward the military officials.
Everyone understood the same thing.
Someone had been using the Empire’s authority without permission.
And they had been asking questions about the expedition.
The Emperor finally broke the silence.
"Kael."
"Yes, Father?"
"You said the expedition discovered a problem with the Empire itself."
"Yes."
"Tell me what you learned."
Kael took a breath.
He didn’t rush.
He began with the Crimson Highlands.
He explained the monster migration.
He explained the villages that had been attacked.
He described the ancient ruins.
He spoke about the forest.
The guardian beasts.
The lake.
The submerged ruins.
The hunters.
The villagers.
The problems along the western road.
He didn’t exaggerate anything.
He didn’t make himself sound like a hero.
And he didn’t hide his mistakes.
When he finished, the room remained quiet.
Then the First Prince spoke.
"You said some monsters weren’t attacking people."
Kael nodded.
"Correct."
"Yet soldiers still killed them?"
"Sometimes."
"Why?"
"Fear. Ignorance. Or because their bodies were valuable."
The First Prince looked toward the Emperor.
"Then the problem isn’t simply monsters."
Kael looked at his older brother.
"That’s what I believe."
The First Prince nodded.
"I agree."
For a moment, Kael was surprised.
There was no hostility in the First Prince’s voice.
Only consideration.
The First Prince’s Report
The emperor turned toward his eldest son.
"Your expedition."
The First Prince stood.
"My assignment took me north."
Kael listened.
Unlike Kael’s expedition, the First Prince had been tasked with inspecting several Imperial provinces.
He had visited military outposts.
Spoken with governors.
Reviewed tax records.
Inspected roads.
And investigated complaints from villages.
"I found a different problem," the First Prince said.
"Provincial governors are becoming too dependent on local nobles."
Several officials shifted uncomfortably.
The First Prince continued.
"Some villages receive protection based on who owns the land."
"Others don’t."
"Some roads are maintained."
"Others are neglected."
"And some nobles are collecting taxes that should belong to the Empire."
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
The emperor remained calm.
"Did you solve it?"
The First Prince shook his head.
"No."
Several people looked surprised.
"I documented it."
He looked directly at the emperor.
"Some problems can’t be solved by simply arresting everyone involved."
The Emperor nodded.
"Good."
The First Prince sat.
Kael understood.
His brother’s assignment had taught him something different.
Kael had seen the wilderness.
The First Prince had seen the machinery of government.
Neither was better.
They were simply different lessons.
The Second Report
The Emperor looked toward another child.
"You."
One of Kael’s siblings stood.
"My assignment was along the southern trade routes."
He explained how merchant caravans were being delayed by damaged roads.
Then came the problem of smugglers.
Then corrupt officials.
Then shortages.
Then disputes between merchants and local villages.
The Emperor listened.
When the report finished, he asked,
"What did you learn?"
The prince hesitated.
"That trade isn’t simply about money."
The Emperor nodded.
"Continue."
"If roads fail, food becomes expensive."
"If food becomes expensive, poor families suffer."
"If merchants stop traveling, cities lose supplies."
"And if cities lose supplies..."
He paused.
"People become desperate."
Kael listened carefully.
Another lesson.
Another part of ruling.
The Third Report
The next sibling stood.
Their assignment had been military.
They had been ordered to oversee the training of a provincial garrison.
The result hadn’t been impressive.
"Half the soldiers were poorly trained."
A few commanders frowned.
"Some officers were more concerned with appearances than combat."
The sibling continued.
"And I discovered that soldiers who are never tested in real situations become confident in ways they shouldn’t."
The Emperor looked at them.
"What did you do?"
"I changed the training."
"How?"
"Less ceremony."
"More field exercises."
The Emperor nodded.
"Good."
Kael quietly smiled.
Each sibling had returned with something different.
No one had been sent on the same assignment.
No one had been given an easy path.
Their father wasn’t trying to determine who was strongest.
He was trying to discover who could actually rule.
The emperor looked across the chamber.
"You all returned with different answers."
His gaze moved from child to child.
"That was intentional."
Kael remained silent.
The Emperor continued.
"If I sent all of you to fight the same battle, I would learn which of you could fight."
"But an empire is not a battlefield."
He stood.
"A ruler must understand soldiers."
"Farmers."
"Merchants."
"Scholars."
"Governors."
"Nobles."
"Criminals."
"Foreigners."
"And even those who hate the Empire."
Nobody spoke.
"That is why none of you were given the same task."
The Emperor looked toward Kael.
"Your expedition was never simply about monsters."
Kael looked up.
"Then what was it about?"
The emperor smiled slightly.
"Learning."
Kael thought for a moment.
"Father."
"Yes?"
"Then why did you send me west?"
The Emperor didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he looked at the false Imperial badge.
"Because I knew the western territories had problems."
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
"You knew?"
"I knew there were reports."
"About monsters?"
"Among other things."
Kael frowned.
"Then why didn’t you tell us?"
"Because if I gave you the answers..."
The Emperor looked at his children.
"...you wouldn’t have learned how to find them."
Kael understood.
His father hadn’t wanted him to follow instructions.
He wanted him to think.
The Emperor returned to the subject.
"You suggested specialized groups."
Kael nodded.
"Yes."
"Explain your idea."
Kael stepped forward.
"I don’t have a complete system yet."
"Good."
Kael looked surprised.
The Emperor continued.
"Anyone who thinks they understand an empire after one expedition is a fool."
Several officials lowered their eyes.
Kael continued.
"I think the Empire needs people who can handle problems that the military isn’t designed for."
"Tracking."
"Exploration."
"Rescue."
"Monster hunting."
"Gathering."
"Scouting."
"Escort work."
"Investigation."
The Emperor nodded.
"But you said you don’t have a system."
"Not yet."
"Then don’t build one yet."
Kael paused.
The emperor looked at him.
"Observe."
"Study."
"Find out what already exists."
"Learn from the people doing this work."
"Then decide what needs to change."
Kael nodded.
"Understood."
The First Prince leaned forward.
"I would support that."
Kael looked at him.
The First Prince continued.
"But I think it should begin with information."
Kael nodded.
"Records."
"Exactly."
The First Prince looked toward the officials.
"How many licensed monster hunters exist in the Empire?"
Silence.
The Emperor raised an eyebrow.
Nobody answered.
The First Prince smiled faintly.
"That’s the problem."
Kael realized something.
They didn’t even know how many people were already doing this work.
The Empire didn’t have a complete picture.
Before creating anything...
They needed to understand what was already there.
The Emperor picked up the fake badge again.
"This matter is different."
The room became tense.
"I want the investigation kept quiet."
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
"Why?"
"Because whoever is behind this wants information."
The emperor looked toward the military commanders.
"If they realize we know..."
"They’ll disappear."
Kael nodded.
"So we let them think they haven’t been discovered."
"Exactly."
The Emperor looked at the First Prince.
"You will investigate the administrative side."
The First Prince nodded.
Then the Emperor looked toward another sibling.
"You will investigate the military side."
Another nod.
Finally, his eyes returned to Kael.
"You will do nothing."
Kael blinked.
"Nothing?"
"Yes."
Kael frowned.
The emperor almost smiled.
"You just returned from an expedition."
"You have soldiers to organize."
"You need to report to the military."
"You need to recover."
"And you have an estate that has probably been waiting for you."
Kael couldn’t argue with that.
"Understood."
The emperor looked toward him.
"How did your fifty soldiers perform?"
Kael’s expression changed slightly.
"They improved."
"That’s not an answer."
Kael thought.
"They made mistakes."
"Good."
"They learned."
"Better."
"They protected each other."
The Emperor nodded.
"Now that’s an answer."
Kael continued.
"They aren’t ready yet."
"Do you believe they can become an elite company?"
Kael looked directly at his father.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because they don’t need me to tell them everything anymore."
The emperor smiled.
"Then teach them."
Kael bowed.
"I will."
The Emperor finally dismissed the officials.
One by one, they left.
Kael remained behind.
His siblings began leaving as well.
The First Prince stopped beside him.
"You’ve changed."
Kael looked at him.
"So have you."
The First Prince smiled.
"Perhaps."
He started walking away.
Then stopped.
"Kael."
"Yes?"
"You found something in the west."
Kael became still.
The First Prince continued.
"I can see it."
Kael didn’t answer.
His brother looked at him for a moment.
"Whatever it is..."
He smiled faintly.
"Be careful."
Then he left.
Kael watched him disappear through the doors.
The emperor remained seated.
"You’re wondering what he meant."
Kael looked at his father.
"Yes."
"He noticed you were holding something back."
Kael remained silent.
The Emperor didn’t press him.
Instead, he said,
"Whatever you discovered, you will tell me when you’re ready."
Kael looked surprised.
"You don’t want to know?"
"I do."
"Then why—"
"Because trust is also part of leadership."
Kael lowered his head.
"Thank you."
The Emperor nodded.
Then he added:
"But don’t mistake patience for permission to hide dangerous information."
Kael smiled.
"I won’t."
Kael finally left the palace.
The streets were quiet.
The expedition was over.
For the first time in weeks, he was walking through the capital without a military column around him.
He looked toward the direction of his estate.
Home.
His soldiers would be waiting.
His responsibilities would be waiting.
And soon...
He would finally begin the process he’d been thinking about since the expedition started.
The fifty soldiers needed ranks.
They needed positions.
They needed commanders.
They needed a structure.
Kael looked up at the night sky.
The journey had ended.
But the next Chapter of his life was beginning.
And somewhere beneath the capital...
Someone was already waiting for him.