Chapter 3063: For All I Care...

[AN: I made some changes to the second half of the previous Chapter. For the best reading experience, please reread the last Chapter before continuing with this one.]

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Date: Unspecified

Time: Unspecified

Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Five Regions, Southern Region, Blossom District, Sky Blossom City, TSR Tower, Guild Meeting Hall

"With that settled, let us resume the assembly without any further interruptions."

Having made the announcement, Lorn returned to her seat as though nothing unusual had happened, allowing the meeting to continue.

Border City Lord Tess Malvin seized the opportunity. She rose from her seat and addressed their young ruler with the question that had been weighing on the minds of nearly every leader in the hall.

"Your Highness," Tess asked, rising from her seat. "I can see that you’ve already made the necessary arrangements for your prolonged absence. But what exactly do you expect us to do while you’re away? Should we simply maintain the status quo, or should we conquer the Five Regions and, eventually, the entire Card World, as my daughter believes?"

The question echoed the thoughts of nearly everyone present. Heads nodded throughout the hall as every leader leaned forward, eager to hear the direction His Highness intended to set for the Empire. Instead, his answer caught them completely off guard.

"You decide," I said calmly. "I’ve given you the tools. Now I’m giving you the freedom to choose, just as Aurelia has."

The assembly fell into thoughtful silence. Seeing the confusion on their faces, I smiled and continued. "Once I make my debut in the Myriad Realms, I won’t have the time to oversee every little matter happening inside and outside the Card World."

"So, while I still can..." I looked across the hall, meeting the eyes of one leader after another. "I’d like to see what all of you can accomplish when you’re left to your own devices. Don’t worry. I’ll keep an open mind. Whatever path you choose... I won’t be surprised or disappointed. But remember don’t kill unless necessary. The freedom is to achieve your dreams not orchestrate a massacre. The New Empire has no place for war criminals or warlords."

A wave of unease swept through the assembly. It felt like a group of graduates celebrating their newfound freedom, only to wake up the next morning and realize the bills, responsibilities, and consequences were now theirs alone. The ambition and greed that had burned in their eyes moments ago vanished almost instantly, replaced by uncertainty and apprehension.

"Your Highness," Tess Malvin said, unable to hold back any longer. "With our leader’s absence alone, the Empire will already struggle to remain united, let alone maintain the current status quo in both internal and external affairs. If you leave us with such broad authority on top of that... there might not even be an Empire left for you to return to."

There was a subtle change in her tone. She could feel it. His Highness was setting something in motion again. Just like every time before, she found herself one step behind, unable to see the bigger picture. Her only consolation was that Henricks and the Saintess appeared to be just as confused as she was.

The only exception... Was the Field Marshal. Judging by her calm expression, she seemed to understand exactly what His Highness was trying to accomplish.

’What was different about her and the rest of us?’ Tess instinctively asked herself.

The answer came almost immediately. Lorn had never tried to build a faction of her own. Nor had she openly backed anyone else’s.

That was why she had gone out of her way to emphasize that she was merely the acting head. Corey and Aurelia remained the rightful leaders of their respective departments and organizations. She was simply keeping their seats warm until they returned.

Tess let out a quiet sigh as she realised what truly separated the Field Marshal from the rest of them. While everyone else had already begun viewing the Card World as the ultimate prize. Lorn never had. She was just like His Highness. The Card World was merely the beginning. It could never satisfy either of them.

They all had their priorities. And hers were her people and now the New Empire. Whether this was a test or simply another order from His Highness, Tess had already made up her mind. She would do everything in her power to meet his expectations.

And to do that she first needed to extract as much information as possible from His Highness himself. Even if it meant questioning him and his motives.

"Then so be it," I replied nonchalantly. "I’ll rebuild it. I built it once. Building it a second time should be even easier." I shrugged lightly. "Though I’d rather not lose all the time and resources I’ve already invested in it."

I spoke as if I truly didn’t care whether the New Empire flourished, merely survived, or was reduced to ashes.

The effect was immediate. A wave of dissatisfaction rippled through the assembly. Even those closest to me couldn’t hide the discomfort in their expressions.

My gaze swept across the hall. Some wondered if they had misheard me. Others searched my face, convinced there had to be a deeper meaning behind those words.

Seeing their reactions, I asked calmly, "Did my words hurt you... or scare you?"

I let the silence linger before continuing.

"Either way, if you truly care about the New Empire, then don’t fight tooth and nail just to keep it alive. Fight to see it thrive. Fight to see it conquer the Card World and beyond."

As those words echoed through the hall, something clicked in Asong’s mind. The confusion clouding her eyes disappeared, replaced by sudden clarity.

She finally understood. I wasn’t entrusting the New Empire to them. I was making them responsible for it.

I might have been the one who brought the New Empire into existence. But whether it merely endured, prospered beyond imagination, or ultimately collapsed. That responsibility no longer rested on my shoulders alone. It rested on theirs.

It wasn’t just Asong. Many others in the hall came to the same realization.

One after another, their expressions changed. The uncertainty and apprehension that had lingered moments earlier slowly gave way to something else, responsibility.

For the first time, they truly understood that the New Empire wasn’t something they were building for His Highness but themselves. They knew that only now they realised what it truly meant. That realization settled heavily upon every leader in the assembly.

Yet instead of crushing them, it ignited something within them. Each of them found themselves wanting to do more than merely fulfill their assigned duties. They wanted to leave their own mark on the New Empire. To contribute to the vision that had brought them all together beneath the same banner.

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