The Imperial System: Architect of an Empire

The news spread across Blackwood faster than Kael expected.

It traveled on merchant wagons.

Through village taverns.

By wandering priests.

Along hunters' trails.

From blacksmith to blacksmith.

From soldier to soldier.

A single announcement echoed throughout the territory.

By order of Prince Kael Asterion, Lord of Blackwood.

Blackwood seeks fifty warriors.

Birth does not matter.

Status does not matter.

Titles do not matter.

Only merit shall decide who earns the right to carry the Black Dragon Banner.

For many...

It sounded ridiculous.

For others...

It sounded like hope.

Three Days Later

The fields outside Blackwood Manor had transformed.

Rows of wooden fences marked out training grounds.

Archery targets stood along the northern hill.

Obstacle courses stretched across the western fields.

Blacksmiths hammered temporary weapon racks into place.

Carpenters finished observation platforms overlooking the training area.

The quiet territory had become alive with anticipation.

Kael stood on the balcony overlooking the grounds.

Lily stepped beside him.

"I expected maybe a hundred people."

Kael looked toward the road leading into Blackwood.

Dust clouds rose in the distance.

Then...

People.

Hundreds of them.

No...

Thousands.

Walter let out a low whistle.

"...That's more than I expected."

Edwin adjusted his glasses.

"Current estimate..."

He glanced at his notes.

"...one thousand six hundred and forty-two applicants."

Bram burst into laughter.

"So much for recruiting fifty."

Kael remained calm.

"Good."

The others looked at him.

"The more who come..."

"The greater the chance we find extraordinary people."

Throughout the day, the applicants continued arriving.

A one-eyed mercenary from the western frontier.

Twin sisters who hunted magical beasts together.

A former knight stripped of his title after refusing to execute innocent villagers.

A beastman exile carrying a massive warhammer.

A dwarf engineer claiming he could build siege weapons capable of leveling castles.

An elderly swordsman who insisted he was "only fifty."

No one believed him.

Near sunset...

A loud commotion erupted near the registration tents.

Two guards rushed toward Kael.

"Your Highness!"

"What happened?"

"There..."

The guard swallowed.

"...there's a goblin demanding to enter the trials."

The surrounding applicants erupted into laughter.

"A goblin?"

"They're monsters!"

"Throw him out!"

"What's next?"

"An orc prince?"

Kael immediately frowned.

"Bring him."

Moments later...

The crowd parted.

Walking through the center was a lone goblin.

He stood nearly six feet tall.

Unlike the weak goblins most people imagined...

His body was lean and muscular.

Old scars covered his green skin.

His ears had several tears from old battles.

Across his back rested an enormous black spear.

More importantly...

His eyes.

They were calm.

Disciplined.

The eyes of a veteran.

The moment Darius saw him...

His expression changed.

Ever so slightly.

Kael noticed.

"You know him."

Darius answered quietly.

"...Yes."

The goblin stopped several feet away.

Ignoring the crowd.

Ignoring the guards.

Ignoring everyone else...

He looked only at Kael.

Then...

To everyone's shock...

He placed one fist against his chest and bowed.

"My Prince."

Gasps echoed throughout the field.

A noble applicant shouted,

"He's a goblin!"

"He shouldn't even be here!"

Several others agreed.

"They're enemies of mankind!"

"They raid villages!"

"They're monsters!"

The goblin slowly raised his head.

His golden eyes swept across the crowd.

Not with anger.

With disappointment.

Then...

He looked back toward Kael.

"I expected this."

Kael stepped forward.

"What is your name?"

The goblin answered proudly.

"Grom."

"Former Spear King of the Eastern Clans."

The crowd laughed.

"A goblin king?"

"Ridiculous!"

Before anyone could continue mocking him...

Darius spoke.

His voice carried across the entire field.

"Silence."

Immediately...

The laughter died.

The old general rarely raised his voice.

When he did...

People listened.

Darius slowly walked toward Grom.

The two warriors stood face to face.

Without warning...

Darius smiled.

"It's been twenty years."

Grom laughed.

"You've gotten old."

"So have you."

The two men embraced.

The entire field stared in disbelief.

Lily blinked.

"The Empire's greatest general..."

"...knows a goblin?"

Darius turned toward everyone.

"You call him a monster."

"I call him the warrior who saved my life."

The crowd became silent.

"Twenty years ago..."

Darius continued.

"During the Eastern Campaign..."

"My army was surrounded."

"We had no food."

"No reinforcements."

"No hope."

He looked toward Grom.

"This goblin broke his own clan's orders..."

"...to help us escape."

One applicant frowned.

"Why?"

Grom answered himself.

"Because children were dying."

"I don't care what race they belong to."

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Kael looked at Grom carefully.

The system activated.

"Imperial Analysis"

Individual Identified.

Name: Grom

Race:

Goblin

Age:

74

Threat Level:

Extremely High

Combat Rating:

A+

Leadership Potential:

Legendary

Loyalty:

Unknown

Recommendation:

Recruit Immediately.

Kael's heart skipped a beat.

Legendary?

He stepped closer.

"Why are you here?"

Grom looked directly into his eyes.

"Because I heard something impossible."

"A human prince..."

"...who treats commoners like people."

Kael remained silent.

"I wanted to see if it was true."

"And?"

A faint smile appeared on the old goblin's face.

"It is."

The crowd watched every word.

Even the applicants who hated goblins had stopped shouting.

Then Grom said something that stunned everyone.

"I am not here..."

"...to join your army."

Kael raised an eyebrow.

"No?"

The old goblin slowly removed the massive spear from his back.

He planted it into the earth.

"I came..."

"...to see whether you're worthy..."

"...of me."

The entire field exploded.

"Did he just challenge the prince?"

"He's insane!"

"He'll be executed!"

Even Bram burst into laughter.

"I like him."

Kael smiled.

Not offended.

Interested.

He slowly walked toward the training grounds.

Without turning around, he spoke.

"The trials begin tomorrow."

He looked back over his shoulder.

"If you want to judge me..."

His golden eyes met Grom's.

"...then stand on the field."

"And I'll judge you too."

For the first time in years...

The old goblin laughed.

A deep, booming laugh filled with excitement.

"Excellent."

"Perhaps..."

"...this old world is finally changing."

Far away, hidden among the applicants, a hooded figure quietly watched the exchange.

Beneath the hood...

A small crystal glowed.

Recording everything.

When night fell...

That crystal would carry its message to the Imperial Capital.

The report would contain only one sentence.

Prince Kael has begun gathering monsters beneath his banner.

And before long...

Every noble house in the Empire would have an opinion about the Tenth Prince.

Most would call him a fool.

A few...

Would begin to fear him.

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