Silence.
A silence so complete that the fluttering banners hanging from the ceiling sounded loud.
More than a hundred pairs of eyes rested on Kael.
The Tenth Prince had just questioned the Empire's treasurer.
No prince interrupted ministers.
No prince embarrassed them in open council.
Not unless they were ready for war.
The treasurer slowly adjusted his glasses.
His expression remained calm.
"Your Highness..."
"I understand your concern."
"But the Empire must function."
He opened a thick ledger.
"Blackwood has failed to meet its tax quota for six consecutive years."
Several ministers nodded.
"The roads require maintenance."
"The army must be paid."
"The border forts require supplies."
"If every struggling territory paid less..."
He closed the ledger.
"...the Empire itself would weaken."
Many nobles murmured in agreement.
Kael didn't answer immediately.
He had expected this.
This wasn't corruption.
This was bureaucracy.
People are staring at numbers instead of lives.
The emperor leaned back in his chair.
Watching.
Listening.
Judging.
He had yet to speak a single opinion.
This was intentional.
The Council wasn't a classroom.
It was an examination.
Prince Cassian slowly stood.
The First Prince.
Commander of the Imperial Legions.
His silver armor reflected the sunlight pouring through the stained-glass windows.
"If I may."
The Emperor nodded once.
Cassian looked toward Kael.
"Our brother speaks from compassion."
"That is admirable."
He turned toward the Council.
"But compassion alone cannot sustain an empire."
His voice carried the confidence of a battlefield commander.
"If Blackwood cannot pay..."
"It must produce more."
"If bandits threaten farmers..."
"Send soldiers."
"If roads are broken..."
"Assign labor."
"An emperor solves problems."
"He does not delay them."
Many generals struck the floor with the butts of their spears in approval.
Prince Lucien remained seated.
His fingers tapped lightly against the table.
"I agree..."
Everyone turned toward him.
"...and disagree."
Cassian raised an eyebrow.
Lucien calmly continued.
"My brother sees military solutions."
"Our younger brother sees human suffering."
"Both observations are correct."
He looked toward the treasurer.
"The real question is..."
"Why has Blackwood declined for forty years?"
Silence.
No one answered.
Because no one knew.
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"Exactly."
Prince Roland laughed.
The Seventh Prince leaned comfortably in his chair, swirling wine inside a crystal goblet.
"We're discussing a village."
He shrugged.
"Raise taxes."
"If they fail..."
"Replace the farmers."
Several nobles laughed.
Kael didn't.
He looked directly at Roland.
"Have you ever planted wheat?"
The laughter stopped.
Roland blinked.
"...What?"
"Wheat."
"Have you planted it?"
"No."
"Harvested it?"
"No."
"Worked a field?"
Roland scoffed.
"I'm a prince."
Kael nodded.
"I can tell."
Several younger nobles covered their mouths.
One nearly choked trying not to laugh.
Roland's face darkened.
"You insolent—"
"Court."
The emperor spoke only one word.
Immediately...
Silence returned.
The High Treasurer cleared his throat.
"Your Highness."
"If not taxes..."
"What do you propose?"
Every eye returned to Kael.
Even the emperor seemed interested.
Kael slowly walked toward the giant map at the center of the chamber.
He pointed toward Blackwood.
"This territory has fertile soil."
"Access to a river."
"Stone quarries."
"Forests."
"It should be prosperous."
He moved his finger toward the roads.
"But these roads are barely usable."
Then toward the villages.
"The wells are collapsing."
"The irrigation canals have failed."
"The nearest physician is nearly two days away."
He looked around the room.
"You ask why Blackwood cannot pay taxes."
He placed his hand flat against the map.
"I ask..."
"Why has no one invested in Blackwood?"
The room fell quiet again.
Because...
No one had.
Not in decades.
The Minister of Infrastructure frowned.
"Investment requires funding."
Kael nodded.
"Correct."
"And funding comes from taxes."
"Also correct."
"So if Blackwood pays less—"
Kael interrupted politely.
"It doesn't."
The minister frowned.
"...Explain."
Kael smiled faintly.
"It already isn't paying."
Several heads tilted.
He continued.
"You've increased taxes six times."
"Revenue continues to fall."
"Clearly..."
"The strategy isn't working."
The treasurer looked down at his ledger.
Slowly...
He turned several pages.
His expression changed.
The room noticed.
Kael continued.
"If a merchant loses money..."
"He changes his business."
"If a general loses battles..."
"He changes tactics."
"So why..."
He looked toward every minister in turn.
"...does the Empire continue using a strategy that has failed for six years?"
No one answered.
The system quietly appeared in the corner of Kael's vision.
"Imperial Observation"
Council Approval
Military Faction: 34%
Merchant Faction: 61%
Scholar Faction: 82%
Noble Faction: 18%
Imperial Approval:
Calculating...
Interesting.
Even the system measured politics.
Near the back of the chamber...
A young woman watched silently.
Princess Elena.
The Fifth Princess.
Unlike her brothers, she rarely spoke during Council.
She studied Kael carefully.
"He isn't trying to win arguments."
"He's trying to change how people think."
For the first time in years...
She found one of her siblings interesting.
The emperor finally stood.
Every person in the chamber rose with him.
His golden eyes swept across the room.
"Enough."
The debates ceased instantly.
"The Tenth Prince has identified a failure."
He turned toward the treasurer.
"Conduct a full audit of Blackwood."
Then toward the minister of infrastructure.
"Inspect every road."
Then toward the minister of agriculture.
"Survey every farm."
The ministers bowed.
"It shall be done."
The Emperor's gaze shifted back to Kael.
"As for you..."
"You questioned the Empire."
Kael met his father's eyes without flinching.
"Yes."
The emperor walked down from the dais.
Stopping only a few feet away.
"If you believe you can restore Blackwood..."
His voice echoed through the chamber.
"...prove it."
The room erupted into whispers.
The Emperor had just turned Blackwood into a test.
Not merely of Kael's ideas.
But of his worth as a prince.
Kael smiled.
"I will."
Deep within his mind, the system chimed.
"Main Quest Updated"
Restore Blackwood
Objectives:
Increase Food Production Raise Public Morale Improve Infrastructure, Eliminate Corruption Establish Local Security
Time Limit:
One Year
Reward:
Authority of Governance (Level I)
Failure:
The Empire will judge your ideals as naive.
Kael closed the notification.
One year.
He didn't need longer.
Because this wasn't just about saving a forgotten territory.
It was about proving that an empire could become stronger by lifting its people instead of crushing them.
And somewhere in the crowded chamber, unseen by most, a hooded intelligence officer quietly left through a side door with a sealed report destined for one of Kael's rivals.
The battle for the throne had truly begun.