Chapter 57: The Empire's predicament

The day when the palace received the news. A man was sitting in a chair inside a spacious room. In front of him was a well-polished table. On top of it could be seen parchments that were lined accordingly.

There was a total of 7 parchments on the table that was rolled neatly like a scroll and tied with ribbons.

Each and every ribbon have a different color to one another.

The first parchment on the man's left side had the ribbon color of white which followed by green, blue, purple, yellow, red and black.

Based on this man's figure, which was wrinkled and his hair that was lost its luster. It seemed like he was on his 70-80 years old of age. He was wearing a robe that was embroidered by white and gold. And at the back of his robe, a big insignia of a white towering castle with its domineering white wall had imprinted.

No doubt, this was the insignia of one of the strongest empire in this world, the Whitestone Empire. And this old man was the one and only emperor of this empire, Emperor Regis Fortmanibus III.

Opposite this old man was another man who was wearing a silver-plated armor. He was one of the messengers in the empire.

"Your highness, these are all the reports of the seven missions from different places," report by a man while on his knee.

The emperor knitted his wrinkled brows as he reached out on each parchment.

He was reading each of them one by one. As he read on it, it surfaces on his wrinkled face that what written on that parchment wasn't good of news.

The man on his knee in front of the emperor was gulping while beads of sweat trailing on his face.

On the third parchment, the emperor finally showed a pleasant nod. The soldier at his front breathed a sigh of relief at this.

Looks like some good news had happened. But after it, the emperor did not show any reaction again except for the last two parchments. Looks like the other missions were still ongoing.

The emperor then took pieces of paper in the drawer. And wrote on it using ink and an edged pen.

Minutes later, 13 papers rolled neatly into scrolls were handed to the messenger at his front.

"Hand this to the 13 patriarchs," said the Emperor in a husky tone.

"Yes, Your highness!" The soldier replied as he took the scrolls with the utmost respect. Then the messenger left abruptly.

"Only one mission had been successful...hah, except the heroes group." The emperor said and let a sigh escaped from its mouth at the middle-end of his words.

"Your highness, you mean...one of the subjugation mission had been successful?" A man on his 50 wearing a golden and white robe which was sitting on the chairs around the long rectangular table quietly with 10 others like him suddenly voice out.

These eleven people were the minister from different departments.

Hearing this, the other also showed a surprise expression on their faces.

They have never been thought that one of the subjugation mission would be successful. Since its already 10 times that they sent subjugation mission to the fallen land that was overtaken by a herd of monsters. But each of them, always ended by their defeat. Their men were slaughtered and always a number that could be counted by fingers in a hand was able to get back.

As longer the time that had passed, the more difficult it becomes to reclaim the land. Because the monsters were able to increase their number in a shorter possible time. Much faster than increasing the number of empire's soldiers.

This was one of the empire's predicament. And another of it was because of the unceasing attacks at the frontline. Where demons trying to overtake the whole empire.

The empire was surrounded by enemies. They were fighting at all front. Even humans alike were no exception. Some kingdom were waiting for the empire to weaken their forces before it preyed on them.

That was why they sent recruited soldiers and not the soldiers in the palace for the subjugation mission. Of course, each subjugation team was commanded by one of the best elite soldiers in the empire.

And also, a big reward was waiting for those who would be successful. Not only they could get rewards, but this was also the perfect time for the youngster of the 13 families to show off their skills to the patriarch of their family. This was the right time for the second and third in a line of their family to leap into first in line as a successor of the patriarch.

Many of the younger generations had enlisted themselves.

And every time a piece of news came out. They could only grief upon reading whats on it. Because of every reports that they received always news of failures and deaths.

After all the failures that had happened, they didn't expect anymore that there would be a day that they were able to succeed.

Finally, a miracle had happened. One of the subjugation team had managed to achieve the first victory. Every time the empire lost a town or city from the enemy attacks, it would be a minus to their resources.

...

Even though one of the subjugation teams able to claim a victory, the others hadn't made it. Every mission of subjugation had a different outcome. No, that was only applied for today. Because before, every mission of subjugation had the same outcome. There was only a failure result.

No subjugation team had managed to be successful yet. Not until today. So there was a bit of good news out of all the bad news.

"Yeah, 1 subjugation mission and the 2 defending mission in the frontline that lead by the heroes were successful," the emperor said.

The Minister of Defense and the Minister of Subjugation showed a smile on their faces. These reports were, of course, a good thing for them. They were the one that was tasked on these two missions after all.

The other minister finally able to smile at them. Unlike before, they would potentially the subject of scorn for their incompetence. But today, a miracle had happened. And they finally able to achieve a victory.

Already many years had passed that the strongest empire had suffered a setback.

Although the mission was not that fully successful if you calculated the deaths of soldiers; however, success was still a success. And because it was the first time that had happened, it brought a different kind of significance at them.

Now, it was time for them to show off their power again.

The emperor called out to the Minister of Ceremony and Minister of Treasury for the welcoming of these valiant soldiers and their appropriate awards.

The day that the carriages would arrive. Many peoples populated the roadside. With them were different kinds of banners. They were waiting for these soldiers who bravely risk their lives in order to reclaim one of their lands.

Everyone was expecting to see their loved ones. They both knew that being sent into this mission was like sending them into their graveyards. But only the poor citizens of the empire have this kind of thought.

A young girl with shoulder length brown hair scuttled around and crammed in the flock of people. Craning her neck to take a peek at the distance to where the carriages would be first to show up.

She held her hands at the front of her chest, praying for the safety of the people she loves.