Serisis.

12:30 p.m. 21st Banem 1092.

Empires.

Since time immemorial, empires have differed from kingdoms and countries. The formation of an empire was a statement of intent. Unlike kingdoms and nations, empires always sought to expand, conquering and absorbing land into themselves. An empire was a symbol of power, a statement that left surrounding nations trembling in fear and rage.

Empires were also harbingers of bloodshed, their rise often synonymous with decades of bloodshed as the lives of countless men and women sacrificed to the altar of expansion.

The continent of Destia had been host to thousands of kingdoms, but only a handful of nations had ever tried to declare themselves an empire. Unfortunately, each of these nations was set upon by the others whenever they tried to proclaim themselves thus.

The closest any nation had gotten to calling themselves an empire were the daebens during the daeben wars. Unfortunately, because of the countless civil wars in each conquered territory, they never found the stability required to announce themselves as an empire.

As a result of all these factors and more, no country had come close to upgrading to an empire – at least until this moment. What Rosendun was about to accomplish was without precedent. Not only were they aiming to become an empire, but they were to fulfill that aim through peaceful negotiations rather than bloodshed.

Of course, everyone present knew that this was only for the moment. From the moment the Empire was officially formed, it would suffer attacks from every side. However, despite this threat, the parties present had strengthened their resolve to see this through to the end.

Such was the mentality of a conqueror.

Resolve and pride shone in King Parissius's eyes as he gazed around the room. In response, King Xafier and King Chu's sat upright, an equal resolve displayed in their strong gazes. King Parissius looked at the two kings, and then, after receiving approving nods from both men, looked at Leila and said, "This opportunity has only arrived before us thanks to the hard work and sacrifices of the Hopeful Maggots guild. If there are no objections, I would like to formally appoint Ms. Leila Lightwood, vice-guildmaster of the Hopeful Maggots as the arbitrator of this agreement."

The power of the Hopeful Maggots' vice-guildmaster's reputation was clear to all as neither King Chu nor King Xafier objected to this. King Chu had dealt directly with Leila, and knew her to be a strong, capable, but fair woman. He had no doubt in his mind that she would be a neutral moderator.

King Xafier might not have dealt with her, but the legend of the Hopeful Maggots' vice-guildmaster had spread far beyond the borders of Rosendun. From what he'd heard, coupled with his relationship with Kashi, he saw no reason to doubt Leila Lightwood's fairness.

King Parissius looked at Leila, and then with a smile, said, "You may proceed," and then took his seat.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," thanked Leila with a polite bow. She then looked around, matching the gazes of every soul in the room, and said, "I, Leila Lightwood, once again welcome you all to this historic event. The formation of an Empire is no small feat, and it is only possible today, thanks to the hard work, sacrifice, and loyalty of every man and woman in all three nations." Leila paused to let her words sink in, and then qualified, "This might be a great moment, but we must not let ourselves get carried away. A mansion built on sand will crumble under the slightest pressure. Today, we gather, not just to found a new empire, but to ensure it is built upon the most solid foundation possible."

The atmosphere in the room turned grave. Leila's words had struck the heart of the matter. An Empire's true legacy lay not in its formation, but how long it lasted. There was no meaning in creating an empire that didn't last at least a century-long.

Leila surveyed the room, nodding as she sensed the increased tension. Good. This was the right atmosphere to conduct something this serious. The wisben, realizing, her first aim had been achieved, said as she took out several parchments from her inventory, "In order to ensure this Empire is started on the strongest foundations, I have laid out a set of issues we need to resolve and agree on at this moment."

Leila handed out copies of the documents to each King, and Kashi, who then shared it amongst their representatives. The wisben also handed out some extras to the audience to share amongst themselves.

Residents and Summoned alike scanned the document's contents, eager to see what these issues were. Moments later, a dark cloud descended on the room, as the occupants realized just how important each and every one of the issues listed were. Indeed, the Empire would never be stable if the nations could not come to an agreement on a single item listed here.

- Structure

- Succession Rights & Government Appointments

- Tax Policies (Health and Education)

- Trade

- Police & Army

- Transportation

- Food & Agriculture

Each of these policies was integral not only to the formation of an Empire but any nation in general. Leila had put these forward precisely because of how important they were.

Leila looked around and then focused on each king. "If there are no objections, let us begin with the first item on the list." She paused for a moment, and then when no one interrupted, continued, "An Empire needs an Emperor. This inevitably means that one party will have increased status over the others. Of course, everyone present should be aware of this, or we would not be here in the first place. However, it is important to have it confirmed in person before all parties."

Leila gestured at King Parissius, "King Parissius, on the day the Empire is founded, will rise to the position of Emperor. In turn, Rosendun will be raised from a Kingdom to an Empire, absorbing the territories of Serisis and Merriheim into its ranks. At such a time, there will no longer be any Serians or Merrites – only Rosen men and women." She paused, allowing a moment for them to process her words, and then said, "Does anyone have an issue with this?"

"Not an issue, but a question," challenged a Serian minister. Upon receiving Leila's go-ahead, he asked, "If there are no Serians, then what about the king? Surely, there cannot be a king without a nation to rule?"

"I am glad you asked that," Leila replied, and then explained further, "While there won't be any Serians or Merrites, the territories of Serisis and Merriheim will remain as is as states under the Empire. The Kings of these respective territories ensure the Empire's will, rules and policies are adhered to." Leila then took out a chart and passed copies to teach person. "For the sake of clarity, the hierarchy will be as follows: Emperor, Kings, and then Mayors. The Emperor rules over the entire empire, Kings over their respective states, and Mayors over their respective cities or towns."

"In this proposed system, will the Empire choose the kings?" asked a concerned dwarf.

"Yes, and no," Leila replied, and then clarified, "The Empire will not appoint new kings. However, the current birthright system will be abolished." As expected, this declaration generated several frowns and scowls. "I understand your dissatisfaction, but this is necessary for the future."

"Why?"

Leila glanced at the Merrite who asked the question and then answered, "Because a position inherited by birth can never be appreciated as much as one acquired through merit." Seeing she had acquired their attention, Leila continued, "Countless Empires in different worlds have fallen because of infighting between children of Kings and Emperors. Corrupt politicians wrap these children around their fingers, forcing them to fight each other to claim the ultimate glory. Sometimes, the worthy child ascends the throne, but often, it is the more corrupt one, willing to do anything no matter how vile, who eventually wins."

"Aside from this," Leila continued, "We do not want any one family amassing too much power. Something which will definitely happen if Kingship is passed down through birth."

"Your words have merit," agreed King Chu Tianjo. "What is the alternative you propose?"

"A series of unbiased tests and exams, both martial and intellectual," proposed Leila. "The top five from these tests will then undergo special screening by the current King for two years, after which he/she would choose a successor from the group. This system will extend from the Kings down to the Mayors. In this system, Mayors last for five years and Kings twenty. Furthermore, while there won't be term limits, no King nor Mayor may serve consecutive years in office. Finally, Kings will undergo a review every five years, and are susceptible to impeachment if they are found to be negligent in their duties, or abusing their office for personal gain."

"What!?" Ministers, from both Merriheim and Serisis yelled in protest. The room's temperature dropped several degrees as all eyes turned to King Chu Tianjo and King Xafier. The onlookers wondered how these men would react to having their positions so easily snatched from them.

Leila sensed the mood drop, but did not panic. The wisben raised her hand, silencing the grumbling ministers, and then clarified, "I understand your misgivings, but it is important you let me finish my thoughts if we are to maintain cordial and respectful discussions." Leila's cold tone and no-nonsense glare scared the ministers into obedient silence. At least for the moment. If her next sentence did not allay their worries, then all hell would truly break loose.

Leila, unaffected by the harsh gazes, explained, "As I said, earlier, allowing anyone family to attain too much power is dangerous. This is especially so for high positions like Kings and Governors. Kings especially are expected to rule for two decades. Often, people get comfortable in guaranteed roles, and forget the reason they have that job: The welfare of the country's citizens. This is why the review will be carried out in two parts: First, a vote by the citizens, and then an Imperial Investigation. Please note that the citizens' vote will count higher than the Imperial Investigation, so if a King wishes to keep his position, he must ensure the citizens are also happy."

"Allowing the common populace to influence kingship..." muttered King Chu Tianjo. The room fell silent as heavy tension seized the hearts of everyone present. They all turned to the wise king; his next sentence would either kill the alliance or prop it to newer heights! "...The people's voice," he once again muttered, and then looked at Leila. "The last person to mention the people's voice to me was my wife, Xu Yao. She thought Kings should be decided by the people rather than birthright" The King's old, but sharp eyes watched Leila as he asked, "What do you say to that?"

"Democracy, huh?" Leila revealed the tiniest of smiles at the edge of her lips as she turned to look at King Chu Tianjo. "Your wife is a brilliant woman, King Chu. I cannot wait to meet her." King Chu Tianjo's eyes lit up, but he repressed his smile as he waited for Leila to continue, which she did with stark confidence. "I, too, once believed in having the people decide their rulers." Leila, glanced at Kashi and then said, "Unfortunately, in my world, someone proved to me that democracy is good on paper, but terrible in execution." She then turned her attention back to the kings as she clarified, "Oftentimes, choosing the next ruler devolves into nothing more than a popularity contest. Regardless of intelligence nor incompetence, anyone can become a ruler as long as they have enough money to reach the widest audience with all the right platitudes."

Leila's nose scrunched up in disgust as she stated, "In the end, rather than voting in the best candidate, the public only end up unknowingly voting in the wealthy organizations and individuals hiding behind their candidate. Rather than improving the citizens' lives, politicians draw up policies to suit their backers instead, even if they directly harm the general public."

"Democracy is a game, a charade the rich play to fool the masses into willingly giving them more money." The kings turned to Kashi with shock in their eyes. They expected this from Leila, but Kashi did not seem the opinionated type. Feeling their gazes on him, Kashi shrugged and then clarified, "Personally, I do not care either way, but a friend of mine once saw a group of homeless men fighting because they were from opposing parties. It was then he thought of that phrase."

Leila's brow rose as she gave Kashi a knowing look. But rather than expose him, she said, "That friend had a point. One which I agree with. Rather than go through the charade of a glorified popularity contest, a series of tests and exams which anyone can apply for, is, in my opinion, the next best step. In this method, regardless of social status or funds, anyone can apply, and if they are able to survive until the final five, then they have an increased chance of attaining the government position. Naturally, in the end, the human element is still required, which is why the King or Mayor will have time to personally test each candidate." She then turned to King Chu and said, "The people will still get a chance to make their voices heard. Only, this time, it will be a choice to either keep or remove their current ruler, rather than choosing amongst several."

King Chu Tianjo paused, taking a moment to mull over his thoughts. After a couple of moments, he finally looked at Leila and then said with an approving nod, "You put a lot of thought into this system." He once again paused, and then said, "I was prepared to vacate this throne ever since I agreed to this alliance. Initially, I was concerned about the kind of person that would succeed me. However, with this new system, I do not have any reason to fear incompetence at the very least." The king took a moment, sighed, and then with renewed resolve, looked at Leila and said, "A mountain cannot hold two tigers. If we allow royal families to persist, eventually, one will arise to challenge the Empire's rule. With this in mind, I approve this new system. We can work out the details, like the contents of the tests at a later date."

Following King Chu Tianjo's approval, the room's atmosphere notably improved, as the Serians nodded in agreement. Leila's explanation and King Chu's clarification had convinced these people that this was indeed the best way forward to prevent further troubles down the line.

That left one other group to deal with.

Leila turned to King Xafier, who wore a complicated smile. Leila understood the reason for the King's strange mood, and thus cut straight to the point, "Your Highness, King Xafier Anton. I believe you have a decision to make. Right now, Merriheim is without a king. But as you have been appointed King of the Dwarfs by the god, Aygorzi, you cannot thus be appointed King of Merriheim. Merriheim's King must look at all races equally, but the dwarven king will always put the dwarfs first."

King Xafier nodded in agreement, as Leila continued, "So, you must decide now. Will Aygorzi remove its status as 'the dwarven city,' thereby freeing you to be King of all Merriheim, or will Aygorzi remain a dwarven city, in which case you will remain the dwarven King. Keep in mind that should Aygorzi choose to remain a dwarven city, it will be treated as an independent state on the same level as Serisis and Merriheim. This is to honour the agreement made between our nations. However, this also means you cannot interfere in the policies and running of Merriheim."

King Xafier clasped his hands together as he mulled in thought. Moments later, he asked, "In the event, we choose to remain as is, who will be Merriheim's King?"

Rather than answer, Leila looked at Kashi, who acknowledged the cue with a nod and then tapped the table as he said, "There is only one person who has repeatedly shown courage and bravery in the face of danger, risking their life on multiple occasions to ensure Merriheim's successful future. One person who is loved, respected and known by Merriheim's citizens. Someone whose appointment will be supported by the vast majority..."

Kashi paused and then looked at a figure standing inconspicuously amongst the watching crowd. "Come here..."

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