“The rebellion has captured and killed three governors so far...”

Sentaro Klaman listens to the report, sitting at a round table with the rest of the administrators.

“The people refuse to pay the increased taxes, and there are reports of several men in the army deserting because of the lack of pay...”

More bad news from the finance administrator. They haven’t received any Runalymo goods yet, and it will be another month before they expect them to arrive.

“Reports of bandits in the empire are on the rise in almost every region...”

Perhaps he went about this all wrong. Was it his actions that finally tipped the Empire over the cliff? The fool of an emperor was making a lot of bad decisions, but at least the empire maintained some semblance of stability.

“Slaves are revolting and joining the rebellion…”

The longer this meeting goes on, the worse the situation seems. By removing the corrupt governors, Klaman somehow removed a cornerstone supporting the Empire. Criminal organizations that had deals with those governors then ran unchecked. In response, he removed those organizations, too, but that didn’t solve the issue; instead, there was an increase in petty crime and murders, and the rebellion was strengthened. Every action he took just made things worse.

Klaman was no ruler, this much was obvious, but he didn’t know he would make things this bad. He only saw one problem, governors dealing with criminals. He didn’t consider that there were good effects to those deals. Sure the primary reason was greed, but that greed was precedented on the stability of the empire, a necessary evil since corrupt governors needed to put some effort into keeping the citizens content.

The criminal organizations would help the governor by self-regulating and keeping petty thugs under control, but he upset that delicate balance.

The people need someone to rally behind, a more competent ruler. The steward is doing his best but has to deal with the fallout of his actions.

I’ve been so focused on finding the right ruler that I’ve forgotten the most important thing, a competent ruler. He still has no doubt that Alysara would eventually make for a great empress, but she is still young. Still, her [Acting] skill will help her inexperience.

“Is there any good news?” Klaman asks, after the endless reports of bad news.

“Unfortunately, there is not,” The steward says after taking measured glances at the other administrators.

Klaman sighs. “Do what you think is best for the Empire,” he says before teleporting to the Hall of Memorial.

He finds the statue of his dear old friend and sits against the wall next to it.

“Everything is going wrong. The Empire is falling apart, your bloodline is rotting, and it’s all my fault. I have failed you. I did what I thought was best, but I ended up making everything worse. I should have been more proactive, should have mentored your descendants better, should have prioritized talent when your bloodline failed.” He lets out a long and heavy sigh.

“I fear it may be too late. I wanted it all. I wanted to preserve your true royal lineage; I wanted your line to rule forever. I suppose your daughter, Lanya, is the only one you should be proud of. You never cared she didn’t share the same royal trait as you; I don’t know why I did.”

Perhaps it was never meant to be. The true Lunaleyan heritage was never about this land; it was about the land they came from, the land the Runalymo are from. In a twist of fate, it was never Lunaleyan in the first place; it was always a Runalymo trait, that’s why there were several of them that had royal blue hair. If that’s the case, then what can he call true Lunaleyan?

Regardless Alysara is powerful, talented, and has great potential to be the best empress this land has yet to see, and that’s what the empire needs right now. But for his friend’s descendants? He was born in this land, raised in it, fought for it, and sought to unite it. It’s time his bloodline becomes what it should have always been, Lunaleyan.

Suddenly several notifications start flowing in, notification of a dragon slaying something he can’t understand. Other than the oddity, he pays just as much attention to it as any other message of monsters slaying monsters until another shows up.

Ting! The Saintess of Mana and Magic, Alysara, the Runalymo, has freed the Saintess of the Runalymo, Kayafe, the Runalymo, and completed the Mana Arc!

Saintess of Mana and Magic? She has already received a title?! And who is Kayafe? What is the Mana Arc? In any case, the Runalymo has another powerful person; could she be the one Alysara wanted to talk with?

What does this mean? Now that he thinks about it, Kayafe is similar to the first empress’s name, are they related? Or…

It slowly dawns on him as he thinks how the language might have drifted over the millennia.

Is Kayafe the First Empress?!

It would make sense now that Alysara might want to consult her, but she also freed her. Why was Kayafe imprisoned? Speculating won’t take him anywhere; it would be best to ask Alysara herself.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Ting! The Saintess of Mana and Magic, Alysara, the Runalymo, has discovered how to cleanse cursed Skills!

“She was telling the truth…” Lorana Lanya mutters, setting down her paperwork.

This must mean that she managed to cleanse her cursed skill, something not even her, the Grand Healer of Helikan, has been able to do. Not even Healer can do something like that, and it can revive the recent dead!

“Damn you, Klaman!” If it wasn’t for his meddling, she could have that knowledge already! Now it’s going to cost her even more to get that knowledge. What can she trade for it? Alysara doesn’t need healing anymore now that her curse is cured.

“I know that look; you want to know how she did it” A familiar voice speaks behind her.

“You know,” Lanya turns to Klaman, anger in her eyes. “She actually offered it to me for payment for her healing, but I couldn’t accept it because of that favor.”

“Was it confirmed at that time?” Klaman asks. “She might have known, but it was just her word, right? Would you really have accepted that as payment?”

Lanya sighs, breathing out her anger. He’s right, Alysara had admitted it was unconfirmed, and she would have probably asked for another form of payment, like one of her magical items.

“She may have been able to convince me,” Lanya replies, unwilling to give Klaman any satisfaction. “What are you here for anyway?”

“You don’t have anything worth trading for it, right? Let me help you I—”

“No!” Lanya interrupts him. “I am not going to be indebted to you again! I can pay for it myself.”

“Lanya,” Klaman sighs, adopting a softer tone. “I need your help.”

Klaman sits on the window sill and buries his face in his hands. Lanya tries to speak but is unable to say anything. Klaman has never shown vulnerability.

“Everything I do to fix the Empire has only made it burn down faster. The steward is capable but can’t keep up with my mistakes. We need aid, financial support, and good leadership. I’m betting on Alysara to make things right. She’s talented but young; she’ll need your wisdom if she agrees to lead the Empire. But before that happens, there needs to be an Empire. I’m not trying to gain favors; I’m asking for one.”

“Klaman.” Lanya finally finds her voice. “I will help you, but you must realize that the empire you swore to protect died a long time ago.”

“What do you mean?” Klaman looks up to meet her eyes.

“The empire isn't the same from four hundred years ago, Klaman, it shares the same name and land, but those don’t make a country. Its culture, government, laws, and even language have drifted; it doesn’t even look the same as it did when my father ruled. It’s time you let it go, remember it for what it was, but accept that, like a flower, it wilted. That is what countries are, flowers. They live, they prosper, then they wilt and die; they are not like gemstones that remain forever.”

“This is all I have, Lanya! I can’t let it go.” Klaman says, almost begging.

“Then maybe it’s time to start investing in something other than the Empire. Regardless I’ll give you the help you need, but what do you plan on giving Alysara for the knowledge on how to cure cursed skills? You don’t have much worth giving, and you’ve already promised some leviathan materials for trade with the Runalymo.”

“And she’s getting some from Vocana too,” Klaman adds. “I don’t think she’ll be as interested in our magic items, and we can’t really afford to trade them away. Besides, she’d probably be more interested in materials.”

“But any materials you can offer her she is already getting or aren’t as good,” Layana says, voicing the problem.

“Yes, just like you, we don’t have the means to get that knowledge… well, except one,” Klaman pauses.

“The meteorite?” Lanya asks.

During his conquests, her father found a meteorite with the timeless tier. It will keep regenerating if broken, but the broken pieces are only ancient tier, losing their regenerative property.

“Yes. It’s exalted and timeless tier, a renewable resource of exalted ore, or she can reshape it into a more powerful weapon. The empire has been using it to make armor and weapons for the Royal Knights, but with the Runalymo, they can make weapons and armor or at least provide better enchantments. They aren’t exclusive in enchanting services.”

“I see. The world is changing, and we must direct that change; that is what it means to be a ruler, Klaman. We cannot stop change from happening; we can only guide it. Remember the past, plan for the future, and live in the present; that is what you need to do. Stop living in the past.”

Klaman remains silent for several minutes before vanishing from the room without a word. Had her words reached him? She hopes so.

“Well, I guess I have a lot more work to do now,” Lanya complains before returning to her paperwork.