"I plan on making an organisation..." Alexis informed the people gathered at the table he was at.
It has been a few weeks since the army had successfully integrated into his own special army.
There was a lot of work needed to be done, but it was easier since Alexis had the funds and help from his businesses...
"Hmm... what is it about?" Sophia asked curiously as Flroestine nodded.
"If it is his highness, then it is probably some sort of assassination squad I presume?" Magnus chuckled and glanced at Alexis who nodded.
"Well... it is an assassination squad, but not necessarily assassination itself, this organisation will be an intelligence agency... they will be spying those who seem to be threats domestically and internationally. We need our eyes and ears everywhere at this point!" He explained as all those who were seated nodded except for Sophia.
"What exactly is going on?!" She asked Alexis frantically.
"A revolution!" Magnus answered and laughed heartily.
"Your highness, I think she is a threat! May I remove it?" Florestine asked Alexis while getting ready to jump at Sophia who turned to her with a glare.
"Sophia, there is a lot of corruption in the Empire... Mages treat common people horribly, and so as the crown prince I have decided to take matters into my hands!" Alexis said with a smile...
'I'm tired of giving the same excuse, let it be over quickly!' Alexis sighed inwardly.
'but then again... it's not really a bad idea, I'm helping my children and descendants!' he thought.
Alexis then walked to a cabinet and took out the rifle and a bullet, he then placed it on the table.
"This weapon can kill Divine tier mages!" He said with a smirk as Sophia gasped.
It was a beautiful piece of technology with a very classical and smooth body, Alexis loved it.
He then took the rifle back and pulled the bolt of the rifle and showed her the inside.
Alexis then took the bullet and waved it at her, Sophia who saw it gulped in fear, infront of her was a weapon thag can kill Divine tier mages! DIVINE TIER!
"You put a projectile called a 'bullet' in here and push the bolt back in place, aim the barrel and pull the trigger!" He explained it's mechanism as she was shocked.
"I also plan on advancing the technology of the world with this!" He said as she shouted at him.
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?! WHY DID YOU MAKE A WEAPON LIKE THIS TO DEVELOP TECHNOLOGY??" She shouted at him, her mind was in turmoil as she started hyperventilating...
"War develops technology..." Alexis shrugged his shoulders.
"No... No it doesn't! Why didn't you just promote something for civilians?!" She retorted as Alexis smile wryly.
"Because if I did that, the Empire would collapse! Mages rely on the common people to work for them! They would simply monopolise my technology and create the same weapons... This means, more power for Mages, common populace will with no doubt rebel!"
"I admit that our end goals are to take over the continent but I don't want to rule over entire continent with fear only like them! These guys will attack immediately and create rebels, I'm giving the other nations a chance to defeat us so that the power balance is at an equilibrium!" Alexis stated.
"Which you will eventually break and take over everything..." Sophia interjected as Alexis nodded.
"Yes... this would revolutionise the world and bring about a war, afterall... who wouldn't want to try out a new weapon?" Alexis chuckled and continued.
"And when the three other nations fight against each other, The empire will attack the weakened continent!" Alexis smiled at her.
"It won't take long I promise you! The Republic and the Kingdom have been given the opportunity to make their own weapons!" He informed her.
"I thought you wanted to be a great Emperor!" Sophia said.
"I'll be the greatest there is!" Alexis sighed.
"The first emperor to take over the entire world! 'Emperor Alexis, ruler of all!' Has a nice ring to it don't you think?" He smiled and kept the rifle back in it's place.
"Anyway, back to the topic... the organisation, Marcus will be it's leader." Alexis stated and turned to Marcus who was shocked.
"Sophia will be the second in command of my army..."
"Florestine will go back to the capital, she will be funding everything!"
"Magnus will be going back to the Imperial Science foundation which has been getting a lot of support from the masses recently!" He informed as Magnus smiled.
"Marcus, what will be the name of the organisation?" Alexis asked his most trusted subordinate.
"I'll go with Nox!" He shouted excitedly.
"Then you are allowed to leave, gather some men and train them well... The Generals are demanding Aurelius to start expanding at the moment! We might be in war soon..." Alexis concluded his speech and listened to everyone's reports.
-●-●-●-
"Your highness, will you be coming home today?" Florestine asked Alexis with a flushed face as he nodded, only she and Sophia were present in his tent.
She smiled brightly and left the base on his carriage...
"I can't believe it..." Sophia mumbled and groaned.
Alexis snorted and took out a book.
"Party girl, tell me how on Terra did you end up in the army, in the most horrible one!" He asked her as she sighed.
"It was my Father who ordered me to lead the army..." she muttered hatefully...
"And how did it come to that?" Alexis glanced at her.
"...It's a long story!" She sighed as he smiled and closed the book.
"No need to narrate. Let me guess, you were punished?" He mumbled.
"...yes" She nodded.
"I crippled my elder brother's best friend..." She went in detail.
"He was trying to force himself onto me!" She shouted and continued,
"So I broke his legs and crippled his manhood..." Sophia snorted but then frowned.
"His father was a Duke like mine... so our families now have a strained relationship! Father punished me for my ruthlessness and now here I am!" She said and laughed deprecatingly...
"I can't sympathise for you but I approve of what you did to him..." Alexis smiled and walked out, he was greeted by her soldiers who were now being molded into warriors!
Alexis needed to go somewhere now...
-●-●-●-
"Your majesty! This is our only opportunity!" The older General shouted as the rest nodded.
"No means no! I will not risk it..." Aurelius said and sighed.
The older General grit his teeth in anger...
He then slammed his hands on the table and shouted.
"YOUR HIGHNESS, WE NEED TO FIGHT! THE INFORMATION HAS BEEN LEAKED TO THE OTHER NATION! Every minute you sit here ignoring our pleas is a minute closer to total war!!" He roared.
Aurelius was shocked at the behaviour of the Generals, they were getting too unbridled!
'What does he mean by leaked?' He thought and opened his mouth to speak.
"What do you mean by leaked information?" Aurelius asked them coldly.
"The weapon..." the old General sighed.
"WHAT?!" Aurelius shouted in shock and anger...
"How?" Aurelius asked them, "HOW GODDAMNIT?!" He shouted and glared at them.
"If it was anyone of you all here, I swear I will kill you and your family immediately!" He muttered in a dangerous tone.
The Generals scoffed inwardly but acted as if they were scared...
"Get out..." He said in a low voice as the Generals glanced at him once more and left silently.
Alexis then entered the room and sat down on top of the Imperial table...
"Alexis... do you know what happened?" Aurelius asked his son...
"Yeah, it was Titus... the General you put to keep the facility safe!" He stated as Aurelius clenched his fist so hard that he bled.
'...Why do I feel pain?' Alexis asked himself and shrugged the feeling off...
"Father, you are bleeding..." He said and took Aurelius's hands and healed them.
"I'm getting too old for this shit!" Aurelius sighed and chuckled.
"Maybe you are..." Alexis had a small smile...
'I'm sorry' Alexis thought and walked out.
-●-●-●-
'Is this the right way to do things?' He asked himself as he laid on his bed next to Florestine who was asleep...
'...I can't stop now, I'm in too deep!' He sighed and glanced at Florestine's sleeping face.
'Why am I feeling... so regretful?!' Alexis asked himself.
'I can't even talk to the System for another six years...' He opened his eyes and left the bedroom.
Alexis walked down the stairs and entered the pantry where he filled a glass of water and started drinking.
'I feel more lost than when I was four eyes old...' He shook his head, why was he thinking so much? Why does he feel regret?
Unconsciously he gripped his cup too tightly and broke it which alarmed Florestine who quickly came downstairs...
"...sorry" Alexis smiled apologetically at her.
"Your highness, what's wrong? What happened?" She asked in panic as Alexis walked upto her to calm her down.
"Don't worry, it's just a glass!" He said and showed the cup in his hand...
"I may have lost control of my strength!" He chuckled at her and shook his hands and proceeded to gather the pieces of glass and make a glass orb with the help of fire magic.
"It can't be helped, you are now a Divine Mage..." she smiled at him and stayed with him.
"What's wrong?" He asked her gently as she turned to him.
"I should be asking that!" She shouted at him worriedly as Alexis sighed and looked up at the ceiling.
"I was just thinking about everything... it's like I regret it... but am satisfied... it's like I'm lost... but know where to start from at the same time... I just don't know what the actual fuck I'm doing at the moment!" He said and massaged his head.
"A part of me says to keep going... another part says to do it just because I've already gone this far..." Alexis mumbled and turned to Florestine who stayed quietly as he spoke...
"Well... I don't really know what your highness really wants to do but, I will always follow you no matter what! If you want to destroy the world I'll be next to you watching it burn, if you want to help others then I'll take half of your load! Just be you, I'm always next to you..." She said gently and touched his face with a smile on her face.
"Thank you... it means a lot..." Alexis mumbled and hugged her as she rested her head on his shoulder.
The two of them gazed into the night sky and slowly fell asleep in each other's warmth as the moonlight reflected off of the glass window...