Setting aside the preparation for the envoys, now the executives of Leonis faced the colossal task of empire-building. It wasn't just about hoisting a flag and declaring, "Ta-da, we're an empire now!"
Of course not. It required more than that.
First off, they needed an emperor. Check, Callum thought. Their emperor was one with the sort of charisma that could make a stone statue follow him into war. He could inspire not just fear but, now, even a little love, too. Ahem, after his marriage, people started to believe that he still had humanity in him.
Unexpectedly, that made his subjects a bit more loyal and less likely to cause trouble.
Next came the fancy stuff – a capital city. Check, Callum thought. Yeah, it used to be the Holy Empire's, but that would do. It wasn't just any city. It was impressive, with grandiose palaces, markets, and even leftover treasures.
