After the sentinel left, Axel slapped the table in anger.
- You asshole! I'll destroy him! I'll tear him into little pieces! Damn Quintus Conrad!
The head of the family, Axel had just taken over all the power after the death of his father, the previous head of the family. He's inexperienced in this business, and a war with this Quintus could happen.
Meanwhile, in the village of Glitchi:
- All right, Deguchi, go door to door and round up some able-bodied men. You're a guard, aren't you? I mean, you're physically fit. Well, go develop the future of the Empire! - Quintus ordered and waved his hand, showing Deguchi to go to work.
- What? Quintus... Emperor Quintus Conrad, please repeat.
- Are you deaf?! I told you to go train the men, or I'll be the only one fighting against everyone else!?! - Quintus shouted.
Deguchi gulped and went to carry out the order, afraid of punishment.
An hour passed, Deguchi trained the men in sword fighting. Naturally, he gave everyone the usual physical training before doing so. After only 30 minutes of starting, the people, mostly children began to run out of breath.
- What weak creatures these people are..... - Quintus muttered to himself, stood up and shouted loud enough for everyone to hear. - Rest 15 minutes!
Hearing Quintus' words, everyone fell to the ground due to fatigue.
After 10 minutes, everyone was already more or less rested. Well, why would they need another 5 minutes break if they had rested? Quintus decided exactly that, got up from the table where he was having his midday meal and shouted:
- As I see you have already rested. Get up and practice! - shouted Quintus and stretched his hand forward.
Hearing this, they who had already settled down replied:
- We still have a couple minutes to go!
- I don't care! Let's get practicing quickly!
Everyone set up from the ground and started swinging their swords. And Quintus went back to the liquid that people call soup.
After a while, Deguchi divided everyone into pairs and had them fight each other.
Things were going very well.
Now all that was left to do was spread the news that the Conrad Empire had appeared.
But before that, take more land. Otherwise, no one would be afraid of his Empire, which was located within the confines of one small village.
Deguchi announced the end of the training session.
Everyone collapsed to the ground. The breathlessness was making itself felt.
For there to be another attack from the Axel family, it would take at least a couple more days to get here. And the villagers would be able to fight off the beasts.
Quintus stood up and walked towards the exit of the village. Remembering that he didn't know where the nearest settlements were, he called out to Deguchi.
Deguchi walked over.
- So, where is the nearest village or town? - Quint asked.
- The nearest village is to the west. About 10 kilometers away, and the town is in the northeast, about 50 kilometers away. - replied Deguchi.
- All right, then, I'll be on my way.
- Why did you ask about that? - Deguchi asked.
- No reason, I wanted more territory. - Quintus answered and smirked.
Hearing Quintus' answer Deguchi understood the words of the self-proclaimed emperor and his hands trembled.
Quintus left and walked northeast, toward the city.
He had been walking for about five hours.
As he approached, he saw the guards, unlike Deguchi, they were wearing better armor.
- Hey, do you know about the Conrad Empire?
Realizing that this question was being asked to them, one guard answered:
- This empire has piled on Axels and if you don't want to get hurt, then lead me to the head. - Said Quintus, putting an intimidating smile on his face.
They thought they were being played a joke on them and threatened:
- Calm down, if you keep threatening, you will have to be taken to prison.
- I see what you mean, it's bad.... - said Quintus, drawing his katana and slitting the neck of one of the guards. - So, will you take me to him? - Quintus asked again, and looked at the guard.
- Sure. - replied the watchman, seeing what had happened to his friend.
The watchman took Quintus to the head of the city.
He was in the fortress, which was in the center of the city.
Once inside, they were met by 2 more guards.
- Let us through... - said the guard, gulped and looked at Quint as if to say "Help!" to his coworkers.
They understood and replied:
- All right, come on in.
As Quintus and the watchman passed through, one of the watchmen stealthily followed them.
When they reached the door behind which was the head of the city, Quintus opened the door without knocking.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, the head wanted to say, "Who dares to show me such disrespect?!"
Quintus expected to see some old man there, just like in Glishi, but here sat a rather young guy, with blond eyes.
Looking up, Quintus saw azure colored eyes.
The head fixed his hair, and seeing the man in rather aristocratic clothes said:
- Though you are an aristocrat, at least show respect in cities that are not in your territory. - said the head.
- You are wrong, I am not an aristocrat of the Ephatan Empire, I am the Emperor of Conrad. - replied Quintus.
Hearing the name of this "empire", he realized that he had never heard of this state before.
- Sorry, I have not heard of such a state. - said the head of the city.
- So, the Axel family doesn't want us to be known.... Good, after we capture you, it will be harder for them to hide us from the public gaze. - said Quintus loudly so that the head of the city would hear.
- Such thoughts you'd better not speak out loud ... - before the head of the city had a chance to speak, a katana was near his neck.
- I am Emperor Conrad of the Empire. If you don't want to die, write a letter to Axels that you are joining me.
The guard decided to attack Quintus, but because of the armor the sound of his movement was heard by Quintus and waiting for the guard to enter his range, the Emperor turned and plunged his katana right into the guard's heart, he stopped. Pulling the katana out, the body of the guard fell to the floor.
The head of the city sighed:
- W-what do you want...? - The trembling city head asked.
- Announce that the city..... city... What's your city called? - Quintus remembered that he didn't even know the name of this city.
Hearing this, the city head looked at Quintus with a misunderstanding. Did he just come to take over a territory he didn't even know anything about?!
- This is the city of Kaplan. - replied the town leader.
- What does your city do?
- Trade. - replied the head of the town.
Quintus smirked, coughing into his clenched fist:
- So! I Emperor of the Great Empire Conrad order you to join my state or you die! - Quintus said, his speech was pathos. Suddenly, he continued: - By the way, most importantly, for that, write a letter to Axels.
- H-okay... - agreed the head of the city and sat down at the table.