Several days had passed since the young prince's arrival in the forsaken territory. Sitting in his modest office, he leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. The room was quiet save for the faint creak of the wooden floorboards and the sound of the wind brushing against the window. Despite the serene atmosphere, his mind was far from peaceful. He couldn't help but wonder why his father, the king, had sent him to this desolate place. Was it a punishment? A test?
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.
"Come in," he called, sitting upright.
The door creaked open, revealing Robert, his loyal aide, followed by a group of villagers. They were dressed humbly, their faces lined with years of hardship, yet they carried themselves with an air of dignity. They stepped forward and bowed deeply.
"Young Prince," Robert began, his tone formal, "these are the representatives of the territory. They have come to speak with you."
The prince gestured for them to rise. "Please, there's no need for such formality. Stand and introduce yourselves."
The first man, tall with a weathered face, stepped forward. "Young Prince, I am John," he said, his voice steady. "This is Michael," he gestured to the man beside him, shorter but equally stern. "We are here to serve you."
The prince nodded. "Thank you for coming. I appreciate your cooperation."
After a brief silence, he leaned forward, his expression serious. "Tell me about this territory. What challenges do we face?"
John hesitated, his face shadowed by a somber expression. "Young Prince, this area is... one of the most backward regions in the entire Azure Empire."
The prince's brows furrowed. "What? You must be joking."
"I wish I were," John replied, his tone grave. "But it's true. This territory has been neglected for decades.
The words hung in the air like a bad omen. The prince rubbed his temples, frustration mounting. "What about the population?" he asked. "Surely there are enough people to support development."
John lowered his gaze. "The population is only 20,000, young prince."
The prince's eyes widened, and he shot to his feet, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. "Twenty thousand? For a territory this size? Are you mocking me?"
"No, Young Prince!" John said quickly, holding up his hands. "I swear it's the truth. People have been leaving for years. No one wants to stay here."
The prince sank back into his chair, rubbing his temples in frustration. "This is absurd," he muttered under his breath. "Without people, this area will never develop. What about agriculture? I've seen large farmlands here. Surely there's no food shortage?"
John straightened slightly, his voice softening. "You are correct, Young Prince. We have some of the best farmland in the empire. Our crops flourish, even out of season. Food is not an issue."
The prince sighed in relief. "At least there's that. Then why is the region still so backward? Surely you could export the surplus crops?"
John's expression darkened again. "We can't. Instead of earning revenue from our crops, we are taxed heavily for them. We are forced to pay for what we produce."
The prince stared at him, incredulous. "What kind of system is that? Taxing farmers for their own crops?"
John could only bow his head. "I'm afraid I don't know the reasoning, Young Prince. I only know this is how it has been for years."
The prince exhaled sharply, leaning back in his chair. "What about industry? Are there any mines or factories here? The world is moving toward industrialization."
Michael stepped forward, his tone heavy. "There is none, Young Prince. Not even a small mine."
The prince's eyes narrowed. "Why not? The entire world is at the blink of industrialization. This territory should be part of that progress."
Michael hesitated before replying. "This region borders the Tidal Crown Empire. They've long coveted this land. Any attempts to establish mines or factories are sabotaged by them. This is one of the reasons we remain so underdeveloped."
"And the military?" the prince pressed. "Surely we have soldiers to defend this territory."
Michael hesitated again, then bowed his head. "We have only 200 soldiers, armed with swords and bows. That's all."
The prince slammed his fist on the table, his frustration boiling over. "Two hundred soldiers? For a population of twenty thousand? What about protection from the king?"
Michael's voice was quiet. "Young Prince... the king has neglected this region for years. There is no support."
The room fell into silence, the weight of the revelation hanging heavily in the air.
The Prince says"Thanks for your cooperation you may leave now"as they both exit the office.The prince leaned forward, his voice cold. "Robert, you knew this all, didn't you?"
Robert stiffened, his eyes wide. "Young Prince, I—"
"Don't lie to me," the prince interrupted, his tone icy. "If even you deceive me, who can I trust? Speak the truth."
Robert fell to his knees, bowing low. "Yes, Young Prince. You are right. The king never intended for you to succeed. He assigned you to this territory to remove you from the race for the throne. Even your mother agreed with his decision. I opposed it, but I couldn't go against the king. I... I am deeply sorry for betraying you."
The prince sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Stand, Robert. I understand your position. You were only following orders."
Robert hesitated before raising his head, though he remained kneeling. "What will you do now, Young Prince?"
The prince's gaze hardened. "Bring me a map of the empire. I want to see my siblings' territories."
Robert quickly fetched a map, laying it on the desk. "This is Lady Victoria's territory, rich in minerals and heavily militarized. This is Lord Winston's and Lord Caesar's, both near the capital and effectively united. And this is Lady Athena's, home to one of the largest ports in the empire."
The prince studied the map in silence, his expression unreadable. Then, with a smirk, he straightened. "My father is clever. He gave them the wealthiest and safest territories while assigning me a borderland teetering on the brink of collapse."
Robert rose slowly, his face filled with guilt. "What now, young prince? Should we withdraw from the race for the throne?"
The prince's eyes burned with determination. "Withdraw? When was I ever part of it?" He smirked. "Powerful people don't come from powerful places. Powerful people make places powerful."
Robert looked at him in surprise.
"This is no longer a territory of the Azure Empire," the prince declared. "It's an empire of its own. Spread the word—we are breaking free. This land will rise, and it will rival even the greatest superpowers!"
Robert's eyes widened, his disbelief quickly replaced by determination. "Young Prince, what are your orders?"
"Spread the word," the prince said, his voice resolute. "This is no longer a territory. From today, we are an independent empire. Those who wish to join me are welcome. Those who don't are free to leave."
Robert and rock exchanged a look before bowing deeply. "We will follow you to the ends of the world, Young Prince."
The prince grinned. "Good. Then let's rewrite history with a new chapter. Our first task is to stabilize this country. Now go!"
As his men rushed out of the room, the prince turned to the map of the Azure Empire. His siblings might have received better territories, but he would make this forgotten land the crown jewel of the world