"Year One of the Goblin Empire!"
"Amigul has been crowned as the first emperor of the Goblin Empire. He has appointed the strongest of the Troll clans as the Guardian of the North, the Winged Ones as the Guardians of the East and the Skies, the Dwarves as the Guardians of the Mountain Ranges, and the Merfolk as the Guardians of the Western Seas!"
"Each of these foreign guardians holds the rank of Duke within the Goblin Empire!"
"Additionally, the races that participated in the Titan crusade have been granted various titles and lands."
"Afterward, Amigul divided the lands further, appointing two great Goblin Dukes—sons of the High Priest and the Great Sage—who will establish Goblin principalities in the West and South, expanding the empire's territory and growing the Goblin population."
"He has also commanded the leaders of the Goblin tribes to return to their homelands, gather their people, and build cities!"
"The Goblin population is currently around ten million, with one million residing in the capital, Proadas, and the remaining nine million spread across various regions. Amigul, ever ambitious, aims to make every Goblin settlement a thriving city. Eventually, Proadas will no longer be the only city, but the true capital will be surrounded by countless cities of Goblins!"
"Lastly, he has appointed three hundred young and accomplished Goblin nobles, sending them to establish new realms and territories in the untouched, desolate lands outside the core regions of the empire."
"These are the deeds that Amigul and his Goblin officials have accomplished in the past year!"
One Year Later
At the foot of Proadas Mountain.
It was a starry night. The silver moon hung high in the sky.
A beautiful girl with golden hair closed her notebook and sat quietly on a branch, her long, white legs swaying gently as she spoke softly.
"Fiona... My Empress, I know all that you've told me. But why have you asked me to meet you at this hour?"
Opposite her sat a young, handsome Winged One.
"No, Jano, there is something you don't know. Amigul has started organizing the training of Griffin Knights. In the future, when Goblin Griffin Knights fill the skies, the Winged Ones will lose their unique position. You, being the intelligent one, should realize what that means!"
Jano frowned as he heard this.
"Indeed, if Griffin Knights are cultivated on such a scale, the Winged Ones will be in a precarious position," Jano replied, his thoughts turning serious.
The Trolls were strong, but fragmented. The Dwarves held Titan blood, but their weaponry was countered by Goblin technologies. The Merfolk were confined to the seas, struggling on land. The Elves were more scattered than the Trolls. The Centaurs were formidable cavalry, but their threat to the Winged Ones paled in comparison.
The only race that stood as a real challenge to the Goblins in the skies was the Winged Ones.
In this era, before the rise of the Griffin Knights, the Winged Ones were the true guardians of the sky, controlling the skies that the Goblins coveted.
This was something Amigul could not tolerate.
Seeing Jano lost in thought, Fiona smiled softly.
"We can help you with this."
"You have a way?" Jano was taken aback.
"Of course," Fiona replied, but her eyes turned serious. "But before that, I need you to promise me something."
"What is it?" Jano asked, surprised.
"Don't worry, it's not too much to ask. I just want a child who has your bloodline," Fiona said, her voice calm but firm.
"What?!" Jano stared at her, completely stunned. "What kind of request is that? I've only seen such things in melodramatic novels from my past life!"
But Fiona remained serious.
"A few years ago, a powerful seer in my tribe awakened. When I was forced to marry Amigul, this seer foretold the future most favorable to the human race. The prophecy spoke of your bloodline, and that from our descendants, a new ruler would emerge to break free from the Goblins' control."
Fiona left out the part of the prophecy that spoke of her and Jano's descendants eventually overthrowing the Goblins, but she believed in the old seer's words.
"I don't understand why the prophecy says so, but I trust the seer's wisdom," she continued. "Jano, please, give me a child!"
Jano was caught off guard.
"Setting aside whether I agree or not, you're Amigul's Empress. If he finds out, we're both in trouble."
"He won't find out," Fiona said with absolute certainty. "Trust in my tribe's influence!"
Jano sighed, seeing the resolve in her eyes. "Fine, I agree. But before we proceed, tell me, what are you planning to do to stop the Winged Ones from being replaced by the Goblin Griffin Knights?"
Fiona breathed a sigh of relief as Jano agreed.
"We will take the initiative and offer to raise the Griffins for Amigul," she explained.
Jano couldn't help but think of a historical analogy from his past life, but he shook it off. "Alright, the night is beautiful, and we don't have time to waste. Let's get moving."
"Okay," Fiona nodded.