Before the solemn throne hall, the great Goblin Sage stood beside the royal throne, observing the five ambitious Goblin princes before him. He examined each one carefully and lingered a little longer on the 19th prince, Asah Amigor. Then, he spoke.
"You all know that your father, the Emperor, fought hard to unite the Goblin tribes, allied with the various races of the continent, and defeated the Titan Giants to establish the Goblin Empire. It was no easy feat."
"Indeed, the founding of the Goblin Empire was not an easy task. Now, my question concerns your understanding of the empire and its future."
"So!"
"The five of you, please answer this: Why did the Goblin Empire come into being? What is the very foundation of the empire?"
The princes fell into deep thought as they heard this question.
Outside the palace, on the vast square, nobles and leaders of factions from the five royal armies stood waiting for the answer to come from the throne hall.
Leinhart stood beside Jano, his face tense as he kept his eyes on the throne hall. Jano, seeing his nervousness, scolded him.
"Leinhart, calm down! You are over three hundred years old, act with composure!"
Leinhart remained silent. The Humans were not like the Winged Ones; for them, a wrong decision wouldn't have catastrophic consequences. But for the Humans, who had long been under the Goblins' watch, a wrong choice here could be catastrophic, a mistake that might trap them forever within the capital.
Yet, being scolded by his father, he dared not argue, only muttering a low "Yes."
Jano saw his son's concern and, after a moment's reflection, gave him a reassuring hint.
"Leinhart, trust your judgment. The outcome is already decided—Prince Asah will succeed."
At these words, Jano subtly gestured for Leinhart to glance at Duke Mero Azeba from the Southern Territory, who stood not far away, appearing as though he already knew the outcome.
Leinhart calmed his nerves and nodded.
Inside the palace, after a moment of thought, the 15th prince spoke first.
"Sage, I believe the foundation of the empire lies in military power. Our Goblin race possesses semi-divine warriors, the largest number of legends on the continent, the strongest armies, and the greatest population. All of these combine to give us unparalleled military might. We defeated the Titans and secured control over the continent. Therefore, the empire stands on the foundation of power!"
The Sage nodded in acknowledgment, but said nothing, turning his gaze to the next prince.
The 18th prince, lowering his head, smiled and said, "Sage, I believe the foundation of the empire lies in the semi-divine power. It was your strength in the past, and now it is with you!"
At these words, his brothers glanced at him in surprise, with some raised eyebrows. The 18th prince's sycophantic tone didn't sit well with them.
However, the Sage Azeba wasn't swayed by flattery and silently turned his attention to the next prince.
The 21st prince spoke directly. "Sage, I believe the foundation of the empire lies in the achievements against the Titans. It was the defeat of the Titans that made the continent's races submit, and we became the rulers of the world!"
Azeba gave a subtle sigh but said nothing, gesturing for the final prince to speak.
The 25th prince, after a moment of silence, finally said, "Sage, I believe the foundation of the empire lies in the fifty million Goblins who call this empire home. The empire is the empire of every Goblin. The strength of fifty million Goblins has built this great nation. Each Goblin is the foundation of the empire."
Azeba's expression softened after hearing this answer. He looked at the 25th prince with deep respect, sighing after a long pause.
"To think you have such insight," Azeba said, before his face returned to its solemn state. He turned his gaze to Asah Amigor.
"Now, it is your turn, Prince Asah!"
Asah Amigor, hearing his name called, felt his heart race. He had already heard the answers of his brothers, and now, he wasn't sure why the Sage had called on him last. For a moment, he felt nervous.
As he pondered the situation, he suddenly recalled a conversation he had three months ago with Duke Mero Azeba of the Southern Territory, where Azeba had said:
"Your Highness, my father believes the empire was built on the Goblins' unwavering pursuit of knowledge and progress. If you ever become Emperor, you must never forget this."
Asah Amigor now recalled this phrase, and suddenly, everything became clear.
It was as if he had found the answer written in front of him: knowledge was the key.
He took a deep breath and spoke confidently, "Sage, the foundation of the empire is knowledge! The Goblins built this empire with an unwavering pursuit of knowledge and progress!"
Azeba smiled broadly, his voice warm with approval.
"Ha ha ha! Well said, well said! Knowledge is the true foundation that will change the fate of the Goblin race! Prince Asah, your answer is correct!"
With a proud smile, Azeba raised his voice and declared:
"Henceforth, I, Azeba, the great Sage of the Goblin race, hereby declare Prince Asah Amigor the Emperor of the Goblin Empire!"