Chapter 23: The Duke of Khachin – Myint Myat Kyaw Saw
Chapter 23: The Duke of Khachin – Myint Myat Kyaw Saw
POV: Duke Myint Myat Kyaw Saw
The capital city of Myint Kyi Naw was a land of contrast. To an outsider, it stood as a testament to power, wealth, and unwavering dominance. The towering blackstone walls, reinforced with mana-infused metals, loomed over the rugged landscape, serving as an impenetrable fortress against invaders, beasts, and even the occasional mana outbreaks from deep within the mines. The grand spires of noble estates pierced the sky, while the lower districts lay shadowed in their presence, where the unprivileged toiled in silence.
At the heart of this great city, in a palace carved from enchanted stone, sat Duke Myint Myat Kyaw Saw. He was an aging yet formidable man, draped in deep red and gold robes, the insignia of his household—three crossed axes over a mountain—emblazoned across his chest. His sharp, weathered face, framed by streaks of silver hair, carried an expression of deep contemplation.
He had ruled this province for forty years, maintaining its stability through force, wealth, and sheer unshakable control. His personal army of 30,000, one of the strongest provincial forces in the Empire, was loyal to his gold and his power. The Royal Army's 10,000 troops stationed in Khachin answered to the Empire, but they were under his watchful eye. None could challenge his rule.
And yet, despite all of this, Duke Myint Myat Kyaw Saw felt unease.
His hand tightened around the golden goblet filled with imported honeyed wine from the south. His piercing gaze was fixed on the strategic map before him, an intricate depiction of the entire province—its mines, forts, trade routes, and most importantly, its defensive lines against the Demon Territory.
A vast, immeasurable land, nearly the combined size of the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation,lay beyond his borders. If not for the presence of the True Ice Dragon slumbering deep within the northern mountains, this land would have long been overrun by monstrous creatures of unspeakable horror. The very mana stonesthat gave his province wealth and power also attracted magical outbreaks—natural surges that gave birth to creatures composed of raw, condensed mana.
These monsters were stronger than any mere beast.
And yet, they were nothing compared to the greater threat.
The demons.
His fists clenched slightly.
The Empire did not understand.
The Court did not understand.
They sat comfortably in Min Nay Pyi Taw, arguing over politics while his people fought against unrelenting forces beyond human comprehension. And now, Prince Aung— the so-called Second Prince, a man who had no true claim to power—was marching toward his domain.
The Duke exhaled sharply.
He had already been notified of the expedition.
The **Crown Prince himself, his nephew, had sent word, ordering the Duke to "contain" the prince's ambitions and ensure that he did not disrupt the stability of the province.
Contain? Suppress?
The Duke scoffed.
It was never that simple.
The House of Myint Myat Kyaw Saw had served the Pagan Empire since its founding two hundred years ago. The current duke is the eldest son of the previous duke who die in illness and the eldest daughter (The current Queen) is married to the king maintain order in the Noble ranks since his duke house was the only neutral force at that time.
Loyalty was in his bloodline. His forefathers had fought and bled for the Empire, securing its northernmost provinceagainst invading forces and sealing treaties with non-human races to maintain order (Although non-human slavery is a problem for them they let it happened because there were greater threats, the demons, a threat that can dooms to human and non-human alike even the whole world and also non-human races except from some Empire and kingdom of the other certain races were not in a place to resist what is happening to them and human exploited that. Human are too powerful to rebel and guardian of the world bordering the demon territory.)
But times had changed.
The current Emperor was weak, sickly, and on his deathbed.
Even he knew that the Crown Prince was unfit to rule— greedy, ruthless, and lacking the vision necessary to lead.
And then, there was the Second Prince.
A child born of a commoner mother. A prince with no real power.
At least, that's what he had once believed.
But after hearing what had transpired in Thazin and Myint Zine, Duke Myint Myat Kyaw Saw had re-evaluated everything.
This prince had gained the loyalty of Mayor Hla Than, a man who controlled the Empire's food supply.
He had persuaded Duke Myint Myat Kyaw Saw's rival, securing access to the wealthiest trade routes.
He had even defeated human warriors at the peak of power with a single move.
And worst of all?
The people were whispering.
Rumors of a prince blessed by the Supreme Being.
A prince destined to lead the Empire into a new era.
The nobles of the court dismissed these rumors as mere stories.
But Duke Myint Myat Kyaw Saw had been in power long enough to recognize a shift in the winds.
A prince ignored by the Empire had suddenly become the greatest threat to its balance.
Duke Myint Myat Kyaw Saw stood from his throne and walked toward the balcony overlooking his city.
The sun cast a golden glow over the sprawling districts of Myint Kyi Naw, where countless workers toiled in the mines, refining mana stones for trade. The air was thick with the scent of burning metal and earth, the sounds of hammers striking ore echoing through the streets.
Yet, beyond the grand markets and noble estates, lay the truth the Empire had long ignored.
Slaves.
Thousands of them.
Non-human races—elves, beastkin, dwarves, even some of the rare winged races—all bound in chains, forced to work in the depths of Khachin's mineral-rich lands.
Slavery was illegal for humans in the Empire.
But for non-humans?
The law was silent.
And so, the nobility exploited the loophole, filling their coffers with wealth gained through the suffering of other races.
The Emperor had once tried to change this.
Years ago, he had proposed a reform to grant non-humans basic rights.
But the Dukes, the Nobles, and the Court had crushed the idea.
Even he, Myint Myat Kyaw Saw, had opposed it.
Why?
Because without the labor force, his province would collapse.
Without them, there would be no one to extract mana stones.
No one to build the fortifications against the Demon Territory.
No one to sustain the fragile balance he had built over the last forty years.
To him, it was not a matter of cruelty—it was survival.
But now, with the Second Prince arriving, the Duke felt a strange sense of unease.
This was a prince who had uprooted corruption, who had already begun dismantling the power structures of the nobility.
A prince who would not turn a blind eye to this.
For the first time in years, Duke Myint Myat Kyaw Saw felt the stirrings of something he had long buried.
Doubt.
Could the boy truly be different?
Could he truly reshape the Empire?
And if so—
Would he destroy everything the Duke had built?
The golden banners of the Second Prince's forces came into view, their shimmering sigils fluttering in the northern winds.
From his balcony, Duke Myint Myat Kyaw Saw watched as the young prince and his army approached the gates.
The prince was clad in black and gold, his regal bearing unmistakable even from a distance.
A single thought entered the Duke's mind.
"This boy… is nothing like his father. Nothing like his brother."
"He is something else entirely."
As the trumpets sounded and the gates of Myint Kyi Naw were thrown open, the Duke turned away from the balcony, stepping back into the shadows of his throne room.
His expression unreadable.
"Let us see what kind of ruler you seek to become, Prince Aung."
(Continue)