CHAPTER 16

Dominic looked at Earl Nathaniel who had come to him under the order of the Emperor. He was something akin to the private secretary of the Emperor and someone who held this position was someone wise, strong and absolutely trusted by the emperor.

Nathaniel sipped the tea and said, "The Emperor is grateful to you that you have decided to become a part of this empire. Your essence food and mana stone business is making the empire strong. You do not need to hold yourself back as the excess essence food and mana stones would be purchased by the empire. You will never lose enough profit nor will you have to face other ones in this business. No nation can have enough mana stones. If it were not for the lack of mana stones, we would have conquered further as then we would have put the trains into production. "

Dominic nodded and said, "I have heard of such things as trains. I heard that they are better than car."

Nathaniel nodded and said, "True. I still cannot understand why other nobles prefer the traditional carriages. Other than that, if you are willing to go to the frontline, the empire will be willing to accept you as an imperial noble in the central administrative system."

Dominic nodded and then said, "I had thought that the empire had enough warriors."

"The empire will never have enough warriors and mages. The fact remains that we have too many enemies in this plane alone. We also have to face the beings from other planes. There is a reason why the Richardson is given such value as they are the one family standing at the forefront against inter-planar invasion. You would have to go to the frontlines to face other races."

Richardson thought and said, "Not now. I plan to join as a noble after I make enough money."

"That will be sad for this empire Dominic. You are a great general. Not everyone can become a magic swordsman as those with attributes often choose the path of the mage. Using attributes along with the speed and strength of a knight was something that made you strong. You would gain much more glory in the frontlines and no one would stop you from doing anything to your enemies."

"Even if I plan to exterminate them all?"

"Yes. It is better than enslaving men, killing children and taking women as prostitutes. Killing them is useless as you can use them to gain more and better profit. But if you plan to not use them and kill them, then do so."

Dominic thought and said, "They have to die. I cannot take the risk of them corrupting the humans. What if some humans started liking such beings of other races?"

Nathaniel smiled and said, "You do not need to worry about such things. Even the emperor cannot sleep with anyone other than human as that is considered treason. There is a reason why thins empire can last this long even when fools rose among nobles. This nation is held together by a magic contract. Even the constitution is a magical contract. One cannot simply override that which has been strengthened for thousands of years by tens of archmages and tens of thousands of mages to ever exist. Their magic, their mystery and their living and dying as a citizen had fulfilled the ritual that strengthened the empire. So either they can give up the protection of the empire and create a new constitution or just follow the rules."

Dominic nodded. He thought and said, "What is the best battlefield?"

He had no plans to hold back himself from going to battlefield for his plans. His happiness mattered the most than any other plans. And him not going to fight would appear doubtful as he knew that he was a battle-maniac and he had never hidden his bloodlust from anything other than human.

So he was willing to go to the war if the war was against a worthy opponent. Nathaniel nodded and said, "We in our own manner had confirmed that you are a king level mage. The empire hopes that you take of the dragon at the western front. You shall be granted the title of a king."

Dominic shook his head and said, "I have no plans to fight the dragons. Kill them and you are cursed. Do not kill them and you have a lifelong enemy."

"Are you scared?"

"No! I just hate enemies who keep coming back. There is a reason why trolls are not killed completely as the death of their race would lead to the explosion of Troll fungus. The back-up seeds would spread all over the empire. Dragons are just like that."

"We do not need you to kill the dragon. Dragons prefer strength over morals. As long as you show that you are strong, the dragon will accept your strength and will try to befriend you. The contract holding the empire is strong enough to protect it from the dragons and other higher level of life. But that does not stop them from stopping our expansion. Your strength will be enough to let them back down as they would not need such resources."

"What resources are you trying to get from under the nose of the dragons?"

"Divine essence."

"I am in. how many dragons should I kill. Is the empire ready for full scale war? It is high time that humanity had its own path to beyond 12 stars of strength."

"True. We are willing to give you some parts of the divine essence as you will be one major person involved in procuring it and you will be a king then."

"I shall take care of the dragons. I need to be given the title soon. "

"Why?"

"I believe in the contract more than your emperor. Archmages are given the title of the Duke when they join a kingdom or empire. I am a king level strongman. I should have a title of king by default as my very act of joining this empire will strengthen the empire held by contract."

"The nobles will not like it."

"They will respect my power. They will follow the rules."

"The emperor will not be happy."

"Sorry. Should I be sleeping with his wife to make him happy! I heard he loves Concubine Camilla the most. Maybe is should try to get her to lay down on my bed as the rules allow it."

"You should keep your words in check. The empire is not something you can challenge. You are not part of the empire yet."

Dominic thought about corruption and smiled. He checked through the contract that could be perceived anywhere anyone of the empire existed. He checked through the contract soon and read enough through it.

He had a look of confidence on his face that made Nathaniel doubt if they he was the one in wrong. Dominic smiled and said, "The empire has a loophole. It is made to protect the humans against anything that is not human. While it can protect you against the dragons, it cannot protect you against me who is as strong as a dragon. I just need to use my mana and put forth an oath that I shall only kill the emperor and nobles and shall protect the commoners and shall take over the contract with less than 49% change in the contract along with taking the empire as mine. This shall allow me to have near nil attack from the contract. The contract is not fueled by the mages. It is fueled by the hundreds of billions that had lived in the empire and their death. There is a reason why you have to follow the rules as no mage is strong enough to overcome it."

Nathaniel asked, "Where did you get the code? It is supposed to be only known to the higher nobles and imperial family."

Dominic smiled and said, "Any archmage can see it."

Nathaniel shook his head and said, "You are really strong. I can start to see why archmages are seen as not humans. You can sense more and think better."

Dominic smiled and said, "Humans and archmages and king level mages are indeed different. But the fact that archmages and king-level mages give birth to humans and humans can rise to become archmages and king-level mages make them one of the same race."

"Why do you care too much about races? I will send your words to the emperor."

"Good."

"It is better to go to some more parties than simply sit in this house. You need connection."

"I will take it into consideration."

Nathanial sighed and stood up to leave. Dominic nodded to the butler by his side, who showed Nathanial out.