Home / The Imperial System: Architect of an Empire / Chapter 104: Three Days

Read free on Ficlyn

The Imperial System: Architect of an Empire

Chapter 104: Three Days · Nov 04, 2026

Prev Chapter Novel Info Next Chapter

Chapter List (352)

Page number / 8

101 Chapter 101: Home Again 2026-11-04
102 Chapter 102: A Quiet Morning 2026-11-04
103 Chapter 103: The Next Assignment 2026-11-04
104 Chapter 104: Three Days 2026-11-04
105 Chapter 105: The Road East 2026-11-04
106 Chapter 106: Upstream 2026-11-04
107 Chapter 107: The Water Runs Red 2026-11-04
108 Chapter 108: The Other Side 2026-11-04
109 Chapter 109: Beneath the River 2026-11-04
110 Chapter 110: The Seal 2026-11-04
111 Chapter 111: What Lies Beneath 2026-11-04
112 Chapter 112: The Governor’s Records 2026-11-04
113 Chapter 113: The Sealed Archive 2026-11-04
114 Chapter 114: The Road Home 2026-11-04
115 Chapter 115: Twelve Villages 2026-11-04
116 Chapter 116: The Village on the Ridge 2026-11-04
117 Chapter 117: The Road Back 2026-11-04
118 Chapter 118: Before the Capital 2026-11-04
119 Chapter 119: The Things That Run 2026-11-04
120 Chapter 120: Beneath the Mountain 2026-11-04
121 Chapter 121: The Weight of What They Found 2026-11-04
122 Chapter 122: The Report 2026-11-04
123 Chapter 123: The Gathering 2026-11-04
124 Chapter 124: A Different Kind of Victory 2026-11-04
125 Chapter 125: The Gates of Home 2026-11-04
126 Chapter 126: The First Night Home 2026-11-04
127 Chapter 127: The Cost of an Idea 2026-11-04
128 Chapter 128: The First Step 2026-11-04
129 Chapter 129: Those Who Answered 2026-11-04
130 Chapter 130: The Road Beyond the Estate 2026-11-04
131 Chapter 131: The Measure of a Man 2026-11-04
132 Chapter 132: The Second Journey 2026-11-04
133 Chapter 133: The Road That Waits 2026-11-04
134 Chapter 134: The Estate 2026-11-04
135 Chapter 135: The First Foundation 2026-11-04
136 Chapter 136: What Blackwood Needs 2026-11-04
137 Chapter 137: The Work Begins 2026-11-04
138 Chapter 138: A Place Worth Living In 2026-11-04
139 Chapter 139: Coin and Conviction 2026-11-04
140 Chapter 140: The Price of Progress 2026-11-04
141 Chapter 141: The Emperor’s next Summons 2026-11-04
142 Chapter 142: The Hall of Dragons 2026-11-04
143 Chapter 143: The Emperor’s New Assignment 2026-11-04
144 Chapter 144: Eyes Upon Blackwood 2026-11-04
145 Chapter 145: The Shape of Things to Come 2026-11-04
146 Chapter 146: A Problem Without a Sword 2026-11-04
147 Chapter 147: Foundation 2026-11-04
148 Chapter 148: More Than Eleven Villages 2026-11-04
149 Chapter 149: Building Before Expanding 2026-11-04
150 Chapter 150: The Valley Beyond Blackwood 2026-11-04

Kael returned to his estate with the report tucked beneath his arm.

The afternoon sun had begun to fade, casting long shadows across the courtyard.

He walked through the gates without speaking.

The guards bowed.

Kael acknowledged them and continued toward the main building.

His mind remained on the map.

Three days.

That was how long he had before leaving.

He entered his study and placed the report on the desk.

Then he opened it again.

The river.

The villages.

The noble estate.

The poor harvests.

Something didn’t fit.

Kael pulled another blank sheet toward himself.

He drew the river.

Then the villages.

One after another.

He marked the upstream estate.

He stared at the drawing.

”If the river is the problem...”

His finger followed the line downstream.

”...why are the villages reporting bad soil?”

There was only one way to find out.

He needed more information.

The next morning, Kael was already awake when Darius entered the study.

The veteran wore a dark training uniform, his sword hanging at his side.

”You haven’t slept.”

Kael didn’t look up.

”I slept.”

”How long?”

”Enough.”

Darius sighed.

”That’s not an answer.”

Kael finally looked at him.

”I’m leaving in three days.”

”I know.”

”I’m going to the eastern farming provinces.”

”I know.”

Kael raised an eyebrow.

”Then why are you here?”

”Because you forgot something.”

”What?”

”Your soldiers.”

Kael looked toward the courtyard.

Darius continued.

”They’re wondering if they’re coming.”

Kael leaned back.

”They aren’t.”

Darius nodded.

”I thought so.”

”This isn’t a military operation.”

”That doesn’t mean you should go alone.”

Kael was silent.

Darius placed several papers on the desk.

”These are the men who volunteered.”

Kael looked down.

There were names.

Scouts.

Engineers.

A healer.

Two riders.

A small group of soldiers with experience working around farms and livestock.

Kael looked up.

”They volunteered?”

”Yes.”

”I didn’t ask.”

”I know.”

Darius smiled.

”They asked me.”

Kael studied the list.

It made sense.

He wasn’t going to fight an army.

He needed people who could observe.

Measure.

Investigate.

Speak with villagers.

”And you?”

Darius leaned against the desk.

”I’ll stay here.”

Kael nodded.

”You’ll oversee the rest.”

”That’s the idea.”

Kael picked up the list.

”Send me six.”

Darius smiled.

”I knew you’d say that.”

Later that morning, Kael visited the training yard.

The soldiers were practicing formations.

The sound of wooden weapons striking filled the courtyard.

Kael walked among them.

He didn’t interrupt.

He watched.

A young soldier stumbled.

His partner immediately caught his arm.

Another soldier laughed.

The first man shoved him.

”Keep laughing.”

”I will.”

Kael smiled.

The expedition had changed them.

Not completely.

But enough.

Darius approached.

”I selected the six.”

Kael nodded.

”Who?”

Darius pointed toward the far side of the yard.

The first was a lean man with dark brown hair tied behind his head. He wore a simple gray training uniform and carried a short bow.

”Seren.”

The man noticed them and approached.

He bowed.

”Prince.”

”You’re coming with me.”

Seren nodded.

”I was told.”

Darius pointed toward another soldier.

A broad woman stood nearby, wearing a sleeveless leather vest over a white shirt. Her dark hair was cut short around her shoulders, and a small scar crossed her chin.

”Lyra.”

She approached.

”Prince.”

”Your experience?”

”Farming before I joined the army.”

Kael looked at her.

”Good.”

The next soldier was older.

His gray-streaked hair was tied into a short tail, and his hands were rough from years of working with tools.

”Torren.”

The man bowed.

”Engineer.”

Kael nodded.

”Exactly what I need.”

Three more soldiers stepped forward.

A young medic.

A rider.

And another scout.

Kael looked at all six.

”You aren’t going there to fight.”

The medic smiled.

”Good.”

A few soldiers laughed.

Kael continued.

”We’re investigating.”

”That means observation comes first.”

”If something seems suspicious, we don’t interfere immediately.”

”If someone tells us something, we verify it.”

”If there’s a problem...”

He paused.

”We find out why.”

Seren nodded.

”Understood.”

Kael looked toward Darius.

”I’ll leave at dawn tomorrow.”

Darius nodded.

”I’ll have everything prepared.”

That evening, Kael returned to his study.

The mysterious egg remained hidden inside the locked chest.

He opened the chest.

The egg was exactly where he had left it.

Kael picked it up.

Nothing happened.

He stared at it.

”You picked a strange time to become boring.”

Nothing.

Kael smiled and placed it back.

Then his eyes moved toward another object.

The ancient fragment from the expedition.

He had brought it back.

He hadn’t shown it to anyone.

Not even his father.

Kael picked it up.

The fragment felt cold.

Not like ordinary stone.

He turned it over.

A faint mark was carved into the bottom.

He hadn’t noticed it before.

Kael brought it closer to the candle.

The mark looked almost like a circle divided by three lines.

He frowned.

He had seen something similar before.

Not in the capital.

Not in the forest.

At the lake.

Kael placed the fragment beside the egg.

Nothing happened.

He waited.

Still nothing.

He sighed.

”Fine.”

He returned both to the chest.

Then locked it.

The next morning arrived quickly.

Kael stood at the estate gates with his six soldiers.

Their horses were prepared.

Supplies were secured.

The road ahead stretched east.

Darius stood beside the gate.

”Three days.”

Kael looked at him.

”What?”

”That’s how long you said you had.”

Kael smiled.

”And?”

”Don’t come back after three months.”

”I’ll try.”

Darius shook his head.

”You always say that.”

Kael mounted his horse.

The six soldiers followed.

Before leaving, Kael looked once more at his estate.

Then toward the road.

He had expected his next assignment to be another adventure.

Instead, it was a farming problem.

No monsters.

No ruins.

No ancient guardian.

Just fields, villages, and a river.

Simple.

At least, that’s what it looked like from the capital.

Kael raised his hand.

”Move.”

The horses began walking.

Behind them, the estate slowly disappeared.

Ahead waited the eastern provinces.

And somewhere along that river...

Someone had a reason for the harvests to be failing.

Kael intended to find it.

Prev Chapter Novel Info Next Chapter

Recommended Novels

Reincarnation Of The Strongest Sword God Lucky Old Cat

Super Gene Twelve Winged Dark Burning Angel

Versatile Mage Chaos

Earth's Greatest Magus Avan

Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather Unknown

Legend of Swordsman Mr. Money

The Martial Unity Lord_Streak

Myriad Paths of the Dragon Emperor Mu Tong Ting Zhu

Legend of Swordsman Mr. Money

Complete Martial Arts Attributes Don't Enter The Jianghu

Legend of Swordsman Mr. Money

Cultivation Online Mylittlebrother

Alchemy Emperor of the Divine Dao Flying Alone

Martial World Cocooned Cow

Starting From A Son In Law To Build An Long Lasting Family Tianxian Huazhu