Dragon Monarch System

Chapter 977: Chapter 977:- Division

[The Radiant Empire has formally admitted to its grave wrongdoings, and after long and serious negotiations, both Emperors have reached a final agreement. By the decree of His Majesty, it is hereby announced that fifty percent of the Radiant Empire’s territory will be integrated into the Istarin Empire, effective immediately.]

[This decision carries consequences that cannot be undone. From this moment onward, those lands will no longer be governed under the Radiant Empire’s authority. Their banners will be lowered, their command will be dissolved, and the rule of the Istarin Empire will take its place. The borders of our Empire will expand, and with it, our responsibility and power will grow.]

[Furthermore, His Majesty has declared that the remaining fifty per cent of the Radiant Empire will be placed under the direct protection of the Istarin Empire. This means the Radiant Empire will no longer stand alone as a fully independent power. Its security, stability, and future will now exist under the shield and oversight of our Empire.]

Hearing the announcement at the city square, people were shocked and then quickly became excited.

Very quickly, people began to cheer and applaud for the Emperor.

Some in the crowd quickly understood that only the Dragon Emperor could make an old powerhouse admit to its wrongdoings and get such generous compensation. After all, who hasn’t heard about the four thousand seven hundred and one spies that were captured all over the Empire within a single night sent from the Radiant Empire?

”Why would the King give up 50% of its territory to us?” One of the commoners in the crowd asked.

”Which one would you choose. Fight against a calamity that will destroy everything and kill you, including your loved ones or make a path such that instead of losing everything, including your life, you only lose 50% of what you have.”

The Dragon Monarch was a calamity that could not be avoided.

Not to mention the full strength of the Istarin Empire’s military.

”I understand now!”

Aditya intentionally made the news about capturing four thousand seven hundred and one spies from the Radiant Empire in a single night so that everyone would understand why he acted against the Radiant Empire. He did not want others to think that the Istarin Empire was unreasonable and was randomly taking territories of whatever Empire they wanted. Once again, he wanted this situation to serve as an example and a lesson for others, showing that messing with the Dragon Monarch will always have consequences.

Meanwhile, Aditya, Watson, Spencer, and Alfred are in the capital of the Radiant Empire. They stood before a figure who clenched his chest in deep pain and was on his knees.

Behind him, there was a young man who was the Crown Prince. There was also the Prime Minister. But Aditya paid no attention to them.

”I have destroyed your cultivation. But even with your cultivation base destroyed, your body is still in a much better condition than the body of an average human. So you should be able to survive at least 100 years.” Rowan raised his head and looked at Aditya.

He did not understand what the Emperor wanted to say.

In his mind, even living 10 years would be enough. He would have enough time to teach everything that he needed to teach his son while creating an environment where his son would have something to protect the Empire.

”I said I will destroy your cultivation. But I also have the means to fix it. You won’t immediately return to your former strength, but with time you will be able to recover it.” Hearing this, Rowan’s body trembled.

”Your Majesty, you mean.....?” He still did not dare to believe it. He did not want false hope. He knew his cultivation could be repaired, but this was his punishment. He had no intention of fixing it. He had accepted his punishment.

”Yes! 50 years. You will live as a mortal for 50 years. Once that time ends, come to the Istarin Empire. I will give you a pill that will allow you to cultivate again. This will be your punishment, Rowan.”

”Yes, I accept!” Rowan lowered his head. His face showed no look of unwillingness. Compared to yesterday, today he looked calmer and more relaxed. It was like he had finally made a decision.

”Now bring me a map of the Radiant Empire.” Hearing this, Rowan, his son, and the Prime Minister became nervous. Depending upon how Aditya drew the border, a lot of things could change.

Meanwhile, Alfred watched from the side as Aditya did things.

’Your Majesty, His Highness have matured into a fine King. The way he carries himself in public reminds me of you.’

The Map of the Radiant Empire could be divided into two main parts - The Northern and the Southern.

The Empire, with a population of 4.8 million, relied on mining and fisheries for most of its revenue. Despite its small size, the Empire was blessed with abundant rainfall, making the land suitable for many types of agriculture. The Land was also blessed with many silver and gold mines. Some of the mines are still active even after 50 years.

The Empire created what they proudly called artificial lakes. These were not ordinary lakes formed by nature, but carefully constructed under the direct command of the Imperial authority. There were nearly 4,000 of these artificial lakes spread across the entire Empire, and every single one of them belonged directly to the Emperor. No noble, no lord, and no official had ownership over them. Because of this, the wealth they generated flowed straight into the Imperial treasury, and it was said that these lakes alone produced nearly fifty per cent of the Empire’s total revenue.

But the true power of these lakes came from the runes engraved deep within their foundations. Ancient rune formations were used to purify the water constantly, recycling waste and removing all harmful substances before they could spread. Nothing was wasted. Even the waste produced by the fish was broken down and converted into nutrients that strengthened the water itself. This created a perfect environment, almost like a paradise, where only the strongest and healthiest fish could grow.

Other runes controlled the temperature, the oxygen flow, and the energy within the water. Because of this, the fish grew faster than normal, matured more strongly, and reached a quality that could not be matched anywhere else. Their meat was richer, their bodies were larger, and their survival rate was far higher than that of fish raised by ordinary methods. What would normally take years could be achieved in a much shorter time.

The consequences of this were enormous. These lakes became the backbone of the Empire’s economic power. Entire cities depended on them. Armies were funded because of them. Trade routes existed because of them. The Emperor’s authority grew stronger because whoever controlled these lakes controlled the flow of wealth and stability across the entire Empire.

Also, the Royal Palace was a paradise for Rogue Cultivators since the Empire allows its Runemaster and Alchemist to sell and custom-take orders from rogue cultivators. The Empire keeps 50% from every transaction.

At first, this was a small venture. But as time passed, more and more rogue cultivators came to the Radiant Empire as the Empire made it friendly for Rogue cultivators to come and settle down.

Within a few years, this model contributed to almost 11.5% of the Empire’s entire total revenue.

So dividing the Empire into 50% isn’t just as simple as randomly drawing lines on the map.

The Northern part of the Empire was widely considered the most economically active and lively region. It was where trade was strongest, where merchants gathered, and where the movement of people and goods never seemed to stop. The Radiant Empire had nine cities that were known as the most populous and influential, and each one of them served as the central heart of its surrounding region. These cities were not just large in size, but also important in administration, trade, and control.

Out of these nine great cities, six were located in the Northern part of the Empire. This gave the North a huge advantage in population, influence, and political importance. Most of the Empire’s nobles, officials, and wealthy merchants lived there, and many important decisions were made in those cities. Because of this, the North held a strong voice in shaping the direction and future of the Empire.

In contrast, the Southern part had only three of the nine major cities. However, what the South lacked in population centres, it made up for with its natural and constructed resources. Most of the artificial lakes, which produced a massive portion of the Empire’s revenue, were located in the South. Along with that, the majority of the Empire’s mines were also concentrated there. These mines supplied essential materials such as metals and minerals, which were necessary for weapons, construction, and trade.

This created a dangerous imbalance within the Empire. The North held the people, the power, and the political control, while the South held the resources that kept the Empire alive. The North depended on the South for wealth, food, and materials, while the South depended on the North for leadership and protection. If either side were to be lost, weakened, or separated, the consequences would be severe.

Without the North, the Empire would lose its administrative heart and its largest population centres, causing instability and disorder. But without the South, the Empire would lose its economic foundation. The artificial lakes and mines were not replaceable, and losing them would destroy a huge portion of the Empire’s revenue and production.

Aditya did not want to take only the richest lands, nor did he want to take only the most populated regions. Such a decision would create instability, resistance, and long-term problems. Instead, he wanted balance. A precise and calculated division. He wanted to cut the strength of the Radiant Empire into two equal halves.

This meant dividing not only the land, but also the sources of wealth and the population itself.

If he took only the South, he would gain most of the artificial lakes and the mines, securing massive economic power. But the majority of the population and administrative cities would remain outside his control, allowing the Radiant Empire to recover over time.

If he took only the North, he would gain the major cities and the population centres, but he would lose many of the economic foundations that gave those cities their strength.

Aditya wanted neither of these outcomes. He wanted both sides to lose their ability to stand alone.

His goal was clear. He would divide the artificial lakes. He would divide the mines. He would divide the great cities. He would divide the population.

When this division was complete, the Radiant Empire would no longer possess enough resources to fully sustain itself without relying on him. At the same time, the territories he gained would not be weak or unstable, but strong enough to immediately strengthen the Istarin Empire.

The consequences of this decision were terrifying.

The Radiant Empire would lose not only half of its land, but also half of its economic lifeline and half of its people. Its revenue would fall drastically. Its influence would weaken. Its ability to rebuild its military and restore its former power would be severely limited.

And at the same time, the Istarin Empire would grow stronger in every aspect. Its population would increase. Its control over resources would expand. Its economic foundation would become even more stable.

However, this did not mean, Aditya would take everything. He made sure to leave enough so that the Empire can sustain its remaining half of the territory and around 2.8 million population.

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