In just a single day, the news spread across the entire kingdom.

  The news that Kai had woken up.

  It moved faster than any official announcement, carried by drones to every major city. By nightfall, almost every noble house knew that Arzan Kellius was no longer unconscious.

  A large number of them were already in Hermil. Some had remained after the final battle, unwilling to leave while the fate of the kingdom was still uncertain. Others arrived as soon as the roads were declared safe, rushing in from every direction with hopes, demands, and carefully prepared speeches. Every one of them wanted a meeting. Every one of them believed their matter was urgent.

  Kai refused them all.

  He made it clear that he needed time to recover, both physically and magically. His Mana heart had been pushed far beyond its limits, and although it was healing, it was far from stable. For now, he chose rest over politics, even if it frustrated half the kingdom.

  That did not mean he met no one.

  There were some people he simply could not turn away.

  One of them was Chieftain Yafgar.

  The Lombards had played a crucial role in the war. They had bled for Lancephil, fought battles that were never theirs to begin with, and stood their ground even when the odds were against them. Ignoring them would have been both unjust and foolish.

  When Yafgar came to meet him, there were no long negotiations.

  Kai granted the Lombards citizenship within the kingdom.

  On top of that, he promised Yafgar a noble title, one that would formally recognize his authority and secure the Lombards’ place in the kingdom’s future. He made it clear that it was not charity. It was an acknowledgment.

  For the first time since they had entered Lancephil lands, the Lombards left a meeting smiling.

  After them came the tribal leaders.

  They, too, had fought bravely in a war that was never theirs. They had repaid every favor Kai had given them, and then some. Yet despite that, they approached him with a strange restraint—choosing their words carefully.

  It was unexpected, especially from men like Maari and Adil, who were normally direct to the point of bluntness.

  What they wanted was not land or titles. They wanted a trade agreement.

  A formal one.

  Something that had not existed between Lancephil and the tribes for centuries.

  They moved on to speak about shared routes, exchange of resources, protection of caravans and simply, long-term cooperation. They wanted a future where the tribes were not just isolated neighbors at the edge of the kingdom, but recognized partners.

  Kai agreed without hesitation.

  He told them that once the kingdom was stabilized and the immediate chaos dealt with, they would sit down and draft the agreement properly.

  That seemed to ease them more than anything else he could have offered.

  They left in good spirits as well, and after that, Kai continued to receive visitors he could not easily turn away.

  Princess Amara and Duke Blackwood visited him several times over the next few days, checking on his condition and quietly discussing matters of the kingdom. Killian, on the other hand, became busy in a different way. Since Kai had refused to meet most nobles, many of them redirected their requests toward Killian instead, hoping he could speak on their behalf or at least secure them a future audience.

  Among the visitors Kai did receive were Viscountess Vaessa and Baroness Marren.

  They were two of his most prominent supporters during the war, and the moment they entered the room, Kai already knew what they wanted. Duke Blackwood had warned him beforehand, and Kai himself had seen it coming. Both women had performed well during the war, and more importantly, they had significant backing from other nobles. In a sense, Kai had more to lose by turning them away than by listening.

  Still, he made no promises.

  He listened carefully to everything they said, acknowledged their efforts, and then told them plainly that decisions regarding the redistribution of land, titles, and power would be discussed later—during a formal gathering, once he had the full picture of the kingdom’s condition.

  They tried to press further.

  They hinted, questioned, and tested his words, but Kai remained firm. He refused to commit to anything before he had thought through every consequence. In the end, they had no choice but to leave, asking him only to “make the right decision” when the time came.

  Days passed like that.

  Slowly, Kai began to feel ready.

  His Mana heart was still recovering, but his mind was clear, and he knew that delaying any longer would only create more tension. So, one morning, he made his decision and called for a meeting.

  Every noble currently in Hermil was summoned.

  Enforcers and Mages were invited as well. Kai wanted their presence to carry equal weight to the nobles, not as silent guards, but as witnesses and participants. This was not a gathering meant only for those born into power.

  There was only one problem.

  There was no hall large enough to hold everyone.

  The royal castle once served that purpose, but now it lay in ruins. Most of Hermil’s larger buildings had either been damaged or destroyed during the battle. Rather than forcing everyone into cramped spaces, Kai made a different choice.

  He ordered the meeting to be held out in the open streets of Hermil.

  If the city had become the stage where the old order fell, then it would also be the place where the new one began.

  At Kai’s order, Earth Mages stepped forward and reshaped the broken stone beneath their feet. The ground rose and shifted, forming a long, solid table large enough to seat everyone in attendance. Chairs followed soon after, carved directly from stone. Enforcers and Mages positioned themselves along the sides, standing in clear view.

  A few nobles immediately voiced their concerns about security, but they were soon dismissed.

  Watchers were already stationed on the rooftops of the surrounding buildings, their presence obvious to anyone who bothered to look up. Between them, the Enforcers and Mages on the ground, and Kai himself, there was little room for argument. With his current power and influence, the nobles had no real choice but to accept the arrangement.

  Once everyone finally took their seats, Kai lifted his gaze and slowly looked across the table.

  Most of the nobles present belonged to his own faction, but there were also several from Aldrin’s and Thalric’s factions, men and women who had surrendered once the outcome of the war became clear. Eldric’s faction, however, was barely represented. Too many of its members had died during the fighting or in the chaos that followed.

  As Kai studied them, the nobles studied him in return.

  Many of them looked tense. Some avoided his eyes entirely, their hands clenched tightly in their laps. Others sat stiffly, clearly unsure of what this meeting would bring.

  When Kai finally spoke, his voice was calm and resonating throughout the crowd.

  “First of all, thank you for coming,” he said. “I know this is not the best place for a meeting of this importance, but I did not want to wait until my coronation.”

  At the mention of that word, whispers rippled through the crowd. Kai continued with his speech.

  “Our kingdom has been through a great deal in the past few months,” he continued. “I have personally fought in two wars within the last year. There will be no more wars like that from now on—at least not within this kingdom.”

  The murmurs slowly died down as his words sank in.

  “As the victor of this civil war,” Kai said, “I expect all of you to act as nobles who truly look after your lands and the commoners living on them, instead of acting only in your own interest.”

  His gaze hardened slightly.

  “Some of you will not retain the same lands you held before,” he added. “Others will be given greater responsibilities. This will not be comfortable, and it will not be easy.”

  At those words, several nobles visibly paled.

  The reaction was strongest among the houses of the defeated Dukes, whose sons now sat at the table in place of fathers who were either imprisoned or dead. Their hands tightened on the armrests, knuckles whitening.

  “All nobles who stood with the losing princes will face consequences,” Kai continued evenly. “Some of you will lose your lands entirely. Others will see them reduced by half, along with a downgrade in title.”

  A few sharp breaths were immediately drawn.

  “First, the three ducal houses involved will step down to the rank of viscount,” Kai said. “New dukes will be appointed in their place.”

  The reaction was immediate.

  Voices rose across the table, overlapping in disbelief. Even several nobles from Kai’s own faction stared at him, eyes wide. The decision was harsher than many had expected.

  In truth, Kai had considered stripping those houses of their noble ranks altogether.

  House Kestrelain and House Raktor had supported Eldric and Thalric—men whose schemes had led to the deaths of countless commoners. Duke Ashford, while less extreme, had still sided with Aldrin and allowed foreign powers to interfere in the kingdom’s internal war.

  But Duke Blackwood had warned him. Those houses still held influence in their territories. Crushing them outright would only plant the seeds for future rebellion. Weakening them, ensuring they could never rise to their former power, was the safer choice.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  As the nobles argued among themselves, a young man abruptly stood.

  Kai recognised him at once.

  Marcus Raktor, son of Duke Roan Raktor.

  The irony was not lost on him. Marcus had never once set foot on the battlefield during the civil war, yet restrained fury twisted his features as he looked across the table.

  “You can’t do that,” Marcus said in a tight voice that cracked when he finished the sentence. “House Raktor has served this kingdom for centuries. You can’t strip us of our title over a single war.”

  The table fell quiet again, all eyes shifting back to Kai who met Marcus’s glare without flinching.

  “I can and I am,” he said calmly. “Your house may have served the kingdom, but it has only ever worked for its own benefit—before the civil war and even during it. I did not call this meeting for debate. You are not here to argue with me. You are here to listen, and to take what I decide to give you.”

  Marcus opened his mouth again.

  Kai didn’t let him.

  His eyes moved to the representatives of the other two ducal houses. “I am counting all three ducal houses together,” he said. “If he continues speaking, I will strip all of you of even the viscount rank.”

  The effect was instant.

  The men beside Marcus surged to their feet, grabbing him by the shoulders and forcing him back down into his chair. He struggled, fury flashing across his face, until one of them struck him hard across the cheek.

  “Shut the fuck up,” the man hissed. “And sit down.”

  Marcus froze, shock written across his face as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. He sank back into his chair, breathing hard, hatred burning in his eyes as he stared at Kai.

  An Enforcer took a step forward immediately and Kai lifted a hand, stopping him in his tracks.

  From the side, he noticed Duke Blackwood’s gaze—the man was studying him with an unreadable expression.

  Kai gave a small nod in return.

  They had known this would happen. Not every noble would accept the new order quietly. Plans were already in place for those who wouldn’t.

  When the table finally settled, Kai turned his attention to the nobles of the losing factions. Many of them looked devastated now, shoulders slumped, faces drained of color.

  “You will all receive a formal list detailing your changes in rank,” Kai said, his voice steady, “along with the exact portions of land you will be losing.”

  He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.

  “But not all of you committed war crimes,” he added. “Some of you simply chose the wrong faction.”

  A few heads lifted.

  “I recognize that,” Kai continued. “Those nobles will be allowed to retain their titles and lands on the condition that they pay reparations. Monetary compensation, along with long-term obligations to the crown.”

  At that, a few nobles widened their eyes. Hope flickered in their eyes—careful, restrained, as if they feared it might be taken away the moment they acknowledged it.

  Kai knew very well that not all of them were rotten. Some had chosen the wrong banner out of fear, pressure, or simple misjudgment rather than greed or cruelty. His Watchers had learned much during the war—too much, perhaps. They had gone through histories, ledgers and every possible secret they could find. And now he knew who could be spared and who could not.

  But this was not the place to name them. If he began listing exceptions and punishments now, the meeting would drag on until nightfall and dissolve into arguments. So, he moved on to his own faction.

  For a brief moment, his eyes met Viscountess Vaessa’s. She inclined her head ever so slightly, already understanding what was coming.

  “Since many lands will be stripped or reduced,” Kai said, his voice carrying clearly across the gathered nobles, “they cannot be left ungoverned.”

  A murmur rippled through the crowd.

  “That means others will take on more responsibility like I mentioned before.”

  He let the words settle before continuing.

  “I will not announce individual appointments here,” Kai said. “Those will be delivered formally. But know this—every baron and viscount who stood with me during the war will rise by at least one rank.”

  That earned more than a few sharp breaths.

  “Their lands will expand accordingly,” he went on, “and they will receive a thirty percent reduction in taxes for the next three years. That time is not just a reward. It is an expectation. You will use it to bring your territories up to the standards that I will set.”

  A few nobles smiled openly now. Others nodded, already calculations evident in their eyes. Some leaned toward their neighbors, whispering, no doubt already making plans.

  Kai did not look at them for long.

  Instead, he turned his attention to Duke Blackwood.

  “The ducal ranks,” Kai said evenly, “will be affected the most. That much you already know.”

  The table stilled.

  “I will be elevating Duke William Blackwood and House Blackwood to the rank of Archduke,” Kai continued, “and granting him full authority as the commander of the kingdom’s military.”

  For a heartbeat, there was silence. Then all the eyes widened. And heads turned in unison toward Duke Blackwood. People have expected him to get a powerful position, but the seat of an Archduke was something that didn't even exist in the kingdom for centuries.

  The old duke rose from his seat without hesitation. He stepped forward, placed a fist over his chest, and bowed deeply.

  “As you command, Your Majesty,” he said.

  Kai had already discussed this with Duke Blackwood in private, and the old duke had accepted the role without hesitation. Kai trusted his own faction, but trust alone was not enough to rule a kingdom fractured by war. Someone needed to watch the nobles with an iron fist, and there was no one better for the job.

  When the murmurs finally died down, Kai spoke again.

  “There will also be two new ducal positions,” he said. “Not three, as before.”

  That alone sent more ripples through the gathering.

  “And alongside them,” he continued, “I will be raising seven counts.”

  Before anyone else could speculate further, Viscountess Vaessa spoke up, her voice clear.

  “And who will be the two dukes, Your Majesty?”

  Kai didn’t answer immediately. He let the silence stretch just long enough to draw every eye back to him.

  “They will not be Dukes,” he said finally. “I will be raising two Duchesses.”

  Heads immediately snapped up towards the viscountess and other female nobles. Even those who had expected changes had not expected this since there had been no duchess in power in the kingdom ever.

  “You,” Kai said, keeping his gaze to Viscountess Vaessa, “will be the first.”

  Vaessa straightened instinctively, surprise flashing across her features before it was carefully masked.

  “And Baroness Marren,” Kai continued, shifting his attention, “will be the second.”

  For a moment, neither woman spoke. Both sat a little taller, the weight of the words settling in. Kai knew they had aimed for this position—schemed, planned, prepared for it—but neither had been certain he would grant it. And yet, there was no better choice.

  Vaessa had been in his mind for this role long before the war ended. Marren had taken longer to decide, but Kai had learned that balance mattered as much as loyalty. Duke Blackwood could only watch so much alone, and these two would keep each other in check. Moreover, both women were powerful Mages. Their rise would not just stabilize the nobility—it would push magical development across the kingdom forward.

  He gave them a few moments to collect themselves before speaking again.

  “These are not the final appointments,” Kai said. “I will also be raising new nobles during the coronation ceremony—those who contributed significantly to the war and the kingdom’s survival.”

  He paused, scanning the gathered crowd, then lifted his gaze to Killian standing nearby. The Knight met his eyes immediately.

  “But titles are not the only matters we must discuss today. First,” Kai said, “the creation of a council that will act as the kingdom’s decision-making body.”

  “Second,” he continued, “a nationwide program to identify and train Enforcers and Mages. Third, we will decide how to proceed with the Alparca Kingdom. I have chosen to return the body of Prince Vhailor.”

  A ripple of surprise ran through the table at the last part. But Kai wasn’t done.

  “And fourth,” he finished, “we will begin a nationwide campaign to educate every city and territory about dead mana, and to prepare for the awakening of a dragon capable of destroying the world.”

  ***

  A/N - You can read 30 chapters (15 Magus Reborn and 15 Dao of money) on my patreon. Annual subscription is now on too.

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