บท 65: The Empire
"I hate this. This is annoying. How I really wish this was like minecraft." Will said grumpily. For the entire night he cut down trees, planted two more for every single one he cut down, that way he won't run out of wood. When he woke up he was already back to cutting down trees in the night.
Unfortunately, he was literally just a few logs too short to make another blueprint. This was annoying to any gamer, when you need a required amount of resources to get something, you grind for it for hours, only to find out you're so close to getting it but you can't 'cause you're missing just one tiny little piece, and then you have to go BACK to get the missing materials, again.
The most annoying thing for him are the stumps that are left. He can't cut them off. He could try to dig it out and he will succeed, but that takes longer than cutting down a simple tree. He would have to cut around the stump, dig out the dirt, cut its thick roots, and so on. It was a very long and tiring process.
This is not like minecraft where one can just chop down the tree entirely. Reality is a pain.
"Seriously? I only needed to cut down two? GAAAAAHHH!!!" Will was pissed, probably because he didn't sleep too well and because he hasn't had anything to eat since he woke up.
He angrily rode on Adaline, they made it back to their base, and he angrily crafted his blueprint. This was as annoying as dying several times in any Call of Duty games in a single online round.
"Golem!" Will marched straight down to his golem, who has made significant progress in the mines. It is very spacious.
"Hold still." Will copied the golem into his blueprint. He didn't care about fixing the few errors his golem had, he was in a mood and did not care to fix it.
"Master."
"Go back to work!" Will ran up the stairs angrily.
When he reached the top, he saw Adaline handing him several fruits to calm him down. Seeing how angry he was, she intended to calm him so he wouldn't hurt himself.
Seeing this Will calmed down by taking a deep breath. He just can't get mad at Adaline.
"Thanks, girl." Will took the fruits and ate them. Will could only be this angry if he either lacks sleep, or is very hungry, or both. Will didn't know how long he slept for but he guessed that it wasn't long since the sun was still up, and he went to bed when it was sunrise.
After eating his fill, he got tired and was too lazy to move around. But the bright sun and intense heat didn't let him rest properly.
"Gah, I need to build another roof. No, kingdoms don't have roofs, what am I thinking? I am gonna build myself a huuuge castle, and it'll have a golden throne and everything!" Will got up. He had way too much work to do, his golems, his base, his potions, tending to his camels/livestock, crafting and enchanting items.
It's been such a busy week that he hadn't even managed to take out the dragon corpses he had in his bracelet. They had scales that could be used as armor, and maybe even tools. For now he had more important matters to attend to.
And just like that Will became a slave to his work, doing nothing else but build and building like a hardcore minecraft player or a minecraft youtuber. How he longed for simpler times when he could rely on his parents back then, whom he misses very much. It was an easier life compared to this one.
Days passed in the blink of an eye for Will. What was once a simple, small stone base, is now a small castle sort of.
The 'kingdom' he built was simple. It had huge, thick stone walls, the gate which still doesn't work, and a simple rectangle building in the middle. On the side were the camels and the fruits and herbs and flowers. Those had their own place. The camels had shelter, food, and water. The greenery, which is what he calls, he didn't change much of it since he felt like there was no need to change anything.
The area surrounding them was very green, green grass everywhere, and tall trees surrounding the base.
The simple building in the middle was as tall as the walls. However it was too basic. No details, just a large door, and some windows. The inside had a golden throne just for him to sit on. Some granite pillars were placed to support the weight of the building. Other than that there was nothing grand about it.
"This is… beautiful. Good job, me." Will pat himself on the back for building this magnificent, yet simple building.
No matter how garbage or simple it might seem to others, to Will they were all masterpieces equally as good as the Mona Lisa painting, or anything really.
"Hmmm… it's almost exactly as we almost built it, Alex. Hope you can see this from up there." Will teared up a bit after remembering something from his past.
Back then, Alex, Sandra, and him were building an epic kingdom in Minecraft. They all played and enjoyed the game, and they liked the idea of having their own little kingdom, not just an ordinary kingdom but the best kingdom possible. They did start it at one point, however they never finished it, because before they could Alex had died during the store robbery.
It was too much for Will. When he saw that castle it reminded him of his friend, he just couldn't stand it especially when he blames himself for Alex's death. At some point, after getting his mind straight, he wished he had finished it because it was the last thing he remembered of his dear friend. Now that moment will never come again. It was the same for Sandra.
Now he is attempting to recreate the unfinished castle from his Minecraft world and complete it this time. Of course it'll be different because this is not a minecraft world.
"Wait, I shouldn't do this on my own. Sandra had as much planning and building in that castle in our Minecraft world. Hmm…"
Now that he thought about it, it wouldn't feel right to do this without Sandra, that is if she felt like helping. If she wants to, it'll be great. If she doesn't want to, he will respect her wishes.
He grabbed his communication stone and messaged her.
{Hey. Want to help me out?}
He wrote it down, but there was no one on the other side so he didn't receive a message from her.
Adaline, who was eating some meat, sensed someone coming when they stepped on the grass she grew. She growled as she didn't recognize the heavy footsteps.
"Trouble?" Will recognized that growl. He climbed up his walls to get a better view. With his enchanted mask, he could see very far.
Will saw 20 men riding on horses heading this way.
"The hell?" Will said. He didn't recognize them. They were all wearing enchanted clothes. And all had enchanted weapons on them, from guns to swords only, but mostly guns. They looked OP.
Even the horses had enchanted armor on them, something that even the Reyes kingdom lacked because they lacked the funds.
"Wait, are they from Jim's village? No, that's dumb. They were dead poor. There is no way they could afford any of that."
Jim was a man who once attempted to kidnap Adaline to sell her, to help his village. Some might say he was doing the right thing, but to Will it was anything but good. Adaline is his beloved friend who has stood by him in this strange world for almost three months now.
They once attempted to raid his base after discovering that Will had water. He planned to share it with them after seeing their poor state, but before he could help them they turned on him. It was that village that made him not want to care about anybody else. However those men were killed by Arbor, including Jim.
Ever since that day, there hasn't been another raid on his base. Some have tried to break into his base from time to time, but they were eventually killed and their bodies were used as fertilizer.
Will looked at Adaline, who was growling angrily at them. She didn't like people suddenly intruding on their land, like an animal who guards his territory.
"Stay here, Adaline. Under no circumstances can you come out."
Will didn't like this one bit. Those men have to know about him, why else would they come here equipped with powerful items? There was no way they could know about the exotic flower seed, that's his greatest secret, and also his system.
"Attack mode {off}"
Will exited his castle to confront the men. This time he was prepared to take them on, even without Arbor and Grace's help. He had sentry turrets, better armor, weapons, powerful enchantments. He wasn't afraid to fight them, even if they do have better equipment than Jim's village.
There was no need to question how they found out his base, again. It was bound to happen with Adaline spreading her greenery all around. And he suspected the princess had something to do with this. Probably because she blamed him because of him that Clement was caught.
The 20 men stopped their horses. What stopped them from going any further was a little wooden fence surrounding the castle. And a few signs that read 'danger ahead' 'message me if you want to enter.'
Will created this so people would not carelessly walk in the castle and get shot by turrets. If someone like Jack, or Sandra were to drop by unexpectedly, they might die. He made this for his friends mostly. If people ignore his warnings and cross the fence, then they deserve to die.
"Woah, did not expect a wall to be here." One of the men said, it was a young man.
They saw the giant stone wall, and thought that it took years and hundreds of workers to build something like that. Never in their wildest dreams would they think that it was built in less than a work, and by one man.
"It seems Empress Valerie was right. The missing hero is here." The one in charge, who had a thick, black beard and mustache was in awe of his empress.
There was no way that a castle would just be here. And it looked new, clean, well maintained. He had doubts that the hero might be here, but this castle in front of him made him think that the missing hero is here.
"Boss, someone's coming." Someone pointed in front of them.
They saw Will walking towards them. Will stopped before them, he did not go outside of the wooden fences he made. Everything inside the wooden fences is the maximum radius his sentry turrets could reach.
"Hello, please leave." Will said. He was not a psychopathic killer, he won't just kill everyone he sees to keep this place a secret.
It was bound to happen. A lot of people know his identity, the princess, Clement, Sandra, Bruce, Arbor, Grace, Jack, all of the elves probably, Jasmine, and so on. He can't keep hiding in the dirt all his life. With so many people knowing his identity it was bound to happen. And those who figured out his identity are because they found out by themselves.
It wasn't like he went to people and said "I am the 100th hero." He tried his best to keep it a secret, but since the princess already knows, and when he just remembered that he forgot his promise to Clement, he suspected that the princess had told her father.
With the Princess back in her kingdom, it was only a matter of time. He got this information from Sandra, Jack, and Jasmine.
But there was a chance that they didn't know. He hoped it was the case.
"You're the missing 100th hero, am I right?" The one in charge asked.
Will flinched, but he sighed heavily. So they already knew.
"Leave this place. Tell your princess that I am not going to the kingdom." Will said. He really does think it was Harmony who sold him out, as she promised when he broke their promise.
'Wait, since when could the kingdom afford those nice items? Tax money, most likely.' Will thought.
"Princess? I believe you're mistaken, the one who we serve is our Empress, Empress Valerie. I am sure you've heard of her. She sent us here to find you."
Will was surprised. Even the Empress knows about him?
Will thought about it, and it did not make sense. No one from the Empire should know about him. Unless they had spies planted on the kingdom which was very likely, or interrogated someone who knew his secret.
According to what he heard about her, she is a brutal woman, who is fat, which is why people also refer to her as 'The Fat Empress' someone who enslaves even her own people to work for her until they die out of exhaustion. The list goes on and on. It made her seem as if she was the worst human being in the world.
Most of the information he got was from Sandra. According to her, it was one of the first thing's the king told them, that they should avoid the Empress at all times.
"How did you know I was here?" Will asked. He needed to know.
"We didn't. Our Empress did. We just merely searched the entire deserted lands for hours. In fact, there are 3 more squads who are still searching for you as we speak. Which reminds me, I need to send her a message."
It was the truth. It wasn't just these 20 people on horses who were looking for Will who worked under the Empress, it was actually 80 people on horses split into 4 groups, all which had the exact number of items, armor, and weapons as the squad in front of Will. This was to ensure the safety of her men, in case they ever come across a powerful monster, or in a more likely scenario, fight a hero.
Meanwhile…
Inside the Empire, on top of the walls. There is a beautiful, slim woman, with long red hair wearing entire enchanted armor, weapons. She is Valerie, the Empress of the Empire.
Valerie, despite being the Empress, was on watch duty. Making sure that her men were safe, no monster or man attempted to break in to raid their Empire.
Most powerful leaders, like her, would be inside the comfort of their own base, eating delicious foods, sitting down and doing nothing. But not her. She is willing to give that life of comfort to protect her own Empire, as well as give a man a day off, instead of making him or her stay up on that wall for hours and hours.
"Hm?" Valerie saw her communication stone light up. It was from one of her squads she tasked to find the 100th hero, who she believed was hiding in the deserted lands, as far as the rumors go.
"Well... I'll be. He actually was here." She smiled. Her plan worked.
Hearing the rumors of the hero who was hiding on the deserted lands, she wanted to bring him over to her side at all costs, only if the rumors were true of course, but it couldn't hurt to search for him.
However, she got to thinking, and came up with a plan, not to lure him in, but to find him.
As far as she knew, the hero for some reason was in hiding. She didn't know his reasons but could vaguely guess them.
The kingdom couldn't even find a normal man who kidnapped their princess despite their efforts, so she was confident that they couldn't even find the missing hero. And she was right for the most part.
When the rumors started, she wanted to send some men to look for him, but she held off on that plan for now. She planted more spies to find out anything about the missing 100th hero, she found nothing.
Then, when the rumors started dying, and when she heard how greenery appeared in the deserted lands after all those people went to find him, but then the greenery started to die, it was more than a coincidence. She was almost sure that the 100th hero really was there but in hiding, but she still didn't send her men to find him.
Right after the rumors died down, right when she was sure he would come out of his hiding hole, only then did she send 80 strong troops to locate him. It came as a surprise to her when her men found him quickly.
She knew that if the missing hero was hiding he would come out. According to what her spies told her about the other 99 summoned heroes, most of them are either lazy, weak minded, stupid, unproductive, complain about everything. So there was a good chance that Will was like them.
Still, a hero is a hero in the end.
A woman with blue hair, Valerie's most trusted friend, came up to her to talk to her about some concerns she, and some people have.
"Valerie, you really shouldn't be up here. You're the Empress-"
Valerie held up her finger to quiet her.
{Do not fight him or insult him. Remember, we are here to recruit him to our side or make connections with him. As far as we know we're the only ones who know about his existence, although I really doubt it. Befriend him. If you can't, it's all good. Good job.}
She wrote that for her men. Valerie turned to her side and said to her friend.
"Sorry about that. Veronica, it looks like you owe me lunch."
"Wait… they actually found him?"
"They did. We're going to the deserted lands. Be sure to bring 40 soldiers. Oh, and be sure to tell everyone that they all owe me lunch. They all lost the bet." Valerie chuckled a bit.
A lot of her soldiers did not think that the 100th hero really was here. So she made a bet with them all, if they won she'd owe them money, food, clothes, free from paying taxes for 10 years and so on. But if she won, they'd owe her a simple lunch.
She wasn't very confident that the odds were in her favour, but it looks like luck is on her side.
"Oh my god, he's actually... Wait, what do you plan to do with lunch enough for 20,000 full grown men?" Veronica asked.
"Well, I can't eat that much by myself, so when I come back I'll give it to our citizens. Looks like we're having a grand feast. But seriously, get the horses ready but not the lizards, get the soldiers ready, and for my sake do not bring the carriage out again."
Horses can travel longer distances than lizards. However lizards are more useful in combat.
"But the carriage is what will protect you from harm. It can literally stand the attack of a dragon's strength. And that way we can also serve as your shields."
"Then we'll make 100,000 carriages for everyone here and everyone will be protected."
"Valerie, you know that won't-"
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Just go do what I said."
Veronica left running hastily. Valerie turned to a passing soldier.
"Muhammid, could you cover for me?" Asked Valerie.
"Yes, Empress."
"Thanks."
Meanwhile…
Will was thinking on how to take care of these 20 people. There was no need to kill them unless he had to. And besides these weren't ordinary men but strong soldiers with powerful weapons.
Will was more afraid of bringing harm to Adaline and damaging his castle more than he feared for his life. After all, he could 'respawn' every time he died.
'Respawning' is what he likes to call it when he comes back to life, because that's what it's called in Minecraft and other games.
"What does the Empress want?" Will suddenly was scared for Adaline's life. If what he heard about the Empress was true, then this was bad news for him.
"Nothing terrible if that's what you're thinking, hero… um."
"Will." Said Will.
"Hero Will. I believe you've heard about the 'terrible deeds' our Empress committed, right?"
"..." Will stood silent.
"I can tell you that it's simply not true. It's all lies. Propaganda made up by the King to make us look bad."
"How do I know you're not lying?" Will kept his gun in his inventory. If he needs it, he'll be able to use it at a moment's notice.
"Many reasons: Jealousy, hate, you name it. Have you ever seen our empire do anything like that?"
Will thought about it, and he was right. Everything he knew about them came from Sandra, who was told by the kingdom and the king mostly.
If anything it was the kingdom who is just as vile. From a King who raises taxes to astronomical prices, to child killers, to kidnappers (meaning the heroes and him) and many things.
He has never seen how the Empire functioned in person so he can't really judge them based on rumors.
"Our Empress is coming in a week. If you allow us, can we stay here outside for a week? She wants to talk to you in person."
"..." Will thought about it, he wasn't sure what the right choice was.
"1 week. And do not step foot inside the fence at any point unless I tell you to. If you do, you'll die."
Will merely turned back and went inside his castle. He'll give them a chance. Who knows if this might be a bad or right choice. Only the future will tell.
If it's a bad choice, he's confident in being able to protect himself.
So far these people from the Empire haven't done anything wrong to him, it was mostly the people in the villages.
And there is one important point he just thought of, the Empire's vast wealth.
Looking at their enchanted items, this made him realize that it could actually be a once in a lifetime opportunity. Not even the kingdom could afford to give their ordinary soldiers such powerful gear.
Most likely he could use them for rare resources like rare ores, or better metals. There is a good chance that they have a lot of mana ores, or even other valuable resources he has yet to find. They might or might not be an evil Empire but they sure are extremely wealthy.
If this does end up being a good choice in the end, he knew that making connections with the Empress could possibly get him more golems quicker than he thought. Right now his priorities are his golems, and getting a high-tier mana ore to see what other exclusive crafts he could craft.
"What do we do now?" Asked a female soldier. Most of them thought that the hero would invite them to their kingdom.
Will didn't invite them in for several obvious reasons.
"Guess we'll set up camp. The Empress is coming here, but that'll take a week at minimum for her to arrive."
So the 20 men took out their bags, took out some tents and set up camp literally meters away from Will's wooden fences.
The Empress made sure to give him heat resistant items to help them endure the intense heat. She knew they would stay there for a while. They even brought food, water to last them for a month. The Empress spared no expense to ensure the safety and well being of her men.
Will looked at the 20 men just chilling by his base. Soon those 20 men turned to 80 men. And it looked like they were all having a party, dancing, playing cards, sparring, flirting, chatting, everything.
They didn't seem like soldiers anymore but just people who were having fun.
"Well… at least I don't have to waste my time on them or my resources." Will decided to ignore them for the time being.
Adaline was on guard, feeling uneasy that 80 people were just camping right outside of the base.
"Adaline, for the next week do not go outside. If they kill me I can always respawn. If they kill you I will never forgive myself. Besides, the sentry turrets are locked and ready, should they ever cross the fence. Now I have to make myself some scaled dragon armor, just in case."
Will saw his communication stone light up. Sandra replied to him.
{Sorry, I was busy. Do you need my help with something? I am free for you.}
Will thought about what he should say.
{Sorry, not right now. I'll tell you later. Something came up unexpectedly.}
{Oh. Do you need help? I can bring Bruce and we can deal with whatever is causing you trouble.}
{Don't. It's nothing to worry about.}
{I'll trust you on that, then. Cya later. Love ya.}
{Ditto.}
Will placed his communication stone away and headed straight to the mines.
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