"Joshua, why do all kings wear crowns?"
Joshua, the Regent King of the Faen Empire, known as the "Sun Never Sets Empire," dismissed all the attendants and guards, standing at the highest point of the Imperial Capital gazing out.
This stern, solemn, and authoritative middle-aged man glanced over the Imperial Capital, once renowned as the "first grand city of Aikania," overlooking the traces of time left upon this great city.
Reykjavik, this ancient name once represented the center of the entire Central Continent, even the master of power over the entire Icaria World.
The ancestors of the Faen Empire in the Thorny Swamps braved blood and fire, holding the doctrine of the gods, and bathed in the glory of their forefathers to establish a great kingdom only possible in legendary epic tales.
Even in the long years when the Faen Empire divided and reunited, experiencing the Chaos of the Kings, and the nobles’ support, the royal line of Faen changed several times.
Yet in today’s Seventh Era, the Faen Empire still controls the hegemony over the Central Continent, balancing and competing against the Lu Man Empire, which possesses the "strongest land army" in the Icaria World.
The two great empires are not only the absolute overlords of the Central Continent, but their influence and reach also extend to other continental nations and civilizations, being absolute giants in the Icaria World.
The Regent King of Faen Empire, Joshua, looked at the child holding his broad hand, lifting the child wearing a small crown.
He let the black-haired, black-eyed child sit on his shoulder, overlooking the scenery of the entire Imperial Capital.
"The crown makes the wearer stand above others, symbolizing supreme status and ultimate power,"
Joshua tilted his head to look at the child’s black eyes shining like obsidian and smiled slightly: "But the true meaning of the crown is,"
"When disaster descends from the heavens, I will shield you from everything, forever letting you see hope. To wear a crown, one must bear its weight, that is the price the crown bearer must endure!"
Sitting on the shoulder of Regent King Joshua, the only blood heir left of the Faen Imperial Modra Royal Family, young Kaine Modra, only a few years old, asked in a childish voice: "Then this crown is too heavy, Joshua, I will strive to hold up the crown like you in the future!"
The solemn and authoritative Regent King laughed, gently brushing the black flowing hair of young Kaine Modra with his broad hand.
He laughed softly: "That’s great, I hope Your Majesty can grow up fast,"
"However, if there comes a day when Your Majesty forgets the meaning of the crown, I will confiscate it!"
The young Kaine Modra laughed happily, shouting, "I am the future king, Joshua says I will be the future emperor, I won’t fail like that!"
When Karien and Lido climbed the wide stone steps to reach the pinnacle of the Imperial Palace, this was the scene they witnessed.
The Regent King Joshua does not belong to the Modra Clan of the Faen Imperial Royal Family, yet he is the Regent King overseeing all political and military powers of the empire, whom all the nobles, businessmen, commoners, heroes, and generals of Faen Empire must bow to.
Upon seeing the arrival of the Imperial Assistant Prime Minister Lido and the Imperial Grand Marshal Karien, the Regent King Joshua regained his stern, solemn, and authoritative expression.
Even though Imperial Assistant Prime Minister Lido and Imperial Grand Marshal Karien were both his close friends.
"Are those diplomatic missions ready?" The Regent King’s eyes were as deep as an unfathomable pool of blue water, filled with sparks of calmness and contemplation.
"According to your instructions, the Empire’s diplomatic missions have constructed long-distance Teleportation Magic Gates with the help of the Empire’s Legendary Mage Corps, ready to visit the Dragon Emperor and the Northern Kings at the camp of the Northern Kings’ Alliance Army stationed before the Kingdom of Koria."
Imperial Assistant Prime Minister Lido replied.
"That’s good," the Regent King nodded, looking towards Imperial Grand Marshal Karien.
This Imperial Grand Marshal wore heavy and noble armor, yet at his waist, he carried an ordinary longsword.
Perhaps "ordinary" is not the right word for this sword; perhaps "shabby" would be more fitting.
This sword seemed not sharp and was rusty along the broad blade, like dried bloodstains solidified on the blade, impossible to clean.
But Regent King Joshua knew that this rusty sword was not ordinary; in the hands of Imperial Grand Marshal Karien, it could cut through all magic in the Icaria World.
The Regent King’s gaze turned to his trusted Grand Marshal, asking softly: "No legion of the empire shall act without my royal command, Karien, for anyone or any reason."
"Rest assured," the Imperial Grand Marshal Karien told the Regent King, nodding solemnly.
"Without your royal command, without my approval, no legion, nor any personal army of a grand noble of the Faen Empire, can leave its station, stepping even a mile into the Northern Continent,"
Karien stated word by word: "Those who dare defy my military orders, shall ask my sword if it is sharp!"
"The vast majority of the empire’s millions of people do not want to fight the Northern Kings; they won’t be dragged by the orders of the powerful into the quagmire of war."
The Regent King Joshua nodded, turning his gaze to the city and empire covered in the splendid golden glow of the setting sun.