Published at 3rd of November 2026 6:32 am

Chapter 1274: Autocracy Not A Democracy

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At Cyrvexis’s words, Zolthemire remained silent for a moment, as he hadn’t yet reached a decision on what he planned to do. It was one of the reasons why he had summoned the Nobles and Cabinet Members; he wanted to hear their thoughts and suggestions before making a decision.

"I don’t know yet, but I already have a few suggestions in mind."

Zolthemire replied with a flat expression.

At his words, Cyrvexis remained silent for a moment before turning around to face his son, a disappointed expression appearing on his face as he looked at the man he called his son.

"Even when millions of your people and subjects have suffered, you remain indecisive, Zolthemire."

His tone was stained with unhidden disappointment as he made his true feelings known.

"In case you have forgotten, your own Frontiers and Outposts, which I built with my own hands from the ground up before passing them down to you, were also affected. Soldiers and Warriors who had followed me for centuries even had their children and descendants join these Frontiers of mine, as they had become a family legacy for them."

He spoke as he maintained eye contact with Zolthemire, his words filled with anger and unforgiveness.

"Now, these people whom I promised to protect have all been attacked. Do you know how many calls I’ve received from my old buddies asking me how I’m going to respond to the deaths of their family members and descendants? Do you?"

He continued, his voice rising with every statement, yet remaining authoritative and never losing a shred of the composure he had taken centuries to build and perfect.

"We haven’t even talked about your own personal people, those who joined the Imperial Frontiers and Outposts to serve you. And not only that, various Noble Territories and Villages were affected by the poison released into the air from those bombs, killing another wave of millions of innocent people who weren’t even at the Frontier."

Cyrvexis stated briskly, his words serving as a stark reminder of what had happened yesterday.

Although Zolthemire had anticipated the poison scheme, as he himself was quite an intelligent man, it didn’t change the fact that millions had still died from it despite their swift response.

"Although there are War Rules, rules are meant for the weak, and the strong don’t care about them. The Velkarin Empire struck our people first; we simply strike theirs in return. No excessive scheming, no overplanning. We hit fast and hard, and we make it painful, which would send a message to the other two Empires."

Cyrvexis continued, as he was very much a man of action. He wasn’t really a man of words; he preferred the chaos, the madness, the devastation, and everything else that came with them.

He was ready to answer violence with violence, and he was ready to take a life for an eye.

During his time, he had started numerous wars by himself. Whenever another Empire tried any sort of rubbish with his Empire, he would launch a full-scale war without bothering with all that rubbish called skirmishes that allowed these Empires to bend the rules while pretending to operate within them.

Although wars affected the economic state of an Empire, as every war required money to fund it, the man had simply opened the Imperial Vault countless times instead of allowing his people to suffer.

To Cyrvexis, what was the point of the Lux Vanthelmor Imperial Family having trillions upon trillions of Platinum Coins in savings amassed over centuries if all that wealth was simply going to remain locked away in one place?

Thus, he never increased taxes on his people just to fund a war. Instead, he funded everything himself every single time.

And during past wars, if any merchant, shop, or business increased the prices of their products without adequate paperwork and a valid reason to justify such a spike, Cyrvexis would annex the establishment, imprison its owner for five years, imprison their family members for six months, and seize their savings.

Cyrvexis was simply a no-nonsense man when it came to matters that affected his people.

An eye for an eye? Please. A body for an eye.

"And just because you have a group of people called Nobles and Cabinet Members who offer suggestions on various matters doesn’t mean you should sit around and simply listen to their opinions before deciding what to do. At the end of the day, they can only advise you, and the final decision rests entirely in your hands. This is not a Democracy, but an Autocracy."

He stated, his tone flat and heavy as he never once blinked. His posture and demeanour made his stance on the matter unmistakably clear.

Zolthemire remained silent for a moment, his eyes never leaving his father. After a while, he sighed as his fingers began tapping the armrest of his throne. He was lost in thought, his mind replaying his father’s words over and over again.

Although he had wanted to grow up and become like his father when he was little, ruling with the same degree of perfection, he had unfortunately come to realise that his talent for being an Emperor wasn’t on par with his father’s.

"This is the first time I’ve seen you angry, Father."

He spoke after a moment, his thoughts snapping back to the present.

Since he was little, he had never actually seen this man become angry. His father was either disappointed in something or someone, or satisfied. Those were the only two expressions and emotions he had ever witnessed him display.

"Maybe for you. But a lot of people have seen me angry. I just don’t let it cloud my judgement when making major decisions like this one."

Cyrvexis replied as he broke eye contact. He shook his head, turned away from his son, and faced one of the windowpanes within the Throne Room.

Zolthemire remained silent for a moment before asking in a calm tone.

"What do you suggest?"

He wanted to hear his father’s thoughts. Since the man was angry, he wanted to know what he was willing to do about the situation.

Cyrvexis’s reflection in the windowpane wore an expression of disappointment, attesting to the fact that his son had asked yet another foolish question.

"I just told you that this is an Autocracy and not a Democracy. I just told you that the power is in your hands. I just told you that those sitting in the meeting room, waiting for you for the past seven minutes, can only advise you. And after all that, your next move is to ask me for a suggestion?"

He asked, his head turning away from the window as he gazed at Zolthemire.

"If I have to make every decision for you, then you might as well step down from your throne and let me ascend it."

He stated flatly, without the slightest hint of amusement in his voice, before turning his attention back to the window before him.

Zolthemire’s expression remained unchanged at his father’s words. This attitude had always been characteristic of his father.

"I never asked you what order I should give. I simply asked for a suggestion, one from a Father to his son. A suggestion I’m sure you sometimes asked the former Wargrave Duke, Wargrave Nazark, for."

He stated as he adjusted himself in his throne pointing out a peculiar fact.

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