It would have been far easier to become a tyrant. One just needed enough raw strength to crush any opposition that blocked their path.
Rhys could become a tyrant.
His current power was more than enough to shatter the great families of the Azure Province and plant his rule upon their ashes.
But he had no desire to rule through fear.
No tyrants' rules lasted long.
An empire built on oppression was an empire built on sand. The people living under tyranny would always be dissatisfied; their resentment would be a constant poison that would severely hinder the growth of his future empire.
Rhys refused to build the foundation of his legacy on something so unstable.
After all, it was always better if the people were happy; a willing populace was a true source of strength.
He envisioned an empire that would stand with him, a self-sustaining power, not a dead weight he had to drag forward by force.
Sure, he had his Ashen army, and its ranks would only swell as time passed.
