Mark wasn't angry as he walked; anger was energy, and he had none of it left. It was something far worse than that.
But when he thought about how many times he had witnessed scenes like this, where workers had become worth less than slaves, he realized that the problem wasn't that they were being exploited... it was that they were learning to live with it.
He had learned as well.
He had learned to accept any path that gave him a chance to survive, even if he knew that path would lead him back into the same vicious cycle.
Along the way, as they walked, Franco explained more about the Star Guild. Not because Mark didn't know about it, but because he wanted to stop him from changing his mind—as usual.
Even so, Mark wasn't paying attention this time either; his eyes were scanning the alleys more than they usually did.
Those scenes kept repeating themselves, and some of them were even worse, but they all had one thing in common: the employer always paid what he owed the worker... either with a harsh kindness that left no room for refusal, or by force.
He passed a boy rubbing his swollen hand against his sleeve, the coins in his fist trembling more than his fingers.
Another shout drifted into his ears without meaning, so he let it pass and returned his attention to Franco.
"So after registering, all you have to do is..."
Mark sighed, nodded, then drifted off again.
The guild... well, he didn't really like it.
Even if it ended with a fight against an employer, at least you wouldn't lose your life there, and you would receive what you deserved—for fear that the guards would shut the employer's business down.
Guild missions... were another story.
He had never trusted the guild, nor had he ever wanted anything to do with it, but he needed to live, and the guild offered a way to survive... even if that meant risking his life.
Lost between one thought and another, they soon arrived at the guild building: a wide wooden door, always open, with a steady stream of people entering and leaving.
Above it hung an old wooden sign bearing the guild's name; neither flashy nor distinctive, simply hanging there as though it didn't care whether you entered... or didn't.
Even though it wasn't his first time coming here, somehow... it felt like it was.
Mark entered with Franco, then each of them went to stand in a different line—Mark to register, and Franco to confirm the completion of his mission. Half an hour later, they met again.
"Did you register?"
"Yeah." Mark held up a sheet of paper and a bronze copper token in surprise. "Are the ranks like the Adventurers' Guild?"
"More or less, but you have to complete a series of successful missions to rank up—that's the difference." Franco took out his guild plate and smiled, pointing at it. "I'm Rank E. I only need one successful mission to reach Rank D. There are a lot of benefits that come with promotion."
"I've heard rumors about that. What should I do now?"
"Look for missions of your own rank and try to complete ten without failing. You'll find them over there." Franco pointed toward a massive board with the letter F carved across the top.
He continued, "Rank F missions are usually inside the city. The rewards aren't great, but there are plenty of them."
"Why don't we form a team and take a high-rank mission? Wouldn't that help us rank up faster?"
"A lot of people have tried that, but no one succeeded." Franco smiled before continuing, "You'll also learn later why parties aren't allowed for missions below Rank C."
Franco frowned. "I already explained this, but let me go over it again..."
Mark let out a long sigh, realizing Franco wasn't going to stop talking today. Although he was usually a quiet person, once he started speaking, it became hard to believe that. So Mark decided to simply listen without commenting.
As Franco and Mark headed toward the mission board while talking, a man wearing a black hood passed beside them and slowly left the guild without attracting anyone's attention, disappearing into the shadows as he headed toward the church.
.....
In the castle's private meeting hall...
After the ten ministers had taken their seats, Rei entered together with Sislin, Morgana, and Alexander. Morgana's appointment as the temporary holder of the Pillar of Spirit was officially announced until the examinations were complete.
Rei then distributed golden files to everyone present. A heavy silence settled over the room as they studied their contents while waiting for Ray to arrive. Time passed slowly before the doors finally opened, and he entered with calm, measured steps.
"Have you gone through the file?" Ray asked as he took his seat, motioning for everyone else to sit after they had finished their greetings.
At that, the Duke of the South raised the golden file, becoming the first to break the silence.
"Your Majesty, this is far more than a simple reform. May I ask whether we even have the means to implement what is written in this file?"
"I mentioned this before. We are not making minor adjustments to the system and then building on it—we are restructuring it from the ground up."
Ray smiled and gestured to Rei, who raised a hand, causing a map of the Empire to appear above the table.
"But I understand what you mean. We don't have the budget to cover an area of nearly five million square kilometers."
That was the Empire's size after losing half of its territory. Just thinking about how to connect all of it was troublesome.
"Even if we did, we're still short on time."
Ray paused, looked at the map, and smiled as he rested a hand on his chin.
"If I tried to implement this system through conventional methods... let's see... five, six, or even ten years."
Ten years was Rei's precise estimate just to get the system operational.
"But we don't have that much time, especially when the enemies on our borders won't quietly wait for us to recover."
And that reality had already begun.
"So what we need is time, speed of execution, and new methods. That's why what you have in your hands isn't the complete system—it's only its first phase. It begins in the capital before spreading throughout the Empire."
"One more thing."
"We only have three months. If the first and second phases aren't completed within those three months, a full-scale war is expected."
Ray smiled and gestured.
"A war to divide the lands of the Aster Empire."
How, when, where, and why?
No one asked.
Everyone knew that by the time spring arrived, the Empire's fate would be decided.
But... was this really possible?
Ray remembered the document he had read earlier and quietly sighed.
"Anyway."
He clapped his hands, bringing everyone's attention back as the map vanished at the same moment.
"The implementation begins with the capital and the territories willing to cooperate."
"Do not argue or negotiate with anyone. If someone tries to delay you, whether for a reasonable excuse or not, ignore them and move on to other regions. I need—and want—the first phase to be completed in the capital and its surrounding cities before the Night of the Red Moon."
"Is that possible?" Marcus asked, not out of objection, but simple curiosity.
His curiosity stopped the moment he met Ray's gaze.
Don't negotiate before you've even tried.
"As for the budget, I've prepared an initial estimate. Review the report and send it to the Ministry of Finance after making any necessary revisions. We'll work to ensure procedures aren't delayed."
"So, Swift..."
Ray turned toward the Minister of Transportation.
"I want the transportation, communication, transmission, and reception arrays ready as quickly as possible. The faster they're completed, the more time we'll have."
Swift nodded.
Ray continued issuing specific orders to each ministry, frequently referring to Elena regarding the budget, before the discussion shifted toward explaining the contents of the golden file.
The explanation focused on Lily first—how she would begin and where she would begin.
After that, Ray went through each ministry, explaining what parts of the old system they should continue using, what should be discarded or merged, and how everything would be coordinated together.
"Your Majesty," the Duke of the South spoke after the explanation had ended. "One last question. Regarding this system—you said you plan to make it public. Doesn't that mean exposing all of its weaknesses?"
"Hmm." Ray looked at the duke and answered calmly.
"Implementing this system requires everyone's help, from beggars to criminals. I believe every person has something useful to contribute. That's why these reforms won't be secret—they'll be public. However, I only plan to publish the framework."
Ray paused, adjusted his tone, and smiled.
"In fact, it doesn't matter even if the entire system becomes public. It's like a set of gears. If one gear fails, it can simply be replaced without affecting the Empire. If someone tries to exploit the system against us, they'll only be helping us."
Everyone looked down at the file, visibly confused.
How would having enemies help them?
Even Rei hadn't understood that idea when Ray had explained it to him and Morgana.
Nor had Ray explained it any further.
"For now, I want everyone to think in terms of building, not renovating. I'll be the architect. Just do what you think is appropriate, and when flaws appear, I'll correct them. Is that acceptable?"
Those present nodded without objection.
Ray continued,
"As for the remaining procedures, you'll find the details waiting for you in your offices. That concludes the first meeting. The ministers may leave. I have something to discuss with the Pillars."
"Understood."
All the ministers rose and bowed lightly, silently acknowledging the responsibilities awaiting them.
Each step they took carried the weight of the decisions yet to come.
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End of Chapter
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