Journey to Become the Zenith

The Foundation of an Empire

For a few long minutes... The three of them stood together, silent. No need for any words. Morning breezes blew past, rustling the leaves around them.

Reminding of the numerous times the three had fought and shed blood together... numerous meals... many dangers they had braved.

Victor slowly broke away and looked at the two girls with soft eyes.

"You both worked hard.""Thanks."

He brought a hand up and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind Lane’s ear, before leaning down to plant a soft kiss on her forehead.

Lane cheeks warmed with a faint blush.

A bright, happy smile naturally formed.

"I’ll be waiting for you."

Victor then looked toward Videl.

She kept her usual cocky smile. "Don’t think it’ll mean I’ll go easy when you come back." Victor let out a quiet chuckle.

"I never do."

He lightly tap her forehead with a finger, then lowered his head, placing his own soft, warm kiss there. Videl’s wide sapphire-blue eyes blinked in surprise, her face flushing deeply. "...

You..."

She looked away, burying her scarlet cheeks.

"... Really don’t know how to ease into things, do you." Victor smirked.

"I’ll take that as a compliment." Lane let out a soft titter. Even Videl’s laughter eventually joined in, her shaking her head.

"...Just..."

"...be careful, okay?"

Victor nodded.

"I will be."

He lingered his gaze on them for a moment.

"I’ll be leaving the both of you to take care of things ’till I’m back." Lane and Videl exchanged a glance, then smiled at the same time. "You have nothing to worry about leaving this in our care."

Victor gave a final nod and turned toward the gate of the manor. The two of them stood shoulder to shoulder, their eyes fixed on his diminishing back. Neither calling out to him.

Because they both knew that sometimes, loving someone also means trusting that they walk the path they’ve chosen and simply wait faithfully for their return.

...

After settling that matter...

Victor asked someone to gather Eon, Brinda, and Ramona Redcliffe.

Not long afterward...

The three entered one of the manor’s meeting rooms.

Eon respectfully bowed.

"You called for us, My Lord?"

Brinda gracefully sat nearby, her purple eyes never leaving Victor’s face.

Ramona stood silently with dignified posture, curious about what Victor intended to discuss.

Victor spread a large map of Fantom City across the table.

His golden eyes slowly swept over the three of them.

"Beginning today..."

"We’ll start rebuilding this city properly."

The room immediately became serious.

Victor pointed toward the city center.

"Eon."

"Your first task isn’t fighting."

Eon blinked.

"I want you to learn."

He looked surprised.

"...Learn?"

Victor nodded.

"You’ll study noble etiquette."

Eon’s confusion became obvious.

Victor explained calmly.

"The former nobles may have lost their authority..."

"But many still possess knowledge accumulated over generations."

"Administration."

"Diplomacy."

"Finance."

"Law."

"Leadership."

"They understand things ordinary people never had the opportunity to learn."

Victor looked directly into Eon’s eyes.

"If you want to govern people someday..."

"You must first understand how nations function."

Eon slowly nodded.

"I understand."

"I’ll learn everything I can."

Victor smiled approvingly.

"Good."

His finger then shifted toward Brinda and Ramona.

"You two will assist him."

Both women answered simultaneously.

"Understood."

Victor continued.

"While Eon studies..."

"You’ll also oversee Fantom City’s daily administration."

Ramona looked thoughtful.

"You already have a plan, don’t you?"

Victor smiled.

"I do."

He rested both hands upon the table.

"My vision begins with two foundations."

"Education..."

"...and military strength."

The three immediately focused their full attention on him.

Victor pointed toward a district containing several abandoned noble estates.

"The mansion belonging to one of the fallen noble families is large enough to house hundreds of students."

"We’ll convert it into Fantom City’s first public academy."

Eon’s eyes widened.

"A school?"

Victor nodded.

"Exactly."

"No tuition."

"No noble restrictions."

"No discrimination."

"If someone wishes to learn..."

"They’ll be welcomed."

He continued pointing across the map.

"The academy will first teach reading."

"Writing."

"Basic arithmetic."

"History."

"Civic responsibility."

"And practical skills needed to survive."

"The children below the age of ten will attend as part of their upbringing."

"They’ll receive a proper foundation instead of growing up illiterate."

He paused before continuing.

"But the academy won’t belong only to children."

"If an older child..."

"An adult..."

"A retired soldier..."

"Or even a former criminal sincerely wishes to learn..."

"They’ll also be accepted."

Knowledge...

Should never belong exclusively to the wealthy.

Victor looked at each of them in turn.

"The only requirement..."

"...is the willingness to learn."

The room fell silent.

None of them had ever heard of such an idea before.

Even Ramona, who had spent years among nobles, couldn’t hide her astonishment.

Victor continued calmly.

"As for teachers..."

"We already have them."

"The fallen nobles who pledged loyalty."

"They possess knowledge."

"Instead of letting it disappear..."

"We’ll put it to use."

He tapped the map again.

"And every coin needed to begin..."

"...will come from my own pocket."

The wealth he had earned clearing the dungeon...

Combined with the fortune he received from selling valuable information...

Was more than enough to fund the beginning of his vision.

The academy...

Would become the first seed of the future he intended to build.

Silence lingered inside the meeting hall after Victor finished speaking.

Education...

None of the three standing before him had expected those words to come first.

Eon had assumed Victor would immediately speak about rebuilding walls, gathering soldiers, or hunting down the Elmhart Family.

Instead...

The first thing Victor wanted to build was a school.

Ramona Redcliffe finally broke the silence.

"My Lord..."

"I understand strengthening the military."

"But why place education before everything else?"

Victor smiled faintly.

"Because kingdoms aren’t built by swords alone."

He slowly walked toward the large window overlooking Fantom City.

Outside, workers carried lumber through the streets while children helped clear scattered rubble from the roadside.

He quietly watched them.

"Tell me..."

"What happens if every capable warrior dies?"

Eon answered first.

"The kingdom becomes weak."