After what felt like an hours-long interrogation consisting of far too many follow-up questions, Grand Mage Claude finally disappeared from the former baron’s study as though he’d never even been in the first place. The sudden departure made Tiberius wonder whether he’d reappear just as suddenly with one last question or matter to discuss, heedless of the mounting pile of work the man was making for the Emperor. But after a couple of minutes passed without incident, he allowed himself to believe that the ancient man was well and truly gone. For now.

Finally alone, Tiberius pinched the bridge of his nose. The encounter had left him with a mild headache. He considered pouring himself a glass of the rather fine spirits they had liberated from the baron’s manor when they had taken the city, but decided against it for the moment. Perhaps after he’d gotten a bit more work done.

The mage’s appearance was a… complication. One that he couldn’t afford to ignore, one way or another. Luckily, it seemed to be working out in their favor quite well. Having a man capable of leveling continents simply show up on his doorstep, ready and willing to make a deal, made him wonder if the gods had decided to play some kind of strange joke on him.

Of course, actually getting the mage’s direct help with said destruction seemed to be off the table for now. But the other services he was offering were valuable enough on their own. Still, the knowledge of what the man could do made Tiberius feel as though he were trying to seize a sleeping snake by the tail. There was no telling when it would turn and decide to strike back at him.

One thing was certain, though. Between their new alliance with the mages, the elves wishing to join their empire, and the smooth integration of Hausten, Tiberius knew it was time to press further. It was time to consolidate their forces, move forward, and maintain their momentum to continue conquering.

He drummed his fingers against the desk impatiently. It had been over a week since they had taken Hausten, long enough that they had managed to settle the populace and address most of the immediate concerns. They’d even made considerable progress on the renovations.

Yet their work was nowhere near done. It would take years before the city integrated fully into the empire and began to resemble something truly Roman. Cultures and attitudes were not so easily altered as brick and mortar. No, that would be a long, ongoing process, one to which he could not devote any more of his own time.

That wasn’t to say that he’d simply drop the matter though. He’d set his men up for success in that regard. Systems and laws had been established, rulers and leaders selected, and a century of men assigned to garrison the place. It wouldn’t be enough to entirely suppress rebellion if a full-scale one were to break out, but it didn’t need to. The speed with which they could travel would ensure that more reinforcements were never far away. Everything was in the hands of men he trusted—both with regards to their loyalty and their competence.

Tiberius’s fingers ceased their drumming. As loath as he was to admit, he did feel more than a little antsy to return to the battlefield once again. It hadn’t even been that long since their last victory. Yet there was a tactical reason to make haste. The faster they moved, the less time their enemies would have to prepare and rally defenses against them.

Not that it had made a difference so far. But Tiberius had no desire to be like those young hotheaded generals who thought themselves untouchable.

His gaze drifted toward the study’s massive window and the city beyond. Already its profile was practically unrecognizable, the soaring arches and new constructions quickly subsuming their predecessors like a creeping tide reclaimed the land. Or perhaps flames consuming dead twigs would be a more accurate comparison, with the speed at which things were going.

He leaned back in the fine plush seat of this place’s former ruler. Their next major challenge would be recruitment. As their empire expanded, so too would their need for soldiers—both for war and for overseeing those territories which they had already conquered. They already had several hundred auxiliaries in Habersville, which wasn’t nearly enough. Worse, it seemed that Hausten had a notable dearth of fighting-age men in its population.

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The shortcoming certainly explained the lackluster resistance of the city’s forces. It seemed that the “army” that his Legion had so easily routed and captured really were the best they could manage. Which meant that he, too, would need to find ways to make use of them.

He’d have liked to have one or two thousand candidates, enough for another two whole auxiliary cohorts. But he might be lucky to get a few hundred. Perhaps the magic of the System could work in his favor to expand their usual recruitment prospects. Or perhaps he could offer incentives to bring others into the fold more willingly—the freeing of captured family members in exchange for service, perhaps. It was an idea worth considering.

As things were, training had already begun for those men that they had managed to recruit by whatever means. But though they had instilled a fair amount of discipline already, they still had a long way to go.

Tiberius sat up straighter and reached for his paper and pen. Waiting for a new round of auxiliaries to be trained would be foolish. They’d been lucky to more or less evade too much attention thus far. But if their seizure of Hausten and its associated barony hadn’t already drawn the eyes of more powerful factions within Novara and beyond, then it would soon. He needed his forces gathered and ready to move at their full strength, increasing as it was.

He quickly began to scratch out a series of orders. He’d need the forces that they had in Habersville reshuffled here. Quintus as well. The formerly quaint town was not the most strategically important place for them at the moment and likely wouldn’t be until they began making more dealings with the elves. Though perhaps it would make a good place to train new recruits.

He’d also need to bring over as many men from Stonester as they could spare, though he’d have to leave a larger force there. Recent reports indicated that their “experience farming” operations there were yielding great results. And considering how many benefits each level earned them, it would be worthwhile to prioritize that. Anything to bring them up to level five sooner.

Tiberius also had to consider the outcome of Gaius and Marcus’s mission. Depending on how negotiations with the duke went, they may soon have another enemy, possibly an ally, or maybe even a neutral party at their borders. He had to be prepared for all options. Scouts were already keeping a close watch on the duke’s forces, few though they were. Practically every man beyond his own garrison seemed to be off fighting this distant war Tiberius had heard so much about.

With a final stroke of the pen, the Legatus finished the last of his orders. Looking up toward the door, he called out.

“Lucius.”

The door creaked open to admit his aide. He’d been waiting outside with the others while he spoke with the mage. “Sir?”

Tiberius held up the orders. “Have these sent out to Stonester and Habersville.”

“Yes, Legatus.”

Lucius stepped quickly to his side, taking the folded pieces of paper and rushing off with them. Tiberius put both them and the matter of reshuffling troops out of his mind. He quickly drafted another proposal to pivot Habersville toward a training area. Despite all of their hunting, the forest still housed plenty of low-level monsters. And while they weren’t nearly enough to satisfy the Legion’s titanic thirst for experience, perhaps they could be leveraged in other ways. Not to mention the plains and how useful they’d be for training exercises.

After putting down a few more ideas for his staff to investigate, Tiberius eventually stood up. He crossed the hardwood floors toward the liquor cabinet and poured himself a finger of the dark brown whiskey found inside. The finest one he’d yet to find in this world.

Taking a sip, he looked out towards the west, where the capital of the kingdom lay. His status still told him that the Roman Empire and Novara were at war. Of course, even back home Rome was almost constantly at war. But the fact that he was at the helm of it all made things feel… different.

Maybe it was the weight of responsibility. Maybe it was the knowledge that he himself could end the conflict at any time. Or maybe it was simply one of his skills niggling at the back of his mind. Whatever it was, one thing was clear above all others. This war of theirs would not remain a distant concern for much longer. Ready or not, it would soon find itself at their doorstep. And Tiberius intended to be ready.

He tapped the glass gently against the table. The fine crystal rang pleasantly, the sound filling the room around him. Soon, the Legion would march again—to victory. Their greatest one yet.

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