Dancing on the golden ashes

A week passed slowly. I had the entire settlement rebuilt and remodeled, now adorned with intricate golden patterns. I'd discovered a gold mine not far from here—one the previous inhabitants had been excavating for some time. Naturally, I had "kindly" taken it for my own purposes. Well, it's not my fault I'm stronger and in charge, right?

Ahem... I really shouldn't think like that. I'm an empress now, after all.

But... this is driving me nuts. Especially the eerie voice in my head, the one that seems to creep in closer each day, pushing me toward insanity.

Why did it have to come back...?

If I had known how hard it was to run an empire, I might never have built one in the first place. Managing everything felt like an endless battle. Still, I had publicly appointed my friends as generals—a simple gesture, but one the people seemed to love for some reason. To add to the ranks, I also made the girl who had run this place before one of the generals.

It felt fair to me. Choi Min-Jeong was powerful, and we quickly became friendly. I'd learned she used to be a herbalist, but by some twist of fate, she had taken on the role of [Nature Child]—a powerful class that gave her control over all things natural. She confessed to me that she'd been enslaved by Kim Ha-Joon in the past. When we stormed this place, she had hidden herself and watched in satisfaction as I struck him down.

She was grateful to me, and over time, I began to trust her.

With four generals, each took on a role in building our growing empire. Kim Seong-Hoon was appointed General of War, taking charge of commanding and training the troops. His enthusiasm and strategic mind were perfectly suited for the task.

Word of a "friendly empire" being born had spread far and wide, drawing more people to our cause. As a result, our army had grown to around ten thousand troops—a remarkable force for the foundation of our new nation.

Park Jieun was known as the General of Wellbeing. Despite being a child, no one dared to look down on her. With an air of authority beyond her years, she quickly took charge of managing food supplies and organizing living quarters for the people.

We gave those who were weak or possessed only basic roles the freedom to choose their path—whether they wanted to join the army or live as ordinary citizens, working hard each day to help increase our supplies and sustain the empire.

Kang Eun-Woo became known as the General of Wealth and Influence. He swiftly took on the role of forging connections and building our economy, starting with the gold mine we had discovered. Unsurprisingly, even in this world, we were still human—gold made us greedy. It quickly became the currency that most nations and self-proclaimed empires, including ours, began using for trade.

With his skillful diplomacy, Eun-Woo established connections with nearby villages, absorbing them into our growing empire. Under his guidance, our territory expanded from the Forest of the Beginning all the way to the region I had named the Land of Eternal Flame, solidifying our foothold in this world.

Choi Min-Jeong was appointed as the General of Internal Matters. Her responsibilities included handling paperwork, addressing the requests and concerns of the people, and overseeing the creation of jobs, schools, and hospitals. Her calm and methodical nature made her the perfect choice for managing the internal workings of our empire, ensuring that its foundation was built to last.

It was a slow process, but through the hard work and dedication of everyone, we began to learn how to construct a thriving, large-scale city. We named it Luminara—a name meant to evoke hope and light for those who sought harmony within its walls, yet a warning of fire and fury for those who dared to threaten us.

Today was a calm, peaceful evening as I strolled through the dimly lit streets. Everything had gone well so far. Our influence continued to expand across the region, and the city was thriving. But as I walked, a nagging thought tugged at my mind. How many days has it been since I last fought someone? I couldn't remember.

This life didn't suit me. I wasn't meant to sit idly, overseeing the growth of an empire. We needed a leader who was strong, someone who could one day lead this empire to its peak. That's when the decision crystallized in my mind: I would leave. I would entrust this place to my friends, letting them take care of the empire while I went on my own path.

I knew it would weaken them for a time—their levels would drop without my direct support—but the expeditions they'd lead in my absence would give them the chance to train and grow stronger. I trusted them. They would do well, and the empire would remain in capable hands.

Find more to read at empire

"Empress!" A small girl ran toward me from a wooden house. This family had been rescued by me a few days ago. They had been transported to this world together, a stroke of luck for them. I happened to pass their area with Malrang just as several high-level Ratabos were about to take their lives. We slew the monsters, saving them in the nick of time.

Since then, the little girl, Kim Ara, had been attached to me. She possessed a unique and terrifying power—the ability to manipulate time itself. A fearsome role, and I was relieved that I had been the one to find her. As for her parents, their roles were far more ordinary. The mother was a summoner, and the father a warrior.

They had chosen the easy path, as many of the older generations often did. They clung to the norm, unwilling to push the boundaries of the system. I didn't blame them for it. They were hardworking people—the kind of citizens the empire needed to handle the demanding, unglamorous work. If they were content to labor in the fields, I would reward them handsomely for their contributions.

My goal was to create a system free of corruption. I knew it was a foolish dream, but I wanted to try, at least. If I carefully chose the right people and wielded my power to instill fear in anyone who dared think of betrayal, it might just work. With a loyal court and firm leadership, the empire could flourish.

"Hello, little sister Ara. How are you doing?" I smiled warmly, bending down to stroke her hair. She was incredibly cute, her beauty already evident, yet she was no older than seven.

"I've decided!" she announced with a giggle, her eyes shining with determination. "I will be like you someday, Empress—beautiful and powerful! Someone who can lead the troops and be the strongest!"

She hugged me tightly, her small arms wrapping around me. It was a strange feeling, yet comforting. For the first time in a long while, it felt as though I truly belonged. The lonely hole in my heart was beginning to heal, slowly but surely.

Yes, I thought. I need power to protect this place. If people like Nam Ji-Ho ever decide to challenge us again, even I might not be enough to stop them.

After a few minutes of chatting, I waved her goodbye and continued my stroll through the streets. I wanted to commit the city to memory. It was a place that looked just like something out of the Joseon Dynasty, painstakingly reconstructed by those who remembered its grandeur. I believed we had done an excellent job bringing it to life.

Even a science department had been founded by an elder named Han Min-Jae. He was researching ways to harness what he called "magic," the power of this world, to create weapons and innovative energy sources. His dream was to light the streets permanently and provide warmth to homes in case winter ever came.

To be honest, I wasn't even sure if this region experienced winter. The landscape resembled Earth, but it remained a mystery. Some claimed the current season felt like autumn—the air was getting cooler, and the leaves had begun to fall. If that was true, it meant this world, or at least this region, shared similarities with Earth. Perhaps one day, we would find out for certain.

"Big sis!" Seong-Hoon called out, stumbling out of the pub with Eun-Woo in tow.

"Gaon! We missed you," Eun-Woo slurred, his cheeks flushed from alcohol. "Running an empire is so hard! But I'm having fun! Should we bow before the empress? Haha!" He was completely drunk, his tongue loosened by the drink, but I didn't mind. These two were the only people who could speak to me like this, no matter the time or place.

"Tomorrow, I have something very important to announce to everyone," I said firmly, ignoring his teasing. "Please sober up and meet me in front of the Lee Palace. And make sure everyone in the city is gathered."

Seong-Hoon gave me a strange look, his brow furrowed. I could tell he had already guessed what my plan was. Somehow, this idiot always managed to understand me better than anyone else.

"Come drink some more with us," he urged, grinning.

This time, I didn't turn them down. We drank together, enjoying the alcohol crafted by the pub owner, whose unique power allowed him to ferment fruits and vegetables at incredible speed. It was in moments like these that I realized not every power in this world was meant for battle. Many were perfectly suited for ordinary, everyday living, and that brought its own kind of magic to our lives.

The next day arrived, and the entire city gathered in the main square. We had expanded the fences around the area near the palace, making it incredibly spacious with the help of those gifted in controlling the earth element.

Cheers erupted throughout the city as I stepped out of the well-decorated palace. My eyes scanned the crowd—at least forty thousand people stood before me. It was a breathtaking sight, and I couldn't help but marvel at how much we had grown in such a short time. But it also meant something unsettling: a massive number of people were being transported to this world.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

With the Forest of the Beginning now under our control, more people kept arriving. That monster—the one pulling the strings—wasn't stopping. He had begun targeting not just the talented but seemingly anyone. If my guess was right, Earth must be in chaos with so many people vanishing into thin air.

To command their attention and solidify their trust, I knew I needed to show my power. Golden flames ignited around my body, blazing fiercely as my wings spread wide. My scythe materialized in my hands, and the air grew heavy under the weight of my King's Aura. The entire square was submerged in my presence.

"I, Lee Gaon, have important news to share with you all," I announced, letting my voice echo across the crowd. After a brief pause, I continued, "I am leaving on my own. I entrust this place to my trusted generals, who will continue to lead and protect the empire in my absence. I will grow so powerful, reaching impossible levels, and one day I will return—to protect all of you and to spread the will of this empire far and wide!"