A Journey That Changed The World.

Archer was led inside the Moonriver Palace, and it was exactly how he imagined it. It was made out of brown stone with different colorful decorations all over the walls as the two of them walked through the corridors.

While doing that, the Water Elf woman glanced at him with a smile. ''Thanks for agreeing to help me with the paperwork. Yonali hates doing it and always goes to the government buildings to escape it.''

He laughed, replying in an amused tone. ''I don't mind it, thanks to using magic to help me. I help Aisha with it sometimes.''

''Is she one of your wives?'' the brown-skinned woman questioned with a curious glint in her blue eyes.

Archer nodded with a knowing smile. ''Yes, she is. Aisha and Fianna control the government on my behalf, so they always look out for the people instead of lining their own pockets,'' he revealed.

When Colestah heard this, she was surprised and quickly asked. ''How much do these officials get paid?''

''If I remember correctly, eight gold per week and a luxury apartment by the government, but this is based on them working for the people,'' he answered.

''Oh, goddess, that's incredible,'' the woman murmured, her voice laced with awe.

Archer let out a warm laugh as they stepped into her private quarters. With a flourish, she shrugged off her cloak, revealing detailed Native American clothing that shimmered faintly in the soft light.

Colestah turned to him and sweetly offered. ''Would you like some Moon Tea? It's a specialty of the Water Elves.''

''Yes, please,'' he replied while sitting at the desk.

He noticed hundreds of papers littering the top, prompting him to ask. ''Is this the paperwork you need help with?''

''It is, unfortunately,'' she replied, her expression heavy with resignation.

Archer gave a light chuckle at her reaction, unfazed, and began flipping through the documents she'd handed him. As he read, he wrote down ideas and suggestions. Colestah paused, her eyes widening as she studied him.

Shaking her head in disbelief, she finally spoke. ''You're serious about helping, aren't you?''

''Why wouldn't I be? I offered to help you with it. I hope it doesn't bother you, but I've added some of my ideas that will help,'' he revealed.

The Water Elf Empress nodded with a big smile. ''Thank you, and a fresh perspective is always welcome.''

Following that, Archer got back to the paperwork while Colestah made the two of them tea, humming a tune that put him at ease. He looked at the brown-skinned beauty who was busy boiling water.

Her slender hourglass frame was hidden by her dress, but was still visible, causing him to shake his head. 'Focus, there are too many of them now. I don't need anymore women,' he thought.

Archer continued with the work while distracting himself from eyeing up the beautiful elf and went through the finances of the empire. He soon realized that whoever controlled it before didn't know what they were doing.

'Why is the imperial family paying so much gold to the nobles?' he thought when realizing the biggest families were milking the empire.

This pissed him off, he waved his hands and summoned the Shadow Creatures, speaking. ''Bring me the heads of all these families; only kill their guards but leave them unharmed.''

A creepy noise echoed out just as the monsters vanished into the nearby shadows, and this shocked Colstah. The Water Elf looked at the scene with wide eyes. She composed herself, questioning. ''What were those things, Arch?''

''Arch?'' he replied with a smirk and answered. ''My monsters, I want to know why you're paying these greedy nobles so much gold a month. It's almost half the empire's income, which is stupid.''

The older woman looked embarrassed as she revealed. ''My Father did it to keep them loyal and to help in times of need. It was their armies you were fighting, not mine. My soldiers are focused around the capital and surrounding cities.''

''Okay it ends now,'' he answered with a chuckle. ''I'll make them loyal to you, and we will build a new Moonriver Army unless you want to join the Draconia Empire, rule as a queen, but not have to worry about backstabbing, finances, security, and your people.''

''Then what's the point of being queen when the island controls everything?'' she responded with a raised eyebrow.

Archer replied with sincerity, ''While we oversee the broader empire, you'll have full authority over your lands. My goal isn't to rule over you, but to ensure your safety, help your people prosper, and transform your territory into a thriving, fertile landscape that will eventually become the breadbasket of the realm.''

He chuckled, concluding. ''This place beats Southern Draconia in good soil once I heal it.''

Colestah finished brewing the tea and brought it over to the table, sitting down as she answered. ''What is your end game, and why offer this to me? We killed an untold number of your soldiers?''

''That's war, and the Draconians understand this,'' he replied with a smile. ''They're okay with dying as I pay for their families to live, which costs me billions of gold a year to make sure they can survive.''

''Huh?'' the woman blurted out. ''You pay for this? Why?''

Archer set the papers down, his expression solemn. ''They march out there, risking their lives against my enemies. These men and women leave their families behind, journeying to foreign lands where they don't belong, yet fight to conquer in my name.''

He paused, taking a slow sip of the fruity tea, and then continued. ''The least I can do is provide gold to the government, ensuring a monthly allowance for each dead soldier's family. It's enough for them to live on, even to buy property, now that I've raised the amount from twelve gold to two hundred.''

''Isn't that pointless and a waste of coin? They would just horde the wealth,'' Colestah said in fascination.

Archer shook his head with a chuckle. ''No, they pay taxes, which also increased a little when the civilian council voted to offer the government extra payment thanks to Llyniel gifting the farmers who Dragon Powder.''

''What's that?'' she asked with sparkling blue eyes.

He took out a pot of grey powder and slid it across the table, explaining. ''When farmers and people who grow food add the seeds to this stuff, the size, yield, and time to grow improve, allowing them to grow even more food.''

Archer closed his eyes before looking at the massive drums filled with Dragon Powder he had in his Item Box as Colestah inquired with a fascinated gleam in her eyes. ''Are you selling this stuff, Arch?''

''I will be, once the war is over,'' he replied. ''The Wyldheart Company is gearing up to open stores in Emberport and other cities across our new territories.''

The empress nodded with a warm smile, clearly pleased. The two then returned to their paperwork, diving back into the details. After a few hours, Archer began channeling his energy into healing the lands of the Moonriver Empire as he worked.

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, they still hadn't finished. He had jotted down a flood of ideas and suggestions, the sheer volume surprising even himself. Handing the notes to the beautiful empress.

''Here's everything I came up with to help your people prosper. Please, consider my offer as well; it will only benefit the Moonriver Empire,'' he informed.

Colestah smiled in reply while going through the papers. ''I will, but these ideas of yours are revolutionary and will help me greatly.''

The woman suddenly jumped up and hugged him with a beaming expression. ''Thank you for all the help, and yes, I'll think about it. Hearing your policies is swaying me, but I want to meditate on it.''

''Alright,'' he said with a laugh, mirroring the gesture. ''I'm off to check on Draconia. I'll be back soon.''

Archer was about to summon a Gate when Shadow Creatures emerged, dragging several men in their grip. A grin spread across his face. ''Well, look who's back. Let's settle this before I go.''

The scared Water Elves struggled to free themselves, but the monster's grip on them tightened as he looked at Colestah. ''Do you mind if I deal with them? It won't take long.''

''Go for it,'' she responded. ''All they do is cause me trouble anyway.''

Archer chuckled, turning to the oldest elf. He was a forty-year-old man with grey hair. He approached the elder and crouched in front of him while speaking. ''I know you're corrupt, but I'm here to offer you one last chance or a swift death. What do you choose?''

''The White Devil! I was right!'' the man declared in a defiant attitude. ''The empress is in bed with this fiend.''

''You're insulting me when I hold your life in my hands?'' he questioned with a confused expression. ''Are you honestly stupid, or do you have some secret plan to escape me which would be useless?''