The resounding clang of Praetorian shields against iron greaves echoed through the entire safe zone, sending chills down the spines of every survivor gathered in the courtyard.
The survivors who had started to feel a modicum of power return to their fingers quickly felt it slip away.
Even the staunchest critics of Carter's rule stood frozen in awe—or terror.
The Medjay had been warriors.
But the Legion was an army.
Disciplined.
Coordinated.
Armed to the teeth with iron weapons and training generations ahead of anything the survivors had seen before when it comes to close quarters combat or swordfighting.
And at the very heart of it all stood Carter—his imposing figure outlined by the morning sun, the Imperator of this new age.
But while the crowd murmured in uncertainty and awe at his speech to the gathered public, two people had seen through the illusion.
Two people knew Carter better than anyone.
His brother-in-law Sam.
And his sister Rachael.
And right now, they were looking at him with narrowed eyes and suspicious frowns.
~
As the morning ceremony concluded, Carter descended the watchtower steps, flanked on both sides by his Praetorians, while the survivors broke up and started getting to work on their various jobs from farming, to cleanup, some even working alongside the new legionaires in the militia.
The assembled survivors hesitated to approach him, intimidated by the iron-clad warriors standing at his back.
But Sam didn't hesitate.
Nor did Rachael.
The moment Carter's feet touched the ground, they were already moving toward him, their eyes filled with questions.
"Inside,"
Sam muttered, jerking his head toward one of the buildings the one that served as the Pharoh, no as the Ceasars residence.
Carter sighed.
Here we go…
Inside the makeshift command center, away from prying eyes and ears, the tension was thick enough to cut with a gladius.
The room itself was a hastily repurposed conference room from the condo complex's administrative offices.
Maps, scavenged notebooks, and handwritten reports covered the wooden tables.
Sam stood with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
Rachael, however, wasn't even trying to hide her disbelief.
"Alright,"
she said, hands on her hips.
"Cut the crap. The 'Pharaoh' just happened to receive an entire Roman Legion overnight? And you're going to stand there and tell me that's normal?"
Carter exhaled, rubbing his temple.
"I was hoping you wouldn't press this—"
"Bullshit,"
Sam cut in.
He took a step forward, fixing Carter with a knowing glare.
"You were barely holding things together with the Medjay, Carter. Then, in less than a single night, you pull an entire military force out of nowhere? No. I know you. Something else is going on."
Carter remained silent.
Rachael narrowed her eyes.
"Carter. Talk. Now."
He sighed.
They weren't going to drop this.
He looked at them both, then closed the door, locking it.
The Praetorian guards remained outside, ensuring no one else could listen in.
Then—he spoke the truth.
The System, the Summons, and the Rise of the Empire, or rather the missions given to him by the system.
For the next ten minutes, Carter explained everything without them interrupting him at all.
The Scientific Military System.
The ability to summon warriors, engineers, and infrastructure from different historical eras.
The fact that he had first started with cavemen, which Sam had seen before, then progressed to Ancient Egypt whom were the reason he could rescue his sister from the university, and now onto the iron age with Rome.
The Medjay?
Summoned warriors.
The Legion?
His newest force, pwas urchased with system currency.
And Carter?
Not just their leader.
He was the sole architect behind everything.
When he finished, Sam and Rachael were completely silent.
For a moment, neither of them moved nor spoke.
Then—
Rachael burst out laughing.
Carter blinked.
"What the hell is so funny?"
She wiped a tear from her eye, still grinning.
"Oh my God. You? Running around as some secret emperor in the apocalypse, summoning Roman Legions and Egyptian warriors like some overpowered video game character?"
Carter sighed, rubbing his face.
"Look, I know how ridiculous it sounds—"
"It's beyond ridiculous,"
she snorted.
"It's insane."
She shook her head in exasperation, but there was no fear in her eyes—only fascination her mental frame had already collapsed with the old world, so she was willing to grasp onto this absurd hope.
Sam, however, wasn't laughing.
He was thinking.
Hard.
"So, this is all real?"
he finally asked.
Carter nodded.
"Every last bit of it. I can even perform a summon now if you want me to prove it?"
Sam exhaled, rubbing his jaw.
"Alright. Say I believe you. Why the hell are you keeping this a secret?"
Carter gave him a flat look.
"You really think telling a bunch of desperate survivors that their entire military force just magically appeared overnight is a good idea? I mean I know thanks to the system the legion is loyal to me, but everyone else they would just see it as a point of unfairness and probably band together against me, forcing me to become a genocidal tyrant rather than the saviour I'm trying to be."
Sam frowned.
"...Fair point."
Rachael huffed.
"So what now? Are you going to start wearing a toga and calling yourself Caesar?"
Carter smirked.
"Tempting. Those things do look pretty breathable"
She rolled her eyes.
"Well, you obviously need help keeping all of this organized. So what's your plan?"
Carter hesitated.
Then he met her gaze.
"You're a nursing student."
Rachael crossed her arms.
"Yeah. So?"
Carter gestured toward the Medicus unit stationed outside.
"You're now the Director of the Medicus Corps."
Rachael blinked.
"...Excuse me?"
"You're the closest thing we have to a modern medical professional in this entire safe zone, for now"
Carter explained.
"The Roman Medicus are skilled, but they need leadership. You know modern medicine. They know battlefield surgery. Together, you can build an actual functioning medical unit. At least until I can rank my system up again and get better medical personal for you to work with, or we rescue some survivors who were also nurses or doctors."
Rachael stared at him.
Then at the Medicus unit standing by outside.
Then back at Carter.
"...You're serious."
"As serious as the undead outside are about wanting to eat us,"
Carter deadpanned.
She groaned.
"Ugh. Fine. But only because if I don't do this, half of these guys are going to start using leeches to treat infections. Or even whipping out some bloodletting!"
Carter grinned.
"Good. Welcome aboard, Director."
Rachael grumbled, but didn't refuse.
Sam, however, had his own concerns.
"And what about me?"
he asked.
Carter smirked.
"You? You're the new Commander of the Legionary Engineers, congrats on your promotion from being the Royal Head Engineer."
Sam's eyebrows shot up.
"...What?"
"You've been leading construction projects since day one,"
Carter said.
"And now we have a hundred trained Roman engineers ready to expand the safe zone. You're in charge of them. Make sure all of us, especially your wife are safe."
Sam was silent for a long moment.
Then he exhaled.
"Alright,"
he said finally.
"But if I do this, I'm making some changes. We're building actual defenses, not just patchwork barricades. I want reinforced walls, watchtowers, and a fortified road system leading to supply hubs."
Carter's grin widened.
"Exactly why you're the perfect man for the job, plus we have proper logisticians now to work with the supply hubs as well."
Sam sighed.
"Fine. But if we're doing this, you'd better not start wearing a laurel wreath and calling yourself 'Imperator.'"
Carter paused.
Then smirked.
"Too late. All I can promise is that I myself won't be calling myself that but the summons do it instinctively."
Rachael groaned.
"God help us all. One of these days his head will be so big it cannot fit through the doorways"
~
The Empire's Chain of Command is Established
🔺 Carter Sherban – "Imperator/Ceasar" and Supreme Commander of the City Survivor Safe Zone
🔺 Sam – Commander of Legionary Engineers
🔺 Rachael – Director of the Medicus Corps
🔺 Marcus – Captain of the Militia Forces
🔺 50 Praetorians – Carter's Personal Guard
With leadership officially assigned, the real work could begin.
The safe zone would be fortified.
The Legion would begin urban reclamation.
And Carter?
He had one final mission in mind.
The North Military Base.
Where at the very least a good supply of firearms should be present.
If they were still alive when they got there though…
They would need to make a decision as he could not relinquish his command to follow another lead, lest he become a tool to be used by them.