The Dragon Audience Chamber remained silent after the emperor's words.
Imperial Trial.
Those two words carried immense weight.
Many princes had risen.
Many had fallen.
Most never survived this stage.
Valerius raised his hand.
A minister stepped forward and unfurled a scroll.
"By imperial decree," he announced, "Prince Arin Eldoria is assigned temporary authority over Frostwind Province."
Murmurs erupted.
Frostwind was infamous.
Borderland.
Harsh climate.
Monster-infested.
Politically unstable.
Multiple rebellions in the past decade.
It was where unwanted nobles were sent to fail.
Rynor clenched his fists.
Selene's expression darkened.
Lyra bit her lip.
Arin remained calm.
"I accept," he said firmly.
Valerius smiled faintly.
"Six months," the emperor continued. "Stabilize it. Profit from it. Defend it."
"Fail…"
He did not finish.
He did not need to.
Arin bowed. "I will not fail."
That night, Arin met his team in their residence.
"Frostwind is worse than Trevik ever was," Kelsin said. "Multiple factions. Smugglers. Monster clans."
Kael spread maps.
"There are three major power groups."
Northern Clans.
Iron Wolf Mercenaries.
White Fang Smugglers.
"And none respect imperial authority," Kael added.
Rynor cracked his knuckles. "Good. I was getting bored."
Lyra shook her head. "It's dangerous."
Arin looked at them.
"We've handled worse with less."
They nodded.
Preparations were swift.
Within five days, the expedition departed.
Frostwind Province greeted them with snowstorms and ruined forts.
Half-frozen villages.
Starving refugees.
Broken roads.
Lawless zones.
Arin toured the area personally.
Children shivered in rags.
Soldiers extorted merchants.
Officials hid in fortresses.
"This isn't governance," Arin murmured. "It's abandonment."
He summoned local leaders.
Only seven came.
The rest ignored him.
One elder spoke bluntly.
"Princes come and go. Nothing changes."
Arin looked him in the eyes.
"Then I'll be the last one."
He immediately issued reforms.
Emergency food distribution.
Military discipline enforcement.
Medical camps.
Monster-clearing bounties.
Trade tax reduction.
Many laughed.
"He'll last a month."
But two weeks later, supplies arrived.
Bandits were hunted.
Corrupt officers arrested.
Confidence grew.
The system activated quietly.
[SYSTEM PROMPT: Crisis Governance Initiated]
[SYSTEM PROMPT: Harsh Environment Adaptation +10%]
Far away, in the capital, nobles watched closely.
Some hoped for his fall.
Some feared his success.
And in Frostwind's frozen night…
Something ancient stirred.