Earth's Greatest Magus

Chapter 2795: Legitimacy

In a civilization governed by Magus, authority was never seized through conquest—it was granted through recognition. The Magus Alliance did not concern itself with who sat upon a planetary throne, only that order was preserved, resources and tribute flowed without interruption, and no open rebellion threatened the stability of the quadrant.

Governments could rise and fall, banners could change, but as long as those conditions were met, the Alliance remained indifferent.

At first glance, the rule seemed almost trivial—preserve order.

Yet beneath its simplicity lay the true foundation of Magus governance.

If Emery wished to claim a planet, brute force alone would never suffice. Any victory achieved through violence had to leave no residue—no chaos, no unresolved power vacuum, and, most importantly, no justification for a formal complaint filed with the Magus Alliance.

To achieve that, he would need legitimacy—either by installing a rightful claimant or by forcing recognition through means the Alliance itself deemed justified. Whether that legitimacy was purchased with wealth or secured through sanctioned force was irrelevant.

Dawnstar, however, was not a simple case.

The planet’s ruling authority was divided among three major clans, each claiming to be the legitimate inheritor of planetary governance. Their conflict had persisted for centuries, festering into a stagnant stalemate that drained resources, fractured institutions, and hollowed out public trust.

Buying out all three clans would be prohibitively expensive.

Forcing legitimacy through legal justification was possible—but a slow process.

Emery had no intention of rushing the process, yet he also had a deadline. Within thirty years, he intended to secure a seat on the Magus Alliance Council. Dawnstar had to be resolved long before then.

"You already understand this, don’t you?" Tessa said, watching him closely. "Which means you’re planning to take control by triggering Alliance oversight."

Emery inclined his head. "Yes. Is it possible?"

Gwen blinked, clearly confused. "Alliance oversight?" she asked. "What does that mean?"

"Alliance oversight," Tessa explained, "means allowing the Magus Alliance itself to render judgment."

This mechanism was common among lower-realm worlds. Emery himself had experienced a version of it during Earth’s conflict with Kronos. Smaller cities had fallen under Alliance arbitration as well—Terra’s Nephilim crisis a decade ago was a textbook example. In those cases, planetary sovereignty was effectively suspended, and the Alliance’s ruling became the highest law.

What made Dawnstar different was its status.

Alliance oversight was rarely applied to a middle-realm planet. Cities of Dawnstar’s scale were expected to resolve their own affairs.

Yet Dawnstar displayed every warning sign.

Centuries of internal conflict had eroded its ruling structure. The three governing clans remained locked in an endless power struggle, each claiming legitimacy, none capable of absolute control. Meanwhile, criminal organizations had flourished, infiltrating the city’s economy and civilian life.

"I’ve confirmed it," Tessa said, glancing down at her notes. "The Red Dawn faction hasn’t paid its full tribute to the alliance in over thirty years, and it’s been an ongoing debt for more than two centuries. They’re drowning financially."

She looked back at Emery. "And to trigger Alliance oversight, someone must assume responsibility for the Red Dawn faction’s obligations."

Emery did not hesitate. "How much?"

Tessa checked her slate again. "Their outstanding debt to the Magus Alliance administration is a little over six hundred million spirit stones."

The number was enormous, but Emery’s expression remained steady. It was less than he had prepared for. Much less.

Then Tessa continued.

"That figure only covers what they owe the Alliance government," she said. "The true problem lies elsewhere."

She paused, choosing her words carefully.

"The Red Dawn faction’s loans from the Magus Alliance Bank total seven billion, three hundred and fifty million spirit stones."

The number drew a sharp intake of breath from everyone in the room.

Emery, however, remained silent. He turned the figure over in his mind, breaking it down piece by piece. The sum was vast, but not insurmountable. He did not need to clear it immediately—Magus Alliance debt could be restructured, stretched across a century or more. With the Apothecary projects already in motion, Nova Roma’s weapons enterprise, and the planetary resources he would gain after securing authority, the balance could be settled well within that timeframe.

He was confident of that.

Seeing his calm reaction, Tessa let out a slow breath. "You should understand," she said, her tone growing heavier, "the problem runs deeper than you think. Otherwise, Dawnstar would have been swallowed by another faction long ago."

Emery looked up. "Then tell me."

Tessa rose from her seat. "Let’s take a walk."

They exited the hall and stepped into Dawnstar’s main thoroughfare. The street was alive with movement—vendors shouting over one another, magus apprentices haggling over charms, mercenaries advertising their services, and civilians pressed together in a constant flow. The city was not dying. It was rotting while pretending to thrive.

They stopped before what should have been one of the city’s most authoritative structures: the Magus Alliance Center.

The building stood tall, its architecture formal and severe, yet it felt hollow. Its wards were dim, its sigils poorly maintained. Only a handful of Alliance guards stood watch, their posture lax, their presence more symbolic than functional.

This, Emery, had expected.

Tessa then gestured to the building beside it—the Magus Alliance Guild, the official hub for contracts, trades, and sanctioned operations. On other planets, such a place would be overflowing with activity.

Here, it was nearly empty.

"Now," Tessa said, turning, "look across the street."

The structure opposite them was just as imposing, its design elegant and ostentatious. Unlike the Alliance facilities, it was crowded to the point of overflow. Adventurers, mercenaries, traders, and civilians alike passed through its doors in a constant stream.

"That," Tessa explained, "is the Moonlight Guild."

She continued, "They offer the same services as the Alliance Guild—jobs, contracts, even financial assistance. And the citizens prefer it."

Her gaze sharpened. "There are five more buildings like this across the city. You can guess who owns them."

Tessa revealed the name Moonlight Syndicates—a consortium of several major criminal organizations within the city. They were the true backbone of Dawnstar’s underworld. When the Magus Alliance refused to issue contracts, they stepped in. When Alliance banks closed their doors, they provided loans. When law enforcement turned a blind eye, they offered protection. Credit flowed freely through their halls, but every spirit stone came wrapped in invisible chains. Entire districts lived under their shadow, paying interest not just in currency, but in obedience. It was a loan-shark empire disguised as civic infrastructure, operating openly, legally, and without challenge.

Tessa turned back to him. "Now tell me," she said quietly, "how do you think the Red Dawn faction allows these buildings to operate in the open?"

It took Emery only a moment to finally connect the pieces.

His eyes narrowed. "How much of the faction’s debt is tied to them?"

Tessa exhaled slowly. "We dont know for certain. The Dawnstar officials claim it’s less than three billion. The Moonlight Guilds, however, insist the real figure exceeds twenty...."

"Twenty billion..."

The number hung in the air like a verdict.

With that level of debt, it was no wonder the criminal organizations moved as they pleased. At that point, it could even be argued that legitimacy no longer rested with the ruling factions, but with the ones holding their chains. Dawnstar was not governed—it was mortgaged.