Ikem nodded " My thought align with what you said Ripple, but Zephyr also bring up a great point if we consider the possibility of sentient weapon that forces the user hands, so it's a great take from both of you"
"Now for another important question," Ikem said as he sat upright on his throne.
" Some apelings outside this palace, has secretly taken a treasure for themselves and we have no idea of any capabilities the treasures can have, now the question is what will make these apelings possibly wield there weapon and use it against us" Ikem asked that as the Palace fell silent with everyone having a serious look on their face.
The silence held on for a while but Ikem didn't push anyone for an answer instead he gave them time to think, as this was something he was also thinking on his way back and with his children here they can come up with a way and implement it.
" The cursed clans" Suddenly Ember spoke, breaking the silence, which led everyone's attention to turn to him.
" Our people has no need to go hungry, life is great for everyone but one thing most apelings lack that the cursed clans don't lack is magical talent"
" I don't know if talent is the right word, as we ourselves don't even know how talented we are but we do know we do better when it comes to things like magic and this is all because of grandpa's curse"
" We will all be in the same situation as the other apelings if not for this curse. Mana training became a lot easier for us but for the other apelings, the amount of time they spend just on training alone is too much yet they can't achieve what apelings if the cursed clans can achieve in just a week or a day"
"There is almost no second stage apelings outside of the cursed clan, except for our siblings like Eriri and others of direct lineage from father"
" All this to say that, the only reason the apelings will turn against us is if they think the cursed clans hold a secret concerning our talents," Ember said in a solemn tone.
Ikem nodded as he looked at the others " Do you agree with him"
Ripple and Ember nodded to show they agreed with him, Zephyr also spoke out " Now brother mentions it, most apelings outside of the cursed clan are Idle and have nothing to do except for training to bridge the gap, they don't even qualify as servants to work in the palace"
" I am happy we all are in the same thought process, now we have found our problem, how do we go about solving it?" Ikem asked as he leaned back to his seat.
The palace fell into silence once again, this time Ikem could see they were clearly struggling to come with solutions.
" It seems this is there limit, still I am happy they were able to think so clearly" Ikem thought proudly as he looked at his children, this was one of his father's way of training him in what he called "Critical thinking"
Ikem seeing they were still struggling decided to step in and help them out " How about we build up an academy for the apelings excluding the cursed ones"
Zephyr looked at Ikem before asking " how does that help them or change the situation?"
" Well son, the academy is for them to come together to find a solution for their problem, we can offer them resources and pick out special teachers from those in the shrine to help educate them on the elements, hopefully they can gain something from it to find a solution"
" But father, those from the shrine are really helpful to the clans and there are very few of them. We can afford to lose any of them for something " Ripple said with a furrowed brow.
" The fact of them being few numbered indeed is a problem, which is why from now on. The five cursed clan will be be responsible for sending out a group of apelings who have shown talent required to stay and be part of the shrine group, That way the number problem will be solved"
" But doing that will leave us with a lesser number of clansmen" This time it was Ember who spoke up.
" Indeed, I will be making an announcement concerning that. Our people have gotten lazy over the past few years and no longer procreate. I will be speaking out in that to encourage everyone to fill our numbers up. Also you guys are exempted" Ikem said with a grin on his face, seeing his children embarrassment.
" Can we all agree on the apeling problem temporarily solved" Ikem asked, seeing that everyone has got the question answered.
The children all nodded, " It hasn't been solved but this can be a first step and we adjust properly from there on"
" Now, I have to inform you that your brother Terra will be gone for a long time," Ikem said as his children immediately looked at him.
Ripple immediately asked " Did something happen to big brother?"
Ikem calmly smiled and shook his head " He's fine but he has a mission assigned to him which will lead to him being away for a long time, I hope you all find time to visit him"
Ember spoke out this time " Does this mission have to do with the food source?"
Ikem nodded in agreement " Yes, the place turned out better than I thought, with it our people will have no need to ever go hungry but also because I came across an important resource in the area that can prove to be of good help to our people"
" Ember, you may be the first one to meet your brother as this resource may require your clan expertise" Ikem said as he rubbed his chin.
" Is it a metal resource?" Ember asked eagerly.
" Might be similar but even better, I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise. I trust you will know best what to do with it when you see it" Ikem said amusedly, one of Member's interests was blacksmithing, he find great joy in experimenting with different iron, most weapons now used in the kingdom are supplied by his clans.
"Now, I want to assign a mission similar to what I discussed with Terra earlier. There's a potential for significant events in the future, and I want us to be prepared for anything. That's why your brother is safeguarding our most crucial asset at the moment—the food source."
"I'm aware that you've been working together to expand the kingdom's territory, but it's time to divide your efforts for greater efficiency. Additionally, please provide reports on the materials and resources you've discovered during the years of expansion. This information is vital for the kingdom's strategic planning."
"I aim to maximize the advantage you already possess and unleash its full potential. Ember, once things settle down, I want you to lead your clan to occupy the area where I defeated the fire lion. The fire mountain there will significantly boost your strength. After gaining control of the mountain, secure the surrounding area, ensuring all valuable resources fall under the kingdom's control."
Ikem turned his attention to Ripple. "As for you, Ripple, your clan is indispensable everywhere. Your unparalleled healing ability with the water element is currently unmatched. To fully utilize this strength, embark with your people to find a location with a large body of water. Your goal is not to take over or expand but to train proficient healers and fighters. Once they reach a certain level of strength, send them to different clans to act as healers when needed."
Glancing at Zephyr, Ikem continued, "Zephyr, you are equally crucial as Ripple's clan. In your case, find a place near the mountain with your clan members. It's vital you are close to me, and in case the world needs to be informed, you'll be the messenger. Simultaneously, you share the responsibility with Ripple, sending out trained and strong clan members to act as messengers between the clans."
" If anyone has any problem with arrangements, don't hold back and speak out" Ikem said as he leaned further back into his throne.
Zephyr furrowed his brow, "Father, while I understand the importance of relaying messages, being stationed near the mountain may limit our ability to respond swiftly to emerging situations in other parts of the kingdom. What if, instead, we establish a central hub at the crossroads between the mountain and the territories of Ripple and Ember? This way, we can efficiently communicate in all directions."
Ripple nodded in agreement, "I agree with what you said father, but dedicating our entire clan to training healers and fighters might weaken our overall strength and resources. What if we focus on producing a specialized task force, a quick-response team? This way, we can address urgent needs without spreading our resources too thin."