Responses
That's where I'm at. This story has already relied a bit too hard on the plotmagic. I get the desire to set the empire up as this enormous for for the tension, but if you do too much you end up with no way for the mc to win without some plot chicanery. Which is boring and bad writing.
He still needs years to be on the level of the empire's strongest, his bodyguard couldn't defeat an empires knight on the same level, the crown prince is suspicious, he should have agreed, honed his strength, then delt with the empire.
Like if he joined, he could have convinced his kingdom to surrender while they build strength in secret, that way he wouldn't have gone to war with them,this isn't very smart at all.
I guess the main character plot buff, will help him I guess.