User blog comment:Bato of the Heavy Iron Rock Hammer/What happens to the Alvarez Empire after FT's ending?/@comment-173.54.225.116-20170717043826/@comment-24102956-20170717114616

It ain't THAT simple.

The whole continent of Alakitasia is wide and large and it's impossible to keep the Empire together now that Zeref is gone and the Spriggan 12 destroyed including the majority of their armies.

Without the Emperor and the top-ranking officials who came with him, it's open to civil war and many citizens will suffer greatly for it as factions rise up to take control of the Empire or seek independence.

Many of the soldiers of Alvarez have families waiting for them to come home from the front only to receive bodybags, flags and medals of their service to the Empire and aren't just nameless Mooks, they're people too!

Don't forget, these people genuinely adored Zeref as their ruler who kept the Empire prosperous and strong as they're patriotic citizens, not some dumbass zealots cultists like Avatar Fodders.