>>280572260
>I just don't understand what the point of the empire arc is
The empire is what Frieren's master, Flamme, built anon, she tells you that one part of why she's sticking around is because she wants to know what's going to happen with her legacy.
>why there'd be a hitlist on elf women
It's a political fight anon, the empire against the Magician association, whose leader is an Elf. Said elves are the most powerful magicians of the era.
>or how this arc is going to resolve in a way that does not permanently alter the course of the story.
And why is that a bad thing anon?
>and that seems to really go against the grain of the tone of this series.
The whole tone of the series has always been that things never stay the same. Magic changes, associations are born and then completely disappear; the whole arc is a personal thing about how Flamme's legacy is biting her master and discipline because it doesn't align anymore with its current interests.