On that day, all the residents living in the Capital thought it was once again the day the Emperor returned to the throne.
Countless giant mechas with black bodies and gold patterns pierced through the clouds with a sound barrier-breaking speed, heading towards the direction of the Solar Palace.
Whether in terms of intimidating appearance or speed, the XIII-generation combat mechas, the most commonly used by the Imperial troops, were completely incomparable to them.
The mechas’ chests bore rose scepters adorned with the blazing golden patterns, and as they soared above the capital, they left behind straight golden trails in the sky.
“…Which noble’s mecha unit is this???”
“Damn… This appearance is so cool… And each one of them is breaking the sound barrier. How many times faster is the driving speed of these mechas compared to the XIII-generation mechas?! If only I had the chance to…”
“Wait, I know them! There are pictures of them on the Star Network! Last week, during the military operation against the Star Pirates in the western region, a mecha unit suddenly appeared. They turned around at the farthest point of the border, flanked the entire main force of the Star Pirates from behind, and then disappeared into deep space… Look at those unique golden patterns, it’s that mecha unit! I remember, it’s called…”
“…Imperial Scepter!”
The Capital had always been the political center of the Empire. Apart from the nobles with mansions in the Capital, those who often dwelled in the Capital included officials from the Imperial Science Bureau, the Administrative Center, the System Maintenance Agency, along with millions troops stationed in the Capital Star System.
However, at this moment, the Capital stationed troops, who should have immediately sounded the alarm, seemed to be unable to move, just staring dumbfoundedly at the unexpected visitors suddenly descending upon the Capital.
“Wow… What sound is that! So scary—!”
When this mecha battalion soared through the skies, they maintained a high altitude, far above the ground. Therefore, it was not until the entire legion passed through that a chilling, piercing sound reached the ground.
This unique screeching sound was produced by the warp bubbles, created by intense friction with the air surrounding their hulls.
The Heka Star System’s Military Science Bureau had devoted significant resources to minimize the giant mechas’ aerodynamic drag, and eventually became the first team in the Empire to add a jump system to the body shield.
As a result, these mechas could generate miniature warp bubbles that enabled them to achieve speeds hundreds of times faster than the XIII-generation mechas when operating at maximum power in deep space.
During operations in the western frontier, whenever the Imperial Scepter clashed with the Black Gate, this terrifying shriek echoed deeply in the hearts of every Black Gate unit, akin to a death knell reverberating in the enemy’s minds.
In less than half a day, the Imperial Scepter swiftly occupied various ports, military bases, and the Solar Palace in the Capital.
All commanding officers of the Capital’s garrison received the same order: all members of the noble families on the list were to immediately surrender command authority and await further orders within the Capital.
Due to the rapid change in the situation, the representatives who could speak for their families were all trapped in the council hall, with no time for family members to consult.
Most people chose to temporarily surrender their authority in the chaos and were then politely sent back to their mansions; while a very small number of stubborn ones felt that the situation was not right and insisted on disobeying orders, only to be arrested on the spot by the Imperial Scepter, shackled, and thrown into the court for trial.
In the council hall, as the first high noble trembled and signed on the interface to pay taxes, the remaining nobles, under the cold gaze of the Wolf Knights, sweated profusely and silently completed their tax payments.
“Thank you very much.”
The silver-haired Emperor said.
“Although each of you and your families have committed numerous crimes when the Empire was in danger, choosing to lend a hand when the treasury is empty—even if it’s fulfilling obligations that are years overdue—I will still consider the severity of your punishment. And now, the time is just right. You can return to your mansions and enjoy your afternoon tea.”
The light screens gradually went out.
The pale-faced nobles forcibly lifted by the Wolf Knights from behind, and then sent on shuttles to their mansions with shaky steps.
From this moment on, their activities would be strictly limited to their mansions until Nero reclaimed all the military power of the high noble faction.
“Hmm. They arrived earlier than I expected,” Nero remarked as he picked up the slightly cold milk, calmly taking a sip.
The western region was very far from the Capital, not to mention that the Imperial Scepter had a mission to complete on the border. He had received a battle report only a few days ago that another leader of the Black Gate had been successfully killed by the Imperial Scepter among the thousands of ships.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Calculating the time of the report and the distance, this small vanguard force of the Imperial Scepter should have completed the mission, made a big turn through seamlessly connected mecha jumps, and then traveled day and night without eating or drinking, so that they could enter the Capital at this time.
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The next second, the mecha, which was originally tilting its head by the window, immediately knelt with a ‘thump’ as soon as Nero looked at it, kneeling on both knees and bowing to him.
Nero silently looked away.
…Now he knew who was inside.
After two days of occupying the Capital, the Imperial troops from the Heka Star System arrived swiftly. They promptly assumed command positions within the Capital’s stationed troops and initiated a thorough purge from top to bottom.
From then on, the Capital Star System was completely under Nero’s control.
“On the day when the high noble families were forced to comply with the Joint Tax Decree, it wasn’t the end of the war, but the formal call to arms.”
For the first time since Nero’s return to the throne, the historic Imperial Council Hall was free from the lingering stench of nepotism.
The silver-haired Emperor sat in the main seat of the council hall, with the White Wolf Knight by his side. To his right was Heinrich, who had just returned to the Capital.
Both sides of the long table were full of Imperial generals who followed from the Heka Star System.
Because there were too many people, three rows of chairs had to be added.
“Although they are currently under house arrest, the families behind them occupy about seventy percent of the Empire’s territory and military strength. Unless the lords of each star are willing to hand over military power, open their fortresses, and eliminate all potential rebellious forces, the current situation will be deadlocked for a long time.”
Nobody questioned the sudden enactment of the Joint Tax Decree.
They only looked at the expanse of space on the screen, furrowing their brows in thought before reporting to Nero:
“The number of troops in the Heka Star System has surpassed tens of millions, but it is still less than the reserve forces in even one high noble estate. If these high nobles’ garrisons dare to unite and rebel against Your Majesty, our chances of winning are actually very uncertain…”
“War does not only compare the size of the army, but also consider the quality differences of the soldiers on both sides,” Heidrich interrupted calmly, “There are fundamental differences between the nobles and the Star Pirates belonging to the Black Gate we just defeated.
“Nobles have more room for maneuver than Star Pirates and more assets that are difficult to abandon. Therefore, compared to Star Pirates who would be completely annihilated once defeated, nobles may unexpectedly appear weak. As long as there is a chance to avoid risk, they will swarm like ants and bury their heads deep in the sand. This kind of weakness will spread from noble commanders all the way down to the bottom of the garrison.”
“Your Majesty, I know you detest evil and would like to completely eradicate these rotten high noble families in one fell swoop before the war with the Zerg. But considering the current strength of the nobles and that Your Majesty’s army is not yet fully adequate, I suggest that Your Majesty adopt a conciliatory approach as much as possible, and even grant amnesty to those nobles who voluntarily surrender their military power. After all, as long as the nobles give up their military power, no matter how you choose to deal with them later, they will only be like fish on a chopping board.”
Nero stared at Heidrich’s pale blue eyes and fell into silent contemplation for a moment.
Due to their different experiences in the past, Nero indeed understood the Star Pirates more than the Imperial nobles and had plans to completely overthrow these high noble families before the war with the Zerg.
But Heidrich, born into a prominent military noble family, spent his youth in the Capital, and then was exiled to Delta Fortress for twelve years. He should have had contact with nobles at all levels.
When the man’s gaze began to shift away, Nero decided decisively: “Follow your plan.”
On the fifth day, the Heka Star System’s forces had already turned the Capital into a tightly sealed iron bucket, with people only allowed to enter, not to leave, and all information thoroughly blocked.
In their own territories, the scattered family members from the high noble families couldn’t grasp the true situation inside the capital, leading them to gradually panic.
“…What does the young Emperor mean?? Not only suddenly demanding payment, but also using the Wolf Knights to coerce the heads of households… Isn’t this blatant robbery? And he still hasn’t released anyone yet!!”
“The Imperial Scepter belongs to the Heka Star System, right? Isn’t the Heka Star System Heidrich’s fiefdom? Isn’t Heinrich at odds with His Majesty??? He stationed the troops of his own star system in the Capital… What does this mean? Could it be that he’s holding the young Emperor hostage??”
“Do you know about the matter of the Minister of State Administration, Marquis Sean? I heard that he was clearly on the list, but instead of paying taxes, he was directly escorted to the tribunal by the Wolf Knights on charges of violating several serious laws….”
“Hmph. Their family has always been arrogant and reckless, not bothering to hide their dirty money and deeds. Yet even after the new Emperor ascended the throne, they haven’t changed. They even dare to keep a bunch of Omega for pleasure in the Capital. Aren’t they just rushing to give the Emperor something to hold against them? If they were like our family, swift and decisive, killing and burying, making a fortune in silence…”
“I also heard that the Sean Family’s territory seems to be mobilizing troops, probably preparing…”
Within the high noble families, chaos erupted as they argued fiercely amongst themselves.
Some noble lords were cowardly, hoping that the Emperor would only punish other families or even just their own representatives. As long as it didn’t affect them personally, they could still continue to live as carefree as before.
Meanwhile, other noble lords have already begun secretly unite and stir.
Just as everyone felt that a storm was brewing, the Emperor unexpectedly issued a personally signed amnesty decree.
The decree was very simple. Aside from expressing gratitude for the noble families’ generous contributions and praising their people, the main instruction was only one:
All commanders of troops stationed in the territories must unconditionally accept relocation to the Capital and be promoted to military civil officials, responsible only for military administrative affairs.
Vacant positions would be temporarily filled by military commanders dispatched personally by the Emperor.
For neighboring star systems, the decree intentionally provided vastly different response deadlines.
The original plan of the star systems planning to unite against him was completely disrupted by the decree.
The decree also mentioned that confirmed members of the relocated families would receive noble pardons granted by the Emperor, with a certain degree of immunity within the Empire.
If they refused to respond, they would be immediately charged with the grave crime of defying the Emperor and handed over to the Imperial Tribunal for judgment.
The decree had been issued, and huge sums of taxes had already entered the treasury.
Nero hurriedly worked on the construction of the Anchor Point defense system and quietly waited for the lords’ responses, all while managing the military affairs and scientific research of the Heka Star System related to the war with the Zerg.
All arrangements were being made in a fast-paced manner, and Nero had to squeeze his own rest time to the extreme.
Once work started, it was around the clock. Under the beautiful red eyes of the young Emperor, a faint shade of fatigue hung.
“Get me some coffee, Alexei.”
Nero’s eyes were blurred by the full-screen reports, so he rubbed his eyes and asked the White Wolf Knight beside him for some coffee.
“Yes, Your Majesty, right away.”
The White Wolf Knight was assisting with military affairs nearby. Upon hearing the command, he obediently followed but didn’t leave Nero’s side even for half a step, instructing another Wolf Knight to bring the coffee.
Nero had already begun to interfere with the military power of the high noble families. The bitter lessons of the history of the Kaises Dynasty told him that this would be the most dangerous moment for an emperor.
To prevent the high noble faction from secretly dispatching assassins, the defense of the palace was also strengthened to an unprecedented level.
The entire Solar Palace, and even the entire Capital, was immersed in an unusually tense atmosphere.
The white Wolf Knight was now never more than a step away from Nero at any moment. Apart from daily bathing and sleeping, which were already accompanied by the White Wolf Knight, even more private moments such as using the toilet had the White Wolf Knight guarding closely behind Nero. If it weren’t for Nero needing to pull down his pants, he even suspected that the White Wolf Knight wanted to hold his hand all the time.
Although Nero found it difficult to adapt, he understood that as the Emperor of the Empire, his life no longer belonged solely to him.
Thinking back to when the White Wolf Knight had changed his wet bedsheets when he was a child, Nero slowly got used to it.
During the interval while waiting for the coffee, Nero was extremely tired and rested his head on the desk, closing his eyes.
He heard the study door open, and the footsteps of the Wolf Knight approached. The aroma of coffee began to fill the air.
But for some reason, although the White Wolf Knight clearly took the coffee, he hesitated to hand it over to Nero.
Nero opened one eye and happened to see the White Wolf Knight with his back to him, not knowing what he was doing.
Out of curiosity, Nero didn’t speak up and leaned forward to look from behind his shoulder.
The White Wolf Knight secretly poured the coffee into a measuring cup, then drank it all himself.
After finishing the drink, he checked his watch with one hand and quickly removed his arm armor with the other, using a blood test needle very skillfully to draw a bit of blood from the inside of his arm, then quietly waited for the results of the poison test.
Nero’s gaze fell on the inside of his arm.
There were a row of fresh, very fine needle marks.
Nero: “What are you doing?”
The White Wolf Knight was visibly startled, and even his wolf ears trembled on his head.
He looked around the table and realized that there was nowhere to hide the measuring cup, so he awkwardly held it in his hand, like a big dog holding onto its stolen goods, waiting for its young master to scold it.
“Isn’t it supposed to be the responsibility of the Wolf Knights to make sure my food go through multiple layers of checks, and then is delivered to me?” Nero continued to watch him. “Why are you testing it yourself?”
The White Wolf Knight nervously shifted in his chair, fidgeting with the measuring cup for a while, before finally whispering, “Your Majesty, I’ve read the records in the Imperial Chronicles. I noticed that there was an emperor, who died tragically at the age of 21. Because when he was contending with the nobles for military power in the territories, the palace chef was bribed, and poison was added to the Emperor’s food—”
“His name was Cyrus. Of course, I know the cause of his death.” Nero still looked at him. “Why did you use yourself to test for poison?”
“Because, because it’s written in the records that it was a pheromone toxin. If it doesn’t enter an Alpha’s bloodstream, it can’t be detected.”
The White Wolf Knight explained in a low voice, “When Cyrus died of poisoning, his White Wolf and all the Wolf Knights were guarding him… but still… so I thought… maybe… perhaps… this way… would be safer…”
Before he could finish his sentence, he felt a tightness in his chest. The silver-haired Emperor directly grabbed the collar of his cloak and pulled his wolf head closer to himself.
“—You are not allowed to test for poison yourself!”
Nero said sharply, “Go find live livestock in the breeding farm, or even find death row prisoners in the capital dungeons. I do not permit you to test for poison yourself! There won’t be a next time, understood?!”
The White Wolf Knight was so frightened that his wolf ears trembled, and he quickly nodded.
Seeing the young master slowly release him, still with anger, he turned to open the light screen and whispered even more quietly:
“Your Majesty, I’ve always kept the dosage very small. If there really is a synthetic pheromone poison, it will show up in the blood test needle reaction, but it won’t really pose a life-threatening danger…”
“—White Wolf!!”
“…Yes, Your Majesty! I understand!”
Firsttt. Tyy for the chapter. I look forward to every chapter you release! Tysm
Oof, one part of the plan down, more to go. I’m just glad Nero stays true to his ideals ;; all this stress and work can’t be good for him…
Thank you for the updates! ❤️
Thank you for the chapter!
Amazing 🥲
White wolf is cute :3c they all so good I’m sad we are not considering polyamory here qwq
Thank you!!
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ silly white wolf
Thank you for the chapter!!☺
Thank you so much for the chapter.