Nero no longer paid attention to his childhood friend, who was somewhat absorbed in romantic fantasies, and turned to stride out of the passage.
As his brainwaves stabilized, another side effect of the Holy Son’s kiss began to manifest:
His waist softened, and he suddenly leaned against the wall of the passageway.
“…Your Highness!”
The White Wolf Knight darted over and caught him. Initially thinking the neural exoskeleton was malfunctioning again, he was about to probe around Nero’s tailbone when he noticed the tips of his small master’s ears turning red through his slightly disheveled silver hair.
The knight’s arm stiffened, and he froze in surprise.
Nero’s skin was so pale that any color on it was very noticeable.
In front of the White Wolf Knight’s eyes, the little Emperor’s cheeks and the corners of his eyes rapidly turned a beautiful rose color. However, Nero himself remained unaware, still displaying a detached demeanor: “It’s just the misalignment of the neural exoskeleton, nothing serious.”
Nero knew the Holy Son’s kiss could transform pain into desire, but he didn’t like being controlled by physiological urges. Therefore, before experimenting with the Holy Son’s kiss, he had already injected himself with a pain blocker.
However, using too much of the blocker could dull his mental faculties and slightly slow his reaction time. So this time, he used a smaller dose, which still couldn’t completely cover the side effects.
Nevertheless, it wasn’t a big issue.
There was more of the blocker left in the Vermillion’s cockpit.
Having battled madness for a long time, handling this level of physical reaction was almost child’s play for Nero.
He gripped the White Wolf Knight’s arm and steadied himself with a slight exertion.
“Summon all the Wolf Knights and return to the mecha.”
Nero’s eyes grew fierce, even though his originally pale cheeks and ears were still tinged with a blush akin to embarrassment. “If the Scorpion Tail is going to act, it will likely be during the upcoming Temple parade—if they dare to show themselves, I will eradicate them all…!”
He paused and added, “Also, inform the Wolf Knights that the Holy Son’s parade ship must be kept under the highest level of defense. At least for now, the Empire cannot afford to lose him.”
After issuing detailed orders, he noticed the White Wolf Knight hadn’t responded.
Frowning, he asked, “Alexei?”
The White Wolf Knight clenched his fist slightly and quickly looked away from the distracting rose color: “…Nothing, Your Majesty. I’ll issue the orders to the Wolf Knights right away.”
…
System: [Teacher, guess how many points…]
[Just tell me the result.] Nero closed the cockpit door. [Otherwise, I’ll block you in the Vermillion.]
The System screamed: [No, no—]
System: [Do you know how many reward points you accumulated just now?]
After confirming that Vermillion’s full defense system was activated, Nero temporarily removed his power armor, revealing the military uniform underneath.
The power armor was extremely rigid, causing him significant discomfort, and the pain brought about a new wave of heat.
Unable to bear it, Nero needed to quickly inject the remaining pain-blocking agent into his upper arm before the parade began.
The mecha cockpit was designed for one person. When separated from the White Wolf Knight, the young Emperor’s significant shortcomings in self-care gradually became evident.
Awkwardly unbuttoning his shirt while searching for the blocker he’d casually tossed into the cockpit, he finally found it behind the seat. He had to lift one leg, brace against the front console, and bend backward to reach it.
System: [Combining the White Wolf and Hexagon’s contributions, their Hatred Points fluctuated 11 times in total, achieving the required Hatred Points 21 times. The reward points from the repeated target achievement bug are… cough cough—]
The System deliberately cleared its throat and then loudly popped a party cracker in Nero’s ear: [——Total, 2100 points!!]
Nero froze and almost dropped the blocker he had just grasped.
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.
Lf mbeivc’a yijwf tlwrfio obg yflcu rb regqglrfv.
Vlcmf atf Vsrafw kjr lcrajiifv, atf ogfdefcms bo jmtlfnlcu atf gfdelgfv Ljagfv Ublcar tjv lcmgfjrfv, yea atf gfkjgv qblcar obg tfjiat tjv jikjsr qgbugfrrfv ribkis. Cvvlcu 100 bg 200 qblcar ja j alwf kjr j vgbq lc atf yemxfa obg tlr cfujalnf 20,000 ifu tfjiat.
Sometimes, looking at his crippled legs, Nero felt occasional regret. He became severely disabled at ten and never experienced the feeling of running or jumping like a healthy person again.
Although the loyal White Wolf Knight had always carried him, and later he used the neural exoskeleton, the mechanical device’s delay couldn’t compare to healthy nerves.
Perhaps until the end of his short life, he would never again feel what it was like to walk on the Empire’s land with his own feet.
But compared to the impending disaster facing the Empire, his wish naturally ranked at the very bottom. Even if he occasionally felt regret, it was quickly overshadowed by the influx of political duties, making it not too hard to accept.
The System continued celebrating: [2100 points!! And that’s just from the contributions of the White Wolf and Hexagon!! I still don’t know why Big Bull is stuck at 60; his target is 80… Is it because it’s his first time in Delphi and the emotional line with the Holy Son hasn’t started yet?? So when Teacher forced the Holy Son to kiss his head, he was less jealous than the other two??]
Nero pondered: [Very likely.]
The System was shocked: [Whoa!! It’s the first time I’ve heard Teacher has engaged in this topic!! Before, when I wanted to discuss anything related to the Holy Son with Teacher, you always had that… you know, that queen-like… ‘I’m really done with this, a bunch of worthless people who can’t keep it in their pants’… expression…]
Nero didn’t understand what ‘done with this’ meant, but he couldn’t refute the latter half. He just realized he had never thought of exploiting this before—jealousy from love is closely related to hate and is easy to control and collect, without causing friction at work.
…From all perspectives, it’s the most suitable way to accumulate reward points.
Nero came to his senses: [Increase leg health first.]
System: [Leg health +2100, current health: -16200/100!]
Nero picked up the pain blocker from the floor, but before he could lower his leg, he received a report from a Wolf Knight: “Your Majesty, General Heidrich requests communication.”
Nero frowned and hastily pulled his shirt collar together: “Connect.”
The screen lit up on the console.
Heidrich hadn’t even started speaking when he was hit by the sight—
The silver-haired Emperor was sitting in the narrow cockpit, his collar slightly askew, one leg just coming down from the screen’s edge, his firm, toned leg almost filling half the screen.
But the most striking thing was Nero’s slightly restrained expression: a beautiful rose color spread from the youth’s pale neck to his eyes.
Those red eyes, still cold and clear, were veiled with a layer of inexplicable mist. His breathing was faster than usual, and his rose-like lips were slightly parted.
Heidrich had never imagined seeing such an expression on the face of a future Alpha—he even thought his most intense and wild thoughts had suddenly come to life.
The man almost instantly stood up.
His tall frame blocked the screen completely, preventing other commanders in the base from peeking.
He quickly moved to his private room and locked the door behind him.
“What is it?” Nero still held the pain blocker, and although he had temporarily removed the power armor, the thick military pants still caused discomfort. “Speak quickly; the parade is about to start.”
Heidrich realized that Nero was clearly unaware of his own state being exposed—he also understood that his ruler was always like this, fiercely decisive in governance and battle, yet naive as a pure deity in matters of love and desire.
…But why?
Who could make Nero reveal such an uncontrollable emotion?
The man’s usually composed mind felt split in two. One half, extremely calm, continued reporting military matters to the silver-haired Emperor: “…We’ve received secret intelligence that the Laud Family is gathering forces in their territory…”
While the other half, frantically, almost obsessively, kept thinking.
…Who?
Was it that deceitful knight again?
But unless it was true uncontrollable desire, how could someone like Nero allow himself to indulge during the critical phase of a battle?
Even though Nero had been with his knight for a long time, Heidrich had observed their interactions closely; Nero had never shown partner-like affection for his knight or anyone else.
This is also why he became furious with the knight upon realizing this point—if they had indeed shared intimate acts, how was it different from deception and seduction?
Heidrich said, “…Your prediction about them was entirely accurate. When the Laud Family raises their army, it will be the day of the Scorpion Tail’s advance. The Laud Family has close to a trillion soldiers stationed, and if they launch a full-scale attack on the Capital, it will be impossible for the Capital to send reinforcements to Delphi…”
…No, not the knight.
But if it wasn’t the knight, then it could only be…
Heidrich recalled the gesture Nero made, letting the Holy Son kiss his forehead, and his eyes darkened.
Although at that time, he had found numerous justifications for Nero and even boldly speculated it might be related to his madness, just thinking about Nero’s cold nature and the impossibility of him making such a close gesture to anyone outside of his childhood companion, the White Wolf Knight—
It made Heidrich feel like his mind was about to burst with chaotic thoughts, leading him to the most unlikely and most detested suspicion…
…Damn it. It absolutely could not be the Holy Son.
The Holy Son’s status was extremely special, on par with the secular Emperor, entirely incomparable to a Wolf Knight. Moreover, with his mysterious influence over people’s hearts… Heidrich wasn’t even sure if he could find a way to extricate Nero should he indeed become deeply entangled.
…No, he was overthinking again. No matter what, such a thing would never happen…
Heidrich continued, “…I have ordered the Capital to enter the highest defense level. Although the Laud Family’s home star has vast territory and many troops, it also means their system jump distances will double. They will need time to gather their forces, and if they move now, they will face an overextended frontline. I would like to request command of Heka Star System’s Whale Fleet to occupy the four key border stars W453-W457…”
Wait.
The Holy Son’s influence did not surpass the medium of transmission, so Heidrich understood that as long as he watched through a light screen, he would not be affected.
…But what about Nero?
If Nero had to fulfill his imperial duties and regularly participate in the Temple rites, sharing a carriage with the Holy Son for a week each time, facing him directly for long periods…
He forcefully recalled the recent altar ceremony, scrutinizing every interaction, every subtle glance between Nero and the Holy Son… then realized, no matter what reason he used to deceive himself, it was evident that the Holy Son and Nero had many private interactions.
Otherwise, the Holy Son would not skip the blessing ceremony to begin working, as if pouting at Nero; nor would Nero tolerate him trampling on his rules, which, combined with his cold personality, inexplicably suggested a hint of indulgence.
That god of immense physical and mental strength, yet ignorant of love and desire… could he clearly discern if an inexplicable fondness for the Holy Son was due to external manipulation rather than true feelings?
His mind felt split, one half tangled in chaotic thoughts and fierce denials, while the other half functioned, efficiently responding to every word and suggestion from the silver-haired Emperor, relaying orders with his usual calm authority.
When the young Emperor narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, staring at him, Heidrich couldn’t endure the tormenting suspicion any longer. Without a change in expression, he probed:
“Your Majesty, please forgive my untimely curiosity—have you had any previous connection with the Holy Son? Because seeing you allow the Holy Son to perform the forehead kiss was quite unexpected…”
Before he could finish, he saw the silver-haired youth in the light screen snort, showing a self-satisfied expression of ‘I knew you would ask.’
However, no matter how cold and arrogant his demeanor, the burning blush spreading on his beautiful face betrayed his true thoughts.
“So what if I have? That is just between the Holy Son and me.”
Nero said coldly, crossing his arms to cover his unfamiliarity with playing the brainless villain, “The procession has begun, so follow our deployment. You are dismissed, General.”
The light screen went dark.
While unbuttoning his collar and injecting a blocker into his left arm, Nero listened to the System noisily chattering in his mind:
[Did you see, Teacher? Doing what I suggested was correct! Hexagon’s Hatred Points are jumping up and down! Listen to this system’s analysis—if Teacher wants to repeatedly exploit the bug for reward points, the target’s Hatred Points must fluctuate wildly around the required amount, indicating a highly unstable state.
[When does a person’s hatred become highly unstable? Only when they are repeatedly torn between suspicion and self-denial in a love-hate relationship! And where is such a mental tug-of-war most common? In unstable romantic relationships!]
[First, raise the target’s Hatred Points near the peak, then use the main characters’ obsession with the Holy Son to repeatedly trigger their suspicion and jealousy! Why did the Holy Son take the initiative to kiss Teacher? Why doesn’t he resist when Teacher kisses him? Why is he only submissive to Teacher and no one else?—Well, we don’t know either—but it doesn’t matter! This will be the perfect recipe for the main characters’ jealousy and suspicion!]
[Who truly holds the Holy Son’s heart? Does he only care about me physically, not emotionally?? This system has handled over a hundred storyline tasks and knows that as long as the drama around the Holy Son is managed well, Teacher can soon run laps around Delphi Star System!]
The fine needle pierced the skin, and the lingering arousal from the Saint’s kiss made Nero shudder all over. His slender waist trembled in the pilot’s seat, going numb and limp below the waist.
His firm legs, wrapped in military trousers, slid apart unconsciously in the seat.
However, the pain blocker worked quickly. As the pain in his feet and needle site faded, the restless wave of desire quickly subsided too.
Nero flicked the empty syringe, feeling quite pleased.
His brainwave patterns had remained stable until now, so enduring the controllable side effects was no big deal. Compared to his madness, he found this sudden surge of desire more tolerable, though still somewhat annoying.
In his view, while desire could be a distraction for ordinary people, for an imperial ruler, it should only arise for the sake of continuing the bloodline.
Since it was merely for reproductive purposes, it should always be under the Emperor’s rational control.
System: [Heidrich has met the indicators 6 times, current Hatred Points: 98/90, reward points +600. Current health: -15600/100. See? See, Teacher!]
Nero replied calmly: [Although you lack core code in many aspects, you indeed understand better than I do the foolish things people do when blinded by love.]
The System was overjoyed: [Thank you, Teacher, for your high recognition of my abilities! …Wait, what do you mean by ‘lack of core code’? Is it like humans missing their brainstem?]
Receiving the message that the Wolf Knights’ deployment was complete, Nero no longer had time to chat with the System.
He gripped the control sticks, leaned forward slightly, and with a brief concentration, poured his immense mental power into Vermillion!
The scarlet eye lamps lit up suddenly. Designed to be highly compatible with Nero’s mental power, the mecha showed no sign of sluggishness upon activation. The sound receptors on both sides perked up alertly, and the massive claws pressed into the ground. It then rose with agility, like a true biological weapon, proudly standing tall.
Nero’s intense red eyes were now covered with a bright silver glow. Countless glowing neural fibers, some embedded in his silver hair, others pressed against his temples and face, linked him tightly to the Vermillion.
The internal mechanical voice announced: [Synchronization rate, 65%, 144%, 275%, 399%, 524%… Driver’s mental power too high, exceeding the critical value.]
[Mecha Vermillion, fully activated.]
The System quietly nestled beside a neural fiber, staying silent.
Nero raised his eyes: “Open the port, launch the parade fleet.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The port of the Holy Mountain opened with a thunderous roar.
Having gained command over the Delphi Star System’s military forces, Nero had ordered a lockdown of the entire star system.
For the safety of the civilians, Delphi residents had to stay in heavily guarded areas, away from the parade route, and watch through delayed broadcasts.
The streets at the foot of the Holy Mountain were empty, but there were still fervent temple followers who sneaked or broke through military checkpoints to hide near the parade route to watch.
The parade ship, adorned with laurel leaves and roses, was slowly emerging from the port. However, only the Holy Son stood on the deck.
The Holy Son stood alone by the deck railing, a thick light shield that could withstand a star-destroyer’s attack covering the parade ship tightly.
In the recording of the circular mechanical eyes, he appeared somewhat absent-minded, hands clasped inside his robe sleeves, seemingly lost in thought.
But then, with a massive sonic boom, he seemed to sense something, lifting his head joyfully.
In the delayed broadcast across the Empire, a mecha unit was breaking through the sky. Most had black, sturdy wolf-like heads, except for one that was silver-white.
As people speculated about the Emperor’s whereabouts, a never-before-seen combat mecha, with infinitely extending red light wings trailing behind, suddenly descended from above the Holy Mountain!
Vermillion’s design was extraordinarily fierce and beautiful, with blood-red eye lamps and thorn-like red patterns. The light wings trailing behind it like a royal robe instantly revealed the pilot’s identity to the entire Empire.
“…Ah, so that’s it. His Majesty had long planned to participate in the parade this way!”
In the taverns where workers watched the parade, after a moment of stunned silence, they all raised their glasses and cheered.
“It’s solid! Solid! Ever heard that saying? As long as His Majesty is in the mecha, everything is solid!”
you can’t kill a kaiser once his mecha is on wooohhooooo also thank you holy son for servinggg
thanks author for the update!
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Yess abuse that bug! The more deeper you fell in the hole the more exciting it gets!! 🤭🤭
Thank you for the chapter!! <3
Did Heidrich forget that Nero is a Kaises 😂😂 He’s not affected by the Holy sons mental power 🤦
…only for the sake of reproduction? good luck with that, Nero 😂