“Cre-eaak—”
The attendant pushed open the heavy doors of the council chamber.
Seven members of the Privy Council rose from their seats by the table, bowing their heads in greeting.
“Greetings, Your Majesty.”
The silver-haired Emperor reclined in the arms of the White Wolf Knight, his legs naturally crossed over the knight’s arm.
He showed little expression, yawning as he motioned for the ministers to take their seats.
The council members pulled out their chairs and sat down on either side of the long table.
“Your Majesty, you finally decided to attend the Privy Council meeting. After all, you are the Emperor of the Galactic Empire. If you keep missing meetings, others might think…”
The Minister of Finance spoke, secretly hoping the young Emperor would spend his life lying on an Omega’s belly. He pretended to advise a few words but fell silent when he saw Nero’s face darken.
Those seated in this chamber were mainly the powerholders of the Empire’s noble factions, the top representatives of the nobility.
Over centuries of bloody struggle, the great noble families had cemented their positions, holding vast star system territories, massive armies, and extensive autonomy, firmly controlling the Empire’s military and economic lifelines.
In their distant territories, the great nobles were like kings in their own right.
Regarding key decisions in their territories, the council members naturally wouldn’t allow the Emperor to intervene, nor would they honestly report the conditions of their territories.
When Nero didn’t attend the Privy Council meetings, they turned the meetings into opportunities to divide the spoils among their families;
But with Nero unexpectedly present, they all tacitly presented screens filled with trivial matters.
“…The Earl of Scrub from the Sorensen Star System recently sent an invitation. He will host a ‘Rose Festival’ in his territory on the 5th of this month to celebrate Your Majesty’s blessings and invites Your Majesty to tour and visit…”
“…The Earl of Resa from the Laporte Star System sent an invitation. Since Your Majesty’s coronation, he has been preparing to build a palace. It cost 900,000 tons of rare gold and 480,000 laborers working day and night to create a unique golden palace in the galaxy. The palace is now complete, and he invites Your Majesty to the unveiling ceremony…”
“…Your Majesty, recently some northern lords reported that a large number of serfs are illegally moving to the Charon Star System, causing a severe decline in production and tax revenue in their own star systems. I propose that to strengthen the management of interstellar migration, Your Majesty issue a decree to the star system lords, enforcing a lifelong star residency for serfs without titles or merits. Any who leave their star systems without noble approval should be executed as a public example…”
The Emperor supported his chin with a bored expression, appearing drowsy, without knowing if he was listening.
Until a gentle knock came from the council chamber door, he slightly turned his head and said towards the door, “Come in.”
A man in a raven-black military uniform stepped in slowly.
The entire council chamber fell abruptly silent.
Hermann Heydrich, born into a military family and the eldest son, had received harsh military training from a young age.
Thus, whether walking, standing, or simply waiting for the Emperor’s command with his head bowed, his posture was straight and correct, exuding an uncontainable sharp, murderous aura.
The so-called “Tyrant’s Favorite” stood in a corner of the council chamber. His seemingly meek and low-hanging deep-set eyes carried an indifferent air of being at anyone’s disposal.
“What are you standing there for?” Nero sneered, “Sit.”
An attendant quietly handed over a footstool.
It was a footstool used by palace attendants, slightly lower than the council chairs, for attendants to use when standing guard at the palace doors.
Heydrich lowered his eyes, looking at it quietly for two seconds.
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.
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The Minister of Finance immediately chimed in: “I, I also believe Major General Heydrich still needs more experience. He indeed does not yet have the qualifications to enter the Privy Council, Your Majesty…”
“Who said I was letting him into the Privy Council?”
Nero squinted his eyes impatiently.
“I have been summoned back from Mirror Spring Palace by your repeated urging, to sit here all morning just to approve your Rose Festival and golden palace. Do you think your Emperor deserves to abandon his newly built theater to either approve boring paperwork or run all over the galaxy?”
The agenda items were deliberately selected by the council members to take up a lot of meeting time without letting the Emperor intervene in truly important matters.
So when Nero said this, a few key ministers exchanged furtive glances, hiding their guilty conscience behind coughs.
At this moment, the Minister of War, David, sensed that Nero seemed to be looking at him.
He quietly lifted his head.
Sure enough, the young Emperor on the throne, listening to the ministers’ advice, looked impatient.
His red eyes, however, skipped over the nobles, glancing meaningfully at him.
The Empire’s political relations were deeply entangled, with the great noble factions united in suppressing the royal power but not truly allied, constantly backstabbing each other.
Like last time, when the Emperor angrily reprimanded Grand Duke Harrison, his own uncle, at the Privy Council. Though the nobles outwardly still respected Grand Duke Harrison, they secretly rejoiced.
Today, although Grand Duke Harrison still sat at the Emperor’s right-hand seat, he was noticeably more subdued.
He sat quietly in his chair, eyes gloomy, without saying a word.
The Minister of War’ thoughts raced.
“Your Majesty is busy with state affairs. For such trivial matters, Major General Heydrich could assist in reviewing them… Of course, Your Majesty would still need to oversee it.”
Having survived the insurgent period, the cunning minister quickly found an opportunity.
“Although Major General Heydrich is not a Privy Council member, he is Your Majesty’s confidant, the elder brother of Eva Heydrich. Like us, he is dedicated to easing Your Majesty’s burdens.”
As expected, the Emperor’s approving glance immediately rewarded him as soon as he finished speaking.
“I still maintain my previous evaluation of Marquis David from the last council meeting. Marquis David is a true loyalist to the Empire, the confidant of the king.”
Nero rarely smiled.
The nobles quickly echoed their agreement.
A screen lit up before Heydrich.
Tedious and boring proposals kept coming from the nobles’ brains.
The man’s expression remained indifferent as he silently reviewed them under Nero’s instructions.
When the council extended into midday, Nero even stopped participating in the nobles’ pretentious debates over the proposals.
He had the White Wolf Knight bring in a dessert. While using a small golden spoon to eat, he opened another screen, openly watching an opera performance.
Marquis David, feeling triumphant, debated freely at the council table, trying to draw the Emperor’s attention, while Grand Duke Harrison remained silent.
He sat with a deliberately dejected look, his small eyes glancing back and forth at the black-haired, blue-eyed man behind the throne.
The man might think he hid his feelings well.
But when Nero opened the theater live broadcast, Grand Duke Harrison sharply noticed the fleeting disgust in Heydrich’s eyes.
The descendant of loyalists. A military genius.
With a blood feud against the Kaises Family.
His sister was brought back to the Capital by the Emperor during a northern tour, and he had fought his way up the ranks, relying on the Emperor’s favor for his sister to return to the Capital.
Although the Emperor had exonerated the Heydrich Family, according to spies, Eva Heydrich was still confined in the Emperor’s palace, despite Heydrich’s military accomplishments.
She had not been allowed to return to the general’s residence to live with her brother.
A glint of calculation flashed in Grand Duke Harrison’s eyes.
This person didn’t seem to be as favored by the Emperor as the rumors suggested…
There might be an opportunity here.
Just as this thought crossed his mind, he saw the Emperor, bored with the council, casually rest his boots on Heydrich’s knees.
As if treating the man like the lowest-ranking attendant.
The entire council chamber fell abruptly silent.
“What’s the matter?” Nero licked the small spoon clean and looked up with his red eyes. “Is the meeting over?”
“Uh, no, Your Majesty,” the Minister of Finance stammered. “There are still 12 more proposals to go through…”
Grand Duke Harrison did not miss any expression on Heidrich’s face.
A fleeting moment of astonishment and humiliation flashed through the man’s extraordinarily handsome and deep-set eyes.
But soon, he tightened his grip on the photon pen and continued to review the documents, though the muscles along his jaw were visibly tensing in silence.
Grand Duke Harrison had to turn his head slightly to avoid the Emperor seeing the smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
…
Nero faced the light screen, but his red eyes, hidden by long lashes, glanced towards Grand Duke Harrison seated at his right hand.
Seeing the Grand Duke turning away to laugh, Nero scoffed coldly in his heart.
At this moment, Nero’s exquisitely clean leather boots, adorned with silver-leafed roses, were carelessly propped on Heidrich’s thigh, making him look very much like a tyrannical and indulgent Emperor oppressing his subjects.
When he first rested his legs there, he felt the man’s firm thigh muscles tense abruptly.
Propping his boots was a spontaneous action; he hadn’t informed Heidrich beforehand.
Given Heidrich’s intelligence, Nero believed he would fully understand.
But nearly two minutes had passed, and the muscles under the heels of his boots were still tensely rigid.
Does he have a cleanliness obsession?
Nero raised an eyebrow slightly and, pretending to stretch, prepared to remove his legs.
Just as he was about to move, Heidrich’s left hand, always hidden under the table, subtly grasped the young Emperor’s ankle, preventing him from pulling his legs away.
Since Heidrich indicated acceptance, Nero paid no further mind.
He maintained the position of his boots crossed over the man’s legs and refocused on the meeting table.
Though he appeared lazy and yawning, he mentally noted every word the nobles uttered.
Because he was so focused on the table, the young Emperor didn’t notice.
The man’s gloved hand gently held the boy’s slender ankle all the while, never letting go.
The fingertips, carrying a hint of subtle trembling, slowly stroked the soft leather.
Several proposals were processed, and the empty dessert plate in front of Nero was cleared away.
Nero looked around at the nobles and raised an eyebrow, asking, “Are there any other matters that need resolution?”
The nobles shook their heads in unison. At the same time, they cast meaningful glances towards Grand Duke Harrison seated at the head.
Since the Emperor’s public outrage at him upon his return from the north, Grand Duke Harrison had rarely spoken at court meetings, choosing to remain silent and avoid the Emperor’s wrath.
Today, the meeting had lasted this long, and Grand Duke Harrison hadn’t spoken a word.
“Uncle hasn’t spoken today,” Nero said casually.
Grand Duke Harrison had no choice but to stand up, supporting himself on the table, and stammered, “Your Majesty, the territory… the territory is currently peaceful and developing steadily, there is nothing to report…”
“Is there nothing to report, or is it that you, Uncle, are too old to manage the heavy responsibilities of governing the Empire?” Nero smiled, a cruel and malicious smile.
The young Emperor’s face still had traces of boyishness, but his gaze was unrelentingly fierce, and his voice, though casual and calm, was ruthlessly piercing.
“Since Uncle’s territory is peaceful, how about having Marquis David sit at my right next time? The Marquis has been very insightful today. The only drawback is that his seat is too far, and I find it a bit strenuous to hear his reports.”
The Minister of War, caught off guard by being named, was initially startled, then couldn’t hide the rapidly growing smile on his face. He buried his face in the light screen to avoid being seen by the other equally stunned nobles.
In contrast, Grand Duke Harrison’s face turned so dark as he looked at Nero that it seemed about to drip water.
The twitching fat on the Grand Duke’s face, combined with his downward-slanting triangular eyes, made him look almost frightening.
The White Wolf Knight subtly shifted a step to ensure he stood between the emperor and the duke, his fingers slowly moving to his gun holster.
“What do you think, Uncle?”
Nero seemed oblivious to the tension, his red eyes staring directly at the Grand Duke with a hint of provocative smile, “It’s just a temporary change of seat. You are still the Imperial Chancellor and Regent. I guarantee this as your Emperor.”
Grand Duke Harrison glared at him venomously for a long moment.
Finally, he slowly bowed his head: “—As Your Majesty wishes.”
Hohoho
Lmao 😂 I´m just imagining a fat man trembling in anger