Nero had pursued the Star Pirate fleet directly from the Capital in the fastest winged cruiser, almost like a lone soldier on a mission.
This time he returned to the Capital with a vast transport fleet, loaded with slaves and mechas confiscated from Star Pirates.
Concerned about being away from the Capital for too long and potential political instability, he ordered the Emperor’s flagship and armed transport ships to be loaded onto the stellar-class mothership. They would then use the warp tunnels through the fortresses conquered by Heidrich for a quick return.
As soon as the spaceship started, the White Wolf Knight quickly pushed open the cabin door and climbed out, searching everywhere for his little Emperor.
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty!”
His right shoulder was still heavily bandaged, but he had donned his Wolf Knight’s armor and found Nero, who was still inspecting the mecha ship.
Seeing his good spirits, Nero’s lips curled in satisfaction. He teased, “Did you install a tracker on me, Alexei? Or is there a scent only you can smell on me?”
The White Wolf Knight seriously thought about it for a moment, then could only answer, “Your Majesty, it certainly can’t be the former.”
Nero smiled faintly and turned the holoscreen to the logistics chief, issuing an order: “Upon arrival at the next fortress, unload all XI-generation mechas from zones one, four, and five from the mothership and transport them to the Delphi Star System Fortress. Once there, I will instruct you to move them to another secret barren star.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Wait. Modify the seized gladiator mechas by adding body shields and training guns, turning them into simulation combat mechas. Send them to the location I specify.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Nero then moved to the next hangar. As he walked, he glanced at the White Wolf Knight, who still had a cast on his shoulder. “Why didn’t you wait until you were fully healed? The medic said it would take two to three more hours. You’ve already been treated for one hour; it wouldn’t make much difference to wait a bit longer.”
The White Wolf Knight was stubborn. “I have the duty to protect Your Majesty. As soon as the ship starts, I should be by your side.”
The Emperor continued his inspection, striding purposefully and surveying all the captured armaments.
His crimson robe billowed behind him, drawing gazes of respect and awe.
Those chosen to escort the ships came from the direct military forces of the Winter Spring and Charon Star Systems.
Under Nero’s and the Galactic Committee’s strict supervision, these systems’ armies had undergone initial reforms from noble private soldiers to local garrisons.
Among them were many young, outstanding officers, selected through rigorous military academy training, who had never had and would never again have the chance to meet the Emperor.
Everyone knew that the new Emperor’s methods of reclaiming the Rose Throne were extremely ruthless and bloody. He had swept through the North, massacring elite Star Pirate troops, swiftly purging Northern nobles, and suppressing the Charon rebellion.
They had also heard that Marquis David, an imperial minister long protected by Grand Duke Harrison, had suddenly fallen from grace in the Capital. The Emperor immediately ordered his famed General, Hermann Heidrich, to lead troops to suppress the rebellious star systems within David Family’s territory, crushing them as if walking through an uninhabited land.
Even the military-heavy Heka Star System’s ‘Doomsday Fortress’ inexplicably collapsed from within and quickly swore allegiance to the Emperor.
Such a strong hand and cold determination were hard to imagine coalescing in one individual.
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.
The hangar was bustling with generals and soldiers, but at the sight of the rolling crimson robe, everyone fell silent, standing at attention and saluting the legendary Mad Emperor’s son, the young tyrant.
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The White Wolf Knight, puzzled, heard Nero tell the accompanying logistics officers, “I need to return to the flagship command room to handle important matters. Proceed according to my instructions.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Under the sustained salutes of many imperial soldiers, the Emperor turned and walked toward the bridge leading to the flagship.
As he ascended the bridge’s steps, Nero discreetly frowned and misstepped, nearly falling backward.
“Your Majesty, be careful!”
A wave of alarmed cries erupted from the surrounding officers.
The White Wolf Knight immediately stepped forward, letting the young Emperor lean against his armored chest.
Looking down at Nero, he sharply noticed a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead.
His mind raced. He pressed his uninjured left hand against Nero’s leg muscle through the royal robe.
The muscle under his palm was spasming and tightening abnormally.
…The neural exoskeleton is damaged?
The White Wolf Knight’s heart sank. He pressed his hand to the implant point at the base of Nero’s spine.
The muscle there was twitching violently from intense pain.
Even through the robe and trousers, he could feel the implant site swelling with a hematoma.
At that touch, Nero pushed him away.
The young Emperor’s expression did not change much; he steadied himself and continued up the steps.
“Your Majesty, your neural exoskeleton is damaged—”
“I know.”
“I must take you back to your cabin immediately—”
“Denied.”
A squad of escort mecha soldiers approached from the other end of the bridge. Seeing the Emperor and the White Wolf Knight, they hurriedly stepped aside, saluted, and stood at attention.
The Emperor nodded at them and walked past, leaving only the billowing red robe behind.
At a deserted corner, he slowed his steps, and a bead of sweat rolled down his pale chin.
The neural exoskeleton was deeply implanted to connect his severed leg nerves.
If overused and damaged, it was like drilling into the nerve ends directly, causing unimaginable pain.
“Your Majesty, let me carry you back to your cabin.”
The White Wolf Knight followed, almost pleading in a low voice.
“Soldiers are different from nobles,” Nero said calmly. “In their eyes, the Emperor must always appear brave and invincible, not crippled by a mere injury. One day, they will face the most terrifying and unfamiliar enemies on the battlefield. But as long as they see the Emperor, they will know that victory belongs to the Empire.”
He maintained this indifferent expression until they reached the flagship’s cabin door.
When the door opened and no one else was watching, the young Emperor suddenly buckled, almost hitting his head on the bed’s edge.
The White Wolf Knight hurriedly caught Nero, feeling the cold sweat soaking through his armor.
The knight said nothing more, placing Nero on the bed and quickly undoing his belt, peeling down his boots and trousers to reveal his pale hips.
Seeing the horrific bruising and swelling at the implant site, the battle-hardened White Wolf Knight couldn’t help but shudder.
“Your Highness,” he said, trembling, “this might hurt a lot…”
“I just bet that you’d say that,” Nero said, looking back at him with a surprisingly light tone. “I told you you’d always say that. Haven’t you reflected on it?”
The knight didn’t answer, his fingers trembling as they approached the implant site.
During their time on the barren star, the neural exoskeleton had long exceeded its usage limit.
As the nano-needle was removed, a small electric current leaked from the damaged internal nerves.
Nero felt the continuous, excruciating pain reach a peak.
“Ugh…!”
He could no longer maintain his sarcastic expression. The tortured reflex nerves disobeyed his will, and his body jerked and fell back onto the mattress, shivering violently.
The young Emperor knew he looked incredibly pathetic. His pride made him want to order the White Wolf Knight to look away, but he couldn’t form a coherent sentence through his clenched teeth.
“Your Majesty!”
The White Wolf Knight stood by the bed, visibly at a loss.
He quickly bent down, wrapping his strong arms around the trembling young Emperor, pressing his body into the mattress to suppress the uncontrolled muscle spasms.
Nero shut his eyes tightly, convulsing in the knight’s embrace for four or five minutes before gradually calming down.
Drenched in sweat, even his white eyelashes were damp. His beautiful silver hair clung to his face and neck.
Nero lay silently, breathing heavily, then slowly turned over in the White Wolf Knight’s arms, covering his eyes with his arm.
“I hate these legs.”
It took a long moment before he spoke again, his voice hoarse and barely audible.
“They deserve this punishment.”
The White Wolf Knight was familiar with these words.
In the early days of Nero’s injury, he had repeatedly heard his young master, in even more desperate tones, say this while gripping various sharp objects.
“These legs belong to my Emperor. And my Emperor is the sacred ruler of the Empire, the king of kings.”
The knight countered in the same low voice.
“One day, my Emperor will lead thousands of troops, crush the rebels, defend the borders, and restore the Empire’s glory. All honor belongs to my master, and even the furthest stars will shine for him. How can someone like that deserve punishment?”
Nero shifted his arm, revealing one red eye, staring at the White Wolf Knight above.
The knight refused to look away, adopting Nero’s tone to counter him: “The Emperor is the embodiment of the Empire, symbolizing the will of the Galactic Empire. Who can say the Empire deserves punishment?”
Nero continued to look at him. After a moment, he suddenly said, “Next time you see me like this, weak and vulnerable, you must turn off your optical sensors. Don’t listen, don’t look.”
He quickly added, “That’s an imperial order!”
For once, the imperial order didn’t intimidate the White Wolf Knight. His blue optical sensors glowed brightly as he looked down at Nero, replying earnestly, “Forgive me, Your Majesty, but I see no weakness or ugliness. I see a resilient soul fighting fate, which is the most noble and beautiful thing in the world according to my knightly code.”
Nero squinted at the bright optical sensors, pressing his hands over them, forcing himself to look away.
After a long while, he muttered, “Your time in the medical pod was wasted.”
The White Wolf Knight snapped back to reality, realizing he had forgotten the medic’s warning not to lift his right arm in his haste to catch the young Emperor.
Now, the pain in his dislocated shoulder was so intense that his optical sensors flickered.
“Foolish wolf,” Nero scolded, pressing the call button. “Medic!”
Lovely 🥲