At the court meeting a week later, Grand Duke Harrison did indeed propose to Nero that a part of the David Family’s territory should be bestowed upon Heidrich, who had rendered great service in pacifying rebel star systems.
Initially, when Nero reclaimed the Charon Star System and dispatched his own Star Provincial Committee there, he didn’t pay much attention, considering it just a frontier star system with little profit.
But this time, Nero swiftly took down one of the Imperial ministers, and the reclaimed star systems, in terms of both resources and spatial area, far surpassed those of Charon Star System. Moreover, these star systems continued to be governed solely by the Star Province Committee, causing Grand Duke Harrison to start feeling uneasy.
After several discussions with Heidrich, he vaguely sensed Heidrich’s ambitious plans for this territory.
Out of consideration for balancing royal power and winning over new nobles, he proactively made a proposal to the young Emperor at the council meeting.
“Hmm.” Nero sat with his legs crossed, a half-eaten blueberry pudding in front of him. He neither agreed nor refused, “I’ll consider it.”
“Your Majesty, your duties are too heavy. Even the time that should be used for leisure and entertainment is occupied by those Star Provincial Committee members who lack any initiative.”
The Prime Minister sat in the seat where Marquis David had previously sat, earnestly chiming in, “General Heidrich used to be Your Majesty’s secretary and should be familiar enough with territorial affairs. From the perspective of noble titles and imperial duties, he should take the initiative to share Your Majesty’s burdens and fulfill the obligations of an imperial noble.”
Nero was about to speak when the Minister of Construction immediately interjected:
“Respectfully, Your Majesty, General Heidrich hails from the long-suffering Heidrich family. Despite Your Majesty’s wise and resolute actions in clearing the Heidrich Family’s name, there is still a lot of condemnation in public opinion within the Empire. In this campaign to rectify the territory, General Heidrich has indeed made significant contributions. If we could use this opportunity to grant him a territory, I believe it would be an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the royal magnanimity to the people of the Empire.”
Grand Duke Harrison assessed the situation and then lowered his voice to advise Nero:
“Your Majesty, the former territory of the convicted Marquis David includes seven star systems. I don’t think we need to bestow too much, just give him three star systems: Andromeda, Forge, and Centaur. And Heidrich has no experience in managing territories. Your Star Provincial Committee can still guide him and report to you regularly… This is just a superficial decree, but in reality, you will still be the one in control of the territory…”
“Clang!” Nero threw the small silver spoon onto the empty plate.
The council chamber fell silent.
The silver-haired Emperor remained expressionless, dabbing his lips with a pristine silk handkerchief.
His crimson eyes glared coldly and menacingly at Heidrich, who sat at the end of the long table.
The Privy Council consisted of seven members. The Minister of War, David, had already been imprisoned, and the Grand Scholar, Gagne, preferred to oversee academic affairs at Mirror Spring Palace rather than attend, so two seats were left vacant at the table.
But everyone knew that if it weren’t for the Regent Prime Minister Harrison’s permission, given Heidrich’s current status, he would never have qualified to sit at that table.
Heidrich remained indifferent, his fingertips clad in white gloves clasped on the tabletop, as if the relentless pressure emanating from the Emperor had nothing to do with him.
Nero gazed at him for a moment, then suddenly a smile curled at the corner of his lips, his tone icy, “Fine. Very well.”
“Your Majesty…” the Prime Minister wanted to say something, but he saw the little Emperor casually push the porcelain plate in front of him, lean back in his chair, and prop his boots on the table once again.
“I can only give you one star system,” Nero said coldly, “Pick one yourself.”
Heidrich then stood up, bowed deeply towards the silver-haired Emperor, and with gentle blue eyes lowered, he said, “Thank you for your supreme grace, Your Majesty. I am sincerely grateful and dare not ask for more. But if possible, please grant me the Heka Star System. I will rebuild the post-war territory for Your Majesty and restore the glory of the Imperial fortress.”
The other ministers turned their heads again, looking at the young Emperor seated at the head of the table.
Nero seemed surprised that Heidrich dared to ask for a strategically important star, his tongue clicking against his teeth a few times before speaking in a highly suppressed voice, “Fine, you may have it. But all fleet deployment orders within the territory must be reported to the Star Provincial Committee.”
He then raised his voice to the other nobles at the table, “Satisfied?”
With that said, he impatiently pulled down the cloak of the White Wolf Knight and had the knight carry him straight out of the council chamber.
It wasn’t until they left the Solar Palace, boarded the shuttle, and the cabin door closed completely that Nero furrowed his brow and, in various tones, repeatedly replayed his words:
“‘Satisfied?’ ‘Are you satisfied?’—Alexei, I feel like there’s something a bit off here. Shouldn’t we do something about it?”
The White Wolf Knight’s praise was spontaneous, “It’s very natural, Your Majesty. Really perfect, without any flaws.”
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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Nero frowned as he recalled, indeed it was forced, with too many fake moves, making him appear flustered.
But no matter how bad the acting was, it had already been done, and the embarrassment couldn’t be undone. He could only clench his fists and pound the cabin wall in frustration.
The White Wolf Knight found his attempts to relieve the awkwardness excessively amusing, yet also remarkably childish.
However, laughing at this moment would definitely lead to being chased to the outskirts of the Empire by the young Emperor, so he gently held those clenched fists and pried them apart, pretending to massage Nero’s fingers, “Your Majesty is not good at playing the role of being defeated. Just try to avoid it in the future.”
The matter of Heidrich going to the Heka Star System to build his army had been settled, and Heidrich himself was known for his swift actions. On the second day of the meeting, he boarded the shuttle to the Heka Star System.
To be able to rush to Heka Star System in the near future, Nero also began to accelerate the completion of his remaining tasks.
The first batch of talent recruitment plans was nearing completion. The rebel faction hadn’t left many military and science talents for the Empire, but Nero still managed to scrape together a group of top scientists from the corners of the Galaxy who had escaped persecution.
While rebuilding the Imperial Science Bureau, he also kept an eye on the Intelligence Bureau’s responses.
There was still no word on the Asimov Collar decryption expert.
Since then, he seemed to have disappeared into the vast expanse of the Empire, never to be seen again.
Nero listened to the report, the pen spinning on his fingertips for a long time without him even noticing.
Perhaps he inadvertently revealed some kind of expression, as the White Wolf Knight reporting on the screen suddenly paused and then spoke softly to him:
“Your Majesty, please don’t be discouraged. We won’t give up.”
Nero snapped out of his thoughts, “Oh, give it up. He didn’t take the reward that had already been increased twice, so I respect his choice. Take down the reward notice.”
After dealing with the mountain of administrative tasks on hand, he happened to see Mimir and Eva watching a drama on the screen in the palace. Only then did he realize that he should find a place for them too.
The trip to Heka Star System would be quite long, and as a military-heavy system, it was difficult for Omegas to settle there.
If he and the White Wolf Knight left, leaving only Mimir and Eva in the Capital, there was no guarantee that the nobles wouldn’t target them.
After much consideration, Nero summoned Eva to the study.
He told Eva that Grand Scholar Gagne was overseeing an Omega education pilot project at Mirror Spring Palace and asked if she would be willing to serve as the Emperor’s assistant to help Gagne with administrative tasks at Mirror Spring Palace.
The Heidrich Family’s girl was stunned and knelt before Nero on the spot.
“I… I am willing,” she struggled to contain her excitement and tried to remain calm, “I am very willing, Your Majesty! I didn’t expect that because of a conversation with me, you would really set up a pilot project in a star system… But I am willing, Your Majesty! I really hope to be in Mirror Spring Palace now, to witness Lord Gagne’s construction of the education system!”
After sending off the enthusiastic Eva, Nero called Mimir, who was diligently cleaning the palace.
“I have sent Eva as my assistant to Mirror Spring Palace to assist Grand Scholar Gagne.”
Nero instructed him, “You will accompany her. Your task is to learn how to manage affairs with Eva, broaden your horizons, and remember to report progress to me daily.”
He originally thought that Mimir and Eva would have the same reaction. After all, their activities were confined to the palace, and although they lacked nothing in food and clothing, life was somewhat dull.
But he didn’t expect Mimir to open his mouth wide, and the broom in his hand fell with a clatter.
He knelt in front of Nero, tears streaming down his pretty face, “Your Majesty! You don’t want me anymore!”
“…,” Nero said, “How did you come to that conclusion…”
“You want to send me back to Mirror Spring Palace!”
Nero: “Mirror Spring Palace is not what it used to be. Now it served fot the Empire’s first Omega education pilot project. With Gagne guiding you, you and Eva will exponentially improve your abilities.”
“But… but I’m just an Omega! I’m also dumb, I can’t do anything, I can’t even remember long words. When I go to Mirror Spring Palace, the teachers and students there won’t listen to me…”
Nero sat in his chair and looked at him.
He said, “Do you just want to stay in my palace forever?”
Mimir knelt at Nero’s feet, tears still streaming down his cheeks, his eyes confused.
He sneaked a touch at the silver-haired Emperor’s boot tip and whispered, “I just want to stay by Your Majesty’s side forever.”
Nero: “As Emperor, I will marry the Empress of the Empire. If she does not want a second Omega in my palace, I will not hesitate to exile you. What will you do then?”
Mimir’s eyes turned red, and the fingers that secretly touched the boot tip retracted.
He held back his tears and said, “Then I’ll be like Sister Eva, I’ll have my glands removed, and then I’ll serve as a lowly palace servant to Her Majesty the Empress.”
Nero said, “But what if one day the Solar Palace falls, and the Empress and I are captured or killed, what will you do then?”
The tears in Mimir’s eyes finally fell on the carpet with a clatter. He wiped away his tears and sobbed, “That day will never come! Your Majesty is the most powerful person in the Empire! But if anyone wants to hurt Your Majesty, I will fight them with all my might…!”
Nero sighed silently.
He caught a glimpse of a silver sword hanging on the wall and signaled for the White Wolf Knight to bring it over.
The silver sword felt heavy and weighty in his hand.
The silver-haired Emperor caressed the jewel-encrusted scabbard for a while before drawing the long sword and resting it on Mimir’s left shoulder.
The sword was cold and heavy, and it startled Mimir, making him almost gasp for breath, “Your Majesty…”
“From this day forth, I officially grant you a name and title. Mimir Andreas, remember your knight’s oath.”
Mimir shuddered all over, looking incredulously at Nero. Even the White Wolf Knight couldn’t help but glance at him in astonishment.
“Mimir Andreas, do you swear before the gods and your Emperor that you will faithfully serve your sovereign, obey orders from your superiors, and even in the face of danger, even when facing criticism, you will defend the weak, protect your fellow Omegas, and uphold the dignity of humanity?”
“I-I do, Your Majesty, as long as it is your command, I am willing to do anything! But I am an Omega, I cannot accept knighthood—”
The sword on his shoulder was pressed harder by the Emperor, almost making Mimir choke on his breath.
Through teary eyes, he saw Nero’s indifferent expression.
He must have said something wrong, making His Majesty no longer cherish him as before…
At the thought of this possibility, the little Omega’s nose tingled again.
The tears that fell down ticked onto the small patch of carpet in front of him, soaking it.
“No matter the circumstances, it cannot be an excuse to give up fighting against fate. Especially with such a poor excuse as being an Omega.”
Nero pressed the sword against him, his tone unusually cold and stern, “Before you have your own strength, you must not rely on anyone, not even me. Blindly attaching yourself is poison, it will pierce through your marrow from the shadows.”
“Now, swear before the gods and your Emperor.”
Mimir, seeing that there was no room for negotiation, sobbed out his oath under the sword, then took the heavy silver sword, but didn’t know what to do with it.
He heard Nero’s command, “Take it and go to Mirror Spring Palace. Gagne’s people won’t trouble a knight, but you mustn’t forget your duty. Remember, you are going to Mirror Spring Palace as the Emperor’s assistant.”
The Emperor’s assistant! Mimir straightened his back and nodded, “Yes.”
“Go. Before you depart with Eva, I will have the Imperial Science Bureau remove your Asimov Collar.”
Mimir suddenly touched his collar, his eyes revealing a sense of abandonment.
But Nero’s expression was cold and serious, and he dared not say anything more, just silently hugged his sword tightly, “Okay…”
As Mimir left with the sword, Nero relaxed his expression and leaned back in his chair.
He said to the White Wolf Knight, “Do you remember the first time we saw Mimir? I always feel that he should have great potential for growth. Perhaps I didn’t handle it properly, and now he’s been taught to be overly delicate.”
The White Wolf Knight didn’t care about Mimir’s growth, his eyes only on the young man stretching lazily in the chair.
He held the two fists that Nero stretched over his head, smiling, “Your Majesty always has foresight.”
this novel is so nice I love it!if only the og novel existed somewhere I would def read that lol
Thank you for the chapter! I love ones with Mimir I hope he’s able to move past his self-deprecating mindset one day :’)
Aww mimir is finally branching out :’)) he’s grown up!! Hahaha thank you for the chapterr~~ daily good news when you update 😀
Oops didn’t mean to reply!
Thanks for the chapter! 💗
Nero is such a good guy QQ I love this guy!
Thank you for the updates!
Ahhhh thank you!
I feel like there would be even more alphas AND omegas throwing themself to Nero after he differentiate into an omega lol.
i have the biggest soft spot for mimir he’s just so cute