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813 - “I greet my lord, the Emperor....."
🕑 Added 2024-12-19 23:35:57 +0000 UTCWith Nova’s assistance in guiding Seraphina toward the “right” path and by setting the simulation she was in to maximum time acceleration, it only took a few hours in real time for her to come to terms with everything. In the accelerated VR, however, those hours felt like months, giving her ample time to process and reflect.
Once she had fully digested the situation and logged out, Seraphina immediately asked Nova where Aron was, expressing her desire to meet him face-to-face for a conversation. Nova quickly informed Aron, and after receiving his approval, she relayed the information to Seraphina.
Without delay, Seraphina boarded her ship—the same one that had transported her to the stadium for her fight with Aron, the one that had ended with her surrendering under her leader’s orders.
The journey to the third line of defense took only a few hours, though it could have been faster if FTL travel were permitted. However, due to the current circumstances, FTL travel was prohibited within the defensive lines, extending the travel time slightly.
…………..
As Seraphina boarded Aron’s ship from the hangar where her smaller vessel was parked, she took a deep breath with each step. The closer she got to where Aron was, the more real the moment became. Although she had accepted the situation and had ample time to come to terms with it, facing it now brought a wave of anxiety. Still, she persevered, each step a reminder of the decision she had already made—to confront this head-on and move forward.
It didn’t take long for Seraphina to arrive at the room where Aron was waiting. He sat in a chair facing the door, his posture calm and composed, as though he had been expecting her.
Nova, who had been escorting Seraphina using her nanomachine body, stepped to the side upon their arrival, leaving Seraphina alone to face Aron and carry out what she had come to do.
Seraphina paused for a moment, her steps halting as she gazed at Aron. His calm eyes met hers, unyielding yet not unkind. She exhaled softly as her eyes gleamed briefly with an unspoken emotion, then shifted her expression and took a decisive step forward. Lowering herself onto one knee, she bowed her head, her voice steady and unwavering.
“I greet my lord, the Emperor, and my dear leader and owner,” she said, her tone carrying the weight of complete submission and respect. Her words and demeanor made it clear that she had surrendered entirely to the terms of the mana contract they had signed before the fight. Whatever resistance or hesitation she had once harbored was now gone.
Aron raised an eyebrow, momentarily intrigued by the stark transformation in Seraphina’s demeanor. The shift was undeniable—she had gone from the defiant and confrontational individual he had faced before to someone whose tone now bordered on reverence, her words laced with unwavering respect.
While Aron processed the dramatic shift in Seraphina’s attitude, she remained motionless, still kneeling in complete submission. It was evident she had no intention of moving until he instructed her otherwise.
Nova, noticing the prolonged silence, contacted Aron through his implant, gently reminding him that Seraphina was waiting for a response. Pulled from his thoughts, Aron gave a simple command.
"Arise," he said, extending his hand upward in a subtle gesture. Simultaneously, the nanomachines in the room activated, assembling a chair beside her with precision and speed, signaling what he expected next.
“Thank you, lord,” Seraphina said as she stood and followed his directive. She seated herself in the newly formed chair, her posture attentive and respectful, waiting patiently for Aron to begin speaking.
“Okay give me a brief explanation of your position within the Xor’Vak royal families and the political structure,” Aron asked which directly translated to him asking one of the most intimate information about their civilization try to see if she was going to answer truthfully or if she was just acting to buy time.
"As you already know, there are four royal clans within our civilization, each possessing a unique bloodline that allows the majority of their members to control at least one of the elements. Those with higher purity in their bloodlines can often control multiple elements and, in rare cases, all four—like myself," Seraphina began, her tone measured and calm.
"While the position of Grand Elder can technically be challenged by anyone who meets the requirements, the reality is far more ruthless. The Grand Elder fights to total defeat, and none of those who have ever challenged him have survived. This brutality led the royal clans to adopt a strategy of concentrating their resources on prospective talents—individuals who show exceptional potential either through their fighting prowess or their bloodline purity. These candidates are groomed to grow stronger, capable of contending with the Grand Elder and eventually defeating him.
"This system gave rise to factions, with each faction rallying behind its chosen candidate, vying for resources and influence to ensure their prospect had the best possible chance of victory. Internal politics emerged as clans competed for resources and alliances to strengthen their candidate, with the ultimate goal of taking the position of Grand Elder and reaping the rewards for their support..."
She continued at length, offering intricate details without holding anything back, her words flowing seamlessly as she laid bare the inner workings of her civilization's political and power structures.
Throughout her explanation, Nova silently monitored her live brain data while comparing it to the previously collected information. She looked for signs of deception, whether through omission or outright lies. The results came back clear—Seraphina was telling the truth, which brought a measure of satisfaction to Aron.
“As for the Grand Elder’s order for me to surrender,” Seraphina continued, her voice steady, “it is because he perceives me as the most threatening among the current prospects. I am not only the strongest contender but also possess a bloodline purity that allows me to wield all four elements our civilization is capable of using. This combination makes me a significant threat to his position. By forcing me to surrender, he seeks to eliminate me under the guise of an apology to you for belittling your capabilities.” She finally stopped as her face was covered in satisfaction, clearly feeling that she had conveyed her explanation thoroughly.
When she finished, Aron wasted no time moving to his next question. “Have any members of your faction contacted you since this occurred? If they have, are they willing to continue supporting you despite your current circumstances? Or do you expect them to abandon you and shift their allegiance to the remaining prospects by offering your share of resources to strengthen them instead?”
Comments
GripenSupremacy
Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I hope everything is fine. Don't worry about us and focus on what's really important.
ismail hamisi salum
Yep, had an emergency resulting in not having time to write one for that day.
GripenSupremacy
Btw, is it just me or did we skip a chapter this week?
GripenSupremacy
TYFTC, Second ig
Jade
TYFTC. FIRST!!
