Planet Jura – Near the Imperial Capital
"Why hasn’t the capital been rebuilt yet?! We need to hold a proper coronation ceremony for His Majesty, the Planetary Emperor —the ruler of thirteen planets— and yet, not a single palace is fit for the occasion on the surface of the thirteen planets!? Damn it! There isn’t even one city worthy of such an event!!"
Caesar’s voice thundered through the war room, his frustration evident as he gestured angrily toward the blueprints spread out before him.
These were the plans for the new Imperial Capital—grander and far larger than its previous incarnation. The remnants of the research and developnt team had rged the Laws of Light, Darkness, and Earth, along with all the laws Robin had entrusted to them, creating several new formations. These formations were carefully integrated into the city’s foundation and architecture, following the unique construction thods pioneered by Jabba.
But for now, all of that remained nothing more than ink on paper. The process was still in its infancy; at this mont, the Rune Masters and Divine Blacksmiths were only just preparing the city’s foundation.
"Your Highness," a weary voice replied, calm yet carrying the weight of exhaustion, "we can begin construction today if that would satisfy you. However, the city’s defenses would be, at best, on par with the old ones."
The speaker was a silver-haired man with dark circles around his eyes—an eerie contrast that made him look like he existed in both his twenties and sixties simultaneously. This was Alfred Marley.
"Hey, kid, if you think you can get the job done faster, then go ahead and take over yourself! Just don’t bother and young Marley here!"
A hearty laugh broke the tension as Billy stepped forward, ruffling Caesar’s hair playfully.
"And don’t you dare try to pull rank on with that ’Supre General’ card! Haaah!!"
"Uncle Billy!" Caesar gently swatted Billy’s hand away, rubbing his forehead.
Then, after a deep breath, he asked, "...Realistically speaking, when can we finish the city and hold the coronation ceremony?"
"Does it even matter that much?" Billy stretched lazily, finding himself a chair and plopping down into it. "If you ask Robin, he’ll probably just tell you to forget about it."
With a knowing smirk, Billy leaned back and added, "To him, it’s just a formality. Honestly? I doubt he’d even show up if you organized the event."
Caesar, however, shook his head, his expression unwavering.
"This ti, it’s not about what we want. He has to be crowned as a victorious emperor in a proper ceremony, before everyone, with a grand military parade to mark the occasion."
Without another word, he grabbed several reports from the table and tossed them in front of Billy, "Take a look at these."
"Hmm?" Billy raised an eyebrow as he picked up the reports, flipping through them with patient curiosity.
anwhile, Caesar shifted his attention back to Alfred.
Alfred Marley—the young prince of the Marley family, rulers of the Black Sun Kingdom. Once upon a ti, he had followed Caesar around like an eager pup, seeking to master the Perfected Major Law of Fire. But those days of youthful enthusiasm were long gone.
The burden of managing Planet Jura had drained the fire out of him, especially during the People’s Movent crisis, which had exhausted him both ntally and physically. And yet, despite it all, he was still the longest-standing caretaker of the planet, the one with the most experience in governing its people.
"...Alfred," Caesar finally spoke, his tone serious. "Tell — what do the people of the Ancestral Continent truly think of His Excellency? And don’t sugarcoat it. I want the unfiltered truth."
The Ancestral Continent housed 90% of Jura’s population. More importantly, it was Robin’s place of origin. No matter how many planets he conquered, no matter how vast his dominion grew, he could never truly rule over other worlds while his own people resented him.
Winning the loyalty of foreign planets was one thing. But if his holand rejected him? That was a problem far greater than any military conquest.
"One Can Never Truly Know What’s in People’s Hearts, Your Highness…"
Alfred’s voice carried a slight weariness as he answered, "But all indicators suggest that His Excellency’s public image has improved significantly."
He let out a small sigh before continuing, "It has been nearly thirty years since the Great Demon Massacre. That ans those born after the incident have now grown up and even started families of their own. In other words, we now have two entire generations who have never known anything but peace and prosperity under the Empire. They have witnessed His Excellency and his armies defending the world from invaders ti and ti again. That alone has done wonders for his popularity among them."
Caesar nodded, considering the point carefully. "And if we set those two generations aside… what about the older ones?"
Alfred didn’t hesitate in his response.
"Most of those who harbored deep hatred for His Excellency were the sa ones who rose up during the People’s Rebellion—and every last one of them was killed, thanks to the Crimson Arrows. As for those who didn’t join the rebellion, they either feared making a move or chose to look forward to the future His Excellency is building.
In either case, there’s nothing to worry about. Even if so of them still despise him deep down, they won’t dare act against him, especially after witnessing what the Shadow Swords did to those marked with the red arrows."
A small chuckle escaped Theo’s lips, a faint hint of pride evident in his expression.
Caesar and his generals had personally slaughtered millions of Crimson Arrow insurgents on the battlefield. But those who hid like rats in the shadows, the Shadow Swords dragged them out of their holes, shackled them, and executed them publicly in the city squares.
The executions were carried out based on the severity of their cris—the lesser offenders faced beheading or hanging, while the worst among them were burned alive.
From the corner of the war tent, a figure who had remained silent all this ti finally spoke up.
"I agree with Alfred on this," Peon spoke finally. His voice was calm but firm. "We can put the issues of the Ancestral Continent behind us. Ti has a way of burying old grudges with each passing generation."
Caesar’s head snapped toward his brother.
"...And what exactly are you doing here?!" He pointed an accusing finger at Peon, his voice rising in irritation. "You still haven’t secured full control over your own planet! Your report is riddled with gaps and inconsistencies, and yet here you are, talking to about old grudges on the Ancestral Continent?!"
Peon’s expression darkened. He clearly didn’t appreciate the remark.
"I brought the chieftain of the Locals personally to et with Father!" He shot back defensively. "How was I supposed to know you’d be here instead? If I had let him speak to you instead of Father, we’d already be knee-deep in a war right now!"
"Then let there be war!" Caesar straightened, his eyes sharp with challenge. "Do you think I’m afraid?!"
"Tsk~ This idiot only ever thinks about fighting…" Peon muttered under his breath before turning to Richard. "Talk so sense into him, will you? The Locals are seeking peace, and he’s standing here talking about war."
Richard rely raised his hands in surrender. "Don’t look at —I’m probably worse than he is when it cos to these things."
"Who the hell are you calling an idiot?!" Caesar’s patience snapped as he rolled up his sleeves, taking a step toward Peon. "Do you need to remind you who the elder brother is?"
Before the situation could escalate any further, a deep, hearty laugh rang through the tent.
"Aha-ha! Now, now, gentlen, let’s all calm down. These are small matters, after all, we are here to find solutions to these problems, and everything will be solved."
General Raiden suddenly appeared between them, his usual grin stretching from ear to ear.
"Supre General," he asked playfully, "when exactly are you planning to et with the Dwarven Chief?!"
"Get lost!" Caesar pushed him aside, annoyed, as though he were a father shooing away a troubleso child. "Why do you all keep popping up one after the other?!"
Zzzt
A sudden crackle of energy rippled through the air, and a voice chuckled from behind.
"Haha… The atmosphere here is truly lively."
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