CHAPTER 255: CHAPTER 255

---Evening---

Wrapping things up as the sun began dipping below the horizon, we collectively agreed to reconvene at 10am tomorrow. Bidding everyone a good night, the ministers and nobles shuffled out of the throne room chatting among themselves. Once they were out of sight, a long, exhausted sigh escaped my lips.

"That bad, huh?", Clarice teased me, walking into the room with the rest of the family. "You aren’t second-guessing your decision to claim your birthright, are you?"

"Just mentally fatigued from dealing with Temrance’s stupidity. Xenophobic laws aside, her economic policies, financial planning, and military readiness were abysmal. Everything required a complete overhaul, which, at this point, is only sixty percent complete.", I stated, rising from my seat. "So... Is the Inner Palace livable, or are we going to need a renovation?"

"The exterior is in pristine condition; no complaints there.", Mylene answered as the other women began to snicker. "As for the interior, I suggest we find the architect, take them out back, and end their suffering immediately. That abomination is clearly a cry for help!"

Unable to contain his amusement, Praetorate Avirax burst out laughing. Agreeing with my family’s assessment, Avirax admitted he had said something similar when he first saw it. Enraged by his disrespect, she chewed him out over it and banned him from ever setting foot inside again.

"Is it better or worse than Duke Liam Sera Banfield’s first home?", I questioned, knowing Rosetta had shared those horrid pictures with them.

"Worse, if you can believe it.", Olivia answered immediately.

Opting not to spend the night there until the place was completely renovated, I contacted Bannister to make the arrangements.

"Lord Stark, there are a plethora of craftsmen in the capital who would jump at the chance to work on your home. May I recommend calling upon them to carry out the renovations?", Avirax suggested. "It will provide you the perfect opportunity to interact with your subjects on a personal level."

"Hmm... Very well then, we will rely on local craftsmen this time.", I agreed. "Can you have them draw up a few proposals for me? We are looking for something classic and elegant. The only must-have is Calacatta Gold Marble in the master bathroom."

Providing him with photos of the material, Avirax assured me he would coordinate with the craftsman tomorrow. Retiring to his residence for the evening, we teleported back to the New Genesis to have dinner.

---An Hour Later, New Genesis Medical Bay---

Slowly bringing the seven women out of their medical comas, they groggily sat up in their capsules. Providing them with headache medicine, Maya Cordelia was the only one who could properly thank me initially. Struggling to form proper sentences or even speak, their faces contorted in fear as they assumed the worst.

"All of you, calm yourselves immediately!", Maya commanded. "We were forewarned this might happen prior to undergoing the procedure."

"Your bodies and brains need some time to resync with each other. Just keep trying to talk, and everything should correct itself.", I said, encouraging them not to give up.

"Holo axalo wo jed oxaxandrupp? Alo wo axat zo feldol, or are we somewhere else?", Naomi Evans questioned. "Wait... I can talk normally again!! Thank goodness!"

Stirred on by her quick turnaround, the other five women started talking up a storm. Doing my utmost not to laugh at the gibberish coming out of their mouths, they eventually began to recover. Once everyone was linguistically fluent again, I got the women up to speed.

"Currently, we are in orbit over the throne world of Brigoia. While you slumbered, we ousted the former empress, and I claimed the imperial throne.", I proudly shared. "As for Bohgan and his ilk, they are currently docked in the capital’s primary spaceport. I have arranged a meeting with Bohgan and the delegates tomorrow morning at 8am. Assuming you feel up to it, all of you are welcome to attend and take your revenge."

Shakily jumping onto her feet, Alicia Viewstroem proclaimed they would be there come hell or high water. Recommending she sit back down, as walking was a very bad idea right now, it took only one step for her to falter. Stumbling forward, Viewstroem crashed into me, burying my face in her supple cleavage.

"I... I am so sorry, Lord Stark!", Alicia shrieked, pretending to be genuinely apologetic. "My... My legs are so wobbly. Could you please help me back into my capsule?"

"Of course, not a problem.", I answered, barely containing my laughter. ’I barely know them, and we are already having happy "accidents". Female hentai protagonist behavior at its finest, haha!’

Gingerly scooping her up, I carried Viewstroem back to her capsule and got her situated again. Inquiring if they wanted something to eat, their stomachs collectively voiced their confirmation before they could open their mouths. Requesting warm meals be brought to them, I bid them goodnight and left the room. Once they believed I was gone, they began to chat amongst themselves.

"What in the hell were you thinking, Alicia?!", Beatrice Kushan snapped, glaring at her peer. "Lord Stark is our benefactor, yet you shamelessly threw yourself at him. Are you trying to get us thrown off his ship!?"

"You need to take a deep breath and calm yourself, Beatrice. I doubt Lord Stark would kick us out for such a minor infraction.", Alicia asserted, staring back at her. "In case you forgot, the Space Federation’s territory was obliterated by the bugs. With everything gone, we need to plan accordingly for our remaining seven billion constituents."

Heeding her words, Beatrice and the other leaders realized she had a point. Until now, their sole focus had been on keeping their people alive. With the tide of war turning in their favor, they needed to begin making plans for the future.

"I acknowledge your heart is in the right place, but your plan is critically flawed.", Kilia Jech remarked. "After what Bohgan and his men did... Do you truly think anyone would be interested in being with you or any of us? Those bastards used us like cheap whores! Any chance we had of a happy life is long gone..."

Voicing what everyone had silently been thinking in the back of their minds, they began to cry loudly. While the public would never know what befell them, the shame they felt would never completely go away.

’Damn... I never really thought about the lasting consequences for heroines of eroge visual novels. They were always just characters on a computer monitor to me.’, I thought, listening to them from outside the room.

Stepping back into the doorway, it took them a moment to notice my presence. Quickly dabbing their faces dry, they inquired if I needed something else.

"Do not let those men continue to define who you are for the rest of your days. You are not whores; you are strong, intelligent women who saved seven billion innocent lives. They are still here today because of you; hold your heads high!", I spoke, trying to cheer them up.

"How much of our conversation did you overhear...?", Alicia questioned, preemptively turning red from embarrassment.

"I respect your dedication to your cousin and your people, but there are better ways to secure their futures. If you ask nicely, I might be inclined to welcome your citizens in with open arms. That said, please feel free to continue throwing yourself at me in private.", I said, giving her a playful wink.

Burying her face in her capsule’s pillow, Alicia loudly screamed into it. Laughing at Alicia, the other women reminded her she was the one who started this.

"Oh, one more thing.", I commented, looking at Kilia. "Your assumption that I would never consider marrying any of you is incorrect."

Teleporting away before she could respond, Kilia’s mouth flopped open from shock. Realizing there was a chance for a happy ending after all, the women looked at one another intently.

"So... About that plan.", Kila Kushan questioned, twirling her blonde hair. "I think it would be best if Maya and I attempted to court him. Everyone else is beyond their expiration date."

"What was that!?", Beatrice snapped, backhanding her daughter. "If you paid attention to Lord Stark’s harem, you would have noticed he prefers mature women. Kilia and Naomi are better options than you two whelps."

Just as Kila was about to respond, a group of robots arrived with their dinner. Putting the debate on hold, the starving women began to scarf down their meal.

---Next Morning, Imperial Throne Room---

"Representatives from the Allied Nations and their bodyguard, Captain Bohgan, have arrived.", one of the guards outside the room announced.

"Let them through; they have an appointment with the emperor this morning.", Avirax spoke, resting a hand on the hilt of his blade.

As the massive doors swung open, a large group of bright-eyed diplomats quickly shuffled into the room. Surprised to find me instead of Temrance, Avirax informed them the former empress had been forcefully removed from her position. Introducing myself to everyone, I looked toward Bohgan, who was refusing to enter the room.

"Is something wrong?", Avirax pressed him.

"N... No, nothing is wrong.", Bohgan replied, examining the doorframe. "I will remain out here until the meeting is over."

"Nonsense, you should remain with your charges at all times.", I spoke, grabbing him with the Force. "Get in here, and- "

As I pulled him across the threshold, alarms began blaring throughout the palace. Drawing his blade, Avirax moved in front of me as thousands of marines and soldiers descended on us.

"Uh... Avirax, what is going on?", I inquired with a confused look.

"There are highly sensitive sensors built into the frame of the door. Anytime a known or potential threat to the throne is detected, an alarm immediately begins to blare.", Avirax said. "In this case, it is a Code 824, or Hostile Xeno."

Since I was certain that Bohgan was human, I scanned his body for any foreign entities. Beneath his human exterior, a familiar-looking insectoid revealed itself to me.

’Holy shit... is that an Orthopterous Exomorph from Men in Black!?’, I thought as it tried to wriggle out of Bohgan’s skin.

(AN: It is the species Edgar the Bug belongs too.)

"LET ME GO!!", the Bug howled, popping its head out. "I WILL KILL ALL OF YOU!!"

Upon seeing what was hiding within Bohgan’s flesh, Alicia and the other six women fainted from shock. Knowing where their minds immediately went, I was certain he was killed more recently and replaced by the Bug.

"I was curious why so few insectoid species were present among the Allied Nations. Most of you decided to side with the enemy for one reason or another, didn’t you?", I commented, slowly tightening my grip on it. "Start talking. Where is the enemy’s base of operations?"

"Fuck. You!", the Bug spat, shooting two poison darts at me.

Disintegrating them before Avirax had a chance to block them, I rose from my seat and slowly approached it. Forcing it onto its knees, my hand tightly gripped his skull as a cold smile formed on my face.

"Your refusal leaves me with no choice then. Remember, you asked for this...", I replied.

Using the Force to exert my will over his mind, I tore through his feeble mental resistance in seconds. Screaming out in unimaginable pain, he quickly changed his tune, offering to tell me everything if I stopped.

"Your very presence in my country is a threat to the people. I will make an example out of you by ensuring your last moments of life are as unimaginably painful as possible.", I said with a fiery gaze. "Use your telepathic link to your Queen to tell her... You have signed your death warrants. Every last one of you will be hunted down and killed, no matter how far you try to run. Get your affairs in order because your extinction is nigh!"

Continuing to tear through his mind, I fished out the information I needed before liquefying his brain.