Interstellar Age

The image of Erich placing the crown on Yumi’s head was displayed to the entire Galaxy, or at the very least, every civilization which had access to the Galactic Network. This meant that far away on the world of Alfheim, the Empress Lunaria Asterion had witnessed the sight, and gazed upon it with much curiosity. 

As much as the Germanic Star-Empire was her favorite pet, she did not keep up with the riffraff among the rank and file of the military. Unless one was a General or Admiral of great renown, she did not know their name. But strangely enough, this young commander was now placing a crown on the head of a foreign Empress. 

This could only mean one thing: whoever this silver-haired lad was, he was being groomed for leadership. And as the wise ruler that she was, Lunaria also knew the significance of Erich’s engagement to the young Oni Princess. He would be the first foreigner to ever enter the Kondo Dynasty’s family line, and would one day likely become the Emperor Consort of the Great Oni Empire. 

Intrigued by this development, and curious for more information, Lunaria ordered her youngest daughter, who was also her chosen successor, to find out more information about this event. 

“Celestia, contact our embassy in the Germanic Star-Empire and have them identify this Commander Jaeger for me. If I remember correctly, in Germanic society, this boy would be considered a mutant. I find it hard to believe that the Germans would place such emphasis on a mutant such as him.”𝒩𝑂𝓥𝑳xt.𝒸𝑂𝑀

Celestia immediately accessed the Germanic Star-Empire’s interstellar network, which few aliens outside of the Empire had access to, and found all kinds of news on Erich. Dating back to his early scandals at the Academy, all the way to his most recent endeavors. 

“Commander Erich “Silber” Jaeger, born the son of a Sector Governor within the Germanic Frontier. He entered the Naval Academy on Germania at the age of eighteen after being selected for service as a Starfighter Pilot. He fought in the Dvrakian War, where he earned himself several accolades as an Ace, but was ultimately held back from promotion due to angering his superior officers. 

He then fought in the Terminus War, where he supposedly sacrificed himself in an act of valor that would save the Empire. However, he appeared again during the early stages of the Oni-Lutharian War, where he commanded the legendary Black Sun during their initial battles. 

At some point he was invited to the Oni Royal Palace while on leave, where he was reported KIA while aiding the Oni Matriarch’s escape from an attempt on her life made by her nephew, the now former Great Oni Emperor Kondo Kenji. 

He has only recently reappeared in the limelight during this coronation ceremony. As until now, he was believed to have been dead.” 

Lunaria scoffed at her daughter’s words before informing her what had really happened, despite the record that was read aloud. 

“Oh, he died alright, several times from the sound of it. The Germanic Star-Empire has advanced cloning technology, that I may have had a hand in. Still, it’s hard to believe they managed to store a copy of Kondo Yumi’s DNA, and memories. I wonder how that happened… 

What bothers me is the lack of record from his death at the hands of the Great Oni Emperor until now. If that was the event that sparked the Oni Civil War, then what has this man been up to for the past year and a half to two years? 

Wait… Don’t tell me? What’s his status right now!?!”

Celestia looked perplexed at all the information she had just received from her royal mother, but she quickly did as she was asked and checked for information on the man. Where she then spoke it aloud. 

“Officially, he is still KIA. Why? What does this mean?” 

A wide smirk appeared on Lunaria’s face as she immediately pulled out her holo recorder and called Emrys. The man accepted the call, but appeared rather perturbed for whatever reason. He did not speak with any pleasantries to the Alfheim Empress, and instead asked a blunt question with a rather stern tone in his voice. 

“What do you want?”

A smug smile appeared on Lunaria’s face as she made a bold proclamation before revealing why Emrys was so angry. 

“What’s the matter? Did your attempts to turn the new Oni Empress into a puppet fail horribly? Or Is it the fact that the bitch who just revealed the identity of your successor to the entire galaxy has outplayed you? Or perhaps maybe what bothers you the most is that she has leaked the identity of one of your WRAITHs who officially does not exist?” 

Emrys’s expression was as cold as ice as he gazed into the eyes of the Alfheim Empress before speaking of these thoughts on the matter. 

“It figures you, of all people, would be able to find out Erich’s background so quickly. When I brought that cunt back from the dead, she swore she would do as I said. Yet she has so brazenly revealed my successor to the galaxy, and publically announced his betrothal to her niece. Thus, making him despised once more within my borders.

I have already received numerous complaints about this particular issue. Something which I would have preferred been kept a secret for the time being. I have no choice but to weaponise my propaganda machine so that my people come to accept this union as an exception for the sake of political convenience.

But since she has revealed several of my secrets to the galaxy, I don’t mind revealing one of hers to you. Empress Kondo Yumi suffers from the same affliction as yourself, and she has taken Erich as her lover.” 

Lunaria’s eyes widened in shock as she heard this. It was one thing to marry off your niece who might not even succeed you to the throne of an alien, but to take that same man as your lover? It was simply too scandalous, and because of this, the Alfheim Empress jumped out of her chair and screamed her thoughts about Yumi aloud. 

“That fucking harlot! Has she gone completely mad!?! There are certain things you can not do as an Empress of an interstellar Empire! Taking an Alien as a lover is one of them! If her people were to find out, her reign would immediately come to an end!

This recently established peace would not last more than a day before her citizens were once more in open rebellion… Wait a second, don’t tell me that she was the one who invited Erich to the Oni Palace?” 

Emrys wore a sly smile as he nodded his head before confirming Lunaria’s thoughts. 

“Indeed, the whole reason that she was assassinated by her nephew in the first place was because she flaunted her alien lover in the open to the rest of the Kondo Dynasty. A mistake she has sworn never to make again. But so long as Erich is her niece’s betrothed, she has an excuse to visit him at his home. And nobody would be willing to bat an eye. Truly a clever woman…” 

Lunaria immediately sat back down in her chair and crossed her legs. There was a noticeable expression of envy on her beautiful face as she stewed in her own vile thoughts for some time before giving her vassal a command that nobody ever thought she would utter aloud. 

“Very well… The centennial war games are just around the corner. We have waited long enough, and if I fail to show off my military strength before the year is over, I fear an all out war with the Svartalfheim Federation is inevitable.

My daughter will be presiding over this year’s War Games, and I would very much like for her to get a measure of your successor. When the time finally comes, I want this Commander Jaeger to be front and center for the occasion.”

Emrys frowned when he heard this before, explaining why he did not think this was a wise course of action. 

“Commander Jaeger is scheduled to undergo additional training so that he can be certified as a W-3. This training is expected to last anywhere from three to six months. I’m afraid he will not be able to make it to the War Games…”

Lunaria, however, was undeterred, and instead smirked confidentially as she rebuked Emrys for his words. 

“I am sure a man as talented as him will succeed within three months. That is more than enough time for him to show up at the War Games. Besides, has he not already survived one drop? Surely he doesn’t need a full six months of training for something he has already proven capable of doing?” 

Emrys could only sigh in response to this before commenting on the checkmate he had been placed in. 

“Of course you would have already been aware of our operations on the Oni Capital. Fine, I will make sure he completes his training within three months, and is then shipped off to whatever barren system you want to conduct these war games in. But if anything were to happen to Erich while he is under your protection, I will hold you accountable.” 

After saying this, Emrys hung up on the Alfheim Empress. Whose daughter looked at her with confusion in her golden eyes. Which she was quick to give voice to. 

“Mother, I don’t understand! Why do you want me to meet this man so badly?” 

Lunaria looked at her youngest daughter with a deep sense of pity in her eyes, before voicing exactly why she wanted her to meet with Erich. 

“Because, Celestia… This Erich Jaeger will one day be the Supreme Leader of the Germanic Star-Empire, and though they are only a regional power at the moment, in a few centuries they will become a sub-galactic power that is capable of contending with our enemies and not just their lackies. The Germans are our most valuable vassals, and if you are going to succeed me, you need to establish a proper diplomatic relationship with your counterpart.”

Celestia nodded in understanding before saluting her mother, where she then responded in the affirmative before departing from the Throne Room.

“Of course, mother, I will do as you command!” 

It was only after Lunaria was alone in her throne room that a sultry expression formed on her face, as she licked her lips while watching the video footage of Erich crowning Yumi as the Empress. The sheer look of ecstasy in the Oni Beauty’s eyes was the same one that her Light Elven counterpart had as she silently whispered her true intentions aloud. 

“Besides, I want to know what kind of man could possibly compel an Empress to behave so foolishly?”