Vmm—psshh—
The void shield field connected and synchronized with the defensive array of the star gate spaceport. The air valves of the ship's hatch released a loud burst of compressed gas, and the enormous armored hatch plates disengaged before locking firmly into place with the port's docking junction.
After that, a large number of warships followed closely behind the flagship, docking at the star gate spaceport in an orderly sequence. Soon, many previously empty military berths were filled with Imperial Navy vessels of all sizes.
The engines fell silent. As expected by the Imperial officials, an enormous procession soon appeared...
Royal Guard, Sisters of Silence, high-ranking officers from the Imperial Auxilia, and Legion Commanders from the various Astartes Legions were all present.
At each spaceport dock, Imperial officials who had long been waiting stepped forward according to their respective departments and assigned handover duties.
The area was neither sparse nor crowded. Everything proceeded with practiced familiarity and impeccable order as officials precisely located the personnel they were responsible for coordinating with.
The reason was simple.
Practice.
However, one group of Imperial officials within the reception party—those of particularly high rank—looked somewhat at a loss. They craned their necks expectantly, waiting and waiting, yet the person they had come to greet never appeared.
At that moment, Kiana and the others followed Esdeath and the members of the Jaegers down the gangway, curiously looking around.
"So this is the Imperial Capital?" Even Durandal could not help but marvel.
Durandal valued order and cleanliness greatly, and the Empress' Pride Star Gate Spaceport perfectly fulfilled every fantasy she had ever held about her working environment.
This was a massive fortress-like orbital spaceport—the largest among the many installations in near-planetary orbit above the Imperial Capital. It possessed numerous short-range tactical teleportation devices, mobile floating docks, and even dedicated near-orbit elevator lines that led directly to the planet's surface.
With the completion of the second phase of expansion, the structure could now accommodate nearly one hundred million people at maximum capacity and dock all types of massive Imperial warships. Construction and reinforcement efforts were still ongoing.
Aside from areas reserved specifically for Imperial officials and military purposes, the spaceport also contained zones designated for other functions—trade exchange districts, immigration processing sectors, and even tourism areas.
Traffic flowed in both directions. Imperial citizens could travel to conquered planets designated as sightseeing worlds, while residents from worlds under Imperial rule could come to the Imperial homeland for pilgrimage—though permanent settlement was not permitted.
"Wow! I can't wait. The Imperial Capital, the Imperial Science Bureau, Dr. Stylish... I can't wait to start working."
Looking ahead at the honor guards of the Astartes Legions—each clad in meticulously crafted power armor bearing different heraldry and color schemes—Mobius stepped briskly out of the hatch.
There was no pilgrim's reverence in her heart.
Aside from awe at the grandeur of this place, what filled her mind was the burning anticipation of joining the Imperial Science Bureau.
Before the mysteries of evolution she sought to uncover, everything else was irrelevant.
Staring at the group of golden-armored giants standing on the distant deck, Mobius' eyes nearly burned with desire.
Beneath their polished and magnificent golden armor, enormous ruby-carved eagles adorned their shoulder plates. The finely sculpted double-headed aquila emblazoned upon their breastplates, their imposing helmets radiating fearsome authority, and the red cloaks with golden trim flowing behind them all proclaimed their identity.
Royal Guard.
And not just one or two—entire groups of Royal Guard commanders stood together. They were beings even more perfect than Astartes warriors.
Ahhh—!
How she wanted to study them.
To place them upon her operating table...
Just as the Signet Mobius carried was Infinity, what she pursued was infinite evolution and infinite possibility.
And now...
The infinite evolution and infinite possibility she sought were right before her eyes.
She could hardly wait to compete with that man called Dr. Stylish—to see whose research ability was superior, and who truly deserved to be the chief scientist of the Imperial Science Bureau.
Ever since Mobius had resolved to submit to Selene, she had already set her sights on the seat beneath Dr. Stylish.
"Sebas!"
"Arisa, a lady must behave with elegance. You... sigh, never mind." Watching the little girl bouncing toward him, Sebas covered his face and sighed toward the sky. His refined-lady training program had failed yet again.
"Where is Her Majesty?"
Looking left and right, Sebas paused. His brow furrowed slightly before quickly relaxing again. No emotion could be seen on his face as he asked in a low voice.
Where had such a gorgeous Empress gone?
"Uh..."
Jogging up to Sebas, Lawrence—one of the Royal Guard commanders—looked like a wilted eggplant. Removing his helmet, he stood stiffly at attention with his head lowered.
His voice was filled with guilt.
"After ordering us to return to the Imperial Capital, Her Majesty left alone. She said she was going to move a few small items and would return shortly..."
"And then she never came back to the flagship, correct?"
Although it seemed unrelated to him, Lawrence had accompanied Selene out of the Imperial Capital and had been responsible for guarding the flagship during the journey.
Yet he had lost track of the Empress.
That was rather embarrassing.
"Did you not ask—"
Sebas was about to continue but quickly shook his head.
Ask what?
No matter how high the Royal Guard ranked within the Imperial military hierarchy, if the young lady wished to go wandering off on her own, who could possibly stop her?
When the supreme ruler was overwhelmingly powerful and appeared and disappeared unpredictably, life was rather difficult for her subordinates.
Sebas had no intention of blaming Lawrence and continued instead.
"Did Her Majesty say anything else..."
Just then, while the two were speaking, an elegant woman as radiant as a blooming flower quietly and swiftly moved through the long reception line. She approached Sebas, stood on her toes, and whispered something into his ear.
Judging by her attire, she appeared to be one of the Empress' attendants—and of fairly high rank.
"Hey, Rita, don't you think you look a lot like her? Your mannerisms and temperament are almost identical," Li Sushang whispered.
Though there were slight differences, the crisp short hair, wine-red eyes, the beauty mark beneath the corner of her right eye, the rose accessories adorning her person, and the black-and-white maid attire—at least five or six parts resembled each other.
"Rita is quite surprised as well..." No wonder General Esdeath said I would get along well with those within the inner palace... so this was the reason.
"Really?" Sebas suddenly straightened in surprise. "Her Majesty has already returned to the bedchamber... and is currently dining?"
At those words, a faint stir passed through the waiting officials before quickly settling.
From the looks in their eyes, the meaning was obvious.
Her Majesty had already returned to the palace. There was no need for them to continue waiting here. It was time to return to their respective offices.
Sebas said nothing further. With a few hand gestures, he dismissed the majority of the high-ranking government officials, leaving only the necessary reception personnel at the port. The rest bowed in acknowledgment and withdrew in orderly fashion.
Then Sebas looked toward Esdeath and beckoned.
"Esdeath."
"These must be the promising young ladies Her Majesty mentioned..."
As he spoke, even the aged lines upon Sebas' face softened slightly.
"Kaslana, Ataegina, Rossweisse..."
Especially after observing Rita's poised and elegant bearing, he nodded in satisfaction.
"Take them to the Palace Annex and have them settled first. We will speak further afterward."
With that, Sebas turned and departed.
As he moved, the towering Royal Guard were released from their statue-like stillness. Their synchronized, heavy footsteps resonated through the platform, the deep reverberation causing Kiana and the others to open and close their mouths as if wanting to speak but not quite daring to.
Old sir... who exactly are you?
Turning her head, Senti was the first to speak.
"Who was that? Why does he have such an imposing presence?"
"He is your other instructor," Esdeath replied calmly. "The Grand Chamberlain of the Inner Palace, Sebas. He is also the Supreme Grand Judge of the Inquisition."
Folding her arms, Esdeath glanced at Rita.
"Was I wrong? You will certainly get along well with Sebas."
Rita responded with a modest smile.
At that moment, the palace attendant stepped forward with a gentle smile and bowed slightly.
"General Esdeath, ladies, please follow me."
Following behind the attendant, Kiana and the others whispered among themselves.
"Sebas... his status within the Empire must be extremely high," Raiden Mei said.
"Mm. Very high," Durandal answered. "He is the Empress' personal steward, the Grand Chamberlain of the Imperial Palace, and the head of the Inquisition. All of this is public knowledge."
"The Inquisition?" Senti blinked curiously.
"In other words, he simultaneously holds positions equivalent to the Director of the Ceremonial Directorate, the Commander of the Surveillance Office, the Chief of the Imperial Guard Command, the Minister of the Imperial Treasury..."
At this point, Fu Hua frowned slightly and paused. According to the materials provided by the Imperial military, Sebas also oversaw the construction and maintenance of the Imperial Capital's palace complexes. That would make him...
"And perhaps the Minister of Works as well."
With that phrasing, Senti immediately understood.
"Th-this... isn't that the definition of a grand power minister?"
Ignoring the Minister of Works part, in Senti's understanding, during the ancient Shenzhou era, any official who held so many critical posts simultaneously was an absolute political heavyweight.
What next? Will he be granted the Nine Bestowments, enter court without haste, be exempt from announcing his name, wear his sword into the hall... and then follow the standard usurpation procedure?
Hearing this, Esdeath, walking at the front of the group, merely smiled and shook her head.
Her Majesty Selene herself had once risen step by step from the position of a powerful minister.
They arrived at a dedicated teleportation hall. Through the tall Gothic arched windows of the soaring spires, Durandal gazed into the distance.
She beheld a vast and beautiful supercontinent that seemed to contain all things beneath heaven. From horizon to horizon, everything was encompassed within it—shifting clouds and diverse climates, countless mountains and winding rivers.
Snow-capped mountain ranges stretched endlessly. Lush green forests dotted the land like strings of agate. In the hazy distance, human cities rose in dense clusters of varying heights, spreading all the way to the edge of sight.
Vmm—!
Passing through the destination-locked teleportation gate, everyone opened their eyes once more.
Neatly trimmed gardens and lawns, elegantly arranged lakes and waterside pavilions...
The Palace Annex?
As they were looking around, a breeze suddenly swept across the grounds. The soft green lawn rippled like the surface of water stirred by wind, and their hair and clothing fluttered gently.
Raising their heads with the wind, they saw it.
Beyond the towering, majestic city walls, the vast golden palace complex spreading across mountains and rivers instantly captured everyone's attention.
It was enormous.
A pyramid-like, terraced super-metropolis of unmatched splendor.
Even Fu Hua, who had seen much in her long life, was witnessing something of this scale for the first time.
"Ladies, please rest here for the night. Tomorrow, Her Majesty will grant you an audience."
It was the attendant's voice that finally pulled their thoughts back.
"If you require anything, please give instructions. There are personnel assigned to handle all matters."
With a slight bow, the attendant took her leave.
"This kind of arrangement makes me feel so stiff," Kiana muttered once the attendant had gone. She immediately relaxed and leaned over the balcony protruding from the platform, intending to catch some fresh air.
It was fine until she leaned forward.
The moment she did, she jerked in surprise.
Their current location seemed to sit precisely at the boundary between two city districts. Beyond the balcony, the world opened wide beneath them.
Looking downward, hundreds of meters below their position stretched countless neatly arranged market blocks.
Broad avenues crisscrossed the city.
The wide streets were packed with people. Among the crowds were nobles and police officers alike, jostling amid the masses. Lights shone brilliantly. The noise rose like rolling waves. The flow of people was unending.
It was a scene of flourishing prosperity.
"If it were only a military machine of violence, it would be deformed," Durandal said as she stepped forward and nodded. "When there are people who live in peace and contentment, then at least there is hope."
Standing beside the white marble balustrade, Fu Hua spoke as the fierce wind whipped at her robes, causing them to snap loudly.
"The Imperial Capital... the Empire... this is a path where humanity and the Honkai coexist."
The wind here was truly restless.
...
"Where is Her Majesty?"
This was the very center of the Imperial Capital—the heart of the Empire—the rear bedchamber within Selene's main palace, Schönbrunn Palace.
The great hall was adorned with inverted bell-shaped blossoms. Their calyxes were pure white, gleaming with a translucent porcelain sheen. At the tips of each petal was a faint ring of pale violet, as though dyed by nature itself.
Within corridors lined with antique treasures and decorated with cyclamen, lilies, irises, and white snow blossoms, Sebas questioned Susanoo, who was dressed in chef's attire.
"Her Majesty entered the bath after finishing her meal," the humanoid Teigu chef replied briefly while pushing a dining cart.
"Very well. You may withdraw." Sebas nodded, then turned toward the attendants stationed outside the palace doors. "Please inform Her Majesty that Sebas requests an audience."
At that moment, within the bedchamber.
"Mmm... this feels wonderful..."
Amid the misty rose-scented steam, Selene let out a soft, pleased sound. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back against the smooth stone behind her.
Immersed in a specially prepared medicinal bath, she felt utterly refreshed, savoring the delicate sensation of warm water molecules brushing against her skin.
In truth, Selene could no longer truly be considered human.
Though she maintained a humanoid form, she possessed no sweat glands, no pores. She did not perspire and carried no body odor—nor any natural fragrance. She was colorless, scentless, immaculate.
The Herrscher's sterile, immaculate constitution and innate self-cleansing ability meant she did not even need to bathe to remain clean. Just like eating and drinking, it provided negligible energy replenishment. It was merely a psychological habit.
If she truly wished to replenish energy, rather than absorb Imaginary internal power, Selene might as well hug a uranium ore deposit or chew on a nuclear warhead. Even standing in sunlight was more effective than ordinary consumption.
Yet despite all that, the warmth still felt… pleasant.
"Mm~"
Another faint, contented sound slipped past her cherry lips as she shifted slightly in the bath.
The waterline rippled around her body, warm currents gliding across the soft curves of her figure. Beneath the translucent surface, the graceful lines of her waist and hips blurred gently in the rosy steam, the liquid embracing every smooth contour as if reluctant to let her go.
A faint flush colored her cheeks as she narrowed her eyes comfortably. Soft, even breathing soon followed.
Her chest rose and fell in a slow rhythm. The bathwater lingered right at her chest, leaving the upper swell of her breasts hovering at the surface, fair skin glistening where droplets clung. The waterline trembled lightly around the soft peaks, occasionally revealing the faintest hint of pink before a drifting petal or ripple concealed it again.
Crimson rose petals drifted lazily across the bath, brushing against her flawless skin as steam curled through the air, giving Selene an almost otherworldly allure.
Through the hazy steam, faint footsteps sounded beyond the embroidered silk screen.
"Your Majesty, Lord Sebas requests an audience."
"Sebas?"
Did I forget something...?