Choosing an Empress is hard
by M1zushiChapter 44: Choosing an Empress Is Hard
Breakfast consisted of a generous portion of smoked sausage and fried eggs. After drinking the last drop of warm milk, Bai Ling felt a cozy heat spread through his chest.
He helped the little robot clear the plates into the kitchen, grabbed his backpack, and hurried off to class.
In the main hall, the merman stood by the fireplace where the embers glowed a bright red. His sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, the bronze eagle-claw buttons gleaming dully. His bony fingers gripped a porcelain cup and when he heard someone approach, he tilted his head slightly but didn’t speak—looking like a predator that had stayed awake all night, weary and sluggish.
As Bai Ling passed by Yu Chen, the pungent, bitter scent of coffee hit his nostrils, forcing him to instinctively take two steps back, returning to the merman’s side.
He cast a side-eye at the cup, then at the familiar outfit.
Bai Ling reached a conclusion: “Stayed up all night?”
Hearing the little bird’s tone, Yu Chen smiled.
He could now basically deduce Bai Ling’s mood through his word choices. If he omitted the subject of the sentence, it was basically a sign of displeasure, and this displeasure, to some extent, represents the other person’s concern.
“I had some things to handle,” Yu Chen answered briefly.
There were time zones between the various planets. Most members of the Demon King Pillars didn’t live on the Capital. To speed up the acquisition process, Yu Chen had no choice but to stay by the quantum computer to make timely decisions.
Once they reclaimed those industries from the nobles, their finances would be a bit more flexible.
That way, no matter what Bai Ling wanted to do in the future, Yu Chen could provide him with a solid foundation.
“Staying up all night… no wonder you are on drugs all day,” Bai Ling frowned and muttered.
“Are you still coughing?” Yu Chen was still dwelling on that.
“A little. It’s better after sleeping.”
Yu Chen flicked a finger and instructed the AI: “Go get the cough syrup.”
Bai Ling clutched his bag and glanced at the time. “No, I have to go. I’m almost late.”
Yu Chen set down his cup. “Let them wait.”
“……”
As expected of you.
This kind of forceful protectiveness was something Bai Ling could actually accept.
And…
Bai Ling glanced at the bloodshot streaks in his eyes and thought to himself, Fine, fine, if he wants the experience of a parent feeding a child medicine, I’ll let him have it this once.
Let’s just make it quick so we’re both happy.
So, when the little robot brought the syrup bottle, Bai Ling took it directly. The maple-colored syrup flowed viscously into the spoon. He grabbed the merman’s hand and shoved the spoon into his grip.
Yu Chen’s expression was subtle. Why so cooperative today?
Bai Ling reminded him, “Hold the spoon a bit higher.”
Yu Chen felt the silver spoon tremble between his fingers. The little bird took the handle in his mouth and his soft lips brushed against the man’s fingernails, stirring Yu Chen’s heart.
Bai Ling swallowed a mouthful of syrup. It was icy-cool, but he knit his brows into a knot:
“So sweet.”
Yu Chen lowered his eyes, his Adam’s apple bobbing absentmindedly.
After quickly completing the procedure, Bai Ling thought about the guy’s loss of control last night, felt the X-rays in his bag, and, maintaining an icy face, reached up to grab those broad shoulders. He gave the merman’s cheek a quick, light peck before sternly threatening:
“If you don’t go to sleep, watch out. I’ll install a camera in your bedroom to monitor you.”
AI: ?!!
Mechanical bird, you really know your stuff!
In the robot world, proposing to install a camera for someone was practically a marriage proposal.
How romantic it is to want to perceive someone through distant electromagnetic waves across thousands of miles!
If it received this proposal, its CPU would have already fried by now.
As the AI finished its internal exclamation, its lens turned toward its Master.
Yu Chen’s expression was remarkably unshaken. He gave a flat “mm” and let Bai Ling leave.
Watching his Master’s composed face, the AI couldn’t help but feel a surge of admiration.
As expected of Master!
A human who is always calm, rational, and strictly self-controlled, comparable to an AI program.
The AI praised the mechanical bird’s dedication while sighing at its Master’s perfection. It rolled its treads to the laundry room, took out the clothes Bai Ling had asked it to dry, and prepared to take them to the guest room. As it passed through the hall—
Wait? Where did Master go?
Maybe he went to the greenhouse to sunbathe.
Ever since Master had the mechanical bird, his episodes had significantly decreased.
It was also lucky the mechanical bird wasn’t a real omega; otherwise, with the Master’s intermittent leaks of mental pressure, a normal omega would surely have fainted.
Of course, even for an android, there’s a possibility of Master invading its system.
The AI logically guessed that the mechanical bird must have an internet firewall installed, which was how he resisted Master’s “occupation.”
But Master probably wouldn’t do that now; he had become much more cheerful.
The AI turned the corner with relief and entered the dimly lit inner room. In the shadows deep within the doorframe, where the light couldn’t reach, someone was gloomily biting the spoon, digging out the syrup one mouthful at a time.
AI: “……”
Its calculation results might have gone wrong again.
The AI watched as its Master slowly stepped out of the darkness behind it like a vampire who had just finished a small meal. He elegantly wiped his lips and, as he passed, casually placed the empty syrup bottle on the AI’s head.
The AI took the bottle down and looked. Empty.
Then it looked at the silver spoon. It was covered in bite marks.
Well, it had to say, it was a good thing those weren’t the mechanical bird’s butt or neck.
The Etiquette Officer was in a terrible mood today.
Early this morning, he received news from the internal affairs department that The Great King had been seriously injured in an attack by unknown terrorists. All of today’s schedules had been canceled, including the “Begging Dance” he had meticulously prepared.
The Etiquette Officer was furious.
Which short-sighted terrorist was so inconsiderate?
Couldn’t they have waited a day before bombing?
The officer glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw the class’s famous troublemaker, the “Great Tit,” slipping along the edge into the classroom.
Late again. No omega virtue, no sense of propriety. How could an omega like this bring a bright future to the Empire? Letting him go on would only ruin or even destroy the next generation!
Just as the officer was about to walk over to impose the law, the “Great Tit” pulled out a thick book and began reading with gusto.
With one look at the cover: “A Historical Account of Royal Succession: How to Be a Qualified Empress.”
The officer froze. His expression went from shock to suspicion, then brightened and he nodded in satisfaction.
Although the goal was excessively high, verging on delusions of grandeur, at least he knew how to work hard now. Even a clumsy bird can fly early and a lame turtle can walk a thousand miles. This is the quality a top-tier omega should possess.
Mm, “Great Tit,” your future looks promising.
In the back row of the lecture hall, Sava woke up from a nap to find an extra person beside him. He leaned over, squinted for a bit, and became increasingly confused:
“What’s this? ‘Empress Accession Law (Unconventional Methods): For an Empress to succeed as the Head of State, the following three conditions must be met…'”
Sava’s gaze drifted down the paragraph.
- The nation is in a state of major crisis, or the Monarch has triggered Emergency Level 12, the [Hurricane-Class].
- The Monarch has established an Empress for at least 48 hours (and the Monarch has not passed away from unknown causes within those 48 hours).
- If the Monarch has no Empress and has been in critical condition for over 240 hours, the throne shall be managed by the heir-apparent prince or a member of the imperial family.
“So much trouble. At that point, you might as well just bomb him. Who made these rules?”
Sava was just complaining, but Bai Ling flipped to the next page and saw a line of text: [This succession law follows the Old Calendar.]
That meant it was a law passed down from the Old Empire.
Bai Ling looked thoughtful. Izsu Paraiso seemed to fit the third condition perfectly: he hadn’t established an Empress and handed the throne over directly.
As for why that old man never appointed an Empress, he could probably guess some reasons.
First, an Empress holds immense legal power. Not just succession and diplomatic rights, but even control over military power while the Emperor is still alive.
For any highly centralized country, this is a massive threat to imperial authority. Once the Emperor and Empress falls out, a regime change can happen in minutes.
Second, an Empress is hard to choose.
If you choose a talented alpha with an illustrious family background from the upper-middle class, they can share the burden of state affairs, but it’s easy for the maternal family to form a powerful party and divide the Emperor’s authority.
If you choose someone clever and beautiful from the lower class, there’s a high probability they won’t fit into the treacherous atmosphere of the upper class. They might not even be able to protect themselves, getting assassinated the moment they step out of the palace, let alone thinking about carrying the mantle of responsibility during a national crisis.
All in all, not appointing an Empress yields the highest efficiency and the least risk of change.
As for why this “useless” Empress Succession Law hadn’t been revoked, it’s because it’s tightly woven into the Constitution. Changing it would have far-reaching consequences, and deleting it would require a massive team of legal experts to patch it, which might create new loopholes. So, everyone just ignored it.
Bai Ling fell into deep thought.
Indeed, without amending the constitution, Izsu Paraiso couldn’t even be a puppet Empress; the old man would have to get up and help him manage the country.
Wait, isn’t that even better? Saves me the salary of a palace secretary!
Bai Ling stroked his chin, lost in a beautiful daydream.
There was just one problem: could the merman’s eyes actually be cured? He couldn’t exactly lead that guy to the throne, stumbling and falling along the way…
Sava saw his dreamy expression and found it hard to understand. “Why are you studying this when you have nothing better to do?”
Bai Ling’s expression was solemn. “Self-improvement. To realize my dreams.”
Sava: “?”
His orange-red eyes opened wide as he stared at him in shock for a while. This stinky bird was becoming harder to read. One moment he was all lovey-dovey with his guardian, the next he wanted to lead the harem?
Is his ambition aimed at the wrong place?
Wait, the last time this guy had an addiction episode, the check on his restriction ring didn’t show an alpha’s name. And in the Empire, only the Monarch doesn’t have to wear an restriction ring. Thinking back carefully—the mysterious beef jerky, the milk, the new prosthetic, the cashmere coat… it was all very suspicious!
This stinky bird… did he really submit to the Emperor’s bed just for revenge?
“Hey, Bai Ling,” Sava grabbed him sternly and lowered his voice, calling him by his real name properly for the first time. “Tell me the truth. Did you sleep with the Emperor?”
Bai Ling was copying notes and didn’t even look up. “No. I haven’t slept with him yet.”
“Why not?” Sava’s mind went to terrifying places. He’d heard Kaide had “functional disorders” and could only use his tentacles; was that the reason for the “not sleeping”?
“He won’t let me sleep with him,” Bai Ling said casually.
A tidal wave erupted in Sava’s heart. So you’re the one forcing yourself on him?!
What else could he say? He could only give a thumbs-up in praise: “…Keep at it. Work hard and cut it off.”
Hearing “take him down,” Bai Ling finally looked up and realized Sava was referring to TGK. He didn’t mention that the Tyrant actually already had a cut tentacle.
Bai Ling nodded to him. “Sure. Cut it off.”
Sava was pumped again: “Cut it hard!”
The passing Etiquette Officer tapped the table and glared: “Mind your conduct! No profanity!”
Just then, the bell rang. Sava slung his bag over one shoulder, grabbed Bai Ling with the other, gave the officer a roll of his eyes, and swaggered off.
Etiquette Officer: …This is why I hate people with connections!
Despite the cursing, the officer still pulled out his terminal and obediently replied to a message from the Emperor’s number one confidant, Chief of the Palace Secretaries, the most powerful and cunning official in the Empire: Lord Heinz.
[Etiquette Officer]: Respected Lord, thanks to you, your ward, Young Master Eagle-Owl, ate two extra bowls of rice at lunch.
[Heinz – Seriously Injured – Slow Reply, Please Understand]: Mm. I should also thank you for your understanding. After all, as you know, I’ve just inherited the Eagle-Owl Dukedom. I don’t want any nasty rumors spreading that Heinz is ungrateful and mistreating the young master of his former household.
[Etiquette Officer]: Yes, yes, of course. Lord Heinz’s reputation shall be guarded by us!
In reality, the officer wiped away sweat and muttered to himself. Heinz is truly a hypocrite, playing both sides perfectly. If you didn’t hate the young master, would you have snatched his family fortune?
Now, fearing a bad reputation, he was making all this surface-level effort and even explicitly pointing it out in the large internal affairs group, ensuring everyone gave “extra care” to the Eagle-Owl Young Master without hiding it from his colleagues.
The Etiquette Officer knew exactly how this game was played.
The more the people in the palace treated the Eagle-Owl Young Master with kindness, the more the young master suffered from being forced to accept the grace of his enemy, until he would go mad.
This was called “adding fuel to the fire” and “killing their spirit.”
The Etiquette Officer felt a chill down his spine; this Heinz is a truly venomous villain.
“Hic,” Sava let out a full burp as he passed by. The officer couldn’t help but cast a sympathetic look at him.
Sava: “?”
(Cat displeasure.jpg)
Sava had always suspected that the “Stinky Jellyfish” sent people to spy on him. At first, he thought it was Bai Ling, but looking around now, why did it feel like the entire palace was swarming with that person’s informants?
However, the one watching him most closely was that annoying Crane.
In the afternoon, they attended the Artistic Appreciation and Practice of the Begging Dance as usual.
When the news broke that TGK wasn’t coming, a cheer nearly erupted from the crowd, but the omegas’ survival instinct forced them to lock their voices in their throats. They lowered their heads, stealing glances and exchanging looks with their companions.
—You hate him too?
—You too?
—Hehehe, hehehehe…
The “Begging DanceDance,” as the name implies, is a dance mimicking a fledgling flapping its wings at its parents for food. Like the Peacocks, Silver Pheasants, or the Swan Lake ballet from Old Earth, it belongs to the genre of dances adapted from animal movements.
With the establishment of the New Empire, this folk dance was given political meaning by the authorities, shifting from “begging parents for food in gratitude” to “showing gratitude to TGK.”
Consequently, it became the collective opening dance for the month-end ball, a [compulsory course] every little bird and little seafolk had to master.
Bai Ling had taken this class at school when he was young, so he learned it fairly quickly.
He glanced at the two in the back row; the Night Hen and the Crane weren’t having such a smooth time…
Lin He didn’t know what was going on, but today was exceptionally unlucky. It was bad enough his fiancé wanted to break up with him, but he was even paired with the Eagle-Owl for class, and the other was picking on him at every turn.
Lin He was tall and thin, and the dance studio was packed. As the Etiquette Officer led the beat from the front, “One, two, three-da-da–da“, Lin He accidentally stepped on someone’s foot.
Sava: “Ouch! Son of a bitch.”
Lin He flared up: “Who are you calling that?”
Sava snapped back: “You! Do you have no eyes? That’s the sixth time you’ve stepped on me.”
Lin He thought of his sinister boss who wouldn’t let him go home to get married, then at this troublesome boss’s “lover” in front of him, and finally his failed romance. His nerves snapped. All the nobility, elegance, and reserve of a Crane were tossed out the window:
“You fatass bitch.”
Sava froze, then bared his teeth: “Who are you calling a fatass bitch!”
Lin He sneered: “Your ass is about to burst my dorm door open, bitch.”
I’m done. I’m going back to resign today!
The Etiquette Officer, who happened to pass by and was unfortunately caught in the crossfire of their spit: “Orrrrddddeeerrrrrrr!!!!”
The officer shook with rage: “What kind of propriety is this, spewing such filth?! Out! Stand in the hall as punishment! Anyone else who wants to use profanity?! Go out together!!”
The room fell silent. Everyone looked at each other, not daring to speak. Sava and Lin He stomped out with crab-like strides.
Once they were gone, the officer felt the air was much cleaner. He opened his arms emotionally, as if embracing the heavens:
“The Begging Dance is danced for our respected Divine Emperor, Kaide the Great, to thank him for bringing equality and freedom to all omegas. He is the only hero protecting us!”
Bai Ling stood up: “I’m going out too.”
Outside the classroom, three birds squatted by the base of the wall, each playing with their own terminals.
Bai Ling was preoccupied with asking Anna about sponsors. When he opened his terminal, he found Anna had already sent a message.
[Mentor-Anna]: {Sponsor_List.XLS} Fledgling, many sponsors came by today. I have a piece of good news and a piece of bad news. Which do you want first?
Author’s Note:
Little Bird: I want to use profanity.
Old Merman: (Gluttony) (Violating the Seven Deadly Sins) (Gloomily biting a spoon) (Secretly finding a place for his toothache)
Little Bird: Let me see what my gentle and lovely future Empress is up to.
Old Merman: (Gentle) (Amiable) (Like a peacock fanning his tail to seduce the young adult bird)
0 Comments