The Way of the Empress

Moodys never changed his mind. “Yes, father. This is not just my decision, but is a matter that affects the entire country. There are insufficient guides and too many sentinels. Osphia’s population was originally not large, and most of our combative and long-lived sentinels cannot continue dying like this. Asking guides to help is an inevitable requirement for the country to progress, and the evolution of mankind…”

“The number of guides is so small. If a guide’s ability is monopolized by one sentinel, what should the remaining sentinels do? Rely on short-acting drugs?” Moodys continued. “When drugs fail? What can they do apart from wait for death. What if they all die, and only aristocratic sentinels and guides are left?”

“However, guides are also raised through the hard work of us noble families. Coming in contact with commoners and channeling their minds, what if they unconsciously develop feelings for the civilians? If they marry civilians, where will us noble sentinels have guides to marry?” The prime minister resolutely disagreed with Moodys’s proposal. “At that time, if they arbitrarily marry civilians, won’t the system of nobility and aristocracy that we have worked so hard to build to breed more guides and outstanding spiritual sentinels collapse?”

The Patriarch of another family also echoed: “That’s right. Besides, the sentinels who are mentally disordered are so low-leveled. Even if they’re rescued, what contributions can the make to the empire? It’s just another few people.”

“Love is something that should be done freely. I don’t think it should be blocked by ranks and status. Besides, whether the establishment of nobility and aristocratic families was right or wrong, none of us can tell… It’s true we have more guides than the Alliance, but most of these are exclusively owned by children of nobles. Although the Alliance has fewer guides, they are more widely used, and the effect is almost the same in my opinion.” Moodys replied.

The stubborn family Patriarch still insisted: “So what? Your Highness, if you do this, you will disrupt the entire system of Osphia’s nobility. What’s the point, Your Highness?”

“Moodys, Patriarch Ashaman seems to make a lot of sense. What can civilian sentinels do even if they survive? It’s just a waste of resources.” Emperor Winston’s ears were soft, and he was easily shaken.

“Father, you have to know that the strength of a country requires soldiers to fight wars and protect the people. Where do our soldiers come from? Are they all from noble families? I’m afraid all the nobles and their families in Osphia added up is not enough. We can only count on the people. Sentinels have the strongest combat effectiveness and best physical fitness. If all civilian sentinels are dead, we can only count on the ordinary people who are not as physically fit, and need guards to protect them, to go to war.” Moodys frowned and argued. “At that time, because we stick to this so-called guide chastity idea, our soldiers will be all ordinary people. Soldiers from the Alliance and those interstellar pirates1interstellar pirates / star thieves are used interchangeably are all sentinels. Not only will we be wiped out, what about negotiations? Ordinary people simply do not have the spiritual strength to drive mechs.”

The two sides were deadlocked. To resolve it, the legions proposed a vote. Moodys has high popularity and three legions in his hands. Although there are many forces who stubbornly opposed him, there are also many who support him.

After going back and forth, the opinions of the two sides were even equal.

Only Lieutenant General Chu Lie, the commander of the Wild Lion Legion, who has not arrived yet, has not expressed his opinion.

Chu Lie came and went alone, and was somewhat incompatible with the power of the crown prince and other die-hard aristocratic factions. Although Chu Lie’s baby brother and the crown princess had a good relationship, no one thought that Allen could influence Chu Lie.

The forces on both sides believed that Chu Lie was very likely to stand on their side and support their views.

As a result, the final vote fell on the long-overdue Chu Lie.

After thinking that Chu Lie’s opinion was not important, the military officials and various forces originally held the meeting without him. After three reminders and four requests, Lieutenant General Chu Lie finally drove his spacecraft to the military headquarters.

After explaining their points of view concisely and asking him for his opinion, the two forces and emperor who were in a stalemate looked at him with expectant eyes.

Moodys also took a deep breath unconsciously, not sure whether this solitary lieutenant general would support his views.

After listening, Chu Lie pondered for a moment, and finally spoke: “I support the view of His Royal Highness that guides should be shared, and should not serve only a single sentinel.”

Hearing this, Moodys immediately exhaled in relief.

“Lieutenant General Chu Lie…” The prime minister frowned, wanting to persuade Chu Lie to make this crucial final vote.

Chu Lie didn’t listen to him at all. He just said: “I’m not married yet, and I don’t have a guide. I experienced mental disturbance once before at the border, and was rescued by a civilian guide.  Many of my soldiers were there. When I was mentally disordered, I was saved by these ordinary guides… I not only support His Highness’s views, but also think that Osphia should set up a separate award for these ordinary guides who volunteer to save people, and give them bonuses…”

“The number of guides in the Alliance is much smaller than ours. Why are fewer of their sentinels mentally disordered than ours? Because they know unity. They know that these rare guides should be shared, and should not be monopolized. They know to help their fellow citizens live.” Chu Lie said resoundingly: “We have so many more guides, but several times more sentinels that go crazy each year. You should think about why this is.”

The whole meeting room fell silent for a moment.

Chu Lie continued by himself: “This is all because of us. Because the noble sentinels and aristocratic families are too selfish because of their high spiritual strength, and claim to be superior. They monopolize these guides, for fear that their guide will be snatched away by other sentinels.

“But, you ask yourself. All of you lot Emperor Star nobles have guides. Are your contributions to the country really better than those crazy sentinels at the border? I don’t necessarily think so.” Chu Lie sneered.

He then asked: “The Alliance’s guides number so much fewer than us, but they dare invade and wage war on us. Even interstellar pirates dare occupy our planets. Why is that? Isn’t it because they have healthier, normal sentinels, regardless of spiritual strength? If our mentally disordered sentinels are all normal, let alone interstellar pirates, even the Alliance may have been defeated long ago.”

“If you are so stubborn, if we don’t allow the sharing of guides, I think maybe soon, our soldiers will become more and more crazy, and will join the Alliance to fight us and seize guides… At that time, do you think we can continue to monopolize and have your guide serve you alone?” He finished aggressively.

The scene was silent, everyone was in deep thought, and no one spoke.

“Pa, pa, pa-” Moodys took the lead to applaud Chu Lie. “General Chu is right. I support General Chu’s view that we should award those guides who volunteer to help ease the sentinel’s spiritual power. Because of their existence, our country can have a future.”

“I also think that General Chu and the crown prince made a very reasonable point. Guides helping relieve sentinels is natural. The country should award those guides who volunteer and help sentinels channel their spiritual power.” Even Emperor Winston, who has always been soft-headed and has no individual opinion, felt it was justified.

Fine, fine. He is already old, and doesn’t have the ability to develop new ideas. He can only go with it.

In the future, these matters should be decided by young people who have the ability and ideas. He won’t get mixed up, and continue to spend his elderly years peacefully.

As soon as the words of the emperor and the crown prince fell, the matter was basically finalized.

It is natural for guides to help sentinels, and imperative guides are shared.

Those feudal sentinel cancers who tried to block the sharing of guides and wanted to monopolize them were rendered speechless. After a long period of contemplation, they couldn’t squeeze out any refutations, and could only applaud after a while. They can only state they will send their own guides to support the crown prince and princess’s reform, and follow the crown princess to voluntarily relieve those mentally disordered civilian guides.

In the entire conference room, there was only continuous applause.

 

Anyone else feel like Chu Lie – Zhuo Yang’s unknown uncle – stole Moody’s thunder at the end?

P.S. the long chapters continue…

Consider supporting this translation and get faster updates by buying a ko-fi~ Thank you!

 

 

Progress for add’l releases are tracked on my ko-fi page.

 

1interstellar pirates / star thieves are used interchangeably