Chaos' Heir

Khan's political safety came from different parties. As strong as he was, he couldn't contend against entire organizations that had ruled for centuries, or rather, Baoway couldn't.

Giving Senerth, Hililles, and Vuter away had secured the nobles and Nognes' Exellencies' support. That array of benefits had also eased the pressure on Luke and the others, reinforcing the alliance around Khan's figure. However, that political environment had another bigger party that outclassed all of the above.

Undoubtedly, the Thilku Empire was the main reason for Khan's political safety. The Global Army couldn't touch him as long as that war-thirsty species protected him. Even the nobles had to respect him due to his unique position among the Thilku.

The last mission had been no different. Khan could establish and reinforce relationships with powerful parties thanks to the Empire's needs and resources. The Empire would also benefit from the exchange, but Brigadier General Meadrey's actions threatened to ruin everything.

Hence, Khan felt no surprise at seeing the Thilku rune on the interactive desk. With the embassy in Baoway, the Thilku learned about the problem, and Khan's return made that call mandatory.

Due to Khan's connection to the Empire, the interactive desk could use Thilku technology, so he traced the rune's lines in a specific pattern to accept the call. The blue light suddenly disappeared, replaced by red holograms that took the shape of a screen.

"[Lord Exr]," Khan called, recognizing the alien on the screen. "[I expected your call]."

"[Blue Shaman]," Lord Exr responded. "[We received preliminary reports from Senerth's campaign. I'm told your performance was exemplary]."

"[It still took too long for my tastes]," Khan stated, "[But the campaign was indeed a success]."

"[Humility doesn't suit the Empire's soldiers]," Lord Exr joked, "[Or Lords]."

"[I wasn't being humble, My Lord]," Khan said, ignoring the hidden meaning behind Lord Exr's words. "[Some circumstances slowed down the conquest]."

Khan wasn't lying. Between his training and Bruno's presence, he had avoided going all-out during most of the campaign. He also needed his army to gain proper battle experience and familiarize itself with advanced military tactics, inevitably slowing down the expansion.

Lord Exr smirked, showing his sharp canines. His personality matched Khan's, and the two's relationship had significantly improved during the tournament. In a way, Lord Exr saw Khan as a fellow Lord, and the mission's success reinforced that good impression.
Discover stories at empire

Nevertheless, Lord Exr remained silent. With the pleasantries gone, the two would have to discuss the matter at hand, which promised to be troublesome.

Khan understood Lord Exr's complicated situation. In different circumstances, the Empire's Lords would have traveled to Baoway to celebrate Khan's victory, but their absence revealed its troublesome internal state of affairs. The caller's identity was another hint. It basically stated that Lord Rsi was too busy to deal with Khan directly.

As powerful as the Empire was, the Global Army was no weakling, either. Its military prowess was one of the main reasons behind the two species' peaceful relationship. Yet, exposing the secret planet could lead to battles or all-out wars, so the Empire was busy preparing for that eventuality.

"[I have discussed the issue with My Lord]," Lord Exr eventually revealed. "[The Empire is ready to support the Blue Shaman]."

Khan had to hide his surprise. The Empire had already supported Khan in the past, but the current issue involved more than a single planet. A potential war was at stake, so siding with its own species and cutting connections with the human variable would be wise.

However, Lord Exr's words reminded Khan about how different the Empire was from the Global Army. The Thilku didn't only accept Khan. They also respected him, and their pride prevented them from sacrificing one of their own to solve a political issue.

It was almost ironic. After everything Khan had done, achieved, and sacrificed, the alien species still treated him better than humankind, going as far as offering their support against their best interests.

Khan experienced a tinge of sadness at that realization but quickly stuffed that feeling in the back of his mind. He didn't have time to waste in his internal conflict. He had a war to fight, and the Empire was only one of the parties that needed his reassurance.

"[I'm honored, My Lord]," Khan admitted, "[But this problem came from my side. It's only natural for me to handle it with my forces]."

"[The Empire is responsible for this problem]," Lord Exr pointed out. "[The Thilku must pay back this debt]."

"[The Empire already repaid it]," Khan argued. Baoway's safety and his monopoly over the Thilku Empire's connections were part of that agreement.

"[But we didn't account for this]," Lord Exr continued. "[Its repercussions are still creating problems]."

"[These problems are inside the Global Army, My Lord]," Khan declared. "[Inviting alien forces to deal with them will only create a rift between the Empire and humankind]."

Lord Exr was more of a soldier than a politician but had already discussed those points with his superiors. The Empire's interference would quickly solve Khan's problem and reaffirm his safe position inside the Global Army, but humankind wouldn't take that action well.

Using the Empire would add fuel to Brigadier General Meadrey's worries. The Global Army might accept the outcome, but Khan's position would change forever. Currently, Khan could still juggle between the two species evenly, but humankind would see him as an enemy force if he resorted to the Thilku's help. As angry as Khan was, he still had to consider the bigger picture.

"[Besides]," Khan added, "[I'm more than capable of handling this myself. Actually, I want to]."

This time, it was Lord Exr who felt surprised. Khan didn't explicitly say it, but his words sounded like a request. He wanted the Empire to trust him and leave that problem in his hands.

Needless to say, Lord Exr couldn't help but approve of that behavior. That was how a Thilku Lord should act, and refusing Khan would insult his pride.

"[Very well]," Lord Exr said without wasting more time attempting to change Khan's mind. "[We'll leave this problem to you and expect great results]."

"[You won't be disappointed, My Lord]," Khan declared.

"[I'll inform my superiors]," Lord Exr nodded before adding a compliment. "[Truly good job on Senerth]."

The call suddenly ended, and Khan closed his eyes, instinctively reaching for the half-empty bottle at his side. He knew what he had to do. More meetings and discussions were waiting for him, almost making him want to jump directly into the war against the Brigadier General.

However, the meeting room's door suddenly opened, and Khan couldn't help but peek past his shoulder. He didn't need eyes to recognize the newcomer, but that was exactly why he had turned. For some reason, Princess Rachel Montares had visited him.