That was true. Forgetting the example set by my sister of the total genocide of all members of the Purple House ruling family was simply impossible. I was prepared to do everything in my power to stop that from happening to my family and those close to me.
"Alright Georg, now you're ready. Go and do what you think is best. And also... if the 'voice of the Triumvirate' tries to talk with you again, put him straight through to me. I need to give my students a real-world test. I've chosen sixty of the most capable girls from all the candidates and am preparing to turn them into a group of psionics capable of working jointly on the same wave. In one year, this psionic battery will be capable of handling even Krista!"
* * *
The reaction of my eldest daughter to the news that she was getting two new sisters was fairly predictable — Likanna shrieked and clapped her hands in joy:
"Dad, you're the best! For a long time, Natalie and Joan have been more to me than simple best friends. I'm so happy they'll be my sisters! I cannot raise my opinion of you any further, because it's already at max, but just so you know, I adore you!!!"
I won't hide it, it was nice to see sincere happiness in the eyes of my daughter. Just for that alone, it was worth making the decision to adopt Natalie and Joan.
"I'll go first to tell Crown Princess Natalie the good news! She went to study how to pilot a yacht with solar sails, and is now riding the waves somewhere near my palace on Tesse."
"Yes, I know. I've just had a long conversation with her referencing all the details. Natalie was very glad at this change in her fate and immediately agreed. But first, she had to send a request to the Blue House to have her rights restored. Some bureaucratic formalities had to be observed. Nevertheless, Natalie does have some relatives there, and also the current head of the Blue House is her second cousin. But such technical details are probably of no interest to you."
"Yeah, of course, I only care about the result. Then I'll tell Joan!" she exclaimed, jumping for joy.
No one told my daughter that all distant and close relatives of her friend Joan had fallen to the hands of usurpers, and that the life of the Crown Princess herself was hanging by a hair. Likanna was too small to react appropriately to such heavy information, so I tried to protect the girl from the news. Not because I was afraid for my daughter's mental state, although that was a factor. It was just that it was very hard to predict how Likanna would respond. It was very much in Lika's spirit to suddenly tear off and fly across half the galaxy to "rescue her friend." And now, I didn't delve into the details and tried to get by with a half-truth:
"Well, sweetie, I don’t think you'll be able to get in touch with Joan. The Purple House and the Green House have implemented a data blockade. They have some complicated political stuff going on right now, a struggle for power and the formation of the Grand Duchy, some new government that will replace the familiar Great Houses."
"Yeah, I noticed," my daughter said, accepting the explanation easily. "Joan hasn't been answering my calls for a few days now. And grandma Elisa hasn't given her final agreement for me to visit the Green House for two whole weeks. She said she was having a problem with subterfuge..."
"It's nothing, Lika, it will all be over soon and the blockade will be removed. Then, I'll fly out to get Joan myself."
My daughter signed off and I spent some time looking in contemplation at the black screen before opening the relationship window and initiating the sending of two long-prepared messages:
Crown Prince Georg royl Inoky ton Mesfelle offers to adopt Crown Princess Natalie royl Cruz ton Unatari (presumed opinion of you: +78, completely trusting)
Crown Prince Georg royl Inoky ton Mesfelle offers to adopt Crown Princess Joan royl Reyekh ton Andor (presumed opinion of you: +74, completely trusting)
Almost instantly, I got a positive answer to my first message. Crown Princess Natalie officially agreed to become my adopted daughter:
Crown Princess Natalie royl Cruz ton Unatari has accepted your offer of adoption
Your daughter's new name: Natalie royl Georg ton Unatari
I wasn't expecting a speedy reply to the second message, which made its arrival a few minutes later all the more unexpected:
Crown Princess Joan royl Reyekh ton Andor has accepted your offer of adoption
Your daughter's new name: Joan royl Georg ton Unatari
Alright, there was no going back now. I officially recognized Joan and had received the full right to protect my daughter by any means necessary, even leading combat starships through the Core or starting a military conflict with the Grand Duchy. I was very much hoping that such a radical move wouldn't be necessary, and that Violetta would have sufficient tact to retreat in this conflict, which was now a matter of principle to me.
ATTENTION! Your daughter the Crown Princess Natalie royl Georg ton Unatari has submitted a petition to join the Blue House.
Because Crown Princess Natalie is underage, this will require the agreement of the head of the Blue House and of her closest relative (father).
Duke Mark royl Uvar ton Miro, head of the Blue House, has given his agreement.
Do you agree to let your daughter Crown Princess Natalie royl Georg ton Unatari join the Blue House?
(Yes/No)
I chose the option "Yes," after which I asked Bionica, who was standing next to me, to open a bottle of dry red wine, and waited to see how things played out with a glass of wine in hand. And it wasn't even five minutes before my advisor Duchess Katerina got in touch with me and asked me to immediately turn on the official Blue House news channel. In the huge glimmering room, made to hold thousands of people and now totally packed full, Duke Mark royl Uvar was giving a speech before a gathering of deputies.
He was speaking about an attempt to make peace between all warring groups, in order to overcome the crisis of power. The audience heard out the new Great House Head guardedly, with no ovations or applause. Finally, the young Duke arrived at the essence of his speech and told them right from the podium that the popularly beloved Crown Princess Natalie was returning to the Blue House. For the first time in the whole speech, the audience lit up. A few shouts were heard as allies of the runaway Crown Princess, as well as her political opponents lost control. The head of the Blue House called for silence, after which, beyond all exaggeration, he astounded all the deputies, declaring right from the podium that he was resigning and declaring a new Blue House election!
Duke Mark royl Uvar ton Miro, head of the Blue House, has called for a new election.
ATTENTION! A Great House of the Empire cannot be without a leader!
Election for new head of the Blue House will begin immediately.
You, as the closest relative of the underage Crown Princess Natalie royl Georg ton Unatari, have the right to cast 21.3% of the votes in the Blue House.
Furthermore, 11.8% of the Blue House aristocrats have entrusted you with the right to cast votes on their behalf.
Would you like to support the first in line to the throne: Duke Mark royl Uvar ton Miro, or vote for a different candidate?
Naturally, a different one! I opened the very long list containing several hundred candidates to the ducal throne. My daughter, Crown Princess Natalie royl Georg was third in that list, behind only Duke Mark and some Countess Umma royl Edd ton Miro, who I'd never heard of. Just out of interest, I skimmed through a few pages, but didn't really see any famous or even familiar names there. Returning to the beginning of the list, I confirmed that I was casting 33.1% of my votes for Crown Princess Natalie.
ATTENTION! The new head of the Blue House will be Crown Princess Natalie (59.3% of votes)
ATTENTION! Because the ruler of the Blue House is too young, power over the Blue House will be held by a regent, Unatari ruler Crown Prince Georg royl Inoky ton Mesfelle, until she comes of age (4 years, 10 months and 23 days).
ATTENTION! The war between Unatari and Unatari (Blue House) has been ended due to: lack of enemy.
The audience of Blue House depu
ties started buzzing like a batted bee's nest. I understood the lack of comprehension all the viceroys and aristocrats were feeling. I mean, instead of the modest little girl who was so easy to manipulate and trick, they were getting a harsh monarch as a ruler, who ruled with an iron fist and would not accept any tomfoolery!
I was already familiar with the deplorable situation in the Blue House treasury, from which tens of billions of credits had evaporated without a trace in the last few months, and understood that one of those present in the large hall probably had a lot to say about this and other financial fraud. One of the deputies was probably remembering my wife Miya with fear now, and understanding that there was no way he'd hide his embezzlement and less-than-legal affairs from the new ruler.
This was the very time for me to give a speech before my new subjects. My image appeared on the huge screen before the deputies, looking confused and utterly thrown off. The din in the room immediately went silent. Those gathered looked carefully at the screen, expecting some momentous decisions from their new ruler. And they weren't mistaken.
In fact, my speech was half a contestation of current facts, and half an ultimatum. With my very first words, I thanked Duke Mark royl Uvar and Crown Princess Natalie for their finding a peaceful and political way of ending the senseless war, which was of no use to anyone. Afterward, I declared that, from that very minute, the Blue House was a core territory of the Unatari State and would be returning to the Empire. So, there could be no discussion of the Grand Duchy or anything connected with the Antagonists, while all the Antagonists' emissaries were to be subject to immediate arrest.
Wasting my personal time to sort out all the complications and twists and turns of the Blue House civil war was not something I had the patience for. So, I gave all those taking part in the civil war twenty-four hours to recognize their new ruler, in which case they would be guaranteed full amnesty, no matter what they may have done in the past. I also promised that the factions and groups that refused my peace plan would not be negotiated with. Criminals would simply be exterminated as quickly as possible. I had millions of hungry Alpha Iseyek landing troops that would be glad to restore order to the problem systems.
The Blue House aristocrats would retain all their titles and territories when joining the Unatari State. All viceroys, city mayors and other civil servants would retain their posts in the Unatari State, but only after voluntarily returning all illegally obtained money to the treasury, with the best Truth Seekers of my state checking their honesty.
I didn't look one bit like the ghastly man-eating monster Blue House propaganda had made me out to be. The deputies gradually calmed down and were now trying to prove their loyalty to their new ruler. The longer my speech went on, the more the audience lit up, applauding with greater and greater frequency. I started to get personal relationship improvement messages. Just a few at first, but soon a real torrent. Soon after that, there followed messages about global standing and fame increases.
Global fame increase. Current value: +70
Global standing increase. Current value: +11
Standing change. Empire Military faction opinion of you has improved.
Present Empire Military faction opinion of you: +63 (veneration)
Global standing increase. Current value: +12
Achievement lost: Bloodthirsty Avenger
Achievement unlocked: Peacemaker
Global fame increase. Current value: +71
Global standing increase. Current value: +13
...
At the very end of my speech, I offered the council of deputies to hold an open election on changing the sovereignty of all Blue House systems to the Unatari State. Here, the speaker of the Blue House parliament raised his voice for the first time, telling the ruler without much confidence that their regulations had no provisions in them for open voting. In reply, I just laughed:
"You and I are grown people, so let's stay realistic and not tell one another fairy-tales about secret voting. You cannot seriously think that I won't find out who voted for what, right? So, I suggest we not waste our time here, and annoy the Red Queen over something so foolish."
The speaker wasn't stubborn on it and announced the vote would be public. A minute later, I saw the final results: 91.4% voted "Yes," and 8.6% "No." In theory, I could already officially declare the end of the Blue House's existence, but I was in no rush. I looked through the list of "No" voters, and asked one of them to make a speech arguing for their choice.
A middle-aged dark-skinned woman took the floor, representing the planet Vazshi-V from the Vazshi star system in Perimeter Sector Sixteen.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness, and Your Grace," she began, running through my titles. I stopped the deputy and asked her to get to the point. "As you most likely know, Sector Sixteen is cut off from the rest of Blue House territory by a group of systems under Alien control. We can discuss as long as we want at these conferences and make all kinds of statements and declarations, but the reality is that the Blue House no longer controls my homeworld. Not too long ago, the Gold House took up defense of Sector Sixteen. Say what you will about the Antagonists, but for my homeworld of Vazshi, the choice isn't great: either the Antagonists or total annihilation at the hands of the Alien hordes. The Gold House soldiers have yet to encroach on our sovereignty, but I'll be direct: as soon as the Blue House ceases to exist, the Vazshi star system will change color on the political map to gold. As will the rest of Sector Sixteen."
I already knew that, so I thanked the deputy for her honest and frank answer and asked her to add another couple comments and arguments from those who'd voted "No." But it quickly turned out that all those who'd refused were from Perimeter Sector Sixteen and already mentally saw themselves as Gold House subjects. Alright, I didn't waste any more time and started the procedure of changing sovereignty of all Blue House systems.
Before my eyes there ran a long list of eighty-four star systems that were going to be nestled under the wing of the Unatari State, then the final messages:
ATTENTION! The Blue House has ceased to exist.
Global fame increase. Current value: +75
Achievement unlocked: Largest territory
Achievement unlocked: More territory than the Emperor
Global fame increase. Current value: +77
Experiencing a certain apprehension, I familiarized myself with the new achievements. Was it really true that the Unatari State now had more star systems under its control than the Imperial Core? My First Assistant Apasss Ugu came instantly to dispel my doubts. Bionica obligingly translated the insect's chirring for me:
"There are ninety-three star systems of the Imperial Core directly under the control of August royl Akad. Your Majesty now has one hundred thirty star systems. That is technically more. Although, in human population, economic indicators and military might, the Empire still exceeds Unatari by a whole order of magnitude. And I must also direct your attention to the fact that the nineteen star systems of Sector Sixteen have just joined the Gold House, significantly increasing the Antagonists' forces."
"That doesn't matter now," my cousin Katerina commented. "Georg is on the right path and will quickly gain power and popularity among the people, while the Emperor's standing and influence on his subjects continues to fall. If this tendency goes on even another six months, my cousin will be more popular in the Empire than August royl Akad, which is to say nothing of all the other politicians and aristocrats. That reveals very interesting perspectives for us..."
"I'm sure August understands that as well and is doing everything in his power not to allow it," I said, interrupting my cousin’s day-dreaming. "But all in all, you're right. The Emperor is hardly likely to be openly aggressive against a Crown Prince with so much popular authority. So, I suggest we not waste time for nothing and go forward with the plan. Katerina, release some disinformation saying that I am preparing to fly to the former Blue House capital in the next few days to personally meet with the most influential politic
ians and aristocrats. Admirals, tell the whole united Unatari Fleet to be ready to fly in thirty minutes! We're going through the Imperial Core!"
Unknown Fleet
MY LATE DINNER in the company of Bionica and Astra was interrupted by the sharp ring of an emergency call. My communications officer was very worried and even started hiccupping slightly:
"Y-y-your Majesty, a message has come in from the Imperial Secretariat. C-c-c-code R-red. They're demanding that Crown Prince Georg royl Inoky ton Mesfelle immediately transfer control of the wh-whole fleet to the Imperial Joint Chiefs. The Crown Prince himself has been called to hurry t-to the Throne World to explain the intrusion of Unatari State combat ships into the Imperial Core. If not, the Empire will re-retain the right to destroy all your ships in its space."
If I'd gotten such a categorical ultimatum from the Throne World a few years ago, I would have surely considered my part in Perimeter Defense lost. And even six months ago, I'd have been shaking in terror and really would have hurried to fulfill the Emperor's every demand. But now, the situation was different:
A Game With No Rules (Perimeter Defense Book #4) LitRPG Series Page 16