Chapter 213: The Bitter Old Man
(Alpha Star System- Planet Gaia)
(Imperial Palace Complex- The Emperor's Royal Bedchamber)
Heavy be the crown that rests upon the head of a king.
The burden of ruling a nation may be more a curse than a blessing.
The late emperor was a fair but harsh man who upheld the full responsibilities of ruling with both dignity and grace.
Four races had come together to form the Earth Federation borne out of the desire to never be enslaved again.
Humanity as the strongest of the four races had to set an example and lead with both strength and justice.
Crowning a new ruler was a momentous occasion and the heir was decided by a ritual of combat to showcase the cultivation potential of the future king or queen.
The administrative work of running an empire could always be handled by capable subordinates but personal strength mattered the most.
The current emperor was not always a man who drowned himself in alcohol and sadistic pleasures but rather he was once known as Prince Rowan Sisrelis.
A handsome and promising youth whose cultivation potential and talent with the sword caused several faction to support his claim to the throne.
And when he defeated his siblings and sat on the dragon throne....
It seemed that humanity would see a new era of dominance.
But yet as the Imperial Teacher entered the bedroom of the emperor, he could see no trace of the former prince who commanded such great respect.
The emperor's father had a simple bedroom with plain furniture, but his son had decided to display the full extent of his wealth.
Beautiful paintings made by well renowned artists hung on the walls and the floor of the bedroom was made from a rare material smuggled in from the Unova Syndicate.
Rare jewels and mysterious treasures could be seen in display cases scattered around the room.
The bodies of several voluptuous women lay exhausted on the silk sheets of the enormous bed with their enormous breasts heaving fiercely as they struggled to breathe.
Whip marks, scars and intense burns could be seen on their bodies as traces of the emperor's sick desires were lay bare for all to see.
"Who the fuck let you in?" the emperor cursed loudly as he saw the imperial teacher walk inside.
He got up from under the sheets and stumbled towards the imperial teacher with a sway in his steps.
Even from a distance, one could smell the disgusting stench of sweat, sex and smoke.
The emperor was naked, and his pudgy belly and vicious smile could send shivers down the spine of any maiden.
"Didn't I tell you old fogeys not to disturb me during the day?"
"Has your hearing gone to shit?"
"Your majesty," the old man bowed respectfully, and no trace of emotions could be seen on his face as he patiently listened to the scolding.
"This subject simply wishes to know what the purpose was for calling a meeting with the heirs of major noble families."
"Forgive this foolish one but seeing as the different factions of the court are eager to tear themselves apart... should anything happen to their heirs at the meeting...
"This anger could easily turn towards you."
Do you think that the Imperial Teacher didn't have a temper?
Dealing with the emperor was simply a necessary burden.
But this matter was just too important not to give a warning.
The emperor may be the head of humanity, but the powerful noble houses had military strength and connections that could not be underestimated.
Should the lustful emperor act on any of the heirs present in the meeting then there was no doubt in the Imperial Teacher's mind that this would be the final straw that broke the camel's back.
There was an abundance of royal heirs to the throne and it would not be the first time that a ruler had found his reign cut abruptly short.
In fact, the Imperial Teacher would not mind a new king or queen should the opportunity arise.
It was just that now was a bad time.
The Earth Federation was currently in a war with two galactic empires and despite the propaganda release via the press to the masses....
The war with the Insectoid Empire had been in a stalemate for decades now with neither side able to gain any significant advantages.
A trace of clarity flashed across the emperor's eyes and he nodded slightly before returning to the bed and engaging in more pleasurable activates.
Maybe a small piece of sanity remained as the emperor had never forcefully taken a noble daughter into his harem.
All the women who entered the imperial palace came to win the favour of the king but were left disappointed when they realised how little power actually lay in his hands.
The emperor was content to drink and play instead of gaining any sort of political power and was largely disinterested in the Federation's affairs.
The Imperial Teacher bowed once more and exited the room while hearing screams of both pain and pleasure.
He silently lamented in his heart over the disappointing man that handsome young prince had eventually grown into.
If only the Cromwell incident had never occurred....
The Imperial Teacher passed a mirror in the hall and stopped for a moment to look at his tired reflection.
A bitter old man with wrinkles caused by years of stress stared back at him.
Fighting with the stubborn Duke Peterlor and his faction who supported hybrid rights had taken a toll on his body.
Why couldn't they understand?
The Imperial Teacher did not personally hate hybrids as it was only natural that with a species as numerous as humans that some would have strange tastes.
It was just a lucky quirk of evolution that human DNA was extremely compatible with other races of the universe.
Mating with other alien species would often produce hybrid offsprings capable of reproduction.
But those.... 'things' that came from those unions....
Weren't pure bloods.
The Imperial Teacher was willing to compromise and allow them to live within the borders of the Federation but as for being in positions of power....
Those should be given to those with fully human DNA.
How could a creature with foreign blood be trusted?
One of the reasons that the Imperial Teacher tried to cancel the meeting was the rumor that Duke Peterlor's daughter would be appearing.
Yes, it was true that the ex-military commander had named his hybrid offspring as the heir to the Peterlor house, but most did not take it seriously.
But should she actually show up when summoned by the emperor....
Then that would legitimise her position in the eyes of the other major noble houses.
Something needed to be done....