Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Nobles and high-ranking officers sat tensely around the round table before the throne, their faces etched with fear and unease.

Just yesterday, they had witnessed something terrifying unfold above the castle. It was unlike anything they had ever encountered.

They knew, deep down, that something was wrong with their new Emperor. Now, summoned abruptly to the throne room, an ominous sense of dread hung over them.

"Does anyone know why His Majesty has called us here?" one of the nobles asked, his voice trembling as his eyes darted nervously around the room.

"N-No," another stammered, clutching the arms of his chair as though holding on for dear life. "I-I just pray he doesn't... execute us."

"Execute us?!" a third noble exclaimed, his voice cracking with panic. "W-Why in the heavens would he do that?"

"I-I don't know," the first replied, his hands trembling. "But I have this horrible feeling... like something terrible is about to happen."

They continued to whisper amongst themselves, their speculation growing wilder with each passing moment.

Then, the doors to the chamber swung open, and the room fell deathly quiet.

Victor entered with a commanding presence, his footsteps echoing against the marble floor. All eyes turned to him, and a collective gasp escaped the group.

"Who... who is that?" one noble whispered, his voice barely audible.

Victor smirked, the kind of smirk that sent shivers down their spines. Without a word, he walked to the throne with an air of grace and authority. The way he carried himself was almost otherworldly especially after his mutated body... As he reached the throne, he lowered himself into it with a fluid, confident motion. His gaze swept over the room,

"You may sit down," he said, his tone calm yet commanding.

It was as though his words bypassed their minds and spoke directly to their bodies; they all sat immediately, some not even realizing they had done so.

Victor gestured toward Lyirrs, who stood beside Drakhairs. She stepped forward and began distributing documents to the nobles. As each person glanced at the papers before them, their eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

"This... this can't be true,"

"W-What is the meaning of this, Sir?" another noble asked, desperation creeping into his tone.

"T-There's no way... Surely, this must be some mistake..."

Victor let out a small sigh, leaning forward slightly as he rested his chin on his hand. "I assure you, this is no mistake," he said, his voice carrying an unsettling calm. "The collapse of our empire was always destined to happen. It was inevitable. That is why we must act now to save ourselves. Even the Sovereign... will not be able to stop this."

"W-What?! Not even the Sovereign can stop it?"

"A-Are we all going to die?"

One of the nobles began to scream, "NOOO—!" but his outburst was abruptly silenced when Drakhairs fixed him with a menacing glare. The man snapped his mouth shut and cowed into silence.

Drakhairs turned to Victor. "May I, Sir?"

Victor gave a small nod.

Drakhairs stepped forward, He took a deep breath before speaking. "According to His Majesty's calculations, the collision is imminent. However, we do have some time to act—"

"How much time?" someone interjected hurriedly, their voice laced with panic.

Drakhairs hesitated for a brief moment before answering, "Roughly two or three months." though in reality, they weren't sure, Victor roughly calculated his own time.

A collective gasp swept through the room. Their faces turned pale as the weight of his words sank in.

"No... this can't be happening..."

"Only two or three months?!"

Drakhairs cleared his throat, "That is why Our Mighty Emperor has presented us with two options," he said. "The first is to gather the people of your domains and teleport them to another empire as refugees."

The room fell silent. The nobles exchanged uneasy glances, some nodding hesitantly as if they could see no other choice.

"But," Drakhairs continued, his voice growing firmer, "if you choose to stay in this empire—the empire that has nurtured you, given you power, and provided for you—then you must help us."

"Help you?" one noble spat, his fear giving way to anger. "How could we possibly help? Even the Sovereign couldn't do anything! And you expect us to succeed?"

"Calm yourself," Lyirrs interjected, her voice sharp but controlled. She gestured toward another set of documents on the table. "Please, take a look at these."

The nobles scrambled to examine the papers, their eyes scanning the diagrams and plans laid out before them. Their confusion turned to shock.

"Thrusters?" one of them murmured, his brow furrowing. "You're suggesting we build thrusters to move the entire empire?"

"Yes," Lyirrs replied with a nod. "According to His Majesty's calculations, it is possible. As long as we construct these thrusters, we can avoid the collision."

"But... are you certain this will work? Even the Sovereign couldn't prevent this disaster!" another noble exclaimed.

Lyirrs glanced at Victor, who gave her a subtle nod. She took a deep breath before answering, "We estimate there is a fifty percent chance of success."

Gasps and murmurs filled the room once more.

"Fifty percent?!"

"That's it? You expect us to risk our lives for a fifty-fifty chance?"

The nobles began to mutter amongst themselves, their voices a mix of fear, anger, and despair. Fifty percent was far from the certainty they had hoped for.

"I think it would be impossible to create those things in just a few months," one noble muttered, his voice laced with doubt.

"Y-Yeah… I think so too. It's just a waste of resources," another added, shaking his head as the murmurs of discontent rippled through the room.

Drakhairs cracked his knuckles, "Looks like you spineless cowards are ready to abandon the empire that gave you everything," he sneered, his tone dripping with disdain.

One noble scoffed loudly, his lips curling in contempt, "Gave me everything? Don't make me laugh. I earned what I have through my own hard work. The empire didn't hand me anything on a silver platter like it did for others." He rose to his feet and bowed deeply before Victor, though his voice trembled with a mixture of fear and defiance. "P-Please, Your Majesty... grant me permission to leave this doomed empire. I'd rather live as a refugee in another land than die here."

Victor's gaze settled on the man, unreadable and piercing. He could see the selfishness driving the noble's plea!

He just wants to live... just like others!

"Very well," he said at last, his voice steady. "You may leave the empire."

The noble let out a sigh of relief so deep it was almost a sob. Without hesitation, he turned and walked out of the hall.

The other nobles blinked in astonishment, exchanging wary glances. They had expected Victor to pressure the man, perhaps even use his power to compel obedience. But instead, he let him go—just like that.

And that was all it took.

One by one, the remaining nobles rose and excused themselves, their movements a mix of fear and relief. Within minutes, the throne hall was nearly empty.

Victor watched in silence as the last of them left, his expression unreadable. Only a handful remained at the table now, and they were the older ones—those whose loyalty to the empire, their gratitude etched into every line of their weathered faces.

Victor sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair, 'They left… just like that' he thought bitterly before glancing at Drakhairs. "Did I… do the right thing, Drakhairs?"

"Pardon, sir?" Drakhairs asked, visibly taken aback by the question.

"I mean… from your perspective," Victor clarified. "Did I handle that well? Or did I mess up?"

Drakhairs blinked, surprised by the rare vulnerability in Victor's tone. He considered the question carefully before responding, "While I acknowledge your intent to bring honesty and transparency to the empire, I believe the situation could have been handled better, sir.... You could have used force on them! We could not lose people now of all time."

The remaining nobles held their breath, bracing for an outburst. They half-expected Drakhairs to lose his head—literally—for such bluntness. But instead—

"I see..." Victor murmured softly, nodding to himself, 'I have a lot to learn,' he thought.

Lyirrs, who had been silently observing, hesitated before raising her hand. "If I may, Your Majesty?"

Victor gestured for her to speak.

"I believe Your Majesty's actions were perfect," she said with conviction. "By offering them a choice, you ensured that those who might betray the empire in the future revealed their true colours. Those who left were likely to be liabilities when real danger struck. This way, you've weeded out the weak and untrustworthy."

Her father raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by her view.

Lyirrs smirked slightly. "This was a strategic decision, intentional or not, and it will benefit the empire in the long run."

Victor was surprised it wasn't that intent… he just gave them options.

Victor's lips curved into a faint grin as he regarded her, 'Not bad...'

Lyirrs flinched under his gaze, her cheeks flushing pink as she quickly lowered her head.

[+4000 AP]

Victor's voice broke the silence. "Very well. Announce this to the rest of the populace. Let them decide their fates. However, make sure to document every single person who chooses to leave. Once they've gone, they are not to be allowed back into the empire under any circumstances."

Lyirrs nodded firmly, her determination shining through. "I'll handle it, Sir!"

Victor gave her a brief nod before sitting back. "Now that the important matter is dealt with, let's address what happened yesterday. I'm sure all of you are curious." He clapped his hands sharply, and the sound resonated through the hall.

"Let's welcome… the Empress of this empire!"

Thud!

The doors to the chamber opened, and everyone's eyes widened in awe as....

Striking violet horns curve upward like a crown of power, glowing faintly with an ominous light. Her hair flows in cascading waves of deep dark red like lava.

Her mismatched eyes—one a pitch black and the other a crimson red... made everyone tremble.

Her attire is a masterpiece of dark elegance, a form-fitting black dress interwoven with intricate purple patterns that radiate arcane energy. The armour-like details on her shoulders and arms, while the plunging neckline and carefully tailored fit. [Image in Comment]

She walked towards the throne and stood before Victor who rose from the throne and kissed her forehead before motioning her to sit.

With a small smile, she nodded softly and, seated on her obsidian throne... Legs crossed, one hand resting lightly yet authoritatively on the armrest.

Victor's voice held an amused and dangerous edge as he declared, "From this moment forward, she will rule this empire. If anyone has any objections..." He paused, his grin turning wicked, " Hehe... You're welcome to voice them now."

The remaining nobles flinched, their instincts screaming at them to stay silent. Then, in unison, they fell to their knees, shouting,

"ALL HAIL THE DRAGON EMPRESS!"

Raven's expression was indifferent as she shook her head, "Neither Dragon… nor Phoenix....

It's Draconyx," she corrected in a cool, detached tone.

Drakhairs' eyes widened as the realization struck him, 'That hybrid…' His face paled as the truth settled in, 'A mixture of Dragon and Phoenix...' Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire

The others slowly pieced it together as well, their awe and fear doubling. They shouted again, louder this time,

"ALL HAIL THE DRACONYX EMPRESS!"

Raven finally smiled, leaning back on the throne. She murmured softly, "It feels weird…."

Victor chuckled, his gaze flickering toward Thalia and Emberlyn, who stood in the corner with tears of joy streaming down their faces.