"According to protocol, should I go see your father?" Muria, standing on the void battleship, looked at Gladys beside him. The honor guard flanking the star gate clearly indicated a direction for him to proceed.
That direction led to the very center of the imperial capital, where the palace of the current emperor of the Uranos Empire, Sandra Chris, was located.
"Normally, when royal family members return from a void battle, the emperor meets them and holds a celebration banquet." The princess, with a somewhat tired look in her eyes, gazed at Muria's near-perfect profile, feeling slightly disappointed. "And the reason you are here is entirely because of me. So, if you don't want to, you can leave now. As a participant in this otherworld war, I barely qualify to be received and rewarded by my father."
"Wouldn't that be awkward?" Muria touched his chin. "Besides your father, who else will be there?"
"All major nobles of marquis rank or higher will project their images or avatars to follow my father and greet the victors of the otherworld expedition. Those who can come in person will do so."
"So, I should go see your father then!" Muria smacked his lips. Leaving for Synapse immediately would be too disrespectful. Although he could chat casually with the founding epic emperor, he didn't need to care about this emperor's attitude.
However, considering how much face they've given him, such as lending him five billion units of elemental crystals through the Deep Blue Chamber of Commerce and fully activating the warship production lines at the eight void shipyards to produce void battleships for him, Muria didn't believe this happened without the current emperor's instructions.
Since they have shown him such respect, he must reciprocate. It's not about repaying a drop of water with a spring; at least, there should be mutual respect.
Therefore, Muria led a fully assembled void fleet and, following Gladys' instructions, flew along the long path of triumph toward the imperial palace to meet the emperor who had secretly favored him.
"Who is this? Black hair and golden eyes, definitely a member of the royal family, but why don't I recognize him at all?"
The grand spectacle attracted the attention of the dignitaries living in the noble district around the imperial city. They flew into the sky to watch Muria collectively. After seeing Muria's face, they communicated mentally and expressed their opinions.
"Look who's standing behind him. You can guess."
"The seventh princess, Gladys!"
"So, this is the rumored Titan that Gladys has hooked up with?"
"Watch your words, she's the princess."
"What are you afraid of? We're communicating mentally, they can't hear us. Will you report me?"
"What a heroic figure. If I could, I'd also like to hook up with him. With a Titan's physique and strength, it should be an unforgettable experience."
"Hehe, can you handle a Titan's true form? With your small size..."
"Stop dreaming, Titans wouldn't look at you. Titans are known for their fighting prowess, but their mate selection is as picky as unicorns."
"No touching non-virgins? Who told you that?"
Not to mention the increasingly off-topic discussions among the nobles, Muria, accompanied by Gladys, walked into the imperial palace. His fleet was parked outside.
This is a world ruled by strength. Many taboos of feudal dynasties in Muria's previous life do not exist here. Nobles and generals entering the palace can wear armor and carry weapons as they please. Muria's fleet parked in front of the palace is not a big deal.
Strength lies within oneself. Rulers have power matching their status, so certain regulations are not just loose; they simply don't exist.
"Greetings, Father!" Upon entering the palace, Gladys gracefully bowed to the imposing figure on the imperial throne without saying much. If she had defeated the Dragon Princess in a duel, she would be more active, but she kept a low profile this time.
"Mm!" Unlike the bowing princess, Muria felt scrutinizing gazes upon him as soon as he entered the palace.
This was a form of provocation! Muria perceived these looks as akin to elders scrutinizing juniors, superiors looking down on subordinates, or predecessors viewing newcomers. But who are you people? What gives you the right to look at me like this? Do we have any blood relation?
So, Muria unleashed all his aura, glaring back without backing down, leading to an awkward situation.
According to protocol, when royalty returns in triumph, major nobles join the emperor in welcoming and celebrating them. But due to their high status and busy schedules, many nobles couldn't be present in person. They often appeared in the palace as elemental avatars or magical projections, pre-set and connectable to their consciousness.
With status and power, the closer to the emperor, the stronger the avatar or projection. Therefore, those closer to Muria were relatively weaker.
So, when Muria unleashed his pressure and glared back, all the major nobles' projections around him were crushed, leading to a silent and awkward scene in the palace.
However, Muria seemed oblivious to this awkwardness. After releasing his substantial pressure, he continued glaring up the line. This was his response to those scrutinizing looks.
"Bang!" "Bang!" The sounds of small explosions kept occurring, making Gladys' gaze somewhat dazed. In her memory, no one had ever dared to be so brazen in the imperial palace.
"Outrageous! What is this guy trying to do?"
"Who is this person? So arrogant!"
"Damn it!"
In various locations within the Uranos Empire, whether in massive castles, towering mage towers, or luxurious mansions, nobles whose projections in the palace were crushed by Muria's mere aura roared in anger. They were furious and activated the teleportation arrays connected to the capital, determined to find out who this person emerging from the royal star gate was.
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