Chapter 124 - I'm Being Avoided

Emery didn't ask about the emperor's words to let him a mark, that was a great responsibility and a lot of pressure. Ade didn't talk about it anymore either, he knew that if he talked about it he would scare his omega.

If Emery marked the emperor as his, he would be running directly for the position of empress, he didn't even know if he would stay that long in the mortal world, so he would only cause trouble for himself and the emperor.

Of course, if Ade dared to imagine what Emery thought he would probably be heartbroken and lost, what would he do when his omega left?

Fortunately, the emperor could not read Emery's mind.

The days passed quickly, when Gyasi learned of what happened he himself went to the imperial headquarters and ordered his men to conduct an investigation and arrest anyone suspected of having ties to other nobles, especially if the nobles are from the opposition.

Of course, he can only do this with the approval of the emperor and the prime minister.

Which added an extra workload, luckily he had Juma Berta to help him investigate each suspect's background, he just needed to follow his subordinates' interrogations online while he himself was working on the Concubine Jang Case.

Only it kept him almost away from his palace for longer, Mu Liang could only communicate with video calls once a day. That's when Gyasi was dealing with the case of the imperial guards, when he was on the case of Concubine Jang, he couldn't contact anyone.

It had been three weeks since he had seen Gyasi in person, to say that poor Prince Mu wasn't climbing the walls1 would be a big lie, luckily, with his busy schedule of studies, dancing, and etiquette, he only regretted it when night fell.

The prime minister who is usually a pacifist and had serious problems with the military, he didn't get involved this time, he had to agree that challenging the emperor's authority without proof and in such a humiliating way had to have consequences.

Also, the poor man has too many problems on his hands at the moment, like coordinating the open market renovation and investigating the old tunnels used in the wartime, they had to reinforce the security of those places that were once used by the Silver Angels and by the Rebels, this was a disgrace to the empire.

"Is your Majesty really going to let yourself be marked by Mr Emery?" the prime minister asked when he was alone in the emperor's office.

Keita Azekel is a man in his fifties, which is to say he looked like a 30-year-old man since the Zerg Diablos' life was so long, he will stay looking like this for another 50 years. Skin the color of noblest ebony, eyes more inwardly slanted which gave him a soulful and almost sad look most of the time, adding his softer features and delicate lines to a recessive omega, lips red as apples ripe and the irises of a soft malt tone.

A handsome man who had an inspiring charisma, as well as a wisdom envied by many.

Unlike many who have a noble family, Keita came from a family of fallen nobles who are now businessmen. Only then could he rise to the position of prime minister.

The emperor comes from the imperial family, but the prime minister is elected by the people, as well as governors and mayors. Just as the emperor's council has representatives of civilians and nobles, these civil representatives are also elected every four years to represent the will of the people.

There was also a parliamentary commission to create laws and to be a barrier to the ambition of many executives, they were elected every eight years. The prime minister is elected every 10 years and can be reelected up to twice.

State parliaments and the legislative Assembly of prefectures are elected every six years. Governors and mayors are also elected every 5 years.

Elections for prime minister will take place next year, hopefully after the marriage between Gyasi and Mu Liang. Things are heated up thanks to the terrorist attacks and the great popular unrest, Keita Azekel was aware that he would probably not be re-elected in the next election because of all that.

Unless the empire dealt well with the Rebels and gave the just punishments and the right rewards, but with so many scandals happening at the same time, Keita doubted he could take care of the Rebels quickly.

"If he wanted to tag me that would be great" Ade said helplessly, he turned off the programs and closed the files, putting his head on the desk, he looked quite tired and desolate.

"He doesn't want to be empress?" Keita asked not looking at the emperor, but looking at the things he had to do in his electronic diary.

"I don't know, after what happened to him, I don't think he even wants to be here," Ade said even more helplessly. Emery started distancing himself from him, they didn't do anything for a whole week, which made Ade even more stressed and worried.

"It's understandable, who would want to be treated with such unfairness when defending themselves... What would remind me, your majesty, of what that shadow was?" Keita asked turning off the electronic organizer and looking at the big man behind the desk.

"It's still being studied, as it looks like a living being, but it doesn't have the vital signs of any of the species we have cataloged"

"Your Majesty, have you thought to ask Mr. Emery?"

"Keita, do you also distrust Emery?" Ade asked looking at his prime minister who had an emotional look, but with such a cold expression that any emotion was merely an observer's illusion.

"That's not your majesty, just as he held the shadow, he might know what this creature is"

"I'll ask him, even though I'm avoiding arguing about this matter, even if I know the answer and pass it along to others, there will still be people who will say that Emery is the creator of such a mess..."

Ade felt another headache coming on, he really wanted to throw it all away to focus on more useful things like developing and selling Ethereal Crystal mining technology, which are often used to make Mechas cores or even visit building the new open-air market place and paying your respects to the dead by the Rebels' new onslaught, any of those things would be less worrisome than broaching this subject with Emery and dealing with the gossip later.

"Your majesty, if you will allow me to give you advice. Your majesty, you must be more honest with Mr. Emery and speak of all problems before broaching the subject of the shadow, so he will know that your majesty does not distrust him. Besides, Mr. Emery seems to me a very reasonable person, he at least didn't make any scandal with such injustice when others would have at least asked for Miss Chara's head."

"The involvement of my great-uncle and uncle would be enough for Miss Chara's head not to fall off. She was just transferred to another sector, I can no longer trust her to be the leader of the imperial guards" Ade said with a sigh, he leaned back in his chair and looked at the ceiling.

"Your majesty, does this mean a tournament is about to begin?"

"Yes, many important positions in the imperial guard will have to be replaced by new personnel. Background investigation needs to be done and after selection, there will be a new tournament to determine everyone's strength." Ade seemed a little more excited on the subject.

The tournament of the imperial guard was for the newly elected to important positions to show their strength in front of their subordinates and to shine for the emperor and the imperial family in general.

Of course, this type of tournament was born out of the necessity of warfare centuries ago, becoming a tradition. However, in Ehione's empire this tradition had another goal that was more peaceful and became fun for everyone involved.

Being broadcast to the entire Diablo empire almost like a sporting event, which will take a few weeks of advertising campaign after the selection of new professionals for the important positions, in addition, these selected would have the faces known throughout the empire.

What also helped to compose the investigation of the Background had been an idea of ​​the Emperor Ehione, which would facilitate discovering corruption and if they had forged the Background.

The selected imperial guards are usually from ordinary civilians or low-status nobles who would have no influence over the imperial family, so the civilians were passionate every time this event took place.

Ade is awakened from his thoughts when he feels Keita touching his hair, he looks at the other surprised only to see that the other is holding a kind of sticker that had stuck to his hair white as the nebulae, when he had laid down on the desk.

"Thanks…" Ade started to speak only for the door to open and show Emery an unfriendly look at the two men in the office.

Keita Azekel felt the heavy gaze of the recessive omega, of course, he knew this person was being territorial right now, so he wisely said nothing and walked away from the emperor.

Unlike Alphas, omegas didn't use brute force in their territorialist disputes, they used mental power which can be even more dangerous, but it was less noisy and someone who wasn't an omega only noticed what was happening when one of the parties got hurt .

"Let's have dinner!" Emery said keeping a sharp eye on Keita, his voice was so cold and he was ordering the emperor.

Ade was surprised by Emery's sudden change in demeanor, who behaved much of the time with arrogance, pride and of course had a lazy demeanor much of the time.

"Then I will withdraw, your majesty, Sir Emery" Keita said bowing respectfully to the emperor, he walked calmly, despite feeling the urge to run away and light a candle for the emperor.

It wasn't Emery's intention to crash the emperor's meeting with the prime minister, but he smelled a recessive omega in the office. Omegas can smell the pheromones of other omegas, even if they wear chokers, just as an Alpha can smell another Alpha.

Emery shouldn't have cared, as he was ignoring the emperor, keeping a distance so the other wouldn't broach the subject of marking him again, but just to think that Ade might be in a relationship with that recessive omega he couldn't avoid feeling lonely and jealous, so he entered the emperor's office uneducated.

Fortunately, Keita Azekel was a very patient person and understood the situation quickly, so he didn't feel offended, but he thought the imperial couple was too complicated, maybe it was for the good that he wouldn't be reelected next year.

While Emery and Ade would have to have a rather long conversation and Keita Azekel was going to the inner garden of the palace, in Gyasi Palace, Mu Liang was facing a strange situation.

Mu Liang stared into the eyes of orange irises like a fire of Duke Adowa, they were even going to dinner together now. This was a very surreal situation, having dinner with an "ex" enemy.