Legacy of the Void Fleet

Just as his subordinate had left, Duke Flexmy opened a new channel—one that connected directly to the Star Emperor, who was currently on the imperial planet of the Star Race Empire.

The emperor was in his imperial office, managing affairs of the empire while simultaneously monitoring the fleet he had dispatched with Duke Flexmy. He also kept a close eye on their so-called alliance members, making sure they were sticking to the agreed-upon plans and not deviating from what had been discussed.

Suddenly, a 3D projection of Duke Flexmy appeared at the corner of his vision. The Duke knelt and said, ”Emperor…”

The Star Emperor, noticing the unexpected contact, initially assumed there might be progress. However, upon seeing the solemn expression on Duke Flexmy’s face, he immediately understood that something unexpected must have happened—something serious. Otherwise, the duke would not carry such a grim look.

After processing the situation, the Emperor spoke, ”Stand up, Duke.”

But the duke didn’t rise. Instead, he only lifted his head to face the emperor while remaining kneeling to the side.

He spoke solemnly, ”My Emperor, things are not going well on my side. Though we have arrived as per your orders and are currently stationed in a star system near the Holy Region Sector…”

”But…”

”We can’t make our move—or even approach the Holy Region Sector. The situation has deteriorated far beyond expectations. Entering the region and engaging those unknown enemies and their ships is currently not possible…”

The Star Emperor’s eyes opened slightly wider, and a faint frown began to form on his face as multiple thoughts raced through his mind in the blink of an eye. Yet, he couldn’t think of any clear explanation himself, so he asked directly.

His voice remained calm and unaffected on the surface, though beneath that composed tone was a trace of concern—or perhaps something close to it. It was subtle, but it was there.

”Why do you say it is not possible, Duke? Is there a problem? Is something preventing you and the fleet from entering the Holy Region?”

Duke Flexmy was mildly surprised that the Emperor had guessed it so accurately—but upon reflection, he realized it was the most obvious conclusion to draw.

He nodded, pushing aside his thoughts, and replied, ”Indeed, it is just as you suspected, my Emperor. The mana cloud that the Minotaur informed us about—the one he claimed would dissipate—still remains.”

”But that is not the actual problem, Emperor. If it were just the mana cloud, no matter how intense it might be, we could have passed through it, suffering only minimal damage to our fleet’s shielding systems.”

He paused and looked at the Emperor, who nodded in understanding and gestured for him to continue.

With a sigh, Duke Flexmy continued, ”It’s not the mana cloud, my Emperor… it’s the spatial instability we’ve detected inside the cloud surrounding the Holy Region. That is what’s preventing us from moving in. Even our ships cannot enter those unstable zones. As you know, if we attempt it, the consequences for the fleet could be catastrophic…”

”Understanding the situation, I chose not to proceed. I didn’t want to risk the loss of our fleet’s ships because of a hasty decision,” Duke Flexmy explained firmly.

The Star Emperor nodded again, but this time his previously calm demeanor had faded. His expression turned serious as he spoke.

”You did the right thing by holding your position. Moving in recklessly could have resulted in catastrophic consequences and unnecessary losses for our fleet… However, this still puts us in a difficult situation.”

He sighed. ”Let’s set that aside for now—we’ll deal with it later. Tell me, do you have any information on how long it might take for the spatial instability to completely dissipate so that you can advance?”

”Emperor, I anticipated that and had our systems and specialized modules conduct a full scan and analysis,” Duke Flexmy responded.

The Star Emperor’s eyes lit up with a hint of hope. ”Oh? Then tell me—were the results acceptable?”

Duke Flexmy shook his head. ”Unfortunately, no, my Emperor. According to the analysis, it would take anywhere from 14 to 15 days for the spatial storm to completely disappear. However, even after that, the mana cloud will still remain, surrounding the star system…”

”And from the reports—which are only estimates, Emperor—it could take even more than 14 days. But it won’t be less than that. We’re certain of this based on the intensity of the spatial storm,” Duke Flexmy explained.

The faint light of hope in the Emperor’s eyes instantly vanished. He let his back fall completely against his chair as he muttered, ”Fourteen to fifteen days… and even that might change.”

He exhaled heavily, his tone growing grim.

”This… this is going to be a serious problem. Fourteen days is more than enough for those watching eyes—already focused on us due to our sudden movement and the fleet deployment to the Galactic Rim, under your command, Duke—to catch on.”

”And for now, it’s only our fleet stationed there… but that will soon change. Our alliance members’ fleets will be moving in as well, joining yours in just a few days.”

”At that point, those eyes will undoubtedly realize what we’re trying to conceal. And when that happens, the entire Holy Region will be exposed… and the situation will spiral completely out of our control.”

He let out a frustrated sigh.

”Looks like… we made our move too quickly.”

He spoke, and Duke Flexmy was silently surprised—he had just been thinking the exact same thing not long ago.

”What should I do to change the current situation?” the Emperor muttered to himself. ”If things remain as they are… it will truly turn disastrous for us—unless something major happens to shift the tide…”

And just then, as if a light had suddenly switched on, a thought—no, an idea—flashed through the Star Emperor’s mind the very moment he spoke of something major needing to happen.

He then spoke, his voice calm and composed.

”Duke, here’s what we’ll do. Wait for six to seven more days—just enough time for the allied fleets to arrive and join you in the star system you’re currently stationed in. If the situation improves during that time, good. But if not…”

He paused briefly, his eyes narrowing with resolve.

”Then we’ll make our move. We’ll obliterate the Minotaur Clan.”

Duke Flexmy’s eyes widened slightly at the sudden declaration.

”At the same time,” the Emperor continued, ”I’ll leak a rumor—one stating that the Minotaur Clan provided us with false information. That they deceived us. That they played us.”

His expression turned cold.

”Yes, it will damage the reputation of our race. To be fooled by a lowly clan like the Minotaur’s… our glorious image will take a hit. But that will be enough to distract the others. It will explain our fleet’s presence in the Galactic Rim. It will mislead them—justify our movements without revealing the truth.”

When Duke Flexmy heard this unorthodox idea, a star-like gleam of realization lit up in his eyes. He was stunned. This was a strategy he never expected from the Emperor—the man who valued pride and the image of their race above all else. And yet, here he was, willing to sacrifice it himself… just to mislead others.

But a question arose in his mind, and he voiced it respectfully.

”My Emperor, if I may… While this may work in our favor, what about our partners—the Dark Elven Empire, the Forger Guild, the Alchemy Association, and the Mountain Dwarf Clan? They too will be moving forces into the region, just like us. Eyes are already watching them. Won’t this plan be counterproductive if they’re also involved?”

The Star Emperor nodded slowly, acknowledging the point. ”That is indeed a valid question, Duke. But they will follow suit—because they must. If they don’t want to lose their share of the benefits… they’ll act accordingly.”

He leaned forward slightly, his voice laced with confidence.

”After all, what is pride and image… when placed beside benefits far greater than either? Trust me. They’ll play along.”

He looked directly at Duke Flexmy.

”Leave it to me.”

Duke Flexmy nodded solemnly. ”I understand, Emperor. I’ll carry out your instructions as you command.”

He paused briefly, then added with a hint of hesitation, ”But, my Emperor… won’t the rumor you plan to release cause unrest within our own people? You know how proud our race is. While you and I understand that this decision is made for the greater good—for the protection and future of our race—others won’t see it that way.”

”There may be other Dukes, nobles even, who will try to take advantage of the situation. They may attempt to stir chaos within the Empire. While they might not be strong enough to challenge the royal family directly, the unrest they cause could be enough to draw your attention away at a critical moment…”

The Star Emperor looked at Duke Flexmy’s sincere and worried expression, then responded with a solemn nod.

”I know how our race is, Flexmy.