Battle Of Planets

Chapter 52: The New President
In the days after Edmund’s passing, Elria held its elections in a city still steeped in grief. Seraphina couldn’t shake the feeling that the overwhelming sympathy for her loss had unfairly influenced public opinion in her favor. Yet, under mounting pressure from the political party—and Edward himself—she had little choice but to move forward.Edward had finally stepped into the background, allowing her to take center stage. With his silent support, few dared to challenge her ascent. It unsettled her, making her question why he had changed his principles, but she understood—he had to set aside everything for her sake.

As anticipated, the results were conclusive. Seraphina, the youngest president in history, took the oath of office as the 15th President of Elria, winning by a landslide. Her opponents never had a chance.

Seraphina sat in the Cabinet room, in the same chair where her father had once made decisions that shaped Elria. He had always wanted her to take up his mantle, and now she had. She had fulfilled his dream, but at what cost?

Since childhood, she had aspired to be like him, to lead as he had—but now that the dream was a reality, she felt overwhelming emotions. She clenched her fist as tears streamed down her cheeks while she struggled to hold back her crying.

She heard a knock at the door.

”P-President—” A young woman’s voice came from the doorway.

Seraphina quickly wiped her tears and turned away, trying to compose herself as best as possible.

The secretary, Lucy, clutched a stack of files in her arms and peeked. She had never seen a president cry before—not that she had much experience; this was her first time serving under one.

”Are you okay, Miss President?” Lucy asked cautiously.

”I’m fine,” Seraphina replied. ”What brings you here?”

”S-someone is here to see you.”

”Let them know I’m busy.”

”But—”

Seraphina’s piercing glare halted Lucy mid-sentence. The young woman swallowed nervously before nodding. ”Y-Yeah, Miss President.” She quickly turned and left.

Seraphina was alone once more as she let out a shaky breath. Her gaze fell on the framed photograph of her father, which she had placed on the desk, positioned just in front of Elria’s flag.

”I did it, Father,” she whispered, her fingers lightly grazing the frame. ”I’m the next President... but why aren’t you here to see this?”

”Please, try to understand!” Lucy pleaded, but before she could finish, the door swung open, and Alex strode in as though he owned the place.

Seraphina shook her head, unfazed by his typical indifference. ”Do you even know how to knock?”

”I’m her husband,” Alex said nonchalantly.

”Not yet,” Seraphina corrected, raising an eyebrow.

Alex smirked, but before he could respond, she continued, ”And this is the President’s office, not our home.”

From the doorway, Tyson peeked inside, his wide eyes scanning the grand office. He had been here once or twice before, but back then, Edmund and his master had always been present. Their imposing presence made it difficult for him to absorb the space truly. Now, standing here with Seraphina at the desk, it felt different.

”Do I need to make an appointment?” Tyson asked hesitantly.

Seraphina’s expression softened. ”No, you’re family,” she said gently. ”Come inside.”

Alex rolled his eyes at the apparent favoritism. ”Unbelievable.”

”Don’t give me that look,” Seraphina teased, her arms crossed. ”He at least asked for permission—unlike someone else.”

Alex scoffed but didn’t say anything as she stood up, shifting her attention to Tyson, who had begun to wander around, admiring the intricate details of the office.

”Wow, this is historic,” Tyson murmured, his fingers gliding over the polished wood of the desk.

Seraphina exhaled, her gaze drifting to the flag of Elria. ”Yeah... we made history.”

She caught Lucy’s eye and gave a small nod, silently dismissing her. The secretary hesitated but, realizing she was no longer needed, bowed slightly and stepped out, leaving the three of them alone.

”So, what’s it like to be president?” Tyson asked, casually leaning against the desk.

Seraphina released a soft sigh. ”I’m afraid,” she confessed.

She moved closer to Alex and wrapped her arms around him. He readily returned the embrace. ”And feeling a bit anxious.”

”Why?” Alex asked, gently resting his chin on her head.

Seraphina stepped back slightly to give him a meaningful look. ”What do you mean, why? All day long, I have to face bizarre things and even weirder people.”

”That sounds really strange,” Tyson joked from across the room.

His attention shifted to a small device on her table. It resembled a tiny metallic hourglass, with the digital time ticking backward, indicating two and a half years. ”What is this?”

Seraphina glanced at it. ”It’s a copy of Death Mountain that appeared centuries ago.”

”Every President’s office has one,” she added, stepping away from Alex.

”So it’s true?” Alex murmured as he collapsed onto the nearby sofa, his arms resting behind his head.

”Of course,” Sera added, ”There is a mountain like Hourglass, probably bigger.”

A sudden, strong knock interrupted them once more.

The door swung open, and Edward stepped inside, closely followed by Liora. She appeared exhausted, yet her tired smile radiated warmth towards him.

”There she is—my beautiful daughter,” Liora beamed as she walked directly to Seraphina, enveloping her warmly. This time, her smile radiated pride. ”I always believed you had what it took. He must be so proud of you.”

”Really?” Seraphina’s voice trembled as if she was genuinely seeking reassurance.

”Yes,” Liora said without hesitation.

Edward lightly taunted with his hands in his pockets. ”Yeah, I know that idiot. I’m sure he’s watching us right now.”

A profound silence ensued. Tyson’s eyes scanned the room while Alex bowed his head, fixating on the ground.

No one voiced it, but they all sensed the presence of the man they had lost, lingering in the room, watching over them.

Edward looked out the window behind the desk. ”He did all he could,” he said. ”He made mistakes, yes. But he also made some of the best decisions for this city. And now... it’s your turn.”

Tyson stilled.

Edward wasn’t just speaking to Seraphina but also addressing him and Alex. The older generation had fulfilled their role. It was up to them to carry the legacy forward, whether they desired to or not.

”Can I do it?” Seraphina asked, though it felt like she was voicing their doubts.

Edward turned to her and said, ”You have to.”

His tone remained steadfast. ”You can either do it your way or allow this world to impose itself on you.”

”There will be criticism,” Liora added, stepping beside Edward. ”Some people will hate you, while others will love you. But you must never let any of it go to your head. Be like your father—he was always good at that.”

Seraphina swallowed hard. She had always admired her father’s ability to handle challenges, his unwavering stance no matter the situation. Could she genuinely do the same?

Edward sighed and crossed his arms. ”I don’t know much about politics,” he admitted, ”but I do know that if you ever need me, I’ll be there for all of you.”

Seraphina met his gaze and nodded slightly.

She now held the reins of the city. Soon enough, there would be people waiting to bring her down—those who would complicate her job and blame her for things she hadn’t done.

But she had to prepare for everything.

”Thank you, Uncle, for standing behind me,” Seraphina said sincerely.

”Don’t mention it... and yes, call me Dad from now on,” Edward said with a smirk, waving it off. Seraphina smiled; she was now part of the family. ”And as for you two... get ready—you’re about to be officially ranked as Sergeants.”

Tyson’s jaw almost dropped to the floor.

Sergeant?

That meant joining the Association, undergoing structured training, completing assignments, and adhering to discipline... But what about his tranquil school life? What about sleeping in without a worry in the world?

Then, the vision of the president’s death flashed in his mind.

He clenched his fist.

There was no turning back.

Tyson nodded, just like Alex, who never wanted to start from the bottom.

Alex had always dreamed of reaching Power Point 30 to skip the ranks and become a Lieutenant. That way, he wouldn’t have to take orders from anyone. But now? That didn’t matter anymore. He just wanted to be ready for whatever lay ahead.

Tyson absentmindedly rubbed his Meta-Bot, sensing the energy within it. His Power Point had risen to 17 due to the brutal battles he had faced. It felt as though the fights themselves had rewarded him for his survival. Meanwhile, Alex stood at 23.

For the first time, Tyson didn’t compare their points.

They weren’t against each other.

No—regardless of how they fought, argued, or teased each other, they were in this together.

Like it or not.

[ Ranks

Trainees – 1 to 15 power points (also the ones who are not officially taken duty as rangers yet)

Sergeants – 15 to 30 power points

Lieutenant – 30 to 45 power points

Captain – 45 to 55 power points

General – 55+ ]