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. I know their pride… but we must do this. The deception must appear real. Only then will it have the necessary effect. Only then will the others believe it—believe that we were truly misled. If there’s even a hint that we faked it… the plan will fail.”

He leaned back slightly, his tone turning colder.

“As for the other Dukes and nobles… let them try. Let them cause as much chaos as they want. I will do my best to keep things under control.”

His eyes gleamed, and a twisted grin formed on his face.

“But once we succeed… once everything is in place… we will make it clear to everyone that it was all part of our plan. And then…”

He chuckled darkly.

“Hehehe…”

The Star Emperor laughed—a low, sinister sound that sent a chill through the air.Even Duke Flexy, who was countless light-years away and present only as a holographic projection, couldn’t help but shiver at the ominous sound of his Emperor’s laughter. For a brief moment, he even pitied the other dukes and nobles.

Sigh… just don’t cause too much chaos in the Star Empire, he thought silently. If you do, not only will you be punished, but your families might perish as well—along with everything they’ve built.

Still, as he imagined the chaos that would unfold, a sliver of anticipation flickered in his mind. If things played out as he predicted, not only would the Emperor emerge with greater power and respect from every citizen of the stars, but it would also provide the perfect excuse to eliminate the noble families that had long become shackles to the imperial throne.

And if that were to happen… I, Duke Flexy, would certainly benefit. He knew his Emperor well—just as ruthless in punishing betrayal, he was equally generous to those loyal to him. Standing by such a ruler could only bring rewards.

Duke Flexy, had he not been in the presence of the Emperor, would have greedily rubbed his hands together at the thought of the benefits he might gain.

Not only would he seize greater authority in the Holy Region once it was captured—after all, only his dukedom and the royal family knew of its true significance—but there was also the chaos that was bound to erupt once the Emperor released those fabricated propagandas.

But now, standing before the Star Emperor, he had to maintain the dignity befitting a Duke. Still, a pressing thought crossed his mind, and he voiced it aloud:

“My Emperor,” he began respectfully, “though this strategy might distract the major powers—some will still investigate. It’s not that we can’t handle them ourselves… it’s the mana storm. It won’t simply disappear. We can’t hide it, not when I can still feel, even from here, that both the Galactic Will and the far more omnipotent Universal Will are ever present in that place.”

“Even if we tried using arrays and runes to conceal the mana clouds, it might be interpreted as a hostile act by those two Wills.”

The Star Emperor—who had been grinning like a madman—immediately stopped laughing. His expression grew more serious with each word Duke Flexy spoke.

“Galactic Will and Universal Will, huh…” he muttered, eyes narrowing. “It’s surprising just how much focus they’re placing on the Holy Region. Usually, it’s rare for even one of them to act… but both at once?”

He fell silent for a moment before nodding slowly.

“You’re right. Those mana clouds are a problem—one we can’t simply hide or delay. But it shouldn’t matter too much.”

“The propaganda I plan to release will provide enough distraction. That should give us just enough time to take control of the Holy Region before the galactic powers realize what’s happening.”

His gaze turned sharp.

“Time… That’s what matters now. We have, at most, twenty days—six for the initial distraction, and fourteen more once the rumors spread. But no more than that. If we fail to secure the Holy Region within this window, it will become difficult—no, impossible—to take it later.”

A heavy sigh escaped the Emperor’s lips, the weight of countless ambitions pressing down on his shoulders.

Everything depended on this—his empire, his legacy, his family, and the very height of his aspirations.

Duke Flexy pressed his lips tightly, deep in thought.

Just as the Emperor stood to gain much from this endeavor, so did he. But likewise, if the Empire failed here, he too would suffer. Though perhaps not as catastrophically as the Emperor, the losses would still be immense—potentially shaking the very foundations of his dukedom.

Still… it shouldn’t be that bad, right?

We have twenty days, he reassured himself, just as His Majesty said. And with the method he devised, it might just work.

We have twenty days, he reassured himself, just as His Majesty said. And with the method he devised, it might just work.

The spatial turbulence surrounding the Holy Region—once a raging storm of distortion—had begun to weaken. That much his fleet’s instruments had confirmed. The fluctuations were gradually subsiding, becoming less volatile at a measurable pace.

They weren’t entirely stable yet, and sometimes the decay slowed, but overall, the pattern was clear: the spatial anomalies were dissolving. If things went poorly, they might need eighteen days. If luck smiled upon them—perhaps just fifteen.

That was the window.

Once the storm cleared, the path would open—and when it did, they could move in and seize the Holy Region before anyone else had time to react.

After that, all they needed to do was stabilize the region with enough forces so that even if other galactic powers took notice and attempted to forcibly reclaim it, they could defend and repel them more easily.

Establishing such a line of defense wouldn’t be difficult either—with the alliance partners sharing the burden, the process would only move faster.

With that thought, Duke Flexy lifted his gaze to the Star Emperor, who now stood cloaked in a heavy, gloomy aura.

For a moment, the Duke hesitated—then spoke with composed assurance:

“You need not carry the burden so heavily, my Emperor,” he said solemnly. “At worst, we’ll be able to breach the Holy Region in eighteen days. And if fortune favors us, fifteen.”

He smiled faintly, a rare gesture of camaraderie.

“That’s all we need. Twenty days is more than enough.”

Hearing Duke Flexy’s words, the Star Emperor perked up slightly, a faint glimmer returning to his stern gaze. He gave a slow nod and replied,

“I hope things unfold just as you say, Duke.”

“Once we’re inside, everything can be handled. Even if other powers take notice of the Holy Region and move against us… it won’t matter. We’ll already have the advantage. Our alliance partners are ready to share the burden, and I’ve long since prepared for this. Many of the defensive weapons and structures are already built—more than enough for prolonged defensive warfare.”

Duke Flexy blinked in surprise. He had expected preparation, of course—but not to this extent. His Emperor had not only planned for a swift takeover… but had also already laid the groundwork for defending the Holy Region in case of a counterattack.

He couldn’t help but ask, his voice laced with intrigue:

“My Emperor… have you been preparing this for quite some time? After all, producing weapons in such quantity—especially ones capable of defending a region of this scale—couldn’t have been done overnight.”

“But… didn’t we only recently confirm that the Forbidden Region was reverting back into a Holy Region? We didn’t have that knowledge before, not clearly. It’s located near the Galactic Rim, isn’t it? Or am I mistaken?”

The Star Emperor smiled faintly, his expression a mix of satisfaction and amusement.

“No, you’re right, Duke. I didn’t know for certain. If I had known, do you think I’d have allowed others to share even a whisper of it?”

“Of course not.”

Duke Flexy nodded in acceptance after a moment’s thought. But that left one lingering question—the weapons.

“Then… those defensive weapons? If you didn’t know about the Holy Region’s return, what were they for?”

The Star Emperor chuckled softly and shook his head.

“Curious, are we?” he said, his eyes gleaming.

“Very well, I’ll tell you. I’ve been preparing for this kind of opportunity for a long time, Duke. Not this exact one—but something like it.”

“I knew a moment would come, someday, where seizing and holding a vital galactic region would be possible—and necessary. So I had the weapons produced long ago, kept hidden from prying eyes. It was a secret I buried deeply… and it seems, even you weren’t aware.”

There was no pride in his voice—just cold, quiet foresight. And in that moment, Duke Flexy understood one thing very clearly: His Emperor was not just powerful… He was terrifyingly prepared.

Though perhaps more than prepared, he was gambling. And now, that gamble had turned into foresight—for what was once speculation, even wishful thinking, had indeed become reality.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep