The Price of Surrender

"What do we do now, professor?"

Gertrudes felt a shiver run down her spine. This didn't make sense. The passage was supposed to be secret—an invisible path, unreachable. And yet, there they were—armed soldiers, weapons raised, heavy artillery strong enough to bring down even CaoCao.

Her eyes widened. "How?"

A quiet chuckle echoed through the space, and from the midst of the group, a man with glasses emerged, moving with the calm of someone who had already won before the battle even began.

"Perhaps I can answer that question, Miss Gertrudes Scar."

She felt the weight of his words before she even processed them. The man adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose and continued, his tone laced with subtle venom.

"You know, I thought hacking this planet's security system would be a challenge... But in the end, it was actually quite fun. Isn't that right, Darwin?"

Suddenly, Darwin's voice rang clearly in the ears of everyone present.

"At your command, My Queen. What else do you desire?"

The title sounded strange. He made a slight grimace, as if tasting something bitter.

"I'll admit, being called 'queen' bothers me, but I'm taking it in stride. What matters is that you are exactly where I wanted you to be."

Gertrudes felt a tightness in her chest. Something was profoundly wrong.

The man continued, his voice carrying a dangerous calm. "I saw some very interesting things today. But I'm not here to fight your family. Let's negotiate."

The silence in the room grew heavier.

"What do you propose, Mr...?"

"S." He smirked slightly, as if his real name was of no importance. "Just S."

"Very well, S. What do you want?"

He tilted his head slightly, as if savoring the moment.

"It would be interesting if you came with me. Your friend seems determined to destroy this planet because she refuses to accept defeat. Maybe you and your family can help her see reason before she does something... irreversible."

The tension in the now-destroyed dining hall intensified. Orion, who had remained silent until then, finally spoke.

"You know as well as I do that, under the law of my planet and any other under Imperial rule, what you've done is treason. And treason only has one sentence."

"We are entering dark times, Thalyzara." Orion's voice was grave. "If your father were alive, he would agree with me."

She met his gaze with a piercing stare. "If my father were alive, you'd already be dead."

Orion smiled enigmatically. "Your father, before he was a warrior, was a diplomat. And despite our rough start, my role here is to resolve this standoff... So, bring them in."

The echo of his command reverberated off the metallic walls. Firm footsteps resounded through the now-destroyed doorway, and then they appeared—Gertrudes, Tyrin, and Thalyzara's family.

The man with glasses sighed, adjusting his posture as if he regretted what he was about to say. "I hate this kind of diplomacy... but I need to be heard. Your divine armor may protect you from me, but your family isn't so lucky."

The threat wasn't spoken outright, but it lingered in the air, palpable.

"So, let's be reasonable. I am in a favorable position. Let's talk."

Thalyzara had never felt so vulnerable. Not even her father, with all the power he had possessed, had been in a situation like this. Her mind raced, searching for a way out. What would her father do? But as she allowed herself to consider the answer, a chill ran down her spine.

She knew exactly what he would do.

But it was something she didn't want to do.

A soldier's voice broke the heavy silence.

"Lord Orion, they have all been captured... Even the boy."

Orion smiled, satisfied.

"Excellent. Lady Thalyzara, without further delay, my request is simple. I want the planet Klandato, which is under your jurisdiction, along with the forces stationed there for security purposes."

She blinked, surprised. "Is this a joke? Why the hell would you want the most distant planet in the Empire, on the edge of the universe?"

Orion's eyes gleamed. "Gold extraction on a planet composed of 30% of the mineral is fascinating. But that doesn't interest me. I need Klandato for reasons beyond wealth. The Empire needs it."

"This is a joke." Thalyzara narrowed her eyes, disbelief evident. "It doesn't make sense. Klandato is far from any threats. It's on the opposite side of the Tyranos. Nothing within hundreds of light-years poses a danger there."

Orion remained impassive. His cold gaze betrayed no emotion. He had been sent to solve a problem, but diplomacy was never his strong suit. Seizing a planet without a plausible justification could spark an internal war—and he knew it. But that order had come from the Emperor himself. He didn't have the luxury of questioning it.

"Everything will be clarified in due time," he responded, his voice measured, unhurried. "I know it's hard to accept, but I need you to—"

"I accept."

The room plunged into silence.

"Release my husband and daughter, and Klandato is yours. I never cared for that planet. The transport costs kept us barely breaking even."

Orion raised an eyebrow slightly. "Well, that is excellent. But given the events of this mission… some losses were inevitable. That's why I'd like to extend my request."

Thalyzara didn't move a muscle, but something inside her tensed. Surrendering a planet was already difficult—the Elders would never understand. But she would do anything for her family. Her father had never hesitated to sacrifice whatever was necessary for the greater good. She, on the other hand, hesitated.

"What else do you want?"

Orion slowly turned to the group. His eyes scanned their faces until his finger rose, pointing directly at one of them.

"I want that boy."

Tyrin froze. A chill ran down his spine. His heart pounded in his chest, but he didn't know why. He didn't even understand what was happening.

Thalyzara looked at the boy as if he were an insignificant insect. "You're talking about this kid?" She scoffed, crossing her arms. "He's not even my kind. Look at him."

Tyrin felt her gaze pierce through him. He expected nothing but disdain, but still, something inside him rebelled.

Orion smiled enigmatically. "Exactly. And that's why I'm taking him with us."

Thalyzara narrowed her eyes. "You can't just take him. He isn't my family, but he is under Gertrudes' guardianship. Legally, that means you need Vanaheim's permission."

Orion remained silent.

Thalyzara continued, her tone laced with irony. "Which means Helena's permission. And, honestly, I don't know if you'd be able to get past Charon."

In the distance, Gertrudes understood the move. If Tyrin was under Vanaheim's jurisdiction, Orion could never take him without severe consequences.

For a moment, silence reigned. Then, Orion smiled.

"I understand." He adjusted his gloves and looked at Azrael. "Then I will personally escort the boy to Vanaheim. After all, our conversation here is over."

Thalyzara's shoulders dropped slightly. She couldn't stop him. If she tried anything, her family would pay the price.

She had already given up an entire planet.

What was one boy who meant nothing to her?

Nothing.

But to Gertrudes…

"Since you're taking Tyrin," her voice rang out just as Orion was preparing to leave, "and since they arrived on my ship, I think it would be best if you took me with you as well."

Orion turned slowly. His gaze hardened.

Gertrudes smiled, defiant. "I hope that won't be a problem."

For a moment, Orion stood still, assessing her. Then, his expression softened.

"Of course," he replied, though his tone betrayed a latent discomfort. "Gertrudes will be most welcome."

Tyrin didn't know what to feel. He was being taken away, but at least Gertrudes would be with him. It was the only thing keeping him from succumbing to panic.

The ship was large. Luxurious. Tyrin and Gertrudes were taken to a comfortable room, equipped with everything they might need. But it was no illusion.

Before entering, Orion demanded one thing from Gertrudes.

"Your necklace."

She hesitated for a brief moment before removing it and handing it over. As soon as she did, she was escorted inside.

The door closed behind them.

"It's locked," Gertrudes tested the door, but it was useless. She ran her hand over the metallic surface. "And this material..." She furrowed her brows. "This isn't ordinary. It was made to be unbreakable."

Gertrudes crossed her arms, leaning against the wall.

"This wasn't a mistake. We were put here for a reason. But don't worry, Tyrin. I got you into this situation, and I'll get you out. No matter the cost."

Tyrin nodded but remained uneasy.

Hours passed.

The door finally opened, and Orion stepped inside.

His cold gaze fixed on the boy.

"Gertrudes Scar," he said, his voice low but weighted. "Allow me to speak with your student. There's something I need to know."