Of course, it was just a joke.
If she truly swapped roles with Alyssa for a few days, Selene would probably start missing the busy days of managing state affairs amidst her current carefree and leisurely life.
Humans—more precisely, human nature—are indeed fickle.
Selene was no exception.
Yet it was precisely this very 'fickleness' that added a touch of warmth and humanity to her divine image. She could still feel joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, with the occasional bouts of laziness or irritation, ensuring she would never become a distant, untouchable 'god'.
Gurgle gurgle...
Crunch... crunch... "Let's see... the Imperial Auxiliary Army's Special Combat Division—the 'Round Table Knights'—their collective territory, the planet Camelot's criteria for actual territorial investiture is nearly met, hmm... it seems we can begin star construction soon."
Amidst the tantalizing sound of chewing, in the Diligence Hall dining chamber, Selene rested her chin on one hand, lifting a roasted venison leg torn from an entire crowned stag. Her gleaming silver teeth chewed with predatory precision, comparable to a deep-sea beast's. With her free hand, she gestured to the twin administrative AI sisters—Mendicant Bias—who alternated assisting in governance, projecting before her a series of holographic data charts from the frontlines she was monitoring.
Multitasking with ease, Selene's eyes swept through the week's worth of military commendation audits completed in Imperial Standard Time, reviewing the names of officers eligible for promotion and ennoblement.
A brief glance was enough. The middle and lower nobility didn't require her direct attention. She merely needed to confirm and sign the lists—the responsibility of distributing merit-based estates lay with her subordinates. Only the highest-ranking nobles, those receiving real and sovereign territories, warranted her personal audience.
Though there was no explicit decree, an unwritten social norm served as the criterion: to be granted a real noble title, one's family—or oneself—had to be awarded an entire planet as a hereditary domain.
That was the threshold.
And a high one at that. The higher one climbed within the Empire's nobility, the more astronomical the costs became. Even the degree of one's domain's development and governance would be subject to scrutiny.
King of Camelot, Artoria Pendragon, had risen through the ranks at a remarkable pace. That was thanks to her Round Table Knights—Mordred, Gawain, Lancelot, Bedivere, and Agravain—all of whom regarded themselves as integral parts of New Camelot: builders, redeemers, and warriors alike...
They sought no personal gain, only merit through battle. They fought tirelessly, almost without rest, living aboard their warships.
"Clever girl. But to have a dozen knights who would pledge their lives and loyalty so sincerely... that's quite a blessing, Artoria. Still, once the territory is granted, loopholes won't be so easy to find."
Once Campaign XIII—Colony World No. 638059 ("Naruto")—ended, Selene estimated she could finally grant the completed planet Camelot to Artoria.
The Round Table Knights would likely request an extended leave to build their new kingdom—their home.
Placing the bone onto the side plate, Selene reached for another leg of venison, tearing and chewing as her slender fingers tapped the holographic console. She casually opened the Round Table's collective war record.
Hmm...
The first entry caught her eye—a crimson lamellar armor, still marked by the scars of war. A handsome face with upturned nostrils, that exaggerated air of dominance, blood-red toad-like eyes, and messy black hair styled like a rebellious rocker...
Whether counted as a decisive strike or delayed victory, even the bounties corresponding to Uchiha Madara's rank, strength, and historical value were clearly itemized.
As expected of me.
Major General Pandia von Lorraine—wasn't she the chief military judge of Durandal's "Inextinguishable Blade" Fleet? Every one of these reanimated Edo Tensei targets had their entire pre- and posthumous records meticulously investigated.
Through her empathic link with one of her avatars, the clone asked Selene whether she wanted any high-quality ingredients from the Three Great Sage Regions—the kinds of creatures nurtured by chakra and natural energy.
She thought for a moment.
Toad? ×
Slug? ×
White Snake? √
Snake meat might be worth trying.
Next. Skipping Durandal's fleet report, Selene's gaze turned toward Esdeath's report...
"Oh, they've already reached the Ōtsutsuki Clan's core territories. A few of their high-ranking members—those capable of refining Chakra Fruits into pills through alchemy—have been executed, and a few others frozen and packed. All of them are currently en route to the Imperial Capital."
Speaking softly with a tone of contemplation and curiosity, Selene pondered the reliability of Esdeath's written reports—information extracted directly from the minds of over fifty Ōtsutsuki members across dozens of God Tree cultivation worlds.
[...For thousands of years, the Ōtsutsuki Clan has sustained itself by planting God Trees and devouring the life of countless worlds across the cosmos, continually evolving until they become unparalleled, unique existences—until they become 'gods'. This is their so-called 'purpose'.]
[...Shibai Ōtsutsuki is recognized among many clan members as one who has evolved closest to a divine being. With a mere wave of his hand, he could summon tempests; with a roar, he could call forth thunder and lightning. His powers were like miracles—called 'Divine Arts'.]
[There are many contradictory accounts: that he 'died', that he devoured too many fruits and reincarnated endlessly until transcending dimensions and surpassing life and death themselves—no longer needing a physical vessel for reincarnation, departing entirely from this plane of existence...]
"'The Will of the Ōtsutsuki,' huh... quite reminiscent of my own path of eternal expansion through the Grand Crusade." Selene swirled the crimson liquid in her goblet and smiled faintly.
At present, Esdeath was searching for Shibai Ōtsutsuki and other clan members who had ascended to that divine level of existence. Yet judging by how fanatically the lower-ranked Ōtsutsuki revered their so-called God—their descriptions of omnipotence—Selene could only find amusement.
She might be capable of such things—and yet, not truly.
Exaggeration.
That was her judgment.
In ancient times, generals would inflate their army sizes to bolster morale—twenty thousand men would be reported as fifty thousand; fifty thousand would be claimed as a hundred thousand. The same principle applied here. These low-level "tree planters" of the Ōtsutsuki Clan probably only parroted what their higher-ups told them. After all, cultivating a God Tree took a thousand years; even the high-ranking ones might not fully grasp how far the path extended.
Omniscience and omnipotence likely existed only as eternal ideals—forever out of reach. They were conditional, bounded by context.
Absolute and infinite omnipotence, by its very definition, could never be truly attained. The closer one approached it, the further the horizon stretched—forever approximating, never achieving. Even if the difference was to the billionth of a billionth, it would always remain close, not complete.
Selene knew this well. She could tolerate the excessive flattery and worship from her zealous believers, but if she ever started believing it herself, then truly she would have lost her mind.
She never sought to become omniscient or omnipotent—only to approach it as much as possible. Add a few more nines after the 99.999...%, and that would suffice.
After finishing yet another roasted venison leg, Selene finally spoke: "Mark this as high priority."
"Your will." Mendicant Bias responded promptly.
The power levels of the average Ōtsutsuki ranged from city-destroying to planet-cracking, while the higher-ranking ones were capable of wiping out entire star systems. As for the so-called Ōtsutsuki God—this Shibai—Selene estimated he might reach multi-stellar destructive output.
That was precisely why Esdeath was chosen as the commanding general of this campaign.
Durandal's strength was indeed growing by leaps and bounds... but still a step short.
After skipping the rest of the reports from Colony World No. 638059, Selene began reviewing files from other warzones.
"Ⅰ—Dark Angels Legion... huh? So the Merchant-Rogue Fleet actually opted for peaceful trade instead of aggression this time. Another alternate world?"
"A monster kingdom ruled by a slime. The evaluation is rather high—peaceful, orderly, prosperous... a nation of monsters that values harmony. In contrast, the human nations of that world... decayed, stagnant, corrupt. Ratings this low?"
She wrote her directive: Suspend hostilities. Attempt contact through commercial intermediaries. Present intentions peacefully and relocate diplomatic presence accordingly. Prepare small-scale envoy teams and locate dimensional rift junctions.
"Ⅱ—Punishers Legion... hah, that's Budo's style. Total warfare across the frontlines. Recently opened Campaign Sector No. 2300376—war between Earth's natives and the rebel Martian colonies?"
"The VERS Empire and the United Earth Government, with the VERS royal family tracing back to Dr. Ray Regalia of ancient Martian civilization... 'Aldnoah' technology, rebellion of colonies against the homeworld."
Directive: Autonomy granted.
"Ⅲ—Black Templars Legion. Leiva, that slacker... his progress is crawling again. Does he not move an inch unless I personally issue orders? Hm, another alternate world?"
As she scanned through the reports, Selene's eyes caught upon over twenty interconnected hybrid worlds—realms where medieval battle aura and magic coexisted with modern civilization.
"Archbishops of Sin?"
It was the list of unexplored and unconquered worlds. The first entry already drew her attention—a reconnaissance report mentioning the Dragon Kingdom of Lugnica, royal selection, Witch Cult, witches, and demonic beasts. Many names that piqued her interest.
"Ha. Interesting."
Directive: Leiva, you useless fool! Handle this personally! I want this beautiful world intact—it will be one of my vacation estates. Build me a palace there. Even Borsalino is showing more motivation than you lately! It seems your strategic support duties aren't keeping you busy enough!
"..."
Mendicant Bias paused for a moment, glancing at Selene's bold directive. "Your Majesty, perhaps... we should refine the language slightly?" The tone was, to put it mildly, undiplomatic. Wouldn't such crude phrasing damage the image of the Divine Empress?
"Make two copies. Polish one for the public record. The one sent directly to Leiva—leave it exactly as written."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
...
While Selene amused herself flicking through the holographic reports, lazily consuming official documents as though they were snacks, she effortlessly devoured the last of the roasted crowned stag. At that moment, Susanoo arrived right on cue, pushing a silver dining cart to her side.
Leaning back in her chair, Selene rubbed her hands together. "So, what's for tonight?"
"Milady, as per your instructions, something more homely tonight. The menu features traditional Shenzhou cuisine."
Susanoo carefully presented a dish of golden, coral-shaped mandarin fish, pouring over it a rich, sweet-and-sour glaze before setting it before her.
"This is Squirrel Fish. Then, Jellyfish Salad, Braised Eel, Crisp Chicken, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, Boiled Cabbage, Wensi Tofu, Longjing Shrimp, Dongpo Pork, and Red-Braised Lion's Head..."
"Now that's refreshing! It's been nothing but sea kings, dragonkin, dangerous beasts, and magical monsters every day—I'd almost forgotten what normal chicken, duck, fish, and pork tasted like!"
Selene laughed heartily, swiping the holographic interface to shift from military data to a colonial governor's broadcast network. She chewed leisurely while flipping through random local channels.
Picking up a glistening piece of jellyfish, she dipped it into sauce and tasted it with anticipation. "Mmm—fresh and crisp."
Seemingly reminded of something, she spoke while moving her chopsticks. "Oh, Susanoo, prepare a few sashimi dishes, and add some strong-flavored Sichuan and Hunan cuisine as well. If I've calculated right, little Alyssa should be back soon."
Just then, a cheerful voice echoed from outside the Diligence Hall corridor. "Your Majesty, Alyssa has returned!"
Before the person even appeared, her lively tone already filled the room.
Tap—tap—tap—
Dressed in a blue-and-white princess gown, Alyssa skipped in like a small sun walking through the palace gardens, radiating warmth and joy. With open arms and a fairy-like smile, she seemed to illuminate the solemn grandeur of the hall with a gentle glow.
Even before Selene moved, she could already feel the gust of wind approaching.
Thud!
A soft impact against her chest. Looking down, Selene met Alyssa's velvet-blue eyes—bright and shimmering with affection.
"Hehe..." Alyssa giggled, rubbing affectionately against Selene's soft chest.
"How was your divine inspection trip? Enjoy yourself?" Selene chuckled, picking up a piece of Dongpo Pork and slipping it into Alyssa's open mouth.
"Mmmf... mmm..."
The question alone made Alyssa frown instantly. After swallowing with an indignant puff, she slumped into the chair beside Selene, crossing her arms and huffing, "I'm going straight to the Ministry of Justice to pass a new law!"
"What law?" Selene asked curiously, cutting a piece of Lion's Head with a silver knife and taking a bite.
"Advertising law!" Alyssa declared righteously, hands on her hips. "I absolutely forbid any more false advertising—no more misleading slogans or products that don't match their descriptions!"
"A mermaid should be beautiful! I don't care about the color, but they can't trick me with piranhas instead!"
"Haha..."
Selene wiped her hands with a napkin, then lightly tapped Alyssa's cheek. "Alright, I completely agree. Go discuss it with the Ministry of Justice. Tomorrow, submit your proposal. Now eat—and tell me, how did those bureaucrats... hmm, handle you this time?"
"Mm-hmm..." Alyssa nodded, cheeks puffing as she munched contentedly.
...
Meanwhile, elsewhere—while Selene and little Alyssa enjoyed their warm, peaceful evening in the Grand Imperial Palace—another storm was brewing across the galaxy.
Imperial Inquisition's 23,625th Frontier Expeditionary Fleet Sector.
Endor.
To the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire alike, a new tempest was beginning to rise—one whose impact would be felt far and wide.
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