In the boundless galaxy, commanders of empires carried both armies and pride. They were accustomed to respect, obedience, and diplomacy conducted on their terms. For someone like Sass, the Seventh Commander of the Crow Empire, inviting another warrior into service was nothing unusual.
He believed that by sending subordinates forward, he displayed both dignity and magnanimity. If the guest was sensible, she would submit. If not, Sass could simply show his strength, pressure her, and demand submission. This method had worked countless times before.
But this time was different.
He had run headlong into Bella.
What Sass had expected to be another negotiation ended with him kneeling on the floor, his guards crushed under her suffocating aura, the very sky above darkened by her unleashed power.
The experience left only one thought in his mind: beg for mercy.
There was no room for pride now. His entire body trembled under her presence. His subordinates, trained warriors, were gasping for air like children drowning in a storm. And the sky—the sky itself had darkened at her will.
What level of existence was this woman?
Sass knew his own worth. As commander of the "890th Division" of the Crow Empire, he commanded fleets and soldiers by the thousands. His combat strength placed him among the elites of the empire. Yet this woman had forced him to his knees without even striking him directly.
The conclusion was obvious. Bella was at least a Level Sub-God Father, a rank of power so rare that even many first-class civilizations didn't possess one.
Even Sass's own empire—the Crow Empire—did not have many beings at this level. To offend such a person was to risk annihilation. He could already imagine what would happen if Bella took offense and demanded his head: rivals within the empire would happily deliver it to her just to save themselves.
For once in his life, Sass abandoned pride and groveled for survival.
Bella, meanwhile, was slightly amused. When Sass had first stormed in with arrogance dripping from every gesture, she had fully intended to kill him. She had no patience for pests. On Earth, she had always lived by a simple creed: when evil came knocking, she eliminated it at the root. Mercy was an invitation to revenge, and she had no time for petty cycles of retaliation.
But now, as she looked down at the commander, she realized his hostility had evaporated. The instant she had released her power, Sass's arrogance collapsed into obedience. His aura had shifted from threat to deference in a heartbeat.
It reminded her of someone.
Bella smirked to herself. "This guy is as slippery as Loki."
The comparison amused her. Loki, the God of Mischief, was infamous for his ability to read a room, bend like the wind, and play whichever side promised survival. Sass was cut from the same cloth—prideful one moment, groveling the next.
Bella tapped her fork lightly against her plate. The ringing sound echoed, and with it, her terrifying momentum dissipated. The clouds outside dissolved, the furious winds quieted, and the light returned to normal.
The apocalypse ended as quickly as it had begun.
The pressure lifted from the diners in the hall. Sass and his men gasped for breath, their bodies aching from the crushing weight that had just vanished. Around the room, guests who had merely come to enjoy a fine meal glared daggers at Sass.
They had nearly died just for being in the same room.
But none of them dared voice their complaints directly at Bella. To target her was suicide. So instead, their resentment turned toward Sass. Commander or not, he had brought this disaster upon them. Now he would have to pay for it, one way or another.
Sass felt their eyes on him. He was about to stammer an apology and make his retreat when Bella's cool voice cut across the silence:
"Come here."
The command froze him. But he dared not hesitate. "Y-Yes!" he blurted, hurrying forward to stand behind her like an obedient servant. He lowered his head, not daring to meet her gaze directly, but his eyes flicked sideways.
And then he saw her profile.
For a brief, dangerous moment, Sass forgot his fear.
Though she wasn't of his species, something about Bella's presence transcended race. Her features glowed with a beauty unlike anything he had known, sharpened by the overwhelming charisma she radiated. It was the kind of beauty that struck at the soul, leaving him breathless.
His heart stuttered. For a man who had commanded fleets and conquered worlds, it was ridiculous. Yet he could not help himself.
Bella, of course, noticed the flicker in his gaze. She frowned faintly, though not with true anger. She was used to this. Her A+ level temperament bent the perceptions of those around her, ignoring species, culture, or even biology. To most humanoids, she appeared as an unparalleled beauty.
As long as they didn't cross the line into disgusting thoughts, she usually ignored it. Beauty was a curse she had long since learned to carry.
Bella leaned back slightly. "Help me with something."
"Yes, anything!" Sass answered instantly. There was no hesitation, no bargaining, no demand for details.
Around them, several of the other diners sneered quietly, exchanging contemptuous looks. To them, Sass's immediate compliance looked cowardly. How could a commander of a galactic empire reduce himself to this so quickly?
But Sass ignored their judgment. Fools, he thought. This isn't cowardice. This is survival.
In the universe, strength was everything. To bend before power was not shame but wisdom. By aligning himself with Bella, he wasn't lowering himself—he was forging a connection with someone who could elevate his own standing in the empire.
Cowards hesitated. Leaders adapted.
At that moment, a message pulsed through his neural implants. Like all commanders of the empire, Sass carried advanced sensory technology that allowed him to process data mid-conversation. He skimmed the request, his pulse steadying.
Bella's task was not world-ending. She wasn't asking him to betray his empire or face annihilation. She only wanted information.
"Don't worry," Sass said at once. "I'll investigate it for you. The name is… Rizhu?"
Bella inclined her head slightly, offering her communicator code. "This is my channel. Find the data and send it directly."
"Understood, Your Excellency."
Sass quickly logged the channel into his universal communicator. Then, sensing the unspoken dismissal, he bowed deeply. He signaled to his subordinates, and together they retreated, their relief almost visible.
On the way out, Sass stopped to speak briefly with the hotel's manager, assuring him that no further trouble would come. He knew the hotel was protected by forces equal to the Crow Empire. Allowing the matter to spiral further would be suicide. He wasn't about to let anyone else antagonize Bella.
Every step of caution he took reached Bella's ears.
Sitting quietly, her lips curved into the faintest of smiles. For all his earlier arrogance, Sass was no fool. He knew when to bow, when to maneuver, when to see the wind and steer with it.
Just like Loki.
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