Chapter 1019: Mirror mirror
City of Hope Zeeep Shoo
"Make it tighter."
Tssssss-
"Hmm, now this is perfect!" Pythor spread his arms level with his shoulders, spinning slowly in a circle as he examined his appearance in the large mirror before him.
He wore an ostentatious purple robe adorned with the rarest and finest materials. It was tight at the waist and hem, with wide sleeves and a broad design around the shoulders and chest. Even his thick, snake-like hair had its own miniature purple robes.
"Hmmm~" Pythor smiled and nodded, admiring his elegant and beautiful appearance. He picked up one of the perfume bottles, spraying himself lightly as he reveled in the sight. Setting the bottle down gently, he asked in a low voice while still gazing into the mirror, "Have Celebus and Zanox returned yet?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Everyone is waiting by the portal."
One of the three women surrounding Pythor lowered her head slightly and placed her hands on her full thighs before speaking formally. She wore scattered pieces of imperial guard armor, leaving her nearly naked.
Though she acted like a servant, her noble features hinted at a significant amount of Durger blood. Her face and body bore scattered bruises.
"Hmmm..." Pythor took another look at himself before glancing at the woman. "What do you think, Hethy? Should I go down to the portal to greet Robin Burton myself, or stay here and make him come to me? I'm heavily leaning toward the latter~"
"In Hethy's humble opinion, if Your Majesty were to greet him personally, standing among your generals, you would lose your status and initiative. It would resemble welcoming a friend with open arms rather than commencing negotiations to end a war. You need to be in a position of power." Hethy replied formally. "Even though Robin Burton is supposed to hold the same rank as Your Majesty, you must present yourself as superior. If you aren't superior in your enemy's eyes, then you're inferior."
"So, you also support my choice, ha-ha!" Pythor laughed loudly. "What's your opinion, Heather?"
"In Hethar's simple opinion, Robin Burton sees himself as an equal to Your Majesty. If he's told to follow several people of lower status to reach you, he might get angry and turn back or stay in place, demanding your presence. This could stop the negotiations before happening, or force Your Majesty to go to him anyway, which would damage your image even more than the first option." The second woman responded in the same calm tone. Her half-naked body was in no better condition than her sister's.
"Hmm, that's quite the problem. That human doesn't know his true place. His arrogance might lead him to do something like that. I can't lose the opportunity and let him walk away..." Pythor rested his square chin on the edges of his hands, then turned to the third woman. "What do you think, Tetha?"
"In Tetha's opinion, you should remain seated on your throne, but within Robin Burton's line of sight, so he's forced to come to you without any chance to cause a scene. That way, you maintain the initiative and deny him the opportunity to say anything." The third woman added, and the other two nodded in agreement.
"Hmm, reasonable. Alright, go and start setting up the throne and an appropriate table near the space gate." Pythor nodded before slapping the nearest woman on her bare backside. "Make everything perfect, or Papa will get angry!"
"Yes, Your Majesty." The three bowed slightly before leaving one by one.
"Haah~" Watching them as they exited, Pythor returned to the mirror with a smile, spinning around once more to admire himself.
An Hour Later - Near the Gate
When everyone sensed the approaching figure, a large number of them knelt down:
Baa Baa Baa
While others immediately gave a deep bow.
"We salute His Majesty Pythor, the First and Last of His Name, Ruler of the Greatest Empire in the Young Planetary Belt."
Pythor descended majestically amidst the crowd. He advanced with steady steps toward the table he had ordered to be placed near the gate. Taking his seat on the metallic throne, he gestured to his followers, "At ease."
In that moment, standing before Pythor were the four Marshals: Celebus, Zanox, Sribal, and Lacros, surrounded by 100 individuals. Their auras and epic armor signified that all of them were Imperial Guards!
If one ignored the ground forces, generals, and the rest of the guards, this current gathering represented the concentrated military power of the Great Serpent Empire!
"Zanox, did you bring that item?" The planetary emperor's eyes immediately settled on one of his subordinates.
"...Yes, Your Majesty." Zanox looked down, his expression far from pleasant.
Pythor understood the reason almost instantly. "Was it truly that expensive?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. We had to barter half our assets in the mid-planetary belt to obtain it." Zanox clenched his fists tightly.
They weren't just ordinary soldiers in the Supreme Lord's army- they were Imperial Guards, Marshals, and Generals, treated as elites wherever they went. As a result, they had reasonable shares of the spoils of war. Over time, they had amassed various treasures, acquired estates, and settled in a corner of the Pit of Destruction Planet.
Exchanging half of their properties and lands at once for an item that might only be used once was sheer madness!
"A reasonable price. Once today's meeting concludes, we'll receive ample compensation." Pythor laughed grandly, then turned his gaze to Celebus. "I see they finally managed to drag you out. Have you made any progress with the spirit of Planet Nehari?" "...She's a bit stubborn, but I think I'm close, Your Majesty." Celebus pressed his fists together forcefully. That wretched spirit didn't acknowledge him at all. Today, he came with the intention of killing that scoundrel Robin Burton, whom she incessantly praised! "Ahaha!" A laugh echoed from the far side, drawing everyone's attention. "As expected. How could a scum like you captivate the planetary spirit who rejected Ancesestor Hulak and witnessed great figures like His Majesty Pythor and Robin Burton? Pathetic!"
The one laughing was a human seated on the steps of a nearby house by the space portal. He had shaved sides with long braids down the center that extended to the middle of his back. "Who is that filthy wretch? A human who dares to mock me?!" Celebus felt his blood rushing to his head. "I'll kill you today, even if it's the last thing I do!"
Jabba stood up, gripping a war hammer several times his size. "Try it, and it will be the last thing you do!"