Chapter 68
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: The Emperor's Decree
Manez headed straight to the imperial palace and met with the Emperor.
It was to wrap up the slave incident.
"Such a thing happened in the duke's territory?"
"Didn't you know?"
"I heard reports that something seemed off."
She had heard the reports.
Yet she hadn't taken action.
Manez understood the full story from that single sentence.
She had planned to strike them down right when the rotten bastards were bloated to the bursting point.
'Typical.'
Manez chuckled softly and nodded.
Not out of pity, but for efficiency.
She had simply timed it right, without giving a thought to the demonkin's suffering.
This was true for both Orpheus and Manez.
And probably for most of the imperial family as well.
"Good thing my nephew found it early. Otherwise, there would've been even more victims, right?"
"Mm. That boy's got a kind heart."
Orpheus nodded lightly.
Every time she heard praise for Niu, it always lifted her spirits.
"Anyway, what do you plan to do? He said he'd follow your judgment."
"The Bourbon Duke, you mean? Time to settle it."
Orpheus's eyes and voice were all calm as she spoke of punishment.
"Execution? Or demotion and hard labor?"
"He defied an imperial decree, so he must be punished. First, the ringleaders and accomplices will be torn limb from limb. As for the duke, I'll make him a slave and sentence him to lifetime hard labor."
"And House Bourbon?"
"The house will be shut down too."
Orpheus's will was firm, unwavering.
House Bourbon was done as of today.
"The nobles might push back a bit."
"Defying an imperial decree is a grave crime in itself, and this isn't the first or second time. Most of the slaves were innocent, weren't they?"
"Yeah. Even the few crimes they had were forcibly pinned on them. Mostly usury debts."
"Letting that slide would make the common folk uneasy. They'd live in fear, wondering when it might happen to them."
The foundation of power is the common folk.
If they waver, the entire power structure shakes.
That didn't mean she planned to pander to them...
But there had to be a bare minimum line.
Food, clothing, shelter, and safety.
Guarantee those, and people live.
The imperial family understood that well and had steadily upheld it.
No exceptions.
Thanks to that, Ion stood strong—and would continue to.
No pampered pigs were born.
Only heirs who knew how to live by those teachings.
"Makes sense."
Manez nodded readily in agreement.
As a member of the imperial family herself, she had no objections.
"How do you want the punishment order handled? Going yourself? If so, I'll help."
"As if Your Majesty's hips are light enough for that. Besides, if I see that boy now, I won't be able to hold back. Better send a proxy."
Orpheus sighed and shook her head.
Her pent-up desires would burst on the day Niu returned safely.
That was the plan.
"Stubborn as ever, but fine."
"Then let's end this here. I'll issue the orders right away, so rest a bit before you go."
"Got it. I'll be in the next room."
Manez nodded and turned to leave.
Nothing more to say.
'Tch.'
She wanted to tease her still-virgin sister.
But the words wouldn't come.
Now that her own lust had bloomed, she could empathize with how hard it was to suppress desire.
Creeeak.
As Manez opened the door and left, Orpheus spoke up.
"Are you out there? Listen from outside—no need to come in."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
A maid stationed outside replied.
One of the dedicated attendants for the Emperor.
"Go fetch the advisor."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The maid hurried off.
She brought back the new advisor, likely resting in her quarters.
A woman with voluptuous curves,
massive breasts,
and beautiful face and hair strode down the hall.
"Your Majesty. You summoned me."
Knock knock.
The advisor with pale golden hair knocked on the office door.
The former queen of the North.
Now the Emperor's slave and advisor: Nilbar.
"Come in."
The Emperor called her in and explained the situation.
She handed over a document.
An official one, drafted while people came and went.
"...So take this document and handle it as I decree."
"Another headache to add to the pile. That man... no, the Crown Prince is there too, I assume?"
"Of course. Want to at least see his face?"
"Who am I to do that? I'll handle it per Your Majesty's orders and return at once."
Nilbar blushed and rubbed her lower belly.
Lately, her lust had grown stronger by the day, making her womb ache constantly.
She masturbated daily, but it left her unsatisfied.
She needed a mighty cock to churn her insides, stab her womb, and lift her up.
But.
No matter how fierce the desire, it couldn't override survival instinct.
You have to be alive to fuck, after all.
"Good. Handle it quickly and come back."
The Emperor nodded and called for a maid.
She needed to fetch Manez from the next room.
In the duke's office.
Niu tilted his head at Nilbar's sudden arrival.
The duke was under arrest now.
The ducal residence served as Niu's temporary lodging.
"What are you doing here?"
"Isn't it to carry out Her Majesty's orders? You left the decision to her, so I'm handling it in her stead."
"Ah, the proxy. Got it."
Niu nodded as if he understood.
"Then, take care of it well."
"I'll handle it properly, so don't worry. It'll end just as you want."
Nilbar gave a semi-formal bow and left.
Staying at the palace had made her much more humble.
Thanks to that, Niu could relax and watch events unfold.
'Fast.'
Just two days since they arrived.
The criminals' punishments and the demonkins' compensations were finalized.
Bourbon Duchy: service terminated.
Central officials dispatched to manage it temporarily.
Until a proper lord was appointed soon.
"Hoo."
Manez sat on a sofa in an empty room, catching her breath.
With everything finally done, a weight lifted from her chest.
Finally, at long last.
Duties fulfilled—now it was time to enjoy her rights.
Manez steadied her breath, then opened a portal.
To the North, her daughters' office.
"Mother. Is everything finished?"
As she crossed over, Castor stood first.
Pollux beside her did the same.
"Yeah. All done."
Manez nodded and perched on the desk.
Her massive hips rudely squished and flattened.
"One long-standing house has finally fallen."
"Three hundred years is pretty long."
Castor murmured, Pollux replied.
They were utterly nonchalant about a great noble house crumbling.
Noble backlash? Let them try.
The moment they rebelled, the pro-imperial faction would expand.
Or new nobles would sprout.
Besides, the pretext of defying imperial orders was crystal clear.
The decree itself was justified.
Above all, the imperial family was always strong.
All these factors made rebellion impossible.
"Ordinary humans need periodic shocks like this. Otherwise, they forget their place."
Manez stretched her chin and yawned hugely.
It dragged so long her lungs nearly collapsed.
Forget their place.
It sounded like talk of status, but no.
It pointed to humanity's folly:
eyes blinded by desire, not harmony.
"Well said."
"Weeds grow endlessly if left alone—you have to thin them properly."
The sisters chimed in, glancing at each other.
No room for argument.
"My daughters think the same—makes me happy. So you'll listen to me well, right?"
Manez grinned slyly at them.
A deeply lecherous smile.
Pollux stared at her face and sighed.
She could guess what was coming.
"You really want to do it together? You're serious?"
"Of course. You keep putting it off till later—what if you disappoint Niu then? We need to practice first."
"Do we really need to practice fucking?"
Pollux frowned in disbelief.
Castor, meanwhile, was impassive.
Do it or not—she didn't care either way.
But she wasn't uninterested in sex.
"We do. I've birthed you girls, so I'm used to big ones, but you're total virgins. It'll be too much."
"That big?"
"You bet. Majestic and superior enough to embody the imperial dignity."
Manez laughed, holding up her forearm.
Implying roughly that length and girth.
"For real?"
Pollux's eyes went wide.
She knew her mother's words rang true, but had to ask anyway.
"Absolutely. You know the Ion bloodline's superiority for survival, right?"
"I know, but isn't it too big?"
"Means it's exceptional at impregnating bitches and claiming them."
"My belly might break..."
Pollux rubbed her lower belly, mumbling.
This massive thing inside her? Hard to imagine.
Felt like it'd rip her open, or maybe go smoothly.
Or not fit at all.
"That boy has bitches around him who've taken monstrous cocks too. We'll adapt just fine."
Castor, who'd been listening quietly, spoke up.
Irrefutable logic.
"Oh, right! Those bitches."
Pollux finally nodded, realization dawning.
She'd forgotten amid the shock of size.
"Exactly. They're decent bitches, but less refined. They adapted anyway."
"So we can too?"
"Of course. All Ion imperial kin are born for it."
Monstrous cocks? They could take them anytime, feel full pleasure.
And give it back.
Pregnancy from incest.
That devastating ecstasy only imperials could share.
"You'll go ahead even if I say no, won't you?"
Pollux sighed as she asked.
Half-resigned.
Manez read her mood and pushed a bit harder.
"Yep. Wouldn't want to ruin the mood in the real thing, crying it's too painful or awkward."
"Fine. I'll follow your lead, Mother."
Pollux finally nodded, pretending to give in.
"So, when?"
"Right now."