Chapter 90
Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: The Marshal's Succession
In Galactic Year 3452, the Alliance Parliament called for re-elections. After the vote, original Speaker Marcus retained his position, while interim Speaker Douglas Konsetlin was stripped of his duties. Beyond that, more than twenty purple-robed grand senators were dismissed—an event that marked the greatest upheaval in parliamentary history.
But what truly left people stunned was that Alliance military god Marshal Celia had resigned from his position as marshal during the re-elections.
His deputy and protégé, Karyan, secured the role of the Alliance's new head of the military department with over ninety percent of the vote.
Anatoly Don Karyan, a graduate of the Ophiuchus Star System's local military academy, had average grades. After graduation, he served as an ordinary lieutenant in the local garrison, steadily rising to captain over eight years.
When the Ophiuchus Star System rebellion broke out, a group of brave low-ranking officers escaped the system, borrowing merchant ships to deliver intelligence to the Alliance capital's military headquarters. Unfortunately, they were all slaughtered en route, with only Karyan surviving by sheer luck. He delivered the intel straight to the desk of the Alliance's supreme military commander.
The incident sparked the most significant anti-corruption storm in Alliance history, earning Karyan recognition from Celia. He was transferred to the marshal's guard unit. Six years later, when the original captain, General Keen Moven, was reassigned, Karyan took his place as captain of the guard.
Karyan might not have been the most loyal captain in the military—his predecessor, General Moven, held that title. Nor was he the most famous—the Empire's Emperor Heinrich claimed that honor. But he was the one Marshal Celia favored most, repeatedly praised as the Radiant Legion's top strategist, with affection plain for all to see. Even after his term ended and he was reassigned, he often returned, leveraging the marshal's favor to meddle in guard affairs, giving his successor Heinrich no small amount of grief.
During the Alliance Legion's assault on the Dark Star Hall, Karyan took overall command for the first time, leading the entire army in the marshal's name. Afterward, he waged countless campaigns across the galaxy under Gavin Celia's banner, with so few defeats that he was formally appointed deputy commander of the Radiant Legion and granted the rank of lieutenant general.
Though called a lieutenant general, he wielded great power, and by then, his reputation as deputy marshal had spread throughout the army. Only after the late-stage Battle of Venus Fortress—when Celia was dismissed by Parliament following defeat—did Karyan officially become acting supreme commander, with not a single soul in the military raising an objection.
By all trends, Karyan succeeding as marshal was only a matter of time. But after Celia died in battle on Red Earth Star, the Alliance dissolved, the government went into exile, and parliamentary forces heavily infiltrated the military. With only the rank of lieutenant general, Karyan couldn't stand up to the purple-robed grand senators. Lev Abel and others thus formed the military board of generals, all full generals, to resist incursions from the Konsetlin family and their ilk. Karyan wisely reined in his edge and focused on soul projection experiments on Red Earth Star.
Such shifts in power were only natural. With national crisis looming and the regime crumbling, personal interests meant nothing.
When Celia returned, Karyan didn't dwell on it. All his energy went into one crisis after another: Imperial threats and parliamentary backlash came one after the other, leaving no time to consider his own position. Nor did he expect to be thrust onto the political stage so abruptly and unprepared.
After taking office as marshal, Marshal Karyan ordered a massive restructuring of the Alliance forces, folding all two million troops from the First to Eighth Armies into the Radiant Legion's framework.
Gavin Celia was tasked with commanding the entire army as legion commander.
That day, emerging from the Congress Hall, Celia shrugged off his supreme commander uniform jacket, draping it over his arm. Karyan stood at a loss on the steps, his usually sharp, clever face now blank with confusion.
"Marshal..."
Celia turned back.
"Let's go. What's wrong?"
The two faced each other across several steps, with General Abel and the others standing quietly nearby. After a long pause, Karyan suddenly strode down, snatching the jacket from Celia's hand. Eyes red, he insisted on draping it over him—but his hands shook so badly, and Celia immediately raised a hand to block, that after struggling for ages, he failed. Finally, Karyan collapsed onto Celia's shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Why... why did you do this, Marshal? I have no idea what to do. Fifty years have proven I'm not the man for this. I really—I really don't know what to do..."
It was the first time Karyan had ever broken down crying in front of others, his voice so hoarse it hurt to hear.
But Celia just stood there quietly, head slightly tilted, bangs obscuring his eyes, his expression unreadable.
"I opposed this plan from the start... What now... These are things only you can handle. What am I? What am I?! Why did you do this..."
General Abel, standing not far off, wore a face full of disapproval and stepped forward to劝.
Suddenly, Celia shoved Karyan away, kicking him hard down the steps!
"What are you? You're the Alliance supreme commander now!"
Celia's face burned with undisguised fury as he jabbed a finger at Karyan.
"The lives of millions of Alliance soldiers are in your hands. Everyone's counting on you, and you tell me you don't know what to do?!"
Everyone present was stunned. Celia whipped his hand up, pointing from face to face. Each person he singled out shrank back involuntarily.
"—And you lot! What the hell have you been doing these past fifty years?! A complete disgrace! Reforms went nowhere, battles won no glory. You're Alliance generals, not crybabies who need coddling after weaning!"
"I step away, and you let the military rot like this! Neglect of duty, bribery, factions everywhere, tangled up with Parliament! Taking state funds to prop up your own armies, ignoring the mess below while turning a blind eye. Every one of you more protective than the next! Now that it's beyond saving, you cry? Is there anything more useless than you?!"
All heads bowed in fear. A few commanders mustered courage to argue, but Generals Abel and Moven pulled them back, faces flushed with shame.
"The once-glorious Radiant Legion is now the laughingstock of the nation! Couldn't you do anything in fifty years? So many generals united, and you claim it's impossible? In the end, it's just shaky resolve—every one afraid to stick out like a sore thumb!"
"...General Moven once advocated the rectification campaign..."
A deputy stammered a defense for his superior.
General Moven frantically signaled him to shut up, but it was too late. Celia roared.
"Then why didn't it produce results?! Electronic cigarettes, alcohol, hallucinogens rampant among junior officers—why not enforce military law?! Those peddling contraband in the ranks—why not execute them?!"
"Don't tell me they had senators backing them. So what if you grab them and blow their heads off? Kill them all—afraid senators will come knocking with heads in hand? Even if they do, what do you have to fear? With all these generals and lieutenant generals, united you could handle anyone. Bottom line: your hearts aren't in it! Can't even walk without a nursemaid!"
The deputy who spoke could barely get words out, trembling so hard he nearly collapsed. General Moven's face burned red as he bowed through the scolding, answering "yes" to every point. No one else dared make a sound.
Silence blanketed the area, wind howling across the plaza past the soldiers' rigid, statue-like forms. Celia's face was icy as he stared them down, then said coldly after a beat.
"Starting today, the military launches a rectification campaign. Everyone, return to your legions and clean house. Then Karyan will lead inspections army-wide... The Alliance government has fallen, but the Radiant Legion endures. Even if I die one day, the Legion's glory will not fade."
He turned and descended the steps. Wind suddenly whipped his hair up. Karyan staggered to his feet, lips parting as if to speak, but in the end, no sound came.
·
News of Celia's resignation as marshal reached the Empire while Heinrich sat in the main hall of New Versailles Palace, listening to frontline reports. General Aaron's three-dimensional hologram stood below the throne. Scarred Major General Isaac looked up, stealing a quick glance at the emperor's face before saying cautiously.
"Former Alliance Lieutenant General Karyan has been promoted to the new marshal..."
A chilling silence followed, then the emperor said slowly.
"Understood. Dismissed."
Isaac bowed and withdrew from the hall—but the instant his foot crossed the threshold, a loud "Bang!" echoed from the throne.
The emperor slammed his pen down, roaring in fury.
"Karyan! Karyan—!!"
Hatred and killing intent overflowed in his voice, sending shivers down spines.
What the hell was this? What the hell?! The Alliance's supreme commander for how many years, and he just quits? Now "marshal" refers to that damned Karyan? You, who insisted on no surrender to the Alliance, who wanted military power purged—turn around and pull this behind-the-scenes crap?!
You trust that oily, fawning Karyan that much?!
Rage blazed from the emperor's limbs to his scalp, every nerve crackling. He wanted to drag Celia from the Alliance right then: Forgotten how he used your body as a decoy on Shourong Star? How Parliament first wanted to pair you with him? Fifty years apart, and the moment you recover your memories, you pick him as successor. How touching! —Fucking touching!
"This was only natural, Heinrich," General Aaron said flatly.
His hologram expression was calm and hard, unchanging.
"Karyan is the marshal's confidant, at his side for every campaign for years. He always intended to groom him as successor. Karyan's influence waned these fifty years due to his rank—without legitimacy, words lack weight, deeds falter. Now the marshal's back; of course he'd legitimize him first. Otherwise, what if something happens down the line?"
Heinrich exploded.
"What the fuck do you mean 'something happens'?!"
"You know exactly what I mean." Aaron met him head-on, fearless.
"What if the Empire and Alliance go to war one day? With their pitiful forces, how can the top general avoid the front lines? Bullets don't discriminate—who knows when one blows you away? The Alliance military's decayed beyond recognition these fifty years; the marshal's learned his lesson. Urgent priority: secure the military's future... Heh, the marshal's spent his life doing nothing but paving retreats for these useless wastes."
The words were grossly unfair, but Aaron seethed with resentment, his tone sharpening. Moments later, he sneered.
"Now what? Can't touch Dark Star Hall—swallow your pride and negotiate with Marshal Karyan?"
With a crash, Heinrich kicked over the table.
"Don't mention that name to me!"
The massive desk flipped entirely, the thud echoing long in the hall. An adjutant peeked from outside, glimpsed the emperor's terrifying face, and ducked back.
The emperor panted like a defeated beast, finally slumping onto the throne. Shadows of dread cloaked his handsome, profound features. The tense, silent hall heard only his breathing, until he said coldly.
"The Empire does not recognize Karyan as Alliance marshal. Send a diplomatic note: Golden Water Star is Imperial territory, and the Empire has abolished the marshal rank. Only Celia qualifies under military law. Want to join the Empire? Fucking depose Karyan—or get out of Golden Water Star! Adjutant!"
The adjutant crept to the door. The emperor bellowed.
"Fetch the Foreign Ministry!"
"Y-Your Majesty..."
"Summon Elder Langfelo!"
The adjutant nearly wept.
"But Your Majesty—"
Heinrich shot up, on the verge of erupting, when Aaron cut in.
"Must you do this, Heinrich?"
"What?!"
"Must you?" Aaron repeated, sarcasm unchanged.
"—To keep Celia from total control, you allied with Konsetlin, using gender issues to bind him. No choice, he steps back for Karyan as marshal—but you rage and threaten war with the Alliance... Dark Star Hall at our gates, you know cooperating with the marshal is best, yet you flip-flop, escalating like you want him defecting tomorrow. Think: is that possible?"
"Celia won't bend to your will when cornered. Push too hard, and it backfires." Aaron paused, mockery thickening.
"You know that, yet press this far. For the Empire? Or your jealousy and possessiveness?"
From the emperor's face, if Aaron were there, he'd take a fist to it.
Luckily, Aaron stood on a warship light-years away, eyeing Heinrich's glare and clenched fist—veins bulging on the back from strain.
They locked eyes long, the palace plunging into dead silence. At last, Heinrich drew a deep breath.
"You want to work with Karyan?"
"I'd rather not," Aaron said flatly.
"But he's Celia's chosen leader. Deny his title, and you defy Celia."
—Obvious fact, the very thing fueling Heinrich's rage, what he desperately avoided. The emperor's knuckles whitened on the throne's golden armrests, face twisting faintly. At length, hoarse, he said.
"I understand—"
Those four words carried shattering jealousy and murder, chilling even Aaron.
"Dark Star Hall's front can't drag. I'll negotiate with the Alliance. I'll invite Celia and other Alliance generals, with Karyan as the military's representative..."
Heinrich paused, enunciating each word.
"...Once Dark Star Hall's resolved, we'll settle the rest. Slowly."
·
On the eighth day of Dark Star Hall's major incursion, the Gemini Emperor hosted a banquet at New Kremlin, a palace on the Empire's frontier, inviting the Alliance military to negotiate joint expulsion of Dark Star Hall.
Though on Imperial soil, the site equidistant from Alliance Golden Water Star and Imperial White Heron Star hinted at equality. The Empire showed due gravity: New Kremlin Palace decked out anew, from Emperor Heinrich himself to over a dozen generals from military intelligence—all present. The honor guard stretched kilometers from the gates.
In equal respect, the Alliance sent new Marshal Karyan, Legion Commander Celia, and seven or eight heavyweight generals with real power—if not for that Congress Hall ambush, this might be the largest, grandest, most ceremonious summit between the two nations' leaders.
Yet Celia slapped the Empire in the face right from the start.