I Am Honkai

"Father, I… I'm scared."

Walking through the opulently decorated corridor, heading deeper into the palace gardens, Shirahoshi showed a mix of curiosity and fear. Though she had ventured out of her hard-shell tower to see the outside world, trepidation overshadowed her fascination.

The golden-armored Imperial Guard stationed in every corner of the corridor felt like silent harbingers of death to her. Their cold gazes made her feel suffocated and helpless, as if the scent of death hung heavily in the air.

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

The weighty steps of armored boots echoed on the corridor's floor. Polished pale-blue crystal tiles interlocked to form a pattern of spiraling water droplets. Sunlight streamed through half-open floor-to-ceiling windows, casting radiant reflections on the floor.

"Relax, Shirahoshi. You're so adorable; there's no way Her Majesty would harm you… Hohohoho, Neptune."

Following closely behind Leiva and Sanguinius, Neptune turned his head slightly to offer reassurance to Shirahoshi. With his usual "Neptune" catchphrase, he feigned an air of relaxation to ease her anxiety.

"R-Really?"

Meanwhile, Neptune discreetly observed their surroundings.

The first thing that struck him about the Sacred Selene Empire's buildings was their sheer size.

Even as a 12-meter-tall merfolk, Neptune didn't find the palace corridors constricting. On the contrary, the vastness made him feel somewhat dwarfed.

The architects—be it at Her Majesty's command or their own preference—clearly had an obsession with grandeur.

This palace, magnificent and intricately designed, was utterly different from the coral-dominated style of Fish-Man Island. Beyond the arrow-shaped arches, the wide imperial pathways were flanked by lush greenery and lined with banners bearing the golden double-headed eagle emblem against a red backdrop.

Unlike the solemn majesty of imperial palaces like Schönbrunn or Versailles, the architectural style of Selene's Glass Palace exuded elegance, vibrancy, and feminine charm.

Soft hues of blue, green, and pink replaced the imposing reds, blacks, and golds. Here, every corner seemed alive with poetic beauty and artistic flair, and the air was perfumed with the fragrance of flowers and grasses.

Finally, they reached a shimmering fountain surrounded by a glistening lake, where a group of towering armored figures were… fishing?

"Little Alyssa, off you go. Play elsewhere for now."

Spotting the grand mermaid arriving, Selene promptly ended her leisurely pastime, gently pushing a snoozing Alyssa off her lap.

"Fill the palace with rare treasures and species…"

Truth be told, Selene was starting to feel a strange compulsion.

For some reason, as she gazed at the giant mermaid, her thoughts drifted to a particular poetic verse:

"Concubines, attendants, maids, and princesses—transported to Imperial court, their laughter and songs filled the halls. Collections from Yan and Zhao, spoils from Han and Wei, treasures from Qi and Chu—centuries of conquest, mountains of bounty."

Ah, Qin Shi Huang had truly understood the art of collection. Beyond rare artifacts, the passion for gathering treasures clearly had broader applications.

"Your humble servants, Leiva and Sanguinius, pay their respects to Her Majesty!"

Selene raised her hand in a casual gesture, lifting the two generals to their feet. With a warm smile, she said, "No need for reports; I've already left spots for you both."

Pointing toward the lakeside, where the other Astartes legion commanders were enthusiastically "fishing," Selene continued with a lighthearted tone:

"Hurry and join them. Today's fishing contest has extra resource rewards for the winner. They've already started ahead of you. I won't adjust the timer for your sakes."

"Understood!"

Leiva's eyes lit up as he exchanged a glance with Sanguinius. Without hesitation, they saluted and hurried to take their positions among the fishing contestants.

"Your Majesty."

With attendants and guards having withdrawn, Neptune knelt deeply, pulling Shirahoshi along with him. His enormous tail curled neatly beneath him, his forehead nearly touching the crystal floor.

"Raise your head."

Selene's voice was calm yet authoritative, like a divine melody from the heavens. Her tone left no room for disobedience, and Shirahoshi instinctively complied before her mind could even process the command.

"Yes!"

Though Shirahoshi's voice still carried a faint tremor, her sobs abruptly ceased.

Her large, watery blue eyes remained teary, and as she timidly looked up, her gaze was filled with both fear and awe.

Just as Selene had imagined, Shirahoshi was still timid and prone to tears. Shaking her head softly, Selene rose to her feet, extending her hand with what she thought was an encouraging smile.

"Hello, let's get acquainted. I am Selene von Habsburg. What is your na—eh?"

"Wuuuu! Your Majesty Emperor Selene, please don't hurt me! Don't hurt my father or my brothers!"

Perhaps Selene's sudden movement startled her, or perhaps Shirahoshi misinterpreted the action as hostile. Either way, the already anxious princess broke into sobs.

Tears, crystal-clear and glistening, burst from her eyes at an astonishing speed, spraying out like a torrential rainstorm.

Caught in a moment of awkwardness, Selene quietly withdrew her outstretched hand.

Despite sharing strikingly similar features with her predecessor Cecilia, Selene lacked her sister's innate saintly aura of warmth and empathy.

Not even a sliver of it!

To make matters worse, as Selene furrowed her brow in embarrassment, the imperial guards around her—ever vigilant—unsheathed their swords in unison.

Hummmm!

The sound of power swords activating reverberated through the air, their lethal hum freezing the atmosphere.

Even in the temperate serenity of Upper Forest Garden, the temperature seemed to plummet, as though death itself loomed.

"What are you doing? Put those weapons away!" Selene scolded, exasperated. "Is this how you welcome guests? Do you want the empire to look like a nation of brutish swordsmen? Who taught you this? Huh?"

The guards remained stoic but deeply embarrassed. After all, they were merely following orders and protocols instilled during Selene's tenure as general.

Yes, the "smash cup as a signal" and "deploy five hundred axe-wielders" tactics—those were her innovations.

Well, this…

"Withdraw!" Selene sighed, waving her hand dismissively, clearly fatigued by the situation.

Watching Shirahoshi finally stop crying after the Imperial Guards withdrew, Selene came to a realization.

I get it now!

No wonder I've lost my sense of approachability over the years—it's because I've spent too much time with you bloodthirsty brutes.

After ending the "signal by frowning"—not a "signal by smashing cups"—Selene refocused on the massive figures before her: Neptune and his family.

The royal family of the Ryugu Kingdom was enormous, even by merfolk standards. They were easily among the largest of their kind.

Thankfully, she was in a good mood today, or she might have slaughtered this mermaid's entire family, grilled her alive, and left her to cry in despair—finally giving her something truly worth crying over.

"Stand."

Selene showed no anger at Shirahoshi's tears. Smiling warmly, she instructed them to rise.

Shirahoshi's timid nature often left her assuming the role of the weaker party. She added "sir" or "ma'am" to every name, her demeanor so simple and innocent that even Selene felt embarrassed at the thought of bullying her—of course, that was if she didn't annoy her.

"I won't harm you, nor will I punish you. I've introduced myself; now it's your turn—that's proper etiquette."

With a flash, Selene floated next to Shirahoshi's cheek, using her hand to wipe away her tears.

So large…

Even the smallest tear droplets were bigger than Selene's fist.

"R-Really?" Shirahoshi hesitated. Slowly, she extended her finger to gently touch Selene's outstretched palm. "Lady Selene, my name… is Shirahoshi."

"It's true. I won't harm you or punish you. From now on, you'll follow Alyssa. I'll leave your two brothers behind to manage the merfolk who will be relocated to the Imperial Palace's Taiye Pond."

Casting a glance at the grinning Alyssa, Selene lightly shook her head and spoke with no airs.

She had no concern for notions of imperial dignity. Selene was neither a tyrannical zealot nor an anarchic, chaotic god. She didn't believe her authority required her to intimidate or punish a mere mermaid princess.

Turning her attention, Selene's gaze landed on Neptune and Shark, both drenched in sweat and gasping on the floor.

"As for you two, someone will escort you to the Imperial Department of Civil Affairs to process your alien species' legal activity permits."

The Imperial Alien Species Legal Activity Permit granted official recognition to certain non-human species.

During its conquests, the Empire categorized alien races into three types of treatment:

 1. Extermination Order: This applied to races deemed too hideous, those that preyed on humans, or species unfit for Imperial norms with limited utility—such as ghouls or vampires.

 2. Enslavement: For large populations of physically robust, easily sustained, and highly reproductive species, resistance was crushed, and they were enslaved—examples include goblins, orcs, fish-men, and werewolves.

 3. Legitimization: Races with high utility, aesthetic appeal, compatibility with Imperial values, and a submissive attitude could be granted legal status—examples include mermaids, elves, danger beasts, and giants.

"Once you return to the Ryugu Kingdom, I expect your cooperation with the Blood Angels in postwar reconstruction… You understand what that entails."

"I… I understand, Your Majesty."

"The merfolk transferred to the Imperial Capital will reside in the palace's aquatic halls…"

Just as Selene continued explaining her plans for the merfolk, a voice interrupted.

"Your Majesty, the leaders surrendered by Lord Leiva have arrived."

"Hmm, let them in for an audience."

"Yes."

Soon after, Selene instructed Alyssa to take Shirahoshi away for some playtime, while Neptune and his three sons also retreated. As they exited into the corridor, they encountered an unexpected group.

"Marines?"

"Merfolk?"

The two parties—one composed of uniformed, disciplined humans and the other of Neptune's family—briefly passed each other in the hallway.

Also prisoners?

Neither side exchanged words, and they simply crossed paths in silence.

Leaving the corridor and passing under the towering arches, the warm sunlight washed over them, bringing a sense of comfort and clarity.

A silver-haired woman with her long hair tied into a high ponytail stood amidst the brightness. Her sharp, angled brows and slightly pursed lips exuded an air of authority, while her crimson eyes gleamed like blood gemstones.

Though her hairstyle and attire were different, and she stood slightly turned to the side, Sakazuki recognized her immediately.

"Your Majesty."

Without hesitation, Sakazuki dropped to one knee. "Your Majesty, I have come to fulfill my promise."

"Your Majesty!"

The rest of the Marine officers behind Sakazuki quickly followed suit, kneeling in unison.

For many of them, including Sengoku, bowing wasn't new. In their younger days, they had often knelt before the Five Elders and the Celestial Dragons in Mariejois.

"Sakazuki," Selene addressed him calmly. "I once said that the Empire is where your true potential lies. Tell me, based on what you've seen, do you believe this is where your life's worth can flourish?"

Standing tall and firm, Sakazuki met her gaze. "From what I've witnessed, Your Majesty, this Empire thrives in strength and harmony. Its society is orderly, and its people brim with energy and ambition."

Though he didn't directly answer, Sakazuki's words conveyed his conviction.

"These individuals you've brought to the capital—they are your chosen personnel?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Then, let's be direct. If a brutal battle were to break out soon, would you falter? Would the people behind you retreat?"

Realizing the gravity of the moment, Sakazuki straightened his back. Clenching his fist over his chest like a stalwart soldier, he declared resolutely: "We will not falter!"

Drawing a deep breath, he added firmly, "They are my loyal subordinates. Perhaps the intensity of conflict is trivial by your standards, but they are hardened veterans. I vouch for them with my life!"

"Then prepare yourselves."

Selene nodded but swiftly shifted her tone. "I admire you, Sakazuki. I had thought of appointing you directly to the Inquisition. But without merit, such a gesture would feel like charity, and I suspect you would reject it."

"Glory is earned on the battlefield. The opportunity lies ahead." Pausing, Selene called out, "Budo, Leiva, Alex!"

"At your command!"

"I'm assigning you a few people."

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