The Martial Unity

KNOCK KNOCK

Arastia turned towards the door to her office, raising an eyebrow. Her eyes lit up as she spotted Ria and Runark. She turned towards the director with a serious expression. “We’ll continue this a little late. Gather as much information as you can and create an additional set of security measures to implement beyond the norm. I may not be a coward, but I’m not stupid, either. I will take every security measure to protect myself.”

“That is prudent, Madam President. I will be sure to create a set of security measures.”

BZZZT

The call ended as Arastia turned towards the door, unlocking it with her neural inlay. “Come in.”

CLACK

The door opened to reveal a smug Ria who smirked at her aunt, along with a sheepish Runark who looked a little guilty. Ria marched forward smugly, planting her hands on her waist, much to Arastia’s amusement.

“What do you think of MY new exo-Martial suit, Aunt Arastia?” Ria asked, spinning around to let her aunt get a good look at it. “Don’t you think MY exo-Martial is amazing?”

Arastia simply smiled at her niece before getting up abruptly, causing Ria to immediately jump back in a defensive position. She simply walked towards her adorably precocious niece in a straightforward, but menacing manner.

“Gah, Runark, come to my aid!”

“Nah, don’t look at me, this was your idea, you’re on your own.”

“Wha—traitor! You didn’t object when getting your hands on your new sui—Ow!”

BANG!

Arastia’s fist slammed down on her niece’s head before she could even react.

“What was that for?!”

“That, my mischievous niece, was for reckless spending,” Arastia remarked strictly, before softening. “And this is for being such an adorable baby.”

She grabbed Ria in a hug, pulling her into her smothering grip with both her arms, pressing her niece into her chest. “Ah, my precious Ria~. I’m glad this new suit will keep you safe.”

“Can’t… breathe!” “Your aunty gets so worried about you sometimes,” Arastia heaved an exaggerated sigh, easily overpowering her niece’s resistance. “Now I’m less worried indeed!”

She pressed Ria’s head into her chest even deeper, embracing her even harder.

“Stop! You’re too big!”

When Ria was finally let go, she was left gasping for air, glaring at her aunt and her voluptuous endowments, before shifting her gaze down to her meager assets. Arastia smirked at her niece, bending forward in a revealing manner to pat her on the head. “You still have some growing to do, little baby.”

Runark burst out laughing, earning a glare from Ria that promptly made him stop. Ria turned back towards her aunt with an embarrassed expression as Arastia simply chuckled at her niece’s expense, enjoying embarrassing her for her little stunts. Arastia took her seat at her table, glancing at the time. “You two sure took your time. What were you doing for all these hours?”

“We watched a movie,” Ria huffed, taking a seat opposite her aunt. “Oh?” she raised an eyebrow. “And which movie was this?”

“The Tale of the Dawnbringer,” Runark replied, sitting next to Ria. “It was a really fun movie. I think they actually nailed the portrayal of my dad; they managed to capture his vibe and mannerisms really well, you know?”

Arastia raised an eyebrow with faint interest. “Is that so? I haven’t been following the entertainment industry, but I’m hardly surprised. His Majesty’s life is truly an extraordinary story. So—”

She learned about Ria with great interest. “What do you think of your father’s story?”

Ria pondered the question for a few moments, considering her thoughts even as she processed them. “I feel spoiled after seeing what he went through.”

Arastia smiled with a hint of amusement. “That’s an honest admission, but it’s good that you have that self-awareness. Indeed, your father was thrust with tribulation after tribulation that forged him into the mighty emperor that he is today.”

In comparison, the concerns that plagued Ria felt like laughable jokes. One would play the world’s smallest violin for a runaway princess of the most powerful empire and Emperor in the stars, compared to what her father went through.

“What else?” Arastia asked with interest.

Ria furrowed her eyebrows. “…He’s so different from how they portray him.”

Arastia smiled at her niece warmly, leaning forward on the table. “That’s because you’ve known him after he had you, my dear niece. And your birth changed everything for him. From the moment you were born, every action he has ever taken is for your sake. I’ve told you this.”

Ria’s amber eyes softened as a hint of guilt emerged on her expression. She wished she had spent more time with him when she went to visit him recently on Gaia Prime. She wished she had gotten to know him better as a person, not just as her father. The guilt bore down on her. She wondered if her father felt bad about her unwillingness to remain on Gaia Prime. She knew how much he liked spending time with her. “Your father’s love for you is unconditional,” Arastia spoke with certainty. “No matter what you do, where you are, and how you live your life, he will always love you with everything he has.”

That only made her feel even more guilty. She lowered her head, growing more gloomy.

“But he certainly wouldn’t be happy to see his precious baby feeling down about him, of all people,” Arastia smiled at her warmly. “So cheer up. This upcoming mission will give you a wonderful story to tell him the next time you visit him.”

Her eyes lit up at those words as she nodded thoughtfully. “I will tell him a story that even he has never heard.”

Arastia couldn’t help but feel a gush of cuteness overload, reaching out to pat her niece on the head. “Good girl!”

“I’m not a kid anymore,” the eighteen-year-old girl muttered with a hint of dissatisfaction, but she didn’t shun the comforting gesture nonetheless.

“Very well, Ms. Ria. Then let us get down to business,” Arastia spoke with a more serious tone. “The operation is starting soon, and you two will be part of the ground team. Along with me.”