33 Risen#re

The elites from the families widened their eyes in realisation.

Them being here would easily be seen as the Eden and Jane families aiding both him and Edith on the expedition, even though they didn't help until the zealots attacked the truth could be twisted by any nobles with ulterior motives.

Should such a thing happen they would lose their positions as candidate's, for Edith it would be fine as she had the Eden family to fall back on, but for Lirian the case was completely different.

Lirian was adopted, as such he did not belong to any faction or family, even with the empress's backing she would no longer be able to recognise him as her son and they would be forcefully separated by the law of the civilization.

That was the reason that Lirian was so angry, if something that would force his mother to cut off ties with him were to happen, Lirian wouldn't hesitate to make an enemy of the entire world for his revenge, because to him his relationship with his mother was more important than anything else.

Lirian didn't worry too much about Alastor's arrival, the reason he wanted Alastor to come down only after he gave the signal was because his personal fleets logs would record everything including Alastor's movements, with that even he got into trouble for having back-up he'd have proof that Alastor didn't interfere with the expedition.

Milan continued to look at Lirian coldly but her annoyance seemed to lessen as she understood why Lirian was being so disrespectful, she could see from his behaviour just how much he valued his mother.

Milan was about to open her mouth to speak, when the watch on her hand began to light up, before she could do anything it accepted the communication request without her approval and immediately black lines appeared on her forehead as she heard the voice of an AI speaking.

{Master the inferior beings are so stupid they didn't even realise that I tapped into their communication devices the entire time and recorded everything they did since arriving on the outlier planet.} the AI chimed in a self-satisfied matter.

Without even looking Milan knew that the person that tapped into her communicator was the emperor, Milan looked displeased as the AI insulted her, but evidently she had taken it better than the rest of the group.

All of the them were the top of the crop elites in their families yet they had to take such insults from an AI and they couldn't say anything about it, because it was the AI of the emperor.

"I swear if I ever find where that AI's personality module is housed I'm going to destroy it," Mallark whispered to Milan, at his words Milan's lips curved upwards slightly before quickly turning back to their cold and aloof state.

{Master, master the fatty Mallark, titled 'The Human Barracks' has threatened my existence, this good AI demands justice, this good AII demands justice.} the AI repeated and began to emit a siren sound.

Mallark's face went pale suddenly and he cursed at the AI in silence not daring to say another word aloud, he said the words so that only Milan could hear them yet somehow the AI picked it up, everyone in the empire knew that the AI was special and that the emperor had went through a lot to create it this was Mallark's first time witnessing one of its abilities.

"Forgive Mallark for now little light," a majestic voice was heard over the communicator and the image of the emperor levitating into everyone's field of view appeared, "I'm sure that Mallark didn't mean what he said," the emperor said in an amiable tone with a light smile on his face.

"Forgive me your majesty I was merely jesting," Mallark said quickly and fell to one knee giving a deep bow, and quickly everyone followed in his example.

Edith was lost in disbelief for a second as she saw the person on the hologram, she wanted to bow but Lirian was still on her back, sensing her intention Lirian slid of her back and stood on his own two feet with a bit of effort as Edith bowed her bow was even deeper than the rest as she fell to both knees and kowtowed.

While the twenty elites and Edith bowed in respect only Lirian remained standing not even bending his waist in the slightest, he knew who it was that appeared on the communicator, but he didn't show the slightest respect that he should have.

Albus noticed the oddity and he gazed at Lirian intently looking at him closely, he could tell with a glance that standing straight up was straining on Lirian and that a bow would actually lessen the strain yet still he stood straight.

"Taliyah has always told me that you lack in manners but to think that you wouldn't even bow to your emperor, don't you think that's a bit disrespectful, no?" Albus said, but his voice was laced with amusement as if he found the situation entertaining.

With just a single exchange Lirian was able to feel the authority from his foster father, he truly had the air of a ruler, and from the way he spoke it was clear that he truly didn't put anyone in his eyes at all as he didn't even tell those bowing to him to stand up before speaking to Lirian.

It seemed more like everything was an amusing game to him, and Lirian suspected that the emperor had a secret perverse side based on the personality module of the AI, it was like an extension of his personality as it addressed everyone else as being inferior.

To Lirian it was no different than the emperor calling everyone else inferior to himself, due to his position he couldn't openly insult people for no reason as it would be unbefitting of his position, so he created the AI to do what he couldn't.

Lirian chuckled coldly at the emperor's words, "Given our first meeting there is no way that I will ever bow to you," Lirian said meaningfully.

The elite's all froze in fear as they heard Lirian, the person he was being disrespectful to was the emperor, they wanted to rebuke him but they didn't dare lash out in the emperor's presence, but most of all they were surprised because Lirian's words hinted at a bad relationship between the emperor and himself.

That revelation took them by surprise because it was know just how much the emperor doted on the empress and how much the empress loved the emperor and her son, which was why they found it hard to believe that the emperor and his foster son had a bad relationship.

Albus's eyes flashed with surprise for only an instant before returning to normal, "Taliyah told you about what happened?" he asked in an uncertain tone.

What Lirian and Albus were speaking about was the day that Lirian arrived within the gardens of the highest pyramid in the Clovis home world and Albus attempted to kill Lirian before Taliyah stopped him.

"Mother loves you very much," Lirian said slowly, "Why would mother do something so foolish as to sow discord between us?" Lirian answered Albus with a ridiculing question of his own.

Hearing Lirian's tone the elites thought that the Emperor would get angry however contrary to their expectations he answered in a dignified tone without any of the earlier amusement in his voice.

"It would appear that your memory is truly remarkable," Albus replied amiably with a slight smile on his face.

Albus was a smart man, since Taliyah didn't tell Lirian their was only one other possibility, he knew that the odds of the other possibility were unlikely but it was the only other explanation because when he attempted to kill Lirian the only one's present was Taliyah, Lirian and himself.

He had no contact with Lirian so far and Taliyah had no reason to tell Lirian about what happened which only left the impossible, that Lirian was able to remember everything even though he was just a baby.

"Indeed," Lirian gave his affirmation.

"It would appear that you still hold a grudge for what happened," Albus said with a dangerous light in his eyes.

"Wouldn't you?" Lirian responded after he didn't get a reply for a while he realised the emperor was at a loss on how to respond so he tactfully added, "However grudges can be over looked on account of those that matter to us, don't you think?"

A look of appreciation appeared in the emperors eyes, he wasn't appreciating the face Lirian gave him but rather Lirian's talent to have been able corner him so tactfully before giving him a way to escape, that was the mark of a genius strategist, something that he appreciated much more than a powerful individual.

"Boy what you lack in manners you sure do make-up for in back bone," the emperor praised as he looked at Lirian with a beaming smile, like he found a kindred soul, in truth Lirian's question didn't fluster him at all but he wanted to see how Lirian would respond if he lost, and Lirian didn't fail to meet his expectations.