"Eh, you really are here..."
Letting her gaze pass over layers of Imperial soldiers, Selene discovered, at one corner of the fenced prisoner camp, a large number of Britannian captives.
Among them, those boys and girls dressed in student uniforms, radiating the aura of youthful years, instantly drew Selene's attention.
Noticing Her Majesty's line of sight, Budo, who was three steps behind Selene, also looked over.
"Prisoners... is it these prisoners, or is there someone among them who's special?" Budo murmured silently.
"You, go and call over the officer in charge of that prisoner camp for me."
Immediately after, Budo turned his head, picked an Astartes warrior who was closest, and said in a low voice.
"Yes!"
After accepting the order and saluting, the Astartes warrior immediately ran off at speed.
Thud thud thud!
Budo turned back and looked toward Selene, who was standing in place with her fingertips touching together, lightly tapping in a distracted rhythm, as if thinking about something.
"..."
After weighing his words for a moment, Budo stepped forward and cautiously asked.
"Your Majesty, is there a problem with them... or is there something wrong with our legion's conquest and occupation policy?"
"No. Your Second Legion's conquest and occupation policy has no problems. Adapting measures to local conditions and staying flexible is very good. In just four short years you've conquered and absorbed 44 worlds, adding hundreds of billions of labor resources to the Empire."
Just like the personal information registered by the Imperial Auxilia for Milly, Shirley, Lelouch, and the others, this world's sequence number was Compliance World—37.
Each legion had its own conquered worlds. Sequence numbers were not shared.
For example, the world of Black Bullet belonged to the Dark Angels of the First Astartes Legion, with the sequence number Compliance World—1.
The world of Tokyo Ghoul belonged to the Sisters of Battle, with the sequence number Compliance World—3.
As for population scale and level of civilization, don't bring in subjective impressions. Not all conquered worlds were modern civilizations like Earth. There were high and low.
There were demi-human worlds, beastman worlds, medieval human worlds, magic civilization worlds that could provide labor resources for the Empire...
There were also primitive human and beast worlds that could provide various resources, or completely undeveloped wilderness worlds...
During the process of conquest, the Empire discovered planets with all kinds of races and civilizations like these.
What every Legion Commander valued the most were technological human civilization worlds like the world of Code Geass.
They could provide sufficient human population resources.
Their industrial development was complete. With a bit of restoration and modification, they could, to a certain extent, serve as Forge Worlds, continuously supplying war materials for the Empire's expeditions.
Their technological level was high. Some unique technologies could even help complete the Empire's tech tree.
Simply put, the world of Code Geass was the thirty-seventh world encountered by the Second Astartes Legion Retributors during their conquest expeditions.
As for why the Second Astartes Legion had already conquered 44 worlds, yet the world numbered Compliance World—37, Code Geass, had not finished being occupied.
The reason was simple. This did not mean that the Retributors of the Second Legion were only waging conquest wars on a single world at the same time.
With more than two hundred thousand Astartes warriors and vast numbers of Imperial Auxilia and Servitor Army troops from the Compliance Worlds, they were naturally advancing on multiple fronts.
The reason Budo's Second Legion was under such heavy pressure was that the Second Legion also had to maintain rule over the 36 worlds that had already been conquered and absorbed, as well as conduct the conquest of several other living worlds simultaneously alongside the Code Geass world.
The only difference was that this world of had been designated as a key target, so the Second Legion had committed relatively more forces.
On top of that, Selene and Budo happened to share the same idea without prior discussion.
That idea was to use Britannia, this modern empire, as a training ground.
They would rotate Astartes warriors and Imperial Auxilia, allowing more new recruits to adapt to this kind of integrated land, sea, and air warfare, so they could better adapt to even more complex forms of warfare in the future.
After accumulating sufficient combat experience and fully digesting the technology of the captured machines, and with Selene's urging orders arriving, Budo immediately mobilized even more military force.
This was also an important reason for Britannia's rapid collapse. Just by throwing Servitor Army troops straight into the grinder, trading life for life, it was no exaggeration to say that Budo could grind down all of Britannia's eligible military manpower nationwide.
"Then, Your Majesty, is there something wrong with these prisoners?"
Waving his hand to dispel Budo's doubts, Selene turned around and continued thoughtfully.
"Perhaps there will be unexpected discoveries. I'm thinking..."
As she spoke, Selene crossed her arms and extended a finger to point at the ground beneath her feet.
"This is a noble academy. Those studying here are either wealthy or noble. Wouldn't pulling them over allow us to establish rule more efficiently?"
This was also one of the Empire's methods of governance. Direct central rule, sector administration, colonial governors, semi-colonial semi-direct rule, legionary military administration, fostering proxies...
After all, the current Holy Selene Empire was so vast that even the smallest legion, the Alpha Legion, had more than a dozen worlds under its command, with populations in the tens of billions.
The Empire's total population simply could not be accurately counted. At best, only a rough estimate was possible.
After all, even a modern Earth with a population of seven billion constantly experienced deaths and births. The last few digits of a census figure were changing almost every moment.
Now apply that to a colossal empire spanning hundreds or thousands of worlds, and one that was constantly at war...
Even if you executed the entire Imperial Statistics Bureau, they still wouldn't be capable of giving you precise numbers.
Therefore, as long as it was appropriate, Selene and the bureaucratic class under her did not mind preserving the ruling class of conquered worlds.
As long as they honored Selene as the supreme ruler, accepted Imperial governance, and paid taxes.
If those conditions were accepted, peaceful transformation without bloodshed, and even preserving the conquered world's original appearance, was not impossible.
What the Holy Selene Empire wanted was nothing more than your demotion to a vassal, plus a tiny bit of 'tax revenue'.
Otherwise, if everything were placed under direct central rule, just the shortage of qualified officials alone would be enough to give Selene a headache.
Of course, there were also worlds that were stubborn and courting death.
In Selene's memory, there had been several worlds that surrendered and then rebelled again. Without exception, they were either subjected to Decimation or issued an Exterminatus.
After all, come on. As long as you dared to surrender, she dared to accept. But if you dared to surrender and then rebel again, then sorry, you were finished.
In severe cases, Exterminatus were issued directly. Selene didn't even need to act personally. The Imperial Science Bureau's specially manufactured high-yield Honkai energy fission bombs would greet you first, planting hundreds or thousands of giant mushrooms.
Note that the Honkai energy fission bombs here were essentially dirty bombs. No one would absorb or tune them to render the Honkai energy harmless.
"Fostering proxies? Your Majesty is wise. It is indeed a very good choice. This subordinate has already had the officer in charge of the prisoner camp brought over, to see whether there are suitable candidates."
Nodding, Budo bent forward and saluted respectfully, somewhat stiffly offering a bit of flattery.
Hearing this, Selene merely laughed softly and raised her hand slightly. An invisible force carrying irresistible will lifted Budo back up.
Was she truly wise?
No. She was merely standing on the shoulders of predecessors, combined with the ever-growing bureaucratic apparatus of the Empire offering counsel.
As time under her rule lengthened and the Empire grew ever stronger, Selene's own power became increasingly unfathomable.
Nowadays, there were very few within the Empire who dared to stand straight in Selene's presence. Even the rigid Budo had gradually learned to flatter.
The reason was simple. The closer one was to Selene, the deeper one was bound to Honkai energy, the more clearly one could sense the terror of their Empress.
"Your Majesty. Great General. The people have been brought."
Arriving before Selene, the Astartes warrior spoke with excitement and fear, his voice trembling.
"Mm, thank you. You may withdraw."
"Y-yes, Your Majesty!"
Selene nodded slightly in return. It had nothing to do with rank, merely a courtesy formed over many years. Then she shifted her gaze toward the three figures brought by the Astartes warrior.
The Imperial Auxilia officer did not need much comment. As for the one large and one small figure...
"An unexpected delight..."
"Soldier, speak. Since they were brought before me, how are these two different in status?" Granting him exemption from formalities, standing before the officer, Selene said gently.
"Yes!"
Panting heavily, the Imperial Auxilia officer placed his right fist over his heart. In his extreme excitement at being in close proximity to the Empress he swore loyalty to, his eyeballs were even bloodshot.
Uh... fearing that he might drop dead from excessive excitement, Selene prudently activated a healing aura and enveloped him within it.
"Your Majesty, due to time constraints, this subordinate has not yet confirmed the authenticity of their identities. However, according to his own statement, his name is Lelouch vi Britannia, the 11th Prince of the Holy Britannian Empire."
"His younger sister is named Nunnally vi Britannia, the 84th Princess of the Holy Britannian Empire."
"Prince and Princess, and the eighty-fourth princess at that? Commoner, do you know that deceiving the Empress—" Upon hearing this, Budo raised his brows and was about to step forward, but Selene stopped him.
"No matter. Go on. Tell me what conditions you want. I don't care whether it's true or false. I only want this world to resume operation under the Empire's rule and provide more military supplies to the Great Crusade."
Click clack~
The sharp cadence of high heels echoed as Selene walked slowly forward to stand before the black-haired, violet-eyed Lelouch. She spoke casually.
Lelouch and Nunnally... If they had not appeared before Selene and awakened memories buried deep in her mind, she truly might have forgotten.
"I..."
After merely glancing once at Selene's crimson diamond-shaped pupils, Lelouch hurriedly lowered his gaze.
Even though Selene's tone was exceptionally gentle, Lelouch and Nunnally were still so frightened that they scarcely dared to breathe. Their bodies trembled uncontrollably.
Especially after Selene walked to his side, for some reason, it felt as if screams of terror were echoing from the depths of his soul. Every cell of his body was wailing with something called fear.
Surrounded by towering golden-armored giants, beside Selene, the shadow of death lingered constantly over his heart. The psychological pressure was overwhelming.
Lelouch's heart hesitated and trembled with fear. Upon seeing the Empress of the Holy Selene Empire, to be honest, he was incredulous.
He had originally thought that the ruler of this equally aggressive empire would be like his father, a mighty, imposing middle-aged sovereign.
But the dazzling figure before him was beyond imagination. Selene's appearance was far too young.
Coupled with the reverence and fear those giant warriors held toward her, Lelouch's intuition told him that this extraordinarily charismatic female ruler was no mere figurehead. She was a true Empress with real power.
"Hah..."
Lelouch took a deep breath, forcing himself to steady his resolve. If he mishandled this, even his sister would die.
"Your Majesty, I have no conditions. I only ask that you protect my sister, Nunnally, from any harm. All of Your Majesty's demands, I, Lelouch vi Britannia, swear by my character and soul to obey unto death!"
Although Selene spoke of letting him name conditions, in Lelouch's eyes, such rulers only ever cared about use and interests. This was nothing more than courtesy and could not be taken seriously.
His and his sister's lives rested entirely on a single thought of hers. Their positions were utterly unequal. How could he dare name conditions? That would be courting death.
"Mm-hm... a wise choice. This is the down payment."
As she spoke, Selene flicked her finger. Pure white radiance suffused with gentle hues immediately sank into Nunnally's small body.
"Have your sister try to open her eyes. I've already repaired them for her."
"What?!" For a late-stage siscon like Lelouch, everything about his sister was even more important than his own life.
"Brother, I can see!"
Nunnally, who had been sitting silently with her head lowered in the transport chair, heard Selene's words and hesitantly opened her eyes. In that instant...
The world lit up.
Colors unseen for many years flooded into her vision. Under the healing effect of Honkai energy, there was no sense of discomfort at all. There was not even any photophobia.
"Really? Nunnally, you can see!?"
Kneeling before her, Lelouch said with excited tears at the corners of his eyes.
...
Tsk... Watching this deeply affectionate sibling scene, to be honest, Selene did not quite understand this kind of feeling. And according to how things normally developed, Nunnally would later even betray her own brother, yet Lelouch would forgive her unconditionally. This...
Forget it. The world of a siscon is something I don't understand, and don't want to understand.
"This is only the down payment. Your sister's leg disability, I can also heal and restore it. But that requires you to kill your father..."
Before Selene could finish, upon hearing that Nunnally's legs could also be healed, Lelouch cut in excitedly.
"Your Majesty, no matter what—"
But the next moment.
"Impudent!"
The eyes of Budo, blazing with lightning radiance, shot forth cold light. His resounding voice boomed like thunder, as if a sonic blast had detonated out of thin air, startling even the kneeling Imperial Auxilia soldiers nearby into trembling.
"Budo."
Selene merely cast Budo a calm glance. Click. The crackling lightning around him instantly went out.
"Sibling affection. I understand."
"Now, go and complete your task. Follow the Sisters of Silence. They will create the conditions for you. You must personally kill your father and submit your pledge of allegiance to me."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"