Chaos' Heir

Chapter 910: Mission

The late hour in which the celebrations ended gave everyone some leeway. Workers and cleaners aside, the quadrant was silent, with most important figures asleep or resting in their private chambers.

Khan had been the last to fall asleep, but his unique body made him the first to open his eyes. He was in one of his bedrooms, with Monica comfortably resting on his chest. He would have usually lingered a few minutes in that cozy atmosphere, but the many tasks on his list forced him to slip away immediately.

A short shower followed, and Khan half-considered checking his phone afterward, but the sea of notifications quickly killed the idea. The tournament was over, and most guests had started engaging in interviews to share their opinions of the event, setting the network on fire.

The time to check the network's general opinion would come, but Khan was above that now. He had people working on filtering through the sea of information to highlight its main points, which was what he would eventually read.

Khan went to retrieve something to eat and a drink spiked with the toxic substance, but the walk brought him before another awake figure. His Uncle was inside a meeting room, hard at work before holograms, consoles, and multiple screens.

"How does it look?" Khan asked, entering the room and occupying the chair beside his Uncle. His attention was mostly on his bowl, but the food inside disappeared in no time.

"Nephew," Prince Thomas called, sighing. "We spent quite a fortune, but our prospects are bright. I admit I've never seen so many business requests."

"Are our relatives among them?" Khan wondered, inspecting the screens.

"They didn't send anything definitive," Prince Thomas revealed, "Except for the request for a meeting and the desire to be part of the next tournament."

"Who could have guessed?" Khan mocked. "Make them wait. I have much to handle first."

"I've already conveyed those intentions," Prince Thomas stated. "I've also started optimizing some aspects of the tournament."

"What's your conclusion?" Khan questioned, emptying his drink and suppressing his slight disgust.

"It's too long," Prince Thomas replied. "Each week we remove from the tournament will save us a lot of money."

"Alright, do it," Khan ordered, standing up. "About the others, are they in the classroom already?"

"The lesson isn't scheduled for another hour," Prince Thomas exclaimed. "I figured you wanted to rest with your Fiancée longer than usual."

"One hour isn't exactly my definition of longer," Khan commented. "Anyway, I'm awake. Warn the two kids."

"Professor Parver also disclosed his interest in the lesson," Prince Thomas revealed.

"Did he?" Khan asked. "Sure, warn him, too. I'll head there right now."

"As you wish, My Prince," Prince Thomas stated, using the console before him to forward that request.

Khan was about to leave the room when a thought crossed his mind. He rolled his eyes, unwilling to tackle those topics with his Uncle. Yet, his brain kept reminding him of how wise the move would be.

"Say, Uncle," Khan called, leaning on the room's exit and scratching his head. "Do you think this is a good moment to have a child?"

Prince Thomas had rarely diverted his gaze from the screens during the conversation, but the question made him turn completely. He faced his Nephew, understanding what he meant and the seriousness of the topic.

"Is Miss Solodrey pregnant?" Prince Thomas asked.

"No," Khan replied. "Not yet, at least."

Prince Thomas understood much from Khan's expression and few words. He could probe further but decided to refrain himself, sticking to Khan's initial question.

"It would be perfect," Prince Thomas announced. "It would solidify your position and leadership inside the family, too. A male heir would even ensure your lineage."

"Lineage, huh," Khan muttered. His thoughts had never reached those distant fields. He mostly cared about Monica and his potential child's safety, but his position inevitably created a political layer. Still, Prince Thomas had reassured him there.

Prince Thomas waited for additional questions, but Khan departed without saying anything. His mind wandered over the issue while his legs went on autopilot, bringing him to a vast hall downstairs.

The building didn't have proper classrooms, but its interactive training halls could easily be rearranged to serve that purpose. The small number of students also helped, limiting the preparations to a few desks and seats.

Khan was the first to arrive at the classroom, and waiters followed to prepare everything for the lesson. The hall didn't need much, but Khan took that chance to seize more food and drinks, which ended before the three students could cross the entrance.

Eventually, a smiling Professor Parver, a timid Roger Foxnor, and an excited Moses Parket entered the hall, finding Khan sitting cross-legged on the biggest interactive desk. The trio bowed, but Khan only nodded at the other seats, trying to start the lesson as soon as possible. "Before we start," Khan announced once everyone took their seat. "Professor Parver, you know you don't have to attend. Your procedure doesn't require this knowledge."

"I'm aware, Prince Khan," Professor Parver responded. "However, I figured the lesson would give me a better understanding of what might happen to me. Also, I'm interested in what my former student has to teach."

"Very well," Khan nodded. "Then, let's look at your individual situations."

"Mister Foxnor here has a unique element," Khan continued, "A living element, as I like to call it. The human methods can't teach him how to control and deploy it, so maybe mine can." Roger wasn't used to being in the spotlight, but the strange interaction with his element had stirred some curiosity. He wanted to learn more about it, especially since it could improve his future. Moreover, Khan's interest had put pressure on his family and him, forcing him to

tackle the matter seriously.

"Next is Professor Parver," Khan announced. "The Professor suffers from a unique mana illness which damages the host. In a way, his situation is similar to Mister Foxnor's, albeit

unnatural. That makes it more dangerous."

Professor Parver coughed, but his smile quickly returned. His condition was slowly worsening, but the time inside Khan's labs had temporarily stabilized it.

"Lastly," Khan added, "Mister Parket, the tournament's winner. Princess Montares asked me to make him worthy of an engagement inside a noble family, and I only know one way of

doing that."

Khan waited for the trio to absorb his words before continuing. "We'll start with general mana theories today. I'll demonstrate some if we have time, but focus on broadening your minds. If you want to learn this stuff, your whole understanding of mana has to change."

The lesson unfolded with breaks or questions. The trio focused on Khan's explanation, which he had kept as general and simple as possible. There would be time for deeper details and specifics, but establishing a solid foundation had to come first.

Khan's duties didn't end once the lesson was over. Actually, the day's most important obligation had yet to come, and Khan addressed it once the night arrived. He flew outside the city, heading for the Thilku Empire's embassy, where a meeting was ready to start.

The alien soldiers before and inside the building moved aside at Khan's passage, performing traditional bows and muttering his title. His figure had long since earned utmost respect in those environments, allowing him to reach the meeting room without interruptions.

Lord Exr was already in the room, sitting behind a circular control desk. Red symbols shone everywhere, describing information Khan could read. Still, his attention focused on the huge figure and the holograms before him.

"[My Lord]," Khan called.

"[Blue Shaman]," Lord Exr greeted. "[Come. We have much to discuss]."

The entrance closed behind Khan as he approached the interactive desk. Lord Exr also handed him a drink, which he accepted while studying the holograms. Those images depicted a star map, and Khan recognized its celestial objects. That basically was Baoway's neighborhood. Of course, things weren't as simple as they looked. The Empire's claws had already reached most of those areas, while the others shared Baoway's unique situation. They were close enough to the Global Army's domain to be considered political threats.

"[I'm sure you understand the mission's relevance]," Lord Exr announced. "[The Empire places a lot of value on its expansion. Appointing it to you is an act of trust]."

"[I'm aware]," Khan confirmed. "[Though I wonder if the Empire has deeper reasons]."

Lord Exr didn't play dumb and understood Khan's concerns. The vicinity of the Global Army's domain would usually imply additional interspecies treaties, and humankind couldn't let

another Baoway happen.

However, employing Khan for the mission could smoothen out some problems. He could make decisions for both species, and his loyalty should theoretically favor the Empire. At least, that was what the Thilku hoped.

"[You are the best soldier for the job]," Lord Exr explained. "[Do you have complaints]?" "[Questions, rather]," Khan said. "[Have I not proven myself enough]?"

"[You did]," Lord Exr responded. "[That's why the Empire assigned this mission to you]."

Khan and Lord Exr exchanged a meaningful glance, but the former eventually dropped the matter. Truth be told, the Thilku probably didn't see any difference between Khan's value as a soldier and a politician. They were both part of his figure, making him perfect for the mission. "[What does the Empire need me to do]?" Khan asked.