Chapter 38: Journey to the Empire, Section 1

In the silent universe, a massive castle floated quietly. It was so enormous that even nearby stars appeared tiny in comparison. Yet this single castle resembled a planet in scale. Even the mighty Moorish warships, which were already colossal in human eyes, seemed like ants in front of it.

The Castle of Sighs.
This name was far from famous within the Moorish Empire. Yet it held extraordinary significance. In the empire, only a grand duke could possess his own castle. It had nothing to do with strength but was instead an honor bestowed by the empire upon loyal ministers. Each castle could have its own name, one that would represent the grand duke’s status and endure forever—no matter whether the grand duke lived or died, the castle’s name could never be changed.

Undoubtedly, Grand Duke Taro qualified for this.
“He Sighs” was the name he gave to his castle, derived from a war. During that war, as one of the empire’s most important commanders, he was constantly busy leading battles on the front lines, not returning home for five full years. He was even absent when his wife gave birth. In the end, the war was won, but his wife died from complications during childbirth, leaving him only a daughter. He named her after his wife, Veri. Then, with a long sigh, the castle gained its name. He resigned from his role as commander and left the brutal world of war. By now, few remembered his past glory; people knew him only as an old man who liked to joke.

Grand Duke Taro became the weakest and most vulnerable noble in the Moorish Empire. His castle gradually became deserted and quiet.

But today, the Castle of Sighs was bustling.
The entire castle was adorned with lights, looking completely renewed. Countless warships and transport ships moved in and out like ants, bringing large amounts of supplies. Moreover, three representatives of grand dukes came personally to pay Grand Duke Taro a long-overdue visit. Such activity made even the surrounding universe seem lively, bringing vitality to the otherwise silent starry skies.

But don’t misunderstand—today was no special day for Grand Duke Taro. The hustle and bustle was due to just one person: a lowly, minor lord named Beck.

A minor noble who had only been in everyone’s sight for less than a year, a low-ranking officer too insignificant even for ordinary captains to pay attention to—now he had become the darling of all the archdukes. Such a huge contrast; surely no one could have imagined it. At the bottom levels of the Moor Empire, some even called this lord the greatest lucky star in the galaxy. And more people joined in discussing the reasons behind his attention from so many archdukes.

Was it because of the sightings at the 351 Star Station? Or perhaps the fury at the 763 Star Station? Or maybe it was simply because of his initial mockery of the Black Hand Archduke’s subordinates?

Undoubtedly, none of these reasons were sufficient. In fact, only a few people knew that Lord Beck’s rise to prominence was due to just one sentence from the Moor Emperor.

After hearing the report about Lord Beck, the Emperor once said with a smile, “This Beck… is quite interesting.”

If the Emperor said this lord was interesting, then he truly must be. For the nobles of the Moor Empire, their immortal emperor seemed to have never made a mistake. So there must be something noteworthy about this Beck.

Sure enough, after thorough investigation, they all coincidentally discovered a suspicion: among the two squads sent to fight the Rock Clan, Beck was part of one squad. After that mission, he disappeared for a long time. When he reappeared, he caused a scene at the 763 Star Station out of anger for his comrades.

A single star station wasn’t much of a deal, so the archdukes simply dismissed Beck’s antics. But the other matter was concerning. After all, the other squad sent—those of the Black Hand Archduke—had failed and been wiped out by a cosmic storm on their way back.

One squad disappeared, but Beck was still alive. Could it be that the Stone of Light and Darkness was with this lord?

No one believed it to be true. Yet it was still a possibility. And for an item as important as the Stone of Light and Darkness, no matter how slim the chance, no one would ignore it.

So today, the castle of Archduke Tarot was as bustling as a market.

The representatives of the three archdukes. Just the escort fleets alone numbered in the thousands, and to show goodwill, each of these three representatives brought their own massive transport fleets. In total, the numbers were truly astonishing. There were five hundred standard Moor giant ships, along with thousands of transport vessels of various sizes. The goods they brought filled up all five warehouses in the castle.

Of course, Archduke Taro was well aware of the true purpose of these representatives’ visit. But he chose not to reveal it. His younger daughter, Veri, had done something that really pleased him a few days ago.

At that time, there were seven or eight factions waiting at the reception station, yet his daughter managed to take Lord Beck away before the other factions could even get in touch. From start to finish, she didn’t give them any chance to intervene. This left those who had waited for half a month furious and cursing loudly.

Let them curse. After all, he had also been cursed many times over the years and was long accustomed to it. Archduke Taro thought calmly. Compared to those factions’ curses, he was more concerned about the three representatives before him.

An archduke’s representatives were not comparable to ordinary factions. Although these three were standing obediently before him now, the more respectful they appeared, the more Archduke Taro could sense the power behind them.

It was like the old custom among human nobles—newcomers could never become true nobles. Only those who received a good education from a young age and understood the oldest etiquettes were truly respectable nobles. Such nobles wouldn’t show off their power over trivial matters, nor would they oppress commoners to prove their strength. Their territories remained prosperous, and they had complex relationships with various factions. They seemed harmless most of the time, but only when truly angered would their immense power become apparent.

Undoubtedly, these three representatives before him were such nobles. Even with his eyes closed, Archduke Taro could recount their family histories and their glorious achievements.

The one on the far left was a blond young man. If he remembered correctly, the largest commercial organization in the Moor Empire, “Tasca,” was backed by him. Tasca’s influence spanned the entire empire, dealing in all valuable goods while keeping its promises and maintaining an impeccable reputation for thousands of years. Just the name was enough to inspire respect. Archduke Taro would never look down on him just because he was young.

The bald man in the middle, with a face full of scars, must be the leader of the empire’s largest privateer fleet. It is said that despite his rough appearance, he adheres strictly to ancient noble customs, and it seems true. But does he really blush at the sight of young girls, as the legends claim?
As for the one on the right, Grand Duke Taro shook his head in secret. To be honest, if possible, he really didn’t want to see this person. After all, in the Moor Empire, the name “Viper’s Kiss” was enough to stop children from crying. The empire had existed for countless years, and this largest assassin guild still preserved its ancient traditions—loyally delivering the heads requested by each client. But Grand Duke Taro never expected their leader to be such a well-behaved young girl.
Behind these three major forces stood three grand dukes. Grand Duke Taro didn’t want to offend them so easily. Yet, faced with that stone capable of shaking the entire Moor race, even he couldn’t help but be tempted.
Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but look up again and take in the three people before him. It seemed the three also noticed Grand Duke Taro’s gesture and stood even more respectfully.
Waving his hand, Grand Duke Taro couldn’t stand these rigid folks any longer. “Sit down. It’s already a great honor for Castle of Sighs to have you three here. No need to be so cautious.”
“It’s an honor for us to stand here. Compared to the King of Killers, no matter how glorious a family may be, it’s insignificant,” replied the blond young man on the far left respectfully, then sat down obediently in the living room, keeping his eyes fixed straight ahead—acting as if he were going through a etiquette lesson.
The other two were similar. They also bowed respectfully, thanking the Grand Duke for allowing them to sit, before taking their seats. Every movement of theirs seemed to have been practiced countless times, flawless in every detail.
“The King of Killers?” Grand Duke Taro smiled bitterly. “That’s all in the past. A mammoth doesn’t pride itself on its past strength; it only cares whether its fur has fewer wrinkles and more luster. Since you’re Tasska’s current family head, you surely understand this.”
“For us, the King of Killers never ages,” replied the bald man in the middle. Of the three, he was the only one who wasn’t overly rigid. Though he still adhered to ancient noble customs, his eyes burned with fervor.

The Grand Duke of Tarot recognized that gaze. Back in his fleet, there had been many such gazes. They were all the finest warriors of the Moorish Empire. Their youth and passion were enough to cover the entire starry sky. Even the bravest enemies dared not stop in their presence.
“You… remind me of so many things…” With a long sigh, the Grand Duke of Tarot smiled bitterly and shook his head. “Young people should stay full of vigor. I am indeed old.”
“But your daughter has inherited your strength, hasn’t she? She has the sharpest mind and the bravest generals. Even more, she possesses the luckiest lords in the Moorish Empire.” The last girl suddenly smiled and offered a gentle compliment.
The Grand Duke of Tarot’s heart tightened instantly. It’s here!!