Interstellar Age

The leader of the Yokai ascendancy was sitting on this throne while in an interstellar communication with none other than Bixel Goldentooth. For centuries, the Ghimderi had been using their vast wealth to entrap other civilizations into massive debt so that they could be useful pawns in their bids to control the galaxy.

After all, the Ghimderi seldom liked to get their hands dirty, and instead hired proxies to get the job done for them. They were neither a physically strong race, nor one that had a natural capacity for violence.

It was truly a miracle how they had made it to the galactic stage with such a small stature and a frail physique. Nevertheless, they were the true masters of the galaxy due to their significant wealth and the influence it could buy.

It was because of this that many races such as the Yokai begrudgingly obeyed their Ghimderi debtors, despite secretly despising the goblins and their entire race. Because of this hidden animosity, the Yokai Leader forced a smile as he spoke to Bixle about the ongoing war effort.

"It is strange. While the Germanic Navy has been mobilized, it sits at its borders almost as if they are waiting for something. Considering the threat which that boy issued to me, I would have thought that he would foolishly have behaved rather aggressively at the start of this conflict...."

Bixle, however, was not actually all that surprised by this news. The Germanic Star-Empire was a society built on merit. Those who accomplished great things on the battlefield were promoted ahead of their peers, and the greater things one achieved, the quicker they reached the top.

Considering Erich's war record was the greatest that anyone had seen in the last two centuries, despite the Germanic Star-Empire only primarily engaging in covert operations during the time of Erich's service. It was not that surprising that the man had reached the pinnacle of power within his civilization and at such a young age.

But sitting back and waiting was not necessarily the Germanic style of war, unless they were fighting a war against a power they knew that they had no chance of defeating via invasion. After all, the Germanic Star-Empire's greatest asset was the fact that they had fortified all their settled worlds. Making a defensive war their greatest strength.

But did Erich truly plan to bait the Yokai Military and those of their allies into a war of attrition? That did not seem likely... Something else had to be going on here. And just when Bixle was about to ask about the Alfheim Empress and her potential involvement, the Yokai Leader spoke of her.

"Oh, dear... The Empress is contacting me. I can't keep her waiting, I apologize Mr. Goldentooth, but I must heed the Empress's call. I will contact you once I am finished speaking with her...."

It was then and there that Bixle realized the reason that the GSE had yet to move their forces outside of their own borders. Lunaria had likely contacted them first and was now seeking to settle this dispute diplomatically.

Something that Bixle couldn't possibly allow. And thus he was forced to call out to his pawn before the man got himself stuck in an unfavorable position.

"Wait don't!"

But it was too late. The Yokai leader had already hung up on him. Thus Bixle was sitting there seething, while gritting his sharp, needle-like teeth, as he was left wondering just what Lunaria would do to the Yokai Ascendency if she were to learn that they were effectively under his control, and had been spying on her for the Ghimderi Trade Union for centuries.

---

Lunaria was scowling when she contacted the Yokai Leader. After all, she did not normally reach out to her vassals. In fact, it was the other way around. The Germanic Star-Empire was the sole exception to this rule, and the Rylonians before them. As they both had once held the esteemed position of being her favorites.

The Elven Empress had a tendency to spoil her favorite pups and would often maintain friendly and regular communications with them as a result. This is one of the reasons that the Rylonians hated the Germanic Race so much.

Because before the Germanic Star-Empire revealed themselves, the Rylonian Imperium had held the favored position in Lunaria's heart and mind. But the GSE had stolen this honor, and Lunaria had proven to treat them far more favorably than she had the Ryloanians.

What was worse, was once Lunaria's affections shifted to the Germanic Star-Empire, the Rylonians never heard from her again outside of official business. And while the Rylonian Imperium may have been annihilated by the Naraku, with only a few billion refugees surviving the collapse of their civilization. The grudge they had with the Germanic Star-

Empire still dwelled within their hearts and minds.

The point is that Lunaria seldom ever contacted her other vassals, and when she did, it was often for official business. Thus, the Yokai Leader conducted himself with a particular display of professionalism. That is until he saw the woman's scowling face. And when he saw this, he fell to his knees and apologize for whatever he possibly could have done to upset her.

"My Empress! I must apologize! I have no idea what I have done to cause you to look upon me with such disfavor, but I promise I will do everything in my power to right this wrong!"

Though the man acted like a loyal hound, Lunaria did not believe he was sincere for a second. After all, Erich had alerted her about the leash, which another master held over this pup. And she was not the type of woman who liked sharing her things with others.

Thus, there was even a hostile tone in the Elven beauty's voice when she spoke to her vassal as if he were the most disgusting thing she had ever seen.

"Oh really? You dare act so loyal before men when you call another master? You disloyal bitch! I should have you spayed for this betrayal!"

The fact that Lunaria was talking to him as if he were some kind of pet in need of discipline made the Yokai Leader realize just how badly he had fucked up. She only ever used this language when she was either really happy with what one of her vassals did, or extremely upset. Like on the verge of genocide, upset.

And the talk of another master made the Yokai leader realize that Lunaria had found out about his debt to the Ghimdeir. Thus, he tried to beg for her forgiveness.

"Empress... I apologize, I understand now what I have done wrong. But the Ghimderi! We owe them a massive debt. They said that they would be willing to consider our debts paid in full if we brought the Germanic Star-Empire to its knees! Please, you must understand, we have no way of paying back such a vast amount without borrowing more from someone else!"

When Lunaria realized the extent to which the Ghimderi's influence had over her own vassals she became sick to her stomach. So much so that she never wanted to see another Yokai ever again. It was with this in mind that she sealed their fate by giving Erich permission to do what he had threatened to a race who had been her vassals for nearly a two hundred thousand years.

"Your race is so weak that you would allow those filthy goblins to manipulate you into biting my favorite pups? Very well... I guess I have no choice but to wash my hands of you. As of this moment, I have determined that the Yokai Ascendency has violated their oath of vassalage. And thus are no longer under my protection. Nor does the Alfheim Dominion recognize their claims over the territory they hold. From this point on, you are on your own..."

With this said, Lunaria hung up on the leader of the Yokai Ascendency. Who only now realized that Erich's threat to annihilate his race and civilization so thoroughly that they will only be remembered in history for being destroyed by the Germanic Star-Empire might actually be a legitimate possibility for the future.