Interstellar Age

Chapter 354 A Very Different Ayumi

Ayumi sat on in an elegant starliner, a ship designed for transporting people across star systems. The ship was emblazoned with the royal arms of the Kondo Dynasty and was escorted by a proper fighter wing to ensure the safety of the dignitary onboard.

The beautiful Princess of the Great Oni Empire sat on board the ship while staring into the void of space, which rapidly flew by thanks to the faster than light technology which the starliner was equipped with.

There was a far from pleasant expression on Ayumi's face. In fact, she was in a terrible mood. Out of nowhere, her father tasked her with becoming the ambassador to the Germanic Star-Empire. Making it abundantly clear that her objective was to seduce the foreign successor and become his concubine.

A concubine? What outrageous nonsense was this? She was the dignified and noble princess of the mighty Kondo Dynasty. Though she expected a political marriage when she turned eighteen, this was a different matter entirely.

It was common practice for the daughters of the Great Oni Emperors to be wed off to the noble scions of those families within Oni society who held great power. This was an ancient tradition that secured peace and prosperity throughout the Empire.

But this was not a political marriage, and she was not being sent to the home of an Oni nobleman. Instead, she was being sent to a foreign civilization to become the concubine of an alien dictator. Words could not express how degrading and scandalous this whole situation was.

Unlike in the previous timeline where Yumi groomed her aunt to become in love with Erich from a young age. No such thing occurred in this timeline, and because of this Ayumi did not share the same fetish as her aunt. Nor was she even aware of it.

Instead, she felt like she was being punished via exile for a sin she was not even aware of. It was a dreadful feeling. Luckily for her, her beloved elder brother was accompanying her on this final farewell.

Though he was outraged by his father's decision, Prince Kondo Ryu tried his best to comfort his little sister, who was practically on the edge of tears.

"I know it looks bad Ayumi, but our Royal Father must have his reasons... Besides, I hear that the Germanic race are excellent warrior. And that the man father has tasked you with.... Well anyway, I hear he is their greatest war hero... Surely you will be safe while you are....."

No matter how much the young man tried his best, he failed to say the words that were meant to comfort his little sister, because every time he thought about them, he became outraged. Why? Why was his sister being punished so severely? Just what had she done wrong?

Neither of the two siblings knew that their father was just a puppet, and that the real power behind the phone was their great aunt. Nor did they know that she had reluctantly brokered such an agreement in order to gain protection from their Germanic allies when the eventual galactic crisis surfaced.

Because of this, the two siblings sulked until their ship eventually arrived in Germania.

---

Erich stepped out of the Citadel and onto its platform, which was used to host the shuttles of dignitaries from foreign civilizations. He was dressed in his most lavish military uniform, with all the fantastical decorations he had earned himself both in his past life, and in this one

The Supreme Leader insisted that the man properly groom himself and because of this, his hair was clicked back in a fine cut, which showed off his handsome features quite well. It had been over five years since Erich had last seen Ayumi, or perhaps even longer.

In all honesty, time flew by because he had been so busy. There were many conflicted emotions in his heart and mind. Ayumi perhaps received the worst of Erich's mistreatment in their past life. After declaring himself Supreme Leader of the Germanic Star-Empire and establishing the Silber Enclave, Erich had decided to sever any ties he had to alien women in order to appease the public.

In doing this, he had cold heartedly sent Ayumi back to her aunt, along with their young daughter Aiko. For the rest of his life in that timeline, Erich would never see the two of them again. Something he deeply regretted, perhaps more than anything.

Erich needed to make things right with Ayumi in this life, and thus, he was deeply nervous, perhaps more so than he was when meeting any of his other women for the first time in this timeline. Because if he messed this up, Aiko would never be born... And Erich could not allow such a cruel fate to happen.

Thus, the man was struggling to calm himself with deep breaths as Ayumi's shuttle landed on the platform. When the ramp lowered, and the Oni Royal Guard stepped forward, Erich's heart was quite literally palpitating, waiting anxiously for the Oni beauty to reveal herself. And eventually she did...

It was abundantly clear by the look on her pretty face that Ayumi was desperately trying to appear friendly, but no matter how much effort she put into this facade, Erich could see right through her. Thus, his heart sank, as he realized she already had a foul perception of this entire ordeal. Nevertheless, he did not lose hope, as he waited for Ayumi to pay her respects to Supreme Leader Epp before doing so for him.

Prince Ryu shook the Supreme Leader's hand before saluting Erich. After all, Erich was the Field Marshal tasked with leading the coalition forces that defeated the Naraku Hive Fleet Terminus. Although Ryu might hate Erich for taking his sister as a concubine, he had to show the man respect as he himself was an officer in the Great Oni Navy.

Erich returned the man's salute before speaking to him. There was a complicated expression on Erich's face as he struggled to come to terms with treating this young man with respect when considering they shared a sinister grudge in their past lives.

But Erich was a professional and forced himself to be courteous as he greeted the man.

"Lieutenant... It is good to meet you. I heard you proved yourself in the battle against Terminus..."

Ryu also struggled to keep a corteous tone in his voice while he boldly displayed the medal he had won for his engagement in that battle. Whether it was duly earned, or simply a matter of nepotism, Erich didn't know. But it was not like Ryu was going to admit to it either way.

"Marshal, it is good to see that you are doing well. I have come to deliver my sister, Princess Kondo Ayumi, as the newly appointed ambassador to the Germanic Star-Empire. Now that I have done my duty, I am required to take my leave and report back to the Fleet..."

As Erich and Ryu shook hands, the man pulled Erich in close and whispered something sinister in his ears.

"I don't care if you are the next dictator of your disgusting civilization. If you dare lay a finger on my sister, I will make sure your soul never reaches the afterlife, you fucking bastard..."

Erich simply smirked when he heard this and nodded his head, not saying anything more. Which was a response that infuriated Ryu even further, but not as much as Erich dismissing him entirely.

"As you were, Lieutenant, you best be on your way..."

After saying this, Erich shifted his attention to Ayumi, who was giving her older brother a pleading gaze, which practically was begging him not to leave her behind. Unfortunately for her, Ryu had his orders and turned his back on his sister, leaving her in the care of the Aliens he hated most in this universe.

Once he was no longer in earshot, Erich introduced himself to Ayumi properly.

"Princess Kondo Ayumi, it is my greatest honor to receive you here on our humble homeworld. If there is anything you might need, please let me know, and if it is remotely in my power to provide, I will do it."

Ayumi was slightly surprised at this response. It was as if Erich was professionally greeting her as an actual ambassador, and not some whore that was bought and paid for. In fact, there was not a single ounce of lust in his silver eyes. Instead, he appeared to be genuinely greeting her as a foreign dignitary.

And because of this, she decided to not make a scene, and decided to respond to Erich's greeting with one of her own.

"I will be in your care from now on, Field Marshal, please be kind..."

No matter how much she tried to hide it, Erich knew Ayumi well enough to know that she was afraid, deeply afraid of him and what he might do, and thus Erich knew he had a lot of work ahead of him if Aiko was ever to be born in this timeline.

But he was determined to make things up to Ayumi and his daughter, who had yet to be conceived and thus, he decided to take this relationship one step at a time. With that in mind, Erich began to introduce Ayumi to the Citadel, and to the civilization she would now be living in for the foreseeable future.

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