The marriage proposal hit the network almost immediately, and a wave of positive reactions unfolded. Khan and Monica had their haters, but the majority of the public felt excited and happy about their engagement.
Of course, many began to wonder when the marriage would take place. It was common for wealthy descendants to get engaged early just to wait years to seal the deal, but Khan's poor background could create an exception to the rule.
Still, the Solodrey family didn't give the public that satisfaction. Monica wore an official ring now, but no one mentioned the wedding. Anastasia and Luther wanted the couple to focus on their careers before making that important step.
Khan and Monica didn't like to have their private life policed by her parents but also agreed with their decision, albeit for different reasons. Their political influence was still too weak, so formally joining the family now would leave them powerless. Ideally, they wanted to gain undisputable political relevance before jumping into that complicated environment.
That wasn't a simple plan nor something the couple could attain in a matter of months. Khan and Monica would have to work for years to seize enough leverage to remain free even inside the Solodrey family. However, that didn't have to start right away.
A few days after the official engagement, Khan found himself in a hot environment enveloped in a pleasant breeze. The relaxing sound of waves filled his ears, and a yellow star shone on his eyes, attempting to give his skin a nice tan.
Khan wasn't alone either. He was lying on a sunbed made for a single person, but Monica had squeezed at his side and was sleeping on his bare chest. Her swimsuit tempted Khan, but he refrained from waking her up for now.
Technically, that was a second gift from the Solodrey family. Khan and Monica wanted to spend some time alone after the engagement, so Anastasia had pointed them toward one of their establishments.
The place was on a planet called Illnatur, consisting of a series of beaches that many wealthy families had purchased and developed. Summer never ended there, making it the perfect holiday spot for descendants or similar figures wanting to take a break from political life.
Khan and Monica had the Solodrey family's beach for themselves. Except for the servants in the various structures, they were alone and with no strings attached. They could relax and do as they wished for a week before returning to their many duties.
Monica's swimsuit wasn't the only thing that tried to distract Khan from that drowsy morning. His mind rejoiced as waves of natural mana washed over him. That environment was far better than the personal greenhouse, tempting him to perform the [Blood Vortex] there.
Yet, the place belonged to the Solodrey family, and flying away would send Khan into another family's territory. He couldn't ensure total privacy, forcing him to hold back and focus on different tasks.
"Khan," A sleepy call escaped Monica's mouth while Khan was lost in his thoughts, and his eyes promptly fell to meet hers. She had yet to wake up completely, but noticing Khan made her smile.
"My fiancé," Monica giggled, leaning upward to reach for Khan's mouth. He helped her, and the two exchanged a loving kiss that conveyed the purity of the moment.
"Someone is happy," Khan teased.
"I have the best fiancé," Monica stated, showing the big ring on her left hand. "I'm the happiest woman in the world."
Khan could only smile. Monica had been in that condition since the engagement had gone official. Her mana appeared unable to radiate negative thoughts, and pure happiness permeated it. Monica was ecstatic with that development despite all the potential problems and paranoia.
Inspecting Monica also confirmed Khan's feelings. He shared that happiness and certainty, showing how much the couple had matured. Their previous talks about engagement and marriage had always featured doubts, but everything was perfect now.
"Show me that thing again," Khan ordered.
"But I just woke up," Monica whined.
"Exactly," Khan pointed out. "You won't hear reason once you are fully awake."
"Fine," Monica pouted but still lifted her arm at the sky. Mana ran through it, and a faint cloud came from her palm.
Khan didn't miss the slightest detail about that imperfect spell. He memorized the mana's patterns and quantity before losing himself in multiple mental simulations. That wasn't his first attempt, but the outcome didn't change.
"It's really useless," Khan sighed.
"You know it's imperfect," Monica stated, lowering her arm to curl on Khan's torso. "It's the most imperfect of my spells."
"I wouldn't even call them spells," Khan sighed. "I wish I had your element. I would know how to move."
"You would know more if you stopped being so careful," Monica complained.
"I'm not risking your arm," Khan declared. "End of the story."
"I like it when you are so domineering," Monica joked, caressing Khan's chest, "But you can't expect to fix what my family couldn't. Not immediately, at least."
"That's exactly what I must do," Khan exclaimed. "The future husband of a Matriarch should be able to do that."
Khan didn't need to say it, but Monica understood anyway. Her element was a hindrance in her political career. Khan's strength could compensate for it, but eliminating that flaw altogether would be the best solution.
"You'll figure it out," Monica reassured. "You always do. After all, you are my fiancé."
"You really love the sound of that," Khan chuckled.
"I love you more," Monica said, leaning toward Khan to kiss him again.
The week in that paradisiac location flew in a blink, and the couple returned just as quickly into the Harbor. The end of the holiday forced them to deal with the accumulated calls from friends and acquaintances willing to congratulate them, and half a day went by because of that.
Khan would have loved to spend longer on those calls. After all, half a day wasn't nearly enough to talk with George, Luke, Martha, Lucian, and all the other descendants who had established a tight relationship with him. Yet, the time to settle a past agreement had come.
In the middle of the afternoon, Khan hopped out of a cab that had landed on one of the embassy's roofs. Mister Cirvags and Headmistress Holwen were with him, and the trio immediately dived into the building while escorted by a group of soldiers.
The appointed corridor had fallen into chaos before the group's arrival, and things had only worsened in the meantime. When Khan reached his destination, he saw soldiers standing outside a familiar office, frightened about the scene inside.
"Make way," One of the soldiers in the escort ordered, and Khan, Headmistress Holwen, and Mister Cirvags used that chance to enter the office.
The few remaining workers froze at the sight of those big shots, but that wasn't the only development. A raging figure shot out of the private room, and a shout promptly escaped his mouth.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Ambassador Abores shouted. "Since when have you all plotted behind my back?!"
"The request came directly from the Thilku Empire," Mister Cirvags explained.
"Our hands are tied," Headmistress Holwen added.
"Tied?!" Ambassador Abores shouted again, and his anger skyrocketed when he looked at Khan. "Is this your doing? What did you give the Thilku to make this happen?"
Khan didn't feel the need to justify the event. That anger bored him, but the office still wasn't empty, so he addressed that. "You were supposed to clear my room thirty minutes ago."
"How dare you?" Ambassador Abores cursed before bringing his attention to the two superiors. "Are you really willing to give my missions to a mere scout? Is this what the Global Army has come to?"
"The decision has already been made," Mister Cirvags explained. "Captain Khan will take over your office and all your tasks."
"He isn't ready," Ambassador Abores snorted. "He'll never be! He'll never have humankind's best interest at heart. That's how he pretends to excel."
"If clues of treason will appear," Mister Cirvags stated, "I'll deal with them personally."
Ambassador Abores couldn't believe those words, but the faces before him weren't lying. The news had been too sudden to feel real, but his orders were official. Khan was to replace him.
"This is ridiculous," Ambassador Abores exclaimed. "This is crazy."
The trio knew that speaking would only add fuel to the fire, so they let Ambassador Abores cool down on his own. Luckily for them, the Ambassador was a pro, so he accepted his situation in a matter of seconds.
"Clarissa, let's leave," Ambassador Abores ordered, and his secretary immediately reached his side. "As for you, you should be ashamed of putting the relationships with the Thilku in the hands of a kid."
Ambassador Abores got nothing but silence, but his anger flared once more as he stepped forward, and Khan's uncaring expression filled his view.
"You think of yourself as some kind of prodigy," Ambassador Abores mocked. "You just won the lottery when you made that gir-."
A tremor suddenly ran through the office. Cracks appeared on various devices, and most workers clung to their desks to avoid falling. Clarissa was standing so her knees ended on the floor, and she even dropped the screens in her arms.
Only Mister Cirvags, Headmistress Holwen, and Ambassador Abores remained immune to the tremor, although the latter had to steel his resolve to stay still. However, that alone couldn't stop a few drops of sweat from appearing on his forehead.
"Finish your line," Khan threatened. "I'd rather deal with you now."
Headmistress Holwen couldn't help but glance at Khan, and her worry increased. She had hoped for Khan's threat to be empty, but his eyes told a different story. If Ambassador Abores finished his line, he would attack.
Ambassador Abores saw the same resolve, and that wasn't even his first time in a stalemate with Khan. Yet, the current one gave off a completely different vibe. In the first instance, he didn't acknowledge his own fear, but it was undeniable now.
"Congratulations on your engagement," Ambassador Abores eventually stated. "I'm sure our paths will cross again. Clarissa!"
Clarissa quickly jumped on her feet, and the two hurried forward to leave the office. Soon, their presence disappeared from the corridor, and Khan didn't hesitate to advance.
"Get back to work," Khan ordered, walking toward his private room. "Replace the damaged devices and hire new personnel."
Mister Cirvags and Headmistress Holwen wanted to have a last chat with Khan, but he didn't give them the chance. He quickly isolated himself inside the private room, and its windows went dark as soon as he sat down.
A tired sigh escaped Khan's mouth once he was alone. He had kept track of Ambassador Abores' mana during his departure, so he knew he wouldn't let things be. His revenge was sure to come sooner or later.
'It's not like I expected anything else,' Khan thought before the interactive desk captured his attention. Placing a hand on it also unlocked it since the embassy had already switched genetic signatures, and his fingers moved to get to work.
Truthfully, Khan didn't know the full extent of Ambassador Abores' tasks but planned to learn them that night. Still, he had a few personal projects in mind, which he planned to start with his new authority.
'Look for an individual,' Khan typed on the interactive desk. 'Ylaco's Slums, probably prison, Captain Khan's father.'
Learning about the noble lineage made Khan decide to ignore his internal conflict. His father probably had answers that Anastasia didn't reveal or was unaware of. He needed to meet him to clear the last doubts about his past and, hopefully, understand what he truly knew about the nightmares.
As for the second project, Khan inputted a series of information gathered throughout the years, including Lord Vegner's report. He wasn't an Ambassador yet, but that office granted him immense reach and authority. With them, he could finally start looking for the Nak.
****
Author's notes: This chapter marks the end of the sixth volume. I'll see all of you in the next, hopefully tomorrow.
