Yelena's Political Ambitions (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

Nimrod looked up toward the exterior of the palace; beyond Yelena, who walked in the lead, there were six other presences.

These six individuals had undergone professional training and were adept at concealment, making them difficult for ordinary people to detect, yet to the senses of a Primarch, they were exceptionally clear.

The seven of them soon arrived outside the palace, and Yelena spoke up.

"I shall go to seek an audience with the King; you are to wait outside for my summons before entering."

The countess, dressed in a red gown, stepped into the palace and performed a deep bow.

"My King."

"Yelena, what is your business?"

"My King, I have come to pay my sincere respects. You have entrusted the pharmaceutical industry of House Szymanski to House Kournikova, and I shall certainly not let you down."

Nimrod leaned back, his gaze scrutinizing Yelena.

"Then I shall wait and see; I hope you can bring me a surprise."

"Anything else?"

"My King, if I may be so bold, your subordinates, while formidable in combat, are limited by their backgrounds. At the very least, they cannot play a significant role in the governance of Tezwork in the short term."

Flames burned in Yelena's eyes as she offered a confident smile.

"I believe you should establish a cabinet, and I consider myself capable of playing a pivotal role within it."

"Oh?"

Nimrod remained noncommittal. He tapped his fingers against the tabletop, the rhythmic thudding echoing like the great bells of the Omnissiah, ringing in the countess's ears.

After three long seconds, he pushed a data-slate forward.

"Present your solution."

Yelena wiped away her smile, walked to the table, and faced the test with gravity.

Her expression shifted from stern to gradually relaxed.

"My King, I have a way to rapidly rebuild the security forces."

"I imagine you wish to reconstruct the security forces as soon as possible, which requires a capable person to share your burdens. I happen to have such a person by my side."

"House Kournikova is a family composed of sisters. Before my husband, Baron Buksa, joined, he served the Omnissiah and acted as an independent arbitrator in the domes jointly controlled by House Skorupski and the Adeptus Mechanicus."

Yelena retrieved the data-slate. Her standard for choosing a spouse was a capable individual from a minor noble house, and she had conducted thorough background checks on every candidate; now was the time to put that to use.

"Please allow me to show you his file."

The countess combined the data with a detailed introduction, finally concluding:

"During his tenure, Buksa recruited, organized, and developed his own Arbitration Hall."

"After joining House Kournikova, he also adjusted the family's guard protocols and other systems. In the fifty-two years since the implementation of these systems, not a single loss has been suffered, including in the lower-hive factories."

"Send him a message immediately. I want to see his report before the Nightfall Troupe arrives."

Yelena dared not delay and immediately contacted her husband. After closing the communicator, she continued to wait for Nimrod's instructions.

"Since you claim the ability to form a cabinet, state your ideas."

"My King, for thousands of years, because Boleslaw greedily plundered the family assets, and due to the apathy and insular cultural traditions of the Muskan people, each house has developed in isolation."

"Each house's strategy is to guard its own industry, fearing expansion. If we can deepen cooperation, the integration of Tezwork's resources will drastically increase efficiency. The cooperation between House Kournikova and House Skorupski is proof of this."

The countess laid out her preparations one by one; she had clearly given this deep thought.

"First, we must break down the barriers to communication by hosting exchange banquets and similar events."

"Following that, we must set examples; House Kournikova and House Finde could take the lead in establishing a cooperative relationship."

"Once profits are realized, we can use tangible results to prove to the other houses that their concepts will shift accordingly; they will not let such a golden opportunity pass."

Nimrod asked questions from time to time, and the countess answered them one by one.

Two Terra-hours later, Nimrod nodded in satisfaction.

"You shall take the lead in forming the cabinet."

"Thank you for your trust; I will certainly not let you down."

Yelena said with excitement. She had once proposed the same suggestion to the false king Boleslaw, but that greedy pig had shown no interest at all.

Now, she finally had the opportunity to realize her political ambitions, and House Kournikova could, through this reform, truly become a pivotal house in Tezwork, rather than just a young, wealthy one.

Just as her heart was surging, she heard Nimrod ask:

"Are the six people outside the door yours?"

Yelena was stunned for a moment. The six she had brought were elite assassins she had cultivated since childhood using genetic technology and medicine.

Even if they attacked together, they might not be a match for the giant before her, but after their modifications, each of them was so light-footed that their footsteps were no louder than those of a prized Scottish Fold cat, and their breathing was so faint it was nearly non-existent.

The distance from here to the door spanned the side hall used for waiting, an attached lounge, and a servant's tea room; the new King should not have been able to hear her just now.

[If they were to face the New King, their only chance would be to rely on their stealth abilities to launch a sneak attack.

Now that they have been discovered by the New King, they have no chance at all; fortunately, I have no unrealistic ideas.]

The Countess was shocked to her core, taking a deep breath as she once again raised her assessment of the New King's combat power.

"My King, they are all assassins I have meticulously cultivated."

"They shall become the sharp blades in your hands, executing those who refuse to submit."

"Let them come in."

Yelena immediately switched communication channels and issued the order.

"Maria, bring them in."

A moment later, six women dressed in black bodysuits, each carrying different weapons, walked in.

Some carried laser rifles on their backs, while others had shields strapped to their gear and swords at their hips...

The six of them habitually looked at the giant sitting in the chair—who was even taller than them—with the eyes of hunters sizing up a target.

Immediately, they locked gazes with Nimrod's pitch-black, profound eyes, and the six assassins felt a sudden chill run down their spines.

Five of them lowered their heads at once.

Only the blonde woman in the center, with her high-bridged nose, bit her lips tightly, stubbornly holding her ground.

After scanning the group, Nimrod spoke immediately.

"You are to depart at once and head to Mazov and Szczecin to carry out assassinations."

"The targets are the commanders and nobles of the two Hive Cities; you may choose your specific targets yourselves."

"Return to report in twenty-three work cycles."

Nimrod had decided that after capturing Lukpo, he would then take Mazov and Szczecin, connecting the four Hive Cities into one contiguous territory.

Sending them out was both a test of their strength and a way to weaken the enemy.

Yelena was stunned. "My King, you..."

"Tezwork is only the beginning."

[Mazov and Szczecin are not powerful Hive Cities like Lukpo; their strength is similar to Tezwork's. With the New King's combat power, he can indeed take them.]

Buksa of the Nightfall Troupe hurried over.