Like almost every building in the Empire, the Governor's Mansion was filled with gaudy, lavish decorations. Crystal and gemstones were embedded everywhere, while tapestries depicting grand war epics hung from balconies dozens of meters above. Duanmu Huai paused for a moment to admire the tapestry before him. It portrayed a war he was not very familiar with, but it was clearly not from the era of the Great Expedition.
Perhaps it was something these colonists had done after arriving on this planet?
Duanmu Huai's gaze lingered for a moment on one pitch-black figure before he withdrew it and continued forward along the crimson carpet.
The banquet hall, filled with burning incense, was exceptionally lively. The nobles stood respectfully on both sides in splendid attire, welcoming the arrival of the representative of the Empire's highest authority. The women were decked out like flamboyant peacocks, and the men were hardly any better. As Duanmu Huai walked, he observed their expressions. At least outwardly, these ignorant idiots seemed to be living quite comfortably.
Well, if one ignored the countless Demons flying around outside, this place was actually fairly habitable.
Next came the routine speeches. The Governor praised the glory of the Empire in a booming voice while patting his enormous belly, declaring that he would continue serving the great Emperor as a citizen of the Empire. Naturally, this nauseating drivel was mostly meant to curry favor with the Inquisitor from the Inquisition before him, so Duanmu Huai would not execute him on the spot for insufficient loyalty.
Duanmu Huai then delivered some conventional platitudes of his own: the Empire appreciated their loyalty, and he hoped everyone would fulfill their duties. At the end, he casually mentioned that the Tithe would be raised. This was naturally intentional on Duanmu Huai's part. After all, an