Yu Lian's first instinct, of course, was curiosity mixed with smug delight.
After all, this was Emperor Ilesel, the ruler of the Empire who had governed half the galaxy for two centuries. In every respect, he fit the mold of a supreme supervillain. Even the Alliance across the front lines used him to scare children into going to bed.
If a major figure like him wanted to speak with Yu Lian privately, didn't that mean he acknowledged Yu Lian as someone who could stand on equal footing with him—at least under certain circumstances?
Anyone in that situation would have been hard-pressed not to feel smug. If it had been one of Earth's esteemed dignitaries—even President Nihita, the Grosso family's son-in-law and leader of the pro-Alliance Friendship Party—he might have had the Emperor's letter framed as a family heirloom.
Even Mr. Qi, a staunch anti-imperialist, couldn't help feeling pleased with himself when he learned the Emperor was a fan of his books.
By comparison, Yu Lian was remarkably composed. He merely let out an intrigued "Oh." Once that surge of excitement had passed, however, what he felt most was a heavy sense of misgiving.
"Should I agree?" Yu Lian wondered.
"What capacity would you meet him in? Yu'er, you aren't the head of state of the Commonwealth, the supreme commander of its armed forces, or a theater commander. Even here at Fort Seyde, you're only the deputy."
Indeed, General Sylvester was the one in charge. Fortunately, his old schoolmate knew what mattered most and had willingly taken a supporting role, doing everything he could to assist Yu Lian.
Luckily, his old schoolmate was a reasonable man who knew how to see the bigger picture. Even luckier, the leaders Yu Lian had encountered in this life had mostly been reasonable people who