Khan had initially half-considered to hit the tournament in the afternoon, but Monica ruined those plans. The couple remained in bed all day, calming down only when the night had long since arrived.

That calm phase would often welcome cuddles and affectionate sleep, but Khan's vitality seemed endless. The more time passed, the better he felt, and there was a limit to how much he could vent on Monica. Luckily for the couple, the parties were still ongoing, so finding a suitable one didn't take long.

Of course, Khan and Monica were in no condition to hit the party right away. They both carried evident marks of their passion, and Khan's burned hair wouldn't do in those lofty

environments. Moreover, Abraham and Garret needed updates on Khan's condition, so the departure preparations took a while.

Luckily, Khan owned the city, quadrant, and planet. He could move armies at will, and his problems required far less than that. The couple was already in the medical bay, so Khan only needed to call, and the scientists arrived.

Summoning a stylist at that late hour wasn't an issue, either. Actually, picking a dress for Monica was the most time-consuming endeavor.

Yet, even if later than planned, the couple eventually set off, ditching ships and other rides to rely on Khan's flight. The cruise through the sky ruined part of the stylist's work, but neither Khan nor Monica was in the mood to care.

The party the couple had chosen was on one of the city's terraces. Those tall locations were popular due to their privacy and detachment from the chaos below, so many important guests often gathered there, adding relevance to the events.

That night, the party had a relatively limited guest list. The two Thilku Lords were there, as well as the noble representatives and Tlexicpalli. Mister Cirvags couldn't miss the opportunity to be near the aliens, and Monica's parents were still enjoying the fame their daughter's birthday had provided.

The rest of the guests all carried the Nognes bloodline. Khan's Cousins, Aunt, Uncle, and Grandfather were on the terrace, entertaining different figures. The conversations and booze flowed smoothly, but everything stopped when Khan appeared in the sky, princess-carrying Monica in his arms.

The terrace's lights soon highlighted Khan's slow descent. He gracefully landed on the metal floor, helping Monica on her heels while the guests gathered around them. Usually, that would prompt a series of polite bows and salutes, but the couple wasn't in the mood for those pleasantries.

Khan lifted a hand toward the waiters at the terrace's end, keeping his other arm wrapped around Monica's waist. Meanwhile, Monica caressed the hand on her side, her eyes glued on her Fiancé. The two acted as if they were still in bed, uncaring about the influential crowd around them.

"What did I miss?

" Khan casually asked, showing his hand to the waiter, who promptly delivered two drinks. He had to seize them one at a time since he didn't let go of Monica and obviously took care of her thirst first.

"The boy from the Parket family won again,

" Princess Montares revealed.

"I'm taking a liking in him.

"

"The descendant from the Conche family is also promising,

" Princess Virrai announced.

"I foresee a dark-horse situation.

"

Similar comments followed, but Khan didn't look interested in them. His full attention was on exchanging a toast with Monica, smiling meaningfully as he watched her drink.

Monica matched Khan's gaze from behind her glass. The two seemed engaged in a mental conversation only they could hear, which no outside interference could interrupt.

The scene triggered different emotional reactions. Those more friendly with Khan and Monica experienced a sense of appreciation and envy at that blatant affection. Couples often lost their spark throughout the years, especially those from wealthy parties, but Monica and Khan looked as in love as on their first day.

Instead, other guests felt slightly annoyed by the couple's behavior. It wasn't only improper in public. Failing to address the audience suitably could be seen as a lack of respect, which most nobles couldn't tolerate.

Nevertheless, a party that didn't match either of those reactions existed. Lord Exr, Lord Rsi, and Tlexicpalli didn't care about the mandatory pleasantries anymore after their relationship with Khan had developed. Moreover, they instinctively felt that something had changed, which intrigued them.

"Blue Shaman,

" Lord Rsi called, inspecting Khan from head to toe. Khan matched his gaze, seemingly starting a staring match. Battle intent filled the air, making the Thilku grin and show his canines.

"You did something,

" Lord Rsi commented.

"I did,

" Khan revealed.

"I wouldn't have missed the tournament otherwise.

" Tlexicpalli had a similar reaction but expressed it differently. She remained silent, strolling around the couple while her four stretched eyes were on Khan. Her pointy tail also wagged left and right, seemingly itching for a fight.

Tlexicpalli also noticed how Khan kept track of her. Khan was looking at Lord Rsi while she was behind him. Yet, Tlexicpalli felt his piercing gaze on her, watching her every move.

"How are those training grounds coming along, Prince Khan?

" Tlexicpalli asked, clearly excited.

"The Ef'i are growing restless.

"

"I thought we agreed on completing them once the tournament ended,

" Khan reminded, his gaze still on Lord Rsi.

"I changed my mind,

" Tlexicpalli revealed.

"Is it feasible?

"

"The Empire expects the same treatment,

" Lord Rsi announced.

"Of course.

"

"Of course,

" Khan stated.

"You can give word to your troops. The training grounds will be ready by the time they arrive here.

"

"Excellent,

" Tlexicpalli exclaimed.

"A platoon?

" Lord Rsi wondered.

"The Ef'i will send a company,

" Tlexicpalli declared.

"And the Empire will match that,

" Lord Rsi responded.

The two species' competitive nature worked in Khan's favor. The more aliens his planet had, the more untouchable he would become, especially if those troops came from allied species. The Global Army wouldn't dare to interfere with Baoway if the Empire and Ef'i had invested

valuable assets there.

Despite being a Thilku, Lord Exr's reaction resembled Tlexicpalli's more. Lord Rsi felt glad that his allied leader had gotten stronger. Instead, Khan's changes reawakened Lord Exr's soldier blood. They were both fourth-level warriors, but Khan seemed to stand in a world of his own, and part of Lord Exr wanted to test himself against him.

Those evident reactions didn't go unnoticed. Even the representatives Khan's disinterest had annoyed couldn't help but put aside their emotions to gauge the scene properly. Khan earned more respect from the alien leaders by the day, gradually pushing his relevance higher than

his fellow nobles.

Wealth, assets, and businesses were the bedrock of power in politics, but the top levels required an additional factor, which grew more relevant the higher they went. Family and faction leaders needed respect and alliances from equally important parties, and Khan was slowly outclassing everyone in that field.

The representatives knew Khan was still young and in his first years of leadership. In comparison, the other Nognes faction leaders had more overall alliances and connections. Yet, Khan was compensating with quality, be it advantageous relationships with entire species or unique magic items only he could produce.

That realization inevitably added some pressure on the representatives. Khan needed them to gain leverage over his family's factions, but his growth seemed to point toward one obvious conclusion. It wouldn't take long until the other nobles would be the ones to need him.

It became evident that the nobles needed to pick up the pace in deciding how to handle Khan. Many were still uncertain about him and had only opted for favorable deals while he managed the Nognes family's internal power struggle.

However, the representatives understood that further hesitation could make them miss the chance to become proper friends with Khan and enjoy the future benefits of his rule. He might soon become difficult to reach if they kept delaying that moment, endangering the potential

earnings after his seemingly unavoidable growth.

Nevertheless, the universe didn't allow the representatives to do much in that situation. Khan heaved a sigh, ignoring Lord Rsi and glancing at the distant dark sky. That was a clear sign that he had sensed something, so many eyes began to follow his gaze.

"Why does no one warn me about this stuff?

" Khan complained as a ship became visible on

the dark horizon.

More of the ships' details became visible as the city's artificial illumination shone on it. The flying vessel clearly had a military nature, hinting at problems from the Global Army since no one else would dare to crash a party with such important guests.

Still, the ship's nature didn't worry Khan. He looked at his Uncle, asserting his previous complaint with his eyes. However, Prince Thomas nodded at Khan's pockets, conveying a

clear message.

Khan retrieved his phone and noticed multiple messages about the event. Prince Thomas didn't only warn him about the ship's arrival. He had also disclosed the guest's identity, and the news was many hours old. Khan had simply failed to check it.

"My bad,

" Khan exclaimed, storing his phone and pulling Monica to kiss her curls. He let go of her afterward, slowly rising into the air while making an announcement.

"I must take this.' Khan quickly disappeared, materializing before the incoming ship. The ride stopped, and its doors opened, clearly welcoming him. Khan didn't hesitate to approach that opening, and a simple greeting escaped his mouth when he spotted the sitting figure inside.

"Colonel Norrett,

" Khan called.

"Let's talk somewhere private.

"