Galactic Star Calendar, the 31st of December, year 3032, around 23:00.
This was New Year, and the whole of the Owl Dragon Star System was steeped in the joy of the New Year.
Because of those policies Zhao Chen had arranged, the Owl Dragon Star System's quality of life had risen swiftly in the span of a single year.
In years past, at New Year, the only ones rejoicing had been the nobles upon the Owl Dragon main star.
But this time, upon every planet where anyone at all dwelt, all was hung with lanterns and bright with festoons.
At a fruit-grove lakeside within a T3 Silver Eden.
This place had already been laid out as the site of a picnic party.
There were a great many taking part this time.
Apart from Zhao Chen's right and left arms — the likes of Charlotte, Zhao Wan'er, Lilith, and Annie — there were, besides, some dozens of newly cultivated senior officers, all of them important talents from the various departments of the Owl Dragon Legion.
And apart from these, there were, besides, some "guests" Zhao Chen had specially invited: Medusa of the Reef Star Region, Red Rose of the Bramble Group, Li Yaqi of the Northern Goose Group, and the sheltering little Princess, among others.
The scene was exceedingly lively.
The fragrance of food suffused the air.
Fine wine, fine fare, fine women.
Zhao Chen lay, at his ease, upon a recliner at the lakeside; this stretch of lovely scenery was truly quite fine.
"Lilith, how has this New Year been arranged?" Zhao Chen looked toward Lilith, who'd been keeping at his side all the while.
Lilith answered, "The New Year celebrations were arranged as far back as a week ago. Each fleet, during New Year week, apart from keeping back the minimum required crew for garrison duty, may have the rest of its crew go to the various T3 Silver Edens to take their holiday and rest. Any consumption up there is, one and all, free of charge. For this we've, besides, readied a great store of fine food, goods, clothing, entertainment activities, and the like. And we've guaranteed that every crew member, over the New Year, can enjoy at least five days' leave — the technical crew aboard the interstellar industrial ships included. Chief Engineer Annie has, however, already arranged the matter of rotating shifts, so there'll be no impact whatever on the production plans. And, besides, some year-end gifts have been handed out to the crew."
Zhao Chen nodded, satisfied.
"The crew have all worked a year and more; over the New Year we've got to let everyone enjoy a good rest."
Lilith looked at that smile of the Commander's, and had the feeling that this man was truly quite "strange." In any other's place, never mind so lavish a New Year celebration — there'd likely not even be any leave.
For one must bear in mind that these activities and this leave the Lord Commander had arranged looked very simple, but behind them lay an outlay of upward of 100 million star coins!
Yet when he'd heard that figure at the time, the Lord Commander had signed off and approved it without so much as a thought — and had, besides, allowed a quite generous over-budget margin.
"You go and play too. You've toiled a whole year; enjoy yourself properly. No need to keep me company here all the while." Zhao Chen pointed toward the party over yonder, where the women's voices rang sweet as oriole-song.
"It's fine for me just to stay by your side," Lilith said gently.
"This is an order. Can't you see your tribespeople are all watching you?" Zhao Chen urged.
"Yes… should you have need of anything, you may summon me at any time." Having said this, Lilith joined the party, turning her head to look back every few steps.
Seeing Lilith enter, those succubi at once crowded up around her.
On account of their clever minds, the succubi had, after joining the Owl Dragon Legion, become the core of the various departments in very nearly no time at all, chiefly filling posts of the secretarial sort.
And, keeping pace with the fleet's growth, these succubi were, by now, running a bit short in number.
"Aren't you going over to play?" A voice rang out behind Zhao Chen.
Zhao Chen lifted his head, and saw none other than his big sister Zhao Ruyue, wine cup in hand, looking down at him.
"I won't go. Though I regard them as friends, if I appear among them, no small number of them will still be rather constrained. I'm fine here," Zhao Chen said easily.
Zhao Ruyue looked at this younger brother of hers, and looked, again, at the scene before her, and sighed.
"There truly have been so many times when I've doubted whether you're actually my younger brother. In these few short years, you've changed far too much. I truly find it hard to believe that that bookworm who knew nothing but study is the one who built up so vast an interstellar…"
Zhao Ruyue had originally meant to come out with the two words "empire," but the comparison seemed not quite fitting.
For, after all, she was at present working under the little Princess's hand.
But in Zhao Ruyue's heart, the Owl Dragon Legion and the related power and territory Zhao Chen now controlled — in matters of industry, of agriculture, of the people's livelihood — had already taken on the very embryo of an interstellar empire.
Zhao Chen did not directly answer this question of his big sister's; he stretched himself.
"Sometimes I think so too — I feel all of this is for all the world like a dream."
"Then by the look of it, this is a fine dream you're having." Zhao Ruyue turned the topic; drinking her wine, she looked at that crowd of sweet-voiced women opposite.
"That reminds me — you're no longer young now. Among this lot, which one is my sister-in-law? Or is it to be… all of them?"
Zhao Chen, just then drinking his water, choked outright on it.
"Cough, cough, cough… Sis, isn't that putting it a bit too extravagantly?"
"You're now the Owl Dragon lord, and you rule, besides, the vast Owl Dragon Legion. Other lords, at your age, have long since had offspring. Our Zhao family's direct line, come to this generation, has only you, the sole male. For the Zhao family's sake, you ought to give a bit of thought to your own affairs, too," Zhao Ruyue said.
Since when did his big sister take a liking to this business of marriage-nagging?
Zhao Ruyue said, as though offhandedly, "These people — whether it's Charlotte, or Lilith, or, again, Annie…"
Annie?
Zhao Chen looked at Zhao Ruyue, aghast.
*That little radish-sprout of a kid?
Sis, that'd be a crime!*
"They are, when all's said, only your subordinates; as concubines they'd do well enough, but as the principal wife it's not quite suitable. Her Highness the little Princess — have you given her any thought?"
Zhao Ruyue's last sentence set Zhao Chen looking at his big sister with narrowed eyes.
"Is this something Qin Xiaolei had you say?"
"Don't misunderstand; the little Princess doesn't harbor so many designs yet. But I can't help but give thought to her future. To speak plainly — now you're in a cooperative relationship, and that's all well and good. But if, in the future, on account of some interest or aim, a rift should arise between you, then standing in the middle, I'd be rather hard put to manage it. Yet were the two of you to have this layer of relationship, it would be of great help to you both. Should you marry the little Princess, then, relying on your ability, you'd assuredly become an existence below but one and above 10,000 — and with full legitimacy besides. And the little Princess, by her own strength alone, even should she reclaim the imperial authority in future, would find it very hard to hold it firm; but with you, it'd be another matter. The two of you — one with a just cause, one possessed of strength. It'd be a case of each making good the other's shortfall," Zhao Ruyue said in earnest.
To speak truly, there was much sense in what his big sister said.
"You needn't answer me now; think it over well. And if you make up your mind, I can help you," Zhao Ruyue said.
Help me?
Help me win over the little Princess?
Sis — does this of yours count as "plotting against" the sovereign? Zhao Chen looked at his own sister in astonishment.