“What’s on your mind?” Sarah asked as she erged from the bedroom and noticed Felix sitting on the living room sofa, staring into space. Finally catching his attention, she settled next to him, her tone gentle but curious.
They had followed in Aron's footsteps, marrying just a few years into their relationship, deciding not to delay any longer.
“Nothing much,” Felix replied after a mont, organizing his thoughts before answering. “I was just thinking about the fight that took place—and everything that led to it in the first place.”
“What do you an?” Sarah prompted, intrigued, leaning in slightly to show she was listening.
Felix exhaled, gathering his words. “Seeing Aron on the verge of death… it wasn’t just unsettling; it was terrifying. For a mont, I genuinely thought we were going to lose him. That fear made think back on all the ti we’ve spent with him—every mory, every milestone. And even though he regenerated and ca back, that fear stayed with , just in a different form. It made reflect on how much has changed since we first t him.”
He glanced at Sarah, who nodded for him to continue. “In just a decade, humanity has gone from being fractured and divided to expanding into another star system. We’ve faced off against foreign civilizations—and won. It’s surreal, but when I look back, every single turning point, every major milestone we’ve reached, had one common thread: Aron. He was there, driving it all forward.”
Felix’s expression grew heavier as he pressed on. “So I couldn’t help but wonder—what if we had lost him? What would we have done without him? How would we have kept going? Everything about our lives—ours, humanity’s—seed to pivot around that mont years ago, when he got expelled from the university. That event feels like the spark that set all of this into motion.”
He paused, his gaze distant again. “And it made wonder… what if he hadn’t been expelled? What if that catalyst never happened? Where would we all be right now?”
He trailed off, his thoughts laid bare. Sarah reached for his hand, offering silent support as they both pondered the weight of his reflections.
They sat in comfortable silence for about ten minutes, letting Felix’s reflections linger between them. The quiet was peaceful, their bond deepened by unspoken understanding, until the serene mont was interrupted by their assistant AI. Her holographic form materialized in front of them, poised and professional as always.
{Sir Felix and Madam Sarah,} the AI began, her voice smooth and precise. {Chairman Aron is inquiring about your availability. He needs to hold a eting with all the mbers of his companies.}
The instant she referred to Aron as Chairman rather than Emperor, both Felix and Sarah understood this wasn’t about official imperial matters but instead sothing related to the business side of Aron’s vast enterprises.
Felix turned to Sarah, silently seeking her input. She nodded in agreent. “Tell him we’re available at any ti for the eting,” Felix replied to the AI.
Though they were the CEOs of the richest corporations in the empire, Felix and Sarah rarely found themselves overwheld with work. Thanks to the AI assistants provided to them, urgent matters were always handled proactively, often resolved before they even had the chance to beco pressing. This left them with a level of flexibility in their work-life balance that was enviable even by the standards of other executives. In fact, among CEOs across the empire, theirs was one of the lightest workloads—freeing up ti for other pursuits, including regular etups with Aron and his family.
Despite the relatively low demands of their day-to-day responsibilities, the compensation they received was staggering. Both Felix and Sarah ranked among the highest-paid CEOs in the world, earning billions of dollars annually. The top spots on the list were dominated entirely by executives of Aron’s companies—a testant to Aron’s generosity to those who work for him.
While they were well aware of the privilege their positions afforded them, it wasn’t sothing they took for granted. The opportunity to focus on what mattered most—be it family, or supporting their friend Aron—was worth far more to them than the paychecks or the prestige.
{He said he would reach out to you once he finishes dealing with the current situation,} the AI assistant responded before vanishing, having confird with a simple nod from them that the ssage was received.
With their mont of peace now broken, Sarah turned to Felix, a curious look on her face. “How’s your new endeavor with the empire coming along?” she asked, shifting the conversation to sothing productive.
Felix leaned back against the sofa, his tone calm and straightforward. “We should be ready for initial maximum production within a few weeks. Once that’s achieved, we’ll start delivering the units to the Imperial Mana Agency to kick off the trade,” he explained. There was no hesitation or secrecy in his response; being both married and working under the sa umbrella of Aron’s empire ant they shared everything, including equal security clearance to such sensitive matters.
Sarah smirked, clearly amused but also impressed by the efficiency of the operation. “If you’d been allowed to sell them directly, that alone would’ve increased your company’s valuation by at least 1,000 tis,” she remarked, her voice carrying a blend of playful sarcasm and realism. “But, of course, he’s focused on enriching the empire first. Looks like he’s really playing the role of emperor.”
Her comnt wasn’t far off. The HHI Corporation, where Felix spearheaded the project, was set to produce and supply mana stones to the imperial governnt. Aron, who could have charged the empire exorbitantly for these stones, instead chose to sell them at just twice the production cost—a minimal margin, considering the resources involved. The Imperial Mana Agency, however, would mark up the prices by a millionfold, using the revenues to fortify the empire’s treasury. This move would allow for aggressive expansion and growth without increasing taxes on the population.
“It’s a brilliant move for an emperor,” Sarah added, shaking her head in amusent. “But definitely a poor one for a businessman.”
Felix chuckled softly, clearly agreeing but unbothered by the implications. “He has enough money to feed the entire empire for years, even at the current scale. Honestly, for us, money isn’t a priority anymore. A fraction of a percentage of what we have now is more than enough to get whatever we could want.”
He paused, his tone becoming more contemplative. “But that might change soon. With our integration into the Conclave, the value of our currency will be put to the test. Depending on how valuable it’s deed within their systems, we might finally start to see the true worth of money—especially when we gain access to exotic goods and technologies from the other civilizations in the Conclave.”
Felix’s thoughtful response showed he’d been considering this matter for so ti, even before Sarah brought it up. She gave him a small smile, silently appreciating how prepared he was for the changes coming their way.
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