Chapter 154 Paying Tribute

Never before in his life had Erich endured such pressure. As he stood there in formation, sweating like a pig. Since the moment he had stepped foot inside the bridge of the Alfheim Warship which belonged to Princess Celestia Asterion, the woman had not stopped staring at him. Every time he looked up from his feet, he would awkwardly make eye contact with her stunning golden irises, only to nervously bow his head once more. 

This went on until all the guests had arrived. Which once they had, the leader of the Alfheim Honor Guard gave out a command to the various Officers from those Interstellar Civilizations who paid tribute to the Alfheim Dominion. 

"Attention!"

Immediately, every officer in the room, including Erich, snapped to attention, as they stood before the Alfheim Princess, whose inquisitive gaze had still not shifted away from Erich's figure. Erich had no idea what he had done to earn the attention of such a flawless beauty, but at this moment, he really wished he hadn't. In the next moment, the Captain of the Honor Guard began to speak once more. 

"You are in the Presence of her highness Celestia Asterion, Princess of the Alfheim Dominion, and heiress to the Throne. Salute!"

Immediately, every single officer who was in attendance threw up their salutes, which were in the traditional faction practiced in Alfheim Space. This was a normal salute that, oddly enough, humanity had practiced on Earth for centuries. One would simply raise their open hand to their head.

And yet, Erich, in his nervous state, had completely fumbled this simple gesture, and instead raised his arm into the air, as was commonly practiced among the Germanic Star-Empire. Something nobody else from his people dared to do. 

When he made this mistake, in the presence of the Alfheim Princess, everyone stared at Erich as if he were a dead man. That is until Celestia broke out into a fit of giggles, where she spoke to Erich in an endearing tone, almost as if she were speaking to a child. 

"While I admire your passion, I'm afraid that is not a salute we practice here in the Alfheim Dominion. But I will accept it, nonetheless... Please continue. I find the way your people show respect for your superior officers to be utterly fascinating." 

Every representative of the Germanic Star-Empire sighed in relief when they heard this. It was almost as if a bomb had just been defused, and all their lives were saved because of it. After all, if the Princess had been particularly cruel, she could have ordered Erich's execution on the spot for failing to uphold the proper decorum. 

Erich, of course, damn near pissed his pants when he realized just how badly he had fucked up. And continued to awkwardly stare ahead of him, trying his damnest not to look Celestia in the eye. All while being the one man in attendance who was permitted to salute improperly. 

Celestia then began to speak. Her voice was alluring, almost as if she were an angel, singing the sweetest opera that would make even a god weep with joy. 

"You all know why you have been gathered here. The Centennial War Games are upon us. But more importantly, this is a chance to show those dark-skinned bastards that, despite recent setbacks, the Alfheim Dominion and its sworn vassals are still a force to be reckoned with. 

I expect a grand performance from all of you, even those minor powers who swear their fealty to lesser civilizations. This is not a chance for personal glory, or even a competition among civilizations. This is a cooperative exercise, and I expect all of you to perform to the best of your abilities. 

Now, before we begin deployment of our forces, each of you is required by tradition to pay tribute to my Royal Mother. But because she could not be here today, I, her most beloved daughter, will accept your tribute on her behalf.

The highest ranking member of your delegation shall step forward and kneel before me as you offer me the gift which your heads of state have prepared for you. We shall start with the oldest of our vassals, and since the Rylonians are no longer with us, that means that it would be the delegate from the Zyranian Enclave who is first among you to pay tribute to this princess."

Immediately after saying this, a bipedal humanoid with shimmering gold skin stepped forward. Erich found it hard to believe, but the figure looked almost as if it were made of the metallic substance. And yet the skin also appeared soft and smooth at the same time, as if it were no different from his own. The man had silver hair, which was slicked back, and matching eyes. However, unlike Erich's, these eyes had a metallic sheen to them. 

This man was dressed in a uniform that was cut in the style of a waffenrock, and was as gold as his skin. With accents as silver as his hair. Fortunately, there were no women among the Zyranian delegation, or else Erich would be tempted to touch her breasts to test whether or not they were as hard as gold, or as soft as pillows. 

After the Zyranian delegate kneeled before the Alfheim Princess and said some words that he could not hear, before handing a wrapped gift over to the woman, he fled back to his own ranks. Where the next Alien species sent their own delegate. 

This went on for some time until finally the Germanic Star-Empire's turn arrived. However, when a High Admiral stepped forward to present the gift which Emrys had prepared for Celestia, the Princess raised her hand and halted his actions. 

"Stop! Not you! Him..."I think you should take a look at

She then pointed to Erich as she spoke that last part. Causing all eyes in attendance to fall on his form for a second time on this day. Erich once more nearly pissed himself, but fortunately prevented himself from doing so, as the High Admiral handed Erich the box which contained a gift. 

Erich did not know how he managed to step forward and walk towards the Alfheim Princess, because he felt in this moment as if his legs were made out of depleted uranium. But somehow he managed to kneel before Celestia, who simply stared at him in silence for several moments. 

Murmurs broke out among the crowd, theorizing what she was going to do to this young man who had so thoroughly insulted her earlier in the day, and much to their surprise, Celestia reached out and grabbed hold of Erich's chin, while lifting it so his eyes were to meet her own. Nobody but the two of them understood what she said to Erich at that moment. 

"Curious.... My mother has always had a fascination with your people, and I never understood why. I mean, you all look the same, roughly right? Where's the fun in that? Yet here you are standing before me, your skin as pale as snow, and your hair a beautiful silver. Why are you so different from the others?" 

Erich tried to avert his gaze as he answered this question, but Celestia's smile turned upside down as she gave him a royal command. 

"Look at me when you speak!"

Erich nearly felt his spine jump out of his mouth as he heard this command before speaking of his "condition." 

"That would be because I'm a mutant.... We are not common among the Empire, and are usually ostracised within society from the day we are born...." 

Celestia's snow white brow raised as she heard this. There was a look of offense on her face, before it slowly twisted into a smile as she leaned in close and whispered the words Erich never thought he would hear in his life. 

"Then I suppose nobody has ever told that your eyes are beautiful, now have they? Silver and Gold go well together, don't you think?" 

It took every ounce of Erich's strength not to jerk his head away in fright as he contemplated what these words meant. Was the Crown Princess of the Alfheim Dominion seriously hitting on him right now? He could not dare to believe it, and thus he just silently nodded his head. Which caused the woman to lean back in her chair, with a curious smile on her face, but only after she had plucked the gift out of his hands. She then spoke with an alluring voice as she said the words that Erich would never forget. 

"I'm curious. Just what present you have brought for me? I look forward to finding out. Now run along Erich, there will be time enough for us to speak onces these silly little games are over..." 

Erich did not remember how he managed to get back into formation with the rest of his delegation, as his mind was preoccupied with other thoughts. While the lesser civilizations began to pay their petty tribute to the Princess, the High Admiral spoke to Erich in a hushed voice. 

"Just what did she say to you?"

Erich's mind was in such a state of chaos that he did not even think about an elaborate lie to hide what was said. He simply responded with the honest truth, like a damned fool. 

"I think she just flirted with me....."

A single word escaped from the High Admiral's lips who did not believe Erich in the slightest. 

"Bullshit!" 

Nonetheless, Erich did not hear this remark, because he could not get the words that Celestia had spoken to him out of his mind. As if she had cast a spell on him from the moment he first interacted with her. He was now completely and utterly enthralled with the Alfheim Princess.