A is in StarCraft, just disembarked from the Zerg Prince spaceship.

****************

......

When a power simultaneously controls both military and political affairs, it means that the crown prince is close to being invincible. All the insects must obey his will and wait in fear for his executioner's blade to fall.

"He can't just deprive us of our rights like this!" The head of the Wasp family suddenly slammed his fist on the table and stood up. "Our territory was won with the blood of our ancestors, and we have a royal decree to prove it!"

The bees' home was raided; they are the kind of people who feel the most sorrow when their own family dies.

Wasps and bees are close relatives.

Ever since he learned that the entire Bee family had been raided and executed, he hadn't dared to close his eyes for days.

"A contract?" Council Speaker Invika chuckled, finding it somewhat amusing. "What is parchment compared to the Legion's absolute power?"

"This is against—"

"Breach of what? When the royal family granted fiefdoms to nobles, did they say they wouldn't reclaim the lands even if their descendants committed crimes? He's just accusing you of some crime; what gives you the right to say he's breaching the contract?"

"..."

"The situation may be worse than we imagine, or perhaps it's all just our overthinking."

Council Speaker Invika calmly placed his hand on the table: "My spy report within the Legion indicates that the Crown Prince hasn't made any moves. This is likely all due to Bishenmantis's own personal grudge. The Crown Prince is currently on Earth and shouldn't interfere in the Interstellar Court's affairs. The Beauty Bee family most likely brought this upon themselves, and the Court has indeed uncovered some serious, confidential evidence against them."

The evidence was so serious that it could not be circulated outside the court, nor could probation be granted; they were executed on the same day.

The noble family heads had just breathed a sigh of relief when Councilor Vika immediately followed up with, "The Beauty Bee family may have brought this upon themselves, but it's highly likely that the Crown Prince will eventually abolish the autonomy of noble territories."

"This is impossible!" The head of the Wasp Clan slammed his fist on the table and stood up. "The Insect King is still in power. Without the Insect King's consent, he has no right—"

"He has the right," the Red Fire Ant Council Chairman calmly interrupted.

"Wh...what?"

"Who do you think he is? He is the Crown Prince, the future Queen of the Insects of Lyrnia, the supreme ruler. The Insect Emperor's rule is only temporary; power will eventually return to him. To put it bluntly, everyone here is his subject, and all the power you have is granted by him. Of course, he has the right to take it back."

The room fell into dead silence.

All the insects were speechless.

"We are all thorns in the side of the royal family."

Speaker Vika tapped his fingers on the table and continued in the silence, "The Crown Prince has been an adult for several years but has not yet ascended the throne, having spent all his time developing the military's power. He has been waiting for this moment for a long time. Now that he holds the military and the law, he can easily find some pretext to eliminate us one by one."

None of the noble family heads present spoke.

It's not out of fear of the Speaker of Parliament, but because everyone knows:

He's right, there's no arguing with that.

"So what should we do?"

The young patriarch of the Scarab family spoke with the characteristic impatience of youth: "Are we just going to sit here and wait for the Crown Prince to reclaim his power?"

Speaker Invika's gaze swept over everyone present.

Then he said, "First, we must unite. Divided nobles will only be defeated one by one."

He unfolded a map of the empire. "Secondly, we need to buy time. Although the Crown Prince controls the central star and the legions, many families on the borders remain neutral."

These families live far apart and are unwilling to leave their ancestral lands, so they have almost no contact with each other.

He neither favored the princelings nor participated in the aristocratic council; he had no ambition and preferred to remain in a remote corner of the country.

However, if the Crown Prince were to abolish the territories, these families would likely rise up in protest.

"You mean... rebelling against the Crown Prince?" The voice of the Scarab family head trembled slightly.

"I'm talking about self-preservation," Council Speaker Invika corrected. "If the Crown Prince insists on breaking with millennia-old traditions, then we must be prepared. Each family's private armies need to be strengthened, and the secret passages between territories need to be repaired... At least we shouldn't end up like the 'Beauty Bee,' where the entire family was raided and their property confiscated in no time."

Don't try to build relationships with those in power.

Only force can be an absolute deterrent.

Only by making the Crown Prince feel that they are difficult to deal with can they remain safe.

At that moment, there was a gentle knock on the study door.

Everyone tensed up instantly.

The Parliamentary Secretary walked in quietly and whispered a few words in Speaker Invika's ear.

The Speaker's face grew even more somber.

"I just received a message," he said in a deep voice. "When Bishenmantis passed through the Imperial border, he met with several neutral family heads of the border legion."

The noble family heads looked at each other in bewilderment.

If even the neutral families on the border side turn to the Crown Prince, their situation will become even more dangerous.

"Time is running out." Speaker Invika stood up, the candlelight casting deep shadows on his face. "From tomorrow onward, everyone must act with unwavering loyalty. But in the shadows, we must take action."

"The empire needs unity and strength. Only a strong central authority can guarantee long-term stability."

The head of the scarab family exchanged a subtle glance with the head of the wasp family beside him.

These words sounded grand and dignified, but every nobleman present understood the underlying meaning.

Do not openly oppose the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince is right, but as the natural opponents of his policies, their own safety is paramount.

They need power; only a strong military deterrent can maintain their noble status and ensure long-term stability.

Unable to confront the Crown Prince now, they must secretly develop their own power.

"Head of the Wasp Family," Council Speaker Invika's voice carried a deliberately friendly tone, "What do you think of the Legion's combat strength?"

All eyes were on the head of the Wasp family.

The head of the Wasp family slowly rose and gave a perfect bow: "Very impressive, Speaker of the Council. The security of the Empire is so well guaranteed, truly a blessing for all people."

"I'm glad you think so. Because soon, the Legion's protection will extend to every corner of the Empire, including your territories."

These words were like a drawn sword, hanging over the heads of every nobleman.

The heads of the territories maintained a calm demeanor, but their fingers were trembling slightly.

Their crown prince seems truly invincible.

There was no other way; the situation was against us, and we really had to back down.

Then seize the opportunity to find any chance to preserve the family.

......

After the meeting, the nobles hurriedly dispersed, heads bowed and faces hidden, removing their family crests from their carriages, as if afraid of being seen.

Speaker Vika deliberately lagged behind.

Back in the car, the red imported fire ant, who had been so adept at maneuvering, finally allowed itself to show a hint of fatigue.

As the aircraft passed through the palace gates, he looked up at the towering buildings.

The Royal Palace of Liernia stands majestically and magnificently as always.