The group exited and followed by the two men standing guard they left the medical chamber. Ahead was a dimly lit corridor empty of servants who usually strolled through.
The walls were clean and naked, except for some artifacts remaining from the years of collection House Voss had done.
The walk was not that long, and soon, the group found themselves in an elevator large enough to carry everyone with much more space to spare.
Like everything in that mansion, it was operated by Astra, it only needed Nielson's authorisation for use. After input, it descended taking them downwards, silence filled within.
With a ding, the elevator doors opened, they reached the ground floor. The doors revealed a huge room with a remarkably high ceiling, so high that there was enough space for a ship to fly undisturbed and cramped.
The most noticeable thing about the room was its vast openness that was almost mythical. It stretched out so long that a minor city could be built there.
In the middle was a chamber floating, beneath was still water that covered the whole room.
There was a long bridge that stretched out from the entrance to the chamber while on the sides were guard rails.
The group walked further in.
The atmosphere in the room was strangely calm and quiet, it was like one could hear other people's thoughts.
Wein who was wearing shorts could feel a slight breeze on his legs, his eyes scanned the whole room. He could not see the other end of the room but could tell the walls were made of some kind of rare metal, enclosing the place.
Above, he spotted drones circling around like birds, running scans on them all. They were used as a form of security in that area and monitored those who had authorised access.
Wein could see some mechanical protrusions on the walls, he figured they were guns ready to shoot down enemies or unauthorised personnel.
With all the security displayed in the clear, something told Wein that there was something more to that chamber.
The bridge was stable and sturdy, there were no incidents. As the group approached the centre, the chamber became much larger its shape now more visible. It was oval like an egg with smooth surfaces and no apparent entry or exit signs.
The group came to a stop in front of the oval chamber. Eric rolled Nielson just to the edge, who then rose from the wheelchair and placed his hand on the surface of the structure.
A pulse emanated from his touch, rippling through the object and almost as if getting a key, a rectangular-shaped line appeared and the space disintegrated revealing an opening. Nielson retreated to the chair and Eric pushed him in.
The other followed closely behind.
"Wein, you must be confused" Nielson decided to finally speak. "The ladies and gentlemen before you… are part of my most trusted subordinates within the galaxy. They represent my authority and achievement as a nobleman of the Empire."
As he spoke, they entered the dark chamber, then a soft green glow was lit inside revealing two unusual pods hovering in mid-air. The inside of the chamber was smooth and clean with nothing other than the two pods.
The floor was crystal smooth reflecting the shadows of the pods and the guests thanks to the green light emanating from lines running up the wall all over the place.
"There are others who I have given my trust to, but they could not come here at the moment. They are all called the Circle, and the ones here today are here to bear witness to my succession."
Wein was taken aback.
"What do you mean, my lord?"
"As you can see… I am at the…"
Neilson coughed. His breath was shallow and his voice weak but there was an unshakable resolve in his words.
"I am at the end of my life, and I have no successor."
Wein could feel the weight of those words as they settled in his chest, and he grew even more unnerved. His eyes scanned the room, the green glow of the chamber illuminated the solemn faces of the people around.
Vern, the ever-composed strategist kept his hands folded behind his back, his eyes still sharp with a hint of sadness, Belson who was next to Nielson could not hide his concern and disappointment in his inability to do something.
Eric remained collected standing ever diligently behind his lord. Keyna was the visibly distraught one.
Wein took a slow breath, his mind had been racing while trying to piece everything together. The matter of Baron Voss not having a successor was a well-known fact in the Empire, his beloved and only son Roland Voss had perished in the war.
There were speculations that since his legitimate son was gone, after his passing the title of lord would go to a bastard. However, all the people who knew about Nielson and House Voss knew that they were a family who rarely had bastards, but Wein was unaware of that fact.
The conversation they were having at the moment was more different than he had expected, it was more intimate causing him to wonder why he was there to begin with.
"My lord I…"
"After losing my son… I lost my reason for living… and I grew to resent the Empire and the galaxy… because of them, my son sacrificed his life."
Wein was also well aware of the feat Roland had done, his death was the stuff of legends. He had not just fallen in battle but was instrumental in ending the war and basically saving the entire galaxy.
Even in the vast, divided Empire spreading towards the many systems in the galaxy, his sacrifice was spoken in reverence. During the war, Roland under House Voss had led the final charge against the enemy force crippling them so much that they had to stop the war or face annihilation.
The contribution was too great because the enemy force at the time was capable of going against the whole galaxy singlehandedly, since it had more advanced technology than the rest of the galaxy combined. Without Roland's sacrifice, the Empire nor the galaxy would be what it was currently.
"Because of the feat my son did along with all the sacrifices my people made in the war, the Emperor would have promoted our house to a dukedom. However, I refused that promotion and settled for the Requests."
The Requests, these were so well-known in the Empire that even commoners knew about them. These were privileged requests that House Voss had earned through their long years of service to the Empire.
They gave the house power similar to that of Dukedoms and even the ability to oppose the Imperial family without being treasonous.
After being awarded, the first Request Nielson asked for was Independence and it would become a widely known request. The request meant House Voss would not be bound by the Empire's mandates unless it chose to be.
This request had a lot of other subsections written under it but basically, Voss retained the Imperial protection, economic benefits, and noble privilege while also getting the power of autonomy.
By this, House Voss was not obligated to partake in wars, political struggles, military restrictions, and Imperial influence unless they wished to. And for the most part, House Voss would still.
By this, House Voss was not obligated to partake in wars, political struggles, military restrictions, and Imperial influence unless they wished to. For the most part, House Voss still remained submissive to the Empire but having power to resist was what propelled it further into fame.
"That was my first Request, my second was done not too long ago and the Emperor agreed, which is why we are here"?
Wein's hands clenched into fists as he listened.
"Seeing as I have no worthy successor, I have chosen you Wein to take over from me in all my duties as lord."
Wein was surprised, his breath hitched, and his body tensed. Hearing the words from Nielson he could understand the magnitude of what he was saying yet it felt unreal, like he was joking.
"Surely you joke my lord…"
It was hard even to answer.
"No, I am not," Neilson said simply as he faced one of the pods. "I have chosen you for a reason… and before the Circle members present acting as witnesses, I will appoint you Wein Serin… as the new lord of House Voss."
Wein's heart pounded. His body wanted him to take a step back, but he just couldn't partly because of fear.
For all his years as a soldier fighting on the frontlines of the battlefield, he was not prepared for this. This role was heavy and though tempting it was, he could not be able to bear it even if he was a 5-star Shock Trooper.
Yet he stood there, surrounded by the closest people to the lord.
Neilson exhaled as he placed his hand on the pod and it opened like the chamber had, inside was a hallowed empty space.
"I have given this Empire everything… my family… has lost a lot for it. Those traitors! I chose you to be my revenge against them… because I can no longer get revenge for my family. You… Wein are a commoner… and you will be given the authority of an Original Noble House, that fact will be enough for me to cement my revenge… even if I might not get to witness it but just the thought of it is enough."
Nielson coughed some more, Belson wanted to help but was stopped.
"I want you to take over from me… and if you can, regain my family's former glory, this I ask you."
Wein did not know what to say. This request was too much for him, but he knew he could not decline, for risk of angering the Baron, he had already seen too much.
He slowly bowed his head.
"My lord."
Nielson was overjoyed. "Astra!"
A projection of Astra appeared as if filming them. "With those present in the room and under your surveillance… I name Wein Serin as my successor."
The Circle bowed their heads in acknowledgment. Neilson slowly climbed inside the pod and another round of coughing occurred.
"Enter the other one" Eric ordered sending Wein walking towards the second pod, he touched it, and it opened like the other one, then he entered.
With the two inside, the pods both closed and hissed, as the green glow in the chamber intensified the pods began roughly shifting.