Galaxy's First Ruler

Planet VR-252

2nd Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy

Aldrich walked out from the portal and found himself on a platform.

In front of him, there was a middle-aged man, with red hair and a red beard. Aldrich's eyes went to the Stats hovering above his head and thought that he was undeniably the strongest Dreamers he had seen in his life so far. Behind Earl Drago, there were rows and columns of Barons, led by Viscounts.

It was apparent they had been expecting him.

Count Trifon hastily approached him and his father and introduced.

"Father, may I present the God of White and Black."

Aldrich saw a slight nervousness and doubt on Earl's face as he kept looking at his mask and black greatcoat. Nonetheless, Earl Drago bowed towards Aldrich with no ill intent.

"My Lord, may I present…"

Aldrich cut off Trifon's words and took a step towards the pair of father and son.

"Earl Drago, the Divine Root, you must be proud of your son being a Great Pretender."

Drago and Trifon's mouths became agape as they heard Aldrich mentioning their Classes effortlessly. It couldn't be much if he had guessed their Ranks, for there were artificial means to do so, but to call out Classes accurately was a nigh impossible task.

Aldrich nodded while seeing their expressions.

'This will keep them from doing any funny business.'

The father and son shared a look before Dragon again bowed, a little deeper than before.

"Welcome to planet Rosalia, God of White and Black."

"You can call me Aldrich."

Count Trifon seemed to be taken aback by such a request.

"My Lord, this…"

But Aldrich didn't want himself to be labeled as God of this and that. He did not know why his prison, the Dungeon, would be given such a name. But now that he knew of many things, he could guess the people of Earth had fucked him up.

"Let's first do the task for which I am here."

Aldrich was more grateful than intrigued towards this Ancient Oracle. Regardless of the motive and so-called prophecy, he gained a body and came out of that inescapable Mana film. Aldrich clenched his fist and felt the raw power coursing through his veins. He had yet to ask about the exact procedure, as for now, he needed to maintain the air of mystery and awe around him.

"Yes, My Lord, please follow me."

Aldrich was about to follow the Earl, when he suddenly remembered and looked at the trio of Tomislav, Christin, and Berb.

Tomislav's posture was straight and defying, but Aldrich could feel him being pressured by his and Earl's presence. Berb was still light-headed and Christin was out cold. But her quivering eyes told that she could wake up at any moment.

Aldrich looked at Trifon before taking a step towards Earl Drago.

"Find a place for them to stay. I have some things to ask them."

"Yes, My Lord."

*

Within the small spaceship, Aldrich eyed the clouds and vast landscape underneath him.

The clouds also had a tinge of red, as if they were made of rose petals. The horizon was far and the sky's limit was beyond anything Aldrich had seen. He could guess that the entire planet was almost 10 times the size of earth, nearing it to the gas giant Jupiter. The technology of Rosalia was advanced enough to make most of the planet accessible to the House Venomous Rose.

"My Lord, we can't use teleportation to the Everlasting Tower."

Earl Drago, seated opposite Aldrich, explained the delay. Aldrich, on the other hand, wanted nothing but to suck away the entire knowledge out of this planet. His heart was racing for a long time, imagining the new things he could learn here.

"Why don't you tell me about the power structure in the meantime?"

Aldrich saw Drago's face flushing with an excited expression, eager to discuss these topics.

'As expected!'

Aldrich smirked and waited for the Earl to begin.

"At the bottom, we have Common and Rare Ranked Dreamers. But the decisive step at the Noble stage is becoming a Baron. Each Baron may have his own country to rule as he pleases. Of course, under the reign of the House in charge of the Planet. Above them are Viscounts who are given low to mid-sized planets to govern. Counts can either request to rule their home planet, or they can have many mid-size planets or a large planet."

"Like Rosalia…"

"Yes, My Lord. Above Counts are Earls, who rule anywhere from 2 to 100 Solar Systems. Many Counts assist them."

Aldrich pressed his eyebrows, hearing such a scale. On a Galactic level, it was nothing, but the power in an Earl's hands was just too great. He couldn't help but ask out.

"Why such a difference?"

A wry smile came upon Earl Drago's face, and his face blushed, matching the color of his hair.

"Starting from a Count, the increment in Strength is too huge. Every level is like the difference between two Ranks. The status of Level 41 Count can't even be compared to that of Level 42 Count. But things become even absurd when one becomes an Earl."

Aldrich took a mental note and nodded at Drago to carry on.

"The Galaxy is divided in four Quarters by the four Separations, and each Quarter is unimaginably vast. So the ancient Dreamers had divided a Quarter into various Sectors. Now, each Sector is ruled by a Marquess, the Rank above the Earl. The Dukes, given their rarity, assist the Royal Family in governing the entire Quadrant. The progenitor of my House was a Duke, Duke Goranov."

Aldrich saw the slight puffing of Drago's chest at the mention of his ancestor. But Aldrich had a more pressing question to ask.

"What about Barren Earths? Who rules them?"

The jovial atmosphere inside the small spaceship became dark and dense. Earl Drago licked his lips and slumped back helplessly in his seat.

"Nobody rules them, My Lord. It isn't something to hide. Barren Earths are nothing but breeding grounds. Just before the Galactic War, they will be turned into Recordless, and will be distributed among various Houses to be used…"

The roselike red of clouds Aldrich was gazing at, became a bloody red. The Earl, unaware of such changes, finished his words.

"… Such is the fate of every Dreamer from Barren Earth."