Editing Tytania:Volume 1 Chapter 1 (section)

=== I ===
17th of May, SY 446. The Tytania clan meeting was being held in an atmosphere bereft of love and friendship. There was nothing strange about that. It was commonly known that in Tytania, there was unity, but no love. They were not so weak as to demand love or affection from their own kind. Weakness within Tytania was the most hated defect. At an ebony conference table, four men sat, wearing grey and gold military uniforms with grey half-coats, their grey military caps resting on the table. On the left of their chests, only their rank insignia was of a burning red.

All four of them held the surname Tytania. To be more precise, each was the head of one of the Five Families. The fifth person who was absent from the event was Ajman, the eighth Landless Clanner. All four were young. None of them had reached 30 yet. They were Tytania within Tytania, with noble blood and power befitting their station, from a lineage of cosmic hegemons.

At 27 years old, Ariabert Tytania was a handsome man, and yet, for some strange reason, his fine features failed to make a strong impression on people. ''“You have a face sculpted by an unknown artist fawning over a wealthy lady,”'' his father once praised. ''“Ariabert? Ah, that handsome fellow?”'' And yet there was a certain lack of individuality about him. One might also say that he was too conventional. He had shiny and whitish-blond hair, grey-blue eyes, a tall and well-proportioned build, and on this day he looked somewhat pale and depressed.

In contrast to Ariabert, Jouslain Tytania, who was also 27 years old, had a plain face, and there was nothing particularly noteworthy about his physique. However, his brown eyes, which were the same colour as his hair, had an oddly striking deep radiance that made him seem more handsome than Ariabert. Whenever he sat at a meeting, he had the habit of placing his right hand on his lap and his left on the table, quietly tapping his fingers. Some said that these movements were a response to the rhythm of his brain cells. He was said to be Ariabert’s cousin, but to tell the truth, their blood relationship was far more complex.

Zarlisch Tytania was a man of imposing stature and tremendous presence, and his rugged features and thick beard made him look much older than Ariabert and Jouslain. And yet, it was merely the effect of a successful disguise, since in truth, he was a year younger than them. His gaze and mouth were powerful, not showing a trace of weakness. In appearances alone, he had the qualities to become Tytania’s leader at a moment’s notice. His arms, which were fifty percent larger in diameter than Jouslain’s, were crossed over his broad chest.

Idris Tytania was the youngest of the four, having just turned 24. As far as features went, he was a nobleman of striking beauty that surpassed even that of Ariabert’s, but one couldn’t help but perceive a hint of hostility about him, likely due to his sharp and fiery spirit that tended to stand out and break the harmony of his entire personality. He was extremely self-conscious about being the youngest of the heads of the Five Families and couldn’t tolerate being made light of. He had two ways to overcome it. One was to improve himself, and the other was to drag others down. Today was an example of the latter.

“Lord Ariabert, you look rather pale. Is something troubling you?”

Hearing Idris’ voice, Ariabert’s brow seemed to twitch for half a second, but he remained silent.

“Of course he doesn’t look well. Lord Ariabert has achieved an unprecedented feat since the founding of the Tytania Principality. The great achievement of suffering a crushing defeat at the hands of a single City Fleet.”

Zarlisch’s reply came in a deep and resounding voice, which in this particular case was naturally tinged with derision. Jouslain remained silent, observing with a slightly sarcastic gaze as Ariabert’s well-formed ears flushed red. For Ariabert, Jouslain’s silence held a weight that was far more noticeable than the loud voices of the other two. Clicking his tongue with displeasure, he steadied his breath and turned his upper body towards Jouslain.

“Why are you so composed? Our Tytania’s prestige has been tarnished, and our ability to rule is being put into question.”

“Our?” repeated Jouslain deliberately as a gentle and ironic frown formed between his eyes. “It isn’t ours. It’s yours. It is you personally who have been defeated, Lord Ariabert. Use the singular. Tytania remains undefeated. Your defeat isn’t Tytania’s defeat.”

Jouslain’s declaration skilfully struck at Ariabert’s wound. Ariabert’s handsome features distorted as if he had tasted acid and salt.

Zarlisch Tytania laughed, his imposing frame shaking. A twisted smile formed from Idris Tytania’s bitterly contorted lips. Jouslain Tytania, the source of their amusement, gazed down at his grey military cap with an expression suggesting that he found nothing of this amusing. He seemed to regard his own actions and consequences as completely trivial. He was Tytanian and the only Tytanian who wasn’t particularly proud about that fact.

As Ariabert was about to retort something, his expression changed to one of reverence and tension. His gaze, fixed on the thick mahogany door, had caught the sight of a fifth figure.

“Your Clanner Highness…”

The four youth rose, careful to not make their chairs creak, and respectfully saluted their clan’s leader. The Tytanian salute consisted of straightening one’s back and placing one’s fist over the left shoulder.

The silver-haired Landless Clanner Ajman Tytania took place at the head of the table with an expression of effortless authority, his shoulders radiating with the unmistakable poise and dignity that befitted a cosmic overlord.

Over the last four years or so, the heads of the Five Families of Tytania had successively passed their role to the next generation, and with the exception of Ajman, the lord of the clan, all four were in their twenties. Conversely, back when their fathers were alive, Ajman had been the youngest among the heads of the Five Families and hadn’t enjoyed the full trust and respect of his elders. In order to command and intimidate his elders, Ajman had exerted considerable effort, though it didn’t take him a lot of time to do so. The succession of leadership within Tytania had occurred with such continuation and so superbly that many suspected the hand of some non-divine entity acting from the shadows. To the present day, the history of Tytania has stirred the imagination of the public. And yet, as long as Tytania held sway, the truth of the matter would never be publicly revealed.

Seated in the highest position reserved for the overlord, Ajman gave the first signal, and the four young noblemen dismissed their salute and took their seats. Greetings such as “I’m glad to see you are all well” were not customary in the Tytania clan. With a second signal, a rectangular white light appeared on the wall opposing him, forming a screen.

Projected on that screen was the portrait of a young man. He seemed to be the same age as Ariabert and Jouslain. He had a somewhat narrow face, carrot-coloured hair, and wore a leopard-print handkerchief wrapped as a bandana. He wore a black lightweight turtleneck sweater and a sepia-coloured military uniform. It was a common uniform of the Interstellar City League, and his city of affiliation was indicated by a number inscribed on his right breast. “0117” meant that he was a citizen of the city-state of Euria.

“He looks like a weak man.”

The one who voiced that opinion was Zarlisch Tytania. An atmosphere of wry amusement was hanging over his seat.

“It’s at the hands of that weak-looking greenhorn that Tytania suffered defeat. By the way, gentlemen, this man is 28 years old, which makes him older than any of you.”

The Landless Clanner Ajman nonchalantly admonished him for underestimating him. At the word “defeat”, Ariabert’s cheeks slightly paled. Before he could protest, the Landless Clanner silenced him with a glance and continued his admonition.

“Lord Ariabert, defeat is inevitable. Victory and defeat are inherent to war. But I hope you do not lose the courage to face defeat head-on.”

“I shall engrave this within me, Your Clanner Highness.”

Ariabert’s answer held palpable restraint. Losing one’s temper in front of the lord of the clan was a taboo in Tytania. While each lord through history had their distinct characteristics, a minimum standard of etiquette still had to be observed. Countless people had brought their downfall upon them through discourtesy born out of passion.