SGT CH26: Want to Hold Him?

◎The pet cat the little male once mentioned◎

The Emperor looked at his stubborn, resolute eldest son and sighed inwardly.

In his youth, the Prince had survived an assassination attempt, forcibly opening a spatial wormhole with his spiritual power to escape, and had been lost in the process.

The assassins were eliminated by the Marshal, who arrived shortly after, but the young Prince was nowhere to be found.

The masterminds behind the assassination plot had not been completely eradicated.

For the Prince’s safety, the Emperor concealed his disappearance, only announcing publicly that the Prince needed rest after being traumatized.

In reality, he mobilized all resources to search for the Prince.

For three whole years, there was nothing.

Until one day, the Emperor received a spiritual message.

It was the Prince’s spiritual power, containing only coordinates.

—The Dark Star sector.

The Marshal immediately led troops, conquered the Dark Star sector, and brought the Prince home.

The returned Prince was in extremely poor physical and mental condition.

And he refused to speak about his experiences in the Dark Star sector.

Faced with the Prince who had lost his soul, couldn’t eat or sleep, and was rapidly wasting away, the Emperor and Marshal were both heartbroken and guilt-ridden, so naturally they couldn’t press him for answers.

Secret investigations yielded no results either.

Because the only clue—the Prince’s residence in the Dark Star sector—had been destroyed by artillery fire at the Prince’s request.

An entire forest, razed to the ground.

“Lieutenant General Aix comes from the Dark Star sector,” the Emperor said suddenly.

The Dark Star sector, not the current White Night Star.

Mousse understood his male parent was referring to that period of his past.

That past he had never revealed to any Zerg.

His hands on his knees clenched slightly into fists. Mousse lowered his gaze, not daring to meet his male parent’s caring, questioning eyes.

“Yes, he comes from the Dark Star sector…”

The Emperor understood and didn’t press further, only saying:

“I hope you can let go of the past and forgive yourself, but you certainly can’t do that.

“At least promise me—protect yourself, don’t let yourself get hurt again. Your female parent, your brother, and I are all very worried about you.”

“I will,” Mousse promised.

This was the reason he kept trying to survive.

Even though he had countless times wanted to destroy himself along with Aix, whenever he thought of how the family who loved him would grieve, he forced himself to keep living.

Whether it was the severe injury when Aix pierced his chest initially.

Or this “Scum Top Reformation Live Stream” reformation mission.

Or even earlier than that.

After being brought back from the Dark Star sector.

Trying to emerge from the shadows, to become normal, so his family wouldn’t worry.

Even if it was only surface normalcy.

He would live, so Aix couldn’t die either.

Aix had to stay with him, living in pain.

When Mousse emerged from the Emperor’s office, not seeing Aix immediately made his heart panic, and he looked up to search.

Only then did he see Aix and the Marshal standing in the corridor some distance away, talking about something.

Mainly the Marshal was speaking, with Aix responding briefly with a word or two to keep the conversation going, avoiding awkward silences.

Mousse’s anxiety lessened somewhat, though he worried Aix might have revealed something he shouldn’t have.

Sensing the Prince’s emergence, Aix quietly excused himself from the Marshal and returned to the Prince’s side.

“Your Highness.”

Aix bowed slightly in greeting.

Seeing he was still well-behaved, Mousse’s anger subsided a bit, and he asked quietly:

“What did you discuss with my female parent?”

“Some matters related to raising younglings,” Aix replied.

Mousse was somewhat surprised—would his female parent actually discuss this topic?

Two military females seriously discussing childcare seemed somehow mismatched.

At least it wasn’t about that awakening night.

“I thought you’d discuss military matters,” Mousse said.

That would be more typical of stern military females.

“Actually… some military aspects were involved too,” Aix said hesitantly.

Mousse looked up displeasedly.

Why didn’t he mention this just now?

Daring to hide things from him?

He didn’t care if Aix discussed anything other than that awakening night, but he very much minded Aix’s concealment and deception.

“It was just mentioning that ‘royal younglings must serve military duty when they grow up,'” the Marshal approached, speaking up to help Aix out of his predicament.

Indeed, there was such a regulation.

The Second Prince had already been training in the military for years.

If not for the Prince’s injury forcing him to take on responsibilities, he might still be training in the army.

By rights, Mousse should also enter the military after coming of age.

But given his condition after lying in a medical pod for three months, no one dared mention this to Mousse, all hoping he would rest and recover for a few more years.

The Marshal bringing up royal military service now wasn’t referring to Mousse, but to the Zerg cub in Aix’s belly.

This also fell under matters of raising younglings.

So Aix hadn’t really concealed anything from him.

“Isn’t it too early to discuss this? It’s still just an egg.”

And an unborn egg at that, Mousse added mentally.

“Just letting Lieutenant General Aix know in advance, so he can prepare early,” Marshal Shen smiled, looking at the Prince with gentle eyes.

Aix listened silently on the side, serving as background.

He actually vaguely understood the Marshal’s meaning.

When princes served in the military, they all joined legions stationed on the Capital Star, personally watched over by the Marshal.

And his youngling, as the Prince’s eldest son, would also need to serve under the Marshal in the future.

The Marshal, seeing Aix’s care for his youngling, specifically brought this up, as if saying:

If you’re not good to my youngling, I’ll take good care of yours in the future too.

Even among Zerg with blood relations, there were degrees of closeness.

Females always cared more about the younglings they personally bore and raised.

As a Zerg who had once raised a small youngling and was about to become a female parent, Aix could understand the Marshal’s concern for the Prince.

The Marshal just overestimated his capabilities.

His and his youngling’s lives and deaths were controlled by the Prince—how would he dare show the slightest disrespect to the Prince?

The Emperor emerged from his office, glanced at the harmoniously interacting Zerg, nodded slightly to Aix, exempting him from formal greetings.

After the Marshal came to his side, the Emperor turned to Mousse and said:

“Let’s go. Our grown-up eldest prince should proceed with the coming-of-age ceremony oath.”

At the coming-of-age ceremony, the Prince needed to take an oath in the palace’s main hall.

Under the gaze of family and various nobles and ministers, Mousse swore to “uphold the Empire, uphold the law, uphold the people.”

And donned the ruby signet ring representing regency powers.

This also meant he formally shouldered the mission of heir to the throne.

He gained the qualification to act as regent in the Emperor’s absence.

Mousse held the Prince’s scepter, turning to look at Aix.

As the Prince’s female consort, Aix also needed to swear loyalty to the Empire and to the Prince.

Aix walked before the Prince, knelt on one knee, and swore allegiance.

All the oath words were prepared scripts in advance.

But when Aix spoke the words, “I will forever be loyal, forever support His Highness Prince Mousse, guard His Highness’s safety with my life, never leave, never forsake, until death do us part”—

Mousse still felt sincere satisfaction and joy.

Forever loyal, never leave, never forsake, until death do us part.

What beautiful vows.

“Remember your own words. If you betray them…” I will drag you down to destruction with me.

Mousse spoke quietly, placing the scepter on Aix’s shoulder, accepting his loyalty.

Aix looked up in astonishment.

Not because of the warning implicit in the Prince’s words, but because of… the scepter.

According to protocol, what the Prince should have placed on his shoulder was a sword, not a scepter.

A sword represented accepting loyalty and mastery over life and death.

It represented a male master’s absolute control over a female.

But a scepter… was sharing power.

Only Aix was shocked and confused.

The royal family members and nobles observing the ceremony all appeared normal.

Perhaps with some envy and jealousy mixed in, but nothing particularly surprising.

The female consorts of noble males were mostly high-ranking and powerful.

Any male with a functioning brain would grant his consort equivalent power.

Having them assist in managing and operating the family, growing the family together.

Often, female consorts exercised family power more than pleasure-seeking males.

For males, it was like finding a capable female to do the work.

When there’s work, the consort does it; when there’s no work, you do the consort.

And since their interests were aligned, they didn’t need to worry about the consort not being committed.

Why wouldn’t they?

After the oath ceremony, Mousse gave a speech to the nation in front of live cameras.

Expressing his commitment to the responsibilities and mission of the heir to the throne.

Only after all procedures were completed did Mousse return with Aix to his chambers in the palace.

The ball was still in the evening; they could rest briefly.

Mousse removed the overly heavy red velvet cloak and sat on the sofa.

Just as he was about to order Aix to bring him tea and water, he noticed the female was secretly watching him, his gaze constantly falling on him.

But it wasn’t a look of infatuation or fascination.

More like he had something on his mind, wanting to speak but hesitating.

“What’s wrong? Tired?”

Considering this was a pregnant female who had followed him through a day of tedious ceremonies, it was indeed quite taxing.

Mousse scooted over, took Aix’s hand, and had him sit beside him.

“No…”

This level of activity was like lying down and resting for a military female—there was no question of being tired.

Aix was concerned about other matters.

“Then there’s something puzzling you. Just say it directly.”

Mousse leaned lazily against the sofa back, saying mercilessly:

“Given the degree of brain deficiency you’ve shown in front of me, you won’t figure it out by yourself. Better to ask me directly.”

Aix didn’t mind the Prince’s mockery.

He indeed found it very difficult to understand males’ thoughts, couldn’t keep up with the Prince’s complex and changeable moods.

His gaze fell on the scepter the Prince had casually set aside.

Aix pursed his lips and asked the question that had been troubling him:

“Why did Your Highness use the scepter to complete the ceremony?”

“This… “

Mousse thought seriously, but couldn’t come up with a reasonable explanation, so he gave his most direct thought.

“Just happened to use it.”

The scepter was in his hand, while the ceremonial sword would need to be drawn—how troublesome.

“But the scepter represents…”

“Power? Responsibility? Or duty? These are just meanings assigned by Zerg. I just happened to use it.”

Mousse pursed his lips, unwilling to think deeply about it.

He just happened to use it conveniently, and wasn’t opposed to doing so, so he did.

Worried about angering the Prince, Aix asked no more.

The Prince’s words also relieved some of his confusion.

Just happened to use the scepter.

This indeed fit his impression of the Prince—disregarding consequences, acting entirely on preference and mood.

And even if the Prince intentionally used the scepter, it was probably just for show.

His repeated pondering here made him seem lacking in self-awareness.

His uncertain heart settled back in place.

Aix rediscovered his positioning and felt at peace, even grateful for it.

Whether the Prince was intentional or not, his actions at the oath ceremony represented high recognition of the “female consort.”

At least in other Zerg’s eyes.

Before the Prince found the timing appropriate, when past events would no longer be brought up and he could be discarded and replaced with a new consort—

His youngling could, to some extent, enjoy the benefits that came with being “the son of the Prince and his consort.”

For this, Aix was grateful to the Prince.

The Prince controlled everything about him and his youngling; with a single thought, he could make their lives extremely difficult.

But aside from being arranged in the underground room and occasional cruel toying, the Prince hadn’t made him suffer any real hardships.

As for that room, Aix didn’t consider it suffering.

He was very accustomed to underground living.

When carrying a Zerg egg with an uncertain future, a dark, small underground room—an environment he was utterly familiar with—could actually help him quickly calm and settle down.

Just like the former hunter X.

X had once analyzed mission targets, made plans, assembled weapons in cramped underground safe houses… working hard to raise the little male he’d found, giving the little male a better life.

The small room the Prince arranged for him after bringing him out of the punishment chamber.

Was actually the first “safe house” Aix had after leaving the Dark Star sector.

The dormitories arranged by the military, the rest cabins on warships—none of those counted as safe houses.

Only that small room in the Prince’s mansion’s basement, where except for the Prince and cleaning mechanical Zerg, no other Zerg would ever come, and no Zerg would ever compete with him for it.

Even if the Prince had other females in the future, they wouldn’t want such a room, would they?

Aix lived there very peacefully.

The path ahead seemed to become clear.

He only needed to serve the Prince well, obtain pheromones, protect his youngling.

If he had spare energy, he could seek some mercy and affection from the Prince for his youngling.

Aix himself hadn’t realized that in his plans for the future, the Prince occupied a considerable portion.

What truly surprised Aix was how frequently the Prince came to his residence.

Almost every night, and later he was even too lazy to leave after giving pheromones, staying overnight directly.

As if treating that small room as his own bedchamber.

Thinking of this, Aix looked up, surveying the room they were in.

This was where the Prince should live.

The Prince’s chambers, the Prince’s childhood residence.

A spacious, bright large suite, floors covered with soft, thick, brightly colored carpets, all furniture corners polished extremely smooth so younglings wouldn’t get hurt, and a room full of beautiful, exquisite toys for younglings…

Very much in line with Aix’s imagination of a youngling’s room in a noble family.

Compared to this residence, that small room in the Prince’s mansion’s basement was indeed a place where only unloved younglings and females would live.

He really didn’t know why the Prince would be willing to come there every night.

Some sound came from the window.

Drawing Aix’s attention.

Something strange was approaching.

Very light weight, four-legged.

Excellent balance and jumping ability, able to leap steadily between balconies.

But very poor stealth skills, barely reaching youngling level.

With such skills, it could actually evade the palace guards and approach the Prince’s chambers?

Aix was somewhat puzzled.

But because the unknown creature outside was really too weak—even ordinary males could easily handle it—it posed no possible threat to the Prince, so it was hard to be on guard.

“Meow~”

A light, thin cry came from outside the window.

Mousse paused, released Aix’s hand, and got up to walk toward the window.

Opening the window, an agile and fluffy white figure leaped into his arms.

Mousse held it and turned around.

He saw Aix had already risen from the sofa, standing to the side, looking at the long-haired animal in his arms with surprise, confusion, and bewilderment.

Rarely seeing such an interesting expression on the stern female’s face, Mousse smiled and asked:

“Want to hold him?”

As he spoke, he offered the fluffy creature to the female.

Aix didn’t know how to hold it.

He held the fluffy four-legged animal stiffly with straight arms.

“What is this?” Aix asked stiffly.

“A cat—an alien pet.”

Mousse couldn’t stand his posture of holding it like a bomb, and couldn’t help saying:

“Relax a bit. It won’t bite you. Most of the time, it has a pretty good temper. Even when angry, it just puffs up and hisses—no real attack power.”

Especially to a high-level female.

Even if a pet cat got angry, puffed up, and went all out with scratching and biting, it couldn’t break through their defenses.

Aix looked down, meeting the heterochromatic eyes of the long-haired cat.

“This is… a cat?”

The pet cat the little male once mentioned.

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