Chapter 53: Roland Weite

Chapter 53: Roland Weite

Yun Huai didn't know that this was the second time Lu Rin'an had kissed his fingers.

The power of the Nili'er Dragon leaves a mark on the back of the hand where it kisses, erupting into dangerous sparks if another person approaches the kissed area.

Yun Huai, dazed, sat up and asked the composed Lu Rin'an, "When did you come in?"

Lu Rin'an's voice was hoarse from disuse, "Couldn't sleep in the pond last night, so I came in to watch you sleep. It's more interesting than being alone."

Yun Huai's eyes widened, "But my door was locked—"

He stopped mid-sentence, remembering Lu Rin'an’s spatial abilities.

For him, all barriers are negligible; by tearing two points in space, he can move unobstructed and silently.

As expected, Lu Rin'an gave him a meaningful smile.

His eyes seemed to say, "Don't you know me yet?"

Previously, Yun Huai couldn’t link Lu Rin'an's mischief to anything specific, but now, whenever Lu Rin'an acted up, Yun Huai remembered his dangerous form in the Blue Dream.

For some reason, that image made Yun Huai uneasy, his ears tingling, especially after Lu Rin'an unexpectedly kissed his fingers that morning.

Realizing his hand was still in Lu Rin'an's, Yun Huai quickly withdrew it.

Getting out of bed, his black hair was lightly brushed by Lu Rin'an's large wings.

It was hard not to suspect it was intentional.

Yun Huai frowned, his ears slightly red, "You're not allowed to enter my room and kiss me..."

Realizing something off, he added embarrassingly, "...on the fingers."

Lu Rin'an chuckled.

Yun Huai: "..."

Ah, how annoying!

Ignoring Lu Rin'an, Yun Huai turned to wash and change. When the bedroom door opened, Iliad was allowed in. It had watched Lu Rin'an from the window all night, and Lu Rin'an had watched Yun Huai by the bedside, neither turning their heads.

"Infuriating, infuriating, infuriating! Today I'm going to tell Xiye Na! Let him expel you!"

Lu Rin'an sat leisurely in the small chair of Yun Huai's bedroom, raising an eyebrow at Iliad, "You might as well call Qiaxiu too. Two together might be effective. If that fails, summon Lunen as well. More people, more fun."

Iliad: "............"

The cat-like ball exclaimed in shock, "What exactly are you?"

Lu Rin'an smiled faintly, "A bad thing, but perhaps a good thing in front of Yun Huai."

Iliad: "............"

-

AG-0781, having seen Lu Rin'an's daily arguments with Iliad, was no longer surprised. It knew Lu Rin'an was indeed a terrible thing.

Strong to a disturbing degree, but 0781 was calm in the presence of Lu Rin'an, believing that no matter how formidable, Yun Huai could handle him.

As long as Yun Huai didn't indulge him, Lu Rin'an was not to be feared.

Thinking this, AG-0781 entered the breakfast room to see Yun Huai pushing aside the beautifully prepared breakfast set by the attendant, instead using psychic silk threads to climb onto Lu Rin'an's large wings, eating with satisfaction.

0781：“…………”

Lu Rin'an greeted 0781, "All these are unnecessary, take them away."

AG-0781: "You... you..."

Lu Rin'an: "I'm far more beneficial than these things."

The steamy-headed AG-0781 turned and left, taking the overheated Iliad with it. Only Qiaxiu's mechanical butterfly remained on Yun Huai's shoulder, the little butterfly very fond of Yun Huai, always wanting to stick close.

Lu Rin'an wasn’t petty enough to crush a butterfly, but he couldn't help being annoyed. Unintentionally moving his other wing, the delicate butterfly was blown onto a side table, flattening like a pastry.

Yun Huai: "Don’t always bully them."

"Me, bully? It’s their lack of tolerance. It's normal for others to be envious of our close relationship," Lu Rin'an said, then added, "Why does that robot always smoke? At this rate, it might break down prematurely."

Yun Huai was fond of war robots, prompting Lu Rin'an's few "concerned" remarks.

"But it said only the Third Star System's legion can repair it. No idea when that will happen."

"I’ve known these things for a while," Yun Huai spoke more after eating, "Xiye Na rarely brings these issues to me. It could be conflicts among the executors or these matters are indeed tricky to handle."

Xiye Na mentioned Qiaxiu in Yun Huai’s presence but never the name Layral. However, Yun Huai wasn't entirely unaware. Compared to the Blue Feathers Star, which he had plans to contact and save, the Third Star System was an enigma to him.

Of course, Lu Rin'an understood Yun Huai, as he was a lord himself, adept at contemplating from a lofty perspective.

"You suspect the runaway star system has lost its faith and become an independent nation?"

Yun Huai's eyelashes dropped: "It’s not impossible. It's the most troublesome scenario."

Juvenile rebellion often stems from a lack of discipline. Lu Rin'an thought and concluded, "If you're really troubled, why not force them back and re-educate them in faith? Need help?"

Yun Huai: "??"

Lu Rin'an: "I have some influence in the Creation Star Domain. If you want, I can send people to help you."

Yun Huai, startled: "The current relationship between the Itas and the aliens is very delicate. Do the alien lords know about this?"

Isn't this akin to 'defecting' for Lu Rin'an??

"What I do doesn't need his knowledge," Lu Rin'an leaned closer to Yun Huai, whispering, "It’s for 'his' own good. After all, not many in the Black Shine System dare to oppose the Ita Empire. Peaceful coexistence is the best."

Yun Huai was moved but declined Lu Rin'an's kind offer.

"Really not needed?" Lu Rin'an looked somewhat regretful.

Yun Huai, with a headache: "No, the Empire was already a tripartite entity. Adding aliens would only complicate matters further."

Lu Rin'an could see Yun Huai had a grasp of the Empire's power dynamics. Despite Xiye Na rarely consulting him on these matters, Yun Huai was not a king ignorant in his garden.

Perhaps he was even more astute than Xiye Na thought.

The Rolanvett Garden nurtured the rapidly growing King's power, and Lu Rin'an's sneaky visits ensured Yun Huai ate well and slept soundly, creating an ideal environment for a newly born King.

After catching Lu Rin'an sneaking into his room for more than ten consecutive days, Yun Huai noticed his clothes were noticeably smaller.

The King's clothes being small was a significant matter.

Compared to the cramped conditions of his first growth spurt in K420, the Empire's main star obviously had more preparations for the new King's growth.

All clothes in Yun Huai's wardrobe were replaced by Xiye Na one morning, updated according to the King's body measurements, with many more beautiful new outfits.

Lu Rin'an eyed Yun Huai, "Your height is now barely reaching the standard of an adult."

Yun Huai's expression showed rare signs of happiness: "I hope I can grow a bit taller."

Lu Rin'an: "Why do you need to be so tall? In a couple, it's enough if one person is tall."

"It's because you're too tall," Yun Huai said, looking at Lu Rin'an through the mirror, "that's why my neck always gets tired looking up at you."

Lu Rin'an's eyes lit up: "So you want to grow taller just to get a better view of me?"

Yun Huai: "...?"

Lu Rin'an immediately arranged: "From now on, you'll have extra meals. Eat in the morning and also in the evening, eat more, and you'll grow a bit more."

Yun Huai: "."

……

The collaborative action on Blue Fei Star brought Yun Huai and Lu Rin'an closer. Yun Huai slowly realized that Lu Rin'an was not entirely indifferent to his own status on the Ita main star.

At least so far, not a single attendant had truly seen the face of the alien merman. He always sneaked into Yun Huai's bedroom during the guard team's shift change.

One day, sitting in the garden, Lu Rin'an suddenly said by the poolside: "Your place here is even bigger than my house in the Genesis Realm."

Yun Huai: "How do you know?"

Lu Rin'an: "I've checked." He spoke of gathering intelligence so candidly that Yun Huai was taken aback, realizing that Lu Rin'an had already familiarized himself with the basic layout of the royal court.

Yun Huai: "...So you just tell me this, aren't you worried that I'll become alert and drive you out?"

Lu Rin'an's expression was intriguing: "Don't worry, I'm just accustomed to surveying the terrain. When you go to the Genesis Realm, I'll personally teach you how to recognize the military outposts there. You understand, we are always people of the same world."

If there were a doctor present, Yun Huai was sure they could diagnose Lu Rin'an with a syndrome of love madness.

But Yun Huai's identity was no longer that of a simple K420 repairman, so Lu Rin'an had evolved from a purely love-struck fool on K420 to a rational one who also knew how to survey the terrain.

The alien lord was playing a blatant underground romance in the Ita King's garden, and the rumors about the king's affection for the merman became more widespread. Consequently, derivative products about the merman between the two solar systems started to increase.

But reality is not the Azure Dream. The real empire has the very reliable high-ranking noble enforcer Xi Ye, as well as Ga Xiu who seems unreliable but is actually extremely detail-oriented. The enforcers won't let the empire's madness go unchecked.

Thus, a document was placed in front of Yun Huai.

The young Ita King looked seriously at the words, feeling momentarily like an illiterate.

Yun Huai read slowly, "Limit, Fish, Order?"

Xi Ye nodded and emphasized, "I will be careful not to let them overly mimic your preferences. All policies related to merpeople will be tightened within the empire. The royal court will not overly interfere with you but will correct any excessive fanatical behaviors of the citizens."

It's almost like Xi Ye has 'Don't spoil that alien merman too much' written all over his face.

Yun Huai rubbed his temples.

The next morning, when he opened his eyes, he saw that the blackout curtains he had drawn the night before were pulled aside, and Lu Rin'an had replaced them, ensuring that Yun Huai's first sight each morning was of him.

The monster's spread wings cast a terrifying and ostentatious shadow on the cold white floor. Yun Huai sat up with his hair on end, thinking how the "alien merman" was getting more and more presumptuous, and the enforcers increasingly opinionated, making peaceful days hard to come by.

Just as Lu Rin'an was about to speak, Yun Huai grabbed the document from the table and stuck it on his forehead.

The man took it off and looked at it, his expression instantly becoming colorful.

"But you understand," the alien monster said, sounding somewhat wronged to the Ita King, "I'm not a fish, so this ban fundamentally doesn’t apply to me."

Because he had grown taller, Yun Huai's toes could now touch the floor, feeling the slight coolness. His tone was equally cool: "It's time to start cutting off your appetite."

Lu Rin'an: "??"

Yun Huai stood up, his figure passing by Lu Rin'an: "All in the name of preventing an interstellar war."

Lu Rin'an: "..."

Yun Huai's words were three parts joke, seven parts serious. He had indeed started eating the royal court's supplemental food, and Lu Rin'an also noticed that the young Ita King no longer relied solely on the energy of the Nile dragon to satiate his hunger.

Unnoticed by anyone, the Ita King had not only grown taller, but his dietary needs had also started to normalize.

Iliad mockingly said to Lu Lin'an in the garden, "No one is irreplaceable, long live the fish restriction order!"

Lu Lin'an immediately smacked the cat ball into the water and then bit off half of its ear with a crunch.

...Still ended up holding back.

Iliad, with half an ear missing: "…………"

Ahhhhh!

As Yun Huai extracted the half cat ear from Lu Lin'an's mouth, he was incredulous: "What do you have against it, it's still a child."

Lu Lin'an abruptly said, "In our species, I'm also a baby. Why should I give way to him?"

Yun Huai looked at Lu Lin'an's perfect physique and the mature, masculine face of a grown man, speechless for a moment.

Lu Lin'an's temper flared and faded quickly in front of Yun Huai, not wasting much time on other things, soon focusing back on Yun Huai.

"Your power is approaching perfection," the alien monster said. "Because of its saturation, you won't need my energy for replenishment anymore. That's the only way you can wean off me."

Yun Huai fitted the broken cat ear back onto Iliad. Due to his proximity, more Rolanvettes grew and thrived.

The garden was filled with a delightful and intoxicating fragrance.

Lu Lin'an: "It seems that a very important mission of mine is now complete."

Yun Huai hummed in confusion.

"The most important mission during courtship is to feed the object of courtship to a level where they can adapt to the intensity of our species. My father did the same to my mother."

Lu Lin'an rarely mentioned his parents, but each time he did, it was evident that they had a very good relationship.

So Yun Huai asked subconsciously, "Did your mother also grow taller?"

Lu Lin'an smiled, "She did grow, but my mother received a diluted version of the species gene so she wouldn't get hurt. You don't need that."

Yun Huai looked at him.

Lu Rin'an: "Actually, you could adapt to my intensity without feeding, but consuming me will make you stronger. If they could see you, they would be astonished, considering you are the Ita King."

Lu Rin'an seemed quite proud of having pursued and won over the Ita King. Yun Huai noticed his fishtail splashing in the water for a moment, and for some reason, he preferred Lu Rin'an's large wings over his fishtail.

Those wings were extravagantly large, dangerous and gorgeous when opened, and quite practical as light-shielding artifacts...

Yun Huai paused at his own imagination when Iliad, hugging its damaged ear and QAQing, interrupted him: "A monster that attacks indiscriminately should be expelled immediately!"

Yun Huai quickly comforted it, then turned back to see Lu Rin'an grinning at Iliad before turning ferociously and disappearing into the water.

……

True distress doesn’t necessarily need words; sometimes, unintentional actions can bring unexpected effects.

Yun Huai spent most of the night awake after returning from the garden, the image of Lu Rin'an turning and vanishing haunting his mind.

He was supposed to be flying high in the sky.

But now, because of love, he had sunk to the bottom of the pond.

But does love really require one to compromise and surrender? Was Lu Rin'an truly happy in the garden? Yun Huai furrowed his brows, recalling how simply holding hands inadvertently made Lu Rin'an so happy he was beside himself.

……

Tossing and turning for most of the night, Yun Huai eventually began to ponder the possibility of the family head and the ambiguous scoundrel coexisting harmoniously, growing increasingly frightened by the hopelessness of the idea until he finally drifted off to sleep late into the night.

When he next opened his eyes, he saw many butterflies fluttering outside the window, the sound of mechanical wings whispering through the window cracks.

"Iliad had a circle of mechanical bandages around his forehead. Seeing Yunhuai awake, he couldn't help but exclaim, 'Gashu has arrived! He is currently waiting in the garden to report to you!'"

"Yunhuai suddenly sat up, his vision momentarily darkening as he asked, 'Where is Lulinan?'"

"At the critical moment, Iliad didn't set a trap for Lulinan. All its affairs prioritized the royal family: 'Haven't seen him!'"

"Yunhuai, not bothering to put on a coat, quickly wiped his face, grabbed a cloak at random, and left the room."

"The morning air in the garden was very fresh, with mechanical butterflies flickering and flying around him, the light reflecting spots of brightness on their wings."

"Yunhuai had no time to admire the scene and headed straight for the pool."

"The pool, a distance from the main bedroom, meant Gashu would definitely encounter Lunen, who guarded the royal court. Knowing Lunen wasn't up yet, he would have surely been directed to wait in the garden."

"Yunhuai had imagined countless violent fight scenarios, but never expected to see such a scene upon entering the garden by the pool."

"AG-0781 stood aside with a teapot, while Gashu and Lulinan each sat in a chair, elegantly enjoying the royal court's morning tea."

"Yunhuai: '................'"

"Iliad: '(ΩДΩ)'"

"Yunhuai: '...You two.'"

"He swallowed hard, then spoke again, 'What are you doing?'"

"Seeing Yunhuai's surprised expression, Gashu immediately stood up and asked, 'Are you awake?'"

"As Yunhuai walked over, AG-0781 poured a full cup of calming morning tea for the king."

"…Awake, you two, here, chatting?" Yunhuai asked, pausing between each word with difficulty."

"Gashu smiled gently, his silver-gray eyes shining like moonlight, 'Yes, your friend is very friendly. It's clear he enjoys his life here.'"

"Yunhuai looked at Lulinan, who remained expressionless: 'You didn't get up, and he was wandering around, so I came out to entertain him on your behalf.'"

"Iliad: '…'"

"Gashu was exceedingly polite: 'Such tasks are not the responsibility of a garden guest. It's better to let the robots and attendants serve.'"

"Lulinan responded: 'Why differentiate between high and low, noble and humble? I'm willing to do anything for him.'"

"Gashu smiled again: 'You are really interesting.'"

"Yunhuai took a large sip of tea, feeling bitterness fill his throat. Gashu sat down and turned to him: 'After the chaos on Lanfei Star was nearly settled, I came to find you. I intended to invite you to the back garden for a vacation, but it seems the Rolanvete Garden is no less beautiful than any other place. It would be perfect with a bit more pruning of the excess branches.'"

"Gashu, smiling, looked at Lulinan: 'Don't you think so?'"

"Lulinan replied: 'Then try pruning them yourself. As the 'back garden' executive, it falls within your expertise. But these tasks aren't the duty of a chief executive either. Let the robots and attendants handle it.'"

"Gashu's concealed gaze turned cold for a moment."

"Yunhuai took another big sip of tea, then changed the subject: '...How is the situation in Yulan Sea City now?'"

"Gashu immediately responded, 'Before the dream went out of control, I had been maintaining the infrastructure of the Sea City. Now, recovery is just a matter of time. Once the citizens awakened, the halted sectors started functioning again. Out of thirty underwater rail lines, twenty-one are already operational.'"

"Yunhuai nodded in approval: 'Very good.'"

"Lulinan commented abruptly, 'Impressive post-disaster recovery capabilities.'"

"Yunhuai's vision darkened again."

"Lulinan's competitive genes were uncontrollable, and Gashu was no pushover. Yunhuai was even slightly relieved that Xiye was not present, or else Lulinan would have had to contend with two."

"'Are you a friend the king brought back from another race?' Gashu suddenly asked."

"Lulinan's eyes sharpened: 'Yes, what about it?'"

"Gashu said, 'Things were too rushed on Lanfei Star, and I didn’t have the chance to thank you in person. Your strength also contributed to unraveling the Yulan Dreamscape.'"

"Speaking confidently, Lulinan said, 'You’re not bad either, killing three of my dreams consecutively.'"

"Then, turning to Yunhuai, he added, 'He seems very polite, but is quite ruthless in action. The reputation of Executor Ita is well-deserved. If he were a bit stronger, I might not have been able to see you now.'"

"AG-0781 asked, 'Your Majesty, would you like more tea?'"

"Yunhuai replied, '...No, no need, I’ve had enough.'"

"The butterflies stopped at Gashu’s table. The noble executive, with great composure, said, 'As the king was in the dreamscape, I naturally eliminated all unstable elements from it. This is the absolute faith of an executor towards the king—ah, sorry, I forgot you wouldn’t understand these things, given you're a faithless species from another race.'"

"Lulinan retorted, 'Now I have [faith].'”

"Gashu queried, 'Hmm?'"

"Lulinan tilted his chin towards Yunhuai, his thoughts almost visibly pressing on his forehead, 'The supreme Ita King attracts all species, and I am one of those attracted. Though it's not faith, my feelings are more sincere than belief. Doubting my intentions is doubting your King's charm.'"

"Several mechanical butterflies suddenly fluttered their wings vigorously."

"AG-0781 interjected, 'Eat. Have some tea snacks.'"

"Yunhuai gently pulled the large robot behind him and whispered, 'Be good, go play with the butterflies in the garden. This isn't a place for you.'"

"The unwanted AG-0781 left, wailing like a ghost."

"Gashu was here to report to the main star. Since Yunhuai's birth, Xiye was no longer the empire's highest executive. Gashu was now on par with Xiye, so visiting the garden didn't require notifying Xiye."

"Ignoring Lulinan, he addressed his King, 'Lord Xiye, as the main star's executive, must be very busy. I came to see you without bothering him. The birth of the royal family is the empire's glory. As Lanfei Star recovers, we will gradually open our travel routes to foreign visitors to celebrate your arrival. Lord Xiye is stricter than I am. If your friend cannot stay here, I can find him a job in the second star system.'"

"Lulinan immediately refused, 'No need. I have a large inheritance to claim at home. Following your King is purely a personal emotional need. Whether Xiye approves or not is irrelevant. It's enough if Ita King considers me a 'good friend'.'"

"Silver-blue threads and fiery red sparks twisted and distorted the air."

"Yunhuai now completely forgot why he was sleepless last night, his mind filled with nothing but tea."

"In sheer agony, he asked Gashu, 'Is there anything else to report?'"

"If not, let's all disperse. Woke up early this morning with a headache."

"Gashu looked at Yunhuai with undisguised affection and admiration, not a hint of sarcasm, and said, 'There's one more thing I think you should know.'"

"Yunhuai: 'Hmm?'"

"Gashu raised his fingertip, and a mechanical butterfly landed on his joint, 'After I awoke, the butterflies scattered across the empire resumed their duties. They serve as a comprehensive information network. This morning, a minor conflict erupted on the edge of the second star system bordering the alien species. Some imperial soldiers were injured in this minor battle.'"

"Yunhuai instinctively: 'Hmm??'"

"Gashu remarked, 'They say the instigator of this conflict is an alien lord.'"

"Alien Lord Lulinan: '????'"

"Aren't you listening to what you're saying?"

"Author's note:"

"Lulinan: (That's a big accusation!) (Angry) (Looking around) (Restless) (Worried about his wife misunderstanding the provocation) (Dragon's roar) (Covering Gashu's mouth and attempting to bite off his extravagant wings!) (Being scolded) (Looking innocently at his wife) (You know, I lost my parents when I was young)"

"AG-0781: Drink tea~ Drink tea~"