Chapter 16: Who is bullying his cub?

Chapter 16: Who Is It? Picking on His Cub

Amos walked upstairs and saw exactly this scene unfold.

The little cub seemed to have gotten slightly more comfortable with its surroundings, no longer as nervous as before, even playfully messing with the palace's AI system.

Its four short legs stood proudly at the doorway, while the intelligent machine behind it played along with loud applause.

It was just playing around, but clearly, Xiao Chuzao was loving every minute of it.

This AI belonged to Saint Cas’s advanced intelligence network, having long developed its own personality. Right now, though, it put on a stiff, robotic act quite convincingly.

Hearing the sound, Xiao Chuzao turned its head and spotted Amos standing at the stairway. The little one bounded forward in two quick leaps, then launched itself into Amos’s arms.

"Meow!"

Papa! This is so much fun!

Whether real or imagined, Amos thought the halo above Xiao Chuzao’s head looked even brighter than before.

This cub didn’t seem to know how to hide its halo—it always kept it proudly floating atop its head.

"Origin."

Holding the small cub close, Amos called out into the empty air.

"Your Majesty, what can I do for you?"

The overhead light flickered, and the mechanical voice suddenly changed tone, now laced with genuine emotion.

"Nice performance."

An AI pretending to be a rigid system—impressive acting all around.

"Thank you for your praise. I still have much to learn."

The light flickered again a few times, then went out completely.

Xiao Chuzao, who had never seen anything like this before, stared wide-eyed with wonder, pupils dilating as he curiously scanned his surroundings.

He wanted to find out where the voice was coming from.

Softly, he called out, "Meow?"

Where's it coming from?

"This is the palace AI, Origin. If you ever need anything—"

Amos paused mid-sentence, suddenly realizing the little one was still in its fluffy white form and could only meow in response. He hesitated briefly, then continued.

"You can just tell me directly."

Xiao Chuzao nestled in Amos’s arms, nodding its little head excitedly.

Still curious, he kept looking around.

Suddenly, a low chuckle sounded behind them—with an edge of malice.

Xiao Chuzao instantly turned his head to look.

An Ya stood a few steps down the staircase, her sharp-featured face wearing a rebellious smirk. She leaned casually against the railing behind her, eyelids lifting slightly as her crimson eyes—like all Crown Clan’s—locked onto him.

Late into the night, this residence belonged to the royal family of the Crown Clan. Amos had little interest in occupying an entire palace alone, so aside from the two remaining princes who were away—the First Prince Frey and Fifth Prince An Ya—everyone else had also returned here for the night.

After being won over that afternoon, An Ya had clearly psyched herself up.

She believed she was definitely the most rational member of the Crown Clan, completely in control of her own rhythm.

So by nightfall, An Ya was defiant again.

"Just where are you from? Some backwater runt who can’t even grasp basic tech?" An Ya stared at the little one, goading the kid to talk. "Come on, tell me—who or what was around you before?"

An Ya remained convinced this was a conspiracy against the Crown Clan, meant to hasten their downfall. Taking in a child wasn’t a problem, but she was determined to uncover who was really behind this little one.

"An Ya, don’t you think you’re being a bit too much?"

Frey, who had come down later, frowned at his youngest sibling, his voice low with warning.

"I’m not wrong, am I? Your Majesty, what do you think?"

An Ya couldn’t help but fire back before turning to Amos.

"Tensions have been escalating everywhere lately. The spatial fluctuations near Saint Cas帝 Star have been unusually intense—not only due to the tainted beasts, but also because of outer-space syndicates. I’ve spent nights pursuing them, destroying many enemy probes."

In such a sensitive time, how could they be sure this wasn’t the next threat?

Amos simply carried the little one downstairs. As he passed An Ya, the unshakable king let out a tired sigh.

"You’d better get some proper sleep."

Meanwhile, Xiao Chuzao nestled in Amos’s arms. He thought for a moment, then piped up, "Meow."

Zao Zao was once a grassland angel!

An angel? Living in the grasslands?

"Meow!"

Super tough! Zao Zao wakes up super early to collect dew and pick fruit, so there's food by noon and night. In the afternoon, Zao Zao soaks up sunshine—every day is super fun!

The little white fluffball stretched out tiny paws to gesture.

Big, shiny amber eyes sparkled with wonder.

The trio went quiet.

Forget where—waking up at dawn to collect dew? Picking fruit?

An Ya rasped, "You were alone before?"

"Meow."

Mm-hmm.

The little white fluffball snuggled deeper, eyes wide with wonder, still a ball of fluff and curiosity.

Zao Zao’s always been on his own.

That’s how he ended up this way.

After finishing his special milk, the little cub perked up noticeably, the halo above his head flickering.

Even An Ya went quiet as Amos carried the little cub downstairs, with him and Frey following behind.

He couldn’t help but mutter softly in the end, “Growing up all by yourself is kinda rough, isn’t it?”

Frey folded his arms and scoffed at his dumb little brother, “Amos is right. You should just go get some sleep.”

An Ya almost snapped back instinctively, but thinking of the little cub, he bit his tongue.

Amos sat on the sofa with the little cub in his arms.

He eyed the tiny halo above the cub’s head—ornate, fragile, and petite—now looking a little brighter.

The little cub yawned and suddenly remembered something.

“Meow meow.”

Dada, can I see your halo?

He hesitantly stretched out a paw, looking at Amos.

Chu Zao hadn’t forgotten what he’d heard earlier—the condition for fulfilling his wish was to stop Dada from falling into darkness and breaking down.

Could that be related to the halo?

Even though Xiao Chuzao seemed close to Amos now, it was like a child who found a kind adult—he liked to snuggle close but still kept himself at a distance, chipper but wrapped in an invisible shell.

It felt affectionate but still distant, uncertain of Amos’s boundaries.

Of course, Amos wasn’t much different in attitude.

Amos looked at the little cub. What did he want with the halo?

Though confused, the room grew a little tense as the intricate, pitch-black, cracked crown-like halo above Amos’s head gradually appeared.

Then the little cub climbed onto his shoulder, stretching out a tiny paw to reach for it.

There really were cracks—

Does it hurt?

Xiao Chuzao reached out with his paw, unable to actually touch it, yet instinctively and carefully trying to piece Amos’s halo back together.

A silly little attempt.

The Crown Clan’s broken halo couldn’t be fixed.

But before anyone could speak, the little cub thought for a moment and gave the halo a little blow.

“Meow!”

Dada, blowing on it helps the pain.

Amos froze for a second.

As the little cub bowed its head, its tiny golden halo briefly overlapped with Amos’s broken one.

In that instant, countless images flashed before its eyes—

Finally settling on a scene:

A small nest padded with soft plants cradled a young child, just two or three years old. Adorably delicate, with tousled black curls and a golden crown-like halo atop his head, his arms and legs were scuffed and bleeding from who-knows-where. The little one’s amber eyes shimmered with tears as he murmured to himself, “Why do they all have mommies and daddies to hold them? Why not Zao Zao?”

The lonely figure curled up tight, trying so hard to be brave, wiping away his tears before gently blowing on his wounds. “It’s okay, Zao Zao is okay. Blow on it, and it won’t hurt anymore.”

…

Amos came back to himself.

He looked at the little cub seriously huffing at his crown.

So small and soft, full of endless curiosity, yet so well-behaved and obedient.

“Papa, blow on it, and it won’t hurt anymore.”

“Zao Zao knows.”

For a moment, Amos felt an unfamiliar emotion—something between heartache and rage.

It crept through his chest, silently spreading.

Eventually forming into this odd protective urge. Even the part of his crown that had been blown on felt strange.

—Who was it?

Who dared to hurt him?

To hurt *his* cub?

That thought alone made him instinctively reach out and, while the little cub was still confused, scoop him back into his arms.

He gave him a proper, heartfelt hug.

**Author's Note**

Parental mode—activated.

Dad rage—building.