Chapter 25

Chapter 25

For a moment, the dining hall was filled with the enticing aroma of meat and flatbread.

Just a whiff was enough to tell that the food was clearly delicious.

They had caught similar scents upon entering, but those were the special dishes reserved for the Heir Apparent. Despite the tempting fragrance, no one dared look toward the Heir Apparent’s table. Who would have thought the food meant for them would smell just as delicious?

The previously disinterested insects instantly lit up with excitement, their eyes glowing hungrily as they stared at the robot insects.

Lu Cian was leisurely struggling with the steak on his plate. The meat was tough—perfectly chewy for the female insects, who found it flavorful, but for Lu Cian, it was simply too tough to chew.

After much effort, he finally tore off a piece, chewing until his jaw ached before managing to swallow it.

Fortunately, he only had a small portion in front of him, sparing him from prolonged chewing.

Suddenly, a loud clanging of forks and knives erupted behind him, startling Lu Cian so badly he nearly choked on his food.

Once he managed to swallow, he turned to look.

What the hell was going on to create such a racket, as if a fight had broken out?

When he finally saw the scene, he was speechless.

Three insects were brawling over the last pieces of steak and flatbread—shoving food in their mouths, snatching with their hands, stabbing with forks, and even using their arms to pull plates toward themselves.

Their faces were contorted with greed, as if someone had stolen from their homes.

Seriously? It was just a few pieces of meat and bread. Weren’t there a whole stack in the kitchen?

Did they forget that one of their companions hadn’t even eaten yet?

Damon, who looked the most dignified, was actually the most ruthless—kicking the red-haired insect beside him who tried to snatch his flatbread. The redhead let out a yelp, almost losing the steak in his mouth.

Then, Damon slammed his head into the gray-haired insect across from him who tried to steal his plate. The impact was so strong that Lu Cian saw the insect’s eyes roll back before he slumped back into his chair.

Lu Cian silently gulped. So much for being calm—every insect in this world was a ruthless gangster in disguise!

Turning back to Nair Inan, who was eating with refined manners, Lu Cian felt relief wash over him.

In comparison, Brother Nan’s graceful table manners were like watching an artist at work.

Truly, a legend!

Nair Inan wasn’t impressed—after all, he had eaten much better food countless times before.

…

Only after the insects finished eating did Lu Cian dare work up the courage to talk to them.

Yannick, who ate quickly, had already left.

Wawen, upon learning that the midday meal had been prepared by the Heir Apparent’s friend, was overjoyed and fawning over him, his expression practically screaming that he wanted to worship Lu Cian.

Damon, in stark contrast to his ferocity during the meal, now wore a perfectly courteous smile, like a prim and proper butler from a medieval noble house—impeccably polite in every way.

"Sir, as a friend of the Heir Apparent, you are our honored guest. If you have any questions or needs, you may come to me directly," Damon said respectfully, stepping forward.

Recalling the insects’ earlier savagery, Lu Cian fought the urge to bolt, maintaining a composed and natural demeanor—playing it cool.

"Sir, is there anything you require at the moment?"

Lu Cian smiled. "There are indeed a few things I’d like to know. But Damon, there’s no need to be so formal—just call me Mr. Lu."

Damon obliged smoothly. "Then, Mr. Lu, what would you like to know?"

Lu Cian rubbed his chin. "Nothing too serious. I just want to learn a bit more about Brother Nan."

Damon blinked, then understood. "Ah, Mr. Lu means the Heir Apparent?"

"The Heir Apparent?"

Seeing Lu Cian’s confusion, Damon was puzzled. "Mr. Lu didn’t know?"

Lu Cian’s gaze flickered slightly, avoiding a direct answer. "Your Heir Apparent is a man of few words. He told me to ask you if I wanted to know anything."

Damon found nothing amiss—after all, the Heir Apparent was indeed a reticent figure. Given how the Heir Apparent treated Mr. Lu, it was clear he was someone important. So Damon spoke without reservation.

"The Shelley Clan is aloof, elegant, noble, and mysterious. Alongside the royal family, we are one of the Coleoptera order—the most elite force among the insect races. Our Heir Apparent is the most extraordinarily talented female insect the Shelley Clan has seen in millennia. The elders say the prosperity of our clan rests upon him… Later, after his first evolution, his hair and eyes indeed took on a deep violet hue—a color unique to the pure-blooded direct lineage of the Shelley Clan."

Damon was practically a cheerleader for the Shelley Clan and the Heir Apparent, his stern and upright face spouting words befitting a sycophant. Even Lu Cian couldn’t help but feel secondhand cringe.

"We were once glorious, but in accordance with our ancestors’ dying wish, for the sake of the insect races’ stability and to avoid being exploited by schemers, we had no choice but to seclude ourselves, steering clear of politics."

"Originally, all could have remained peaceful. But the damn royals, blinded by envy and intolerance, still came after us."

"Back then, the ancestors of our two clans stood united against a common enemy, bound by shared hatred. We should have been brother clans. Yet after one of the Naga ascended as emperor, their descendants denied any ties to the Shelley Clan as kin."

"Clearly, our ancestors saw it coming when they left their final words, hence their wise counsel for us to withdraw—securing millennia of peace for the Shelley Clan."

Wawen, who had been listening for a while, suddenly jumped in, his face flushed with anger. "Hah! If they won’t acknowledge us, fine! But who’d have thought the Naga would be so shameless as to attack the Shelley Clan? Our clan has already bent over backwards, yet they still push for more—utterly disgracing their ancestors! A bunch of backstabbing traitors! They don’t deserve to be called insects, let alone royalty!"

Damon’s expression turned icy. "One day, the Shelley Clan will rise again—and the Naga will make them bleed."

Wawen bared his teeth fiercely. "Exactly! The royal family slaughtered our kin. One day, we’ll return to our home planet and exterminate the Naga—spilling their blood as tribute to our fallen brethren!"

Lu Cian: "..."

Though he could empathize with the pain of national humiliation, weren’t these two getting a bit off-topic?

Not wanting to ruin the mood but compelled to speak, Lu Cian interjected, "What about your Heir Apparent? How was he captured?"

The three insects’ expressions instantly darkened. "The Heir Apparent stayed behind to cover our escape. That’s how those vile insects caught him."

Lu Cian thought to himself. Brother Nan was truly remarkable—holding off enemies single-handedly to ensure his comrades’ survival. Courageous, strategic, and loyal.

Ever since his transmigration, when he’d been labeled a stowaway without proper investigation and thrown into prison, Lu Cian had felt the insect races’ legal system was deeply flawed.

Now, knowing Nair Inan’s background, Lu Cian was even more convinced of his judgment—Brother Nan was a good insect.

Not everyone in prison was a vicious criminal. Among the insects he’d met, all were decent folks.

"And your clan leader?"

The two insects’ expressions shifted before sorrow took over. "The clan leader remained in our territory… and was killed by the royal family’s forces."

Lu Cian fell silent, his heart aching for Brother Nan. To bear the weight of his entire clan alone—his people shattered, his father slain—was too cruel, too tragic, and an impossible burden.

Still, Lu Cian couldn’t help but wonder: Why hadn’t they rescued the clan leader as well?

When the question was asked, Damon shook his head: "The elders said that the life and death of the Heir Apparent determine the survival of the Shelley Clan."

The implication was clear—the Heir Apparent's life was more important than the clan leader's.

Seeing this, Lu Cian thought it best not to press further. The topic was too heavy, and lingering on it would only cause more pain.

"Let's talk about something else. For example, what does your Heir Apparent like?"

Perhaps shifting to a lighter topic could ease their grief.

Damon shook his head again. "As a leader, our Heir Apparent has no additional preferences. Even if there were any, they can't be shared with outsiders."

Lu Cian raised an eyebrow. "If you don’t know, just admit it. Don’t use that as an excuse."

Without shame, Damon nodded. "Fine, I don’t know."

Lu Cian was speechless.

So why did he sound so confident about not knowing?

Wawen, noticing Mr. Lu's apparent interest in the Heir Apparent, pushed Damon aside and said to Lu Cian, "Little female insect, why bother asking this stick-in-the-mud? You’d be better off asking me."

Lu Cian found the suggestion reasonable and nodded. "Alright, then. What do you know? Tell me."

Wawen seemed to brighten up immediately, counting off on his fingers like he was reciting scripture. "You’ve seen our Heir Apparent before. I’m not exaggerating—he's absolutely gorgeous. Even on the home planet, it’s rare to find a female insect as stunning as our Heir Apparent. That face, that figure, that skin—just wow~"

"Ever since he was little, our Heir Apparent has been exceptionally handsome. After his first evolution, his appearance became even more captivating than the finest porcelain dolls on the market. Suitors swarmed around him, awestruck at first sight, and later begged their elders to propose marriage on their behalf—mmph!"

Just as Wawen was getting carried away, a large hand clamped over his mouth. Due to the awkward angle, he struggled in vain to pry it off.

Finally managing to tear Damon’s hand away, Wawen glared at him furiously. "What's the big idea? I was just getting to the good part!"

Damon’s expression darkened. "What good part? You can’t just spread wild rumors about the Heir Apparent!"

Wawen flinched under Damon’s glare. "I-I wasn’t making anything up! It’s all true! And Mr. Lu here was clearly enjoying it. Why are you only mad at me?"

Lu Cian found himself dragged into their squabble.

Under Damon’s intense stare, Wawen got goosebumps. "Fine, fine! I’ll stop talking, alright?"

Wawen quickly retreated, but not before shooting Lu Cian a look, signaling that the conversation would continue another time.

Damon followed suit, apologizing for not being of more help to Lu Cian.

Left alone, Lu Cian: "..."

Lu Cian shook his head. Brother Nan’s two underlings were beyond help—one a starry-eyed devotee, the other a hopeless fanatic. They both seemed a few cards short of a full deck.

He still hadn’t learned Brother Nan’s preferences, nor had he gotten around to asking about the flour used for the dough.

Oh well. There’d be another chance next time.