Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"So... you're my father?"

The corner of his mouth twitched. Zhou Nuo—no, now he should be called Philo Tulas—managed a stiff smile onto his face. Equipped with an automatic translator, he looked at the man sitting across from him.

Nodding, Yi Jia Fa's face no longer held the slightest trace of his earlier arrogance, only eager delight.

Turning his head, Philo then looked at the taller, more handsome man—no, male—beside his father. Despite the passage of time, the man still exuded undeniable charm. Slowly, and with some trepidation, Philo asked,

"You... are my mother?"

"Philo, it's me."

The voice was steady, the posture upright even while seated. Though the hair at his forehead had begun to gray, Zhousha's face still bore the traces of his youthful valor, now tempered by the authority of long-standing high rank.

Curving his lips into a polite smile, Philo mentally reassured himself that this wasn’t strange.

Hadn’t he already figured it out these past few days? This was an insectoid society. Males, females, and those so-called sub-females—all were men. Not strange. Females being more masculine than males? Also not strange. Men—no, females—giving birth? Even less strange.

He shouldn’t be making a fuss. So—

Without turning to look at the two young females beside Zhousha, who were supposedly his brothers, Philo—now occupying this body—adhered to the basic moral principles of socialism and politely greeted the elders of his original self.

"Father, mother, it’s nice to meet you."

So... so well-behaved.

Are all young males nowadays this obedient?

Not just the insects present, even Yi Jia Fa—himself a male—was momentarily stunned by Philo’s greeting. Though he had no male offspring of his own, he had seen how other males interacted with their sons.

Take Du Dafei, for example. Despite his famously good temper, he often ended up chasing his young son around in frustration.

Obedient? Well-behaved?

Non-existent. Males simply didn’t have that gene in their blood.

Then... what was up with his own son? Had suffering tempered him into the kind of personality that only knew how to endure hardship, like a female?

"Good child, you’ve suffered."

Reaching out, Yi Jia Fa pulled the delicate beauty into his arms. The same psychic power that had just been lashing out violently now enveloped Philo like gentle waves in the ocean’s depths.

In insectoid society, familial bonds were hard to fake. Markings were merely outward signs. Now immersed in the familiar psychic power of a male, Philo—who had been unconsciously tense since waking—felt the chaotic forces in his mind slowly soothed, as if tangled thorns had retracted their barbs or a directionless gale had been gently guided to calm.

Closing his eyes, Philo’s psychic power unconsciously spread like starlight, and the females present instinctively quieted.

Yes, indeed.

Philo Tulas was indisputably the genuine male young master of the Tulas Family in this generation.

Three days later, at the interstellar port of the capital planet, the populace began gathering in orderly fashion.

Two days prior, the Alliance had already issued an announcement under mounting rumors: their race had indeed gained another male young master.

Given that this young master had been lost in childhood and had endured hardships in recent years, his health had yet to fully recover, and thus a psychic assessment had not yet been conducted. Regardless, his status as a male was undeniable—and an adult one at that.

The implications of this were clear to all.

Newly adult, not raised on the capital planet, and without a psychic assessment—this meant the newly discovered male young master was currently single, available, and eligible for mating!

With this in mind, and given the Male Management Committee’s increasingly stringent protections in recent years—which had made public appearances by males rare—the insects, upon learning that the fleet escorting the new young master would soon return to the capital, couldn’t resist gathering at the port.

Just maybe, they might catch a glimpse of the new young master. Even if not, being close to him would be joy enough.

Amid this seemingly silent yet fervently charged atmosphere, the ship carrying Philo steadily approached the capital’s largest interstellar port.

Per the Male Management Committee’s regulations, all fleets transporting males required special markings—both as a mark of respect and a safeguard for their safety.

Having endured star beast attacks decades prior, the insect race had developed the habit of forming living barriers around any male to protect them from harm.

Though times had changed, considering this was Philo’s first official landing on the capital, Yi Jia Fa—who loved pomp and ceremony—had long since ordered the warship to be decorated accordingly.

Watching his personal warship being adorned in flamboyant male-coded decorations, Sadiq showed not the slightest displeasure—if anything, his expression seemed even more eager.

True, he wasn’t a female bred from the gene pool, and with his father already having male offspring, Sadiq—whose psychic rank wasn’t particularly high—had rarely encountered males in recent years.

This extended time aboard the same ship as Philo, coupled with the latter’s consistently polite and gentle demeanor, had left him unable to suppress his rising hormones and fantasies.

"Your Highness Philo, given the crowds gathering at the port in anticipation of your arrival, many idle insects have gathered in hopes of catching a glimpse of you. If you’d prefer not to appear, I can arrange for the ship to dock directly at the male young master’s private berth. What would you like?"

Bowing slightly, Sadiq—with his thick hair and handsome features honed by military life—set aside all noble airs, adopting just the right mix of humility and etiquette. Even Xing Hua, raised in the Tulas Family, had to admit this scion of a declining noble house was indeed exceptional.

For any other male, even if they weren’t considering him for a spouse or concubine, a brief fling wouldn’t be out of the question.

But—

"No need. They came all this way—if they want to see me, let them."

Raising his head, Philo—who had been adjusting his attire before a mirror—let his silver bangs drift slightly. His smoke-like violet pupils now carried an inexplicable air of nonchalance and ease.

Undoing the top two buttons of his collar—ignoring the flushed necks of the two females beside him—Philo turned indifferently and headed for the exit.

During the journey from Feyth to the capital, the highly advanced machinery and explanations from those around him had allowed the intelligent Philo to fully understand this world and his circumstances.

Admittedly, whether in terms of social structure, class conflict, or wealth disparity, this world had pushed every contradiction to its redline compared to Earth.

He was lucky—having crossed over into the body of a prized male, with a family background that seemed decent enough to spare him worries over basic needs or oppression.

Though he didn’t know how he’d crossed over, Philo remembered the cold rigidity of this body when he first arrived.

Likely, the original owner had already died. Now that he’d taken over, even if he couldn’t find a way back yet, this was the Interstellar Era. If he could travel between planets by spaceship, surely learning to pilot one and finding the Milky Way for a trip back to Earth wouldn’t be too hard.

With this mindset, Philo wasn’t too distraught—if anything, he was brimming with curiosity and anticipation for this adventure. Though determined to return to Earth, out of gratitude for borrowing this body, he resolved to treat the original’s family well.

As for the rest—well, since he was here, why not enjoy it? Males, females—they were all just bugs, all brothers. As an Earth-born big brother, he’d bridge their differences.

So what if males were rare and reluctant to appear, leaving females starved for a glimpse?

He was generous. He didn’t mind. Let them look.

"Aahhh—!"

"A male—a real male young master!!!"

"No way—the escort isn’t using the special passage? They’re really letting the young master appear? That can’t be a female in disguise! How could a male be this beautiful?!"

"Are you fucking trying to die?! Every single one of His Highness the male insect is gorgeous! All of them are better-looking than you, you filthy bug! Fuck him up!"

"Stop arguing! It’s definitely His Highness the male insect! Look at the pattern on the back of his neck! Holy shit, who the hell is pushing me?! Weren’t you the ones who said His Highness would never show up and gave up your spots?!"

"Shut up, all of you! Are you fucking stupid?! Stop shoving and start taking pictures already!"

"Ahhhh! His Highness is killing me! That stunning face, those lips, that collarbone—I’m getting turned on!!"

"Whose barbed spine is sticking out?! Damn it, it’s poisonous—put it away! Hey hey hey, why is His Highness leaving?! Your Highness!"

With a flick of his hand, the wind from the starport brushed past the collar adorned with ornate buttons. The young male insect’s slender, fair collarbone seemed to glow faintly red under the sky.

After being rescued, thanks to the daily nourishment of the advanced medical pod and the consistent psychic comfort from Yi Jia Fa since his arrival, the male insect Philo now stood radiant at the center of attention, captivating all who laid eyes on him.

However, news of a male insect—especially one of such breathtaking beauty—appearing at the starport had spread like pheromones the moment Philo unexpectedly showed up without prior notice.

The crowd, initially half-doubting, began to gather frantically, and more female bugs were rushing over in droves. The order at the starport was moments from total chaos.

Fortunately, this particular male insect only wanted to give the fans what they wanted, with no intention of causing a serious stampede or mass unrest.

Thus, after timing it just right, Philo, who had briefly shown his face, left the crowd with a heart-stopping smile before swiftly turning back toward the ship’s airlock.

As sudden as his arrival, the entire fleet lingered only briefly at the ordinary docking area before switching back to the exclusive male insect docking port.

At the docking port, Yi Jia Fa and Zhousha, who had disembarked earlier to coordinate with the Male Insect Management Committee, stood waiting with stormy expressions.

Their faces were dark—not just Yi Jia Fa’s, but even Zhousha’s uncharacteristic scowl was evident.

Of course, their anger wasn’t directed at Philo, but rather—

"Xing Hua, what the hell were you thinking?! With so many insects just now, what if one of them scared Philo? If Philo wanted to go out, why didn’t you arrange more guards in front of him? Were you just standing there like a useless bug?!"

Truth be told, while Yi Jia Fa rarely paid much attention to his two female insect offspring, he had never mistreated them over the years—after all, they were his own flesh and blood. Even if occasionally mocked by other male insects, Yi Jia Fa usually just ignored them more afterward.

But to publicly reprimand Xing Hua so harshly was a rare sight indeed.

Bowing his head, Xing Hua had anticipated this outcome the moment Philo decided to have the fleet approach the ordinary docking area before switching back to the exclusive one.

Thus, the female insect meekly nodded in acknowledgment, offering no defense. Similarly, Zhousha seemed to make no move to stop Yi Jia Fa today. The once-subdued murmurs of the exclusive port, stirred by Philo’s arrival, instantly fell back into complete silence.

Raising an eyebrow, before Yi Jia Fa could continue, Philo—whose collar remained slightly open, seemingly unbothered or even amused by the swarm of female insects watching him earlier—spoke up first.

"Father, don’t be so harsh. I was only out there for a moment. Brother Xing Hua was just respecting my decision, and I had a great time. By the way, are these the leaders in charge of male insect management you mentioned before disembarking?"

His voice was clear and pure, carrying the distinct allure of a newly adult male insect. Though Philo wasn’t speaking the Galactic Common, his tone was far more cheerful and gentle than that of most male insects.

As if ignoring the heavy expressions of the two elders, the young male insect raised his brows with a light laugh, deftly diverting the wrath aimed at the female insect behind him.

It had to be said—male insects truly received special treatment.

The moment Philo spoke, Yi Jia Fa, who had been glaring at Xing Hua, immediately softened his expression, even breaking into a faint smile. Even the normally impassive Zhousha relaxed his demeanor.

Stepping forward, Yi Jia Fa took Philo by the arm. Though his face was all smiles, he still remembered to gently correct him. "I was just worried about you. As long as you’re happy. But Philo, you were mistaken earlier—they don’t manage male insects. They exist to serve us males."

Indeed, though nominally called the Male Insect Management Committee, all male insects regarded this institution as one that existed solely to serve them.

Hearing Yi Jia Fa’s words, the committee’s female insect staff, who had been thoroughly dazzled by Philo’s striking looks and friendly demeanor, instantly snapped back to attention.

Lowering their heads, none dared to refute Yi Jia Fa’s words. However—

"Young Master Philo, on behalf of the Male Insect Management Committee, I welcome your return."

Without commenting on Yi Jia Fa’s statement, the elder male who had been observing Philo with a smile since his disembarkation finally stepped forward to greet him.

Seeing the outstretched hand, Philo—who had memorized aristocratic etiquette—curved his lips slightly. After a brief pause to take in the elder’s unremarkable but kind face, he properly inclined his forehead against the back of the offered hand.

"Thank you."

Unless initiated by a male insect, female insects—unless family—were forbidden to approach male insects uninvited.

But if both were male insects, an elder extending his hand signaled an offer of goodwill.

Undoubtedly, this elder who dared to interject during Yi Jia Fa and Philo’s conversation was also a male insect—and judging by the reactions around them, one of high standing.

Smiling faintly, Du Dafei—who had secretly marveled at the young male insect’s beauty upon seeing him in videos—couldn't help but sigh softly once more as he took in Philo’s flawless etiquette, exquisite yet understated beauty, and regal bearing.

The Tulas Family had truly regained an exceptional heir.

Author's Note:

Philo, you’re so handsome!!