Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Did you receive the invitation to the Tulas Family's banquet?"

"I did. It's been years since General Zhousha last hosted a banquet. I was genuinely surprised to receive his invitation this time."

"Hah! Stop pretending. The uproar caused by that young A-Class Male Zerg on the Starnet recently was huge—don’t tell me you missed it. Acting all shocked now is just ridiculous."

"Haha, then asking me is just as pointless."

"Alright, alright, you two. Is squabbling every time really that fun? The point isn’t the banquet itself—it’s that the Tulas Family has become noticeably more assertive in their actions since welcoming that unexpected male Zerg. Are you all really willing to just hand over what you have without a fight?"

"Whether we hand it over or not isn’t up to you. The Male Zerg Management Committee has always favored your family’s male Zerg in disputes. But this time, I doubt the Tulas Family’s Zerg will yield so easily..."

The above was a conversation among married female Zerg from various prominent families after receiving the banquet invitation from the Tulas Family. However, the reactions of unmarried female Zerg to the same news were entirely different.

"He’s absolutely stunning! Last time I happened to see His Lordship during my dawn run past the Tulas mansion—he’s exactly my type. I’m definitely making a grand entrance at this banquet!"

"Dawn run? You live twenty kilometers away on Insect Peak Avenue! That’s one hell of a ‘dawn run,’ huh?"

"Pretending to ‘pass by’ is such an outdated move. Can’t you come up with something new? My military female father at the Male Zerg Management Committee told me this Lord loves to laugh and talk—he’s the cheerful, outgoing type. He probably prefers straightforward female Zerg. I plan to go straight up and confess on the spot!"

"Hah, you’re the moon-touched one here. A male Zerg who’s cheerful and cute? Are you drunk on nectar or just daydreaming?"

"Hey, hey, don’t stop him—let him go! Even if the new Lord has a good temper, Lord Yi Jia Fa from the Tulas Family will probably skin him alive on the spot!"

"Tsk, such shallow female Zerg. Just a glimpse of his face has you all ensnared? I still prefer cultivated male Zerg like Lord Siluan. I heard Lord Du Dafei is arranging for him to join the Male Zerg Management Committee soon. Having a male consort like that is what I call status."

Indeed, while male Zerg often mocked Siluan’s appearance, most female Zerg didn’t care much. After all, truly comely male Zerg were rare, and Siluan’s rank was unmatched.

His Lordship Du Dafei was one of the few ambitious male Zerg, and he held his own male offspring to the same standard. To maintain Siluan’s reputation among female Zerg and the Male Zerg Management Committee, despite some of his private indulgences being less than ideal, Du Dafei strictly enforced Siluan’s obligations to provide Psionic Calming to military females. As a result, Siluan had gained considerable popularity among military females over the years.

So what if he had a bad temper and liked to hit Zerg? Male Zerg were rarely good-tempered anyway. At most, they could assign a few more attendants for him to take his temper out on. Compared to receiving Psionic Calming from an A-Class Male Zerg, many military females were willing to overlook Siluan’s other flaws.

Absentmindedly tossing an iridescent jewel in his hand, Siluan—who had just been praised by a certain female Zerg—was currently surrounded by several male Zerg.

Due to his psionic rank and family background, while many male Zerg privately mocked Siluan’s appearance, plenty still openly humored him.

At that moment, a B-Class Male Zerg couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration at the new outfit Siluan was wearing.

"This suit is the unreleased spring prototype from the Qiankesilan Family, right? Siluan, only you could secure this. Last time I went, they had the nerve to tell me this design didn’t exist!"

"I told them I don’t like wearing the same clothes as others. If you want it, wait until I’m tired of it before buying it yourself."

"...Tch, whatever. I wasn’t that into it anyway—just casually looking. By the way, I heard there was a beauty ranking for the most handsome male Zerg on Starnet recently. It got taken down fast, but heh, rumor has it the top spot went to that new Zerg from the Tulas Family?"

*Clink—*

A dazzling gemstone was accidentally let fall into a nearby fountain. Wiping the splashed water off his hand as if disgusted, the obsidian-eyed male Zerg smirked at the others.

"A frontier-born Zerg who can’t even speak properly, and yet so many of you are obsessed with him?"

A frontier-born Zerg?

That much was true, but...

Fanning himself, Grando blinked his beautiful eyes—inherited from his military female father—and sighed as if making an idle remark.

"Well, beauty is beauty. Even if he’s from a wasteland, handsome is handsome. It’s no surprise so many Zerg like him."

*Pfft—*

Someone’s sarcasm slipped out today, and a few male Zerg nearby couldn’t hold back their laughter. Then again, even if their psionic ranks were lower, they were still male Zerg—they’d never learned to suppress their emotions.

But with the conversation reaching this point, today’s gathering was destined to end soon. After all, everyone knew Siluan despised good-looking Zerg.

Without looking back, as if the expensive gemstone he’d accidentally dropped into the fountain was nothing more than a pebble, the male Zerg, adorned in silks and jewels, stalked from the chamber without hesitation.

But—

"Since you’re all so interested in him, you’d better keep your eyes wide open at the Tulas Family’s banquet in a few days."

The implication was clear... The Tulas Family’s new male Zerg had already made an enemy.

For male Zerg, time slipped through their claws.

They visited a few wineries, picked out a few attendants, took a spaceship to admire the biolume bloom on a tourist planet—and just like that, days flew by.

In preparation for Philo’s first official appearance as a male Zerg of the Tulas Family, not only were Zhousha, Xinghua Qianhua, and other female Zerg busy, but even Yi Jia Fa had reluctantly canceled his planned trip.

"I love the massage techniques at this place the most. Since it’s your first time, go for the ‘Imperial Treatment’ package—it’s great for your skin if you extend the session."

"The musicians from the Danfos Orchestra? That rot-breather Di Gu hired them last time for his banquet. Replace them—someone like the recently crowned Alliance’s Best Orchestra, the *Melaney Orchestra*, would be much better."

"Feylan Star’s gemstones are pretty, but their hardness is too low. Crush them and use them as decorative sprinkles on the banquet carpets instead."

Dragging Philo along, Yi Jia Fa enthusiastically involved him in every step of the banquet preparations.

Though many of Yi Jia Fa’s ideas were excessively extravagant, there was no denying that as the male offspring of the aristocratic Casamonie family, he was intimately familiar with every detail of hosting a banquet.

Unable to refuse, Philo eventually gave in and let him steer the carapace. But while Yi Jia Fa was absorbed in the preparations before the banquet, when the day finally arrived, it was Yi Jia Fa who turned to Philo with eager anticipation.

Inside a vast room lined with transparent crystal glass, two rows of tall, handsome female Zerg stood silently, each holding different styles of formal attire and accessories, their heads bowed respectfully around the two male Zerg at the center.

Standing before a two-meter-wide silver-framed mirror, Philo circled Yi Jia Fa with amused interest.

Admittedly, Yi Jia Fa’s features weren’t particularly striking, and age had thickened his waist while leaving his arms noticeably swollen.

In the past, to hide these flaws, Yi Jia Fa had always preferred soft, body-hugging silk fabrics, layering them around his waist and shoulders for concealment. He’d then adorned himself with extravagant accessories, resulting in an ornate but unflattering appearance.

Ignoring Yi Jia Fa’s usual preferences, Philo didn’t even opt for the latest ‘Insect Luxury’ collection from the Qiankesilan Family.

Instead, he walked along the rows of female Zerg holding trays before stopping in front of a particularly handsome golden-haired one at the end.

Eyeing the military-style coat in the Zerg’s hands, Philo’s eyes lit up. He picked it up and handed it to Yi Jia Fa, who was scanning the room curiously behind him.

"This one looks good. How about trying it on?"

"This?"

Frowning, Yi Jia Fa—who had earlier claimed he’d leave the styling entirely to Philo—couldn’t help but glance at the female Zerg holding the military-style coat.

Head bowed, the Zerg was good-looking, but Yi Jia Fa didn’t recognize him.

An unfamiliar designer, likely not a famous one. The tailoring and cloth seemed average too—far less eye-catching than the lavish suit beside it.

"Philo, this is too plain. The fabric’s so stiff it won’t flatter my figure, and there’s barely any decoration. I’ll look unremarkable next to the others."

"Clothes only show their worth when worn. Just try it on first, Sire. The color and cut are perfect—let us assess the fit."

"...There's no designer's insect-language insignia on this, just a Qiankesilan emblem. Probably just a junior designer, too low-ranked to have obtained a personal insignia yet. Philo, why don't you take another look at those high-end ones up front—hey, hey, quit shoving, alright alright, I'll try it, I'll try it."

Before he could finish listing the names of his usual high-end designers, Yi Jia Fa—who had always worn whatever he pleased, even forcing stylists to conform to his tastes—found himself being shoved into the dressing room by his own mate.

Watching the dressing room door close, Philo clapped his hands and flashed a polite smile at the stunned onlookers before turning to reassure the blonde female who had kept her eyes lowered the entire time, not daring to meet his gaze.

"Don't take it to heart. You know how males are—let him complain. Your design is genuinely good."

"...I wouldn't dare, Your Highness."

Bowing deeply, the female insect kept her head down, looking properly deferential.

But—

His voice isn't half bad. If this were Earth, he could've made it as a singer if not a designer.

Raising an eyebrow, Philo smirked slightly. After reassuring her, he went back to browsing. The outfit he planned to wear to the banquet had long been decided—just one of many in his wardrobe.

Though the outfit was settled, he wasn't fond of the collar clasp on the dress jacket. This was the perfect chance to pick a new one. As he wandered to the accessories section, before he could decide, the dressing room door swung open again.

Emerging with light steps, Yi Jia Fa's earlier reluctance had vanished. After changing, he had already seen the effect in the dressing room's smaller full-length mirror. Adjusting his collar with a smile, he praised, "Philo, you’ve got good taste."

"Of course," the young male replied without a hint of modesty, lips curling at the expected result.

Standing before the large silver-framed mirror, Yi Jia Fa checked himself out from different angles. Noticing the uniform's color matched what Zhousha would be wearing, his satisfaction grew.

But Philo, standing behind him, noticed more. Though these uniforms were tailored to Yi Jia Fa's measurements provided to Qiankesilan, some details inevitably had some minor fit issues since he hadn’t tried them on before.

Picking up a lapel pin from the accessory box, Philo—being somewhat particular—suddenly turned to the blonde female who had been watching him. Their eyes met, and oblivious to her momentary stiffness, he waved the pin with a smile.

"You're the designer of this outfit. Mind if I adjust something?"

Her grip tightened on the wooden tray. Lowering her head hastily, her lashes fluttered as she replied in a quiet, husky voice.

"...The honor is mine, Your Highness."

Author's Note:

Stylist: "Your Highness Yi Jia Fa, this doesn’t suit you. You’d look better in this."

Yi Jia Fa: "Buzz off!"

Philo: "Father, this doesn’t suit you. You’d look better in this."

Yi Jia Fa: "But I still think—"

Philo: "In you go—just try it!"