Chapter 62

Chapter 62

"So, you're Qian Hua's seniors, classmates, and friends from the same college at Kalms Military Academy, right?"

Seated at the dining table, Fei Luo smiled as he addressed the group of bugs before him.

In response to his question, the female bug who had first struck up a conversation earlier—her neck still faintly flushed—replied in a forced, delicate tone, "Yes, Your Highness Philo. We've known Qian Hua since she enrolled."

Then, offhandedly, the rugged-looking female bug added in a low voice, "We’re tight-knit. And as her senior in the same major, I’m quite familiar with most things about Kalms Military Academy. If there’s anything you’d like to know, Your Highness, I’d be happy to help."

"Thank you in advance, Senior. But these others here are also…?"

By the window, the stiff, hushed mood gradually relaxed, thanks to the gentle demeanor and warm tone of the prince. What had started with only one or two bugs daring to speak to Philo soon everyone was piping up.

Meanwhile, the onlookers in the cafeteria gritted their teeth, outwardly focused on their meals but inwardly seething with jealousy. If only they’d befriended Qian Hua earlier! But then again, how had Philo grown so close to his sibling in such a short time?

No wonder His Highness’s reputation was spot-on—his temperament was as pleasant as the rumors said.

And that only made them want to talk to him even more!

Clenching their fists, the latecomers who had just arrived at the third cafeteria—only to find the prince already surrounded—could only grudgingly choose seats as close to him as possible.

Under the weight of envious stares, those who had secured spots early thanks to their connection with Qian Hua paid no attention to the rest. They were too wrapped up in the thrill of talking to His Highness.

But soon, they realized that sharing a table with His Highness came with even more perks.

Everyone present was well aware of how mediocre the chow at Third Cafeteria typically was. Yet, despite being the same cafeteria, the same chefs, and even the same menu items Philo had chosen—

"This dish didn’t taste like this yesterday."

"Same here. It definitely wasn’t like this yesterday."

"It’s not just the flavor—the ratios are messed up too. There’s way more meat than usual."

"Typical… They *could* step it up. They just don’t care about our taste buds."

"Bless His Highness for this. Otherwise, I’d never believe the Head Chef’s certification was real."

"If only I could eat with His Highness every day."

"Dream on. Look at Qian Hua’s expression—if we make it back alive today, consider it a miracle. Treat this as your last meal."

"...Delicious."

Some remarks weren’t spoken aloud. The female bugs merely exchanged subtle side-eyes over the suspiciously fancier food delivered to their table.

Though Philo didn’t hear their muttered complaints, a quick glance at the dishes served to others made it clear: the cafeteria chefs had secretly slipped him the good stuff.

Sure, Philo usually balked at taking advantage of other privileges, but this one… Quietly munching on the bonus servings, he wasn’t about to say no.

Before long—though it lasted longer than expected—lunch came to an end as the bugs licked their plates clean.

Without letting Qian Hua continue to accompany him, Philo mentioned that he planned to familiarize himself with the dormitory environment alone in the afternoon and didn’t intend to go out again, so he sent away the hesitant female insects and their group of friends.

Of course, though they were still friends in front of Philo now, how badly Qian Hua would thrash them once they were out of his sight was something Philo didn’t know.

Fortunately, their relationship was indeed good, and the female insect didn’t resort to harsh measures. Thus, the next day, all the insects woke up in one piece, ready to attend this year’s freshman opening ceremony.

Dormitory Area A, Room No. 1.

Philo, who had also just woken up, quickly washed up and got ready, also changing into the dress uniform for official occasions, which he had collected from the Administration Office the day before.

Unlike the casual clothes he wore yesterday, the silver-haired male in full military dress today seemed noticeably different, perhaps due to the uniform’s effect.

Lowering his gaze, the male insect carefully clasped the silver academy crest on his chest and adjusted the shoulder insignia representing his student status. Standing straight, his already tall and slender figure appeared even more upright in the mirror.

Satisfied with his appearance and confirming everything was in order, Philo picked up his communicator, fastened it to his wrist, and turned to walk out the door.

Open the door, close the door.

The sounds of three doors opening and closing followed in quick succession—unsurprising, as they had all received the same notification time.

Looking at the two female insects dressed in the same military uniforms as himself, Philo smiled and offered a friendly gesture.

"Good morning. Shall we head to the auditorium together?"

The brown-haired female insect, faced with the Kalms Military Academy they’d dreamed of, the clear and fresh morning, and the handsome, gentle prince, nodded without a second thought.

As for the female with heterochromia, she also nodded slightly, seemingly without any intention of refusing.

It must be said, this was truly a sight for sore eyes.

A young and handsome male insect, dressed in the same uniform as the female insects, smiling calmly as they walked together toward the same destination.

Watching this scene, female insects from other floors of Dormitory Area A, though some lamented not being the closest to the male insect, couldn’t help but perk up.

Yes, even though most of them knew this might be the closest they would ever get to this male insect prince, and that few would ever truly catch his eye.

But even so, even if they knew it was impossible, just being able to see the prince up close like this was enough to make them happy.

There was no noise—military academies always had Patrols on duty, and female insects were long accustomed to keeping quiet.

Yet today, the path from Dormitory Area A to the academy’s grand auditorium, though as quiet as usual, seemed to carry an extra layer of serene beauty.

Even if some female insects couldn’t resist inching closer to the male insect, most, even those with typically fiery tempers, felt oddly calm and upbeat.

As a result, the whole path felt quieter, almost peaceful.

Amid this harmony, Philo stepped into the grand auditorium of Kalms Military Academy right on time.

Similar to Earth, insects were master builders, especially in building vast, spacious structures.

However, even in a place as large as the insect-kind auditorium, where he should’ve blended in, Philo felt every eye in the room on him the second he walked in.

The sensation of being watched by so many insects at once didn’t bother Philo, but the brown-haired female insect who entered right after him instinctively shrank her neck.

Hell, this was worse than staring down an energy gun.

Gritting her teeth, the brown-haired female insect couldn’t help but glance admiringly at the male insect prince ahead of her. The feeling of being targeted by thousands of insects wasn’t for the faint-hearted.

Indeed, insects had razor-sharp senses, and all those eyes on you? Not fun. That’s why most male insects wore disguises outdoors, rarely strutted around in the open.

However—

Glancing sideways at the scowling female beside him, Philo chuckled and continued striding forward with ease, seemingly unfazed by all the attention fixed on him.

Please. As a musician, he had always lived for the spotlight, never once complaining about too much attention.

If others loved staring at a male, he was more than happy to oblige.

Without showing the slightest displeasure or casting warning glances around, Philo calmly walked straight to his seat, completely unbothered the entire time.

The insects who had initially planned to steal a glance and look away, seeing that Philo didn’t seem annoyed, couldn’t help but keep stealing glances—and another—and another—Hold up—who were those two? How dare they sit so close to His Highness?!

Indeed, the insects whose gazes were practically glued to the male finally noticed the two females seated beside Philo after he took his place.

Countless burning glares instantly shifted toward the two, but despite their discomfort, neither of them flinched or showed any intention of moving.

What a joke. They had earned their spots as the top two in the entrance exams—sitting next to His Highness was their hard-won right, and no one could take it from them!

With stern expressions, even the usually reserved heterochromatic female and the more outgoing brown-haired female now exuded an air of unbreakable resolve.

But this tense and electrifying atmosphere didn’t last long. Soon, as the clock struck the hour, the murmurs in the auditorium died down completely, leaving complete silence.

Amid this quiet, the red curtains at the front and on both elevated sides of the auditorium slowly drew open.

On the left sat the leaders of the military academy’s various departments, including the principal and vice principals—among them, honorary vice principals such as General Zhousha, Philo’s matriarch. As for the right side…

Philo glanced at Yi Jia Fa, who occupied the entire elevated platform on the right alone. Meeting the male’s gaze, Philo waved cheerfully.

Clearly, Yi Jia Fa had been placated by Zhousha in advance, as he surprisingly didn’t object to seeing Philo seated among the females.

However—

After pausing briefly to take in the lavishly decorated, spacious right side, Philo turned to the noticeably cramped seating on the left. Catching Zhousha’s eye, the two shared a knowing smirk.

Without delay, aside from ceding the platform originally meant for school leaders to the visiting royal guest, Kalms Military Academy’s opening ceremony proceeded no differently from previous years.

The principal’s speech, the new class president’s speech, the top-ranked female’s speech…

The same rote routine, the same scripted remarks.

Even with a male among this year’s freshmen, even with said male’s father attending the ceremony, a military academy was still a military academy—strength was the sole standard. So—

"That’s it? Why wasn’t Philo given a speech? Why wasn’t there any special introduction for him?"

Standing up as the ceremony concluded and the dismissal was announced, Yi Jia Fa, who had been biting his tongue all this time, finally had his expression darken.

An attendant quickly approached, whispering, "The ceremony’s standard procedures have indeed concluded, Your Highness. As you know, the military academy has always—"

"What military academy? I’ve given them too much face! You—go fetch the principal, and Zhousha too…"

The curtains had already quietly closed with the ceremony’s closing announcement.

While Yi Jia Fa’s displeasure would be soothed by Zhousha, Philo, like the many other insects of similar age around him, walked through the auditorium doors—officially beginning his life as a student of Kalms Military Academy.

Now, he was a true, full-fledged cadet.

"Close Combat Division? Lancelot, you chose this major yourself?"

The same third cafeteria, but unlike yesterday's insects, today Philo ate lunch with his two neighbors and classmates.

Blushing slightly, the brown-haired female insect, who was dining with a male for the first time, could devour a beast leg in three seconds but now was taking small, deliberate bites. Still, she managed to speak naturally.

"Yes, I chose this major myself after the assessment results came out."

"Why did you choose this major?"

"Because I'm strong."

After saying this, the brown-haired cadet, who was used to answering this way, flashed an uncharacteristically shy smile and added,

"And because the school offers the most subsidies for this major. Living expenses on the capital planet are quite high, and I'm a bit short on money."

While she stood by her reasoning, facing a male insect still made her feel somewhat awkward, afraid he might think her motives were crude. She quickly continued,

"But I’ve heard that our major's graduates receive excellent benefits in the military, with fast promotions, so, so—"

"So you’re very smart. This major suits you well—a great choice."

Philo smiled, completing her thought. Hearing this, the brunette beamed and nodded, clearly proud of her decision.

As for the cadet with heterochromatic eyes beside her...

Meeting Philo’s gaze, she seemed to guess what he was about to ask. With a faint smile, she replied shyly,

"Command Department. I heard advancement and pay raises are faster in this major, and the combat requirements aren’t as high as in the Combat Department, so I chose it."

Promotions and salary increases—these were practically every cadet's top concerns when considering their career paths.

Hearing this reason, Philo also approved of her choice.

After all, as she had mentioned, though her close-quarters combat skills were formidable, they weren’t on par with Lancelot’s. The reason she secured first place in the last assessment was largely due to her strategic planning, which was also why she arrived at the final zone later.

However, after answering Philo’s question, this female insect, who typically spoke less than Lancelot, unexpectedly ventured to ask,

"Your Highness, what major did you choose?"

"Energy and Mechanical Engineering."

He let the honorific stand—even if he did, the cadets' formalities wouldn't change immediately.

Without waiting for them to ask, Philo explained with a smile,

"My physical condition doesn’t allow me to choose combat-related majors. Fortunately, I’m interested in the manufacturing and piloting of spacecraft and warships, so I chose this department."

Then, he asked about their schedules for the first day of classes.

"I saw the school notice saying freshmen have standard theory courses in their first year. Tomorrow morning, I have a theory class, and in the afternoon, a mechanical practical class. What about yours?"

"We also have a theory class in the morning, and specialized training in the afternoon."

After a pause, the heterochromatic female insect added,

"By the way, Your Highness, excluding Patrol Guard members and students assigned to external internships or combat missions, the school requires all students to complete drills before first period and before lights-out. You'll be expected to participate too."

Morning drills? Night drills?

Frowning, Philo pulled up the Kalms Military Academy section on his communicator and searched for the training requirements she mentioned. Sure enough, buried deep in the academy's regulations, there it was.

Unlike other courses, these two training requirements were not added to the schedule but were purely enforced as school regulations.

But—

"What does the morning training involve?"

The male Zerg, who had missed this detail, looked puzzled at the two female Zerg across from him.

At his question, the brown-haired female Zerg froze, clearly not expecting that Philo was unaware of this military academy rule.

To be honest, such morning and evening training sessions were as easy as a warm-up walk for female Zerg. But if Your Highness didn’t know about it and hadn’t prepared in advance...

Silence fell. For once, the female Zerg struggled to break it to him.

Yet, in the end, an explanation was necessary.

"Twenty laps around such a huge training field? And it must be finished before class?"

Having changed out of yesterday’s more glamorous but less practical military dress uniform, Philo now stood on the training field in jet-black trainee fatigues, impossible to miss.

It must be said—such a no-nonsense, disciplined male Zerg was truly a first for all the female Zerg present, whether they were from the homeworld or not.

Though Philo’s hair was moon-pale silver, his dark eyebrows, amethyst eyes, and cherry-red lips that remained vividly red even under the dim morning light gave him an almost excessively striking appearance. Perhaps because of this, whenever he wore simple uniforms in silver-white or, like today, pure black, the contrast only heightened his unforgettable beauty.

At this moment, countless Zerg watching Your Highness appear on the training field found their knees buckling.

But while others might have felt weak-kneed from admiration, Philo’s legs were genuinely unsteady.

After assessing the size of the training field and the daunting number of laps, Philo glanced at the surveillance drone on the high platform, then waved weakly at the two female Zerg who had come with him.

"Don’t worry about me. I won’t be able to keep up with your speed. I’ll just go at my own pace."

Having learned about the morning training the day before, Philo had arrived early with the two to finish the task ahead of time.

But now, it seemed that while Lancelot and Amber would likely head to the lecture building soon, he would need to summon the same desperate determination he once had during physical tests back on Earth if he wanted to make it to the morning theory class on time.

Scratching his head, Lancelot considered this running routine nothing more than a morning constitutional—hardly troublesome.

Yet the brown-haired female Zerg, who had repeatedly watched Philo’s assessment videos, knew all too well about his performance ceiling.

Frankly, completing this morning training would be a Herculean task for Philo.

Hesitating, the female Zerg wrestled with offering to run alongside Your Highness—or even carry him if needed. After all, Philo’s weight was far lighter than her usual training weights.

But the male Zerg seemed determined to go solo.

With a smile at the two, the silver-haired male Zerg shot onto the track like a comet, instantly creating a buffer zone around him.

Most Zerg were bold in words and stares, but few dared to actually approach a male Zerg.

Yet while proximity was intimidating, their courage to sneak peeks only grew stronger.

Especially since Philo’s approachable nature was now widely known.

Thus, even though many female Zerg had already finished their morning training, with class still some time away, they gathered openly on the training field’s spectator stands to watch Philo run.

Among them, Lancelot and Amber, who had started alongside Philo, soon joined the onlookers—after all, this training was merely a warm-up for them.

But—

Silver hair fluttered against his ears, plastered with sweat the next moment, leaving only faint heat in the wind as it dried.

Since becoming a male Zerg, Philo’s physical abilities had gradually outclassed his human specs.

Back on Earth, he would’ve collapsed by the third lap on such a massive field. Yet now, he had already completed six.

Yes, compared to a human, a male Zerg’s physique was clearly superior—but still far from a female Zerg’s standard.

His breaths grew deeper and faster, his legs heavier and more sluggish.

Unnoticed, his already slow pace had slowed even further.

Meanwhile, the stragglers from the Alpha Quadrant barracks had mostly wrapped up their morning training.

Unlike other exercises, morning and evening training sessions were slotted as bookend drills before waking up and sleeping, so the academy assigned different training areas for each dormitory section.

Thus, the Zerg currently on the field—whether spectators or runners—were all from the Alpha Quadrant.

Female Zerg naturally had superior physiques, and those in the Alpha Quadrant were the cream of the crop among them. Typically, they were the first to finish and leave.

But today was different.

No one left. Even as the start of morning classes drew nearer, not a single Zerg departed.

At first, many female Zerg had run alongside the male Zerg. But by the time the last one clocked out, the crowd remained.

Some camped out in the bleachers, others leaned against railings, and a few even stood white-knuckling the railings closest to the track, frowning as they watched the still-moving male Zerg.

By now, the initial novelty of seeing Philo train with them had faded.

Instead, many had faces like thunder, some even gnawing their lips as if debating whether to keep watching.

But how could they leave now? How could they simply walk away?

If only they had collectively petitioned to exempt Your Highness from such a grueling regimen. After all, he wouldn’t be seeing combat like them—why put him through this?

Yes, this was downright cruel.

Watching the sweat on Philo’s face and hearing his wheezing gasps, nearly every Zerg was of one mind.

Yet the one being "tormented" had no energy left to spare it a thought.

His energy reserves cratered, his vision blurred. Shaking his head, the formerly poised male Zerg was now soaked to the bone, his disheveled appearance reminiscent of Earth's 'drowned rat' chic.

This Philo was gloriously messy—yet strangely magnetic.

Unfortunately, the male Zerg had zero bandwidth to appreciate his new look. By now, he had finished twelve laps.

On par with quadruple his human endurance threshold, the silver-haired male Zerg, though still doggedly putting one foot in front of the other, was visibly swaying.

The first to notice, a female Zerg stood up from the stands.

Soon, more followed, all eyes fixed on the unsteady figure on the track. Clenching their fists, some finally erupted with cheers.

"Your Highness, you can do it! Keep going!"

"Philo, just a little more! You’re in the home stretch!"

"Your Highness, pump those arms, drive those knees—just a few steps left!"

"Sir, I believe in you! Push through! Fight!"

No longer caring about the so-called etiquette of "no loud noises in front of male warriors," "no addressing a male warrior's name without permission," or "no disturbing male warriors," Training Field A, which had grown quieter as the run progressed, suddenly became lively enough that female warriors from other zones turned to look from afar.

But paying no attention to the gazes from elsewhere, the female warriors on Training Field A all fixed their eyes on that silver-haired male.

If not for the fact that the male warrior himself seemed unwilling to accept their help—and because every warrior present had seen his evaluation footage and knew of his determination—they would have already rushed to finish the run for Philo.

Yet even with his resolve, even with his insistence on completing his first morning training session on his own, there comes a point where strength runs out—even for a warrior.

On lap fifteen, the male warrior was reduced to walking.

But some paths are hard to complete, even by walking.

With his vision blurring, unable to see far ahead, Philo could only focus entirely on the ground right in front of him. Having run so many laps, he had even lost track of the count.

But from the encouraging shouts around him, he knew this wasn’t the last lap—he still had to keep going.

Yes, he had to keep running. His feet had to move, not walk.

Lifting his leg, the male warrior instinctively tried to pick up speed, but though Philo intended to raise his left leg, his right leg seemed to refuse to cooperate—and then—

"Careful!"

Just like during his assessment, this time, the female with heterochromatic eyes caught him in almost the same swift motion. At the same time, Philo’s other arm was grasped by the brown-haired female warrior.

Unlike the others, these two, who knew Philo better, were bolder. Seeing him slow, they had gradually moved closer.

In the end, they managed to reach him first, supporting him before he fell.

"Your Highness, you’ve pushed enough for today. Let us help you finish the rest."

"That’s right, Your Highness. Didn’t you say we should look out for each other? Let us guide you through the remaining laps."

Both female warriors looked at Philo—Amber’s voice calm, Lancelot’s cheerful—but regardless of their tones, the firm grip on his arms revealed their concern that he might still insist on running alone.

But—

Smiling faintly, Philo relaxed his body.

"Then I accept your help."

Surprisingly, the male warrior gave this answer.

Still, it was one that pleased the two female warriors.

Without hesitation or delay—

Time was nearly up, and classroom instruction would soon begin. Unlike Philo running alone, the two female warriors, despite having just completed twenty laps themselves, supported him on either side and maintained their pace.

Watching this scene, the other warriors who had been too slow to step forward were filled with a mix of concern, envy, and frustration.

But no matter what, Philo had just managed to complete his first morning training within the required time.

However—

The veteran instructor for the freshmen’s first theoretical class, who had arrived exceptionally early today, frowned as she noticed the many empty seats despite the approaching start time.

What was going on? Could this year’s cadets at Kalms Military Academy be so undisciplined as to be late for their very first class?

Her face hardened, the strict old teacher growing visibly displeased.

But unlike her confusion, the other female warriors already in the classroom had their suspicions.

After all, they had noticed—

The absent cadets were almost all from the A-zone dormitory.

And the reason for their delay… could it be because—

"Reporting!"

The bell rang, and the voice from the doorway rang out simultaneously. Lifting their heads, all present turned to look.

And then—

"...Sir, are you okay?"