Chapter 69

Chapter 69

Since its establishment, Kalms Military Academy has seen its share of casualties among its students.

As a special military academy constantly in a state of readiness, all students at Kalms Military Academy sign a liability waiver upon enrollment. The agreement stipulates that if a student is injured or dies due to unforeseen circumstances during their time at the academy, Kalms Military Academy holds ultimate authority.

Thus, this year was no exception.

Except for Philo, who did not sign this agreement, all new female cadets at the military academy—regardless of whether they held active duty status or whether their specialization was in logistics or combat—signed the life-and-death agreement.

Of course, the academy did not propose this agreement to completely disregard the safety of its students. After all, these students would become the main combat force for the border planets, and the academy certainly did not wish for any of them to come to harm.

Unfortunately, military females are inherently more aggressive and volatile than civilian females, making conflicts between them more likely. Additionally, the academy frequently conducts various field exercises. Given the principle that live combat provides the best way to hone skills, casualties among Kalms Military Academy students remain unavoidable each year.

However, most of these casualties involve senior students. Junior students rarely experience severe incidents, as they are not required to participate in many practical training missions and have only just met each other, making major conflicts unlikely.

But clearly, this was not always the case.

On the last day of the holiday break, near the A-zone dormitories, two A-Class Female Insect freshmen were discovered unconscious on an isolated pathway. Both had sustained serious injuries, with the top-ranked female from this year’s assessments suffering severe internal organ damage that even med-pods could not fully treat. The academy’s medical department could only provide stabilization procedures before transferring her to the most heavily guarded high-security med center on campus.

Upon receiving this news, not only the dean's office but even the academy’s leadership took the rare step of taking personal interest in the cause.

After all, this year’s first-year cohort included not just females—the top-ranked female was also said to be on familiar terms with His Highness Fei Luo. Under these circumstances, it was no surprise that the academy’s leadership paid such close attention to the matter.

With so many eyes on the situation, the cause of the incident was determined before the two severely injured females even regained consciousness.

In short, it was an unfortunate incident sparked by jealousy.

Unlike previous years, the top two spots in this year’s Kalms Military Academy freshman assessments were both claimed by females from outlying systems. While this had happened before, this year was different.

Yarman Koroten, the daughter of the commanding officer of the 17th Combat Corps of the Second Army, was an A-Class Female Insect born on the capital planet. She had been certain she would rank first this year.

Coming from a military family, Yarman had long dreamed of enrolling at Kalms Military Academy and climbing the military ladder like her forebears.

This ambition and plan grew even firmer after she learned that Philo would also be applying to Kalms Military Academy.

Almost uncontrollably, the female had already envisioned the entire process of meeting and bonding with the male insect at the academy, eventually exchanging mating vows.

However, though her plans were well-conceived, luck was not on her side.

For several years, Kalms Military Academy had not admitted any outstanding females from outlying systems—yet this year, it enrolled two exceptionally talented young females of modest means.

As a result, Yarman, who had been confident of securing first place, ended up in third.

By all accounts, this ranking was still excellent. Like the top two females, she was assigned to the best A-zone dormitories at Kalms Military Academy, and many of her courses overlapped almost entirely with theirs.

Yet, unfortunately, Yarman remained discontent.

Yes, she was discontent.

Even second place would have been better. Third place, though still granting her a single-occupancy quarters, placed her on a different floor from Philo’s quarters.

One misstep led to another.

Though the semester had only just begun, watching Philo come and go harmoniously with those two lowborn females while she was excluded, Yarman clenched her fists—and finally snapped.

She did not choose to target Lancelot, as Amber was the better option, whether in terms of hand-to-hand skills or assessment ranking.

To be extra cautious, she even deliberately chose a time when Philo was absent. Coincidentally, Lancelot had also been keeping odd hours these past few days, leaving Amber suddenly alone.

Armed with a banned weapon stolen from her mother’s room, Yarman—who was no slouch in combat—planned to ambush Amber, who was unarmed and returning late at night. All things being equal, her plan should have gone smoothly.

After all, she only intended to maim the cadet. Once rendered unfit for service, the female would have to withdraw from the academy, allowing Yarman to be reassigned to the room next to Philo’s.

In short, though her plan was simple, it was highly feasible. To cover her tracks, she had even arranged for an accomplice in advance—a department head whose testimony would be beyond reproach.

But—

As the vice-principal in charge of the incident reviewed the injury report and forensic report, his expression grew stern.

Fortunately, the female Yarman had attacked was Amber. Due to her recent testing of Geshaluolin’s latest unreleased smart protective suit, Amber happened to be wearing the prototype, which unexpectedly blocked the banned weapon’s attack.

Without this fluke, the heterochromatic female insect would likely have been permanently disabled on the spot. In that case, not only would she have been unable to retaliate against Yarman, but her chances of continuing at Kalms Military Academy would have been slim.

After all, while modern insect medical technology allowed for cybernetic replacements, females who underwent such procedures could only live as ordinary civilians—never as military females again.

At this thought, the vice-principal exhaled in relief and set down the brief reports in his hand.

"Since the investigation is complete, notify Yarman Koroten’s family and have her withdraw voluntarily."

Without hesitation, the vice-principal issued his verdict.

Lowering his gaze, the other officials exchanged glances, their eyes flickering with hesitation.

A premeditated assault—especially one involving the malicious intent to maim using prohibited weapons—warranted a much harsher punishment. Even if Yarman came from the Koroten family, this incident violated the Alliance law.

Moreover, if Yarman Koroten were to be expelled, the academy should have issued an official notice of dismissal.

Voluntary withdrawal… Such a lenient approach would surely leave the young female still lying in the medical center feeling unjustly treated once she awoke.

Raising his eyes, the vice-principal calmly addressed the lingering concerns in the room.

"This incident is the Koroten family’s responsibility. Handling it discreetly saves face while leaving room for compromise."

Regardless, though Amber’s injuries were severe, they would heal with time. Under these circumstances, if the young female was smart, she would understand the wisdom of yielding ground.

Many members of the Koroten family served in the military. If the young female still wished to rise through the ranks in her military career, she would know better than not to burn bridges—especially when she was at a disadvantage.

Furthermore—

"All those with knowledge of this incident must maintain strict confidentiality."

Here, the vice-principal’s voice turned grave as he scanned the room.

"If His Highness Fei Luo learns the truth, it may affect his attitude toward the academy. You all know the consequences should that happen."

Yes, this was the true reason for handling the matter discreetly.

On the surface, Philo’s enrollment seemed to have no impact on Kalms Military Academy—but how could that truly be the case?

Those present had long studied Philo’s temperament. If he learned that his presence had led to one female being severely injured in an attack and another being forced to withdraw, the male insect would undoubtedly take it hard.

Lowering their eyes, the previously hesitant officials now voiced no further objections.

Seeing this, the busy vice-principal brought the meeting to a close.

“You are responsible for comforting the young cadet in the medical center and may provide appropriate conveniences. Additionally, do not forget to mention the compensation from the Koroten family to the female. If they refuse to cooperate, let them explain the entire incident to Prince Fei Luo themselves.”

After all, if this matter escalates, it would primarily affect Prince Fei Luo’s experience at the academy. And if the male is affected, regardless of the consequences for the responsible parties at Kalms Military Academy, the instigator of this incident certainly won’t fare well.

Nodding in agreement, the gathered insects visibly approved of the vice principal’s arrangements and no longer raised objections.

Thus, soon after, the representative from Kalms Military Academy’s administration entered the medical center and held the first conversation with the female with heterochromatic eyes, who was now conscious.

As for the outcome of this conversation...

The head of the administration, prepared to hear potentially excessive demands from the young cadet, was taken aback when the latter merely requested to remain in the medical center for treatment until fully recovered.

This request... wasn’t too unreasonable, but—

“Your injuries have already been treated with premium med-tech at the medical center. All you need now is regular sessions in the med-pod—no need for further specialized visits. Perhaps you could ask for something more beneficial to you.”

“No need, Head.”

Shaking her head, the young female seemed firm in her decision. Smiling weakly, Amber whispered,

“I want for nothing. I just don’t want any lasting complications, as my dream is to permanently defend the frontier systems and protect the Coalition.”

“So, Head, for good measure, I’d like to request permission to stay at the medical center for treatment during this period.”

Admittedly, the young female’s words genuinely surprised the head of administration.

He had prepared himself for her insistence on demanding justice, but instead, she not only quickly grasped their underlying concerns but also refrained from making excessive demands.

Her only request was simply to recover fully and better serve as a military female in the future.

Giving a silent nod, the usually stern head of administration softened his expression slightly.

As for her request... after brief consideration, the middle-aged female nodded decisively.

Granting temporary access to the medical center wasn’t a major issue. Though the academy’s medical center housed much sensitive equipment, this young one only needed treatment in the outpatient wing—hardly a security risk.

With the head’s approval, what could have been a major campus assault incident was swept under the rug.

By the time Fei Luo returned to the A Dorm that evening, not a word of the incident remained within or outside the academy.

However, the next morning...

After morning drills, the male noticed the female with heterochromatic eyes’ absence from the training grounds and eventually learned she had been injured during off-duty work.

Had this happened on Earth, Fei Luo might have been deeply concerned. But considering the insect race’s advanced medical technology and Amber’s apparent nonchalance—aside from being temporarily sidelined—the male didn’t give it much thought.

As for Yarman Koroten, who had withdrawn from the academy, Fei Luo, never particularly acquainted with her, hardly noticed her abrupt and silent disappearance.

Amid this seemingly peaceful atmosphere, Fei Luo’s life at the military academy progressed without incident.

Over time, Fei Luo grew increasingly accustomed to—and satisfied with—his life at Kalms Military Academy.

Zhousha hadn’t lied. The academy indeed offered all the techniques, methods, tools, and knowledge Fei Luo wished to learn.

With steady progress, Fei Luo’s mastery of these subjects deepened.

Whether it was the theoretical aspects that once troubled him or the hands-on training he had little prior exposure to, despite lacking the natural physicality of females, Fei Luo worked harder than any other insect.

Classrooms, training grounds, practical bases, spacecraft simulation pods—everywhere on campus, females had witnessed a male studying relentlessly.

Even as females lingered nearby, making subtle overtures, and despite the countless gazes fixed upon him, Fei Luo remained unshaken, wholly focused on his controls or study screens.

It seemed Prince Fei Luo was far more interested in his studies than in females.

This... was utterly crushing for countless hopeful females.

Of course, frustration wasn’t limited to the academy’s females. During Fei Luo’s time at Kalms, Shang Ling had also visited multiple times under the guise of official campus visits.

Yet, despite being an exemplary cadet in other courses and lectures, Fei Luo unhesitatingly skipped these mandatory lectures—even when Shang Ling, the capital planet’s most popular female, was the speaker.

Yes, Fei Luo skipped class.

Witnessing this, the black-haired female couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.

To arrange this campus visit, Shang Ling had pulled considerable strings, declining invitations from prestigious institutions just to speak at Kalms Military Academy.

And yet, Fei Luo remained indifferent.

Watching the silver-haired male’s receding back, the normally so capable black-haired female, though somewhat exasperated, could only sigh in resignation.

As the saying goes:

*He who cares less, wins.*

Perhaps he should have been more cunning—at least until he’d won him over.

With regret, Shang Ling shook his head ruefully, rarely regretting his past decisions.

Though females at Kalms struggled in their pursuit of Fei Luo, they took pride in becoming his friends and comrades-in-arms.

If asked whom the academy’s insects envied most, two names came to mind instantly:

Lancelot Aitran

Amber Alius

Yes, remembered that clearly.

On paper, these two were ordinary females—neither nobility nor scions of wealthy families.

Yet, they had become Fei Luo’s closest friends, known to all around him.

Even Yi Jia Fa had heard Fei Luo mention them.

At the academy, they studied, trained, and ate together...

With such shared schedules, coupled with Lancelot’s boldness and Amber’s gentle demeanor, it was no surprise Fei Luo considered them close enough to exchange comm links.

But friendship aside, as an upcoming event approached, the envious gazes shifted from Lancelot and Amber to the noble females around Fei Luo.

No matter how close they were, the vast disparity in status meant Prince Fei Luo’s attention during the approaching celebrations would inevitably go to those few insects...

Their spirits sank, and the academy’s females became noticeably downcast as time passed.

Noticing this, Fei Luo—now adept at using smart devices—looked it up himself rather than asking others.

And then...

"The Silk Flower Festival? So that's what you've all been thinking about?"

Lying in the rest area beside the training field, the silver-haired male insect, who could now effortlessly run twenty laps, chuckled as he spoke to the two female insects beside him.

"It's just a festival. I don’t even care about it myself, so why are you all so concerned?"

Gnawing on a grass stem, Lancelot, who remained fresh and sweat-free compared to the sweaty male insect, blinked and couldn’t help but mutter under her breath,

"Philo, you should care a little. Otherwise, it’s just too dismissive of us females."

Unlike the formal distance when they first met, the brown-haired female insect now spoke more casually with the silver-haired male insect, even as her feelings for him grew deeper.

While this was partly due to her personality, it was undeniably because of Philo’s intentional leniency.

For instance, if another male insect had heard Lancelot’s words just now, they might have reprimanded her. But Philo merely quirked his lips, turned his head slightly, and said with a soft chuckle,

"I’m not wrong, am I? It’s just a courting festival for female insects. You already know I don’t like these things, so why bother caring?"

"It’s different."

"Even if you don’t care now, Philo, you might feel differently in a few days."

"On the day of the Silk Flower Festival, all the silk flowers on the capital planet will bloom, and the female silk flowers have the effect of stimulating male insects’ instincts and pheromone rush. If there’s already someone in your heart, even if you’re not sure yet, as long as that female insect brings a female silk flower to you, you’ll definitely—"

*Definitely what?*

Lancelot didn’t finish, but clearly, every insect knew what she meant.

Her breath grew heavier. Though she maintained her light tone, the thought of Philo potentially finding a mate during this year’s Silk Flower Festival made the brown-haired female insect’s mood darken involuntarily.

Noticing her subdued expression, Philo turned away and let the subject drop.

After all, precisely because they were friends, some words needed to be chosen carefully.

However—

"Philo, is there a female insect you like?"

A question that clearly lacked tact, one that countless insects had been curious about lately, was suddenly asked by the other female insect beside Philo.

Forgetting her gloom, Lancelot widened her eyes and stared at Amber like she’d grown a second head.

But the heterochromatic female remained calm, as if she had merely asked about the weather or their next training session, showing no particular excitement or nervousness.

Her dark gray iris darkened slightly, while her amber one shone like molten gold. Those strikingly beautiful eyes now gazed directly and patiently at the silver-haired male insect.

The silver-haired male: ...

They say the most impactful words often come from the quietest ones.

Equally surprised, Philo couldn’t mask his surprise as he looked at Amber, never expecting that she would be the first to ask him this question.

After all, whenever the three of them spent time together, it was usually Lancelot and Philo doing most of the talking. Amber was usually the listener.

Like earlier, the discussion about the Silk Flower Festival had been between Lancelot and Philo, while Amber remained silent. Under normal circumstances, the heterochromatic female would have stayed quiet till the end. But... perhaps even she couldn’t resist her curiosity about the answer.

After a final glance at Amber’s mismatched eyes, Philo smiled and turned his gaze toward the capital planet’s sky, which was as blue as Earth’s.

"There is."

...

The wind swept across the training field.

The rest area was covered in slip-resistant artificial turf. The synthetic grass blades bent and swayed under the breeze, rustling softly, their undulating motion mirroring the turbulent emotions of the two female insects.

Rising, falling.

In the midst of it, one of them silently clenched her fist.

"Who?"

The voice was hoarse, devoid of its usual composure.

Her eyes darkened, and the young female insect’s otherwise plain features seemed to shift strangely under the weight of her emotions.

Without turning his head or noticing the unusual look on his companion’s face, Philo smiled faintly under the intense gazes of the two female insects.

"There are many."

"Zhousha, Gore, Li Wei..."

Since arriving in the insect society, most of the insects Philo had interacted with were female, not male.

So, if he were to list the female insects he liked, it would indeed be an endlessly long list.

At the end, Philo added with a laugh,

"Of course, there’s also Lancelot and Amber. I like these two female insects quite a bit as well."

Admittedly, from the moment Philo mentioned the first name, Lancelot knew his definition of "like" wasn’t the same as theirs.

But even so, hearing his final words, the brown-haired female insect couldn’t help but break into a grin.

Unlike Lancelot, however, Amber seemed unusually hung up on this question today.

"Philo."

"The ‘like’ I’m talking about isn’t this kind."

Unwilling to let the male insect sidestep the topic, the heterochromatic female held his gaze, and repeated the question.

"Do you have a female insect you like?"

Not the fondness between kin or comrades, but the kind between a female and male insect.

*Philo, have you ever truly liked a female insect, the way a male insect would?*

Finally frowning, Philo turned his head and gave Amber a puzzled look, noticing her uncharacteristic intensity on this topic today.

But even under his questioning gaze, the heterochromatic female didn’t flinch.

Seeing that she genuinely wanted an answer, after a brief silence, Philo said at last,

"I—"

"Philo."

The male insect's words were cut short as the instructor from today's training ground suddenly approached and interrupted.

"The dean from your academy has something to discuss with you. Head to his office now."

Unlike Lancelot and Amber, Philo belonged to a different academy, so matters concerning his academy naturally required him to go alone.

Swallowing the words he was about to say, the silver-haired cadet, who had already rested enough, pushed himself up from the ground. Without further small talk with the two female insects, he simply smiled and agreed.

Then, with a wave, Philo signaled to the two insects behind him before quickly running off.

However, the gazes fixed on the silver-haired cadet's retreating figure seemed slightly different from usual.

After all, the Silk Flower Festival was approaching, and female insects were prone to mood swings.

Regardless of their abilities or status, every insect was equally concerned about whether Philo would accept the flowers offered by female insects during the Silk Flower Festival.

Aogutale Mansion

The blue-eyed female insect had specially ordered a tailored dress uniform from Qiankesilan's family well in advance. Next to the cabinet displaying the outfit, several vibrant green plants were also potted.

Similar plants weren’t exclusive to Aogutale Mansion. In the backyard of Geshaluolin Mansion not far away, a green-eyed female insect with half-tied long hair carefully watered the lush green plants with nutrient-enriched water.

At the Qi Mengtu estate, servants carried potted plants one after another to the black-haired female insect, allowing her to select the best-cultivated ones.

As the Silk Flower Festival drew nearer, such scenes became increasingly common across the capital world.

Due to the restless emotions of the female insects and the scent emitted by the Silk Flower stems, male insects had vacationed off-world, only planning to return on the day the flowers bloomed.

Yes, return in haste.

After all, many male insects had already come of age, and some had even secretly chosen their future mates. For them, the Silk Flower Festival was undoubtedly the perfect occasion to make their courtships official.

Even those adult male insects who hadn’t yet decided on their feelings wouldn’t miss this day because of the Silk Flower’s unique properties when in bloom. After all, it was the ideal time to find a mate they truly liked.

Even the most popular high-level male insects, who had no immediate plans to seek a mate, would still put extra effort into their appearance for the festival.

This wasn’t for any other reason but a traditional competition among male insects.

Since each female insect could only gift one Silk Flower on this day, the number of flowers received became a measure of a male insect’s appeal.

Whether female insects cared about this tradition or not, the male insects of the capital world certainly did.

The winner of this annual competition would become the talk of the town among male insects for the entire following year. Just like previous champions such as Siluan, Ya Jin, and Qi Limei, many of their followers had gathered around them after their victories.

Thus, the closer the Silk Flower Festival came, the more high-level female insects in the capital world splurged on lavish outfits and accessories.

However, this was the norm in previous years. This year… seemed different.

"What’s the point of competing? Among the young female insects without engagements, it’s obvious who the most outstanding ones have got their sights set on."

"Exactly. Forget about Gore. Li Wei, Li Qi, Nimir… even Siluan’s older brother clearly shows special favor to Philo from the Tulas family. How can we even compare?"

"Speaking of the Prince Philo, he’s truly remarkable. Just look at how quickly he’s charmed even the most standoffish female insects since his return."

"The reason is simple—just look in the mirror! If I had a face like his, I’d be just as popular."

"Not necessarily. Other female insects aside, the ones we mentioned earlier clearly don’t just care about looks. Otherwise, why did they ignore Qi Limei before? I’d say it’s about what's on the inside."

"Hahaha, what's on the inside? Don’t make me laugh. It’s all about looks. But why hasn’t Siluan attended recent banquets? Did Philo’s popularity shake his confidence?"

"Speaking of which, I found it strange too. The other day, I went to the Qi Mengtu estate to look for him, and guess what? I saw him tending Silk Flowers himself!"

"What? Why would he plant them? Aren’t these flowers supposed to be grown by female insects for us? Is he afraid no one will give him any?"

"Hahaha, don’t be ridiculous. Even if he were unattractive, his mental abilities and family background would still attract plenty of suitors."

"Then why? Surely he’s not imitating female insects, planning to present flowers to someone he likes?"

"Impossible. Siluan is a male insect—would he really give flowers to a female? That would mean the Prince Philo’s influence has messed with his head. Speaking of which, how many Silk Flowers do you think the Prince Philo will receive this year? I bet…"

Like wildfire, countless discussions suddenly revolved around Philo and the insects around him as the Silk Flower Festival approached.

Even within the Kalms Military Academy, gossip ran rampant around Philo.

On the Kalms Military Academy forum, posts betting on whether Philo might find a mate he liked during this year’s Silk Flower Festival flooded the forums.

As the festival neared, the attention Philo received while walking through the academy skyrocketed.

Yet, despite all the commotion, despite knowing what the insects were preparing for, anticipating, or fearing, Philo remained unchanged—steadfast in his grueling cadet schedule.

Yes, unchanged.

Morning drills, theory classes, practical training, hand-to-hand combat drills, evening drills, revision, sleep.

His daily routine, almost memorized by every female cadet at Kalms Military Academy, repeated without variation—right through the week of the Silk Flower Festival.

Truth be told, witnessing such dedication from a male insect earned Philo the admiration of both academic and combat instructors, who, in turn, cracked down harder on the female cadets' training.

Eyes front! Eyes front!

If their focus couldn’t even match the Prince’s, how could they hope to catch his eye? Pathetic.

Instead of daydreaming, they should buckle down and study like the Prince. If they ended up shown up by the Prince in the upcoming assessments, they’d have no one to blame but themselves.

Thanks to Philo’s competitive streak, this batch of female cadets at Kalms Military Academy got put through the wringer more than any previous cohort.

Yet, if asked, they’d likely say it was worth it.

Yes, as long as they could see the Prince Philo regularly, as long as he remained with them, they’d endure any hardship in training.

But… would the Prince Philo really stay with them for long?

With the Silk Flower Festival approaching and rumors swirling about Philo’s close connections with noble female insects, the academy’s female cadets couldn’t shake a pang of sorrow.

Amidst this mix of anticipation, eagerness, hesitation, and anxiety, the Silk Flower Festival finally arrived.

As luck would have it, the festival fell on the first day of the Alliance’s official weekend break.

This meant that even if the academy didn’t declare a holiday, Philo was free to come and go freely.

Flowers in hand, female insects who had been waiting for this day for so long could barely contain their excitement at the prospect of seeing Philo.

But…

Would Philo accept them?

No one knew.

Not even the top cadets could say for sure.