Chapter 27 Like

Chapter 27: Affection

"What do you think, Your Excellency?" Idris felt somewhat helpless. Sometimes he truly couldn't tell if the male was genuinely naive or intentionally teasing him.

Whichever it was, it was a real test of his patience.

"Oh." Samuel glanced regretfully at the female's lips and reluctantly suppressed his eager hands.

Idris didn't want to dwell on the topic. He reached out, took the male's hand, and led him to see the gifts he had brought back.

Receiving a gift from Idris, Samuel was flabbergasted. When the box was opened, his eyes widened in delight, and he excitedly jumped up, launching himself into Idris's arms.

However, once bitten, twice shy, he didn't dare hold on for too long. Before the female could even say a word, he quickly let go and turned to pounce on the box instead.

Idris, worried Samuel might topple over, had been about to wrap an arm around his waist. But his hand was only halfway raised when the male had already left his embrace. He could only let his arm fall back to his side, pull the male back to sit on the sofa, and ask with a smile, "Do you like the things inside that much?"

"Mhm." Samuel nodded emphatically, his fingertips running over the items repeatedly as he sighed, "I thought I'd never be able to use them for painting again. I never expected you, brother, would actually make them."

"The craftsmanship isn't the best," Idris said with some regret.

The Zerg didn't have the traditional Four Treasures of the Study. To create these items, he had contacted many top craftsmen, going to great lengths over a long period before only managing to produce a few sets that were somewhat presentable.

Originally, for a gift to the male, he wanted it to be perfect. But that would have taken too long, and the male needed them soon, so he selected a few pieces with decent quality as a stopgap.

While the brush, inkstone, and Xuan paper were made, the ink was a problem. According to the male, making proper ink took at least two years. Pressed for time, he had to find a substitute.

"They're perfect!" Samuel's gaze swept over the items in the box, which, though not entirely authentic, were still exquisitely crafted. He turned to Idris and asked curiously, "Brother, what made you get this for me?"

"What does Your Excellency think?" Idris countered instead of answering.

Sensing something implied in the female's words, Samuel got the urge to tease him. He deliberately put on a thoughtful expression, tilting his head as if pondering, then replied with a beaming smile, "Brother must be afraid that I'll use the Stellar Ring to draw the giveaway gifts and make a fool of myself online! That's why you sent these! Don't worry, brother! I will definitely live up to your expectations and wow everyone!"

Idris slowly scanned the barely perceptible shifts in emotion on the face before him. A rare, faint smile touched his lips, but he still remained silent.

He thought, this male is truly cunning.

Deliberately casting bait, yet not reeling it in, intentionally taming the fish that bites the hook.

What a... little devil.

Unaware that he had just gained a new nickname, Samuel stole a glance upward. Idris's expression hadn't changed, yet it gave him a familiar feeling of having done something wrong again.

But he hadn't said anything wrong, had he? Why did brother seem somewhat displeased?

Samuel increasingly felt he shouldn't stay any longer and immediately picked up the box, preparing to get up and make a quick escape.

The next second, he was stopped.

"Your Excellency, please wait a moment."

"Brother... is there something else?" Samuel clutched the drawstrings of the bag, acting like an ostrich, lowering his head to study the pattern on the floor.

Idris lowered his arm and took out an invitation he had received not long ago, saying, "In two days, the Emperor is hosting a banquet and has invited you to attend."

"Am I going alone?" Upon hearing he had to go to an unfamiliar place and meet unfamiliar Zerg, Samuel immediately looked up, his expression tense. "What about you, brother?"

"I am also on the guest list. I will accompany you when the time comes." The male's instinctive dependence sent a thrill of satisfaction through Idris. He smiled and instructed, "However, there will be many Zerg and socializing then. I certainly won't be able to stay by your side the entire time. So tomorrow evening, I will first take you to familiarize yourself with the important figures and essential etiquette."

"Additionally, I will have Ray deliver the evening wear and accessories in advance. You can keep the ones you like. On the day of the banquet, I will help you choose, alright?"

"Mhm, I'll follow your lead, brother." Samuel breathed a sigh of relief. He gazed steadily at Idris; the long-lost feeling of being taken care of brought him a peculiar comfort.

Only at times like this would the bottomless pit of unease in his heart quietly ease a little.

After finishing the instructions, Idris noticed the male lingering, hesitant to leave. Thinking he might have something else to say, Idris looked up to ask, but was suddenly embraced tightly. The mischievous male left a sentence whispered in his ear, then darted up to the second floor.

After regaining his senses, Idris turned his head, his gaze fixed on the empty staircase, unmoving. The scent of pine and mint still lingered around his ear. The scent of his pheromones was cool, yet it felt like a flame, igniting a heat within his body, making him fidget and restless.

The male's voice still echoed in his mind.

Idris repeatedly chewed over the words he had heard, his gaze darkening as if he wanted to tear them apart and swallow them whole.

The female's uncontrollable, innate desire and possessiveness towards the male—he was experiencing it.

This feeling was indeed detestable.

Yet, as for the male... he found himself, unexpectedly, somewhat... liking him.

＊

The day of the banquet.

The evening banquet started at 8 PM. From 4 PM onwards, Idris had been busy.

Ray had delivered quite a few outfits, all currently the most fashionable styles among males.

However, most of the clothes were either too sheer or too flashy. Samuel couldn't really appreciate them, so he only kept a few sets with simple, understated designs.

Even with not many clothes, trying them on one set after another was exhausting enough. Just when Samuel thought it was finally over, there was always the next item waiting for him.

And so it went—clothes, hairstyle, accessories—each completed in an assembly-line fashion. By 6 PM, he was finally done.

Throughout the entire process, Idris was in complete control. Watching from the side, Samuel couldn't help but recall the first day he went to school as a child.

Back then, his brother had been the same, pulling him out of bed early, choosing clothes and shoes, checking his schoolbag and stationery, fussing for over an hour. Finally, upon realizing they were almost late, his brother had become so flustered and frantic—it had been quite amusing.

"Your Excellency, why are you looking at me like that?" Idris placed a ring set with a circle of tiny red gemstones onto Samuel's finger. After carefully admiring it for a moment, he lowered the hand he was holding.

"It's just that I think brother looks very captivating when you're serious," Samuel remarked sincerely.

"Is that so?" Idris looked at the male in the mirror—red attire, black hair, exceptionally striking—and teased, half-jokingly, half-seriously, "Then has Your Excellency been captivated?"

"Of course!" Samuel praised generously without hesitation. "Brother is so graceful and outstanding, who wouldn't like you after seeing you!"

Seeing Samuel praise him with such earnestness, Idris realized they were talking past each other and didn't continue the conversation.

Once again, he examined the male from head to toe, ensuring everything was flawless. He then instructed the male to go downstairs and have a bite to eat, while he himself turned to go back to his room to change.

By the time Idris came downstairs, there was only a little over an hour left before the banquet. The two boarded the hovercar, speeding along the way. Thirty minutes later, the hovercar slowly came to a stop in front of a rather luxurious castle.

Seeing visitors arrive, the male attendants in uniform at the main gate immediately bowed respectfully. After the greeting, another attendant stepped forward to guide them.

Passing through the main gate and a small plaza, the two entered the second gate, turned right, walked along a corridor with a gilded painted ceiling to the end, and arrived at the brilliantly lit banquet hall.

The hall was already bustling with figures, and elegant music echoed within. The moment Idris and Samuel appeared together at the entrance, the murmur of conversation abruptly ceased.

All the Zerg turned their heads, their varied gazes quietly settling on the two.

Ever since the Empire announced the discovery of a male most likely to break through to S-rank, families with unmarried military males had been secretly inquiring about the male's information, hoping to get a head start.

However, the MPA repeatedly emphasized that the male was unwell and should not be disturbed without reason. Coupled with the fact that the male had hardly left the B zone since moving in, many had abandoned their plans. Yet, this banquet rekindled the aspirations of some.

Is this the recently recovered male, Your Excellency?

Several lavishly dressed females exchanged glances, each seeing a flash of admiration in the other's eyes.

They had assumed that the male, rescued from a dark alley and lacking identification, must have been a poor, smuggled wretch from a remote planet. Unexpectedly, his demeanor seemed like that of someone groomed in a great house.

With his striking appearance, nearing S-level before differentiation, and the excellent condition of being unmatched, he was highly coveted by many families.

However...

Recalling the Insect Emperor's frequent summons for the male to meet with Prince Augus, and the deliberate hosting of this banquet to invite males from various families, they understood. Their gazes toward Samuel carried a tinge of regret.

The position of principal wife was likely out of reach, but their own daughters could still compete for the role of concubine. With this thought, their gazes instantly grew fervent once more.

Dozens of overt and covert stares converged on him, making Samuel's breath catch. Indeed, being in such a crowded place was still too much for him.

Shooting a discreet glance at the female beside him, Samuel slowed his pace until his view was partially blocked by Idris, allowing him to quietly steady himself.

Since entering the hall, Idris had kept his attention on Samuel. Sensing the male's discomfort with the surrounding scrutiny, he edged closer imperceptibly, shielding him from view while whispering, "Your Excellency, how about we take a seat in the rest area?"

Samuel nodded, and under the collective gaze, the two made their way to the sofa by the window on the right side of the hall and sat down.

After waiting for about ten minutes, the banquet officially began as a rousing piece of music faded. The emperor made a brief appearance, said a few words, and then departed, while Prince Augus, who followed him, stayed behind to greet the guests.

During this time, various nobles and dignitaries attending the banquet brought their males forward to chat with Prince Augus.

They had grasped the underlying purpose of this banquet from the emperor's remarks and naturally did not want to miss any opportunity for a marital alliance with the royal family.

Prince Augus responded with a smile to each greeting, but his gaze swept the hall, settling on Samuel, who sat quietly in the corner.

Prince Augus fielded the various greetings with poise and gracefully made his way through the crowd of males, a faint smile playing on his lips as he headed straight for the rest area.

In the corner of the rest area.

Several males were quietly discussing the latest chapters of a novel they were following. One of them became particularly animated when mentioning a scene where a male was forced to entertain.

Hearing a familiar name, Samuel glanced in the direction of the voice and politely declined the drinks and desserts offered by a servant.

Resting his head on his hand, he idly scanned the military females clinking glasses and socializing in the center of the banquet. His gaze eventually settled on the males following behind the females or placed to the side.

Indeed, the true spotlight only falls on those in power. False status is merely an ornament of authority, and the more beautiful the ornament, the more it becomes an object of selection and scrutiny.

Shifting his gaze away from the males, Samuel uncomfortably moved closer to the greenery. The pervasive scrutiny felt like invisible hands roaming and measuring him.

The familiar stares, the same hunger, the incessant talk—it was all truly irritating.

Looking once more in the direction where Idris had been called away, Samuel hesitated before finally deciding to step out for some fresh air. But just as he was about to leave, he was stopped.

"Your Excellency, are you going out?" Li'an approached the rest area with a tray holding several refreshments. "Major General Idris was worried you might be bored alone and asked me to keep you company for a while. These are the snacks the major general selected for you and instructed me to bring over."

Samuel glanced at the cake and tea, politely thanked him, and after stepping out from the corner and moving closer to Li'an, he asked, "Would you like to go for a walk?"

Li'an nodded, pleasantly surprised, and obligingly set down the tray. The two then exited the banquet hall one after the other through a side door.

The side door of the banquet hall led to a garden planted with flowers of various shapes. Among the flowers fluttered glowing insects, their light forming shimmering bands amidst the plants, like flowing galaxies, stunningly beautiful.

Samuel found a corner in the garden to sit down. Li'an followed at a distance, aware that they weren't familiar enough to chat casually, so he kept a respectful distance.

The cool night breeze brushed past, dispelling the lingering stuffiness and bringing great comfort.

Leaning back in the chair, Samuel took a deep, contented breath. Turning his head, he noticed Li'an standing guard nearby and asked bluntly, "Am I that frightening? Why stand so far away?"

Li'an was momentarily speechless, but recalling Samuel's record of taking on five at once, he braced himself and replied, "No."

Slowly sitting down at the other end of the seat, Li'an felt somewhat awkward and at a loss. Facing his former "enemy" and the one he had asked for help, he couldn't think of what to say.

Silence spread in the breeze.

After a quiet moment, a crisp "thank you" broke the tranquility of the corner.

Li'an widened his eyes, thinking he had misheard, and turned in surprise to see the red-clad male looking at him with clear, sincere black eyes.

Why the thanks?

After a moment of processing, Li'an stammered out the question in his heart.

"You helped me that day in the dining hall," Samuel explained. "I wanted to thank you that same day, but the situation became too chaotic, and I didn't get the chance. Meeting you today, it's a good opportunity to make up for it."

"You don't need to thank me," Li'an said, hanging his head. The moonlight cast half his face in shadow, and Samuel couldn't see his expression clearly, but he heard the guilt in his voice. "I was just trying to make up for the mistake I made by the pond that day."

"You've already apologized, and Idris accepted it," Samuel said, not very skilled at comforting others. After a moment's thought, he added, "That day by the pond, I was also a bit impulsive and almost killed... Anyway, we're even now."

"You are very forgiving," Li'an said, lifting his head and looking at the one beside him with curiosity. As if recalling some terrible experience, he added, "Some males would definitely seek revenge."

"They sure hold grudges," Samuel remarked half-jokingly.

"Yeah," Li'an murmured, gazing at the distant blue light band. "They sure hold grudges."

For centuries, they haven't been willing to let go—not the females, nor even the males.

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Author's Note: Stardate 4056, August X, Cloudy, Weekday X

Bad thing.

Hate, like, hate.

...Like.

A little like.

Not hate.