For the Crowned Race, this scene was nothing short of a horror film.
“Awuu?”
Little Chu Zao blinked his large eyes, holding his golden halo-crown in confusion.
This… could be taken off.
Was there a problem with that?
Oh, there was a big problem.
Amos stared silently at the little cub, then at the halo he was clutching and the fallen nutrient pack beside him.
He felt a headache coming on—the physical kind.
Turning away, he adjusted the star route map.
“We’ll head to a nearby drifter planet first.”
He spoke evenly.
“To find you something edible. Can you put the halo away for now?”
If they were going to the drifter planet, that halo would draw far too much attention.
Chu Zao tilted his head—then chirped an “awuu” of agreement.
This place really was strange. In his original world, angels were supposed to always display their halos as a sign of identity. But here, he had to hide it.
The golden ring in his arms gradually faded from sight. The little white fluff flipped over and stood up. Around his small head, a faint circle of soft white fur framed two perky ears that twitched slightly. He stretched out his tiny paws—“Woo-awuu.”
I want a hug.
“No.”
Amos said it firmly.
Though he didn’t yet know what this little creature truly was, if he was a cub of the Crowned Race, then whatever plots or traps lay behind him, Chu Zao was undeniably their last surviving cub—and would be raised as a true Crowned heir.
Amos had no experience with child-rearing, but he faintly recalled—
he hadn’t been the type to ask for hugs as a cub.
His brothers and the others of his generation had all been fierce and competitive from a young age. None had ever acted this soft, this clingy—asking to be held—
“Awuu?”
The little cub tilted his head, ears twitching again as he let out another small call. His paws slowly lowered, and his voice sounded pitiful.
No… no hugs?
That’s fine too… Zao Zao didn’t really want hugs.
Zao Zao wasn’t that jealous of those who got hugged a lot…
Amos: …
A moment later, Amos sat before the ship’s control console, his expression cool—
and a small, soft fluff ball lay sleeping in his arms.
The little one’s head drooped, already fast asleep. Two tiny paws peeked out, holding his own head as his body rose and fell gently with each breath and heartbeat.
Amos looked down silently.
After a moment, above Amos’s head, his own nearly shattered black crown flickered into existence.
He seemed to think for a while, then lifted a hand to grasp it.
The crown: ?
He tried to pull it off.
The crown: ??????
The fragile crown began flashing wildly—on the verge of shrieking in protest, demanding to know what he was trying to do.
Amos slowly lowered his hand, frowning.
“…Can’t take it off.”
—
Drifter Planet No. 499, Black Street
This planet lay near what was once the homeland of the Crowned Race. Occasionally, starships from the Holy Cas Empire would patrol here to eliminate mutant star beasts and suppress pollution. Compared to other drifter planets, this one was relatively lively.
Black Street was its trading hub.
Here, everything could be bought—everyday goods, food, water, energy crystals—and even illegal mutant beasts, though at exorbitant prices. There were no laws here, only rules set by the most powerful merchants.
Because of that, ruthless underground factions had risen across the outer zones, beyond the reach of imperial and alliance governance.
“What? Dear customer, did you say… you wanted completely unpolluted food?”
Inside the largest store on Black Street, the shopkeeper—with a few golden teeth glinting as he spoke—gawked in mild disbelief at the man before him.
“You know, that kind of food is hard to come by! At least… this much!”
He gestured with his fingers.
The man before him wore a black military uniform, his expression unreadable.
He didn’t even blink at the quoted price. He didn’t look like a drifter—more like a soldier from one of the neighboring empires.
Amos’s uniform differed from that of ordinary Holy Cas officers. The Crowned Race, being a ritualistic people, loved elaborate designs, so the shopkeeper couldn’t tell which empire the man belonged to at first glance.
Especially since the man was holding a small, snow-white fluff in his arms—apparently asleep. The soft bundle revealed only a pair of twitching white ears. Not quite a pet—
but not quite human either.
An exotic beast? the shopkeeper wondered.
Still, any nation or alliance with strict biosecurity laws would forbid unregistered species from entering their borders—especially potentially polluted ones.
He’d better report this upstairs later.
Thinking quickly, the man said cheerfully,
“And what kind of food would you like? Meat, eggs, milk, or perhaps dry rations?”
“Something suitable for a cub.”
The black-haired man—Amos—replied while holding the sleeping bundle closer.
A cub?
The shopkeeper couldn’t help glancing again at the small white creature in his arms.
“Well… that’s not easy to find,” he admitted. “But we just got a batch of milk fruits from the Water Zephyr Alliance. Pollution tests came back nearly clean. Of course, the price—well…”
He gestured again.
Amos casually tossed him an energy core.
The shopkeeper took one glance at the energy core—and immediately broke into a grin.
“Right this way, sir! I’ll fetch it for you personally.”
He led Amos aside, unlocking a storage cabinet and taking out a small ventilated box. Inside were three milky-white fruits tinged faintly with pink.
Amos took one look and nodded.
He placed the fruits into his arms—along with the little cub.
The next moment, the cub’s ears suddenly perked up. His small head lifted, nose twitching, sniffing at the air. His paws instinctively grabbed one of the fruits, crunch!—biting down hard before he even fully opened his misty amber eyes.
“Awuu~!”
Baba, it’s delicious!
The little one was far too adorable—fluffy and round, with small wings at his back. His fur was short and soft, slightly messy around his neck, his head fuzzed from sleep. Looking dazed and innocent, he obediently took another bite. His bright eyes lit up as his tiny tail wagged like a puppy’s, patting happily against Amos’s chest.
He was clearly starving. Both tiny paws clutched the fruit tightly as he munched in quick, loud bites, crunch, crunch, finishing one in a blink. His pink tongue licked at his mouth, then he let out a satisfied “wooo-awuu” and lunged immediately for the next one.
Amos looked down at the little one devouring fruit after fruit.
Strangely—he felt… content.
Expressionless, he looked up again—what an inexplicable feeling.
The people nearby couldn’t even speak.
Especially the shopkeeper, who stood frozen in disbelief.
Even though he’d braced himself mentally, actually seeing those rare, unpolluted fruits being crunched up by that “little beast” made his heart ache.
So extravagant—just to feed this “pet”?
“Do you have anything else similar?”
Amos glanced at how quickly the cub was eating.
At this age, a Crowned cub should still be drinking milk. But conditions were limited.
To return to the Holy Cas Imperial Star, he’d have to skirt around star-beast swarms and polluted sectors—a long and dangerous trip. Normally, Amos would’ve chosen the shortest route without hesitation.
But now—he had a cub.
And Amos had no desire to fight entire hordes of mutated beasts.
“There might be a few more in the warehouse,” the shopkeeper said quickly. “Would you like to have a look? I can verify them for you. Though, well—the warehouse’s a bit messy.”
He cast a glance at the little cub, looking hesitant.
Bringing a “beast” inside would be hard to explain later.
“Perhaps you could leave him in a small basket? Or on that chair there? He doesn’t seem the type to wander.”
Indeed, the cub looked harmless enough—a tiny fluff focused entirely on his fruits, quiet and well-behaved.
Hearing their exchange, the little cub raised his head, juice still clinging to his mouth.
He was placed gently on a soft-cushioned high stool, and immediately clutched his fruit tighter, standing up on his hind legs.
“Awuu!”
The fluffy white ball’s dewy amber eyes fixed on Amos, filled with unease, ready to leap onto him at any moment.
This was an unfamiliar place, full of strangers.
He’d been clinging to Amos’s chest the whole time, and now that he was suddenly placed alone, his movements were restless.
“I’ll be right back.”
Amos hadn’t planned to come to a drifter planet at all. The downfall of the Crowned Race had already drawn too much outside curiosity, and he didn’t want anyone prying further into their affairs.
Still, the little one’s nerves seemed a bit… too delicate. He might only be a cub, but he was still of the Crowned Race—heir to the honor and responsibility of Holy Cas.
Besides, the shopfront was safer than a storage room possibly filled with contaminated goods.
Amos reached out and placed a thread of his spiritual energy on the cub.
At once, the cub’s wings—previously raised—slowly drooped.
The sensation was strange to Chu Zao.
That hollow loneliness within him seemed soothed. His bright eyes blinked as he held the half-eaten fruit in his paws.
“Awuu awuu~”
Then… then Zao Zao will just wait here, okay?
Just a little while!
Baba, come back soon!
The cub brightened up again. His tail swayed as he took another bite—then peeked at Amos. Another bite, another glance.
Bite. Glance. Bite. Glance.
Amos looked at the little one. His cold, sharp features unconsciously softened, his voice—without realizing it—gentled.
“Alright.”
The cub watched Amos stand and walk away, then obediently curled up again, crunching happily at his fruit.
The fruit was tasty. Zao Zao liked it!
Baba looked like Zao Zao too. Zao Zao liked that even more!
He kept munching, eyes bright and content—until a sudden loud shout broke through the noise:
“My beast egg! My beast egg is gone! I just bought it—someone must’ve stolen it! Storekeeper! STOREKEEPER!”
Awuu?
Little Chu Zao jumped, startled, peering curiously around.
Someone hurried past him—and his sudden movement startled them in return.
The man stumbled—and crack!—a small, pale-white egg with ornate markings fell from his bulging pocket, smashing on the floor.
No one noticed the sound, but the cub did.
The man froze, panic flashing across his face. Before anyone else could react, he swung an accusing hand toward the little white cub on the cushion, happily nibbling fruit.
“I—I saw the egg fall near that little beast! Look! It must’ve been that thing!”
Blank-minded little Chu Zao: …?
He blinked.
Wait—that’s not right!
The cub puffed up his cheeks indignantly.
He tried to protest with a sharp “Awuu!”—
How dare you frame Zao Zao, you bad person!!!
You’re the beast!! Your whole family’s beasts!!
Zao Zao’s a little angel!! The most amazing little angel!!!
HOW DARE THAT BASTARD