Desmond, on the other hand, took things rather lightly.
After all, in this interstellar era, even if the Crown Clan encountered trouble, it would hardly ever be anything significant.
If Amos couldn’t handle it, Clansis was there. And if even Clansis couldn’t—
Desmond lazily lifted his eyelids.
As for their grown children, Desmond gave it some thought—surely they weren’t that hopeless?
They mustn’t be.
In any case—
“We’re about to arrive at the Habitat planet ahead.”
The starship landed at dusk.
Shortly after Desmond’s fleet landed,
Another fleet landed behind them.
“Oh dear.”
Dan, who was following Desmond, gazed into the distance.
“Desmond—that over there looks like Ebinino’s fleet.”
Back when Desmond was still in power, Ebinino was extremely respectful toward him, but after Clansis lured away his precious daughter, Solan, things grew complicated. Once Clansis succeeded to the throne, Ebinino stopped pretending—though, in truth, most of the time it was Ebinino worked up on his own.
Desmond was a straightforward, unrestrained man, not particularly severe in temperament. Occasionally, when provoked by Ebinino, he’d even scuffle with him.
There had never been a deep grudge between them; it was just that things got a bit awkward when they met, and they never really hit it off.
Desmond paused, turned to look, then simply stopped walking, folding his arms and raising an eyebrow.
At this moment, Desmond, too, was slightly puzzled—what was going on?
Had Ebinino been summoned back by Solan as well?
Ebinino arrived even faster than expected.
Mainly because, at the landing site, he’d spotted Desmond’s starship.
Although Ebinino maintained basic courtesy, his expression was sour—he still held a grudge that his darling daughter had not only called him back, but also called Desmond.
“My Solan sent you a message too, Desmond?”
“To be precise, Solan is also my family.”
Desmond replied matter-of-factly, watching as Ebinino’s pupils dilated and contracted, as if a tiny figure atop his head was throwing a fit.
“But yes, Solan called me over, apparently Amos is here too.”
Ebinino finally fell silent.
He raised his hand and scratched his head.
“Did that boy Amos get up to mischief? That can’t be right, it should be Feeney who gets in trouble, shouldn’t it? The guy still sports that eyesore of a beard—Desmond, can’t you do something about it?”
Desmond hadn’t answered when Ebinino continued, “With that bearded old face, Feeney looks old enough to be your grandfather.”
Desmond: …
Desmond ground his teeth, let out a cold chuckle, and in a flash the pressure of a former top Crown Clan powerhouse surged forth, putting Ebinino instantly on alert—his aura and wings extending at once. Seizing the chance, Desmond plucked one of Ebinino’s feathers.
How polite of you.
“Why not your grandfather, Ebinino? You know why Amos always wants to beat up Feeney?”
Ebinino, caught off guard and baring his teeth, quickly recovered, retracting his wings and warily backing up several steps, staring at Desmond.
Desmond drawled, “Because Feeney’s personality is just like yours.”
Ebinino: …
That insufferable brat is like him?
Ha, don’t insult people—there’s not a trace of resemblance—
Ebinino never got a word out.
Some Crown Clanner nearby gave a chuckle.
Ebinino instantly glared—No laughing.
Whoever laughs gets their feathers yanked!
“Solan’s looking for you both, so we’ll stay out of this.”
The mood on both sides remained lively, easily melding together, with jokes and elbows shared as teasing about the younger generations’ mishaps went around.
“We’ll have a stroll around the Habitat.”
Though Solan had called both sides together,
The Crown Clan had no worries—what could possibly go wrong—was the sky going to fall?
And even if it did, the Dwight family would hold it up, no need to fret.
The Crown Clan was strong, with clear division of labor—for Clan members, their sole duty was to carry out the leader’s orders unwaveringly.
In the past, nothing but their clan was worth their attention; now, Holy Cas must be added to that list.
Desmond waved them away.
Letting them disperse, he ignored Ebinino, and turned to head toward the Dwight villa on the Habitat planet.
Ebinino ended up following Desmond.
“Desmond—” Ebinino said, “You really don’t know what happened? After thinking it over, the only one who might be in trouble is Feeney. Did he get lost somewhere remarkable again and can’t make it back?”
Desmond paused slightly: “I heard Feeney got lost again—”
On second thought, not impossible.
“But—”
Ebinino reached out a hand, feeling the breeze.
“The wind on the Habitat planet is so gentle today.”
“So it is.”
Desmond continued ahead, the breeze lifting his bangs.
At this moment, inside the Dwight villa.
Several members of the Crown Clan had been watching the little one sleeping curled up in Amos’s arms for ages—they hardly moved, as though they could watch him breathe for days on end.
But as dusk gathered, Morlo snapped out of it and took Hel’s hand, leading him outside.
They reached the palace entrance.
Only then did Morlo exhale.
“After the whole afternoon of staring, there’s still so much work left to do.”
Hel snapped back as well, smiling gently and neatening Morlo’s hair.
“No need to rush—”
He pushed his gold-rimmed glasses up with his other hand.
“Everything is waiting for us, nothing will be missed.”
Morlo responded, a warm smile on his gentle face, tugging Hel’s coat to draw him nearer, content to see his reflection in Hel’s eyes.
Morlo’s smile was soft, his gaze gentle, but if observed carefully, one could detect almost a hint of obsession in its depths.
Yet upon seeing himself in Hel’s eyes, that hint of cold obsession melted away in an instant.
He softly kissed Hel’s lips, as if completion of his own “recharging.”
“Alright, let them watch over the little prince, we’ll get to our own work.”
Morlo let go of Hel, but Hel bowed his head slightly to chase after, kissing him again, then raised his head, brimming with confidence.
“You’re right. I must compile the complete curriculum for the little lord from age one to eighteen.”
Morlo: …
Hiss—Isn’t that a bit much?
Isn’t it a little early?
He half-heartedly reached out, but seeing Hel stride forth full of energy, withdrew his hand.
Well, being spirited is a good thing.
He couldn’t help smiling.
Just then, two figures hurried past him—then suddenly stopped.
“Morlo?”
The voice made Morlo turn; he froze for a moment.
“Uncle Desmond? Uncle Ebinino? You’re both back?”
“What are you doing here?”
Ebinino was startled as well.
“Is someone ill or unwell? Or has something actually happened to Amos?”
Even Clansis couldn’t handle it?
Did something really serious happen?
“No—”
Morlo hadn’t finished when the two hurried straight into the Dwight palace without a backward glance.
Wait—Zao Zao is still sleeping, you know? Is that alright?
Little Chu Zao really was still groggy with sleep.
In his dreams, the taste of delicious infant milk made him occasionally smack his lips—in the dream, the little one was just about to get his hands on a bottle for another good meal.
Just then, Desmond and Ebinino hurried in.
Desmond swept his gaze about, frowning slightly.
From his angle, he couldn’t see the cub.
He could only see Solan, Clansis, and Frey all clustered around Amos—only Amos was seated on a soft chair.
It did look as if Amos was the one in trouble.
Ebinino was even more direct—in the silent room, only his voice could be heard: “Solan, what’s going on?”
Solan whipped around, only halfway through a gesture to quiet her father, when she caught the sound of the little one stirring.
With a sidelong glance, she saw Chu Zao open his misty big eyes.
He seemed to take a moment to process.
The next second, he opened his tiny mouth and let out a wail—
“Ooao—oo-oo-oo—”—Zao Zao hadn’t gotten hold of the bottle, hadn’t gotten it to his mouth.
He cried.
Solan: …
Startled, Amos grew even more flustered.
Clansis and Frey froze, turning to the wide-eyed, fearful Ebinino.
—That, was, what?
Why such a sound?
Ebinino backed away several steps, but found himself craning his neck, “Why is there the sound of a cub crying?”
Desmond reacted a touch faster—he took two steps forward and saw the little one in Amos’s arms.
“Obviously, Ebinino.”
Desmond blinked, looking at the pitiful, wailing little cub.
“Looks like Amos has a child now.”
Ebinino: …huh?
“Don’t cry, don’t cry—” From the moment of birth, the little one had yet to cry. Amos didn’t know how to soothe him, fumbling to cuddle him and gently pat his back, “Daddy’s here.”
The tiny cub was hugged tight by his father, his little hands wrapping around Daddy’s neck, face burrowed in Amos’ chest, wailing and whimpering.
Infant milk—Zao Zao’s milk—
He looked terribly heartbroken.
“Oh dear, baby, don’t cry—are you hungry?” Solan chimed in, “Amos, where’s the food? Hurry—”
Not until the pacifier was in the little one’s mouth—
Zao Zao, having lost and regained his milk, was finally sated, clutching the bottle and gulping joyfully.
Desmond was already standing behind Amos to watch, while Ebinino dared not move a muscle.
He only gazed from afar—
Yes, that was a cub—a very, very little one.
He seemed even tinier than the average cub.
Judging by what Amos had called him, Desmond’s guess was right—this was Amos’s child.
But wait, how long had they been away—Amos already had a child?!
Worse still—Ebinino only now realized—
He had made the cub cry.
Desmond, observing the little fellow chugging away in Amos’s arms, frowned slightly, “Such a tiny thing.”
Clearly, Desmond also hadn’t really registered that he was now a great-grandfather.
Hearing voices, the little one who had downed more than half the milk opened his clear honey-colored eyes wide, looking up at the unfamiliar newcomers—half-awake in Daddy’s embrace, squinting carefully for a good look—
Zao: Scared!
He realized he didn’t know the person in front of him.
The little one froze, his wings tensing up, nestling deeper into Amos’s chest, even trying to protect his milk bottle, and quietly sped up his drinking.
The family watched as he inhaled milk like a tiny tempest.
He released the pacifier for an especially loud, satisfied burp, seeming overstuffed and a little dazed, letting out a few indecipherable babbles.
Only then did Desmond smile.
“Worried I’ll steal his milk?”
—Clearly, yes.
“Ooao—”
The little one let go, watching with innocent, harmless eyes as the bottle rolled off his body—
With no more infant milk, the bottle held no more allure.
Desmond caught the bottle as it fell.
He received a suspicious look from the little one resting on Amos’s arm.
—Wouldn’t even spare the bottle after Zao Zao finished it.
Desmond: …
“You little thing.”
He reached out, very carefully touching the little one’s cheek.
“Would Great-grandpa steal your milk?”
So soft.
“Yi-ya!”
The little one answered twice, lifting a small hand to clasp Desmond’s hand, blinking those big eyes.
He glanced at the bottle again.
“Yi-ya woo-ah—”
Full and happy, the little fellow, proud of his generosity, offered the bottle to great-grandpa.
Desmond: … much obliged.
Still, Desmond’s heart melted in an instant.
Such a tiny hand, such a light grip.
Ebinino sidled over hesitantly, peeking at the little guy.
Once again, the young cub noticed the stranger—he blinked.
“So he really is—”
Ebinino asked softly.
“Dad, you almost frightened him,” said Solan at Ebinino’s side.
But clearly, the little one didn’t hold a grudge against those who disturbed his sleep.
For a cub, as long as he was with Daddy, the world was his.
He babbled, crawling up and propping himself unsteadily on Amos’s shoulder, attempting to stand—amazing for a newborn.
Just after a nap, and he was already trying to stand—the rate of growth at this stage was astonishing.
He gave a tiny cry, reaching out toward Ebinino’s face.
Ebinino instinctively held his breath and lowered his head, letting the little one touch him.
The little one patted his face twice, then lost interest, turning to look at the bed where he’d played before his nap. His wings started fluttering, just like a baby bird learning to fly, and, with his parents’ hands close to catch him, he bounced back to bed, cheery and eager to play.
For the little one, joy was that simple with no worries at all.
Clansis quietly explained the situation to the two men.
Both promptly decided to stay for now.
—There was a cub at home now.
Just thinking about it was enough to put a smile on their faces.
They stayed to watch right up until the cub’s bedtime.
Desmond and Ebinino, at last, had to head back to their respective quarters for the night.
Compared to the somewhat reserved Desmond, Ebinino could barely contain his joy—he bounded out of the palace beaming, finally able to laugh to his heart’s content far from the palace.
Hearing his exuberant laughter, Desmond twitched his lips.
But in fact, he, too, was smiling.
“Send someone to remind him not to get too carried away.”
He spoke.
“Grandpa, you’re smiling just as much.”
Frey chimed in from beside him.
Desmond: …
“Am I?”
Alright, he was.
Desmond couldn’t help but smile again.
Still, not as crazy as Ebinino, right?
Desmond mused inwardly.
Meanwhile, on the Habitat planet, the gathered Crown Clan, chatting idly about all manner of interstellar matters, were keenly perceptive; noticing Ebinino’s laughter, they looked his way, baffled—
“What’s going on?”
“No clue, acting like a lunatic—hiss, should we even say that?”
“Why not? What’s he going to do—fly over and clobber you?”
“He could, and I couldn’t take him.”
“Best if you don’t, then.”
“Hahaha—”
Though many Crown Clanners still had no idea what was happening, tonight, it had to be said—the mood across the Crown Clan was especially jovial.
Over the next few days, the little one continued to grow rapidly, but Amos wasn’t yet comfortable taking him back to the Holy Cas Empire’s royal court just yet.
So they continued living in the Dwight palace on the Habitat planet.
The little one grew at an astonishing rate, plumping up and looking ever more tender and adorable.
He also began to understand more of what went on around him; when hungry, he’d fix his eyes on a bottle, urging the parents to hurry up with the milk; when he wanted to play, he’d wave his arms and babble, eager to explore.
He was immensely curious about everything.
And he was extremely attached to Amos—
To the envy of the whole Crown Clan.
So well-behaved, so cute—was there not a single flaw in this cub?
Why wasn’t he theirs, but Amos’s?
Fine, there just wasn’t a single flaw to be found!
They grumbled inwardly, watching as the little one bravely expanded his playground, even attempting to slowly push himself up to walk.
The accuracy of his little wings’ flight improved just a bit.
The only thing was, he still only babbled, with no real words or recognizable terms, not even basic address—he hadn’t expressed anything clearly yet.
But it meant that the Crown Clanners on the habitat planet caught “cub fever” regularly—just like Ebinino.
Each one vying for a look at the cub.
But all were driven away in the end.
In these early stages, it was best for the cub not to be overwhelmed by too much.
It was almost a week later—
Chu Zao awoke from his nap, guzzled his milk, and was now playing on his little bed.
Amos, who had watched over his cub the whole time, finally took time out to handle some documents that required his personal attention, leaving the little one briefly.
Today, Frey was in charge of watching him.
Meanwhile, several strong waves of psionic power swept over from time to time, monitoring the little one’s every move.
Chu Zao was bouncing on the bed, Frey standing nearby to catch him, listening to the cub’s lively babbling.
Not long after, Chu Zao seemed to realize something, turning his little head to glance around.
“Yi-ya?”
Where’s Daddy?
Stuffed and happily playing, only now did the little cub realize Daddy wasn’t here.
He blinked in confusion, then looked to his uncle.
“What is it?”
Frey was still a bit wary of touching the little one—the cub was so tiny and fragile, Frey worried he’d accidentally hurt him.
Now, with those large eyes on him, Frey asked softly.
“Yi-ya!”
But the cub, unsteady, got to his feet, little wings suddenly flapping as he tried a few times with all his might.
Frey paused, then quickly reached out.
“Zao Zao!”
The little one wobbled in midair, aimed, and—plopped right onto Frey’s head.
Clutching Frey’s hair, the cub peered down, locking eyes with his uncle.
He gave another little cry, and this time, amid his babbling, came something faintly distinct: “Ooao—bah—”
Still indistinct, but something new.
“Looking for Amos?”
Frey asked softly.
“Yi-ya!”
As if to praise Uncle for his cleverness, the cub squeaked.
Frey, doting as ever, didn’t take him down, but marched off, carrying the little one toward Amos’s study.
Inside the study, Clansis and Desmond were present, too.
Solan and Ebinino had returned earlier to the imperial capital to arrange things for the cub—unwilling to feel at ease without overseeing it themselves.
The door creaked ajar.
The voices of the three inside halted.
Amos looked up toward the door.
A tiny hand was pushing it open—from a height no cub should reach—
Just a crack allowed the little one to squeeze in, and those inside saw the cub perched atop Frey’s head.
At the sight of Amos, the cub’s eyes clearly brightened, his small wings began to flap—
He tried even harder to flap his wings.
“Zao Zao—”
Frey, already careful, was startled, reaching out on reflex.
But, seeing Amos rising, he stopped after following a step or two.
The stern Crown Clan’s eyes held rare warmth as he watched the little one totter into flight, veering his way under the guidance of Amos’s psionic “escort”—with arms outstretched, little circlet sparkling, bright eyes glimmering, soft black curls bouncing, and with a babyish, muddled but for the first time meaningful call:
“Ya—ba—baa—baaba—ba—baaba—”