“Boss, why don’t we just leave?”
The red-haired Major said with a frown.
“I have a bad feeling about this.”
The Mia family quickly responded to his protest.
Beiat, the future head of the Mia family, personally came to apologize to Major General Taylor, stating that the security was insufficient and allowed someone with ill intentions to infiltrate the room due to his lack of strict management.
The explanation he provided was that because the old Marquis had been at war for many years and made many enemies, they received secret information indicating that several forces were plotting to launch an attack during the old Marquis’s birthday banquet.
Therefore, most of the planet’s security forces have been mobilized to conduct strict patrols in various places and to apprehend those behaving suspiciously, to prevent any terrorist attacks on the day of the birthday celebration.
As a result, the security here was slightly reduced, leading to this incident. However, he had already determined that the person who sneaked into the room was part of a faction intending to sabotage the old Marquis’s birthday banquet. The person attempted to hypnotize Miao Te so that he would assassinate the old Marquis during the banquet, thereby driving a wedge between the Mia family and Major General Taylor.
“Feelings, my ass! Do you think we’re fools who can be easily tricked?”
Robin sneered at Beiat’s explanation.
At the time, he stood behind his boss, snorted, and curled his lips in mockery.
His boss still wore a cold expression and glanced at the tray held by the servant behind Beiat.
The black tray, lined with brocade, was stained red with blood, and on it lay a man’s severed head.
The severed head had its eyes open, lifeless and hollow.
Robin clenched his teeth.
This move by Beiat appeared to be a gesture of goodwill, giving them an explanation, but wasn’t the severed head also a blatant show of force?
A powerful dragon cannot suppress a local snake.[1]
Beiat’s message was clearโwhether they accepted it or not, the fact was that things were as he saidโthis is Mia Star, the territory of the Mia family.
“Understood.”
At that time, Major General Taylor responded as such.
His dark blue pupils coolly met the eyes of the Mia family’s future head, and his handsome face revealed no expression.
The corners of his long, almond-shaped eyes were slightly tilted, giving a sharp impression. His gaze toward Beiat was indifferent and unconcernedโWhether it was a gesture of goodwill or a show of force, it was like a punch thrown into the airโClearly, it was Beiat who assumed the superior position, but in that moment of eye contact, it was Major General Taylor, with his understated tone and demeanor, who truly held the upper hand.
After saying “Understood,” Taylor turned and left.
Robin quickly followed his boss and glanced back, seeing the Mia family’s heir standing there, watching his boss’s back.
The heir still maintained his composed and elegant noble posture and still had that gentle and polite expression, but inexplicably, Robin could sense a certain malice in his gentle gaze.
Ever since he saw that look, Robin always had a bad feeling. He couldn’t help but try to persuade his boss again.
“Boss, just to be safe, it might be better to find an excuse to leave early.”
The young Major General sat in a soft chair, his long legs crossed.
His fingers were clasped together on his knee, and his almond-shaped eyes stared straight ahead with a sharp gaze.
“It’s too late,” he said.
“Huh? What do you mean too late, Boss, we canโ”
“…”
Taylor lowered his eyes slightly, his eyelashes casting a faint shadow on his cheeks. He sat quietly, seemingly weighing something, so he didn’t speak. Instead, it was Miao Te, who had been sitting quietly beside him, who couldn’t help but speak up.
“Are we running away?”
Miao Te asked, sitting cross-legged on the sofa, his dark eyes darting between Taylor and Robin.
“What do you mean running away, that’sโ”
Robin began to refute, but his words were cut off halfway.
Miao Te’s single sentence suddenly made him realize.
They weren’t unable to leave; they couldn’t leave.
The Mia family had done nothing to them and had even treated them with respect, yet if they suddenly left the day before the old Marquis’s birthday banquet, after being invitedโWhat would the others attending the banquet think?
It must be noted that those invited by the old Marquis were all prominent figures in the empire.
Even if the Mia family was in the wrong, if they left now, it would be seen as a sign of weakness, a retreat. Major General Taylor’s hard-earned reputation, built through battles across the empire, would suffer a heavy blow.
Those unaware of the situation would mockingly sayโLook, the Major General who ran away with his tail between his legs at the first sign of trouble.
So, it wasn’t that they couldn’t leave; it was that they couldn’t afford to.
Understanding this, Robin let out a long sigh and showed a displeased expression.
“Sigh, since that’s the case, we’ll just have to play it by ear,” he muttered.
“Even if that pretentious guy doesn’t like you, there are so many people watching. You’re, after all, a guest personally invited by his father to the banquet. He wouldn’t dare do anything to you.”
He let out a snort.
“At most, he’ll just try to trip you up at the banquet and make you lose face in front of everyone.”
Even if Beiat had ill intentions toward the Boss, it would likely just be to make things difficult for him at the banquet, setting traps to embarrass him in front of the empire’s elite.
After all, it’s his father’s birthday celebration. There’s no way that guy would be crazy enough to try to take down the Boss at a time like this, right?
You have to remember, the Boss was invited by the old Marquis. If something really goes wrong, wouldn’t it be the Mia family that loses face?
Thinking this way, Robin felt a bit more at ease.
As for any traps at the banquet, the Boss should be able to handle them himself.
Taylor pondered for a moment. When he lifted his head, his gaze penetrated the floor-to-ceiling window, looking out at the endless golden desert.
His gaze gradually sharpened, like a tangible blade.
His handsome face still bore a cold expression, but there was a subtle change, like a panther crouching low, tensing its body, ready to spring into the dark forest, its sharp gaze sweeping over all the hidden dangers in the jungle.
He raised his hand, and the silver-blue metal band on his wrist emitted a light, forming a small screen before him.
After a distortion of light on the screen, the face of the blue-haired[2] Lieutenant Colonel appeared.
“What’s the situation on the Ishtar?”
“Everything is normal, Lord Taylor.”
“En, I’ll return to the ship the day after tomorrow.”
“Yes, Lord Taylor, I’ll arrange for personnel to greet you.”
Lieutenant Colonel Via in the screen raised his hand to his chest in salute, then disappeared from the screen.
The conversation he had just had with Taylor was a routine conversation that took place every evening, with almost no variation.
***
โLord Beiat! We’ve intercepted a signal from the surface of Planet Mia directed toward the Ishtar flagship!”
โTransmit it.โ
โYes, sir!โ
The intercepted message was transmitted as an image to Beiat. It displayed a repeating scene of Via’s face and voice, along with Taylorโs voice in conversation. Just like the messages intercepted in the past few days, even the dialogue was almost identical.
โReturning to the ship the day after tomorrow?โ
The nobleman with dark brown curly hair smiled faintly. The seemingly gentle curve of his lips carried an inexplicable coldness and malice.
Major General Taylor, do you really think you can get back to the ship?
***
Robin stood to the side, observing the conversation between the Boss and his colleague who remained on Ishtar. The moment Taylor spoke, the red-haired Major’s pupils contracted suddenly. However, it was just a slight contraction. He raised his hand, rubbed the stubble on his chin, and squinted at Via on the screen.
Then, he sat back down on the sofa, crossed one leg over the other, and casually spread his arms across the back of the sofa.
“Via is taking it easy, huh.”
He said with a pout, his tone carrying a hint of dissatisfaction.
“You should get some rest,” Major General Taylor said after closing the communication with the Ishtar.
“Yes, yes, yes~~ Lord Boss~~~ I’ll make sure to rest well~”
Robin stood up, stretched lazily with a tired expression. As he did so, he glanced subtly at the black-haired teen who was obediently standing by the side, then turned and began shooing away the maids who were standing nearby to serve them.
โHey, what are you still doing here? Go, go, go, all of you, get out. Standing around here is just annoying, you know that?โ
His subtle expression and deliberately exaggerated tone startled the maids who were unceremoniously driven away. But after noticing Robin’s sideways glance at the black-haired teen and their Boss, the maids quickly understood, bowed, and turned to leave.
โBut, Boss, youโd better not do anything unnecessary either. Itโs better to rest well.โ
Before leaving the room, Robin glanced at his Boss and clicked his tongue.
โTomorrow night is the old Marquis’s birthday banquet, and his son is planning to give you a hard time. If you don’t get enough rest now, you might not be able to handle it~~โ
Although his subordinate teased him like this, Major General Taylor didnโt seem to care. He watched his subordinate leave and then closed the door.
After the room quieted down, he took off his coat and went straight to the bed. A snow-white duvet was spread on the bed, which was wide enough for five people to sleep side by side. Pale yellow gauze curtains, embroidered with golden patterns, hung down, and the pure gold threads glittered under the light. The layered lace at the edges spread out into intricate patterns along the sides of the bed.
The black-haired Major General was half lying on the exquisite and luxurious bed, leaning against the soft leather headboard. He closed his eyes, probably intending to take a short nap, but it didnโt last long before he opened his eyes again, seemingly unable to sleep.
His long, narrow phoenix eyes looked ahead. Miao Te was still sitting cross-legged on the sofa, having opened the information screen in the room. His fingers moved over the virtual keyboard as he browsed through things on the screen that piqued his interest
โCome here.โ
The sudden voice in the quiet room made the teen instinctively look up at Taylor. He saw those dark blue eyes quietly watching him. The Major General, half-lying on the bed, looked at him and extended his hand towards him.
โCome here.โ
Taylor repeated, his hand remaining in the air, palm up, fingers pointing in his direction.
Wasnโt it just now…
Miao Te hesitated. He could tell what the Major General wanted, but just a moment ago, this Major General had synced with him mentally without any notice… so why now…
โI want to do it.โ
Major General Taylor said, his long, sharp phoenix eyes fixed on him, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
โโฆโ
Major General, could we not say it in such an ambiguous way? Itโs a good thing itโs just the two of us here; otherwise, if someone else overheard… But mental harmonization is already a very ambiguous behaviour…
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Miao Te still obediently walked over. As soon as he reached the bedside, the Major General’s hand shot out, grabbed his wrist, and yanked him forward without hesitation. Caught off guard, Miao Te stumbled and fell head first onto Taylor.
Before he could react, a strong arm wrapped around him, firmly gripping his lower back, leaving him unable to move. Taylor’s other hand pressed against the back of his head, with fingers deeply entangled in his hair.
He lay there, a bit dazed, on the Major General’s chest, tightly held in Taylor’s embrace.ย He could feel Taylor slightly tilting his head, letting the velvety smooth strands of jet-black hair brush against his cheek. Those long, narrow phoenix eyes looked at him, with dark blue pupils like ink-stained glass, their edges tinged with a cold light.
The pale, thin lips were almost close to his ear, and he could feel the warm breath of the Major General. Those delicate lips parted, and a deep voice seeped into his eardrum, with the breath gently brushing past his ear.
Miao Te lay on the Major Generalโs chest, nestled in his arms, and blinked.ย He tilted his head, fluttering his lashes, his dark, shiny eyes glanced at Taylor, and then he blinked again. The long lashes fluttered, the shadows they cast on his cheeks swaying in sync.
Then, after blinking a few times, the teenager closed his eyes and obediently nestled in Taylorโs arms, resting his head on Taylorโs shoulder. He looked utterly well-behaved as if he couldn’t be more compliant.
The half-arc-shaped metal ring had already detached itself from Miao Te’s wrist and was now hovering around his neck, emitting a faint glow. The light from it intermingled with the glow from the metal ring on Taylor’s wrist.
Major General Taylor lowered his head, making it difficult to see the expression on his handsome face. All that could be seen was his hand gently stroking the hair of the youth nestled obediently in his arms. He then leaned in close to the teenager’s ear, whispering something softly. The gesture carried an indescribable sense of affection.
Miao Te, nestled in his arms, tilted his head again, nearly burying his entire face into the crook of Taylorโs neck. From the outside, only the fluffy black back of his head could be seen.
After a while, Taylor closed his eyes, holding the teenager in his arms as he fell into a deep sleep, seemingly having entered a state of mental bliss…
***
Watching the screen, where the young Major General had already fallen into a deep sleep, indulging in mental bliss with the teen in his arms, the man with dark brown curls had nothing but cold mockery in his eyes.
This Major General, whom his father praised so highly, was nothing special.
Playing tricks at the banquet? He had no interest in such childish games.
“Either don’t make a move, or strike with overwhelming force and kill with a single blowโthis is what he learned from his father.”
Beiat stared coldly at Taylor on the screen.
Who does this guy think he is? What kind of trash is this?
โLaunch is in one hour.โ
He spoke with a blank expression, his eyes shadowed with deep darkness. With just one sentence, he sealed the fate of the two people sleeping in the room.
***
It was already late at night, though still as bright as day, most people had fallen into deep sleep. Suddenly, a violent roar erupted out of nowhere. The entire spire seemed to trembleโone side of the spireโs midsection exploded with a thunderous blast. Fierce flames burst from the gaping hole in the tower, lighting up half the sky in a fiery red glow.
Opposite the spire, in another nearby tower, the floor-to-ceiling windows of a room were wide open. Dark brown curls fell messily around his cheeks as the man in a robe stood quietly by the window, with thick golden curtains draped beside him. Still maintaining his composed, aristocratic demeanor, he held a crystal-clear wine glass. The blood-red wine rippled at the edge of his lips like waves.
As he sipped the wine, his lips were stained a vivid red, like blood. His eyes remained fixed on the opposite room, which had already been blown apart and mostly collapsed, with toxic flames ferociously burning inside.
The firelight reflected in his eyes, which glimmered with a twisted sense of pleasure. At that moment, he felt a deep, unprecedented sense of satisfaction and delight.
***
[1]ๅผบ้พไธๅๅฐๅคด่(qiรกng lรณng bรน yฤ dรฌ tรณu shรฉ)lit. strong dragon cannot repress a snake (idiom) first used in the Ming Dynasty novel Journey to the West (a strong dragon is a metaphor for a person with great strength; suppress means to overcome; local snake refers to a person who has power and is a tyrant in a local area); fig. a local gangster who is above the law
[2]”้ๅ” translates to “green-haired.” The term “้” can refer to a range of colors including green, blue, or black, depending on the context, but in modern usage, it most commonly means “green” when describing hair. T/N: In Google Translate it translates blue-hair and in the others it translates to green-hair. I’m just gonna go with blue hair since in the past translated chapters Via was shown with blue hair.
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Translation by NightOwll
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