With his Male Lord alone at home, frightened because of the new law, Cassian could only go all out, finishing his work at top speed and handing off the remaining matters so he could return home early and keep his Male Lord company.
The albino Male Zerg was tiny. Even with his entire body buried in Cassian's arms, he weighed almost nothing, light enough to feel unreal.
Cassian adjusted his position, letting the Male Zerg lie on top of him with his head resting against his chest, and only then did it feel somewhat real.
Still too thin.
Cassian gently stroked the Male Zerg's slender wrist. The skin was so pale it was almost translucent, allowing the faint pink veins beneath to be seen clearly.
After all these years of careful care, he had only gained a few pounds compared to when he had lived in the orphanage.
Suddenly, the terminal on his wrist lit up.
That troublesome younger brother had finally remembered to reply.
Cassian covered the Male Zerg's eyes with one hand to shield them from the light, protecting his fragile vision, and used the other to open the message.
Marriage, honeymoon, Female Lord?!!
Cassian's pupils trembled. He almost failed to catch his breath.
The sleeping Male Zerg sensed something and shifted where his head rested against Cassian's chest. Slowly opening his eyes, he pulled away the hand covering them and asked groggily,
"What happened, Karl?"
Guilt immediately rose in Cassian's heart. Half his anger died before it could surface, and he softened his voice.
"My fault, I disturbed Male Lord's rest."
He lowered the screen brightness until only faint glimmers remained in the room.
Albino Male Zergs had poor eyesight and were sensitive to light. They were fragile in every way.
Like the Male Zergs of primitive times, suitable only for being treasured deep within a mate's nest.
Aira blinked and wanted to say that C-rank Male Zergs weren't actually that fragile.
Clearly, Cassian's impression of his body was still stuck more than ten years in the past, when he had still been an F-rank Male Zerg, the lowest grade.
But whether F-rank or C-rank, the difference was negligible to an S-rank female Zerg. Both were fragile creatures beyond imagination.
So Aira didn't bother correcting him and simply asked,
"Did something happen?"
"...Xi'an got married."
"Hm? In the novel? Or..."
Seeing Cassian's terrible expression, Aira guessed something.
Wow.
Married in the novel and in reality.
Cassian and Xi'an were blood brothers with a large age gap.
In Zerg families, Male Zergs didn't raise children. Youngsters were cared for by female Zergs.
When female Zergs were busy with work, older female Zerg children also helped take care of and discipline younger ones.
Xi'an could practically be considered someone Cassian had raised with his own hands.
Female Zergs all loved children. But because the gap between Aira and Cassian's ranks was too great, and because he had a genetic defect, they were like two entirely different species and were destined never to have biological children.
Perhaps because of that, Cassian had projected more complicated feelings onto Xi'an, raising him like half a child of his own.
Now the younger brother and "child" he cared so deeply about had gotten married without a word. And he had no idea what sort of female Zerg he had chosen, whether he had good character or not.
No wonder Cassian was shocked, angry, upset, and worried.
Aira shared his worries.
"What should we do? Should we call him back and ask? Have him bring the female Zerg home too. Do Male Zergs in the military get leave?"
"No need to bother with him! He's busy with his honeymoon!"
Cassian angrily shut off the screen, thinking that if he kept worrying about Xi'an, he was a dog.
The next second, he thought that once Xi'an's "honeymoon" was over, he'd settle accounts with him.
Right now, however, he needed to be dealt with by his Male Lord first.
"I disturbed Male Lord's rest. I deserve death. Please punish me, Male Lord."
Cassian obediently lay flat and placed the albino Male Zerg's hand against his face.
What kind of female Zerg asked for punishment like that?
He was clearly acting with complete confidence.
Aira revealed his sharp little canine teeth and went "Awoo!" before biting down on the female Zerg's Adam's apple.
...
【How could true love possibly exist among Zergs?
Even if his older brother had fallen out with the family because of a defective albino Male Zerg, and had even decided not to have children—female Zergs loved children.
Back then, young Xi'an had only thought that his brother had lost his mind and had been bewitched by sweet words from a Male Zerg.
The once-in-ten-years Legion Tournament was being held on Capital Star. His female father, being the governor of Capital Star, naturally had to attend, and little Xi'an was brought along.
Little Xi'an was fascinated by cool mecha battles and handsome female Zerg duels, but had no interest in listening to his female father exchange meaningless pleasantries with military officials.
He found a chance to sneak away.
The venue was enormous. The military base had been divided into many arenas where several competitions were being held simultaneously.
Little Xi'an had short legs and wandered around in a daze until he got slightly lost.
He wasn't worried about getting lost or being kidnapped.
What a joke.
This was a military district.
Elite military female Zergs from all over the Federation were everywhere. Who could possibly kidnap children here?
The passionate cheers of the military female Zergs drew his attention. Following the sound, he entered one of the arenas.
The first thing he saw was a female Zerg spreading enormous wings, flying and colliding in the air before smashing his opponent into the ground at incredible speed, provoking waves of astonished cries from the audience.
The protective wall between the seats and the arena was too high.
Little Xi'an stood on tiptoe desperately, but he still couldn't see inside.
He was dying of anxiety.
Then a low chuckle came from beside him.
The next moment, his waist tightened and his body suddenly became light. His vision rose above the railing and everything inside the arena came into view.
Wow—
He had been picked up.
And placed...
On someone's shoulders.
Xi'an looked down and saw only a head of silver hair.
This was a very tall military female Zerg.
For the first time in his life, Xi'an experienced such a high perspective.
He felt like he had grown two meters tall.
It was so high that he instinctively hugged the silver-haired female Zerg's head.
"Can you see now, little one? Hmm? Did I scare you?"
The female Zerg carrying him asked. Noticing his nervousness, he turned his head slightly to look at him, hesitating over whether he should put him down.
"Of course not!"
Xi'an turned his head back forward.
He absolutely refused to let anyone see how red his face had become.
He'd be laughed at.
The female Zerg seemed to laugh.
His voice was incredibly soothing, warm when it reached the ears.
Though naturally low and cool, with laughter in it, it made a child feel warmth and trust.
The silver-haired female Zerg smelled cool and refreshing, like ice cream, something all children loved.
Yet his body was warm, and the hands holding Xi'an's legs were powerful and reassuring.
Xi'an barely paid attention to the fight itself.
He didn't even know who won.
He simply enjoyed this broad and lofty view, feeling light and warm all over, smiling foolishly without understanding why he was so happy.
His female father was always busy. Even when they were together at home, there was always restraint and distance between them.
Something like lifting a child onto his shoulders would never happen in their family.
His brother used to pick him up and bounce him around for fun.
But these past years, his brother's relationship had gone poorly. He was at odds with the family and rarely came home.
For one brief moment, Xi'an couldn't help but think—
If only this Zerg were family too.
A child's family consisted only of his female father, Male Father, brothers, and Male Father's other attendants...
But that wasn't what Xi'an meant.
He meant—
That he belonged to him.
Only to him.
The little child still had only a vague understanding of this idea, possessing only a faint longing.
Round after round of contestants changed until finally the championship match arrived.
The championship medal appeared on the stage, and the giant holographic screen zoomed in on it.
The golden Star Medal was breathtaking.
Every sharp angle and line embodied the ultimate beauty of craftsmanship, just like military female Zergs themselves, those living weapons of war.
Everyone's eyes focused on the medal.
The female Zerg also looked toward it.
Xi'an blurted out,
"So pretty."
"You like it?" the female Zerg asked in surprise.
"Mhm."
Every Zerg pursued beauty.
Not to mention that the medal represented endless honor.
Even if the medal itself meant nothing, defeating so many military female Zergs and claiming it held extraordinary significance.
Xi'an wasn't thinking that deeply.
He simply thought it looked beautiful.
Like a star.
"I'll win it and give it to you."
The female Zerg said.
"...?"
Xi'an was still confused when the announcement echoed throughout the arena.
"Ninth Legion—Major Claire!"
"My turn."
The silver-haired female Zerg picked him up from around the neck and placed him on the platform atop the protective wall.
Then, with one hand, he vaulted over the wall from behind Xi'an and entered the arena.
Like a giant bird flying over his head.
Claire's name erupted throughout the venue as military female Zergs waved flags and cheered.
Only then did Xi'an realize that this silver-haired female Zerg was also a participant.
His own match had already ended early.
He had simply come here to wait for his next opponent to be decided.
The silver-haired female Zerg walked calmly into the arena.
Xi'an could hear his own heart pounding.
He found himself wanting to shout Claire's name with everyone else.
The battle began.
His opponent immediately unfolded his wings and charged, skipping all preliminary probing and entering direct physical combat.
Half-Zerg and full-Zerg transformations greatly increased combat power.
This was basically opening with an ultimate attack.
Claire neither dodged nor retreated.
He went forward directly.
The collision of carapace and flesh made Xi'an's heart leap into his throat.
Only after Claire spread his silver-white wings and covered his arms with insect armor, knocking his opponent back a hundred meters, did Xi'an secretly breathe in relief.
But the battle wasn't over.
Female Zergs were tough and exceptionally durable.
The opponent sprang up almost instantly and charged again.
Watching, Xi'an suddenly realized something.
Why did the battle seem to be moving farther away?
Because it was.
Claire had been controlling the flow of battle all along, keeping the enemy confined to the opposite side.
Xi'an wasn't stupid.
Looking down at himself sitting atop the protective wall, he understood Claire's intentions.
He was afraid the battle would affect him.
That was why he kept his opponent away, despite the unnecessary time and effort required.
Which also proved how effortlessly Claire was dominating this battle.
His opponent had already entered complete transformation, yet Claire still had energy to spare.
The outcome had long been decided.
The moment Claire entered his own complete transformation, the fight ended in less than a second.
Xi'an never even saw his form clearly.
He only remembered that it was silver-white.
Enormous.
And beautiful.
Claire reverted to normal and emerged from the smoke.
The entire arena shouted his name.
Zergs worshipped strength.
The strong received all respect and admiration.
Xi'an shouted along with them, waving excitedly and even standing up on the protective wall.
Claire's expression changed immediately.
On the podium, he gave only a hurried speech before rushing back and lifting Xi'an down.
Fear still lingered on his face.
He had never feared powerful opponents chosen from among countless military female Zergs.
But this little ancestor jumping around atop the wall had terrified him.
"Claire! Claire! You're amazing!"
Little Xi'an excitedly hugged his head.
Claire curled his lips slightly.
No one disliked praise and affirmation.
And when those compliments came from such a beautiful child, they sounded especially sincere.
He no longer dared leave him atop the wall.
Squatting down, he placed Xi'an on the ground and removed the golden medal from his chest.
"Here. The medal you liked. I won it for you. It's yours."
Xi'an blinked at the beautiful medal.
It looked perfect on the female Zerg, but in his hands it was huge and heavy.
Stories of female Zergs winning glory for the one they loved and presenting it to Male Zergs to make them happy were common among the Zerg race.
It was practically no different from a proposal.
But he was still only a child.
Little Xi'an scrunched up his face and thought for a long time.
Just as Claire thought he didn't like it, the little Male Zerg suddenly leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
Holding the medal tightly, he said seriously:
"When I grow up, I'll marry you!"
Naturally, Claire didn't take a child's words seriously.
He thought the little Male Zerg would forget all about it in two days.
But in reality—
The one who forgot everything was him.
...
Xi'an awoke from the distant dream.
Looking at the familiar ceiling, he didn't recover his senses immediately.
Beside him lay a warm body.
The scent was familiar and pleasant.
It brought him overwhelming security.
It was Claire.
Xi'an buried his face in the female Zerg's neck and deeply inhaled that sweet, refreshing scent, cool like ice cream.
He had finally married Claire.
...】