Lanrod, if you still cannot receive a male’s soothing, your…
District 3
First Military Academy Examination Office
After a whole day of basic physical and practical evaluations, only fifty-five out of the original one hundred and fifty-six zerg females remained.
Surprisingly, Kerry, a C-rank female, had not been eliminated.
“Valama, I told you so. How could such a gorgeous female possibly be eliminated?” Biretti half-lay on the sofa, narrowing his eyes as he reminisced. “His name is Kerry, right? He is truly stunning, even prettier than a male.”
Valama glanced sideways at Biretti. “What? Didn’t you say earlier that Lord Lanrod was the most handsome zerg you had ever seen? You have changed your tune fast.”
Biretti shook his slender index finger from side to side.
“He and Major General Lanrod are not the same type at all. Major General Lanrod is like the bright moon in the sky, noble, with an untouchable, radiant arrogance. But Kerry is like a wonderful piece of cotton candy, right there within reach.”
Valama rolled his eyes, too lazy to argue any further with Biretti.
“Once he gets into the military academy, I must make him join the Second Legion so I can admire beautiful things every day,” Biretti said, raising an eyebrow.
Valama let out a cold snort. “He might not even pass the exams to get into the academy, let alone the Second Legion. You are getting way ahead of yourself.”
Biretti gave a light hum. “So what? I can figure out a way to get him in. I will…”
Before he could finish speaking, Biretti suddenly heard a subtle sound at the door.
“Who is there!” Naquis instantly stood up, his powerful military zerg pressure making Yuremo’s legs turn to jelly.
Trembling, Yuremo steadied himself against the wall and forced a smile. “Three officers, I know a particularly delicious restaurant in District 3, and I specifically came to invite the three of you to go try it out.”
Naquis looked down at Yuremo. “No one is allowed to go outside during the examination period. Return to your room.”
Yuremo looked at Naquis’s tall and mighty physique; the officer’s intimidating aura was enough to terrify any zerg.
“Yes.”
Yuremo hurried back to his room to calm his racing heart.
Examination Office
Watching Yuremo’s retreating figure vanish from sight, Biretti raised an eyebrow and said, “Now that is a zerg who knows how to network, even thinking of treating us to a meal. Not bad, has potential. If he really can let me taste a worldly delicacy, I might just look out for him a little.”
“Biretti,” Naquis said, lowering his gaze to look at him.
Biretti waved a hand. “Fine, fine, I was just joking. Don’t be so serious.”
Valama walked over and lay down on the rocking chair, saying, “Biretti, continue what you were saying earlier. You said Kerry will definitely get into the military academy. What, are you going to pull strings for him through the back door?”
Biretti opened one eye and raised an eyebrow. “That is what you said; I did not say that.”
Frowning, Valama abruptly sat straight up. “What, are you really planning to pull strings?”
Biretti chuckled. “Do not get so worked up. That is not what I meant.”
Valama stared hard at Biretti. “Then what do you mean?”
Biretti let out a couple of playful giggles and said, “I can have him stay by my side and tutor him privately, guaranteeing he will smoothly enter the First Military Academy two years from now.”
Valama glanced at Biretti, then quickly lay back down on the rocking chair.
“Boring.”
Biretti scoffed. “Serving a beauty is not boring at all.”
Yuremo’s Room
It took Yuremo quite a while to finally calm his mind, and as he did, he recalled the conversation he had just overheard.
What did that officer mean?
Why did they say Kerry would be able to enter the First Military Academy?
Narrowing his eyes, Yuremo pressed his hands down hard onto the desk.
No way. Absolutely not!
Kerry was merely a C-rank female. How on earth did he deserve to enter the First Military Academy? He would not allow it!
First Military Academy
First Legion Sector
“We can barely suppress it anymore.” Jeras looked at Lanrod with deep worry.
“It is fine,” Lanrod murmured, pressing his lips into a thin line.
His forehead was covered in a fine layer of cold sweat. Looking closely, one could even notice his long, delicate eyelashes trembling slightly.
“If you still cannot receive a male’s soothing, your mental domain could collapse at any moment,” Jeras said.
Lanrod closed his eyes, fighting through the most bone-chilling pain radiating from his mental domain. He spoke in a slow, low voice: “Use artificial male soothing serum.”
Jeras shook his head. “You have already developed a drug tolerance, and your rank is simply too high. Artificial soothing serums might be very effective for other females, but for you, the effect is extremely limited.”
Lanrod’s lips were pale, silver strands of hair brushing against his cheeks with a startling, breathtaking beauty.
“There are no males matched to me, and I will never have a master of my own.”
In this world, the highest-ranking males were S-rank, and at most, they could heal up to 3S-rank females.
Generally speaking, a 3S-rank female was already a once-in-a-generation genius seen only once every few decades.
Yet no one could have anticipated that His Highness Lanrod of the Imperial Royal Family would actually test at a 5S rank!
This was an ultra-high rank that had never before appeared in the Empire!
“You are 5S-rank. There cannot possibly be a 5S-rank male in this world! Even though there is no male matched to you, an S-rank male could still work! Soothing is better than no soothing at all. Although it cannot completely heal you, bonding with an S-rank male will at least ease your mental domain!” Jeras fretted anxiously. “Other females cannot find males, but you, you have a whole bunch of high-ranking males chasing after you, yet you refuse.”
Lanrod’s skin grew paler and paler as he desperately fought against this sudden mental riot.
“It has nothing to do with rank. I will not bond with any male.”
Jeras grew exasperated. “What are you being so stubborn for? For a female to have her own male master, this has been carved into our zerg genes for thousands of years. What are you rebelling against?”
Lanrod pressed his lips together and remained silent.
Jeras grew even more anxious. “Is it because males have bad tempers? Or because some males have many concubines? But not all males are like that! There are males with good tempers, and there are devoted males. Why will you not at least try?”
Lanrod raised his gaze to look at Jeras. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead to the corner of his eye. His originally pale skin carried a faint flush, and his exquisitely beautiful eye corners resembled the most gorgeous tail feathers of a butterfly.
Looking at Jeras, Lanrod gently shook his head. “The physiological structure of males determines their fragility and temperament. They need protection and tender care. I can understand them.”
Jeras was truly at his wits’ end. “Then what is the reason?”
Lowering his gaze to look at the inorganic floor, Lanrod said softly, “It is my own reason.”
Jeras was practically driven to laughter of pure exasperation by Lanrod. He stood up and strode toward the door. “Take the painkillers left over there yourself. I am done caring about you.”
With a loud bang, the door was forcefully slammed shut.
The room fell into profound silence.
Lanrod did not speak. He endured the agony with every ounce of his strength, waiting for the mental riot to subside.
Lanrod could not accept being marked by a male because he had witnessed far too many females lose themselves entirely after being marked.
Once marked, it was absolute submission embedded in the genes. It was a choice made for a lifetime.
Lanrod feared losing control, and he could not accept that version of himself.