According to Noah’s plan, he would finish the discharge procedures within three minutes, leave the hospital in two minutes, return to the Holy Land by starship within half an hour, and finally spend five minutes taking a simple bath to wash away the bad luck. He intended to sit safely and peacefully in his study, writing and planning for the future.
That was how it should have been.
However.
He stared at the two starships parked not far away.
Judging by the iconic patterns on the hulls, these two ships were top-tier limited editions produced by the Academy’s elite laboratory, sold by the Corporation only to specific high-privilege individuals. No matter which sea of stars they were flown to, they would undoubtedly be the coolest and most eye-catching ones.
The only difference was that one starship had a pair of purple elliptical hemispheres shaped like mechanical cat ears on the front, while the other was decorated with a round, snow-white rabbit tail at the rear.
Noah maintained a cold expression. “What is this?”
Lucian replied, beaming with excitement, “This is the ‘Snow Rabbit Rice Ball’ Federal limited edition starship, the most popular and most loved by young Excellencies in the Holy Land recently! I specifically found the Academy to customize it urgently just to pick you up from the hospital.”
“How is it? Isn’t it just as cute as you?”
The Veroria family head did not want to be outdone. “The safety rating of flying craft is still too low. I thought it over and personally designed this starship for you. It has the highest active defense rating and is unique in the entire Federation. I even added the mechanical cat ears on top myself. Do you like it?”
Noah said nothing.
He asked calmly, “How old am I this year?”
Lucian hesitated. “Eighteen?” His memory had regressed ten years, so eighteen was correct, no problem.
The Veroria family head’s ability to read the room was relatively higher. He paused, then said cautiously, “Twenty-eight?”
“Is that so?”
The young Excellency took a deep breath and smiled, though that smile seemed to be filled with a murderous aura. “I thought I was actually eight years old this year.”
The elder and younger Veroria: Quiet_as_a_chicken.jpg
Noah rubbed his temples helplessly.
He knew that the overly dramatic performances of his Drone Father and little uncle were simply because they had sensed the undercurrents between him and Igris. They wanted to reassure him in this way and help him find a sense of familiarity and control from the past in such a laughable scenario.
It was also their way of telling him that no matter what choices he made, the Veroria family would always be his firm backing.
However.
Looking at the tall, magnificent starships that were supposed to be incredibly cool but had been forcibly modified by two drones with simulated rabbit tails and mechanical cat ears to look ridiculous, His Holiness fell silent.
There was no need for this. Really, there was no need.
If he actually picked one of these two starships to sit in, his personal safety might be guaranteed, but his image as a cool, calm, and aloof guy, which he had worked hard to maintain for many years, would be completely ruined.
Noah sighed imperceptibly.
There was no help for it.
Things had already reached this point, so he would just have to go with it.
At the same time, in the hospital room.
The Council Chairman, who had arrived to find the room empty, did not immediately turn and leave.
Igris leaned against the sofa, feeling the lingering scent of His Holiness in the room. He rested his chin on his hand, tilted his head, and engaged in self-reflection. After all, why did he keep delaying his arrival at the hospital to see his master because of unrelated drones and a trivial interrogation?
Was there really anything in this world worth putting before his master?
Then, he thought nonchalantly.
He wondered what color sack his master preferred.
Which basement decor style should he choose? The material for the chains should be the toughest yet softest type; it would not be easy to break free from when tied to the body, nor would it cause injury. Hmm, interior lighting was also very important. It would be bad for a male drone’s vision if it were too dark, and a dark environment could easily cause psychological depression.
Once a drone’s mind wandered, it was easy for his thoughts to become scattered.
The Council Chairman even began to seriously consider whether to punish the other party a little.
He could not just have been angry for nothing, right?
That would be very embarrassing for him.
While he was pondering, the room door suddenly opened again.
A breeze swept across the corridor, revealing the Excellency’s calm eyes beneath his bangs. Perhaps because he had jogged, the male drone’s breathing was slightly rapid, and his eyelashes fluttered slightly, but there was still no expression on his face. He simply slowed his pace and walked toward the Council Chairman in a restrained, slow manner.
Igris’s gaze paused as he swept over the male drone’s slightly red earlobes.
Forget it.
The Council Chairman thought seriously: being angry was fine, too.
Of course, the young Excellency did not know that in the half hour he had been away from the hospital room, the Council Chairman had already envisioned a hundred ways to handle him.
He calmly extended his hand, pulled the other’s sleeve, his expression distressed and solemn.
“Igris, did you drive the starship here?”
Igris: “?”
Noah did not want to die of social embarrassment.
Fortunately, Igris’s way of thinking in this regard was still normal, and he did not make any undignified modifications to his own vehicle just to pick him up from the hospital. Seeing that the starship remained sleek and cool from the inside out, just as it was when it left the factory, Noah felt relieved and let out a small sigh of relief.
He turned his head to look at his Drone Consort.
The other drone had also noticed the two other starships with their strange designs.
For a moment, Noah almost saw a non-existent light bulb above the drone’s head flicker on.
The Council Chairman looked at the cat-ear starship, then at his master. He looked at the rabbit-tail starship, then at his master. Finally, he tilted his head and stared at his own cold and icy starship for a while, before turning his head away in disappointment. When he looked at the Veroria family’s starships again, there was a bit more restlessness and longing in his eyes.
… ?
The young Excellency’s eyes were filled with confusion, and his spirit gradually faded.
No.
What exactly are you excited about?
Can’t you drones put your competitive spirit into something slightly more normal?
Forget it.
He thought resignedly: let Igris modify it however he wants; he might not sit in it again after today anyway. A not-so-smart Council Chairman and not-so-smart silly starships; it was not a problem.
Too lazy to manage the drones with peculiar aesthetic tastes, Noah turned around, ready to depart.
It was only at this moment that he realized belatedly that Igris, who had been standing by his side, had somehow joined the small circle of drones again. The elder and younger Veroria were talking incessantly, as if describing something, while the Council Chairman listened and took notes seriously, nodding from time to time.
One dared to teach, and the other dared to learn.
Noah: “…”
Are the drones in this world idiots?
His Holiness took a deep breath, smiled, and strode toward his Drone Consort with a threatening air. He grabbed the latter’s collar and walked toward the starship. As the cabin door locked with a click, he stood still at the corner, turned around, and placed one hand in his pocket. He stretched his long leg across the drone’s waist, stepping on the wall, and trapped the drone between the wall and himself.
His expression was cold, as if he were interrogating a prisoner.
“What were you talking about just now?”
The Council Chairman was docile. “I was learning from Mr. Veroria how to better serve my master.”
As if.
You just want to see me die of embarrassment.
Noah maintained a cold expression.
Since he had woken up, they had at least spent an entire round interacting. By now, Noah understood one thing: don’t let this guy’s decent and impeccable appearance fool you, as he was a perfect Drone Consort in image, but in reality, he was full of malice, petty, and his true nature was outrageously vile.
He leaned forward, his voice full of warning, and said bluntly, “You, are not allowed to become like that!”
Igris looked confused. “Hm? Like what?”
Noah raised an eyebrow, arms crossed, and looked at him expressionlessly.
Seeing that His Holiness’s expression was becoming increasingly dangerous, the Council Chairman slowly raised his hand in a gesture of surrender, looking very regretful. “Alright, I promise.”
Noah looked away coldly.
It was better if this guy was not pretending.
During the next part of the journey, the warned Council Chairman finally restrained his bad intentions, sat obediently in his seat, and behaved in a very well-behaved manner.
Half an hour later, the starship successfully arrived at the origin home planet, Aetherealm.
The so-called origin home planet, as the name implies, was the place where all life of the Zerg originated and evolved. The [Holy Land] Uranus, responsible for supporting and teaching the Excellencies, was located in the core airspace of Aetherealm and consisted of thirty-three floating islands wrapped in huge transparent bubbles.
From the outside, the Holy Land was a part of Aetherealm.
In reality, two thousand years ago, in order to better ensure the safety of the Excellencies and the reproduction of the Zerg population, the Federation passed the “Civilization Continuity Emergency Defense Act,” using the [Academy’s] spatial convergence technology to send Uranus into the imaginary subspace, achieving an effect of external concealment.
To describe it using a joke that was once popular on the StarNet:
“Have you seen the precious treasure of our Zerg race?
It is hidden well,
And we are not letting you see it.”
From then on, the Holy Land Uranus became a phantom floating in the universe, like a mirage, open only on the free days and dating days of each week. At other times, without approval, even if drones or extraterrestrial life forms intentionally sought out the corresponding coordinates, they could only see it, but never touch or intrude upon it.
Looking at the reflection of the sky not far away, Noah’s suspended heart gradually settled.
The Holy Land had its own rules. Even a Council Chairman could not come and go as he pleased in Uranus without the Holy Land’s permission. Without interference and threats from the outside world, he could temporarily rest and recuperate on his own turf, trying to regain his past political accumulation.
Most importantly.
He paused subtly, glanced to the side, and then looked away composedly.
He had hidden away in the Holy Land; the other party could not possibly still be chasing him to kill him, right?
The starship slowly landed on the largest and most beautiful island among the floating islands.
As soon as he arrived home, Noah changed into a bathrobe.
His Holiness lowered his eyes and glanced at the Council Chairman who was naturally following him inside. He said nothing, nor did he make any extra pleasantries. He took a change of clothes, turned around, and went to the outdoor hot spring on the other side, conveniently activating the energy shield and locking the door.
The sky gradually darkened.
Under the dome, the water mist swirled like sharkskin.
Noah yawned slightly, submerging his entire body under the warm, soft spring water, and spit out a few bubbles in satisfaction.
As for the Council Chairman outside.
Anyway, when the time came, the other party would have to leave whether he wanted to or not. Noah was too lazy to waste his breath; before the Holy Land’s curfew arrived, the other party could do whatever he wanted.
At the same time.
At the Federation Central Hospital, in the Psychiatry Department, the attending physician who was about to finish his shift welcomed a special online consultation.
“Good evening, Dr. Howard.” The drone in the communication video was very polite, his expression serious, his tone very earnest, and he said solemnly, “If it is convenient, may I consult you on a few psychological questions?”
The voice was slightly familiar.
Dr. Howard raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the face that frequently appeared in federal official news. He focused for a moment and instantly associated it with certain current political news. However, his face showed no signs of it. With the professional competence that a psychiatrist should have, he said calmly, “Please speak.”
The Council Chairman rested his chin on his hand, his expression extremely distressed. “It is like this: starting the day before yesterday, my master suddenly began ignoring me and would intentionally or unintentionally avoid me in daily life. According to psychiatry, could it be that my master has a slight problem psychologically?”
… ?
The doctor was rendered silent by this series of inverted accusations.
No.
Is there a possibility that the one who is mentally ill is you, not your master?
Dr. Howard had been practicing medicine for many years; where had he ever seen such a situation?
As an expert-level physician specializing in psychology, especially male drone psychology, who had saved Excellencies countless times from fire and water, if any other drone had spoken such nonsense in front of him, Howard would have long ago grabbed the other’s collar and scolded him; he would not have been talking nonsense in an online consultation.
However, the situation was stronger than the drones.
Considering the special status of the drone on the other side, the doctor dared not truly scold him and could only hint subtly, “His Holiness does not have any problems; it is just that male drones have always been sensitive. His Holiness has just lost his memory and is still very unfamiliar with the surrounding environment. This is the stage where he is most psychologically fragile and anxious; he needs family members to care for him with care and create more sense of security.”
Igris attempted to defend himself. “But when he just woke up, he was clearly still very close to me.” Although he was pretending.
“…”
Dr. Howard showed a polite smile. “Male drones with mark relationships will instinctively approach their Drone Consort in an insecure situation. If you lack common sense in this regard, you might as well flip through the ‘Male Drone Protection Guide,’ which is a must-read for federal drones. I think it can answer your questions more comprehensively than I can.”
“Then why isn’t he close to me now?”
Good question.
The doctor’s eyes suddenly became sharp. “So, what did you do?”
The Council Chairman’s gaze dodged slightly, and he said cautiously, “I just teased him a little?”
The doctor frowned, raised his eyes, and looked at the other party with a severe, condemning gaze.
Thinking that the only Holiness of the Federation was being bullied by the Council Chairman in a place unseen by the public, Dr. Howard felt guilty for failing in his duty. He paused, but in the end, he could not resist his professional habit. Ignoring the differences in status, he immediately trained the Council Chairman, who was staring blankly and was completely unaware of anything on the other end, through the holographic communication.
In the end, he did not forget to summarize with an ear-to-ear instruction: Not allowed! To bully again! His Holiness!
The Council Chairman knew he was in the wrong. “I understand.”
“Is that so?” The doctor did not believe it. “What did I just say? Recite it back to me.”
Igris: “…”
By the time the Council Chairman recited the “Lost Memory Master Care Manual” obediently and diligently, as if he were a student being lectured by a teacher, it was already half an hour later.
The sound of water in the hot spring had already stopped.
It seemed that while he was being lectured by the doctor, the young Excellency had already slipped back into the bedroom.
Under the hazy moonlight, the male drone slept peacefully, his breathing long.
Cute.
Want to poke.
As if bewitched by the cold moonlight, by the time Igris reacted, his fingertips had already touched the cold side of the male drone’s face. He felt the softness of the touch tremble slightly, and the beautiful long eyelashes swept across his fingertips, bringing a slight itch.
Extremely subtle touch.
The active party, however, paused, and retreated composedly.
He thought for a while.
In the end, he could not resist lowering his head and approaching His Holiness’s neck, but as if afraid of startling something, he kissed the male drone’s collar lightly and with restraint.
Forget it, Igris thought.
I will not scare him anymore.