Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 115
Daylight came and went, and night fell again. Joshua stood at the viewing porthole at the stern of the Lady of the Night, gazing up at the sky dominated by the blood-red giant star and another bright star shining like a jewel on deep red silk.
Just now, Alois and Casper had just jointly persuaded Princess Alveira to rest, as she seemed intent on staying awake until departure day. The final result was the Princess reluctantly agreeing to rest but refusing to stay in Jonna’s cabin, despite Leo repeatedly stating that it was the only captain’s quarters on the ship.
“I don’t want to stay there,” the Princess stubbornly insisted. “There are ghosts of the past and painful memories lingering there.”
In the end, Leo compromised, allowing the princess to stay in the adjacent cabin. For the heir to half the galaxy, this was rather poor treatment, but the Princess was content, and who could argue with that?
Seeing her, Joshua was reminded of her ancestor, the great Nasir I. In Joshua’s memory, that man was also stubborn and neurotic, possessing the charisma of a leader and a frighteningly persuasive power. Even after so many years, it seemed the power of genes remained deeply rooted, playing an indispensable role in human destiny.
Joshua then thought of Major General Darius Bayes, who also carried the blood of Nasir Chabais. After two thousand years, he met the descendants of an old acquaintance and became enemies, only to soon become allies. The twists and turns of fate were truly wondrous and unfathomable. Alois had often complained that the God of Fate loved to play tricks on him. But now it seemed that fickle god enjoyed playing tricks on everyone.
“What are you thinking about?” Leonard appeared beside him. “Alois is looking for you.”
“Isn’t he supposed to be with the Princess?”
“The Princess said she wanted to be alone and sent both of her loyal knights away,” Leonard replied, looking at Joshua. “Then Alois said he wanted to find you. I think he probably wants to mate with you again.”
Joshua’s face contorted. “Leo, can you be a little more subtle? Artistic? Poetic?”
“When I’m subtle, you want me to be straightforward. When I’m artistic, you want me to be scientific. When I’m poetic, you want me to be realistic. Asimov! Why are humans so hard to please!”
“…Don’t you think it’s you who’s strange?”
“Then tell me what I should do.”
“First, don’t use the word ‘mate’. It’s used to describe sexual animal behavior. Is there something wrong with your dictionary?”
“Is there a big difference between humans and animals to me?” Leo replied with a clear conscience.
Joshua felt unprecedented frustration. Kester, my dear brother, look at what you’ve created!
He decided to drop the topic. “Did you tell Alois I’m here?”
“I gave him a very long route,” Leo said. “Do you want me to make it even longer? You seem to want some time alone.”
The AI thought this gesture was very considerate, almost bringing him to tears of compassion for his own gentleness. But Joshua didn’t thank him. The assassin silently gazed at the crimson night sky, silver hair cascading over his shoulders, his eyes turning a gentle golden hue like twilight. Leo thought hazily that this posture was exactly how he used to look up at the stars as a child. Then, with a touch of sentiment and heartache, he realized it was also how Kester looked.
“Leo, there’s a question I’ve always wanted to ask but never dared,” Joshua said, holding onto the glass, seemingly afraid to look at Leonard’s face.
“What is it?”
“Do you…” The assassin clenched his fist against the glass, trembling as he spoke. “Do you like Kester?”
If Leo had a body, he would be struggling to breathe due to a spasm in his lungs. He had prepared to answer this question since reuniting with Joshua, but hearing it still caught him off guard.
He answered briskly, “No.” Ah, Joshua, you’re as perceptive as your brother, as if nothing could be hidden from your family’s golden eyes.
For an ordinary person, this would be the end of it. But Joshua liked to get to the bottom of things, a habit nurtured by Kester’s rigorous scientific attitude.
“Then, do you love him?”
Leo painfully turned his head. This question shattered his calm, courteous armor, exposing the bloody interior, tearing at his soul—if he had one—like a banshee’s claws.
An AI couldn’t lie. He could joke, remain silent, but he couldn’t lie, especially not in front of Joshua—his creator’s brother.
“I…” Leonard found his voice unusually hoarse. “I sometimes envy those low-end AIs. Without self-awareness, they can survive by following programs and commands. No need to think, no emotions, no love, and thus no sorrow.”
Joshua remained silent.
Leo mustered the courage to step forward, standing beside the assassin.
“Joshua, I have a request.”
“Please, go ahead.”
“Can I kiss you?”
Joshua’s eyes widened in shock. The request was bizarre and excessive, but he nodded in agreement. He stood rigidly, watching Leonard’s hologram kiss his lips—feeling nothing.
Of course, there couldn’t be any feeling. Leo was just a simulated image, accurately superimposed on Joshua through complex calculations.
A real body and an invisible image. For Leonard, kissing Joshua was like kissing a past phantom, someone who haunted him for two thousand years. He remembered the moment he gained consciousness from the void, the first sight he saw was that person. That was his father, creator, god, bringing him joy, worry, madness, and hatred. Leonard loved that person deeply, thus learning to love humans. Now, he was genuinely grateful to the one who had introduced him to the most beautiful and profound human emotions.
The kiss was brief. Leo quickly pulled away from Joshua. Then he heard hurried footsteps in the corridor—Alois, delayed by the long route, finally arrived. Leo casually greeted him and disappeared, leaving the still-stunned Joshua and the bewildered Alois. They could mate as they pleased with the remaining time. Leo had other matters to attend to.
He checked the servers rented in the public super-light network, unsurprised to find a bunch of emails from Galactic Diva Camilla—over seventy in total. Some days, Camilla sent multiple emails, mostly casual chat like “Today’s breakfast was ham salad and apple juice. Rita told me to lose weight,” or “Just got questioned by the Empire police, so nervous.” Initially, Leo responded to each one (he was moved by his own kindness and attentiveness), but after the Dream of a Cold Night sank, he couldn’t handle the correspondence anymore.
In the later emails, Camilla repeatedly asked why he didn’t reply. “Answer me, damn AI!” Leonard could almost hear his angry roar on the other end of the network. “Tell me how Alois is! Is he hurt?… Oh, and I hope your computer is working.”
In the latest email, Camilla sent a newly composed song, a tribute to those who died in the war. It was a requiem, singing of the sun, moon, stars, light, and space, of eternal and ephemeral things, of love, courage, betrayal and sacrifice.
If Leo had a body, he would weep at this song. He played it publicly, letting the clear voice spread through the Lady of the Night and every corner of Milantu.
Cheer up, Leonard, the AI told himself. Let the dead rest in peace. There’s nothing you can do but hurt yourself further. But the living are different. Being alive means infinite possibilities. You can’t chase past phantoms because of the dead. You can only move forward for the sake of the living.
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