Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 36

His face felt itchy.

It was also wet, with a faint stinging sensation.

Something was licking his face. This guy’s tongue had barbs, making it extremely rough. Damn it, stop licking, he doesn’t taste good!

Joshua abruptly opened his eyes, and what he saw was Schrödinger’s furry face. Its whiskers twitched, and its amber eyes, with pupils shaped like ovals, almost filled the entire eyeball, making the black cat look pure and innocent.

The assassin glanced outside. The ruling star of the night sky had already moved past the zenith, so it was probably around 9 AM standard time. Judging by his usual schedule, he had obviously overslept. “Are you waking me up?” he asked Schrödinger.

“Meow.” The black cat meowed, turned, and ran out the door.

The assassin stared blankly for a few seconds before suddenly realizing something was wrong! His arms were empty. There was nothing there but air! Where was Alois? Where had Alois gone?! Before he closed his eyes, he was still lying in his arms. How could he be gone as soon as he opened his eyes?

Joshua hurriedly jumped out of bed, barely managing to dress, and rushed downstairs. The living room on the first floor was empty. Schrödinger’s black tail flashed in the kitchen door crack, and the sound of frying food came from inside.

He pushed the kitchen door open with a bang, startling the person inside.

“Good Lord, you scared me to death,” Alois said as he turned around. He was wearing a beige apron, about to crack two eggs. “You’re awake?” He glanced at Joshua’s messy hair and clothes with suspicion.

“Mm.” Seeing that Alois was fine and standing there, Joshua sighed in relief. The panic on his face vanished completely, with not a trace left. “I overslept,” he said.

“Oh, me too.” Alois put the eggs into the frying pan, expertly lifting the pan. “Did you sleep well last night?” He blushed as he asked this, luckily facing away from Joshua, so he couldn’t see.

“Mm.” The assassin replied. “I dreamed of you.”

Alois’s hand shook, nearly tossing the frying egg. Luckily, he was facing away from Joshua! The young man thought again, the designer of this house was really considerate!

The microwave on the cabinet next to them dinged. Schrödinger circled the oven, seeming to know it was done heating, scratching the oven door nonstop.

“Move aside!” Alois shooed the cat away, opened the microwave, and took out the plate of grilled fish from yesterday. The fragrance was overwhelming, making Schrödinger’s eyes glaze over. Alois placed the plate in a corner of the kitchen, and the black cat immediately pounced on it, devouring the fish.

After taking care of the cat, he hurried back to the frying pan. “You go wait in the living room. Breakfast will be ready soon,” he said to Joshua.

“You can cook?” The assassin leaned against the kitchen doorframe, watching the busy young man with interest.

“Duh, it’s just frying an egg. Anyone can do it!”

“Well, I can’t.”

Alois rolled his eyes at him.

“You look good in an apron.” A warm smile appeared on Joshua’s lips. “But you look even better in a spacesuit.”

This was his heartfelt compliment. The pilots’ spacesuits were form-fitting, and the high-temperature and cold-resistant tough material outlined Alois’s body from head to toe, especially the perfect curve of his waistline, always provoking wild thoughts.

Alois blushed and retorted, “I look better without it!”

“Ah, your eggs are burning.”

“…Shit!”

So, that day’s breakfast was two burnt fried eggs. For the first meal Alois made personally for Joshua, it couldn’t have been worse, Alois thought despairingly.

“Bah! Having something to eat is already good enough, stop being picky!”

Joanna glared at the whimpering Pavlov, who, after leaving behind Chef Celia’s delicious food, was strongly protesting against the bowl of dog biscuits in front of it. The restaurant waitress served the captain matcha cake and then turned to toss a small sausage to the big dog.

“Stop feeding him. He’ll get fat!”

“Captain, you should use that advice on yourself.”

“Hmph!” Joanna buried her head in the cake, selectively ignoring the helpless smiles of the restaurant staff.

Leonard’s image appeared opposite her. The AI had changed into a white robe today, looking very much like a church priest. “Good day, Captain.” He clasped his hands inside his sleeves.

Joanna glanced at the pitch-black sky outside, not understanding where the AI saw the “day”. Probably, lifeforms like them living in the virtual world could only rely on standard time to calculate time, she thought sympathetically.

“I have good news for you.” Leonard rested his chin in his hand. “A merchant ship belonging to the Dowlan Company is transporting a batch of gems to the Free City-States, passing about one light-year from the Flaming Twins.”

“Is this something that needs to be reported?” Joanna dropped her fork. “Brothers, grab your gear and go!”

“Robbery? How to rob?”

At 10:20 AM standard time, Alois was studying how to use the household robot, and Joshua, sent to wash dishes, suddenly heard Titia burst in, shouting loudly, “Come on, boys. It’s time to make a name for ourselves!”

“Is the Empire Army attacking?” Alois stuffed the manual into the robot’s belly.

“We’re going to rob!”

So, the two were dragged out of the house without further ado, heading towards the spaceport amidst the base’s alarms. The Lady of the Night had docked at the port for less than a day and had to set sail again.

“Robbing is just like eating. Once you do it, you’ll know how.” Titia and Alois boarded the preparation cabin, while Joshua went in another direction, assigned to the vanguard team.

After hurriedly changing into spacesuits, Alois was still confused. “I still don’t understand how to rob.”

“Let me put it simply.” Titia climbed into her beloved “Fran”. “Follow orders in all actions.”

That was straightforward enough. Military academy instructors taught the same way. Alois climbed into “Doro” (he didn’t know when everyone started calling it that), and started the system.

Captain Joanna, responsible for command, thought robbing was a very simple matter, much easier than fighting a war, even when facing a ship with heavy weapons. Her plan was even simpler: First, the Lady of the Night would warp to the vicinity of the merchant ship; second, the fighter jets would launch and destroy the merchant ship’s beam cannons; third, the vanguard team would board the merchant ship, threaten the crew with force, and Leonard would take control of the merchant ship’s systems; finally, they would drag the loot and captives back home.

Of course, she would never simply tell others her plan. In the bridge, Joanna always remained calm and composed, issuing one order after another, making many people mistakenly believe she must be contemplating complex tactics.

The Lady of the Night ended its warp, and the radar showed traces of the merchant ship. They weren’t far apart. If the Lady of the Night advanced at full speed, they could catch up within ten minutes. “Don’t reveal your identity.” Joanna ordered. “Fighter jets, destroy the merchant ship’s weapon systems!”

The control console faithfully transmitted her orders to the four pilots. Alois put on his spacesuit helmet, and the control panel appeared. The cockpit trembled slightly, a precursor to the launch system. He pulled up the control lever, whispering, “Doro (a shiver ran through him as he said the name), Alois Lagrange, launch!”

The fighter jet was catapulted into space.

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 35

“Spider, can the ‘Dream of a Cold Night’ depart now?” Joanna walked into the control tower of Milantu’s spaceport, her leather boots making a crisp sound on the metal floor.

Spider Maxim followed her. “The Dream of a Cold Night? Don’t you already have the Lady of the Night?”

“I need to take care of some business in the Empire Capital in a few days. Using the Lady of the Night would be too inconvenient.”

The Lady of the Night was known across the galaxy as Joanna Begrel’s ride. Even without identifying the ship’s number and name, its darker-than-night appearance was enough to reveal her identity. Taking it to the capital would be like wearing a sign that said “I’m Joanna” into a police station.

Before Joanna acquired the Lady of the Night, her flagship was the Dream of a Cold Night, a destroyer with an ice-blue hull. It was an excellent ship at the time, though inferior to the Lady of the Night, manufactured by Neo Athens. During the retreat from the Federal Army, the Dream of a Cold Night was heavily damaged by artillery fire. The mechanics at Milantu repaired it, but it hadn’t sailed since then.

“Do you really intend to take the Dream of a Cold Night?”

“Of course. Start checking its systems immediately, backup Leo’s data to the ship’s computer, and load sufficient supplies. This mission is extremely dangerous, and I need to finalize the crew list.”

“How many people will you take?” Spider asked, as this would determine how much supply to load.

“As few as possible. No more than twenty.” Joanna stepped onto the lift, heading up the control tower. “By the way, please take care of my dog.”

“Oh.” Spider watched her ascend, feeling an inexplicable sense of loss. “So, no need to bring dog food?”

Titia chewed her gum nonchalantly as she opened the door, turning to gesture at Alois. “You’ll be staying here from now on.”

“Pirates get assigned housing? That’s pretty luxurious!” Alois examined the two-story metal house. It wasn’t large, about 150 square meters including the backyard and balcony. The first floor was a living room and kitchen, and the second floor had bedrooms. The furnishings were extremely simple, which made sense given that Milantu’s artificial gravity was only three-quarters of Earth’s gravity and could be turned off for various reasons. Simple furnishings were safer.

He hesitated for a long time, not daring to enter, only casting a questioning look at Titia. “You can sleep on the street if you prefer,” the female pilot said, puffing out her cheeks.

Joshua shrugged, walked inside, and casually dropped his luggage on the floor. “Am I sharing this place with Alois?” He tested the stairs’ stability and then headed upstairs.

“The captain said family members should live together, and it also saves resources, doesn’t it?” Titia pushed Alois inside and bowed theatrically. “My brother and I live across the street. Come to us if you need anything.” She smirked and closed the door.

Alois checked the lock, confirming it couldn’t be opened from the outside. This place is fantastic! he thought happily. Living with Joshua! Eating, sleeping, waking up together every day—it’s just like newlyweds!

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re imagining.” Joshua’s voice came from upstairs. “There are two bedrooms. Give up your delusions and sleep peacefully.”

…Who designed this shitty house?! Damn it!

For the next hour, they busied themselves unpacking. Many neighbors came to visit. Some were colleagues from the Lady of the Night, while others, unfamiliar faces, were fleet members who stayed in Milantu. The most memorable for Alois was the chef, Celia. She brought a plate of delicious, golden-brown grilled fish to their door.

“Welcome to Milantu. Just a small gift, for your cat.” The pretty girl smiled while handing the grilled fish to the tearful young man, adding, “Don’t steal any!”

“Can you believe it, Joshua? These days, cats eat better than humans!” That night, Alois complained to Joshua on the balcony. Milantu’s rotation was extremely slow. A planetary day equaled four standard days, making night four times longer than standard time. For those living in space, adjusting to such a time difference was meaningless. So, Milantu’s inhabitants abandoned the day-night cycle, living two standard days per day. Here, day and night made little difference because even at night, the red giant star’s cosmic material left bright red streaks in the sky, resembling a river of blood. The other star dominated the night sky, outshining other stars like the brightest gem in a crown.

Milantu’s night needed no artificial lights. The stars’ brilliance always illuminated the planet.

Joshua glanced at Schrödinger, who was enjoying the delicious food. “Oh, I believe it.” He grabbed a fish from the black cat’s plate and stuffed it into his mouth. “So we need to change our situation.”

“Meow!” Schrödinger howled angrily, its tail bristling. Joshua glared at it, and the black cat immediately lowered its tail, quietly eating its fish without making a sound.

“See?” the assassin said smugly. “That’s the law of the universe, survival of the fittest.”

“You’re bragging about stealing food from a cat? Pathetic.” Alois’s voice lowered. Milantu’s red star shine illuminated the assassin’s hair, giving him a dark purple glow, like an ethereal being from a fairy tale, both dreamy and unreal. For a brief moment, Alois wondered if the Joshua before him was an illusion. He reached out, gently stroking the assassin’s silver hair, feeling its silky smoothness, then kissed his cheek. Feeling the warmth of the skin, Alois sighed in relief. The Joshua before him was real.

“What’s wrong?” Joshua sensed the unusual atmosphere. He returned Alois’s kiss, deepening it involuntarily. Since his confession in Neo Venice, their relationship had grown more intimate, spending almost every moment together, and even their intimate moments had increased significantly. Though they had never fully consummated their relationship, Joshua felt their current state was the most natural and intimate for lovers. He didn’t want to go further, afraid of breaking this delicate balance.

Their passionate kiss quickly excited both of them. Alois impatiently started to undo Joshua’s pants.

“Not here.” Joshua leaned against the balcony railing. “Someone might see.” Titia’s family lived across the street!

“They won’t. I asked Ibb. There’s an optical camouflage around the house. No one can see in from outside.” Alois knelt, pulling down Joshua’s underwear and taking his already aroused member into his mouth.

The warm mouth and agile tongue made Joshua inhale deeply with pleasure, then slowly exhaled. Looking down, he could see Alois sucking his cock. The young man’s expression was so focused, as if nothing in the world mattered more than this.

This made Joshua feel a pang of guilt. To be honest, he loved the sensation of deep throating—the hot and tight touch gave him intense pleasure, which made him reach his peak instantly. But he hated performing oral sex on others, so he had never reciprocated for Alois. Although Alois claimed not to mind, Joshua still felt uncomfortable, like he owed something.

The pleasure from below intensified. Almost time. Alois, while sucking Joshua’s cock, reached into his own pants, starting to pleasure himself.

Joshua gently pressed the back of his head. “I’m about to cum,” he whispered, giving a few shallow thrusts before releasing into Alois’s mouth. The young man narrowed his eyes, swallowing all the liquid, quickly finishing himself shortly after.

After climaxing, they faced each other in silence. Schrödinger had long since retreated to the house with a fish in its mouth, not daring to witness the explicit scene.

Milantu’s starry sky was silent. The brilliant starlight illuminated the small balcony. Under the starlight, Joshua saw the flush on Alois’s face and his exceptionally bright blue eyes. In the young man’s eyes, he saw his own reflection—a single second, but it was enough. In that moment, Joshua admitted he was hopelessly smitten.

“It’s cold at night. Let’s go inside.” Joshua averted his gaze.

“Okay.”

Alois got up from the ground. His knees were sore from kneeling too long on the hard, cold metal floor, causing him to stumble several times before finding his balance.

“Knees hurt?”

“Yeah.” Alois nodded. Before he could voice his complaint, Joshua scooped him up.

“What are you doing?” Alois was surprised.

“Taking you to your room.”

Joshua indeed took him to a room, but it was his own. He tossed the young man onto the bed, pulled the curtains to let the starlight in, then undressed.

“Don’t get the wrong idea.” He climbed into bed, commanding the expectant Alois. “Close your eyes and sleep. No funny business.”

“We’re sleeping together?” The young man was both surprised and delighted.

Joshua wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “Together.”

“Aren’t you afraid?”

“I’m trying to overcome it!” The assassin, slightly embarrassed, pressed Alois’s head into his chest. But the latter wriggled free, asking, “Should we leave a light on?” Joshua usually kept a light on while sleeping.

“No need. The starlight is bright enough.”

A bit too bright. Alois snuggled into the assassin’s embrace, closing his eyes to immerse himself in darkness. He tried to calm his racing heart, but his thoughts were already soaring. He remembered when they first met, Joshua would get angry even at a kiss. Who would have thought they’d be sharing a bed now, with Joshua initiating it!

His heart grew even more jubilant. Wild thoughts raced through his mind, but soon he felt exhausted and fell asleep.

Hearing the steady breathing from his arms, Joshua calmed down as well. For many years, he had gotten used to being alone. If he had to share a room with someone else, he would surely suffer from insomnia. He often woke up in the middle of the night, startled by nightmares from the past, and even had to keep a gun under his pillow to sleep peacefully.

‘Being my roommate must be a torment,’ Joshua thought. ‘It’s also a torment for me.’

But now, Alois had already fallen into a deep sleep, and the assassin knew it wasn’t an act. He forced himself to close his eyes and sleep but couldn’t succeed. Hours passed, and Joshua still felt no hint of sleepiness.

Alois turned over in his sleep. So the assassin carefully adjusted his position, holding the young man even tighter. The body in his arms was so warm, it felt like it was melting both his body and soul. This feeling was very strange, soft and sweet—a warmth he hadn’t felt since he left the sunlight of Old Earth.

It was like a light shining, like a fire burning.

When the ruling star of the night sky moved to the center of the zenith, Joshua finally couldn’t resist the sleepiness and fell into a deep sleep. Like every night before, he dreamed. But this time he didn’t dream of the laboratory on Old Earth, didn’t dream of parting with Kester, didn’t dream of the dark journeys in the universe, and didn’t dream of the desperate days and nights on Benjamin Star.

When he realized he was dreaming, Joshua found himself standing in the cell of Hecate Prison. Right, this was where he first met Alois. At that time, if there had been a brick beside him, he would have undoubtedly picked it up and smashed it on this obscene guy in front of him.

But this was a dream. Joshua saw Alois sitting on the bed nonchalantly. “It’s all your fault, Joshua Planck,” he blamed. “It’s your fault for being too beautiful, making me have evil thoughts.”

Although he said this, his eyes weren’t evil, nor were they impure. Among all the people Joshua had seen, none had eyes as clear as his.

Clear and blue, like the sky and ocean of Old Earth.

In his eyes, Joshua saw his own reflection. Only for a brief second. But he admitted that, in that second, he had hopelessly fallen for him.

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 34

In the crimson flame ring of the Flaming Binary, there was a small planet named Milantu. It was only a quarter the size of Old Earth and was located at the Lagrange point of the binary stars, rotating at a very slow pace. It has a thin atmosphere with a high content of hydrogen and helium. Generally, such small planets weren’t suitable for human habitation, but because of the rich metal deposits in its strata, colonists established mines here, creating an artificial atmosphere and ecosystem suitable for human survival, along with a spaceport for ships transporting the ore.

During the First Galactic War, the colonists evacuated Milantu. In the dark years that followed, this gem in the flame ring was forgotten in the passage of time. Technology declined, civilization regressed, until the first group of Earth survivors brought lost technology to the “Unfallen Star”, and the colonists saw the dawn of hope.

Another fourteen hundred years passed, and Joanna Begrel’s fleet, defectors from the Federal Army turned space pirates, arrived here. They discovered that once the abandoned base’s energy was restored, it could still operate. Within forty-eight hours, the artificial atmosphere filled the base’s sky, the ecosystem began to recover, and various plants and animals were automatically cloned and revived by the computer. Even the thousand-year-abandoned mines resumed operation, with machinery extracting tons of ore from the rock layers according to the ancient colonists’ programs. Everything was orderly, as if the base had merely taken a brief nap, rather than being abandoned for a millennium.

Joanna immediately decided to make Milantu the base for her pirate fleet. After some renovation and expansion, the base became a small town, including pirates, their families, and reserve members of the pirate group, with a population of nearly a thousand. Almost every week, black market merchant ships came to Milantu’s spaceport to sell weapons and buy stolen goods. During the off-season, the base would open the mines and rely on selling ore for income. Over the years, they had accumulated quite a bit.

The female pirate leader returned to the Flaming Binary at the end of the off-season. The Lady of the Night passed by the last merchant ship buying ore for the year under the deep red light of the red giant star. The merchant ship sent a message to the Lady of the Night: “Isn’t this the mad queen? We thought you died on Hecate!”

“What? Is this how Old Highway’s caravan welcomes me back?” Joanna, sitting in the command seat, said unhappily to Leo. “Curse him for me!”

“At your command, Captain!” The dutiful AI sent a message back to the merchant ship. “Fuck you!”

The merchant ship immediately fled from the Lady of the Night like a scared rabbit.

“Oh, Captain, look at what you’ve done,” Leo chided. “You scared Old Highway away. He might not come to buy our ore next year.”

“It was you who scared him away, not me!” Joanna wanted to swing the command seat at the AI. Fortunately, the base was sturdy enough to avoid a disaster.

“Dear crew members, the Lady of the Night will dock in five minutes. A large crowd is waiting at the port to welcome us. Finish your work, bring the gifts you bought for your family and friends, and put on a tearful expression! We’re going home!”

After Leonard’s announcement, cheers erupted in the dining hall. Ibb Descartes was so excited he almost jabbed a fork into Alois’s nose.

“Sorry, brother!” Ibb threw down the fork and started waving a napkin to express his joy.

“Are we arriving at Milantu?” Alois calmly forked a piece of potato into his mouth.

“Yes! Milantu! Our base! We’re going home!” Ibb was as excited as if he were on a stimulant.

Alois glanced at Joshua, ensuring he had no intention of stealing his meat, then asked, “Is your family also on Milantu?”

Ibb wiped the tears of excitement from his left eye with his left hand and vigorously patted Alois on the back with his right hand, nearly causing him to choke on the potato he had just swallowed. “Of course! Where else would they be?”

So when Alois disembarked and saw the “family” Ibb embraced, he started boasting about his wide mouth. Joshua, with his mouth shut, boasted about his large eyes. The cat-skin scarf Schrödinger around his neck boasted about both simultaneously.

“Let me introduce you. This is my mechanical teacher, Maxim, but everyone calls him ‘Spider’.” Ibb pointed excitedly at the two people and one cat. “They are the new companions the captain recruited, Joshua Planck and Alois Lagrange, along with their pet, Schrödinger.”

“Welcome to Milantu, newcomers and new cat! Your expressions are priceless!” Maxim’s voice was bright as he shook Joshua’s and Alois’s hands and Schrödinger’s paw simultaneously. Saying “simultaneously” was appropriate because his hands were two mechanical prosthetics, and he had two additional pairs of mechanical arms on his shoulders. With his legs, Maxim had “eight limbs” in total, hence his nickname “Spider”.

“Don’t make that face, Alois.” Ibb looked a little hurt. “Spider lost his hands in an accident and installed six mechanical arms to better repair machinery. He’s the best mechanic in the fleet.”

Alois stiffly nodded.

“It’s okay, Ibb.” Spider Maxim smiled. If one ignored his six arms, he looked like a quiet, intellectual reader rather than a sweaty technician who worked on machines all day. “I love seeing expressions like theirs. It’s exhilarating!”

Alois and Joshua silently exchanged a look, wordlessly saying, “Milantu is terrifying! I want to go back to Hecate, really!”

Joshua understood, nodding. To confirm he wasn’t dreaming, he pinched the black cat on his neck hard. The black cat let out a miserable cry, and Joshua resignedly sighed.

Captain Joanna, upon disembarking, was immediately surrounded by a sea of people, receiving an even warmer welcome than when she returned to the Lady of the Night. She had to punch a few people to break free from the crowd, then climbed onto a transport vehicle and raised her hands. Usually, when the captain made this gesture, it meant she had something important to announce. The bustling crowd immediately fell silent, and the once lively spaceport became quiet, with thousands of eyes focused on the red-haired female pirate.

“My companions,” the captain began. “Not long ago, due to my foolish mistake, I caused trouble for everyone! I’m sorry!”

The crowd burst into laughter. Someone shouted, “It’s okay, Captain, we’re used to it!” This was met with many agreements.

Joanna continued, “Even so, you all risked your lives to rescue me… You are truly my good brothers!”

Another round of cheers. “And sisters!” several girls shouted from the crowd.

“And sisters.” The captain nodded. “Now, we, the Lady of the Night, have finally returned to Milantu. We are home!”

Applause, cheers, and screams drowned Milantu’s sky. The grandeur of this scene was no less than a concert by the Galactic Diva, Alois thought.

To quiet the crowd, Joanna raised her hands again.

“Here, I want to formally introduce two new companions, my fellow prisoners from Hecate.” Joanna keenly pointed out Alois and Joshua in the crowd. “The Mourner—Joshua Planck, and his family—Alois Lagrange, who is also the fourth pilot of the Lady of the Night!”

The crowd’s burning gazes turned towards the two. Alois didn’t know what to do, so he looked at Joshua for help. The assassin calmly raised his right hand, greeting the crowd with a solemn nod, as if he were a leader inspecting his troops.

“Ahaha, two S-class wanted criminals,” Spider said. “The average bounty in Milantu just went up a lot. Congratulations.”…There’s nothing to be happy about in this! Alois thought mournfully.

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 33

Joanna Begrel stood gaping, staring at the silver-white machine in the maintenance bay. “Leo, what is this?”

“Captain, has your eyesight deteriorated that much in just a few days?”

“If I’m not mistaken, this is a ‘Bard’.”

Titia stood next to her, holding an opened bag of chips, but hadn’t eaten any. “Captain, you lied.” She stared at the machine and said, “You said we couldn’t afford a ‘Bard’.”

“It wasn’t me who said that. It was Mrs. Mota.” Joanna grabbed a handful of chips from Titia’s bag and stuffed them into her own mouth. “And it… it wasn’t me who bought it!”

Leonard, arms crossed, squatted on top of the machine, directing a group of small robots to reinstall the removed pilot seat. “In fact, it wasn’t bought at all.”

“Then how did we get it?” Joanna looked at Leo in horror. “What did you do in Neo Venice that was so terrible?”

“What kind of look is that? We’re pirates, aren’t we? Whether it’s stolen or robbed, it’s perfectly normal!”

Joanna’s eyes welled up with tears of excitement. “So… was it stolen or robbed?”

“Lagrange kidnapped a hostage, and this is the ransom.”

The female pirate sniffled. “Really? Lagrange has learned to kidnap hostages and even brought back a ‘Bard’?” Her emotions mixed, like a mother bird seeing her chick learn to fly, with feelings of both joy and pride intertwined. “I need to give him a raise, Leo!”

“I’ll relay that to Mrs. Mota for you.”

“Can I pilot the ‘Bard’ now?”

“Absolutely not.” The ship was currently traveling at near-light speed, leaving the Lalage star system, and flying out now would be equivalent to suicide.

Joanna sadly grabbed another handful of chips from Titia.

“Let’s not talk about piloting it. Can I at least touch it?” Titia asked. “Or sit in the cockpit for a bit?”

“Don’t even think about it.” Titia had a knack for dismantling fighter jets while piloting them, and no one knew how she did it.

The female pilot wanted to eat a chip to ease her frustration but found that the last one had been silently taken by Joanna. She glared at the captain as if she were her arch-nemesis, and the ‘Bard’ was instantly forgotten.

Sensing the rising tension between the two, Titia’s two observant brothers immediately stepped in to separate them. “Captain, your dog needs you to take it for a walk.” “Titia, I bought a bag of Neo Venice specialty seaweed yesterday. It’s delicious.”

After they left, the maintenance bay quieted down. The elevator doors silently closed, cutting off Titia’s loud “I’m tired of seaweed! And I’ve named it ‘Nasha’. How’s that?” leaving only the sound of robots clanging on the pilot seat’s base echoing in the empty room.

Alois and Ibb Descartes had been hiding behind a Godot II, not daring to breathe, afraid of being caught up in the crazy women’s battle. Now they finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Ibb elbowed Alois. “Hey, did you hear that? The captain’s giving you a raise! Shouldn’t you treat us?”

“I think so too. But I’ll have to wait until she gives me last month’s salary first.” Alois shrugged, unfazed.

On June 17, 1416, Standard Calendar, the Lady of the Night finished its repairs at the Neo Venice ship repair yard. Amidst the cursing of the yard’s manager (“An AI dared to bargain with me! And it actually convinced me! Damn!”), the ship departed at near-light speed, leaving the Lalage star system and entering warp, heading towards the binary star system Rylier at the border of the Empire and the Free City-States Cluster. Rylier was famous throughout the Empire for its stunning scenery. One of the binary stars was in the red giant phase, pulsating and ejecting massive amounts of matter into space, forming a beautiful nebula that glowed bright orange and dark red, resembling a ring of deep red flames on optical displays. It was also known as the “Flaming Binary”.

The “Flaming Binary” was also notorious for another reason. It was the border between the Empire, the Federation, and the Free City-States, and a major trade route between them. A notorious, ruthless female pirate with flaming red hair and her gang prowled here, eyeing the passing merchant ships. When they found a suitable target, they pounced like hungry wolves, plundering the ships and their cargo, kidnapping the crew, and demanding ransoms from the shipping companies. This notorious pirate was Joanna Begrel. The Empire and the Federation had attempted to dispatch troops to eradicate the pirates but were too preoccupied with fighting each other. The Free City-States couldn’t muster a strong enough military, and the area around the “Flaming Binary” was filled with unstable magnetic vortices and mines left over from the First Galactic War, making it a death trap for anyone unfamiliar with the terrain. Thus, the pirates became increasingly rampant.

“Rampant enough to break into a prison planet and rescue prisoners?”

Major General Darius Bayes sat in the command chair on the bridge, his gloved fingers rhythmically tapping the armrest. A holographic star map was displayed before him, with one region marked in red. In fact, even without the marking, that region was already quite red.

The Major General’s adjutant, John Leibniz, stiffened upon hearing the question, unsure how to respond. The Major General’s thoughts were always inscrutable, the adjutant thought. Sometimes he highly praised Joanna Begrel’s tactics, almost treating her as a model of strategy, while other times he loathed her, wishing to personally take her head. Was the Major General currently admiring her, or hating her? John Leibniz couldn’t figure it out.

The Major General didn’t expect him to. “Order the entire fleet to head towards the ‘Flaming Binary’,” Darius said. “That wicked pirate must have returned to her lair to recuperate.”

“To the ‘Flaming Binary’?” John Leibniz asked in disbelief. “But there… Sir, it’s very dangerous, full of…”

“Full of strange magnetic vortices and old mines that can’t be cleared, right?” The Major General finished his sentence. “I’ve been to places more dangerous than that. Besides, we can’t let this matter drag on, or the Empire’s reputation will be in tatters. We can’t let these pests disrupt the Empire’s peace.” He waved his right hand, closing the star map. “We have great things to accomplish in the future. Let’s use Joanna Begrel’s blood to inaugurate our campaign!”

“Yes, sir!” The adjutant straightened up and saluted. “Additionally, there’s one more thing to report!”

“Speak.”

The adjutant cleared his throat, lowering his voice. “Colonel Gilbert Gauss has been acting strangely lately.”

“What happened to him?” Gilbert Gauss was an officer from a noble family, holding his position thanks to his family’s influence. Rumors said he was one of Prince Sorey’s many illegitimate children. Though Darius Bayes outwardly dismissed these rumors and warned his subordinates not to slander others, he secretly harbored hostility towards Colonel Gauss. Darius, with royal blood and practically raised by Her Majesty the Queen, had little fondness for the philandering prince and his illegitimate offspring.

“Colonel Gauss publicly accused you of cowardice and refusing to fight the pirates,” the adjutant said, glancing around as if his words might be overheard. “He also said that if he were in command, Joanna’s head would have been presented to Her Majesty as a gift long ago.”

“Oh? How interesting.” Darius’s lips curved. “If Colonel Gauss has such ambition, then let him lead the charge against that ‘Mad Queen’!”

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Interlude 2

On the outskirts of Nami, the spaceport city where the imperial capital and the royal palace were located, stood a three-story mansion with red tiles and white walls, surrounded by fiery maple trees. A winding cobblestone path led to the entrance, lined with pink and white roses meticulously tended by the gardeners, complementing the maple trees around the mansion. The scenery was as beautiful as the famous ancient Earth painting [Sunset in Fontainebleau Forest].

The locals referred to this mansion as the “Maple Pavilion”. Although it was beautiful, no one dared to approach it, for its owner was Duke Winnet, a prominent figure and the cousin of Her Majesty the Queen. To some, the Duke was a formidable and ambitious man. Rumors circulated that he was recruiting troops and amassing an army with the intention of staging a coup to seize the throne. Naturally, the Duke himself denied such claims. “How could I possibly take my sister’s crown? What a ridiculous notion!” he said calmly in a televised interview—though this did little to reassure those wary of him, instead making them more anxious about his manipulation of public opinion.

Today, the Duke had finally managed to escape his busy duties and returned to his long-neglected home. Since the death of the Duchess, he had grown increasingly estranged from this so-called “home”, preferring the company of his ship, the “Stella”.

But today was different. Today was a special day for the Duke, necessitating his return to the Maple Pavilion. After getting out of the car, he hurried along the cobblestone path, cutting across the neatly trimmed lawn to save time, much to the gardener’s anger, and arrived at the front door of the mansion. The butler, along with a group of male and female servants, was already waiting under the porch. The Duke waved them off, indicating they need not stand on ceremony, and went straight inside.

“Where is my daughter?” he asked.

“Yes, sir,” the butler bowed slightly. “The young lady is in her study.”

“I’ll go find her. You all may return to your duties.” The Duke dismissed the servants.

“Uh, but sir, the young lady has ordered not to be disturbed, ‘even if Her Majesty the Queen arrives’. Those were her words…”

The Duke’s eyes widened. “I am her father!” Ignoring the butler’s attempt to speak, he hurried upstairs.

The Duke’s daughter, Musaya, had her quarters on the third floor of the mansion, an entire floor to herself, including half the attic. It was filled with her rare collectibles, from first-edition anime chips to limited-edition figurines, all meticulously categorized by the Duke’s daughter. There was even a room dedicated to life-sized pillows, the images on it which deeply concerned the Duke about his daughter’s mental health.

There were several studies in the Maple Pavilion, and the Duke had a rather large library of his own. However, it paled in comparison to the “study” of the Duke’s daughter. Her study was as large as a basketball court, with shelves connecting the floor and ceiling, so close together that only one person could barely pass through. The shelves were packed with the Duke’s daughter’s beloved books, mostly comics and novels, with some classic literature she bought to appear deep (none of which had been opened). Even so, the study was filled to capacity, with no room for more books, so the Duke’s daughter had to move some older books to the attic to make space for her “new loves”.

The Duke was troubled by his daughter’s peculiar hobbies. Unlike other noble ladies, she didn’t care for jewelry, fashionable clothing, parties, or social balls (in fact, she loathed such events, preferring to stay home with her computer rather than dance with handsome young men). She was not particularly interested in politics or business and had only a casual interest in literature and art, without delving into their principles. She majored in literature at university but took an indefinite leave of absence halfway through, citing “social anxiety and inability to write papers” and had since been idling at home. Fortunately, the Duke’s wealth could support her lavish lifestyle. However, the Duke had grown increasingly worried: he could take care of her now, but what would happen after he passed away? He had been planning to find Musaya an excellent husband who could manage the family business, treat her well, and help him achieve his ambitions.

Years ago, the Duke had discussed this with his daughter. “Would you be interested in marrying Prince Annot?” the Duke asked. “He will be the future ruler of the Empire, and you would be the Queen. You could buy any book you want.”

“Mm…” Musaya seemed slightly swayed by the last statement. “But Annot is my cousin.”

“The Empire’s laws don’t prohibit cousins from marrying.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Musaya said dejectedly. “I mean, I know him too well. His cowardly nature annoys me! Marry him? I’d rather buy an inflatable doll!”

“Watch your language!” the Duke retorted angrily. “Even if Annot is a coward, you shouldn’t say it out loud!” And what on earth is an inflatable doll?! Don’t bring strange things into the house!

Later, news broke that Annot had fallen in love with a commoner woman. “That’s wonderful—a prince and a Cinderella, just like a novel!” Musaya was happy for her cousin’s romance. Thus, the idea of a political marriage was abandoned. However, the Duke couldn’t easily swallow his anger. Of course, he would never tell Musaya what he did to that commoner woman.

Standing in front of the study door, the Duke hesitated. The urgency from earlier had completely faded from his face. He had traveled thousands of light years back to the capital to see his daughter, but now, in front of her door, he hesitated. He paced for a moment, then took a deep breath and knocked decisively.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Come in.”

Hearing his daughter’s long-missed voice, the Duke felt both joy and sorrow. He turned the door handle and opened the door.

In the center of the study was a large computer desk, cluttered with empty drink bottles and half-eaten snacks, and several magazines of varying sizes piled beside them. The Duke’s daughter sat at the desk in a swivel chair, her back to the door, typing on a tactile keyboard.

“Emma, is it my delivery?” Musaya asked without turning her head.

“Yes, miss, your delivery has arrived,” the Duke said, mimicking a female voice.

Musaya pushed the tactile keyboard away and spun her chair halfway around to face the Duke. “Dad, why are you back?” Her tone lacked the joy of reuniting with her father and instead had a hint of reproach, as if saying, “I told you not to disturb me, so why did you come in?”

“What’s with that attitude?” the Duke said. “We haven’t seen each other in nearly six months, and this is how you greet your father?”

“What should I say? ‘Oh, Dad, you’re finally back. I’m so happy!’ like that?” Musaya raised an eyebrow. “Come on, you barely come home, and when you do, it’s never for a good reason. Last time, it was because the terrifying assassin killed Leia, and before that, Prince Sorey had a falling out with Her Majesty. What’s wrong this time?”

The Duke turned away. “If I’m so unwelcome, I might as well leave. I had prepared a birthday present for you, but I might as well return it to the store.” He played a little trick, thinking Musaya would surely change her attitude and beg him to stay.

To his surprise, Musaya crossed her legs and smirked. “Go ahead and return it. I don’t care.”

In the end, the Duke conceded defeat. He considered himself more cunning and capable than anyone else in the universe, but he always lost to his daughter. “Alright, alright, I admit defeat,” he said with a smile, taking a small box tied with a silver ribbon from his pocket. A golden tag on it read, “Happy Birthday, Musaya, love from Dad.”

“Oh, my god, what’s this?” Musaya exclaimed in surprise, untying the ribbon. Inside, on a red velvet lining, was a teardrop-shaped pendant, intricately carved with totems. Upon closer inspection, the totems were actually melted and solidified rubies, shining with a noble and mysterious light against the velvet.

“This is the ‘Tear of Blood’! Just like in the anime!” Musaya’s eyes sparkled. “Oh my god, even the official merchandise isn’t this realistic! Dad, where did you get this?”

“Had it custom-made. The butler told me you liked that anime and always wanted a pendant just like this.”

“Oh, my god.” Musaya hugged her father. “Dad, I love you so much!”

The Duke smiled helplessly. Only at times like this did Musaya act like a sweet daughter. He patted her head. “Though your birthday is over a week away, happy early birthday.”

“Won’t you stay and celebrate with me?” Musaya asked.

“No, I have many things to do. Besides…” the Duke looked at his daughter apologetically. “I’m afraid you can’t stay in the capital for your birthday. Start packing today. You need to leave for the territory by Friday.”

“Why?” Musaya asked, dissatisfied, “Why do I have to go back? I don’t want to leave! Besides, I have so many things here at the Maple Pavilion…”

“Listen to me, my child,” the Duke said softly. “It’s for your own good. In the near future…” His gaze passed over his daughter’s shoulder, over the holographic computer screen, through the study window, beyond the tall mutated maple trees of the Maple Pavilion, into the blue autumn sky of the capital, and out into the boundless stars beyond the atmosphere. “It will become very dangerous here. Everywhere will be very dangerous. I need to send you somewhere safe.”

“What’s going on, Dad?”

The Duke withdrew his gaze. “Nothing major,” he said. “Just start packing. Travel light. It’s only for a while. It’s not like you can’t come back. Emma and Garn will take care of your collections. I promise, they won’t gather a speck of dust by the time you return.”

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 32

After the twenty-ninth song [The Sound of Silence] ended, the grand theater once again fell into darkness. Across the wide circular stage, the fluorescent audience seats glowed like a river’s surface glistening under the moonlight at night, and the fans’ waving glow sticks resembled fireflies dancing by the riverbank.

“Thank you all very much for coming to my concert.” Camilla’s voice echoed from the stage. “Our time together is always short, and farewells are inevitable. Before we part, I want to sing one more song for you all.”

The melodious sound of an accordion drifted in from nowhere, like a light and nimble bird fluttering gracefully around the grand theater.

“This is a very old song, passed down from the ancient days of Earth. I dedicate this song to all of you here. No matter where you are in the future, my voice will always be with you.”

The accordion music abruptly ceased. For a moment, time seemed to freeze, then it slowly started flowing again. Dark blue lights lit up on the theater’s ceiling, and flakes of snow drifted down from the sky, tinted blue by the lights. The singer standing at the center of the stage, draped in silver brocade, shone brilliantly in the darkness, like a bright moon in the night sky.

“Moon river, wider than a mile.
I’m crossing you in style some day.
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker.
Wherever you’re goin’, I’m goin’ your way.
Two drifters, off to see the world.
There’s such a lot of world to see.
We’re after the same rainbow’s end.
Waitin’ ’round the bend.
My huckleberry friend.
Moon river and me.” [Note 3]

This was an a cappella song. There were no magnificent electronic accompaniments, no dazzling holographic effects—only starlike snowflakes and a silver-haired girl singing while strolling through the snow. Camilla sang the song twice, ending with a gentle hum of the melody. As she hummed, the lights gradually dimmed. First, the snowflakes stopped falling, then the blue light faded away, leaving only the silver light dancing on the singer. As the humming weakened, the silver light finally disappeared like melting snow.

There was complete silence in the darkness, lasting for several minutes. It wasn’t clear who started clapping first, but the audience, as if waking from a dream, realized that the enchanting performance had ended. Everyone joined in the applause, accompanied by cheers and whistles, and the theater’s ceiling lights came back on, revealing an empty circular stage. Camilla must have left during the brief darkness, leaving only a blue rose in the center of the stage and colorful memories in the minds of the audience.

The seats suspended in mid-air descended row by row in order, and all the doors of the theater opened, letting in a warm spring night breeze.

The staff began to guide the fans out of the theater in an orderly manner, although most people still sat in their seats, unable to extricate themselves from Camilla’s singing.

“It was truly wonderful,” Kepler said as he walked out of the theater hand in hand with Jolene. “Being able to hear the voice of the Galactic Diva with my own ears, I have no regrets in life.”

“Look at you.” Jolene covered her mouth and laughed. “You’re so old and still joining in the fun with young people. I had to spend a lot of money to get two tickets!”

“More than I did? I not only missed out on front row premium seats but also lost a ‘Bard’!” Kepler’s heart ached at the thought of the significant loss a few days ago.

“Alright, alright, it’s just a plane. You can always earn it back. I heard they’re going to launch a new model in a few years. They’ve even thought of a name, ‘Lucia of Lammermoor’…” Jolene suddenly stopped talking.

Seeing her stop, Kepler asked in confusion, “What’s wrong? Is there something wrong with Lucia?”

“Nothing.” Jolene shook her head. Just now in the crowd, she seemed to have seen a familiar figure flash by, but when she looked carefully, that person was gone. “Maybe I was mistaken.” She turned to the loan shark and smiled sweetly. “Let’s go.”

Joshua Planck piloted the Gondola back to the Lady of the Night from the Whirlpool Grand Theater, with Alois sitting beside him, sighing deeply as he held the album Camilla had given him.

“Haa, why does she have to be a man?” Alois felt deeply sad as he looked at the beautiful girl on the cover. He hugged the album to his chest, as if this could bring him closer to the diva.

Joshua didn’t respond, not bothering to correct the logical error in his words.

“But she’s right, whether she’s a man or a woman, I like her.” Alois stared at the sky, the image of the diva’s graceful figure still lingering in his eyes. “I liked her in the past, and I will in the future…”

Suddenly, a hand covered his eyes.

“Hey, stop it, Joshua,” Alois said.

“I really want to gouge your eyes out.” Joshua’s voice was so close to his ear, so low, that it could almost burst his eardrums, making Alois tremble all over.

“What for? To put them in your formalin cabinet at home?” Alois pulled away his hand and turned around. The assassin was staring at him with a subtle and complex expression.

“No.” Joshua said, “So your eyes would only see me.”

Alois was stunned. Was this a joke? It didn’t seem like it. Joshua liked to joke with him, usually to tease him. But this time, it wasn’t funny at all. He opened his mouth to ask if Joshua was feeling unwell, because the assassin had been sullen throughout the concert and had kissed him so many times (Alois was actually quite happy about that). Before he could speak, the assassin pressed a finger to his lips.

“Shh, don’t talk,” Joshua said, touching his lips. “Look at me.”

Alois felt very confused. He obediently stared back at Joshua, trying to find clues in the assassin’s expression as to why he was acting so strangely, but before he could draw any conclusions, Joshua shook his head dejectedly.

“Alois Lagrange, you’re really sly,” he said. “You say you like me, but your eyes are looking at someone else. When you look at me, your heart isn’t thinking about me.”

“I didn’t!” Alois retorted. “I definitely wasn’t thinking about Camilla just now!” As soon as he said it, he felt like he was being defensive, even though he really wasn’t thinking about Camilla just now.

“You know, your eyes look so adoring and passionate when you look at him. But when you look at me, it’s completely different.” Joshua’s voice sank. “Do you like him more than me?”

…Hey, wait. What does this mean? Is Joshua jealous? Alois blinked, suddenly feeling a surge of unnamable pleasure. Joshua is jealous, he thought. Does this mean he also has a little bit of… a little bit of affection for me?

“Why don’t you answer? Is this question hard?”

“No, no, Joshua, listen to me. It’s different.” Alois felt his cheeks start to heat up. “I’ve liked Camilla for many years, since before I met you.” He paused, observing Joshua’s reaction. The assassin’s face was expressionless, but a murderous aura could be sensed rising.

Alois smiled triumphantly. He wrapped his arm around Joshua’s shoulder and leaned closer. “But I love you.”

Close enough to feel each other’s breath, he was satisfied to see the murderous aura around Joshua dissipate immediately. “What about you, Joshua?”

The assassin’s eyes softened considerably. He awkwardly lowered his head, lifted Alois’s right hand, and pressed it to his own heart.

“Don’t look at Camilla anymore.” Joshua said, “I’ll be jealous. I…”

He cradled Alois’s head in his arms and kissed his wind-tousled black hair.

“…like you.”

The words drifted away with the wind, disappearing into the starry night sky.

But at least, Alois heard them loud and clear.

The author has something to say:

[Note 3]: This section of lyrics is from the song [Moon River], lyrics by Johnny Mercer.

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 31

Alois felt his blood boil, only to be doused by a bucket of ice water.

“…Srosie?” he asked in disbelief, his voice trailing off.

“Oh, yes!” The “Srosie” in the silver foil dress nodded, his gaze strange as if saying, “We just met yesterday, how can you not remember me?”

“…Camilla?” Alois asked again.

“That’s right.”

Instantly, words like “trap”, “femboy”, and “crossdresser” flew through Alois’s mind, like meteors crashing on a planet’s surface, causing an earthquake!

“You’re… a man?” He stammered, barely getting the words out.

“What’s wrong with your eyes? Isn’t it obvious?” Camilla, or rather Srosie, put his hands on his hips, looking quite displeased.

“Then why are you dressed as a woman?!”

Srosie, or Camilla, pouted. “Is it wrong to like wearing women’s clothes?”

Alois’s mind exploded. What the hell is going on?! His heart was racing like a herd of wild horses, but his face remained as calm as a still lake. Camilla is a man! Camilla is a cross-dresser! Oh Lord! Asimov! Tell me, I’m not dreaming! I haven’t crossed into some strange parallel world! Someone give me a wall to bang my head against! I’ve heard that on some remote planets in the Federation, there’s a weird religion where believers scream to express their dissatisfaction with reality when they’re stressed. I want to join and scream too!

“What’s with that expression?!” Srosie frowned his delicate eyebrows. “Aren’t you my fan? Now that I’ve told you my biggest secret, you should at least pretend to be happy!”

Alois continued his deadpan expression. How can I be happy! This is not something to be happy about! Why haven’t I realized Camilla is a man all these years! Why didn’t I realize Srosie was Camilla when I met him! Makeup! It’s all because of makeup! Makeup can make a person look completely different! Yes, it’s all the makeup artist’s fault!

“Why do you still look like a dead fish?” Srosie stretched out a slender finger and poked Alois’s face. “Does being a man make you stop loving me?”

Alois’s expression remained blank.

Srosie looked at him with frustration. He grabbed the young man’s collar and roared, “Do you like me or not? Answer!”

His eyes were deadly serious, the blue pupils like the sea, glistening under the bright lights. Alois suddenly felt that if he said “no”, Srosie would immediately cry in front of him.

…The makeup would be ruined.

He patted the boy’s head, feeling the cool, delicate texture of the silver foil against his palm. “I do like you,” he said. “Whether you’re Camilla or Srosie, I like you.”

“Mm.” Srosie let go of his collar, quickly turning to Rita standing nearby. “Bring one of my albums.” Alois saw him rub his eyes with the back of his hand, the light revealing a sparkling trace of tears. But he pretended he saw nothing.

“Already prepared.” Rita smiled, handing over an album and a permanent marker. The album was the newly released “Eighth Galaxy Hymn” from half a year ago, with Camilla on the cover, her blue hair flowing freely as she spread her arms in the galactic wind, as if flying or embracing the world. Srosie took out the cover paper and signed a few lines in elegant script on the last page of the lyrics booklet.

[For Alois:

May the pirate of the galaxy have a prosperous career and always fly freely among the stars.

Your diva, Camilla.]

After signing, he roughly stuffed the album into Alois’s hands. “Hurry into the theater. I need to finish my makeup. You’ve wasted too much of my time!”

Alois didn’t even have time to say thank you before being pushed to the door. Whether it was because the makeup wasn’t well done, he always felt Srosie’s face was very red. He wanted to turn back and say, “Good luck with your concert,” but Srosie suddenly lunged forward and kissed him, silencing his words. The kiss was light as a breeze, brushing over and quickly separating.

Alois stumbled into the darkness outside. If not for the square-faced guard catching him, he would have fallen to the ground.

“Are you okay?” the guard asked expressionlessly.

“Yes, yes, thank you.” Alois found his balance, still dizzy. He held Camilla’s album to his chest, his heart pounding wildly again.

Joshua stood beside the square-faced guard, hands in his pockets, looking at him with a complex expression. Oh, Joshua. He almost forgot about the assassin. Since entering backstage, Joshua hadn’t said a word, silent as a statue.

The square-faced guard led them back to the theater entrance through the dark corridor. He pointed to the flowing crowd. “Follow them inside. The theater is right there. I have to get back to work.” Alois thanked him and apologized for taking up so much of his time.

Following the crowd, the two walked into the Whirlpool Grand Theater. The entire theater was over a hundred meters high, with a vast open interior. In the center was a circular stage, surrounded by concentric rings of seats. Alois looked for his seat number in confusion and found the “special seats” were in the innermost ring. There were very few of them, probably only about twenty.

‘This theater’s layout is so strange,’ he thought. The audience seats aren’t even tiered. How will the people in the back see? Or are they going to rely on holographic images?

After sitting down, staff pushed carts selling drinks, lozenges, and glow sticks. Alois unthinkingly bought two glow sticks, using Joshua’s card, of course. He sneaked a glance at the assassin, afraid he might be unhappy, but Joshua kept his head down, deep in thought.

After a few dozen minutes, the theater was full of people, and the surrounding noise was deafening.

Snap! The lights on the theater’s ceiling went out, plunging the theater into darkness. The seats seemed to be made of some special material, glowing faintly in the dark.

Ethereal music began to play. The buzzing whispers immediately stopped. Alois felt his seat vibrating and looked around in confusion, realizing that all the seats were rising! A chorus of surprised gasps sounded in the theater, quickly silenced by the music. The seats rose higher and higher, spreading apart. Alois noticed that the floor beneath the seats was made of separate magnetic levitation panels. The rows in the back rose higher, the ones in the front lower, with the special seats almost floating above the circular stage. Soon, the seats formed a conical shape, slowly rotating around the stage driven by the magnetic levitation panels. In the dark, the glowing seats looked like scattered stars in the universe.

No wonder this place is called the “Whirlpool Grand Theater”. It really does look like a giant whirlpool.

Alois and Joshua’s seats were connected. Looking around, he saw that the distant stars were also grouped in twos and threes. It seemed the theater had arranged adjacent seats when selling tickets.

In the darkness, a clear singing voice arose.

“You stand there, lined along the hillside, meeting,
The sight of my dying self, fleeting.
Add another page to this life’s story,
On the burning paper, in all its glory,
I have recognized you all!
But fearless words escape with burn,
‘The Galactic Diva Camilla has return!’” [Note 1]

Snap! The lights flashed on! People, unable to adjust to the sudden brightness, quickly covered their eyes. When they opened them again, they found that the circular stage had also risen, with a girl standing in the center. Her deep blue hair floated like waves, her sleeves and skirt also fluttering, making her look like she was floating in water. A close-up image of her appeared above the stage. Her eyes were closed, and diamond-like light dust was scattered on her long eyelashes, as if she were asleep.

Though he knew it was a holographic image projected onto special foil, Alois couldn’t help but marvel.

The music abruptly shifted from ethereal to passionate. The sleeping girl opened her eyes, instantly radiating brilliant light like a shining star.

“Knowing you can soar in the sky,
Makes you fear that moment of spreading wings and forgetting the wind’s sigh.
Forget it, even if where you go is unclear,
The distant mirage will soon appear,
Fearing that someday it will come, it’s true,
Reflects the future of me and you.” [Note 2]

The girl began to dance, turning the entire theater into her domain. In an instant, translucent wings spread from her back, transforming her from a fish in the sea to a bird in the sky, flying and singing freely, her voice echoing through every corner of the galaxy.

Alois stood up excitedly. Their seats passed right in front of Camilla, no more than three meters away. The diva saw him too, smiling and winking at him.

“When two hearts without solace stand close together,
True sorrow begins to soar, untethered.
Forget it, in the night’s embrace,
Dreaming of the days’ shadowed face,
It will surely fall, as dreams take flight,
Heading towards that light.”

People screamed in excitement, singing along with Camilla. Alois was no exception. He knew every song by Camilla, could remember all the lyrics.

Joshua suddenly raised his head. He could no longer stay calm. In the dazzling holographic light, he clearly saw a red mark on Alois’s lips, probably left by Camilla’s kiss earlier. And the young man himself hadn’t noticed, bouncing around beside him, flirting with the cross-dressing diva.

Damn it!

Damn it!

How hateful!

The assassin grabbed Alois’s arm, pulling him towards himself.

“What’s wrong, Joshua?”

His question was silenced by a fierce kiss. Joshua pressed his lips against Alois’s, not letting him make a sound. He tasted the lemon-flavored lipstick left by Camilla, which only fueled his anger. He held the back of Alois’s head, preventing him from pulling away, giving him a dominant kiss amidst the diva’s splendid singing.

“Someday I will be with you,
Sharing the moon, enjoying the dawn, basking in the sunlight, witnessing the morning.
Weaving dreams together, wandering through summer, braving the cold winter, passing time together.
Brushing the breeze, playing in the water, treading the dust, soaring in the sky.
Walking farther and farther in destiny.”

When the kiss ended, both were panting, faces flushed. “What’s wrong with you, Joshua?” Alois asked again.

On stage, Camilla spun, the colorful lights flashing with her movements. Joshua stared at Alois, satisfied to see his lips still red, but now from the passionate kiss and bites.

“Nothing,” the assassin said. “I just suddenly wanted to kiss you.”

As Camilla finished a song, the theater plunged into darkness again. Applause and cheers swept through the theater, accompanied by waving glow sticks.

After each song, Joshua kissed Alois again in the darkness. He remembered that they kissed twenty-nine times until the final song, [Moon River].

The author has something to say:

[Note 1] This passage is adapted from the last stanza of Robert Browning’s “Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came”.

[Note 2] This passage and the following two stanzas are from the song “Oblivious“, lyrics by Yuki Kajiura.

Kinky Thoughts:

You can find the full text of Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came here. Translation for Oblivious lyrics here.

I took some artistic liberties with the lyrics in the novel in order to make them rhyme.

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