Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

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Chapter 73

“It’s terrifying. The Captain is actually abandoning the ship!” Ibb Descartes was deleting the data on the ship while assisting Leo, speaking to Alois in disbelief. “Even when we were tightly pursued by the Federation Army in the past, the captain never thought of abandoning the ship.”

“This time is different.” Leo told the mechanic. “We’re facing the enemy head-on, with no chance of winning. Fortunately, we have few people, so using the escape pods means smaller targets and a higher chance of survival.”

“Are we already discussing the chances of survival?” Alois frowned, looking distressed. “I haven’t even gotten into that mindset, and you’re telling me the enemy is here.”

Ibb sympathetically patted his shoulder. “Who can react to this!”

A small window popped up next to him, showing communication from Joanna. “Ibb, open the hangar.” The captain said, “Charge the Bard and Godot II with energy. Alois,” she turned to the bewildered young man, “if you don’t mind, come with me to cover everyone’s retreat.”

Before Alois could respond, the captain continued on her own, “The nearest planet from here is Ansod G2. It will take about 72 hours to reach there at the speed of the escape pods. Leo, tell everyone, we’ll meet at Ansod G2!”

“Understood.” The artificial intelligence swiftly transmitted the captain’s orders to every crew member’s communication terminal and set up the escape route in the escape pod’s computer system.

After issuing the orders, Joanna said to Alois, “Okay, I know it’s asking a lot of you. At this time, you’d probably rather be with your Joshua.”

Under her suggestive gaze, Alois turned his face away, blushing. “I can prioritize things…” he murmured, “and Joshua can take care of himself.”

“Ah, I know.” Joanna curled her lips. “Meet me in the hangar in three minutes. I need to copy some data first.”

The window closed. Alois coughed awkwardly and said to Ibb, “See you at Ansod G2 then.”

“Yeah!” The simple freckled young man nodded. “It’s okay. You and the Captain will definitely handle those troops. We’ll survive. I still need to go back and see Titia!” He then panickedly touched his forehead. “Damn, I accidentally said the forbidden phrase.”

“It’s okay. I say it often too, and I’m still alive and well.”

Joshua checked his guns and energy magazines, zipped up his spacesuit, and joined the other crew members who were gathering in the equipment bay. Without needing command, they orderly boarded the escape pods and were launched into space. Next to him, the chef Celia, a critical protection target, was grouped with Joshua. The blonde girl was murmuring prayers in some dialect quietly.

“I always feel like I forgot to turn off the stove in the kitchen,” the anxious chef suddenly said to the assassin. “Should I go back and check?”

“Leo will turn it off for you.”

Celia nodded and continued praying in the unintelligible language. The scene evoked a distant memory for Joshua, when people gathered under the starlit “Dante” as it descended to Earth, quietly praying that the spacecraft named after the Renaissance pioneer would take them out of their plight, into space, towards the future.

Joshua fell into a loop of memories. He didn’t board the Dante. He secretly fled that spaceship, returning to Kester’s research lab. It was this youthful whim that began his long, solitary, dark drift of a thousand years. If not for that, he would have gone with his teacher Giorgione to Neo Athens, established the Neo Athens Academy, spread technology and learning, brought about a renaissance of civilization for humanity, and then died two hundred years ago, celebrated and admired as one of the third batch of Earth’s remnants.

…No, he thought. Fortunately, I didn’t board the Dante. I was fortunate that I came to the colonies two hundred years late. It’s a good thing, as it allowed me to meet Alois.

As Alois was boarding the fighter jet, the lights in the hangar suddenly dimmed, and all the lighting disappeared, leaving only a row of small lights along the launch rail to guide the direction.

He put on his space helmet, and the night vision showed the dim hangar and the complex dashboard in front of him. He lightly touched the control instrument to start the system but didn’t immediately close the cockpit and take off.

“Leo?” he tentatively called out. The omnipresent, omnipotent AI didn’t respond to his call this time. He knew it was because the spaceship had stopped powering, and Leo must have been shut down. Losing this capable assistant, Alois suddenly felt somewhat uneasy.

Hasty footsteps came, and the hangar door was manually opened. Alois looked out of the cockpit, and through the night vision, he saw a woman hurriedly running to the base of his fighter jet.

“Captain!”

“Sorry, I was a bit late.” Joanna looked up. It was the first time Alois saw the captain in a pilot’s space suit. The black fabric outlined her shapely figure attractively. Her bearing was heroic, yet she had the force of a storm. She grinned, showing her teeth proudly, as if silently challenging her enemies.

A surge of confidence suddenly filled Alois. What am I afraid of? he thought. With Joanna Begrel fighting alongside me, what is there to fear! Is there anyone she can’t defeat?

“Alois, here’s something for you to hold onto.” Joanna tossed a small, flat object to the young man.

“What is this?” The flat object traced a parabola through the air, sparkling under the dim light along the launch rail in the darkness. Alois caught it, discovering it was a small storage chip. “What’s this?”

“Leo’s backup data.” After speaking, Joanna walked towards the Bard parked next to the Godot II. “I copied two copies, the other is with me, in case something happens to me…”

“Enough!” Alois interrupted her. “Don’t talk like that, Captain!”

“It’s just being prepared for the worst.” Joanna shrugged, stepping up the metal ladder into the silver fighter. “Ideally, we won’t need the backup you have.”

“So giving me this thing is useless!”

“Ah… then just play around with it.”

The Bard’s cockpit closed. The engines on the tail roared, launching it into the launch rail. Since Leo wasn’t there, everything had to be manually operated by the pilot, and it needed to accelerate with the engines to gain initial flight speed. Joanna handled it expertly, and soon, the Bard was catapulted into space like a soaring bird.

Alois was left alone on the Dream of a Cold Night. He held up the chip in his hand, jesting, “Hey, Leo, you’re in my hand now!” Such an opportunity was rare. Too bad he couldn’t enjoy it longer. If Leo could hear him, he would surely be furious. But the AI now rested in the tiny chip, knowing nothing.

Alois carefully put the chip in the inner pocket of his spacesuit, closed the cockpit, and began to operate the manual ejection system, which was a headache for him.

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

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Chapter 72

Alveira pushed open the oak door, and a biting draft welcomed her, causing her to shiver.

The room behind the door was empty. This wasn’t to say there was no one inside; rather, the entire space gave her an unusual sense of void, as if it wasn’t a living person who resided here but a ghost who had died many years ago. He wandered in his memories, lamenting in regret and self-blame, weeping alone in the darkness and cold wind.

The cold wind lifted a pristine white curtain. Despite the bright sunshine outside, the room held not a trace of warmth. In front of the window stood a high-backed wooden chair, on which someone sat quietly. Hearing the door open, the person didn’t turn around but simply asked softly, “Alveira?”

“It’s me. I’m back, brother.”

“Are you hurt?”

“No.”

The young man in the chair sighed in relief. “It’s good that you are safe. I’ve been restless these past few days, worried about you, fearing something might happen.”

“With Darius protecting me, there won’t be any accidents,” Alveira said, though thinking to herself, ‘Really? You still care about others? Hasn’t your heart already left this world with Leia?’

“And… the Duke? How is he?”

“Also ‘safe and sound’.” She became irritated talking about this. Darius had done nothing and let the tiger return to the mountain. If she were Darius, she would have taken the opportunity to stealthily eliminate that old fox, to avoid future trouble.

On the chair, the Prince shifted. “Is that so…” His voice lowered again. “By the way, there’s something I think I should tell you.”

“What?”

“I’m getting married, to Miss Jessica from the Greenwald family.”

Jessica, the Chancellor’s granddaughter, was about the same age as Alveira. The Chancellor had long been trying to arrange a marriage between her and Annot. Alveira wasn’t surprised by this news. It seemed as though it was destined to happen. There was nothing astonishing about it.

“It’s mother’s idea, isn’t it? Did you agree?” she asked.

Annot nodded. “Mother said… she said that compared to the covetous Duke, the Chancellor, though ambitious, is more trustworthy and would be a reliable ally…”

A gentle breeze came through. The thin and light curtains floated like a layer of mist, obscuring the Prince’s frail figure.

He stopped mid-sentence because no one was listening anymore. The oak door was wide open, the draft howling through, and his sister had already vanished.

He lowered his head, pulling out a pendant from his chest and opening it to reveal a small paper photograph of a girl smiling brightly like the spring sun.

He stared at the girl’s face for a long time until tears blurred his vision.

……

The “Dream of a Cold Night” was about to cross the Empire’s border and enter the Free City-State territories. Joanna Begrel breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness, mission accomplished! Safe return, and then we don’t have to deal with the Duke’s nonsense anymore!” To celebrate, she even indulgently opened a bottle of her private stock wine, enjoying the sweet moment of victory alone in her cabin.

“Don’t be too happy yet, Captain.” Leonard’s holographic image sat beside her, coolly dampening the spirited pirate’s mood, “Until we set foot on Milantu’s soil, we’re not safe. If I were the Duke, seeing what’s on that chip, I would be furious and vow to tear you to pieces.”

“Hey! Why me? Wasn’t this damn idea yours?”

“Even if he wanted to tear me to pieces, he couldn’t…” Leo tilted his chin, then suddenly his expression changed.

“What’s wrong?” Joanna looked puzzled at the AI. She felt the floor tremble beneath her feet, the wine glass on the table also vibrating fiercely, causing the wine to nearly spill out. “Why the sudden acceleration?” she frowned.

Leo looked serious. “A large armed fleet has appeared from the direction of Andromeda.”

“The Empire fleet?” It was common for fleets to patrol the border and large base starships to pass through. The Empire fleet wouldn’t only not hinder civilian merchant ships, sometimes they would even escort them. The female pirate didn’t understand why the AI was so nervous. They weren’t strangers to this kind of display.

“It would be better if it were the Empire fleet,” Leo murmured. “The other party hasn’t identified themselves. I fear they come with ill intentions.”

As the cherished red wine threatened to spill, Joanna quickly grabbed the glass, downing the remaining wine in one gulp. “Could it be the Federation Army?” They must be very bold to sneak into enemy territory!

“Not them!” Leo suddenly stood up. “Joanna, I suggest you immediately order the entire ship to enter escape mode. Prepare the escape pods! I’ve already started the jump engine, hoping to make the jump before we encounter them!”

“This isn’t a safe sector to jump. It’s dangerous!” Joanna tossed the wine glass and bottle into a storage box in the cabin. “What’s going on?”

“Just 36 seconds ago, Duke Winnet officially posted a proclamation on the public net calling for the queen’s overthrow! He has rebelled! The fleet approaching us is likely his forces!”

Joanna opened her mouth in disbelief. “How is that possible… He clearly didn’t get those manufacturing data… How dare he…”

Leo pressed his fingertips to his temples. “He probably thinks we switched the contents and plan to sell them at a high price to someone else. He wants to control the situation before someone else manufactures the ‘Yasha’.”

“Ugh…” Joanna felt a splitting headache.

“That ‘Yasha’…” she frowned deeply. “What exactly is it? Why are you and the Duke so anxious about it? An ultimate weapon to destroy humanity? Can such a thing really be manufactured?”

Leo looked at her with an unfamiliar gaze, giving the pirate goosebumps.

“Of course, my dear Captain,” the AI said softly. “The strongest artificial intelligence and the strongest humanoid weapon, ‘we’ are Kaster’s final and greatest masterpiece. But I don’t want to see my ‘siblings’ released,” he paused, “or manufactured. Without my control, they are just mere killing machines. Those who want to manufacture the Yasha only know its power, but not that this power will destroy its creators.”

“So you switched the chip?”

“That’s right. The secrets of Yasha should be buried forever. Darkness is where it belongs.”

Then Leo raised his voice. Joanna, hearing him, also activated the ship-wide broadcast. “The ship is entering jump status. All crew prepare for emergency procedures!”

“What!” Joanna only had time to grab something to stabilize herself. The vibrations from the jump attempt made her dizzy. A few seconds later, the shaking stopped.

“What now?” she asked, holding back the urge to vomit.

“The other side launched a gravity disruption wave. Jump failed,” Leo said. “They have an entire fleet, and we have just one ship, twenty crew, two pilots.” He glanced at Joanna. “Captain, your decision?”

The female pirate straightened up. She had never anticipated landing in such a situation.

“Abandon ship,” she said. “Everyone take the escape pods and seek refuge on a nearby planet.”

---

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

---

Chapter 71

The “Sword of the Queen” hovered above the Leyting Spaceport. The silver battleship hung like the sword of Damocles, tied by a ponytail, a disaster waiting to be summoned at any moment.

Major General Darius Bayes sat composedly in the bridge, coolly directing the marines to land on Leyting to maintain local order and “protect” the esteemed Duke Winnet. He also deployed formations in space to prevent attacks from the Duke or pirates amid the chaos.

While Leibniz was reporting that a small shuttle claiming to be from the “Dream of a Cold Night” requested entry to the cosmic port, Darius was staring blankly at the Princess guard’s casualty report. It stated that Zion had bravely sacrificed himself to protect the Princess. This slightly distracted the major general. Zion had been serving beside him since he was a child. When he left the Empire Capital, he had left this loyal subordinate in the palace to protect the two highnesses, only to find Zion’s body upon their next meeting.

The major general put down the casualty report. “Allow that shuttle to dock. Ensure the Princess’s safety.”

The bridge connected to the cosmic port’s monitors, which showed the shuttle docking slowly at a temporary berth (part of the spaceport had been severely damaged by a previous attack from the “Dream of a Cold Night”). A silver telescopic ladder extended from the shuttle. Darius’s elite troops quickly lined up in two rows in front of the ladder. The shuttle’s door opened, and a young girl emerged, stepping lightly down the ladder. She was immediately surrounded and tightly guarded by soldiers. Darius recognized her as Alveira. What strange clothes she was wearing!

The soldiers physically separated the Princess from the shuttle, escorting her to the spaceport’s lounge. The Princess looked panicked, repeatedly glancing back and waving at the shuttle as if saying goodbye or trying to retain it. However, the shuttle didn’t respond to her gestures. As her figure was about to be overwhelmed by the tall, muscular soldiers, it retracted its ladder and slowly started its engines to leave the port.

Darius guessed that the shuttle’s pilot was either Joanna Begrel or Lagrange, knowing the Princess was acquainted with him. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so reluctant to part.

“Dock the Sword of the Queen,” Darius ordered. “Receive the Princess on board, and we’ll escort her directly back to the Empire Capital.”

“What about the Duke?” the adjunct asked. “Shall we escort him too?”

Darius snorted coldly. “Let him die! Doesn’t the Duke have his own battleship? Let him go back on his own!” Soon after, Darius would realize this command was a grave mistake.

As the Sword of the Queen approached the spaceport, Alveira had also reached the lounge. On the screen, she appeared restless, her lips constantly moving as if muttering something. Her hands kept twisting the hem of her top—a habit when she was anxious, something Darius knew well.

What was she fretting about? The major general wondered. Was she worried about her safety? Or was she missing someone?

Suddenly, the Princess stood up and said to the squad leader escorting her, “Can I send a message to the shuttle that brought me?”

The squad leader was puzzled by her request and saluted. “I will inquire for you, Your Highness.” He returned a short while later with a regretful look, “I’m sorry, Your Highness,” he said, “that shuttle doesn’t have superluminal communication equipment.”

The princess immediately showed disappointment. The squad leader quickly added, “But the distance is short. You can use traditional radio to contact it. There will hardly be any delay!”

“Connect me quickly!”

“Yes! If you wish to talk, please come to the communications room!”

The Princess stood up and followed the squad leader to the communications room. Half of the escorting soldiers moved with them. A large group crowded into the communications room, startling the staff there. They nervously connected the Princess to the shuttle she had arrived in. They didn’t dare to look up and just focused on their work.

Alveira entered a private calling booth, surrounded by double-layered glass to prevent anyone from overhearing private conversations. This made Darius uneasy, as he couldn’t hear what she was saying.

“Leibniz, tell the spaceport communication staff to route the signal to me as well.”

“This…” The adjunct hesitated. His superior seemed to have a penchant for prying into others’ privacy?

“Go!”

“Yes!”

The radio signal was routed to the bridge of the Sword of the Queen, on Darius’s encrypted channel. Traditional radio communication was obviously not as clear as quantum superluminal communication, filled with a crackling cosmic static. He heard a familiar female voice ask, “Princess?”

“Joanna, it’s me…” Alveira’s timid voice followed.

“Yes, what is it?”

“I…” The Princess fell silent again.

Darius confirmed on the screen that the Princess’s mouth wasn’t moving. She wasn’t speaking. It wasn’t a radio malfunction. The Major General scratched his jaw, not understanding why these women were hesitating so much. Just speak directly, what’s there to hesitate about! What a waste of communication budget!

“Joanna…” After a long pause, the Princess spoke again. “Stop calling me ‘Your Highness’. Just call me by my name.”

“Alveira? Is that alright?”

“Yes!” The Princess gently sniffed, making a sound like a sob. “Joanna, I…” The screen showed the Princess lowering her head and rubbing her eyes. “Can you sing for me?”

“…I sing off-key. Are you sure?”

“Sing for me!”

So Joanna hummed a simple melody, like a pianist idly striking a few piano keys. There were no lyrics—just a lullaby-like hum. The interference from the radio made the sound intermittent, like an ancient song of farewell transmitted from ancient times. Darius had never heard such a melody before; it might have been an impromptu creation by the female pirate, singing as she went.

The starry sky was silent. The galaxy stilled. In the boundless universe, darkness fell. Only this song’s melody drifted, transmitted from one end of the radio wave to the other, amplified through a speaker, echoing near the ear, perhaps continuing to drift in the universe like light, reaching far places long after, to be received by future generations. They would wonder about such a lyric-less song, speculate its origins, create legends. Until those legends were submerged by history, this song-carrying radio wave would also continue to drift, until one day its energy was exhausted on its journey, vanishing in the starry sky.

But that would be a long time from now. By then, Darius, Alveira, and Joanna might have completed their lives, their children also aged. The carriers of past events would eventually degrade completely, humanity’s brief history eventually obscured in the vast river of cosmic time. On that day, nothing would remain, nothing would be left. Stars would burn out their brilliance, turning into dust, scattered in the depths of darkness.

“Duke, Major General Bayes’s fleet has already departed from Leyting.”

In a luxurious hotel suite, the secretary whispered to the Duke. A sunset’s light passed through the curtains, landing on the gold-threaded red carpet. The Duke sat by the window with an ancient paper book on his lap. He carefully turned the pages, cautious not to damage them with too much force. Since acquiring the book, the Duke had been engrossed, spending almost all his time reading. The secretary dared not disturb such a focused Duke, only entering to report significant news.

The Duke expressed no sentiment about the major general’s departure, only lamenting, “It’s a pity that the two people meant to be killed are still alive,” then immersing himself back in the book. The secretary quietly left the room.

An hour later, the Duke summoned the secretary, ordering him to bring the prepared card reader machine. Due to technological advancements, information storage chips had evolved over dozens of generations, and modern computers could no longer read the content of ancient chips. The Duke had previously gone through great efforts to purchase a card reader machine from Neo Athens at a high price, capable of reading centuries-old chips.

The secretary called several bodyguards to bring the machine to the Duke’s room. The Duke turned to the last page, where a hollowed-out section in the hard cover contained a small chip. Winnet, wearing gloves, removed the chip, placed it in the card reader, and stepped back to watch the content display.

“This is information Captain Jacob copied risking his life, containing all the secrets about ‘Yasha’,” the Duke excitedly said. “With this, we can create our own ‘Yasha’, the ultimate weapon to dominate mankind… We can use it to rule the entire universe!”

The machine’s red light blinked rapidly, and after a few minutes, the screen suddenly lit up, displaying the message: “Welcome to the Galactic Diva Camilla’s Tour Concert.”

---

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

---

Chapter 70

“I want to stay and become a pirate.”

After these words, there was silence. The cabin was as quiet as a graveyard. Alois nervously glanced at Darius Bayes, expecting him to fly into a rage and possibly launch an attack on the isolated Dream of a Cold Night. To his surprise, Darius didn’t get angry but instead smiled, calmly interlacing his fingers and resting them on his knee.

“Enough, Alveira,” he said. “There’s a limit to your nonsense.”

“It’s not nonsense…!”

“I will protect you. Come back quickly.” Darius narrowed his eyes. “If you don’t want to see your pirate friends behind bars, you’d better behave. My patience has its limits.”

Alveira clenched her fists, her face alternating between pale and flushed. “I don’t want to!”

“Should I send someone to fetch you, or will your pirate friends bring you back?”

“I said I want to stay!” Alveira exclaimed, waving her hand vehemently. “Who’s the princess here? Are you defying orders, Darius Bayes, Count Darius Bayes?!”

Darius remained unfazed. Only his lips twitched slightly in mild exasperation. “How unlovable. You used to call me ‘Brother Darius’, and now you just use my full name after a few months apart.”

“You…”

“Shall I personally escort you back, Princess?” The Major General deliberately emphasized the last words, practically spitting them out through gritted teeth.

Alveira waved her fist at him and stormed out of the cabin.

Darius was in no rush. He turned to Joanna and said, “I assume you don’t want my men boarding your ship. Please send the Princess back promptly, or I will have to prosecute you for ‘kidnapping royalty’.”

The red-haired pirate woman sighed in exasperation, covering her forehead. “I know, I know. I’ll do it!”

“Hope you keep your word, Joanna Begrel.”

The holographic video disappeared.

Joanna collapsed onto the table, groaning incessantly. Alois could only make out words like “can’t handle”, “failed”, and “Lord have mercy”. He knew well how difficult it was to deal with the Princess. She had always been this way since childhood. Alois had known Princess Alveira since she was fourteen—a tomboy who constantly caused trouble. She was always climbing trees or building forts in the palace gardens, leading small skirmishes with the Royal Guard, using tomatoes as cannonballs. Everyone from secretaries to the Chancellor had been her targets. The Chancellor once declared, “I would never let my grandson marry such a wild girl! Fortunately, I don’t have a grandson!”

Having often assisted the Princess in her “mischief”, Alois had been scolded by the Guard Captain multiple times. So now, seeing Joanna’s headache, he couldn’t help but chuckle as he stood up. “We’re heading back, Captain. Good luck.”

Joshua asked, “The cookies are good. Can we take some back?”

Joanna flicked the cookie plate with her finger. “Take them all. Pavlov isn’t here anyway.”

“Captain, you served dog biscuits to your guests?!”

“Dog biscuits are delicious! If you don’t want them, don’t take them. I wasn’t keen on sharing them in the first place!”

Alveira stood by the ship’s railing. The wall in front of her had turned transparent, reflecting the endless outer space. Behind the ship was a small planet, ninety light-years from the Empire Capital. Its sky was half-daylight, half-night, eternally twilight. This was Leyting, where her loyal subordinates had perished. But it was also where she had met Joanna Begrel. Alveira had never encountered anyone like her. She had heard many legends about this female pirate. When she served the Empire, she was a commendable officer; after betraying the Empire, she became a formidable enemy. She had been a pirate, and after two defections, she abandoned her military career, which could have brought her honor and glory, to become a pirate again. Such a person was indeed strange. Alveira thought, no wonder everyone called her the ‘Mad Queen’.

But meeting Joanna in person, she realized that Joanna wasn’t mad. She was calm, rational, decisive, and courageous. None of the older women Alveira knew were like her. Darius had said his late mother was also very valiant, leading fleets against the invading Federal forces. But he also complained that Marquess Madonna was a stern and harsh mother, never showing her gentle side to anyone. Joanna was different…

“Finally found you.”

The sudden voice behind her startled Alveira. She had just been thinking about Joanna, and here she was!

The transparent wall reflected the tall figure of the female pirate. Her red hair cascaded like a fiery waterfall, burning so brightly in Alveira’s vision it seemed to scorch her retinas. Alveira couldn’t help but close her eyes, speaking softly. “What are you doing here?”

“Came to check on you,” Joanna said. “You left so suddenly, I was really worried.”

Even with her eyes closed, the image of the red-haired woman lingered in the darkness, as if imprinted on her retinas.

“I’m fine,” Alveira said.

“Major General Bayes is right. You should return quickly.” Joanna stood beside her, holding the railing. “Her Majesty and Prince Annot must be worried about you.”

“They’re not…”

A hand gently patted Alveira’s head, ruffling her hair. “Don’t be difficult. This isn’t where you belong. Being a pirate… You’re a princess. You can’t be a pirate.”

Alveira countered, “Then why are you a pirate?”

The hand on her head paused.

“Because being a pirate is free.”

“I want to be free too.”

“A princess isn’t free?”

“Far from it. Always have to watch out for assassination attempts. Everything is monitored. Can’t live how I want. If I had a choice, I’d never be a princess.”

“But you, though not free, can make life better for many as a princess. That’s a great job.”

Alveira stared at the pirate woman. “You were a soldier. Defending the country was your duty. Why did you defect?”

“Because I realized that life wasn’t as good as I imagined. If one day you find that being a pirate isn’t as great as you think, you’ll run away too.”

“Being a princess isn’t as good as you think either,” Alveira retorted. “You’re guessing my life based on your assumptions. Ever think what you’d do in my place?” She moved away from the pirate’s hand.

Joanna’s hand hung in the air for a moment before slowly retracting. “You’re right. I have no right to judge you.” She looked back at the stars. “But I still think it’s best if you return to your family.” She paused. “I have no family left. It took me a long time to gather my current companions and have a small place to call home. I have to return to them too.”

“Don’t you see them as chains that bind you?”

Joanna smiled faintly. “Quite the opposite. They’re the Ariadne’s thread guiding me, so I don’t lose my way.”

She turned to leave. “Go back.”

This time, Alveira didn’t immediately refuse.

“When Major General Bayes’s fleet arrives at Leyting, I’ll personally take you back. I won’t let the Duke or anyone else harm you.” She walked away from the railing. “Go back.”

Alveira continued staring into the black void of space. Joanna’s reflection had disappeared from the mirrored wall, but the red image still lingered in her eyes.

She raised her hand, staring at her pale palm. In ancient Earth myths, Princess Ariadne gave the hero Theseus a thread to help him find his way in Minos’s labyrinth.

Did she have such a thread in her hand too?

---

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

---

Chapter 69

“Ah, you’re back safe and sound!” As Alois climbed out of the space shuttle, he was greeted by a dazed-looking Joanna. She patted his shoulders, giving him a once-over, and let out a sigh of relief. “Good, no missing limbs!”

“…If I were missing any, what would you do, Captain? That’d be considered a work injury.”

“Retirement benefits should be minimized where possible,” Joanna said, adopting the exploitative demeanor of a capitalist. She then gave Joshua a thorough pat-down, ensuring neither of them were injured, and happily turned around. “Come, these are the two companions I mentioned.”

A young girl emerged from behind Joanna. Alois could tell she was wearing Joanna’s clothes because the Captain was taller, and her clothes were a size too big. The girl had to roll up the sleeves. She had thick, flaxen hair, reminiscent of a girl from a Renoir painting. She tilted her head, staring intently at Alois as if trying to bore a hole through his face.

Alois stared back, his mind racing to calculate the odds of two people in the vast universe looking exactly alike. Before he could figure out the deep answer, the girl spoke first. “Lagrange?”

Her voice was familiar. Alois instinctively stepped forward, dropping to one knee, and took her hand. “Your Highness!”

“Lagrange, it’s really you!” The girl pulled him up and circled around him in surprise. “When they told me you escaped from Hecate, I didn’t believe it!” She jumped up and hugged his neck. “It’s been two years, and you haven’t changed a bit!”

“You’ve grown… in many ways…” Alois muttered.

“Hm? What did you say?”

“Nothing!”

Alois glanced back at Joshua and gestured him over. “This is Princess Alveira.”

Joshua nodded in surprise.

“This is Joshua Planck, uh…” Alois hesitated, unsure if he should reveal Joshua’s identity as an assassin. While he was hesitating, Alveira had already run up to Joshua. “I know, you’re the Mourner.” She shook Joshua’s hand warmly. “Joanna told me you and Lagrange are a couple!”

Alois turned to glare at Joanna, who innocently spread her hands, indicating she didn’t mean to spill the beans.

“Let’s set that aside for now,” Alois said. “Why is the Princess here, on the Dream of a Cold Night?”

“Oh… it’s a long story.” Joanna gestured for them to follow. “Let’s go to my cabin to talk. We need to share our experiences of the past few days. Leo! Get tea and snacks ready!”

“Am I your all-purpose servant?!” came the spirited protest from the AI, complaining loudly about being made to serve tea and snacks. These were tasks that were definitely outside its duties, but it was ignored completely.

Hearing Leo’s grumbling made Alois smile. This was the Dream of a Cold Night he knew. The place he belonged.

“…So the bodyguards all sacrificed themselves heroically. I took the Princess, commandeered a shuttle, and escaped from Leyting to rendezvous with Leo.” Joanna pushed a plate of cookies to the center of the table, diligently pouring tea for Alois and Joshua. “What about you? I heard the Galactic Diva Camilla rescued you halfway?”

“Yes,” Alois said, taking a cookie that tasted odd but was unexpectedly delicious. “Leo found Camilla and asked him to help us.”

“Ah, the Galactic Diva…” Joanna said dreamily. “I want to meet him too!”

“Just a troublesome brat,” Joshua said coldly.

Alois kicked him under the table, and the assassin fell silent.

Then he turned to Alveira. “So, Your Highness, what are your plans now? You can’t go back to Leyting. It’s full of the Duke’s minions. Do you want to return to the Empire Capital?”

Alveira crossed her arms. “I don’t want to go back! The Duke has significant influence in the Empire Capital too, and there’s that old bat Greenwald… Did you know, ever since Leia died, that old codger has been trying to get his granddaughter to marry my brother? And have you seen how scary that girl looks?” She pouted. “Even if she were beautiful, my brother shouldn’t marry her!”

It seemed the Princess was very dissatisfied with the candidates for her future sister-in-law. “How is Prince Annot doing lately?” he asked.

“The same as always, constantly talking about Leia, never letting go of her photo, carrying it everywhere. He might as well marry the photo.”

If Empire law allowed marrying a photo, Annot and his cousin Musaya would be the first in line. Two years had passed since that incident, and Annot still hadn’t moved past his lover’s tragic death. Alois used to secretly criticize the Prince’s weakness, but after meeting Joshua, he understood that a lifetime of pain over a loved one’s death was no exaggeration. If Joshua were to die one day, Alois would probably be even more devastated, wishing to follow him in death.

If one could go against the world just to love one person, if one abandoned the world just to be with that person, then a world without that person would be a living hell, unbearable even for a second.

For Prince Annot to live in such a hell, what must he be feeling? Alois couldn’t fully comprehend, but he understood a little better.

“But Your Highness, you can’t come with us to Milantu, right?” Joanna rested her chin on one hand, playing with the spoon in her teacup with the other. “Even if you don’t mind visiting the pirate’s stronghold, others might not welcome you… Ah, I didn’t mean you’re not welcome!” Seeing Alveira’s disappointed expression, the Captain quickly added, “Of course, I personally would be very happy to have you!”

Alveira turned away. “Then just drop me off anywhere!”

“……” Joanna silently facepalmed.

Alois had known the Princess for six years and understood her temperament. She was definitely pouting now. As a former member of the Royal Guard, he instinctively began to soothe the Princess’s mood. “Your Highness, you can’t stay on the ship forever. You’ll have to return to the Empire Capital when things calm down.”

The Princess snorted, lying on the table with half her face buried in her arms. “I don’t want to go back,” she said. “Lagrange, do you have any conditions for being a pirate? I’ll just become a pirate with you!”

Alois almost spat his tea in her face. “You’re not serious, are you?!”

“I’m a serious person. I never make such low-level jokes.”

Where are you serious! Alois wept silently in his heart.

“Ahem, excuse me for interrupting.” The ubiquitous AI interjected, its holographic image appearing next to Joanna, politely saying, “A Mr. Darius Bayes wants to speak with you.”

Joanna raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know any Darius… Ah, it’s him!” She put down her teacup. “Major General Bayes?”

“That’s right.”

“What does he want? We agreed on a non-aggression pact. Is he reneging?”

“He’s making quite a fuss right now. Shall I patch through the faster-than-light video call?”

“Do it.” Joanna straightened her collar… “I want to see what a fussy Major General Bayes looks like.”

Leo waved his hand, and a holographic screen appeared in mid-air, placing Darius Bayes’ angry face prominently in the center.

“Joanna Begrel!” the Major General roared. “You treacherous madwoman!”

The madwoman crossed her legs and lounged in her chair. “I don’t accept such baseless accusations.” She lifted her chin. “What treachery? I haven’t done anything.”

“Where is the Princess? You didn’t kidnap her?”

“…Why would I do something like that?”

Alveira timely moved next to Joanna, cheerfully waving at the Major General. “Hi, Darius! Long time no see! Are you in the Empire Capital? The Dream of a Cold Night is fantastic. I’ve never seen such a great ship!” Her tone was like someone calling home to brag about the scenery on a trip.

Major General Darius nearly choked on his own breath, almost spitting blood. “Alveira! Do you know who you’re with? A group of galaxy-wide fugitives! Vicious pirates!”

“I know! Joanna, Lagrange, and the assassin Mourner. Do you want to meet them?”

“…No!” Darius was about to explode with anger. “How did you end up with them?”

Alveira’s smile vanished. She pushed Joanna aside, clasped her hands in front of her chest, and stared straight at the screen with her violet eyes, making Darius on the other end shiver.

“Darius, is this communication channel encrypted?” Her voice was emotionless.

“Encrypted.”

“What I’m about to tell you is all true.” She paused, took a breath, and continued, “I was nearly assassinated by Duke Winnet in Leyting. I barely escaped with my life. Zion, Rose, and the others all sacrificed themselves. I was the only one who survived. During my escape, I encountered Joanna, and thanks to her, I’m alive to talk to you now.”

Darius calmed down. “I suspected Winnet had ulterior motives, but I didn’t expect him to go so far as to try and assassinate you… If only I were with you in Leyting.” He lowered his head briefly, then looked up again. “My fleet is about to arrive at Leyting. No matter what the Duke’s capabilities are, he won’t be able to harm you. Come back quickly. I’ll send someone to pick you up.”

“No.” The Princess said firmly, “Darius, I don’t want to return to the Empire Capital. I want to stay and become a pirate.”

---

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

---

Chapter 68

Darius Bayes was utterly out of sorts.

All because of that damned Gauss. The small spoils he had won from Joanna Begrel were now gone (including his senior!). The failed mission was primarily Gauss’s fault, but as the commander, he couldn’t escape the blame either. Back in the Empire Capital, before he could even meet with Annot, he had to first apologize to Her Majesty the Queen. Her Majesty, of course, didn’t blame him (thank the Lord she only wallowed in self-pity), but that tough old coot Greenwald insisted on punishing him. After much haggling with the old Chancellor, the final punishment for Darius was half a year’s salary deduction and three months of house arrest for reflection.

Three months!

They might as well kill him!

He wasn’t a schoolboy who needed to be sent to detention for making mistakes! Did old Greenwald see every living being younger than himself as an immature child? Was it really possible for an elderly man with Alzheimer’s to serve as the Chancellor of the Empire?

However, a decree was a decree. Once it bore Her Majesty’s seal, it became an edict. Darius had no choice but to cease all activities outside (including chatting and having tea with Annot) and return to his estate in the suburbs of the Empire Capital to start a life akin to a shut-in. Every morning, he was awakened by the booming voice of his old butler, just as it had been for twenty years, then went through his morning routine. Like a retired old man, he would drink tea and read the morning news. His morning activities included gardening, walking, and sunbathing, and his afternoon activities were sunbathing, gardening, and walking again. In the evening, he would chat with Musaya, who would log on full of energy (her day started at 1 PM).

“It’s so rare to see you,” Musaya said. “It’s truly a rare sight for the Major General to be back in the Empire Capital!”

Darius replied, “The Duchess must be very busy. It’s an honor for someone of my lowly status to have a conversation with you. I am truly flattered!”

They both laughed insincerely. The pleasant day ended with them mocking each other’s lifestyle habits.

A few days of such a life could be called a leisurely vacation, but after a week, Darius became bored (only the old butler was extremely happy. “Master Darius finally came home!” he said, wiping his eyes with a handkerchief. “The spirits of your father and mother will be pleased!”). He began to find ways to occupy himself, such as indirectly asking Musaya for news. However, whether because the girl was too good at counter-espionage or she genuinely didn’t care about her father, Darius gleaned very little information about Duke Winnet, except that Musaya was no longer in the Imperial Capital but had returned to the Duke’s territory.

This was very surprising. Getting Musaya out of her room was harder than making those damned space pirates surrender. Yet she had indeed left her cocoon and now complained daily that the internet speed back home wasn’t as good as in the Empire Capital… Never mind the effort her father must have put into transporting all her figures and manga. The reason behind this was worth pondering. What was the Duke planning? Surely not just getting his daughter to rejoin society!

Darius soon guessed the answer. One morning, while he was eating breakfast and watching the news out of sheer boredom, a call from the White Radiance Palace was brought to him by the old butler.

“Hello?” The Major General dropped his fork.

“Darius…?” came the voice of the Prince on the other end.

“…Annot?”

“I’m sorry to bother you so early…” The Prince’s voice trembled. “But I really don’t know who else to turn to…”

“Take your time. What happened?”

“It’s Alveira… she… she…”

Darius frowned. “What happened to Alveira? Didn’t she go with the Duke to Leyting for an inspection? What happened?”

Annot choked up. “News just came in… Terrorists broke into her hotel and took her away!”

“What?!” Darius could hardly believe his ears. “Terrorists? They took Alveira? Where did this information come from, and is it reliable?”

“I heard it from my mother. The Duke reported it personally. They say the terrorists even broke into the Governor’s mansion, stole a shuttle, and have already left Leyting… The terrorist…” Annot sobbed, “is that space pirate Joanna Begrel…”

Darius no longer knew what expression to wear. While he had expected Joanna to retaliate somehow after the attack on her base, he hadn’t imagined she would kidnap Alveira… Wait, hold on. This information came from the Duke, so it might not be accurate. Could it be the old fox was up to some trickery? Yes, merely hearing others’ accounts wouldn’t suffice. To find the truth, he’d have to investigate himself. Darius told Annot, “I’ll find a way. Send me all the information you have,” then hung up and pushed away his breakfast.

“Master, where are you going?” The old butler blocked his way. “Don’t forget you’re still under house arrest for reflection!”

“Call Leibniz over!” Darius pointed at the butler’s head. “If you don’t want to be fired, do it immediately!”

“Even if you say that, I…”

“You’re fired!”

The butler touched his nose. “Alright, I’ll call him.” He picked up the phone to call the young master’s adjutant, muttering to himself, This line has been used since you were a child. Can’t you come up with something new?

Ten minutes later, the unfortunate Adjutant Leibniz arrived at his superior’s home, out of breath. “John Leibniz reporting!” He stood at attention and saluted.

Darius had already changed into his uniform. “Order the fleet to depart immediately!”

“Immediately?” Leibniz blinked. “But the fleet is still undergoing maintenance and isn’t ready. Even if we issue the order now, it will take at least half a day to depart…”

“I said—immediately!”

“But the supplies…”

“The Empire Capital is right behind us. What more supplies do we need?”

“But the personnel…”

“Anyone who boards the ship later than me will face military punishment!”

Leibniz shivered. Darius Bayes’s “military punishment” wasn’t in the same category as other fleets’ regulations. Violating military law could be compensated for in various ways. Violating Darius Bayes meant only death.

“Yes, sir! I’ll notify them immediately!”

Under the strict control of the Major General, the fleet was fully manned within an hour. At that time, an envoy from the palace also arrived at the spaceport.

“Major General, you are still under house arrest, and mobilizing the fleet requires Her Majesty’s approval…”

Darius responded, “Fuck the house arrest.” If the butler had heard that, he would have fainted.

Then he waved his hand irritably, signaling the soldiers nearby to drag the envoy off his boarding ramp. “I’m going to rescue Her Majesty’s daughter. Do you think she would disagree?”

“Her Majesty has entrusted the matter to Duke Winnet…”

Darius glared at the envoy, saying something else that would make the butler faint. “Fuck Winnet.”

---

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

---

Chapter 67

“Joshua, did you see that?” The young scientist pulled his hand out of the pocket of his white lab coat and pointed to the deep navy sky, where a bright moon hung. “The moon. It has humanity’s first outer space base.”

“Isn’t it abandoned now? Professor Giorgione said that it’s been uninhabited for a long time.”

“Yes, ever since the colonies severed ties with Earth, the lunar base has been abandoned. It was originally meant to serve as Earth’s spaceport… Now it has no purpose.”

It seemed to be an early summer night, with a warm breeze carrying a dry scent as it climbed down the hillside. Kester stood under a tall eucalyptus tree. The night wind lifted his silvery-white hair, making it look as bright and pure as moonlight.

“Although no one lives there anymore, the spaceport’s equipment and machinery are still there. Even two spaceships capable of reaching light speed. Though we have the technology to build spacecraft, Earth no longer has the resources to produce the necessary materials,” Kester said with a sigh. “If this continues, even the remaining humans won’t survive.”

“Professor Giorgione said the current resources can sustain everyone for another two hundred years.”

“Two hundred years… That’s not enough.” Kester put his hand back into his pocket. “The colonies took everything from Earth, and we have nothing left.”

He turned around. “A few days ago, I met Nasir. He plans to use one of those two ships to head towards the colonies. With cryo-chambers, it could take about eight hundred to a thousand people.”

“That’s half of Earth’s current population.”

“If both ships are intact and operational, almost everyone could evacuate Earth.”

He used the word “evacuate”, as if Earth weren’t their home but a battlefield no longer fit to stay in.

“Kester, are we going with Nasir?”

“I don’t want to leave just yet. Many of my experimental equipment can’t be taken on the ship, and I want to stay on Earth to continue my research.”

“Is it the project you mentioned last time? Researching artificial intelligence with self-awareness?”

Kester blinked curiously. “How do you know?”

“Professor Giorgione told me.”

“Oh, he talks too much.” Kester rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on from his colleague’s loose lips. “It’s supposed to be a commercial secret. He shouldn’t tell others so casually!”

“I’m not just ‘others’!”

Kester smiled faintly. “Then you must keep it a secret.” He took a small communication device out of his pocket. “The prototype of the AI program has been written. The next step is to give it learning and mimicry abilities, just like a child learning about the world by imitating adults.” He turned on the device, and the screen lit up brightly in the night. “Come, take a look. The AI is linked to my device. Try asking it a few questions, but keep them simple, or it might not understand.”

“Can it really work? Hmm… what should I ask?”

“Keep it simple. Try it.”

“Um… what’s your name?”

A line of small red text appeared on the screen. “Hello, my name is Leonard.”

“Mr. Planck? Mr. Planck?”

Joshua woke with a start, momentarily disoriented. It wasn’t until someone nudged his shoulder that he realized he was on the Muse, in the lounge, waiting to rendezvous with the Dream of a Cold Night. He had dozed off and dreamt of something strange.

It was Rita calling him, the manager responsible for hosting Joshua and Alois on the ship.

“Sorry, I just dozed off.”

“You don’t look well.” Rita observed. “Didn’t you sleep well last night?”

Joshua glanced at Alois beside him, who was also struggling, yawning continuously. If not for a cup of coffee, he would surely be fast asleep by now.

They hadn’t slept well the previous night. They’d spent the night in various positions, exhausting themselves. Since they were leaving the Muse the next day to return to the mothership, Joshua had forcibly dragged Alois out of bed. “Do you want to be carried back to the Dream of a Cold Night naked?”

“…Just carry me back then.”

“Leonard will record the whole thing!”

“…He’s recorded worse things.”

“Camilla will see it too!”

Alois had jumped up and started dressing obediently, which made Joshua consider assassinating the Galactic Diva again.

Rita didn’t notice his dark thoughts but could tell from their expressions that they had a rather stimulating night… The manager silently mourned Camilla’s yet-to-blossom romance. But it was for the best. For Camilla, his career was more important. How could he focus on work if he was always thinking about romance?

“The shuttle from the Dream of a Cold Night has landed,” Rita said with a professional smile, her subtext clear: It’s time for you two to leave and stop distracting Camilla!

Joshua kicked Alois lightly. “Hey, we can go back now.”

“Huh? We’re leaving already?”

“…Do you want to stay longer?”

Alois stood up hurriedly. “I didn’t say that…”

Rita made a gesture. “Follow me. I’ll take you to the hangar.”

Neither Alois nor Joshua spoke as they followed Rita, who chatted incessantly. “This adventure in Leyting was so thrilling. Leonard said you offended some big shot. The world is so unstable these days, but luckily the next concert is in the Free City-States, safe from the Empire and Federation’s war. Camilla cried all night yesterday, but don’t worry, he’s strong. He’s acting as if nothing happened today.”

Alois was worried about Camilla, but Joshua’s sour expression made him hesitant to bring it up.

Fate seemed to love playing with people. In the hangar, there stood a gray Gondola from the Dream of a Cold Night. A small figure stood before it, with neatly combed blue hair, dressed in a white shirt and a pleated skirt, looking like a high school girl.

“Srosie?” Alois couldn’t help but stop. Beside him, Joshua was already searching for his gun.

“Alois.” Srosie stood with his hands behind his back, eyes fixed on the floor. “You’re leaving?”

“Uh… yes.”

“I… I want to talk to you alone.”

Alois held Joshua back by the shoulder, preventing him from acting impulsively. The assassin snorted and looked away. Srosie mustered his courage and grabbed Alois’s hand (Joshua’s face twitched at the sight), pulling him aside, away from the assassin and the manager.

“Um, Alois…” The youth stammered. “After you leave, will we… will we see each other again?”

“Well… I don’t know.”

Srosie lowered his head. “Can I text you?”

“Sure.”

“How about video calls via faster-than-light communication?”

“That’s fine too.” Alois thought for a moment, then clarified. “As long as Joshua isn’t around.”

Hearing Joshua’s name, Srosie’s face darkened. “If… I mean, if,” he looked up, his sea-blue eyes shining with something, “if you two break up, would I have a chance?”

Alois was speechless. Srosie lowered his head again. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that.” He muttered, “I don’t know how to talk, sorry.” Tears started to form. Alois quickly wiped them away. “Don’t cry. Your makeup will smudge.”

“…Okay.”

“And you look good when you smile.”

“…Okay.”

Srosie tried to hold back his tears, wanting to smile in return, but couldn’t manage it. Alois patted his head. “You’re very cute. So many people like you. The entire galaxy is crazy about you. One day you’ll find someone who loves you completely…”

“…Okay.”

Srosie gave Alois one last hug before pushing him away. “Go on! You’re ruining my schedule!” He turned away, no longer speaking.

“Goodbye.” Alois turned his back to him and walked back to Joshua.

After the Gondola carrying them left the hangar and returned to the Dream of a Cold Night, Rita approached the lonely Srosie.

“Alright. Let’s go back.”

“I know!”

Srosie looked at his hands, feeling sad that it might have been the last time he’d hold Alois’s hand. The galaxy was so vast. The odds of any two people meeting were like two specks of dust colliding in space. If those two people also happened to love each other, the odds were astronomical, almost a miracle.

“Your makeup is smudged again.”

“None of your business!”

A miracle had happened, but not for him.

---

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

---

Chapter 66

Alois wandered around the Muse, unable to find Srosie. He asked several crew members, but they all shook their heads. Finally, he encountered Rita on the bridge. Rita told him that Srosie had gone back to his cabin and was in a bad mood. “So it’s best not to bother him for now.” The manager smiled apologetically. “He just needs some time alone.”

“Okay. Please… please tell him that once he’s feeling better, I’ll explain everything to him.”

“Sure,” Rita replied. Alois nodded and was about to return to the lounge when Rita called out to him. “Mr. Lagrange!”

“What is it?”

“Camilla is a very willful child. I’m sorry for the trouble he’s caused you. But he has a good heart and is a good kid, though he doesn’t have many friends and isn’t very savvy about social interactions. I hope you can be understanding.”

Alois felt there was more to her words. As Camilla’s manager, she likely knew the diva liked him and was giving him strange relationship advice. Though well-intentioned, it was…

Rita’s gaze was sharp, like a spotlight on him. Alois mumbled a few responses and quickly left, practically fleeing.

Joshua sat in the cabin temporarily assigned to him as a bedroom. According to the crew, it would be the next day before they could rendezvous with the Dream of a Cold Night, so they had to spend the night on the Muse. The bed was soft, filled with a large amount of modified silk, and felt smooth to the touch. Joshua’s fingers slid from the bedsheet to the wall, and a light tap on the wall screen displayed a star chart of the universe. Another tap transformed the ceiling and floor into a boundless starry sea, and the bedsheet became transparent, with one of the Milky Way’s spiral arms emerging from its folds.

His fingers continued to move across the starry sea, selecting and enlarging an area repeatedly until he finally saw what he needed—a blue planet floating in the boundless darkness of space. He reached out but didn’t dare touch the image, fearing it would disappear at the slightest touch, so he moved his hand gently around the blue sphere, as if caressing it.

The home planet rotated quietly in his hand. An unknown light source from one side divided the planet into day and night, much like Leyting’s perpetually twilight sky. Gazing at the blue planet, a wave of sadness surged in Joshua’s heart. He allowed the homesickness to occupy his mind to drive away another kind of sorrow that had taken hold. Only this way could he feel somewhat calm, temporarily forgetting his troubled thoughts.

How pathetic, resorting to this method to numb himself. If Kester knew, he would undoubtedly ridicule him mercilessly.

Footsteps echoed outside the cabin door. Joshua recognized them as belonging to someone familiar. He closed his hand, making the image of the home planet disappear, leaving only the vast starry sky. He quickly lay down on the bed, turning his back to the door, pretending to sleep.

The door slid open and then closed. Gentle footsteps approached the bed, lingering for a while, as if the person was hesitating. A few minutes later, there was the sound of clothes rustling.

The bed dipped as someone climbed in, slipping under the covers and pressing a warm body against Joshua’s back.

“Joshua?”

The assassin remained motionless, continuing to feign sleep.

Then a soft kiss landed on his neck, followed by another near his ear. Not only that, but the person licked the sensitive area behind his ear, making it impossible for Joshua to keep pretending.

He used his elbow to push the person behind him away and turned to glare at them. “What do you want?”

Alois looked at him innocently, completely naked, his bare upper body exposed outside the covers, reflecting the starry sky around them, looking like something out of a sci-fi thriller.

“Let’s do it, Joshua.” He smiled suggestively, one hand reaching down to explore the area between Joshua’s legs.

The assassin quickly turned away, refusing to engage with Alois. He couldn’t resist this kind of teasing and would definitely get aroused in no time.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Not in the mood.”

Alois wrapped his arms around his waist. “Still mad?” He tightened his grip. “Let’s do it. You’ll feel better afterward.”

“No,” Joshua said in a muffled voice.

“Why?”

“If I use you to vent my frustration, I’d be no better than a beast.”

Alois was stunned, then hugged him tighter. “Joshua…” he said softly. “You’re so good.”

“…You know that?”

“I’m sorry.” Alois buried his head in his neck. “I’ll explain everything to Camilla. I shouldn’t have argued with you. I’m sorry.”

Joshua stared at the starry sky on the wall, not speaking.

A tingling sensation spread across his back as Alois kissed his shoulder blades. “Let’s do it.”

“I said no.”

“Just help me out?”

Joshua felt something hot and hard pressing against his waist. This guy was aroused at the drop of a hat! He could get turned on anytime, anywhere! No wonder he attracted so many admirers!

“Do it yourself!” he growled. “Don’t tell me you can’t even masturbate!”

Alois sniffled, making a pitiful whimper. Joshua felt the body behind him move away, the bed dipping slightly as the young man shifted. Then the rustling sound of skin against fabric filled the air, accompanied by heavy breathing and faint moans, lingering in Joshua’s ears like Schrödinger’s little paws, soft but with sharp claws, scratching his heart, making it itch and ache.

The assassin clenched his fists, repeatedly telling himself not to be tempted, to hold his ground. If he fell for such a small temptation, those who died by his hand would laugh at him!

“Can’t you do it somewhere else!” Joshua gritted his teeth.

The response was a low moan, thick with nasal tones.

Joshua finally couldn’t resist looking back—one glance and he was done for.

Alois knelt on the bed, black hair scattered across the starry pillow, looking as if he were floating in the vast universe. One hand moved between his legs, stroking his erect penis, while the other reached behind, two fingers thrusting into his hole, moving rapidly. From Joshua’s angle, he could see everything clearly (he suspected Alois was doing it on purpose). The penis in front of him was so engorged it was leaking fluid, smeared along his hand’s movements; the back hole turned a tantalizing pink from the repeated stretching, looking like a greedy little mouth, sucking on his fingers without letting go.

…Damn!

Joshua’s mouth went dry. He grabbed Alois’s wrist, pulling his fingers out of the hole. “Do you really want it that badly?”

“Yeah…” Alois willingly assumed a kneeling position, raising his hips. The hole, now empty, opened and closed invitingly, silently beckoning Joshua to enter.

This time, Joshua didn’t refuse. He grabbed his own cock, positioning it at the entrance and thrusted in. Alois whimpered, the inner walls enveloping the hardness, refusing to let go.

Though prepped, it was still tight. Joshua made small thrusts a dozen times before daring to go deeper. “You’re so lewd,” he said, leaning close to Alois’s ear.

“Don’t you like it?” The young man grinned.

“I love it.” Joshua continued thrusting, his balls slapping against Alois’s ass, the sound making hearts race. “I love you the most.” He bit Alois’s ear, speaking with a hint of malice. “If you let anyone else see you like this, I’ll kill you.”

“Would you really?”

“I wouldn’t hesitate. I’d fuck you until you died from anal bleeding.” With that, he gripped Alois’s waist and began thrusting hard. Alois shook under him, waves of pleasure crashing over him, erupting like a volcano, making it impossible to think. He could only follow his desires, moving his hips in sync with Joshua, seeking more pleasure.

Joshua thought he was a terrible man, unable to say anything right. He wanted to tell Alois how much he liked him, but all that came out was, “I’ll kill you.”

Absolutely terrible.

People saw him as a ruthless killer, but no one knew how scared he was inside. Every moment spent with Alois filled him with fear—fear that one day he wouldn’t like him anymore, fear that someone would take him away. He was insecure and selfish, wanting to monopolize him, to keep him by his side forever. He was so dark that he would rather kill him than let anyone else have him.

He couldn’t say sweet words, couldn’t make romantic confessions like Camilla. He wanted to tell Alois: I fell in love with you at first sight in Hecate. He wanted to tell Alois: You are like a light that illuminated my hellish existence. He wanted to tell Alois: Don’t leave me. Don’t go with others. Stay with me.

But when he tried to speak, he couldn’t say it. All he could do was thrust harder and say harshly, “If you ever leave me, I’ll kill you and then kill myself.”

Alois turned his head slightly, his watery blue eyes like the sky after rain. He placed his hand over Joshua’s on his waist, gripping his fingers tightly. “I… I won’t leave…” His voice was broken by the rough thrusts but remained clear and strong. “I won’t leave… I’ll stay with you… forever…” Then his voice turned to fragmented moans, echoing in the starry room like a seductive melody.

Joshua tightened his grip on his hand.

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

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Chapter 65

“Get away from him.”

Alois instinctively pushed Srosie away, then realized the command wasn’t directed at him. For some reason, he felt like he had been caught cheating by his lover… but it wasn’t like that at all!

Srosie clung to his back, gripping his shirt tightly. Alois could feel him trembling.

Joshua kept his gun aimed as he slowly approached, like a slow-motion scene in a movie, carrying the oppressive weight of impending doom. He glared down at Srosie.

The cross-dressing youth tried to shrink himself into a small ball, pressing against Alois’s back, too scared to look at the advancing assassin.

“Wait!” Alois grabbed Joshua’s gun-wielding hand. “What are you doing?”

“Move aside.” Joshua yanked his hand away.

“Put the gun down!”

“Move!” Joshua frowned, shoving Alois aside. Srosie, left with no support, tearfully looked to Alois for help.

“You like him, right?” the assassin asked. “You’re mutually in love, planning to tour the galaxy together, right?”

Srosie took a step back, Joshua stepped forward. But the sofa was behind, leaving no retreat. The youth glanced at Alois, biting his lip, one hand gripping the other sleeve, shoulders trembling. “I… I like him, so what? What’s it to you?”

“How is it not my business?” Joshua grabbed Alois’s hair, forcing his head aside, then kissed him roughly. Alois was shocked, trying to break free, but was held tighter. The kiss was aggressive, almost brutal, with Joshua biting his lips and invading his mouth, making it hard to breathe.

Srosie’s eyes widened. “You… you two are…” He whimpered, tears streaming. “Alois, you liar!” Covering his face, he ran out of the lounge. Alois tried to catch him but was bitten by Joshua.

As Srosie disappeared, the assassin let go of Alois.

“What… What are you doing!” Alois wiped the saliva from his mouth with the back of his hand, tasting a faint hint of blood, probably from being bitten. “Biting! Are you Pavlov?”

Joshua turned his head, his expression clearly angry. “You like him, don’t you?”

“Who?”

“Camilla.”

“Wait, let me explain…”

“You two are in love, right? Planning to travel the galaxy together, huh?”

“It’s not what you think!”

“Did I hear it wrong then? If you hadn’t stopped me just now, I would have killed him.”

“Though I do like him, it’s not ‘that kind’ of like! Are you going to point a gun at everyone I ‘like’? I also like Joanna, Leo, and Schrödinger. Are you going to kill them too?”

“Make a list, and I’ll kill them one by one.” Except Schrödinger.

Alois covered his face with his hand, speechless. “You… you’re insane!” he muttered. “You should swap nicknames with Joanna and be called the ‘Mad Assassin’.”

Joshua gently stroked his cheek with his free hand, speaking softly. “It’s not madness. It’s jealousy.”

“…You have a peculiar way of expressing jealousy.”

“What else can I do? Just watch you be moved by his confession and accept him?”

“I wasn’t going to accept! I was going to explain everything to him!”

“Would you? You wouldn’t refuse him, would you? Is he more important to you than I am? Now you’re arguing with me over that cross-dresser!”

“You started this nonsense! How is this my fault?”

“Did I argue with you when you were jealous of Leo?”

“I thought I made it clear!” Alois raised his voice. “I do like Camilla, but… damn it!” He shook his head in frustration. “I love you, you idiot!” With that, he pushed Joshua aside and headed for the lounge door to find Srosie and explain.

Joshua didn’t follow. After the door closed, he threw down his gun and collapsed onto the sofa, trying to calm his emotions.

Alois was right. He was an idiot who didn’t even know how to express his feelings properly. He didn’t just want “love”.

He wanted to monopolize all of that person’s love.

“What are you looking at? Get lost!” Srosie wiped away his tears and shouted at the spaceship staff peeking in. They quickly retreated, not wanting to incur the diva’s wrath.

Seeing them leave made Srosie even sadder. Fresh tears replaced the ones he had just wiped away. Ignoring the smeared makeup on his face, he rushed up the spiral stairs to the stairwell near the engine room. This area was seldom visited, except by cleaning robots.

He didn’t care if the floor was dirty. He sat on the stairs, burying his head in his knees. Here, he could cry freely.

After a couple of sobs, he found himself unable to cry anymore. His heart felt empty, as if something was missing.

Alois had someone he liked. That silver-haired man who was always with him, named Joshua or something. Tall, handsome, and capable—so that’s the type Alois liked? Then he had no chance. He should have noticed they were a couple. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have foolishly intruded. Now he seemed like the third wheel, disrupting their love. No, it was a matter of timing. If he had met Alois earlier, before Joshua, Alois would be with him now.

But even if they could have met earlier, that would be a story from another universe.

So Srosie cried even harder.

“Hey! Camilla!” a sharp voice said.

Srosie looked up, seeing a small cleaning robot through his tear-blurred vision. Its chubby, cylindrical body slid back and forth, trying to catch his attention.

“Camilla, you’re crying!” The robot’s voice sounded gleeful. “Your makeup is all messed up. You look terrible, haha! Want to see? I’ll show you!” Its headlight flashed.

Srosie slapped the robot, sending it flying into the wall, then rolling down to the floor. It found its balance and slid back to him stubbornly.

“What are you?” Srosie shouted. “My ship’s robots don’t talk!”

“You’re mean! I’m Leonard, the one who contacted you!”

Srosie slapped it again. “Don’t hack into my ship’s systems! It’s illegal! Illegal!”

The little robot persistently returned. “No one will know if you don’t tell! I’m here to inform you there’s been a delay. ‘Dream of a Cold Night’ will rendezvous with the ‘Muse’ around this time tomorrow.”

“Tell the navigator about it!”

“Isn’t this your ship? Of course, I have to tell you!”

“Am I your messenger?!” Srosie stood up and kicked the robot. “Get lost! Don’t block my way!”

“Don’t kick people! It hurts!”

Srosie’s foot hurt too.

The little robot followed, chattering. “You should fix your makeup. Your face looks really interesting… Oof!” It was kicked again.

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

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Chapter 64

The spaceship “Muse”, belonging to the Galactic Diva Camilla, was now hovering over the outskirts of Leyting. The ship was shaped like a hexagonal pyramid, resembling a gigantic glass artwork. The sky of Leyting, half in daylight and half in darkness, tinted it with a faint golden-red hue, making it look like a shining jewel in the twilight sky.

Leyting lacked a well-equipped theater like Neo Venice, so the governor specially approved the Muse to enter the planet’s atmosphere, allowing Camilla to perform with various special effects projected from above the stage. After the performance, the Muse left the urban area and stayed in the countryside, partly to facilitate acceleration during takeoff and partly to prevent curious onlookers from approaching.

After notifying the spaceship’s staff, the hatch at the bottom of the ship slowly opened, and the driver piloted the flying car into the ship’s hold.

“Alright, we’re safe on the ship,” Rita said with a smile to the two fugitives as the flying car came to a stop.

Alois stepped out of the car, surprised to find that the floor was a smooth display screen, resembling a mirror-like lake. When he stepped on it, ripples immediately spread out, making it seem as though he was wading through water.

“The entire spaceship is designed this way,” Rita explained. “The walls, floor, and ceiling can all be used as touch screens. This is Camilla’s preference, so the ship was specially customized for him.”

“It’s different from any ship I’ve seen before,” Alois said, kicking the floor experimentally, which caused realistic splashes. “Thank you for bringing us aboard, Miss Rita,” he sincerely thanked the manager.

Rita shook her head. “If you want to thank someone, thank Camilla. I wasn’t going to help, but he insisted on rescuing you.” She pointed in Camilla’s direction. Alois followed her gaze and saw the diva surrounded by staff, seemingly discussing the upcoming schedule. Halfway through, Camilla turned around, caught Alois’s eye, and quickly looked away, sulking.

Alois turned in another direction, where Joshua stood in a small, shadowy area. His black and gold eyes had darkened, resembling an abyss with unseen things stirring within, trying to break free.

Joshua had been acting strangely since earlier. Alois thought. He must have misunderstood something between me and Camilla… What could it be? What is going on in that guy’s head?

They stared at each other silently, neither willing to speak first.

“The ship is about to accelerate out of the atmosphere. Let me take you to the lounge,” Rita said, patting Alois’s arm, freeing him from the awkward silence. “Do you want to stay in the hold and get crushed by the acceleration?” The manager, with her years of ironclad professional experience, also gently called out to the icy Joshua.

The assassin hesitated, but ultimately succumbed to the threat of acceleration. Even the most notorious killer couldn’t defy the laws of physics. He followed Rita and Alois, keeping a few steps behind.

He wasn’t sure if he was overthinking, but Alois couldn’t help but notice that Joshua’s footsteps seemed unusually chaotic.

In the lounge, as the spaceship exited the atmosphere and entered space travel, Rita excused herself to handle some affairs. Joshua stood up to follow, explaining to the puzzled manager, “I need a place to smoke.”

“The smoking room is over there. I’ll show you.”

After they left, Alois was left alone in the lounge. He huffed, crossed his arms, and sank into the sofa.

Joshua never smoked unless necessary, and he never carried cigarettes. He usually borrowed them from others (often from Joanna). Now he claimed to need a smoke, clearly to avoid Alois. What was there to avoid? They had fought together to escape the police just hours ago, and now Joshua was sulking! Who had time for that!

The more Alois thought about it, the more irritated he became. He wanted to find Joshua and explain things, but he also felt it would be a waste of time. Getting angry at such a critical moment, unable to prioritize!

The lounge door slid open with a “shhh”.

“You’re back,” Alois said without looking, his tone sour.

The newcomer didn’t speak. Only after the door closed did light footsteps approach. Alois recognized they weren’t Joshua’s.

“…It’s me,” Srosie said timidly.

Alois awkwardly scratched his head. “I-I thought you were Joshua.” He tried to force a smile. “What brings you here?”

Perhaps his smile was too awkward, scaring Srosie. The cross-dressing youth clasped his hands behind his back like a student being punished, cautiously approaching, afraid of accidentally angering him. “I-I came to check on you.” He finally reached Alois, blushing and looking around nervously. “You didn’t seem happy… Are you mad at me? Because I keep bothering you?”

Alois smiled wryly. “No such thing.”

“Really…?”

“Yeah.”

Srosie’s face lit up instantly, as if a beam of light shone on his face. “I thought you hated me…”

“How could I!” Alois patted his head. “I like you a lot.” He said, “Thank you. If it weren’t for your help, we would definitely…”

Before he could finish, Srosie threw himself into his arms, hugging his waist tightly. “I-I like you too!” he said excitedly. “You’re so good to me. You even saved my life… Rita says if you like someone, you should be brave and confess, or someone else will take them away.” Blushing, he looked up. “I like you. I want you to stay with me. Stop being a pirate, okay? Come with me… We can travel the galaxy—go anywhere we want. You won’t have to hide, won’t be hunted… If you don’t like my performances, I’ll quit singing… I’ll still sing, just for you…” He sniffled. “Just the two of us…”

Alois’s mind went blank.

What’s going on?! He thought in panic. A confession? He’d been confessed to before, but never this directly! And by the Galactic Diva Camilla! Camilla! Although he was a cross-dresser, he was the real Camilla! Camilla said he liked him! Camilla confessed to him! How could this be so sudden! Couldn’t there have been a warning first?

But something felt off! Alois tried to push Srosie away and stammered, “But… but why do you like me?”

“Like means like. There’s no need for so many reasons!” Srosie pouted. “You said you liked me too. We have mutual feelings!”

—That’s not right!

“Wait! That’s not the kind of like… I… I have…” I have a lover!

A gunshot interrupted Alois. The laser beam grazed Srosie’s ear, cutting off a few strands of hair and leaving a scorched mark on the floor.

The youth stiffened and turned in disbelief to see Joshua standing at the lounge door.

“Get away from him,” the assassin coldly ordered.

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