Chapter 62 Murphy, My Child: The Black-Haired King Worm Did Not Sprout...
The black-haired king insect did not attack. His gaze turned over, as if he were staring at Melville through a screen. Those eyes, that face, were so familiar, so familiar that he felt a name was about to burst forth in his mind, but he could not remember it no matter what.
Under the watchful eyes of the guards, a soft tentacle, about the thickness of an adult insect's arm, suddenly extended from the screen into the control room, passing through the screen as if it had no physical form at all.
It swayed slowly, seemingly searching for insects. The lieutenant tried to stop it from getting closer, but Melville stopped him and took a step forward instead.
The tentacles found their target and slowly reached out.
The adjutant's voice was very tense, "Your Excellency Marshal..."
If anything happens to His Excellency the Marshal, His Majesty will really kill him.
Melville didn't answer; he instinctively felt that the little thing wouldn't hurt him.
He tentatively reached out, and the tentacle softly rested on his hand, immediately surprising the insects around him.
A gentle yet powerful aura flowed slowly into his body along the small tentacle. This tentacle was a highly refined energy source, originating from the same source as the energy Hawthorne stored in the ring.
Was it because they sensed Hawthorne's energy?
As Melville was thinking this, suddenly, a fragment flashed through his mind—
"Female father!"
"Female father!"
A small male insect with short black hair, resembling Hawthorne, came running towards him.
The little male insect with black hair was three years old, with big eyes and a soft face, and you could already tell what handsome he would look like when he grew up.
Melville was startled, a wave of bittersweet emotion washing over him. Who are you? Why do you call me Father Mother...?
The black-haired male insect was very lively, with very vivid facial expressions, and immediately came up to complain.
"Female father! Male father took my toy again! Male father is so mean!"
The soft, black-haired little dumpling looked up at him, waving its tiny fist, looking incredibly cute.
Melville instinctively wanted to say something, but the next scene shifted to nighttime.
"Father, I want to sleep with you tonight." The little black-haired boy announced as he huffed and puffed as he climbed onto the bed. Although he was still young, he was already clever enough to know how to annoy his father.
However, he hadn't climbed very far before his father grabbed him by the back of the collar, sealing his fate.
"You brat, how dare you try to steal your father's wife from me? Go back to your room."
Melville saw another version of himself, picked up the little boy, and chased Hawthorne out.
The black-haired little male insect's face immediately lit up with smugness, and he made a face at his father, who was carrying a pillow and walking out with a resentful expression.
"..." Melville revealed a smile that he himself did not recognize.
The clips are fragmented and move very quickly.
A tiny, blond baby appeared in the cradle.
"Lovien is so clumsy, will he be bullied by other males in the future?" The black-haired little male poked the baby's face, looking a little worried, but he quickly brightened up again, "Never mind, I will protect Lovien in the future and drive away all those bad males."
"Yes, our Murphy is the best."
This time, he heard his own voice.
As soon as he finished speaking, the image slowly disappeared without a trace, like a speck of light.
Murphy...
Melville instinctively reached out as if to grab something, but grasped nothing; the small, soft tentacles had vanished without him noticing.
Why... is there another child in that memory?
Who is he? Why can't I remember him at all?
Melville looked up at the star map screen again. The young king insect looked at him as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't speak. Instead, he turned and left. Lovin glanced back and hesitated before following him.
"Aren't you going back?" Murphy asked.
"..." Lovein said somewhat dejectedly, "I'll go with my brother."
etc--
Melville instinctively took a step forward.
If I miss him again this time, how will I find him next time? No way.
...
Murphy planned to take Attia back to the main warship for treatment first, as his energy was only enough for basic treatment and could not completely replace professional equipment and doctors.
The tiny, pure white starship only had a wild ship doctor from the chaotic star sea; he could treat minor illnesses, but he was completely incapable of treating serious ones.
Palmer arrived at the scene in his warship to provide assistance, but the warship was not in good condition. The damage from the large-scale bombing went far beyond the few holes on the surface; several important energy rooms in the hull had also been breached, though it could still barely sail.
Just as Murphy was about to step inside, a black and gold starship with a golden iris emblem approached them.
The starship's hatch opened, revealing a long passageway.
“This… Lord Ohmu, if you don’t mind, please come aboard my warship for treatment.”
The speaker was a handsome female insect marshal with long golden hair, dressed in a well-fitting black and gold military uniform. He looked like he had some signs of age on his face, but those signs made him look even more beautiful with the wisdom and experience of time.
Murphy stopped in his tracks.
The marshal continued, "I had no intention of harming him. Now that the outcome of the war with the Federation is decided, the Empire does not want to go to war with the Federation."
Lorwin was a little nervous. Although he knew it was the Mother and Father as soon as he saw the iconic flagship, the fact that they hadn't seen each other for a long time and that he felt they were still in the Cold War made him subconsciously want to run away.
But the female father nodded slightly to him, his main attention not on him, which made him quietly relax a little.
Lovin noticed the dilapidated state of the starship that was supposed to be there for the pickup and thought it was unreliable; his brother's empress needed better treatment.
So he took the initiative to tug at Murphy's sleeve.
"Brother, it's the female father..."
"...?"
His words drew the attention of almost every insect.
The main reason why Morpheus did not actively attack the Imperial fleet was that Lovin was an Imperial bug, and the Imperial fleet did not intervene much except for surrounding it.
He had no idea that the commander of this fleet was the beautiful female insect with long golden hair from the memory fragment.
His...mother...
Murphy subconsciously took a closer look at his face. The resemblance between him and Lloyd was very high. Except for the eyes, the rest of them were like they were made from the same mold, both having the standard beautiful insect face.
Melville's thoughts stemmed from the fact that Lovin addressed him as "brother." Lovin had never liked his brother Loxis since childhood, and their relationship had only improved in recent years. Now, Lovin was calling another insect brother "brother," which made it hard for Melville not to have some doubts.
"???" Doris, who had been leisurely driving his starship to dock, had just perked up his ears when he heard the explosive news: the blonde female insect he had picked up was not only this big shot's brother, but also the son of the Imperial Marshal?
As far as he knew, the Imperial Marshal was the only female ruler of the Imperial Sovereign, so this blond boy was actually a prince.
Good heavens, what incredible luck the Pure White Star Pirates have had! With His Majesty the King Worm on their left and His Highness the Little Prince on their right, won't they be able to roam freely in the Chaotic Star Sea with impunity?
Wait, wait, a sudden thought struck Doris: the little prince called this big shot "brother," so why was the marshal so surprised? Good heavens, could he have stumbled upon some family drama?
What does this mean? Is it what I think it means?
Is His Majesty the King Insect a bug of the Empire?
[I remember both of the empire's princes were blond, so how come this young prince suddenly has a black-haired older brother?]
My intuition tells me there's something fishy going on here.
Can't you guys be even a little bit tense? The rebels have won...
[Huh? What rebels? Watch your mouth. Those are His Majesty the King Worm's army, born legitimate. Nehmeya actually dared to openly harm His Majesty the King Worm; he's unfit to be the president of the Federation.]
[...]
Under Lloyd's pleading gaze and in contrast to the dilapidated starship, Morpheus nodded in agreement.
Before Palmer could say anything more, Melville said directly, "You can transfer to the main ship and come with us. I will take you to headquarters, or any other place you specify."
To be honest, all his persuasion was very sincere, and Palmer had no reason to refuse; the Legion Commander did indeed need better treatment.
Moreover, His Majesty the King was also by his side. Given how much this king valued the Legion Commander, nothing should go wrong, so he nodded in agreement.
As soon as Murphy entered the starship, soldiers were already waiting there.
"Please come with me." The soldier said, trying to take the wounded insect from his arms, but found that the distinguished man had no intention of letting go.
So he had no choice but to lead the way and guide them toward the infirmary.
Upon entering, the doctor had already prepared and adjusted all the equipment. The silver-haired female insect, covered in wounds, was quickly covered in the transparent liquid of the advanced medical pod, and her wounds began to heal at a visible speed.
The doctor appeared serious, but inwardly he was amazed. He had been paying attention to the battlefield, and to have such a severe injury treated to this extent was truly remarkable. His Majesty the King was indeed unfathomable.
Just as the silver-haired female insect's vital signs were confirmed to be stable, Lovin discovered that his brother, who was leaning against the wall, had also fallen into a coma.
"Brother!" He quickly stepped forward to support him.
The infirmary was in chaos. Because of the King Insect's noble status, another advanced treatment chamber was quickly activated.
The two insects lay side by side, looking quite harmonious.
Melville stood at the door without going in, looking at Lovin's worried expression and the unconscious black-haired king insect with a somewhat dazed look in his eyes.
Why does this scene always seem so familiar to him?
Suddenly, a long passage appeared in his mind—
"Father, what's wrong with my brother? Why isn't he going out to play? The sun is so nice today."
The little female insect had fluffy, soft, golden short hair. Holding his brother's favorite toy, he trudged over to his brother's bedside and asked a question.
"...cough cough..."
The first response he received was a low, hoarse cough from the little black-haired boy, as if he had been cut by a knife.
Melville crouched down and said patiently, "Brother is sick and doesn't have the strength. Little Loven, go play by yourself first."
The blonde little female insect tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said very sensibly, "Is it hard for you to play when you're sick? I won't play anymore, I'll play together again when you're better."
The blonde little dumpling hugged the toy, put it back in the toy basket, then ran back, huffed and puffed as she climbed onto the bed, nestling in a small corner next to her brother.
The little black-haired boy said in a hoarse voice, "Lovin, you idiot, it's contagious..."
The blond little boy hugged his hand and shook his head to himself, "It's okay, I want to be with my brother." They are brothers, they should do everything together.
"……Fool……"
Sure enough, after the black-haired male insect recovered, the blonde female insect immediately followed in his footsteps, becoming so ill that she was bedridden and unable to get up.
While cursing, the black-haired little male insect tiptoed to change the cold water towel on his younger brother's forehead.
...
It feels so real... like it's really happening right before my eyes.
The image faded away little by little, but the image of the two brothers snuggling together was etched in Melville's heart.
Murphy...
Melville looked at the black-haired king insect in the treatment pod, and the turmoil in his heart was overwhelming. His heart ached for him, felt bitter for him, and was sad for him.
It seems that as long as you come into contact with him, something that has been sealed away will be unsealed and gradually fill in the gaps in his memory.
Yes, fragmented memories.
Melville, seeing that Lovin had almost finished, called out, "Lovin, come here for a moment."
When Lovin turned around, he realized that his father had been standing at the door for who knows how long. He subconsciously pursed his lips, glanced at his brother, and then silently followed.
“…” Lovin did not speak.
He didn't know if his father was still blaming him, since he had only been talking to his brother just now.
They arrived at their destination quickly, and Lovin realized that this should be his father's room. The familiar surroundings made him awkwardly turn his head to one side.
Melville noticed Lowe's awkwardness and nervousness. He didn't mean to reprimand him, so his tone was gentle and mild.
“Lovin, I’m not stopping you from going out to play, but you haven’t communicated with me or your male father at all this year. Can you tell your female father why?”
Lovin found it strange. What did he mean by never communicating with his female and male fathers? He had clearly been trying to communicate all along.
Lovin couldn't help but say, "I've been communicating with you, and I've also been communicating with my father... but,"
As he spoke, Loven, feeling a little embarrassed, turned his face slightly away and lowered his voice, "But none of you answered..."
Hearing Loween's grievances, Melville frowned. He was certain that he and Hawthorne hadn't received a single communication. In fact, they would immediately turn on their personal computers whenever they rang, fearing that Loween wouldn't be able to reach them. And now Loween was telling him that he was in the same situation.
Melville said seriously, "Your father and I have not received any communications from you. We have tried calling you, but there has been no answer."
Lovin looked up abruptly, almost unable to believe what he was saying. How could he not have received it? He used to call every day at first, but there was never an answer.
Lorwin said, "Liar, I didn't not answer your calls, because you never called at all."
Melville didn't speak, but instead pulled up his personal computer's call log, and the 99+ missed calls immediately silenced Lovin.
There is no doubt that both of their personal computers have been tampered with.
"I...I didn't receive any...I didn't receive any at all..."
Lovin's voice sounded somewhat bewildered and lost.
"Loxis says you're angry..."
"I thought...I thought you didn't want me anymore..."
As he spoke, Loween's voice grew softer and softer. He felt a little wronged, but he didn't know who to blame. His female and male fathers still loved and cared for him as always, and had never changed. It was he who had been being willful.
Melville looked at Lovin like this, sighed, reached out and patted his head, then hugged him in his arms, just like when Lovin was a child and had accidentally gotten hurt.
Pat your head, give you a hug, and then the sadness will fly away.
Lowe buried his face in Melville's chest and let out a low sob.
After an unknown amount of time, Lovin slowly and voluntarily withdrew.
Lovin's eyes were red. He hadn't cried in front of his father since he grew up. He was a little shy and didn't dare to look at him.
However, after this comparison, the most suspicious insect became obvious.
Melville's voice was cold and tinged with lingering fear. "Loxis has been reporting your situation to us the whole time. I mistakenly thought you two had a good relationship, so I trusted him. I'm sorry."
Lloyd immediately said, "It's not the father's fault, he's just too good at pretending."
Lovin told his female father about the attack he had suffered while trapped on Lanko Star. "I have no evidence, but I can't think of any insect that could have done this except for Loxis."
The twists and turns along the way, one after another, made Melville very uneasy.
If they hadn't been rescued by chance several times, they might have lost Loveyne.
The fact that Lovin's mental domain was in such a severe upheaval indicates that he had never delivered the pheromones that Hawthorne had asked Loxis to pass on.
The thought that they were still there, mistaking Lovey-Nynn's suffering and near death for his tantrum, filled Melville with rage.
Loxsis, unforgivable.
Melville suppressed his anger and reached out to pat his poor child. "You've had a hard time, little Loveyne. Leave the rest to me and your father."
Loven apologized in a low voice, feeling ashamed, "Yes, Father, I'm sorry. I was too willful and insisted on sneaking out, which gave him the opportunity to take advantage of me."
“It’s great that he can recognize his mistakes; our little Loveyne has really grown up.”
Melville gently wiped the corner of his eye and said tenderly.
The two children's eyes are really, really alike, almost identical to Hawthorne's.
Melville wasn't a fool. Combining the memory fragments that suddenly appeared in his mind with what Loxis had done, he was completely certain that the memories were not false, but real memories he had lost, memories about his other child.
His little Murphy...his child...
"Little Lovey-Nine, thank you for remembering your brother."
Lloyd suddenly looked up, staring at his father with surprise.
He exclaimed excitedly, "Father, you...you remember your brother?"
Melville nodded, then shook his head.
“Not entirely, just some brief fragments, but I saw them.” Melville’s face softened with a nostalgic look as he gestured to indicate a slight height. “When you were so, so small, you loved to huddle together and smile at me.”
"...I'm sorry, Lovin, we didn't believe you."
"Father-mother..."
Lorvyn's throat tightened instantly, his eyes reddened, and his vision blurred, almost instantly becoming misty. But this time, he felt incredibly happy and joyful.
He had been waiting for this day for an unknown amount of time, so long that he thought it would last a lifetime.
Now, their family is finally going to be reunited.
Every day thereafter, Melville would often go to the infirmary with Lovin to see Murphy and his queen.
The child has indeed grown up, and has already brought back a beautiful queen so quickly.
That day, the doctor sent a notification that Murphy had finally woken up. Melville rushed over, only to find Lovin hesitating at the door. He instinctively slowed his steps, and just as he reached the door, he heard—
"Honey, shouldn't we have a serious talk about why you ran away?"
Atia didn't intend to hide anything from him, and Zero Frame said, "I'm pregnant, but it's not yours."
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Author's Note: Thank you AAA for the gift! Love you so much! [Orange heart][Yellow heart][Green heart][Cyan heart][Blue heart][Purple heart][Red heart][Heart eyes][Dog head with rose][Go for it!]
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