Chapter 63
Hill's fingertips brushed lightly across Celt's face, bringing a touch of coldness.
Without hesitation, Celtic reached out his large hand and covered the back of Hill's hand, pressing his hand against his face.
"You are not."
Celt's features were deep-set, with sunken eyes and a very high nose bridge, giving him a sense of being suspended in mid-air. Hill suddenly remembered that when he was young, he had seen a book on physiognomy of the Zerg while he was in a hospital bed. He studied it against Marshal Celt's face, including matching his face with his zodiac sign.
The book said that this kind of insect with a high nose bridge and deep eyes is cold and heartless, but he disagreed and thought he would be the exception.
Looking back now, I realize how ridiculous and naive I was.
The ravine crackled like a spark that landed in Celtic's cold, indifferent eyes. He said, word by word, "Even if you are, I'm still willing."
Hill paused slightly, a slight smile appearing on his lips, and slowly leaned back.
Celtic certainly didn't mind, because he was still somewhat useful to Celtic.
What a realistic bug you are, Marshal Celtic.
Hill traced Celtic's outline slowly with her fingertips, and said noncommittally, "Is that so?"
His voice carried a hint of playfulness and uncertainty, making it impossible for Chong to decipher.
The sky swept away the gloom of the night, and the magnificent morning light illuminated everything, including the male insect's originally cold eyes, preventing the insect from seeing the deep sarcasm rising within them.
"Marshal, remember what you said today." His voice was slightly hoarse.
When the StarNet live stream was turned on again, it started with His Highness Hilgard adding a point for Marshal Celt. This time, Celt had an absolute lead in both the male and female insect levels.
The live stream, which had been shut down all night, was turned on again. The first thing that caught the eye was the dazzling morning light. In the slightly chilly morning sunlight, Marshal Celtic was dressed in a dark military uniform, with his black bone wings spread out.
He held the frail Prince Hilgard in his arms, his white robes and pale lips, his slightly protruding Adam's apple, and his pale fingers resting on his abdomen.
Marshal Celtic's bronze hand clasped his in front of Prince Hilgard, holding his hand tightly in his own.
As vision gradually cleared, the female soldier, who had been asleep all night, spread her wings, eagerly following Marshal Celtic's trajectory.
In front of all the insects, Celt lowered his head and, with an air of absolute control and domination, raised his clasped hand with Hilgard's and kissed the back of his hand.
The first round of the competition has ended.
"...I don't know why, but I feel like it's a bit innocent. Is that right?"
"It's just carrying it by hand, Marshal, how about something bigger?"
"And then be sent to court and sentenced?"
"The person upstairs has convinced me. By the way, wasn't the first round of the competition originally scheduled for 15 days? Why was the competition time suddenly shortened?"
"His Highness Hilgard's condition is not optimistic. It seems the monitoring system has triggered an alarm, and the medical bugs are requesting that His Highness return to the capital planet immediately for treatment, so the procedure has been terminated early."
"Besides, what's the point of continuing? Even if all the participating insects combined fought against Marshal Celtic, they still wouldn't win. Is the point of continuing just to watch Marshal Celtic slaughter everyone every day?"
"But at least I can see His Highness on the live stream (＞＜)"
In a civilization where the Zerg are defined solely by rank and the number of male Zerg, the higher the rank of a male Zerg, the more beautiful he is generally. However, most high-ranking male Zerg are unwilling to show themselves.
Revealing the privacy of male insects without permission is also considered a crime, and opportunities to openly admire their beauty are extremely rare.
"Aaaaaah, I watch His Highness Hildegard every day, and I feel like I'll have withdrawal symptoms if there's no live stream! Can anyone tell me when the second phase of the selection starts? Will it be streamed live the whole time?"
"The second phase of selection seems to involve placing the female insects with the highest scores and the highest favorability from His Highness in the same villa, allowing them to get up close and see which insect His Highness prefers."
"!!! Close contact? Is it that exciting?"
"I'd faint even if I wasn't chosen to get close to His Highness the Male Insect! Why wasn't it me!"
"If we knock out the selected bug now and replace him, will he still have a chance?! Are there any bugs who want to team up with me to knock out the selected bug?"
"Uh, the list has just been released. First place is Marshal Celt, no doubt. Second is the hot-tempered Major General Eric. Third is Lieutenant General Baxter, who lost his eye while fighting the Star Beasts and received a prosthetic eye transplant. Fourth is Major General Damon, who likes to crush Star Beast bones..."
"The fifteenth is Brigadier General Vincent, who injured seventeen S-class female insects in this year's internal military competition. Upstairs, who are you going to knock out and replace? Can we do a live stream?"
"Start a live stream +1".
Why isn't anyone upstairs saying anything?
"He probably fainted from fright."
The StarNet was in an uproar, but the procedures on the capital star were proceeding smoothly, with loyal royal guards reading out the absolutely prohibited regulations to the candidate insects.
"Even if you are able to enter His Highness's private insect domain, please act strictly in accordance with the female insect manual. You must not offend His Highness, fight, or use prohibited drugs."
"You will all be accommodated on the first floor. The second floor is His Highness's living area, and the third floor is the bedroom area. No one may enter without His Highness's permission. Of course, if His Highness invites you, it will be an honor for you."
Fifteen female soldiers were receiving training outside the villa, waiting for the long reading of the regulations to finish. Hill sat on the second floor, resting her chin on the back of her hand, her gaze sweeping indifferently over the ground below.
A climbing Sophia rose bloomed by the window, obscuring his face. Suddenly, a sharp, intense gaze looked up at him, startling Hill slightly.
—It's Celtic.
He was always bolder than the other insects, daring to look up at places outside the rules when they were reading them out.
Hill was taken aback. The submissive woman, who was waiting respectfully by the window, had already drawn the curtains for him, blocking that aggressive gaze.
On the first day at noon, the fifteen female insects officially entered the villa. It was more like an estate than a villa, with several auxiliary buildings in addition to the main building complex, as well as a clear blue lake.
"Your Highness Hilgard, this is a small gift I prepared for you. It's a pleasure to meet you, and I hope you will like it." Unlike her formidable record that made the insects tremble with fear on the StarNet, the female insects were unusually friendly and enthusiastic when they met Hilgard.
A beautiful box was presented, which, according to etiquette, male insects should not open to look at, but Major General Damon, seemingly afraid that his gift would be thrown into the stockpile, opened it on purpose.
It was a turquoise bracelet, a very light green with a soft luster, adorned with a few other ornaments, and it looked quite expensive.
Hill's fair fingers brushed past her fingers slightly, and he nodded gently, his voice soft and pleasant: "Thank you, Major General Damon."
Major General Damon bowed deeply, feeling regretful and frustrated. It seemed he hadn't quite won over His Highness. But if it were that easy to please, His Highness would already have a whole bunch of female servants and slaves around him.
"I don't know what Your Highness likes. I heard that Your Highness is currently ill, so I have personally prepared some appetizing desserts in the hope that they will cheer you up."
Some people give expensive jewelry as gifts, while others come up with the unique idea of giving handmade desserts, emphasizing that a small gift carries great meaning. Perhaps they can impress His Highness with their culinary skills?
"Is that Major General Wyatt? With such a fierce face, he brings out a bowl of lemon mousse cake. Ah, the contrast is too much. I'm a little afraid to look."
"Found it. It turns out that Major General Wyatt's cooking class for his female ruler was indeed an S back then. He was so cunning. I must say, it does look very appetizing."
Hill took a small scoop, her eyes brightening slightly. Compared to the monotonous expensive gems, she thought that at least a cake could bring a little sweetness to the otherwise dull experience.
But this is a bit too sweet, more suitable for males like Nathaniel who have a sweet tooth.
Hill nodded reservedly: "The cake was delicious, thank you, Major General Wyatt."
"It is my honor to have your appreciation. If you need, I can continue to make for you in the future."
The use of the word "future" is very timely; it's not a hint, but a blatant declaration.
Hill seemed a little shy, lowering his head slightly without answering the question. Wyatt took a deep breath, suppressed his laughter, turned and left, leaving a group of insects behind him secretly resentful.
It's just dessert, anyone can make that. Let that bug get there first. Make it, make it tomorrow, make all the different flavors for His Highness, I guarantee it will be a million times better than that bug's.
Eric's gift to Hill was a pen made from the feathers of a star beast he had personally hunted, because he discovered that His Highness Hillgard had a habit of reading. In interstellar space, reading paper books was rare, and since he could read, he might need a pen to make some markings.
Such thoughts were indeed the result of careful observation, but they were not particularly noticeable among the diverse gifts from the dozen or so female soldiers.
One female soldier even spent a lot of money to buy a fluffy pet-type star beast, which jumped into Prince Hilgard's arms as soon as they met.
In the end, only Marshal Celtic had not given a gift. Hill was already a little tired, and he rested one hand on his forehead, feeling sleepy, but out of politeness, he did not leave.
If it were Nathaniel, he would simply blame these female insects for being tactless, reprimand them all, and then act according to his own will.
Nathaniel was having a blast, but many more insects wanted to run for Princess Hildegard's female, so this time the competition was unprecedented, with almost all eligible females from the military participating.
Hill watched Celt with great interest. He was also curious about what kind of gift Celt, who claimed to love him, would offer among such cunning female insects.
A precious gem comparable to the Heart of Eternity?
Celtic stepped forward, placing his hand on his chest, the crisp lines of his military uniform accentuated by his movements.
"This is all the property I have acquired since joining the army, including a total of 16 million credits, the property of two large star regions, four small star regions, and sixteen affiliated stars under my name. Please allow me to give all of this to Your Highness."
Hill paused, his azure eyes widening slightly after a moment of stunned silence, as if he hadn't heard clearly and couldn't believe it.
Celtic's eyes were calm, looking at him without any hesitation, as if he were simply giving him a random gem.
At the same time, StarNet was in complete uproar.
"So much? Is this all the wealth the Marshal has accumulated over all his years in the military?"
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