Chapter 32
Normally, accepting a female insect's invitation would involve dancing with her, but due to Hill's health condition, the dance was changed to a period of time spent alone together.
The person he met was a young female insect from a noble family. She was very enthusiastic and cheerful, as if she had endless things to say. After the waiting time was over, she still politely added his contact information through the quantum computer.
"I look forward to seeing Your Highness again." The noble female insect respectfully withdrew, returning the time to the male insect.
There are countless female insects attending a banquet, so it's perfectly normal for the male insect prince to select a few to get to know them better. He was honored to be the first, but of course he didn't dare to hope that he would be the only one.
With the departure of the female insect, the garden in the palace fell silent once more.
Hill held his forehead with his fingers, fatigue washing over him like an invisible tide.
Steady footsteps echoed up the steps, and Hill frowned slightly.
He was a little tired and didn't intend to see the next female insect. However, the tall and upright shadow of the female insect was projected onto the pale stone steps, every inch of its lines as if carved out by a sharp carving knife.
The shadow was so familiar; he had gazed at its back countless times, so much so that it seemed etched into his soul, and he could recognize it without ever looking at it again, knowing who it belonged to.
The female insect approached step by step, her hawk-like eyes fixed on the male insect sitting alone in the garden, until his tall shadow blocked the gentle moonlight.
The cold, gray eyes stared intently at him, as if he were his own possession.
That kind of gaze would make any prey whose eyes were being watched feel their heart clench. Something in Hill's heart was poked, but then he calmed down gently.
He leaned back in his chair and slowly began, "Has no insect ever taught the marshal to bow when he sees a male insect?"
His lips tightened slightly, and his voice turned cold: "Or is it that the Marshal is so used to acting recklessly that he thinks he doesn't need to bow to me?"
Celtic's gray pupils contracted slightly, as if boiling magma surged as he stared at the male insect leaning against the railing.
The male insect, whose eyes used to seem to sparkle with stars, now had cold eyes, reflecting the pale moonlight of the artificial satellite, as if covered by a thin layer of ice.
He leaned against the cold white railing, his eyes holding a detached, condescending gaze.
Yes, as the third male insect prince of His Majesty the Insect Emperor, Hilgard has a noble enough status. However, even without this status, an S-rank male insect is enough to make countless female insects flock to him and go crazy.
Celt bent down inch by inch, his strong back bending, his manners impeccable, yet his gaze remained unabashedly fixed on Hill's handsome face.
“Good day, Hill,” he paused, his voice suddenly dropping, “Your Highness—”
Emphasize his identity, emphasize the six-month-long deception, and emphasize the sinister approach.
Even when he was in a lower position, he did not hide his domineering nature in the slightest.
He did not truly submit.
So the next moment he spoke coldly.
"The female insect of the Itt family, the female father was a high-ranking official of the empire, who stepped down half a year ago. The male father has eleven female offspring, and he can inherit less than one-tenth of the property."
The tall, muscular female insect braced herself against the cold white railing, and a lingering, aggressive smell of gunpowder swept in, forcefully expelling the faint pheromones left by the S-class female insect in the garden.
Celtic leaned down, his voice low and serious, as if he were simply stating a fact, but his tone was anything but respectful.
He confined Hill in the angle between him and the railing; it was an unbridled intimacy.
For any male, this is an invasion that completely exceeds social etiquette.
Hill looked at him quietly: "Marshal Celtic—"
He called him by his full name, instead of calling him Marshal again and again with the same affectionate, almost childish tone he used six months ago. He called him that whether he was happy or in pain. Celtic's already taut nerves suddenly felt like they were about to snap.
"Is this the female insect that Your Highness chose?"
In this garden where no other insects existed, he was like a wild beast that had broken free of its cage, completely lacking the seriousness and politeness he displayed in front of insects, and instead becoming aggressive.
Hill watched him quietly, having to tilt her head slightly as she sank into her seat.
He was surrounded by a group of female insects. He was supposed to be introduced to one of them and then choose a female insect whose family background, appearance, or military achievements were equal to his. However, when Celt lost control, this female insect was the first to react and thus got the chance.
He didn't care about the female insect's identity or family background; the insect he cared about first was Celt.
How absurd!
A slight smile curved the male insect's handsome face, a smile that seemed both mocking and not. He raised his head slightly, his icy blue and clear eyes still holding a hint of weariness, and asked softly, "What does that have to do with you?"
Whether his family background and wealth are good or bad, whether he is outstanding or not, what does it have to do with you, the wife of Sirius?
Celtic's expression remained unchanged, but the sudden tightening of his grip on the stone railing revealed that he was not at peace.
"Isn't this why you went to such lengths to get close to me, Your Highness—"
His voice was deep and cold, and his eyes held an unchanging balance of interests, so rational and ruthless that it was frightening.
Hill was taken aback at first, seemingly not understanding what he was talking about. He frowned slightly until Celt lowered his head and stared intently into his eyes. In an instant, the sense of oppression increased, as if he wanted to embed the male insect into his arms.
"Or is Your Highness just playing a trick on me?"
Hill's pupils widened suddenly as he realized what he was saying.
His already pale face turned even paler, his Adam's apple bobbed slightly, as if he wanted to laugh but couldn't, and he slowly, very slowly, tugged at the corner of his mouth.
The ice that had formed in his eyes shattered instantly, and he opened his mouth, seemingly finding the absurdity beyond words.
Yes, even if Celt had remembered, he couldn't possibly forget that five years ago, Nuka Star was the last piece of the puzzle for his promotion to Marshal, a shining achievement in his resume.
It's impossible for him not to remember the name Hilgard.
What was he thinking after he remembered?
The female insect believed that she was deliberately approaching him to sabotage the marriage, just like Nathaniel, in order to gain his support and more leverage in the upcoming battle.
"So, this is why you humiliated me?"
Hill's voice was hoarse, as if he had just realized Celtic's intention in offering eternal damnation.
Is that kind of thing, that thing that once existed in such a shameful way, just for the purpose of humiliating and avenging him?
Celt stared intently into those eyes, so close that he could almost see into the depths of any insect's eye.
Hill's eyes were like a misty sea. For a moment, Celtic felt as if the sea was filled with clouds and mist, but soon the male insect couldn't bear it any longer and gently closed his eyes. When he opened them again, all that remained in his eyes was the clear and cold moonlight.
The handsome and young male insect's lips curled slightly, revealing a section of his fair neck. He looked thinner than he had been six months ago, and his slender figure made him look less youthful.
He remained in a lower position, but his expression held the arrogance and indifference of a male insect. He slightly parted his lips and said, "You enjoy playing with me, don't you?"
They were too close. The male insect's fresh and fragrant pheromones lingered around his nose, and his breath, as sweet as orchids, rang in his ears. Yet, each word he uttered felt like a light but thin blade.
"marshal--"
He called out the title once again.
Celtic's pupils constricted, and faint blood vessels seeped from the edges of his pupils—a sign that things were about to get out of control.
Just then, the footsteps of a female insect were heard. To ensure privacy, the pavilion was covered with flowering vines, and only the back of the insect could be vaguely seen, but it was impossible to identify who it was.
His Highness Hill has come of age. It is an honor for the female insects to choose one of their favorites from among the female insects attending the coming-of-age banquet, and it is perfectly normal for His Highness Hill.
"Your Highness, Lord Aaron has arrived."
However, His Highness's health is of paramount importance and will take precedence over any female insect.
Celt always maintained the strict etiquette expected of a female insect in front of the outside insects, even though the sub-female could not see him.
He got up and stepped aside.
Hill's eyes were indifferent. He slowly stood up, holding onto the back of the chair. Strands of silver hair cascaded down like a waterfall, sliding over Celtic's hands, which were braced against the railing with bulging veins.
Perhaps he had stayed too long; the wind was a bit chilly tonight. He got up slowly but never looked back.
The sub-female respectfully reached out to support the frail male insect from below the steps, feeling both dissatisfaction and doubt.
What a derelict female insect! She didn't even come out to see His Highness off. Such behavior is completely unworthy of staying by His Highness's side to take care of him.
As the sub-female thought this, she suddenly felt a chill run down her spine, as if she were being stared at by some cruel star beast. Her teeth chattered involuntarily, but fortunately, the feeling disappeared in an instant, so quickly that it seemed like an illusion.
Celt leaned on the railing entwined with flowering branches, coldly watching the sub-female help the male insect away from the hidden flower bushes. In the distance, the noisy sounds of the palace hall still echoed, with clinking glasses and toasts.
The stone, transported across several interstellar distances, silently cracked, spreading like a spider web, and soon, unable to bear the weight, collapsed into ruins with a bang.
——
late at night.
The military has its own specially designated area on the capital planet, and marshals are allocated small detached villas in the core area outside the royal palace according to their military merits.
"Beep—Warning! Pheromones exceed threshold—"
A cold, mechanical voice rang out, and a pair of stardust-like eyes snapped open in the darkness.
Then the lights were turned on. The marshal was used to the cold, dark sleeping environment and adhered to a strict schedule. It was three o'clock in the morning on the capital planet, which was the marshal's sleeping time.
His pattern has been broken once again.
The female insect, which had just been on the verge of losing control, closed her eyes tightly.
The sound of water could be heard inside the villa, and a moment later the female insect stood in front of the balcony.
The villas outside the palace are not tall, and only the outer end of the elaborate and magnificent building can be vaguely seen, with its splendid lights shining all night long.
He's right.
I was indeed addicted to it.
He had just dreamt about the male insect.
I dreamt of a male insect with the lights on late at night, waiting for him to come back from his work. He was all sticky and wanted to cuddle with me while I slept. I dreamt of a male insect diligently researching recipes for him, worried that his injuries would recur. I dreamt of a male insect that missed me so much that he built a nest with his clothes to cover himself up.
Therefore, despite being captured time and time again and knowing that he was hiding his identity and had ulterior motives, they still couldn't bring themselves to destroy him.
Even during those six months—
Celt opened his personal terminal, where he found a message from his adjutant five weeks earlier. However, it was destined to be a sleepless night. At three in the morning, his adjutant, just as sleepless as he was, sent a message almost instantly.
The virtual signal made Dick's figure appear unreal. He spoke urgently, "Marshal, now that we've confirmed that Prince Hilgard is indeed Hilgard, our experiment should be stopped immediately, you know—"
This involves a huge risk, unlike inhibitors; it's a completely illegal crime, serious enough to warrant a trial.
Celtic leaned against the balcony railing, his gray, cold eyes as sharp as ever: "Continue."
Dick seemed anxious for a moment and wanted to say something, but he had to lower his head when he met Celt's eyes.
What the marshal wants to do, no insect can stop him; there's no need to ask why, just execute the order.
After a brief pause, he heard the marshal's voice: "Investigate the movements of all double-S-class female insects in the Empire over the past six months."
A double-S grade female insect?
The communication was cut off the next moment, leaving only Celtic on the dark and silent balcony.
Successful second advancement? Given Hilgard's age, his second awakening must have occurred within this year. So, had he already completed his second advancement when he came to my side?
And who guided him through the second stage of advancement?
This is a logical behavior, including the fact that his fiancé, Sirius, had already undergone two stages of development five years ago, as this is an inevitable process for male insects to transition from adolescence to adulthood.
However, this also caused a surge of resentment within him.
—Who took Hilgard's first time?
Author's Note:
Marshal, guess? [doge emoji]
Because it's hard to commission a book with a style like Hill Baby, I commissioned a beautiful draft for my next book featuring Chu Han, a scumbag male lead, a few months ago. He was an incredibly handsome young swordsman. These past two days, I comforted myself by commissioning a coloring session for the exquisite draft, but it all fell apart... Who can understand how my already painful mood plummeted to rock bottom? I just kept crying [crying][crying][crying] Sure enough, what can overcome the first kind of pain must be something even more painful.
That baby was so cute, but the coloring ruined it! [crying][crying][crying]
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