Ch 32 – Goodbye, Mom
“What are you doing?” Yu Xi asked Kersz.
“You wanted to touch a human, so I let you. Now I want to touch a robot. My good friend will be generous to me too, right?” Kersz asked Yu Xi.
“O-of course. But could you please stop touching my breathing light?” Yu Xi patted Kersz’s hand.
“I thought you said that touching the breathing light wouldn’t hurt?”
“It doesn’t hurt, but it’s ticklish.”
“Does it make you want to laugh?”
Yu Xi shook his head.
In other words, the “ticklish” feeling wasn’t too excessive.
Kersz had finally discovered the layout of Yu Xi’s breathing lines.
The breathing light on Yu Xi’s lower lip ran down his Adam’s apple and sternum, ending above his navel.
And less than two centimeters to the left and right of the end, there were two breathing lights about the length of a finger joint.
On his sides, near his waist and hips, there were also two short breathing lights, with longer ones between them extending downward.
The only difference was that one side circled around the thigh, with one solid line and one dotted one forming two loops around the leg, while the other extended down to the calf to form two more loops.
The two breathing lines on the legs were asymmetrical.
Yu Xi had similar patterns on his arms that were equally asymmetrical.
When Kersz expressed his curiosity, Yu Xi had shown them to him directly despite being a little embarrassed: “W-what are you looking at now?”
Yu Xi wanted to cover up, but then he remembered that he was the one who invited Kersz to look, and felt somewhat flustered.
The place Kersz was staring at was indeed a bit sensitive, but he really couldn’t help himself.
Because…..
“Why is there nothing there?!”
Yu Xi: “What?”
“There’s nothing there at all, ah.” Kersz was aghast.
He moved behind Yu Xi and was even more shocked: “There really is nothing there!”
Yu Xi’s body really lacked the organ that marked him as a male!
Oh, right. Yu Xi’s body didn’t have a “back opening” either. He was like one of those dolls made specifically for children, with a flat bottom.
Yu Xi reached down and covered the spot Kersz was staring at.
“What are you covering up? There’s nothing there!” Kersz didn’t understand.
“That’s because I can stow it away,” Yu Xi said with some embarrassment. He felt all of his energy rush to his head, making him heat up. “T-to avoid arousing suspicion. And clothes look better on me this way.”
If he didn’t stow it away, he felt that its structure would ruin the overall aesthetic appeal of his outfits and be too eye-catching.
Yu Xi thought that Kersz had discovered that little scheme of his, so he said in apology: “That part also has a dotted breathing line.”
Kersz’s eyes widened in astonishment: “What did you say?! What do you mean there’s a breathing line on it?”
“B-but I’m not ready to show it.” Yu Xi wouldn’t have been so awkward before, but he now had some less-than-pure thoughts about Kersz.
Kersz was stunned.
He had crouched down to observe the breathing lines on Yu Xi’s legs, and was currently too stupefied to stand up.
Yu Xi was both bashful and distressed, but he still felt that he should satisfy his friend’s curiosity, so he stopped covering himself with his hands.
Kersz: “Ah?”
Just like when he had witnessed a galaxy being compressed, Kersz once again saw some sort of spatial folding technology.
And then…..
“Wow, a breathing light.”
*
*
“I’m going to turn my dinosaur into a positive energy dinosaur!” Tau announced loudly upon his return.
Nobody paid him any attention.
Kersz sat hunched over on the sofa, covering his face with his hands. He seemed to be in some distress.
And Yu Xi was crouched down facing the corner, seemingly withdrawn.
Completely oblivious, the little dinosaur could only sense the heavy atmosphere within the family. He circled around Yu Xi, occasionally patting him with his little paws.
When the little dinosaur saw Tau, the pillar of his world, he ran to his side with a cry of: “Daddy! Daddy!”
Tau picked up the little dinosaur and walked between Yu Xi and Kersz, looking from side to side: “What’s wrong with you two?”
Kersz: “I want to die.”
Tau: “That’s great. When do you expect to die?”
Kersz: ……
Kersz leveled a sinister look at Tau.
Tau: “You’re the one who said it.”
Kersz ignored him.
Tau looked back toward the little dinosaur in his arms: “What happened to them?”
The little dinosaur shook his big head, indicating his ignorance.
“Stay away from them. Their current state is the opposite of positive.” Tau clutched the dinosaur, wanting to isolate him in his own room.
Kersz pulled out a pillow and threw it at him.
It hit him, but didn’t impede Tau’s actions.
Tau locked the little dinosaur in his room, then came out and asked Yu Xi: “What’s wrong with you two?”
Yu Xi: “I want to die.”
“You can’t die.” Tau grasped Yu Xi’s hand.
Kersz looked up at Tau again.
Tau explained: “He’ll take all of us with him.”
Kersz looked away.
Tau comforted Yu Xi: “Try to think more positively. If Kersz makes you unhappy, just kill him, ah.”
He got hit by another pillow.
“He didn’t make me unhappy. The problem is with me.” Yu Xi was in a state of embarrassed suffering. He didn’t want to look at Kersz right now, but he also really couldn’t bear to be separated from him.
He and Kersz had been in separate rooms, one in the bedroom and one in the living room.
But despite his embarrassment, Yu Xi still snuck out to the corner of the living room, where he withdrew into himself.
Tau had absolutely no idea how to comfort people: “So what did you do? Actually, you can do whatever you want without having to consider Kersz’s feelings.”
“That’s no good.” Yu Xi looked up at Kersz, who happened to be looking back at him.
Their eyes met, and they quickly looked away.
Tau: “Can you tell me exactly what happened?”
Yu Xi: “I….I….he touched my breathing line. It wasn’t on purpose. He was stunned when it happened too.”
“Oh, so he touched your face.” Tau understood.
Yu Xi looked up at Tau, seemingly about to say something, but then he let out a heavy sigh: “Yes, he touched my face.”
“He’s the one who made a mistake, so why are you saying it’s your problem?” Tau didn’t understand. “Then how about you touch his face too?”
Yu Xi looked even more depressed after hearing this.
He had been having some naughty thoughts about Kersz lately, and then Kersz had insisted on taking a look at his breathing lights. The resulting anatomical reaction had taken Yu Xi by surprise….and poked Kersz in the face.
It happened in the blink of an eye. Neither of them had expected it.
Yu Xi wished he could dig a hole and bury himself in it.
Kersz actually wasn’t that embarrassed anymore, but he really didn’t know how to bring up the topic with Yu Xi.
Should he jokingly call him his “good friend?”
He felt that Yu Xi would be even more embarrassed by that.
Fortunately, they still had a pressing task ahead of them – Curtis had invited them out again.
Yu Xi had to shrink himself down again, which gave Kersz another chance to carry him.
Thus, when they met up, Curtis felt that Kersz’s attitude toward him had improved.
Yu Xi was also treating him with more affection.
Ignorant to what was going on, Curtis simply assumed that his charm was off the charts today.
However, he still envied the way Kersz and Yu Xi got along with each other.
He said to Kersz: “I wish my dad was like you.”
Kersz was momentarily stunned, and Yu Xi blinked rapidly.
This child had no idea how terrifying his wish was.
Kersz pressed Yu Xi’s head into his arms, then smiled and informed Curtis that they would be leaving Daybreak in the next few days.
Kersz’s identity was that of a small business owner within the Star Union. Unlike the Interstellar Alliance, nobles in the Star Union didn’t follow the same customs, and one could buy just about anything there as long as they had the money.
The Star Union was full of businessmen.
Kersz had come here for two reasons: First, to take his child out for a stroll, and secondly, to see if he could get to know some well-connected nobles and discuss forging a business partnership.
“You’re the Supreme Governor’s son, so you definitely know more about the Interstellar Alliance than I do,” Kersz said to Curtis. “Do you know anyone who owns a mining company?”
“Plenty,” Curtis replied without hesitation. “The Interstellar Alliance may not have much else, but there are plenty of nobles with fortunes in their hands. No matter how far those noble families may have declined, each of them still owns a mining planet or two.”
“My god,” Kersz exclaimed.
“There are hundreds…..hey, if you trust me, I’ll introduce you to someone I know,” said Curtis. “My older sister, Yara.”
“Who is she?” Kersz asked, feigning confusion.
“She’s the most likely one to become my mother’s heir. She’s currently serving in the military, and already owns five mining planets – and she’s also looking for business partners,” Curtis explained.
“She’s an official? Is my identity as a member of the Star Union going to be a problem?” Kersz put on a show of nervousness.
There had been previous conflicts between the Interstellar Alliance and the Star Union. The Interstellar Alliance held the most resources and owned countless significant energy mines, but the Star Union had once seized its twelve most important mining planets.
The ordinary people of the Interstellar Alliance despised the businessmen from the Star Union.
And those lesser nobles, for the sake of their honor, were equally unwilling to cooperate with them.
“If this gets exposed, it will likely affect your sister’s future career,” Kersz said, pursing his lips.
“Hey~ Who would expose it, ah? How many of the people at the top haven’t worked with the Star Union?” Curtis didn’t think it was a big deal. “Hatred doesn’t put food on the table. Besides, without the Star Union operating the mines, those energy sources wouldn’t fetch such a good price.”
“Who would throw away money for the sake of so-called ‘honor?’” Curtis scoffed, waving his hand. “I’ll take you to see her in a couple of days, and the two of you can talk.”
With a look of relief, Kersz quickly smiled and agreed.
Curtis took a sip of drink, then remembered something and pointed at Kersz: “Hey, listen here.”
Kersz’s eyes widened in confusion.
“You Star Union people all have your own hidden agendas.” Curtis patted him on the shoulder.
Kersz chuckled.
“You and I are on good terms. Don’t mess with my sister, or she’ll make trouble for me later,” said Curtis.
“Of course I won’t. You’ve helped me so much, how could I possibly put you in a tough spot?” Kersz said with a placating smile.
“Now we’re talking. Remember that later on.” Curtis smiled back and veered away from serious matters, beginning to feel sentimental about the father-son relationship between Kersz and Yu Xi.
A few days later, Curtis took the three of them to his sister’s planet. Of course, Fusya accompanied them with “being worried” as his excuse.
Curtis was not very welcoming to Fusya, but for some reason, Tau was very enthusiastic toward him and firmly believed in his positive energy rhetoric.
Tau himself was incapable of such optimism, but he hoped that his child would be able to maintain a positive attitude forever.
Curtis contacted his sister, who agreed to meet with his friend. However, she didn’t have time at the moment, as she had been promoted and was currently preparing for a banquet.
“Does a promotion require a banquet?” Kersz asked Curtis.
“That’s the annoying thing about these nobles. They have so many customs, and they make a big deal out of everything, like they have to announce it to the world.” Curtis was a little uneasy, as he’d heard that his mother would be coming as well. His father was busy and didn’t have time, but he still sent someone over with a congratulatory gift.
“Banquets are boring. The games aren’t fun at all, and you have to listen to a bunch of people bragging about their own achievements.” Curtis had never enjoyed that sort of thing. “All of it is to show off their family wealth and heritage. They’ll occasionally talk about business partnerships, or discuss arranged marriages.”
Fusya patted Curtis on the shoulder, eliciting a cold scoff: “Uncle Fusya doesn’t like banquets either, right? Those people always like to bring up your status.”
“It’s fine, I’m used to it,” said Fusya.
Curtis felt helpless. He didn’t know how Fusya could possibly be used to it.
He wasn’t a fan of Fusya’s constant nattering about “positive energy,” but Fusya was indeed the elder who cared the most about Curtis’s good-for-nothing self.
Curtis recalled that someone had fancied Fusya at a banquet several years ago, but that person was operating under the assumption that Fusya’s background made him more promiscuous and undignified than ordinary nobles.
Curtis had gone into a towering rage over it, and everyone condemned him for losing his composure.
Why make such a fuss when Fusya could just politely refuse?
Sometimes, Curtis felt that there was something wrong with everyone in his family, that perhaps there was something wrong with everyone in the world.
Just thinking about it made anger surge to his head.
Suddenly, a cool little hand patted his own.
When Curtis looked up, he found that it was Yu Xi.
The child seemed to be concerned for him: “Are you alright, Uncle?”
Curtis smiled: “Uncle is fine. Did Uncle scare you?”
Yu Xi shook his head.
“You have such a good child,” Curtis said to Kersz.
Kersz smiled.
Yu Xi simply lacked resistance to human vulnerability.
Curtis’s attitude toward Yu Xi was getting better and better.
Yet Kersz felt that there was something amiss.
Curtis and Yu Xi had gotten along quite well when they first met, but then Curtis had changed his name to Fetus.
Nothing that unfortunate was going to happen again, right?
Kersz glanced at the miniaturized Yu Xi.
En, nothing should happen. Yu Xi was a child, and Curtis shouldn’t let a child convince him of anything.
Kersz and Tau ended up receiving invitations to the banquet, which didn’t come as a surprise to Kersz. Banquets were inherently a display of wealth, and the audience for that display naturally consisted of “associates” like him.
Upon landing, the group was housed in a private residence under the name of Curtis’s sister Yara.
The three of them moved into the roomy villa while Fusya and Curtis stayed elsewhere.
Curtis warmly invited Yu Xi and his family to familiarize themselves with the planet.
They spent the entire time together, right up until the day of the banquet.
“My sister said she’ll come and talk to you afterward,” Curtis told Kersz.
“Thank you so much. You’ve really helped me a lot.” Kersz toasted him, and Curtis drank his whole glass in one go.
Kersz: “The party just started. Aren’t you drinking a little too much?”
“It’s not too much. I can hold my liquor pretty well,” said Curtis.
Kersz remained noncommittal.
Yu Xi stayed by Kersz’s side the entire time, but Kersz didn’t hold him during the banquet.
Curtis leaned down: “Want to go play with Uncle?”
“Okay!” Yu Xi smiled and nodded, dutifully playing the role of a child.
Curtis picked Yu Xi up in one swift motion, then raised an eyebrow at the somewhat apprehensive Kersz: “I’m just taking your kid to wander around.”
“You….just don’t drink too much,” was all Kersz could say.
“Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to him.” Curtis turned his attention to Yu Xi. “Uncle won’t let you fall and get hurt, will he? Uncle’s arms are really strong.”
No, Yu Xi still felt that Curtis’s arms were very uncomfortable.
With his arms around Yu Xi, Curtis walked away.
Everyone at the banquet was clearly familiar with Curtis, and greeted him with smiling faces. Curtis introduced each of these aunts and uncles to Yu Xi.
But once those people left, Curtis muttered: “If I weren’t the son of the Supreme Governor and the High Lord, who would bother with me….ha.”
Yu Xi patted Curtis on the head.
Curtis felt that he had drunk a bit too much, and was indeed a little dizzy.
He carried Yu Xi to the gardens, where he found a secluded spot and set him down, then shook out his slightly numb hands.
Yu Xi looked up at him.
Curtis wiped away his tears with one hand. “It’s so pointless…..really, it’s so pointless.”
“People are only liked if they’re useful…..so pointless.” Curtis smiled at Yu Xi. “You’re lucky you have a good father. I really envy you.”
Yu Xi slowly stepped forward and reached out to wipe Curtis’s face, wanting to help him blot away his tears.
Curtis was unaccustomed to such intimacy, and abruptly stepped back.
Yu Xi froze on the spot.
Realizing that he had frightened Yu Xi, Curtis said quickly: “Haha, Uncle isn’t trying to avoid you. Uncle just…..” But the more he spoke, the more uncontrollable his tears became.
The alcohol had muddled his brain.
Not wanting to be pitied by a child, Curtis fled.
Yu Xi: “Ah….”
Wasn’t it a really bad idea to leave a child of his size alone?
But Curtis had already run far away.
Yu Xi waited for a while, and was soon noticed by a robot carrying drinks.
“Hello, Young Master Zane. What are you doing here alone?” Everyone attending the banquet had been registered, so it was able to call out Yu Xi’s alias.
“My friend is missing.” Yu Xi was a little anxious, worrying that something might happen to Curtis.
“May I ask who your friend is?” the robot continued.
Yu Xi: “Curtis.”
“I’m sorry, Curtis is not on the banquet guest list,” the robot said regretfully.
Yu Xi: “….Fetus.”
“Oh! So it’s Mr. Fetus. Shall I take you to him?” The robot didn’t intend to leave such a small child alone.
“No!” Yu Xi refused. “He seems to have been deeply hurt on an emotional level, and ran away on his own. He may not want to come back.”
The robot praised: “You’re so clever! So, what does clever little Zane plan to do?”
“He’s been disappointed by his family, so we need to make him feel cared for by them,” said Yu Xi.
The robot: “Wow.”
A moment later, the music in the banquet hall abruptly cut off.
Then a ding-dong sounded out, and a missing person notice began to play over the loudspeaker: “Good afternoon, dear guests. This is a missing person announcement. Young friend Fetus, wearing a blue tuxedo, please meet your friend in the gardens after hearing this broadcast. Your friend is waiting for you.”
Everyone: “…..”
Kersz sucked in a deep breath.
It had finally happened!
The hostess of the banquet, Yara, glanced at her mother seated beside her: “Fetus? I remember…..”
“Shh~” The High Lord interrupted her.
The broadcast was still playing, and some people glanced over at her.
The High Lord gracefully raised her head, then opened her communicator and messaged the Supreme Governor: [Are you able to get here on short notice?]
[Has something happened?] The Supreme Governor asked. [Have we caught Kersz’s trail? Was there an attack? Is Yara all right?]
[It’s nothing so serious. Yara is fine. I just have urgent business to attend to, so please come and support her.] The High Lord replied.
[What urgent matter?] The Supreme Governor asked in puzzlement.
[I need to leave for a business discussion.]
[Why the rush? Who wants to discuss business? Did they make an appointment in advance?] The Supreme Governor felt that something was amiss.
[It’s really urgent. If I don’t go soon, I’ll be bankrupt. You don’t want to lose your support, do you?] The High Lord felt that the Supreme Governor was talking too much.
[Wait a moment.] Still feeling that something wasn’t right, the Supreme Governor stepped away briefly.
The High Lord clicked her tongue.
A moment later, the Supreme Governor sent her another message: [I’m not going, so you can’t leave.]
The High Lord: [I thought there wasn’t going to be exploitation in our relationship. Do you want me to lose my career?]
[Fusya is there too. I asked him. There is no exploitation in our relationship, but there is deception. You’re trying to trick me into going over there and embarrassing myself for you.]
“Damnit, Fusya.” The High Lord gritted her teeth.
On the other side, Yu Xi was quietly waiting for Curtis.
After a while, Curtis scrambled and crawled over the thick shrubbery, destroying priceless flowers.
He had come straight here, sobered up by the fright he received.
Upon seeing Curtis, Yu Xi gave him a hug: “Oh~ you really showed up~”
Curtis: …..
Yu Xi: “Are you still sad?”
Curtis: “…..Go back to your dad and say you didn’t see me.”
Yu Xi: “Huh?”
“Remember, you didn’t see me.” Curtis planned to escape the Interstellar Alliance that very night.
He was leaving.
If he didn’t leave now, he wouldn’t survive.
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Neon Dragonfly Translations 