CH 73

Old Friend (3)

It was unknown when it started, perhaps it didn’t need a rigorous start. Excessive racial power differences naturally determined social thinking.

Under the impression of this era, the new humans must be elites and strong protectors; while the disabled humans were weak dependents, accepting the protection of the new humans for life.

Audrey and Diana’s “blind magic” originated from an accident.

Affected by the vortex of family infighting, the pair of sisters fled to Aslan Star City with their mother when they were young, and spent several years incognito and wandering in the Eternal Paradise Star City of the second galaxy.

This also caused the information to be blurred. In Aslan’s upper-class circle, people at most only knew that the next generation bloodline of the Lance family was a new human and a disabled human.

Turmoil would not last, and when everything settled down, the new human would inherit the glory of the family; while the disabled human would be raised in a mansion, born noble, delicate and weak and would be the envy of others.

——This was the natural understanding in all human hearts.

Sure enough, the family infighting subsided after a few years.

However, when the pair of sisters were about to be taken back to the imperial capital, Diana’s character flaws were exposed…..born facing difficulties, she had a soft personality, timid and reticent, had no communication skills, and knew nothing about the family’s traditional business affairs. .

And just as it should be, the father’s scolding began to fall on the timid girl.

“Idiot.” 

“Trash.” 

“Even mice are more courageous than you.”

“You have to learn to be strong.”

“Are you still a new human!?”

The ruthless demands, index finger pointing to the nose, the contemptuous and disappointed eyes, the sharp words.

“Oh, this child is completely a disabled.”

“Not even her sister.”

“Ancestors above, what should Lance do in the next hundred years?”

Day after day, the sun rose and the moon set. Diana could only cry, cry until her voice turned hoarse and cry until her eyes turned swollen.

Helplessly, she would grab the hem of her skirt, cry and shrunk herself into a small……humblest little ball, so that she could hide in the shadows.

Until that night, her sister cut off her long silver hair.

The strands of hair falling to the ground reflected the desolate moonlight of the Eternal Paradise Star City, like hail flowing in the frosty sky.

“Just because Diana is a new human being, should she be deprived because of her weak qualifications!?”

“I don’t agree, such a thing…..This is absolutely as absurd as discriminating against disabled human beings.”

The older sister dragged the younger sister out of the shadows, dragged her into her arms, and kissed her tears away.

“My Diana, she can forever be not brave, and can forever be not strong.”

Two pairs of white silk gloves were the gift that night, and the name of the trick was “graft”. Since then, they have wandered around under the watchful eyes of thousands of people in the empire, quietly performing a dangerous and charming magic. (TL: graft-substitute one thing for another by stealth)

“Because starting tonight, she will have a brother.”

****

The winter wind blew through the years, blowing through the unchanging night sky of Aslan for many years. Looking down from the mansion of the Lance family, the thousands of lights of this bustling star city had become small.

Jiang Jianming put his hands on the railing of the terrace, feeling the cold wind blowing across his cheeks.

He took a deep breath, his eyes fell on his black gloves, and he said calmly, “But Audrey…our disguise like this is nothing more than a compromise to this world.”

Jiang Jianming turned his head and looked at the patriarch of the Lance family who was walking towards him.

Audrey held a graceful and thick dress coat in her hand, draped it over his thin shoulders, and said with a frown, “Are you used to being exposed to the cold in Alpha Alien Star? You don’t even know that it’s already cold.”

Jiang Jianming held down Audrey’s wrist, “…when can you take off your gloves and walk in broad daylight, raise your arms and shout in front of the people, that is the time when the non crystal race will be truly liberated.”

Audrey was silent, standing shoulder to shoulder with him on the terrace and looking down.

Jiang Jianming: “Silver Big Dipper advocates strength, although it will be a bit torturous at the beginning, but as long as I can achieve tangible results, being accepted will also be quickly done.”

“But within the empire, it is different. It is peaceful and prosperous here, but the invisible resistance is greater. Your road is no less difficult than mine.”

Audrey lowered her eyes, and said slowly, “I know. I also heard about the proposal allowing disabled humans to drive mechas, which had the higher-ups already paying attention to it.”

“There are a lot of mocking voices, but some people think that, even if it is impractical for disabled humans to go to the Far Interstellar Space to deal with alien creatures, but in the empire with a low concentration of crystal particles, joining the Golden Sun Wheel and other imperial legions to deal with those fleeing space bandits, is completely feasible.”

“Let’s take a look and discuss the situation in the next meeting, the commander-in-chief and Her Majesty’s opinions, I think there is a high chance of it being approved.”

“It’s you. Only you would think of such a thing.” Audrey turned her head and looked at her best friend with bright eyes, “…Thank you very much, Jiang.”

“Don’t mention it, if it weren’t for you helping me, I wouldn’t be able to go to the Far Interstellar Space either.”

Jiang Jianming couldn’t help but frown and give a low smile, then rolled up the collar of his coat, “In a few years……hm, when my situation gets better, I will definitely return the money to you.”

Audrey immediately turned downcasted, “Jiang!”

Jiang Jianming hurried to run, “Ah, I should go, I still have an appointment with someone.”

He quickly stuffed the expensive coat back into Audrey’s arms. Regardless of the other party’s insistence of “give it to you”, he returned to the room and grabbed his own cotton coat, “Diana? I’m leaving, and listen to your big brother’s words from now on… “

Audrey felt both angry and funny, watching Diana burst into tears in an instant, reluctantly grabbing Jiang Jianming’s arm, and was ruthlessly torn off by the latter.

“You know what.”

When she sent Jiang Jianming out the door, she said, “I am very happy tonight. I’ve always wanted to do something like this. But you have always resisted showing up on this kind of occasion before. This is the first time that you’ve come into the banquet hall of our family under the eyes of everyone.” 

Jiang Jianming hesitated to speak.

He had indeed lacked interest in this kind of upper class socializing, on top of that, with the “underground love affair” with Ryann—it was without doubt, and after Ryann’s sacrifice, it became a cover up for the existence of the “underground love affair” itself—for occasions where nobles appear, he evaded it more than any ordinary people would.

(t/n underground love affair-not to disclose, not to confess, not to let people know about their relationship, and only they know about their relationship, and they cannot let others know) (TL: after RK died, JJ use the “don’t want to attend banquets” as a cover when invited to banquets or dinner parties that has the possibility of being asked about his relationship with RK)

Audrey: “Jiang, is it because of the current situation in the empire that is about to face a storm, which caused you to change your mind?”

Jiang Jianming shook his head, “I don’t know, Audrey… I haven’t thought about many things myself.”

He looked over the window to the night sky, and suddenly saw fine snow falling from the clouds. This was the first snow in the imperial capital this winter.

Snow……

The black-haired young man squinted his eyes in silence, the snow reminded him of that frigid alien star and the steel fortress standing in it.

Then came into mind the mechas, smoke and blood, battlefield, victory or defeat, death…and the underground Stele of Heroes.

“The sun of the prosperous era is setting, and we will have a tough battle to fight in the cold night before it rises again.”

He thought of Xie Yuduo kneeling on one knee in front of him, holding his own hand, as if taking an oath.

“You have unlimited possibilities, the focal point is whether you want it or not, Little Excelllency.”

The two walked out through the side door of the mansion. From here, one could see the famous brand air vehicles taking off at the main entrance from a distance, carrying the nobles who finished the banquet, rushing to the mid-air empty road.

Audrey: “Where are you staying? Is it over there at the military academy? From District 4 to District 3, shouldn’t it cost hundreds of yuan to call an air vehicle, at least let me treat you, okay?”

Jiang Jianming: “Ah no…I rented a self-service public air vehicle and drove it here by myself. It costs 78 coins. You want to pay for me? Then transfer it on my wrist device.”

“……”

Audrey held her forehead and smiled, “You…..you tell me what should I say about you!”

An officer who drove a mecha on the front line of the Silver Big Dipper, renting a self-service air vehicle to drive it himself in order to save a dozen coins…..one would say it’s a joke even if he said it. The only person who could do that was the one in front of her.

“You’ve been living like this, why don’t you let me help you more? Are there enough tranquilizers and bullets? Are you also reluctant to use the treatment cabin and medicine in the Far Interstellar Space?”

While talking, Audrey transferred 78 coins to Jiang Jianming with a headache.

The latter casually touched her short hair, “Your Excellency Audrey, is it because Diana can’t satisfy your desire to protect?”

Audrey glared, “Don’t pat my head, I’m not Diana and your family’s high…”

She suddenly realized something, shut her mouth and pursed her lips, and said after a few seconds: “…..Sorry.”

Jiang Jianming calmly rubbed her again.

“It doesn’t matter.”

Before parting, as Jiang Jianming passed by Audrey.

He suddenly paused for a second inadvertently, turned his head, and whispered quickly in her ear.

“…The crown prince will not be you, nor will it be Laurent.”

Audrey’s pupils trembled slightly, and she turned to look at her best friend.

Jiang Jianming’s back, wrapped in black padded clothes, stepping into the snow curtain and the lights of the main street step by step, without looking back, could be seen.

That way, his figure quickly disappeared into the dim neon colors.

****

The snow was a little heavier.

Jiang Jianming walked to the other end of the street, and saw that there were too many air vehicles here, he would be killed in a traffic jam as soon as he went up. It was impossible for him to take the express air route with double the price like those rich people. The wiser choice would be to go to the next intersection and then rent an air vehicle.

Looking at the snowy intersection in front of him, he suddenly became distracted.

Perhaps it was because of Audrey’s unintentional slip of the tongue at the end that reminded him of the good memories that had passed away. He remembered that there would be a hidden tree shade on this street corner, where Ryann had once embraced him with a crystal bone.

…It was their reunion after the fifty-second day of separation.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was always burdened with general affairs, especially when it’s time to personally embark on a mission to the Far Interstellar Space, there would be a loss of contact lasting ten to half a month.

But once Ryann came back, he would definitely come to see him first. The estimated return time would be sent to his wrist device by his highness himself along with the news of victory.

This led to a funny result: he learned of the military situation even faster than the Imperial Army receiving the official victory report.

Seeing in retrospect, those reunion memories were as unreal as dreams.

If it was early in the morning, he would buy two breakfasts and wait for his victorious lover to come to him with the light of sunrise.

If caught up in class at the military academy, he would skip class without hesitation and come out to have a tryst with his little highness, and listen to that person tell the thrilling story of this battle.

If it was evening, he would take a book and rent a room in a small hotel, read the book slowly under a quiet lamp, and wait for a knock on the door.

But if it was late at night, he wouldn’t wait. He would go to bed on time at eleven o’clock, and sleep until midnight to the early morning, then someone would climb into his bed like a big beast and hold him tight…

Bite his earlobe in the darkness of the night, and say in a low and gentle voice beside his ear ‘It’s me, I’m back’.

And he would smile in a daze and turn over, find a comfortable position in his lover’s arms, rub first, and then continue to sleep through the drowsiness.

But that time was different.

It was also winter, and Ryann was on an expedition. That time, the situation of the battle seemed a bit fretting, and the original return date was pushed back again and again.

After several missed appointments, Jiang Jianming just simply worried about the situation on the front line, while Ryann had already tortured himself with anxiety, and his tone of apology became increasingly self-deprecating.

Jiang Jianming didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, and said, ‘Little Highness, don’t report your return date at all, and give me a surprise when you come back’.

Another four or five days passed, this day he came to accompany Diana to read research materials, and didn’t leave until evening.

He had just walked to this corner, when suddenly a golden-red gleam flashed in the shadow beside him, and the next moment he was picked up in the waist by a crystal bone.

Taking two steps in the air with his feet, his back suddenly fell into a warm and firm embrace.

Ryann put away the crystal bones almost in a panic, put his arms around him, and said repeatedly, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

His Royal Highness rubbed his cheeks with his lips apologetically, “I miss you so much, I couldn’t help it, are you scared? Jiang… I’m sorry, forgive me.”

….As the owner of a Super S-level crystal bone, Ryann Kaios had reached the pinnacle of being able to control the crystal particles in his body.

For Jiang Jianming, even if the Little Highness wrapped him in a crystal bone, he would not feel uncomfortable.

But Ryann was still unwilling to release the crystal bone in front of him, because that would mean an insurmountable power gap between the two of them.

His strength was too powerful, and he was born with a violent and aggressive nature. Even ordinary new humans would instinctively feel fear in front of such a crystal bone…..He was afraid that his strength would threaten his weak lover.

Even though Jiang Jianming had never minded.

****

Before the familiar corner, Jiang Jianming’s boots stepped on dead leaves, making a soft rustling sound.

In the winter night, he closed his eyes and lowered his head to sigh, with clouds of white mist spreading from his lips.

His innate personality and acquired experience determined that he would not be sad for anyone or anything for a long time.

But every time he was immersed in the memories, he felt that he was walking in the old time, as if he was going to be turned into a speck of dust and be blown away in the years.

Just like the day before setting off to Silver Big Dipper, Jiang Jianming walked alone on the street that he once walked side by side with Ryann.

Whenever he reminisced, he felt that he was no longer complete, that his soul had flown away from his body along with the inescapable obsession, trying to follow his lover and leave.

But his lover no longer existed in any corner of this world.

Thus in the past three years, his soul no longer belonged to any corner of this world.

The wind blew a flake of snow onto his eyelashes, blurring his vision.

Jiang Jianming raised his eyes and walked into that shade of the tree calmly.

Changes in the outside world could help wake him up.

For example, the female shop assistant who looked down on him on West Galaxy Street that day. For example, in the future, there would be no more of the lover’s figure around this corner.

He would rent a private air vehicle by himself, drive from the fourth district back to the military academy in the third district, and then…

Under the shadow of the corner of the eye, a golden-red gleam flashed suddenly.

“——!”

Jiang Jianming’s pupils shrank, and the next moment there was an irresistible force from his waist, and his feet were suspended in mid air.

The hard crystal bone directly picked him up and pushed him into the familiar embrace behind him.

Snowflakes flitted across the corners of his wide-open eyes in an instant.

“Jiang.”

Jiang Jianming was in a fit of dizziness for a while before his eyes, blood rushed straight into his brain, and he seemed to hear the crisp sound of the wall between illusion and reality being broken in his ears.

He was numb all over, and he couldn’t stand firmly on the ground. Fortunately, the person behind stretched out their hands and hugged him tightly, making their platinum curly hair hang down on the back of his neck.

“—Jiang? I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

Garcia wrapped his arms around him, with a guilty and flustered look on his face, and admitted his mistake in a hoarse voice, “We have been separated for too long, I couldn’t help it. I just want…..I want to reach out.”

He anxiously leaned over to see Jiang Jianming’s face, and said softly, “Are you scared? I shouldn’t have touched you with a crystal bone…I’m sorry, this is my fault, there won’t be a second time.”

Jiang Jianming tried his best to compose himself, his heart was beating wildly, and he didn’t know how he was breathing in these two or three seconds.

But as he breathed, the soul that had wandered in the dead timeline for three years seemed to be pressed back into this ‘lingering on one’s last breath’ body bit by bit.

Coming back to this living world.

This, living—

The street corner with light snow falling, the peaceful and prosperous star city, the grand and vast empire.

Overhead was a traffic jam of air vehicles, neon lights, electronic screens, rich people lazily sitting in the backseat.

And the person who was close at hand, who accidentally lost control and hugged him with a crystal bone, blaming himself for losing his mind…..

“…Your Highness?”

Jiang Jianming turned his face away, and said softly as if confirming, “The coordinates I sent you are not here, how did you get here?”

In the distance were dim lights, it’s the end of the bustling street. He saw Garcia’s face sinking, then he pursed his lips, quickly retracting the crystal bone in frustration.

“…Your intelligence is too mischievous, that dog. Ever since the day you were bullied and refused to give me your coordinates, it started sending me real-time locations with your wrist device….It seems that you still haven’t discovered it yet.”

Jiang Jianming: “…?”

Seth, so you are a real dog.

Garcia grabbed his wrist and rubbed it, “Don’t worry, I’m wearing a mask, and no one saw me on the way.”

Jiang Jianming bowed his head and laughed.

Garcia’s eyes were gentle, pushing his luck, he rubbed his chin on his forehead, and said in a low voice, “…I was wrong just now, don’t be afraid of me.”

The first gentle snowfall in Aslan Star City was drifting profusely and disorderly, weaving the frost white into the winter wind, giving as a present to the world.

Jiang Jianming raised his eyebrows and said the same words as before.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Please feel free to treat me as you like, I like it, don’t be afraid.”

In a hidden corner, platinum curly hair and raven black locks touched, Garcia’s fingers irresistibly slid through his fingertips, palms were pressed together, and ten fingers interlocked.

Garcia leaned down, and the prince closed his eyes, the curled eyelashes looked comfortable and soft.

Boom…

Jiang Jianming’s heart beat wildly again.

The shadow fell, necks interlaced.

Then Jiang Jianming’s shoulders sank slightly.

Garcia’s chin rested on his shoulder. This time it was a frontal hug. His Royal Highness’ arms slipped down, wrapped around his waist, and hugged him tightly in satisfaction.

“You……”

Jiang Jianming smiled silently and gently bent his lips, his expression was somewhat complicated upon closer inspection.

He raised his hand and stroked Garcia’s back. “Okay, okay, which lost pet is so clingy when we meet?”

“Come on, let’s go to my alma mater. It looks like I’m going to hide His Royal Highness privately tonight…..Ah, that’s right, can you fly an air vehicle? The console is similar to a mecha.”

In fact, Jiang Jianming wanted to laugh at himself.

Because just now, there was such a moment, in less than a tenth of a second…

He actually felt, in a trance, that Garcia wanted to kiss him.