In fact, General Craig was rather skeptical about this matter of Klaire finding an S-class mecha. The generals of the other corps weren’t at the capital planet, and he couldn’t think of anyone who would secretly make an S-class mecha, not register it with the Mecha Association, and dare to brazenly come to the capital planet. A more reasonable explanation for this was that Bluestar’s system had an error, and he had judged the mecha’s level wrong.
Nothing big had happened on the capital planet recently, so General Craig wouldn’t waste any more time tracking down the whereabouts of that mecha, and telling the Morningstar Corps to be extra cautious in their work.
Xi Wei completed his task without too much danger, and the next morning, he arrived at class on time. Only a few people knew that the night before, he had rushed to the capital planet to transport suppressants.
Time flew by, and in September, St. Paul Academy on the capital planet opened its doors once again. Klaire and Carlo had risen another grade. The two boys worked hard at studying the courses the empire’s military academies would test new students on. They planned to take the military exam after they turned sixteen. Meanwhile, Xi Wei and Aiden were still studying the same dry-as-dust omega physiology courses at Ellen Academy.
Craig and Randy took home their second child. Unlike Aiden, who was a quiet and well-behaved baby, this little guy was very mischievous. He was always rolling around in the crib Craig had bought him, and his chubby little hands grabbed at everything he saw. His eyes were a beautiful dark brown, just like his father Craig’s.
When he saw how cute his son was, Craig’s heart instantly melted. He was itching to buy all the delicious and useful things in the universe and give them to him. It was just a pity that the little guy’s teeth hadn’t come in yet, and all he could do was clutch his bottle and drink milk.
Randy also loved his son very much. Although he was an alpha and couldn’t save Aiden, he was still the child Randy had given birth to, his own flesh and blood. Randy really liked the little guy, and every day he’d rock him in his arms. Whenever Craig saw this scene, a warm, happy feeling would always rise from the bottom of his heart. The omega he liked, holding his child—this scene was so wonderful that it made him itch to capture it with a camera.
When Adrian was one year old, Randy once again went off of his suppressants. At this time, needless to say, Craig voluntarily took time off and went to accompany him.
During the last heat, he had taken tender care of Randy for three days and three nights, and even confessed to him afterwards. Although Randy hadn't accepted him outright, he had gradually grown closer and closer to Craig, and no longer disliked him.
This time, he was still as clumsy and gentle as ever, and every time he embraced him, he’d kiss Randy’s forehead and quietly say, “I like you…”
Randy was stimulated by these words until he was incomparably excited, and under the influence of pheromones, he released his inhibitions even more, and held on to Craig tight, unwilling to let go.
While the two men were at home rolling around in the sheets, their one-year-old baby had been handed over to Dr. Louis for him to take care of for the time being. Little Adrian didn’t understand anything, and his little hands reached out to grab Dr. Louis’s stethoscope and stuff it in his mouth. Louis hurried and caught his little hand, and he smiled and said, “Behave. Your dad’s going to get you a new little brother or sister.”
“Daddy, daddy…” Adrian dropped Louis’s stethoscope, and turned his head looking everywhere for his dad.
Louis gently stroked the child’s head, sighed, and said, “I hope it’s an omega this time. If it’s still an alpha, Randy will definitely be broken up about it.”
Not much time was left. Xi Wei, Aiden, Carlo and Klaire soon passed their sixteenth birthdays.
This time around, by the time the baby was born, Aiden would probably have passed his seventeenth birthday. This child might be Aiden’s last hope.
Craig and Randy both knew this. So after Randy successfully got pregnant, Craig took even more meticulous care of him, because he knew that although Randy might not say much on the surface, the pressure on him was heavy. Although his morning sickness wasn’t as bad this time around, his mood was clearly very impatient. When he came across things that weren’t to his liking, this man who was always gentle before would even lose his temper.
When he saw how Randy was so anxious he couldn’t sleep at night, Craig couldn’t help his heart hurting. So he simply changed shifts with the lieutenant of the Royal Guard, asked for leave, and went to live at Randy’s place to take care of him.
At night, he would even heat some water and wash Randy’s feet before bed, because it was said to help people fall asleep.
When Randy saw this man kneeling in front of him with Randy’s feet in his hands, he suddenly felt a lump in his throat. At that moment, he was truly grateful he had this man by his side. During his most difficult and helpless times, Craig kept him company from beginning to end. Maybe he didn’t like alphas with this kind of character, but with Craig here, he felt a sense of warmth and safety that he had never experienced before.
Randy reached out and gently stroked Craig’s hair. It was hard and prickly to the touch, just like his icy appearance. Randy couldn’t help but smile and say, “Actually...you don’t need to go to so much trouble to take care of me. I’ve just been in a bad mood recently, there’s no problem with my health.”
When he had his hair stroked, General Craig was incredibly excited. After he finished helping his omega wash his feet, he picked him up and brought him to bed. There, he gently embraced him, and said, “Taking care of you is what I should do. I’ve said it before…I like you, Randy.”
After that, he lifted Randy’s chin, and gently kissed him.
“...” Randy’s heart suddenly trembled. After a long moment, he at last submissively closed his eyes, and opened his mouth to let Craig’s tongue in.
Randy’s response made Craig incomparably excited. He held him tightly around the waist, and deepened the kiss.
“Oh...ah, mmm…”
Ambiguous sounds that were enough to make one blush soon filled the bedroom.
This was their first time kissing when both sides were clear-headed. Unlike how it was under the intense conditions of heat, this kind of kiss felt extraordinarily gentle and pure. Randy was kissed until he felt like his heart would melt.
In the room, the little guy in his crib had his eyes open wide, curiously watching this scene. When he saw his father and dad embracing, he couldn’t help but brandish his little fists and yell, “Daddy, daddy!”
Randy came back to himself, gently pushed Craig away, and turned to go pick his son up. He asked with concern, “What’s wrong? Hungry again?”
“Daddy, daddy!” Adrian grabbed Randy’s hand, and nodded hard with big eyes. “I’m hungry! Hungry!”
This little guy had a pretty big appetite; at every turn, he’d be yelling “Hungry.” He ate so much at noon, but it wasn’t any use. Randy could only helplessly turn and get something for him to eat.
Craig sat on the edge of the bed and watched Randy’s busy figure. He couldn't help but lift the corner of his mouth slightly in a smile.
Although Randy hadn’t acknowledged him yet, and the two of them weren’t officially married, wasn’t their life right now just like that of a husband and wife?
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The next summer, the military school standard entrance exam was held across the Empire. This was the most important exam for alpha and beta students seeking admission in the empire, and the number of students taking it was over a million.
But among the million, there were two that were quite unusual—they were both only sixteen years old.
The matter of Carlo and Klaire taking the military school entrance exam two years ahead of time soon caused a sensation at St. Paul Academy. There were some who felt some schadenfreude thinking that they definitely wouldn’t pass, and there were others who thought that their grades were usually very good, and they might just succeed at this challenge. Their homeroom teacher Kelly also felt unsure about it. She only knew that these two students were very diligent, but the questions for the military entrance exam were very difficult, and there wasn’t even a question bank. Every year, the questions were randomly generated, and they didn't follow any pattern. If they didn’t thoroughly study the course topics, there was no way they could easily pass.
Before the exam, Teacher Kelly called the two of them into her office. She asked with concern, “Do you two want to think it over again? There’s really no need to take the test so early. Most alphas are only admitted into military school at eighteen.”
Klaire smiled and said, “Teacher, we’ve already made our decision.”
Carlo nodded seriously. “Yes, we can definitely pass.”
The two boys looked very confident, so Kelly could only clap their shoulders and say, “In that case, good luck.”
The imperial standard entrance exam started in July and went on for three consecutive days, consisting of two theoretical courses and one practical course that tested mecha operation. The theoretical courses weren’t necessarily hard for these two, who had learned practically their entire textbooks by heart over the last few years. But the mecha operation course was even more difficult than they had imagined. The simulation’s setting was very complicated, and if they were slightly careless, their mecha would be ambushed by the surrounding mechas and smashed into pieces. Passing through the obstacles in multiple simulated scenarios was a great test of the examinees’ reaction speed, operation skill and ability to adapt to the situation.
Luckily, Klaire was naturally intelligent, and had the experience of piloting the S-class mecha Bluestar. In the end, he managed to pass with difficulty but without real danger.
Carlo had been born into the Bech family, which was influential in the mecha world, and he had been interested in mecha piloting since he was small. He also ultimately managed to pass with pretty good results.
The test results were published that night on the official website. The three courses added up to a comprehensive score of 300 points. Klaire and Carlo both scored around 280 points, and were successfully admitted to St. Romia Military Academy, the Empire’s top school.
This piece of news caused a sensation in the entire capital planet. Two boys who were barely sixteen years old had actually managed to get into the empire’s best school, two years ahead of time. This was way too outrageous! Many reporters wanted to interview them and do a special report, but they were all refused.
Klaire urgently wanted to share the good news of getting into the number one school in the Empire with Xi Wei.
After his score came out, he connected to Xi Wei’s communicator, smiled, and said, “Xi Wei, I got into St. Romia Military Academy. I’m going to go there two years early to attend college.”
Xi Wei looked at him with surprise. “Wow, so powerful?”
After being praised by his sweetheart, Klaire’s heart bubbled with happiness. He hadn’t managed to say anything yet when a little blue star suddenly jumped out from the side, and twisting about, said, “Prince, is Egret there? I really miss him.”
Klaire swatted him back and continued, “After the test, I’ll go on break early. Can I come to Ellen Academy to see you?”
Bluestar said, “Can I come see Egret?”
Klaire said, “You shut up.”
Bluestar: “...Oh.”
This mecha of Klaire’s was really too entertaining. Xi Wei couldn’t help but laugh, and he said, “Ellen Academy doesn’t allow alphas to enter, but if you want to come that’s still fine, we can just meet outside.”
Klaire’s eyes lit up. “Great! Then I’ll come see you tomorrow.”
After Klaire finished his exchange with Xi Wei, Carlo followed suit and connected to Aiden’s communicator. He scratched his head and said, “Aiden, how have you been recently?”
Aiden: “Good.”
Carlo coughed. “Um, Klaire and I tested into St. Romia Military Academy.”
Aiden: “Oh.”
Carlo pulled fiercely at his hair, not knowing what to say.
The teenager in front of him was a lot more mature than before. His skin was still fair as he remembered, his soft hair chestnut-brown, and when he smiled, he looked particularly gentle. He really looked more and more handsome as he grew up. Carlo hated that he couldn’t pounce through the communicator screen and hold him tightly. He was really afraid that he’d be snatched away by another alpha.
Seeing that his class leader was scratching at his head nonstop, Aiden couldn’t help but ask, “Were you looking for me for something?”
Carlo coughed and said, “Klaire wanted to go to Ellen Academy to see Xi Wei. I also want to go…”
Aiden asked in confusion, “What’s the point of telling me when you want to go see Xi Wei? Oh, you want to ask about his class schedule? No problem, he often skips class, so after you arrive, you can just go out and meet him.”
Carlo: “N-no, that’s not it.”
Aiden: “What?”
Carlo’s face went red, embarrassed. “I, I wanted...to come see you.”
Aiden had a face full of confusion. “See me for what?”
Carlo: “...”
His skill in speaking was too weak, it was so hard to communicate!
Carlo was about to scratch his scalp off. Klaire really couldn’t bear to watch, so he walked over and helped him say it: “We haven’t seen each other for so long, so let’s all meet up.”
Aiden: “Oh, alright then.”
After the call ended, Carlo gave Klaire a grateful look. Klaire smiled and said, “You can’t even speak clearly, do you still want to catch him or not? Don’t you know how to make an outline of what you should say when you meet, and properly practice it a little?”
Carlo dispiritedly hung his head. “Do you think I didn’t practice? It’s just that...as soon as I see him, I forget what I was going to say, and my mind turns into a complete mess.”
Klaire sympathetically patted his shoulder. A young hothead experiencing his first love, who didn’t even know how to speak properly—it really wasn’t easy for this kind of guy to chase down his own omega. But Klaire believed that as long as Carlo treated him sincerely, there would always be a day when he could move Aiden’s heart. After all, Aiden’s character was gentle, and he was also quite softhearted.
The one who should be saying his prayers was really himself. Moving the heart of a straight guy like Xi Wei, this kind of violent omega, was as full of difficulties as challenging the final boss.
Fortunately he had been admitted to military school, and was one step closer to success.
—Xi Wei, wait for me to come see you. You don’t know how much I’ve missed you over the last few years.
Bluestar, who noticed what was on his owner’s mind, couldn’t help but say—Egret, wait for me to come see you. Over the last few years, you don’t know how much—
Klaire swatted him away. “What ‘last few years?’ How long have you known that mecha?”
Bluestar felt wronged. “Humans can fall in love at first sight, why can’t mechas?”
Klaire said, “Exactly what part of Egret did you fall in love at first sight with?”
Bluestar said, “His whole body is snow-white, so beautiful!”
Klaire held his forehead helplessly. He had to go to Ellen Academy with this knucklehead mecha and that tight-lipped Carlo—he really hoped this trip would go smoothly!
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5:08 for 2,717 words, or 11.3 minutes for every 100 words. An improvement in rate by 1.4 minutes!
These last few weeks of the quarter feel like the seventh layer of hell. But thank you guys for your comments, they're health potions for my soul 💕
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