Look at these cats in hats made of cat hair 😸
***
The alpha female officer who came to escort Klaire was named Jenny. She was the major general who commanded the Glory Corps vanguard. With a practical short haircut and a black military cap, she looked very valiant and formidable. This was Klaire’s first time coming into close contact with an adult female alpha… She really was a tough woman, with sharp eyes and an imposing manner.
However, Klaire wasn’t overwhelmed by her imposing manner at all. He only politely walked behind her, his expression and footsteps completely unhurried.
Jenny surreptitiously sized up this young man. The marshal had seen many battlefields through the years, and had developed a cold and tough way of handling matters. Usually, when he wasn’t busy, he liked to stay alone in the control room to think over things. Outside of officers from the guard barracks or high-ranking Glory Corps officers, he would admit very few others, much less a nobody who had just graduated from military school like Klaire.
Although Klaire was General Byron’s son, that didn’t merit a personal meeting with the marshal. Jenny felt very confused about the marshal’s decision.
When the two of them arrived at the general control room that steered the Glory Corps mothership, Marshal Rosen had an interstellar map open before him and was carefully consulting it. Jenny gave the marshal an official salute, and said clearly, “Marshal, I’ve brought Klaire.”
Rosen turned, and Klaire also immediately saluted. “Marshal!”
Looking at the youth full of health and vigor in front of him, Rosen nodded his head with satisfaction, his gaze carrying a hint of appreciation. “Klaire, I once said that you have a talent for command, but that only means that your starting point is higher than others. How much you’ll grow in the future is up to you.” As Rosen talked, he took a step forward and lightly patted Klaire’s shoulder. “Welcome to the Glory Corps. I trust that you’ll be able to learn many things here.” Rosen looked back at the female officer with the dashing profile and said, “Major General Jenny, you’ll be Klaire’s mentor from now on. He’ll stay with you in the vanguard camp for half a year, and then I’ll come see the result.”
Although Jenny was quite surprised inside, she didn’t go against the marshal’s order. She immediately saluted and said, “Yes!’
Klaire also felt rather astonished at heart. From what he understood, the Glory Corps’s vanguard had the greatest combat strength out of all the troops in the empire. It was like a sharp blade breaking through all obstacles, cutting down anything in its way. Although the vanguard repeatedly made great military achievements, its soldiers also had the greatest rate of casualties. Whenever there was fighting, the vanguard would be the first to arrive at the front lines. Klaire really didn’t understand why the marshal would send a student who had just graduated directly to the front lines.
Seeming to have noticed the doubts of the young man in front of him, Marshal Rosen gave him a rare gentle look and said, “I’ve already told your father General Byron about this arrangement. His opinion was the same as mine. You’re still young, and it’s a good thing to get more experience on the front lines. Don’t worry, Major General Jenny will ensure your safety… How about it, are you willing?”
Although the marshal hadn’t said it outright, Klaire soon understood what he meant. The empire had so many talented young people; Klaire felt very honored that the marshal had sat up and taken notice of him. What’s more, with the experience of enlisting in the Glory Corps vanguard, his father would have more justification for giving him a position when he returned to the capital planet.
After he thought of this, Klaire stood up right away and seriously gave the marshal a sharp salute. “Yes, Marshal!”
Rosen nodded and said, “Go then, don’t let me down.”
Klaire turned and left with Major General Jenny. After the two of them were gone, Rosen lightly rubbed the black ring on his finger, and said to his mecha, “Were you wondering why I have to take such special care of Klaire?”
“Yes, owner.”
“This is actually what his father entrusted me with. General Byron really gives a lot of thought to this son of his…but I can understand. If I had a son of my own, I would also hope that he could become powerful and have the strength to protect himself, instead of living his whole life under his father’s wing.” After speaking to this point, the handsome marshal’s eyes seemed to flash with a heavy sorrow, and his voice deepened. “The eagle can’t protect his fledgling forever, but must give him a patch of sky for his own. Only that can be called the true care a father shows towards his son. It’s too bad...I never got the opportunity to guide a child of my own.”
The jewel on his ring lit up and formed the shape of a black dragon. He softly flew in a few circles around his owner’s wrist, as if comforting him.
Rosen took a deep breath, and opened the command channel. He said calmly, “All personnel be on alert, we will be making a hyperleap in ten seconds. Our destination is the Iswell galaxy!”
“Yes!”
The collective response came through the command channel. At the same time, the Glory Corps mothership and the warships under it soon entered a state of preparation for the hyperleap. The golden insignias of the Glory Corps on the uniform black warships emitted a dazzling radiance. After that, with a violent, ear-splitting bang, the numerous warships vanished like ghosts into the universe.
***
In the suburbs of the capital planet, at Randy’s villa, Carlo and Aiden were standing face to face at the front door.
Ever since he had parted with Carlo two years ago, Aiden had been busy assisting Xi Wei in dealing with the Underground Alliance’s internal affairs. He hadn’t looked for another alpha in these two years. It was strange to say, but back then, he hadn’t agreed that he’d wait for Carlo for two years. He’d only said, “If we’re meant to be together, then I probably won’t meet someone who moves my heart in these two years. After two years, you’ll still have a chance.”
Actually, the feelings Aiden had towards Carlo were very complicated. When they were little, Carlo had always disdained omegas, and Aiden really loathed him. When they were teenagers, Carlo always stammered and couldn’t speak clearly, and Aiden sensibly ignored him. And after that, when Carlo confessed to him, Aiden suddenly developed a mischievous desire to bully him. Every time he saw Carlo all red-faced, he’d feel like he was in a particularly good mood.
Maybe these feelings had nothing to do with love. But strangely enough, today, at the moment when Carlo had rushed over to hug him, Aiden felt a joy that was hard to suppress after he saw clearly who the person in front of him was.
A thought like this even arose in his heart—He finally came back.
Could it be that for these two years, I’ve been looking forward to his return all along? Aiden thought, a little bewildered.
Carlo continued to stand there, scratching his head. Craig was sending Randy home, and Aiden’s little brother and sister were already asleep. That third wheel Xi Wei had long since returned to the palace. This was his hard-won time alone with Aiden. The ring in his pocket was soaked in sweat, but when the crucial moment really came, he felt too embarrassed to take it out.
So the two of them stood face to face at the door, each with a load on his mind.
Just at that moment, a cold wind blew. Aiden was dressed thinly, and he sneezed from the chill. Carlo hurriedly took off his military jacket and clumsily draped it over Aiden, asking, “Are you cold? How about you go home first, don’t catch a cold.”
The warmth of the jacket made Aiden gently raise the corners of his lips. He looked up at Carlo. “What? We haven’t seen each other in two years, you don’t have anything else to say to me?”
Carlo stared blankly. Faced with Aiden’s clear, shining eyes, he couldn’t help but blush. “I, I…”
Aiden said, amused, “How come you’re stammering again? What’s with you?”
Carlo took a deep breath, took the ring out of his pocket, and knelt down on one knee in front of Aiden. He summoned up his courage and said, “I want to take you as my wife!”
Aiden: “...”
The youth in front of him had a very earnest, serious expression on, as if he were announcing an important decision. His military jacket was draped around Aiden’s shoulders, so he was only wearing the white shirt inside. The black leather belt on his pants delineated the young man’s strong waist. Kneeling on one knee before him, the expression in this guy’s eyes as he looked up at him was just like a pet asking its owner for a bone. It seemed like as soon as he refused him, he’d start crying.
Aiden’s heart suddenly softened. He didn’t know what was with him, but Carlo’s clumsy and straightforward way of proposing actually made it very hard for him to say the word “no.”
After a long silence, Aiden reached out his hand and gently rubbed Carlo’s hair that had been blown astray by the wind. “Marriage isn’t a trifling matter. You should ask your own heart again, are you sure you want to be with me?”
Carlo immediately nodded like a chick pecking at seeds. “I’m sure, I’m very sure! There’s only you in my heart. I’ve already asked myself hundreds of times, there’s no need to ask anymore!”
Aiden was amused into laughing. He helped him straighten his hair and said, “No matter how much resistance you meet, are you willing to keep going with me?”
Carlo felt it a bit strange at heart, why would Aiden would ask something like this? Would there be a great deal of resistance to the two of them being together?
But he absolutely couldn’t drop the ball at this critical moment. Whatever his wife said went. So without even thinking, Carlo nodded and said, “Of course I will.”
Aiden was silent for a long time. He suddenly felt that Carlo actually possessed many rare and praiseworthy qualities, such as dedication, courage, sincerity, and the single-minded desire he had for him. To tell the truth, back when Carlo had told him “Wait for me to come back and take you as my wife” before leaving for military school, Aiden had thought he was just playing around, and hadn’t taken him seriously. After all, promises made in adolescence couldn’t be counted on. At only eighteen years old, Carlo hadn’t taken into consideration their future capabilities. No one knew what would change in two years’ time.
However, Carlo had earnestly kept this promise in his heart. After graduating, he really had come back and pulled out a ring first thing to propose.
A guy as sincere as this really did make Aiden feel very moved.
Faced with his serious gaze, Aiden felt like Carlo's eyes were a deep sea, and he was falling into it. This kind of experience was very new and strange, and also made him feel quite joyful. His fingers that were stroking Carlo’s hair couldn’t help but become gentler, and his voice also turned fonder despite himself. “Thank you for putting so much importance on me. I can’t wear your ring right now, because I don’t love you enough yet. Casually putting it on wouldn’t be fair to you at all.”
After being rejected, Carlo dejectedly hung his head, looking very depressed.
Aiden rubbed his head and said, “Don’t lose heart yet. What I mean is, wait until the day when I fall in love with you too, and then we can talk about marriage again, okay?”
Carlo’s eyes suddenly lit up, and he raised his head and said, “Really?! You’re saying my chances are still pretty good, right? First we’ll develop our relationship, and after you like me too, you’ll be very happy to be my wife?”
Aiden smiled and said, “Yes.”
Carlo jumped up happily and swept Aiden into his arms, excited as a little kid. “That’s great! That’s really great!”
Compared to forcing Aiden to marry him, Carlo was much more willing to marry an Aiden who loved him back. Aiden clearly also treated marriage very seriously. Only two people who loved each other would be happy after coming together. It was just that before, Carlo had always felt that making Aiden like him was really just a wild hope. But today, that wild hope had turned into reality. Happiness had come too suddenly, and Carlo didn’t even know what he should say. He could only hold Aiden tight and repeat over and over again, “That’s great.”
Held in his arms, Aiden listened to this guy clumsily repeat the same sentence, and the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but lift into a smile.
It was late at night, and the wind was growing stronger and stronger. But with Carlo’s military jacket on, the feeling of staying in his arms was really warm, so much so that it made him reluctant to let go.
***
4 hours and 21 minutes for 2,256 words, or 11.6 minutes for every 100 words. Another increase in rate by 1.6 minutes...all the military description going on in the first half wasn't that easy.
Carlo's definitely a dog, Xi Wei's definitely a cat. IMHO.
If you like this translation, please consider encouraging me on Ko-fi. Extra chapter for every two ko-fis~ 🌸