Chapter 50: Everything you want

While the System was frozen, Lorcan began to read.

To be honest, it wasn’t a fun read. It wasn’t sweet or satisfying, and it was full of pointless cruelty. At the start, the hero, Oisín, was in a terrible position.

Oisín was the eldest son of an old noble family. He had once been engaged to a man from the Gallagher Family. That man was hurt in an attack on a space trip, and Oisín was blamed. Investigators found Oisín’s fingerprints on the bullet that hit him, so the proof seemed solid. If Oisín couldn’t get a pardon, he would be sent into exile.

Lorcan frowned through two Chapters, still not following the plot. Then he suddenly pointed at a line, and his eyes brightened. "Is Oisín a major general?"

System, "?Yes."

It didn’t know why he was asking, but its bad feeling grew.

Lorcan: "So he wears a uniform?"

"...Yes."

And Oisín had white hair too. Lorcan pictured him with that perfect body and those beautiful legs. In a uniform, he would look stunning.

He asked eagerly, "What colour is the Third Army’s uniform?"

Its bad feeling was strong now, and its core was racing. But it still answered its host. "White."

Before the System could figure out why his eyes were shining, someone knocked at the door.

Three polite knocks, not too soft and not too loud. An old man with silver hair came in, dressed formally and wearing white gloves. He bowed, put a glass of warm milk in front of Lorcan, and said, "Your Royal Highness, the military inspection is in three days. Please don’t forget."

The System whispered, "This is your butler."

As a prince and one of the heirs to the throne, Lorcan had privileges, but he also had duties. Regular inspections lifted the soldiers’ spirits, and the three princes took turns. This time it was Lorcan’s turn.

The butler handed him a data pad with several icons: a rose, a thorn branch, a white iris wrapped in thorns, and other designs.

The System spoke again. "Choose the Third Army icon. It’s part of the plot."

Lorcan had read the first three Chapters and knew about this. He nodded, chose the iris, and handed the pad back.

The butler’s face didn’t change, but he paused slightly when Lorcan chose the Third Army. A flicker of pity crossed his eyes.

Lorcan’s mother’s family belonged to the Seventh Army, and he had always visited the Seventh Army before.

Choosing the Third Army, where Oisín served, looked like a test of Oisín’s loyalty.

_ _ _

In the Third Army’s lounge.

Oisín pushed up his sleeve, bared his forearm, and injected himself.

The bright blue liquid flowed into his blood, and it stung sharply. His arm swelled a little and burned, but Oisín showed no expression and calmly pulled his sleeve back down.

The army doctor, Cathal, sat across from him with his legs crossed. "You have to inject as soon as you get back? Didn’t you collect any pheromones last time?"

Oisín looked down. "Only a little. Not enough."

Pheromones were one way to control females and keep them obedient for a long time. Males were usually unwilling to share them.

He tossed his coat to Cathal. "Test whatever scent is left on it. See if we can make a substitute."

Cathal clicked his tongue, took the coat, and sealed it in a special machine. "If the Third Prince finds out you’re testing his pheromones, he could have you killed."

Oisín said, "I have to be ready for the worst."

The Third Prince had said he wanted to test Oisín’s sincerity. Oisín had faced this kind of test many times. He wasn’t afraid that Fionn would refuse him, because the Collins Family’s money could win over any male, even a prince. But the earlier tests couldn’t be avoided, and he had to survive each one.

He wasn’t worried about other punishments. The pheromones were the real problem, because they would badly disrupt his work. Fionn had only just marked him, and for the next few months Oisín would be obsessed with Fionn’s scent. It was a purely bodily change that he couldn’t control. Even a strong-willed major general couldn’t fight it.

Just then, Oisín’s wrist communicator beeped, then Cathal’s. Everyone in the Third Army got the same message.

"The Third Prince will visit the Third Army in three days. All personnel must prepare to welcome him."

Cathal smiled sadly. "This is about you for sure."

Oisín wasn’t surprised.

Powerful males often treated females like their property. Having taken Oisín without showing him off to the Third Army would feel unfinished to them.

Cathal sighed. "This visit matters. Since that incident, you haven’t been fired, but the army has been getting restless. Many people want your position. Just a few days ago, a troublemaker had to be stopped. If the Third Prince snubs you, many won’t stay quiet."

Oisín nodded without expression.

He knew it was out of his hands. He sighed quietly. "I’ll keep the meeting as short as I can."

On the morning of the third day, the starship landed right at the Third Army’s gate.

A red carpet was rolled out, and an honour guard stood on both sides of the ship. Lorcan, dressed in a splendid ceremonial outfit, walked slowly down the steps with his butler beside him.

Lorcan was the youngest of the three princes and the best looking. He had only just become an adult, and he still looked youthful. His calm, noble manner came from a life of privilege.

Zerg males were rare, and high-ranking ones were even rarer. For a moment, every eye was on him.

The Third Army’s senior officers stood in lines on both sides, with Oisín in the middle. To everyone watching, he looked like he was eagerly chasing the Third Prince. He held a bunch of bright red roses and wore neat, carefully styled clothes. He had a perfectly measured smile and stared at Fionn without blinking, his eyes full of love.

Males always liked that kind of love.

But Lorcan felt very uncomfortable. He was a bit shy and liked staying home. Speaking in front of so many people was already hard, and being stared at "lovingly" made it worse. He had also read the novel, so he knew Oisín felt nothing for him.

This fake "true love" was really hard to deal with.

Luckily, the System had recorded the speech for him, so he didn’t need to memorise it. He looked straight ahead and read it clearly, sometimes meeting the eyes of the female soldiers below and giving them a polite smile.

But when he glanced at Oisín, he froze for a moment.

...He seemed to see his virtual partner.

Oisín’s silver-white hair was tied in a high ponytail. His silver-white uniform covered him completely, which made him look very strict and disciplined. He wore black leather gloves and boots and held one red rose. Those three bold colours matched perfectly on him, and it was hard to look away.

But what caught Lorcan’s eye most was the badge on Oisín’s chest.

It must be the special badge of the Third Army’s major general. It was a shield-shaped silver badge with a white iris wrapped in thorns. It had a matte finish, and it shone beautifully in the sunlight.

Lorcan suddenly understood what his virtual wife in the game had been missing.

The badge had smooth, elegant lines, and the twisting thorns gave it a feeling of strength. It matched the whole uniform perfectly.

If only I could take it off him and put it in the game, it would be perfect.

By now he had finished reading the speech, and the crowd clapped loudly. Lorcan walked into the crowd with his aide. For the next three hours, he would make a friendly visit, eat with the senior officers, and hear about the army’s plans.

He walked up to Oisín.

Oisín had beautiful almond-shaped eyes that seemed to look at everyone with deep love. He knelt on one knee in front of Lorcan and gave a proper knight’s salute, as if Lorcan were the love he could never reach. Then he held out the flowers with both hands and smiled. "Your Highness, please accept these roses. They come from the Corrib galaxy at dawn and crossed a huge distance to reach your hands. But to me, they can’t compare to you."

The Third Army whispered all at once.

The one it was aimed at, Lorcan. Somewhere inside, he was falling apart.

Zerg males loved dramatic speeches, and the females were good at sweet talk too. No one found it odd to say such loving words to a male they had met only twice. Everyone watched Lorcan closely, waiting to see how the Third Prince would react. His attitude might decide Oisín’s fate and the Third Army’s future.

The System quietly wrote on the screen, "Take the flowers, throw them on the ground, stamp on them twice, crush the petals, and say proudly, ’Sorry, Major General, but I hate roses more than anything.’"

Lorcan already knew the plot and knew he had to follow it. But when the moment came, he hesitated.

With so many people watching, it would be a public insult to Oisín. His upbringing wouldn’t let him do that.

In the long silence, cold sweat ran down Oisín’s forehead and vanished into his silver hair. He clenched his fist, and the sharp pain in his palm barely kept his legs from shaking.

They were too close.

A faint smell of citrus floated in the air. They had only just finished the first marking, and right now his body was desperately drawn to Fionn. Even though he had just taken the medicine, his body still wanted more and pushed him to step closer. It was a deep, instinctive pull. Oisín used almost all his willpower to stop himself from reaching for Fionn’s hand.

Enough! Take it, quickly! The shaking he couldn’t control made him miserable. He gritted his teeth. Or throw it away, crush it, throw it back at me, anything, just don’t stand here any longer!

The System urged him too. "Host, you’ve waited too long."

Lorcan hesitated a little longer, then reached out and took the rose.

Before Oisín could react, Lorcan let go. The flower fell, and its petals scattered. Then he stepped on it.

The prince looked cold and proud. "I’m sorry, Major General Oisín, but you know I hate roses more than anything."

The Third Army went silent.

Imperial males were all spoiled, and the princes most of all. The first and second princes were picky and hard to please, and it seemed the Third Prince was no different.

Oisín, though, felt a small wave of relief.

His body screamed to move closer, but his mind seemed to float above it, watching coldly. He felt relieved, as if he had expected this.

Within two seconds, he was smiling again. "Your Highness, whatever you like, I and the Collins Family behind me will do everything we can to give you what you want."

Oisín kept showing what he could offer. He was reminding Fionn that even if he didn’t care for Oisín himself, he should think of the family behind him.

Lorcan looked down at him. "Everything I want?"

Oisín smiled. "Yes, everything you want... uh!"

Lorcan suddenly leaned in. Now they were less than twenty centimetres apart. The sweet smell of citrus wrapped around them, and Oisín’s muscles went weak and sore at once. He nearly fell.

Two strands of silver hair slipped loose. Oisín’s eyes widened slightly as Lorcan’s face filled his sight. Lorcan raised his hand, and his fingertips rested on the iris badge.

Lorcan said, "I don’t like roses, but I like another kind of flower. Would you give it to me, Major General?"

Oisín forced a stiff smile. "Of course. Please, go ahead."

Lorcan said, "I like white irises. So may I ask for this badge, Major General?"

Oisín’s eyes narrowed sharply.