241: The stars and the sea

"Your Majesty. I believe the truth of this matter needs to be told to Kong Jiamu and Hain."

This was the conclusion Tu Nan reached after thinking it over.

These two were not only the Empire's high-end combat power and The Emperor's subjects, but also the fathers of the Children.

Unlike Shou, he only liked the Children, but in the end, he was just The Emperor's man.

Tu Nan did not understand him very deeply.

But those two, she understood quite well.

Moreover, for the sake of the Children, they would also be more cautious.

"Oh?" The Emperor was noncommittal.

The two of them had just walked back to the room, and The Emperor went to change his clothes before coming out.

She couldn't tell whether The Emperor approved or opposed her proposal just now, but it didn't matter; she had made up her mind to do so.

"Your Majesty, I am requesting a private Video Call; I need to talk to Hain." Tu Nan teased the Children.

"His avoidance is meaningless.

The Children need him; he should see the Children."

The Emperor stood beside her and looked at the child who was already trying to turn over.

That black-haired, black-eyed child was quietly observing him.

Though just a small child, he already possessed the initial charm of Hain.

"The Children need him? Are you sure?" The Emperor's tone was calm, but it carried an inexplicable pressure.

"It is you who want to see him." He said this.

Tu Nan frowned tightly, withdrew her hand from teasing the Children, and looked at the person beside her.

"Your Majesty, are you worried that I am acting on emotion?" She couldn't help but examine herself as well.

Shaking her head, Tu Nan smiled.

"You are overthinking.

I know what I am doing; you do not need to worry that your Female Official will be trapped by emotions and stop making progress."

The Emperor pondered for a moment and reached out his hand towards her.

This gesture felt slightly familiar to Tu Nan, but of course, she should not refuse The Emperor.

She extended her hand and placed it on The Emperor's hand.

A special fluctuation flashed by.

She knew The Emperor had used his ability again to force her into her Female Beast form.

This time, her line of sight was much higher.

It seemed that, just as the System had said, she could now turn into a cat the size of a leopard.

This change actually surprised The Emperor.

"You've actually grown quite a bit?" He looked the big cat up and down, leaned over, and scratched the big cat's neck and behind the ears.

His eyes, while surprised, also carried a hint of regret.

"This will have to be carried on the shoulder; it's not suitable for holding." He said.

Tu Nan silently took a step back.

No way; she did not want to be carried on the shoulder.

The Emperor sighed, flicked his sleeves, and left the room.

Not until the sound of the door closing gently did she realize she had let out a sigh of relief.

Then, a notification sound rang out; she pawed at her bracelet and saw a notification pop up.

Video Call access approved.

Well, it seems the seemingly unfathomable but always wise Emperor had granted her access as soon as he stepped out.

* * *

Tu Nan adjusted the position and angle of the bracelet and dialed Hain's number.

She jumped onto the cabinet behind her, wrapped her tail in front of her, and sat quietly, waiting.

The connection tone rang for a long time.

This was using The Emperor's flagship signal, so there was no setting for automatic disconnection after a certain time.

It would only be connected or disconnected, regardless of which side operated it.

It was finally connected.

Hain's familiar figure appeared in the darkness, with only a faint outline visible.

He remained silent.

Tu Nan did not give him any time to react at all and started with a critical hit.

"Hain, look down.

Look at the Children; you should be able to recognize which one it is.

He has been waiting for you for a long time."

The figure took a step forward.

She knew that the cradle of the Children was in the center of the Video Call, and as long as Hain looked down, he could see the two cute little bundles.

Silence; the other end of the Video Call remained silent.

Tu Nan could no longer tolerate it; there was no time to let Hain wallow and hesitate.

"You can have no more relationship with me; that is not a problem at all.

But you must understand that you have an innate responsibility toward the Children.

Do you intend to never see him? Pretend he doesn't exist?"

"His name is Lan Yong'an, a name I gave him."

"His surname is Lan." Hain said gloomily.

Tu Nan was surprised, "Then what should his surname be? Your Sea Soul Star Children also take their mother's surname."

"But your surname is not Lan at all."

"My name has no meaning." Tu Nan's voice was ice-cold.

"It is just a code name I am used to.

Lan is the surname I chose myself that is suitable for the Children."

"Hain.

The Children are facing risks.

The Emperor and I have verified that the Star Worms are coveting my Children!

They are Beastmen exceeding S-rank, becoming targets for the Star Worms, but they still have a long way to go before they have the ability to face these risks."

"They are precisely in need of us.

The Emperor and I have formulated a plan; we have made discoveries, and The Emperor has agreed for me to direct this matter."

Hain was particularly composed today.

Tu Nan asked, "Do you really not care? Not going to ask?"

"What should I ask?" A voice finally came from the darkness, and from that gloom, a hand reached out.

Piercing through the darkness, the snow-white hand seemed to want to caress the child's fair, tender little face in the cradle, but eventually withdrew.

"Two Children." Hain gave a short laugh, looking very exhausted.

"Tu Nan, I have been thinking lately; I once told you that I knew I was a latecomer."

"I thought I wouldn't resent Kong Jiamu." He organized his words.

"Logically speaking, I shouldn't hate the other child either; he should be the older child, right?

But I can't do it."

"Your suspicion that day was very correct.

If I had known about this at the time, perhaps this child would never have been born; I would have found a way to strangle him."

Hain, the gentle and righteous Hain, spat out such vicious words.

"I resent everyone who occupies your attention.

The Children, Kong Jiamu, and The Emperor, but where am I?"

"Why can't you only look at me, just as I do?"

Hain's tone was bleak.

"I am truly disgusting, aren't I?

I dare not let myself approach you again, Tu Nan."

Hain had actually been brooding over so many messy things.

Tu Nan jumped down from the high cabinet without making a sound.

Walking to the front of the camera, she jumped onto the chair.

That was an angle from which Hain could clearly see her.

"You have lost your way, Hain." The big cat spoke in human language, her green eyes turning to the Video Call, staring into the darkness.

"Tu Nan?!"

The big cat nodded, and a smile appeared on the cat's face.

"Do you know, Hain, everything you just said is accusing me of not making you the only one in my love, while I am the only one in your love."

"But love, how much of your life does it occupy?

10%? Or 20%?

And how long will it last?

So even if I occupy 100% of it, what does that matter?"

"What about me?"

"Actually, in my life, love occupies at most 10%.

I still have 90% dedicated to myself and my ideals, to the career I am unfolding in the Empire, as well as fighting the Star Worms and the endless exploration of this world."

"Those are my stars and seas."

The cat face asked him with a smile: "In that mere 10%, no matter how high my overlap with someone else is, it is still only 10%"

Hain was so stunned he couldn't speak.

"Let me tell you, the Children are of course very important; they are my link to this world, as I have told you."

"As for The Emperor, he is a kind of sustenance for me to realize my ideals.

This is no different from you all; why is it that just because it is me, you find it unbearable?"

"Because I am a Female Beast?"

"But think carefully; he cares about my Children, although they are also his students, his future subjects.

He guides my development; all my undertakings now have his presence.

He fights the Star Worms, and I am already standing on this path now."

"You Males submit to him, and you think it is because of resonance and loyalty, but when I appreciate him, must it necessarily be because of love?"

"If you can't figure it out, suit yourself." Tu Nan's front paws rested on the cradle, gently rocking the little bed.

"The Children are right here; they will grow up day by day."

"You won't see them, won't think of them?

I will consider it as you giving up all rights regarding this child."

Tu Nan was aggressive.

"If so, I will shoulder all the responsibility of care.

You don't need to know about the dangers the Children face; I will solve them myself."

Tu Nan cut off the Video Call cleanly and decisively, and then she continued to rock the cradle, quietly watching the Children.

* * *

The Emperor was at the command position in the flagship's cockpit.

When the Video Call on Tu Nan's side was cut off, the image projected on his side also disappeared simultaneously.

He withdrew his gaze and let out a soft hum.

"Smooth-tongued." He evaluated.

Humming softly, his eyes relaxed slightly.

Looking at Tu Nan's determined gaze, he smiled unconsciously.

Shaking his head, he stood up, his gaze fixed on the distant starry sky, vast and boundless, just like the territory of the Empire.

An irrepressible itch surged in his chest.

Yes, the time left for him was already running out.