Chapter 16 part12

Translated by Eve

Edited by Kara

The first time that Sui Yuan and Iressa met was in the Germain Space Pirates’ jail.

Under everyone’s worried and anxious gazes, Sui Yuan felt greatly pressured. He turned to look at his subordinates who had followed him, waving his hands in an apathetic manner, indicating that they were to leave for now, that he needed to have a "one-on-one" talk with Iressa.

"...Commander. No matter what Iressa says, don’t take it to heart," The lieutenant couldn’t help but warn quietly before leaving, afraid that their Boss would be unable to endure an attack, which would cause something bad to occur, "Hill is waiting for you. He’s your true guide now. You must not...hold any superfluous feelings for anyone else."

Sui Yuan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He painstakingly maintained his aloof expression and slightly nodded. He watched as the space pirates quietly but reluctantly withdrew from the jail. Then, Sui Yuan turned to look at Iressa. The first thing he saw was an emotional, regretful, and longing expression. That pair of wet eyes were slightly red and held profound emotions, making Sui Yuan shiver. Goosebumps broke out all along his body.

He could feel that there was indeed a secret connection between his spirit and Iressa’s. This kind of connection made him feel that the other was familiar, close, and dear—that he was trustworthy. Of course, Sui Yuan would not be affected by this emotion. He very quickly tossed it to one side and steadied himself.

"Germain...listen to my explanation. The rumours on the Star Network aren’t true. I..." Iressa choked, trying to move his limbs that had been tightly fastened. Although sentinels’ protective instinct towards the guides made it so that they would never treat guides roughly, it was evident that Iressa was an exception to this rule this time, "I always wanted to come find you, but—"

"Alright," After 5237 confirmed that there were no listening devices installed in proximity, Sui Yuan slightly raised his hand to interrupt Iressa’s heartfelt confession, "I’m not Germain. You don’t need to put on an act."

Iressa’s expression froze. For a moment, he didn’t understand. Then, it dawned on him, "So you’re the Actor? Seems like I was mistaken and was played, ne! I originally thought that Hill was the issue. I never expected that you were controlling him from behind the scenes," As he was speaking, his expression was full of disdain, "Although I know that sometimes we must resort to foul means, don’t you think you’re too terrible? You’re even capable of laying your hands on a child, ne!"

Sui Yuan, who was unexpectedly chided, but was actually the victim who "the child" had laid hands on：".............................."

Although he felt that this development was not quite right, Sui Yuan still couldn’t help but rectify, "Hill is also an Actor."

Iressa：".............................."

After freezing for a moment, the corner of Iressa’s mouth rose, "So, it was like this. It’s truly unfair, ah. Two against one. You two were also hidden while my identity was already exposed. It’s only expected that I would lose. Moreover, it seems that you two aren’t greenhorns. You’re very skilled at digging pits for others, ne. I originally thought that my method of controlling the sentinels via their guides was not bad. I could easily get by until my task was completed. I never expected that I would fall through in the end."

Iressa didn’t looked nervous or anxious. He was relaxed as if he had only lost a gamble with a good friend. He didn’t seem to care about whether he lived or died. Sui Yuan didn’t understand this and was thus very guarded.

"...What are you planning? Are you this calm because you have a way to escape?" Since he didn’t understand, Sui Yuan directly asked. He had already installed a barrier that would prevent the Destroyer from escaping, so he wasn’t too worried at the moment.

"Don’t be so nervous. I don’t have any plans," Iressa laughed, shrugging, "If I had wanted to run, I would have escaped when the matter first blew up and when I realized there was no way to turn things back in my favour. Why would I wait for you to capture me? I’m just...a bit weary, that’s all."

"...Weary?" Sui Yuan was startled.

"Mn, weary. When I first became an Actor, when I got another chance at life, I was extremely grateful. I rejoiced. I would earnestly complete my assigned tasks. However, the negative feelings began to accumulate. I became twisted, irascible. I had a belly full of grievances and gradually forgot my initial intentions. In the end, I became a Destroyer."

"When I first became a Destroyer, I thought it felt pretty good. I could ignore the damned plot and protagonists. I could do anything that I wanted. However, after venting my feelings, I felt incomparably empty," Iressa made a bitter laugh, eyes lowered, "We are not innately evil. We are made of flesh and blood and have emotions too. We want to interact with other people, to share warmth with others. Unfortunately, a Destroyer is fated to be a villain who must be exterminated. A Destroyer is fated to lead a lonely life, travelling from world to world, covered in the blood of countless innocents."

"We are targeted by the Origin. We’re chased by Actors, who want to kill us. I’m tired of constantly running for my life. Moreover, there’s no end in sight to this kind of life. We deceive ourselves into thinking that one day, we will accumulate enough power to fight against the Origin, to escape the Origin’s control and pursuit. However, there’s never been a Destroyer who has been able to do that. After all, it is nothing but a hollow dream. Therefore, I’m really tired. However, I’m unwilling to let my life end, so I have always been waiting for someone to appear. Someone who is capable enough to make my life end. Someone who can give me genuine freedom."

Sui Yuan quietly listened to Iressa’s narration without inputting his thoughts. He wasn’t moved, but that didn’t mean he was completely unfeeling. He slowly gathered the energy in the palm of his right hand, "Then, I’ll free you from this life now?"

Iressa："...................................."

"Are you serious?" Iressa looked at Sui Yuan, incredulous, "I’ve said so much, can’t you give me something? Although this is indeed my goal...don’t you feel sad at all? You’re so dull. Does your comrade, or rather, your lover, know about this?"

Sui Yuan’s response was to silently place his hand on Iressa’s forehead.

Iressa remained calm. His only response to Sui Yuan’s action was to meekly close his eyes and serenely wait for his life to end.

Probably because Iressa truly wished for death, there wasn’t any resistance. Thus, his departure from the world seemed very peaceful. Sui Yuan watched as the fragments of Iressa’s soul scattered in the air and then lowered his head to gaze at his body. He hesitated for a moment before carrying it out in his arms.

When Sui Yuan carried Iressa’s body, which had already ceased to breathe, out of the jail cell, the space pirates were all surprised. However, no one asked what had happened inside of the jail. This was how Iressa left the world.

The young guide’s face was peaceful, and his lips carried a slight smile. He looked very relaxed and meek, laying in Sui Yuan’s embrace, making the space pirates reminisce about the days in which the two people were in deep love. Their hearts were full of laments and nostalgia. Only, their Boss seemed very calm. So, that was enough for them.

"How...should we deal with him?" He had died like an extinguished lamp. Although they were very discontent and angry at Iressa before, all of that had gone to smoke now. The lieutenant walked to Sui Yuan’s side and asked quietly. Sui Yuan muttered to himself for awhile before handing Iressa’s corpse to the lieutenant, "Follow the space pirates’ creed. Give him an elaborate funeral."

The stupefied lieutenant, who was given the Boss’ previous guide’s corpse: "...Yes. I understand."

Although "Iressa’s" story made some people sigh, Sui Yuan obviously wouldn’t think too much about this. After getting rid of this great danger, he felt very cheerful. He couldn’t wait to get back to his own room and tell Zhao Xihe the good news.

The space pirates watched as their Boss showed a rare loss of control as he rushed away. They didn’t perceive the spryness of his steps and actually thought that their always persevering Commander-daren found it difficult to currently maintain his calm expression. They thought that he needed to be alone to lick his gaping wounds.

It simply made them think that this must be the greatest tragedy in the world, ah....QAQ

Sui Yuan, who didn’t know that all of his subordinates had lit a candle for him, had just returned to his room and was impatient to connect with Zhao Xihe. Then, he was faced with his lover’s dark expression.

"...What’s wrong?" Sui Yuan, who felt that something was odd, blinked.

"I heard that you took the space pirates to intercept Iressa’s ship and took him away?" Zhao Xihe squinted his eyes.

"Yes, ah," Sui Yuan, who didn’t know what he did wrong, looked at the other innocently, "I was afraid that he would get away, so I planned to make the first move in order to avoid dragging this on. Right, I completed our mission! Everything went very smoothly!"

Hearing this, Zhao Xihe’s expression became much better. After all, he didn’t want Sui Yuan and Iressa to interact. He was worried that the connection between guides and sentinels would act up. Now that he heard that the other was dead, he also didn’t feel it worthwhile to bother with a dead person.

"Only because of your actions, the Star Network is going crazy," Zhao Xihe supported his chin, complaining with dissatisfaction, "Although there are some people who say that you want to take revenge on Iressa, even more people are saying that you still hold feelings for him. Meanwhile, I’m just a pitiful cannon fodder mistress in the face of the original couple."

Zhao Xihe sneered, raising a brow, "You must let everyone know that Iressa has died and that I’m your only guide!"

"...Like a funeral?" Sui Yuan averted his eyes, embarrassed, "I’ve already told my lieutenant to follow the space pirates’ custom to give Iressa...mn...an elaborate funeral."

Zhao Xihe: "...................................."

——He didn’t know why but he had a premonition that this funeral would have the opposite effect and would only fuel the rumours about the love between Germain and Iressa....

The lives of space pirates belonged to the universe. In death, they would return to the universe. Iressa’s remains were placed into a coffin. Although no one understood why he had done what he had done, that didn’t stop them from sending this person, who was once their comrade, off alongside their boss.

Even One-Eyed brought a few subordinates to attend this funeral with him. Only, his goal wasn’t to do this for Iressa. He was worried that his beauty would be too heart-broken, and something would happen to him. Of course, if he could take advantage of the beauty’s weakness to get some benefits, then that would be even better.

After all, since Iressa was once Germain’s guide, everyone’s eyes were on Sui Yuan as he silently offered flowers to the other. Sui Yuan reached out to receive the bouquet of irises from his lieutenant and walked towards Iressa, who laid serenely in his coffin. He placed the flowers onto the other’s chest. This was the scene captured and then spread all throughout the Star Network. After successfully completing its task, 5237 was half a step too slow but suddenly realized that something wasn’t right, "Wait a second—why is it lilies?!"

Sui Yuan, who didn’t see anything wrong, "...???"

"...Do you know what lilies mean in the language of flowers?" 5237’s tone was very conflicted.

Sui Yuan, who knew nothing about the language of flowers: "...................................."

One person and one system both turned to look at the lieutenant who had arranged the funeral and was thus naturally responsible for the preparation of flowers. They thought that the other was truly deceptive.

The lieutenant who had earnestly undertaken this task and thought that he had arranged everything appropriately: "????"

The originally private funeral was spread to the masses by "people with hidden intentions." "Hill" successfully consolidated his position as the "legal wife." Meanwhile, the Federation’s government was very satisfied with the results. After all, they didn’t want to let off a dangerous person who could control their guides, especially one who could even team up with the space pirates.

Only, Zhao Xihe was a bit dissatisfied with this. This was because of the picture that was circulating around the Star Network, which depicted Iressa lying in his coffin with Germain by his side. The image of Sui Yuan offering flowers with lowered eyes simply made quite a few people fall in love. All sorts of stories about how despite the love between these two people, they couldn’t protect each other and instead had to fight against each other, spread around the Star Network. These stories unexpectedly helped brighten the reputation of Iressa, which had originally been so blackened it couldn’t be more blackened.

It had to be said: this was a world where people were judged by their exterior appearances.

Iressa seemed to have died without pain in Germain’s embrace. Meanwhile, Germain followed the space pirates’ custom of holding a solemn, extravagant funeral. This all pointed to the fact that there truly was something that had occurred between the two of them. Moreover, this wasn’t as simple as a fight between them. The people all thought that there was something dubious about the situation.

Since the two people had "reconciled" to the point where the always handsome and deep-feeling yet aloof and arrogant Germain could forgive Iressa, did this mean that Iressa had some hidden sorrows that he could not speak about?

People were always obsessed with coming up with all sorts of romantic stories or stories of love, full of dashed hopes and frustrations. Furthermore, the relationship between Germain and Iressa just so happened to be perfect material for them to use. The two of them were beautiful, had been separated for over a decade, and had a secret that other people did not know about. What was most important was that their final ending was a tragedy!

Since ancient times, tragedies have always shaken people’s hearts. For example, there were the Butterfly Lovers or Romeo and Juliet. This kind of shattered beauty made people sob, feel moved, and would stay in people’s minds. Furthermore, the meaning of the lilies that appeared at the end could be interpreted as a desperate love.

——Iressa was Germain’s unattainable moonlight. As for Hill? That under-aged child was just someone who appeared at the right time. He could be completely ignored!

Zhao Xihe, the ignored under-aged child: "...................................."

——Zhao Xihe, who was at the Guide Academy and watched as the Star Network discussed all sorts of wild theories, silently flipped his desk.