Chapter 385: Many things, but generous
Lian let out a cold laugh.
Suppressing a very real urge to strangle Yuel on the spot, he leaned back in his chair and adopted a thoroughly businesslike expression.
Raising his eyes lazily, he looked at Yuel. "I can go. But what’s in it for me?"
It was as though Yuel had been waiting for that exact question. His smile remained as gentle and composed as ever.
"The benefit is that I will no longer stand in the way of you becoming Rory’s partner."
Lian immediately sat upright, his gaze sharpening. "Are you willing to swear that before the Beast God?"
Yuel raised one hand without a second’s hesitation. "I swear before the Beast God. If I am lying to you, may I die a miserable death."
"Deal."
Lian rose to his feet and headed for the exit. He didn’t linger for even a fraction of a second.
Only after the doors of the observation lounge slid shut behind him did Vincent finally break his silence. "Is this Blue Star you mentioned connected to Rory?"
Yuel lifted his teacup and took a leisurely sip. "That is a question you should ask Rory yourself."
Vincent frowned, clearly dissatisfied, but chose to pivot. "So you’ve really decided to stop opposing Lian?"
He remembered very clearly that Yuel’s attitude toward the doctor had never been particularly warm.
Yuel looked up with a faint, deceptive smile. "When exactly did I oppose him?"
Vincent stared at him, flat-eyed.
"I never opposed him," Yuel continued calmly. "I only said that if Rory wasn’t willing, I wouldn’t allow him to get close to her. I have never made things difficult for him because of my own feelings."
Vincent fell silent. When he thought about it carefully, he realized Yuel was right. Yuel had never explicitly tried to drive Lian away; every roadblock he erected had been cleverly disguised as protecting Rory’s autonomy.
Which meant the promise he had just made to Lian was little more than a beautifully crafted trap. Vincent sighed inwardly. When it came to pure psychological warfare, Lian truly was no match for this man.
Just as Vincent was about to leave, another thought occurred to him. He narrowed his eyes. "Are you and Nix hiding something from me?"
At those words, Yuel finally set down his teacup and looked at him quietly.
"Your Highness, I don’t believe our relationship has reached the point where we are obligated to tell each other everything."
Vincent froze, then immediately plastered an expression of exaggerated heartbreak across his face. "I always thought that after everything we’ve been through together—after surviving life and death side by side—we were practically brothers."
"Oh?" Yuel raised an eyebrow, looking pleasantly surprised, as though he had only just learned this vital piece of information. He extended an elegant, open hand toward Vincent with a warm smile. "If we’re brothers, then give me two of the fleets you just finished assembling."
Vincent almost barked out a laugh. Two fleets? The man truly has no shame.
Looking at Yuel’s expectant hand, Vincent replied with absolute, deadpan sincerity, "Let’s not say things that might damage our sacred brotherly bond. Those fleets absolutely cannot be given away."
Yuel smiled knowingly. "In that case, Your Highness, could you kindly stay a little farther away from me?"
In other words: stop fishing for information and get out. Did Vincent really think he could pry secrets out of him for free? Yuel was many things, but generous was never on the list.
"Don’t be like that." Vincent sat down right beside him. "I really can’t give you those fleets. Besides, you’re a commander. What would you even do with them?"
"If I want them, then naturally I have a use for them," Yuel answered, entirely matter-of-fact.
Vincent pursed his lips, calculating. "I don’t have any fleets to spare from my own personal guard... but I can help you acquire someone else’s. However, in exchange, you have to answer my questions."
"Fine." Yuel nodded readily. After all, Vincent would learn the truth sooner or later.
Without another word, Vincent pulled out his communicator and, right in front of Yuel, placed a call to Vangar.
Elsewhere aboard the starship, Vangar was currently accompanying Rory while she happily munched on a plate of fresh fruit. When his communicator buzzed with Vincent’s caller ID, his brows immediately knit together.
"What’s wrong?" Rory looked up at him curiously.
"It’s Vincent." Vangar tilted the screen so she could see the flashing name. "He’s calling me."
"Didn’t he go back to his quarters earlier?" Rory asked, her own brow furrowing. They were on the same ship; the fact that Vincent was calling instead of coming over in person already felt deeply suspicious. She gave Vangar a look.
"Answer it first and see what he wants."
"Alright." Vangar tapped the screen to connect. "Marshal."
Vincent’s voice immediately filtered through the speaker. "Is Rory with you?"
Vangar glanced at Rory. Seeing her subtly shake her head, he replied smoothly, "No. Is there something you need?"
The moment Vincent heard that Rory was supposedly absent, his entire tone relaxed.
"Marshal, it’s like this. Didn’t you say before that you’d give me some fleets? I’m a bit short on numbers right now. Why don’t you transfer the fleets stationed at A-16, G-179, and H-234 over to me?"
The instant those words left Vincent’s mouth, Vangar let out a sharp, cold laugh.
"Ha. Have you lost your mind?" His voice dripped with pure disbelief. "Why don’t I just hand myself over to you while I’m at it?"
If Rory hadn’t been sitting right next to him, Vangar would have already started cursing. Yes, he had promised Vincent a fleet before—one fleet, not three. Had the pregnancy sickness completely scrambled the man’s brain? Opening his mouth to casually demand three entire fleets was insane.
"Marshal, what are you talking about?" Vincent sounded perfectly reasonable, the picture of innocence. "What would I do with you? I want the fleets. Besides, you did promise me."
If Vangar hadn’t made that vague promise in the past, Vincent would never have dared to make this call.
Vangar gritted his teeth. "I said I’d give you one fleet. You open your mouth and ask for three. With an appetite that big, aren’t you worried you’ll choke on it?"
The request was so outrageous it made him want to summarily hang up.
"But you never specified how many fleets you intended to give me," Vincent countered, sounding entirely justified. "If three is too many, then two should be reasonable, right?"
Now that he had opened negotiations, there was no way he was settling for one. If he only walked away with a single fleet, everything would end up being handed over to Yuel, leaving Vincent at a total loss.
Sensing the impending click of a disconnected call, Vincent quickly leaned into the microphone.
"Marshal, think carefully. While you were away at Beast God Mountain all those years, who helped hold your position in the military for you? When you returned, who supported you without reservation? And who was it that gave you relationship advice and taught you how to make Rory happy? I’m only asking for two fleets. I’m not even asking for your elite vanguards. That’s not excessive, is it?"
Unfortunately for Vincent, Vangar was no longer the one holding the device.
Rory had smoothly plucked the communicator from Vangar’s hand. Smiling sweetly into the receiver, she asked, "Really? Then why don’t you tell me exactly what kind of advice you gave Vangar to help him make me happy?"
Instant, suffocating silence.
Not a single sound came from the other end.
Inside the observation lounge, Vincent nearly stopped breathing. Of all the tactical variables he had accounted for, this was not one of them. He had never imagined the notoriously rigid Marshal would actually lie for convenience.
"Vincent?" Rory’s voice floated through the line again—soft, sweet, and utterly harmless. Which only made it exponentially more terrifying.
"Why did you stop talking? I’m waiting. What wonderful advice did you give Vangar?"
"Cough..." Vincent’s voice finally emerged, dry, raspy, and painfully guilty. "Rory... the signal... my signal seems a little unstable... I can’t hear you very well..."
"Is that so?" Back in her quarters, Rory glanced down at the communicator. The signal bars were completely full. Her smile widened.
"That’s alright. Then come over here right now and tell me in person exactly what advice you gave Vangar about making me happy."
The moment the final word left her lips, she snapped the connection shut.
Inside the observation lounge, a heavy, dead silence descended. Vincent stared blankly at the disconnected device in his hand.
Across the table, Yuel slowly lowered his teacup. The corners of his lips twitched upward ever so slightly.
It wasn’t a full smile, but it was definitely amusement—and judging by the look of mounting dread on Vincent’s face, Yuel was enjoying this far more than he had any right to.
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