SZAR Chapter 94

The Admiral extended his hand, unsuspecting Qu Xia, intending a handshake.

Qu Xia hesitated for a moment before placing his hand on top.

Erwen’s palm was slightly larger, knuckles lightly calloused. They held the handshake politely for a moment, then released.

Sylph smiled: “Looks like this child and you are quite compatible.”

Qu Xia: “…”

Thanks… if by compatible you mean picking through garbage together.

At Sylph’s prompting, Qu Xia and Erwen sat opposite each other, while Sylph chatted freely about everything under the sun, the conversation never faltering.

He first discussed scientific experiments with Qu Xia. Qu Xia answered cautiously, keeping his correctness around seventy percent. Sylph nodded with approval and then asked about his life on the junk planet.

“By the way, you’re from the Pamir Star system, right? I heard life there is harsh, shortages of supplies, lots of refugees, rampant crime. Is that true?”

Upon hearing Pamir Star system, Erwen subtly turned, leaning in to listen.

Qu Xia: “…”

He replied, “I lived in the Yala District. It was relatively safe. Supplies were scarce, but bearable.”

Yala District was where the original owner had lived. Life was tight, but Qu Xia managed to make a living as a strategist, which is how he had taken root on the junk planet.

Sylph nodded, noticing Qu Xia’s cautious demeanor. Trying to bridge the gap between him and the Empire’s Admiral, he pointed to Erwen with a smile: “This Admiral just returned from Pamir. Perhaps when you looked up, you even saw his starship.”

Qu Xia thought: More than just his starship… he’d also seen the Admiral’s chest and abs.

Still, he played along for Sylph’s sake and showed mild surprise: “So the one who led the expedition was Admiral Erwen! My companions and I were all discussing your feats!”

He and the gang had actually been plotting how to make Erwen do the heavy lifting.

Erwen paused slightly: “You flatter me.”

Sylph positioned himself between the two, first lavishing praise on Qu Xia’s talents as if there were none better in the world, then emphasizing just how wealthy, powerful, and distinguished Admiral Erwen was. Erwen’s expression remained calm and indifferent, while Qu Xia nodded along, wide-eyed and awestruck, muttering “uh-huh” and “yes-yes” in agreement.

Finally, Sylph shifted gears, asking, “Lock, you’re still underage, right? And without parents?”

Qu Xia’s spine went cold. “Yes.”

Sylph’s smile broadened. “Then would you be willing to accept Admiral Erwen’s sponsorship, letting him act as your guardian?”

Qu Xia: “…”

Thanks, but no, I don’t want that.

He wore a troubled expression. “I’m just a nobody from Yala District on a trash planet. I have nothing to offer, surely I’m not worthy of the Admiral’s support.”

Sylph, however, was unprecedentedly enthusiastic.

Grasping Qu Xia’s hand, he exclaimed dramatically, “Poor little one! At your age, you shouldn’t have to worry about such things, you’re far too sensible!”

Qu Xia: “?”

Then Sylph took Erwen’s hand and layered it with Qu Xia’s in a gesture of joining their hands. “Don’t worry, Erwen is meticulous and patient. He’ll take very good care of you.”

As he said this, he nudged Erwen under the table with his foot. “Speak up!”

Erwen nodded plainly, “I will do my best to take care of you.”

Qu Xia: “…”

Thanks, but I really don’t need that.

His composure twitched, but Sylph had pushed this far. Refusing now would seem contrived; a young female from a trash planet simply couldn’t resist the offer of sponsorship from an Admiral, unless he had ulterior motives. Qu Xia paused, then said, “I accept. Truly, thank you very much.”

Sylph’s eyes lit up.

He gave a few cheerful instructions, pressed two small cakes into Qu Xia’s hands, and gestured for a servant to escort him downstairs.

Qu Xia leapt from his chair, bowed slightly, and dashed down the stairs, his expression barely held together.

Sylph watched Qu Xia leave before finally letting his smile fade.

Erwen’s brow furrowed slightly. “You really just want to hand him over to me?”

Sylph shook his head. “It’s not that I want to give him to you. You’re required to sponsor a pre–second awakening zerg, and he’s the best candidate.”

He sipped his tea. “Your position is sensitive; every great family wants to place someone in your household. I’ve heard that the Prince secretly selected a few orphans to engineer chance encounters. As for Lock, I’ve checked, he legitimately came from a barren planet, passed the exams, has a clean background with no attachments, and a clever, sharp personality. He’s not the type to be swayed by money. Take good care of him; the chance he’ll betray you is minimal.”

Erwen said, “The Crown Prince is foolish, unfit to rule. The other princes see opportunity, but the Crown Prince happens to have an overly domineering elder male sibling. No one knows how this will end.”

Sylph glanced at him. “It seems you don’t want the Crown Prince to succeed.”

“If the Crown Prince succeeds, will he truly wield power?” Erwen asked softly. “If another prince ascends, even with a male lord, it wouldn’t be extreme. But if the Crown Prince takes the throne… that Prince might even change the law itself.”

Sylph was momentarily silent.

Both of them belonged to the Empire’s center of power, one misstep and death without burial would be the consequence.

After a pause, Sylph let out a long sigh.

He patted Erwen on the shoulder, then looked down at the new student Qu Xia, eating his cake, and said, “Get through the immediate crisis first. Take care of the sponsorship paperwork. Lock is timid, orphaned, and destitute. He doesn’t even have a place to stay yet. When you take him in, teach him properly. Don’t let him inherit the Admiral’s foul temper. As females, we must learn to yield and be gentle. Don’t raise him like Nuo Wei; otherwise, we’ll end up worrying about his future marriage.”

Sylph added anxiously, “Lock isn’t built like Nuo Wei; he can’t take a hit as well.”

Erwen let out a faint sigh.

After a brief pause, he said, “Perhaps I failed somewhat in raising Nuo Wei. I won’t make the same mistakes with Lock.”

Sylph opened his mouth to respond, but a commotion sounded from afar. Looking out, he saw the Prince leaving his seat, wine cup in hand, as if about to depart. Sylph immediately composed himself, smiling gracefully, returning to the banquet to greet the Prince with polished courtesy, exchanging farewells as though he had never left.

The Prince returned the polite glance, then roughly pulled his younger brother from the chair, tugging him by the arm. The motion was harsh, not like guiding a slow-witted relative, more like pulling along a dog.

The aides around them didn’t look away, as if accustomed to such scenes.

 ………………

Qu Xia sat on the second floor, mechanically chewing his cake, tasting like sawdust.

He hadn’t expected that coming to meet his future mentor would suddenly involve a sponsor, his own heavily paid housekeeper, no less.

But this time, the roles were completely reversed. Previously, he’d been ordering Erwen around, making him cook or pick up trash on command. Now Erwen had regained his status as Admiral of the Empire, and Qu Xia was the dependent, powerless young female, utterly at Erwen’s mercy.

What if Erwen discovered his true identity and sought revenge, making him pick up trash again?

Qu Xia pressed his forehead in misery.

As the banquet drew to a close and guests departed, Sylph made sure to fetch Qu Xia, leading him to the parking area and handing him over to Erwen.

He nudged him toward the aircraft. “Since you’ve accepted sponsorship, tonight you’ll stay at the Admiral’s residence.”

“It’s pretty big”

Qu Xia followed Erwen onto the aircraft.

Erwen’s eyes hadn’t healed yet, so his adjutant handled the piloting.

Erwen sat stiffly in the rear, and Qu Xia sat awkwardly beside him. After a moment, the Admiral said bluntly, “I will cover your tuition and living expenses.”

Qu Xia nodded. “Mm.”

“But…” Erwen paused, then continued, “I’m not good at taking care of younglings. You’re free to move around the villa, but please don’t go above the third floor, and try not to disturb me.”

His words carried a subtle boundary, politely keeping Qu Xia at arm’s length.

If this had been an ordinary female, hearing his idol speak so plainly would be heartbreaking. Erwen hesitated slightly, worried he might have been too blunt.

Qu Xia nodded frantically beside him: “Mm, mm.”

Really, it was almost laughable. So long as Admiral Erwen didn’t come looking, Qu Xia could quietly slip out of his sight, spend his days like a hamster gnawing in its cage, and never have to see him again.

The flight craft landed in front of a stately villa. The robotic housekeeper guided Qu Xia to his suite on the second floor, right by the stairs. The room was already furnished with everything he could need, bed, sheets, and blankets. Erwen acknowledged him with a distant nod and turned, heading up to the third floor.

Qu Xia closed the door behind him and exhaled deeply.

The housekeeper he had known on the garbage star and this Admiral were nothing alike.

The housekeeper had been careful and humble, reading the situation and lowering his posture. Admiral Erwen, however, was cold and stern, with no unnecessary expression, a wall difficult to approach.

Qu Xia pulled out his light-brain and began digging up information on Erwen.

The Admiral’s early life was filled with honors and achievements. He was the eldest son of an old noble family, raised under the strictest education. Whether in military campaigns or literature and tea ceremonies, he excelled among his peers. He earned the rank of Major General at a young age and climbed steadily to Admiral. Rumor had it he had been a potential royal marriage candidate but had married in haste to avoid it.

Qu Xia stared at the endless screen full of “nobility” and “royalty,” feeling his head spin. He sighed and stepped out to get a drink.

The night was deep; the study on the third floor was still lit, while the first floor was shrouded in darkness. Qu Xia didn’t turn on any lights and carefully made his way to the kitchen. Rounding a corner, he froze and then gasped sharply.

Two red dots flickered in the darkness, like the reflective eyes of a cat or bat.

Qu Xia froze for a moment, then realized they were a new model household robot.

The Admiral’s robot was iron-gray, cold and unapproachable, much like Erwen himself. Qu Xia exhaled in relief and stepped around it to reach for a cup, but the robot suddenly spoke, making him jump.

⟦ Sir, according to the Aettris family’s rules, you should not appear in the kitchen after 11 PM. I will mark this as a minor demerit against you. ⟧

The Aettris family is Admiral Erwen’s birth family.

Qu Xia: “?”

What the heck is this? Getting a demerit for drinking water at the middle of night?

He froze in place, holding his cup, and the robot continued, ⟦ Sir, according to family rules, you must return to your bedroom within five minutes and go to sleep with the lights off. Tomorrow morning at six, I will wake you on time and assist with your morning exercises. ⟧

Qu Xia: “?”

Six in the morning? He hadn’t gotten up this early in ages.

He’d long heard that some nobles had strange family rules, but the Aettris family took it to a whole new level. If this is how they run things, Qu Xia was seriously considering packing up and heading back to trash Ppanet tomorrow.

He definitely didn’t want this cursed sponsor.

Qu Xia carried his water back to the bedroom, planning to ignore the robot’s orders entirely. If Admiral Erwen actually demanded this tomorrow, he’d just run.

But unexpectedly, the robot followed him into the room.

This ugly iron monstrosity seemed determined to supervise Qu Xia’s sleep, constantly issuing cold, mechanical instructions. Qu Xia paused at the doorway, staring it down, and then suddenly grabbed its head and dragged the whole thing into the bedroom.

Next, Qu Xia pulled out a screwdriver and hammer from his backpack.

Robot: “…?”

Without warning, the frail-looking youth pried open the robot’s head.

Qu Xia’s wrists moved with incredible speed as he unscrewed and disconnected each wire. Then he linked a fingernail-sized chip to his light-brain and began reading the robot’s low-level data.

Inside was a 500MB file, packed with the Aettris family’s history and household rules.

Qu Xia skimmed through it at lightning speed. First came the family origins, achievements, and legacies, then came the dense, suffocating lists of must nots and forbidden, making him break out in a cold sweat.

Suddenly, it clicked why his housekeeper had been so unnervingly capable.

A person’s energy is finite. A military genius can’t also be a literary master, an artist, or a gourmet chef, but Erwen was like a maxed-out character in a game. Too perfect to be real, and behind that perfection was this absurdly long, suffocating set of rules.

Qu Xia had no patience for these old-fashioned, foot-binding-like things. To him, life was simple: do what he liked, run experiments, eat, sleep. He had no intention of spending precious hours learning to be the perfect noble.

Quietly, he cleared the robot’s cache, acting as if nothing had happened. Then he dragged the clunky iron thing to the doorway, reattached its head, and powered it on.

The robot froze in confusion, forgetting why it had suddenly ended up on the second floor. After a moment, it blinked blankly, rolled its wheels, and shuffled back to its charging station.

Qu Xia opened his light-brain and used the last of his money to buy a ticket to a second-class star system overnight.

He had the skills and wouldn’t starve. He could do research in a reasonably safe second-class star system without sticking around here.

Follow all these rules? He’d die trying.

Finally, Qu Xia turned off the lights, hesitated for a long while, and set the alarm for 6 a.m.

Even though he wanted to defiantly lock the door and sleep in, Erwen’s presence still weighed heavily in his mind. His inner self argued, struggled, and ultimately, he surrendered to the Admiral’s authority.

Staring at the alarm on the light-brain, Qu Xia ground his teeth and cursed under his breath: “Damn Erwen… should’ve made you pick more garbage.”