nebula story

Quietly raising his head, Chesu's deep eyes rested on his face, after thinking for a while, he said softly: "Do you still want to execute me?..."

Without immediately denying it, Fern suddenly had a bad idea in his mind - when we first met that day, the young man's kneeling and submissiveness when he took the blame for others was so starkly contrasted with his later rebelliousness and indifference when facing death. !

Raising his eyebrows slightly, he nodded: "Yes. But this time, there will be no Brother Lance and Teacher to rescue you."

"..." Chesu pursed his thin lips slightly, his eyes as black as lacquer were momentarily confused, and soon regained their clarity.

Seeing the indifference he expected in those black eyes, Fern didn't know why, not only was he not as angry as last time, but he felt a little complacent that "it really is".

"You don't seem to be afraid?" He showed a curious look.

"... If I'm afraid, can I not be executed by you?" The boy opposite showed a more curious look than him.

"No." His Royal Highness, who was choked, suddenly began to feel bad again.

"Oh..." Nodding, Chesu leaned his back against the wall, and slowly sat down on the cold ground.Staring at his movements, His Royal Highness Fern clearly understood from the body language that was slowly relaxing: it was not the paralysis caused by fear, but just wanting to relax the body.

Boundless silence began to spread in this small cell again. After enduring and enduring, Fern said again patiently: "Why didn't you admit your mistake, why didn't you beg for mercy?"

Staring up at him in a daze, Chesu had pure doubts in his eyes: "Your Highness, I don't think you will change your decision just because of a pariah's crying and begging for mercy... Then, when you come here in person When watching the execution of a pariah, why do you have to hear his confession and begging for mercy?"

Looking at him coldly, Fern smiled sarcastically: "Why don't you give it a try? Maybe there is such a [-]% hope, I will be lenient and merciful?"

Why wouldn't a little pariah refuse to let go of his status and trade his humbleness for even a small chance of survival? !

Seeing the sudden arrogance on his face, Chesu's originally peaceful eyes also changed slightly.There was a trace of the same ironic and self-deprecating emotion in the big black eyes: admit your mistake?beg for mercy?

"Your Highness, because I don't believe you. I don't believe that a person like me begging for mercy will be rewarded with kindness and compassion from a person like you."

He has never used "you" to address this honorable heir to the imperial throne, his voice is slightly hoarse, but still pleasant to hear, echoing slightly in this closed cell, looking up at the increasingly ugly face of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince , he added: "As for admitting your mistakes... Your Royal Highness, all my mistakes were made by you."

Slightly dazed, he saw the surprise congratulations from the mecha control room of the Royal Academy of Engineering, and the ear-splitting warm applause from the communication channel.

"You're accusing me of committing crimes, so why not?" His Highness Fern looked at him indifferently, but there was no obvious anger.

"Isn't it?" Looking at him calmly, Chesu uttered the rhetorical question that had been lingering in his heart for a long time.

All the crimes that this man condemned him would not be a crime if they were transferred to any commoner or nobleman, even interesting anecdotes or even glory.Looking down at the hideous mark covered by whips and blood under his shoulder blades, he smiled slightly, with a kind of pride that didn't match his age and identity on his pale face: "My only sin is this mark on my body. ..."

Standing there quietly, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, who has always been arrogant and confident, seemed to have fallen into a sudden daze.

After a long while, he looked at Chesu and said slowly: "This morning, brother Lance went to find his father, and he handed over the materials he had investigated in the past few days, hoping to prove that you have been a slave in Hall Manor since you were a child. , simple background, simple background; then he handed in the handwriting authentication of Master Andy's test paper during the imperial entrance examination, proving that the super high score in that test was taken by you; also, under the pressure of the gendarmerie, you The young master at home also gave a testimony, proving that he forced you to do it in the game a few days ago."

then?Chesu was a little incomprehensibly puzzled.

"So, Father came to discuss with me in the morning and asked if you could be exonerated. But since I have been entrusted with the military affairs of the empire, he will respect my judgment." Fern raised his chin haughtily, "I have read carefully Those evidences, agreed."

Chesu stared at him blankly, agreed?What does he mean... he doesn't have to die?

"Now, I want to ask you a question, and you still have to give me a choice." His Royal Highness Fern stared deeply at him with ice blue eyes, "Next, you want to enter the Royal Military Academy for special training, and be my My partner mechanic; or should I continue to stay here and die of old age in prison?"

...Almost depressed, Chesu stared at the stubborn and persistent Crown Prince in front of him: Does he not have a third choice, to be the partner of His Royal Highness Lance?You obviously disdain and hate him so much, why do you have to have him?

"What to choose?" Fern asked again.

"...Of course I entered the military academy." Chesu replied in a low voice.If you don't go out, Dad will come in tonight, right?

Besides, during the special training in the Royal Military Academy, he had another chance to touch the new mecha that he personally participated in designing! ——I’ve only seen the drawings, but not the real thing. I don’t know if the accelerator lever that was proposed last time has been changed?By the way, I have only worn the helmet for a few hours in this competition, and I am already sweating. In the future, the helmet of the two-person mecha must be equipped with an automatic temperature adjustment system!Staring blankly at the ground, he recalled the beautiful and majestic new two-person mecha on the general design drawing, and fell into a short-term wandering.

Frowning and looking at the young man on the ground who was in a daze and whose eyes lit up for a moment, Fern didn't know why, but he could immediately conclude that the little happiness was not because of his escape from death, but because of some reason that he couldn't guess for the time being. He obviously couldn't enter this boy's world.

The unhappiness of not being taken seriously came to his heart, he snorted coldly: "Are you still afraid of being locked up?"

ah?Chesu didn't react for a while, and looked up at Fern's eyes, not having time to hide any emotions.Fern was slightly taken aback, and stared intently at the clear, happy, defenseless eyes of the young man in front of him.

Although his body was covered in blood and bruises, his eyes were so shining and radiant with astonishing brilliance that even the indifferent and emotionless Highness Fern dazzled a little.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, who had always been stern and arrogant, finally showed a trace of relaxation that was too shallow to capture at the corner of his stern mouth.His eyes fell on Chesu's scars all over his body. He focused his eyes slightly and said indifferently: "Wood will take you to the Royal Field Hospital to heal your injuries first, and then report to the Royal Military Academy."

Turning around and walking to the closed cell door, he raised his arm and knocked lightly.Just before the door was about to open, he turned his back to Chesu and said in a low voice, "Don't make me wait too long. Remember—your life is mine."

A month later.

Outside the clean and white ward, clumps of dahlia curly-leaved flowers bloom in the wind, blooming a strong life in the old-fashioned square flower bed.Without the warmth that ordinary hospitals deliberately create for patients, this royal field hospital with rigid structure and serious atmosphere is probably the only plant that can bring a little bit of color and wantonness.

In the corridor outside the clean and bright surgical ward, soft footsteps sounded.A tall and slender young man with two entourages knocked on the door of a single ward.

The dark navy-blue fitted military uniform was paired with bright silver imperial badges on the shoulders, and the brand-new military boots were also sharp and shiny, with the unique sense of straightness and dignity of royal youths.

On the large single bed in the ward, a black-haired boy was lying on the bed, holding a book and reading it intently. His bare feet were sticking out of the snow-white quilt, lining the blue-striped white-ground sheet, curled up on the bed. There was a slight sway outside.

Hearing the knock on the door, he lifted his eyes from the book, and his eyes fell on the young man who pushed the door in. He was slightly taken aback, and then he seemed a little surprised by disbelief: "Senior Lance?..."

With a smile, he took out a bouquet of carefully matched flowers from behind, and the handsome third prince of the empire, Lance, put it in the empty vase on the bedside cabinet. .

Turning his head to look at Chesu who was still in a daze on the bed, Lance couldn't help but smile slightly, just like the first time he saw him, he still likes to lie down and read a book, and he also likes to stick his bare feet up.

Finally recovering from the daze, Chesu looked at the gentle smile on the face of the tall and handsome young prince in front of him, hesitantly.

Soon, he lifted the quilt and went to the ground barefoot, and respectfully followed the kneeling ceremony for a pariah to meet a nobleman, knelt down on the soft carpet, and whispered: "The pariah Chesu pays homage to His Royal Highness Lance."

Lance's smile froze on his face, looking at Chesu who was lying on the ground, he was speechless for a while.After a long time, he sighed slightly, but did not support Chesu's body: "Chesu, you still haven't really forgiven me, have you?"

Shaking his head hastily, Chesu looked up at Lance: "No, it's not."

Thinking of what he said to the noble prince that day, he was a little embarrassed: "Your Highness, what I said to forgive you that day, please, please don't care."

"I never cared, and I regret hitting you," Lance said. "I just wanted to..."

Nodding hastily, Chesu blushed a little: "I know, I know. ——At that time, you just wanted to tell me to shut up and stop angering His Highness. Although I was a little..." After a pause, He smiled embarrassedly, "But after seeing you try your best to save me, I understand."

"Since you've forgiven me, do you have to kneel like this if I don't ask you to get up?" Lance smiled wryly, feeling a little sad in his heart.He intentionally didn't call Chesu to stand up immediately, he actually hoped that he could get up by himself soon, but until now, Chesu still kneels respectfully.

"Ah?" After a moment of stunned, the boy on the ground looked at Lance.

Helping him up without a word, the smile disappeared from Lance's face, and he looked at Chesu: "When you see me again in the future, you don't need to kneel down." Looking at the confusion on Chesu's face, he sighed, "Look at you Kneeling, I suddenly thought, you may feel very uncomfortable."

Suddenly realized, Chesu seemed to understand why he was sad, and couldn't help smiling: "No, Your Highness, I'm used to it."

Looking into his bright eyes in amazement, Lance asked, "Aren't you disgusted?"

Smiling and shaking his head, the smile of the young man beside him was very simple: "If you are disgusted, you don't have to kneel down?"

After a while, Lance smiled: This interesting little guy.Patting his head with a smile: "Hey, it seems that you were the one who rebounded so much because of the strong pressure from your brother a few days ago?"

"He's different." Chesu shook his head.

"Oh? What's different?" Lance couldn't help being extremely curious.

I was also slightly taken aback, Chesu frowned in distress, what's the difference?After thinking for a long time, he suddenly realized, and nodded hesitantly: "You and Master Andy are good people!"

Yes, that's why!Because His Royal Highness Lance and Master Andy are actually very good-hearted, so bowing down to them, it seems that you don't feel humiliated in your heart.But facing that person's indifferent and contemptuous eyes, how could it not make people feel disgusted and disgusted from the bottom of their hearts?

Puchi burst out laughing, His Royal Highness Lance looked at him with interest: "You mean, my brother Fern is a bad guy?"

"Isn't it?" With a small mutter, Chesu lowered his eyes, and the corners of his mouth slightly curled up.After resting for more than a month, most of the scars from the whipping have healed, and the cracks in the ribs have also basically healed.Thanks to the good treatment and generous diet, Chesu's complexion has regained the healthy and rosy complexion typical of a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy.

Accustomed to seeing him cautiously keeping a distance before, Chesu's accidental demeanor with the corners of his mouth slightly raised and his starry eyes twitching slightly moved Lance's heart.

Sitting on the edge of the bed with a smile, Lance beckoned Chesu to go back to the bed. "Brother Huang hit you and shut you down, I don't think you will have a good impression of him. However, he is really not a bad person, he just—" After thinking about it, Lance smiled apologetically, "He It’s just that I’m used to keeping a straight face since I was a child. As the eldest son of the empire and the heir to the throne in the future, he must feel a lot heavier on his shoulders than our other siblings.”

Without speaking, Chesu lowered his head, staring at the blue stripes on the bed sheet in a daze.One, two—well, this one isn't dyed well, and the stripes are wider than the others.

Unaware of his distraction, Lance looked out the window and thought of some things in his childhood, his voice softened: "My brother has been gifted since he was a child, and he is eager to learn and make progress. Not only his father, but also the entire palace and the entire empire are respectful to him. The expectations are very high. So my brother will develop the personality that is very strict with others and himself today. But he is by no means a violent and unreasonable person, look, he-uh, what are you thinking?"

Looking up at him blankly, Chesu's slightly red lips parted: "Huh? What?"

Silently looking at his expression, which was obviously starting to wander around again, Lance suddenly smiled: "I sort of understand why my brother is so angry."

Reaching out to rub Chesu's head in a good-tempered manner, Lance did not continue the topic of the emperor's brother Fern, but looked at the healthy and bright young man in front of him.

Because she was resting on the bed, Chesu didn't wear those thick black-rimmed glasses, and her long messy hair was cut short by the kind nurse. She didn't always cover her cheeks like before, and she looked more handsome with slender eyebrows. Eyes, clear eyes.