Chapter 33

Erabelle made her way calmly toward the shuttle station, mentally calculating the time.

5:24 PM. It’ll take about forty minutes to get there, so I should arrive a little after six. If I grab dinner first and then head to Dezeb’s sub-house, that should put me at...

Dezeb’s sub-house...

“......”

When Erabelle had first come to the capital on external duty a year and a half ago, she’d had a few concerns.

Her reaction to the noise was one of them. She had even considered getting a compatibility test, or at least visiting a clinic.

Ever since her body had been exposed to a suitable match, it had begun reacting violently to sedatives. Maintaining any kind of relationship with Dezeb had never even crossed her mind.

After transferring to the 2155 Planetary System, she had assumed whatever connection she had with Dezeb was over.

And why wouldn’t she?

There were already three compatible partners in the capital with Dezeb, including the Crown Prince. Every one of them was tall, gorgeous, radiant—and most of them had male bodies.

To be clear, the original version of this novel was BL, and Dezeb preferred men. They were physically sturdier, after all.

Honestly, it felt less like he was choosing partners and more like he was picking out toys.

But expecting Dezeb Avganis to possess a conscience was a losing proposition. If he did, this wouldn’t be a grimdark story in the first place.

In any case, this wasn’t like headquarters, where Erabelle had been the only compatible option.

She wasn’t his type. She wasn’t special.

So naturally, she’d assumed whatever had existed between them was finished.

At best, I’m a spare among spares.

Which was why, when Dezeb had asked to resume their arrangement a year and a half ago, she had been genuinely baffled.

Why me...?

Maybe even trash had its own particular taste.

But it wasn’t as though she could sit Dezeb down for an in-depth interview, and honestly, the reason didn’t matter much anyway.

As usual, she had no say in the matter.

If he said it was happening, then it was happening.

“Sector 2017, 19th Street.”

She gave the address and stepped aboard the shuttle.

The sleek metal vehicle sliced smoothly through the capital’s skies.

The ride was quiet. Peaceful.

No smog. No dark clouds.

Only clear, pristine blue.

It felt like an entirely different world from the conflict zone.

Of course, if civil war broke out, all of this would turn to ash anyway.

I really need to reinforce that bunker... And for that, I need money...

She was running through every possible way to scrape together more funds when a soft chime interrupted her thoughts.

[20 cp. Fare: 20 cp.]

Robbery.

Seriously? Twenty cp for a ride this short?

Prices in the capital were insane.

Definitely not a place meant for ordinary people.

Grumbling under her breath, Erabelle paid the fare and stepped off.

Dezeb’s current office was located on the outskirts of Satellite 2017.

The capital encompassed twenty-one planets and 3,177 satellites within a single planetary system. Aside from the central planet, whose access code was classified, nobles and high-ranking personnel generally lived either on natural planets or on satellites numbered below one hundred.

Only nobles and specially authorized individuals had the right to reside in those prime locations.

The Avganis family was one of only nine noble houses in the Empire to hold ducal or marquis rank, which meant they possessed rights to an entire natural planet.

In fact, the family’s main fleet alone was larger than most satellites.

Dezeb Avganis was one of the three wealthiest individuals in the entire sector empire.

Which made it anyone’s guess why a man like him had chosen to operate out of a shabby commercial building on a satellite numbered in the two-thousands.

“......”

Erabelle stared up at the deserted high-rise.

Construction materials still littered the first-floor lobby, making it look as though someone had started renovating the place and then lost interest halfway through.

She had no idea what they were doing here.

And frankly, she didn’t want to know.

Instead of entering the building, she crossed the short pedestrian walkway.

The coffee run.

The café was literally across the street.

So close she could practically trip and fall into it.

Less than five minutes away.

And somehow, they had still made her—the person who had spent four days traveling round trip—pick up the damn coffee.

Both hands laden with overpriced drinks, Erabelle returned to the building and took the elevator upstairs.

Even that short walk was enough to make her side ache.

She grimaced and rubbed the hardened tissue beneath her clothes where the wound had scarred over.

“HEY!!”

Jesus—!

The moment the elevator doors slid open, Erabelle was greeted by a furious Aries Cider.

“Why the hell are you only getting here now?! Do you even know what time it is?!”

“It’s... 17:00—”

“Did I ask you what time it was?!”

Yep. Definitely menopause.

“Sorry.”

The apology came automatically.

Like a machine.

Aries snatched the mocha frappe he’d ordered from her hand and continued yelling.

“Next time, move faster! Faster!!”

And, as if that wasn’t enough, Virgo Hag wandered over and promptly draped himself all over her.

“Erabelle, I missed youuu. Why’re you so late, hmm?”

With Virgo hanging off her like an oversized coat, pain shot through her lower back.

Goddamn leeches.

“Did you shower? Huh? You smell really nice. Trying to impress Dezeb?”

Virgo giggled to himself, clearly still not right in the head.

“How about... you and me, huh?”

Virgo Hag had barely finished speaking when he yelped as Aries Cider seized him by the hair.

“You’ve been so rough with me lately... Is it because you like me that much? I don’t even like you that much.”

“You little shit—! Hey! What the hell are you standing around for?!”

Watching.

“Move your ass already!”

“Yes, sir. I’ll be going.”

“Shut up and get lost! Now!”

The shouting started all over again.

Before Aries could explode any further in his hormonal rage, Erabelle quickly slipped away and headed into Commander Dezeb Avganis’s office.

***

“You’re here?”

After Aries’s tantrum had wound her nerves tight, Dezeb welcomed her with the gentleness of a saint.

“Was the trip hard on you?”

“Not at all. It was smooth.”

He beckoned her closer.

When she approached, he reached up and cupped her face between his hands.

Because he was seated, Erabelle found herself looking down at him.

The sight sent a strange crawling sensation over her skin.

Heat rushed into her face.

At the same time, her heart rate shot through the roof.

But that was fine.

A perfectly normal reaction.

It had been nearly three months since she’d last seen that face.

Dezeb was still breathtaking.

His pale, flawless skin had the smoothness of porcelain. Crimson shadows lingered beneath his eyes, and fine strands of black hair fell across his face, making him look less human than something beautiful and otherworldly.

He looked like the sort of person who could tempt someone into licking the apple from the Garden of Eden straight from his hand.

Hand included.

Erabelle held her breath.

Even the Dogs barking outside seemed to blur into distant noise.

She had to keep herself together.

Otherwise, she might genuinely float right out of this world.

“Have you been sleeping well?”

“Yes. I slept just fine.”

Sleep, huh...

Yeah, she’d slept.

She’d slept hard.

Nearly seventy hours straight on the way here.

The navigator had apparently thought she was dead and actually came over to wake her.

At least she hadn’t missed lunch this time.

It was included in the fare, after all.

Would’ve been a waste not to eat it.

While her thoughts wandered, Dezeb pressed a palm against her cheek.

“Mmmpf...”

“......”

He stared at her squashed expression for a moment, seemingly amused.

Then he tilted his head and leaned in.

His lips parted hers, his tongue slipping into her mouth as one long-fingered hand closed around the back of her head.

Ah. Shit.

Erabelle’s thoughts immediately began to dissolve.

A shiver climbed her spine from the base of her back.

Her gaze went unfocused.

After almost three months apart, the warmth of a compatible partner’s body was enough to send every nerve in hers into overdrive.

She swayed slightly, dizzy from the sensory overload.

Dezeb tapped the tip of her nose.

Erabelle sucked in a breath—

and his cool, familiar scent flooded her senses like a tidal wave.

Great. Now it’s even worse.

Smiling, he drew her limp body onto his lap and continued kissing her, slowly and languidly.

“You haven’t eaten yet, have you?”

Then, without warning, he pulled away.

“What should we have for dinner?”

Keep doing what we were doing...

Dezeb stood and adjusted his jacket.

Erabelle remained sitting there, staring after him gloomily.

Their eyes met.

He stepped back over and brushed a soft kiss against her lips.

So light it was barely even a kiss.

Almost like a little there, now go away.

Fine.

She’d go.

“I want chicken. XX Chicken has a new menu item that got five stars.”

“Sure.”

His expression didn’t change.

“Let’s be healthy and get salad.”

“Chicken is healthy too. It has lots of protein.”

“Then we’ll get chicken breast. It comes with the salad.”

Chicken breast is not fried chicken.

Fried chicken didn’t have breasts.

It had wings and legs.

Erabelle debated whether she should point that out, but before she could decide, Dezeb turned toward the mirror to check his appearance.

He was already gorgeous enough to break someone’s heart.

And now he was trying to make himself look even better?

Erabelle pressed her lips together before she started drooling.

“Let’s go.”

With a faint smile and a slight tilt of his head, Dezeb motioned for her to follow.