ICAWZ Chapter 27

Lu Yuan stood at the classroom door, effortlessly dealing with the troublemakers with a single step. After settling things, he casually brushed nonexistent dust off his hands, preparing to find a seat for class. However, when he lifted his head, he found the entire class staring at him in silence, even the professor looking dumbfounded.

Lu Yuan froze for a moment, “…”

Damn, almost forgot, he was also late.

Lu Yuan remained silent for a moment, awkwardly retracting his steps toward the desks, and then, under the gaze of the entire class, reluctantly walked to the back of the classroom, lining up with Brian and the others.

He was indeed too self-aware, so self-aware that even onlookers couldn’t bear to see him being punished. The professor, noticing the situation, adjusted his glasses and furrowed his brow, asking, “Are you also a student from Class Three?”

A student spoke up on behalf of Lu Yuan, “Professor, His Excellency Lu Yuan is our class monitor.”

This statement was met with a chorus of agreement.

The old professor remained silent at the remark, just giving Lu Yuan a glance. Then, he opened a thick book on interstellar war history on his desk, not lifting his head as he said, “Class monitor, maintain order and return to your seat. Remember to come early next time to help with attendance.”

Lu Yuan was taken aback at the professor’s words, “???”

What did that mean?

A classmate, seeing Lu Yuan standing still, discreetly turned around and gestured to him, “Class monitor, the professor said you don’t have to stand as punishment. Quickly find a seat and sit down.”

Lu Yuan, a mediocre student who had never enjoyed any special treatment, felt an unfamiliar sensation at being favored by a teacher for the first time in his life. After confirming several times that the professor indeed allowed him to go back to his seat, he hesitated for a moment before casually finding a seat in the back row, feeling somewhat pleasantly surprised for reasons he couldn’t quite fathom.

Damn, so this is how top students get treated?

Lu Yuan, perplexed, scratched his head. For the first time in his life, he found the act of attending class not entirely unpleasant. Sitting in his seat, he followed the professor’s instructions and, along with everyone else, opened the textbook. The bold letters “Interstellar Warfare History” caught his eye, and in a somewhat dazed state, he began listening to what could be considered his first real class at Bardall College.

The old professor stood on the podium, beginning to expound on the course content. His seasoned and weighty voice, layered with experience and the passage of years, made it seem as though he had been a witness to history himself:

“Since its inception, Salaranfa has endured numerous wars. However, every monarch has led their armies to defend the homeland to the death. Every ruler has sacrificed their lives for the peace we enjoy today, from the ancient Mubila Battle millions of years ago to the more recent Solitiam War just over a decade ago…”

The Solitiam War?

Lu Yuan had already begun to doze off, but upon hearing the professor’s words, he instantly snapped back to attention. He couldn’t help but pause for a moment: Solitiam? Wasn’t that the dense forest he crossed when he traveled to this world?

“Professor—”

Lu Yuan suddenly raised his hand in full view of everyone. He could never have imagined that one day he would be asking a question in class, as this kind of thing was as embarrassing for a struggling student as taking off his pants. However, to understand the reason behind it, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and go for it.

“May I ask, what is the Solitiam War?”

The professor, initially displeased at being interrupted, furrowed his brow as he followed the sound of the voice. However, when he saw it was the same troublemaker from earlier, his expression softened slightly. It was a rare sight for one of the troublemakers to show genuine interest in the lecture.

The professor manipulated the lightbrain and projected onto the whiteboard a scene of a dense forest emitting a faint blue glow at night. He explained to Lu Yuan, “The Solitiam War was not a traditional war in the conventional sense. At that time, our enemy was no longer the interstellar rebels, but a massive source of pollution stone and countless mutated species. The entire planet was plagued by the pollution stone, and the Empire had to make countless efforts to address this issue.”

The projection changed, revealing an aerial shot of the Solitiam Forest. A massive, blue-glowing origin stone was buried deep underground, with only a mysterious corner visible above the soil.

The professor calmly narrated the story of the previous monarch of Salaranfa, Emperor Gopin Gohedra:

“The former ruler of Salaranfa, His Majesty Gopin Gohedra, sacrificed himself in the process. He was a rare SS-class warrior and a monarch with illustrious military achievements. Despite the personal risk, he personally led a team into the forest to eliminate some of the pollution stones. However, he encountered an attack from mutated species along the way, suffered severe injuries, and succumbed deep within the Solitiam Forest. In honor of him, the battle was named the Solitiam War.”

“Emperor Gopin lived to the age of one hundred and two. In his lifetime, he fathered eight heirs, but tragically, four of them perished in battle. As he neared the end of his life, the remaining princes were still young and unable to stabilize the situation. Therefore, he left a will, designating his younger brother, Prince Apu, to inherit the throne.”

The professor continued, switching the projection once again. A photo of a female zerg with silver hair and red eyes, similar to Yusto, appeared on the whiteboard. The voice was clear, reaching the ears of every student in the classroom, “This is the current reigning monarch, His Majesty Apu Gohedra.”

Lu Yuan’s pupils slightly contracted upon seeing this, as the image of Emperor Apu Gohedra in the photo bore a striking resemblance to Yusto, except for being slightly older.

The struggle for power knows no boundaries, and monarchs of any era will inevitably experience a brutal contest. After the death of his elder brother, Prince Apu took on the responsibility of inheriting the throne. Within a few short months, he used decisive measures to stabilize the situation, showcasing his capabilities.

As Yusto entered the main hall and faced his uncle, whom he hadn’t contacted for quite some time, he couldn’t help but gather all his spirits. Standing in the antechamber separated by semi-transparent curtains, he slightly bowed to the female zerg inside, performing a noble gesture. “Yusto pays respects to Your Majesty.”

As his words fell, the curtains were gently lifted by attendants on both sides, revealing a female zerg in his mid-thirties. He was adorned in a luxurious platinum gown, and his waist-length silver hair was loosely tied with a ribbon. His face bore the subtle marks of passing years, yet it did not diminish the charm that had matured like fine wine.

While sharing some facial features with Yusto, he possessed a different demeanor. The former exuded a profound and unpredictable aura like a deep sea, while the latter radiated an unstoppable sharpness, akin to a drawn blade.

Upon seeing Yusto approaching, Emperor Apu didn’t show surprise. He gracefully settled onto a intricately carved chair with a soft blanket, showing genuine interest as he inquired, “Yusto, if I recall correctly, you should be attending classes at the academy today.”

Yusto nodded slightly, “You need not worry, Your Majesty. I won’t neglect my studies.”

Emperor Apu, just over a hundred years old this year, was still in the prime of life within the Zerg race’s long lifespan of over two hundred years. His mind was sharp and not impaired by age. “So, what brings you to the palace today?”

Yusto looked up at his uncle, the one who had raised him, and got straight to the point, “I heard Duke Monck visited the palace today to meet with Your Majesty. I want to know what he said to you.”

Emperor Apu closed his eyes upon hearing this, gently massaging his temples with his fingertips. His voice remained calm, “Oh, it’s nothing much. He mentioned that a commoner male zerg beat Wengel into the hospital, requesting me to ensure justice. He also claimed that General Saphir intentionally favored that male zerg and should be punished as well.”

After finishing his words, Emperor Apu opened his eyes. His eyes were slightly lighter in color compared to Yusto’s, as if he became aware of something. “So, are you here for the same matter?”

Yusto fell into a momentary silence at the question. Suddenly, he dropped to one knee, bowing in a noble gesture, and pleaded softly, “Your Majesty, that male zerg is my dearest friend. Please forgive him.”

Emperor Apu raised an eyebrow at his nephew’s words, clearly surprised by the statement. He looked down at Yusto, who knelt before him, and slowly rose from his chair, walking towards him. “A male zerg? A friend? Yusto, do you realize what you just said?”

Emperor Apu understood Yusto’s temperament very well. He had always kept a distance from male zergs, so how could Yusto possibly be friends with them?

However, Yusto insisted, “Your Majesty, you didn’t hear wrong. That male zerg is my friend.”

Similar to Yulejia, Emperor Apu found it hard to believe in pure friendship between female and male zergs. He subtly furrowed his brow at Yusto’s words, his emotions unclear, “Do you like him?”

Yusto looked momentarily stunned at the question. A rare hint of confusion flickered in his eyes because no one had ever taught him what “liking” meant. The distorted mating system of the Zerg race didn’t allow for the existence of such emotions.

At the moment, Yusto could only be certain of one thing. He lifted his eyes, gazing directly at Emperor Apu, and his eyes, tinged with a dark red hue, were filled with ambition and a sense of inevitability, “I want him.”

Emperor Apu asked, “Does he like you?”

Yusto hesitated at the question. Like a burst balloon, he deflated instantly, lowering his head in disappointment. He bit his lip slightly and whispered two words, “Not really…”

The proud female zerg lowered his head, appearing somewhat defeated and aggrieved.

Yusto had always been the cream of the crop among his peers, excelling in strength, appearance, and social status. He couldn’t fathom why the male zerg remained indifferent to him.

Emperor Apu lowered his gaze to Yusto’s head, “Yusto, do you remember what I told you? Never let your heart be swayed by male zergs, never let emotions burden you. Among the heirs left by my brother, only you have the strength to inherit this position. I don’t want you to become a confused zerg blinded by emotions.”

Yusto unconsciously furrowed his brow, “Uncle, he’s different…”

Emperor Apu interrupted him, attempting to correct his thoughts, “Yusto, all male zergs are the same. They are greedy and foolish, lacking in loyalty. Just like your male father, after my brother’s death, he sought countless new lovers. Doesn’t that prove everything?”

Emperor Apu finished speaking and lowered his gaze to look into Yusto’s eyes, lowering his voice with each word, “You only need to use them to propagate heirs. There’s no need to develop feelings for them. Do you understand?”

Yusto fell into a momentary silence, then asked, “Is that why you don’t have a male lord?”

Emperor Apu smiled, “Yusto, you’ll understand sooner or later. Monarchs don’t need things like male lords.”

Yusto remained non-committal, steering the conversation back to the main topic, “But I still want to ask for your forgiveness for that male zerg.”

Upon hearing this, Emperor Apu returned to his seat and reclined lazily, resting his head. He asked with an indifferent tone, “Yusto, that male zerg doesn’t like you. Is it worth it?”

Yusto spoke calmly, “You’re mistaken. This has nothing to do with liking. I just want to seek justice for him.”

Upon hearing this, Emperor Apu closed his eyes and lightly tapped his knee with his fingertips, as if contemplating something. “Yusto, this matter is not as simple as you think. I owe an explanation to the Monck family… By the way, General Saphir mentioned that the commoner male zerg has a blood purity of 60%. Is that true or false?”

Yusto hesitated. His current mood mirrored that of Lu Yuan when faced with a similar situation. General Saphir seemed to be quite adept at fabricating stories!

Yusto hesitated for a moment and said, “It should be… true?”

Upon hearing this, Emperor Apu finally opened his eyes, unsure whether he believed it or not. “If that’s the case, why hasn’t the military reported such a significant matter to the Empire?”

Yusto had learned some insider information from General Saphir, “His blood is contaminated with snake venom, and currently, we can’t accurately measure his true blood purity.”

Emperor Apu furrowed his brow slightly, “So, the 60% purity is just General Saphir’s speculation without concrete evidence, is that correct?”

Yusto remained silent.

Observing Yusto’s reaction, Emperor Apu subtly moved his fingers, playing with the gemstone ring on his hand. Suddenly, he spoke, “There will be a banquet at the palace next month, Yusto. Go and give that male zerg an invitation.”

Yusto raised his eyes, “Do you want to meet him?”

Emperor Apu neither confirmed nor denied, speaking with profound meaning, “Yusto, I need to see for myself whether that male zerg is worth your kneeling plea and my grace.”

 

 

 

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