Chapter 157: Virtual Love Interest × Legion Commander (14): Just How Many Familiar Faces Ended Up Here?

[《Against Marriage》 《Marriage Application》]

[《Who Would Ever Marry a Virtual Male Zerg?》]

[As expected of the Legion Commander. One masterpiece after another. (Applause)]

[You had the guts to ask the Marshal for marriage leave, so why don't you have the guts to confess to Lord Roy? Does His Lordship even know you applied for marriage leave?]

[A question that strikes straight at the soul.]

[Damn it, he almost stole the entire game!]

[Good thing the Marshal was there!]

[The Marshal is wise and mighty!]

[Wait a second, what do they mean by "the closed beta version isn't open to the public"?]

[The other players are probably playing a different version. The closed beta is for testing bugs and gameplay, then they'll optimize everything, release a new version, and add new maps.]

[Don't overthink it. This game only exists inside the novel anyway. It doesn't exist in reality. As long as Lord Roy can feel at ease, that's enough.]

[(Starts to say something, then stops.)]

[Morris is the second one after Claire to treat his Male Lord like a soldier.]

[Let's be precise. They're not married, neither of them has acknowledged any relationship, so how can he be called a "Male Lord"?]

[Better to trust the Marshal and An-shen than them. The Marshal officially appeared in one of An-shen's books, even if it was only for a single sentence.]

[I don't care anymore. I'm shipping them.]

Ulysses looked at the brief mention of himself in the novel.

Had he, too, received the same treatment as Iso in the God's book?

Appearing once more in a new story beyond the original novel.

No.

Iso had married a Male Zerg twice within the books.

Zergs were always greedy.

After receiving one part, they wanted two.

After receiving two, they wanted even more.

Desire had no end.

Ulysses saved that brief passage mentioning himself together with the earlier line from Enzo's novel about the wedding invitation list.

That novel had explicitly stated it would invite "the Marshal and that Lord."

He and that Lord had been mentioned together, side by side.

That alone already said quite a lot.

Ulysses found himself looking forward to Enzo's wedding.

...

Although, in that book, the Male Lord was still an egg.

Few attended weddings with friends.

Normally, they brought family.

Family.

Ulysses silently savored the word before continuing to read.

...

【Roy decided to bring Morris with him to attend a classmate's wedding.

The clothes were already prepared.

Previously, Morris had kept pulling things out of his spatial button until an entire walk-in wardrobe had been filled with clothes. Roy still hadn't managed to wear everything.

Faced with what looked like an entire clothing store, Roy couldn't make up his mind.

Morris helped him choose.

But while choosing, Morris started buying more and more items from the in-game shop again, happily dressing Roy up like a Male Zerg doll.

Roy had no idea how much Morris had spent on all of this.

But Morris seemed to be incredibly wealthy.

The exchange rate and purchasing power between their world's real currency and the game's currency were completely different.

Items Roy considered outrageously expensive were practically free in Morris's eyes.

At first Roy had tried persuading him to stop buying unnecessary things.

Eventually, he gave up.

Apparently, spending money like this was simply one of the joys Morris found in playing games.

Only after trying on so many outfits that he was completely exhausted did Roy finally settle on two matching sets with Morris.

The formal outfits were white and platinum, embroidered with golden stars.

Their fashionable tailoring perfectly highlighted the wearer's figure and looked exceptionally elegant.

The warm cream-colored palette carried the gentle feeling of autumn milk tea.

It suited Roy perfectly.

Morris wore the alternate color version from the same collection.

Black and silver, accented by a streak of vivid blue.

Viewed separately, they didn't seem remarkable.

Standing together, however, they were unmistakably a pair of matching lovers' outfits.

Morris noticed immediately.

Roy, who knew almost nothing about formal fashion, remained completely unaware.

Morris had no intention of pointing it out.

And so he simply accompanied Roy to the wedding.

Roy's Male Zerg classmate came from the Upper District.

The Female Lord he was marrying was extremely wealthy, and the wedding was held on a beautiful island surrounded by magnificent scenery.

Originally, Roy's classmate had wanted to send a private aircraft to pick him up from home.

Roy politely declined, saying he would be arriving together with a female friend.

Where there was a Female Zerg, there was naturally someone to fly the aircraft.

His classmate curiously pressed him for details.

Roy held back and didn't know how to explain it anyway.

As their aircraft entered the island, it immediately attracted considerable attention.

For many guests, it was an unfamiliar new model.

Exceptionally stylish.

Clearly a privately commissioned or heavily customized aircraft.

Very few Zergs were capable of taking aircraft customization to such extremes.

When Roy and Morris stepped out, even more eyes turned toward them.

Female Zergs naturally recognized hierarchy among themselves.

The very first moment one Female Zerg saw another, instinctively, their body would determine whether they could defeat the other in combat.

That instinct decided how they would interact afterward.

Clearly, Morris belonged to the category that none of them could defeat.

The Male Zergs looked from Morris...

...to Roy...

...and back again.

Suddenly someone gasped softly.

"Is... is that Roy?"

After a Male Zerg completed physiological awakening, changes in appearance were expected.

But this transformation was simply too dramatic.

How many ranks had he advanced?

How powerful must his guide have been?

And for such a transformation, their compatibility would also have had to be extraordinarily high.

Several acquaintances came over to greet Roy.

Roy greeted each of them in return while introducing the companion who had accompanied him.

"His name is Morris. He's a military Female Zerg... um... yes, an officer. As for his rank... I honestly don't understand those things."

Since Morris wasn't actually from this world, Roy could only gloss over questions regarding his identity.

Unable to get a definite answer, the Male Zergs changed the subject.

"Are you married?"

"When are you planning to get married?"

"Will you have a wedding?"

"You have to invite me."

Roy found those questions even harder to answer.

Throughout it all, Morris remained by Roy's side.

Handing him drinks.

Passing him snacks.

Asking if he wanted cake.

Straightening his clothes.

Wiping crumbs from the corner of his mouth.

The very image of an ideal future Female Lord.

Drawing countless envious gazes.

Morris normally wasn't like this.

He was putting on an act for Roy's sake.

Roy understood that perfectly well.

Appearing together like this, people could easily suspect that Morris was merely keeping Roy as someone he financially supported—

Without intending to give him status.

Without intending to take responsibility.

That was why Morris paid attention to every tiny detail.

Pretending to love Roy deeply.

Pretending to treasure him.

Pretending he couldn't live without him.

Truthfully...

Morris really was an exceptionally good Zerg.

Even at times like this, he was still thinking about Roy.

Still protecting Roy's feelings.

Still protecting Roy's reputation.

Roy ate the cake Morris held up to his lips.

It was sweet.

Yet somehow...

...he couldn't taste it.

The wedding ceremony officially began.

Roy saw the Male Zerg classmate getting married, standing together with his Female Lord.

Among higher-ranking Zergs, there were no unattractive individuals.

As long as they hadn't entered old age, even their ages were difficult to distinguish.

Standing together, they looked perfectly matched.

Besides that, Roy noticed several unfamiliar Male Zergs attending the wedding.

Seeing unfamiliar faces wasn't strange.

But one of those Male Zergs kept glancing in Roy's direction, making Roy look back as well.

"Who is that? Do you know him? He's so beautiful."

One of Roy's classmates asked quietly.

Roy didn't recognize him.

But he noticed Morris wearing a rather strange expression.

"What is it?"

Roy asked.

Morris withdrew his gaze.

Looking rather conflicted, he lowered his voice.

"I saw a familiar face."

Roy blinked in surprise before looking toward the harmonious family of Male and Female Zergs once again.

He silently mouthed toward Morris.

<Player?>

Morris nodded.

Meeting another player this way—

At a classmate's wedding—

Left Roy genuinely astonished.

That player looked no different from the Zergs of this world.

Just...

...far more beautiful.

And apparently Morris knew him.

Had there not been a Female Zerg standing intimately beside him, clearly sharing a close relationship, Roy might even have worried.

Though worrying probably wouldn't accomplish anything.

Just then, the Male Zerg bridegroom on stage picked up a bouquet and smiled toward the guests.

"Whoever catches the bouquet will be the next newlyweds!"

Morris stared blankly.

"...What's that?"

"It's a wedding tradition."

Roy looked at him in confusion.

"You don't have that where you're from?"

"...No."

Morris had never heard of such a custom.

If catching a bouquet really meant becoming the next person to marry...

...the Female Zergs attending the wedding would probably end up fighting each other.

Seeing that Morris had never even heard of it, Roy patiently explained everything.

The wedding bouquet represented blessings.

It passed happiness from one couple to the next.

If an unmarried Zerg caught it during the ceremony, they would receive that blessing and become the next one to marry.

Morris understood.

Onstage, the Male Zerg tossed the bouquet high into the air.

Roy looked up.

The bouquet's silhouette reflected in his eyes.

Morris instantly launched himself after it.

The moment his hand touched the bouquet—

Another Zerg lunged in to snatch it away.

Morris froze for a split second.

Then, reacting instantly, he furiously kicked the other party away.

A married Female Zerg from the Third Legion—

What the hell was he doing trying to steal it?

Planning to get married a second time?

And...

If his senses hadn't deceived him...

Hadn't another all-too-familiar aura flashed past just now?

Morris was completely numb.

Just how many familiar faces had shown up here?

...】