Chapter 86: Heavenly Garuda Male x Zerg Military Officer (9): The Well-Behaved Heavenly Garuda Male and the Bold, Claw-Waving Male Zerg

Ulysses' pheromones were like a frigid blade.

They carried the scent of cold metal, so sharp that one could almost imagine a knife slicing open a throat, warm blood spilling out, oppressive with danger and overwhelmingly invasive.

But beneath that...

They were sweet.

Threads of cool, mysterious fragrance lingered endlessly, clinging stubbornly for days.

Yet because they smelled so pleasant, they were never unpleasant.

If someone made Ulysses' pheromones into a perfume—

Or rather, an artificial pheromone—

It would probably be incredibly cool.

An Ruo tried to imagine it.

Instead, all he could picture were female Zergs wearing expressions that looked ready to die.

"..."

In a pheromone market where female Zergs were the primary consumers...

That fragrance probably wouldn't sell at all.

It would have to be redirected toward the military industry.

Dropped onto battlefields as a pheromone bomb.

That joke was far too cold.

Rubbing his arms, An Ruo decided to write something that would warm people's hearts instead.

...

【After an exhausting night, Axel didn't wake up again until late the following morning.

Beside him was a warm chest.

The military female, who normally rose early without fail to train, had unusually slept in as well.

After being nourished by a male's pheromones, female Zergs tended to sleep more deeply.

That was perfectly normal.

It also meant...

He'd worked very hard last night.

Axel grinned foolishly while curled up in Enzo's embrace.

Their pheromones still lingered throughout the room.

After intertwining for an entire night, the two scents had completely merged together.

The fruity fragrance clinging to him had blended with Enzo's sea breeze, becoming something resembling sweet sea-salt lemon.

It smelled wonderful.

Enzo's body was also covered in Axel's scent.

As though he'd been completely marked by him.

He really had marked Enzo's body.

He hadn't even spared the brood pouch.

Maybe...

They would have a baby.

Axel entertained the thought for a second before quickly tossing it aside.

Eggs and hatchlings...

It was much too early to think about things like that.

Right now...

He only wanted to spend their time together as just the two of them.

Rubbing himself against Enzo's broad chest, Axel soon felt the female waking up.

Quietly raising his head, he met Enzo's downward gaze.

The female didn't seem fully awake yet.

There was still a trace of haziness in his eyes.

Looking down like that made him appear cool...

And gentle.

Axel had been a little nervous.

But seeing that expression...

He couldn't help snuggling closer, happily rubbing against him as he cheerfully called,

"Female Lord."

At first, Enzo thought the hatchling simply wanted another hug.

But the words "Female Lord" instantly woke him completely.

"Axel."

Holding the male as he sat up, Enzo was just about to speak when the sensation of pheromones flowing downward suddenly made his body stiffen.

It reminded him...

Their relationship had changed.

He was no longer suited to educating the young male as his caretaker.

"What's wrong? Are you uncomfortable?"

Seeing Enzo suddenly stop talking and freeze in place, Axel immediately grew anxious.

"I'll massage you."

His hands landed on Enzo's body, focusing on carefully kneading his waist.

"No need...

Female Zergs aren't that fragile."

Enzo's mind was still somewhat foggy.

But seeing the male fussing over him, touching him all over while trying so earnestly to take care of him...

He refused with quiet helplessness.

If Axel kept touching him...

Whether he'd feel physically better or not was uncertain.

But something that definitely shouldn't react...

Would.

He was a healthy adult female Zerg.

There was no way he could remain completely unaffected.

Axel withdrew his hands with a hint of disappointment.

But seeing how gently Enzo treated him...

Without any intention of driving him away...

He immediately became happy again.

Clinging tightly to Enzo, refusing to let go, he asked expectantly,

"So... does this mean we're married now?"

Enzo fell silent for a moment.

Gently stroking the male's soft pale-golden hair, he asked,

"Are you certain you want to marry me?

I'm far older than you."

Even now...

Enzo still allowed Axel the option of not taking responsibility.

Between the two of them...

The only one who needed to bear responsibility was himself.

He was the one responsible for Axel.

Faced with the question, Axel nodded seriously.

As for the age difference...

"You know exactly what my type is."

Enzo: "..."

Blue eyes.

Older.

Good with hatchlings.

Quiet.

A preference like that...

Was rare throughout the entire Zerg race.

Enzo couldn't help wondering whether he'd made a mistake raising the young male.

Otherwise...

Why had the male developed such an unusual preference?

"...All right.

We'll get married.

After your courtship period ends, we'll register our marriage."

Things had already reached this point.

They had already slept together.

There was no way Enzo could reject him now.

Only one night of the courtship period had passed.

Judging from both past experience and ordinary Zerg biology...

It usually lasted anywhere from three days to a week.

Which meant...

He would remain entangled with the young male for another three days...

Or perhaps an entire week.

Enzo's mind went blank for an instant.

Unaware of his thoughts, Axel happily snuggled against him, kissing his chin, then the corner of his lips before emphasizing,

"We have to have a grand wedding!"

A wedding...

The entire world would know he'd seduced the very male he'd raised himself.

Enzo lowered his head, pressing a hand against his forehead.

Seeing his reaction, a terrible suspicion suddenly arose inside Axel.

"You...

You're not planning on giving me a wedding, are you?"

The thought made Axel stare at him in horror, clutching Enzo and shaking him accusingly.

"Aren't I your beloved male?

Don't you love me anymore?"

Enzo knew...

He was doomed.

He still had a very long way to go before the male understood...

That he was his Male Lord.

That he possessed absolute authority over him.

...】

[Heavenly Garudas! Look what you've raised your males into! (furious)]

[What are you talking about? You raised him. (eye roll)]

...That seemed true.

But the problem definitely couldn't be theirs.

So it had to be the Heavenly Garudas'.

The Zerg readers continued attacking.

[It's because you people keep carving weird things into your DNA!]

The Heavenly Garudas: ...

Speechless.

[We're not like you idiots who enjoy having male Zergs step all over your heads. You actually think giving males absolute authority over you is a good thing? Idiots.]

[Of course stupid Heavenly Garudas wouldn't understand the happiness of having a Male Lord worth protecting with your entire life. You don't understand the joy of letting your Male Lord command and rule over you. Your males wouldn't even tell you a single honest word.]

Both sides stabbed each other once.

Temporary ceasefire.

[Still... Enzo and the little male seem to have everything.

Axel has a female's absolute loyalty and protection.

And Enzo has a male's wholehearted love.]

Someone sighed.

Whether Zerg or Heavenly Garuda...

Everyone felt strangely conflicted hearing those words.

Their union didn't conform to the mainstream values of either race.

Yet somehow...

They fit together perfectly.

Even the tiny differences in their beliefs only seemed to bring them closer.

Finally, one Zerg reader declared:

[The Heavenly Garudas deserve to die, but their males are innocent. Once we wipe out the Heavenly Garuda Empire, we'll take in every broken-hearted male.]

[That depends on whether you have the strength.]

The Heavenly Garudas immediately answered:

[Once our Imperial Army crushes the Zerg race, we'll treat all your male Zergs very well too.]

The male Zergs: ?

Did people really think that just because they normally didn't participate in arguments...

Their combat power was weak?

They might lose on an actual battlefield.

But this...

Was StarNet.

Mental input.

Eight insults per second.

Without repeating a single one.

The Heavenly Garudas' comments were instantly drowned beneath an endless flood.

Even worse...

Male Zergs' reports never missed.

One report after another was approved, and countless Heavenly Garudas lost the accounts they'd struggled so hard to obtain.

The Heavenly Garudas, utterly disoriented from being cursed at while simultaneously losing their accounts:

"..."

The only beings who could rival male Zergs' typing speed...

Were probably Heavenly Garuda males themselves.

The female Heavenly Garudas secretly glanced at the males beside them.

Their males...

Were obedient.

Gentle.

Adorable.

Expecting those sweet little males to curse out the savage, claw-waving male Zergs on StarNet...

Didn't seem remotely realistic.

Those male Zergs were far too fierce.

They would frighten their poor little males.

Their little males belonged tucked safely beneath a female's wings.

Holding his face in both hands, the male looked up at his Female Lord in confusion and asked,

"What about the story?

Why did it stop?"

The female Heavenly Garuda: "..."

It's over.