Chapter 95: Heavenly Garuda Male x Zerg Military Officer (16): Female Lord and Male Lord—Each Calls the Other Their Own Way

[I knew An-shen was still writing science fiction. tears up]

[I've lost my mind. I just woke up, wasn't fully awake yet, and the first thing I saw was a male serving a female.]

[Is this what Heavenly Garuda males are like? stunned]

[How can Enzo sit there enjoying it with such a clear conscience? He even accepted the tea his Male Lord handed him—and accepted it on his knees!]

[Well, he's pregnant. No need to go that far. Three drinks as punishment will do.]

[After receiving the pheromones, he just went to lie on the bed! The male cleaned up the entire bathroom afterwards!]

[He even let the male build a nest and incubate the egg? furious]

[Can't he incubate the egg he laid himself?]

Whenever moments like this came up, the blood pressure of the Heavenly Garuda females shot through the roof.

[I already went through the trouble of carrying and laying the egg. Why should I have to incubate it too?]

[Are you Zergs sick in the head?]

[I carried it. I laid it. Of course the male should incubate it. Otherwise does the male only get to enjoy himself and provide pheromones?]

[Accepting a cup of tea on your knees? As expected of the spineless Zergs. I think I'm already being generous by not making my male kneel while massaging my legs and biting me.]

[During my pregnancy, my male had better stay by my side at all times, giving me deep massages and pheromones whenever I want them. Otherwise I'll tear the whole house apart in minutes.]

It had originally just been a matter of disliking Enzo.

After a few rounds of arguments in the comments, it had completely escalated into both sides disliking each other's entire race.

Then again...

Neither side had ever liked the other to begin with.

Virtual keyboards were immediately picked up again, and another fierce war of words erupted.

...

Capital Star of the Zerg Federation.

Inside a certain estate.

The pink-haired male diligently kneaded his Female Lord's shoulders.

Watching the keyboard war raging across the light screen, he looked puzzled.

"What are they arguing about?"

"No idea."

Cyril guiltily looked away.

Having his Male Lord massage his shoulders really was inappropriate.

Turning back, Cyril said,

"Come here. I'll massage you too."

"I'd... rather not..."

Remembering the strength of his Female Lord's hands, Philor felt a chill run down his spine.

This was the same terrifying female who could grind a diamond coffee table into powder.

"Then I'll massage somewhere else."

Cyril said, staring straight at him with his black eyes.

It was hard to imagine his Female Lord saying something like that with such a perfectly serious expression.

Philor needed an extra second before he understood.

Blushing, he leaned over and snuggled close against him.

"When this egg is born, I'll incubate it for you too."

Resting against his Female Lord, Philor whispered into his ear.

They had waited twenty years after Hill before finally conceiving this child.

The pregnancy had happened after Cyril returned from the expedition.

Counting the days...

The timing almost perfectly matched the night they spread their wings for courtship.

It had been less than two weeks.

The pregnancy wasn't showing yet.

The male wanted to compete with him for egg incubation?

Cyril glanced at the beautiful Male Lord resting against him.

In the end...

He agreed.

"All right."

With a male's patience...

He probably wouldn't last more than a few days.

Then Cyril remembered how one particular male submitted ninety applications every month with the consistency of clocking in for work.

Suddenly...

He wasn't so sure anymore.

"Eggs aren't particularly demanding when it comes to incubation temperature or environment. Incubating them for a day or two will be enough."

The rest of the time belongs to me.

Cyril negotiated with his Male Lord.

Zerg eggs were very hardy.

They weren't difficult to incubate.

They could even hatch if left at room temperature—it simply took a little longer.

They could also be placed inside an incubator where the temperature remained more stable.

Adult Zerg usually incubated eggs simply to bond with the hatchling inside...

Or because they enjoyed playing with eggs.

"How can that be enough? This is our baby. Of course I'm going to hold it every single day."

Philor argued his case with complete seriousness.

What was there to argue about?

Cyril pinched his chin, turned his face from side to side, then suddenly asked,

"...You're not actually a Heavenly Garuda, are you?"

Philor: "...?"

After spending decades living as a Zerg...

...he had suddenly been diagnosed as a Heavenly Garuda.

But among the Zerg, calling someone a Heavenly Garuda was an insult.

His Female Lord was insulting him.

Such foul language!

Pouting indignantly, Philor bit the handsome female's face.

...

【Axel inspected the nest he had built.

Using both his own and Enzo's clothes, he surrounded the bed, creating a warm, cozy nest.

He also moved the sofa beside the bed, enclosing it further.

More clothes.

More fur blankets.

More security.

More comfort.

Sparkling gemstones had to be added as well.

Scattered throughout the nest, they made everything prettier.

He was still a novice male parent.

His aesthetic sense had yet to mature.

A male always had to decorate his nest beautifully.

Only then could he better attract a female.

Adjusting the placement of the gemstones, Axel decided to gather some fresh flowers as well.

When Enzo returned from outside...

There was practically nowhere left to step.

He couldn't help suspecting that when he had incubated Axel years ago, constantly wrapping the fragile little Heavenly Garuda egg in layers of clothing so it wouldn't become cold...

...perhaps he had accidentally given him some very strange misunderstanding about incubation.

"...Will your bedroom stay like this for the next several months?"

Enzo asked hesitantly.

"Of course not!"

Axel replied.

"I'll improve it every day, making the nest better little by little!"

Enzo pressed a hand against his forehead.

Improve it further?

Soon there wouldn't even be anywhere left to stand.

"...All right then."

"So... where are you going to sleep?"

Enzo asked.

"Right here."

Turning around, Axel looked toward the bed piled high with luxurious, soft clothing.

Walking over, he pushed the clothes aside and spread a fresh blanket down the middle, creating a new sleeping space.

"Are you worried there won't be enough room?"

"It's fine."

"If you hold me, I don't take up much space."

Axel said obediently.

Enzo: "..."

Technically...

They could sleep like this.

Although the mountain of clothes looked rather strange, he respected Axel's preferences.

And judging from Axel's words...

He seemed willing to let Enzo sleep beside him.

At least...

Until the egg was laid.

Enzo gently stroked his still-flat abdomen and answered softly.

He might end up taking more space than expected.

Especially once his belly began to show.

He only hoped Axel wouldn't dislike him because of it.

"Do you need more clothes? If these aren't enough, {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} we'll buy more."

Opening the shopping interface, Enzo brought up several official websites for luxury custom brands and let Axel choose.

Axel carefully selected clothes with pleasant colors and comfortable fabrics.

He preferred light, gentle colors.

Especially in a bedroom.

The softness of the fabric against the skin was also important.

It needed to be comfortable enough for both him and Enzo to sleep among it.

After finishing the first version of the nest, Axel lay down inside it himself.

Stretching out a hand toward Enzo, he said,

"Come lie down and try it."

The beautiful male lay upon the bed.

Soft pink and white garments surrounded him like blossoms in full bloom.

From within that sea of flowers...

...the male reached out toward him.

Enzo's Adam's apple bobbed.

He desperately wanted to lie down on top of the male.

Pregnant females often had stronger needs than usual.

Lowering his eyes, Enzo ultimately only sat on the edge of the bed without occupying much space.

But the male embraced him.

And began kissing him.

His pregnancy hormones were stirred up all at once.

In the end, Enzo only managed to remind him...

"...From behind."

"Mmm, okay, okay."

Axel agreed.

Lately...

He always felt that Enzo didn't seem very eager to look at his face.

Had he become less attractive?

Holding his own face, Axel seriously pondered the issue.

Whether Heavenly Garuda or Zerg...

Females all liked beautiful males.

He had been an adorable, delicate male hatchling.

After his physiological awakening, he had grown into an exceptionally beautiful male.

He certainly hadn't grown ugly.

So what was the reason?

At such a young age...

Axel had already fallen into appearance anxiety.

...

[So that's how Heavenly Garuda males build nests. Learned something new today.]

Zerg males had long since lost the instinct to build nests.

Both males and females watched with fascination.

It felt like watching a documentary from ancient history.

[Wait... you build nests using luxury custom clothing? You actually sleep on top of designer clothes? horrified]

[Please don't let my Male Lord read this novel. Forget whether he'll start building nests—my bank account is already hurting.]

[Then hurry up and find another female to help share the expenses. There's a whole line of unmarried females waiting.]

[No thanks. I can still afford it.]

[Sleeping with a male inside a mountain of luxury clothing... painful and blissful at the same time.]

[@HeavenlyGaruda, your thoughts?]

"Nothing much to say."

"It's simply one of a male's little hobbies."

"A thrifty male knows how to use whatever materials are available."

"But Heavenly Garudas have never fallen so low that our males need to live frugally."

Heavenly Garudas loved posting pictures of the nests their males built on StarNet.

If the materials looked too cheap...

People would immediately question the Female Lord's financial strength.

Most Heavenly Garuda females had few extravagant hobbies.

Expensive interests like mechas or spacecraft were beyond what ordinary Heavenly Garudas could afford anyway, so they rarely devoted much attention to them.

The Empire provided the mechas.

As long as the aircraft could fly, that was enough.

Their greatest luxury...

...was raising males.

They never hesitated to spend money on them.

Simply marrying one male already required decades—sometimes over a century—of accumulated military achievements.

Once they had invested that much...

They no longer cared how much more money they spent afterward.

No Heavenly Garuda male ever lived poorly in material terms.

Noble males went without saying.

Even ordinary males were supported by several Female Lords.

Even without luxury brands...

They could still fill an entire room with soft clothes for their males.

[You're actually proud of letting males build nests and incubate eggs?]

[Of course.]

Male Zerg neither incubated eggs...

Nor took responsibility for raising hatchlings...

Some couldn't even perform proper Psychic Soothing...

Among the Heavenly Garudas, a race like the Zerg would be looked down upon beyond measure.

The Heavenly Garudas had always looked down on the Zerg.

If those female Zerg simply lacked the ability to stand up for themselves...

The Heavenly Garudas might spare them one ten-thousandth of a second of sympathy.

But instead...

They willingly knelt.

Begging males to step on their heads.

Heavenly Garuda females had always placed satisfying their own needs above everything else.

They had nothing to say to a race of masochists like the Zerg.

...

【Pregnant Heavenly Garuda females received wholehearted care from their males.

Enzo believed every kindness Axel showed him came from the instincts of a Heavenly Garuda male.

No matter how many times he insisted he didn't need any of it...

Nothing could dampen the male's enthusiasm.

"...I'm a failure as a Female Lord."

Enzo sighed softly.

And...

An unqualified parent.

He silently added in his heart.

While helping relieve the soreness and swelling in his chest, Axel leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"You're the best Female Lord!"

Enzo: "..."

Should he be happy to hear that?

How was that any different from being insulted?

But in the little male's eyes...

It was the most sincere compliment imaginable.

So Enzo could only cooperate.

"...You're the best Male Lord."

"Really?"

Axel blinked in surprise, overjoyed.

He had always thought Enzo preferred powerful male Zerg.

The sort who handled a whip skillfully...

Who could make him kneel in submission.

Enzo really did enjoy kneeling.

Even in bed.

He liked kneeling with his upper body lowered while letting Axel take him from behind until his face disappeared into the pillow.

Axel had secretly tried learning to use a whip.

Practicing with a toy whip...

He ended up striking his own hand.

He simply couldn't learn.

And even if he could...

He would never dare use one on a pregnant Enzo.

Being with him...

Enzo always seemed to be compromising.

He probably had never truly enjoyed himself.

Axel had been upset about that for a long time.

The only thing he could do...

...was work even harder in bed.

Now...

Enzo smelled completely ripe.

Covered entirely in Axel's scent.

There was also a faint fragrance unique to pregnant females.

A pleasant milky aroma.

Enzo had called him the best Male Lord.

Axel was so happy that he hugged Enzo's head and showered his face with kisses.

Enzo was kissed until he felt dizzy.

Logically speaking...

The male's mating season had already ended.

His dependence on his guide should also have disappeared.

He shouldn't still be showing this much enthusiasm toward an old female like him.

At the very least...

Looking at his face should have killed any desire.

But Axel loved kissing him.

He kissed him after waking up.

He kissed him before leaving after breakfast.

He kissed him after returning home.

Before bed...

He kissed him countless times...

Giving him every bit of his pheromones.

Sometimes...

Enzo even wondered whether pregnant females possessed some unique attraction to Heavenly Garuda males...

Something that had made the little male become infatuated with him all over again.

He had even researched the subject extensively.

Although Heavenly Garuda records stated that males devoted themselves completely to caring for pregnant Heavenly Garuda females...

Running around after their pregnant Female Lords all day long...

There was no mention of pregnant females possessing any special attraction to males.

Apparently...

It wasn't a hormonal issue.

Pheromones filled the entire room.

Supporting himself above Enzo, the male quietly asked whether it was all right.

Out of habit, Enzo tried turning over.

Instead...

He was gently stopped.

"I want you to look at me."

Using his greatest strength...

Axel acted spoiled toward him.

His other strengths were also very good at acting spoiled toward Enzo.

And Enzo had never been capable of refusing him.

"...Won't that ruin the mood?"

Enzo asked softly while facing Axel.

Axel looked confused.

How could being looked at by the female he loved possibly ruin the mood?

"I'm incredibly excited!"

Axel declared.

Enzo could feel it clearly.

Indeed...

Very excited.

"...Is it because I'm pregnant?"

Enzo stroked his abdomen, feeling the tiny life inside.

Axel: "?"

Did Enzo think he was some kind of perverted male with a pregnancy fetish?

Axel imagined it for a moment.

If it was pregnant Enzo...

Well...

He really did like that.

Axel quietly covered his face.

Maybe...

He was just a tiny little bit perverted.

But that was only because...

It was Enzo.

"I like you."

Axel answered firmly.

"I only like it because it's you."

Enzo's eyes trembled.

No matter how cold or resolute a female was...

None could remain unmoved by a male's sincere warmth.

The male gazed directly into his eyes...

Confidently telling him how much he liked him.

Those beautiful violet eyes contained only him.

Filled completely with affection.

It was as though the heart beneath Enzo's ribs trembled together with that gaze.

He couldn't tell...

Whether it was the male shaking his heart...

Or whether his own heart had betrayed him.

Taking the initiative, he wrapped an arm around the male's neck and asked hoarsely,

"...Even though I'm an old female?"

"...Even though I raised you?"

"You know exactly what kind I like."

Lowering his head, Axel gently bit Enzo's lips.

Yes.

He knew.

He had witnessed it long ago.

He had experienced it personally as well.

For a brief instant...

Enzo's mind went blank.

He had believed that once Axel regained full awareness...

...he would no longer accept him.

But...

It seemed...

He still liked this type.

Before and after the mating season...

Nothing really seemed to have changed.

He could still remain beside his male...

Just as before.

Perhaps...

This was the best possible outcome.

"...Male Lord... Axel."

Amid the chaos, Enzo softly called his name.

While responding with repeated "Mm-hm"s, Axel called him,

"Female Lord."

Enzo had almost become accustomed to the title.

Besides...

He was far too busy at the moment to correct him.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Axel negotiated,

"From now on, let's each use our own titles."

"I'll call you 'Female Lord,' and you'll call me 'Male Lord.'"

Can people... really do that?

Enzo's mind, thoroughly turned into mush, could barely process the question.

...】