Chapter 102#

Distant Star Reflection 10#

Tan Per inhaled sharply the moment Yu Feichen’s teeth gripped his neck, retreating backward.

Yet Yu Feichen’s arm lay across his back. After retreating ten centimeters, the arm pressed forward again, locking tighter.

Yu Feichen felt Tan Per’s entire body trembling, heart pounding violently, arms with nowhere to go collapsing to embrace his shoulders.

Yet he showed no intention releasing. This angle offered poor leverage. He pressed the person against the sofa.

This position better conveyed the rise and fall of the person’s chest—like a drowning animal.

One drop wasn’t enough. Yu Feichen’s teeth tore larger wounds. Sweet, salty blood welled forth, yet soaked in Tan Per’s pheromone, like eternal sleep flower fields spreading beneath him.

The wind carried seductive voices.

—Right here, keep going forward. Sink down, you’ll rise up. You’ll gain eternal peace, eternal calm.

So he moved forward, pulling Tan Per upright, gripping his shoulders from behind, biting the small gland hidden beneath posterior neck skin.

Tan Per arched his neck, leaning against him, trembling ceaselessly, fingers constantly trying to pry open the arm clamping him, yet uselessly.

When teeth tips touched the gland’s sides, Tan Per struggled several times, emitting a sob-like gasp. Yu Feichen reached to touch his eye corner. Trembling eyelashes swept dampness across his palm, one teardrop sliding down the cheek.

He gripped the handcuff, restraining Tan Per’s hands, not allowing struggling. Teeth tips bit the gland forcefully, marking with pheromone. Tan Per tensed his body, trembling as he bit Yu Feichen’s wrist.

The bite force was tremendous, as if in severe pain. Yu Feichen let him bite, only slowly releasing after a long while.

Yu Feichen knew alpha’s pheromone was massive stimulation for omega, especially first contact with blood. That moment fear completely overwhelmed craving.

Yet he felt Tan Per’s reaction excessively intense. The articles stated even at first temporary marking, omegas became soft and sweet.

Yu Feichen released Tan Per. Like a taut string finally loosened, Tan Per leaned against the sofa’s backrest, slightly breathing hard. His golden hair was disheveled, eye corners reddened, tearstains not yet dry. Silent and motionless, carrying barely-perceptible melancholy—like a fragile, transparent glass figurine about to shatter when lifted.

Very fragile. Yet Yu Feichen thought this appearance quite nice, except its timing felt off.

“You…” Yu Feichen leaned closer. Tan Per backed away slightly. Yu Feichen offered no escaping space, gripping the person’s jaw, examining repeatedly, momentarily organizing no words.

Finally, he said: “Don’t present yourself… like I’m marking you.”

Though admittedly temporary marking, Tan Per’s reaction was undeniably overreactive—not how marking should proceed. Pheromone entering blood brought him fear seemingly exceeding triggered response.

Yu Feichen was quite dissatisfied with his own pheromone. Yet if his pheromone truly was eternal sleep flowers as Tan Per claimed—supposedly gentle, non-aggressive—how could it—

“How did you just,” he still couldn’t organize language, “become like this.”

Tan Per looked up at Yu Feichen. His pupils shifted, finally showing some living spirit.

His voice slightly hoarse, he said: “Overused inhibitors.”

Yu Feichen had read all educational material. Inhibitor overuse resulted in final stressed and heated responses intensifying. Nothing mentioned both responses occurring simultaneously. Upon contacting alpha’s pheromone, omega’s triggered state should’ve been soothed already.

Yu Feichen: “I don’t believe it.”

Tan Per flatly said: “Then it’s because you’re not yet twenty. Your pheromone’s too faint.”

Yu Feichen remained unconvinced.

Bodies mature gradually. Even with a twenty-year threshold, maturation occurred progressively, not suddenly switching like machinery overnight. With only hours until his birthday, his pheromone should be completely normal.

He said “oh,” evidently dismissive.

Tan Per said nothing, refusing answering, his entire being radiating disbelief. After slightly recovering, he rose from the sofa, going to the mirror to self-bandage his wound.

Wound treatment was inconvenient here. Finally Yu Feichen went over. Only now did Tan Per stop avoiding, yet upon contacting his pheromone didn’t reflexively lean closer—temporary marking barely effective.

Looking at his expression, very alert, no longer triggered. Could manage roughly half a day or day of normal living. Yet the twenty-five boundary wouldn’t delay even a moment.

“Stay here first,” Yu Feichen removed his jacket, changing to another, saying. “I’ll see the Pope. Landon private soldiers patrol outside. No one will come arrest you.”

If he didn’t see someone soon—whether the Pope or General Ashley—someone would come demolish his estate.

Tan Per nodded, placing both his jacket and overcoat together at the bed’s corner.

Yu Feichen drew the curtains, turned off the main light, leaving a night lamp lit. He took a cold shower, and upon returning, observing Tan Per’s state, said: “Sleep now.”

Omegas’ only way maintaining mental state was finding enclosed environments and peaceful sleep.

In the dim room, faint lamplight like dusk, Tan Per faced him, saying: “Be careful.”

Yu Feichen “mm’d” as if agreeing, suddenly thinking of something, asking: “Do you mind being omega?”

Tan Per’s gaze seemed asking why such questions existed. He said: “No.”

“Also don’t mind others knowing?”

The answer matched the previous question.

For a supreme deity, all creatures equal. Of course such things didn’t concern him. Yu Feichen could guess this, but he needed symbolically asking.

Just now’s contact was too intimate. His gaze somehow fell on Tan Per’s lips while speaking. He felt rather awkward, shifting his head to avert eyes, telling Tan Per the emergency button’s location, then tidying himself and leaving the room.

At the corridor entrance, the secretary gazed quietly, saying: “Duke, I thought you wouldn’t emerge again. The Pope or general would kill us both. They always felt we corrupted you. Actually it’s you being too outrageous, making us seem villainous too.”

The driver struck the wall with his head: “So is the duke omega or the bishop? Or are they insisting on coupling? I said the duke’s values were so extreme, definitely problematic. Might be opposites attracting.”

The secretary glanced at him: “Stupid beta, you don’t understand what fortunate event just happened to Landon family?”

“You,” Yu Feichen said, “know what you should do?”

“Yes, Duke. I’ve already had them surround the entire estate, especially this building. Bishop arrested, we’re all done for,” the secretary said.

Yu Feichen patted his shoulder, indicating good work: “Stay here. I’ll take Little Si to the cathedral.”

The driver, entrusted with importance, subsequently delighted. But the remaining secretary actually looked even more arrogant: “Depart safely, Duke.”

Yu Feichen left not quite relieved, giving the secretary another glance, saying: “I’ll return soon.”

“Yes, of course,” the secretary said. “Rest assured, Duke. Landon family conducts arms dealing behind the cathedral’s back—quite substantially. Little Si recently took over some. Our estate’s basement is a warehouse. If necessary, we can pilot ships escaping home, declaring independence.”

Yu Feichen: “…Not bad.”

Driver alert: “But for Landon bloodline, I oppose AA relations.”

The secretary smiled widely, turning to leave.

En route to the Holy City, the driver still piloted. Yu Feichen simultaneously pondered his various choices and was introduced to various chief bishops and nobles within the capital star. Flipping through educational materials, he finally found an explanation seemingly resembling Tan Per’s symptoms.

It stated rare omegas, their hearts too fractured, couldn’t be soothed by brief pheromone contact. Even retraumatization occurred, sometimes even marking was difficult. Only prolonged, complete shared relationships gradually healed everything.

Yu Feichen saved this information.

Meanwhile the driver calmly analyzed politics.

“The only threat is Duke Windsor. Nineteen this year, second in succession, also raised in the Holy City, taught by the Pope’s other favorite student, Bishop Kayan,” the driver gradually became arrogant. “But both are stupid betas with poor relations.”

Yu Feichen: “My relations with Tan Per were fine previously?”

Driver: “Can’t say fine, but you’d run seeing him, never had physical confrontation.”

Just then, General Ashley’s communication came through.

Yu Feichen was well-prepared, placing the terminal a meter away.

After overwhelming criticism—by which point Yu Feichen estimated the general’s blood pressure rising, requiring medication—Yu Feichen genuinely acknowledged errors and expressed determination to extract the rebel names list.

After lengthy silence, General Ashley said: “Actually, I’m not blind.”

Yu Feichen said: Actually, I also want the throne. But please grant me one request. After you agree, I’ll never again violate the general’s teachings.

The general asked what.

Yu Feichen made a very odd request—so odd even the driver found it confusing.

Soon, the shuttle reached the Holy City’s central cathedral. Reportedly the Pope had been extremely busy, attending imperial funeral mourning while preparing an upcoming grand celebration, and deliberating about the empire’s successor, sleepless.

Yet when Yu Feichen requested inner court entry, the Pope eagerly sent a messenger inviting him to audience.

Reportedly, the Pope had occupied this position for decades, deposing four emperors, launching five foreign campaigns. He possessed vast learning and high virtue. Nearly all royal family members and heir nobles grew to adulthood under his tutelage, receiving finest etiquette, knowledge, and legal education.

Yu Feichen had seen such systems in other worlds, though those places called raised heirs “hostages.” Yet this world truly differed—genuine knowledge could only be learned in the cathedral.

The driver said the Pope was called Paul II, a learned, rigorous person speaking little daily, yet treating youths kindly. Duke Landon, most talented alpha of this generation, received considerable papal attention and affection. His self-destructive acts were often dismissed as “inevitable alpha youth ailments.” His values too high finding no partner troubled the Pope.

Overall, as long as behavior wasn’t “excessively outrageous,” the Pope would support Landon.

The audience location was a small garden within the inner court.

Evening had arrived. Rose and lily-of-the-valley scent drifted on the night breeze, yet Yu Feichen always felt them hollow, lacking eternal sleep flower’s gentle tranquility lingering on collar.

Walking over, the Pope wore elaborate robes and crown, standing with back turned. Only when Yu Feichen approached did he turn.

—Pope Paul’s face had aged, yet his physique remained vigorous. Deep nasolabial folds suggested strict youth, though age brought seemingly-genuine benevolence to his features.

Yet having seen the deity’s form, receiving popes and such felt somewhat insufficient. These people wore sacred titles yet remained too worldly, lacking that air. And their faces weren’t attractive.

He adopted the attitude used with his highest-paying employers, strolling the garden with Pope Paul. Mostly the Pope spoke rambling topics or expressed sorrow at the emperor’s unexpected death. Yu Feichen mildly agreed.

After traversing the small garden, approaching the end, Yu Feichen brought up the “snowman” incident aboard ship using the emperor’s disappearance. The Pope said he’d heard, that their survival was truly Truth’s protection.

Yu Feichen mentioned Tan Per’s role, the Pope waved his hand, telling him to say no more. The topic returned to the emperor’s evaporation.

“Emperor Gale evaporated with no one present. No one saw the snowman harming him—only traces unique to snowman accidents remained,” the Pope sighed, shaking his head. “These years, snowmen appear increasingly frequent in the human world, yet resist all defense. When shall we perceive the patterns and truth within?”

Yu Feichen said the great Truth Cathedral would certainly find methods overcoming snowmen.

Years of deflecting made him quite adept at evasion now—his tone calm and sincere, the Pope nodding contentedly.

“I’m aging,” he sighed long. “The empire’s future…”

This cryptic statement Yu Feichen easily understood—its meaning being: I intend supporting you as new emperor, and you should demonstrate sincerity.

Yet the Pope abruptly shifted: “Heard you took Tan Per.”

What must come, comes.

Yu Feichen: “Yes.”

“You two previously had rather deep affection.”

Yu Feichen: “Our previous relationship was quite ordinary.”

The Pope’s expression seemed satisfied, yet he shook his head. After a moment: “During the mining star voyage, you encountered unexpected circumstances, didn’t reach exile. My student says detection instruments completely ineffective on him. Couldn’t extract the rebel names list.”

Yu Feichen: “Couldn’t indeed.”

“The religious tribunal sentenced him to exile. Henceforth, alone on the mining star, after years, inevitably facing mania-induced death’s fate. I’ve seen people die thus—truly inhuman suffering. He is, after all, my most beloved student and the bishop who raised you. Every thought pains me,” the Pope said slowly.

He vaguely grasped the Pope’s meaning.

Indeed, the Pope’s next words: “Hope his suffering finds swift ending.”

Yu Feichen lowered his gaze, concealing thoughts.

Losh Landon was the Landon star system’s heir, traditional nobility, raised under the Pope too. Between them lay no suspicion. Yet as bishop accompanying Landon’s growth, Tan Per’s rebellion exposed, even if Landon never participated, invisible gaps would form.

To eliminate this gap, Landon must demonstrate his position to the Pope. And the Pope must see his stance.

So initially, Losh Landon participated in Tan Per’s exile mission. Now as possible future emperor, he must thoroughly sever ties with Tan Per.

Thus the Pope hinted: end Tan Per’s “suffering” swiftly. Loosely translated, it meant ending Tan Per’s life.

The empire and cathedral laws lacked capital punishment. Yet popes or nobility had many ways making people disappear traceless. Even former high-ranking bishops of exceptional talent.

Yu Feichen didn’t respond. At this conversation’s stage, this meeting approached conclusion. The small garden was traversed, archways leading to the antechamber ahead.

Just then, faint voices and footsteps sounded ahead.

The Pope asked attendants: “Who’s there?”

Before they could answer, a group arrived near. Nearly ten major nobles and officials led by General Ashley appeared—including even one bishop. Apparently coming to discuss something with the Pope.

Yu Feichen and the Pope “chanced” meeting this group.

Yu Feichen and the general exchanged subtle glances. The general’s angry expression hadn’t fully subsided, clearly showing “let’s see what tricks you pull.”

When both sides completely met, Yu Feichen spoke.

“Your Holiness,” he said, “I have one request.”

The Pope remained benevolent: “What is it?”

“I request your grace pardon Bishop Tan Per’s crimes,” he said.

Upon these words, everyone’s expressions became quite remarkable.

Before the Pope could respond, Yu Feichen rapidly, in a volume all could hear, speaking sincere, polite, gentle tone: “Because he is now… my omega.”

With these words, complete silence fell.

General Ashley’s features gradually twisted.