MCDWTBS Chapter 44
by VolareSurprise and complexity flashed in his eyes, and the appropriate joy on his face faded slightly. Ilotte was smart. Even though he hadn’t had any relationship with a male insectoid due to his male insectoid brother’s excessive possessiveness, how could he not see what was going on after being immersed in the imperial court, this large dyeing vat, for so many years?
He was genuinely happy for Edwin’s survival. It wasn’t easy for every high-level female insectoid to survive after completing their metamorphosis into adulthood. Surviving in any way was an act of courage and luck.
However, he didn’t expect that Serra would completely mark his small male parent.
Ilotte lowered his eyes, trying to calm his emotions and maintain clarity of mind. After frequent contact with the Duke’s Mansion, he understood Edwin better than when he was serving in the First Army. He knew that his former superior was stubborn and lived authentically and sincerely. He also knew that even if he secretly hoped that Edwin could use Serra’s feelings to achieve the goal of seeking welfare for his compatriots, Edwin always regarded Serra as a cub who needed protection in his heart.
He regarded Serra as his own cub, presumptuously sheltering this most powerful male insectoid Ilotte had ever seen under his wings, without any regard for return.
Originally, if it was purely a relationship between a male parent and a male insectoid son, Ilotte could comfort himself that everything was fine. After all, he believed that every cub would crave a male parent in their heart. That was the giver of their life. The relationship between the cub and the male parent should be pure and ardent, a beauty that Ilotte found hard to imagine. But after Serra marked Edwin, the nature of everything changed.
Edwin would be contaminated by the genes of a powerful male insectoid. He would survive, but he would never be who he once was. Being marked by a male insectoid was like a new life for female insectoids and sub-male insectoids. Their contaminated genes and awakened instincts would gradually tame them. Even if they were lucky enough to maintain a clear understanding in the cruelty and violence of the male insectoid, they would never, ever be able to say no to their male master, and would never be able to disobey the male master’s orders.
Ilotte had seen too many such female insectoids. The imperial court was a place where countless talented female insectoids and sub-male insectoids drowned one after another. Ilotte’s own male parent was one of them. This aristocratic military female insectoid who had once commanded a joint battle of the three armies, was born with a beauty and intelligence that ordinary military female insectoids could hardly match, but in Ilotte’s memory, she was haggard like an exquisite porcelain doll, always respectfully kneeling behind the old insectoid Emperor until the moment her life disappeared.
And after this always elegant, respectful, and dignified imperial female attendant passed away, Ilotte heard a harsh and blasphemous joke from his half-brother male insectoid:
“Ilotte, my dear brother… you are more perfect than those vulgar sub-male insectoids and female insectoids outside the palace. You are one of my most perfect works, a treasure that I personally selected and raised… perhaps you have a good heritage, your male parent was a rare beauty in the world. If I had metamorphosed a few years earlier, perhaps you shouldn’t be calling me brother now, but should be calling me male parent. My exquisite little toy… is my product from the inside out.”
This thought seemed to give Colean’s perverted possessiveness a deeper satisfaction, but Ilotte only wanted to vomit out all his organs.
Having experienced these things, having experienced Colean, it was difficult for Ilotte to be completely happy about everything Serra had done and Edwin’s future.
His expression must not have been completely hidden. Serra’s expression could almost be described as shame and avoidance. He opened his mouth, but didn’t explain anything. Even if he had the best reasons, it wouldn’t change the fact that Serra really wanted to do this. He wanted Edwin to be completely his. He was too immersed in complete possession and contamination. He enjoyed every moment that ensured Edwin would never leave him, and this was a guilt that he could never be forgiven for.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I—I will apologize to Edwin, for my mistreatment of him and… everything I’ve done.” He was a lie and a shame. Even now, he was still unwilling to slightly loosen his arms holding Edwin’s body. He was like a child showing off his beloved object, his hands unable to leave Edwin’s body that now belonged to him.
Belonged to him.
Just this thought made Serra’s chest ignite with new heat, and the shame on his face burned even more intensely. Ilotte raised his golden eyes and quietly looked at the shame on Serra’s face for a while. When he spoke, he had already recovered his demeanor and calmness:
“I don’t understand what Duke Serra is saying. I am truly ashamed. But I think that compared to my insignificant confusion, Your Grace has more important things to deal with now. When you were in your cocoon, your male parents and female insectoid and sub-male insectoid brothers summoned the Male Protection Association. They were led by Enforcement Captain Lawrence and arrived at the Duke’s Mansion on the eve of the Duke’s successful metamorphosis. But because of their concerns, they failed to enter. Now that Your Grace’s tendrils and mental energy pressure have dissipated, I think they will come to find out what’s going on immediately.”
He was methodical, his words lacking the familiarity of the past, but still carrying an impeccable respect. Serra knew that his selfish actions had damaged Ilotte’s trust in him, but he was still grateful for everything Ilotte had done.
“Your Highness, I was being rude. Please take—” His words hesitated, his gaze lingering on Edwin’s pale face even in his sleep, the muscles in his arms tensed, still unwilling to let go in the slightest:
“Please rest with Edwin and the other female insectoids in the west wing of the Duke’s Mansion. I will take care of these trivial matters. Thank you for your concern, and thank you for your concern for Edwin.”
When he said Edwin’s name, his voice slowed down involuntarily, for fear of disturbing the black-haired female insectoid sleeping in his arms. He paused for a moment, and finally slowly handed Edwin over to Sison and the others, and then said to Ilotte:
“If it’s convenient for you, please use your connections to inquire about the situation of the Duke’s Mansion’s No. 2 Research Institute, and the current situation of Researcher Krison. The resources of the Duke’s Mansion are all at your disposal. I… I will take care of the Male Protection Association and the church, and then report to Your Highness Colean, your brother.”
He tugged at the robe he had hastily put on, trying to use the brain stuck to Edwin to make comprehensive plans for the other insectoids. The robe on his body was the outer robe of a church male insectoid. It was not only shorter than his height, but also covered in blood, revealing half of his muscular calf. His brown curly hair was still his signature feature, and after the metamorphosis, it still stubbornly stood up on his head, looking a bit unruly and embarrassed. The young man’s features had grown out, his eyebrows and eyes were deep, but his slightly drooping eyes were still caramel-colored with little deterrence, revealing a serious and persistent gaze.
Ilotte sighed softly. Perhaps he was wrong, Serra was different from his male insectoid brother Colean. He only hoped that Edwin would maintain his luck.
“Duke Serra, your power has increased again. Now I don’t think the church’s Holy Son can be compared with you. You must know that this power is complementary to your status, and the church will not restrain their ambitions. Intimidation and deterrence may not be a once-and-for-all method, but they are indeed very persuasive, don’t you think? Duke Noah’s Mansion has lost too much power. Perhaps it is time for you, as the new Duke Noah, as the most powerful male insectoid in the empire, to show the outside world your anger and unshakeable bottom line.”
Serra blinked, and then smiled gratefully at Ilotte: “Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness.”
He gave Ilotte a courtly bow, and then turned around with the resentment of being forced to leave Edwin, and with hatred for the church and the male insectoids, and drove his mental tendrils to float up.
He certainly felt his power increasing exponentially. His mental tendrils, which originally looked like fat-headed snakes, had become like poisonous vines that could be covered with thorns and leaves at any time after the metamorphosis. They could easily invade an entire space, causing the abyss to descend instantly on the head of any male insectoid who tried to challenge him.
He clearly remembered how the church’s male insectoids besieged the Duke’s Mansion. He remembered the harm those male insectoids had done to Edwin and other female insectoids and sub-male insectoids. He also heard from Ilotte’s implied meaning that the other power organizations of the empire were faintly condoning the church’s actions.
They all regarded him as a top threat. His abilities were beyond the imagination of these pampered male insectoids who controlled life and death. And he would indeed become a threat to all of them, a sharp blade over the head of this unfair system, personally harvesting their heads, and feasting on their fear and panic.
They didn’t leave Edwin a way out, they didn’t leave female insectoids and sub-male insectoids a way out, so they shouldn’t live either.
In the huge energy, there were fine crackling sounds all around, and even the simulated space was slightly shattered under the pressure. And countless dark vine tendrils lifted up the corpses of the church’s male insectoids on the ground, hanging them in the air above the Male Protection Association that was about to enter the territory of the Duke’s Mansion.
Lawrence widened his eyes in horror, watching the terrifying scene of these hellish thorns rising from the ground. The male insectoid’s tail hook was revealed because of fear, drooping between his knees, looking pathetic and ridiculous. He almost wanted to run away, knowing that what he had done would anger this young duke, and that traitorous female insectoid Ilotte had probably revealed the news to Serra.
But he was in charge of his duties. If he deserted, the Highborn Court and the imperial court would not protect him, and the church would not run around for him, a small pawn.
“Your Grace Serra, nice to meet you. Congratulations on completing your metamorphosis. You must know that the phenomenon generated during your metamorphosis was simply earth-shattering, completely different from ordinary male insectoids, which really made us frightened.”
His eyes twitched as he tried hard to raise the corners of his mouth to show a smile, but the expression on his face was distorted and ugly:
“Bishop Sandersfi has already boarded the airship back to the Capital Star. I think there must be some misunderstanding in this…”
“Misunderstanding?”
Serra repeated softly. His body slowly landed from mid-air, so that all the insectoids of the Male Protection Association could see the blood dripping from his clothes—that was the blood of the noble church male insectoid.
“You are very brave, Lawrence. Even though your male insectoid abilities and acting skills make me laugh, I have to say that you are a loyal pawn of the church. Even now, you still want to use the media to guide the empire to watch my ‘unusual’ metamorphosis, and render my ‘violence’ and ‘rebellion’?”
His two tendrils attacked instantly, the tips wrapped around two operating invisible camera devices. He held them up close, so that they could capture the clearest picture, completely including the corpses, blood, his indifference, and Lawrence’s terrified face.
“You see, Lawrence, the church must have already promoted on the Star Network that I am a non-believer. In the face of my power, they cover up their timidity in a hypocritical manner. But no matter how fast they flee, one thing is beyond doubt.”
Hellish tendrils rose into the air, almost instantly devouring all the light behind Serra, like a projection of space-time rupture:
“I, Serra Noah, the thirty-seventh successor of Duke Noah, the descendant of the four great families of the Golden Feather Empire, the owner of the Empire’s Fourth Army, am a powerful male insectoid that the church cannot match. It was I who killed Bishop Sass, who killed these church followers behind me. From the moment they stepped into the Noah family with malice, the Noah family will never die with the church, the inferior male insectoids who are flying the banner of the Mother Goddess.”
Serra raised his eyes and looked directly at the camera. He didn’t use his power to destroy the lines. He knew that his image and his words would be transmitted to every male insectoid who could use the Star Network.
For thousands of years, he was the first insectoid to declare war on the church publicly.
And his power was no longer the unfounded rumors spread by the insectoids who had attended the banquet in the imperial city, but was truly presented in front of every male insectoid. Any insectoid who dared to plot against him, any backer behind the ulterior motives, had to first ask the abyss.
“I will kill all the church male insectoids who offend the Duke’s Mansion, starting with Sandersfi. I will take back control of the Fourth Army from the church. Military power belongs to the empire, and military female insectoids only obey the glory of the insectoid race, not the usurpers of the church.”