On the eaves of Eagle Manor's barn, Angel and a tall boy lay side by side, gazing up at the sky.
"Green, look at how beautiful the blue moon is tonight!" Angel exclaimed, pointing to the immense blue moon overhead.
At eighteen, Angel had blossomed into a graceful young woman, radiating nobility and charm. The boy next to her couldn't help but admire her. He found himself lost in her presence, daydreaming about what life would be like if she were his wife.
"Green, were you even listening to me?" Angel turned to him, a hint of amusement in her eyes.
The boy snapped out of his thoughts, realizing he had been distracted. His cheeks flushed, embarrassed by the thoughts that had consumed him.
"Haha, why's your face so red, Green? You're quite adorable," Angel teased, unaware of the boy's silent fantasies.
Green's face turned even redder as Angel smiled at him. He wanted to look away but found himself captivated by her deep blue eyes, like the boundless sky.
In a bold move, Green reached out and took Angel's hand in his own. Angel, although initially tempted to withdraw her hand, was comforted by the warmth of his touch and allowed it to linger. So, they held hands, their gazes locked on each other.
"Sister, what are you and Brother Green looking at up there on the eaves?" A young boy's voice interrupted them from below.
Startled by the sudden sound, Angel and Green sat up, instinctively separating their hands. Angel spotted her brother, Sylvan, below.
"Oh, it's nothing, Sylvan. We were just stargazing," Angel said, feeling a bit guilty as if they had been caught in an intimate moment.
"I want to stargaze too," Sylvan chimed in as he climbed up the barn's downpipe.
"Hey, Sister, why is your face all red?" Sylvan asked curiously, noticing Angel's flushed cheeks.
"Where are the stars? Let's all stargaze together. You love stargazing, don't you, Sylvan?" Angel swiftly changed the subject.
So the three of them sat together, with Sylvan in the middle, pointing at the stars and sharing constellation stories he had heard. He was so engrossed in his tales that he didn't notice whether Angel and Green were actually listening. Unbeknownst to him, their hands had naturally found each other's again.
Green was a neighbor of the Eagle family who had moved to Mu 3xing when Sylvan was eight. His parents were ordinary commoners, and according to imperial tradition, interactions between nobles and commoners were discouraged. However, Mu 3 had no nobility, and the Eagle family did not consider themselves aristocrats. Their friends consisted of regular folks on the planet who were unaware that the Eagles were a minor aristocracy.
Green's first local acquaintance upon arriving at Mu 3 Star was the Yi Ge siblings. Whenever new neighbors moved in, Angel would take her brother to visit them. When Green opened the door to his new home and saw Angel, he was struck by her beauty. His gaze melted upon seeing her, leaving him momentarily speechless. From that day forward, Green became a frequent visitor to the Eagle's residence. He often took Sylvan and Sylvan's friend, Broff, to play with him. But, deep down, he knew he came to see Angel.
Once, Green and Sylvan went hiking on a hill behind the farm. As they rested at the mountaintop, Sylvan turned to Green with a serious look. "Brother Green, do you like my sister? Whenever you see her, it's like she's the only one in your eyes."
Green instinctively tried to deny it, but he knew Sylvan had seen through him.
"Stop making excuses, Brother Green. Your face is turning red."
Hearing Sylvan's words, Green's first reaction was to cover his face with his hands, which made Sylvan laugh. "Haha! Brother Green is really shy."
Beside him, Broff joined in the laughter, and everyone had a good laugh together. Green muttered, "Crafty little guy," under his breath. But in his heart, he admitted, "I like Angel."
Six years ago, the assassination attempt had left Emperor Rudolf XIX deeply paranoid about those around him. Instead of discovering the true orchestrator of the assassination, his ministers used the incident to purge their political rivals. The emperor found himself increasingly isolated, with nobody to confide in, especially after the death of his wife, Queen Anna. His suspicions extended to his own sons, and Rudolf XIX felt utterly lonely. He longed for someone to understand and share his burdens, but was terrified of revealing his vulnerabilities. Consequently, Rudolf had become unpredictable, to the point where even minor issues could lead to officials being punished. Generals were wary of achieving victory, fearing it would only deepen the emperor's suspicion. Wu Muxing, the empire's most formidable adversary, remained undefeated, and generals were reluctant to lead campaigns due to the emperor's paranoia. In a sense, the empire's enemies included the emperor himself.
Duke John Baseman, on the other hand, had capitalized on the turmoil following the assassination attempt six years ago. He had eliminated his political adversaries and expanded his influence over the intelligence department. Even the emperor's personal guards were replaced with loyalists. The Duke had learned of the emperor's
secret trip, a journey rooted in the emperor's melancholy. Instead of opposing it, the Duke welcomed the opportunity to strengthen his own power.
"If he wishes to relax, let him do so. Every move of his is within my watchful gaze," the Duke mused, taking another sip from his glass of wine.
As for Emperor Rudolf XIX, where had he gone? What adventures awaited him on this incognito journey?