"The instruments didn't detect that. However, our research on the Ancient Humans is still insufficient, and the results may not be accurate. It could be due to traumatic involuntary memory loss, or it could be forced memory loss caused by external forces, but regardless of which it is, I advise you to have the Ancient Human Research Center's team take over as soon as possible—they will be more professional."
"The Ancient Human Research Center? Isn't that in the Soter Republic?" Leberli frowned, outside the jurisdiction of the Auslan Empire, he might not be able to protect Suisui.
"No," Ruka said without hesitation, flatly refusing. "Suisui is very sensitive. Although she doesn't say anything, I know she gets uneasy easily. Now that she's finally beginning to adapt to life in the secondary palace, I won't hand her over to anyone."
Ruka's voice was calm and forceful, but only Leberli, who knew him, understood that he was trembling slightly as he spoke—an extremely restrained panic.
In the following time, the director gave the two men a detailed account of the Ancient Humans' living habits and characteristics, and provided a detailed care plan for her physical condition, and precautions to take during pregnancy.
"...These are roughly the things to pay attention to. Finally, I must remind you that the physical aspect is easy to adjust, but the psychological aspect is difficult. The report shows that Miss Suisui often finds herself in a state of unease and tension lately, which is detrimental to both her and the fetus. I hope you take this seriously. Although Miss Suisui has just come of age according to human age calculations, by the standards of interstellar lifespans, she is still in her juvenile stage."
Upon hearing the last sentence, Ruka's fingernails dug into his flesh.
After thanking the director, Leberli left with him. As soon as they exited the director's office, Leberli punched him without a word.
Ruka did not dodge or evade, and took the punch solidly, stumbling back two steps. He licked his back teeth with his tongue without saying a word and walked away, but Leberli blocked his path.
"Where do you think you're going? Are you going to find her?"
Leberli rarely got angry, and even when irritated, he always conveyed it with teasing and joking. This was the first time he had shown such emotion openly.
"You must be proud, Sikoses, a female that others queue up for and don't get, you just irresponsibly toss aside, even letting her get pregnant in her juvenile stage. You're a disgrace to the Empire, a shame among males!"
Upon hearing the accusation, Ruka's back stiffened, his gaze dropped, and his hands clenched tight. "I don't need to explain to you, so I won't say a single word to you."
With that, Leberli charged at him again swinging his fist, but Ruka only defended and did not counterattack. Normally, Leberli stood no chance against him, but for some reason, Ruka didn't guard several key areas, allowing Leberli to strike him repeatedly.
He clutched his abdomen, the blood choking from his throat unceasingly.
Leberli stopped and glared at him, "She's carrying your child. No matter what the situation between you two was before, I'm asking you once more, will you be her mate?"
A male can only choose one mate for life, and he had already been offered by the Sikoses Family to the Princess, destined to become the Princess's sanctioned mate, just waiting for an official ceremony to announce it to the entire Empire. By then, Ruka's identity as the Princess's mate would be known to all.
Leberli was, of course, aware of this because he had been one of the chosen candidates back then, later replaced by Ruka.
"Sikoses, knowing your identity, why did you approach Suisui? She doesn't understand anything at all; don't you understand either?"
Hearing the questioning, Ruka thought again of the director's words and felt a sharp pain in his heart.
He knew of her frailty from the moment he first held her, delicate and soft, she nestled in his arms, making him afraid to apply any force. That such a fragile being could be carrying his child... That night he could have pushed her away, her wrists so thin that he could easily encircle both with one hand. Yet he didn't want to push her away at all, his mind consumed with possessing her.
After the impulse, he thought of taking her away from the Empire, but without the protection of the Sikoses Family and the Military Department, he was just a male without any Talent. How could he protect her?
Would she be disappointed in him?
Remembering those dark, bright eyes, Ruka felt a wave of panic. He dared not look directly into those clear, clean eyes for fear of seeing indifference... or even disgust.
It turned out he had already fallen into that tenderness and softness, which was why he kept making mistakes.
Ruka wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his fingertip and slowly stood up.
Leberli, having waited a long while and seeing that he still said nothing, bit his teeth in anger and said, "Sikoses, I look down on you. Since you can't let go of your family's mission and honor, then I will protect Suisui."
With that, he shook his wrist and turned to leave.
The healthcare staff, hearing the commotion, approached to assist Ruka but were refused. Watching him walk alone to the opposite side of the waiting room, they were left with nothing but a lonely and unwilling figure receding into the distance.
The waiting room.
Suisui yawned; she had been getting sleepy all the time lately.
"Haven't Ruka and Ash come back yet?"
The male nurse considerately brought her a soft pillow and duck down blanket.
"Rest for a while, I'll go and check on them for you right now."
"Thank you," she said.
Three words that were quite ordinary, yet they made the male nurse's face turn red. He had worked here for many years and served many females, but none had ever thanked him so earnestly. He bit his lip and tried hard to control his excitement before departing gracefully.
The very second the door closed, Suisui heard a scream from the hallway; it was as if she could see lemurs swinging from the vines in the forest.
Soon, she fell into a drowsy sleep and had a strange dream. In the dream, she was always being chased by a majestic lion. Just when she was about to shake it off, several lion cubs appeared at her feet. Some bit her clothes' hem, some hooked her ankles with their tails, and others rolled on their backs in front of her, playfully begging for attention. She was about to pick one up when she suddenly felt a dampness at the back of her neck; the male lion had caught up with her and was licking her neck with its coarse tongue.
Suisui woke up with a start only to see an enlarged handsome face.
"Why are you sweating so much? Are you cold?" Leberli quickly held her in his arms, wrapped her in the blanket, and gently soothed her.
"Why did you take so long?"
After calming down a bit, she ignored that absurd dream and poked her head out from the soft blanket to look around and ask, "Where's Ruka?"
Leberli's smile stiffened for a moment, then recovered as usual. He wiped the sweat from her forehead and tightened the blanket around her a bit more before saying, "Ah, he went to see the doctor."
"Is Ruka sick?"
"Yeah, it's a not-mouthy disease; if it's not treated, it'll be the end of him."
"?"
After saying that, Leberli gently placed his hand on her abdomen, his gaze tender.
"Suisui, shall we have a cub of our own?"