The Next Day...

The next day, Pierre woke up feeling comfortable and content. As he admired Lieutenant General Druqir sleeping in his arms, he noticed how tall and strong he was, with his elegant appearance and brown hair slicked back, albeit slightly tousled, which only added to his charm. It was as if the disarray of his hair was not capable of diminishing the General grandeur, but rather accentuated his unique beauty even more.

The General face was equally impressive, with a square and well-defined jawline, a prominent chin, and a firm mouth. His large and rectangular nose, and thick and expressive eyebrows, curving downward, added even more intensity to his penetrating and deep gaze.

Pierre was reflecting on the steps of life and came to a hilarious conclusion: first, fall in love, and then sleep together. He had accepted Lady Crarina proposal, so would it be reasonable to say that he was taking advantage of her money and sex?

“Yes, yes, that's what it means.” Pierre decided to think of himself as a “thief of stars.”

As Druqir began to stir, Pierre suddenly became unsure of how to act. He thought of being sarcastic or maybe playing the role of a stupid and cute white bunny to break the mood. He decided to keep the piercing canines of his personality quietly hidden.

Pierre: (looking at Druqir) Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. (He smiled.)

Druqir: (yawning and opening his eyes slowly) Good morning, Milanion. (He smiled.) How did you sleep?

Pierre: (tucking a strand of Druqir's hair behind his ear) I slept well, thank you. And you?

Druqir: (stroking Pierre's face) I slept very well. It's great waking up next to you.

Pierre: (he smiled) I'm glad to hear that. (He paused for a moment.) You know, while you were sleeping, I was admiring your hair. It's amazing.

Druqir: (he laughed) It's a mess now, I think.

Pierre: (shaking his head) No, actually, it's even more charming this way.

Druqir: (he smiled) Well, I never thought messy hair could be charming.

Pierre: (he laughed) Trust me, it looks great on you.

Druqir: (he kissed Milanion's forehead) You're so sweet.

Pierre: (he smiled) I try to be.

Druqir: (he laughed) I know you do.

Pierre: (he winked at Druqir) It's one of my many talents.

Druqir: (he smiled) I don't doubt it. But now, let's get up and start the day.

Druqir bid farewell and got out of bed. He explained to Milanion that he would attend the ceremonies in the castle and asked to see him later. Before leaving, Druqir eyes met Milanion, and they shared a passionate kiss that left both of their hearts racing.

As Pierre left the room, he met Mrs. Peyton, but the atmosphere between them was strange and tense. It felt as though Pierre had been caught doing something wrong by Peyton's maternal figure, and a sense of disappointment lingered in the air.

Mrs. Peyton's expression was dark, and Pierre felt a tightness in his heart. He wondered if he had disappointed his robot mentor, and a wave of regret washed over him.

Peyton stared at Milanion and said, “Do not forget what happened to your mother, Sigune. Never get involved in people's conflicts and affairs.”

These words hit Pierre hard. He was getting himself into trouble, trying to solve conflicts that weren't his.

“I understand,” Pierre said with a sigh.

“Love doesn't just mean avoiding conflicts. Sometimes you have to dance in the rain, in front of everyone, to live fully.” Do not live with wrong associations, heard Milanion? Remember, anything you can't own up to in front of others is wrong. Don't forget that.

With a forced smile on his face, Pierre replied, “Don't worry, Mrs. Peyton, I won't feed that feeling. It's just a moment.”

In the Staudan castle ←_←←_←

As soon as he arrived at the castle, Druqir was greeted by his mother, Lady Crarina, who seemed a little embarrassed. She greeted him warmly and asked, “Have you eaten yet?”

The corners of Druqir's mouth twitched slightly as he answered, “No, I haven't eaten yet.”

Realizing that she could salvage the moment in front of Prince Lulian, Lady Crarina continued to create familiarity with him. “That's not good – you should have eaten something before coming here.”

Druqir then proceeded to greet everyone present as a general would. He maintained an upright and imposing posture while introducing himself and exchanging a few words with the guests. Some people were already in the castle's great hall, including the noble relatives of Prince Lulian and Druqir; as well as relatives from both sides. Zelen and her father were also present.

Observing her son, Lady Crarina felt a mixture of relief and apprehension. She knew he wasn't on his ship, and his subordinates had already reported that he wasn't on board. She felt uncomfortable in front of those present in the castle's great hall.

Despite her son greeting everyone with an upright and imposing posture, she knew there was a delicate situation to be resolved. She needed to try and save the family's face, especially in front of Prince Lulian and his noble relatives.

**

(❤´｀❤)  Lulian had thought that the young man with exotic red hair was just a figment of his imagination, that he and Druqir had nothing between them. But now he was certain that the young man with the exotic hair had an ambitious heart when it came to the General. How had he managed to worm his way into the General's heart?

Lulian felt a mixture of emotions, between hope and uncertainty. On the one hand, he wished Druqir would share his feelings, but on the other, he feared the young man might be an obstacle in his quest for General love.

Meanwhile, Lulian tried to disguise his thoughts and emotions in front of the other nobles present at the castle, especially his mother, the Dowager Queen, who was always attentive to everything and everyone. He knew he needed to maintain the composure and dignity of his position, but at the same time; he couldn't help but dream of a future alongside General Druqir.

The magical ceremony took place in the gardens of the immense Staudan castle, a family is known for their protection of magic in the Taldraex galaxy, and this year was chosen to celebrate purification. Eredan and Druqir, two of the family's most powerful magicians, would lead the ceremony.

The guests, dressed in colorful costumes adorned with precious stones, were welcomed by the Staudan family in the gardens, which were decorated with exotic flowers and ancient statues of legendary magicians. As the ceremony began, Eredan and Druqir climbed onto a circular stage in the center of the gardens, surrounded by bright, magical torches to illuminate the scene.

Then, the magicians began to chant ancient chants, invoking the forces of magic to cleanse the negative energies that hung over the galaxy. The air began to vibrate with the intensity of magic, and a soft, pulsating glow enveloped the entire stage.

The spectators watched in awe as Eredan and Druqir raised their hands, calling forth the energy of the four elements: earth, water, fire, and air. The glow of the torches intensified, the trees around them began to vibrate, and the waves of the sea, a few kilometers away, grew in size and strength.

Then, Eredan focused on the element of fire and summoned a powerful flame that burned away all impurities that had accumulated in the minds and bodies of people. Druqir, on the other hand, focused on the element of air and created a storm of wind that removed the residue of negative energy that was entwined in the sunbeams passing through the gardens.

Finally, the two magicians focused on the element of earth and created a vibration that began to spread through the ground. The plants began to bloom, the animals in the forest began to sing and dance, and people felt a sense of connection with nature that was difficult to put into words.

And then, something incredible happened. Magic began to create shapes in the air, and the spectators were amazed as a holographic image appeared above the stage. It was a holographic magic representation of the Taldraex galaxy, slowly rotating while points of light appeared and disappeared on its surface.

Eredan and Druqir joined forces, focusing their magic on the holographic image. As they worked, the image began to glow with a pure, radiant white light, and a low, steady hum could be heard emanating from it. The spectators felt a powerful energy emanating from the image, and their bodies tingled with the magnitude of the moment.