Who understands? The aloof female ruler always flirts without even realizing it.

The hovercar passed through layers of heavily guarded personnel and finally came to a stop in front of a quiet and luxurious inner hall deep within the palace.

Shen Yan held Kalandall's hand tightly the whole time, following closely behind the captain of the guard in a protective manner, as they entered the palace that symbolized the core of imperial power.

The interior of the hall was softly lit, and the decorations were extremely magnificent yet dignified.

Seated in the main seat was an elderly male insect, His Majesty the current Emperor of the Empire.

Almost the instant he saw the emperor's face, a flash of understanding and shock crossed the depths of Kalandel's icy blue eyes.

A thought that I had never dared to think about deeply before, yet which I had vaguely guessed at in my heart, suddenly became clear like lightning breaking through the fog.

This supreme ruler of the empire is very likely... to be his never-before-seen... father.

Several members of the royal family stood quietly to the emperor's left.

Among them was Prince Anvis, who was as serene and elegant as a violet.

He stood with his eyes lowered, his posture perfect, but when he occasionally glanced at Kalandall, his fleeting gaze held an undisguised resentment and jealousy.

Shen Yan keenly noticed his partner's slight stiffness for a moment, as well as Prince Anvis's unfriendly gaze.

He glared at her fiercely, gripping his partner's hand even tighter, silently conveying his support and concern.

The emperor seemed completely oblivious to these undercurrents, his attention entirely focused on Kalandall.

He slowly raised his hand, his voice trembling slightly with excitement, his tone filled with almost loving relief:

"Child...come here, let me take a good look at you."

Karandal stepped forward as instructed and bowed slightly in greeting:

"His Majesty."

His voice was steady, revealing little emotion. As his suspicions were gradually confirmed, it would be a lie to say he felt no emotional reaction whatsoever.

The emperor reached out as if to stroke Kalandel, but Shen Yan swiftly and deftly stopped him, forcing him to withdraw his hand.

Then, with those weathered yet intensely passionate eyes, he carefully traced the contours of the female insect's features, murmuring:

"So alike...so alike...especially those eyes, they're exactly like Iris's..."

Iris?

Is that his father's name?

Hearing this unfamiliar name, a slight tremor ran through Karandel's heart. He didn't understand why just hearing this name could make him so sad...

The emperor was lost in his memories, his eyes becoming unfocused and sorrowful, as if he were truly immersed in a deeply unforgettable past.

He spoke slowly, in a tone filled with sorrow and remembrance:

"Iris... your father, he was so wonderful, like a star that accidentally fell into the palace and illuminated my life."

"We met at a banquet. He was just a junior adjutant then, silently following behind Marshal Hermann, yet he possessed a radiance that no insect could ignore."

"We fell in love despite everything. I withstood all the pressure and gave him an honor second only to the Empress, bringing him into the palace to be cherished and loved."

As he spoke, he sighed softly, a look of pain on his face:

"When Iris became pregnant, we were all very happy and started to imagine the happy life of taking care of the baby in the future."

"Royal offspring have always been scarce. Even now, there are only three female insect princes. I did not test your gender, and I swore to Iris that I would pass the throne to you in the future."

"How I longed for him to safely deliver our child..."

The tone shifted abruptly, becoming heavy and helpless:

"But... those concubines in the palace who were jealous of his favor planted spies around him and kept spreading vicious slander."

"They fabricated lies that I'm tired of Iris and will abandon him, and even forged evidence to imply that I will harm him..."

The emperor's voice trembled slightly, as if he still couldn't let go of the past:

"He...he's too naive, too easily trusting of others."

"One night, with you still unhatched, I secretly escaped from the Imperial Capital Star and boarded a civilian spaceship bound for a remote star system with extremely low safety standards..."

He paused for a long time, then closed his eyes and continued speaking with a pained expression:

"That spaceship... unfortunately encountered a once-in-a-millennium cosmic turbulence, and its signal was completely lost."

"When the royal search team found it, all that was left was wreckage floating in space... without any signs of life."

"...I thought he and the unhatched eggs perished along with that disaster..."

The emperor's voice was filled with pain. He abruptly raised his head, his gaze once again fixed intently on Kalandel, filled with the ecstatic joy and excitement of regaining what he had lost:

"I never imagined... you were still alive!"

"Child...you and your father bear an uncanny resemblance! You are the bloodline Iris left me, my long-lost prince!"

"Come back to my embrace..."

The final confirmation came like a heavy hammer blow.

Karandal stood there, his posture still upright, like a pine tree in the snow.

The word "prince" echoed throughout the magnificent inner palace.

He simply stood quietly, his posture as upright as a pine tree.

The emperor's anticipated ecstasy or intense resistance did not appear on his face.

A hint of understanding flashed in the depths of his icy blue eyes, a faint sense of relief at his past hardships, but more than anything, a detached calm.

Perhaps, long ago, when he was still a lone insect gazing at the stars in the mud, he dreamed of having a home.

At that time, he had nothing and longed for this sudden blessing.

but not now.

He was no longer that penniless lone worm.

He has found a powerful ruler.

The lord who would massage his swollen legs when he was tired.

That partner who gets anxious just because he frowns.

The man who completely rescued him from the mire and built a home for him with unreserved love and care.

He was also pregnant with an unborn child, the fruit of their love, a bond that carried the future and hope.

He possessed something more real, warmer, and more willing to protect than his so-called princely status.

This sudden royal identity felt like a distant and unfamiliar story to him.

The grudges and entanglements of the previous generation may explain his past suffering, but they cannot define his present happiness and future path.

He did not excitedly step forward to acknowledge his relatives, nor did he show any signs of resistance or loss of composure.

She merely nodded slightly, her tone respectful yet distant, carrying the calmness unique to female soldiers:

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for telling me about my origins. This has resolved my long-standing doubts."

He did not address his father as "Xiongfu," but continued to use the honorific title.