A is in StarCraft, just disembarked from the Zerg Prince spaceship.

*************

......

The lady stood at the boundary between the porch and the dining room.

She seemed to have just happened to pass by and witnessed the scene.

The warm yellow light outlined her still beautiful profile, her face appearing somewhat pale in the light and shadow, her lips pressed tightly into a straight line.

She didn't know why her son could do such a thing.

Seeing Ferdinand's flushed face, she felt only heartache and disappointment.

How could this be? She remembered that she had taught Ferdinand properly.

The lady's fingers, hidden by her dress, clenched the fabric once again, her knuckles making a "crackling" sound that only she could hear.

She maintained the last shred of her fragile dignity.

This family, her husband's ambition, her son's downfall... she felt as if a net was covering her head.

But she couldn't stop her husband or her son; they were like two stubborn, headstrong doves, determined to fly into the net to eat the rice.

What good can power obtained through a deal with the devil be? It's something that can turn on you at any time.

Her husband may have already been in the abyss, and now he's trying to drag her son down with him.

She tried to pull her son back, but she couldn't. She was too weak to fight her husband.

She couldn't bring herself to stop.

This silent standoff lasted only a few seconds.

She couldn't fight Orion to the death; she couldn't win against him.

The lady tried her best to maintain a basic level of decorum, took a deep breath, and looked at Ferdinand.

Her eyes held a deep weariness, and an almost pleading tenderness: "It's windy outside, Ferdinand, don't let His Highness stand for too long."

"Mom...!" Ferdinand felt his good time had been interrupted, and he was also a little ashamed. He couldn't speak, so he could only call out to her loudly in dissatisfaction.

Looking at the lady's somber face, Orion felt as if she were a taut string, about to snap at any moment.

Ah, how familiar this feels.

This expression looks like he's about to be driven to his death at any moment.

Was Atticus like that back then?

He really couldn't understand why they would drive themselves to their deaths for the sake of some damned other person.

The lady didn't look at either of them again, bowed her head in farewell to Orion, then straightened her back and silently walked through the porch back to the living room. Her beautiful light blue velvet skirt brushed the floor without making a sound.

A drop of water fell into the air.

The droplet of water shattered on the polished floor, reflecting a fleeting, dazzling ring of light under the bright lamplight.

That glimmer of light silently pierced Orion's eyes.

He looked at the ground and raised an eyebrow.

Ferdinand, still caught up in the ambiguity of their earlier encounter and the disorientation of his mother's sudden appearance, failed to notice the fleeting unease. He looked awkwardly at Orion, attempting to explain, "Your Highness, my mother... she just..."

Orion's perfect mask remained perfectly in place. He turned his head, even revealing a gentle smile, and raised his hand to stop his explanation: "It's alright. Madam is just concerned about me."

"That's great, you understand—"

Orion continued to smile: "It's just that it's getting late, and I really should take my leave."

He didn't need to say anything more to the father and son.

Too much of a good thing can be bad. When setting a trap, one should be moderate in their approach. Excessive pressure may awaken the prey caught in the trap.

The tactic of retreating to advance is always effective, no matter the circumstances; however, the strategy needs to end at the right time.

......

The hovercar that came to pick up Orion stopped in front of the Director's residence.

The guards respectfully opened the car door, stood by with their hands at their sides, and waited for Orion to get in.

The Alliance Director's villa is right next to the Coastal Boulevard, offering a wide view, great scenery, and convenient transportation.

As the guests were leaving, the Alliance Director came out.

He personally escorted Orion to the door, shook hands with him in farewell, and said, "Your Highness, tonight has truly been unforgettable! I believe that the prospects for cooperation between our Human Federation and the Zerg Empire will be as vast and bright as the stars!"

"Certainly. I will remember your kindness, Director." Orion gripped his hand a little tighter in response.

The Alliance Director's smile deepened: "Very well, the future is promising. With parting imminent, I imagine you'd rather say goodbye to Ferdinand than to this old codger. So I won't waste your time."

Orion smiled: "Please don't say that. Every word I say to you is a pleasure."

The Alliance Director, seemingly unsure if he'd received a reply, chuckled, "Haha, you flatter me! Ferdinand, come and say goodbye to His Highness!"

Ferdinand, who was standing half a step behind the director, immediately stepped forward upon hearing this.

With the eagerness typical of youth, he blurted out, "Your Highness! I... I will master court etiquette as soon as possible! I look forward to seeing you again soon... in the palace of Liernia!"

Orion continued to smile: "I appreciate Your Excellency Ferdinand's kind intentions. I believe you will certainly fulfill them."

This ambiguous statement was enough to keep Ferdinand awake all night, weaving countless beautiful dreams about the insect king's power and a beautiful love.

Who could resist the feeling of instant success?

Ferdinand didn’t even notice that Orion hadn’t shaken his hand.

Finally, Orion's gaze swept past the father and son, landing on the steps above, inside the brightly lit gate.

In the West, it is customary for the male host to see the guests out, while the female host stands inside the door and watches them leave.

The lady stood there quietly, like a beautiful, upright shadow.

She didn't go forward, but just watched from a distance.

A dazzling array of lights illuminated the space behind her.

She stood at the boundary between light and shadow, the lamplight gilding her.

Her figure appeared somewhat blurry, but her eyes pierced through the distance of space, like two small flames swaying in the cold wind.

Orion looked into her eyes.

Her eyes are very similar to Ferdinand's, beautiful dark brown almond-shaped eyes, but what's inside them is completely different.

Sorrow, insight, compassion, anger, clarity, and also... a determination to perish if necessary.

Orion, on the contrary, laughed genuinely.

Those eyes look so familiar.

Like the day Atticus decided to fight him to the death.

Orion's gaze swept over her face, then, still bearing the gentle, polite, and elegant expression of the Second Prince of the Empire, he gave her a slight bow and a graceful farewell.

Madam, thank you for your hospitality this evening. I had a very pleasant time.

The lady did not respond.

She didn't nod or smile again; she just stared at Orion quietly.

A night breeze blew by, stirring her skirt and a stray strand of hair that fell across her face, revealing her tightly pressed, bloodless lips.

Her hands, hanging by her sides, gripped the crescent-shaped brooch she had already removed tightly, the hard edges digging deep into her palms. The sharp, cold metal edges and the gemstone's sharp corners cut into her flesh, yet she seemed oblivious.

A drop of blood slowly seeped from the edge of her tightly clenched fingers, gathered, and dripped down.

Drip a dark spot onto a light blue velvet fabric.

Orion got into the car, and the guards closed the door for him.

The hovercar's doors closed smoothly, shutting out the mansion's lights, the Alliance Director's smile, Ferdinand's gaze, and the figure of the lady clutching her brooch on the steps, all while remaining silent.

The car fell silent.

The adjutant and driver sat in the front seat without saying a word.

The vehicle started and drove away from the villa owned by the Alliance Director.

The shadow of the villa receded outside the car window, slowly shrinking into a tiny dot until it disappeared from sight.

Orion leaned back in his chair, and once he was out of the villa's surveillance range, the gentle mask on his face instantly crumbled like a shattered ice shell.

Orion twirled his fingertips expressionlessly, as if the nauseating greasiness of the Alliance Commissioner's palm still lingered.

This father and son are really driving me crazy.

A male whose head is located on its lower body and who prefers to think with its small head.

Then he thought of his wife.

The expression on the lady's face when she discovered her son was working as someone else's dog; her deathly pale face; her fingers tightly gripping the jeweled brooch; and the tiny yet striking dark red bloodstains that fell from it.

He suddenly felt a malicious pleasure, and the corners of his mouth curled up again.

Sigh, it's all because that lady looks too much like Atticus; messing with her feels like messing with Atticus.

It wasn't intentional, but I really like it.

He hopes his wife can continue to behave this way, and he's willing to give her a break :).

As they entered the deserted coastal area, their hovercars drove along the seaside promenade. The boundless sea shimmered beautifully under the moonlight.

Ah, this light is like the flame in that omega's eyes. Orion thought admiringly.

The adjutant was a good adjutant; he knew when to keep quiet and when to speak.

Orion seemed to be in a better mood again. His adjutant turned around in the front seat and asked, "Your Highness, are you really going to marry the son of that Alliance Director?"

Orion chuckled dismissively and said, "I said I wanted to marry him, but I didn't say I wanted him to mark me."

The adjutant turned around and gave a thumbs-up to his back.

That's incredibly impressive.

Once the statement about "marrying without marking" was made, everything else was just empty promises. Their prince is still the shrewd one; the same old formula, the same old taste—he'll never be at a disadvantage.