novelraw Chapter 293: The truth behind his fruit obsession
Chapter 293: The truth behind his fruit obsession
Aboard the warship.
Xarion lay sprawled flat on the floor, staring blankly at the cold metal ceiling of the command room, his entire body radiating despair.
"Why did it have to be Vangar of all people? What was the Beast God even thinking?"
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
"I swear that old relic has gone senile! The matching system’s been running for tens of thousands of years—what, the circuits are worn out now?"
"If its brain doesn’t work anymore, it should just donate it already. Why keep it around as decoration?"
"There are so many outstanding males in the Empire—why pick the one everyone hates the most?"
What, did they think his Female Master was running a recycling center?
After venting, Xarion turned his head toward Vincent, who sat silently in his chair.
"Vincent, what about you? Vangar is your superior. If he bonds with our Female Master..."
He narrowed his eyes. "In this house, will you be listening to him, or will he be listening to you?"
Vincent glanced at him calmly, completely unmoved by the outburst.
"At home," he said evenly, "I listen to Rory."
He understood what Xarion was really asking.
Was his position as the first partner still secure? That, Vincent wasn’t worried about.
If Vangar wanted that position, he could have it. What truly concerned him... was something else entirely.
His gaze drifted toward the vast river of stars beyond the window, his expression growing distant, contemplative.
Softly, he said, "Compared to that... what worries me more is this—if Vangar forms a bond with Rory... will he actually listen to her?"
"What do you mean?" Xarion shot upright instantly, all traces of lethargy gone. "You think he’d dare not listen to the Female Master?"
Vincent’s fingers tapped lightly against the armrest, a slow, steady rhythm.
Outside, fragments of drifting meteors streaked past the warship.
"Vangar is extremely strong-willed," Vincent said. "Once he decides on something, he doesn’t change it."
His concern was simple—would Rory be able to rein him in?
"That’s nothing to worry about." Xarion waved it off immediately. "If he dares not listen, we just beat him until he does. One round not enough? Then two. Keep going until he learns."
Truthfully, Xarion had already been thinking this ever since Yuel mentioned Vangar.
Back then, when he fought Vangar, he had only just reached Rank Eleven.
That was why he lost.
This time? He wouldn’t.
Xarion pushed himself up from the floor, a rare spark of battle intent flaring in his eyes.
He strode over to Vincent.
"When we get back," he said, lowering his voice conspiratorially, "we keep it from the Female Master first. We challenge him to a fight. We’ll make it clear—if he loses, he listens to us. And to her."
Just as he finished speaking, the adjutant approached, carrying two glasses of juice.
"Your Highness, Young Master Xarion—this was sent over by the female Yilan. She asked the medic to deliver it."
"Give it to Xarion," Vincent said without hesitation.
They wouldn’t touch anything given by that female.
Xarion took the drink, then stored it away in a container. He’d bring it back to Rory later.
The adjutant continued, "Your Highness, we’ve established contact with Sylas Ruan and the succubus clan. They’re already on their way."
"We’ve arranged to meet them at N23."
"The warship has already entered Imperial territory. We should arrive in two days."
Vincent nodded. "Order full speed ahead."
***
Meanwhile, at the estate...
Rory found Yuel and told him about Vangar’s proposal to cure Aren.
"Yuel, you’ve known Vangar longer than I have," she said. "You understand him better."
Her gaze drifted toward Aren, who was once again rummaging around in search of fruit.
Ever since losing his clarity of mind, he had developed an almost obsessive fixation on finding fruit.
Rory hesitated, then asked quietly, "Do you think... Vangar’s words can be trusted?"
Aren spent every day doing one of two things—either searching for fruit, or on his way to search for fruit.
At first, Rory hadn’t understood why he was so obsessed with it.
Later, Yuel found out the truth.
When Aren was three years old, his father had been gravely injured and left bedridden. Melanie grew disgusted with Aris’ father—and because of Aren’s situation, she had no affection for Aren either.
No one cared for the child or his father.
They often went hungry.
So the three-year-old Aren would sneak out, scavenging discarded fruits from the succubus clan—inedible, unwanted, but at least not poisonous.
He did it just to keep himself and his father alive.
But even so... his father didn’t survive. He held on for three years before passing away.
Yuel quietly placed a sweet fruit on a nearby shelf, letting Aren "discover" it on his own.
Then he turned to Rory, his expression serious.
"Rory, I can’t guarantee everything. But as for Vangar’s character—I can vouch for that. He may not have the best temper, but he’s absolutely someone you can trust."
"If he said Aren will be safe, then he won’t let anything happen to him."
Yuel paused, then added, "I think... it’s worth trusting his method."
Rory nodded slowly.
If Yuel could say that much, then Vangar truly was reliable.
"In that case, I’ll go speak to him and ask him to help treat Aren."
"Female Master! I found fruit!" Aren’s delighted voice rang out from the shelf.
He hurried over, clutching the sweet fruit Yuel had just placed there, presenting it proudly to Rory.
"Female Master, I’ll take this to Daddy!"
"No." Rory quickly stopped him, holding his arm.
She looked at him seriously. "Vangar is not your father. You’re not allowed to give him fruit anymore."
If this continued, she genuinely feared Vangar might one day snap and twist Aren’s neck.
"...Not my father?" Aren blinked, looking at her, then down at the fruit in his hands.
Confusion clouded his eyes. "But... he has white hair."
His father had white hair.
"He just happens to have the same hair color," Rory explained gently. "But he’s not your father."
"Then... where is my father?" Aren looked at her, eyes shimmering, as if something inside him was about to break.
Rory took the fruit from his hands and pulled him into a soft embrace.
"Did you forget? Your father went to hunt mutated beasts. We’ll wait for him at home, and when he comes back, you can give him the fruit. Okay?"
Aren suddenly slapped his forehead. "Right! Daddy went to hunt beasts!"
He grabbed Rory’s hand, his face lighting up again. "Female Master, when Daddy comes back, we’ll go see him together, okay?"
"Okay." Rory nodded, her voice gentle but firm.
After soothing him, Rory immediately went to find Vangar.
He wasn’t in the living room. She checked the room he had chosen on the second floor, but he wasn’t there either.
The room was filled with spatial stones, workers busy preparing and decorating it.
After confirming he wasn’t inside, Rory searched the estate.
Still nothing.
Only then did she remember—she could simply call him.
She activated her light-brain. The call connected almost instantly.
And in the next moment, a small white tiger, no bigger than a kitten, appeared as a projection before her.
"...Vangar?"
Rory stared at the tiny, fluffy creature, her voice hesitant.
"Female Master, it’s me." The little white tiger spoke and it was unmistakably Vangar’s voice.
"...Why do you look like this?" Rory asked, stunned.