CHAPTER 566: THE SPACE BETWEEN US

But who would have thought his brilliant sun would start hiding like this?

Inside a hideout he had carved out for himself, a little chipmunk sat with his legs curled against his chest, cheeks puffed as he hid from the world.

Although more than hiding from everyone else, it would’ve been best if he could hide from himself, his thoughts, and his desires.

All because, outside the dungeon, nearly a week had passed since Xavier’s departure.

And for Luca, who had been cooped up in the dungeon space to finish everything he was in charge of, that might as well have been ages.

Outside the dungeon space, it had been a month since the selection of the biomecha pilots and about two weeks since the first biomecha was completed.

And while Luca had since finished six more biomechas inside the dungeon space—a feat that would have made anyone else weep—this now licensed mechanic couldn’t have looked more forlorn.

It was largely because he hadn’t expected how all the past events would affect Xavier.

Yes, because who could have predicted that kind of chain reaction?

Well, apparently Xavier.

Who volunteered to work because he had already figured that something like this would happen.

For one, each of the mecha masters had to be safely returned to their respective planets. And unbeknownst to Luca, that job had fallen to Xavier and Kyle, together with the imperial shadows.

Apparently, such a historic gathering hadn’t only drawn the attention of common citizens but also of several syndicates.

It was then that Luca realized just how many things were being quietly handled in the background.

But at least, even with all that, he was still able to see Xavier’s face.

Until he jinxed himself.

Because not even a few days later, Xavier had volunteered to accompany the Duke and Duchess to attend a series of meetings with the Marshal, as the representative of DG in place of Luca, who had an impossible schedule.

And when the Marshal insisted on visiting the facility in person, Xavier had to go along with them.

Again.

Thus began the excruciating days where all Jax could hear were the sighs of two shorties who had been dreadfully left behind.

Well, one of them had tears, too. Lots of them. Especially when he tried making parts of a biomecha for the first time.

"Brother, when do you think they’d return?" asked the blonde, who now looked so pale he could blend into the walls.

"I’m not so sure, brother. All I know is they’ve finally agreed on the essential stipulations after nearly a full day of negotiations," Luca sighed. "It sounds like some of them insisted on verifying legitimacy before signing the non-disclosure."

Ollie’s brows furrowed. "Maybe we should’ve just used thorns on them. Would’ve saved us some time."

Luca seriously considered it.

But then he imagined how many people they’d have to make contracts with and how much paperwork that would involve. Not to mention how stabbing potential allies might lead to unnecessary conflicts.

Still, on days like this, it was hard not to spiral.

"Then... do you think they’ll at least be back before the piggies give birth?" Ollie asked, casting a mournful glance toward the barn, where the sows were about to pop.

Jax, who had been eavesdropping from the corner, piped in with a smirk. "Don’t worry, your man isn’t the type to miss the birth of his own child. If you two ever had one, he’d probably move his entire office into the reception room."

Ollie flushed and immediately began flailing.

That earned Jax a solid smack to the back of the head.

Meanwhile, Luca wasn’t thinking about piglets or imaginary children. He was thinking about Xavier. About how his husband had reassured him that everything would be fine.

They likely had different concerns, however. Because while Luca was worried about peace talks and delegation terms, Xavier’s top concern was probably something simpler:

Making it back in one piece.

Because he had willingly come along with his in-laws.

And that, truly, was the real trial of the trip.

They said the way to a person’s heart was through their stomach. But for Duke Leander, the way to his heart was his son.

Used wisely, this could unlock great affection.

Used poorly, it led directly to doom.

Xavier wasn’t in a rush. He understood well that only with cooperation and reassurance could any future be guaranteed.

Or, alternatively, a mutual enemy.

Which, in this case, worked even better.

Because one well-meaning but utterly foolish officer thought it was a good idea to "lighten the mood" by attempting to knock Xavier and Kyle out of their chairs during the negotiations. Apparently, there was no need for such youngsters who were still wet behind the ears to participate.

It was not well received.

Duke Leander may have once seen Xavier as a threat, but now that threat was certainly tied to his son.

And the moment someone suggested removing both cadets from the negotiating table entirely, the Duke turned into a different kind of beast.

He stared Marshal Julian down and demanded, "Marshal, does that man speak for you? Or the entire military?"

Xavier, who was very aware that his uncle would never actually cast him aside, was not prepared for the Duke’s reaction.

Nor did he expect the Duchess to immediately pounce on the opportunity and twist the incident to her favor.

With a gracious smile, she insisted that only a select few military delegates—personally approved by the Duchy—would be allowed to continue the talks, considering this displeasing attitude.

They had been fighting for that clause all day.

And thanks to one clumsy insult and the House of Kyros threatening to walk out in defense of their son’s guild, the opposition finally caved.

Xavier, still sitting perfectly upright at the table, took a slow breath.

He didn’t think it would happen anytime soon, or ever.

But it was nice, being defended like that.

Especially by people who used to want to murder him.

Maybe they still do, but it’s unlikely to be the case today.

And with that, he managed to buy time for himself.

At the very least, Xavier figured he’d still be alive by the time the Marshal got to see the aquaponic complex.

He had to be. He promised Luca he’d tell him all about the Marshal’s reaction.

And while it was possible to watch the Marshal and his group through the surveillance, Xavier still took it upon himself to prepare Luca a verbal play-by-play. A report, if you will.

After all, his uncle’s expression when he first stepped into the entrance deserved to be recorded in history.

Marshal Julian had nearly needed a stretcher. That’s how serious it was.

The man stood there, blinking like someone had just hit him in the head. His legs wobbled. His face twitched. And there was a very real moment where Xavier thought the Marshal might lunge at him.

Not out of anger.

But out of disbelief.

Pure, helpless, soul-crushing disbelief.

And maybe a little bit of betrayal.

Which was fair, Xavier supposed. He had, after all, kept a secret like this under wraps.

But once the Marshal actually stepped inside the main facility, the silence said it all.

Because you didn’t even need to eat the produce to understand what this place meant.

The air itself felt cleaner. The temperature was regulated. The glow of the ecosystem—the faint shimmer of spiritual energy—was practically humming. The place practically whispered, "You want to live here forever, don’t you?"

Deputy Officer Curtis nearly fell to his knees.

"I don’t think we should even report this," he muttered at one point. "What if too many people see the paperwork? Do you think they’d come running? Do you think we’d survive it?"

Valid concerns.

Because what kind of report could possibly describe this? What title would they even give it? "Heaven on Soil"? "Classified: Salvation?"

They all knew the implications. This wasn’t just some hidden greenhouse. This was something that could make or break the entire Empire.

No wonder Xavier had kept quiet until now.

And to think, they used to think the day care was the discovery of the millennia.

Marshal Julian couldn’t bear to leave. He stood near one of the fish tanks with both hands behind his back, pretending to inspect it, but really just stalling.

Like if he walked away, it might disappear. Like maybe the entire complex had been a mirage conjured by exhaustion.

Xavier gave him a gentle nudge. "Marshal, I believe it would be best to start evaluating how we might build more places like this."

Julian turned, dazed. "You want us to... replicate this?"

Xavier offered a diplomatic nod. "Now that you’ve seen what it’s capable of, I suggest reconsidering your strategic direction. Carefully."

That snapped the man out of it.

This kind of thing would either need a fortress or a very clean house.

Because everyone knew about the moles. The leaking of classified information had always been a threat. But this?

This needed clean hands and loyal eyes.

And maybe, just maybe, a broom the size of a warship to sweep out the rot.

They all agreed on it by the end.

Even if cleaning house would be a nightmare, it was still worth it.

And so for the first time in a long time, Marshal Julian didn’t look like a man dragging a kingdom’s worth of burden.

He looked like someone who saw hope.

Meanwhile, Xavier hoped this meant another person would likely support him once he informed his family about his situation.

And hopefully, this should be considered as one down, right?