Chapter 288: Chapter 288 - A grayling ship

Bian sat comfortably on Dican’s lap, one arm draped around the prince’s shoulders as he carefully applied a little of the leftover purple sap to Dican’s cracked lips. His movements were gentle, almost tender, as though he were caring for someone he truly loved.

"How was your day, dear?" he asked sweetly.

Dican’s clear eyes, which had been focused on him only moments ago, slowly turned cloudy. The confusion vanished beneath that familiar, unnatural haze, and his expression softened into a loving smile.

"It was very good, dear," he replied. "I met with the councilmen and my father. Since the entrance to the other world will be closing today, the council has decided that I will become the Crown Prince until then. Fifty years later, a squad will be sent to retrieve my brothers."

As he spoke, Dican’s rough hands rose to gently caress Bian’s cheeks. His touch was warm and careful, filled with the kind of affection that should have made Bian feel cherished.

Instead, Bian smiled while something bitter twisted deep inside him.

To be honest, he had grown addicted to those touches.

He had become accustomed to the way Dican held him, the way those strong hands moved over his face, the way the prince looked at him with such devotion whenever the purple sap clouded his mind. Bian had once believed that this would be enough. He had thought he could use the sap to charm the prince, make him dependent on him, and slowly turn that dependence into love.

But no matter how much he tried, Dican never truly fell in love with him.

The truth was impossible to ignore.

Every time the effects of the sap began to fade, that familiar emptiness returned to the prince’s eyes. The warmth disappeared. The devotion vanished. Dican would look at him as though he were nothing more than a stranger sitting too close.

And every time that happened, Bian felt as though something was being taken away from him.

He lowered his head and rested it against Dican’s chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. The sound should have comforted him, but lately, the nights had felt unbearably lonely. Dican slept beside him, yet he never reached for him on his own. He had never kissed Bian first. Never touched him out of genuine longing. Never whispered his name with affection unless the purple sap had already taken hold.

Bian’s fingers tightened slightly against Dican’s clothes.

Then he lifted his head and cupped the prince’s face, forcing him to look directly at him.

"Dican," he murmured, his voice soft and coaxing. "You love only me. You belong to me."

His thumb brushed slowly across Dican’s cheek.

"Your heart..." Bian leaned closer, his smile becoming faintly possessive. "Your heart is mine."

He spoke as though he were reminding Dican of a simple truth rather than planting the words inside his mind. As though repeating them often enough would eventually make them real.

Before Dican could answer, a tremendous blast suddenly shook the castle.

The windows rattled violently. A powerful gust of wind swept through the room, sending the curtains flying wildly into the air. The fabric twisted and snapped against the walls, while several ornaments toppled from their places.

Bian startled and immediately climbed off Dican’s lap.

"What was that?"

He rushed toward the window.

Outside, a massive ship descended from the sky, its dark hull cutting through the clouds as it approached the planet. The unmistakable shape of the vessel made Bian’s eyes widen.

A Grayling ship.

They were here.

The ones he had been searching for had finally come to him.

Bian’s breath caught, and a slow, delighted smile spread across his face. The tension that had weighed on him for days vanished in an instant, replaced by a rush of hope so powerful that it almost made him dizzy.

The purple sap.

He could finally obtain more of it.

He could continue controlling Dican. He could keep the prince’s affection, keep his obedience, keep him from looking at Bian with those cold, unfamiliar eyes ever again.

His way out was right in front of him.

"Fuck," he whispered, grinning from ear to ear. "I’m so lucky."

Without sparing another glance at Dican, Bian hurried out of the room and dashed through the castle toward the entrance.

Outside, several Farian ships were already emerging from behind the castle. Their weapons were activated, and they swiftly moved into position around the descending Grayling vessel.

Bian’s smile disappeared.

"No, no, no!"

He quickly opened a connection to the generals through the communication device on his wrist.

"Do not fire!" he screamed harshly.

The general appeared on the screen, his expression confused and wary. "Your Highness, that ship is entering our territory without permission. It may be an invading vessel."

"They could be here for peaceful reasons," Bian calmed down a bit and put on his fake persona.

He forced his expression into one of gentle concern, his eyes softening as he summoned the kindest smile he could manage.

"We have been at war with their race for far too long. Perhaps this is a chance for peace between our two peoples."

The general hesitated, clearly unconvinced.

Bian lowered his gaze and released a small, sorrowful sigh, carefully shaping himself into the image of a compassionate prince consort.

"We should show kindness first," he said quietly. "Only then can we hope to receive kindness in return."

His words sounded noble.

His expression looked sincere.

But beneath that carefully crafted smile, his heart was pounding wildly.

He didn’t care about peace.

He didn’t care about kindness.

He didn’t care whether the Graylings came as friends or enemies.

He only cared that they had brought what he needed.

And as he watched the Farian ships surround the Grayling vessel, Bian silently prayed that no one would be foolish enough to shoot down the only thing standing between him and the loss of Dican’s love.

Soon the grayling ship was given the green light to land.

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