Chapter 283 - Need a grayling
Meanwhile, on the distant planet of Gia, a person was having the most stressful time of his life.
Biting down on his lip, Bian gazed out through the enormous, opulent windows of his chambers. Beyond the black glass forest, the twin suns were slowly sinking toward the horizon, their golden light spreading across the landscape. The fading glow made the dark trees shimmer like polished obsidian, while the crystalline waters winding through the forest reflected the sunlight in brilliant shades of blue.
It should have been a beautiful sight.
Yet none of it brought even the slightest bit of peace to Bian’s mind.
His gaze dropped to the empty container in his hand, and rage slowly twisted his expression.
It had been five years since he had come to Gia. Five years since he had managed to establish himself here and live as a prince consort. For five years, he had carefully maintained the life he had built for himself.
And yet...
The situation he had feared was finally beginning to happen.
The Grayling serum was running out.
His fingers tightened around the empty container.
Without it, he would no longer have the means to control Dican.
At most, the remaining supply would last only a few more days. If he stretched it as far as possible and used a few knockout drugs to keep Dican unconscious at times, perhaps he could make it last for a month.
But after that?
Nothing.
Bian’s expression darkened.
He had come too far to lose everything now.
Biting his nails anxiously, he began tapping his fingers against the railing beside the window, his mind racing through every possibility.
Where can I find more?
His teeth sank into his lower lip.
Fuck... I need to find a Grayling.
A soft knock suddenly sounded against the door.
The interruption only enraged him further.
"What do you want?" Bian snapped, not even bothering to turn around. "Can’t you give me some time alone?!"
The door opened cautiously, and his personal servant stepped inside, his back hunched nervously as though he were already afraid of what awaited him.
"P-Prince Consort..."
Bian immediately turned around and rushed toward him, his expression filled with barely contained fury.
"Did you find anything?" he demanded. "Any news about the Graylings? Anything at all?"
The servant trembled under his gaze.
"Prince... after the Great War, the Graylings were chased into extinction. I tried to search for any that might have been kept captive here, but none of them survived."
The servant slowly dropped to his knees, his head lowered.
"But... there were traces of Grayling activity detected in a distant nebula."
Bian’s eyes immediately brightened with a flicker of hope.
"How far is it?" he asked. "How long will it take to get there?"
The servant’s trembling grew worse.
"T-Twenty..."
"Say it out loud!"
"T-Twenty years, my prince."
"Fuck!"
Bian’s hand shot out, and he slapped the servant hard across the face.
"Useless!" he snarled. "Fucking useless thing!"
His frustration boiled over, and he continued kicking the helpless servant as the man struggled to get back onto his feet.
"Fuck!"
Bian’s chest rose and fell heavily as he stared toward the distant horizon.
Twenty years.
There was no way he could wait twenty years.
Not when his control over Dican was already slipping through his fingers.
He clenched his fists, his face twisting with frustration.
"If I want something done, I have to do it myself."
There had to be some Graylings still lingering somewhere on the planet. After all, those creatures hated the Farians more than anything else in existence. They had been the ones who had given him the serum that allowed him to control the prince in the first place. There was no way every last one of them could have truly disappeared.
Bian’s eyes narrowed as he stared into the distance, his thoughts turning rapidly.
They must be hiding.
Perhaps they had gone deep underground, or scattered themselves across some forgotten corner of the planet where no one would think to look. Whatever the case, they had to be here somewhere.
And all he had to do was find them.
The problem was...
He had absolutely no idea how.
The frustration was maddening. Bian couldn’t simply go searching for Graylings himself. He was the prince consort now, a person constantly surrounded by servants, guards, and nobles. He had a reputation to maintain, and wandering around the planet asking questions about an extinct enemy race would only attract unnecessary attention.
He couldn’t afford that.
Instead, he would have his minions search for them.
He turned away from the window and began walking through the palace, his cape sweeping elegantly behind him with every step. The luxurious silk-like fabric caught the last rays of the golden sunlight streaming through the palace windows, shimmering beautifully as it moved.
As he passed through the corridors, the servants and maids immediately lowered their heads and bowed deeply.
Bian’s expression changed at once.
The coldness and irritation that had occupied his face moments ago vanished as though they had never existed. In their place appeared a gentle smile, warm enough to make him look almost harmless.
"I hope your day was not too tiresome," he said kindly, giving them the sweetest smile he could muster.
The maids immediately looked delighted.
"Yes, Prince Consort."
Bian gave them a small nod before continuing on his way.
The moment he passed, however, the maids began whispering among themselves.
Their prince consort was truly the most delicate and beautiful person they had ever seen. He was so kind and gentle, never raising his voice at the servants or treating them with cruelty. Even when surrounded by the pressures of palace life, he always seemed to have a pleasant word for everyone.
Bian heard their whispers fading behind him.
The corners of his lips curled upward.
Maintaining a false pretense really did help.
A good reputation was worth far more than people realized. If everyone believed him to be kind, gentle, and considerate, then no one would ever think to look beneath that carefully crafted image.
Most importantly, no one suspected that he was controlling Dican.
That was exactly how Bian wanted it.
He continued down the corridor until he reached one of his private art rooms. The room was quiet and elegant, filled with paintings and other beautiful pieces that gave it the appearance of nothing more than a place where the prince consort went to admire art in peace.
Bian walked toward one particular painting.
After making certain that no one was watching, he reached behind its frame and pressed against a hidden mechanism.
A soft click sounded.
The painting shifted, revealing a narrow secret passage behind it.
Bian stepped inside without hesitation.
As soon as he entered, the painting slid back into place behind him, hiding the entrance once more.
The atmosphere changed immediately.
The bright elegance of the palace disappeared, replaced by darkness and silence. Bian walked deeper into the concealed passage, his footsteps echoing faintly against the walls until he finally reached another room.
Unlike the luxurious rooms of the palace, this one was dark and stark.
Five men were already waiting for him.
They sat around a table in silence, their attention turning toward the doorway the moment Bian entered.
Bian stepped into the room commandingly.
The moment the door closed behind him, the gentle and beautiful prince consort the palace servants adored was nowhere to be seen.