Stars See Me [Interstellar] | Chapter 266 | Less Human Than Most | Novela.app

"…'Marriage'?" The word stirred old memories within Lei Ting. His way of 'remembering' differed from that of ordinary people. For most, memory was fragmentary, composed of reinforced snapshots where the gaps between events were unimportant and glossed over. But as a Limit-Breaker, he possessed a natural memory akin to hyperthymesia, allowing him to recall everything perfectly at any moment. It felt less like 'remembering' in the conventional sense and more like 'browsing'—the former was like scavenging for shells on a beach, while the latter was the free adjustment of a long, holographic simulation. Lei Ting’s lapse in focus was so brief it went unnoticed. "A mature interstellar civilization should not possess the concept of 'marriage,'" he said. "It should be replaced by 'life partners' or a corresponding system of shared responsibility." As he spoke, he nodded to the figures nearby who emitted faint ripples of psionic energy and leaned in toward Kotares. Evenhyller was already there; they weren't standing particularly close, yet their harmony was visible to the naked eye. Lei Ting gave a polite nod. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am a—" "Chairman," Kotares interjected. Of the four individuals—two men and two women—three began to laugh. Lei Ting could sense that they, too, either held or had once held positions as 'leaders.' "..." Lei Ting glanced at Kotares, then gestured toward Evenhyller. "And this is my—" "Significant other," Kotares cut in again. This time, his choice of words was abruptly plain. "............" Lei Ting crossed his arms and stared silently at Kotares. Kotares turned his head, pretending he hadn't seen a thing. "Regarding marriage," Lei Ting steered the conversation back to its starting point, "our situation is somewhat complicated." "Complicated?" Kotares leaned in to look at Evenhyller, his expression full of gossip. Thinking of how this man would eventually become 'Firewine,' Evenhyller felt a wave of complex emotions. He gave a casual shrug. "I once said I wanted to marry him, but I was lying to him then. He also said he wanted to marry me, but it never worked out." "Every single time?" Kotares’ face lit up with excitement. "Control yourself, friend..." Lei Ting’s eye twitched. "I’m telling you to stop. You look like you’re about to write us into some tabloid rag." "Fine," Kotares grumbled. "Is it that obvious?" One of the women laughed. "Of course it is. You seem to lack self-awareness... 'Wine-350'." Kotares’ expression instantly hardened. "Don't call me that," he said coldly. "Why? Should I call you 'Potable/Disinfectant Fermentation Product 350' instead?" "I said—don't—call me—that." Kotares drew out his words, his tone growing colder. "I have a name. Atrin Kotares." "Fine," the person replied with a shrug, their movements highly mimetic. Lei Ting narrowed his eyes slightly. He could tell that the person who had just spoken was not 'human'; their appearance was merely a disguise. Its true form was a tall, thin phantom, like a surge of energy connecting humanoid limb components. The parts appeared to be made of white porcelain, their surfaces polished and exquisite. But anyone present could tell that its hardness must be beyond human imagination. Lei Ting had an ill-timed memory of a game he had once played, where a character used porcelain as her soldiers' shells—incredibly hard, making a sharp cracking sound when they shattered. "Hello, I am 'Kali'," the white porcelain being greeted him. "An old friend of Kotares. I knew him back before he went by this name. 'Kali' is not my true name; my actual designation cannot be articulated in the languages of Earth." "Pleasure to meet you," Lei Ting greeted politely. "And me, I am..." A man-shaped figure nearby leaned over, pausing as soon as he started. "...Apologies, my name is too long. You may call me 'Painter'." This one’s appearance was purely an illusion. Its true body was a massive jellyfish-like entity, nearly eight meters in diameter, floating above and overflowing with electric light. Long tentacles coiled and dangled around the human phantom. "Hello," Lei Ting nodded. "I am—" "'Sun Star'." Kotares added another interruption. He seemed to enjoy this habit of cutting people off. Perhaps it was because, as the future sovereign of the Galactic Empire, he never had such an opportunity in his daily life. Thus, even if it was somewhat rude, he did it with glee. Lei Ting sighed. *For the sake of 'Firewine,' or rather, for the sake of 'last time,'* he thought. "Yes, 'Sun Star.' You may call me that," he said, looking somewhat helpless. "And this is..." He began to introduce Evenhyller— "Starstream." Evenhyller didn't wait passively for a definition or a relationship label. "This guy's boyfriend, and his comrade-in-arms." Lei Ting smiled. He didn't deny it, nor was there any need to—why would he deny a fact? This wasn't the right setting for a crowd to discuss important information, and few people wanted to talk about such things anyway. Before long, the group dispersed. Some chose to go 'play,' while others went to enjoy the food and wine. Only Kotares, Evenhyller, and Lei Ting remained on the terrace. "So," Evenhyller asked, "why exactly did you call us here?" "To let you relax," Kotares answered breezily. To be honest, this answer did not satisfy them. They exchanged a look and asked again seriously, "Can you tell us the truth?" "The truth is, it's to let you relax." Kotares’ smile was bright. "Please... do you know how I felt when I saw you?" Lei Ting still hadn't quite followed the logic, but Evenhyller raised an eyebrow as if he understood something. "How did you feel?" he asked meaningfully. Seeing that he understood, Kotares smiled. "First of all... I am not human, Lei Ting." Lei Ting remained silent. Evenhyller leaned against the battlement wall, hopping up to sit on it while placing a hand on Lei Ting’s shoulder, his long arm resting lightly there. Lei Ting helplessly abandoned the idea of leaving immediately. And then, he heard the words. "...But you look even less human than I do," Kotares said softly. Lei Ting was expressionless, saying nothing. *Less human?* Yes, he knew exactly what he looked like right now. When he had first stepped out of the dressing room, the servants here had treated him like the incarnation of some great concept, or a heroic warrior favored by the gods. In this era, systematic Greek mythology did not yet exist; they called him 'a victor.' To be honest, Lei Ting found it ironic. Firstly, he didn't believe he had won anything. Secondly, he didn't think it was a good thing for a human to be mistaken for something else. The root of all this was those twenty-plus years of a life that could be described as inhuman. No... that couldn't even be called 'living.' Evenhyller lowered his head, looking at the black hair resting on Lei Ting’s shoulder. Lei Ting’s hair was of good quality, silky and lustrous, but that wasn't due to any maintenance, lifestyle habits, or diet. It was because... as a Limit-Breaker, as long as his energy intake was sufficient, his body would always remain in its relative peak state. But energy intake was too simple for him. Every part of his body could absorb free energy from the environment. Even in a void, his skin could sense the curvature of distant magnetic lines and draw a sliver of power from them. Therefore, despite being the Federation Chairman, the Federation had never created a custom nutritional supplement for him, because he simply didn't need one. He had already diverged from ordinary people at the level of life-form. Combined with years of a non-human existence, even though he had regained his memories, it was difficult for him to live and think like the version of himself that still required food and sleep. When a person becomes accustomed to an efficiency-first mindset, it becomes very difficult to tolerate the drag that emotion and leniency impose on a workflow. Though limited by his personal character, Lei Ting was far from the point of naturally sacrificing others... but his personality had inevitably undergone some changes. "You need to establish a stable, intimate relationship, Lei Ting," Kotares said. "It's not that you don't know this... you need care and love." "...No." As Lei Ting spoke, he subconsciously turned his head away. "I don't—" "You do," Evenhyller said softly. His voice was gentle and resonant, stirring Lei Ting’s senses. Lei Ting was momentarily dazed. "Want to join the banquet? Play with some people?" Kotares asked with a smile. "Don't worry, you don't have to participate in the things happening in the rooms at the end of the hall... I hear people everywhere calling you 'the unknown champion,' 'a king from another land,' and some even insist you're a god descended to earth. Everyone believes you must be noble by birth. "Trust me, if you ask them for anything, demand anything, or want them to accompany you for the night... they won't refuse you." Hearing this, Lei Ting closed his eyes and shook his head. "Why?" Kotares didn't seem surprised, but he asked anyway. "No one is born noble, because no one is born lowly," Lei Ting said quietly. "Perhaps one day, I will choose to learn something from the people... but that is not now." He narrowed his eyes, his deep, dark gaze locking onto Kotares. "I can feel it... you are influencing the cultural development of Earth, Atrin Kotares. This violates multiple interstellar conventions." His voice grew colder. "Please provide an explanation. Otherwise, I may take coercive measures to sever your interference with Earth's civilization." "Oh... as expected, I can't hide it from you." Kotares asked with a beaming smile, "Then, 'Sun Star' from the future, my friend... from what standpoint are you standing when you say those words?" ***