Obsessed with a High-Ranking Esper (BL)-Chapter 321: Just you and me?

Railem, the First Prince, was indulging himself with the guide Darion had so "graciously" provided when the door slid open. His pants were half down, his mind clouded with arrogance.

"Who dares!" Railem scolded, forgetting where he was. The guide screamed, scrambling to cover herself.

Railem barely managed to pull his pants up when a scar-faced esper grabbed him by the collar. Railem struggled, but it was pointless. The esper slammed him to the ground in the command room, the impact rattling his bones.

Grimacing, Railem fumbled to button his pants, only to be met with Darion’s boot crashing into his stomach. He rolled across the floor, clutching himself in pain.

Darion seized a fistful of his hair, yanking him upright. He shoved Railem’s face toward the viewport, forcing him to look at the fleet outside.

"Do you recognize that crest?" Darion snarled.

Railem shook his head vigorously, his scalp burning from the pull. His expression was twisted with pain and confusion. He truly didn’t know.

His father had always favored him, always assured him the throne would be his. That was why Railem had never made bold moves over the years. He had simply accumulated power in silence, waiting for the inevitable. But when the empire shifted, he realized all his careful work had been dismantled in an instant.

In desperation, he fled the imperial capital and sought out Darion. He knew him because of the smuggling routes for his illegal contraband he funneled into Virelia, with Darion as his supplier. Naturally, Railem offered him a deal of a lifetime: unimaginable power and wealth.

Darion had agreed.

But who would have thought things would turn out this way?

Railem spat blood, his teeth clenched. "We had a deal," he growled through gritted teeth.

Darion’s face twisted with fury. "A deal? Look closely, look at who the fuck you provoked. That’s Eros."

Railem’s eyes widened, his body trembling. "No... no, that’s impossible."

Darion slammed him hard against the console. The crack of bone echoed as Railem’s nose broke, blood spilling down his face. His features were bashed in, his arrogance stripped away in an instant.

Darion glanced at Maximus, and Maximus looked back. Both men were already calculating, already thinking of how to throw the other under the bus.

The reason they feared Eros was simple: he had tormented the Calamity Alliance for years. Like a bully staking his claim on the playground, Eros had beaten them into submission, shattered their fleets, and left them scrambling. After that, whatever Eros demanded, they provided swiftly, without complaint. All four had sworn never to cross him again.

Yet here they were, having provoked the hornet’s nest. Darion unmute the connection and forced a smile, his voice dripping with false cheer.

"Big brother, what a surprise."

Eros on the screen had a cold and unyielding gaze. He looked at Darion as though staring at a dead pig.

Darion’s smile faltered, but he pressed on. "We happened to find this guy on our way. Is he what you are looking for?"

Darion’s men dragged Railem forward, his body limp and grimacing, blood dripping down his face. His nose was broken, his features swollen, but Darion forced him upright, presenting him like a trophy.

"We... we thought we should bring him to you," Darion said, his voice trembling, trying to mask fear with forced confidence.

"Yes," Maximus added quickly, his tone oily. "We were doing the right thing."

Eros stared at them, his gaze cold, unblinking. It was the look of a predator sizing up prey. His silence was heavier than words, as though saying: You must think I am stupid. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Darion laughed nervously, sweat beading on his forehead. "What if we hand him to you, and then we go on our merry way?"

Eros tilted his head, his voice calm, almost mocking. "Sure."

Darion and Maximus both exhaled in relief, their shoulders sagging. But the relief was short-lived.

"Or," Eros continued, his tone sharpening like a blade, "I blast you to oblivion and tell the world that the poor First Prince was abducted and killed by you two. Thus, in retaliation, we annihilated your fleet."

Darion’s face turned pale, his lips trembling. Maximus panicked, his voice cracking. "It was all Darion! Eros, please spare me!"

Eros smirked, the faintest curl of his lips. Railem, terrified beyond reason, shook his head violently, his body trembling.

Darion already knew how ruthless Eros could be. Once he spoke, he never went back on his word.

The plasma cannons on Eros’s warships engaged, their hum filling the void. Alarms blared across Darion and Maximus’s fleets as their ships scrambled into defense mode.

"Oh shit," Darion muttered, his voice hollow, as Eros gave the order.

The barrage was merciless. The fleet that had seemed majestic moments ago was reduced to scrap, torn apart by searing plasma fire. Massive chunks of twisted metal floated in the sea of black, glowing faintly as they drifted into nothingness.

Eros wasn’t the type to be neglectful. His voice was calm and commanding as he said, "Send patrols. Search for survivors. End them."

***

The warship hummed softly as it cut through the void, returning before Jian Rui’s ceremony began. In the private lounge, Yu Xi and Jian Ci sat together, the silence between them comfortable, charged with unspoken words.

Yu Xi tilted his head, catching Jian Ci’s gaze. "What?"

Jian Ci leaned closer, his voice low, almost conspiratorial. "After this... can we go on a vacation for a while?"

Yu Xi smiled faintly. "Sure. I will ask everyone’s schedule, and we can go together."

But Jian Ci’s hand slid into his, their fingers entwining tightly. "No. Just the two of us."

Yu Xi met those dazzling eyes, his lips curving. "Just you and me?"

Jian Ci’s smile grew wider, brighter. "Just you and me."

Yu Xi hesitated, his practical side surfacing. "Jian Rui might need your help. Are you sure a vacation is the best thing right now?"

Jian Ci shook his head, his tone firm. "He doesn’t need us. He has plenty of help."

Yu Xi sighed. "I still think he will need us."

But Jian Ci wasn’t about to give up. He began kissing Yu Xi’s face; his cheek, his jaw, coaxing him with every touch. "Run away with me," he whispered.

Yu Xi chuckled, playing hard to get. "No, we can’t."

Another kiss. "Come on."