Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT)
Chapter 376: Mushy Marshmallow.

Chapter 376: Mushy Marshmallow.

The Imperial Lord cleared his throat, cutting through the thick atmosphere. "We can deal with this later." He turned to Emperor Xandr, his tone shifting to one of apology. "My apologies for making you witness this joke."

Emperor Xandr chuckled softly. "No, your son has guts. I like that." His eyes narrowed as he focused on Xiang Yu. "You should never let anyone walk over you. Otherwise, they will take advantage of you."

Xiang Yu nodded slightly like he was truly listening to his advice. The atmosphere, once slightly tolerable, had shifted and the dinner was no longer festive. As the last course was cleared away, Xiang Yu rose to leave

"Your Highness," Prince Sirius called, stepping forward with feigned enthusiasm. "I heard your palace is dazzling. I would love to see it for myself."

Han Xin, standing close by, froze for an instant. An anger that had simmered beneath the surface threatened to erupt, but he quickly regained his composure as Xiang Yu pulled on his cloak.

"I truly can’t afford to host such a big figure," Xiang Yu replied, his smile betraying a hint of disdain.

Sirius edged closer, his smile flirtatious. "Since we are going to be family, shouldn’t we get along?" He cast a glance at Han Xin, a deliberate challenge in his gaze.

Before Xiang Yu could retort, Princess Sienna’s voice rang out. "Father!"

Emperor Xandr’s tone shifted, firm and unyielding. "Sirius." The single word carried the weight of authority.

Sirius’s smile faltered as he stepped back. "See you tomorrow, Your Highness."

Xiang Yu turned to leave but was halted by his father’s attendant. The old man inclined his head. "Your Highness, His Majesty said you should take Princess Sienna to the palace where she will be staying. And you are to meet with him right after."

Xiang Yu felt so annoyed that he wanted to hit someone. Not in the mood to deal with the Imperial Lord, he nodded coolly at his father before turning to Sienna. "Shall we."

Eager anticipation lit up Sienna’s face as she glided gracefully from the dining room, Xiang Yu following closely behind, with Han Xin and the steward trailing. The palace where the Royal family of the Federation was going to reside for the duration of their visit was conveniently connected to the main palace, eliminating the need for a hovercar.

Sirius, poised to follow, found himself beckoned by his father. Emperor Xandr pulled him close, a smile playing on his lips, but his warning was clear. "Don’t misbehave and ruin this."

Sirius nodded, though rebellion simmered beneath his surface. "Yes, father." It was a mere act, one he wore like a mask.

Imperial Lord Xiang interjected, "I heard you would like to have a look around. Perhaps my daughter can show you."

Reluctance flickered across Sirius’s face, but his father’s firm hand on his shoulder compelled him to smile. "Sure."

***

The moon hung low in the sky, casting a silver glow over the grand hallway. Xiang Yu and Princess Sienna walked side by side, their footsteps echoing softly against the marble floor. They looked like a perfect pair, but a silence enveloped them, thick and heavy. Sienna felt shy, her heart racing as she stole glances at Xiang Yu. He seemed distant, his mind elsewhere as if he was eager to escape this moment.

The arches of the hallway framed the lush garden beyond, where shadows danced among the flowers. Sienna picked at her dress, her fingers fidgeting nervously. After what felt like an eternity, she finally broke the stillness. "You... you look good today," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Xiang Yu turned to her, a small smile tugging at his lips. "You too... oh, and great acting today, by the way." He kept his tone light, almost teasing, but there was no warmth in his eyes.

Sienna’s heart fluttered. They had agreed to put on a show to pretend they were getting along to their parents. Yet, as she spent more time with him, she found herself genuinely interested in this enigmatic young man. "Yeah, thanks," she replied, lowering her voice.

"Just keep it up for a little longer, and you won’t have to deal with this anymore," he said, his expression unreadable.

She bit her lip, the words hanging in the air between them. After a moment, Sienna gathered her courage. "Do... do you have someone you like?"

Xiang Yu paused, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. Then, he smiled slightly, as if sharing a secret. "Yes, I do."

The admission hit Sienna like a cold wave. Her heart sank. She had heard the rumours that Xiang Yu had been with countless omegas, even rumoured to have a secret soft spot for alphas.

The thought of him liking someone made her stomach twist. "I heard you have dated a couple of people," she said cautiously. "Dated" felt like an understatement, but she couldn’t bring herself to repeat the harsher whispers circulating on StarNet.

"Don’t believe everything on StarNet," Xiang Yu replied, a hint of annoyance in his tone. "It’s just like now, where everyone is speculating that you are the "baby" I was referring to in the training simulation. It’s just people making stuff up."

"Oh," Sienna murmured, rubbing her arm nervously. Before coming to the Republic, she had watched that video and read the floating speculations. She felt a pang of annoyance thinking Xiang Yu might actually like her.

Now, standing beside him, she felt unsettled by the truth. She now wished the rumour was real. So who was this person he liked? Were they better than her?

"What are they like... I mean the person you like?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Xiang Yu turned his head, glancing back at Han Xin, who was walking with Sienna’s sister and the steward. Sienna followed his gaze, confusion flickering across her face.

When he turned back to her, a hint of mischief danced in his eyes. "They have a cold face all day, like someone owes them millions. But inside, they are as mushy as a marshmallow."

Sienna couldn’t help but smile at his description, even as her heart ached. Who could he be talking about? The moonlight bathed them in a soft glow, but the distance between them felt insurmountable. She took a breath, wrestling with her emotions as they continued their walk under the watchful gaze of the stars.