Chapter 273 - How to win him over

The next morning Li Wang woke naturally and went out to help the soldiers with anything he could. He was stuck doing the smaller tasks—carrying water, passing tools, sweeping up debris—but even those left him exhausted. Despite the cold wind, sweat trickled down his back and his shirt clung unpleasantly to his skin."You don’t have to do so much. You’re already tired," someone chuckled softly at his side.

He looked up and saw the Farian woman again. She held out a small cloth to him. "Thanks," he said, taking it and wiping his face clean. He dropped down onto the ground and panted, shoulders hitching with each breath. She sat down beside him without fuss.

"How long do you have until the black hole closes?" he asked between breaths.

"Ten days," she answered. "We have ten days to sort out our spaceship. Things are going kind of smoothly." She gestured toward the massive Grayling ship they’d hauled in and were dismantling for parts and components. "But I hope our own ships don’t shoot us down thinking we’re Graylings," she added with a tight smile.

Li Wang smirked despite his fatigue. "Well, you can paint on your sigil. Maybe that would stop them from shooting."

She blinked at him, surprised, then brightened. "That seems like a great idea. I’ll have them execute it immediately."

She jumped up and began instructing their men in her own language, her voice confident and commanding. The soldiers moved quickly, chatting happily amongst themselves as they worked, while Li Wang sat a little apart, watching in awe. The Farian soldiers were impressively efficient; in just a day and a half, they had already assembled nearly everything needed.

As he looked around, his gaze caught on the familiar sweep of blond hair amidst the crown of workers. The crown prince had his back to him, speaking softly to his soldiers. His long hair was tied neatly, flowing down to his waist, catching the breeze in soft cascades. He wore a loose white cotton shirt that fluttered lightly, clinging to the contours of his muscular back.

Li Wang bit the inside of his cheek, torn between admiration and disbelief. How can they decide a perfect stranger is their lifelong mate? Don’t they get to know each other first? And they all marry men—how will their generations continue? Will they never have children?

Suddenly, the man he had been watching so intently turned, catching his eyes. Those golden orbs seemed to peer straight into his soul. Li Wang froze, unable to look away, unable even to blink. The prince’s gaze lingered only for a moment before he nodded slightly and turned away again.

Li Wang’s brow furrowed in frustration. See? He doesn’t have any feelings for me either. Such nonsense, this mate thing. It’s a waste of time. Feeling a surge of irritation, he got up and left to help the others, pushing his conflicting thoughts aside.

Caelus stood quietly, watching his mate walk away, kicking small stones along the dirt path. The human looked frustrated, muttering under his breath and swinging his arms slightly as he moved. But instead of annoyance, a soft smile spread across Caelus’s face. The sight was oddly... endearing. He was trapped, unable to look away, his golden eyes following every little movement.

"Your Highness," Katrina’s voice broke his thoughts as she approached, bowing slightly. "Our ship will be ready in about a day or so. I’ll have the men collect the remaining supplies."

As she spoke, Katrina noticed Caelus’s gaze fixed on someone in the distance. The human had stopped by a tree, jumped up, and plucked a small fruit. It was pink and round, and he bit into it with a small, satisfied hum.

"What is that he’s eating? He seems to relish it," Caelus whispered softly, almost to himself.

"That is a peach, Your Highness," Eren answered enthusiastically from nearby. "It’s very delicious."

Caelus’s lips curved into a small smile. "Then... shall we collect a few trees to bring back to our planet?"

"Your Highness?" Katrina asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"After all, the environment here on Earth is compatible with Gia. We can plant a few more," Caelus whispered, still watching the young man eat the fruit to its core. "And he seems to enjoy them."

Eren chuckled softly, glancing at the human. "He doesn’t just enjoy peaches. He loves apricots and cherries too. He once hit me in the head and stole my entire stash."

Caelus’s eyes shimmered, his golden gaze lingering on Eren. "You... you know of his likes and dislikes?"

"Of course, Your Highness. I’ve lived with him for a few years now," Eren replied.

A soft, almost hesitant smile spread across Caelus’s face. "Then... can you... can you help me win him over?" he whispered, voice low and earnest, eyes glittering with a mixture of hope and longing.

Eren’s smile turned awkward, but he nodded gently. "Okay... I guess I can."

Katrina’s eyes widened as she stared at her Highness, disbelief clear in her expression. "Is he your...?"

"Yes," Caelus whispered, his voice soft and tinged with sadness. "He is my mate... but he seems to hate the idea of being my mate."

Katrina blinked, stunned. "But... it’s an honor to be a royal mate."

Caelus let out a quiet, almost hollow laugh. "He is... but he is just a human. He doesn’t understand us, our ways, our expectations. He sees only what he wants to see."

Eren, standing a few paces away, spoke up with careful honesty. "Your Highness... I’m going to be very truthful here. You’ll have to do a lot of human-style flirting if you want to win him over. That said... I can’t promise he’ll respond. From what I’ve seen, the man is very stubborn. Very stubborn."

Caelus’s gaze dropped, his golden eyes lingering on the horizon as if he could see his mate walking there. "I’ve waited for him my whole life... I’ll do anything to win him over."