For a moment, Marquis Yisha didn’t know why she was reacting this way.

She simply turned back in a daze and looked at the villa behind her once more.

At that exact moment, Yu Lan happened to look up.

Guided by the unseen hand of fate, their gazes met.

Looking into those bright, clear, beautiful eyes, Marquis Yisha subconsciously offered a reassuring smile.

Her hands, hanging at her sides, lifted slightly,

forming a gesture as if to embrace someone.

’What was I trying to embrace?’

The intersection of their fates was fleeting, impossible to grasp.

「The next moment」

They both looked away at the same time. Yu Lan was patiently listening to Shen Zueran, who was saying something beside her.

Her empty hands had embraced nothing—no soft, beautiful little child.

A sense of profound loss washed over her.

Arturo stood steadfast and dependable by Marquis Yisha’s side, like a great, silent mountain.

"I’m never coming back to Central Star again."

「After a long moment」

Marquis Yisha spoke.

She raised a hand to her chest.

She felt a dull ache.

Every time she came to Central Star, she lost something.

’So what did I lose this time?’

Subconsciously, Marquis Yisha’s mind conjured Yu Lan’s beautiful face.

Then she shook her head, sighing inwardly. ’I must be going mad.’

’Yu Lan is Belina’s child. What could she possibly have to do with me?’

As for Louisa... having grown up all these years away from her and Arturo, she had become the spitting image of Belina.

And she, so far away on Rose Star, was willing but unable to help—it was simply beyond her reach.

She couldn’t even bring herself to make the hard decision to take Louisa away from Central Star.

"Let’s go."

Marquis Yisha sighed again, took Arturo’s hand, and walked toward the Starship in the distance.

"Back to Rose Star."

The silhouette of Central Star was left far behind the Starship.

「Meanwhile」

「Imperial Palace」

Queen Belina’s expression darkened after hearing the guard’s report.

"You’re certain you saw Marquis Yisha visit Yu Lan before she left?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, yes."

"I saw it with my own eyes."

The guard replied, kneeling loyally on one knee.

Belina’s face changed instantly at his words. Suppressing the panic rising in her heart, she waved her hand.

"I understand. You are dismissed."

Only after the guard had fully retreated and the doors to the grand hall were closed did Belina’s expression sink completely.

’She had to see her one last time before leaving Central Star?’

’Truly a mother and daughter through and through!!!’

’What a pity.’

A mocking, malicious smile curved Belina’s lips.

’In this lifetime, Isha will never know the truth.’

’She can only go on treating Louisa as her own biological daughter, supporting her claim to the throne.’

’Just like back then, when I altered the imperial edict and stole Isha’s throne.’

’And now, my daughter, Louisa, is about to steal Yu Lan’s throne.’

A glint flashed in Belina’s eyes.

"The National Day is approaching, isn’t it?"

"It’s time for the Chief Ceremony Officer to pay me a visit."

*

「Meanwhile, on the other side」

Escorted by the First Legion, the delegation from Garbage Star arrived at their home planet with Gu Deming’s body.

At the trial, they had been forced to slander Gu Deming to lower the public’s guard, unable to bear watching the fruits of his ultimate sacrifice come to nothing.

On the Starship, the members of the delegation had carefully changed Gu Deming into a clean set of clothes, wiping the grime and blood from his face and treating his wounds.

Lying in the Ice Coffin, Gu Deming had a faint smile on his lips. He looked so lifelike, still the same respected and admired Star Commander of Garbage Star.

The members of the delegation couldn’t hold back, their eyes turning red as they repeatedly wiped them.

"Star Commander... how could you just leave us like this?"

"What will Garbage Star do without you?"

A look of utter confusion was on every delegate’s face.

They were a collection of former gang bosses, enforcers, street thugs, and scavengers from the trash heaps.

Before Gu Deming appeared, they had all just been getting by, living day to day.

Then he came to Garbage Star and became its Star Commander.

He was like a ray of light piercing the darkness, waking them from their chaotic numbness and teaching them what it meant to feel cold and warmth.

They began to learn how to live like human beings, to have their own Hope.

Now, with Gu Deming’s sudden departure, what were they supposed to do!

At this thought, a fresh wave of sorrow washed over them, and they began to cry out loud.

Finally, the middle-aged man, Barnes, stepped forward.

"Alright, that’s enough crying."

"Straighten yourselves up. We’re about to arrive at Garbage Star, and everyone is waiting for us to bring back good news."

"If the Star Commander were still here, he wouldn’t want to see us like this."

It’s unclear which of his words moved them.

But they began to stir.

They quickly wiped their eyes and composed themselves. Aside from their red-rimmed eyes, which betrayed their grief, they once again looked like the high-spirited people who stood by their Star Commander, full of passionate dreams for the future.

Only they knew that the passion had cooled, leaving nothing but desolation.

The Starship’s main hatch slowly opened.

Even before it was fully open, the excited shouts of the crowd—who had heard the news and rushed to the Star Port overnight—flooded in.

"It’s opening! The Starship door is opening!"

"The Star Commander will be out in a minute! Everyone, pay attention! Remember the welcome slogan we just practiced? Don’t forget the words, nobody forget the words!"

"We have to be loud and in unison! Shout as loud as you can so the Star Commander can see how proud we are!"

"The Star Commander must be bringing us good news! Hmph, I’m telling you, that Princess Louisa is despicable, doing something so deranged."

"I heard a lot of big shots on Central Star were shaken up. Her Majesty the Queen will surely punish her severely."

Hearing this, the eyes of the delegates, who had just managed to compose themselves and force smiles onto their faces, began to turn red uncontrollably once more.

"We’re sorry... we’re sorry... we’re sorry..."

Not only had they failed to bring back the good news of victory, but they had also allowed their pristine Star Commander’s name to be stained with filth.

The men could no longer hold back their sorrow. Their hands, clenched into tight fists at their sides, trembled as they began to sob.

A group of rough, middle-aged men crying... it was an ugly sight.

Because the incident on Garbage Star had caused such a stir, Queen Belina had ultimately not ordered the lifting of their Star Network blockade.

They had no way of learning the final outcome of the affair from the Star Network.

Their upturned faces were filled with anticipation.

’Our Star Commander is so amazing, he’s definitely bringing back good news for us, right?!’

’He has to.’

The First Legion guards, who knew everything, watched this scene with expressions of pity. Their lips moved silently for a moment, but in the end, they said nothing at all.