You Don't Need to Answer

"Ma'am, I think you may have misunderstood something. He was looking for Pirate Queen Diana, not you."

"Though it seems the two of you share the same name." Astra raised an eyebrow and watched the woman before him with interest.

The same name as Diana? Could there really be such a coincidence?

"Queen Diana? Sorry, it seems I misunderstood." Upon learning that Beckett's group was looking for the queen who shared her name, the female alien immediately abandoned her little schemes.

No matter what they wanted, anything involving that woman was beyond her ability to provoke.

She was merely a parasite wasting away on N52 Star. There was no need to get dragged into the vortex created by these powerful figures. Though the guilty expression flashed across her face in an instant, it did not escape Astra's eyes.

"Sorry, but Her Majesty has always been elusive. I don't know where she is."

The female alien wisely chose to retreat, only to find the man in front of her gripping her shoulder tightly, leaving her unable to move.

"You're lying."

"Now, tell me where Diana is. Otherwise, die." The increasing force of Beckett's grip brought a pained expression to the female alien's face.

"You have deviated from the route. Woz is replanning it for you..."

"Woz, disable navigation."

The electronic notification from his wristband prompted Beckett to shut it off immediately. Ever since becoming accustomed to the intelligent Woz, he had nearly forgotten there was another way to find Pirate Queen Diana as quickly as possible.

That was to make Diana come to him.

"Please, let me go. I really don't know where Queen Diana is." Even with pain twisting her features, the female alien still refused to talk.

She still wanted to make a living here.

"Queen Diana had expressly forbidden us from revealing her location to outsiders. Otherwise, the consequences would be severe."

"I won't repeat the same question three times."

"I'll talk! I'll talk! I'll talk! I can take you there! Let go of me!"

With none of the onlooking pedestrians daring to offer help, the female alien finally gave in, and Beckett released his hand.

"You can call me Lilith. That is my current name." Rubbing her shoulder, Lilith's fluffy tail swayed from side to side behind her.

"Take me there."

Beckett had never been in the habit of remembering names. He coldly stared at the Lilith who had survived the ordeal and gave the order. The unquestionable tone in his voice made her heart sink. Looking around, she saw curious gazes and indignant stares, but not a single person willing to help.

"...Follow me." After a long silence, Lilith spoke after weighing the pros and cons.

"His Highness Beckett, I have a feeling something is wrong. This place feels strange. Maybe we should—" The Other tilted his head, Azure Scepter in hand, finally unable to suppress the doubts in his heart.

Whether it was this bustling street or the woman who had appeared before them through Astra, The Other felt that something was off.

Everything had happened too coincidentally, too deliberately.

The Other had always trusted his instincts.

But Beckett did not let him continue. Instead, he followed behind Lilith and headed toward Diana's location.

"Come on. What are you still thinking about?"

Astra, drinking Blue Dream, glanced at The Other, smiled, and shook his head before leisurely following after them.

Crossing the streets and turning through alleyways, Beckett finally reached their destination after seventy-two minutes of silence and leaving the bustling district behind: an extravagantly luxurious manor utterly out of place amid N52 Star's ruined environment.

Burgundy petals automatically sprayed down as Beckett entered, yet they could never stain him with their color.

When Beckett's group pushed open the doors, the woman seated upon the throne opened her closed eyes.

One of the N52 Seven Giants, Pirate Queen Diana.

"Your Majesty, I have brought them."

Lilith knelt on one knee before Diana, with not a trace of panic remaining on her face.

"You don't seem surprised at all." Diana toyed with the golden whip in her hand, her eyes watching Beckett beneath the throne with interest.

"Your little trick is boring." A disdainful smile curled Beckett's lips. He raised his right hand toward Lilith. A pillar of energy emerged from his fingertips and pierced straight through Lilith's chest!

Since his goal had been achieved, there was no need for the woman who had dared deceive him to continue existing.

Even The Other could sense how deliberate it was. How could Beckett not know? He did not care what tricks Diana wanted to play. All he wanted was the warship in her hands.

"Oh?" Diana narrowed her eyes as she looked at the corpse of her subordinate, whose eyes were wide open and face filled with disbelief.

"His Highness Beckett."

Sensing an enormous threat from Diana, The Other hurriedly took the Casket of Ancient Winters from his back into his hands, his eyes full of vigilance.

Whoosh!

The Other's vision blurred, and the Casket of Ancient Winters in his hands was already wrapped by Diana's golden whip.

Not good!

"May I take a look?" As soon as Diana's lazy words fell, The Other felt half his body suddenly short-circuit. The Casket of Ancient Winters immediately flew toward Diana atop the throne.

"Of course. You don't need to answer."

The golden whip carried the Casket of Ancient Winters straight back into Diana's hand. She toyed with it, disappointment appearing in her eyes.

"What a pity. It looks impressive but is useless—a disappointing toy."

She casually tossed it back at The Other, whose half of his body was still short-circuiting. The instant the Casket of Ancient Winters struck his chest, immense force erupted and sent him flying!

Mechanical parts scattered across the floor, and biological tissue began to bleed. The Other lay half-eyed on the ground, wriggling with difficulty.

"His Highness Beckett..."

The Other raised his head and reached out toward Beckett's back. His miserable state was enough to make even Astra, standing to the side, unable to bear watching.

"Now, stranger, you may begin introducing yourself."

"Provided that what you say satisfies me. Otherwise, you will end up like your subordinate." After casually dealing with The Other, Diana finally rose from her throne. Her long legs swayed in a seductive rhythm as she walked before Beckett, the smile on her face sending chills down Astra's spine from afar.

Beckett ignored Diana and turned to look at The Other. With a wave of his hand, a bottle of green healing fluid flew out from his wristband and landed beside The Other.

The green healing fluid quickly restored The Other's injuries, while the mechanical parts scattered across the ground vanished within seconds.

"I like this trick."

Diana raised an eyebrow and flicked her wrist. The golden whip lashed out once more, but this time, a hand seized it in midair.

"May I kill you?" Diana stared expressionlessly at Beckett, who had reached out his hand.

"Of course. You don't need to answer."

Thanks to A Licking Dog zz and Jumping Murderer for the tips~