Hah—
The shuddering sound of air being sucked through a rigid straw echoed through the gilded palace dining room.
Yang Ming let out a low sigh. Sitting in his chair, he patted his insatiable belly and savored the delicious meal he'd just eaten.
Palace cuisine was the sort of thing that tasted a little strange at first, but once you got used to it, your taste buds could appreciate its complex, full-bodied, richly layered flavors.
As expected of a feudal empire in the age of interstellar exploration. The food was simply top-notch.
Yang Ming looked up at the two Highnesses across the long table.
"Aren't you hungry?" He gave an awkward chuckle and held back a burp.
The Second Prince's face darkened until it was black as the bottom of a pot.
Fourth Princess Emilia gave a soft snort. "Brother, you shouldn't have entertained this rude man. He can't even say thank you."
"Thank you for your hospitality, Second Prince." Yang Ming blinked lightly.
The Second Prince's blood pressure showed signs of rising sharply.
The female bodyguard beside him asked quietly, "Your Highness... should I throw him out again?"
"Throwing things from a great height is illegal. You should respect a planet's gravity," the Second Prince said coolly. "Besides, I only hurt my back. Otherwise, I'd have shown this ill-mannered fellow what I'm really capable of."
"Come on. I'll play a few rounds with you," Yang Ming said with a smile. "Don't lie. This planet's gravity is already on the low side, about eighty-six percent of the Milky Way's standard gravity. You're in such good shape. Could you really have strained your back?"
The Second Prince shrugged. "True. I just... well... did you come here to play ball?"
"Of course. And there are some things men need to talk about."