The new soothing agent was good

Charles had a headache.

Taking damage beyond his limits could indeed injure his mental power, but it could not explain the strange connection between Shen Que's pain and his heats.

For that reason, he had specifically contacted Shen Que's attending physician on Messiah.

The other doctor had been just as baffled.

What puzzled him even more was discovering during their conversation that Shen Que had never gone into heat during his hospital stay on Messiah.

His heats had only begun after he arrived on White Sand Star.

Could Pei Ji be to blame?

But he clearly hadn't been there on the wedding day...

For some unknown reason, that unreliable Alpha had never told Shen Que the pattern of his heats. The Omega, who lost consciousness every time, was still in the dark.

Glancing at Shen Que's face, as calm as ever, Charles discreetly changed the subject.

"How have you been feeling mentally lately?"

"Fine," Shen Que said.

He had suffered some insomnia in the first few days after Pei Ji left, and his pheromones had been out of control. Especially at night, he would suddenly go into heat, but with the soothing agent on hand, he could quickly suppress it.

"The new soothing agent... I like it very much."

"...That's good." For some reason, Charles sounded a little unnatural.

"If you're running out, make sure you tell me in advance. At least... ten days ahead."

Shen Que frowned slightly.

"Dr. Li, I can use the previous soothing agent, actually. There's no need to go to so much trouble."

Charles disagreed.

"You can't use suppressants. Soothing agents are the only way to treat your pheromone disorder. With Pei Ji away, you have even less reason to settle."

"Since the one you used at the banquet made you uncomfortable, stick with the new one. Although this new soothing agent is rather... rare, and takes longer to produce, that's all right..."

The donor himself didn't mind, anyway.

Charles pinched the bridge of his nose.

That soothing agent had been synthesized from fresh pheromones extracted directly from Pei Ji's scent gland.

It was one of a kind in the entire Icarus Galaxy.

When Pei Ji told him he had never given Shen Que a soothing agent, then demonstrated releasing pheromones at a precise concentration of 20% on the spot, Charles had been stunned.

He had only given Pei Ji that children's book to help him handle emergencies.

He hadn't expected the guy to use it to master such a feat.

Human potential really was limitless.

Yet for Alphas and Omegas alike, the scent gland was an extremely sensitive organ.

Having a needle inserted to extract pheromones was an agonizing process.

But Pei Ji hadn't even frowned as he generously let Charles draw three large tubes of the undiluted fluid.

"Please take care not to bump into anything. Your bones are still recovering, after all," Charles reminded him.

Accidentally triggering a heat would waste the soothing agent, too.

Shen Que nodded earnestly.

Charles continued, "In short, your physical recovery still comes first. As for your mental power..."

"Several senior professors at the Life Sciences Research Institute have specialized in that field. I've arranged to meet them at the upcoming symposium, and I'll make inquiries for you then."

He had just finished speaking when the terminal on his wrist suddenly flashed.

Charles had intended to reject the call, but after glancing at the name, he answered it.

He gestured for Shen Que to wait a moment.

The instant the screen opened, several young faces crowded in front of the camera like chicks in a nest, squealing and chattering.

"Dr. Li! Are you free right now?"

"We've come up with a new research topic and want to try submitting a proposal. There are a few questions we'd like to ask you. Is now a good time?"

A complicated look flickered in Charles's eyes. He glanced at Shen Que before replying, "I'm at Verdant Dew. I'll be free in half an hour."

"Great!"

"We'll be right over!"

They ended the call.

Shen Que asked, "Your students?"

Charles nodded. "First-years."

He sighed.

"They're quite something."

The Life Sciences Research Institute combined teaching and research. Besides its headquarters on Messiah, it had three branches in the Icarus Galaxy.

White Sand Star was home to one of them.

Students aged twelve and above could enroll as long as they passed the entrance examination.

Charles held a teaching position at the institute and took on students every year.

But these students really gave him a headache.

After going through the remaining instructions one by one, Charles finally let Shen Que leave so he could face his difficult students.

Just then, a knock came at the door.

Anya knocked and entered, holding the terminal Shen Que had taken off for his examination.

"Sir, there's a call for you."

In the small garden at Verdant Dew Sanatorium.

Shen Que did not open the screen. He connected only the audio, his back instinctively straightening.

"Your Majesty."

"Is this a good time to talk?" Carolina's voice came through his earpiece.

Verdant Dew Sanatorium was Charles's private property, surrounded by thick hedges that made it quiet and secluded.

Although the Life Sciences Research Institute was right next door, entry here required a dedicated iris scan.

Several students in uniform passed along the path outside the sanatorium. The layers of trees muffled their animated conversation, leaving only indistinct words drifting into the garden.

Shen Que glanced at them.

"Yes."

Carolina got straight to the point. "By my reckoning, it's been nearly a month since you took over White Sand Star's ore trade. How are things going?"

Shen Que lowered his eyes. "I've essentially familiarized myself with all the mining operations and production lines."

White Sand Star's mineral deposits lay primarily beneath its vast desert regions.

Of the ores it produced, 60% were sand gold.

Sand gold with a purity above 88% was supplied to the Empire for mecha manufacturing, while anything below 88% was used to manufacture other machinery.

The ores other than sand gold fell into two categories: colored and colorless.

After extraction, they were first sorted.

Valuable ores of high purity and fine quality were processed into jewelry, precision instruments, or decorative coatings for mecha rated class A and above.

The rest were sold directly to various planets as ordinary construction materials.

"I'll send you the details."

"Excellent."

Carolina was very pleased.

"I assumed Ai Fan would follow convention and hand the ore trade over to Pei Ji, leaving the General Affairs Office to manage it as before. I never expected her to give it to you. That's saved me a great deal of trouble."

Shen Que remained silent.

Carolina asked again, "Have you found any loopholes in the production lines?"

Shen Que paused briefly.

"Yes."

A faint glint flashed in his eyes.

"But I'll need some more time to confirm the specifics."

Carolina asked no further questions.

That answer meant Shen Que was already eighty percent certain. Once he had final confirmation, he would naturally report it to her.

"Thank you for your hard work." Carolina's tone softened considerably. "How has your health been lately?"

"Fine."

A faint snort came from the other end. "That Pei Ji has returned to the fleet, hasn't he? Have you felt any discomfort without his pheromones?"

In truth, he had.

He felt palpitations and unease, much as he had before coming to White Sand Star. He slept lightly and startled awake easily.

Sometimes, while sitting or looking through documents, his mind would gradually go blank.

It was as though he could hear a certain person's familiar voice and smell his familiar pheromones.

We've only been apart for a week...

It's already been a week...

Shen Que suddenly realized he had let his mind wander during a call with the Empress. He hurriedly pulled his thoughts back and steadied himself.

"No noticeable discomfort."

The other end fell silent for a moment.

"He still hasn't marked you, has he?"

Shen Que replied, "That's correct."

Carolina snorted coldly. "I knew it... Newly bonded Alphas and Omegas experience a period of withdrawal after separating."

"The fact that you haven't means he hasn't marked you-that's a good thing."

"Once you've fully recovered and no longer need his pheromones, divorce will still be an option."

Divorce...

Shen Que's voice was slightly hoarse. "I understand."

"I'll wait for your news about the production lines."

With that, Carolina ended the call.

A clear birdcall rang through the silent garden.

Shen Que stood still for two seconds, then turned and left the garden.

Anya was waiting for him at the garden entrance.

"Sir, shall we return to Fallen Star Palace now?" Anya asked.

Shen Que considered it briefly.

"No. Go to the General Affairs Office."