The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

THEY were walking very closely to each other, their bodies almost attached together. In the eyes of the other people who was watching them, it certainly looked like they were hugging each other. The guests who saw them would only think that they were showing affection.

It was just as Emmy wanted. This way no one would suspect that she was up to something.

They entered the resting area and she told him to take him to the room at the end of the corridor. Once they walked inside, Emmy sat down on one of the couches there and still acted like she was dizzy. 

Cecil put a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. "If you're not used to drinking alcohol, then you shouldn't have drunk too much."

Emmy moved away from the other's touch. She didn't really drink that much. She only acted like she did. The fact that Cecil didn't notice it proved that his interest in her wasn't really that deep. She had a guess that he only liked her face. 

She realized that when Gage mentioned to her that she and his adoptive mother had the same eye shape and color. The fact that his mother was found with her eyes gouged out of her probably meant that Cecil chose his victims based on their eyes. If they suited his perverted taste, then they would be the unlucky target of his desire. 

Gage meaningfully said to her once that a person like Cecil Lancaster should probably had a trigger. A person or an event that triggered his perverse lunacy. Unless, of course, he was born like that. 

Emmy knew that Gage was trying to say something to her. But probably because he was afraid that it would hurt her, he couldn't bear to tell it to her directly. After all, it was just a guess and he didn't have any evidence to support it. But even though Gage didn't tell her his suspicion, Emmy still had a hunch of what it was.

If that hunch was true, then it could explain a lot of things. Her father's behavior, why Cecil even proposed to her. But she'd rather it was not. Because if it was, then that's just too sad. And painful.

A lot of emotion swirled inside her. But she knew that this was not the time for this. So, she took a deep breath and forcefully calmed herself. What she needed to do now was to keep Cecil's attention on her.

She raised her head. "Thank you for accompanying me." She smiled. "Maybe you're not so bad after all."

Cecil seemed to be dazzled by her smile. He stared at her intently. "This likeness is truly uncanny."

Emmy felt her heart tightened at Cecil's words. Because she knew the other was comparing her to her mother. [No. Don't think about that possibility. Not right now.]

Then she saw him closing the distance between them. She forced herself to stand still. Because at the corner of her eye, she saw the opposite wall opening and Gage walking out of it.

Cecil Lancaster had an S level physique. He would surely hear the opening of the wall. So, she pulled him closer. It startled him and gave time for Gage to rush forward and hit the back of Cecil's head. The loud thump she heard showed just how much force Gage used to hit the other. Cecil showed a pained expression, then his eyes rolled upward before falling forward.

Emmy was ready to push him away but Gage quickly pulled him back. Cecil landed unconscious on the floor. 

"Are you alright?" Gage asked.

She stood up. "Yeah."

She looked at the unconscious Cecil. Blood trickled down from his forehead, proving just how much force Gage used to hit him. It would be good if they could just kill him right here, right now. But then, they wouldn't accomplish their other objective – to show the people of the Empire what kind of monster Cecil Lancaster truly was. They couldn't just let the people think that he was the victim here.

"Let's go. Our aircraft is already ready. We could immediately warp to our destination once we get to the aircraft."

Emmy nodded as a response to what Gage said.

Gage first bound the hands and feet of Cecil, then gagged him before pulling him up effortlessly. He entered the secret door and she followed.

Emmy noticed that the door automatically closed when they entered. The lights in the narrow passageway turned on as they walked.

She didn't know what kind of deal Gage made with the owner of Dionysius for him to allow them access to this passageway. Not only that, he also assured that the room they were just in didn't have any cameras that could capture what just happened. He would also let them access their space warp.

"Gage, the deal you had with the owner of Dionysius… it's not something like you giving your life to him, right?" she asked worriedly.

Gage stopped for a moment then he chuckled. "My lady surely has a rich imagination. I assure you, he didn't want my life. It's not worth that much anyway."

"That's not true!" Emmy quickly said at his own condescending remark on himself. Then she realized that her response was a bit too enthusiastic. Her whole face heated up because of that. "I- I mean, a person's worth couldn't be measured just like that." 

Gage coughed in embarrassment. His ear tips turning red. "I offered him a rare kind of drug in exchange for this small assistance," he just said, changing the subject.

Emmy was thankful for the change in topic. She became quickly interested by what he said. "A drug?"

"Yes. It was developed by the person I saved back in the mining planet I was thrown in."

She remembered that this was also the person who helped Gage get a new identity. If he was someone who could create a drug that could attract the interest of the owner of Dionysius, then he must be a one-of-a-kind genius.

They finally arrived at the end of the passageway. And just like Gage said, an aircraft was already waiting for them there. 

Gage unceremoniously dropped Cecil at the back. Then he opened the door for Emmy. If not for the situation, she would probably be amused that he still had time to act like a gentleman at a time like this. 

She got inside the aircraft and Gage walked to the other side to sit on the driver's seat. 

"Are you ready?" he asked.

Emmy nodded. "Yes."

Gage started the aircraft. Then they warped out of there – leaving Dionysius behind their trail.