The next morning, sunlight poured into the kitchen like scattered gold. Ace sat at the dining table, watching Gu Qing and Milton laugh and chat, hesitating for a long moment before finally gathering his courage. He lifted his eyes, fixing them on Gu Qing, his voice low but resolute: “I need to talk to you about something.”
Gu Qing gave a slight nod and followed Ace toward the study.
The small celestial companion lounged lazily on Milton’s lap, mumbling, “Ace has been acting strange again lately… I wonder what he’s up to.”
Milton gently stroked it, his tone soft: “It’s probably nothing bad.”
Inside the study, Ace drew a deep breath, meeting Gu Qing’s gaze directly. His voice carried an unprecedented firmness: “I am going to become the head of the Mel family.”
Gu Qing blinked slightly but quickly regained his calm. He looked at the young man before him and recalled that night in the rain when a boy full of hatred sank into the mud. Back then, Gu Qing had offered him an umbrella and a path full of unknowns, but had never walked it for him. Now, that seed had finally blossomed amid the ruins.
“Gu Qing, would you come next week to crown me?” Ace asked, his ruby-red eyes brimming with expectation.
Gu Qing’s lips curved into a faint smile, warmth flickering in his eyes: “Accompany me in a game of chess first.”
Ace paused, puzzled by the response, but nodded softly: “…Alright.”
Black and white pieces interwove across the board. Each move was both a display of Ace’s determination and Gu Qing’s silent guidance.
“The pieces are like people; the situation is like the world,” Gu Qing remarked, placing a piece with steady authority.
Ace stared at the board, his prior impatience slowly ebbing. He realized that each piece had intrinsic value—it couldn’t be controlled blindly nor discarded lightly. He had to observe, wait, and judge the optimal timing to allow every force to exert its fullest potential.
With each move, his thoughts clarified further: to truly protect Gu Qing, Milton, and Loes, and to shoulder his family’s responsibilities, he needed to find balance between patience and strategy even in the midst of conflict.
He looked up at Gu Qing, whose eyes were deep and warm, like a lantern that never dimmed. This was more than a game; it was a test of the future, a quiet expectation from Gu Qing.
When the game ended, the sunset bathed the study in amber light. Ace gazed at the chessboard, the intersecting lines of strategy evoking a rare clarity within him.
He recalled that hopeless, icy night of rain. If Gu Qing hadn’t pulled him from the mud, telling him “even a spark can give light,” if Gu Qing hadn’t guided him along a path of trials and madness, he might have decayed in hatred toward the world, remaining a mere pawn of fate forever.
Now, he had friends to stand beside him, had seen landscapes he once thought impossible, and possessed clear direction and a purpose for living.
Somewhere deep in Ace’s heart, a light had been fully ignited—a steady, resolute force telling him he no longer needed to be a discarded pawn of fate. He could carve his own path, for himself and those he cherished.
The study fell into a brief silence. He lowered his head, remaining quiet for a long moment, then spoke with sincerity: “Gu Qing… thank you. Thank you for never giving up on me.”
Gu Qing sat across from him, his gaze astonishingly gentle, silently acknowledging him with complete trust.
It was this very gentleness that finally broke Ace’s last defenses.
The next instant, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms tightly around Gu Qing’s waist, burying his face in that warm chest.
“Ugh…” Trembling sobs echoed in the study, carrying all the fear, loneliness, and helplessness he had bottled up. For the first time, he laid down his defenses completely in front of the one who had given him a second chance at life, exposing his vulnerability.
Gu Qing’s hand gently rested on Ace’s head, feeling the violent tremors of the young man in his arms. A pang of pain struck his heart, tempered with pride at Ace’s growth.
He could clearly feel that this was no longer the frail, emaciated boy of years past. Ace now stood with broad, solid shoulders, a long, lean physique brimming with latent power.
His ruby eyes remained clear, but the contours of his face had shed youthfulness, sharp and resolute. The former insecurities had been forged by time and responsibility into a quiet edge.
“You’ve really grown,” Gu Qing murmured, voice filled with both relief and tenderness. “This path has been hard, but you’ve done so well… braver, more capable than I ever imagined.”
Ace stayed in Gu Qing’s embrace for a long while. When he finally lifted his head, his eyes were tinged red, but the confusion in them had completely vanished, replaced by a calm born of fire-forged rebirth.
He knew this would be the last time he displayed weakness before others.
“Gu Qing,” Ace slowly released him, stepping back and standing straight as a pine, his voice hoarse yet resolute: “Next week, watch me. I will become a strength that can protect everyone, someone… who can stand beside you.”
Gu Qing said nothing, brushing away the last traces of moisture from Ace’s eyes and gently patting his shoulder. That silent approval conveyed more joy to Ace than words ever could.
The next morning, Ace formally bid farewell to Gu Qing and Milton, returning alone to Mel Castle.
The following week, he immersed himself fully in the heart of power. As the new head, all ceremonial details—restarting the castle’s defense systems, reorganizing staff, negotiating protocols with nobles—rested squarely on his shoulders.
Late at night, atop Mel Castle, the study’s lights dimmed to a soft glow. Ace sat alone in the cold levitating chair, several pale-blue holographic screens before him. Complex defense data, resource flows, and family lineage charts overlapped like an impenetrable web, surrounding him.
At that moment, a communication request silently popped up in a corner of the screen. Ace’s fingers paused slightly; upon seeing the caller, his tense shoulders relaxed just a fraction. “Connect.”
Loes’ figure appeared on the screen, his tone gentle and calm: “Still up so late? Looks like you’ve made up your mind to officially take on the Mel family’s leadership.”
Ace leaned back, letting out a low, rare laugh, fatigue seeping into his voice: “Yes. It took some effort to get those stubborn old fools to agree.”
He glanced at the data flickering on the screen, calm but tinged with sarcasm: “To them, a male being pampered, protected, and made family head is absurd.”
“But haven’t I defied expectations before?” Ace’s lips curled into a sharp, confident arc. “If I hadn’t managed Qingyuan, how could the Mel family have regained its current glory? Though there’s still opposition, I don’t care.”
He studied the family’s lifeline network, his voice low and decisive: “Now, the Mel family depends on me for survival. Whether they oppose it or not is irrelevant.”
On the other side of the screen, Loes’ gaze softened, imbued with a worldly understanding: “You’ve always been this way—unbound by rules.” His tone carried a trace of pride, a sense of relief. “And now, you finally stand where you should.”
Ace nodded, lowering his eyes. Though he had never hesitated during negotiations that decided the family’s fate, even a simple invitation made him feel a rare flutter of nerves.
He spoke after a brief pause, voice soft: “Loes… would you return from Onia to attend my coronation?”
Loes seemed taken aback, then a warm smile lit his amber eyes.
“Of course,” Loes replied without hesitation. “No matter the distance, this is your most important day. I will be there. On that day, I will watch you—not as the head of the Mel family, but as Ace.”
Ace’s tense posture finally relaxed completely. His once-sharp features softened under the holographic light: “…Alright.”
The call ended, and silence returned to the study. Ace looked once more at the holographic screens, his gaze steadier than before. He would allow no flaw in this ceremony. He traced calculated arcs across the data, repeatedly simulating every scenario, fully aware of the hidden currents of power that could stir among vested interests.
As fatigue and the chill of night seeped in, his fingers instinctively brushed the desk, recalling the tactile sensation of the chessboard. He lifted his eyes beyond the window lattice—though Gu Qing was out of sight, he knew that person believed in him.
Time flew, and soon it was the day of the Mel family’s coronation.
After a long hiatus, the gates of Mel Castle opened once more. The ancient castle, built under the direction of the first head, Asor Mel, had stood for a thousand years, witnessing countless eras of change and glory. Perched on a cliff above a cobalt bay, the castle overlooked the sea, the wind salty, the sunlight angled.
The grand hall gleamed in gold and red, luxurious wall carvings flickering in the light. Several floating broadcast spheres transmitted the scene across the stars. Service robots moved efficiently, presenting sparkling drinks and delicate pastries, guiding nobles to their seats.
The star network buzzed with comments:
“This is the first time in a millennium a male has ascended as head of the family—legendary!”
“He owns Qingyuan too, with immense wealth.”
High-ranking nobles from the capital planet had nearly all arrived, whispering about the confirmed news: Qingyuan’s cuisine could purify the spiritual sea, and with it, the Mel family’s influence might return to the top. Surprisingly, the usually loud and rebellious male nobles were unusually quiet, their eyes betraying complex emotions as they stood aside observing.
As solemn music swelled, the doors slowly opened.
“Welcome the new head of the Mel family—Head Ace Mel!”
The purple-haired, red-eyed young man strode onto the radiant carpet, clad in a crimson suit accented with gold streaks, highlighting his tall, upright frame. On his chest, the Flame Lotus family crest gleamed, petals gradating from deep red to golden edges, like burning flames—symbolizing the Mel family’s honor and loyalty.
Along the way, Loes, Milton, Filly, Il, and Vely rose, their gazes warm with pride, applause rolling like tides through the hall.
Ace moved with measured steps to the end of the ceremonial platform, the entire hall falling silent.
The master of ceremonies announced loudly: “Today, we especially invite Duke Moya—Gu Qing—to crown the new head, Ace!”
Gu Qing, clad in a sharp black suit, entered from the side, exuding an aura of calm authority. He approached Ace and slowly lifted the Flame Lotus alloy scepter.
Looking at the young man, Gu Qing’s voice was solemn and warm, echoing through the hall: “Ace Mel, do you accept this scepter, undertaking the duty to protect the bloodline and honor of your family, until death?”
Ace drew a deep breath, meeting Gu Qing’s gaze. The confusion in his red eyes was gone; his words rang out clear, resonant like hammered metal:
“I, Ace Mel, swear today—
“To uphold not just the thousand-year legacy of the Mel family, but to lead my people and create a new destiny from the decay.
“I shall protect my kin as their head, strike down all who threaten us. If there is no path ahead, I will carve one with my own blood and bones; if the stars extinguish, I will burn to become the light. This will never waver, this oath never fade, until my soul is consumed!”
He then kneeled, taking the scepter from Gu Qing’s hand. As his spiritual energy flowed into it, the red-gold Flame Lotus blazed like fire, spreading along the hall’s energy network. Streams of brilliant light raced between columns and carvings, the dome forming an energy shield, and the castle seemed reborn, resonating with its head’s power.
Holding the scepter, Ace’s posture radiated awe-inspiring authority.
The master of ceremonies’ voice rose, brimming with excitement: “All present, pay homage!”
On both sides of the hall, hundreds of representatives from the Mel family’s main and branch lines, as well as allied nobles, bowed deeply in unison.
“Hail the head! We pledge to be the sword to clear your path; to be the shield to defend the Mel name!”
“May honor be with you, may the Mel glory endure!”
Ace swept his gaze over those who had returned, once lost due to the family’s decline, now drawn back by his strength. He slowly raised the scepter, his voice commanding and absolute: “Rise. From today onward, the Mel family’s banner shall fly atop the stars once more, and your loyalty will be the finest foundation beneath it.”
The master of ceremonies proclaimed: “From today, Ace Mel officially ascends as the new head of the Mel family!”
Thunderous applause and cheers erupted. Male and female nobles shouted in unison. Gu Qing stood behind Ace, witnessing him command the ceremony with his own power, pride and relief gleaming in his eyes. Ace had become their light.
As the hall settled, applause resounded again, tinged with a new awe. Today, Ace was not just the family head; his calm decisiveness and martial prowess embodied the power of a new generation of males.
Live broadcasts across the star network captured the event, igniting global excitement. Comments poured in like a storm:
【Oh my… he wielded the scepter like a sword, my heart can’t take it!】
【This isn’t a male, this is a galactic war god!】
【I want him as my head so badly!】
【Mel family… I’m done, I’ve completely fallen for this male!】
Among the fevered admiration, unease lingered. Some saw Ace as the birth of a legend, others sensed that a male’s rise meant not only Mel family’s revival, but the reshaping of the entire star system’s power structure.
Guests held their breath. They knew a new era was dawning, and boldly declared across the stars: males would no longer be appendages of power, but new masters shaping the galaxy.
This moment would be etched in history and the star network, becoming a cross-generational legend.