In the end, after the IPC deliberately exaggerated the 'miracle' that happened in Kasbelina-VIII, the news spread across every civilized star system at the speed of light.
[Peace has descended—former enemies now join hands to build a new future!]
["Emissary of Peace, Lucian, achieved the historic reconciliation of Kasbelina-VIII single-handedly!]
[As the light of Harmony shines upon the war-torn land, the battlefield has become a cradle of hope! Robin sings for the children!]
Unexpectedly, the IPC spared no effort in shaping Lucian into a 'peace-maker,' skillfully downplaying his terrifying methods of 'erasure' and instead emphasizing the 'results' he brought—a ceasefire, peace, reconstruction, and the comfort brought by Robin's voice.
They even awarded Lucian a glittering medal that read 'Emissary of Peace'—just to show goodwill, strengthen cooperation, and build closer ties.
Of course, Lucian never went to claim it, so the medal was ultimately framed and hung in the IPC's Hall of Honor.
On countless planets ravaged by war, in dark and damp air-raid shelters, and inside crude relief tents, the children no longer only spoke of Robin's angelic singing voice but also began to clumsily piece together a vague, tall figure clad in black using discarded shell casings, broken bricks, or even mud.
They called him 'The Dark Guardian,''The Man Who Silenced the Wars,' or 'Robin's Emissary of Peace.'
In their childish drawings, there was always a white figure of a woman with wings behind her ears singing, and beside her stood a black figure as tall as a mountain, shielding her from every explosion and bullet.
In the children's eyes, Robin represented affection and admiration, while that dark shadow embodied pure worship and safety—he was the myth that descended upon a world of despair, the hero who could truly make the nightmares end.
Lucian had become, in the hearts of countless children, the most direct and powerful symbol of a 'hero.'
And all of this was seen clearly by Robin.
Once again, the two had just finished their 'temporary teaching' on a remote planet, and after watching the children wave goodbye reluctantly, their spaceship lifted off, gliding toward the deep sea of stars.
Robin sat by the spaceship window, gazing at the flowing starlight outside while holding a small stone that a child had secretly given her in her hand.
On it, drawn with crooked charcoal lines, was a little dark figure protecting a little white one.
"Father."
Robin's soft voice broke the quiet.
"Hmm?"
Lucian, sitting beside her, turned his head at her.
"Thank you..."
In Robin's clear eyes, the starlight reflected along with Lucian's image—filled with gratitude and dependence.
"Thank you for letting me sing without fear... Thank you for protecting me... and those children..."
Her words were light, yet they fell into Lucian's tranquil heart like a stone into a calm lake, sending faint ripples through it.
"Hmm, then how are you gonna thank me?" Lucian asked, then gave a gentle smile. "Give me a kiss?"
As he spoke, the flickering starlight glided across his face, making him look almost ethereal, as if he might fade away at any moment.
Such tenderness between father and daughter had long been a natural part of their bond.
Right after Lucian's words fell, Robin leaned over and kissed his cheek without hesitation.
"You... You're my hero too..."
After giving a kiss on Lucian's cheek, Robin didn't pull away but stayed close instead, whispering in his ear.
Lucian's gaze locked onto Robin's, deep and heavy.
In those usually calm eyes, he could now clearly see the blush on her cheeks and the faint trembling of her wings.
He also saw the affection and longing in her eyes—barely concealed.
Under her father's quiet, intense stare, Robin, seeming to be bewitched by those eyes, rose slightly on her toes, closed her eyes, and with a reverent impulse, kissed his lips without warning.
As soon as their lips met, both of them trembled slightly, but after that brief touch, Robin suddenly drew back like a startled bird—her face flushed red to the tips of her ears, and they trembled violently as she covered her mouth with her hands in panic.
"S-Sorry... I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean to..." Robin stuttered, her eyes darting away, filled with shame and self-blame. "No, this isn't right... really, it's not... you're my... how could I..."
Truth be told, she herself didn't even know what had come over her.
A moment ago, her mind had suddenly been seized by the deepest desire she had always kept hidden within the depths of her heart.
Lucian looked at his shy little bird before him, his expression soft and gentle.
Before his eyes, Robin had taken off her coat, leaving only a thin, form-fitting, sleeveless ribbed turtleneck that outlined her graceful figure. Due to the starlights outside the window, the gem ornament at the corner of her eye shimmered faintly, making her bright eyes appear even livelier.
Just then, a single strand of starlight slipped through the window, landing upon her tender lips—the interplay of light and shadow made them seem impossibly smooth, irresistibly tempting.
"Not right?" Lucian repeated Robin's words with a hint of teasing in his voice. "What exactly isn't right? Because of our status as father and daughter? Or... because of what others might think?"
Pressed by his overwhelming question, Robin instinctively shifted her body to get away from Lucian until her spine met the cold glass of the window, a clear indication that there was nowhere left for her to retreat.
"No! It's not about others!" Robin shook her head hard, hurriedly explaining. "I just... I just think... It's... It's odd..."
No matter how hard she thought, she couldn't find the right words—the weight of long-held morals and reasoning made her heart tremble in confusion.
Lucian sighed, then lifted his hand, letting his fingers gently brush against Robin's burning cheek, carrying an irresistible strength as they tilted her chin upward—forcing her to meet his gaze.
"Little bird, look into my eyes and tell me—what feels wrong in your heart?"
In Lucian's unfathomably deep eyes, Robin not only saw her own reflection, clear and vivid, but she also saw the trembling emotion and unhidden longing that lay within.
In the next moment, she couldn't help but feel that whatever idle gossip outsiders might spread, before her father's overwhelming presence, all of it felt pale and powerless.
"I... You... don't really mind?" Robin hesitated, her words breaking apart softly.
"Mind? Honestly, the only thing I mind is you not daring to confide in me." Lucian slowly shook his head, then looked into Robin's beautiful eyes with a lot of affection. "Alright, it's time for things to change."
As soon as these words fell, he leaned down and kissed Robin's soft lips—it was no longer a fleeting touch, but a deep one.
In that instant, Robin's mind went completely blank.
Right and wrong, status or position—all of it crumbled to dust in that instant.
===
No one knew how much time had passed, but to Robin, the kiss just now felt as though it had been as long as a century.
Now, her eyes were hazy, as though she had just been pulled from the depths of the sea, while her cheeks were flushed like ripe berries and her wings drooping softly with a fragile beauty that spoke of total surrender.
"Then..." Robin said hesitantly, her voice husky from emotion, barely daring to meet Lucian's gaze. "From now on... y-you're my..."
"I'm what?"
Lucian raised an eyebrow, his gentle voice tinged with teasing amusement.
Gathering the last bit of courage she had, Robin looked up at him and continued speaking.
"Y-You're m-my boyfriend..."
Robin spoke stutteringly in a small voice, yet every word was clear to Lucian's ears.
As soon as she finished saying the words, she quickly lowered her head again in embarrassment, though her wings twitched upright just a little, betraying her anticipation and happiness.
"Hmm, just a boyfriend?" Lucian asked teasingly, his fingertips brushing over Robin's sensitive wings, drawing a faint shiver from her.
"W-Well, the rest..." Robin stiffened, her face turning even redder as she mumbled softly. "Depends... on Mother's decision..."
"Haha, no need to ask." Lucian let out a low chuckle, then leaned in, his warm breath brushing against Robin's neck, sending tingles down her spine. "In our little family, I make the rules."
===
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