“About that, I don’t know. All the adults are like that. They are worried and sighing every day, scared of everything.

“But we kids don’t. We are never scared of anything, much less a kind and fun alien like you!”

“Maybe, your species is too weak.

It thought for a long time and came to a conclusion. “You are floating in the universe like dust in the air. Everything around you is stronger than you. All the creatures and non-living creatures can swallow you easily. No wonder you are panicking all the time.

“But you don’t need to be scared now. Now that you have me, I will protect you. I… in your words, am very ‘powerful’. Even the most terrifying storms in the four-dimensional space cannot hurt me or you, who are protected by me. We can live happily ever after, just like the people in the stories.

Pepe opened his mouth, wanting to tell Shanuya that it was not the case. Even with the protection of the Void Hunters and the development of brand-new starship and shield technology, many people would still be caught in the storm during the four-dimensional space jump, torn apart and annihilated in the void.

However, although it had told so many stories, Shanuya still found it hard to understand the concepts of ‘individuals’ and ‘groups’. For most of its long life, it had been a lone wolf. It was a continuous, circular ecosphere. As far as it was concerned, as long as the main body of the community was preserved, it would be fine. But the deceased individuals would continue on in other individuals. Therefore, there was no need for pain or sorrow—just as it would not grieve over the loss of hundreds of tentacles. The tentacles could grow again if they were broken, and the dead could be reborn again. Did it matter?

“Exactly!”

“At that time, my ancestors were wandering in the sea of stars and suffered a lot. It was not until they encountered the previous generation of Void Hunters that they were able to live a peaceful life. Now, with the protection of Shanuya, we have nothing to fear.

“However, we are, after all, a small-scale carbon-based life form that hasn’t fully evolved yet. During the dark years when we were wandering in the sea of stars, the genes of fear have been deeply embedded in our cells. That’s why the adults are so nervous. They are scared of everything and do things that are incomprehensible for children. It’s quite pitiful when you think about it!”

“Maybe.”

It made no comment. After a moment of hesitation, it finally asked the question that it had been pondering for a long time and could not understand. “Pepe, can you tell me why you call me ‘Shanuya’?”

“Huh?”

Peipei was stunned for a moment.

“‘Void Hunter’ is the name that you use to define my species. It is a bit weird, but it is understandable.

It said, “But why is my name ‘Shanuya’? Do you know what ‘Shanuya’ means?”

Of course, Peipei knew.

‘Shanuya’ was the protagonist of ‘One Thousand and One Nights’, a collection of stories. He was a brutal king on an island in ancient times who hated all the women in the world because he was betrayed by the empress. After he killed the empress, he would always marry a bride every day and kill her in the morning. Over the past three years, more than a thousand innocent girls had been killed miserably in the fury of the king.

Later, the daughter of the prime minister married the king willingly in order to save the innocent girls. She told a story to the king every night and grasped the rhythm perfectly. Every time she told the most brilliant part of the story, it would always be the time when the rooster crowed and the sun was about to rise. She tried to attract the king’s attention in such a way so that he wouldn’t kill her. Just like that, the story went on for a thousand and one nights. The king was finally moved by her and gave up the brutal crimes. They grew old together.

“‘Shanuya’ is the name of a… tyrant. Very cruel.”

It said, “But I am not a cruel tyrant. I am your guardian. Why do you call me ‘Shanuya’?”

“I really don’t know.”

Having no other choice, Peipei raised her hands in surrender again. “This is a name that has been passed on for a long time. Before I was born, no, before my parents’ parents were born, they called you that. You know that our lives are too short compared to yours. Therefore, I don’t know why people called you ‘Shanuya’ a long time ago.”

“I don’t like the name.”

It muttered, “Before, I was muddle-headed and never felt that there was anything wrong with the name. But after I heard your story, I suddenly had a feeling that I don’t know how to put it. I don’t want to be called ‘Shanuya’ anymore. I don’t want to be a tyrant.”

“Then what do you want to be called?”

Peipei asked.

“‘Prince of Happiness’.”

It said, “Pepe, you know what a ‘prince of happiness’ is, right?”

“Of course, I was the one who told you the story of ‘Prince Happy’!”

Peipei couldn’t help but laugh. “The Prince of Happiness is a very beautiful statue. Gems and gold leaf adorn his body. He also has the kindest heart. Everyone praises and praises him. Winter has come. The poor are shivering in the bone-piercing cold wind, enduring the torment of frost and snow. The Prince of Happiness can’t bear to see this scene. He lets the passing swallows take away the gold leaf and gems on his body to help the poor. He becomes extremely ugly. In the end, he is pushed down and melted again. The ending of this story is not very good.”

“But I still like the story. I like ‘Prince Happy’ more than ‘Alibaba and the Forty Thieves’.”

It said, “Besides, the ending of the story is pretty good, too. In the end, weren’t the prince and the little swallow both sent to the garden of God and living happily ever after?”

“Huh?”

Peipei widened her eyes again. “Shanuya, do you believe in God?”

“If ‘god’ refers to a foreign life form beyond the cognitive range of the small primate carbon-based intelligent creatures such as ‘human beings’, then of course they do exist. I sensed the existence of many ‘gods’ when I was passing through the four-dimensional space. As for whether or not there is a garden in their territory that can accommodate the prince of happiness and the swallow, I don’t know. I hope so.”

It said, “Also, I don’t like it when you call me ‘Shanuya’. Can you call me ‘Prince of Happiness’?”

“That won’t do. The ‘Dream Creation Manual’ doesn’t say that I can change your name at will. If I do that, Dad and the others will make a fuss and teach me a good lesson. However, I can help you ask Dad and the others why they called you ‘Shanuya’ in the first place. Can they help you change your name?”

“Before that, I can call you ‘Prince Shanuya’. Ha. Nice name, too. Is that okay, my prince Shanuya?”