Chapter 15: CH 15

The distance between the Carat River and the border of the Jinshi Empire wasn’t far, and it was enough to reach the imperial city, St. Antis, in an overnight time. But the movement of the troops crossing the border wouldn’t be small, and it was easy to disturb the remaining citizens, so Oswald and the others chose to make a detour on a longer route. In the end, they spent double the time, and it was already very late on the second day when they arrived at the Wujinxuan Palace.

Although the Jinshi Empire wasn’t as glorious as before, a glimpse of the previous prosperity could still be seen from the imposing palace.

This was probably one of the most bizarre terrains in the northern part of the Mainland. The ground resembled numerous giant pillars, each with different heights, and was connected by a wide and long horizontal suspending bridge. It was called the Path of Gods because it has existed since the ancient period.

And Wujinxuan Palace rested on the highest pillar in the Path of Gods.

The iron hinges clattered as the palace gate was slowly opened.

The Wujin Iron Army didn’t enter the gate and turned to the path on the left side instead, which was connected to their army base camp. The palace guards rushed out and formed two lines at both sides of the gate with a ‘thump’ of their legs, startling Kevin awake.

His Excellency Fassbinder, who wasn’t afraid of death, was always calm and collected. Even if he was tied up on the flag poles for public display, he was still calm. Oswald had wanted to let him down in the middle of the journey. In the end, when he dismounted, he found out that this ancestor didn’t feel any remorse and was already asleep.

He wasn’t entirely defenseless in his sleep. Upon hearing Oswald approaching, he had even half-opened his eyelids and swept a glance. After confirming everything was safe, he continued to sleep again, making Oswald so angry that he almost fell. He simply set off again for most of the day before taking him down from the flag poles.

He didn’t know why but Oswald felt his teeth itching as he saw this ‘whatever, you won’t be able to do anything to me anyway’ look on him. Even if he knew that this was Kevin’s nature, and he didn’t do it on purpose to piss anyone off. Maybe it was the aftermath of being walked all over like a dog in his childhood or his competitive male instinct, but he always wanted to use every method to suppress Kevin and make him give in. But this ancestor didn’t take him seriously and always teased him back every time.

He was used to it, so he didn’t feel like it was a problem. However, this really felt like a provocation for the outsiders who saw it.

“Your Majesty, I will also return to the barrack first,” Mio pulled on his reins and said to Oswald.

The base camp of the Bronze Army was opposite the Wujin Iron Army, and it was connected to this giant pillar by another path, which glowed with the starry lights in the darkness. Kevin used to live there. But saying that he lived there, he actually didn’t stay there for long. Most of the time, the Bronze Army would stand guard on the western border of the Jinshi Empire with the Desert. They could only leave the camp and return to rest in the imperial city during the rainy season.

Hearing Mio saying this, Kevin also loosened his muscles and bones and went along with him. “Then, I will also –”

“You also what?” Oswald glanced at him and indifferently said, “Your Excellency didn’t even open your eyes along the journey. You should have enough sleep now, right?”

Kevin carelessly replied. “It’s not the matter of having enough sleep or not. I want to rest my feet first. Mio, is there any empty bunk in the barrack?”

Of course, he didn’t hope that they would still leave the residence of the commander ‘who had died for several years’ to be empty. It was already good to have a place to lie down.

Mio nodded and tried to speak, but Oswald intercepted him. He pointed at the widely open palace gate using his chin. “The matter of lodging is another thing. Let’s talk about your punishment first. Follow me here.” After speaking, he tugged on the reins and rode on the back of the hippogriff, entering the palace gate.

Kevin shrugged his shoulder at Mio, gesturing that he would leave first. He then drove the hippogriff after Oswald, unhappily saying, “…..Driving me around like a kite on the journey and you’re still not done?”

The structure of Wuijinxuan Palace was grand and complicated, with the guard’s stay area on the outside layer, the banquet hall and the place to deal with affairs in the middle layer, and the emperor’s residence on the innermost layer.

They dismounted in front of the third layer’s high gate. Oswald threw the reins to the following group of guards and pointed at the two human-form followers behind Kevin. “Arrange temporary residence for these two little demons1小鬼 (little demon) is a term of endearment for a child. Don’t let them run far away.”

Ben and the white rabbit teenager innocently looked at Kevin and reluctantly followed the guards away.

“What about me then?” Kevin asked with amusement, waiting to see what kind of punishment methods Oswald had.

“You –” Oswald just opened his mouth when he heard footsteps running out from inside, sounding quite lively.

When Kevin turned around, he saw a little girl with a height barely reaching his leg, running over like a grenade and directly charging at Oswald. Before reaching him, she had already spread her lotus-root-like arm. Her mouth chirped like a little bird, seemingly crazy from happiness.

Oswald bent down, picked her up with one hand as she ran in front of him, and talked with a stern face. “Why are you up so late? You won’t grow taller if you keep on being like this!”

Although the young emperor had a majestic handsome face, he still looked fierce as he put on a stern face and frowned. It was not a problem to scare one or two brats into crying. But this seemingly four-or-five-years-old little girl wasn’t scared of him and even embraced his neck while smacking her lips there.

Oswald clicked his tongue and tilted his head disdainfully. “You’re making my face full of saliva again.”

The little girl continued to giggle.

Oswald: “…..”

He turned his head and met Kevin’s gaze, who was holding his arm while watching the scene. He saw the other person tilt his chin and leisurely say, “The kid is already so big. If I’m not mistaken, Your Majesty is only twenty-one, right? Then, it means you already became a father before you were an adult. I didn’t expect you to be quite impressive.”

Oswald: “…..” The hell on letting you go.

Oswald wouldn’t care about it if any other person uttered these words. Of course, not many people dared to ask this kind of question in this manner of speaking. But when Kevin teased him like this, he couldn’t help wanting to give this person a proper beating. Who told him to behave like this every day?!

Moreover, what did he mean by not expecting it?!

Oswald walked ahead with giant steps while carrying the little girl and said to the chamberlain. “Find the Imperial Codex in my study room, and get a paper and writing brush ready. Watch as His Excellency Fassbinder copy all the parts about court etiquette and the emperor’s authority fifty times without missing a single word.”

Kevin’s eyes went black: “…..” That codex was so thick it could slap a cow to death.

It seemed that his words about making him re-studied the etiquette weren’t a random talk…..Why did he have such a fucking good memory?!

＊＊＊＊＊

Kevin unwillingly followed the chamberlain, passing the long hallway and stopped in front of a heavy copper door.

“Don’t stupidly stand in front of the door. Hurry up and copy it. I will come again in a while to check it.” Oswald said.

Kevin: “…..” Weren’t you going to sleep?

Unfortunately, Oswald didn’t pay attention to him anymore. When he was done, he walked past him with his handsome stiff face and wordlessly turned into another corridor in front while holding the little girl. Not long after that, a door to one of the rooms behind the corner was opened with a soft creaking sound.

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The chamberlain opened the copper door and gestured an invitation at Kevin. Kevin helplessly shook his head and followed behind him and entered the room.

The study was decorated in an extraordinary magnificent way. Three copper cabinets were nailed to the three sides of the wall, with the top reaching the ceiling. Each copper cabinet was filled with heavy tomes and stacks of parchment rolls. It was fully brimmed, and the delicate bindings were arranged neatly. One could tell that it hadn’t been touched yet with a glance.

It was all only a pretence!

Only those books stacked on top of the table were indeed used, and they showed the traces of frequently being flipped.

Kevin suspected that the chamberlain was more familiar with those books arranged in the copper cabinet than Oswald. The lad roughly swept around and quickly took out that thicker-than-bricks codex. He respectfully placed it on the table, set up paper and writing brush, and silently retreated outside the door.

“Etiquette and Imperial Power…..” Kevin sighed, sat down in front of the desk, and opened the codex.

Kevin felt his liver hurt as he looked at the table of contents. There were at least a hundred pages in both parts. He would need the time to copy it fifty times from this year to the following year. Kevin supported his chin with one hand, lazily flipped over several pages, and closed the book again with a bang.

Whoever copied it must be stupid.

He picked up the large volume and walked out of the study, turning into a corridor.

The door of the first room on the left was opened wide, and Oswald’s low voice, mixed with the warm yellow light inside, came out of the room. “…..the God lifted the golden longbow and used the arrow forged from light to nail the rebels onto the pillars of the god. Blood poured out, turning into a river and the soul of the deceased…..Fassbinder? What are you doing here?”

Kevin, who was just about to knock on the door, withdrew his hand and said, “Coming to discuss something with Your Majesty.”

Oswald, “Come in.”

Kevin stepped inside the room and saw Oswald sitting at the bedside, holding a book thinner many times than the codex in his hand. That pretty little girl lay on the bed, and her dark eyes widened as she curiously stared at Kevin.

“This is –” Kevin raised his brows.

The little girl competed to answer. “Uncle Ou is reading a bedtime story to me.”

She probably couldn’t say Oswald’s name very well, so she simplified it to call him.

“Uncle?” Kevin was stunned.

“Mm.” For some reason, Oswald didn’t seem too keen to speak of this matter and only gave a dry response to go over it. He probably felt that something like “reading a story” was slightly embarrassing and turned to the little girl with a grimace. “You’re awake again? Are you still going to sleep or not?”

The little girl immediately yawned and cooperated. “I’m sleepy now.”

Oswald: “…..”

Kevin approached several steps and glanced at the book’s cover that Oswald held. “The History of Gods? Which section are you reading?”

Oswald casually answered. “The part where the God of Light, Phae, wiped out the rebel armies.”

Kevin froze after hearing that and looked at him with a complicated gaze.

“What are you doing?” Oswald raised his eyelids.

Kevin shot a sympathetic glance at the little girl. “If I’m not mistaken, the second part of this section is bloody and brutal with dead bodies and bloodbath everywhere. Are you trying to coax people to sleep or deliberately scaring people?”

Oswald snorted and said, “There is only one reliable God among the Old Gods. Who am I supposed to read if not about him? Moreover, this battle was fought decisively and even saved countless people. This little demon should listen to more heroic stories to not be afraid.”

The little demon nestled inside the blanket proudly praised. “Ou likes the God of Light, Phae, the most. He has already read this section of the story for a year. I’ve already memorised it and wouldn’t be afraid.”

Oswald: “…..”

Kevin: “…..”

The handsome young emperor finally lost his composure and angrily threw the book at Kevin, who was looking at him with a teasing look. He walked to the doorway with an angry face. “What the hell do you want? I will let the imperial guard fork and hang you in the city gate tower for a night if you keep looking at me like that.”

“Oh, I just want to say that it wastes papers and writing brush to copy the codex. It’s not worth it. Why don’t we compromise, and I’ll read it to you?” Kevin said and tapped on the codex’s cover with his fingers, smiling gracefully. “Take it as a bedtime story.”

Oswald expressionlessly looked at him for a while. He raised his finger, pointed at the door, and said two brief phrases. “Dream on. Get lost.”

Kevin clicked his tongue. “I suddenly miss you from ten years ago.”

Oswald: “Why?”

Kevin: “I could hit you just by lifting a hand.”

Oswald: “…..”

His Excellency Fassbinder’s punishment to copy fifty times became one hundred times.

Meanwhile, the young emperor almost suffered from insomnia.

He didn’t know which of these three matters was more exciting for him – the thrilling experiences of these few days, the reappearance of Kevin “who had been dead more many years,” or the fact that the asshole who especially liked to walk over him still liked to walk over him now. In short, Oswald stared at the drapery above his bed for a long time without the slightest trace of sleepiness. He could only wholly fall asleep for a while in the early hours of the morning.

And in that short moment, he even dreamt of Kevin.

Kevin’s mouth always makes everything worse ｡ﾟ(TヮT)ﾟ｡

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