NOVEL NEXT Chapter 78: The two cutest princes you’ll ever see!
Dead. Right in front of her.
Cassiopeia felt a disgusting taste in her mouth, morbidly wanting to look again, but fearfully not wanting to.
The Schauss aide continued to introduce Weilhofen town, and the group soon arrived at the Church of the Saintess.
Cassiopeia had gone with her mother to help heal people before, so she was familiar with the process. She was given a seat in the large main room of the Church that was temporarily re-arranged to serve as a clinic. One of the priestesses would lead a patient over. Cassiopeia would determine the illness, and then propose the spell needed to her mother. After her mother confirmed it was correct, she would cast the spell on the patient. Occasionally, she wouldn’t know the illness or necessary spell, and her mother would help her out. The patient would be healed and grateful, and Cassiopeia would smile kindly.
“…dead…”
Cassiopeia’s head snapped over to the people near the front door. There was a mother carrying in her child and two priestesses.
One of the priestesses said, “Your child is dead, ma’am. It’s too late.”
“No, no, she was just—there are people who wake up again after not breathing for a few minutes, I just need you to help—”
“Ma’am, your child is dead. We’re sorry.”
The woman broke down, hugging her child. Her dead child.
Cassiopeia’s stomach turned. How could that woman hug a dead body like that?
Imagine being dead like that.
Cassiopeia quickly buried that errant thought. She was young and healthy, she wouldn’t die!
Imagine the dead person moving like a zombie.
A tingle of revulsion spread across her skin.
A hand reached out and touched Cassiopeia’s hand. Cassiopeia jolted, turning to look at her mother.
Duchess Schauss took Cassiopeia’s hand. “Are you tired?”
Cassiopeia was about to protest, but her mother continued.
“Let’s stop here, darling. It takes time to build up magical stamina. If you wish, you can come out again another day.”
As an obedient child, Cassiopeia agreed.
Her mother healed the patient sitting in front of Cassiopeia first. After speaking with the head priestess, she took Cassiopeia and Perseus back home to their Schauss residence in the Capital.
Her mother and Perseus did well to distract Cassiopeia. But her uncomfortable feelings didn’t go away.
Instead, those feelings swelled up by the time Cassiopeia went to bed that night. The day’s events overlapped with the things that Prince Rian and Earl Rosewood said. Her responses to them replayed in her mind.
And Cassiopeia started to regret.
Ren Xiyang had hoped that the winter camp would prevent people from becoming bandits, as there was a straightforward way to get food, clothes, and housing without resorting to crime. He had hoped that his spot checks around the Rosewood fief would prevent any ‘career’ bandits from attacking his towns and villages. And this seemed to work, as there had been no reported bandit attacks in the Rosewood fief.
But bandits still existed, and bandits had to attack someone, somewhere. Ren Xiyang’s actions had inadvertently pushed those bandits to the neighbouring fiefs. The migrants on the road to the Rosewood fief, unfamiliar with the area, were particularly vulnerable.
So, Ren Xiyang visited the nobles in the surrounding fiefs again (not including the Azure fief). He asked them whether they could send out people to patrol their land and/or whether they would allow him to survey their lands at random. One noble said they’d patrol their own lands, while another noble agreed to let Ren Xiyang patrol.
Baron Baltasar Cordovan agreed on both counts immediately, on the condition that Earl Rosewood would teach him how to fly, so that he could do a flying patrol too.
Ren Xiyang agreed and ended up visiting the Cordovan house in the Cordovan fief a few times to teach Baltasar and talk about fief improvement methods by the way.
Rian, when he found out about the matter: “…” If Ren Xiyang could visit the Cordovan fief so often, why couldn’t he also visit the Azure fief (the Capital)??
The next time Rian had a call with Ren Xiyang, he said pointedly, “Let me remind you, Earl Rosewood, that you need to visit the Capital soon. We have many matters to talk about that will be better in person.”
“Hmm,” Ren Xiyang replied with a yawn. “Wouldn’t it be better if you come to the Rosewood manor? Then I could show you my new greenhouse.”
In between all the different projects, his personal greenhouse, version 0.1, had completed construction. During his spare time, he was slowly filling it with multiple different plants.
“Dear Earl Rosewood, I would gladly accept your invitation, but my responsibilities in the Capital prohibit me from visiting.”
Ren Xiyang yawned again. “You could just say no,” he mumbled sleepily.
Rian snorted lightly. “I’m not saying no. You’ve been quite tired by this time.”
“I have to get up early to train and tend to my new greenhouse.”
Training? “Is that so…then I’ll let you go to sleep.”
“Many thanks, your Highness.”
After the call ended, Rian made a resolve: he’ll get up early to train in the morning too, he won’t lose to Ren Xiyang!
After seeing Earl Rosewood flying around with his wooden platform, Aaron and some other Rosewood staff got together to modify one of the Rosewood carriages. All the components relating to horses were removed and the front coachman seating area was improved with all the same comforts as the inner seats.
Aaron presented it to Earl Rosewood. “Earl Rosewood, instead of using a wooden platform, you can use this carriage.”
Earl Rosewood had a faint smile at the corner of his lips. “Aaron, you’ve had the same thought as Prince Rian. We want to produce flying carriages soon. Do you want to be part of the team?”
Aaron blinked at how Earl Rosewood smiled at the mention of His Highness Prince Rian. He bowed his head. “I would be honoured to be part of the team.”
“Good, you can come to the Capital with me next time.”
In fact, Ren Xiyang was already reducing his use of his wooden platform. More people came to the winter camp looking for work, and the Rosewood estate needed to find them jobs. One of the new jobs made was to escort migrant travellers heading to the Rosewood fief from the neighbouring fiefs (done alongside the Rosewood guards and/or a Rosewood staff member).
Ren Xiyang found out Aaron’s true purpose the next time he had a meeting with one of the town mayors, with Aaron accompanying him. Of course, it was easier to take the flying carriage.
From this point on, Aaron and other staff would sit in the carriage while Ren Xiyang took them to fly over to a village or town or city for various meetings.
It was much faster, extremely exhilarating when Earl Rosewood took the carriage high up into the air (a bit scary), and great to boast about to other people!
And so, when it came time for Ren Xiyang to go to the Capital, it was natural for them to take the flying carriage.
Those in the vicinity of the main road between the Rosewood fief and the Capital might see a curious line of travellers.
At the front, there was a floating horseless carriage. It didn’t just float over the snow on the ground: instead, it seemed to magically clear the snow, revealing the underlying road.
Behind the floating horseless carriage were multiple caravans and wagons and carriages in all sorts of shapes and sizes and colours.
There was the Cordovan carriage, as Baron Baltasar Cordovan, who had gone back to the Cordovan fief to start implementing some of the terms, also needed to go to the Capital for the Imperial Council gathering and passed through the Rosewood fief along the way.
And there were unaffiliated merchants and travellers. They had come along because Earl Rosewood had cleared the road, and also served as the best safety escort they could hope for!
The floating Rosewood carriage eventually detached from its tail upon entering the Capital, but it still made many eyes turn—it was a floating carriage!
They arrived at the Rosewoods’ Capital house in the early afternoon, after a longer-than-normal two-day trip.
Ren Xiyang glanced at the Imperial carriage outside the house. “…” So eager?
The head butler lowered his head. “My Lord, His Highness Prince Rian and His Highness Prince Alexius are waiting for you in the gold drawing room.”
“My Lord, we will deal with what should be unpacked,” Kel said.
“Thanks.”
Ren Xiyang headed inside first, following the head butler to the drawing room.
Prince Alexius and Prince Rian were seated on the same sofa, drinking tea.
“I would’ve come to the Imperial Palace tomorrow,” Ren Xiyang said.
“My brother wanted to sneak out earlier,” Alexius revealed with a cheeky grin. “Of course, I followed him—hey—!” He batted Rian’s head-rubbing hand away.
Rian huffed. He had planned to spend time alone with Ren Xiyang, but his little brother destroyed his plan so easily by threatening to tell their Imperial Mother!
Ren Xiyang sat opposite them. “Are you here for food? Doesn’t the Imperial kitchens feed you properly?”
“We’re here to see you, Earl Rosewood,” Rian said innocently.
Alexius nodded his head in agreement, his blue eyes also very innocent.
Two similar boys with bright blue eyes and white hair smiled cutely at Ren Xiyang.
“…”
“By the way, if you’re so free to escort others, why don’t you become my escort, Earl Rosewood?” Rian said. “Alternatively, wouldn’t it be nice if you were my aide instead?”
Ren Xiyang gave him a look. “Oh? Then what would my salary be? Can you afford me?”
Rian rubbed his chin in contemplation. “Due to various projects, my funds are a little stretched at the moment, but I’ll be sure to pay you back sufficiently once I become king.”
Alexius’s eyes widened as he looked between Earl Rosewood and his big brother.
“No can do,” Ren Xiyang said.
“I have money!” Alexius said.
Ren Xiyang’s lips quirked up. “Do you? Did Rian give you any money recently?”
“Don’t you dare try to hire Earl Rosewood before me,” Rian said, successfully rubbing Alexius’s head before Alexius pushed him away.
Alexius grinned. “Okay, I want to hire Earl Rosewood before you! Earl Rosewood, you know a lot of ice spells now, you could cast them when I enter the hall during the next social event!”
“Oh, then I should arrive ahead of you and distract earl Rosewood, making him miss your entrance…”
“Hey!!”
Ren Xiyang sighed, but there was an indulgent smile at the corners of his lips. Ah, the two brothers were bickering in front of him again.
The three of them had an enjoyable afternoon together, even if Rian was secretly (or not so secretly) sour about Alexius’s unrepentant presence.
They played with magic, checked out Ren Xiyang’s new flying carriage (technically, it wasn’t a flying carriage, it was a horseless carriage that required Ren Xiyang to make it fly), took a ride in the flying carriage, and had hotpot.
Rian and Alexius had equally greedy expressions as Ren Xiyang explained the process of eating hotpot and pointed out the spicy soup side and the not-spicy soup side.
Both Rian and Alexius immediately wanted to try the spicy side.
Ren Xiyang served the two princes and showed no favouritism: one piece of meat for Prince Rian, one piece of meat for Prince Alexius; one piece of greens for Prince Rian, one piece of greens for Prince Alexius, and so forth.
Food mellowed out the two princely brothers, and soon they both wanted to try dipping in meat and vegetables to cook in the hotpot.
It was a good thing that the three of them were in a private room, or else there would be shocked faces at the sight of Prince Rian and Prince Alexius fighting over the opportunity to cook!
On the next day, Ren Xiyang went to the Imperial Palace as promised.
In the morning, Ren Xiyang, Rian, Kel, Aaron, and Rian’s new personal assistants discussed the creation of flying carriages.
Rian had created a prototype written spell, building upon the knowledge gained while making the heating lamps. Like how the heating lamp temperature was controlled by a mechanical mechanism that was linked to the spell, the flying carriages would be controlled by a mechanical device linked to the flying spell.
However, Ren Xiyang realised there weren’t any safety features built in. What if the flying spell suddenly failed? What about the flying speed limits? How could they keep other people on the road safe too?
This reminded Rian that his Imperial Mother was drafting up some air-traffic regulations that they’d need to keep in mind.
A new longer list of requirements was drawn up, and then Ren Xiyang and Rian sat together to work on spell development while Kel, Aaron, and Rian’s assistants went off to organise other matters, such as finding carpenters to build some dedicated prototype flying carriages.
After lunch, Viscount Obsidian and two other Obsidians joined them.
“We couldn’t help but hear about your new flying carriage, Earl Rosewood,” one of the Obsidians commented.
“The Obsidian family will receive preferential service once the flying carriages are ready for production,” Rian said.
The Obsidian fief was much further away from the Capital than the Rosewood fief, which made travel back and forth much more inconvenient. Viscount Obsidian couldn’t travel back and forth for each Imperial Council gathering like Earl Rosewood. A fast, flying carriage would be very useful for them.
“It’ll take a while before they’re made,” Ren Xiyang said, bursting wishful bubbles. “I don’t have a flying carriage. I manually levitate it myself. Adrienne would understand how.”
“However, the flying carriages we plan to make will be controllable by non-mages and they’ll be ready in a year,” Rian said. He went on to advertise the future carriages
Viscount Obsidian sipped his tea as Prince Rian talked. Children these days, each one was more of a genius than the last. As an accomplished mage, he also had to work hard.
Viscount Obsidian took out trial communication devices that his family had made so far according to Prince Rian’s specifications. After demonstrations, they discussed improvements, from form factors, features, security, and privacy.
The new devices would be at the cutting edge of long-distance communication and pull the Obsidian family into the limelight, something that none of them could have predicted. And it all began because Adrienne had bravely stepped forward to ask Earl Rosewood to teach her to fly.
Rian: *puppy dog eyes*
Alexius: *puppy dog eyes*
Ren Xiyang: …. Who learned from who to do this to me????
Thank you to Gofa, wolfie, Turducken, charchar1cc and emihasdreamstoo for the monetary support! I hope everyone has a prosperous year ^_^
Also, stairs made some artwork of Ren Xiyang!!!
