NOVEL NEXT Chapter 85: Two Years Later
Rated (very light) M [for safety!]!
In the early spring, just before Rian’s 15th birthday, the Rosewood estate was bustling with activity.
Farming for the new season was well underway. Little sprouts appeared in the Rosewood fields, stretching through the luscious soil and towards the sky. Farmers toiled the fields, using the newly improved plough created by Earl Rosewood, using different fertilisers for different crops as formulated by Earl Rosewood, and planting the newly bred seeds created by Earl Rosewood.
Across the estate and fief, multiple construction and infrastructure projects continued. People gathered in towns and villages and charity kitchens to receive free or cheap meals. New students gathered in classrooms for Earl Rosewood’s preliminary trial of free education. Markets were vibrant and energetic, with foods and items from across Sedaveria and beyond.
Kel finished checking all the cargo in the numerous carts in front of the Rosewood summer manor. “Have you seen Earl Rosewood and His Highness?” she asked one of the Rosewood guards.
“They’re still sparring, I believe,” the guard replied.
Kel pursed her lips. They’re supposed to be eating lunch before we have to go, she chided in her heart. Training was all good, but those two were young, growing boys and they shouldn’t delay their meal times!
The private training field was located behind the Rosewood summer manor. Kel walked past the various glass greenhouses and the new “hydroponic” system that Earl Rosewood had set up. Her wooden ID card let her through the privacy shield around the training field, revealing the complex fight scene.
Two youths alternated between running and flying around the field. One wore black clothes and had black hair, while the other wore white clothes and had white hair.
Two Royal Guards stood at either side. They had their backs turned to the fight and would randomly call out different magic types—“Fire!” “Ice!” “Poison!” “Lightning!” “Weapons!”
Depending on who spoke, Earl Rosewood or Prince Rian had to switch to attacks and defence using that type of magic. The ‘weapons!’ call meant they had to use their physical weapon—a sword for Rian and a polearm for Earl Rosewood.
Prince Rian was already taller than Kel, and Earl Rosewood would soon be as tall as her. Since the last year, both of them started growing very quickly.
Kel thought fondly back to when the two of them were still small and cute, playing together in the muddy fields. Then she put her hands on her hips and said sternly, “It’s time for lunch! We have to leave afterwards.”
She wouldn’t have dared act this way in the past, but now with over two years of experience, she had a good understanding of Earl Rosewood’s and Prince Rian’s personalities.
The Royal Guards and the two youths stopped. The shields around the training field dropped.
Prince Rian looked over at Kel and smiled sheepishly. “We were carried away. We’ll clean up and head over to lunch very soon.”
“I’ll make the contingent move faster,” Earl Rosewood added.
Kel was mollified. “Good. I’ll see you both in the dining room in half an hour.”
Rian casually cast a cleaning spell over himself and Ren Xiyang. “Not bad,” he said, as the two of them followed behind Kel back to the Rosewood summer manor.
“You still would have lost to me,” Ren Xiyang said. There was faint amusement in his eyes as he avoided Rian’s swipe. “The more important thing is whether you’re ready for your birthday or not.”
“I certainly ready for your increased respect towards me,” Rian said primly. He used his height to his full advantage, propping his arm on Ren Xiyang’s shoulder.
Ren Xiyang suppressed an eye-roll, but he didn’t dislodge Rian’s arm. “I understand that you’re a bit weak, you can lean on me.”
Rian pouted. “Fine then.” Then he moved behind Ren Xiyang and draped his body over Ren Xiyang’s back. “I’m weak, piggyback me!”
“Yes, Your Highness.” Ren Xiyang’s tone was long-suffering. After all, he had dealt with Prince Rian for over two years.
Rian quietened down for a moment as Ren Xiyang grabbed his legs as part of the piggyback. Then, he opened his mouth and said, “Could you lower your temperature a bit? I’m overheated from our sparring.”
“Yes, yes, your Highness.”
Rian patted Ren Xiyang. “Very good.”
The Rosewood staff and the Royal Guards weren’t even surprised. They had seen this all before.
Ren Xiyang delivered Rian right to the door of his suite.
“We’ve now arrived at your destination, your Highness,” Ren Xiyang said.
Rian climbed down. “Much appreciated, Earl Rosewood.”
They parted and entered their individual suites.
Rian’s suite in the Rosewood summer manor was his. Over the last year, his servants had redecorated it to his personal taste.
His servants had already prepared his bath. His manservant helped him undress and then he entered the perfect-temperature water.
“Leave me for now. Knock when it’s time for me to get out,” he told his manservant.
The manservant bowed. “Yes, Your Highness.”
After the manservant left, Rian leaned back, submerging most of his body underwater and resting his head on the rim of the bathtub.
He let out a sigh.
It was more than two and half years since he returned to the past. Time had gone by faster than expected.
During that time, the Royal Healers’ Service rolled out across the Azure fief and the Rosewood fief, and there were now preparations for it to roll out in the Cloud fief, the home fief of Mage Vercher. Over the last two years, Rian had also gathered all his old people and found some new ones too. His agents spanned Sedaveria and infiltrated the Angio kingdom.
He had none of this at this time in his previous life. But the biggest difference in this second life was Ren Xiyang.
Rian’s heart both swelled and ached.
Ren Xiyang. He was the only person who knew Earl Rosewood’s real name. Ren Xiyang, whom he had personally seen grow taller and taller. Ren Xiyang, who used his body as a reference.
Ren Xiyang, his closest confidant. The one who made his heart skip. The one he liked for two damn years now.
Two years, and no progress.
Ren Xiyang made same-sex marriage explicitly legal in the Rosewood fief. No one had taken it up yet, but it was there, enshrined in local-fief law, along with the new divorce laws and bans on child marriages.
Rian didn’t have the power to change Sedaverian-wide law yet.
He debated with himself numerous times whether he should be together with Ren Xiyang publicly first before changing the law, or whether he should change the law and then get together with Ren Xiyang. Which one would be the most acceptable? Did he want to be the first noble to outright show off his male lover, or would it be better if other gay nobles appeared first to ‘soften the blow’?
He also tried to think about the best way to have an heir. Could they use magic to create a child? Was Ren Xiyang’s womb still there? Had it been removed already? Would Ren Xiyang give him a cold deadpan look if he asked?
He wanted to take the most optimal route, but he hadn’t figured it out yet due to all the work and study and training.
The worst thing was that Ren Xiyang made it hard to keep to his plan.
Ren Xiyang was just so blunt! He was just so attractive! He was just so fascinating to talk to! He was so fun to duel with!
Rian couldn’t help himself. He slowly took more and more liberties with Ren Xiyang, ruffling his hair, slinging an arm over his shoulder, piggybacking and so forth.
The worst-worst thing was that Ren Xiyang showed no sign of romantic interest.
Sure, Ren Xiyang showed interest in his body—as a warm reference body for his transition magic.
When would Ren Xiyang look at his body with something other than a clinical interest in mind???
Rian looked down at his body. It was a lot better now compared to two years ago! His shoulders were broad, his chest and stomach had muscles, his penis was thick, and his legs were long!
He was the finest specimen at his physical age, and he’d only get better. Ren Xiyang stared at his body at least once a month, how could he remain so unmoved?
Sometimes, he had the impression that Ren Xiyang’s two only true loves were money and agricultural science.
Rian glanced down through the water. “…”
His dick had started to stiffen.
Damn teenage body.
At least it hadn’t stiffened during the piggyback. Rian wasn’t immune to embarrassment.
But now was not the time to masturbate. He wouldn’t be able to look straight at Ren Xiyang otherwise.
Rian turned his mind to administration and everything that he would have to do once he reached the Capital. Thinking about all the tedious work and tedious nobles did the trick.
After a number of years, Ren Xiyang had finally been able to install a shower in his bathroom. There was now central hot water in the Rosewood summer manor too, but he still ran the shower cold and personally heated the water himself.
Time had passed surprisingly quickly. Somehow, Ren Xiyang had been living in this new world for over two years. In retrospect, he had done a lot more than he had expected (and a lot less in other respects).
Ren Xiyang liked the greenhouses and his new hydroponics system the most. He was also quietly satisfied with the progress of his transition. He was almost taller already than in his first life. There was no need for top surgery. His hips weren’t overly wide. His genitals were a work in progress, but the progress was good.
As for the Rosewood fief, there were new laws, new task forces, new and improved roads, and new houses. New staff housing was being built on the Rosewood estate, and the kitchens in the Rosewood properties had all been renovated to use smokeless heat sources except for the one remaining smokey heat source for when the chefs wanted a smokey flavour. Parts of Redmond town officially had running water systems. There was even free public education—albeit only a few hours a week and only at selected locations.
Ren Xiyang had also visited the Angio kingdom by himself once. He had travelled with some merchant caravans to the Terra fief in Angio near the Sedaveria-Angio border to trade. He met Marquis Terra who was in charge of that fief. The Angio Kingdom, compared to the Sedaveria, had much better sand and made beautiful clear glass. Ren Xiyang wanted it on all the new buildings they were constructing and bought back a lot. That glass was used for a myriad of things, including Ren Xiyang’s beloved greenhouses.
Some of Rian’s people had quietly slipped into the various trade convoys that Ren Xiyang sent.
Thinking of Rian, the past years wouldn’t have been the same without him.
Rian was the closest friend Ren Xiyang had ever had. He was generous and funny and enjoyable to be around (not that Ren Xiyang would tell him).
Over the last few years, their contact consisted of long-distance magic communication, Ren Xiyang’s approximately monthly visit to the Capital to attend the Imperial Council gatherings and Imperial Palace events, and Rian’s impromptu visits to the Rosewood fief.
But for the next month or more, Ren Xiyang will be spending constant time with Rian for various reasons.
Ren Xiyang would miss his beloved plants in his beloved greenhouses. But Rian wouldn’t be bad company.
After washing up, Ren Xiyang and Rian had lunch with Marquis Terra of the Angio Kingdom and his wife, Marchioness Terra.
As the Angio noble who had the most above-the-table contact with Earl Rosewood, Marquis Terra was invited over to the Rosewood fief, technically for business. After leaving his adult children to mind the Terra fief in his absence, he travelled over to the Rosewood fief with his wife, along with many caravans of glass.
Unexpectedly, Marquis Terra met Prince Rian upon arrival at the Rosewood fief. He was shown around by both Earl Rosewood and Prince Rian.
This morning, while Earl Rosewood and Prince Rian sparred together, Marquis Terra had the opportunity to see the Rosewood fief by himself (with his wife and his guards and servants).
Sedaveria was different from Angio, from the language (albeit they were very similar with many loan words), to the people and the architecture.
The Rosewood fief was even more different. Marquis Terra had travelled through several other Sedaverian fiefs before reaching the Rosewood fief.
All the many infrastructure projects and public health initiatives showed just how different Earl Rosewood was. Earl Rosewood was also a man of aesthetics: he had trees and flowers and bushes planted along all of the newly fixed roads in the fief.
“Apologies for the late lunch,” Prince Rian said. “Earl Rosewood and I were carried away.”
Marquis Terra chuckled. “Young mages like you should practice more!”
“We were able to see many sights,” Marchioness Terra said mildly.
Marquis Terra gave a smile. “That’s right, there were many things we’ll have to trade with you,” he said with a friendly wink.
Ren Xiyang nodded. “Okay, we can talk now or talk later. What are you interested in?”
“Oh, many things.”
Marchioness Terra laughed behind her hand. “Yes, my husband has prepared a list.”
Rian smiled innocently. “Has Marquis Terra seen the flying carriages?”
Marquis Terra raised his eyebrows. “Why yes, I have.” He had seen that Earl Rosewood had multiple flying carriages—out in the front where the Rosewood servants had been preparing the entourage to go to the Sedaverian Capital. Marquis Terra had never seen them before—they didn’t exist in Angio yet. It would be great if Marquis Terra could capture that market. “Tell me, where can I acquire one?”
Rian turned his head to Ren Xiyang. “Well, the flying carriages are made by the Rosewood estate, with the underlying magic technology being a collaboration between myself and Earl Rosewood.”
The carriages were actually new: it had taken them the better part of two years to develop them to a satisfactory standard and put them into production.
Marquis Terra was surprised. “How innovative! In that case, you can tell me how they work, can’t you?” he asked with a warm smile.
“I’m afraid I cannot answer that, Marquis Terra,” Rian returned courteously. “I see that your horses are very large and sturdy, perhaps you’ll lend us a few.”
“I’m afraid I cannot do that, Prince Rian,” Marquis Terra replied in the same tone.
Ren Xiyang wanted to close his eyes. What were Prince Rian and Marquis Terra doing now? He accidentally met Marchioness Terra’s eyes. She smiled back at him.
Rian: *pouts* Why hasn’t Ren Xiyang fallen in love with my body?
Ren Xiyang: Well, much can be said about your personality…
Rian: …
My last work conference is done! I dislike being away from my home set up T_T Back to twice-weekly updates now so expect an update on Wednesday!