Chapter 12

Chapter 12: The Rose Garden

Without hesitation, Xia You moved directly towards Lu Yinghuai at the entrance.

However, his gaze briefly lowered with a hint of curiosity.

When he first met the Marshal, his mind had been foggy due to being drugged, but he vaguely remembered the Marshal being in a wheelchair. Now, the Marshal appeared... no different from anyone else.

In fact, the man standing by the door was tall and slender, emanating a calm and composed aura, showing no signs of the pallor associated with illness.

Standing in front of Lu Yinghuai, Xia You looked up, softly uttering, "Marshal."

Having said that, Xia You glanced at the banquet guests behind him, his lips quivering slightly, hesitating and unsure of his next words.

The Marshal was notoriously averse to public engagements. Xia You also wasn't keen on letting the Duke's mansion deepen its ties with the Marshal, to prevent complications in the future.

But leaving the banquet outright would benefit that exposed mother-son duo and solidify the Duke’s role as the Marshal's in-law. This thought irked Xia You somewhat.

As Xia You mulled over these thoughts, a myriad of emotions played out on his face.

Seeing this, Lu Yinghuai remarked, “It's your birthday feast today; surely, the guest of honor shouldn’t depart prematurely.”

Xia You paused in surprise, “But you…”

Lu Yinghuai, who had dealt with urgent matters en route but still had some pending tasks, replied, “No rush, I have ample free time today.”

As Lu Yinghuai spoke, his spiritually connected black panther companion swished its tail, growling softly. It then paced over to Xia You, distancing itself from Lu Yinghuai, its whiskers twitching.

It seemed like a silent commentary directed at someone.

Xia You petted the large black panther beside him, surmising that the Marshal's visit to the Duke's mansion was likely to discuss matters pertaining to their impending marital alliance.

With the banquet hall crowded and not wanting to offer Duke Xia any opportunity to interject, Xia You realized that understanding the inscrutable Marshal was of greater importance than attending to others.

With that in mind, Xia You took the initiative, “Marshal, shall we retreat to the garden out back?”

Lu Yinghuai responded, “Very well.”

Without paying heed to Duke Xia or the guests who kept their gaze fixed on them, the two exited the banquet hall.

Xia You’s mother, Ning Zhuiyue, was also a healer with special abilities. Unlike Xia You, she started with an S-class healing skill. After graduating from the military academy, joining the army corps was a logical step.

However, diverging from other healers, Ning Zhuiyue opted to serve on the frontlines, with the First Corps, in the harshest environments where comforting soldiers' spirits was most challenging.

She was one of only three healers ever to have served with the First Corps.

Duke Xia lacked talent and reputation, possessing only a hereditary title bestowed upon his lineage. Within the aristocracy, none would consider marrying their daughter to such an ineffectual figure.

Ning Zhuiyue, on the other hand, hailed from an established noble lineage. Though a side branch, she would typically be privy to desirable marital arrangements.

Yet, after her stint with the First Corps, her mental fortitude waned, and her body deteriorated due to prolonged, intense spiritual exertions. There were rumors that she might be incapable of conceiving.

Within the aristocratic circles of that time, Ning Zhuiyue was Duke Xia's optimal choice. Marrying someone of her stature and pedigree secured his rightful place among the nobility.

For Ning Zhuiyue, Duke Xia’s transparent intentions and his pliable nature made him an attractive choice for a husband.

Regrettably, for all her brilliance and foresight, Ning Zhuiyue miscalculated one detail—Duke Xia might be ineffective and easily manipulated, but he harbored a mingling of inferiority and pride, along with a longing for power. This characteristic was eventually discovered by another woman.

After Ning Zhuiyue's untimely death due to illness, this woman, with her sweet nothings, dismantled all the plans Ning had made for her son, pushing the only person Ning cared about to the brink of despair

The two walked through the rear garden of the Duke's mansion, following a narrow path, eventually stopping in a secluded garden adorned with roses of every hue.

Beside them was a wooden bench, enshrouded by the blossoming roses.

Perhaps due to the potent fragrance of the rose garden, the black panther didn't venture in. Instead, after a couple of sneezes, it settled at the entrance.

"Marshal Lu," Xia You began, pausing to look up at the towering figure of Lu Yinghuai beside him, "This rose garden was personally planted by my mother. It's seldom frequented, making it an ideal spot for private conversations."

"It's beautiful here."

Lu Yinghuai observed the surroundings, keenly noting the security around the rose garden flashing the unique frequency of the First Legion's protocols. Evidently, the garden had a genetic trigger embedded: if the last of the gardener's bloodline were lost, the garden would initiate a self-destruction, leveling the entire Duke's mansion in its wake.

"It truly resonates with Lady Ning Zhuiyue's persona."

Noticing Xia You's curious gaze, Lu Yinghuai elaborated, "Your mother once served as a healer for the First Legion, soothing my spirit."

In Lu Yinghuai's youth, his mental stability was often compromised. During those times, Lu Jiuzhu would occasionally summon Ning Zhuiyue to calm young Lu Yinghuai.

"I see," Xia You's eyes sparkled momentarily before dimming again, "How fortunate... I can't even recall my mother's face."

After his mother's passing, the Duke barely kept up pretenses for a year before joyfully marrying Bai Xiaoxiao. Every possession of the former mistress was hastily replaced overnight, not even a photograph was spared.

Only this rose garden remained, saved by certain measures Ning Zhuiyue had put in place during its creation, which prevented the Duke from tampering.

Thus, this garden became Xia You's sole sanctuary whenever he sought solitude.

Xia You was slightly apprehensive, his hands, hidden behind him, instinctively caressing a rose that leaned towards him. His eyes remained intently fixed on Lu Yinghuai.

To be honest, Xia You was unfamiliar with Lu Yinghuai.

Yet that didn't mean he wasn't curious about this legendary war hero.

Which citizen of the empire didn't admire Lu Yinghuai?

None, to be exact.

The man before me joined the legion and was dispatched to the frontier as soon as he came of age. And by the time

he clashed with

the insectoid queen, ending the war in a grand victory, he was barely past his early twenties.

Had it not been for his psychic disruption disorder, the now prime-aged Lu Yinghuai would undoubtedly be the top marital choice among the nobility.

— In fact, he still is.

Xia You noticed it just now.

Even Xia Qing's breath quickened by a fraction when he laid eyes on Lu Yinghuai, his gaze tainted with a hint more of jealousy and resentment.

Lu Yinghuai smiled briefly, paused, and then said, “Sit down, there's no need to be nervous.”

Xia You gave a bashful smile, only taking her seat with decorum after Lu Yinghuai had seated himself.

But with her keen psychic senses, Xia You noticed that the moment Lu Yinghuai sat down, his muscles tensed momentarily, and his typically restrained psychic energy seemed to flare up just a bit.

Xia You glanced at Lu Yinghuai's legs, wrapped in his regular trousers, and pondered.

Lu Yinghuai, with his fingers resting on his knee, pondered for a moment before softly saying, “During my psychic disruption episodes, I tend to lose consciousness. Due to my position, the legion keeps such incidents under wraps.”

“Not reaching out to you immediately was my oversight. I apologize.”

Xia You hadn't expected Lu Yinghuai's first words to be an apology, let alone disclose such sensitive information. The words she had prepared seemed suddenly redundant. She opened her mouth and said honestly, “Marshal, truthfully... I don't mind.”

“I understand.” Seeing the candidness and composure of the young woman before him, Lu Yinghuai finally allowed a smile, “I've seen Meng Wenxuan's psychic evaluation report on you. The central brain also analyzed your psychic data and rated it as exceptionally high in latent talent.”

Meng Wenxuan and Wei Cheng even handed over the full agreement they had made with Xia You to Lu Yinghuai.

“Xia...” Lu Yinghuai paused, then suddenly asked, “May I call you Little You?”

Xia You, who had been attentively listening, promptly nodded: “Of course.”

“Alright, Little You.”

Lu Yinghuai said with a soft chuckle. His voice was a tad weary but warm.

Unlike the formal lectures Xia You had heard online, the Marshal Lu beside her now, although still appearing strong and dependable, mature and composed, didn't exude the same unreachable authority and solemnity.

“Little You, I'm honored that you've chosen to trust me—or perhaps it's the First Legion that you trust. Regardless of whether you choose to become a healer for the First Legion or serve in the Marshal's Mansion, I owe it to this trust to have a face-to-face conversation and make a promise to you.”

There aren't many imperial citizens with psychic talent mutations, though they aren't unheard of. Lu Yinghuai is one of them. His mutation manifests in the strength and adaptability of his psychic power. This is also why, despite being diagnosed with psychic disruption disorder, he has managed to persevere until now.

But psychic talent mutation is an uncontrollable and risky process. Lu Yinghuai, having experienced it firsthand, knows the dangers it entails.

Xia You is a healer, inherently rare. Furthermore, her psychic mutation might relate to psychic soothing, making her even more valuable.

One misstep, and she could be exploited by those with ulterior motives, used as a tool for manipulative gratitude and coercion.

To say Lu Yinghuai doesn't have hopes for Xia You's healing psychic abilities would be untrue, but Marshal wouldn't place such a burden on the shoulders of someone who has just come of age.

The weight of the name Lu Yinghuai carries is immense. Taking on Xia You isn't a significant addition, but Xia You might be overwhelmed by external expectations hoping she can heal Lu Yinghuai.

While Lu Yinghuai certainly harbors hope, it's merely to shield a still faint star.

Xia You listened quietly, her throat subtly moving.

Indeed, when she initially chose the First Legion, apart from her psychic power's need for energy stones, she primarily sought a force that could protect her.

But she never expected that Marshal Lu, who mostly appeared in video records and had been in and out of the public eye in recent years, still plagued by the psychic disruption disorder, would make a special visit to see her.

Noticing Lu Yinghuai's pause, Xia You lifted her gaze, met his sidelong glance, hesitated, then whispered, "Did you specifically come to the Duke's Mansion to find me because of this?"