Chapter 49: Trial

Chapter 49: Judgment

Lin You's expression suddenly darkened.

The original novel was ambiguous, focusing on the protagonist's suffering, and did not mention the final outcome, including how and why Lanen died. Lin You had no way of knowing.

And the moment his expression changed, Lanen noticed.

The general sat up, kneeling on the bed as the blanket slipped from his shoulders. He reached out to touch Lin You's forehead: "Your Highness?"

Lin You was startled: "...It's nothing."

They had just been intimate, and both their necks were still marked with faint kisses.

Lin You, uneasy, gripped the general's wrist and lowered his gaze: "Why the 21st?"

Lanen: "Hmm?"

Lin You: "Why must you choose the 21st of the month after next to pay respects to the deceased?"

Why did it coincide with the general's death date in the novel?

He was agitated, his tone unavoidably emotional. Lanen was surprised for a moment, then smiled: "Because Devin has used up his annual leave, and he won't have any until the month after next. I'm currently a nominal invalid and can't operate a spacecraft. I want Devin to accompany me."

"..."

The reason was logical, but Lin You still had doubts. As a firearms game streamer, his sixth sense was usually accurate, but he couldn't find a reason to refute.

Lin You stared at Lanen: "What if I truly disagree?"

His tone was calm: "If I disagree, as my attendant, you have no right to leave the prince's residence independently, let alone go to a desolate planet with Devin to pay respects to the deceased."

Lanen paused.

Since he entered the prince's residence, this was the first time Lin You had spoken in such a tone.

The noble third prince was tense, his back rigid with tension. Although he was the one with the authority, he was more nervous than Lanen. He feigned calm, but his eyelashes quivered slightly, betraying his unease.

Lanen's azure eyes, filled with unspoken emotions, gazed at Lin You. He took Lin You's hand, nestled closer, and rested his chin on Lin You's shoulder: "If you truly disagree, then..."

Lin You tensed even more.

He knew Lanen had plans, knew there were things he had to do, and knew that if Lanen wanted to leave, he couldn't stop him.

In the original novel, the general had been driven to the edge of collapse by pheromones, and even then, the third prince couldn't stop him.

If he truly disagreed, Lanen would likely leave without a word, and they would part ways, becoming strangers, just like in the original novel.

But as he stood his ground in silence, he heard Lanen sigh, kiss his earlobe, and in the warmth of the blanket, the decisive general's voice softened: "...Then I can only beg you."

"Please, Your Highness," he murmured, kissing Lin You, "I have reasons I must go."

Lin You, in a daze, felt as though he were seeing a friend's golden retriever, always using soft words and coquetry to get out of trouble. He wanted to push Lanen away but was caught by the wrist and drawn into a deeper embrace, so he could only say helplessly: "Alright."

He concealed his slight nervousness: "If you need anything, I can help. Feel free to ask. My father is in command of the First and Seventh Armies. If you need..."

"Alright," Lanen leaned in to kiss him, "Don't worry, little prince."

His voice was barely audible: "I will deliver the ultimate victory to you."

Lin You didn't hear clearly: "What?"

Lanen didn't answer, just pressed him back into the blankets: "I said, I'm leaving tomorrow, let me hold you a little longer."

Lin You couldn't say anything, only hugged him back tightly.

*

The next day, before the tribunal's arrival, Lanen personally injected a substitute injection into his arm.

The ice-blue liquid entered his bloodstream, his muscles tensed up instantly, then quickly relaxed.

Lin You watched from the side, slightly biting his lip, but ultimately didn't stop him.

Lanen explained to Lin You like this: "Before the trial, I will stay in prison, I need to appear as though I've taken an addictive drug. If I don't suffer a bit, it would be hard to fool anyone."

At this time, the side effects of the substitute injection became the primary effect. Lanen began to become drowsy and feverish, his body weak, needing support to stand barely, his pheromones spreading unconsciously around, displaying signs of disorder. To outsiders, it appeared exactly like pheromone addiction.

Lin You touched his arm and only then noticed the many tiny needle marks. The scars from pheromone injections always heal more slowly than ordinary wounds, the liquid causing rejection reactions within the body, leaving the needle marks on the skin.

Lanen saw his expression and smiled: "Don't make that face, little prince. After all, I was a major general, it's not as if I can't handle a needle."

Lin You frowned disapprovingly: "What does your position have to do with it? Anyone would feel uncomfortable."

Being able to endure is one thing, but feeling uncomfortable is another.

He gave Lanen a pheromone-infused kiss.

When the tribunal officials arrived at the Third Prince's residence, both quickly adjusted their demeanor. Lanen looked disheveled, kneeling on the ground, his chin resting on Lin You's leg, appearing both humiliated and obedient. Lin You sat properly in the center of the hall, appearing aloof and superior.

The officials bowed to Lin You, they signed the trial order and went through the necessary procedures, then bowed again: "Third Prince, we will now take the major general away."

They lifted Lanen up, who remained calm throughout, showing no visible reaction, appearing both resigned and indifferent.

However, when the officials tried to bind him with chains, Lin You suddenly spoke up. His fingers tapped on the table, he sneered coldly: "Gentlemen, although I am temporarily handing him over to you, I do not wish to see any marks on my possession that are not left by me. You must return him to me exactly as he is, understood?"

He emphasized the words "my possession" and "any marks."

The officials quickly assured him, carefully smiling.

Since the last coming-of-age ceremony, the entire capital knew that the Third Prince had a peculiar temper and a terrifying possessiveness, hating others to touch his belongings. Even the victim of Major General Lanen, the young master of the Liam family, Liam White, had been kicked by the Third Prince. They, mere soldiers, wouldn't dare to offend.

Lanen smiled at him.

The major general wasn't worried at all, being held by two officials, he even had the mood to tease Lin You, repeating with interest in lip language: "Oh, your possession?"

Lin You then glared at him.

The two officials didn't dare to delay at the Third Prince's residence for too long, they took him and hurried to the tribunal. Almost the next second, Lin You avoided everyone and also left the residence. He drove an ordinary servant's aircraft—without any royal insignia or the mark of the prince's residence, and hurried to Admiral Hoyle's residence.

He had to arrange things at the tribunal prison, otherwise, if things developed as in the original text, by the time Lanen came out of the tribunal, Lin You would also go berserk.

Although a prince, the original owner had just come of age and was a carefree and playful character. He had almost no power of his own, relying entirely on Admiral Hoyle.

Admiral Hoyle seemed to have anticipated Lin You's return, leisurely drinking tea in the front hall, slowly saying: "Want me to find someone to take care of Lanen?"

Lin You circled around him, adding water and tea, behaving very obediently, nodding upon hearing this: "Yes!"

Hoyle hadn't seen the child so well-behaved in eight hundred years, feeling inexplicably, somewhat like his own cabbage being seduced by someone else's cabbage, raising an eyebrow: "Is he really that important to you?"

"..."

Lin You dutifully massaged the admiral's shoulders, his voice barely above a whisper: "It has to be him."

With the child speaking so, what else could Admiral Hoyle say? For a moment, he was overwhelmed with emotions, his thoughts in disarray.

The marriage between Admiral Hoyle and the old emperor was purely political in nature. Although they had Lin You, they rarely met, let alone developed any emotional connection. In the early days when his pheromones were unstable, the admiral had endured considerable hardship.

He never expected that the child they had would turn out to be so unique.

Although Lanen was not under Hoyle's command, the admiral had long been aware of this rising star. The young man had risen to the rank of major general step by step, and the hardships he endured were beyond words. Hoyle, seeing this, felt a sense of kinship. Since Lin You had asked, he was more than willing to help.

Admiral Hoyle rose and made his way to the tribunal. He first visited Lanen in the holding cell before meeting with the prison warden.

Compared to Lin You, the admiral, seasoned by years of experience, was far more adept. He quickly devised a plan to protect Lanen without alerting Lin Yu.

"Whether Lanen is guilty or not is beside the point. After all, he has married into the prince's residence. When he appears in court, he mustn't look too disheveled, or it will give people grounds to say that the third prince is abusive, which would reflect poorly on both the royal family and me."

The warden broke into a cold sweat. He was indeed backed by the eldest prince, who had instructed him not to make Lanen too comfortable. But Admiral Hoyle was no ordinary figure, and his arguments were compelling.

Lin Yu had mentioned it once, but Admiral Hoyle had personally intervened. The warden considered his options briefly and quickly made a decision.

Hoyle tapped the table, speaking casually, "I just saw Lanen. He looked awful, as if he were on the brink of death. There will be a lot of media on the trial day. Ensure he's well cared for these days, at least enough to appear presentable."

The warden silently cursed, attributing Lanen's poor condition to the third prince, but he dared not show any sign of it, respectfully agreeing instead.

Thus, Lanen waited in his cell, but the torment he had anticipated never materialized.

The guards avoided eye contact, not even glancing his way, let alone subjecting him to any private interrogations or punishments. Meals were delivered punctually, and Lanen stirred the food with his spoon—it included vegetables and meat, and the portions were ample.

The tribunal even supplied hot water daily for his washing and grooming. The guards cleaned his cell every day—Lanen glanced around, noticing that his cell was of the highest standard, spacious, with a comfortable temperature. There were even books and newspapers placed in a niche to pass the time.

Aside from the discomfort from the fever induced by the pheromone injections, it felt more like a vacation or a rest cure.

When the ten days passed and the trial officially began, Lanen felt somewhat dazed.

This was nothing like what he had imagined.

In fact, from the moment he stepped out of the third prince's bed, everything had been different from what he had expected.

He stood steadily on the trial platform. The fever was uncomfortable, but bearable. The effects of the injections would soon wear off, leaving only minor aftereffects, insignificant and not worth mentioning.

If it weren't for Lin You, he would never have made it here so easily.

Thinking of this, Lanen allowed a faint smile to flicker across his face.

His gaze swept over the vast jury and landed on Lin You, seated high above.

Lin You sat between Admiral Hoyle and the eldest prince, looking down with an expressionless face. He hid his emotions perfectly, appearing every bit the cold, cruel, and arrogant prince. His gaze at Lanen was devoid of any warmth, as if he were looking at a mere object.

But Lanen saw the glint of silver on Lin You's fingertip.

It was the ring they had exchanged at their wedding.

Lin You maintained his cold demeanor, but his fingers anxiously twisted the ring. The silver surface reflected shimmering light, like sunlight dancing on the rippling surface of a lake.

At this moment, Lanen stood at the center of the tribunal. He wore heavy shackles and a thin prison uniform. Countless eyes were fixed on him—some filled with disdain, others with scorn. They scrutinized Lanen freely, discussing the once-high-ranking military genius, the esteemed young master of the Klaite family, and how his actions were unforgivable, his future bleak. Among them were Lanen's former enemies and subordinates.

"Look, this is the major general of the Third Army, and this is how he ends up."

By all logic, Lanen should have felt ashamed, humiliated. But when his gaze fell on Lin You, all that malice seemed to ebb away like a receding tide.

Lin You kept spinning the ring incessantly.

His expression was tense—Lanen recognized this look all too well. The more nervous Lin You got, the colder his expression turned, but his little habits gave him away, just like now.

Even though Lanen was the one on trial, Lin You seemed even more on edge than him, the arc of the ring's rotation never ceasing.

Lanen let out a soft sigh.

—His little prince looked utterly worried.

The judge banged the gavel three times, calling for silence, then read out the charges and the verdict, one by one, all of which were trumped-up charges he had never committed. Yet Lanen nodded calmly, accepting them all without protest.

—The First Prince had already built an airtight case. Resisting now would be pointless.

When the final charge was read, and all the punishments laid out before him, the judge coughed and began to read the pardon.

"Lanen Collet, ex-Major General of the Third Army, according to the pardon, from this day forward, you will voluntarily give up your status as a natural person, be stripped of your position and identity, deprived of all political rights, and transfer the wealth of the Collet Family to the Third Prince Lin You in exchange for leniency in punishment. Do you agree to these terms?"

Lanen's azure eyes looked toward the jury: "I agree."

To the outside world, Lanen was hooked on an addictive drug, and his physical condition was extremely poor. In fact, he was still running a high fever, and this 'I agree' came out softly, his voice hoarse, yet oddly gentle.

66 perched on Lin You's shoulder, rubbing its nonexistent arm as if it were real.

"Su Zhu, you know what?" it whispered, "My last Su Zhu also ended up marrying his mission target. At the time, they held their wedding under a coconut tree on the beach. The officiant held my Su Zhu's hand in his left and my Su Zhu's target in his right, then asked, 'This gentleman, whether in sickness or in health, whether in poverty or wealth, do you promise to hold the hand of the person beside you and walk through the long journey of life together?' The way my Su Zhu's mission target spoke back then was just like your Major General Lanen's tone now."

"..."

The judge nodded, then turned to Lin You: "Honorable Third Prince, are you willing to accept this criminal, take him into your residence, and give him a chance to reform?"

Lin You gave a reserved nod: "I am willing."

They signed the pardon, in black and white, stamped with the royal seal, and the trial was concluded.

Lin You breathed a sigh of relief.

He could finally bring Lanen home without hiding.

The two of them climbed into the aircraft one after the other. Lanen was still weak, gripping the railing tightly, the few steps feeling like an impossible climb, almost dragging himself up. Lin You walked ahead alone, making no move to help.

Lin Yu observed everything, nodding with satisfaction.

But as soon as the aircraft door closed, they eagerly kissed.

Lin You was eager to share pheromones to counteract the injection's side effects and make the Major General feel better, but Lanen was in no hurry. He kissed leisurely, tracing the curve of Lin You's lips with his own, then pulled Lin You down to lie on the large bed in the aircraft.

Lanen: "Shall we?"

Lin You was stunned: "You're still running a fever."

The temperature of the skin under his hand was still scorching. No matter how strong the Major General was, he wasn't made of iron. The high fever not only clouded his thoughts but also caused his joints and muscles to ache faintly. Lanen's earlier display of discomfort wasn't entirely feigned.

A glint of amusement flashed in Lanen's eyes: "I heard it feels even better this way."

Lin You: "?"

His brain froze for several seconds before he finally understood the meaning behind Lanen's teasing gaze.

Lanen wasn't even joking; he was serious.

The side effects of the pheromone shot hadn't subsided yet, and acting too impulsively now would only exacerbate the situation. Yet, Lanen genuinely didn't care about his own well-being. He stared fixedly at Lin You, unconcerned about the potential consequences, as if his physical form were nothing more than a disposable burden. Trapped within it, he sought nothing but a fleeting moment of pleasure.

Lin You clenched his teeth in frustration.

He bit down on Lanen's shoulder, and the general, clearly not expecting this, let out a pained grunt: "Ouch—"

"Now you feel the pain?"

Lin You pulled the blanket over him, covering him from head to toe, leaving only a pair of bewildered blue eyes peeking out.

Lin You: "Until you're completely better, don't you dare think about it!"

"Now, sleep."