"Ach!"
Lydia recoiled as if she'd touched a glowing ember. Her hands flew to her lips, her face erupting in a crimson flush that put his wedding robes to shame.
"You... you did it again!"
"We always used to do that," Kaelen replied with feigned gravity, though sparks of mischief danced in his eyes. "Don't you remember? It was our favorite game."
"That was ages ago when we were children!" she huffed, stamping her foot so hard the ornaments at her waist jangled. "You're an adult now! You're about to have a wife! From today on, your lips belong only to Selyna Selwyn!"
"And why is that, exactly?"
"Because I'm your caretaker, you dummy!" she cried out, her voice trembling despite herself.
"If that's the case... what am I supposed to do when I feel like I need to kiss you again?" he asked, tilting his head with a roguish grin.
"Then... then you should just marry me!" she blurted out without thinking, desperate to shut him up.
Kaelen raised his eyebrows, his grin widening. "Hey, you're the one who said you're my caretaker. How am I supposed to marry you?"
Lydia realized she'd backed herself into a corner. "Never mind! If you do that one more time, I'll tell Selyna to give you a proper leash! Hmph!"
"Young Master!" Steward Hong's voice from behind the door turned almost desperate. "The horses are braying, the guests are waiting! If you don't come out this instant, your grandfather will come fetch you himself!"
Kaelen moved toward the exit, but Lydia stopped him again, gripping his sleeve tightly. Her gaze was serious now, almost solemn.
"Kaelen, the promise. Repeat what we agreed on yesterday."
The boy sighed, but his voice was thick with affection. "I remember. Even when Selyna moves into our home, I won't forget you. I'll still be your shadow, I'll follow your every command, and I'll come running whenever you call. Just like always."
"Good," she whispered, but her grip didn't loosen. "And one more thing... something I forgot to mention yesterday. Even though she'll be your official wife, in your heart... she can never hold a higher place than me. Say it. Now!"
Kaelen looked deep into her eyes, feeling the Seraphic Shell of Decay pulse in sync with his heart. "If you give me one more kiss, I'll swear it."
"So... you will marry me?"
Lydia used her "ultimate weapon" again, and Kaelen simply shook his head, conceding defeat in this round of verbal fencing.
"Young Master!" Hong was practically beating down the door.
Kaelen placed his hand on the latch. Just before stepping out, without turning back, he whispered words that made the girl's heart nearly stop:
"I don't need to swear it, because it's already the truth. You could put a hundred women like Selyna Selwyn in front of me, and none of them would be worth even your shadow. To me, you are the only one."
He pushed the door open and stepped out, leaving behind the silence and the scent of peaches, ready to face a world that considered him nothing but insignificant dust.
Lydia Valerius stood motionless, as if time had frozen around her. Only when the echo of Kaelen's words faded in the hallway did her lips curve into a joyful arc, and she jumped up with childish euphoria, as if she had just won the world's most precious prize.
***
An impressive procession waited outside. Steward Valerius Hong smiled politely at the young master, though a shadow of tension lurked in his eyes.
"Young Master, please mount your horse. I will protect you with all my might on the way to the Selwyns... though, of course, today is your great day. I shouldn't be a harbinger of gloom; only good omens await us."
"Thanks, Uncle Hong," Kaelen replied, nimbly mounting his steed.
As he adjusted the reins, a smooth, melodic voice drifted from his left:
"It seems I've arrived just in time. Is Brother Kaelen setting out to claim his most beautiful treasure? My congratulations."
Kaelen's brow twitched. Two young men were walking toward him.
The speaker was about twenty, of medium build, and radiated a rare elegance. His eyes seemed crystal clear, and a radiant, almost soothing smile sat upon his face. Behind him, like a shadow, followed a leaner, slightly younger man.
Kaelen narrowed his eyes, matching the faces to his memories. "Ah, it's Brother Silas and Brother Valerius Yang. Have you come specifically to see me off?"
Silas Valerius was the son of the current Clan Leader. At twenty, he was the ultimate role model: handsome, talented, and wise. His strength had already reached the Third Level of the Nascent Ether Realm. Despite his high status, Silas was famous for his humility. He never mocked Kaelen.
The previous owner of this body had practically worshipped Silas for his kindness. Kaelen Voss, however, with decades of experience in the world of intrigue, felt a subconscious surge of caution.
In the world of poison masters, the clearest water is often the most toxic, he thought.
The second man, Yang, was the grandson of the Second Elder. He was a loyal lackey to Silas, but he never had a kind word for Kaelen.
"Haha, of course!" Silas approached with a hearty laugh. "The woman you marry today is the brightest jewel of our Skybright Fortress. This isn't just a great celebration for the Valerius House, but an event the whole city is talking about. Since you have the chance to marry such a treasure, your brother is sincerely happy for you. Though I must admit, I feel a sting of envy as well. Hahahaha!"
Kaelen laughed lightly, though his eyes remained watchful. "Brother Silas tells great jokes. With your talent and status, every woman in the Fortress is just waiting for your signal."
"Young Master, we must move," interrupted Valerius Hong, glancing at the sun.
"Brother Kaelen, hurry along. We eagerly await the moment you spectacularly bring the brightest jewel of Skybright Fortress across the threshold of the Valerius House," Silas said with a beaming smile, waving farewell.
Kaelen nodded and settled into the saddle. The wedding procession, led by old Hong, moved through the courtyard amidst the deafening roar of drums and gongs, heading straight for the Selwyn residence.
However, the moment Kaelen's silhouette vanished past the gate, Silas's polite mask shattered.
His face contorted into a dark, sudden grimace of hatred. Without warning, he turned and struck Yang across the face with full force.
"Pathetic!" he hissed through clenched teeth.
The blow was so powerful that Yang staggered, his left cheek instantly beginning to swell. Terrified, the boy threw himself at Silas's feet, whimpering for mercy:
"I... I swear I put in the Blood Solstice Powder! The informant confirmed he dropped dead... I have no idea how this is possible... he should be stiff!"
"Hmph!" Silas narrowed his eyes, his face turning almost demonic. "I spent a fortune on that poison. Even Medic Malachi doesn't know the antidote, and you blew it! Do you even understand what I'm feeling? Am I supposed to stand aside and watch Selyna Selwyn become the wife of that piece of trash?!"
"Boss, he just left!" Yang squeezed out, massaging his aching jaw. "We still have a chance on the route... We can't strike personally without drawing suspicion to your father, but we can incite the youths of the Yuwen House and other aristocrats. They all lust after Selyna! A few words are all it takes for them to swarm the procession with 'congratulations' that turn into a brawl..."
"If it were that simple, I wouldn't have wasted time on poison!" Silas cut him off brutally.
"Kaelen is a nobody, but his grandfather is at the peak of the Spiritual Ether Realm. Who would dare openly offend him? Besides, Selyna's father personally sanctioned this wedding. Even if those brats from the Yuwen House joined forces with the City Governor's son, their fathers would stop them instantly... And did you see who's escorting him? That old fox Hong is personally guarding the horse. No one will dare a provocation with him there."
As he spoke, Silas clenched his fists so hard that the sound of popping joints echoed in the quiet courtyard. He remembered vividly the day he first saw Selyna Selwyn. She looked like a goddess descended from the heavens.
"Boss... actually, you might not need to worry that much," Yang said, looking cautiously at Silas, trying to save his skin. "Just think about Selyna's temperament. She's never even spared a glance for the greatest talents in our Fortress; do you think she'll even allow someone like Kaelen near her? She's only marrying him because of an old contract. Once they're living in our estate, that trash won't stand a chance of even touching her... and you, Boss, will have her within reach every single day."
Hearing this, Silas slowly relaxed his fists. His narrow eyes crinkled in a predatory expression. He tapped the bridge of his nose and whispered with a dark smile:
"You're right... that makes sense. Perhaps the fact that the brat survived will turn out to be even more beneficial for me. I'll have that beautiful trophy under my own roof."