Rating: slightly mature

 

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The spring days continued.

Prince Alexius celebrated his 14th birthday, and Crown Prince Rian extended the Royal Healers’ Association by setting up a new National Centre for the Support, Research, and Treatment of Rare Diseases And Conditions in collaboration with the Capital Hospital and Duke Schauss, as though he didn’t have enough things to do already.

The new trees that Crown Prince Rian had planted in the Imperial Palace grounds put up beautiful blossoms, prompting a blossom-viewing event at the Palace. The flowers and the new greenery made the previously cool and detached palace grounds become much more vibrant and full of life. Nobles praised Crown Prince Rian’s arrangement, and several people composed poems.

An unexpected result of the flowers at the Imperial Palace was the subsequent small quantity of delicate and floral blossom honey produced.

Not long after the flowers started to die away, Queen Mira noticed the tiny green immature fruit growing.

Queen Mira: “…”

She wasn’t surprised.

 

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Spring turned into summer, and with it, the conclusion of the academic year.

Two days were set aside for research students to present their research to a panel of supervisors and examiners in the main hall of the Imperial Magical Academy; other people were welcome to attend.

Rian was the first up.

With Ren Xiyang’s help, he levitated his map table onto the stage.

“Good morning, all. My research project concerns weather nowcasting, with the long-term goal of weather forecasting…”

After six months of research, the map table could display light and temperature levels across the kingdom. Light was shown as brightness in a patch, and temperature could be felt by placing one’s hand over a patch.

After Rian gave an overview of the map table functionality, he described the spells he had created to make the map table. He noted the importance of weather knowledge and prediction, and how weather—and natural disasters in particular—had affected historical political events.

“There is more to weather than light and temperature, Your Highness. How do you intend to measure wind speed, air pressure, and humidity?” an examiner asked pointedly.

“Those elements are part of my plan for the second year of this research project,” Rian said.

“How do you plan to convert this to prediction?” another examiner asked. “Do you expect someone to stick their hands on the table and guess what would happen next, based on the wind blowing on their hands?”

“I have been in discussion with several researchers, and we have come up with some options,” Rian said. “We will try some options in the second year of this project, which would also help us determine which measurements—temperature, wind speed, and so forth—are most important for weather prediction.”

Rian continued to answer a few more questions before the chair brought Rian’s presentation slot to a close and introduced the next student to speak.

Ren Xiyang’s presentation was on the second day.

“Over the last six months, I studied the process of targeted magical synthesis through the process of genetically modifying plants…”

Unfortunately, Ren Xiyang had overestimated his time. He hadn’t been able to synthesis sex hormones; he hadn’t had time to isolate them from the human body, nor to make magical plants function like a hormone-producing organ of the human body.

However, he hadn’t done nothing over the last six months. He was able to talk about how he genetically modified a magical herb with a particular desired property. Through the process of genetic modification via crossbreeding, he created modified properties. Meanwhile, by using the healing technique to modify different parts of the plant in a systematic manner, he was able to determine which parts of the plant were most involved in creating its desired property.

“This is an easy-to-grow magical herb. Have you not thought that it was a waste of time to improve its potency, instead of focusing your efforts on a different magical herb with low conversion rate?” one of the examiners asked.

“This project was a proof-of-principle. The methods that I have explored could be applied by other researchers,” Ren Xiyang said. “I didn’t choose a different magical herb with low conversion rate because it would be much more expensive and time-consuming to test for potency. Ultimately, my personal aim isn’t to improve the properties of known magical herbs, but to use magical herbs to produce completely new substances that can form the basis of new potions to replace certain healing spells.”

“Replace? How would that affect healers?”

“Healers would still be required to correctly identify patient ailments. The use of a potion for treatment would save the healer from using more magical energy and speed up the process of healing. But healers would always be needed for more complex and rare diseases and injuries.”

Ren Xiyang received some more technical questions about his method and results before the chair moved onto the next student presentation.

After the presentations were done, they had to submit a written report. Then, there was the usual exam period before students were free (the teachers had to still stay back and work on marking everything).

Since Ren Xiyang and Rian had no exams, Rian celebrated the report submission by not letting Ren Xiyang do any work for several days, and by making the most of their shared academy quarters (i.e., having sex all night) before they had to move out for the summer.

 

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The summer also meant the conclusion of Prince Pollux’s first year at the university, and his and Hadrian’s return trip to Angio.

They travelled together across Sedaveria, crossing at the Cedar fief and entering the Terra fief.

Marquis Terra welcomed Pollux. He invited Pollux to their dinner table, and by the end of the night, Pollux had been able to relax. It helped that Princess Sasha was adorable and that even the other stern Terra siblings softened upon seeing her.

Pollux was secretly amused. It turned out that Hadrian was similar to his siblings.

The next morning, before Pollux continued onto the Angian capital, Hadrian came to his room for a physical therapy session. After this, while Pollux was in Angio over the summer, his manservant and other Angio healers would take over the physical therapy sessions.

“Did you sleep well, Your Highness?” Hadrian asked. “Did Princess Sasha sleep well?”

Pollux’s stomach was a little tight. “I’m…a little nervous,” he admitted.

He felt better when Hadrian’s gaze focused on him in concern.

“Are you worried about going back to the capital? I can escort you, or ask my father—”

“Aurelia wouldn’t let me be hurt,” Pollux said.

Through Lady Iris Helios, Aurelia had organised a group of elite Angian guards to escort him—they had been along with them all the way from the Sedaverian capital.

“I still could—” Hadrian started.

“You should stay here with your family,” Pollux said. The Terra family were much more restrained than the very warm and friendly Rosewood staff, but they were still clearly a family who liked each other. He could see how Hadrian relaxed in his parents’ presence. “It’s nothing, I suppose I had hoped that I could walk by now.” He glanced towards the bed and Hadrian caught his cue.

Hadrian helped him onto the bed and started him on the stretches.

“It’s simply a matter of time,” Hadrian said. “Ayden said another year would be enough, maybe even less. This year has gone by so quickly, I’m sure next year will go by quickly too.”

“Hm,” Pollux acknowledged.

Hadrian moved onto the exercise portion.

Pollux had more sensation down his legs now, but that wasn’t the same as being able to move them. Muscles, as it turned out, were complicated, and getting them to move was also complicated.

Sometimes, he wondered if Hadrian was too strong and too supportive. Hadrian had made Pollux want to accept Hadrian’s escort, even though he knew there was no point.

He didn’t want to separate from Hadrian. Hadrian was familiar, Hadrian was a friend. The Angio capital now felt very unfamiliar. Maybe he should accept…

Hadrian’s hands continued to move his legs, his touch firm but gentle.

Hadrian would be a good husband, not like King Augustus.

The thought come out of nowhere.

Inadvertently, Pollux’s mind imagined Hadrian with a woman, and Hadrian and that woman having sex, and Hadrian’s gaze and expression during the act with an unidentifiable figure and—

!!!!

Pollux’s cheeks grew hot as he realised his dick was hardening. He could see the small tent in his trousers, and Hadrian was right there by his legs.

Pollux’s legs twitched in discomfort. “Let’s stop now,” he said gruffly.

Hadrian’s gaze travelled up Pollux’s legs to his face. He cleared his throat. “When I was young, that would randomly happen to me too,” he said. “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“I know,” Pollux said, even more embarrassed.

“Do you want me to come back in a little while?”

Pollux covered his face with his hands. “Just continue.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

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Hadrian continued to move Prince Pollux’s legs through the various exercises.

Prince Pollux’s cheeks were still red; this redness seemed to extend down his neck.

Hadrian’s eyes naturally went downwards to Prince Pollux’s legs. This meant his gaze passed by Prince Pollux’s slim waist and the slight bulge in his trousers.

Hadrian suddenly felt a spike of arousal. He quickly averted his gaze. He was too mature for this! He was no longer a teenager who could become aroused at a mere thought. And it was very disrespectful to His Highness.

He made himself think about Prince Pollux’s trip to the Capital instead.

Prince Pollux was a handsome young man, and now far from the gloomy person he was previously. Once Prince Pollux arrived at the Capital, Hadrian suspected that more and more people will realise just how attractive Prince Pollux was. People who were better than Hadrian, people who were more eloquent, people who His Highness would like more.

Hadrian felt a pang in his chest. Those quiet days with just the two of them at the Rosewood house seemed so far away now.

They may never have those days again.

By the time they finished the exercises, both of them were quiet and contemplative.

Hadrian accompanied Prince Pollux’s convoy to the border of the Terra fief and said goodbye. They would meet again near the end of summer when Prince Pollux would head back to Sedaveria for the second year of his university course.

 

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Pollux’s mood dropped sharply after his convoy left the Terra fief.

Being alone should be nothing, he had been alone for years. So why did he feel the loneliness so sharply now?

A small part of him wished he had asked Hadrian to accompany him.

He turned his gaze to the large cat bed placed in his carriage. “Princess Sasha, wake up,” he called.

Princess Sasha opened one eye to look at him, and then went back to sleep.

Pollux: “…”

So, using his arms, he shuffled over, and then picked Princess Sasha up and put her on his lap. After giving her a kiss, he felt a bit better.

 

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Pollux’s travel to the Angio capital was smooth.

Upon arriving, his sisters Aurelia, Marcia, and Ariadne all came out to meet him outside the city, along with Aurelia’s primary lady-in-waiting, Lady Helios, and a few dozen guards.

They accompanied him while riding tall horses alongside his carriage.

“Pollux,” Aurelia greeted. “How are you?”

“I’m well, Aurelia,” Pollux said.

“How was your trip? Where is your cat?” Ariadne asked curiously. “Did you bring any gifts?”

“Ariadne!” Marcia admonished.

“I did bring gifts,” Pollux said, not feeling bothered. Ayden, Prince Alexius, Prince Rian, and Hadrian had all helped him choose and pack gifts. “I’ll distribute them once we’re inside. Princess Sasha is asleep.”

Aurelia nodded. “Lady Helios has helped refurbish your quarters for me.”

“I hope it is to your liking,” Lady Helios said. “I modelled it similar to your rooms in the Rosewood house. Your Princess Sasha should also find it suitable.”

The conversation lapsed as they entered the city. People gathered in the streets, with a wave of bows and choruses of, “All hail Her Majesty, all hail Her Highnesses, all hail His Highness.”

Arriving back at the castle, Pollux was struck by how…not intimidating it was.

There were big and small changes, from the removal of King Augustus’s favoured portraits and paintings to the greater relaxation on the faces of the castle residents and workers.

And Pollux’s head wasn’t facing down anymore; he could keep his head up even as people looked at him. The castle was no longer a difficult-to-navigate maze of corridors and stairs—he had made even more improvements to his floating chair while in Sedaveria.

And with Princess Sasha in his lap—and the not-fully-hidden looks of longing at Princess Sasha—Pollux felt that he was in a rather enviable position.

 

 

 

 

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Pollux: Large hands…

Hadrian: Slim waist…

Princess Sasha: Meow meow!

 

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Lady Iris Helios: I’m going to make myself indispensable to Aurelia (  •̀ - •́  )

Aurelia: Iris is so competent and thoughtful!

 

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I channelled Rejn for the first examiner’s comment to Rian >w<

Can you tell that the story has become more episodic? What plot threads have I forgotten that you really want me to finish?

 

 

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