Chapter 177 – Brutal Beastman Marshal vs. White Lotus, Black Lotus, Pitiful Plant Prince (04)
These empty promises, assuming they could fool him—Mu Jin couldn’t believe they thought he would fall for such nonsense. He mentally rolled his eyes but outwardly maintained his timid facade, eventually nodding to Mu Chen.
Evidently, Mu Chen was very pleased with Mu Jin’s apparent compliance. He comforted him a few more times and even handed Mu Jin a prescription, suggesting that he present it to the Beastman Empire’s marshal to gain his trust.
Mu Jin hadn’t expected the second prince to give him a healing prescription. Given the Beastman Empire’s underdeveloped pharmaceutical capabilities, they were heavily reliant on the Plant Empire. This dependence was a significant reason why the Beastman Empire had never dared to provoke the Plant Empire.
However, upon examining the prescription, Mu Jin inwardly scoffed. The simple prescription was only capable of treating minor injuries. It was laughable that Mu Chen thought it was something valuable.
Although the prescription might be considered precious by ordinary people, it was hardly enough to earn the trust of a marshal. Mu Jin’s face remained impassive as he expressed gratitude, respectfully listened to Mu Chen’s instructions, and then left. Before leaving, he imprinted a mental mark on Mu Chen, ensuring he would suffer from nightmares and increased irritability.
Mu Jin mused on the convenience of having mental powers in this world as he followed the maid out.
The next day, Mu Jin was unexpectedly required to wear luxurious attire and was essentially packaged like a gift to be sent aboard the spaceship.
The original host had never had the opportunity to wear such fine clothing, but the royal family was likely concerned about their image. Given that their marriage alliance involved the Beastman Empire’s marshal, and the fact that the marshal controlled all military power, they made sure Mu Jin’s appearance was presentable.
Normally, if a prince were the marriage candidate, the other party would come in person to receive him. The emperor could send an envoy, but if it were a prince or a marshal, they would usually come themselves.
However, Cromwell had no interest in this matter. To him, marriage was a troublesome affair, and he had never considered having a partner.
Cromwell’s greatest passion was fighting on the battlefield. When not in combat, he enjoyed sparring with his subordinates. The idea of dealing with a spouse had never crossed his mind.
Since the current emperor had no other princes, Cromwell, as the marshal, had to step in. He agreed to the marriage out of a sense of duty, viewing it as nothing more than adding another person to his household. He had no intention of personally fetching his betrothed.
He knew only that his fiancé was a prince from the Plant Empire, but he had no further interest in the details. Thus, there was no expectation that he would personally pilot a starship to receive Mu Jin.
Instead, Cromwell sent his adjutant, Kofi, to fetch Mu Jin. Kofi, a cheerful Beastman, found Mu Jin adorable. Despite his lavish attire, Mu Jin was shy and humble, nothing like the haughty princes and princesses Kofi had expected. This made Kofi fond of him.
Mu Jin was compliant and obedient, following Kofi’s instructions without protest. Kofi admired Cromwell’s fortune in having such a well-behaved and cute fiancé.
Although Cromwell seemed disdainful of the prince, Kofi hoped his hot-tempered superior wouldn’t be too harsh on the gentle Mu Jin.
On the starship, Mu Jin played his role perfectly, appearing as a timid, pitiable character—an insignificant pawn in a political marriage. He noticed the pity in others’ eyes but didn’t mind, as he was in a great mood, excited to soon see his lover.
However, reality proved disappointing. After arriving in the Beastman Empire, Mu Jin didn’t see his lover for several days. Despite residing in the marshal’s mansion, only the butler, Wilson, was there to take care of him.
Mu Jin showed great respect to the elderly Beastman with a full head of white hair. He knew that his lover in this world had never received much familial love. Although Cromwell was later acknowledged by his biological father, the man soon passed away, leaving the butler to manage most of Cromwell’s affairs.
Wilson had been the head butler for over thirty years, staying by Marshal Cromwell’s side. While Cromwell might be wild and unruly outside, he still showed respect to his butler at home, treating him like a senior family member.
“Grandpa Wilson, will the Marshal not be coming home today either?” Mu Jin knew that even though he held the title of prince from the Plant Empire, he was essentially alone and unsupported in the Beastman Empire. Thus, he kept his demeanor humble.
His well-behaved demeanor over the past few days had greatly pleased Wilson. After several tests, Wilson felt that Mu Jin was a simple and sincere child. Mu Jin’s respectful and calm attitude made him seem inherently likable.
However, Wilson was concerned about Mu Jin’s frail physique. He couldn’t help but wonder about the Plant Empire’s royal upbringing, as this child’s health seemed worse than that of an ordinary family.
Looking at Mu Jin’s round face, Wilson felt a pang of sympathy for the young boy. With a kind voice, he asked, “So, does Prince Jin want to see the Marshal?”
Mu Jin hesitated but didn’t nod. Although he missed his lover, according to the original character, he hadn’t met Cromwell yet. Given the Marshal’s notorious reputation, Mu Jin thought it appropriate to show some fear and concern.
Sensing the child’s worry, Wilson reassured him, saying the Marshal wasn’t as terrifying as he might think and was actually quite approachable.
Mu Jin nodded, immediately putting on a compliant expression. “I understand, Grandpa Wilson. I will be obedient and won’t do anything to make the Marshal dislike me.”
Wilson, seeing the child’s large, cat-like eyes and sweet dimples when he smiled, felt his heart melt. He silently cursed Cromwell for neglecting such an adorable boy. Though Cromwell was a known battle maniac, often staying with the troops and rarely coming home, he should at least have met his fiancé.
Despite Wilson’s internal complaints, Mu Jin still hadn’t seen Cromwell. It wasn’t until their wedding day that Cromwell, prompted by Wilson’s persistent urging, returned from the military.
Although he wasn’t fond of his future spouse, he recognized the importance of the political alliance. Not attending the wedding would be a blatant affront to the Plant Empire.
Understanding the diplomatic implications, Cromwell wasn’t foolish. He arrived at the wedding late in the morning, having just finished interrogating prisoners. Wearing an old military uniform and reeking of blood, he leisurely walked into the wedding venue.
Wilson looked at Cromwell’s slightly disheveled hair and untidy attire, noting a conspicuous bloodstain on his sleeve from an interrogation. He was almost angry enough to shout. Though he knew his master was generally unreliable, the thought of Mu Jin’s cute face showing sadness made Wilson’s eyelids twitch, and his gaze towards Cromwell filled with disapproval.
Cromwell, unaware of why his butler’s gaze had suddenly turned strange, thought only of quickly completing the wedding ceremony so he could return to the military and spar with Kofi. He considered the wedding a waste of time.
Seeing Cromwell’s complete lack of awareness, Wilson could only sigh. He anticipated needing to comfort the young man after the wedding.
The wedding, endorsed by the emperor, was grand. Many guests attended, partly out of curiosity about the Plant Empire’s Fifth Prince, who was to marry this notorious warrior, and partly because of the peculiar harmony between the royal family and the military since Cromwell became Marshal. The royal family had ceased their attempts to centralize power, fully entrusting Cromwell with military control.
Given that the wedding was for the empire’s Marshal and the emperor had decreed it to be grand, no one dared disrespect the two most powerful men in the empire.
Under Wilson’s insistence, Cromwell begrudgingly changed into formal attire, grumbling, “Wilson, it’s just a wedding. Does it have to be so elaborate?”
While others might fear the temperamental Marshal, Wilson regarded him more as a younger relative. He glared at Cromwell and said, “Marshal, this wedding is important. The groom is a prince of the Plant Empire. He is a good kid, and I hope you won’t let the fact that this is an arranged marriage cause you to mistreat him.”
“Mistreat? Wilson, you know I have no interest in marriage,” Cromwell retorted, frowning. He quickly finished dressing and headed to the altar, eager to end the cumbersome ceremony.
However, as he approached the altar, he unexpectedly felt a surge of nervousness. Especially when he saw the young man in the white royal uniform, his body tensed even more.
Holding his breath, Cromwell slowly approached the figure. As he drew closer, the silhouette became clearer. Despite hearing that the Plant Prince was of age, the person before him appeared more like a young boy.
The prince was not tall but had a well-proportioned, slender figure. His short black hair looked soft, with a cowlick adding a playful touch. His round face bore large cat-like eyes filled with nervousness. His upturned lips were tightly pressed together, and when he saw Cromwell, he tried to muster a smile, revealing shallow dimples that added a sweet charm to his youthful appearance.
Cromwell felt his heart skip a beat, becoming somewhat dazed. He seemed to block out the surrounding noise as he walked step by step toward the figure. After a long moment, he blankly asked the young man before him, “Are you the Prince of the Plant Empire?”
Cromwell’s voice was hoarse, causing Mu Jin’s ears to twitch. With a blush tinging his ears, Mu Jin nodded and gave a shy smile. This smile made Cromwell’s breath hitch, and he felt his heart pounding even faster than before.
I’m dying, what is it with these interstellar names?? Archibald, now we got Kofi 😂