This chapter is brought to you MaHaoJ, thanks for the ko-fi! ٩(•̤̀ᵕ•̤́๑)
Chapter 184 – Brutal Beastman Marshal vs. White Lotus, Black Lotus, Pitiful Plant Prince (11)
Mu Jin worked to calm his excited heart as he took the brooch out of its box. Noticing that the unique design of the branches somewhat resembled a phoenix’s tail, the young man looked up and fixed his burning gaze on Cromwell. Clearing his slightly dry throat, he asked, “Marshal, do you know what kind of plant this is?”
Cromwell shook his head. He had once asked the shopkeeper who sold brooches, but the seller, only knowledgeable about the jewelry, didn’t know what plant it was.
Moreover, the shopkeeper explained that this brooch had been in the shop for a long time. Despite its exquisite craftsmanship, flower-themed brooches were more popular due to the influence of the plant people, leaving this elegant branch design unsold.
Recognizing the powerful imperial marshal, the shopkeeper eagerly recommended their most popular designs. However, Cromwell refused all of them, as he had instantly fallen in love with this particular brooch, ignoring all others.
For some reason, he felt a deep affection for its design, almost to the point of being unable to part with it. Seeing how much Mu Jin seemed to care about the gift, the man couldn’t help but ask, “Is there something special about this brooch?”
Mu Jin’s eyes flickered at the question, but instead of answering directly, he asked Cromwell, “Marshal, why did you choose this brooch? Don’t you think that the plant design is neither glamorous nor adorned with flowers, making it seem rather plain?”
Cromwell pursed his lips at Mu Jin’s question. He didn’t sense any displeasure from the young man, just simple curiosity about his choice.
After a moment’s hesitation, he decided to be honest. Looking at the brooch in Mu Jin’s hand, he said uncertainly, “I really like this brooch. I don’t know why, but when I saw its design, I felt a deep sense of familiarity. Besides, plants themselves are vibrant and full of life. While flowers are beautiful, I prefer the branches and leaves that represent vitality. Xiao Jin, don’t you like it?”
Mu Jin’s eyes softened at his lover’s response. He looked into Cromwell’s eyes and said softly, “No, I like it very much. This plant is called ‘Black Fern1,’ a very rare species. It has no flowers or fragrance, and even in the Plant People’s Empire, few recognize it.”
“Black Fern,” Cromwell repeated the name, feeling a deep affection for it and a strong desire to see the real plant.
Unfortunately, as his partner mentioned, this plant was rare even in the Plant Empire. It would be nearly impossible to find it in the Beastman Empire.
For some reason, the young man seemed emotionally moved by the brooch. But seeing how much his partner liked the gift, Cromwell felt a sense of relief.
Mu Jin carefully examined the brooch. Knowing that his lover had an inexplicable fondness for it filled his heart with sweetness. This brooch’s design was a replica of the branches of Mu Jin’s true form. Though it appeared plain and lacked beautiful flowers, it had still captured this man’s affection.
Mu Jin felt incredibly fortunate, and a thought occurred to him. He looked up at the man in front of him and asked, “Marshal, can I give this brooch to someone else?”
Cromwell’s brows immediately furrowed at the question. Although he knew he shouldn’t refuse his partner’s request, this was the first gift he had given to the young man. Despite Mu Jin’s apparent joy, the idea of him wanting to pass it on to someone else was hard for Cromwell to accept.
He recalled that Mu Jin had recently met many new people at the Imperial Academy. Who exactly did Mu Jin want to give the brooch to? A new friend? Or another man?
Jealousy surged in Cromwell’s heart, and he struggled to suppress his anger. Trying to keep his tone calm, he asked, “Xiao Jin, who do you want to give the brooch to?”
To his surprise, the young man’s expression turned bashful. Mu Jin fiddled with the brooch, his eyes darting around nervously.
Seeing his partner blush, Cromwell felt a pang of pain in his heart. Although Mu Jin’s shy expression was incredibly charming, the thought that it might be for someone else was almost unbearable. His mind screamed, ‘He belongs to me. He’s my partner. How can he show this expression because of someone else?’ Yet he dared not show any of this for fear of scaring the young man.
Just as Cromwell was about to lose his composure, Mu Jin leaned forward and deftly pinned the brooch onto Cromwell’s clothes. Blushing, he said, “Can I give this brooch to you? I hope you’ll always wear it. Can you?”
The anger in Cromwell’s heart vanished in an instant. He stared in amazement at the brooch now pinned to his chest. Seeing Mu Jin’s bashful expression, he realized that Mu Jin wanted to give the brooch back to him.
Although it seemed odd to receive his own gift, Cromwell couldn’t bring himself to refuse. In fact, he felt elated at the unexpected gesture, completely forgetting that he had bought the brooch himself.
Finding his earlier jealousy amusing, Cromwell sighed inwardly and nodded solemnly to Mu Jin. “Alright, I’ll always wear this brooch!”
Mu Jin nodded in response, and as Cromwell looked at him, he quickly turned his head to the side. Cromwell couldn’t help but wonder if it was his imagination, but it seemed like Mu Jin’s face was even redder.
The two continued chatting, discussing Mu Jin’s life at the academy. Cromwell was very concerned about his partner’s adjustment to the Imperial Academy.
Their conversation revealed that Mu Jin was quite satisfied with his studies, especially enthusiastic about pharmacology, his passion evident. This made Cromwell happy as well.
Noticing the time, they realized it was already noon and decided to head to the restaurant for lunch.
Mu Jin now had the privilege of enjoying morning dew with every meal, along with dishes tailored to his taste. During their meal, Cromwell’s gaze never left him, making Mu Jin feel a bit self-conscious, as if he were the main course.
It was only when Wilson, sitting nearby, coughed twice that Cromwell finally restrained himself. Savoring the delicious morning dew, Mu Jin knew that this drink was useless to beastman, but he still politely pushed the glass pitcher towards Cromwell and asked, “Marshal, would you like to try this morning dew?”
“Call me by my name.”
“What?” Cromwell’s unexpected reply caught Mu Jin off guard. As he asked again, Cromwell solemnly responded, “Xiao Jin, call me by my name. We are legally married.”
Mu Jin blinked at this and hesitated for a moment before softly saying, “Cromwell, would you like to try the morning dew?”
Hearing the respectful tone in Mu Jin’s voice, Cromwell frowned slightly. He wanted to tell Mu Jin that they were the closest of people and such formality wasn’t necessary, but considering his lover’s shy nature, he decided it was best to take things gradually.
The thought of Mu Jin wanting to share his favorite morning dew with him warmed Cromwell’s heart. Initially inclined to refuse, Cromwell noticed the cup Mu Jin had just used. The words of refusal dissolved on his lips, and instead of taking the pitcher, he picked up Mu Jin’s half-full cup and took a sip.
Knowing that this was the cup Mu Jin had just used made Cromwell feel a rush of warmth. Though the morning dew was just an ordinary liquid to orcs, the fact that it came from Mu Jin’s cup made it exceptionally enticing. The subtle taste left on the rim of the cup had an indescribable sweetness.
As he savored this delightful sensation, Cromwell found himself staring intently at Mu Jin’s lips. After taking another sip, he said in a husky voice, “It’s very delicious.”
Mu Jin, familiar with his lover’s look, immediately realized that Cromwell wasn’t praising the morning dew but him. Silently cursing him for being a rogue, he nonetheless felt a swell of joy in his heart.
Knowing that Cromwell had intentionally used his cup, Mu Jin feigned a shy, blushing expression without any intent to stop him. When Cromwell handed the cup back, still eyeing Mu Jin’s lips with lingering desire, Mu Jin quickly lowered his head to hide his smile.
Taking the cup in his hand, Mu Jin gave a bashful smile and remained silent. He then took a sip from the same spot Cromwell had just used. As expected, Cromwell’s gaze instantly heated up.
Aware that he shouldn’t tease his lover too much, Mu Jin refrained from further provocations, and they enjoyed a warm and pleasant lunch together.
Note :
乌蕨 is a fern native to East Asia, including China, Taiwan, and Japan. It grows in shady areas, such as forests and streamsides. The fern has long, narrow fronds that are divided into many small leaflets. The leaflets are green on top and have a brown underside. 乌蕨 is a popular ornamental plant and is also used in traditional Chinese medicine. ↩︎
The only fern I remember is the one that grows in Taiga biome lmao