ABRIWMTHM Chapter 26

Shi Xing was taken aback and pointed to himself.

Chi Yao nodded.

Shi Xing instinctively glanced towards the iron gate connecting the garden outside the main entrance of the building.

There was security for the matching banquet over there, so it should be that after entering, one cannot leave. Does His Highness mean to…

Chi Yao noticed Shi Xing’s movement and affirmed, “Yes, we are going out.”

“But usually…”

Chi Yao: “I am not an ordinary person.”

Shi Xing: “…”

Oh.

It’s His Majesty.

Shi Xing swallowed and obediently followed Chi Yao. Sure enough, they moved smoothly without obstruction. When they walked out of the building, Shi Xing instinctively looked back. Chi Yao was in front, but his mental power perception was open.

When Shi Xing turned his face back, Chi Yao joked, “What are you looking back for? Could it be that I came at the wrong time, and you are just changing your mind?”

Changing his mind, wanting to pick from the five military officers.

Shi Xing was taken aback, “That’s not it.”

After a pause, he quietly said, “I was thinking, since I came out with you tonight, if you reject me later, would I have to go back in embarrassment?”

“Uh, would that be very embarrassing?”

Chi Yao answered in a question, “Are you testing my thoughts?”

Shi Xing hesitated, instinctively feeling he shouldn’t speak anymore, but then he thought that being rejected was the worst that could happen, and Chi Yao wouldn’t do anything else to him, so it was better to speak freely, “No.”

“If you ask, I will answer.”

He mustered the courage to add, “As for the other military officers, I don’t have any thoughts yet. The history of the royal family is vast, and just getting a rough understanding from Major General Fu and Officer Xu occupied all my rest time.”

“Oh right, I still have to try to answer your questions as well.”

“With only a week left, even if you split me in half, it wouldn’t be enough. How could I be that capable…”

Chi Yao detected something else and intentionally probed, “Weren’t Fu Qing and Xu Jin giving you extra classes for the first two days? One week’s time? Where is there even a week?”

Shi Xing became lively upon hearing this, “Major General Fu and Officer Xu are just giving me some direction; I can’t really just ask them everything, right? There’s so much to cover, asking for two days is already a good relationship, asking any more would be annoying, Your Highness!”

“So, you’re also looking at the history of the royal family?”

“Of course. I’ve borrowed over 20 projection books just on my communicator to read. The library in the Nest still has records; otherwise, should I pull out the borrowing details to show you?”

Chi Yao leisurely walked with his hands behind his back and smiled, “No need, just tell me two that you think are the most useful.”

Shi Xing mentioned two names, and Chi Yao nodded, looking like he had actually read them.

His understanding is good, and the book titles were not wrong.

The little guy was more serious than he thought.

Being serious… is good.

Chi Yao stopped talking, and after following for a while, Shi Xing realized Chi Yao was walking toward the garden. Initially, he felt a little apprehensive, but as they got closer to the Mother Tree, the gentle mental power from it gradually calmed Shi Xing’s heart.

At worst, he’d just be rejected, which wasn’t a big deal.

After all, he seemed to look more like the one indulging in wild fantasies.

“Here will do, there’s no one around, quiet, and easy to talk.”

They stopped next to a long bench inside the garden, and Chi Yao sat down.

Seeing Shi Xing still standing, he tilted his chin, signaling the space beside him.

Shi Xing refused, “I won’t sit; I… will answer the questions soon.”

Under Chi Yao’s confused gaze, Shi Xing stated honestly, “I want to see your face while I say it.”

After a moment of silence, Chi Yao said, “So, what are your answers to those questions?”

Shi Xing took a deep breath unconsciously. Now that it had come to this point, he felt a little nervous, causing him to stutter, “The f-first question is who are you, this probably doesn’t need answering.”

Since the awakening moment, Shi Xing had already confirmed Chi Yao’s identity.

“Relax, don’t be nervous.”

“I have no other matters tonight; you can take your time.”

Shi Xing nodded and, due to his large movements, appeared very student-like.

Still nervous.

Chi Yao expressed his attitude, not overly emphasizing but leaving some space for Shi Xing to adjust.

Shi Xing swallowed, feeling that he had never encountered such a waiting examination before the talent assessment, a feeling of sweating all over.

Taking another deep breath, Shi Xing said, “The second question is what it means to choose you, which power faction to choose.”

“From… a political standpoint, it means I want to become Your Majesty’s partner, to share the responsibilities of the Empire with you, and to jointly lead the entire royal guard, the Empire’s first legion.”

This segment was equivalent to reciting a passage; the speech wasn’t long, but the weight it carried was enough to make Shi Xing feel a long-term self-doubt at the moment of speaking.

This burden is too heavy; he… feared he couldn’t bear it.

“The faction can be said to be the royal family, or it could mean absolute neutrality compared to other factions.”

“Upholding all the laws and regulations of the Empire, protecting the Empire’s citizens, maintaining the Empire’s good image, placing the Empire’s interests above personal interests.”

“If you want specific content, generally…”

Shi Xing briefly explained the royal family’s authority scope in the Imperial Capital. After Chi Yao listened, he nodded, “Yes, that’s right.”

With the approval received, Shi Xing gained some confidence and continued.

“Thirdly, your schedule and the risks I will face. I know.”

Shi Xing counted on his fingers Chi Yao’s major activities over the past year and elaborated on what to do and how to cooperate to avoid dragging them down on those occasions.

He spoke in great detail, and Chi Yao listened without issue.

Chi Yao: “Continue.”

The last question was whether Chi Yao’s mental sea, along with Shi Xing’s healing ability after growth, could be completely healed.

Shi Xing thought for a moment and answered, “This question actually has no answer.”

“Nothing is absolute.”

Chi Yao: “Is that it?”

Shi Xing took a deep breath and met Chi Yao’s gaze, saying, “Nothing is absolute. If anything, it depends on whether one can bear the loss.”

“If my ability can heal you, that’s wonderful. If it cannot…”

“Then that’s my choice, the pressure the Elders Council, the Senate, or other legions place on me in the future is something I should bear as your therapist.”

Chi Yao did not look at Shi Xing but instead gazed at some point in front of him, lightly tapping his long fingers on his leg as he spoke.

“You might still be unable to withstand this kind of pressure.”

“But if I don’t try, I will never be able to bear it.” Shi Xing replied.

He viewed this matter more profoundly than Chi Yao had imagined. “Pressure doesn’t build up in a day or two; my maturity period is also two to three years. If I am a high rank, calculated at three years, the pressure given to me in the first three years should be manageable. If it accumulates gradually, when I reach the point of confirming I cannot heal you, I believe I can coexist with it long-term and not be crushed by it all at once.”

“I won’t be crushed; there will always be a day of adaptation.”

Chi Yao paused slightly, looking up at Shi Xing, whose eyes gleamed with clarity, imbued with a gentle light as he spoke.

“Choices all have a price, don’t they, Your Highness?”

This bewildered Chi Yao.

After a moment of eye contact, seeing Shi Xing’s firm gaze, Chi Yao gently nodded in acknowledgment, “Yes.”

Shi Xing: “These are just the more formal aspects; I actually have my own set of answers. Do you… want to hear them?”

There was a moment of silence before Chi Yao said, “You may speak.”

This time, Shi Xing was truly nervous, his fingers clenched as he feared to hesitate and miss the opportunity, so he boldly said in one breath.

“Your identity is a bit intimidating; during my research, I often felt out of my depth.”

“But compared to that feeling of insignificance, I more clearly understand that if I give up, I will regret it.”

“I don’t want to regret, so even if I seem out of my depth in your eyes, I still want to try.”

“As for what choosing means, which power faction I would choose… it’s the same answer as before—this is heavy since your identity is not something easily borne, but I still want to try.”

“Therefore, no matter what the result from my investigations is, I will not back down. I will strive to improve my understanding and accept these things, even if I can’t accept them immediately; over time, I will adapt to them.”

This round of statements added a sense of determination compared to the earlier responses.

This was the answer Shi Xing wanted to present from a personal standpoint.

“Next are the schedule risks and whether I can heal you. To me, these two questions are essentially the same.”

Chi Yao raised an eyebrow, “How can they be the same?”

Shi Xing suddenly smiled, a bright smile without a hint of gloom, exuding a pure determination.

He struck at the core: “Because as a Blue Star human, there is no absolute safety.”

“Out of a batch of Blue Star fruits in the Star Tree Nest, I calculated that only a little more than half can truly grow into therapists.”

“We lose a few during the nurturing process, some die during maturity from illness, and there are several swallowed during beast attacks. Our survival is inherently difficult.”

“Perhaps even if I thoroughly understand all the risks and strictly adhere to the Blue Star human principles of conduct under risk, striving not to become a burden to the team, that would only guarantee I won’t end up in a beast’s belly.”

“If one day a disease comes to a Blue Star human that I can’t cure, I would have no way to respond, nor would the hospital, Your Highness… you won’t either.”

Even His Majesty is still a person.

As a person, there are things beyond their control.

“I once worried about the maturity period, but later I realized that these two questions have the same answer—they’re both unknowable and there are no absolutes. So why should I live in fear?”

“Even if you tell me now that I might not meet some conditions, should I resign myself to fate? I haven’t even tried yet; I don’t want to give up.”

“Following the same reasoning, if I will encounter many dangers in the future that threaten my life, should I give up on you now?”

“Clearly, my initial intention in choosing you was the belief that I can achieve the best growth by your side.”

“If you can’t help me through the maturity period, can others definitely do so? Sure, the risk may be smaller, but their capabilities have diminished as well. Nothing is perfect. I would rather believe in my own choice than the unknown risk.”

After a pause, Shi Xing stared deeply into Chi Yao’s eyes, saying, “I would rather believe that you can protect me.”

That gaze was clear, fixing on Chi Yao as if it were a fragment of moonlight cut from the heavens — bright, gentle, seemingly weak yet strong enough to illuminate the dark.

Looking into such eyes, Chi Yao recalled that day in the study.

Shi Xing was just like this — sincere and genuine, as if he wanted to lay his heart bare before him, for him to see it clearly.

And from this gaze, Chi Yao also realized his own preconceptions. Yes, some things themselves carry uncertainty; the ability to do well does not depend on the situation but on the person doing it.

From a certain perspective, Shi Xing might not be the most suitable as his partner.

But…

He was the most resilient and genuine among those Chi Yao had encountered.

Emotional factors were not a criteria for choosing a partner, but they would influence his perception.

At present, Shi Xing was indeed moving — in many aspects.

Even though he still had a long way to go, his mindset had already led Chi Yao to believe that he could complete this path well.

Something settled in his heart, and Chi Yao stood up, affirmatively saying, “You spoke very well.”

“Both aspects are good.”

“Compared to this, I seem overly cautious.”

Shi Xing didn’t dare to think so. Seeing Chi Yao affirm his response and standing up, he suddenly realized that the conversation had reached its conclusion and exclaimed, “Your Highness, could you let me finish my final words before you announce your decision?”

Chi Yao raised an eyebrow, “Still more?”

“There should be, I want to say.”

Chi Yao nodded.

Shi Xing gazed nervously at Chi Yao’s face, especially from below, trying several times to speak but suddenly grew bold and affixed his facial mask to the collar of Chi Yao’s robe, turning it on.

Chi Yao’s face was then hidden behind a layer of distorted energy.

After glancing at the device on his collar, Chi Yao did not take it down, implicitly approving Shi Xing’s actions.

Unable to see Chi Yao’s expression, Shi Xing stood face-to-face, took a deep breath, and before he spoke, he felt he had no regrets about tonight.

Once the thought crossed his mind, Shi Xing calmed down completely.

Shi Xing extended his wrist communicator, where the close matching request option was opened, and within a hundred meters, only Chi Yao’s communicator met the conditions.

Finally asking, “Your Highness, would you be willing to match with me?”

With a smile, he tossed out the awkward joke he had pondered over for a week.

“Although I need to devour beast cores and your mental power, the crystals I require will decrease over time.”

Crystals were too low-grade, and later they would not satisfy his mental sea requirements.

Shi Xing extended two fingers, deliberately backtracking, “Just a bit will do; I’m very easy to sustain.”

After a moment, Chi Yao did not respond, and Shi Xing felt the other’s mental power resting on his fingers.

Shi Xing pretended to retract a segment of his fingers in paint of pain, “Then… just a little?”

It was both a question and a silent prompt.

Yet Chi Yao still did not answer.

In the silence, Shi Xing’s breathing grew heavier.

Just when Shi Xing felt he would embarrass himself tonight, Chi Yao closed the mask, stared directly at him and asked, “Is the last part a joke?”

Shi Xing: “.”

Well, it really was a bad joke.

Chi Yao extended his hand and placed the mask back onto Shi Xing’s ear.

The dry long fingers brushed past his earlobe, causing a slight tickle.

Shi Xing felt an indescribable sensation and wanted to avoid it.

Fortunately, their movements retreated swiftly. Before he could cover it, Chi Yao pushed back his outstretched fingers seriously, saying, “There are plenty of beast cores and crystals; sustaining you won’t be a problem.”

“Do you have anything else to say?”

Shi Xing was confused, shaking his head awkwardly; all his prepared points had been said.

“Alright, then it’s my turn.”

“I have one last question for you to answer.”

“Of everything I’ve let you understand, during the maturity period, what do you think my most crucial requirement of you is?”

This left Shi Xing’s mind in a spin.

Teacher, someone else added a question!

After asking, Chi Yao looked at him, aware he couldn’t pull a fast one. Shi Xing stiffly replied, “The… honor of the royal family, to uphold and…”

Chi Yao denied it, “Wrong.”

Chi Yao: “Think again.”

Shi Xing: “?”

Submitting the test might still be amended; is it an open book exam? How’s the scoring for an open-book exam?!

Chi Yao stubbornly gazed at him, and Shi Xing stammered again, “Then… to relieve your mental sea…”

Just as the words came out, Chi Yao interrupted again, “Think again.”

Shi Xing: “To strive hard to improve myself…”

“Not it.”

Shi Xing: “To cooperate with your schedule, not to burden you because of danger and…”

“Think again.”

Shi Xing was collapsing, “Would you just give me a break?!”

After all, it was just a rejection; it didn’t need to be this torturous.

Chi Yao looked at him very sternly, each word seemed to be firmly lodged in his mind, “Strictly speaking, none of that counts as the most important.”

“Before all of these, you must remember one thing.”

“You are a fragile Blue Star human during your maturity period and are prone to dangers. So, protecting yourself well, no matter where or when, is the most important.”

“When the sky falls, there are still tall people to hold it up. You…”

Chi Yao’s gaze softened on Shi Xing’s face, his voice gentle after a moment.

“Even though you’ve reached adulthood, you’re still young. Before you rush to carry other responsibilities, the most important thing is to grow well.”

“Before you have enough ability to protect others, ensure you protect yourself, little one.”

Shi Xing opened his mouth, speechless.

Wanting to say something, but felt his eyes heat up first.

Your Highness… you’re so wonderful.

For a brief moment, the atmosphere turned subtle. Chi Yao opened his communicator, “Alright, repeat that last bit again.”

Shi Xing’s voice was hoarse, “Your Highness, would you be willing to match with me?”

After saying this, he waited for a moment; not seeing any movement from Chi Yao, he instead received a teasing counter-question, “Is that it? What about the rest?”

Shi Xing: “!”

That bad joke that left you expressionless still needs to be mentioned?!

Shi Xing stayed silent, while Chi Yao remained unyielding in his actions. He wasn’t pushing but his intention was clear — it was required.

Shi Xing, feeling embarrassed, closed his eyes and forced out the joke that felt akin to a funeral, “Although I have to devour beast cores and… devour…”

At the same time, Chi Yao reached out.

【Ding——】

【Matching success】

【Blue Star human: Shi Xing, Matching, Empire human: Yao · $%&… #·亖·Aut…·Bel#%#^】

Just as Shi Xing realized what had happened, his communicator had yet to finish announcing Chi Yao’s royal surname.

Shi Xing stared incredulously at the other, “No, I didn’t ask me to speak…”

He had yet to finish speaking…

Chi Yao, however, burst out laughing, his smile so bright it could be described as radiant, “Just teasing you.”