ISWTDB Ch102

Chapter 102: Intersteller ABO (21, 22)

The taste of the potion was extremely unpleasant—bitter and astringent—the worst flavor he had ever experienced. Yet, he savored it sweetly, simply because it had been made especially for him by the young man.

From now on, he could walk out of this mansion like a normal person, without worrying about unnecessary troubles, and freely visit his little lover.

As for losing the ability to suppress Alpha pheromone levels, Ernest didn’t mind. As long as he released his immense mental power, he could still bring any Alpha to their knees before him.

With the battle-hardened strength he had honed over the years, even without exerting pressure, no one would dare to underestimate him.

After finishing the potion, Ernest smiled gently at Ying Zhao. Just as he opened his mouth to say something, Ying Zhao’s small hand lifted and pushed a candy into his mouth.

The sweet candy quickly diluted the sickening taste in his mouth, warming Ernest’s heart. He thought happily, his little partner was truly considerate of him.

He hugged Ying Zhao and rested his chin on the other’s forehead, speaking softly, “Thank you, sweetheart. I’m really happy! From now on, I can come to see you without any worries.”

Hearing Ernest’s words, Ying Zhao blushed slightly, tugged at his hand, and whispered, “Marshal, now you can move around like a regular person. Or rather, you’re just like me now, no longer affected or tempted by pheromones.”

At this point, Ying Zhao seemed to think of something and excitedly suggested, “Marshal, you haven’t been out since returning to the home planet, right? How about we take a walk around the academy together? It’s late now, so there won’t be many people around.”

Ernest felt a surge of interest at Ying Zhao’s suggestion. However, this interest wasn’t because he wanted to stroll through the Imperial Academy, but because it was an opportunity to go on a date with his beloved.

This would be their first date together! At least, that’s how the Marshal saw it.

But hearing that there wouldn’t be many people outside, Ernest felt a bit dissatisfied. After all, his mind was full of the desire to declare his claim to the world, to show everyone that the young man was his, and no one else could covet him.

So, pretending to be displeased, he said to Ying Zhao, “Why do we have to go when no one’s around? Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?”

Ying Zhao quickly shook his head in response and explained helplessly, “It’s not like that. It’s just that someone as important as you draws attention wherever you go, and I don’t want to be surrounded by people. It wouldn’t be a relaxing walk.”

The Marshal nodded, agreeing with Ying Zhao’s reasoning. After all, if they were surrounded by onlookers, he wouldn’t be able to do any intimate things with his little darling.

Though he wouldn’t mind, his baby was very shy. Besides, the young man looked so beautiful when he was aroused; he didn’t want anyone else to see that.

Once he understood, Ernest decided to go out with Ying Zhao. But just as he was about to lead him out the door, Ying Zhao insisted they first return to the bedroom to get disguised.

Ying Zhao rummaged through Ernest’s wardrobe, making him wear a trench coat and a newsboy cap. In the darkness of the night, most of Ernest’s face was hidden in the shadow of the hat, making it difficult for anyone to recognize who he was.

Moreover, Ernest was always seen in public wearing his military uniform. In casual clothes, most people wouldn’t believe he was the Empire’s Marshal.

Still, Ying Zhao wasn’t completely satisfied. He grabbed a scarf from the wardrobe and wrapped it around Ernest’s neck.

Ernest looked helplessly at his little lover, who was excitedly dressing him up, thinking it was fortunate that the butler had previously prepared his clothes. Otherwise, with only his two military uniforms and overcoat, would the young man think he was too dull?

But in this situation, the Marshal felt that his little one was treating him like a human-sized doll. 

Nevertheless, to indulge his darling’s preferences, he didn’t mind playing along. He even thought that, given the boy’s young age, some liveliness wasn’t a bad thing. As a mature partner, he should enjoy these little quirks of his precious.

Once the scarf was properly arranged, Ying Zhao nodded in satisfaction and said, “Marshal, we can go out now!”

However, as soon as Ying Zhao finished speaking, Ernest chuckled softly and said, “Are you still going to call me Marshal outside? Won’t you switch to something like ‘darling’ or ‘hubby’? Didn’t we say we wouldn’t reveal my identity?”

Seeing the little guy’s embarrassed expression, Ernest decided to let him off the hook. He ruffled Ying Zhao’s soft hair and said, “Alright, sweetheart, I won’t make it hard for you. You can call me ‘uncle’ outside, okay? Though, I’d rather hear you call me that in…other situations…”

Ernest’s gaze unmistakably swept over the bed in the bedroom, causing the young man’s face to flush red.

This rogue! Ying Zhao grumbled in his heart, but thinking of the hidden anticipation in his man’s eyes just now, he leaned over and whispered in his ear, “Hubby!”

Ernest’s pupils instantly darkened as he excitedly lowered his head to kiss him.

Seeing this, Ying Zhao hurriedly covered Ernest’s descending lips and quickly said, “If we don’t leave now, it’ll be too late!”

The Marshal, looking regretfully at Ying Zhao’s soft lips, nodded. He couldn’t really blame himself for getting excited; after all, his darling had just called him ‘hubby.’ How could he not react?

But he also thought that going on the date was important, so he scooped Ying Zhao up and, in a flash, appeared in the garden. Just as he set the young man down, the boy pointed at the Yuteng grass and said, “Uncle, can I have some Yuteng grass?”

Ernest nodded, always willing to let the young man take any plant from his estate. In fact, whatever he had, if his darling wanted it, he’d give it to him.

But just as the young man’s hand reached for the herb, he mumbled to himself, “This is just what I need for Instructor Abner’s potion. How lucky that it’s here!”

Before he could even touch the Yuteng grass, Ernest pulled him up into his arms and, through gritted teeth, said, “You’re gathering this Yuteng grass for Abner?”

Grabbing Ying Zhao’s chin, his eyes brewing with a storm, Ernest growled, “I won’t allow you to put that much thought into another man! You’re mine! You’ve already promised to be with me, so how can you think of someone else!”

Hearing Ernest’s words, Ying Zhao blinked, suppressing a smile. His lover was acting as if he were some sort of heartbreaker.

Seeing his furious man, Ying Zhao felt no fear. After all, he had said that deliberately, just to stop Ernest from letting him take the Yuteng grass.

So, with no fear, he leaned in and whispered flirtatiously into Ernest’s ear, “Uncle Ernest, you’re so fierce even during my trial period. I’m starting to get scared!”

Ernest froze for a moment, swallowing hard as he realized that the young man wasn’t blushing shyly like usual. Instead, his eyes gleamed with mischief.

Realizing he’d been tricked, Ernest felt a bit dejected. So, the little one just wanted to see if he’d get jealous, huh?

Squinting his eyes, the Marshal playfully growled, “You little rascal! This Yuteng grass is quite rare. If you ask me for it for another man, I won’t allow it! But…if you offer yourself in exchange, I might consider giving you one!”

“So, Uncle, you’re saying I should trade myself for this Yuteng grass?” Ying Zhao deliberately made an exaggerated expression. Then, pouting as if upset, he leaned in and bit Ernest’s chin hard.

As he bit him, he grumbled, “You scoundrel! Making me trade myself for Yuteng grass! I’m going to bite you to death!”

But at this moment, Ernest could no longer hear what Ying Zhao was saying because all his attention was focused on the heat on his chin.

That bit of pain wasn’t much to him, but the touch of the boy’s lips on his skin made him feel irresistible desire, his heart pounding wildly.

Ernest grabbed Ying Zhao into his arms and then lowered his head, forcefully pressing his lips onto the other’s, giving him a deep, firm kiss.

It was only after a long while that he lifted his head. Seeing Ying Zhao’s eyes filled with watery light and a face full of grievance, accusing him, a smile flickered in his eyes.

Leaning close to Ying Zhao’s ear, he whispered, “If you don’t want to be eaten, don’t tease me. You know, I can never hold back when it comes to you!”

Hearing his lover’s shameless words, Ying Zhao glared at him fiercely. Seeing the man’s lips about to come down again, he quickly jumped aside, pretending to clear his throat seriously and said, “Alright, let’s head out now!”

This barely allowed the man, who always looked for opportunities to take advantage of him, to reluctantly let him go. Seeing the fleeting look of regret on Ernest’s face, a trace of amusement flickered in Ying Zhao’s eyes.

It always felt like, perhaps because of the natural dominance of an Alpha, combined with a strong sense of possessiveness, his jealous and imaginative lover had activated some remarkable traits.

The two of them took advantage of the night to stroll around the campus. Ernest was wrapped up tightly by Ying Zhao, completely unafraid of being seen by others. Besides, at this hour, there truly weren’t many people on the school paths.

It had to be said, the Imperial Academy did a good job with its greenery and environment. The campus was planted with numerous trees, and there was even a sizable artificial lake.

Ernest, holding onto Ying Zhao’s hand forcefully as they walked along the road, felt a joy like never before. Ever since he became an adult, and the traits of an Alpha fully matured, his pheromones had exploded, causing a momentary panic even in the palace.

As he grew older, his father’s attitude toward him became increasingly harsh. Ernest didn’t mind, but to avoid the trouble his pheromones caused, he had since avoided leisurely walking outside like this.

He had never imagined that something as simple as a stroll would become such a rare luxury for him.

But now, he could once again enjoy the freedom of the outdoors like a normal person. And for all of this, he had to thank the person beside him, his little mate. It was the boy who had freed him.

The boy was undoubtedly beautiful, talented, and considerate. Ernest felt delighted because the person he loved also loved him. Though the little guy’s mouth wasn’t always that honest, Ernest could feel that when he kissed the boy, Ying Zhao was just as immersed in the moment.

He would even unconsciously respond sometimes, which greatly encouraged Ernest. What could make one happier than mutual affection!

The two of them strolled until late, only stopping when Ying Zhao started to feel a bit sleepy, and Ernest walked him to his dormitory door.

Seeing the man with a look of eagerness, clearly wanting to enter his dorm and sleep with him, Ying Zhao hurriedly stopped him.

If someone found out the Marshal of the Empire had walked out of his dorm the next day, it would undoubtedly become major news on the capital planet.

Ying Zhao had no choice but to resort to seduction, being pinned against the wall and kissed until his lips were swollen before finally managing to send the troublesome man back.

Collapsing onto his bed with a satisfied sigh, Ying Zhao couldn’t help but admit that confirming his relationship with his lover made him feel quite happy. Thinking that maybe the man wasn’t as difficult as he had imagined, and could still be reasoned with, Ying Zhao drifted off to sleep contentedly.

However, during the physical training class the next day, Ying Zhao truly realized how naïve he had been the previous night.

Lying in bed last night, he had thought that his man wasn’t all that domineering and would listen to reason. But now, seeing the scene before him, Ying Zhao could only say two words to his past self: “As if!”

Looking at the fact that the instructor for their small physical training class in the pharmacy department had changed, and seeing Abner standing by with a dumbfounded expression as he stared at the Marshal, Ying Zhao knew something was wrong.

It was obvious that Abner couldn’t understand why the highest-ranking officer in the military suddenly appeared at the Imperial Academy, let alone why he had whimsically decided to lead a physical training class for students.

Moreover, wasn’t it known that the Marshal had issues with his pheromones? He couldn’t have an Omega within ten meters of him, yet now he seemed completely unaffected.

Could it be that the Marshal had found a way to suppress his pheromones so they wouldn’t affect Omegas? Was this public appearance meant to send that message?

Though Abner was surprised, he was more excited. After all, while he was currently a lieutenant, which wasn’t bad for someone his age, meeting the Marshal had seemed impossible.

Previously, Abner had hinted to Bella about the bat herb. Who would have thought Bella hadn’t even heard of it and foolishly told her family that Abner wanted the herb?

The bat herb, a rare medicinal plant, was worth its weight in gold. Bella’s careless move instantly lowered the Auston family’s opinion of Abner.

Originally, Bella had mentioned that her brother, a middle-aged general more than twenty years older than her, had agreed to meet with Abner. But because of the bat herb incident, the cunning general smelled something unusual and sought out Abner himself. Using mental pressure, he easily discovered that Abner’s mental strength was nearing the 2S threshold.

Later, the general even used drugs to force Abner to reveal the secret of the potion. Fortunately, Abner held firm and didn’t reveal that the one who made the potion was Yingyan. Otherwise, Yingyan would surely be claimed by that general. And Abner, having revealed all his secrets, would lose his protection.

Nonetheless, he was still threatened by the general, who offered to help him in exchange for the pharmacist.

Thinking of this, Abner ground his teeth in hatred. It was all Bella’s fault for being so foolish and costing him a near-certain opportunity, and now forcing him to hand Ying Zhao over.

Although marrying Bella and aligning with the Auston family would undoubtedly benefit his future, the Auston family had more than one daughter. Even if he could marry Bella, how could that compare to the benefits of enhancing his own strength?

In this world, power is everything to a soldier. If his mental strength could reach 2S, not only could he become a general, but he could easily secure a position as a brigadier in future battles.

But the bat herb was hard to find, and Abner felt a headache coming on, further deepening his disdain for Bella.

Recently, every time he was intimate with Bella, he couldn’t help but think of Ying Zhao’s beautiful face and gentle demeanor, which were far better than Bella’s arrogance.

Sighing with regret, Abner couldn’t help but think how great it would be if Ying Zhao had a similar background. Even if he was a natural Omega without glands, Abner would still want to be with him.

As for offspring, he believed Ying Zhao would be willing to let him have children outside their relationship. In that moment, Abner’s mind was a whirl of thoughts.

Meanwhile, the students standing before the empire’s idol, Marshal Ernest, couldn’t think that far. Right now, all they wanted to do was scream.

The pharmacy students never dreamed that the person teaching their physical training class would be Marshal Ernest. Their faces were filled with excitement, and they whispered quietly among themselves.

Because all eyes were on the Marshal, it didn’t take long for someone to notice that Ernest’s gaze seemed fixed in one direction.

They followed his line of sight and saw that his eyes were focused on Ying Zhao. When everyone got a clear look at Ying Zhao’s face, they were stunned by his appearance.

Ying Zhao’s glasses had been broken in an earlier incident, so he no longer wore them. The wounds on his face had completely healed, revealing a face that could only be described as exquisite, paired with a newfound confidence.

With such outstanding looks, no wonder the Marshal had taken notice. But when they remembered Ying Zhao’s physical defect, those who were otherwise overlooked felt a bit better.

What good were looks? Even if he could catch the Marshal’s eye, once he found out that Ying Zhao was born without glands, someone as powerful as the Marshal would surely stay away.

As for Ying Zhao, he was thoroughly exasperated. Feeling his lover’s unabashedly bold gaze, his lips twitched in frustration. He wished he could just grab the man and whisk him far away to stop him from being a distraction.

Ying Zhao didn’t like too much attention. His appearance was already striking, and while he had been using mental power to mask it somewhat, that subtle barrier naturally failed under his lover’s attention.

Fortunately, Ernest still remembered his identity. When he finally spoke, it was about physical training in a more serious tone for the students of the Imperial Academy.

As a Marshal, his approach to training and depth of knowledge were naturally unmatched by Abner. Ernest’s training methods were more aligned with military standards, and his expectations were higher.

The usual training regimen was doubled, leaving the once-excited students feeling a bit overwhelmed. Was such a heavy training load really reasonable?

But Ernest only said it was for their own good. “Physical health is crucial,” he emphasized in a serious tone. “Especially in wartime when a good body could save lives.”

Although everyone dared not question the Marshal’s reasoning, they still exchanged subtle glances, feeling a bit uncertain.

Meanwhile, the Marshal, who had just raised the intensity of the physical training, spotted Ying Zhao lagging behind slightly.