CH 54

in the orc city, beside the restaurant, in a small garden by the swings, a proud-looking lion-like orc stood together with a graceful and handsome human youth. they faced each other, both wearing warm and friendly smiles.

pei xia handed the gift he had prepared to him, saying, “ryan, we agreed on this yesterday, so you can’t refuse. this is tea from our human kingdom along with matching porcelain. please accept it.”

ryan happily accepted the gift, opened it, and praised, “pei xia, thank you and the holy son for your thoughtfulness. i really love this gift.”

“it’s great that you like it,” pei xia smiled.

on the way here, he had already decided not to let his feelings for ryan trouble him. after all, he only had a slight fondness, and it hadn’t reached the point where he would willingly leave lucifer and stay.

after handing the gift to ryan, pei xia prepared to take his leave. during their conversation yesterday, ryan learned about the purpose of lucifer’s group, and he enthusiastically introduced the situation in smibabaka. now, pei xia couldn’t find a reason to stay any longer.

but when he was about to leave, ryan proactively invited him to wait for a moment.

“i have a small gift prepared.” ryan patted his broad chest and said, “please make sure to accept it as well.”

“what is it?” pei xia was curious.

“it’s my tribe’s secret beef jerky,” ryan said, “eating more beef can make your body stronger.”

as he spoke, he raised his two arms, and his form-fitting clothing perfectly showcased his muscular physique. his triceps, biceps, forearms, and chest muscles were robust and well-defined, exuding a powerful aura.

pei xia was left speechless, utterly stunned by the sight.

ryan flashed a bright smile and said, “pei xia, you and the holy son both look a bit thin. in the orc kingdom, it’s easy for others to look down on and bully you if you appear weak. come, i can teach you how to make yourself look more imposing!”

pei xia replied, “i think this might be due to racial differences.”

“haha! just eat more meat and exercise. you can be as strong as me!” ryan exclaimed.

as he finished speaking, ryan suddenly grabbed pei xia’s hand and pressed it against his chest muscles, making it impossible for pei xia to resist.

pei xia was taken aback.

the muscles beneath his hand were soft and elastic, but when ryan exerted some force, they became firm and powerful. pei xia couldn’t help but press a little harder.

these were truly perfect chest muscles. if only he had such muscles himself…

‘no, no, i’m fine as i am now,’ pei xia thought to himself. this kind of strength was more appealing when it was on other men.

pei xia complimented, “it’s indeed very strong,” and then he awkwardly attempted to retract his hand.

however, ryan applied a slight force, gripping pei xia’s hand and not letting go.

pei xia looked at him with a hint of confusion. “what’s wrong?”

ryan gazed at pei xia with affectionate golden-brown eyes. “what do you think?”

pei xia furrowed his brows and scratched with his fingers.

ryan: “are you itchy?”

“ahem, no, it’s not that,” pei xia replied.

ryan lowered his head, casting a shadow with his tall figure under the sun. he gazed at pei xia’s face with seriousness, holding pei xia’s hand, and said something surprising: “pei xia, you know we orcs are straightforward and passionate. we’re not as reserved as humans, and we don’t play those games. when we like someone, we pursue them directly.”

pei xia recalled the chaotic scene from a few days ago when lucifer had been nearly crushed during their travels. he nodded in understanding, saying, “yes, the orcs are indeed quite passionate. it can be a bit overwhelming for us humans.”

ryan continued, “yes, pei xia, i mean to say that i like you.”

pei xia was taken aback, and for a moment, he struggled to fully grasp the meaning of ryan’s words.

ryan smiled, showing his white teeth, and said, “i hope you don’t find my straightforwardness intimidating.”

pei xia quickly responded, “no, no, not at all.” finally regaining his composure, he retracted his hand this time, and ryan didn’t stop him.

pei xia scratched his nose, feeling his face grow warm. “thank you for your liking.”

“pei xia, are you willing to accept my pursuit?” ryan asked straightforwardly, “as long as you are willing, i will share all my spoils with you!”

it was an exciting and heart-pounding confession and ryan was an appealing man. however, pei xia couldn’t simply agree.

“i am the personal guardian of the holy son, and i must always protect him on his travels across the continent. in the future, i will return to the temple and continue to guard him. i’m sorry, i can’t accept your proposal.”

while there was a mutual attraction between them, they weren’t a good match when considering their circumstances.

ryan looked somewhat surprised, “is that so? well, there’s nothing i can do. but i won’t give up easily, pei xia. trust me, i will find a solution!”

pei xia wondered what solution could there be.

he felt a sense of regret but shrugged, “you should just give up. we won’t be staying here for long.”

ryan replied determinedly, “i’ll come up with a solution before you leave!”

sigh! pei xia couldn’t bring himself to disappoint ryan further, so he silently celebrated the fact that he hadn’t shown any signs of interest in him before. otherwise, he suspected ryan might have been even more persistent.

ryan offered a large bag of return gift beef jerky, intended for lucifer and his group. pei xia didn’t refuse and expressed his gratitude before returning to their temporary courtyard.

lucifer was sitting in a chair beneath the grapevine in the courtyard, showing little interest in the beef jerky.

pei xia had the feeling that lucifer was unhappy but didn’t understand why.

after a moment of thought, pei xia prepared a pot of iced black tea and approached lucifer. “your grace, it’s hot. have some iced tea to cool down.”

lucifer almost reflexively thought it might be some kind of new revitalizing soup. fortunately, the cup contained regular tea, and he took a sip.

pei xia then asked at the right moment, “it seems like you have something on your mind?”

“is it that obvious?” lucifer asked in return.

“not really,” pei xia replied hesitantly, “i just had a feeling.”

hearing his words, lucifer couldn’t help but smile, and the tension in the air eased a bit. “it’s nothing, pei xia. i’m just thinking about how to spread our faith smoothly without causing a commotion. by the way, ryan has prepared a return gift. are you planning to give him a gift in return?”

gift after gift after gift—it could go on indefinitely, and after ryan’s confession, pei xia felt a sense of responsibility not to lead him on if he couldn’t be with him. so, he decided to keep some distance.

of course, lucifer was different from ryan.

pei xia shook his head, “return gifts are just a form of politeness. if there’s nothing else, it’s not appropriate to disturb him.”

seeing the clear, gem-like beauty of his holy knight’s eyes and realizing that his words were sincere, lucifer couldn’t help but smile genuinely, and his mood improved significantly.

“you’re right,” he said.

pei xia, not quite sure why lucifer’s mood had been bad and then suddenly improved, was happy that lucifer seemed in better spirits. however, the next words from lucifer nearly gave him a heart attack.

“i almost thought your taste had changed, and you liked those strong and robust men like ryan.”

pei xia stammered, “of course not! haha, your grace, you really know how to make jokes!”

reminded by lucifer, pei xia realized how he had spoken earlier, feeling guilty and sweating.

if he were found out for lying, even if the saint still liked him, he would probably be driven away!

lucifer cast a sly glance at him, stood up, and walked over to pei xia, whispering in his ear with a threatening tone, “you better not.”

pei xia speculated silently that lucifer might be feeling jealous.

but he wouldn’t say anything. after all, he couldn’t make lucifer happy, but with ryan… well, it wasn’t entirely impossible.

in the following days, they opened the courtyard gates and prepared to spread the glory of the god of light through free healing and teaching. however, lucifer’s charm was simply overwhelming.

as soon as they opened the gates, a crowd of orcs was waiting. there was no need for any promotion. in just two or three days, the news that the holy son of the god of light was explaining the “holy bible of light” had spread throughout smibabaka. even his beauty and talent were becoming known elsewhere.

day by day, the courtyard was bustling, and pei xia didn’t dare to leave lucifer’s side for a moment. he was afraid that the orcs, who were more interested in him than the teachings, might take advantage of lucifer when he wasn’t looking.

this mission could be seen as both a success and a failure.

but no matter how you looked at it, they had given their best effort.

at dusk, pei xia and the other holy knights shouted to drive the orcs away, closed the courtyard gate, and were soaked in sweat.

pei xia gasped for breath and then looked at lucifer. lucifer was as elegant as ever. “your grace, do we continue tomorrow?”

lucifer nodded, “we’ll finish the last part tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, we’ll leave.”

“yes, your grace.”

tom and the others went to prepare dinner, while pei xia wiped off the sweat and prepared to splash some cold water on himself.

at that moment, someone knocked on the door, and pei xia, feeling impatient, said, “i’m sorry, but it’s already late today. if you want to listen to the teachings of the holy son, please come earlier tomorrow!”

“pei xia, it’s me, ryan!”

huh? ryan?

lucifer’s smile faded for a moment but quickly returned, even more intense.

he nodded to pei xia, who went to open the door and let ryan in, carrying a gift.

“why did you come?”

“i said i would find a way, right?” ryan walked confidently to lucifer and placed the gift down. “your grace, i heard that you’re about to leave. are you heading back to the human kingdom or somewhere else?”

“we’re planning to go to the capital of the orc kingdom.”

“in that case, please allow me to accompany the holy son as a protector!”

pei xia: huh?

could this be the solution ryan came up with?

lucifer looked at ryan, his eyes narrowed with a meaningful question, “why do you think this way?”

ryan gazed lovingly at pei xia, and then at lucifer. “actually, i like pei xia.”

lucifer raised the corner of his mouth, “and?”

lucifer had known about this for several days, including pei xia’s rejection of ryan due to his commitment to protect lucifer.

lucifer thought, ‘orc, as long as i, lucifer, exist, you won’t be able to take my place!’

“and i also want to protect you!”

ryan approached lucifer and suddenly knelt down on one knee, placing his right hand over his heart. he said, “please give me this chance!”

“but pei xia doesn’t seem to like you,” lucifer replied calmly, with the air of a true royal.

ryan: “ah, that’s true.”

he turned to look at pei xia and asked seriously, “pei xia, it’s been several days, are you still unwilling to accept my pursuit?”

pei xia sighed lightly and said, “i’m sorry, i can’t, and i also don’t like you.”

“i see,” ryan nodded, not appearing too disheartened. he turned back to look at lucifer, “but my desire to protect you is sincere.”

lucifer gazed at him, slowly stood up, and suddenly stumbled.

pei xia instinctively reached out to catch him, “your grace?”

lucifer frowned slightly, looking pitiful, “i seem to have accidentally twisted my ankle.”

while saying this, he cast a provoking glance at ryan, ‘jealous, aren’t you? in pei xia’s heart, there’s only room for me!’

ryan received this message through the look, feeling startled, then remained silent and stood up.

pei xia helped lucifer sit back in the chair and was about to check the extent of his injury when ryan suddenly walked over and reached out his hand.

lucifer quickly retracted his leg.

“what are you trying to do?” pei xia was a bit perplexed.

ryan said, “i just wanted to help.”

“no need, i’ve got it.” seeing ryan’s somewhat reckless behavior, pei xia was not too comfortable with it.

however, when pei xia couldn’t figure out where lucifer was injured despite a careful examination, ryan asked lucifer, “your grace, what do you think of me?”

in front of his romantic rival, lucifer was in a very good mood, and he didn’t hesitate to praise the other. after all, it was just a subordinate’s defeat. hearing his praise, the rival’s heart would surely feel even more uneasy.

but considering pei xia’s feelings, he would definitely keep his frustration to himself. ‘see, the beastman is jealous,’ he thought.

“mr. ryan is a very warm, hospitable, refined, handsome, and powerful beastman.”

ryan’s body trembled, and pei xia was also surprised.

the next moment, ryan looked affectionately at lucifer and said, “your grace, i’ve thought it over carefully. i guess i do like you. perhaps my feelings for pei xia were just a misunderstanding influenced by you.”

lucifer: “…”

pei xia: “…”

ryan said, “oh, by the gods, my beautiful lucifer, if you also like me, let’s be together!”

lucifer raised an eyebrow and couldn’t help but ask, “when did i…”

pei xia was even more astonished than lucifer, “how is that possible, ryan? on what basis are you saying this?”

ryan’s determined face showed deep affection, “the way lucifer looks at me and the expressions he makes. can’t that be interpreted as him liking me?”

pei xia: “what expressions?!!”

ryan: “it’s that pitiful and affectionate look.”

pei xia was utterly shocked.

lucifer furrowed his brow, and the pitiful look quickly vanished, “no, mr. ryan, i think you may have misunderstood.”

was he worried that pei xia would mind? ryan patted pei xia on the shoulder and smiled, “pei xia is a broad-minded person. he won’t mind that i genuinely like you, especially since he doesn’t like me either.”

pei xia’s body trembled, and he slowly looked at lucifer, his gaze complex and tinged with a hint of heartache. “is that so, your grace?”

this look made lucifer hesitate to directly refute ryan.

clearly, pei xia had his own feelings, but he had been refusing them all along. and now, he was silently telling lucifer through his eyes that he felt jealous and hurt.

lucifer couldn’t quite understand why pei xia was hesitating. maybe he didn’t fully comprehend his own feelings.

perhaps a little nudge was in order to help him realize his true feelings.

lucifer casually ran his fingers through his flowing golden hair and said with a meaningful tone, “what if it is so, pei xia? what would you do?”

pei xia clenched his teeth, glancing at lucifer and then at the happy and joyful ryann. he took a deep breath and reached out his hand.

he was genuinely jealous, despite any previous favorable feelings he might have had towards ryan. at this moment, all those feelings had vanished. he cared more about lucifer and preferred him.

but if it was lucifer’s choice…

he grabbed lucifer’s hand, and lucifer’s smile deepened.

he slowly raised lucifer’s hand and reverently kissed it, saying, “if that’s the case, your grace, i sincerely wish you happiness. as long as you are happy, anything is acceptable!”

the smile faded from lucifer’s face.

he withdrew his hand and stood up.

pei xia gazed up at him with a bewildered expression, “your grace, do you still like him?”

lucifer curled the corner of his lips, not quite smiling. “wait a moment.”

ryan was a bit puzzled, “what’s going on? my dear lucifer, since you also like me, isn’t this perfect?”

lucifer chuckled, and after a moment, he clapped his hands.

the gate creaked open, and four or five tall, strong, and attractive women stormed in with angry expressions.

ryan’s face changed dramatically.

“you old lecher! instead of making money, you’ve come to harass other men!” the beautiful orc women rushed at ryan, delivering punches and kicks, scolding him loudly. in no time, ryan ended up with a swollen head.

the content of their argument was explosive, leaving pei xia shocked and angry.

it turned out that the lion people’s behavior was quite similar to lions in the wild. they had one strong male lion paired with many females to form a larger family.

ryan was no exception. he earned money in the city and had wives and children back in his hometown. every year during mating season, he returned to provide for his family and hand over the earnings. the rest of the time, he had to fend for himself in the city, as he was considered a hindrance at home.

with the women gone, ryan had dared to pursue someone else. it was clear that he had a hidden stash of gold.

the orc women left.

the women stormed out, and ryan, who was now on his feet, tried to explain.

“lucifer, let me explain. actually, i don’t have any feelings for them.”

boom!

pei xia punched ryan angrily, sending him flying three meters away. “scumbag! a disgrace of a man!”

his anger and frustration couldn’t be contained any longer. he turned around and grabbed lucifer’s hand, blurting out, “please, be with me!”

the other men outside were one disappointment after another, so he might as well take the initiative!

translator’s corner:

finally! don’t you dare chicken out on us, pei xia!