Chapter 1620: Mental Training II

The next day, after being granted permission to carry out a covert mission by the kingdom, or more precisely, by his wife. Zhao Li Xin finally began preparations to depart for the designated location.

At the Cestine Palace underground facility, Lory insisted on accompanying him before his departure. Seeing her visibly upset expression, Zhao Li Xin once again coaxed his pregnant wife, assuring her that he would only be gone for a few days.

At the same time, somehow he also feel the need to reassure Fredhardt as well, who had multiple times reminded him that ’three days’ meant exactly three days, no more, no less.

Once he entered the car, Zhao Li Xin rolled down the car window and looked toward Lory. "I’ll be back soon," he said gently. "You and the babies need to take good care of yourselves."

Lory, who was supposed to be on strict bed rest, had insisted on seeing him off personally. In the end, she was only allowed outside under one condition: she had to sit in a wheelchair.

Lory felt completely unnecessary. But in the face of both Zhao Li Xin’s and Fredhardt’s combined insistence, resistance was futile. Wrapped in a light blanket despite the pleasant weather, Lory sat in the wheelchair with a slightly grim expression. Her hands rested on her lap as she waved back reluctantly.

"Li Xin, you have to be careful, okay?" she said for what was probably the tenth time that morning. "Call me every day. Don’t forget."

Zhao Li Xin’s expression softened immediately. "Yes," he replied patiently. "I’ll keep you updated. Don’t worry."

Lory lowered her gaze briefly before looking up again. "En... come back quickly."

Beside her, Fredhardt stood with his arms crossed, looking less like a family member and more like a strict officer overseeing a military operation.

"Three days," he reminded flatly.

Zhao Li Xin’s smile deepened slightly. "Three days," he agreed.

Only then did Fredhardt give a small nod of approval.

"I’m leaving now." The engine rumbled to life.

Soon after, the hidden gate slowly opened, revealing the road beyond. For a brief moment, Zhao Li Xin’s gaze lingered on Lory. She was still staring at him, her eyes filled with reluctance and concern.

Then the gate opened fully, and the car immediately pulled forward, then the car slowly disappeared beyond the secured passage, leaving behind only the fading sound of the engine as the mission officially began.

Lory watched until the gate closed once again, sealing away the car and the man she loved. For a moment, she didn’t move.

Her expression slowly settled into something quieter—heavier.

"Roll me up, Fred," she said at last.

Fredhardt stepped behind the wheelchair. "Do you want to go back to the bedroom?"

Lory let out a small snort. "Please. I’m already bored with the bedroom. Take me to the greenhouse."

"As you wish, Your Highness," Fredhardt replied with a light tone. He turned the wheelchair smoothly and guided her toward the elevator.

When the doors opened again, the world shifted. Warm air greeted them first, carrying the faint scent of soil, water, and blooming life. The stone path outside was neatly arranged, each step bordered by carefully trimmed greenery.

Sunlight filtered through the glass structure ahead, scattering into soft fragments of gold. The greenhouse stood quietly in the distance, like a sanctuary untouched by the tension of the outside world.

Inside, everything was peaceful, as if unaffected by the chaos from the outside. Glass walls rose high above, enclosing an entire living world within, lush vines spilling across trellises, flowers slowly unfurling toward the light, and the faint sound of water trickling somewhere out of sight. Everything moved in a slow, steady rhythm, as if even time itself had forgotten how to rush.

In contrast to the serenity around her, Lory’s heart was anything but peaceful. Behind her, Fredhardt pushed her along the stone path. She looked out at the greenery without really seeing it. The serenity around her felt distant and a bit unreal.

Fredhardt pushed her forward in silence, the wheels rolling smoothly over the stone path, as the contrast between the tranquil world around them and the storm gathering in her chest grew heavier with every step.

Soon, they arrived at the familiar lounge area they often used for gatherings within the greenhouse.

Fredhardt brought the wheelchair to a gentle stop.

Lory shifted carefully, rising from it without help and settling into the nearby lounge chair. The cushions sank slightly under her weight, offering a quiet comfort that contrasted with the tension still lingering in her posture.

Fredhardt, already used to Lory’s careless habits, turned away without a word and reached for the blanket. With practiced ease, he adjusted it over her lap, making sure it was properly tucked in. Only then did he move toward the small stone furnace nearby. It served both as a decorative feature and a practical stove, and soon enough, he began preparing tea.

The soft sound of boiling water filled the space, blending with the faint rustle of leaves and the distant trickle of water hidden somewhere within the greenhouse. Despite the warmth of the sunlight filtering through the glass ceiling, Lory’s thoughts remained unsettled. Fredhardt worked in silence, as if allowing the calm surroundings to speak for themselves.

A moment later, Fredhardt handed her a porcelain teacup.

"Hot lemon tea with a lot of honey, just like you like it."

Lory accepted it with a small smile. "Thanks, Fred." She took a slow sip.

"Don’t worry about your husband," Fredhardt said as he sat across from her, crossing one leg over the other before lifting his own cup with quiet elegance. "I see the recording from the Noxcra agent, and if I can be honest, he’s the strongest man I’ve ever seen... other than the Lucient family, of course."

"Actually, if we fought, I wouldn’t be sure I could win against him," Lory said thoughtfully.

Fredhardt raised a brow, then his expression settled back into calm certainty. "See? You’ve got nothing to worry about."

"I know..." Lory murmured.

Her gaze lowered slightly to the tea in her hands. It wasn’t that she didn’t understand. Zhao Li Xin was insanely strong. Calm under pressure, sharp-minded, and endlessly composed.

He had survived far worse than this, faced dangers most people wouldn’t even live long enough to comprehend. Compared to all that, this mission should have been nothing. Logically, she knew that, but emotions were rarely logical.

"I know..." she repeated softly, her grip tightening slightly around the warm porcelain cup. "It’s just..." She didn’t finish the sentence.

Fredhardt watched her quietly, saying nothing for once, allowing the greenhouse’s stillness to fill the silence between them. Outside the glass walls, sunlight bathed the world in a gentle gold.

Lory shook her head. Zhao Li Xin had already left, and there was nothing she could do about that. She would rather focus on something else; hopefully, time would move faster if she stopped thinking about it.

"So how are Fargo and the others? How many ceremonial sites have they destroyed?"

Fredhardt gave her a look. "You know the doctor reminded me not to discuss stressful matters with you, right?"

"Fred, I’m stressed because I don’t know what’s happening," Lory said, rolling her eyes. "Come on, Fred. Sooner or later, I’ll need to know anyway, especially when the enemy’s goal is to wipe out Harland and the Lucient family."

What Lory said made sense. It was only a matter of time before the enemy knocked on their door. Fredhardt let out a heavy sigh. He placed his teacup on the coffee table between them, leaned back in his chair, and clasped his hands over his lap.

"Fargo and Clift have found several ceremonial sites. They’re not only in Dolza but also in other locations. Most of them have already been destroyed, while Jay is still tracking the remaining ones."

"So many victims..." Lory’s expression turned grim.

"What can I say?" Fredhardt replied coldly. "The Saintess has been showing off her power here and there, saving dozens of people every day. That’s why she gained recognition as a new savior and whatnot."

"But with so many people going missing..." Lory frowned. "Surely no one noticed?"

"They use Dragxtarn and Argus to do the dirty work, eliminating anyone who asks the wrong questions. And people are naturally selfish. As long as they can protect themselves, they won’t really care what happened to other people." Fredhardt smiled coldly. "You know, no one wants to kill a cow, but everyone loves eating burgers."

Lory fell silent for a moment, then took another sip of her tea before placing the cup on the small table beside her.

"...I understand what you mean. Speaking of burgers, I’m kind of hungry now."

Fredhardt gave her a knowing look, then immediately took out his phone and called the royal chef to prepare a healthy burger for her.

"Done, anything else?" He looks at Lory.

"Oh, I want a chocolate milkshake," Lory said, her face instantly lighting up with delight.

Fredhardt’s expression hardened immediately. "No. You’ve already had too much sugar these past few days. I’ll order you tomato juice instead," he said, making the decision without even waiting for Lory’s opinion.

Lory’s mood soured on the spot. She clicked her tongue in annoyance. "This is why you’re still single."

"Unlike you, you’re married and pregnant," he shot back without missing a beat.

With infuriating calm, he then summoned a Butterscotch pie from his spatial ring and began eating it right in front of her, then slowly, deliberately. "Everyone has their own luck, don’t they?" he said, taking another spoonful with a wicked grin.

Lory’s expression darkened instantly. "I curse you to die an old maid."

Fredhardt sneered. "Not going to happen. I’ve been deflowered a long time ago." ℯ𝓵.

"You really shouldn’t use that term for yourself. I take that as an offense," Lory said, staring at him in disgust.

"Why?" Fredhardt tilted his chin slightly, utterly shameless. "I was quite young and innocent when it happened."

"When?" Lory rebuked. "You’ve always been a poisonous fruit to me."

Fredhardt smirked. "Still, no one can resist me."

Lory’s face turned pale. "Stop it. I want to puke."

"If you puke, I’ll take away your burger and replace it with chicken salad," he warned her.

Immediately, Lory no longer felt like vomiting. Instead, she felt deeply wronged. She wished Zhao Li Xin would return soon; she could not endure another moment in the presence of this evildoer.

Then, as if on cue, the thought of Zhao Li Xin leaving her side made her heart ache all over again. She missed him already.

Unable to hold back her emotions any longer, Lory suddenly burst into tears.

"Waah, I want my husband back!"

At that exact moment, Lucas stepped into the glasshouse.

The scene before him made his expression darken instantly, her sister sobbing pitifully, while Fredhardt sat across from her, eating cake at a leisurely pace as though nothing in the world could possibly concern him.

Lucas’s gaze turned sharp as he fixed it on Fredhardt. "What did you do?"

Fredhardt merely pursed his lips in mild annoyance. "She started it."