At the Jade Heart Palace, Reed Jace and Leo Grant were extremely worried as their master had gone with Valerius Evander since the evening and had not returned until now. Seeing his silhouette at the door, they both rushed out in relief.
“Your Highness, you’ve returned!”
Ethan Caelan stepped inside, looking as if his soul had left him. It seemed as if all his strength had been drained; he collapsed on the threshold. Reed Jace and Leo Grant hurriedly rushed to support him.
“Your Highness, what has happened to you?”
Ethan Caelan barely opened his phoenix eyes, looking at his two guards and whispered, “I want to bathe.”
The two guards helped him into the bath, immediately preparing warm water mixed with lotus essence, filling the room with a refreshing and pure fragrance.
Ethan Caelan stepped into the bath, letting the water cascade over his body, scrubbing himself continuously. But the filthy, disgusting feeling wouldn't go away. The slimy, foul substance still lingered inside him, seeping out little by little, enveloping his body.
He bathed countless times, scrubbing until his fair skin began to redden, yet the semen inside couldn't be expelled entirely. The bite marks, the bruises, the bleeding hickeys left on his body became more prominent. Now, his entire body bore the traces Valerius Evander had left, both inside and out. He had marked Ethan thoroughly and completely.
“Your Highness, you've been bathing for two hours now, you need to rest,” Reed Jace said, his voice choked with emotion.
“My body is still dirty. I need to bathe again…”
Ethan Caelan sat there, dazed under the water, his head resting against the edge of the tub, his eyes red, tears streaming down his face. Reed Jace and Leo Grant, watching from behind the curtain, felt their hearts break, too frightened to imagine the horrors their master had endured.
“Your Highness, please stop. Don’t torment yourself any longer…” Leo Grant pleaded.
Ethan Caelan shook his head. “Still so filthy.”
“You’ve bathed so thoroughly already. Your body is always so fragrant,” Leo Grant insisted.
“Your Highness! It’s nearly dawn, if you continue soaking in the water, you’ll catch a cold,” Reed Jace said desperately.
Ethan Caelan stared blankly into space. That vile, revolting smell had already seeped into his body, into his very flesh and blood. How could he ever wash it away? That was how Valerius Evander trampled on his dignity and pride, branding that humiliation deep into his flesh, forcing him to carry this soiled, violated body for the rest of his life. He closed his eyes, the pain from both body and soul draining him, causing him to slump against the edge of the tub, his body sliding into the water.
Reed Jace and Leo Grant, who had been keeping watch from behind the curtain, rushed in, horrified, to lift Ethan Caelan out. As they dressed him, They couldn’t help but be shocked by the bruised, battered state of his body, covered in marks of abuse. They had many questions, but their simple minds couldn’t bring themselves to think that their master had just suffered a night of forced passion.
Ethan was carried back to his room in a state of unconsciousness. Doctor Henry Thorne was summoned to take his pulse and diagnose him.
“His Highness is simply overworked, perhaps from excessive labor recently, leading to exhaustion. He just needs to rest and recuperate for a few days, and he’ll be fine. I’ll prescribe some tonic for him; give it to him on time,” Doctor Thorne said.
Leo Grant, noticing Doctor Thorne’s hesitant attitude, asked, “And what about these bruises on His Highness’s body? Could someone have harmed him?”
Doctor Thorne, who had already realized the situation, recognized that Ethan Caelan had just experienced a night of excessive passion with a man. But who would dare to leave the Fourth Prince in such a miserable state? He couldn’t bring himself to imagine it and cautiously asked, “May I ask, where did His Highness go yesterday?”
Leo Grant replied, “Before that, His Highness was in good health. After meeting with the Emperor, he returned in this state.”
Doctor Thorne smiled knowingly. “There’s no need to worry. His Highness has sensitive skin that bruises easily. Just make sure he takes his medicine and applies the ointment I’ve prepared. With a few days of rest, he’ll recover.” With that, Doctor Thorne quickly took his leave.
At the early morning assembly of Helios, Valerius Evander sat majestically on the throne, listening to the officials present their reports and discuss matters of state. As the assembly neared its end, Valerius turned to Zane Ryder and spoke:
"Zane, how are the military exercises progressing?"
Zane immediately knelt and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, the western border with Aria is well-guarded by Aiden Cole. To the south, near the borders of The Great Yuan, Lucius Blackwood commands, and the elite troops are training day and night, never neglecting their duties."
Valerius nodded in satisfaction and then asked, "Is there any region in need of stronger leadership?"
Zane thought for a moment before answering carefully, "Your Majesty, the Whitewater region, recently taken under control, remains unstable. Rebellions flare up constantly. I request Your Majesty’s orders to reinforce the troops and suppress the unrest."
Valerius pondered briefly and then said, "I believe Harrison Ryder, though young, has shown commendable valor. Let him lead thirty thousand elite troops to quell the rebellion in Whitewater. What do you think?"
Zane was startled and responded anxiously, "Your Majesty, Harrison is still quite young and lacks experience in warfare. The rebels in Whitewater are cunning and treacherous. I fear Harrison may not yet have the experience to bear such a heavy responsibility."
Valerius chuckled, his eyes gleaming as he looked at Zane. "When you were Harrison's age, you, too, were conquering battlefields far and wide. Like father, like son—are you truly worried about Harrison's youth?"
With a decisive wave of his hand, Valerius issued his command: "Send out my decree—appoint Harrison Ryder as commander, to lead thirty thousand elite troops in crushing the rebellion at Whitewater. They are to march in ten days."
Harrison, who stood nearby, immediately knelt to accept the order.