Chapter Ten: Maintenance.

Page (1/3)

At that moment, in the First Military District, Grace had just stepped out of the conference room when someone seized him by the collar. The other man looked furious as he accused him, “What exactly did you do, Grace?”

The man’s brows drew together slightly. His features were cold, and with that sharp movement, his entire presence radiated an indescribable severity. Grace raised a hand and knocked away the fingers gripping his collar, then stepped back. “Colonel Kofi, control yourself.”

Hearing this, several people who had not yet left gathered around and tried to mediate. “That’s right, Kofi, calm down. The formation of the Special Legion was personally assigned to Grace by General Snowp. If you’re dissatisfied, report it to General Snowp. Why take it up with Grace?”

Their words only made things worse. Kofi turned toward them, the horns on his head nearly grazing one of them. “Why him? He’s a defective. What right does he have to oversee the formation of the Special Legion? He must have used some underhanded trick to force General Snowp into agreeing!”

At those words, the expressions of everyone around them changed in one way or another.

Grace straightened his disheveled collar and glanced at Kofi, who was being held back by the others. He had no interest in arguing with someone whose mind worked in such a bizarre fashion.

Kofi thought himself clever, but had he never considered whether General Snowp was a fool?

When Grace turned to leave, Kofi immediately called after him. “What, are you saying I’m wrong? Let me tell you something, Grace. Since you’ve become Duke Lu Xia’s male consort, you should stay home and properly serve your female spouse. Why are you still working at the military district? You’re a defective. If something major really happened, what use could you possibly be? If I were you, I would have gone home long ago. I wouldn’t stay here and cause trouble for everyone!”

“Kofi, stop talking nonsense. Colonel Grace returned to work with his female spouse’s permission. Besides, everyone has seen the contributions Colonel Grace has made to the military district. You have no right to judge him like this.” Someone who could no longer stand by in silence spoke up for Grace.

Kofi remained unmoved. “Don’t bother defending him. No matter how much you say, he’s still nothing more than a male consort—and that’s all he’ll ever be. A defective should have the self-awareness of a defective. What kind of future could the Special Legion possibly have in the hands of someone like him?”

Grace lifted his eyes and looked coolly at Kofi.

Sensing the hostility in Grace’s gaze, Kofi curled his lips. “What? You’re not convinced? If you’re dissatisfied, why don’t we go outside and have a little match?”

“Kofi, have you lost your mind? How could Grace possibly fight you? Enough. As I said, if you have a problem, report it to General Snowp. Don’t bully your colleague here!”

“Ha! See? Even you think he’s defective, that he could never be compared with genetic fusion warriors like us, don’t you? So why should someone like him remain in the military district?”

Clearly, that was the real purpose behind Kofi’s outburst today.

“If you want to fight, fine. But what will you do if you lose?” Grace asked suddenly, his voice calm, though his gaze remained cold.

His question made Kofi burst out laughing. “Hahaha! I lose? What are you talking about? I’d lose to a defective like you? If I lose, I’ll leave the First Military District immediately. How’s that?”

Page (1/3)

Page (2/3)

“Fine. I hope you keep your word.” Grace agreed with remarkable speed, as though Kofi’s defeat were already a certainty.

The people nearby could no longer bear to watch and hurried to dissuade him. “Grace, have you gone mad too? Kofi is being irrational, but you don’t have to be. This isn’t something you can decide with a few words. Both of you, calm down first. You’re colleagues—why take it this far?”

“There’s no need. Since Colonel Kofi is so dissatisfied with me, we might as well settle it once and for all. Colonel Kofi wasn’t merely making an empty threat, was he?”

“If you aren’t afraid of dying, why should I be afraid?”

Just as the two men stood on the verge of clashing, a guard came running in from outside and shouted, “Colonel Grace, your—your female spouse is here to see you!”

His voice trembled so badly that the atmosphere instantly froze.

Before anyone had time to process what they had heard, Kofi let out a mocking laugh. “Colonel Grace, what did you do at home to anger your female spouse? She actually chased you all the way here. Perfect. Let her see your disgrace for herself and understand exactly what a defective is.”

Grace ignored Kofi’s nonsense and strode forward. “My female spouse is—”

He had just begun asking the guard where Lu Xia was when Lu Xia entered with the old butler. Seeing the group gathered there, she looked slightly surprised. “Grace, are you busy?”

Lu Xia truly had not expected so many people to be with Grace. For a moment, she wondered whether she had come at an inconvenient time.

There was a hint of surprise in her voice, but no trace of aloofness or disdain. Instead, she seemed remarkably gentle.

Everyone present was startled.

Many of them were married, yet even those who were not male consorts had never had their female spouses come to the First Military District to visit them.

But Grace was a “defective” male, and merely a male consort at that. His female spouse had actually come all the way to the military district to see him.

Moreover, from the looks of things, their relationship seemed quite good.

“Heh. Grace, you’d better tell your female spouse what you’re about to do.” Kofi sneered, though the jealousy in his eyes was already impossible to conceal.

Page (2/3)

Page (3/3)

At that moment, everyone frowned in unison. They all felt that Kofi’s behavior today had gone far beyond what was acceptable.

All this over the formation of a Special Legion? He was being far too petty.

At Lu Xia’s words, Grace lifted his eyes toward Kofi and raised one brow slightly. Then he began explaining in a somewhat tense voice.

When Lu Xia heard that Grace intended to duel Kofi, she looked with interest at the man standing a short distance away. The resentment flickering in Kofi’s eyes was unmistakable.

“Are you confident?” Lu Xia asked softly, making no attempt to stop him, though concern colored her voice.

“Yes. I’ll do my best.” Grace’s voice was steady. He showed no unease at the fact that his opponent was a genetic fusion warrior.

Lu Xia did not know where Grace’s courage came from, but since he was confident, she had no intention of stopping him. Instead, she curved her lips and looked toward Kofi. “The two of you can duel, but regardless of who wins or loses, both of you will leave the First Military District. That hardly seems fair. After all, my Grace is taking the greater risk. As a genetic fusion warrior, you wouldn’t lack even that much courage, would you?”

Lu Xia’s words produced a variety of expressions among those present. Yet no one had expected her not only to refrain from mocking Grace for overestimating himself by challenging a genetic fusion warrior as a “defective,” but also to protect his interests.

More astonishing still, she had just called him “my Grace.” It was only three brief words, but they were words no male beastman present could easily hope to receive.

And Duke Lu Xia had granted them to Colonel Grace so casually.

In an instant, the way everyone looked at Grace changed slightly.

Was Colonel Grace really only a male consort?

Why did it feel as though even the treatment reserved for a primary spouse could not compare with his?