These Side Characters Have More Important Things To DoCh137 - I love you

Ren Xiyang’s full attention was on Rian, and vice versa. At this moment, there was only them in the world.

“When I met you, I knew you were special,” Rian said. “Little did I know just how special and wonderful you were. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to meet you and to get to know you.” 56fnda

“Me too.”

“You make me happy. When we share our joys, they become twice as joyful. When we share our problems, they become half as difficult. With you, I’m not afraid of anything. With you, everything is better. With you, I feel invincible. With you, every day is brighter. With you, I’m never lonely. With you, I’m never tired.”

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Rian’s blue eyes were deep and steady. He pulled Ren Xiyang’s hands and pressed them against his own chest. “Ren Xiyang, I must confess: I love you.”

Ren Xiyang’s stomach flopped as his heart started to race. “Rian…” zedl19

“I plan to dedicate my life to you. I’ve kept my feelings suppressed for a long time, but I can’t stay quiet any longer. Each day, I like you more. I love our meetings. I love our duels. I love it when you smile without realising it. Xiyang, I love you.”

“Rian…” Ren Xiyang’s face was becoming hot. Rian was being so serious, was he going to propose now?

“My confession is my second gift to you today, I don’t need your reply, I just need your acceptance,” Rian said.

Oh, Ren Xiyang thought. There was that weird feeling of relief mixed with disappointment again. He settled his emotions down. “Thank you, Rian. Thank you for telling me.”

Rian leaned in and gave Ren Xiyang a light kiss on the mouth, followed by a tight hug.

Ren Xiyang’s chest swelled with emotion as he hugged Rian back.

“Now, my third gift to you,” Rian said. He raised his hand and a small box flew out from the covered picnic basket. He opened it, revealing a ring on a necklace chain. “This is a courtship gift. I wanted to give you a ring, but I know you like to work with your hands. As a necklace, it won’t be in the way.”

Ren Xiyang reached out. “What kind of enchantment is it?” LAlMkp

“I know you don’t need extra protection. This ring is linked with its twin.” Rian pulled out a necklace around his own neck. “The temperature of each ring is transmitted to the other.”

“Help me put it on.”

Rian’s eyes lit up. “Very well, turn around.”

With Rian’s help, Ren Xiyang was able to put the necklace on. He tucked the necklace under his shirt, with the ring against his skin. 4SGL1A

“Now, you’ve told me how important food is for brain function, so let’s have lunch,” Rian said.

They sat down next to each other on the picnic blanket. Together, they unpacked the picnic basket, heating the dishes to their ideal temperatures. There were lots of little wooden boxes with treats inside, from dumplings to miniature cakes, as well as fruit juice and tea.

“So, do you like your gifts?” Rian asked, leaning into Ren Xiyang.

“I do,” Ren Xiyang said. “I wish I had given you better gifts for your birthday. You’re the best gift-giver I know.” 2iw Py

Rian gave a proud and joyful smile. “Next year, next year.”

“Alright.”

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“—Although, you could have done a magic show for my birthday this year. Like the one you did at the big Rosewood meeting.”

Ren Xiyang was amused at the not-so-subtle suggestion. “Maria was the one who suggested it.” 8vA9TD

“A woman with great ideas.”

Ren Xiyang gave Rian a look. “You’re not allowed to hire her.”

“I’m not going to steal your staff!” Rian kissed Ren Xiyang on the cheek. “I’ll just steal you.”

Ren Xiyang rolled his eyes, but his lips made a smile. “Let me eat.” aZWYNL

“Here you go.” Rian levitated a dish of crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside tofu.

They ate quietly for a while, but of course, Rian couldn’t stay quiet for too long.

“Now, I’ve already completed the draft legislation to change the kingdom’s marriage laws. My team is checking for final grammatical imperfections before I submit it to my Queen Mother for review. If this new law passes successfully, I would imagine there will be more marriages. We could set up a side wedding-planning company…”

Ren Xiyang was monetarily speechless. “You should let other people earn money too. It’ll become taxes in the kingdom’s coffers, anyway. Not to mention, we still need to set up that collaboration with Vitus Natrium. And I’m not sure what Hadrian is planning, either, and I need to sort him out before we leave for the Hraun Nation. Then there’s my book with Florence, and your agricultural initiative which still doesn’t have a name yet—” F8XDVp

Rian kissed Ren Xiyang on the mouth before he could continue listing out all of their active projects.

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

Which then dissolved into Rian pushing Ren Xiyang down to deepen the kiss, lunch forgotten.

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“Happy birthday, Earl Rosewood!” they chorused.

“Thank you,” Ren Xiyang said, his ears faintly red. “You didn’t need to—”

“But we wanted to!” a few staff shouted, followed by nods of agreement from others.

Kel seemed a little different than usual, caught between looking at them and averting her eyes. oU58mL

Ren Xiyang didn’t notice.

But Rian did. He waited until Kel was looking at them again before he patted Ren Xiyang on the back. “Put away your gifts and go change into one of the outfits I gave you.”

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Ren Xiyang’s eyes became bright as he levitated out the ten chests of gold. He headed into the manor first.

Rian lingered outside for a moment. “Maria,” he called. “A word, if you please.” TBEkr6

Maria raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Yes, Your Highness?”

Rian lowered his voice. “There’s something I want to do tonight, if you can help me organise it…”

Maria’s eyes widened and her lips curved up as Rian whispered what he wanted. “Yes, Your Highness! Consider it done!”

Rian smiled and headed inside to change his own clothes. LKJSmb

Even if Rian hadn’t told him to change, Ren Xiyang would have done so anyway, given that they had been rolling around in the grass.

He placed the ten chests of gold in his study room—this was his personal money, not income for the fief!—and then examined his wardrobe filled with clothing gifted from Rian.

Since it was his birthday and not technically a fancy noble social event, Ren Xiyang put aside the clothing with the Rosewood crest and chose a simple comfortable black and gold outfit, with a matching gold hairpiece.

He came down again when the first arrivals came—Prince Alexius, along with his friends Tierri, Adrienne, and Günter. dKS7G0

“Ayden! Ayden! Happy birthday,” Alexius said, eyes shining. “Look, I got some gifts for you!”

“I can see,” Ren Xiyang said warmly.

Indeed, the luxurious Imperial carriage that Alexius had just stepped out of was towing a rustic cart laden with big potted plants.

Rian walked out of the manor doors, holding a box. He had changed into a white and gold outfit. “Oh, perfect. Ayden, here’s my gift—a new gardener’s tool set. You can use them while tending to Alexius’s plants.” MrdF6H

“Rian!” Alexius huffed in annoyance. “You left early without me. How could you be so mean?”

“I finished my work, so I decided to come early,” Rian said.

“You could learn from your brother,” Ren Xiyang said.

Alexius brightened. “You’re right, Ayden!” RInTpX

Rian: “…”

“Happy birthday, Ayden,” Tierri, Adrienne, and Günter said together. They also presented their gifts: Tierri gave a set of journals and writing implements, Adrienne gave a large black naturally fully-charged magical gem, and Günter gave him a dagger.

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

Sir Gerlach Aegean was seated at the front with the driver. He also came over and gave Ren Xiyang his birthday well-wishes and a premium collection of different teas.

“Thank you. You can come inside first, and we can gather in my study before dinner.” OQlRuq

Alexius looked at Rian. Rian didn’t look like he was going to leave, so Alexius didn’t want to leave either.

So in the end, Ren Xiyang let them stay standing around at the front door, in wait for the final few guests to arrive.

Ren Xiyang’s first birthday upon transmigrating here—his ‘13th’—had almost passed without anyone knowing, since ‘Ayden’ Rosewood’s birth was a mystery. Ren Xiyang had intended to let it pass quietly, except Rian remembered to ask him. So that 13th birthday was spent with Rian and the Rosewood staff who prepared a last-minute birthday dinner.

Since Ren Xiyang couldn’t pretend his 14th birthday didn’t exist, he purposefully invited a small number of people for a small dinner: Rian, Florence, Alexius, Adrienne, Tierri, and Günter. On the day, he had a big lunch with the Rosewood staff, followed by dinner with the six invited guests. wDdZPG

This 15th birthday was bigger. The meal with the Rosewood staff and Ren Xiyang’s additional invited guests was happening together.

Over the rest of the afternoon, the last few invited guests arrived: Baltasar Cordovan came with his siblings—they had returned to the Cordovan fief after the big Rosewood meeting—and Mage Vercher who was leading the Royal Healers’ Service.

In addition, Florence and Hadrian were already at the Rosewood manor, along with whichever Rosewood staff were around.

With gifts given and put away appropriately, Ren Xiyang and his guests relaxed outside until it was time for dinner. EybkBF

The main hall was decorated with plant and gold decorations. Ren Xiyang and his guests sat at the front table, and the Rosewood staff filled the other seats. Dinner was an assortment of dishes, from roast duck pancakes and spicy noodles, to roast beef and mashed potatoes. There was fresh salad, steamed vegetables, roast vegetables, and deep-fried vegetables too, all from the Rosewood fields. There was also an assortment of spicing options—fresh chillies, pickled chillies, chilli oil, and hot sauce.

Muffling spells around the individual tables kept the sound in the hall reasonable, making it a pleasant evening for Ren Xiyang.

Over an hour later, as the dishes were cleared in preparation for the cake, Rian suddenly stood up. “If I can have your attention, please,” he said, magically projecting his voice, while taking down the muffling spells.

Everyone quieted and turned towards Prince Rian. PWBsuK

Ren Xiyang, who was seated next to Rian, looked up.

“Now, we are gathered here to celebrate the fifteenth birthday of the famous, wonderful, and kind Earl Ayden Rosewood,” Rian said with a smile.

Ren Xiyang had a sinking feeling of embarrassment.

“In the past few years, Earl Rosewood has transformed the Rosewood fief and made his mark on the kingdom of Sedaveria. He has helped numerous people, both within Sedaveria and outside Sedaveria.” atI7dz

There were many nods from the staff in the hall. Many of them were hired since Earl Rosewood came to power, with quite a few of them starting out by standing in that line for free lunch those years ago.

“The Royal Healers’ Service would not be possible with Earl Rosewood. He has shown us new ways to govern, new ways to farm, new ways to eat, and new ways to live. I am honoured to be Earl Rosewood’s friend and to have the opportunity to work with him. I’m proud of what Earl Rosewood has achieved, and I look forward to seeing what he can do next.” Rian lifted his glass. “To Sedaveria, to the Rosewood fief, and to Earl Rosewood!”

Chrysanthemum Garden.

“To Sedaveria, to the Rosewood fief, and to Earl Rosewood!” the rest of the hall chorused.

Ren Xiyang wanted to hide his face. xZbB0

Rian sat down again, smirking. He patted Ren Xiyang on the shoulder. “Happy birthday, Ayden.”

“Thanks,” Ren Xiyang muttered drily.

Not long after, Mrs Cooks came back in pushing a dining cart with the birthday cake—a multi-tier affair made with tea-inspired flavours, including earl grey, green tea, and black tea. Fifteen candles had been placed on the very top. “Earl Rosewood, please come on up!” Mrs Cooks said as she positioned the cake on the stage.

Ren Xiyang glanced at the happy Rian and the eager Alexius, and then slowly went up on stage. xC5aDr

He should be used to a full hall of people looking at him. But this was different. This wasn’t work.

Mrs Cooks clapped her hands. “Now, let’s begin! Happy birthday to you—”

The hall burst into an enthusiastic rendition of the Happy Birthday song.

Ren Xiyang’s ears went redder and redder, with the heat spreading onto his cheeks. 9pCbtc

Mrs Cooks found this infinitely endearing, as did many other ‘parental-ly’ staff. Since Ayden Rosewood appeared, they had watched him grow, play and work, becoming the young man he was now.

“Hip-hip—”

“HOORAY!”

“Hip-hip—” G0iAaU

“HOORAY!”

“Hip-hip—!!”

“HOORAY!!!”

“Blow out the candles, my Lord!” oe9DTQ

Ren Xiyang obediently blew the 15 candles out.

“WOO-HOO!!!!”

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A flurry of “Happy birthday, Earl Rosewood!” came from all around the hall.

“Happy 15th birthday, my Lord,” Mrs Cooks said warmly. “You can sit down now. I’ll cut the cake, okay?” wSRr9Q

“Thank you, Mrs Cooks,” Ren Xiyang said. “Thank you, everyone, for coming today. This has been my favourite birthday ever.”

There were many happy smiles around the room.

Ren Xiyang didn’t run off the stage, but he tried to regulate his internal heat, hoping to take down the flush on his face.

Mrs Cooks and her team quickly distributed cake to everyone. hde6Qj

Then, once everyone had finished eating their cake, Maria stood up.

“Everyone, there is one final event to conclude tonight,” she said with a smile. “Everyone, please head out to the front yard in an orderly manner.”

The noise in the hall rose sharply—what was this sudden event?

“What are we going to do now, Ayden?” Alexius asked as he jumped up from his seat. 8ZMY1d

“I don’t know…” Ren Xiyang said.

“I heard Maria has great ideas, so let’s see,” Rian said.

The front yard of the Rosewood manor had a few lights that stayed on all night, but otherwise, it was quite dark.

“Can you see anything?” 5Lw3qF

“What’s supposed to happen now?”

The mingling staff looked at each other and looked around, but they couldn’t spot anything out of place.

Under the cover of the dark, Rian secretly brushed his hand against Ren Xiyang’s.

Ren Xiyang glanced at him. Dlu3hc

Rian smiled and said, “Look up.”

Ren Xiyang looked up and—

Chrysanthemum Garden.

Fweeeeee-BOOM! A trail of fire lit up the night sky and exploded far overhead.

This immediately grabbed everyone’s attention. gTvaUj

“Huh, what was that?!”

The first fireball was followed by streams of gold fire that rose into the sky and exploded in a burst of sparks and ball lightning that traced whimsical shapes in the air in between the streams of fire.

“Woaaahh!”

“Amazing!” l5G82s

“So beautiful!”

Ren Xiyang towards Rian again. There was a familiar look of concentration on Rian’s face.

Rian was putting on this magical show for him.

Ren Xiyang’s heart filled with syrupy warmth. He had no words, only deep appreciation and affection. JbBQdz

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