Chapter 72: Go to sleep.

The Admiral immediately stood up and headed to the court.

She first visited Oisín in his holding cell before meeting with the prison warden.

Unlike Lorcan, who was still inexperienced in handling such matters, the Admiral had spent many years dealing with complicated situations.

She quickly came up with a plan to protect Oisín without attracting Tadhg’s attention.

"Whether Oisín is guilty or innocent isn’t the important thing right now. He has already married into the Third Prince’s household. When he appears in court, he must at least look presentable. Otherwise, people might accuse the Third Prince of abusing his own husband. That would damage the royal family’s reputation and reflect badly on me as well."

The warden immediately began to sweat.

He had the First Prince’s support, and Tadhg had specifically instructed him not to make Oisín’s stay in prison comfortable.

However, the Admiral was no ordinary person, and her argument was difficult to challenge.

Tadhg had mentioned the matter before, but now the Admiral had personally become involved.

After briefly considering his options, the warden quickly decided what to do.

The Admiral tapped the table lightly and continued speaking casually.

"I just visited Oisín. His condition was terrible. He looked as though he could collapse at any moment. There will be plenty of reporters at the trial, so make sure he receives proper care during these ten days. At the very least, he must look presentable when he appears before the court."

The warden secretly cursed.

He blamed the Third Prince for allowing Oisín to become so weak, but he didn’t dare express his thoughts.

Instead, he respectfully agreed to follow the Admiral’s instructions.

As a result, Oisín’s stay in prison turned out very differently from what he had expected.

The guards avoided him and barely looked in his direction. Nobody questioned him privately or attempted to punish him.

His meals arrived on time, and when he checked the food, he found plenty of vegetables and meat. The portions were also generous.

The court even provided hot water every day so he could wash and keep himself clean. The guards also cleaned his cell regularly.

Looking around, Oisín realised that he had been given one of the best cells in the prison. It was spacious, had a comfortable temperature, and even contained a small shelf with books and newspapers to keep him occupied.

Apart from the fever caused by the pheromone injections, his stay felt more like a holiday than imprisonment.

When the ten days finally passed and the trial began, Oisín felt slightly confused.

This was nothing like what he had expected.

In fact, ever since he had left the Third Prince’s bed, everything had gone differently from his original plans.

He stood steadily on the trial platform. Although the fever was uncomfortable, he could still tolerate it.

The effects of the injections would soon disappear, leaving behind only minor side effects that weren’t worth worrying about.

Without Lorcan’s help, he would never have made it this far so easily.

Thinking about this, Oisín couldn’t help smiling faintly.

His gaze moved across the large panel of judges before finally settling on Lorcan, who was seated above him.

Lorcan sat between the Admiral and the First Prince. His expression was completely blank as he looked down at the general.

He had hidden his feelings so well that he appeared to be the same cold, cruel, and arrogant prince everyone knew.

There was no warmth in his eyes as he looked at Oisín. It was almost as though he were staring at an ordinary object.

However, Oisín noticed the silver shining on Lorcan’s finger.

It was the ring they had exchanged.

Although Lorcan maintained his cold expression, his fingers kept turning the ring anxiously.

The silver surface reflected the light, creating a shimmering effect like sunlight dancing across a lake.

Oisín stood in the middle of the courtroom wearing heavy shackles and a thin prison uniform.

Countless people watched him. Some looked disgusted, while others openly mocked him.

They examined him from head to toe and whispered about the once-famous military genius, the honoured young master of the Collins Family.

They said his crimes were unforgivable and that his future was finished.

Among the spectators were some of his former enemies and even people who had once served under him.

"Look at that. He used to be the major general of the Third Army. Who would have thought he’d end up like this?"

Under normal circumstances, Oisín should have felt embarrassed and humiliated.

But the moment his eyes landed on Lorcan, all the hostility surrounding him seemed to disappear.

Lorcan continued turning the ring on his finger.

His expression was tense, and Oisín knew that look very well.

The more nervous Lorcan became, the colder his face appeared. However, his little habits always betrayed him.

Even though Oisín was the one standing trial, Lorcan seemed far more anxious than he was.

The ring never stopped turning between his fingers.

Oisín sighed quietly.

My Little Prince is so worried.

The judge struck the gavel three times to silence the courtroom before beginning to read the charges and announce the verdict.

Every accusation was false. Oisín hadn’t committed any of the crimes listed against him.

Nevertheless, he calmly nodded and accepted everything without defending himself.

The First Prince had already prepared a case that was difficult to challenge. There was no point in resisting at this stage.

After reading the final accusation and listing all the punishments, the judge cleared his throat and began reading the terms of the pardon.

"Oisín Collins, former Major General of the Third Army. According to the terms of this pardon, from this day forward, you will surrender your status as a free person, lose your military position and identity, and have all your political rights taken away. In exchange for a reduced sentence, all the wealth belonging to the Collins Family will be transferred to the Third Prince, Fionn. Do you accept these conditions?"

Oisín raised his blue eyes towards the judges.

"I accept."

To the public, Oisín appeared to be someone who had become dependent on an addictive drug and was suffering from extremely poor health.

In reality, he was still running a high fever. His answer came out weak and hoarse, but his tone was strangely gentle.

System 66 was sitting on Lorcan’s shoulder. It rubbed its invisible arm as though it were a real one.

"Host, do you know something?" it whispered. "My previous host also ended up marrying his mission target. They had their wedding beneath a coconut tree on the beach. The person conducting the ceremony held my host’s hand in one hand and his target’s hand in the other before asking, ’Do you promise to stay together through sickness and health, poverty and wealth, and walk through the rest of your lives side by side?’"

66 paused before continuing.

"The way my previous host’s target answered that question was exactly like the way Major General Oisín just spoke."

"..."

The judge nodded before turning towards Lorcan.

"Honoured Third Prince, are you willing to accept this convicted man into your household and give him an opportunity to reform?"

Lorcan gave a reserved nod.

"I am willing."

The pardon was written down, signed by the necessary parties, and stamped with the royal seal.

With that, the trial finally came to an end.

Lorcan breathed out in relief.

He could finally take Oisín home without having to hide their relationship.

The two of them boarded the ship one after the other.

Oisín was still weak and had to hold tightly onto the railing. Even climbing the few steps seemed exhausting, and he nearly dragged himself up.

Lorcan walked ahead without looking back or offering to help.

Tadhg watched them and nodded with satisfaction.

However, the moment the ship’s door closed, the two immediately embraced and kissed.

Lorcan was eager to share his pheromones with Oisín to reduce the side effects of the injections and help him recover.

But Oisín wasn’t in a hurry.

He kissed Lorcan slowly, gently brushing his lips against his before pulling him down onto the large bed inside the ship.

"Shall we?"

Lorcan stared at him in disbelief.

"You’re still running a fever."

Even through his clothes, Lorcan could feel how hot Oisín’s skin was.

No matter how strong the general was, he was still human. The high fever was making his thoughts cloudy, while his muscles and joints ached slightly.

His earlier signs of discomfort hadn’t been entirely an act.

A playful glint appeared in Oisín’s eyes.

"I heard it feels even better when you’re like this."

Lorcan blinked.

"What?"

It took several seconds for his brain to process what the general meant.

Oisín wasn’t joking. He was being completely serious.

The side effects of the pheromone injections hadn’t disappeared yet. Doing something so reckless in his current condition could only make things worse.

But Oisín didn’t seem to care about his health at all.

He looked at Lorcan without the slightest concern for the consequences, as though his own body meant nothing to him.

It was almost as if he considered himself nothing more than a temporary container for his desires and only wanted to enjoy a moment of pleasure.

Lorcan gritted his teeth in frustration.

He leaned forward and bit Oisín’s shoulder.

The general clearly hadn’t expected that and immediately let out a painful sound.

"Ouch..."

"Now you know it hurts?"

Lorcan pulled the blanket over him, covering him completely until only his confused blue eyes were visible.

"Until you’ve fully recovered, don’t even think about doing anything like that!"

He looked at Oisín sternly.

"Now, go to sleep."