Angel

All day! For the entire day, Dave noticed a suspicious curve on the Duke's lips!

Young Lance was acting strangely too. He'd left early to oversee spring drainage and inspect manure pile cleanups, while Edward sat staring at documents before suddenly smiling tenderly... Evans accompanied Tang Feiliu out. He now seemed more like Tang Feiliu's personal valet than the Duke's.

In any case, when Dave quietly entered to deliver sweet biscuits, he nearly dropped them in shock at the duke's smile, nearly compromising his composure as a considerate butler.

"These don't taste like the cook's work," Edward remarked casually after taking a bite, followed by a sip of the rich, velvety coffee.

"Young Lance made them specially this morning. He said he'd prepared extra for his own takeout and wanted to share an extra portion with you." The remark was remarkably presumptuous—not the tone of a subordinate addressing a superior, but rather the familiar familiarity of someone speaking to their closest confidant, as if utterly certain it wouldn't arouse Edward's suspicion or displeasure.

And Edward reacted exactly as expected. He smiled, not at all offended by his executive's audacity, but rather deeply flattered. Not even the coffee cup could hide the warmth of his smile.

Dave knew this matter was sliding toward his greatest fear. Yet ever since Edward declared he could never marry, fiercely protecting young Lance and even assigning the future wife's bedroom to him, Dave understood there was no turning back. What baffled Dave was the sudden acceleration. Just recently, young Lance had seemed utterly oblivious, and their interactions had been perfectly ordinary. Why, overnight, had Lance learned to blush, while His Grace radiated a joy brighter than the spring sunshine outside?

Though baffled, Dave remained focused on his duties. While the Temple had always classified male romance as a grave sin, among nobility, such matters were remarkably commonplace. Perhaps the Temple's founders were once holy and pure, but as its power grew, too many ambitious opportunists infiltrated its ranks. They climbed faster and resorted to any means necessary, unlike those who served the divine purely. After years of such evolution, the Temple had long ceased being faithful servants of God. It had become a hub of power and greed... In truth, the Temple today may be the simplest place in the world: wealth and power are all that matter. Offer up your riches and lands, allow the Temple to collect taxes and claim followers within your domain, and no matter what you do, the Pope will still crown you king. The Temple can even absolve your sins, ensuring your continued pleasures in heaven.

For common folk unable to pay, the Temple cannot absolve your sins, for you have offended the Heavenly Father.

In short, as long as it doesn't become common knowledge, Even if it becomes common knowledge, it suffices if everyone pretends not to hear or see—and Edward clearly possessed the power to silence all. Given Charles and Queen Josephine's recent smooth sailing, Edward's status as the emperor's right-hand man had risen accordingly. Thus, this matter could be resolved without significant peril by simply appeasing the Templars.

Dave's concern, however, was that Edward and the Templars had long been at odds. If the Templars truly found some pretext, he feared something dangerous might happen.

Nevertheless, since Edward insisted on proceeding, Dave steeled himself and first ensured the servants were kept in check.

Moreover... gazing at Edward, Dave murmured softly with sudden emotion, "Your Grace, it's been a long time since I've seen you in such high spirits."

Indeed, Edward had endured a lifetime of hardships too painful to share with outsiders. As the butler who had served him throughout his years at the duke's residence, Dave had witnessed it all. Though Edward enjoyed Josephine's protection and the affection of his godmother, Suna, the love these noble women offered him could never truly match the selfless devotion of a mother.

They cherished him because he was useful, because the resilience and ruthlessness tempered by his suffering compensated for their own softness and indecisiveness—and that of their children. Yet Edward himself understood: once he became useless, he had little confidence that anyone besides Dave would remain by his side.

This was why Dave wanted Edward to marry soon—Edward needed the warmth of a true home, needed his own bloodline to anchor him.

Though the woman Edward ultimately chose was not a human, he had never known such pure, unadulterated happiness in his entire life.

Even Dave couldn't bear to disturb him.

Tang Feiliu knew nothing of the castle's simple conversation and mutual understanding. Restless early in the morning, he baked a large batch of sweet cookies—a habit of his. Whether happy or sad, he always turned to cleaning and cooking to pass the time. Only after finishing did he realize he'd made far too many. His first thought was that he hadn't baked anything for Edward in ages!

Blushing, Tang Feiliu arranged the treats and dashed out of the castle as if pursued by a wild beast.

Fortunately, the spring air was warming up, and Tang Feiliu could finally venture out wearing just a shirt and jacket. Ivans was now quite adept at driving the oxcart. They had persistently bribed the young ox with treats all spring, making it incredibly affectionate toward them and increasingly familiar with the road to the village. By now, Ivans barely needed to pay attention; the young, newly matured calf leisurely pulled them all the way into the village.

Of course, it probably helped that the cart belonged to Tang Feiliu. Uncertain how to thank their administrator, the villagers lavishly fawned over the sheriff's property. One reason the ox loved visiting the village was likely the villagers' habit of rushing out with freshly cut tender grass—even rye grass—whenever it appeared. This constant feeding had made it sleek and glossy, standing out more and more among the herd.

At first, Edward couldn't understand Tang Feiliu's habit. How could his young Lance ride in a cart meant for commoners? Even though Edward himself had left the castle in a cart years ago, that didn't mean he wanted Lance to do the same. But Tang Feiliu refused to travel the countryside in a horse-drawn carriage—it looked ridiculous and carried an oppressive air.

There was another significant reason: Tang Feiliu was actually terrified of horses in this era.

The horses of this era resembled Edward among men—nothing like the horses seen in modern times, but rather giant versions. Simply put, well-fed, robust horses—like Edward's mount—stood nearly as tall as Edward himself. Yes, horses over six feet tall, capable of kicking a person to death with a single hoof! That's how ferocious the breed was!

Even when Edward selected the smallest carriage meant for ladies, Tang Feiliu could only see the horse's belly when approaching it, feeling like a dwarf beside the beast. Meanwhile, the calf he'd carefully chosen—born prematurely from a cow—had grown steadily since infancy. Though bonded to him like father and son, it remained smaller than the horses, merely appearing much plumper... In the end, Tang Feiliu chose to go about his daily business with this calf by his side.

This gesture endeared the easygoing, unassuming administrator even more to the villagers. As everyone worked with fervor, Tang Feiliu drove his oxcart past the village bakery, where smoke curled from the oven as bread baked. The flatlands were dotted with drainage ditches, each field resembling a patch of green velvet. In the distance, fruit orchards clung to the hillsides. Streams were methodically cleared, fishponds and lakes interconnected—even heavy spring rains should pose little threat now... Of course, this was partly due to the site's inherent advantage, chosen by Edward himself for the city's foundation.

In any case, judging by this year's growth of wheat seedlings and potatoes—with potatoes yielding two harvests—the bountiful crops would likely drive wheat prices down significantly.

This would be devastating for modern farmers, but in this era, wheat was grown solely for personal consumption and tax payments. A bountiful harvest wouldn't disappoint these farmers—it would send them into wild celebration.

Tang Feiliu's first goal this year was to ensure no one would have to eat black bread mixed with wood shavings. He hoped everyone could enjoy normal, fragrant bread.

His second goal was to begin constructing permanent toilets throughout the city once the manure supply was exhausted. There was no alternative—York was simply too vast and chaotic. Installing water systems everywhere, even if funded entirely by Edward, would require capital beyond Edward's current means. Tang Feiliu dared not contemplate that prospect yet, nor was it urgent.

But the third goal was precisely what Tang Feiliu now needed to discuss with Edward.

"You mean you want me to free all the slaves in this vicinity?" Edward looked at Tang Feiliu, his voice tinged with confusion.

When discussing serious matters, both men adopted solemn expressions. Yet Tang Feiliu now felt far bolder. Though they hadn't fully revealed their deepest intentions to each other, he trusted this duke implicitly. In this era, if he could trust anyone completely not to harm him, Tang Feiliu believed that person would undoubtedly be Edward.

Thus, Tang Feiliu abandoned polite circumlocutions and began explaining his perspective directly to Edward—from a future viewpoint, the transition from slavery to feudalism represented progress. It signified not only advancement in human rights but also an increase in productivity. Slaves, unable to own private property, possessed far less initiative than free citizens.

Historically, the emancipation of these slaves held immense and vital significance for both society and the economy. Tang Feiliu now sought to build up the entire Black Swan City, to make York and Black Swan City the two most splendid and prosperous lands in the empire... Therefore, what they needed to do now was to ensure as many commoners as possible achieved basic sustenance and then began to prosper.

This path requires time, but after the summer harvest of potatoes and wheat, everyone's granaries will be plump. Potatoes can be sown immediately for the next season—this crop yields two harvests annually and pairs well with legumes like soybeans. This year alone should begin improving lives for those near York.

The Duke's bountiful harvest might even catch the Emperor's attention, though that was secondary. The crucial point was freeing these slaves—not only to gain new laborers, but more importantly, to send a signal. A signal to the entire domain.

As he reached this point, Tang Feiliu grew uneasy. He murmured, "...While it's beneficial for the economy, this is precisely what concerns me. Once these serfs are freed, serfs in other domains or slaves on other estates might start to think..."

Edward fell silent for a moment before suddenly murmuring, "Lance, you're just too kind."

Tang Feiliu felt a pang of sadness. So history books were telling the truth after all? No matter how kind Edward might be, humans would always prioritize their own interests. Major slave owners typically opposed slave emancipation movements because it meant a loss of their property. Even when considering the future—when the entire city would develop more healthily—personal gain would still lead these people to obstruct the correct path of history.

True, Tang Feiliu thought. He'd been too naive. He'd focused solely on building the finest, most prosperous city, never considering that perhaps what Edward truly desired wasn't a wealthy city, but his own personal wealth?

"But, Little Lance," Edward spoke up unexpectedly as Tang Feiliu felt his spirits sink. He gazed at the boy and murmured softly, "After all, an angel should dwell in a place like heaven."

The words left Tang Feiliu momentarily stunned. Then his face flushed bright red. Edward watched his little angel's blue eyes widen as a sunset-like blush spread across his milk-white cheeks, even his neck turning crimson with shyness.

This decision was risky, but Edward was willing to work overtime for months to perfect it. His little angel deserved nothing less—his angel had come to Earth, walked to his side, and endured enough hardship already. Edward wanted to create a golden land for him that rivaled Heaven itself, where he could live joyfully and freely, cherished and revered by all.

Let this pure, easily startled little one slowly grow comfortable and at ease, forever and ever, never wanting to leave this place.

Edward gazed at Tang Feiliu with a faint smile. The hesitation and struggle in his dark eyes... slowly dissolved into profound tenderness.

This was... his angel.