Duke Leslie hadn’t expected Lu Xia to trust Graces so completely. It was the exact opposite of what she’d imagined. She had assumed Lu Xia would feel the same way she did.

Worried that Graces would face unforeseen dangers on the battlefield. And yet, Duke Lu Xia was so at ease.

How was she supposed to continue the conversation now?

The Leslie Duke Mansion couldn’t afford to lose a single capable male right now.

Especially not one as promising as Graces.

For a moment, her thoughts turned to the disappointing Hugheska. If only Hugheska were half as competent as Graces, she wouldn’t be so anxious.

Her Majesty the Queen had forbidden any media from reporting on the Rebel Army’s attack on the resource mine, so the general public remained unaware.

But there were never any secrets among the nobility. Word that Graces had gone to the battlefield to fight the Rebel Army had already spread throughout their circles.

Many of them had approached Duke Leslie hoping to learn about the situation on the front lines, but she knew nothing about it either.

After all, Graces wouldn’t share such crucial intelligence with her. She even suspected that Lu Xia herself was likely just as ignorant of the battlefront’s status.

Lu Xia was unaware of this, however, and Duke Leslie hadn’t made a point of telling her. She knew very well that, given Lu Xia’s personality, she would simply ignore those people.

Life in the mansion continued as usual after Graces left. The only difference was that one person was now missing at the dinner table.

Cecil watched the other two eating their meals at the table. It was as if Graces’s departure had made no difference at all, as if Graces wasn’t that important in this household.

After dinner, Lu Xia summoned Smelian to the study.

Hearing this, Cecil waited for Lu Xia to leave before turning to Smelian, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Heh. With Graces gone, now’s your chance to make a move."

Smelian gave him a cool glance. "Thank you for the kind reminder."

Without another look at Cecil, Smelian turned and went straight upstairs to see Lu Xia.

Cecil was left speechless by Smelian’s retort. After a long moment, he looked over at the silent old butler. "What, do you think I’m wrong, too?"

The old butler wore a blank expression. "I didn’t hear a thing just now."

Cecil felt like he had just punched a wad of cotton. The frustration in his heart swelled.

He felt like everyone in this house was against him.

Smelian paid no mind to what Cecil was thinking. ’That man is always so difficult, anyway.’

’It would be best if he stayed difficult for the rest of his life and never realized just how wonderful Lu Xia is.’

When he arrived at the study, Lu Xia was already sitting on the sofa. Her expression was somewhat vacant, and he couldn’t tell what she was thinking. She hadn’t even noticed the sound of the door opening as he entered.

’Even if Lu Xia doesn’t show it,’ Smelian couldn’t help but think, ’it’s obvious Graces’s departure has still affected her.’

Smelian wasn’t surprised by this. As an observer, he had a clear view of the bond between Graces and Lu Xia. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t envious, but he believed that as long as he didn’t give up and kept working hard, he too could win Lu Xia’s heart, just like Graces.

Finally noticing Smelian’s arrival, Lu Xia offered a smile. "Sorry, I was a little distracted. I called you over to talk about your celebration banquet. Lady Rafaelde has already sent me the guest list. Please take a look and let me know if there’s anyone you’d like to add."

Smelian was surprised that Lu Xia still had the presence of mind to organize a celebration for him, especially right after Graces had left. She always knew how to touch a person’s heart. Just when he thought Lu Xia couldn’t possibly be any more wonderful, she would prove him wrong.

He looked at Lu Xia with a gentle gaze. "Graces is on his way to the battlefield, and we don’t know what’s happening. Maybe we shouldn’t hold my celebration banquet."

’Clearly, Lu Xia isn’t in a good mood. She doesn’t want to celebrate something like this right now.’

Lu Xia smiled at him. "Smelian, Graces is Graces, and you are you. Going to the battlefield is his duty as a soldier. You don’t need to bear any consequences on his behalf. Lady Rafaelde has put a lot of importance on your celebration, and the date is already set. There’s no need to postpone or cancel it because of Graces."

"Graces going to the battlefield is important, and you becoming a Gene Fusion Expert is also important. In this family, no one needs to make sacrifices for anyone else. I hope you understand that."

Smelian nodded. ’Lu Xia is always like this,’ he thought. ’She’s always so considerate of others, but seems to neglect herself completely.’

He looked at the gentle woman before him and couldn’t help but say, "Xiaxia, if you’re sad, you can lean on me."

Lu Xia paused for a moment, then realized what he meant. Understanding his misconception, she smiled and shook her head. "You think I’m sad and worried because Graces went to the battlefield, don’t you? As I said, it’s his duty as a soldier. Of course I’ll worry—that’s perfectly normal—but I won’t stop him, and I won’t let that worry affect my own life."

"You don’t need to comfort me, Smelian. I’m not as fragile as you think. Even if the worst news comes from Graces, I’m mentally prepared. I will welcome him home with honor."

It was only at this moment that Smelian truly realized that Lu Xia was far more clear-headed than anyone imagined.

He knew with a chilling clarity that if he were in Graces’s position one day, Lu Xia would treat him in exactly the same way.

For some reason, he always felt that Lu Xia lacked a sense of attachment to anyone, as if she were always prepared to leave them all behind.

This filled him with an inexplicable sense of panic, and he had no idea where it came from or how to quell it.

"Smelian, I’ve had the old butler arrange for your formal attire. It should be delivered the day after tomorrow. When it arrives, try it on. If anything doesn’t fit, just let the old butler know, and he’ll take care of it."

Smelian nodded. "I understand."

He hesitated for a moment before he couldn’t stop himself from saying, "Xiaxia, with Graces away, if you have any problems or need anything, please tell me. Don’t forget that I’m one of your husbands, too. I want to do things for you as well."

Lu Xia was well aware of the effort Smelian was making for their relationship. She saw it all, but right now, she just wasn’t in the mood.

But she didn’t refuse him, either. She just smiled and said, "Alright, I know."

Seeing her agree, the anxiety in Smelian’s heart quietly eased.

As Smelian came out of the study, he ran right into Cecil, who was on his way up the stairs. Their eyes met, and a smirk played on Cecil’s lips.

"So, how did it go? Did Duke Lu Xia give you permission to move into the master bedroom?"

Completely unfazed by his taunt, Smelian chuckled. "You don’t need to worry yourself over that. The day I move into the master bedroom, I’ll be sure to let you know."

Cecil gritted his teeth. Instead of another sarcastic remark, he asked, "What did she actually want with you?"

This time, Smelian didn’t answer. Instead, he shot Cecil a contemptuous glance and mimicked his tone, mocking, "What’s this? A change of heart? Starting to care about Xiaxia’s affairs now? I have to say, I preferred your old defiant attitude."