The next day, Lu Xia took the sample to the laboratory. The test results confirmed it: the substance taken from Graces was, in fact, a scale, and it contained the Black Dragon X1.90 gene.

This meant that his accidental injury had activated the gene fusion agent he had once been injected with.

Lu Xia couldn’t help but wonder, ’Could this be an opportunity? A chance to help Graces transform?’

The moment the thought occurred to her, Lu Xia couldn’t contain her excitement.

Unfortunately, it was impossible to dissect Graces to see what was going on inside.

With a twinge of scientific regret, Lu Xia decided to bring Graces to the institute for a comprehensive physical examination.

When she emerged from the laboratory, the old butler could clearly sense Duke Lu Xia’s good mood. He didn’t know the reason for it, but seeing that she wasn’t heartbroken over a "defective product" of a male, the knot of worry in his chest loosened.

In his mind, Graces was decent enough, but he was ultimately just a "defective product." If he broke, he broke.

Thankfully, Duke Lu Xia wasn’t grieving over such a male.

"I’m planning to establish the No. 2 Institute, using the No. 1 Institute as the standard. Go make the arrangements. The sooner the better; I need it urgently."

Upon hearing this, the old butler found he wasn’t nearly as shocked as the first time. It just goes to show how terrifying habit can be.

After giving the old butler his instructions, Lu Xia returned home. She changed her clothes and immediately went to see Graces, bringing him a glass of Spiritual Spring Water.

When she entered, Graces was leaning against the headboard, quietly turning the pages of a book. If it weren’t for his pale complexion, one would hardly know he was injured at all.

The disheveled, pathetic air he had about him yesterday was gone. He had cleaned himself up nicely.

Lu Xia placed the glass on the table. "How are you feeling today?"

The moment he saw her, Graces set down his book. He looked at her earnestly and said, "I’m fine. You don’t need to worry."

He was clearly just putting on a brave face.

Lu Xia didn’t press the issue. Instead, she said, "Unbutton your shirt. I want to see your wound."

The moment she spoke, Lu Xia could feel Graces tense up. He then tried to sound casual as he said, "It’s not a pretty sight. Could you not look?"

The man kept his head down, looking dejected.

Lu Xia gave him no chance to escape. "Didn’t we agree yesterday? You said you were willing to be my research subject. Are you backing out now?"

"No, I’m not. I just..." Graces met Lu Xia’s dark eyes, and his voice died in his throat. He could see the seriousness in the young female’s gaze.

Pressing his lips together, the man said no more. Instead, he raised a hand and began unbuttoning his shirt.

Lu Xia’s gaze followed his hand as it moved down. Where there had only been a few scattered scales around the sutured wound yesterday, a patch of hard, black scales had now grown, spreading all the way to his collarbone.

It looked like a great, dark hand clutching his chest, giving it a somewhat menacing appearance.

Graces watched Lu Xia’s expression carefully. When he saw no trace of disgust or revulsion in her eyes, he felt a little better.

A hint of surprise flickered in Lu Xia’s eyes. She hadn’t expected such a drastic change overnight.

She reached out to touch the patch of black scales. They felt hard and their edges were sharp.

"How does that feel?"

"Itchy," Graces replied, lowering his gaze as if to hide the emotions in his eyes. In truth, the sensation from her fingertips was far more than a simple itch.

For some reason, the area where the scales had grown had become incredibly sensitive. It was as if her fingertips carried an electric current, leaving a tingling trail that spread through his entire body.

Lu Xia pulled her hand back. She was about to ask him what it felt like when the scales were growing, but as she looked up, she noticed the tips of his ears were red. A curious look entered her eyes.

But Lu Xia didn’t read too much into it. She just assumed her actions had made Graces uncomfortable, which made her feel a bit awkward as well. She cleared her throat. "You should get some rest. Remember to drink the water."

With that, Lu Xia turned and left, heading straight for her study to document the day’s observations of Graces.

After she was gone, Graces’s tense body slowly relaxed. He picked up the glass from the table and drained it in one go. The cool liquid instantly soothed the burning sensation inside him, bringing a moment of relief.

But that relief was short-lived. A far more turbulent heat washed over him, threatening to swallow him whole.

The burning sensation radiating from within forced Graces to arch his back in agony, as if that could somehow ease the pain.

That tingling, painful sensation returned. He could even hear the sound of his skin tearing as the scales broke through.

Then he watched as his right hand became covered in black scales. His fingernails elongated, sharpening into what looked, to his eyes, like vicious claws.

In her study, after Lu Xia finished updating Graces’s case log, she instructed the kitchen to prepare something easy to digest for his lunch.

She had spent the last two days reading up on post-gene fusion protocols. Even though Graces’s situation seemed unique, she decided to treat it according to those guidelines.

After speaking with the kitchen staff, Lu Xia turned to head back to her own room. As she passed Graces’s door, however, she thought she heard faint groans from within. Her brow furrowed, and she hurried forward. "Graces, are you all right?"

As she pushed the door open, Graces’s figure vanished from beside the bed.

She only caught a glimpse of his back before the bathroom door closed behind him.

’He’s clearly hiding something he doesn’t want me to see.’

Worried, Lu Xia walked over. But she didn’t rashly open the bathroom door. Instead, she knocked respectfully. "Graces, are you okay?"

Her voice was soft, laced with worry.

Leaning against the door, Graces fought back the pain wracking his body. He suppressed his ragged breathing and kept his voice even as he replied, "I’m fine. I just wanted to take a shower. You don’t need to worry. Please, go get some rest."

Despite his excellent concealment, Lu Xia could still hear the strain he couldn’t quite hide in his voice.

"Graces, if you’re not feeling well, you must tell me. Don’t endure it, and don’t worry about anything. No matter what happens, I hope we can face it together. You don’t have to bear it alone."

’Lu Xia wasn’t surprised by his behavior. He was probably afraid of being abandoned if he showed her his vulnerable, unsightly side. That’s why he refused to show any weakness in front of her. It wasn’t his fault; it was a product of the entire Empire’s society.’

’That’s why males seemed to be born with no sense of security.’

’Creatures born burdened by repression and a sense of abject guilt.’