I Hate That Jerk of a Spouse - Chapter 4

Leslie had heard about Casper from his older brother long ago.

The First Prince, Levia, had once hated Casper with a burning passion. As a prince and an S-grade female insect, he had actually lost to an obscure commoner soldier in a military competition. The fact that his cute little brother had witnessed such a humiliating moment made Levia want to perish together with Casper right then and there.

What was even worse was that his precious brother had asked him:

“Brother, who is that female insect who defeated you?”

“…”

For a fleeting moment, Levia truly wanted to describe Casper as low-class, claiming that his victory was pure luck or that he had used underhanded tactics. However, his refined upbringing did not permit him to maliciously slander a female soldier who was, in truth, exceptionally outstanding.

Although he felt extremely frustrated, he chose to speak the truth.

“That is Lieutenant General Casper, a soldier born to commoners who possesses both excellent talent and a diligent spirit.”

That was Leslie’s first impression of Casper.

Beyond the crowd of wildly cheering soldiers, Leslie saw Casper shining brightly on the field. Those green eyes were like the most precious emeralds, shimmering with a confident and arrogant fire.

[He is so beautiful…]

Sitting on his brother’s arm, Leslie shifted his object of worship at that very moment. The Zerg’s inherent admiration for strength, combined with a young larva’s innocence, led Leslie to believe that Casper, who could defeat his brother and earn such high praise from the always-proud Levia, was an incredibly powerful insect.

He was a role model worthy of his admiration.

Little Leslie grew up chasing after Casper’s footsteps, working diligently and tirelessly. The Emperor and Empress, believing that Casper set a good example for their young child, did not intervene. Only Levia was so infuriated that he would find Casper to spar every few days.

On the day Casper successfully won the bid to become the Lieutenant General of the First Legion, Leslie was so happy he could not sleep all night. In the middle of the night, he shared his joy with his cousin, Taboya, discussing what gift he should send.

The exhausted Taboya, while Leslie went back and forth in indecision, gave him a questionable suggestion.

“Why don’t you send him a dress inner lining? Have the Emperor bestow it along with the official uniform. Otherwise, he does not know you, and if a prince suddenly sends a gift, others might gossip that Casper’s position was not earned fairly.”

Leslie thought it over carefully. A dress inner lining would definitely be worn on the day Casper was conferred his title; it was practical and would not cause any trouble. Furthermore, Casper wearing the clothes he sent to such an important ceremony would be like him being there to accompany Casper.

[Waaaaaaah!]

Leslie hugged his quilt and rolled around in excitement. “Taboya, you are a genius!”

Thus, Leslie contacted the royal tailor overnight, picking and choosing styles until dawn before returning to his bedchamber to sleep happily. He specifically instructed them to keep a sample of the outfit sent to Casper. Such a significant item naturally deserved to be kept as a souvenir.

Leslie had also ordered a white crystal “Free Bird” brooch from Taboya, intending to give it to Casper as a welcome gift on his first day of enlistment.

However, the moment they met and exchanged greetings, Casper hauled him off to training, giving him no opportunity to present the gift.

Leslie: “?”

A male insect’s physical fitness was far inferior to that of a female insect of the same rank. The training modules designed specifically for enlisted males seemed like child’s play to Casper. He had not planned on using them, but the prince before him was so delicate that if he followed the actual training regimen, he would likely be bullied until he cried.

Casper, feeling inexplicably soft-hearted, loaded a standard training module for common males and planned to let the male rest once it was over.

Leslie finished the set of exercises, which were barely more difficult than basic calisthenics, and received the signal that the training was finished for the day.

Leslie: “?”

Who are you looking down on?

He grabbed Casper, who was about to leave. With his dignity challenged, Leslie threw aside all thoughts of idol worship; he had to demand an explanation.

Casper stood backlit, his face hidden in the shadows, his voice as cold as an ice spring. “Your Highness is precious and noble. I fear you cannot endure the hardships of heavy training.”

Leslie swore he could hear the mockery in that tone.

At that moment, his idol filter shattered. Leslie grabbed Casper’s wrist, eyes reddening as he said through gritted teeth, “I did not come to the military to enjoy myself. By what right do you say I cannot endure hardship? Just this level of training makes it impossible for me to improve. Who are you insulting?”

Perhaps it was something in that sentence that struck a nerve; after a long silence, Casper finally modified the training module for Leslie. His cold, stern face lacked a hint of warmth. “If Your Highness insists on asking for trouble, I have no choice but to comply.”

At that moment, Leslie’s idol filter was smashed to pieces. He never expected the real Casper to be like this. With a stubborn breath, Leslie persisted under the suddenly skyrocketing difficulty of the training.

The pampered little prince had never been so disheveled. His clothes were soaked in sweat, his strained muscles burned as if licked by flames, and a white mist covered his eyes until his vision began to blur.

The faint scent of mint lingering nearby pulled his drifting consciousness back. Gritting his teeth, he completed all the training projects, determined to make Casper repent for his ignorant behavior.

Just as it ended, Leslie suddenly lost all strength and collapsed, falling into a cold, firm, and refreshing embrace. He gasped for breath, the world spinning before his eyes, his heart pounding so violently it felt as if it were one step away from exploding.

Drinking the supplement fed to him, Leslie heard Casper’s tone, filled with admiration and helplessness.

“Your Highness is amazing. It was my fault.”

The male in his arms was burning hot, silver hair stuck to his face with sweat. Even though he looked completely ruined, his smile seemed to shine.

That fragile, young heart beat stubbornly and intensely, driving Casper’s own heart to accelerate, venturing into unknown territory. Casper did not know what was happening; he only knew that the male in his arms was blindingly dazzling. He was the only source of light within his field of vision.

Late at night, Leslie, whose body ached all over, could not fall asleep. The result of his stubbornness with Casper was a victory, but the outcome was miserable.

Casper was right about one thing: he was indeed pampered and noble, raised in silk, and had never suffered much. Thus, Leslie, experiencing such agony for the first time, had no ability to adapt.

He missed home. But he would not go back. He wanted Casper to see clearly what a massive mistake his stereotypes were.

He was in too much pain to sleep, so Leslie hugged his little quilt, climbed up to the rooftop, and bathed in the moonlight. The moonlight that night was beautiful, clear and bright, and the evening breeze was gentle, lifting Leslie’s long hair as it danced in the air.

Leslie was daydreaming in the moonlight until the next breeze brought the familiar scent of mint. Leslie stiffened and sat up, enduring the ache, and watched as Casper walked toward him, carrying a box.

“Your Highness, will you undress yourself, or shall I help you?”

Leslie: “!”

Leslie was startled, his face turning bright red instantly. He wrapped himself in his little quilt and tried to escape, only to be grabbed and pulled back by Casper as expected.

“What are you doing?”

Casper found Leslie’s panicked appearance amusing. He was in a rare mood to be a little mischievous and did not explain. With one hand, he pinned down the struggling Leslie; with the other, he quickly stripped off the prince’s top.

“Hey! Casper!”

Leslie was pinned down tightly, unable to escape no matter how he kicked or struggled.

“Your Highness, you had better stop struggling with that little bit of strength you have.”

“…”

[Aaaaah! He is mocking me! How could he be like this?]

Just as Leslie was about to go mad with anger, he suddenly smelled the bitter scent of medicine. His back felt cool for a moment, followed by a firm, well-paced massage.

The struggling little prince instantly stiffened. The male under his hands had gone strangely quiet, no longer moving.

A hint of triumphant, malicious joy appeared on Casper’s cold, stern face. His hand, pressed against the tender skin of the male’s nape, rubbed twice, causing the male to tremble.

“What did Your Highness think I was going to do?”

Casper massaged the male’s sore muscles with ease, his tone teasing and light. “What could I possibly do to an underage male insect?”

The male lying face down remained motionless for a long time. Suddenly, Casper felt the thin body under his hands begin to tremble. When a sob that could no longer be held back finally escaped, Casper realized he had played too hard.

After a moment of stiffness, Casper scrambled to turn the male over and hold him.

The snow-white face was covered in tear stains, his eyes red and brimming with aggrieved tears, and the look he cast was filled with accusation. Casper felt his heart break as he held the male in his arms, clumsily trying to soothe him.

When had this male, raised in the royal palace, ever suffered such bullying? Especially from the very insect he had always admired.

Leslie sobbed, heaving on Casper’s shoulder. He used his fists to beat Casper’s back with all his might, but one movement was too large, pulling on his sore muscles and causing him to cry even louder.

Casper, who had made a mistake, silently took the beating. He hesitated; should he tell Leslie that his little bit of strength did not hurt at all? Should he ask him to use a whip instead?

In the end, his survival instinct sealed his lips, forbidding him from saying a single word.

Leslie had suffered more grievances today than in the past ten years. After venting, he felt much better. He braced himself on Casper’s shoulders and sat up, glaring at him fiercely. But the tears still hanging on his lashes and his red nose made him look pitiful and cute; he did not look fierce at all.

However, the guilty Casper did not dare say that. If the male got even angrier, he really would not know how to coax him.

Leslie reached out his arms toward Casper and said one word,

“Pain.”

The sensible Casper used a gentle touch to apply medicine and massage his Highness, soothing the overworked, aching muscles.

Leslie had cried to his heart’s content. Having consumed a great deal of energy during the day and exhausted his spirit, he gradually fell asleep under Casper’s care.

Before his consciousness faded completely, Leslie thought of the white crystal “Free Bird” brooch that he still had not given away. He thought stubbornly that he definitely would not give it to Casper. He would not give a welcome gift to such a jerk.

In just one day, Leslie’s idol filter for Casper, which had lasted over a decade, was shattered into dust.

After massaging and relaxing every muscle in Leslie’s body, Casper picked up the already-sleeping male and left in the moonlight. He sighed silently in his heart.

He looks soft, but his temperament is very tough.

If it were not for the fact that he had secretly disabled the subsequent training modules, he estimated that Leslie would not have surrendered even if he were tired to death. He had not been bullied to tears by the training, but rather teased to tears by him.

Taking the exhausted male back to his dormitory, Casper tucked him in and gently straightened his long hair.

“Good night, Your Highness.”

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