Return to the Capital, Secrets Remain Secrets

Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night. Every time Nolan closed his eyes, images of Serena Feng conjuring objects out of thin air, pulling them from the glowing point on her arm, flashed through his mind—chilling him to the bone.

A demon or a spirit? If he didn’t know for certain that Serena was a living, breathing human who could be hurt and bleed, Nolan might truly suspect she was some kind of fox spirit.

In the palace, the Emperor received news of the failed mission and sat alone in the imperial study. No one knew what he was thinking or what he had done.

Inside the operating room, Serena didn’t blink once, her hands moving faster and faster.

She had to finish the surgery before dawn and rush back to the Capital. Her contest against Su Wan was in two days, and the Empress’s reward would arrive within that time. Serena needed to stay in her West District courtyard to await the Empress’s favor—she absolutely couldn’t let the Empress discover she’d left the city in the middle of the night.

Still, no matter how pressed for time she was, Serena would never gamble with a patient’s life. Her hands moved quickly but stayed methodical, each step performed with utmost care.

As dawn broke, Serena finally completed the surgery, tying off a beautiful surgical knot. She set down the scalpel and clamps on the tray and finally allowed herself to relax.

She took a deep breath and rolled her aching arms and neck. After easing the pain a little, Serena grabbed a saline bottle and hung anti-inflammatory IV fluids for Prince Titus of Lyndaria, then turned to fetch protective gear and carefully dressed the surgical incision.

Serena was grateful that it was early autumn now—the weather was cool, and the wound was less likely to get infected.

After tidying up the remaining tasks, Serena activated the Smart Med-Pack again to run a check on Prince Titus. Seeing the numbers on the screen, she nodded in satisfaction and solemnly announced, “The operation was a success.”

While Prince Titus of Lyndaria was still on IV fluids, Serena began tidying up the surgical equipment—cleaning what needed cleaning, discarding what had to go. She wiped down the microscope and carefully put it away, then drew out the medicines Titus would need from the Smart Med-Pack, labeling each one so his attendants wouldn’t mix them up.

At that moment, the numbers representing Medical Ethics Points on the Smart Med-Pack’s panel began to flash.

“Twelve Medical Ethics Points—not bad. Even though I didn’t collect a consultation fee, I still earned seven points. Not a total loss.” Serena closed the Smart Med-Pack with satisfaction.

Prince Titus’s IV drip wouldn’t finish for a while, so Serena leaned against the wall, closed her eyes, and tried to rest before writing out the care instructions.

The bright firelight cast soft shadows across Serena’s face, easing her sharp features a little. With her pale, exhausted expression, she looked especially fragile. If only she could borrow a shoulder to lean on—someone to help her bear the burden, if only for a moment.

Unfortunately, Nolan—still furious—had smashed the mirror and missed seeing Serena in her near-collapse after the surgery.

As the sun rose over the horizon, Titus’s IV finally finished. Serena triple-checked everything, then opened the operating room door and pushed him out.

The surrounding guards heard the movement and rushed over, their murderous intent clear as they encircled Serena.

It was obvious their killing intent was aimed at Serena. If anything happened to Prince Titus, she wouldn’t leave this place alive.

“Miss Feng.” Eight blue-robed guards and eight purple-clad maids greeted her politely, then immediately stepped forward to check on Prince Titus. Only after confirming his breathing was steady did they withdraw their killing aura and turn to inspect his left leg.

“His Highness’s leg is healed?” The purple-robed maid exclaimed. The newly fitted prosthetic on Prince Titus, though not quite the same as real skin, absolutely looked like a proper lower leg—matching the size of his right calf, just a bit stiff and mechanical.

“Not yet. He’ll need at least three months before he can get out of bed and walk—this is only the first step.” Healing bones and tendons takes a hundred days, and the prosthetic needs at least three months to fuse with the skin. During that time, Titus’s left leg must not bear any weight.

And even after three months, it’s not like he’ll instantly be back to normal. It’s still a prosthetic, and Titus will need time to adapt. He hasn’t walked in so long that once the prosthesis is in place, he’ll definitely need a rehabilitation specialist.

Thinking about all these details gave Serena a headache. Back in the modern world, her job ended once the surgery was done—aftercare was handled by other professionals. But here, she had to take care of everything herself.

“These are the medicines for the Second Prince. They’ll help his wound heal. I’ve written down the instructions and dosages on each bottle. Here are the care guidelines—you must follow them exactly.” Serena handed the written orders and detailed nursing instructions to the head purple-robed maid.

The maid skimmed the notes and found them straightforward. She nodded, fully aware that this woman called Serena Feng was not someone they could afford to offend—at least not until their prince’s leg was healed.

“Pay close attention to the Second Prince’s temperature. If he shows any signs of fever, tell me immediately. If the wound becomes red or swollen, notify me at once.” Serena frowned, then suggested, “You’d best keep the Second Prince in the Capital. I’ll check on him every two days. If you can’t return to the city, make sure you assign attendants with medical knowledge to care for him.”

Postoperative recovery is crucial—she refused to let the final step go wrong.

“Doctor Feng, you’d better stay here until His Highness is fully recovered.” As Serena spoke, the purple-robed maid’s expression grew more serious.

They’d thought the prosthetic would be the end of it, but now realized there was so much more to do. If anything went wrong, their prince’s leg would be ruined for good.

The purple-robed maid grew even more anxious. She shot a look at the nearby guards, who nodded and subtly shifted, quietly blocking Serena’s escape route.

An ordinary doctor might not notice the guards’ slight movements, but as a battlefield medic, Serena knew exactly what those steps meant.

They’d cut off her way out—she couldn’t leave even if she tried.

Outnumbered and outmatched, Serena pretended not to notice, hugging her surgical case to her chest. “Sorry, but I can’t stay here just to look after your prince. You all know that in two days, I have to compete against the young lady of the Southern Lyn Su clan. Do you really think I can stay here? Also, fever or redness at the wound may not even occur—I’m just warning you in case. If any problems do arise, just let me know and I’ll handle it. I promise this won’t affect his recovery.”

Serena matched firmness with politeness. She wasn’t worried about being detained; if not for the upcoming contest, they might have tried to keep her by force, but now she was certain they wouldn’t dare.

Sure enough, at Serena’s words, the purple-robed maid’s face shifted through a palette of colors—red, white, then green with frustration. This was Eastlyn, not Lyndaria; they didn’t get to decide.

Serena held her surgical case calmly, showing no hint of nervousness. In the end, the maid gave in, gritting her teeth. “Very well, Doctor Feng. We won’t force you. Just make sure you come quickly if we call for you.”

“Don’t worry. I’m a doctor—I take responsibility for my patients. But you’d better pick your timing; you know I’m not free these days.” If she’d known about the contest ahead of time, she wouldn’t have scheduled the surgery now. Still, it wasn’t a big problem—Titus had plenty of skilled doctors and attendants around him.

“Thank you, Miss Feng.” The purple-robed maid was clearly someone who knew when to yield. She realized they’d need Serena in the future, so her manners became much more respectful—but Serena couldn’t care less about such superficial gestures.

“No need to thank me. It’s my duty. If there’s nothing else, please arrange an escort to take me back to the Capital. Dawn is coming—if I don’t return soon, something might happen.” She wasn’t threatening; it was just a fact.

“Of course.” The purple-robed maid agreed readily and gave instructions to the guards, who immediately set about arranging it.

A flicker of doubt passed through Serena’s eyes. Why did it seem like Prince Titus’s people had taken over everything? Where was Nolan?

She hadn’t seen a trace of Nolan since leaving the cabin, which puzzled her. Then she remembered last night’s assassination and realized he must have spent the night dealing with it.

After all, for assassins to ambush Nolan on his usual route meant serious trouble. If not for his own formidable skills, they’d have been doomed—the archers alone could have turned them into pincushions.

Horses and attendants were quickly arranged. Serena nodded to Titus’s guards, mounted up, and was about to leave when the purple-robed maid called out, “Miss Feng, what is this device?”

Serena paused, turned back, and replied, “It’s a Pain-Relief Wand. When the Second Prince wakes up, his wound will hurt—this device will ease the pain. Next time I come, just remove it.”

Leaving her answer behind, Serena departed in style, leaving Titus’s guards and maids standing there, bewildered.

She was in a hurry—she had to get back before breakfast, or she’d have to come up with an excuse for her absence to Jada Tang and Mira Tang.

Her escort back to the Capital was the same elite force Nolan had summoned as reinforcements last night. Familiar with them now, Serena relaxed her guard—compared to Titus’s people, she trusted Nolan far more; at least he wouldn’t want her dead…

Nolan stood atop the northern mountain, watching Serena’s departure. For the first time, confusion and hesitation flickered in his deep eyes. As she rode away, he sighed softly.

Secrets will always be secrets. Even though he knew Serena’s secret now, he could only pretend ignorance—just as he couldn’t reveal his own secrets to her.

Serena Feng, I hope one day we can be honest with each other—with no secrets left between us.

Serena left the mountain gorge, and Nolan descended from the peak as well. He needed to deal with last night’s assassination attempt—he’d already lost one night and couldn’t afford to waste any more time.

There was no time—he couldn’t afford to spend his energy dwelling on Serena’s secret…