Jiang Yi had carried her straight to the Imperial Hospital, so he hadn’t helped her put on her shoes.

If she wanted to get down now, she either had to go barefoot or wait for Jiang Yi to carry her back.

Jiang Yi, standing beside her, had already noticed Jiang Zheyu’s hesitation. A faint smile graced his features as he leaned toward her deferentially. "Princess Yu Yu, let me carry you back."

Jiang Zheyu had been hesitating over whether to get down or to let Jiang Yi carry her back.

But upon hearing his offer, she stopped hesitating. After all, Jiang Yi had already carried her here; it was no big deal for him to carry her back again.

"Okay," Jiang Zheyu agreed softly.

Jiang Yi bent down, sliding one arm under the crook of Jiang Zheyu’s knees and the other around her waist, and lifted her into his arms.

Carrying Jiang Zheyu, he slowly walked outside.

On the way here, Jiang Zheyu’s attention had been completely consumed by the poison on her ankle. She had been terrified it would spread to her heart, so she hadn’t noticed how powerful the man’s arms were, nor had she realized how broad his chest was.

Now, however, she noticed. She could even feel his body heat.

Held in the man’s embrace, she seemed especially petite.

The man was a Biorobot linked to a Beastman’s spiritual power—a robot—yet his body could mimic a human’s with such similarity, right down to his body temperature.

Therefore, Jiang Zheyu simply thought of her new butler as a Biorobot linked to a Beastman’s spiritual power; it never occurred to her that this was a data-based robot that possessed its own consciousness and emotions.

Jiang Zheyu decided that when she got back, she needed to do some proper research on Biorobots.

A question suddenly popped into her head. ’Surely a Biorobot can’t simulate the constant beating of a heart, right?’

’I mean, no one would have nothing better to do than to go to the trouble of creating a heart that pulsates like a human’s for a Biorobot, would they?’

Discreetly, Jiang Zheyu pressed her head—or rather, her ear—against the man’s chest.

Even through the fine fabric of his black suit, she could feel the warmth radiating from his firm, powerful pectoral muscles, and the strong, steady beat of his heart.

Jiang Zheyu: ...

’They’re even simulating hearts in Biorobots these days?’

’And these pecs... they look pretty nice. Probably feel nice to touch, too.’

Jiang Zheyu discreetly tilted her head away. The spot where her ear had been pressed against his chest felt hot, and she couldn’t tell if the heat was coming from her ear or from his chest.

She assumed the man hadn’t noticed her subtle movements.

But Jiang Yi’s attention was always on her; how could he possibly not be aware of her little actions?

His Biorobot body was a perfect simulation of a real Beastman. This meant that as he was now, he could feel the entirety of Jiang Zheyu’s body heat, could touch all of her soft skin.

They were no longer separated by a barrier of data.

He had come to Jiang Zheyu’s side, and he could feel everything about her.

Jiang Yi carried Jiang Zheyu onto the Hovercar.

Jiang Zheyu had intended to sit in the seat next to him, but Jiang Yi sat down with her still in his arms, settling her on his lap.

This had been understandable on the way here.

But now that her foot was healed, there was no need to be sitting so intimately on his lap.

’Even if he is just a Biorobot linked by a Beastman’s spiritual power, there’s still a Beastman behind that shell!’

"I can just sit in the seat next to you," Jiang Zheyu said, discreetly shifting in an attempt to move from Jiang Yi’s lap to the adjacent seat.

But Jiang Yi’s large hand pressed against the small of her back, halting her movement. He looked down at her and spoke softly, "We’ll be back soon. There’s no need for Princess Yu Yu to waste time on this."

The interior of the Hovercar was somewhat cramped and dimly lit. Outside, shifting patterns of light and shadow flickered across their faces.

Jiang Zheyu felt a little awkward in Jiang Yi’s broad, confining embrace. She felt they weren’t familiar enough with each other for this level of intimacy.

’And even if they were, they shouldn’t be this close!’

’This new butler is a bit insubordinate,’ she thought.

But then another thought followed. The new butler holding her was, after all, just a product of Biorobot technology—made of machinery. What was there to be embarrassed about?

And so, Jiang Zheyu stopped struggling.

In the Hovercar, the dim, late-night lighting was making Jiang Zheyu drowsy.

Being so close, Jiang Yi could smell the scent of Jiang Zheyu’s hair. It was just as fragrant as he had imagined.

He had once seen her bathing, her soaking black hair draped over her snow-white back, water droplets falling onto that dazzlingly pale skin. He had thought back then, ’Her hair must smell just as wonderful as this.’

Jiang Yi felt an uncontrollable surge of desire for his master.

His mechanical body allowed him to regulate himself automatically.

So Jiang Zheyu didn’t notice anything unusual about Jiang Yi.

And Jiang Yi had no intention of letting her see him in his current, compromised state.

He had developed feelings of love for her, and even more, an urge to make love to her.

Jiang Yi carried Jiang Zheyu back to the Imperial Palace.

After they got out of the Hovercar, a gust of cool wind blew against her face, clearing her drowsy mind a little.

Seeing the Guard Captain still on duty outside her residential palace, she quickly patted Jiang Yi’s arm. "Jiang Yi, take me over to the Guard Captain. I want to ask about that Star Thief from earlier."

"Yes," Jiang Yi replied softly.

A moment later, Jiang Yi carried Jiang Zheyu over to the Guard Captain.

"Princess Zheyu, are you feeling better?" The Guard Captain noticed Jiang Zheyu and placed his right hand over his heart, bowing slightly in a salute. "I hope you weren’t too frightened tonight. We failed in our duty to protect you."

Jiang Zheyu had no desire to listen to such empty words.

She asked bluntly, "That Star Thief... you’ve thrown him in a cell, haven’t you?"

The Guard Captain nodded. "Yes. Thanks to your spiritual power, we were able to capture him with ease. He’s been locked in a cell."

"Are you sure he’s locked up securely?" Jiang Zheyu asked again, needing reassurance.

The Guard Captain sensed Jiang Zheyu’s distrust, and his face slowly reddened with shame. "We’ve locked the Star Thief in a maximum-security cell. He couldn’t escape even if he grew wings. We absolutely will not let him get away this time."

Jiang Zheyu: ...

"Don’t tell me you let him get away before?" Jiang Zheyu muttered.

"No, no! This is the first time we’ve ever caught him." The Guard Captain’s cheeks were now beet red. "When I said he got away before, I meant he escaped from us during a pursuit!"

"Alright, I understand." Seeing the Guard Captain’s mortified expression, Jiang Zheyu decided not to say anything more.