ã€ŠDo Flowers Bloom in the Fallen Land?ã€‹


 Chapter 1.1

    A black flower bloomed in the middle of the beast¡¯s nest. The flower held the most brilliant jewel in the world, which cannot be destroyed by a master swordsman or a powerful magician, nor can it be purified by a High Priest¡¯s prayer.

    The jewel was called ¡®Despair¡¯.

    It was even more frightening because it was so, so beautiful.

    And the only way to destroy it was so difficult that even despair itself would creep into anyone who attempts to.

    * * *

    A dress of pure white decorated with layers upon layers of lace and pearls was wrinkled in an unrecognizable mess. Seira¡¯s eyes widened at the sound of the pristine dress being ripped without mercy.

    ¡°My dress!¡± she yelped.

    Biting her dainty nose playfully, Calrad whispered with affection, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±

    Under his neatly brushed dark blue hair, Calrad¡¯s sapphire eyes were burning. Seira noticed her lips were swollen, and she couldn¡¯t resist and pressed them back together.

    He constantly sucked and licked, and Seira repeatedly lost her chance to breathe. And then, Calrad shoved his tongue in between her slightly parted lips for a kiss.

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± he murmured.

    Calrad didn¡¯t take his lips off while he held her softly on the bed. She was still a bit clumsy, barely able to stick her tongue out while he ravaged through her mouth. It made her even more anxious.

    But then again, Seira was so distracted with every kiss more intense than the last, that she didn¡¯t even notice the hem of her dress slowly being pulled up.

    He slipped his hand inside her thigh, not missing a beat as her knees buckled with the sensation of his touch. Reaching a bit further, Calrad¡¯s hand discovered Seira¡¯s already soaking wet underwear.

    ¡°Ca-Calrad!¡± Seira trembled as she called out his name.

    Surprised, Seira pushed him away.

    Although it was entirely different than the usual, it was not the first time he had kissed her at all. But it was the first that Calrad had been so bold to reach under her skirt and touch the top of her underwear. He was rubbing places that Seira wouldn¡¯t even think of touching except when she washed herself.

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand it anymore,¡± Calrad groaned in her ear, ¡°Seira, allow me to pleasure you in ways you haven¡¯t been pleasured.¡±

    It was a contrasting moment. He didn¡¯t stop asking for permission even as he continued touching her. He kissed the corners of her mouth, grazing at her slightly parted lips and lining them with his wet and sensuous kisses.

    ¡°Ah¡­!¡± she gasped.

    Seira grabbed the front of his dress shirt as a strange feeling swirled inside of her.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been engaged to you for eight years already,¡± Calrad said, his voice impatient but still trying his best to wait for her permission like a gentleman.

    He was not lying when he said his patience was wearing thin. If Seira had manifested as an Omega early on as everyone expected, she would have had no choice but to spread her legs wet with the Alpha¡¯s pouring pheromones.

    Calrad¡¯s current state was no less than the rut phase in which hits the Alpha periodically. He was so aroused that it could not compare to Seira, whose underwear was only slightly wet despite his explicit caress. Inside his bulging pants, a tiny stream of liquid clearly flowed.

    ¡°Say yes, Seira?¡± he asked her again.

    Calrad seduced her by disguising his inner ferocity with the magnificent appearance of a pure-blooded Alpha.

    ¡°But¡­¡± Seira hesitated, her eyes turning away as she murmured, ¡°I haven¡¯t even manifested it yet.¡±

    ¡°Why does it bother you? It¡¯s only just a matter of time anyway,¡± he tried to console her.

    There were several families that have strictly kept their lineage pure since ancient times.

    In other words, the Viseltium imperial family, the current owner of the Hesrad Empire, and the three dukes who served as its pillars ¨C Askan, Jeff, and Franto ¨C have maintained their pure blood. Thanks to this, there had never been a child who couldn¡¯t manifest, and at the same time, overwhelming power blossomed, becoming an object of reverence for the families.

    Seira, who was a direct descendant of Askan, should also have already manifested. The purer the bloodline, the earlier the manifestation is, as it had become normal for power to bloom as early as the age of five or six at the very least.

    However, Seira was worried as time went by that her powers did not bloom. It might not be possible if her betrothed was any ordinary person, because he was Calrad, the Crown Prince of the empire.

    Recognizing her expression had darkened, Calrad smiled and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t manifest yourself as an Omega. You are my one and only, and I am the same to you. We¡¯ll be married soon, Seira.¡±

    His continued pleas were irresistible. After hesitating for so long, Seira finally nodded.

    In fact, Seira thought the same as well. The two of them grew up in the imperial palace, and as long as she could remember, Calrad had always been her fiance. Just as what he said, it was only a matter of time. Seira couldn¡¯t possibly imagine that the person she would make love to would be entirely someone else.

    ¡°I have thought about it,¡± she murmured meekly.

    Calrad, who did not miss her shy nod, beamed and rubbed his cheek against her neck. Drowning plenty of his own pheromone, he grabbed her already messed up dress and ripped them entirely off of her. The tightly sewn layers of fabric tore like a piece of paper with the grip of a pure blood Alpha.

    After removing her underwear, Seira¡¯s body was finally exposed to him in all its tempting glory.

    ¡°Oh!¡± she inhaled sharply with embarrassment.

    Surprised, Seira scrambled to cover her breasts and pubic hair, but with her small hands it did not do much.

    ¡°You¡¯re so mean!¡± she cried as her naked body was exposed to her fiance. But he couldn¡¯t care less about her resentful eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s being mean, Seira,¡± Calrad moaned.

    Platinum hair which was tangled over her translucent skin shimmered softly even in a room where the sun did not shine. Her small face and dainty features were so lovely. Her naked body, drawn in elegant curves, was beautiful as if God himself painstakingly carved them with his own hands.

    Calrad squinted, and he murmured as his eyes twinkled with delight, ¡°Pretty¡­ Much more than I imagined.¡±

    ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­.¡± she stuttered.

    Seira¡¯s cheeks, which were already ripe as a tomato, rose to a more luscious color.

    Unlike her who was yet to manifest so far, Calrad had developed relatively earlier. He had to experience and go through the rut phase as an Alpha early on, causing him feverish episodes on end.

 Chapter 1.2

    It was his lovely fiancee¡¯s face that filled his head every time he masturbated as he got stuck in bed for days under medication. He felt guilty every time he ejaculated, but he had no choice but to get through the pain for a while.

    The moment Calrad imagined countless times turned him ecstatic as it came to reality. He couldn¡¯t even breathe when he pushed his finger in to find a slippery opening wet with shiny water. He was so craving for that narrow, hot hole that he couldn¡¯t even swallow his own saliva.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Seira groaned.

    Her nose scrunched and her eyebrows met in the middle as she frowned at the unfamiliar and slightly painful feeling that his finger brought inside her.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. You¡¯ll get used to it soon,¡± Calrad cooed in her ears.

    It was wrong for the Crown Prince to say something that he wasn¡¯t sure of, but all he wanted was to soothe her. He pulled his finger out about an inch, and then pushed it deeper the second time around. It was just a finger, but the fact that he had something inside her gave him extreme pleasure.

    ¡°Haaaa, Seira¡­¡± he moaned with an intense hunger rising from inside him.

    His lips ventured away as he licked the nape of her neck and earlobes. Calrad traveled downwards on his merry way. He rolled his tongue around Seira¡¯s aroused nipples, sucking them in turn, all the while pushing and pulling his finger inside her faster.

    ¡°Oh, oh¡­.¡± she gasped.

    As slippery liquid spilled from inside her, Calrad added another finger and extended them into a V. Seira¡¯s butt twitched and bounced as he traced her inner walls to widen the narrow entrance of her womanhood.

    ¡°It¡¯s weird if you do more of that, Calrad,¡± Seira whimpered.

    Calrad lifted his eyes to check her face full of tears, and rubbed her quim a little harder. It was not enough to accept an Alpha¡¯s genitalia when she hadn¡¯t manifested as an Omega. It had to be wetter and looser.

    As he added another finger to three, Seira began to tingle. She twisted her body and shook her head at the tight feeling.

    ¡°Oh, no¡­¡± she panted.

    Calrad pulled out his fingers as he pinned her down with his body. She was struggling too much with the pleasures of sex. Then all at once, he pushed his genitals into her entrance.

    ¡°Oh¡­!¡± she cried out in shock.

    The tip of his shaft was inserted only about a finger, but her body already stiffened with pain.

    ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Seira complained, a tear rolling down her flushed cheek.

    Calrad bit his lips and caressed her bent back.

    ¡°Just a little bit. Just a little bit more, Seira¡­¡± he begged her, calling her name as if it was a prayer.

    He slowly plunged himself in as Seira opened herself more to him.

    ¡°You can pinch or scratch, Seira,¡± he told her, his voice grunting with wanton desires.

    He grabbed her hand, which was previously clutching the sheets so tightly her knuckles turned white. Calrad pulled them towards him, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, clasping them to his nape for support.

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± the Alpha groaned in extreme pleasure.

    Calrad¡¯s overwhelming pheromones covered her body. Even though she hadn¡¯t manifested yet, Seira being a pure blood, began to gradually respond to the pheromones he poured out.

    His cheeks were especially redder now that he was excited. Although it was weak for a pure-blooded Omega pheromone, the scent that used to be subtle turned incredibly sweet at the moment.

    Calrad, who lost all his senses in the exhilarating moment, shoved his arousal down to the very root.

    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± he grunted as he reached the deepest part of Seira¡¯s womanhood.

    At the same time, Seira¡¯s lips parted as pain and pleasure flooded her entire body and brain.

    Calrad tilted his head and was bewitched by how she kept on flinching. The ecstasy of the moment that he had hoped and dreamed of had finally turned into reality. It was an intense feeling, the way her flesh clung to his length tightly as if holding him still.

    After waiting a few seconds for her trembling body to calm down, Calrad slowly began to move. One arm tightly entwined her slender waist, and Seira pulled herself back, then dug in hard enough to make a sound.

    ¡°Huh¡­.¡± she moaned in pleasure, her brows forming a taut bridge in the middle.

    Calrad¡¯s lips traveled everywhere he could kiss and taste her soft skin. He avoided conspicuous places, but Calrad stubbornly sucked and left traces on her skin, like pinning a map of the places he had traveled to.

    ¡°How do you feel?¡± he whispered as he watched her eyes turn watery.

    ¡°I¡¯m really, haaaa¡­¡± she moaned with each thrust, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s so good! It¡¯s great!¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± he huffed in satisfaction.

    Stimulated by her moans of pleasure, his waist became faster and faster, thrusting his girth in its entirety. He couldn¡¯t even afford the time to check in on her, but he locked her underneath him, and she responded as she moved her body as if she was being driven into him. Her breasts pressed against his chest were soft, and the tightening and pulsating feeling inside her was hot; it felt like he was melting.

    ¡°Ah, hngh, hngh, hmm¡­!¡± came Seira¡¯s cries of intense pleasure.

    As his wild movements made her scream out loud, Seira hurriedly shut her mouth. In the powder room connected to her bedroom, there were maids who were helping with the decoration and Calrad¡¯s attendant knights. With only one measly door dividing them, they would surely hear her wanton screams if it got any louder.

    But Calrad did not let it go. He grabbed her by the wrist and removed her hand which covered her mouth. She couldn¡¯t even move as he pressed down on her hand firmly.

    ¡°You need to hear your own voice, Seira,¡± he grinned impishly.

 Chapter 2.1

    ¡°W-W-Who¡­ who, what, listen to?!¡± Seira stuttered, her already flushed face turning a deeper hue of red. She rolled her lips inward as she continued to try and hold herself back from crying louder.

    ¡°It¡¯s not you and me who should be careful, Seira,¡± Calrad said, looking down at her cunningly. His voice was arrogant, contrary to his eyes blazing with playfulness.

    ¡°It¡¯s their job to close their eyes, close their ears, and close their mouths,¡± he quickly added.

    Calrad wasn¡¯t someone or anyone would even think of opposing. Aside from his future wife, he wasn¡¯t the type to be affectionate and kind. He doesn¡¯t mind what others think of him ¨C he would do whatever he wanted no matter who was there in his presence.

    He was born and raised as the Crown Prince in the first place. The only person Calrad feared was his own father, the Emperor himself.

    ¡°Make more noise,¡± he commanded her, ¡°You are my future wife, the future Queen of Viseltium ¨C own your voice, Seira.

    She nervously licked her lips, and then replied, ¡°If that is what will make you happy, Calrad.¡±

    Calrad smirked and continued to kiss her with intense passion. In the heat of the moment, Seira¡¯s saliva trickled from the corners of her mouth as Calrad¡¯s kisses hindered her from even swallowing. She moaned with every thrust of his manhood inside her.

    The bedsheets were a messy mixture of their body fluids, overflowing with each passionate grinding of bodies molded into one. Calrad couldn¡¯t even care less as his thrusts sometimes made squishy and bubbly noises as his balls rubbed on Seira¡¯s quim.

    It was a raw and lustful sex.

    Even Seira¡¯s wildest dreams wouldn¡¯t compare. She didn¡¯t even know what to expect, as the pure-blooded Alpha bit her neck. He was oozing with possessiveness, and Calrad wanted to own her ¨C devour her even.

    Nothing should be left unclaimed.

    ¡°Oh my!¡± Seira sharply inhaled.

    At some point during their sex, Seira couldn¡¯t help but exclaim as she was filled with pleasure she could not contain. Calrad¡¯s thrusts came in such a hasty manner. Seira struggled and couldn¡¯t keep up with his sexual hunger that she even had to cling tight to him.

    ¡°It¡¯s so ¨C ha! So fast¡­ Calrad!¡± Seira whimpered.

    No matter how much she scratched, hit, or pinched him, Seira¡¯s efforts were in vain. Calrad pushed on even when she bit in desperation the tongue he pushed inside her mouth.

    Rather than feel the pain, Calrad exhaled warm breaths while he pushed himself deeper, feeling more aroused at the tightness and warmth he felt.

    Eventually the speed and intensity reached its peak. The pleasures that had accumulated from all those stimulating grinding of bodies devoured Seira.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­!¡± she cried out in pleasure.

    Seira¡¯s vision turned white. She was extremely overwhelmed with all the sensations running up and down her body that she couldn¡¯t even control the shaking of her fingers. The shock of the orgasm which she had only known previously from reading, turned her mind hazy.

    As soon as her body was about to drop like it was about to fall asleep, Seira¡¯s eyes widened with the unusual sensation she felt deep inside her.

    ¡°Wha-?¡± she gasped as her head whipped down to take a curious look.

    Calrad arched his body, and Seira could see where his erection met her entrance. She could feel the base of his shaft swell inside her, tightening and locking himself in place.

    ¡°Cal¡­ Calraaad!¡± Seira sobbed.

    ¡°Shhh¡­ it¡¯s okay, Seira. It won¡¯t hurt you,¡± he tried to soothe her as he gently reached to wipe the tears dripping down her face, ¡°knotting is only natural for me to make sure my seeds are securely sown inside you.¡±

    Usually, the act of knotting was only possible between and imprinted Alpha and Omega, but nothing was impossible for Calrad. His blood was purer than any pure blooded family in the empire. Even if Seira had not manifested, they were in a state no different than that of a beta.

    ¡°Oh¡­! Stop it,¡± she pleaded. ¡°No¡­ no.¡±

    But her pleas went through deaf ears. To be precise, it wasn¡¯t because Calrad didn¡¯t want to listen to her, it was just that knotting could not be helped ¨C it always had to happen.

    ¡°Seira, this is not good for either of us,¡± he said with concern. Calrad held her body in a tight embrace as he whispered softly in her ears, ¡°If you would only stay still and stop struggling, then it will all be over soon enough.¡±

    The amount of ejaculation fluid that spread out for the first time was loaded. Seira could feel the tip of his erection twitch as it shot its seeds one after another inside her. He even pushed and pushed further inward.

    Calrad suddenly bit his lower lip, possessed by a ferocious lust to dominate her as he filled her womb with his seeds to the point that it almost spilled back out of her.

    ¡°Open your mouth, Seira,¡± he told her as he brought his mouth closer.

    She did as she was told, and then Seira noted a strong metallic taste as blood dripped from his lips and spread inside her mouth. It was said that Viseltium¡¯s blood was far superior to any known medicine. The ability to regenerate in a short span of days even with a whole arm cut off was only a fraction of the immediate imperial family¡¯s power.

    There was a symbolic reason with Calrad letting her taste his precious blood.

    ¡°On the day you manifest, Seira, we imprint,¡± he said.

    The imprinting ceremony confirmed an Alpha and Omega as each other¡¯s companions for life. Part of the process was shown by Calrad. Of course, Seira, who was yet to manifest, can only play the part of healing. But his willingness alone was enough to take her aback.

    ¡°Calrad¡­¡± she whispered in awe.

    This time around, Seira¡¯s eyes were filled with emotions far different than before.

    Calrad kissed her again. But unlike his previous kisses, which were so rough as if he was devouring her whole, this time they were soft and sweet.

 Chapter 2.2

    The knotting continued for a long time. As the pain weakened due to the strong blood of Viseltium that permeated in her body, Seira slowly relaxed from all the tension. Calrad¡¯s ejaculate filling her tight insides was somewhat uncomfortable, but not to the point of being unbearable.

    On the contrary, she felt more and more comfortable with the shallow climax that lasted shortly. She felt like she was in a drunken state, and a giggle burst out of her.

    Calrad smiled sweetly as he wiped her sweat-drenched cheeks and forehead.

    ¡°You¡¯ve endured well. It¡¯ll be much easier next time,¡± he said.

    ¡°Next¡­ time?¡± Seira¡¯s brows arched up.

    In the end, she felt good, but the thought of enduring something like that again scared Seira. Her purple eyes trembled and Calrad could not help but laugh out loud.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Calrad responded to her question, ¡°now we¡¯re going to spend every night together. Why? Don¡¯t you like it?¡±

    ¡°I-I-It¡¯s not like that, but¡­¡± she stuttered as she slowly glanced into his eyes. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be hard? How can you do that every day?¡±

    ¡°Like this?¡± he tilted his head slightly and asked. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m too beastly? Too wild to your liking?¡±

    ¡°What? When did I say that?!¡± Seira suddenly felt defensive.

    ¡°That¡¯s not wrong,¡± he said as his eyes turned soft.

    Calrad stroked her smooth skin, which was completely different from his own rough hands.

    ¡°You will know when it comes to manifestation. How awful the desire is for the one who owns your heart. If ever you won¡¯t manifest, I don¡¯t even know Seira, but I think I¡¯ll greatly be disheartened. I would love to see you scrambling for me,¡± he confessed.

    ¡°To desire too much of one thing¡­¡± Seira¡¯s face turned red at his blatant remarks.

    ¡°You¡¯ll do that for me, right, Seira?¡± he asked, his eyes almost pleading.

    ¡°I¡­¡± she hesitated for a second, her mouth opening but couldn¡¯t continue to the answer Calrad anticipated.

    ¡°Your Highness,¡± a loud and clear male voice spoke as he knocked on the door. Seira felt her heart almost jump out of her mouth.

    ¡°I told you not to interrupt,¡± Calrad said as his eyes twitched with irritation. The voice that came out of him was frighteningly cold, unlike that when Calrad spoke to Seira.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Crown Prince, but His Majesty is in a hurry to find you,¡± the man apologized.

    Calrad ground his teeth in frustration ¨C he could not refuse his father¡¯s order.

    ¡°Alright. Tell him I¡¯ll be there soon,¡± Calrad replied bitterly.

    Earlier this year, the emperor, who lost his imprinted companion, had become unstable in both body and mind. Calrad found it extremely difficult if he didn¡¯t follow orders quickly, if not at all annoying.

    ¡°I wanted to be with you longer,¡± he said as he turned back to Seira.

    ¡°It is fine, Calrad,¡± she replied. ¡°I have to get myself ready again too. Go ahead.¡±

    Heaving a long sigh, Calrad imparted a kiss against her slender neck and collected pheromones. When his erection, which had swollen and blocked the entrance, returned to its original form and escaped, the milky white liquid that had filled Seira flowed out together.

    ¡°Ahn¡­!¡±

    Seira hurriedly gathered her knees at the strange sense of the huge amount of liquid escaping from her body. Calrad glanced down at the hole that was immediately closed to prevent leaking. The corners of his mouth lifted as his stiff expression loosened.

    ¡°Good job. Keep it as much as you can. Don¡¯t spill it out,¡± he told her.

    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as that. I have to wash up to get dressed,¡± she replied.

    Seira tearfully grabbed the edge of the quilt pushed to the corner of the bed and pulled it over her. She needed to wash up anyway, but she wanted to cover herself for now. Unlike her, who didn¡¯t wear a piece of cloth, it was even more embarrassing as he quickly dressed up.

    Calrad, who looked at Seira and thought she was cute, carefully opened the blanket and stepped out of the bed.

    ¡°You will need a new dress and accessories,¡± he said.

    The dress lying on the floor was already as good as rags.

    Calrad glanced at it with a self-satisfied look. He pulled the cord hanging by the bedside, and the closed door finally opened with maids walking quickly into the bedroom. Each of them carried a large and small box.

    The maids, who laid them neatly by the bedside, opened the box with the raise of his chin.

    ¡°Oh my!¡± Seira exclaimed.

    The boxes were filled with dresses and various jewels that were much more gorgeous and elegant than the dress she wore.

    ¡°I wanted to celebrate your start with the things I chose myself. Congratulations on your coming of age, Seira,¡± he greeted her warmly.

    Seira, who blinked her round eyes quickly, bowed her head at him.

    ¡°Thank you, Your Grace. I will treasure them forever,¡± she said.

    ¡°In comparison to you, those are but small insignificant things,¡± Calrad said. He opened his palm towards the maids, and one of them handed over a delicately crafted diamond necklace.

    He hung it around her neck and smiled with delight.

    ¡°How long will it take?¡± he asked the maids.

    ¡°It will be done in two hours, Your Highness,¡± one of them answered promptly.

    ¡°You can work slowly, so do your best. Today¡¯s main character is your master,¡± he told them.

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± the maids answered in unison, and he nodded in acknowledgement.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll see you later,¡± Calrad said as he kissed Seira lightly on her forehead.

    He took a few steps back. Calrad couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of her until the very end, but then left the room at the constant urging of the servant.

    Shortly after the door closed, the ladies¡¯ enthusiastic eyes turned to Seira at once.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Seira, who was instantly embarrassed by the mess they made in the bedroom, averted her eyes from their gazes. She didn¡¯t even know if she was lucky that there was not much time left until the start of the ball. If there wasn¡¯t, she¡¯d have had to suffer hours of screaming by Calrad¡¯s sensuous touch.

 Chapter 3.1

    The sun had already set when Seira was finally done dressing up. The warm tones of the skies melted with the cold darkness of the night¡¯s veil falling down, creating a stunning painting outside her window.

    As she went outside, Seira assumed Calrad had been waiting for her, but she suddenly paused at the door of the drawing room.

    With his back leaning on the sofa, a man with the same dark blue hair as Calrad was sitting. But the overbearing frame that occupied the entire two compartments of the sofa alone could never be her husband-to-be.

    ¡°Baron Jeff?¡± Seira muttered under her breath.

    It was such a small murmur that nobody could have heard at all. But then the man¡¯s head tilted back to look at her.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± the Baron spoke, as if surprised by Seira¡¯s arrival.

    The man stared at her for a moment too long, his eyes hooded and sort of menacing. He straightened his head and got up, to which Seira noted he was much bigger than most adult men. As he strode forward, the robes wrapped tightly around his body revealed a perfectly solid outline.

    His strides were quick to reach Seira, intimidating and full of power. Startled by the momentum of his gait, Seira took a step back from him.

    Baron Jeff stared at Seira with bright yellow eyes like that of a beast, and eventually reached out his hand to her.

    ¡°Pardon my rudeness, I am Baron Jeff,¡± he said, his hand extended towards Seira like a gentleman.

    Seira laid her gloved hand on top of it, and he bent over to kiss the back of her hand.

    ¡°His highness, the Crown Prince Calrad, has come up with some unavoidable circumstances, so he sent me instead,¡± the Baron explained.

    It was then that Seira finally understood.

    Calrad hated her having contact with other Alphas other than himself. The maids, as well as the knights of her escort were all Betas themselves. If it were not a shame to attend the Debutante Ball without an escort, Calrad wouldn¡¯t have thought of sending his own cousin, the pure-blooded Alpha Baron Jeff.

    ¡°I guess it is unavoidable¡­¡± Seira sighed, and then raised her head to look him in the eye as she asked, ¡°Did he get hurt or anything?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be stuck with me. His Highness might enter the ballroom with His Majesty, the Emperor today,¡± the Baron added with a blank face.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± Seira nodded glumly.

    Baron Jeff then held out his arm to her. She noted it was a bit difficult with their considerable height difference. His forearm was buff and muscled as well, making it seemingly uncomfortable to Seira ¨C it was as big as her thigh for goodness¡¯ sake!

    But under the current situation, there wasn¡¯t much that she could do about it.

    Fortunately, Baron Jeff cut his stride by more than half of hers, and they both managed to walk together without looking funny.

    ¡°Even though I have been in and out of here for quite some time, I think that this is the first I have seen you at the Imperial Palace,¡± Baron said as soon as they entered the wagon bound for the ball.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Seira curtly confirmed.

    ¡°If my memory serves me right, the last time we met was nine years ago,¡± Baron continued.

    The Baron and Seira lost their fathers at the same time. It was because of the ¡°catastrophe¡± that swept across the continent just eight years ago.

    In order to prevent black magic beasts, all Slayers above the Master level, except for the Emperor himself, fought against the beasts. As such, there was no exception even for the head of the Jeffs.

    However, unlike Baron Jeff who had a vassal and an estate to support his young successor, Seira¡¯s family did not.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t remember because I was so young,¡± she said as she turned her head, feeling burdened by the Baron¡¯s gaze, bored straight at her.

    When Seira¡¯s father and Baron¡¯s father were still alive, they interacted at least once every few months.

    Baron Jeff was surprised. As a pure-blood who was far superior to ordinary people in terms of physical or learning ability, Seira could not have forgotten the past they shared together. But then again, she stubbornly replied and did not look at him afterwards.

    ¡°I see. You don¡¯t remember at all,¡± Baron Jeff muttered under his voice.

    Seira flinched internally with the way the Baron spoke. But for now, it was the best thing for her to do. As what Calrad said, the two of them would be married soon, and she did not want to offend him by being too close with another pure-blooded Alpha.

    Currently, the pure-blooded Omegas, including Duke Franto, who hides and does not reveal their heirs who have manifested as Alphas, have withered seeds. Baron, who became the head of the Jeff family at a young age, will also be troubled with the issue of who his companion would be.

    ¡°So, I guess you are purposely keeping close to me who hasn¡¯t manifested yet,¡± Seira said in a hushed tone.

    More and more people have grown disappointed. They say that it had never been this late to manifest as an Omega for any pure-blood such as Seira who had platinum hair close to silver and white skin.

    The darker the hair color, the more likely it would be for a pure-blood to manifest as an Alpha. On the contrary, the lighter the pigment, the most likely it was for them to manifest as an Omega.

    Of course, it would be best if that was the case.

    She doesn¡¯t even know what was going to happen.

    Calrad treated her the same even as she worried more and more. He consistently said that even if she didn¡¯t manifest, nothing would change between the two of them. But then again, what of the others?

    It was far better not to expect anything from the very beginning than to go and face disappointed glares for no reason at all.

    Baron Jeff stared at Seira¡¯s cheek as she looked outwards. His gaze did not fall from her up until the carriage stopped. She was determined not to speak with him unless it was absolutely necessary. Only until such time that they had entered the ballroom did Seira and Baron Jeff¡¯s eyes met.

 Chapter 3.2

    The appearance of Baron Jeff and Seira attracted many eyes. It was not only because of the unexpected combination, but also the fact that it was Seira¡¯s first ball. She was the last bloodline of Askan, and her presence was as much of a spectacle as that of the fact she hadn¡¯t manifested yet.

    Invitations to the ball held at the Imperial Palace were usually sent to a select few senior nobles and their successors above the Marquis rank. The Emperor despised immature Alphas and Omegas who couldn¡¯t completely control their pheromones.

    She was the last of a pure bloodline, yet someone who hasn¡¯t manifested. That being said, Seira was stuck in the middle of it all.

    The first person to approach and greet Seira was Philias, the Duke of Franto¡¯s family head. Heirs who have not yet come of age, and their spouses who were not from high-ranking noble families remained unaccompanied.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Seira. How have you been?¡± Philias greeted her.

    Even though he was well past his forties, the beauty of the pure-blooded Omega remained flawless. His hair that flowed past down his waist was bright blonde, whereas his eyes were those of turquoise, reminiscent of lush greeneries.

    The truth was, Philias was the last to see her face when she moved to the Imperial Palace some eight years ago. Being previously harassed by Baron Jeff because she couldn¡¯t remember what happened nine years ago, Seira hesitated for a moment but then politely greeted Philias in return.

    ¡°Hello, Prince Franto. Thank you so much for your concern, I am well,¡± she said with a forced smile.

    Philias gave her a once-over from head to toe, observing her with cunning eyes. She considered the act rude as it is, but Seira endured the gaze quietly.

    Because she wasn¡¯t really paying much attention to Philias and the others, Seira was unaware that the majority of the people inside the ballroom were measuring her by looking at her the same way Philias did.

    Now she was the only person who hasn¡¯t manifested yet. By analogy, she was nothing more but a wild card.

    If Calrad had been present, such blatant eyes would have been nonexistent. But alas, he was not around today, and Seira who had long been trained as the prospective Crown Princess, bit her tongue and held back her displeasure in silence.

    Sensing the strange atmosphere, Baron Jeff pulled Seira¡¯s arm that was entwined with his toward him. Her eyes, which were previously glued to the floor, lifted awkwardly to look at him. Baron¡¯s eyes twinkled and the corners of his mouth lifted.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like this at the entrance. Go inside. It¡¯s almost time for His Majesty to enter,¡± he said to Philias.

    Originally thinking she¡¯d come with Calrad, Seira and Baron were the last of the nobles to arrive at the ballroom because she was late to finish her preparations. Before the Emperor entered the hall, it was customary for everyone to move and stand at their designated places.

    ¡°Yes, since this is your first, I¡¯ll tell you where to sit. Come here,¡± Philias waved them inside.

    After noticing Baron¡¯s intentions, Philias turned around and gave her a brief smile. Seira carefully pulled out her hand trapped in Baron¡¯s arm, and then quietly followed Philias.

    In the innermost part of the ballroom was a platform with two throne seats. Next to it, a door that was solely for members of the imperial family was about to open.

    Seira stood by Philias and Baron as her attention veered towards the place closest to the podium.

    To Seira who had never even gone out to the palace garden without Calrad to accompany her, ten minutes in the ballroom just felt excruciatingly too long. Her only consolation was the thought that Calrad would come out and call her by his side soon.

    ¡°His Majesty and the Crown Prince will now enter! Be prepared!¡±

    With the cry of the valet, Emperor Laud of Viseltium entered the ballroom. Of course, Calrad was with him, too.

    But who followed them after were unexpected characters.

    ¡°¡­The High Priest and the Saint?¡± Baron muttered under his voice; disbelief evident in the frown on his face.

    High Priest McClane and Saint Isabel were following the Emperor and the Crown Prince. Even if they were not members of the imperial family and entered through the inner door because they served the Emperor, it was still strange for them to follow up to the podium.

    However, the murmurs and whispers inside the hall turned silent the instant that the Emperor stood at the center of the platform, just in front of the throne. Seira followed the other nobles and honored the masters of the empire.

    Then suddenly, she felt a strong gaze pierce through her.

    Seira raised her head immediately thinking it could be Calrad. But instead of her fiance, Seira made direct eye contact with McClane, the High Priest.

    ¡®Why is he looking at me like that?¡¯ she thought silently at the back of her head.

    It was a different gaze from that of pure curiosity, which had been pouring more often in the recent years. His eyes were shiny like that of a snake watching his coveted prey driven into the corner. Even though the High Priest had no reason to look at her that much, it was too horrible of a stare to be considered by chance only.

    He deliberately was looking at Seira.

    Seira whipped her head away as if to shake off the creepy feeling that the High Priest¡¯s gaze gave her. She looked at Calrad instead, who was standing just behind the Emperor.

    But then again, he seemed to be strange as well. Calrad¡¯s face was too stiff to be announcing anything about their wedding anytime soon. He couldn¡¯t even give her a smile.

    By the time that the unexpected anxiety crawled under Seira¡¯s skin and constricted her heart, the Emperor opened his mouth and spoke.

 Chapter 4.1

    ¡°Today is a joyous day that deserves to be celebrated,¡± the Emperor began and then paused to look over everyone who was in the ballroom.

    All of the nobles held their breath as they waited for Emperor Laud to continue his speech.

    ¡°Do you remember Askan¡¯s unwavering dedication to the empire eight years ago? When unidentified pillars we called the Beast¡¯s Nest rose all over the continent, not a soul expected the monsters that would then be born from it,¡± Emperor Laud continued.

    In the beginning, some thought of the pillars as an auspicious sign. At the very least, the empire had only stationed inexperienced soldiers. They couldn¡¯t even raise their swords against the beasts that came out of the pillars, and the ending was a terrible disaster.

    The Emperor¡¯s face turned gray as he recalled his story, ¡°The empire was in great danger due to the invasion of tens and thousands of the beasts. When even slayers of master-class were dying one after the other, the previous Duke of Askan made his decision ¨C to make Askan as their final resting place.¡±

    It was not revealed to the people how they were able to lure the beasts that flocked to Viseltium, or what was the source of energy for the explosion that lasted for an entire day. What was clear in the end was that all living things who set foot on Askan soil disappeared on that day.

    ¡°Before all of that happened,¡± Emperor Laud said as his eyes fell on Seira, ¡°Duke Askan visited the palace and asked me for one thing.¡±

    The crowds in turn veered their attention towards the direction of the Emperor¡¯s vision, making Seira extremely self-conscious.

    She saw the Emperor raise his hand towards her, and he opened his mouth to continue, ¡°It was Seira Askan, his only daughter. Today, this young woman stands before us all as she comes of age. Let this ball be a testament to the faithfulness of the royal family¡¯s commitment to the Askans.¡±

    At that moment, Seira saw the corners of the Emperor¡¯s mouth rise smoothly. She couldn¡¯t understand why, but in the end, it only made her anxious heart constrict even more.

    After all, the Emperor¡¯s eyes were filled with discontentment in recent years.

    ¡°The imperial family will now bless the grown Seira Askan¡¯s future, and bestow upon her two options,¡± Emperor Laud added.

    He beckoned Seira forward, and she took a few steps up the podium.

    ¡°Seira Askan, you can take over the duchy today if you choose to. However, if you don¡¯t want to, you can give up your title and territory, and instead, I will grant you the name of Viseltium,¡± the Emperor offered.

    The Emperor¡¯s words had everyone taken aback. Of course, just as the other nobles doubted their ears, Seira did the same.

    Calrad and Seira were already engaged eight years ago. No one doubted that she was going to become the Crown Princess despite the fact she hadn¡¯t manifested yet. To the majority, it was only a matter of time.

    A child born between two truly pure bloods. It was a favorable setup to inherit the throne first and succeed the dukedom second to continue the lineage of Viseltium and Askan, respectively.

    But now the Emperor was demanding Seira to give up everything if she wanted to be Crown Princess. Even if it was devastated now, the vast land of Askan could someday be revived, the duke¡¯s castle be fortified, and the last remaining lineage be continued.

    ¡°Either way, the royal family will respect your choice. Now, tell me,¡± Emperor Laud asked Seira, ¡°Which do you choose?¡±

    Seira looked at Calrad with trembling eyes. Did he know that the Emperor would demand such a cruel choice from her today?

    Calrad stared intently at Seira with a blank expression. He opened his mouth and attempted to say something. However, Saint Isabel, who was standing behind him like a dark shadow, grabbed his arm and stopped him.

    Seira looked at Calrad to Isabael. They had their mouths shut and their gazes lowered to the floor.

    Would it make a difference if she knew or if she didn¡¯t? Seira¡¯s teeth ground as she felt a strong emotion boiling from deep inside her.

    ¡®The royal family betrayed me and my father,¡¯ she thought at the back of her mind.

    That much was a fact that couldn¡¯t be changed.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Seira opened her mouth to speak.

    ¡°Yes, if you¡¯ve made up your mind, then tell me,¡± the Emperor said with anticipation to her answer.

    ¡®After mentioning Nathan Askan¡¯s devotion with my own words, his daughter who has come of age will be forced to choose. If she wants to stay with Calrad, she will throw away everything. The name of Askan, which existed even before the founding of the imperial family, was her last descendant herself,¡¯ the Emperor silently thought to himself.

    Seira¡¯s lips trembled in anger as a million thoughts ran a marathon in her mind.

    ¡®If I had manifested powers before, all of this wouldn¡¯t have happened,¡¯ she thought.

    At least they wouldn¡¯t have pushed her into a corner without saying a single word. Seira curled her trembling fingertips, gathering the fabric of her dress¡¯ skirt.

    ¡®I was stupid,¡¯ she blamed herself.

    Who would even acknowledge a foolish woman who sold out her family¡¯s name because she wanted the crown? Whichever she would choose, it was bound to be a sad and bitter future ahead of her. It was clear that she would then live a life full of regret as she pondered the other option she had missed.

    Suddenly, Calrad¡¯s smiling face came to Seira¡¯s mind. Just a few hours ago, he was holding her in his arms and they had talked about the days they would spend together.

    Can he live a normal life by letting go of the kindness that comforted a young girl who was forced out of her family¡¯s arms, crying every single day without showing a sign of irritation?

    Just thinking about the future made Seira scared, but all the more dejected.

 Chapter 4.2

    However¡­

    It was actually a lie when she said she couldn¡¯t remember since it was so long ago. Seira remembered everything.

    ¡®Seira, the world you will live in is your father¡¯s responsibility to protect. So, I want you to be happier than anyone else.¡¯

    Those were her father¡¯s words to her.

    She remembered it fondly, his big hand patting her head and stroking her hair. Seira could still recall her father¡¯s gentle voice and his wide, warm arms around her as he hugged her tenderly.

    ¡®Please¡­ Please take care of this child for me. Please save her,¡¯ Nathan Askan begged the Emperor earnestly.

    Just before leaving for battle, Nathan held the Emperor¡¯s hand as he took faith in entrusting his daughter¡¯s life to the Emperor. But in the end, the promise with which he held on until the moment of his death was broken. His tomb was empty as there was nobody to be laid to rest.

    Did he close his eyes in peace as he breathed his last?

    ¡°My name is Askan¡­¡± Seira finally spoke.

    She was able to spend the past eight years in comfort because she was young and weak. If Nathan sacrificed his life to protect the world where Seira would live in, then it was Seira¡¯s turn to protect his name, which was already all in the past.

    ¡°I will continue the duchy of Askan,¡± she continued, this time around with more determination.

    At her declaration, whispers and murmurs erupted all over. Even with her head bowed down because she couldn¡¯t make eye contact, Seira could tell what Calrad¡¯s expression would look like now.

    ¡®This is how it ends,¡¯ she finally accepted.

    From the moment she spoke, the ground that she stepped on seemed to open up and gobble her in the darkness. But then again, it was a decision she couldn¡¯t take back.

    Now, she had to fulfill the obligations that she had put off for so long ¨C to be the new owner of Askan.

    * * *

    ¡°How can his Majesty¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, Seira¡­¡±

    The maids whom Seira had become close to for a long time burst into tears.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, so don¡¯t cry,¡± she tried to console the ladies.

    Seira was already packing her belongings in a small bag. She thought she wanted to leave everything behind, but then she just couldn¡¯t and picked a few items. Since the day she lost everything, including her family, the imperial palace had been her home ¨C if she left empty handed, she would either freeze or starve to death.

    Seira, who became the Duchess of Askan upon breaking her engagement a few hours ago, didn¡¯t want to die that way and be everybody¡¯s laughing stock.

    There would be no time to wear a dress in the future, so she took out simple clothes and packed her underwear and a thick coat. The dresses and jewels that Calrad gave her were kept in a safe box. Whether they sold it back or not, the rest would be taken care of.

    She worried that there wouldn¡¯t be a duvet in the duke¡¯s castle, which would now be nothing but short of ruins, but she couldn¡¯t take such trivial things with her now.

    ¡°Seira,¡± a deep voice called out to her.

    Seira, who was still looking at her halfway done pack of clothes in the bag, froze.

    Dark blue hair akin to the night sky and blue eyes cold as the deep seas. Calrad was as soft and gentle as spring sunshine when he smiled, but when he became angry, he would turn cold and hard like that of a frozen lake in the middle of winter.

    The Crown Prince Calrad stood in front of Seira¡¯s door.

    ¡®No wonder I couldn¡¯t hear the cries of the maids at some point,¡¯ Seira thought to herself, ¡®he seemed to have bitten his surroundings silently.¡¯

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Calrad asked her, his voice bitter.

    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m the Duchess of Askan now,¡± Seira explained in a matter-of-fact tone, and continued packing her things, ¡°Of course I have to go back home.¡±

    ¡°Utter nonsense! No human can ever live there,¡± Calrad argued.

    Seira was at a loss for words. She was not packing because she didn¡¯t know. She was not going back knowing people couldn¡¯t live there.

    Since the day her father lured a swarm of beasts to his estate and killed them eight years ago, Seira had heard that toxic black rain had fallen over Askan for three days and three nights straight. The duchy had then become known as the land of death where no one dared to step foot on.

    But what could she do? She wanted to leave this instant.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go see His Majesty together. Give up your title and stay with me,¡± Calrad said as he grabbed Seira¡¯s bag away from her.

    ¡°I¡¯m the only heir to Askan. I can¡¯t betray my family,¡± Seira said as she wrestled her bag out of Calrad¡¯s grasp.

    Seira got up from her seat and took her bag with her.

    ¡°Seira!¡± Calrad yelled to stop her. ¡°It¡¯s just a dead land. If you could just throw it away, you¡¯ll give it to me!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Your Highness and the imperial family who failed their promise because they couldn¡¯t throw that  piece of land away,¡± Seira replied coldly.

    The icy look on Seira¡¯s face, which she had never used against Calrad before, turned him rigid.

    She was a kind, gentle woman. Even when she wasn¡¯t as lively as her peers because of her sadness over losing her family, Seira smiled prettily when she was with him.

    But now it looked like she really was ready to let herself go. It seemed like her leaving was set on stone.

    ¡°No¡­ No¡­¡± Calrad shook his head in denial.

    He stood by the door with a blank face, and then reached out for Seira and grabbed her wrist with force.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. How can you¡­ How can you leave me?!¡± Calrad erupted, his emotions growing more intense as the seconds ticked by. ¡°Your home is here, next to me, and your name is already Viseltium! Where the hell are you going?¡±

    Seira¡¯s eyes widened at the intensity of Calrad¡¯s screams. She had never seen him like this before ¨C uncontrollably mad at her.

    The two of them have never fought during the time they were together, and he never raised his voice against her no matter the situation. It was him who always quietly listened to Seira vent out her frustrations and feelings as he tried to understand her.

    But now, it seemed like Calrad had completely lost all his reason.

 Chapter 5.1

    Calrad suddenly grabbed Seira¡¯s wrists and pulled her towards him forcefully. He enveloped her in his muscular arms, and without even skipping a beat, pressed his lips hard on her. Even if her reaction was as stiff as a log, Calrad continued to weave his tongue deeper into her mouth, entangling her in his strong grasp.

    His violent kisses forced Seira to bite him. His lips were torn, and a strong metallic taste immediately invaded his mouth. He believed what he was doing would bring her to her senses and return to him, but he didn¡¯t know any better.

    He kissed her like he was mad and desperate for her to change her mind. Calrad was reckless. He didn¡¯t give Seira a chance to breathe, kissing and even sucking her saliva.

    It was only when Seira couldn¡¯t stand it anymore that he gave her a break. But even that brief moment was not wasted, as he continued to pour kisses on her forehead, eyes, cheeks, and even nicked her earlobes.

    ¡°You love me. You were in my arms,¡± Calrad whispered, a whimper rising from him.

    He couldn¡¯t understand what was happening to them at all. It was unacceptable to say the least. Their relationship even went deeper as they were skin-to-skin a few hours ago. Wasn¡¯t she in tears of joy when Calrad said he would imprint on her?

    But why¡­?

    Why did she have to do this to him now?

    ¡°Yeah, Seira, you could be pregnant already,¡± he added hopefully, ¡°You may have not manifested yet, but you are my companion, so it won¡¯t be impossible. If you wait for a month or so¡­¡±

    It didn¡¯t actually matter to him if she was pregnant at the moment. Every day, he would plant his seeds into her until her stomach would swell.

    ¡°Calrad, stop it,¡± she pushed him away.

    Seira held his hand which was stroking her belly, fooling himself into believing a baby could be already inside her. She couldn¡¯t be swept away by him any longer.

    ¡°You know that can¡¯t be true,¡± she added quickly.

    She looked up at him with a tired face.

    ¡°I have to leave the imperial palace tonight. Now let go, please,¡± she begged him.

    The Emperor mercilessly threw her out without a single day¡¯s grace. With no means of protection, she was going to be driven out into the dark of the night.

    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re going to abandon me?¡± Calrad asked, his voice slowly turning into a cry of despair.

    His arms that held her entire body trembled terribly. It was sad and scary for her, but the fact that he was so emotional now made it easier for Seira to calm down.

    ¡®This is the best for the both of us,¡¯ she thought at the back of her mind.

    There was no other way to escape the inevitable. If Calrad had the power to persuade his father, they wouldn¡¯t have come down to this at all. Seira bit the insides of her mouth, the pain a harsh reminder of what she should do as she pulled herself together.

    ¡°I guess this will be the end for us, Calrad,¡± she spoke softly.

    Seira who calmly said their end, was a huge contrast to Calrad¡¯s shocked face.

    She was sure already ¨C of her choice and the fact that this time she chose herself. It was the most important thing to her now.

    Calrad was in a state of devastation; the moments they spent together suddenly flashing in front of his eyes.

    They had built such a deep bond over the years in the imperial palace. Even though she cried and didn¡¯t even try to eat anything, she opened her mouth like a baby bird when he had her sit on his lap and fed her.

    He thought he was the only one she needed.

    Seira had never expressed her dissatisfaction even when he blocked off her few past relationships. If she was to go out of the garden, she must not be alone and should be with him always.

    She was tamed by him like that ¨C to be his obedient companion. She belonged to him completely. He wanted her until his last breath, and she had to laugh and cry for him and only him alone.

    Calrad used to believe all of that.

    But he was wrong. It was all a mistake.

    ¡°Thank you for all this time,¡± Seira said with finality.

    She escaped from the cage-like embrace of his arms, and then picked up the bag she had dropped. She walked past Calrad who was turned to stone.

    ¡°Goodbye, Calrad,¡± she bid him goodbye.

    She didn¡¯t choose him.

    Seira had to leave the sweet moments they shared together behind her.

    * * *

    Grief broke out later in her heart.

    Whenever Seira¡¯s vision was blurred by her tears, she had to put down her bag and wipe her face. She wiped constantly to no avail as her tears kept pouring down her cheeks, so she hid behind the street where no one could see her and cried her heart out.

    She couldn¡¯t believe that she broke up with Calrad, who she thought she would spend her whole life with.

    And now they were no longer.

    She resented the horribly cruel Emperor Laud, but it was painful to hate Calrad the same. She couldn¡¯t forget the moment when she felt the urge to be held by him, who was trying his best to keep her by his side.

    Her steps were slow and sluggish as she was stuck in a puddle of regret. Thinking it was really the last time, a much greater fear than she had first anticipated made her feet buckle.

    For that reason, it took her longer to leave the spacious palace. It was even more so when she was leaving with a larger and heavier bag than what she first packed.

    She couldn¡¯t begin to think how she would be able to escape in the deep of night without a word. She even left with a heavy heart at that.

 Chapter 5.2

    Suddenly a carriage stopped in front of her. It was a bit unkempt, but she could tell that it was quite sturdy for its looks.

    A man in a black uniform jumped off from the driver¡¯s seat. His gray hair tied up in a neat ponytail swayed gracefully behind him. Seira¡¯s eyes widened when she saw his face.

    ¡°Duchess,¡± he greeted her.

    His stride was calculated and determined, stopping right in front of Seira.

    ¡°Aven¡­?¡± she gasped in disbelief.

    Seira looked up at him with eyes mixed with surprise and delight.

    ¡°How can you be here at this hour?¡± she asked.

    Aven Helford, heir to the Count of Helford, was the vassal of Askan. It had been a long time since they exchanged letters without seeing each other¡¯s faces, but she could recognize him with just a single glance.

    He was the only one in the entire continent with pitch-black eyes.

    ¡°I heard the news,¡± Aven replied.

    ¡®Who the hell heard the news at this hour of the night?¡¯ Seira asked at the back of her mind.

    Her eyes widened as she was surprised by the omission of all the context. Aven suddenly knelt to the ground and bowed his head towards her.

    ¡°Loyalty to the new master of D-Arc. Helford, the servant of Askan, greets the Duchess,¡± he said with great respect.

    At an unexpected moment, Seira lost her words to the startling oath of allegiance.

    ¡®I forgot for a moment that taking over Askan meant that everyone who belonged there is my responsibility now,¡¯ she thought to herself.

    When Askan¡¯s land died, most of them left and pledged their allegiance to other families. But the children who lost their parents and became orphans like Aven had nowhere else to go.

    Until now, Calrad had been paying close attention to caring and supporting her, but from now on, she was the one who had to take responsibility in taking care of others.

    ¡®There were the Clay twins and Alan from the Dews,¡¯ she suddenly found herself worrying.

    Except for Aven who graduated two years ago, she knew that everyone else was attending the academy. Fortunately, there were only a few years left, however, the tuition fee for the next semester was also a problem.

    ¡°This is not the time to be lost,¡± she whispered under her breath.

    There was no time for her to sit down and cry in distress. When she realized she wasn¡¯t entirely alone, Seira came to her senses. No matter how well she grew up in a house with greener grass, she had become the Duchess of Askan as of today.

    She should never show weakness to anyone.

    Fortunately, the night was dark, and her eyes which were swollen from crying would not have been noticeable ¨C well, hopefully Aven didn¡¯t notice. It had been so long since they saw each other, and she would be embarrassed to have let him see that side of her.

    ¡®It¡¯s okay. I just have to do well from now on,¡¯ she tried to encourage herself.

    With a newly found determination, Seira looked down at Aven who was still kneeling and waiting for her to speak to him.

    ¡°Aven Helford, I¡¯m going back to Ascan,¡± she said calmly. ¡°It won¡¯t be an easy ride. I will have to start all over again from scratch. Will you still be with me then?¡±

    Seira had her doubts.

    A graduate of the academy with outstanding grades, unlike when he was a child, Aven could apply wherever he wanted. Jeff or Franto, maybe even Viseltium.

    But the answer that came back to her was firm and decided.

    ¡°I¡¯ll follow you, Duchess. Wherever you go,¡± Aven said.

    It was a crude remark without any flowery words, but Seira was more at ease with that.

    ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s start right away,¡± she said.

    It was a long ride to Askan, and there was still so much more to do once they arrived. She wished she could stay for one more day and prepare the necessary things, but the Emperor¡¯s order was to leave Viseltium this instant. Even if she had to come back, she had to get out for now.

    ¡°Yes, Duchess,¡± came Aven¡¯s reply.

    Even though he had no idea of the situation, Aven answered immediately without asking a single question.

    As he stood up, he brought Seira¡¯s bag into the carriage as she sat into the passenger¡¯s seat. She had no idea what the Askan estate had turned into. As the owner of the land, she intended to confirm it with her own eyes.

    Aven, who was about to return to the driver¡¯s seat, paused to look at her.

    ¡°You must be cold,¡± he noted.

    Seira did not respond and stubbornly looked dead straight ahead. Instead of persuading her, Aven took a large coat from the luggage compartment and wrapped it tightly around her. Seira blinked a few times in surprise. She looked gratefully at him, but then turned her head to the front as if embarrassed.

    Aven sat side by side with her and held the reins. He whipped the horses, and the carriage moved and gained speed gradually. The palace with which Seira had lived in thinking it was her home, disappeared slowly in the distance as they moved further away.

    Seira sat up straight and thought of herself for tomorrow.

    From now on, everything will be different. Her way of life, values to pursue, and even relationship with others would now change. Maybe her present self would crumble to the very last piece in the process.

    She was vulnerable because Calrad protected her as a potential Crown Princess. She did not know the real world.

    The word ¡°pure blood among pure blood¡± did not bear anything to her nor did it give her power.

    But she will do it somehow.

    She was going to think of the Emperor¡¯s mocking gaze that would wait and see how long she would last whenever her heart broke. Even though she might die somewhere in Askan, known as the Land of Death, she could never give what the imperial family wanted.

    A black and rugged carriage quietly crossed the darkness of Viseltium, with the determination not to be mocked by its choices. Seira Askan, the new owner of D-Ark, left the imperial palace.

 Chapter 6.1

    Seven years later¡­

    WOOSH!

    A flying sword spun in the air menacingly. Its destructive force was evident with the sword¡¯s immense blue aura. However, if the target had been weak, he wouldn¡¯t have lasted long enough to survive such a strong attack.

    The last humanoid beast called the Guardian, ducked to avoid the spinning sword. Without time to pause, he then opened his mouth to meet a rushing fireball to his left.

    ¡°Kaaah!¡±

    Chilling cold air rushed out from the beast¡¯s black mouth, freezing the air around him and pushing the fireball away with all his might.

    ¡°Thank you for opening your mouth for me. Now it is much easier to hit and kill you,¡± a woman¡¯s voice said.

    A mocking laughter resounded, and the beast¡¯s red eyes burst wide open with surprise. A woman with her platinum hair fluttering in the wind, fell from the sky and struck the flying sword. The sword¡¯s orbit immediately changed in the blink of an eye.

    The worst was unavoidable.

    At some point, the beast couldn¡¯t move as an iron chain wrapped around his ankle. The spinning sword fell at a sharp speed right into the middle of the beast¡¯s mouth which was wide open trying to freeze the giant fireball.

    ¡°!¡±

    The struggling beast¡¯s body was split in half. The fireball hit the beast at the same time he lost hold of it and a terrifying explosion followed afterwards.

    All of a sudden, the woman was snatched away from the explosion by someone who was desperate to protect her. She felt herself being wrapped by strong arms, and the woman endured the explosion until it died down in mere seconds.

    ¡°Seira!¡± a man¡¯s voice yelled with worry.

    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±

    Someone slapped Baron on the back as he almost jumped into the flames.

    Baron made a quick side glance at the wizard and his not-so-ticklish slap. Looking back at the explosion, he heaved a sigh of relief as he saw a man and woman standing by Zion, a pale-faced wizard.

    The woman was breathtakingly beautiful despite the black blood that had splattered all over her. She reached back to her nape and swept her platinum blonde hair, smiling as she looked at Baron with hooded eyes.

    ¡°My commander-in-chief, were you worried about me?¡± she asked, her voice teasing.

    Her purple eyes hidden halfway beneath her eyelids were very much amused. She thought it was funny to witness Baron panic so often.

    Baron sighed and frowned.

    ¡°I just couldn¡¯t help but worry about the safety of my sword that was kicked,¡± he tried to cover his embarrassment.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± she rolled her eyes in disbelief.

    Aven came close to Seira who was smiling and said, ¡°Pommel. I think it¡¯s broken.¡±

    Seira froze and her relaxed smile faded in an instant, ¡°You are joking, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Aven¡¯s prolonged silence only made Seira¡¯s expression turn darker.

    ¡°I, um¡­ I¡¯m going to make sure it¡¯s going to be taken care of,¡± she excused herself.

    It was obvious where the broken fragments of Pommel were scattered around. Seira walked towards it at a brisk pace and then stopped entirely at the very middle of the wreckage. Aven and Baron soon noticed that her shoulders were slumped as she stood by the roaring flames for too long.

    ¡°It must really be broken,¡± Baron murmured as a bitter smile lifted the corners of his mouth slightly.

    Seven years ago, Seira, who seemed far from manifesting until she left Viseltium, emerged as an Omega. She sneered at all of those who looked down on her as soon her powers blossomed.

    An Omega was someone who specialized in giving birth and nurturing an excellent heir by seducing the best Alpha with its beautiful appearance. With that said, it was too far from what Seira was doing right now, rolling and fighting on the battlefield.

    Philias Franto, Franto¡¯s former head, was also not required to fight when the disasters engulfed the entire continent for being an Omega.

    However, Seira has chosen such a dangerous path, even when she was the only pure-blooded Omega of her generation. She threw away such a precious body just so she could earn money.

    Zion, who was watching her with a tired face, slumped on the floor.

    ¡°I am going to die early at this point,¡± he grumbled.

    ¡°You did a great job, Zion. It would have taken another week without you,¡± Baron tried to console him.

    ¡°What? It¡¯s all for the money,¡± the wizard groaned.

    It all began 15 years ago¡­

    Nests of demonic beasts were constantly being discovered all across the continent. The soldiers alone couldn¡¯t eradicate all of it. Humanoid figures with inhuman strength called the Guardians protected the nests day and night, never leaving their positions until their last breath.

    Although weapons were developed through magic engineering, they were still deemed useless against the Guardians. To defeat them, a master level slayer and a wizard who could fly swords was the only answer.

    ¡°Is your stamina infinite?¡± Aven replied to Zion¡¯s murmur.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have time to argue about that,¡± the wizard replied with a dismissing wave of his hand.

    Aven was curious, and he turned to the wizard asking, ¡°Just how much does Pommel cost?¡±

    The wizard thought for a while and then replied, ¡°Well, if you have to ask me¡­ a box of gold bars?¡±

    Aven hummed as he thought of the price¡­ It was absolutely truly expensive.

    Zion glanced up at Baron. He had his arms folded and his face expressionless as he looked at Seira. The wizard could not guess what their commander was thinking at all.

    But from experience, Zion had a hunch. Even as it was unavoidable during battle, Baron was surely going to charge Seira for destroying Pommel. The two were master level slayers, and had always been vocal about their rivalry ¨C trying to beat, tease, and point out at each other¡¯s mistakes.

    Zion heaved a heavy sigh. Recalling Seira¡¯s situation as a duchess that had no money to her name, she was not so lucky at all.

    ¡°Thank you for your hard work¡­¡±

    The Priests that had been hiding from a distance rushed over in a hurry, bowing their heads as they thanked Zion¡¯s party for killing the Guardian.

    ¡°Have you done with cleaning up?¡± the wizard asked instead.

    ¡°Yes, sir. The High Priest had asked me to collect the wreckage,¡± one of them answered.

    ¡°I see, well then, thank you for your effort.¡±

    The Priests who bowed to Zion turned and started circling the beast¡¯s body. The party was actually headed for a huge black beast¡¯s nest.

 Chapter 6.2

    Every one of them wondered what was in there. However, nobody truly dared to come even close due to the ominous feeling the place exuded.

    Baron watched as the Priests poured holy water on each other¡¯s bodies and around without a moment¡¯s hesitation. The authority over nests was still with the temple.

    One day, their endless questions about the nests would soon be resolved ¨C one way or another.

    Baron reached out into the air in front of him and summoned a giant dark sword. It was a sword made from no ordinary material, but as Aven said, the entire handle was broken.

    How could Seira break the sword with only a kick? Her feet were small enough to fit in his hand!

    Aven was the only person who saw the corners of Baron¡¯s mouth lift up.

    ¡°I will go back to my tent for now,¡± he said.

    ¡°Wait, Baron!¡± Seira called out to him.

    Baron walked briskly all the while ignoring Seira¡¯s cries from behind him. He already knew she was going to follow him without even looking back or waiting.

    As expected, Seira chased him into his barracks.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we use a good sword? Pommel was defective,¡± she asked him.

    Baron took off his uniform jacket full of sticky black liquid, and threw them into the basket. He washed his hands and face from the acrid smell with water that was prepared beforehand.

    Seira sneaked in a question, handing over a towel to Baron, who was busy washing without giving her a tiny glance.

    ¡°Do you think so as well, commander-in-chief?¡± she asked his consent, her voice soft and suggestive.

    A sweet scent spread out in the space filled with the stench of iron and sand. Immediately after the battle, the seductive pheromones of a pure blood Omega instantly relaxed Baron¡¯s senses that had been kept sharp as a sword¡¯s blade.

    Baron almost nodded without realizing what Seira was saying, managed to snap out of it as he chewed the inside of his mouth.

    ¡®This is crazy,¡¯ he sighed inwardly.

    He had never been defeated by Philias Franto who was a pure blooded Omega by Viseltium. But with Seira, why was he so helpless? If another Omega had tried it against him, he would have been extremely irritated. However, Seira was different in a sense that her pheromones excite his body.

    ¡°You are only saying this just for the money, right?¡± Baron asked.

    Baron swiftly turned round and looked down at Seira menacingly.

    ¡°Seira Askan¡­¡± he murmured her name, almost like a hungry call.

    She responded curtly as she said, ¡°What?¡±

    Baron¡¯s heart pounded on his chest like a beast that wanted to be freed. Her smiling face as she tilted her head to the side was more than enough to drive him nuts.

    Seeing this, Seira almost laughed at him.

    Baron did his best to put on a stone cold persona.

    ¡°Do you remember why we moved up the Guardian hunt?¡± he started to ask her.

    ¡°You thought it would overlap with the rut period, right?¡± she responded.

    ¡°You remember it well,¡± Baron praised her sarcastically.

    He bent over to lower his height towards Seira¡¯s level, and gazed into her eyes with a squint.

    ¡°But if you keep provoking me like this¡­¡± he whispered, wiping the black blood on her cheek with his index finger. ¡°I think it might start earlier than scheduled. Like perhaps, right now.¡±

    There was nothing to be desired about him. Whatever the truth, it had to be.

    ¡°After spending the night with you, you¡¯ll forget about the sword. I¡¯d rather give you a couple of Dambons,¡± she said to him.

    The corners of Seira¡¯s smile went down and returned to their normal places. The scent that had covered the entire tent had slowly dissipated as well without a trace.

    She turned, pushing his hand against the back of her hand that touched my cheek.

    ¡°Leave it to repair and charge for it,¡± she said without even blinking.

    If she felt like she could gain something even just a tiny bit, Seira would do everything and use anything she had in her arsenal to lure her opponent. But she would never feed the ego of those who mock her.

    Just as Seira decided at that instant that she was only wasting her time, it was Baron who became nervous as she started to leave his barracks.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay here and join me for dinner?¡± he suggested.

    Seira glanced back at Baron and asked in an indifferent tone, ¡°Why should I do that?¡±

    ¡°Now that the Guardian mission has been completed, I plan to release the soldiers for a day or so. To repay for yours and Aven¡¯s performance, we would love to sponsor for Askan¡¯s liquor and meat,¡± Baron said with a glint of pride, ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡±

    Baron meant that he would take responsibility for providing high-quality products, and not just merely supplying. After a few moments thinking to herself, Seira finally decided to accept his offer.

    ¡°If the commander-in-chief has decided so, I¡¯ll follow him,¡± she firmly said.

    Baron was in all sense annoying, but the food was innocent so she was willing to compromise. There was nothing more rewarding than for a boss to feed his subordinates well like rabbits.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Barron nodded, swallowing a sigh of relief.

    When she was born, she was in Askan, when she grew up, she was in the Imperial Palace. Seira was surrounded with precious things, but she was surprisingly never picky about food. She ate anything as long as it was good, whether it was military food or not.

    She had no appetite whatsoever. After all, it was the right choice to fall over for her knights.

    ¡°Oh, but wouldn¡¯t it be better to take the medicine just in case?¡± Baron asked her.

    Seira whispered as she swept her hand across the back of her neck, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m a little close, too. I think it¡¯ll start in a few days.¡±

    Then, she made a word without making a single sound just by licking her lips, ¡®Heat.¡¯

 Chapter 7.1

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Baron¡¯s expression was disturbed for a second. He was sure he read her lips right. Seira¡¯s pheromones were not out of control at the moment, but he did feel that her body seemed to be heating up.

    The Omega¡¯s rut, or what they call the ¡®heat cycle¡¯, was far more dangerous than that of an Alpha¡¯s rut. If the two phases overlapped, it was no different than a bomb, ready to detonate in any given time.

    Baron pulled out an inhibitor medicine without even breathing, and then swallowed the pill right in front of Seira.

    ¡°All right. See you later, Baron,¡± she bid him farewell.

    As he waved his hand goodbye, Baron stared blankly at Seira¡¯s back as she left his tent. Even after her silhouette was out of sight, her soft voice still lingered in Baron¡¯s ears. His name spoken softly from her lips was like a reward for the commander-in-chief.

    All of a sudden, his eyes turned red as if he accidentally swallowed an accelerator instead of an inhibitor.

    ¡°This is driving me nuts!¡± he heaved a weary groan.

    People would say that the two of them were beat each other too much. This to Baron was complete bullshit. It didn¡¯t make any sense to him at all.

    No matter how he looked at it, he was the only one who easily trembled and got swayed. Then, now, and always.

    * * *

    The 11th war of suppression, which had been boring for a year, ended with Askan¡¯s participation. The beast nests made the entire empire tense, but the Duchess of Askan¡¯s appearance helped them completely remove the nests. Soon, the remains piled up like mountains and were purified and burned.

    There were a lot of things to be dealt with afterwards, but Seira didn¡¯t shy away from the idea of taking it easy once in a while. There should always be a time to stop and find comfort from the hardships of the past.

    When the strictly prohibited wine was released from the oak barrel, an uproar rose from everyone. Knights and soldiers alike joined together in the celebration. Nobody paid attention to their superiors anymore as the entire camp turned boisterous with all the chatter and music playing.

    Among the festivities, Baron, Seira, Aven, and Zion were gathered in the barracks of the commander-in-chief. They were supposed to be the star of the evening, but unlike the others having fun, the four of them were pretty quiet.

    The compensation paid to master-class slayers and wizards who play the most dangerous and crucial roles during any mission was very large. The pay in gold was enough for any ordinary person to spend their whole lives.

    However, that was less than the size of a year¡¯s tax that a duchy had to pay to the imperial family.

    Seira actively participated in the war as a mercenary on the condition of tax exemption for three years to raise money. This is because the tax exemption deadline for the Askan duchy, whose land had been dead since the disaster 15 years ago, ended last year.

    She poured astronomical amounts of money every year to restore the land. But for her, solving the tax problem quickly was more important than anything else. If she even missed one payment, the land may be seized and confiscated from her.

    Zion watched Seira, who only sipped as much as a bird drank, and thought, ¡®The Emperor is one son of a bitch¡­¡¯

    Those who belonged to the privileged class might think otherwise, but most of the common people such as Zion felt the same way.

    Seira¡¯s father, Nathan Askan, made huge sacrifices to protect the empire. Zion felt that they should take the lead in protecting Seira and the duchy. It was far too cruel for the imperial family to not make her the Crown Princess and kick Seira out without giving her a handful of jewels.

    What was even more surprising was what happened after that. The Emperor passed away within a few years, and the nobles instantly changed their attitudes. Whenever they criticized the imperial family, there were those that undermined the heroic sacrifices of Nathan Askan.

    Looking back at the timing, it was pretty obvious.

    ¡®If they put Askan in the corner, one would think Seira was inevitably going to collapse. Her ex-fianc¨¦ was surely behind it,¡¯ Zion thought at the back of his mind.

    It was obvious what the intention of those waiting for the precious pure-blooded Omega to fall rock bottom.

    Those snooping outside the barracks were Alphas from hundreds of noble families. There were a lot of idiots who wanted to take the opportunity to fill her stomach with their seeds.

    ¡°My poor Duchess!¡± Zion suddenly exclaimed in worry of the annoying men around Seira. ¡°Stop drinking. You have to sleep sober.¡±

    ¡°What¡­?¡± she asked him in confusion. Seria¡¯s eyes veered towards Zion and his reckless nagging.

    ¡°I¡¯m responsible too, so I¡¯ll add half the price of Pommel. So don¡¯t be so upset and just rest early,¡± Aven quickly added.

    The Duchess of Askan looked at them with round eyes and burst out laughing. Aven, who glanced at her, sighed and grabbed Zion¡¯s arm as he rose.

    ¡°You should be the one to get some rest. How much did you drink to get your face as red as that?¡± Aven asked him.

    Zion turned to Aven and replied, ¡°I only had one glass. I guess I¡¯ve earned it out of anger because of the beast cubs hanging around outside.¡±

    ¡°Beast cubs¡­?¡± Seira, who had barely stopped laughing, burst into hysterics once again.

    Aven pulled Zion to his feet and tried to drag him away, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Zion. I¡¯ll take you to your tent.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. And the Commander-in-Chief¡­ you can¡¯t buy it like that!¡± Zion said, his forehead wrinkling in annoyance.

    Zion didn¡¯t like Baron either. The man didn¡¯t think of how much Seira worked to the bones to win her prizes. Baron had wealth and power built up thanks to his family, not himself. It was not enough for him to bring both Pommel and precious Dambon as his sword. It was so low of him to do that.

    ¡°You need to have a conscience. Stop bothering my poor Duchess,¡± the wizard added.

    Baron shrugged at his fierce criticism and then steered his attention to Seira, ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you should have decency and lead a noble life,¡± Zion adamantly told him.

    Seira clicked her tongue with a smile plastered on her face. She looked at the two, Zion struggling from Aven¡¯s grip and Aven himself not budging. Then, she beckoned to Aven.

    ¡°Leave it alone, Aven. Zion should get to enjoy his night,¡± she said, ¡°It has been a while since we had a break too.¡±

 Chapter 7.2

    Zion shook Aven¡¯s arm off him and sat down. Seira filled his glass with wine, and then helped herself to a lot of meat. She even urged them to eat a lot.

    ¡°Thank you. After all, we are the only ones¡­¡± Zion sighed in exhaustion.

    Seira, who was watching Zion quietly, emptied her drinking glass in one gulp and got up from her seat.

    Baron¡¯s bright yellow eyes followed her. He put down his glass the same time he asked Seira, ¡°Are you going to go now?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going to go back to my tent and rest so that my wizard doesn¡¯t get too stressed out,¡± Seira answered him.

    It became clear that Seira¡¯s condition didn¡¯t get any better since drinking her inhibitor hours ago. She had been quiet the whole time because she was afraid to get out of hand with controlling her pheromones. Unfortunately, Zion had misunderstood the entire situation. He assumed that she was just depressed about Pommel.

    Baron, who had noticed the change in Seira¡¯s pheromone from the beginning, did not try to hold her back.

    ¡°Alright. If you find it hard to move tomorrow, then send someone in the morning,¡± Baron said calmly.

    ¡°Understood, commander-in-chief. I hope you¡¯ll be scolded by Zion and I hope you¡¯ll be a new person tomorrow, Baron,¡± Seira playfully joked to him.

    Seira laughed and slapped Baron¡¯s arm with the back of her hand. When she turned around to walk to her tent, Aven instantly stood up and bowed to Baron. He quickly followed Seira right afterwards.

    As she left the barracks that prevented her pheromones from leaking out, stares poured out left and right. They were those who followed her sweet scent, which she had previously spilled earlier. However, when they met her fierce eyes, everyone scurried away in a hurry.

    Seira knew they would end up reacting like that, but she told herself not to drop a laugh. They were just the same as her, unable to escape from their instincts and were easily swayed. It wasn¡¯t anything to be ashamed of nor to be rude about.

    Aven suddenly spoke as they reached the area of Askan, which was somewhat at the edges of the camp, ¡°What Zion said earlier¡­ Never mind that. I just wanted to give the sword to you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. There¡¯s no other one as pure as Zion,¡± Seira smiled at the thought of Zion going wild because of worrying for her.

    Zion was a commoner wizard, and was Aven¡¯s colleague from the academy. In addition to his natural talent, Zion was hard working, but his attitude was too nice to the point his character could be called soft.

    She wasn¡¯t offended when Zion sympathized with her. It was a sympathy for a half box of gold bars. Of course, she would be grateful.

    ¡°How can I not be happy if you give it to me so willingly with entirety of your pockets in your hands?¡± Seira argued with Aven.

    Of course, she didn¡¯t really mean to receive it.

    ¡°Other than that¡­¡± Aven hesitated.

    Recognition dawned in Seira¡¯s mind and she said, ¡°Ah¡­ the beasts?¡±

    Seira entered her tent with a tiny sigh of relief. She took off her cloak and handed it over to Aven.

    ¡°Zion is a Beta. Of course, that¡¯s what it would look like,¡± she quickly added.

    Commoners who lived ordinary lives may never see an Alpha or Omega in their lifetime. From their point of view, it would be quite strange to feel how rut or heat cycle pheromones affected them.

    ¡°It¡¯s not entirely wrong, actually,¡± Aven noted, ¡°I don¡¯t think you are well aware that I am also one of those beasts either.¡±

    Seira took out a brown glass bottle from her bag, and then popped medicine into her mouth. A few hours ago, she had taken one before she left the tent. It was probably her third pill today. Nevertheless, control was never easy.

    ¡°It really looks like it¡¯s almost out of stock¡­¡± Seira noted with dismay.

    Unlike that of Alphas, an Omega¡¯s heat cycle inhibitor was quite expensive. To top it off, it didn¡¯t have much effect on pure bloods too. There was no other solution than to address the root cause of her problem.

    A low and soft voice flowed into her ear as she sighed in trouble, ¡°I¡¯ll be available tonight if you want.¡±

    Seira looked back at Aven who was arranging her cloak calmly. It was a simple suggestion, but the real meaning was far from what it actually is. Aven meant he was willing to make love with her all night long until her desires were completely satisfied.

    The two of them began such a relationship periodically from the day Seira first manifested. Aven had discovered Seira burning with the heat cycle, and ended up giving his body to her.

    Perhaps it was a solution out of necessity, as emotions weren¡¯t exactly involved in the first place. It was the easiest way to solve the heat of a pure-blooded Omega, which was completely out of control at the time.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Seira replied after a few seconds of thinking.

    Of course, it was only the intentions of Aven that Seira guessed for herself. Even her insides were not so dry. At the moment, Aven was the best option she could take as a strategic partner.

    Where else could she find someone who had the perfect looks, excellent skills, and the loyalty that would never betray her?

    ¡®The way he fucks me is just perfect, too,¡¯ she thought at the back of her mind.

    In order to hide the smirk spreading on her face, Seira covered her mouth and pretended to clear her throat.

 Chapter 8.1

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll adjust the number of guards around the perimeter and come back,¡± Aven said.

    He brought water to wash and went outside.

    Seira brushed her teeth, washed her face, and took off her clothes while Aven was away. She soaked the towel in the water and wiped her body in every nook and cranny she could reach. After she was done, Seira went on to search through her bag for something to wear.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    After mulling for a long time, Seira decided to throw a robe on and nothing else underneath. The night air was rather cool because their camp was forested, however, her body was heating up too much to even appreciate it.

    When she was finished and had lain in bed, Seira recalled the events that happened during the day¡¯s battle.

    Baron was quite skilled. He would normally wield Damebon, which was dozens of times heavier than ordinary steel, as if it was nothing but a paper knife. Compared to Baron¡¯s physical strength, her natural capabilities were just at a decent level ¨C even compared to other Omegas.

    Usually, pure-blooded Alphas and Omegas developed about one main ability and a couple minor ones. On the other hand, Seira unusually developed two primary and three minor abilities. She used those powers to supplement her lack of physical strength.

    For instance, it was essential to protect one¡¯s body from powerful explosions like what happened earlier. When Damebon smashed Pommel, it was obvious that she failed to control herself. It was a bit worrisome, as it meant it was the limit of her mental powers.

    ¡®I¡¯ve been overdoing it lately,¡¯ she finally sighed.

    If she had only manifested as an Alpha like Baron, then her combat efficiency would have been several times higher. It was quite a pity, actually. She had once wished to manifest as an Omega, but now with such a weak body, it was more than just burdensome to begin with.

    ¡°I¡¯m tired,¡± Seira complained to no one in particular.

    It was even more tiring when the battle outcomes were not the only thing she would have to think about. It was quite arduous to be exposed to so much pressure and tension from everyone.

    Seira was the only Omega in the camp. If she would even show the slightest hint of weakness or exhaustion, those seeking an opportunity would surely bite the scruff of her neck.

    It was all under the tolerance of her former fiance who was still hostile with her.

    ¡®Calrad¡­¡¯

    Her ex-fianc¨¦, whom she chose to break up with when she chose Askan, became the Emperor. Using every power and influence he had, Calrad made sure Seira would feel that her decision seven years ago would be the most pathetic thing in the world.

    It was also Calrad¡¯s decree that ended Askan¡¯s tax exemption period, which had not been set until last year.

    ¡®Well, I am glad that fortunately at least I still have Aven here,¡¯ she thought.

    Seira heard her door close, and her eyes lifted towards Aven who had his back to her.

    Master level slayers could handle swords as if it were an extension of their own bodies. Usually, there was only one to appear in every generation, even with high-ranking noble families. The other nobles went madly jealous when they learned that a vassal of Askan in Aven Helford rose to such a level at the age of 24.

    It was an achievement that not much of the members of the four major families, including Viseltium, could accomplish so easily.

    Without Aven, Seira would have suffered much worse on her own. With him always by her side, Seira could say she had survived countless battles without many major injuries.

    Aven¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, and his forehead wrinkled. Seira¡¯s face looked quite serious as she stared at him.

    ¡°Did something happen?¡± he asked her.

    Seira blinked several times before she finally replied in confusion, ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Aven worried.

    Her mood quickly changed with his question. A wide smile spread across Seira¡¯s face and she beckoned Aven towards her.

    When he got close enough to reach, Seira grabbed his arm and rose to stretch her naked legs at the edge of the bed.

    Aven quickly averted his gaze downwards. He intended to hide his embarrassment, but it was of no use as she already saw his long lashes flinch at the sight of her body.

    ¡°You¡¯re late to wash up, Aven,¡± Seira admonished him.

    ¡°I can¡¯t just present my dirty body to such a precious person,¡± he replied.

    ¡®Who is truly dirty and precious?¡¯ Seira asked herself. Hopefully until the day that Askan would flourish once more, she hoped Aven would still continue to support her.

    Seira¡¯s hand gently caressed Aven¡¯s cheek, tracing it down to his perfectly chiseled jaws with her dainty fingertips. Her other hand brushed over his earlobe and neck, and Seira untied his ribbon loose. With a slipping sound of the thin cloth, Aven¡¯s gray ponytail fell down like silk curtains to his shoulders.

    At the same time, a suppressed groan escaped from his mouth ¨C Seira¡¯s pheromones had swept over him like a raging tidal wave.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take off my clothes first,¡± he said. Aven asked for her permission before he completely lost his mind.

    ¡°Yes, you should,¡± she told him.

    Seira waited quietly for him to finish undressing. A couple of times buttons would slip past his fingertips and a knot was torn off. Anyway, it wasn¡¯t long before he was fully exposed in front of her.

    His body was tightly packed with compressed muscles. To say the least, he didn¡¯t look excessive nor lacking. He looked like that of an archangel of war, a perfect and firm statue with a face that could kill both literally and figuratively.

    When he finally was done, Aven knelt down on one knee without hesitation.

    ¡°Will you allow me to touch you?¡± he asked her.

    Seira took his entire beauty in before saying her sweet reply, ¡°Of course.¡±

    Aven¡¯s eyes trembled as he clasped her right foot in his hands. Her feet were littered with red and blue bruises, both new and old ones. It wasn¡¯t just the foot, but the whole leg itself. They were the aftereffects of overexerting her powers during battle.

 Chapter 8.2

    He lowered his head and started to kiss one foot. Her body¡¯s ability to heal was much faster than that of a normal person. This then made it clear that the bone in her legs were crushed the moment she kicked Pommel.

    Even if the wound would not heal by his powers, in the hopes of alleviating her pain, Aven let his pheromones flow naturally to Seira.

    His pheromones crawled over to the top of her foot, and gently mixed with Seira¡¯s pure-blooded Omega pheromones.

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± she moaned in relief as she slowly closed her eyes.

    The bittersweet smell of chocolate permeated her nostrils. Seira could feel the pheromones that gently stirred her stomach make her wet underneath. The Alpha¡¯s scent, which she had been acquainted with the longest since her manifestation as an Omega, was filled with her favorite things.

    Sweeping his lips and licking with his tongue, Aven slowly dug in between her legs.

    Seira¡¯s thighs twitched and trembled as Aven made his merry way with his tongue, like a smooth and wet object in search of the holy grail.

    ¡°Please open up a little more,¡± Aven asked politely.

    He dared not to explore her body without permission, and he pleaded with a sultry voice instead. Seira put her hands under her lap. She stared at Aven¡¯s eyes which were pitch black like the night sky¡­ she could barely even distinguish his pupils from his irises.

    Seira¡¯s legs slowly spread wide, and the place which had been shyly closed revealed the source of the intoxicating scent. White liquid poured out from her quim constantly, a wet and shiny hole that could melt any Alpha who dared to take a look.

    Aven¡¯s neat and pure face was instantly tinted with lust. The drastic change was what Seira liked most.

    Having lost the reason he was barely holding on to, Aven buried his face at the very center of Seira¡¯s legs. He greedily licked and sucked her, like a horse that finally found an oasis in the middle of a desert. He poked his tongue inside her, deeper and deeper each time. The squelching sounds didn¡¯t even bother him.

    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±

    Seira¡¯s tormented heat turned into blazing pleasure. It spread out like wildfire, consuming the both of them as they lost themselves at the heat of the moment.

    Even without a finger touching inside her, she was already spilling with white erotic juices. Her lower abdomen and thighs were a mess with the constant stimulation he gave her. But Aven didn¡¯t know what was really going on in her body, as he was just too impatient to suck another drop of her sweet liquid.

    ¡°Stop¡­ Stop licking and come here, Aven,¡± Seira whispered shakily.

    She clasped his face in her hands and pushed her body backwards. She focused on the black eyes that lost focus and ordered them once again.

    ¡°Come on the bed,¡± she commanded, ¡°Lay on top of me.¡±

    Staring at her purple eyes, he crawled up to the bed like an obedient puppy.

    ¡°Well done,¡± Seira smiled enchantingly.

    She complimented Aven as he leaned over her. Her hand reached downwards as she grabbed his twitching, semen-soaked shaft. She guided it to her entrance, the head touching just a bit, and Aven¡¯s body trembled with great anticipation.

    ¡°You can come in now,¡± Seira whispered in a tempting voice.

    Her soft words reached Aven¡¯s ears, and Seira¡¯s slender legs wrapped around his waist. There was no need to command anything after that. He lifted his back up without hesitation, and then pushed inside her all at once.

    ¡°Oh¡­!¡± she gasped.

    Seira¡¯s lips parted as she exclaimed in ecstasy that penetrated the heart of her desperate desires. The satisfaction was overwhelming. No matter how many inhibitors she swallowed, addressing her uncontrollable instincts still felt the best solution.

    ¡°Ha¡­.¡±

    With his eyes closed, Aven exhaled a long breath. Even as it seemingly took over his slender and white body, he was rather obsessed with the Omega¡¯s pheromones that were stuck from his head to toe.

    Her body was pressed on to his. She was soft and warm, as if melting into him with every touch and kiss. It was highly addictive that she would never complain even if it felt like she was food caught in a spider¡¯s web.

    ¡°Aven¡­¡± she called out his name with a sweet, sinful moan.

    He started to push in and out with great force, her pleasured voice encouraging him. Her hands clung on to him as the two of them almost reached their climax. Aven felt his gut tingle, a feeling that said he was about to come. But he wanted to pleasure her more before that happened, so he held on longer and shoved his manhood deeper and deeper still.

    ¡°Ugh, yes¡­ Yes!¡±

    Seira took the Alpha deep into her body, releasing herself from reason¡¯s grip.

    She was completely blown out of her mind. Bodies pressed hard on each other, their wet tongues and steamy breaths intertwined, Aven¡¯s hard shaft pounding inside her walls was all she could think of. Every single worry she had before this was replaced by the pleasures of the flesh.

    Her nails dug into Aven¡¯s back as the speed of his grinding rocked her world. She tilted her head in wanton desires and moaned, ¡°More¡­ more¡­¡±

    Aven obediently did as she requested. Without holding back, he pounded her hard enough to make her see golden stars even with her eyes closed.

    ¡°Hu¡­ haaa~!¡±

    Seira loved it. His hard and warm rod moving with great intensity inside her took her breath away. He didn¡¯t need to cry out to show how greedy he had been. Aven wanted her, and he showed it with his entire body.

    In return, Seira spread her legs wider to draw him deeper than he had ever had. Her hand snaked around the back of his neck and squeezed hard, making the Alpha¡¯s semen finally explode.

    They filled the empty space with sweet intoxicating pheromones, intense acts, and carnal pleasures. Their hunger was incomparable to swallowing air or their thirst for drinking water. It was on a completely different level.

 Chapter 9.1

    Even major military personnel didn¡¯t know exactly how the beast¡¯s nests came about. However, it did not stop them from creating theories. The nests mostly appeared in places of high mortality rates due to famine and infectious diseases. Although, there were a few exceptions.

    The troops did not return immediately even after withdrawing from the base. The area was searched extensively for stray beasts. Usually, when the last Guardian is slain and the nest captured, lower-level beasts scattered about.

    This was the reason why Knights of Templar and the Army were needed. Even if it was lower ranked, a beast was a beast nonetheless. They could only be killed by those who knew how to carry a sword. Still, it was possible to surround and trap them, and the knights would then follow afterward to kill them.

    Baron, the commander-in-chief of the army, had to pay attention to all of these processes. Of course, he was always busy.

    ¡®But not me¡­¡¯

    Seira was leisurely lying and enjoying a little sunbath at the back of the rear carriages.

    The Knights of Askan, including her, were employed by the army as mercenaries. Although there were just about twenty people in their small group, they were not to be taken lightly. They were a powerful force as everyone knew how to handle a sword. Their mission was mainly to deal with high-level beasts ¨C the Guardians to be exact.

    Therefore, at the moment, they were free to do anything as the rest did their part.

    Seira, the master of the army, mumbled here and there unnoticed.

    They had unspoken rules.

    They made a move only when money was offered. Even with a thousand gold offered, they never jump into a job that would risk their life. If they wanted to help, then they help only children, women, and elderly people.

    Other than that, they were all left to their own accord. It was pretty simple compared to other Knights of Templar with established strict and detailed disciplines to follow. They didn¡¯t experience much trouble and no one has been injured or killed since she created the Knights of Askan. It was rather the most efficient if she was to be asked.

    ¡°Your Grace.¡±

    Seira opened her eyelids to a familiar voice from below.

    Her memory of the night they spent together drunk on each other¡¯s pheromones were blurred. Seira was very relieved. Because of that, she could look at him with a casual face.

    ¡°Yes, Aven. What is it?¡±

    He was dressed in a knight¡¯s garb and his gray hair was neatly tied up in a ponytail. With his black eyes and uniform, he seemed to be the darkness¡¯ embodiment even in broad daylight. Only the silver pattern on his epaulettes, indicating he was a leader, shone under the sun.

    ¡°I have something to report,¡± Aven said.

    Seira lifted a brow in curiosity, and asked, ¡°Do tell.¡±

    He glanced around, and with one hand on the edge of the carriage, leaped up onto the roof. The surprised groom looked up in amazement at Aven¡¯s powerful jump.

    Aven lowered himself, and put his lips close to her ear as he whispered. Seira focused on his report, ignoring how her body impulsively reacted to Aven¡¯s presence.

    ¡°A horde of low-level beasts is approaching from about a hundred meters away,¡± he said in a low but clear whisper, ¡°Their numbers are quite considerable, but the others seemed to have not noticed them as we already passed them by.¡±

    ¡°What about Baron?¡±

    ¡°As always, in the lead.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Seira¡¯s eyes squinted as a thought came to mind, ¡®There must be one beast mixed in with special abilities.¡¯

    Among the low-level and intermediate-level beasts, there were sometimes a few with magic-like abilities. It would explain how they were left undetected by the troops.

    ¡°What should I do?¡± Aven asked.

    Seira raised an incredulous brow at him as she said, ¡°I am shocked you needed to ask, Aven. It¡¯s pretty obvious.¡±

    A smile spread on her face. At first glance, it looked as if just a pure smile, but beneath the smile was something more calculating.

    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± he replied immediately.

    Raising his bowed head, Aven¡¯s serious eyes locked in on Seira¡¯s broody purples. He reached out a hand towards her, and tucked in a stray hair behind her ear. He swiftly got up, trying to veer his gaze away from her slightly parted lips.

    They were as red as cherry, and as tempting as they had been last night, and all the other nights before that.

    ¡°I will be back in a short while,¡± he said in a monotonous voice.

    Seira nodded and replied, ¡°Okay, off you go then.¡±

    He jumped off the carriage, and the Duchess of Askan¡¯s eyes followed his disappearing figure in the distance. Aven put on his cloak over his shoulder, covering carefully his uniform and the sword tied to his waist. It was a no-brainer that blood would splatter from fighting the beasts.

    Seira¡¯s purple eyes sparkled as her gaze wandered far away in the distance. A soft wind blew from the east, and the grasses swayed accordingly, as if dancing to a tune no one could hear but themselves.

    The quiet Duchess had one thought in her mind as a smile spread across her dainty face, ¡®How much are we going to earn from this?¡¯

    * * *

    Priest Vitol was going bloody mad at Seira. She didn¡¯t even lift a finger as she watched the beasts running through the trees and trampling on the grasses at the distance.

    She was the Duchess of Askan. Even if Vitol was the person in charge to lead the priests, he was in no position to tell Seira what to do. He was nothing more than just a priest too anyway.

    Hastily, he recalled the holy water that the senior priest had given him charitably. He told Vitol that it would be necessary. The senior priest had been in-charge of the 10th suppression, and he certainly swore that Vitol would need an ¡®extra life¡¯.

    ¡®Perhaps¡­¡¯ an idea slipped at the back of his head.

    Anything other than basic needs provided to the army in the temple was for sale. Holy water made through a special method was used to bless weapons. Even if it was only temporary, it greatly increased the army¡¯s strength. Therefore, individuals had to offer substantial donations to purchase it.

 Chapter 9.2

    ¡°Your Grace¡­ Holy water!¡±

    Seira¡¯s uninterested eyes looked down at the priest who called her attention.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you holy water!¡± Vitol hurriedly added.

    The Duchess raised a curious brow at him and said, ¡°Sacred water? I don¡¯t understand why you are offering such a thing all of a sudden.¡±

    Even though she seemed apathetic, Vitol didn¡¯t miss the corner of her lips rise.

    Grabbing at the opportunity, the priest offered quickly, ¡°I¡¯ll give you 50!¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Seira squinted her eyes, as if thinking if the price was just enough.

    But then again, it was half just as much spare. Seira only crossed her arms.

    ¡°70!¡± the priest raised his offer higher.

    Blood-curdling screams were creeping closer. The priests trembled and pulled Vitol¡¯s robes and simultaneously hounded him.

    ¡°What should I do?¡±

    ¡°Please¡­ do something¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to die at this rate!¡±

    Vitol¡¯s pupils shook violently. How many gold coins is worth it if not 70? He didn¡¯t think that he¡¯d be stuck in such a situation before.

    ¡°Everything! I¡¯ll give you everything!¡± he finally said to Seira.

    ¡°All?¡± she said, an interested rise in her tone evident.

    ¡°There are about a hundred left. I will give you everything, so please save us!¡± Vitol begged.

    Everyone could tell what the Duchess¡¯ beaming smile meant.

    ¡°If that is the priest¡¯s will, then there is nothing else we can do. Askan will gladly accept the favor from the temple,¡± she said.

    Her voice was so sweet and soft, laden heavy with honey. But Vitol¡¯s spine tingled with a sudden realization. What if they had nothing to give? Would she protect them even without payment?

    ¡°Good priests should be protected from harm. Isn¡¯t that right, Aven?¡± Seira asked.

    ¡°Yes, Your Grace,¡± her vassal answered.

    Count Aven Helford, a man in his black uniform who stayed next to the carriage, clenched his fist. He then raised his left arm to signal the others.

    As if by cue, knights in black uniforms passed the priests and carriages with swift movements. They couldn¡¯t even tell where they came from. They just suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

    Aven quickly took the lead even as he was one step late. Everyone lost sight of the Count in black uniform like that of a black racing stallion. The same was true for the other Askan knights. Ordinary people¡¯s vision couldn¡¯t keep up with their speeds.

    Seira had stood tall on the carriage as she lifted her scabbard over her shoulder. Her eyes narrowed into thin slits, as if to measure something.

    It was precisely at the moment where the screams from afar stopped that Seira swung her arm behind her. With great force, she threw her scabbard forward. It left a black afterimage, and the sound was very much audible as it hurtled past.

    KWAGWAGWAG!

    At the tremendous explosion that came afterwards, all the priests fell to their knees screaming. A beastly howl erupted, and Seira confirmed she had caught the intermediate-level beast with magical powers at once. She jumped off of the carriage, her sword in hand.

    The Duchess of Askan walked confidently amidst the flames. She got rid of the central part of their problem. Now, the rest was up to the knights. Even so, she had no intention of playing around.

    If it was a battle of the same difficulty, it¡¯s likely to be well-received if it was done in a flashy manner. She thought it would be necessary to increase customer satisfaction as the payment was rather high.

    The issue left now was that her subordinates¡¯ movements were too predictable. Others may not see where and how it happened, but the moves were pretty simple. Cut through the belly of the beasts, and then disappear without a trace left behind.

    Seira walked to the middle of the battle. Dark red mists rose to the air as ordinary iron swords supplied by the army slashed one beast after the other. Left and right, bombs were exploding around her. The low-ranking beasts, who looked very much similar to one another, burst out like fireworks behind her.

    Eventually, the beasts that wreaked havoc were nearly annihilated, while a few wounded fled. Seira and most of the knights didn¡¯t bother to chase them, as they were surely to die from blood loss. The priests were quick on their feet to run away and soon was nowhere to be found.

    She was rather disgusted at their display of cowardice, like they weren¡¯t even supposed to be the ones fighting the lower-ranked beasts in the first place.

    ¡°Foolish customers,¡± Seira whispered under her breath.

    Knights gathered around her one by one. They were generally expressionless, but there were a few who laughed as if amused by their little activity.

    Knights gathered around her one by one. They wore generally boring faces, but there were some who laughed because they liked the situation. The joy of the ones being served should be enough happiness to those who served, right?

    ¡°Your Grace, did you get a lot?¡± Hul, one of the captains, asked in a whisper.

    ¡°Yes. Twice the last time,¡± Seira replied, a sly smile painted on her lips.

    The captain hid his amusement, ¡°Oh, it was worth the scare then.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Seira confirmed, her eyes veering at Priest Vitol and the others who weren¡¯t brave enough to fight their own war, ¡°That priest does not have much experience at all.¡±

    The knights snorted, trying as hard as they could to hide their snickers from the rest of the priests.

    The High Priest McClane and Saint Isabel ¨C Seira did not forget them. They stood next to the Emperor and Calrad on the day her engagement was broken. She didn¡¯t want to be openly so vindictive, but she swore she¡¯d pay them back as much as she could.

    While they were fooling around, the battle came to a complete stop.

    Aven returned last. He dragged the body of an intermediate-level beast with just one hand. Its head was visibly smashed by Seira¡¯s scabbard which she had thrown earlier.

    THUD!

    Askan¡¯s loyal vassal laid the beast¡¯s body at Seira¡¯s feet. Its appearance wasn¡¯t much different than that of a tiger, but it did have a much harder skin and could walk on two legs.

    ¡°What should I do?¡± Aven asked.

    Seira looked down at the black body. The heart of a beast with magical powers is the subject of study for wizards. She only hit it square on the head, so the heart should still be intact and beating.

    ¡°Call Zion,¡± she finally instructed.

    ¡°Yes, Duchess.¡±

    Seira turned around as soon as she gave the order. The priests had abandoned their carriages and didn¡¯t even show the hem of their robes.

    ¡®What should I do?¡¯ she asked herself.

    The carriage was filled with debris from the dismantled nest. Seira¡¯s eyes narrowed into slits as she looked at the carriages lying around.

 Chapter 10.1

    ¡°Is it Askan?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir. As soon as I heard the news, I sent our Knights, but they had already been dealt with. Most of the beasts were of lower-level, but they also had one intermediate-level with special abilities.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­ I see.¡±

    Baron responded briefly to Lieutenant Alec¡¯s report. In the first place, with the possibility of an attack in mind, his calculation was right to put Askan at the rear.

    In order to lead an army efficiently and win a battle, it was necessary to use all of his resources effectively. The extra holy water that the priests brought was also part of his consideration. After all, wasn¡¯t it the soldiers in his army that guarded the carriage full of holy water?

    It was not much of a loss at all. They used resources that had to be returned to the system to compensate for its weakness. In addition, he just found a justification to pay Askan an additional allowance.

    ¡®I can hand over the whole carriage,¡¯ he thought.

    Although Seira might be oblivious, Baron was actually trying to be considerate of Askan within the powers of the commander-in-chief. Like Damebon¡¯s Pommel, Baron had never conceded to increase the number of personal encounters with Seira. Other than that, he supported her as much as he could.

    Baron shook his head, ¡®I am getting much too excited.¡¯

    Seira¡¯s beaming face that stood out from the rest flashed in his mind.

    Baron swallowed a groan. It was terrifying that his body turned hot as soon as he thought of her. He was extremely calm that no one would¡¯ve noticed he had entered the rut phase, but the thought of Seira made him waver in an instant. A greedy hunger made him lose control of his Alpha¡¯s instincts.

    Seira Askan was the only stimulant in his life, to which he knew nothing of but martial arts to the extent people said he should marry his sword instead.

    With his eyes glued forward, Baron¡¯s hands clenched and released the reins of his horse. It was not a wide plain that reflected his bright yellow eyes, but that of a beautiful woman.

    ¡°Melton!¡±

    As soon as his name was called, one of the knights in blue uniform who stood behind him approached Baron. He bowed his head to Baron and said, ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±

    The man was Melton Kernell, the Knight Commander of the Duke of Jeff.

    ¡°Encamp on the plains and search the surrounding area once more. It¡¯s no use sending our men in if there¡¯s a magic spell over it,¡± Baron instructed.

    ¡°Are you moving the knights?¡± Melton asked.

    Baron nodded.

    ¡°Send them in groups of four in the case an intermediate-level beast appears. Sei¡­ The Duchess Askan¡­ I will go meet her at the place where the beasts were hiding.¡±

    Melton saluted in acknowledgment, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Baron turned his head after watching Melton deliver his orders to the knights. He wanted to go to Seira. Alec followed him closely behind.

    Seira Askan stood out from a distance.

    She was alone in a camp predominantly consisting of Alphas. Seira was slender, and ecstatically beautiful even when she was all covered in dust. Her platinum hair was dazzling under the midday sun. Her one-of-a-kind purple eyes were as mysterious as precious jewels.

    Her wrist and ankle were exposed, but the first thing that attracted Baron¡¯s attention was Seira¡¯s fair nape. It was extremely tempting that any Alpha would want to sink his teeth into her.

    Sure enough, Alphas from other noble families were glancing at Seira¡¯s neck. Baron knew very well the promiscuous scenes that played in their minds.

    Feeling frustrated, Baron hastened his pace. It wasn¡¯t until he narrowed the distance between them that he started to notice everything else around the Duchess of Askan.

    Aven Helford was right next to Seira, holding the reins in his hands. What they were talking about was vague, for only Seira¡¯s laughter was clear to Baron. Other Knights of Askan were already on horseback too, waiting for orders to be issued.

    Seira was about to receive the reins from Aven¡¯s hand, but all of a sudden, her head turned to the side where Baron was approaching.

    The smile on her face wavered, but she quickly recovered. Seira smiled even wider, as if she had swapped a mask on her face in the blink of an eye.

    ¡°Commander-in-chief,¡± she greeted him.

    Alec held his breath as he stood next to Baron. It had now become common practice for those of Jeff¡¯s knights who saw Seira. It was mostly for precaution ¨C they were always reminded how terrifyingly enchanting the pure-blooded Omega¡¯s beauty was every time they looked. Not to mention how strong her pheromones were.

    She was one of the three Dukes of the empire, and the woman whom their master is greatly infatuated with. It was going to be a huge pain in the ass if she¡¯d actually succeed in bewitching the whole of the Jeffs.

    ¡°What brings you here?¡± Seira asked without beating around the bush.

    ¡°I heard there was a battle,¡± Baron replied shortly.

    Seira herself may be oblivious to how he felt, but to Alec¡¯s ears, Commander-in-chief Baron¡¯s voice was so sweet that it took him by surprise. Perhaps the same was true in his eyes. It was pretty much one of the rarest of occasions which could never be witnessed against anyone.

    ¡°Well, yes,¡± Seira said, and then quickly added, ¡°it wasn¡¯t much of a big deal. Although, there had been one intermediate-level mixed in.¡±

    ¡°It seems that the reconnaissance was not enough,¡± Baron sighed, ¡°Good work.¡±

    ¡°What? I still need to look around again. There might be more of those intermediate-level beasts with magical affinities that we missed.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to send some knights to scout. And¡­ I¡¯m thinking of going to one of the beast¡¯s possible hideouts.¡± Baron leaned toward her and whispered indiscreetly, ¡°I want you to come with me.¡±

    The corners of Seira¡¯s lips raised as she met his gaze.

    ¡°For free?¡± she asked him.

    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Baron shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t you need a carriage to carry holy water?¡±

    A mischievous grin spread over Seira¡¯s face, ¡°Oh? Are you giving it to me?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the commander-in-chief confirmed.

    Seira was quick to accept his proposal. In addition to the holy water, there was quite a lot she had to take with her.

    ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll be your guide,¡± she waved for Baron to follow her.

    Aven had quietly watched and listened to their conversation from the sidelines. He handed over the reins to Seira and she gladly took them. The Duchess then put her foot on the stirrups before finally heaving herself up onto the horse¡¯s back.

 Chapter 10.2

    ¡°How long will you take? You haven¡¯t eaten anything yet,¡± he asked Seira.

    Baron frowned as he heard Aven¡¯s query. He looked back at Seira and a brow shot up as he asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you eat?¡±

    ¡°I was sleeping,¡± she merely shrugged his question off as if it was nothing of importance.

    Baron clicked his tongue at her curt reply. It was clear that her physical condition was abnormal, given that she chose sleep over food. He had told her to say if she had a hard time, but Seira was too stubborn to admit weakness even if she died.

    ¡®I¡¯ll have to feed her something decent, not military food,¡¯ he thought to himself.

    ¡°You won¡¯t have to worry about that, Aven,¡± Baron said, ¡°I will take care of her meal myself.¡±

    ¡°Very well, then.¡± Aven bowed his head slightly and took a few steps back as he said, ¡°Have a safe trip.¡±

    Alec hastily handed Baron¡¯s items which he had packed. He was preoccupied rolling his eyes at the back that he didn¡¯t even realize Baron was looking at him.

    ¡°Good-bye, sir,¡± he bid the commander-in-chief bye.

    Baron nodded at the quick-witted lieutenant and rode off without delay. He glanced back at Seira, who immediately followed him, and they left the camp at a moderate speed.

    After 30 minutes of sprinting through the plains, the two were able to reach the edge of the forest. By this time, the terrain could only be traversed by foot, so they had to get off their horses and lead them cautiously.

    ¡°Do you plan to stay in Askan when you return?¡± Baron suddenly asked her.

    Seira shrugged her shoulders at Baron¡¯s out of the blue question.

    ¡°Well, farming failed this year,¡± she spoke with little emotion, if none at all.

    It was fall season, but there was still nothing to harvest from Askan soils. Even as they tilled the soil and sowed as many seeds as they could. It was only expected that there was no growth in a dead land.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Seira noticed that the commander-in-chief seemed to be holding back something. His eyes were darting back and forth at her the whole time. Plus, his lips trembled slightly like he was a bit nervous.

    ¡°Do you have something you want to say?¡± she asked Baron.

    ¡°Seira¡­¡± The Alpha hesitated for a short while, before clearing his throat and finally saying, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that the amount of money you pour into Askan could buy you a more fertile land, right?¡±

    The Duchess could only smile at his question. Every year, the money spent to revitalize Askan¡¯s estate was enormous. But to Seira, it had to be done. No matter how fertile other lands may be, it meant nothing to her.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay in Jeff during the winter?¡± Baron lightly suggested.

    ¡°What¡¯s the point of leaving my duchy under its current situation?¡± Seira asked him, her tone rising just a bit.

    Baron considered refuting Seira¡¯s idea, but he ultimately chose to express his true intentions.

    ¡°It¡¯s only a suggestion, Seira,¡± Baron tried to calm her down. ¡°I wanted to spend some time with you.¡±

    Seira¡¯s head swung back at his blunt words. His gaze was directed at her too.

    ¡°I think the cycle is almost right.¡± Baron pointed out, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be best if I became your partner?¡±

    ¡°Why? So that you can secure an heir to the delight of the people around you?¡± she snapped back at him.

    Even as they were both heads of their duchy, Seira and Baron were different.

    Seira didn¡¯t have anyone to nag her about getting married. In such a case, it didn¡¯t matter how long she had to spend money to return Askan to its former glory.

    On the other hand, since the Duke Jeff was far different from their prestige, surely people were hounding him to settle down and secure an heir already.

    It wouldn¡¯t be too much if he had himself a fiance, but Baron never even held anyone¡¯s hand in the family. Perhaps after Seira had manifested as an Omega, those who wished to see an heir through her must have been fighting.

    ¡°I just want a relationship with you, but not for that reason. No¡­¡± Baron shook his head as he denied her suspicions, ¡°And¡­ and I think you need me, too.¡±

    ¡°What about me? It¡¯s not like there¡¯s no Alpha in Askan,¡± Seira said calmly, making sure to look him in the eye. ¡°I don¡¯t have any other reason to be involved with you, do I?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The Alpha of Askan. The words stuck in Baron¡¯s ear.

    Come to think of it, Seira¡¯s pheromones were surprisingly more stable than that of last night. Inhibitors were not much help to pure bloods, especially an Omega in heat. Baron could only think of one way ¨C she satisfied her natural desires by having sex with an Alpha.

    ¡®No¡­ don¡¯t tell me that what I think is true¡­¡¯ Baron¡¯s eyes trembled with a sudden realization dawning on him.

    One face came to Baron¡¯s mind ¨C Seira¡¯s loyal vassal who always kept her company.

    Baron was never interested in the appearance of other Alphas, especially of the males. But he knew well since he had ears.

    Her vassal was on the leaner side for a master-class slayer, and was more popular with the younger generation. His gray hair, as if painted in achromatic colors, and black eyes like the night sky were rare. His expressionless face, devoid of emotion to which you could never know what he was thinking, gave him a mysterious air around him.

    ¡®Was that her preference?¡¯ Baron could only ask himself.

    But Aven Helford wasn¡¯t a pure-blooded aristocrat; not even a high-ranking nobleman. He was just a vassal of Askan.

 Chapter 11.1

    ¡°Shall we finish what we came here for, commander-in-chief?¡±

    Unfortunately for Baron, Seira¡¯s eyes did not show any signs of regret.

    In the first place, even if he was pure-blooded or not, it was important that he saw to his future. From Seira¡¯s perspective, as the owner of Askan, he had only sounded ridiculous.

    ¡®I was wrong,¡¯ he thought.

    Baron rolled his tongue to the back of his mouth and turned his head away. Neither an Alpha who could solve her heat cycle nor a purebred seed could make any difference. Not unless there was another factor that would attract her attention.

    The two of them tracked the traces of mana left by the intermediate-level beast. After about 20 minutes of heavy silence, they found a hidden cave between haphazardly piled rocks.

    Baron frowned as he examined the torn vines.

    ¡°He was hiding here? How the hell could a beast know how?¡±

    ¡°Right. It¡¯s not an easy hiding place to find, or to build at that,¡± Seira agreed.

    After they tied their horses to the tree right by the cave¡¯s entrance, the two of them entered. Unlike the narrow entrance, the inside turned out to be much wider and deeper than they expected. Baron searched thoroughly while tracing remaining mana, but he couldn¡¯t find any other signs.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think there is any more left in here,¡± he deduced.

    ¡°That would be because intermediate-level beasts with magic are uncommon,¡± Seira said as she veered her attention to something near her feet.

    While she examined the cave floor, Seira found a considerable amount of what seemed like gray powder. It was subtly different from the floor color. As Seira knelt and swiped some of it with her finger, Baron approached her.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s like ashes,¡± he noted.

    ¡°Right? It¡¯s like the remains of a fire.¡±

    There was no way that beasts could start a fire. Then what was it?

    ¡°Is this place well known to the locals?¡± Baron asked as both of them rose from examining the ground.

    ¡°Probably,¡± Seira answered, ¡°They said there were lots of herbalists around here, so they should know this place pretty well.¡±

    They couldn¡¯t find any other connection except for the fact that the herbalists and beast¡¯s hideout coincidentally overlapped. After finishing their inspection of the cave, Seira and Baron went out without wasting time.

    ¡°Just in case, let¡¯s go further into the woods,¡± Baron said as he pointed towards the distance.

    Seira agreed to Baron¡¯s suggestion. It wouldn¡¯t be much of a problem to walk through the forest even if it gets dark. This would be thanks to their vision, which was far greater than that of ordinary people.

    In the end, the two of them found no more traces of magic or signs of mana as they went deeper into the woods. Instead, they only found a quiet spring surrounded by high rock walls.

    As if they had planned it, the two of them looked at each other. Seira¡¯s eyes twinkled with anticipation and Baron¡¯s eyes softened.

    Baron waved his hand towards the spring as he said, ¡°Let¡¯s take turns washing up. You may go in first, Seira.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, then I shall go first if you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t hate it,¡± she quickly said.

    Seira didn¡¯t decline. When she joined the army, the opportunity to wash up was extremely rare. Unlike those of other noble families, it was not easy bathing in the barracks without bringing maids and servants to attend her. Seira had no choice but to clean herself by wiping a wet towel all over her body.

    So, when they chance upon any source of water during their missions, their eyes automatically shine.

    ¡°Don¡¯t peek. Put your family¡¯s honor on it,¡± Seira demanded Baron.

    Baron laughed and said, ¡°Do we even need to do that for this?¡± As Seira put her hands to her waist and raised an indignant brow at him, Baron relented and said, ¡°Of course, of course. I won¡¯t peek at my family¡¯s honor.¡±

    He stepped behind a large rock; his hands raised as if in mock defeat. After checking that his angle didn¡¯t allow him even a sliver of chance to peek, Seira quickly began to undress.

    She laid her cape to the ground, took off her boots, jacket, pants, shirt, and underwear. She rolled all of them up, placed them somewhere far enough so they won¡¯t get wet, but close enough to grab in case of emergencies. Once all of those were done, Seira finally jumped into the water.

    The water was cold enough to make her shiver, but it didn¡¯t matter at all.

    ¡®Ah¡­ I¡¯m alive,¡± she thought to herself.

    Sex during the heat cycle was simply mating of animals. Even though she had intercourse in a nightgown, her whole body was a mess that there was almost no spot left unmarked by semen. She changed the water several times as she wiped them off afterwards, but it was incomparable to soaking her entire body in the cold water like this.

    When she touched her hair, it was all still tangled.

    ¡®Ugh¡­ did it actually shoot up to my head too?¡¯ she thought.

    Several scenes flashed in front of her eyes as she was afraid to raise any doubts. Aven rubbing his hard cock on her nipples, or herself licking his balls like they were the sweetest candy around.

    ¡®Ugh¡­¡¯

    As her body began to heat up and her lower part began to throb, Seira shooked her head and tried to erase the memories of last night from her head.

    ¡®I¡¯m lucky it was just this much,¡¯ she thought.

    Seira actually felt sorry for Baron who was going to wash up after her.

    She grumbled as she scrubbed her head for a long time. Her hair had turned quite hard, which made the dirt difficult to remove by hand. Even her hair tie was entangled.

    ¡®Should I cut it shorter then?¡¯ she wondered.

    It was hard to manage, so she thought of cutting it until the back of her neck. But then again it would still be quite cumbersome.

    ¡®Oh, finally!¡¯

    At last she successfully managed to get her hair tie off. Immediately, her platinum blonde hair unraveled onto the water¡¯s surface. After some time, she satisfactorily brushed her hair and washed her body clean.

    ¡®I should get changed now,¡¯ she decided.

    Suddenly, Seira sensed a movement in the opposite direction of the rock where Baron sat leaning. At first she thought it was just one person, but in fact it was a group of three individuals. Possibly even more.

    ¡®Oh, my¡­¡¯

    It was most likely that they were men who came with Baron to search the beast¡¯s den. Seira knew it was already pointless to scramble for her clothes. She slowly got out of the water, but her stare was intense as if the intention was to kill.

    ¡°Seira,¡± she heard Baron¡¯s voice call out to her softly.

 Chapter 11.2

    At that moment, Baron got up and their eyes met. To his surprise, Seira flung her jacket to his face ¨C quite violently too. By the time that he had removed the cloth that blocked his view, her entire body was already covered with her own cloak.

    Baron stared blankly as Seira shoved her shirt, pants and underwear into her bag. So what is she wearing underneath now? He already knew the answer to his question, but he still ended up guessing in his head that she didn¡¯t have anything put on under the cloak.

    ¡°Be quiet,¡± Seira told Baron.

    Shortly afterwards, they heard a voice call out, ¡°Oh, commander-in-chief!¡±

    Baron and Seira froze at the voice calling out. Heavy footsteps and armors clinking soon rushed over to their superiors. It was quite an unexpected scene as well. Baron managed to take his eyes off of Seira¡¯s dripping hair, and slowly turned around.

    ¡°You must have been working on the search so hard to come this far off,¡± Baron noted.

    The knights were immediately recognized as Imperial Knights of Templar.

    One of the knights replied to Baron, ¡°Yes, but we haven¡¯t achieved anything yet.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡± Baron mumbled under his voice.

    He quickly noticed that they were glancing behind him. For a short moment, his mood dropped rock bottom when he recalled Seira¡¯s clearly engraved image in his head.

    ¡°From here to the edge of the forest, we checked as we walked by. Go the other way,¡± he ordered the knights.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡­ As you wish, commander-in-chief. We will do that.¡±

    The knights felt that Baron¡¯s voice was unusually apprehensive. They quickly turned around and went the other way that Baron ordered them to go. The commander-in-chief watched them march fast.

    ¡®It¡¯s going to reach His Majesty¡¯s ears¡­¡¯ he thought.

    As soon as they returned to camp, one of the knights would deliver a report in detail. How Baron Jeff and Duchess Seira Askan stood at the forest springs. What the atmosphere was like between them ¨C what could be perceived as a scandalous atmosphere that was between them at that.

    But aside from that, there was something else that truly bothered Baron at the moment. He turned to face her and Seira equally stared back at him.

    She had a blank face. Seira had her arms crossed just below her chest. It was quite confusing to Baron if she was angry or just confused by the situation.

    ¡°I am sorry for earlier. I didn¡¯t mean to peek,¡± Baron spoke first after a long awkward silence.

    ¡°Yeah, well, it was an accident. I¡¯ll let this one slide,¡± she quickly dismissed it.

    Baron took a step closer to her, picking up her bag to help her finish dressing.

    ¡°But what are those scars on your body?¡± he suddenly asked her.

    Seira¡¯s brows furrowed, creating a wrinkle on her forehead.

    ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± she curtly responded to him.

    ¡°Is it the scar left by Alpha who was with you last night?¡± he asked in a low voice. ¡°Aven Helford. Did he do this to you?¡±

    A great misunderstanding led Seira to straighten her back. She turned around and faced him square on. At first glance her purplish eyes and Baron¡¯s bright yellows glared fiercely at each other.

    * * *

    Aven checked the barracks one more time. The heat cycle does not end in a day, although he understood that Seira¡¯s condition has stabilized and improved much after last night. But then again, perhaps she will still need him tonight.

    He prepared extra sheets and blankets, and then made the bed. After checking every nook and cranny to see any damages, he slowly got up and decided all seemed to be clear. After preparing the clothes she can change to when she comes back and the uniform for tomorrow, Aven left Seira¡¯s barracks.

    ¡°Uh¡­ Helford vassal!¡±

    As soon as he came out, a man approached him. Aven¡¯s eyes turned to slits as he looked at him.

    ¡°Sir Glad,¡± he greeted the man.

    It was Damon Glad, the second son of the Marquis of Glad.

    ¡°Is the Duchess inside?¡± the man asked, peeking over Aven¡¯s shoulder as if already distrustful even before Aven answered his question.

    ¡°Why do you ask that?¡± Aven asked him instead.

    He was a well-known writer despite his sloppy appearance. He had a promiscuous relationship with women despite them being lower than him. Even though Viseltium was very sexually open and has a wide range of tolerance, Damon¡¯s ways were considered quite unusual especially with the rumors. He also somewhat had an arrogant disposition that didn¡¯t respect other people¡¯s tastes.

    ¡°I have something to discuss. Is she inside or not?¡± Damon insisted.

    Aven casually slipped a gaze downward. In the man¡¯s hand, there looked like a bottle he must have planned to offer as a gift.

    ¡°If you need anything, you can tell me first,¡± Aven did not budge even a tiny bit.

    ¡°What?¡± Damon scoffed in disbelief. ¡°Are you implying that you deny me access to the Duchess?¡±

    Aven merely replied, ¡°The Knights of Glad and Askan have no overlap in duties. I have not been told by Duchess Askan about your visit. We cannot let anyone into her barracks for no reason.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a load of bullshit,¡± Damon laughed dumbfounded. ¡°The Helford vassal better watch what he says. Maybe I could be your new owner.¡±

    Aven was taken aback for a second, and then asked seriously, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± He didn¡¯t like where this was going.

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t think this is the appropriate place to discuss it.¡±

    Damon leaned close to Aven and softly whispered beside him, ¡°I¡¯m thinking of proposing a marriage with Askan.¡±

    Aven instantly frowned at the topic mentioned.

    ¡°Marriage? Who is getting married?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Damon snorted and then added, ¡°I mean, I, Damon Glad, am thinking of joining the Askans!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    When Aven did not respond, Damon clicked his tongue with dissatisfaction and began to make a fuss.

    ¡°It¡¯s been seven years since she broke off the engagement with His Majesty. To be honest, who would propose to a woman who has nothing but a dead land and a divorced woman? But we cannot wait until the noble Askan bloodline is completely dead. So, I¡¯d like to be her husband.¡±

    Aven stood shocked with Damon¡¯s audacity.

    He was talking as if Seira would gladly accept his proposal.

 Chapter 12.1

    Three years had passed since Calrad ascended to the throne. However, he still didn¡¯t withdraw his decree. Most of the nobles knew the decision was made so that Askan¡¯s privileges were completely stripped off ¨C the Emperor¡¯s anger at his ex-fiancee was alarming.

    Seira Askan never appeared within the social circles of high society. Half of a year she¡¯d spend on the battlefield and the other half shut in her territories. When necessary, she used Aven Helford as deputy to communicate her opinions.

    Still, high-ranking nobles continued to keep an eye on Seira Askan.

    Her bloodline was a powerful force. She proved their views even more when she became a master-class slayer in just four years. And to think she only took the sword in her adulthood too!

    In addition, there were no Omega of marriageable age in the Viseltium imperial family, except for Askan, Jeff, and Franto. If Seira should fail to revive the barren land of Askan and eventually renounce her dukeship, then she¡¯ll become the most coveted bride of the empire.

    But if she didn¡¯t give up to the very end and still married, the family that would get mixed with them would have to shoulder Askan. Because of this, powerful families were trying to figure out whether she would give up the duchy or not.

    Among them, was the head of the Glad family. Instead of his eldest son, Kirill Glad, he sent his second son Damon to spy on her.

    ¡°I¡¯ve come to see you since you don¡¯t show yourself much in high society,¡± he spoke to Aven. ¡°I must say, it is rewarding to see you in person.¡±

    It seemed that the reason why the Knights of Glad joined late was for this.

    Aven looked down at Damon who was smirking impishly. He wondered ¨C how many men would be looking at Seira in this way?

    The problem was that he wasn¡¯t sure how she would react to idiots like Damon. Would she really accept a marriage proposal with saving Askan as one of the main reasons?

    ¡®It¡¯s nonsense,¡¯ Aven thought at the back of his mind.

    Seira was the only pure-blooded Omega of this generation, and was a precious person. According to the treaty, she should have been the Empress of the empire. The second son of the Marquis was not a person who can talk as recklessly as if he was pure-blooded like the Alphas of Viseltium, Jeff, and Franto.

    ¡°Her Highness is not in the barracks now,¡± came Aven¡¯s short reply.

    ¡°Hmm? Where did she go?¡±

    ¡°She went on a reconnaissance mission.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my God, I came at the wrong time,¡± Damon murmured afterwards with a troubled face.

    Noticing this, Aven added, ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to inform you when she gets back.¡±

    ¡°Oh, will you?¡± the noble grinned. He was obviously pleased with Aven¡¯s submissive attitude. ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask you a favor. I¡¯ll return to the barracks for now and wait.¡±

    Aven slowly blinked as he observed Damon¡¯s back while he retreated with his bottle of wine. A ferocious darkness fell over his eyes, where only indifference would have been normal.

    ¡°Nell,¡± he called out, his voice low and barely a whisper.

    Instantly, a dark silhouette stepped out of the shadow next to Seira¡¯s barracks.

    ¡°Did you call me?¡± the person asked.

    Aven¡¯s eyes were still following Damon Glad¡¯s footsteps.

    ¡°Put him to sleep and search him. Take everything that¡¯s suspicious, including the bottle he brought with him, and then bring them back immediately,¡± he instructed.

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    The dark figure lowered her head, and then took another step back as she disappeared once again into the shadows.

    Aven stood in front of Seira¡¯s barracks, waiting patiently for her return. The vast plains that lead far into the forest were already turning orange. Night was soon to come.

    * * *

    ¡°If you don¡¯t say anything, that would only mean I¡¯m right.¡±

    Unlike her calm and indifferent appearance, Seira¡¯s mind was in disarray.

    ¡®Great¡­¡¯ she grumbled in her head.

    The scars left on her body were actually aftereffects of her power, a weakness that she had to bear as an Omega. If she had been a pure-blooded Alpha like Baron, she would¡¯ve been able to handle the immense destructive power of a master-class slayer without having to use her own powers.

    ¡®I can¡¯t admit to Baron my weakness.¡¯

    If she was to be honest with him, as commander-in-chief, she and the Askan Knights could¡¯ve been excluded from future battles. Baron was a commander who valued both performance and due process and was the type that didn¡¯t leave a single element of uncertainty during important missions.

    However, Seira didn¡¯t want to remain mum and letAven be misunderstood too. Her precious vassal was not worthy of being treated as trash so that she could bury her weakness with a convenient lie.

    ¡®I can never do it,¡¯ Seira made up her mind.

    The corners of her mouth lifted as she said, ¡°This can happen when we play together. Most of my alpha¡¯s are a little too full of energy.¡±

    ¡°Alphas?¡± Baron¡¯s bright yellow eyes shook wildly.

    ¡°Yes, Alphas. Is there a problem with that?¡± she asked back, tilting her head to the side as if challenging Baron.

    Was there a noble Omega in Viseltium who didn¡¯t fool around like this? Because Seira was sure there had been something like it in the past.

    ¡°¡­I see,¡± Baron finally replied.

    The look of confusion in his face instantly disappeared. It was to be noted that he even agreed to the idea with a calmer demeanor.

    ¡°If that¡¯s your preference, there¡¯s nothing you can do,¡± he commented.

    ¡°Well, now that that was cleared, just wash up,¡± Seira waved him towards the water, ¡°Don¡¯t bother yourself with useless things.¡±

    It was a lot different in the past when she cared about her behavior to maintain the flawless crown princess image. Seira didn¡¯t give a damn what Baron thought of her. It would be better if he believed in her promiscuity and totally stopped asking her to spend more time together in the future.

    With that in mind, Seira picked up her bag again, but then suddenly heard a sound of something heavy falling to the ground. She turned around and her eyes widened with surprise.

    ¡°¡­what are you doing?¡± she asked Baron in disbelief.

    Even with just his cape off, Baron¡¯s figure was eye-catching as he slowly stripped.

    ¡°Are you bothered by it? You have seen a lot of Alphas bodies anyway,¡± he spoke with a hint of an evil tease in it.

    His eyes looked dead straight into her face as he continued to unbutton his shirt. It was as if he was testing if what Seira said was the truth or merely a convenient excuse.

    ¡°Are you asking me to score you and your boulder-like muscles?¡± Seira asked in a mocking tone.

    ¡°Will you?¡± he playfully retorted.

    Seira frowned and crinkled her nose, but she did not look away entirely. She had no intention of falling for the same provocation or boosting his ego. She was just curious in the first place.

    ¡®The head of Jeff¡¯s body has unrivaled power,¡¯ Seira noted.

 Chapter 12.2

    Seven years ago, she spent a night with Calrad who was a pure-blooded Alpha, but she didn¡¯t properly see his body. He only had sex with what was below her waist, and she was too young and naive at the time, she didn¡¯t even dare to look at their genitals erotically connected with each other.

    ¡®Let¡¯s see how great it is then¡­¡¯

    But before she knew it, Baron had already loosened his cuff links, unbuttoned his shirt and jacket, and then took them off all at once. Once his upper body, which was usually covered with his uniform, was revealed, Seira almost cried out without even realizing it.

    The muscles that covered his entire body looked so hard and resilient. Even if one would stab him with a knife, surely it would just bounce off right away. Although, it was still surprising that he didn¡¯t look much duller. It may be due to the perfect combination of tall, wide shoulders, and relatively small waist.

    Did she already mention he was almost one and a half size taller than any normal person?

    ¡®So that¡¯s why he was so confident,¡¯ she admitted to herself, despite finding it annoying.

    With a handsome face and strong body made up of thick, sharp lines ¨C he was more than just attractive. If he wanted to seduce an Omega, he would¡¯ve found it much easier with just his naked body in his arsenal.

    Wasn¡¯t it Baron who added prestige as a pure-blooded Alpha to the Jeff family?

    ¡®If only I had been like that¡­¡¯ Seira frowned.

    She would¡¯ve been able to fight in comfort, but it was also a bit disappointing.

    Baron observed Seira¡¯s surprised expression, and then relaxed his waist as his fingers hung at the rim of his pants and underwear, pulling them slowly downwards.

    The iliac bone that looked prominent due to muscles firmly positioned below his navel¡­ the thick and heavy volume below slowly rising¡­ They were just few of the reasons anyone would be sexually attracted to him.

    GRRR~

    The breathtaking silence and tension was suddenly cut off by one small sound.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Baron removed his hand out of his underwear with a disappointed look. He had said he would take care of her, but then he realized that he had made Seira work on an empty stomach.

    Seira, who coughed a little, took her eyes off him and said, ¡°Why did you even stop? I thought you wanted me to take a look at it.¡±

    ¡°Seira¡­¡±

    He grabbed her by the hem of her cloak as she tried to pass him by.

    ¡°What is it again?¡± she snapped at him.

    ¡°I brought a few snacks,¡± Baron said and then pointed at the direction of his bag, ¡°Open it.¡±

    Seira glanced at him and replied curtly, ¡°Oh¡­ thank you for the food then.¡±

    She then nodded her head, and went back behind the rock pretending to be calm.

    ¡®Wow, I almost saw something incredible.¡¯

    She heaved a sigh of relief, and then Seira took out the clothes she had stuffed into her bag. She was almost dry now. As she shook off her wrinkled clothes, Seira pressed her hand on her hot cheeks. She couldn¡¯t tell if it was from the embarrassment of her stomach growling or because she saw Baron¡¯s body.

    Leaning against the rock, she scoured Baron¡¯s bag as she wiped her hair with a handkerchief pulled from her jacket¡¯s inner pocket. After she found several items wrapped in brown paper, she could tell they were already too big to be called ¡°a few¡±.

    ¡°He sure brought a lot,¡± she muttered.

    The savory smell from his bag sent a surge of hunger in her. Seira took a piece of jerky and popped it into her mouth. The taste quality was definitely far better than that of military rations.

    ¡®This is really good¡­¡¯

    She¡¯d always thought that the food she got from time to time was delicious, but the beef jerky really suited her taste buds. It was seasoned well and soft, so she kept on reaching for another piece. After chewing as much as she could, Seira later realized she had already finished a third of the pack.

    It was time to lick her lips clean and take a look inside the other packs, thinking that she should leave some for Baron¡¯s consumption.

    ¡®¡­what?!¡¯

    All of a sudden, an unmistakable smell far different from the biscuits in the second pack passed the tip of Seira¡¯s nose. The next moment, she heard a disgruntled groan.

    ¡°Ugh¡­.¡±

    A storm of pheromones swept around. Seira¡¯s hands slipped, causing the biscuits to spille and roll on the ground.

    It was a frighteningly dense and heavy woody scent. The pheromones of a pure-blooded Alpha that ran amok made her body heat up, making it difficult for her to breath.

    When Seira finally managed to get up and glance back at the spring site, she found Baron groaning in agony, half submerged in the cold waters.

    ¡°Baron?¡± she called out to him.

    His shoulders twitched at the sound of her voice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t come, Seira!¡± he exclaimed as he trembled uncontrollably, ¡°You better stay away from me.¡±

 Chapter 13.1

    Seira could see the white steam rising from Baron¡¯s skin. It seemed like he temporarily lost control of his power because of the rut.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you take any inhibitors?¡± she asked him from afar.

    ¡°I took some¡­¡± he said in between huffs, ¡°I took¡­¡±

    Baron had covered his face with his hands, but Seira could see his contorted face through the cracks between his fingers.

    ¡°Water, your body scent¡­¡± he mumbled.

    Only then did Seira realize the reason he felt numb. She must have left traces of the dried up liquids from her passionate love affair into the water after she washed.

    Just as an Alpha¡¯s semen was like an aphrodisiac to an Omega, all the more was it the other way around. An Omega¡¯s juices were more than enough to hypnotize an Alpha. It was no wonder that a pure-blooded Alpha like Baron suddenly went into the rut period when he encountered it.

    ¡®I should have let Baron wash up first,¡¯ Seira thought to herself.

    But no matter what she realized now, it was already too late.

    ¡®What should I do?¡¯

    Seira did not move an inch from where she was. She stared at him for a few seconds before she asked with hesitation, ¡°Would you let me lend my pheromones?¡±

    It was clear that it would be better to help him get rid of the heavy feeling as quickly as possible. For the very first time, Seira felt sorry for Baron. She knew so well the agony of going through the heat cycle which was almost the same for the rut phase. She understood.

    Baron looked at her as he continued to tremble, ¡°C-can you do that? Please?¡±

    Instead of answering his plea, Seira immediately released her pheromones. The Omega¡¯s scent, which was of a different quality from the one she¡¯d release when aroused, spread out like wildfire.

    Baron¡¯s mouth was shut tight, but a moan sneaked out nonetheless, ¡°Ugh¡­.¡±

    Walking among a thousand blooming flowers wouldn¡¯t compare. Even if he got intoxicated with a whole bottle of wine, overdosed on drugs that could poison dozens of men all at once, the feeling he had now was far more extreme.

    His body that was exposed to the water turned redder. He looked as if he was being boiled alive, the redness spreading to his ears, neck, and face. With every rise and fall of his chest, it was as if Seira could actually feel the tremors of his trembling shoulders.

    ¡®I¡¯ve never seen him like this before,¡¯ she mused.

    It was quite strange to see him lose his composure. When faced by a Guardian he remained calm, but now he seemed utterly helpless. As she observed Baron¡¯s reaction, she noted his hand beneath the water.

    Seira closed her eyes as she immediately turned away. There was no need to watch her commander-in-chief pleasure himself.

    She stared downwards instead, and noted the scattered biscuits near her feet. She pushed them away as she sat back against the rock, covering her face with her hands. It was embarrassing to hear the water splashing behind her. Seira could only imagine what Baron was doing.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    She couldn¡¯t relax as well because of Baron¡¯s pheromones that clung persistently to her. If she hadn¡¯t satisfied her desires by fucking all night long, she might have joined Baron already without thinking twice.

    By the time his pheromones finally settled down after a while, his body was drenched in sweat without properly washing. It was very unpleasant for the clothes to stick to his damp skin, but now the spring waters were no longer usable.

    ¡®What is this?¡¯

    Baron approached Seira slowly. Of course, he was already fully dressed.

    ¡°I¡¯ve caused you much trouble. I¡¯m very sorry,¡± he sighed in despair.

    He must have been quite ashamed as his head bowed so low she couldn¡¯t even look at him properly. Seeing his shoulders which were broader than hers drooped, Seira stifled a laugh.

    ¡®Apparently this man could actually look cute sometimes,¡¯ she thought to herself.

    Seira rose and then lightly flicked her finger on Baron¡¯s wrinkled forehead, making him suddenly rock his head backwards. He didn¡¯t anticipate that she would do that.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Baron,¡± she said, ¡°so show your face already.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Baron continued to be silent, still drowning in shame as he recalled the things that happened a while ago.

    Seira¡¯s eyes turned soft. She reached out to his face and tried to comfort him as she said, ¡°It¡¯s alright since you got through it safely. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything else. It doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡±

    Baron fought every emotion that exploded within him at Seira¡¯s touch. It took him several seconds to actually reply to her, as he wanted to make sure he was calm enough before speaking. He feared he would say something stupid.

    ¡°¡­¡­okay,¡± was the only word that came out from his mouth.

    Seira smiled and then turned around with a swing of her bag. She walked ahead of Baron, and he was left behind rubbing his forehead gently as he contemplated.

    Seira Askan was probably the only one who could put a random hand on his face, the empire¡¯s commander-in-chief and head of the Jeff family. Ironically, Baron regretted the moment her hand left his skin so much to the point he frowned even harder.

    Baron was not used to remorse. As the successor of Jeff, he had always made the right choice with his cold reason and sound judgment, in which he had been trained since childhood.

    But whenever he was with her, everything just went flying out the window. He was so flustered with impatience that he made mistakes over and over again.

    Just as it had been today. He only antagonized Seira as he hastily talked about his romantic wishes instead of appealing his charm to her. He even got into a shameful incident in her presence. Baron was already out of ideas how he could even make up for all of those in the future.

    ¡°You¡¯re going down right away, aren¡¯t you?¡± Seira asked him, untying the horses¡¯ reins they secured to the tree.

    ¡°Yes, we probably should,¡± Baron replied curtly.

    They already confirmed there were no hidden beasts around, so there was nothing more to do. Going down the forest path, Seira picked up the leftover biscuits from the bag and started munching on them.

    ¡°Are you hungry?¡± she suddenly asked.

    Baron jerked as he replied, ¡°What?¡±

    Seira looked at him and the biscuit back and forth. She could basically hear him gulp as he stared at her lips intently.

 Chapter 13.2

    ¡°Do you want some?¡± she asked him again.

    It was quite obvious that he wanted to eat, so she took out a biscuit and held it towards his face. Suddenly, Baron ate the biscuit in one big bite. As if it wasn¡¯t enough, he even licked her fingers before raising his head.

    Seira¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground. Was it just an honest accident or was Baron playing with her? She just couldn¡¯t begin to comprehend what happened.

    ¡°Why did you eat it with just your mouth?¡± she asked, her voice raising in incredulity.

    ¡°Because my hands are dirty,¡± came his simple reply.

    Baron showed his open palms towards her. It really didn¡¯t matter anymore if it was dirty or not.

    Disgusted by her saliva-drenched fingers, Seira rubbed them by the hem of her cloak and then held out the bag of biscuits to Baron.

    ¡°Just take it and eat it,¡± she told him.

    But Baron didn¡¯t even look at the bag of biscuits.

    ¡°I won¡¯t lick them this time,¡± he promised her, ¡°so can you feed me a little more? I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    Seira glared at Baron with her eyes narrowed into thin slits of suspicion.

    ¡®Is he pretending to be pitiful now?¡¯ she thought at the back of her mind.

    The way he widened his sorrowful eyes at her asking to be fed biscuits reminded Seira of a childhood puppy. She clicked her tongue and against her better judgment, held out another biscuit towards him. Only then did the corners of Baron¡¯s mouth lift into a satisfied smile.

    When they finally got out of the forest, the biscuits disappeared into both of their stomachs. Baron watched Seira toss the empty bag of biscuits with regret. He reached out to her cheek and then gently wiped with the back of his hand.

    ¡°There were crumbs stuck,¡± he said.

    ¡°¡­Right.¡±

    ¡°Jeff¡¯s cooking skills are pretty good, right?¡± Baron asked her, trying to make one last good impression on her.

    Seira didn¡¯t feel the need to answer and merely shrugged at the question.

    The two of them leisurely traveled across the dark plain as the sun retired for the day. As they started to see the camp lights shining in the distance, Seira suddenly turned towards Baron and asked, ¡°Have you ever been in a nest before?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s in the custody of the priests. I never thought about going in,¡± he immediately responded.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I see.¡±

    Baron turned towards Seira with a curious look, ¡°Why do you ask that all of a sudden?¡±

    Seira rolled her eyes at Baron but thankfully he didn¡¯t seem to have noticed. She looked at him and then said in a serious tone, ¡°In the temple, it is said that the beasts are the devil¡¯s servants. I was just wondering what the hell would someone get by sending those things to the world.¡±

    Baron replied with a shrug.

    ¡°You¡¯re thinking all sorts of things,¡± he said.

    ¡°Am I the only one who¡¯s ever been curious about this?¡±

    Baron sighed and then turned his gaze forward, ¡°Even if we rack our brains trying to decipher such a question, there is just no answer as of the moment. What we do know is that plague, famine, war, and death continue to repeat. We can¡¯t dismiss them saying it¡¯s the natural order of things, so that¡¯s why we should just focus on what we can do to prevent them.¡±

    His answer was perfectly standard ¨C even to the point it sounded too bland and rehearsed ¨C as if he used the same answer every time the question was raised. Seira grumbled softly.

    ¡°The devils are active, and the temple simply collects the remains of the nest. In that aspect, we support the use of their holy water,¡± Baron quickly added.

    Suddenly, Seira recalled something. At the highest part of Viseltium, the priest¡¯s temple had a beautiful statue of a goddess symbolizing abundance and fertility.

    ¡°What the fuck is the Goddess doing?¡± she mumbled.

    Seira had been most curious about it for the longest time. Had the Goddess done something to fight off the devil herself, Seira¡¯s father, Nathan Askan, would have been alive to this day.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not very religious,¡± Baron said.

    Seira scoffed at his insidious reply. For different reasons, she had also been reluctant to go to the temple. Rather than donating, she made a living ripping off holy water with having the priest¡¯s lives as collateral.

    ¡®It¡¯s not just that¡­¡¯

    She recalled a small pocket that she had snatched from the priest¡¯s carriage.

    The remains of the nests that the temple monopolized. She was determined to look into its secrets. It was necessary to find out the identity of the beasts that constantly appeared. She believed that only then she would find out the real enemy who killed her father. Whether it was evil or not, Seira was not backing away.

    * * *

    It was quite ambitious of Seira, who just returned to camp, to stop by Baron¡¯s barracks. She had to wait for Baron to listen to information brought by each reconnaissance team. Seira was delayed even more because she even ate dinner. She couldn¡¯t resist his insistence at that moment.

    ¡°Duchess¡­¡±

    Seira saw Aven waiting in front of her barracks. She went inside and he followed her as he asked, ¡°Have you eaten already?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did,¡± she replied shortly, and then deliberately turned her back on Aven as she asked, ¡°The atmosphere was quite chaotic. Did something happen while I was away?¡±

    Aven was silent for a second, but then responded ¡°It¡¯s probably because of Damon Glad.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± she wondered, ¡°Why so?¡±

    ¡°He said he was seriously injured when he fell while making a disturbance to go home.¡±

    Only then did Seira¡¯s gaze turn to him. Beneath his gray hair, his calm eyes seemed so insensitive that she couldn¡¯t tell what exactly he was thinking at the moment.

    ¡°At this time of the night?¡± Seira prompted.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my dear,¡± Seira shook her head.

    ¡°The bastard probably wanted to get more of his mother¡¯s milk at home,¡± Aven speculated.

    ¡°Yes, that could be it,¡± Seira hummed.

    In response, Aven took off the uniform jacket from her.

    Seira already knew that Damon Glad had visited her barracks with the intention of discussing a marriage proposal. She had overheard Alec, Baron¡¯s deputy, gossip and talk about the reason for Damon¡¯s fall. He was totally oblivious that Seira was dining in the barracks with Baron.

    Although, she was quite confused why Aven didn¡¯t tell her honestly.

    ¡®Damon Glad¡­¡¯

    Aside from everything else, he was a man tied with bad rumors about his relationship with women. Did he really think Seira wouldn¡¯t know that much because she was stuck in Askan?

    ¡®He seemed to be looking down on me quite a bit.¡¯

 Chapter 14.1

    Of course, Glad was not the only one who looked down on Seira and Askan.

    All she was was a lonely young Omega of noble blood. Wouldn¡¯t everyone else only remember the image of an obedient girl who grew up educated to be the Crown Princess, and not as a Duke¡¯s successor? 7 years have passed since the last time Seira had been to an official event. At that time she couldn¡¯t even say a single word of dislike when she looked back at it.

    No one paid any attention to how a young girl could actually survive alone in a barren land, how she banded together the Askan Knights and even became a master-class slayer.

    ¡®In a way, it was a good thing¡­¡¯

    With a smile on her face, Seira finished unbuttoning her blouse.

    ¡°Duchess¡­¡±

    Aven¡¯s confused voice came from behind.

    ¡°Shall I go out for a while?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Seira gasped.

    After realizing she almost took off her clothes without thinking, Seira¡¯s hand suddenly stopped and she asked, ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± came Aven¡¯s even more confused reply.

    She never showed her naked body while her reason remained intact, despite making love to Aven every time her heat cycle came up.

    ¡®Baron, who was nothing to me, even saw my body today,¡¯ she mused silently.

    She and Aven were not lovers. But at the very least it was clear that they were closer and had a special bond compared to Baron. Even if she¡¯d be annoyed if Baron deceived her, she could tell when it came to Aven that he must have a reason for hiding something from her.

    ¡®I guess it would be better to get married sooner as the number of people who flirts with me increases. It¡¯s just fucking annoying me,¡¯ she thought.

    Then what was the reason why Aven can¡¯t see her? They would get married anyway.

    Seira came to a conclusion and asked him, ¡°Do you have anything else to prepare outside?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t, but¡­¡±

    Aven spoke but was cut off immediately by Seira, ¡°Then I don¡¯t think you need to go out.¡±

    She looked at him with a wide smile.

    ¡®Being brazen was better than I thought.¡¯

    She opened her jacket and blouse at once, recalling how Baron confidently took his clothes off in front of her. However, Aven¡¯s gaze fell to the floor along with her clothes, and they didn¡¯t show signs of rising anytime soon. Or at least after Seira has completely changed her clothes.

    Seira continued to undress, staring at his face. To be honest, she was very ashamed, but she didn¡¯t pause even for a second. If they were to get married, wouldn¡¯t it be much easier to claim his heart before proposing? It was time to get out of a relationship that had been stagnant for years.

    She boldly pulled down even her last underwear. She slowly took one foot out at a time as the small piece of cloth fell to her ankle.

    ¡°Aven¡­¡±

    She approached him close enough that their toes touched each other. She cupped his face, leading him to look at her as she said, ¡°You¡¯ll stay with me tonight, won¡¯t you?¡±

    With nowhere else to escape, he closed his eyes tightly and opened them, staring into her eyes as he replied, ¡°If you want me to¡­¡±

    Her full lips were as red and luscious as blood.

    ¡°You can have me anytime you want,¡± he breathed out.

    The difference in their heights couldn¡¯t be leveled without Seira lifting her heels. But the moment she wanted them, their lips naturally reached each other. Aven thankfully bent down and have himself to her.

    ¡°Then take me now¡­¡± she whispered into his ears, ¡°I¡¯ll allow you to do anything you want with me.¡±

    At the moment permission was given to touch as much as he wanted, Aven put his hand on her back and slowly slipped it downward.

    ¡°Tonight, I¡¯ll do just that,¡± he spoke in labored breaths.

    Daring to ask no more, their lips collided with passion and did not separate for a very long time.

    * * *

    Maybe she had been half asleep, but Seira could feel the light of day rise. She felt a large hand clasp her hand, fumbling next to her face buried on the sheets.

    ¡°Aven¡­¡± she called out.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied without a single beat missed.

    Seira woke up to a clear answer.

    ¡°Sleep a little longer. It¡¯s still early,¡± she spoke.

    She slowly turned around and lifted her eyelids open to see him sitting on the bed. The time they spent together last night seemed like a dream, as they were neatly dressed. However, his hair wasn¡¯t tied up yet, hanging long and casting a shadow on his face.

    Staring blankly at him, she yawned a little.

    ¡°How do you handle your hair, Aven? Do you have a secret?¡± she asked out of curiosity.

    His waist-long hair looked smooth and untangled. Unlike her hair before, which got messed up every five minutes or so.

    ¡°You just have to brush it often,¡± he told her simply.

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Looking at her speechless face, he asked, ¡°Do you want me to brush your hair for you?¡±

    ¡°Huh? No¡­ Well¡­¡±

    He waited quietly for her, who was worried about nothing for a long time.

    ¡°Can you¡­?¡± she asked him sheepishly.

    ¡°Alright then, wait a minute,¡± he said.

    Rising up, Aven found a comb somewhere in the barracks. He sat back down with her on the bed, and Seira held her robe tightly so as not to fall off.

    ¡°You can lie down comfortably,¡± Aven told her.

    ¡°Like this?¡± she asked as she leaned her head down.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    He looked down at her lying on his lap. His face showed no expression, and his hand started to move silently. He divided her hair little by little into parts, and then carefully began to comb her hair.

    Inside the quiet barracks, the only sound that could be heard was that of the ticking of the clock.

 Chapter 14.2

    ¡°Come to think of it, I need to tell you something,¡± Seira said in a sluggish, muffled voice. ¡°Maybe Baron will try to spy on you.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Seira hesitated,  but then continued nonetheless, ¡°about Askan¡¯s Alphas who are in a relationship with me¡­?¡±

    His hand suddenly stopped mid-comb and Aven asked, ¡°What? Did you just say Alphas?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s actually¡­.¡±

    In the end, Seira told Aven everything that happened with Baron yesterday including all the conversations she had with him. It was highly unlikely for Baron to give up as it is.

    ¡°He believed it,¡± Seira said with finality.

    ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t believe it? What should I do?¡±

    When he learned the reason Seira gave to Baron regarding the bruises all over her body was because she enjoyed the company of several Alphas, Aven pressed between his eyes and heaved a heavy sigh.

    ¡°You should have said it was my fault,¡± he told Seira.

    ¡°What nonsense. How can you be that kind of person?¡±

    ¡°But in the end¡­¡­ Isn¡¯t it because I¡¯m not good enough? It was my fault.¡±

    His self-criticism made her laugh.

    ¡°See? It was someone else¡¯s fault, but here you are blaming yourself yet again.¡± She reached out a hand to caress his face, ¡°Even when the whole world is guilty, you¡¯re as innocent as you are, Aven.¡±

    Looking down at her, he began combing again. He gently touched her hair, which became shorter and shorter as the years passed by to the point there was almost nothing left to comb and untangle.

    ¡°But still¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Seira, who had her eyes half-closed, answered with only a low hum.

    ¡°His suggestion to spend the winter together in Jeff¡­ Why don¡¯t you consider it?¡±

    Seira didn¡¯t answer him right away, and it took her a long time before she finally replied with another question, ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a good match?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad idea to give him a chance at least once,¡± Aven quickly added.

    Truth be told, there was entirely nothing wrong with what he said. Except for Calrad, who became Emperor, the only pure-blooded Alpha left were Jeff and Franto. It would¡¯ve been a wise choice out of all the others to consider Baron Jeff as a husband.

    They often see each other in the middle of the battlefield, and he was actively courting her at the moment. Franto on the other hand had no exchanges so far. It was as clear as day.

    However, this was all when only ¡®succession¡¯ was considered.

    Seira couldn¡¯t believe that of all people, it was Aven who said it to her now. Even if it was a relationship that didn¡¯t involve emotions, hadn¡¯t he considered how long they had been together already? Didn¡¯t he understand what she meant last night when she showed herself to him?

    Whether he noticed Seira¡¯s mood was sinking more and more, Aven was only focused on smoothing her hair as he already said everything he wanted to say.

    ¡°Alright, I see¡­¡±

    Seira closed her eyes after words spilled out of her mouth. There was no need to show him that it offended her.

    When she pretended to fall asleep, it wasn¡¯t long until he decided to move. With a careful touch, he laid her down and covered her with a blanket up to her shoulder.

    He stayed by her side completely motionless for quite some time. After a while, without knowing what he was thinking or looking at, Seira felt him leave the barracks with a calm pace.

    Only then did Seira open her eyes and rise. Instead of Aven who already left the barracks, she glared at the entrance for a long time before getting out of bed. She thought she couldn¡¯t sleep for long anyways.

    ¡®What the hell? Why is he trying to push me towards Baron?¡¯ she grumbled silently.

    Seira looked down as she untied the waistband of her gown to change, pondering over the incomprehensible situation they were in. The wounds as well as the red and blue bruises she got two days ago from dealing with the Guardian had almost healed or turned yellow thanks to her quick recovery. But she still wasn¡¯t in good shape.

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Seira somehow regretted it later.

    ¡®Did I just present myself to him for no reason?¡¯

    He had a pretty face and body herself, so she boldly flashed him up front last night. But had it been the wrong move? Disappointed with a much uglier body than he had imagined, perhaps Aven felt burdened by their relationship and started to push her back in the pretense of thinking about her future.

    ¡®Could it be possible?¡¯

    Even though she knew Aven was not that kind of man, Seira continued to ponder for a long while about what happened last night. Then all of a sudden, she was caught speechless.

    ¡®What am I doing now?¡¯

    Seira smirked as she ruffled the hair that Aven had carefully brushed.

    She chose him as her marriage partner for strategic reasons in the first place. Holding Aven in the closest position as her vassal, he himself had been determined to avoid cumbersome things.

    Maybe it was enough to negotiate and persuade him. If she¡¯d say it was for Askan, Aven won¡¯t refuse. Of course, it would¡¯ve been great if they got along, but that was actually not important at all.

    ¡®It¡¯s not urgent. We can go back and talk.¡¯

    Standing alone in the desolate Askan, D-Ark. Unlike the crowded camp, she pictured a lonely and quiet peasant castle in her mind. Every breath that left her lungs was reminiscent to a sigh. She thought of the black earth of her barren land, and missed it nonetheless despite everything.

    It was, indeed, time to return.

 Chapter 15.1

    Around noon, three squads joined the main force which was led by Jeff and Askan. Squadrons were divided and scattered to search large areas with efficiency and time in mind.

    With their return, seniors of the subjugation army gathered in the central barracks. It was for a meeting that might be the very last.

    ¡®The atmosphere is very strange.¡¯

    Jake, a deputy commander of the Imperial Knights of Templar, glanced at the faces sitting around the table. Baron, the commander-in-chief, wore a particularly sharp expression today.

    He recalled the words that the Imperial Knights who remained at the headquarters had delivered. Word was that the knights witnessed Baron and Seira together when they went out to search the forest.

    ¡®He said they were standing apart with a cold expression on his face.¡¯

    In particular, Baron¡¯s expression was so scary. He thought it could¡¯ve been a big fight beyond their usual bickering. Baron couldn¡¯t contain his emotions which were clear as day. This was quite interesting as usually, the commander-in-chief didn¡¯t bring his personal affairs out to public places.

    On the other hand, Seira Askan was merely drinking tea in front of Jake with her usual calm attitude. She was an elegant figure that didn¡¯t match the stark and dry surroundings.

    Victor, the Knight Commander of Duke of Franto who inherited the title a few months earlier, was observing the same thing as Jake. He was also one of the three who led the squadrons, so he had little idea of what the situation was about.

    The wizard Zion seemed irrelevant to the current atmosphere. All that was left was Count Aven Helford and representatives of the five marquis sitting next to Seira as master-class slayers.

    ¡®Come to think of it, I don¡¯t see Demon Glad.¡¯

    Instead, it was Nixon the Knight Commander of the Marquis Glad who attended the meeting on behalf of Damon. He had his head lowered, a dark and brooding expression obvious.

    ¡®Is it because of the other side, not the Duchess Askan?¡¯

    Jake glanced at Seira once more and was deeply troubled.

    He had another important task aside from leading his men in the subjugation war. And that was to report Seira Askan¡¯s every move to the Emperor Calrad. Every single detail was never left out. Even the smallest things, like what she ate and wore, who she talked to, and what they talked about.

    ¡®I need to know what is truly going on,¡¯ he thought to himself.

    Although Baron was the one who sent him to the squad, there weren¡¯t enough eyes left in the main camp. If he left this one out thinking it wasn¡¯t a big deal, then he¡¯d surely get more than just an earful from Calrad.

    He was determined to dig deeper into the issue if it truly concerned Seira Askan. While Jake shook his head, reports of the search proceeded.

    ¡°We found about twenty lower-class beasts and executed them near Keren territories in charge of Franto.¡±

    ¡°There were no magical beasts that ran to the Brick territory. The original area had little damage, so the defense line was stable.¡±

    ¡°The same for Telon. However, there were a few lower-class beasts that the armed forces killed, to which the bodies were all burned right away.¡±

    Just as expected, the main unit had dealt with the largest number of beasts. There was also a middle-class beast, and the number of lower-class beasts that were eliminated was high. It was a natural result as Baron had been in-charge of everything with the three closest territories to the beast¡¯s nest.

    Anyway, it was fortunate that yesterday afternoon¡¯s men were sent and searched again, and no more were found.

    ¡°I think we can end the search now,¡± Baron said, looking at every person sitting around the round table. ¡°As of this hour, our mission is over. After the break, I will leave for the court early tomorrow morning.¡±

    The mood lifted with the commander-in-chief¡¯s announcement. Everyone was already tired of fighting the beasts. Subjugation wars usually lasted for as long as a year and as short as several months.

    ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s finally over.¡±

    Zion looked the most relieved. It was no ordinary thing for Zion to lead other wizards who were quite sensitive and had poor stamina.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll get ready to go home,¡± Seira muttered as she was about to stand up.

    ¡°You must go to the imperial palace!¡± Jake shouted urgently at Seira. All eyes turned to him, but he jumped up and repeatedly stressed it to her. ¡°This time, you must come back together, Duchess Askan. His Majesty said that it is the price of a promise to meet him.¡±

    What Jake meant was that to receive the price of Calrad¡¯s promise, which was the three-year tax exemption, Seira must seek an audience with him.

    Seira stared at Jake, whose face was full of desperation, and she soon nodded as she said, ¡°I will.¡±

    Her response contained nothing special in it. The moment she turned around, the black jacket that hung from Seira¡¯s shoulder fell off, and Aven reached out to put it over her again.

    ¡°Thank you, Aven,¡± Seira told him.

    Even throughout the empire, her rare purple eyes turned soft when she looked at her vassal. Aven gently arranged Seira¡¯s slightly ruffled hair, and then took her papers off the table.

    With everyone holding their breath, their eyes followed her steps out of the barracks. They were all fascinated by the overwhelming beauty of the 24-year-old, perfectly blooming pure-blooded Omega. It wasn¡¯t until her figure completely left the barracks that the men found themselves breathing again.

 Chapter 15.2

    ¡®It¡¯s a shame that I won¡¯t be able to see that for a while,¡¯ she thought at the back of her head.

    Many knights and soldiers suffered from love fever over Seira Askan even though they knew their feelings were far-fetched. Seira didn¡¯t even spare the majority of them a single glance when she passed by.

    Jake swallowed a bit of regret, and then turned his head to a cold feeling from the back. His eyes shook as Baron¡¯s sharp eyes were observing everyone who left the barracks, including that of Jake himself.

    ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯

    However, he didn¡¯t understand the clues that Baron¡¯s eyes meant.

    ¡®Is he telling me to get out of here?¡¯

    Jake got up from his seat and grabbed his papers, putting them inside his jacket¡¯s pocket. The same was true with the others.

    ¡°For a moment¡­ I¡¯ll stay with Glad.¡±

    Jake hastily left the barracks as he saw Nixon¡¯s face, which had already been dark, turned to contemplation.

    ¡®As expected, the problem was over there.¡¯

    If Seira Ascan was indeed involved, whatever happened between Glad and Jeff had nothing to do with him. He will have to find out what¡¯s truly going on.

    On another note, his heart was extremely overwhelmed by the thought of the end of the current subjugation war. He would gladly bid goodbye to sand dust and bland food.

    Recalling the men who waited for the meeting results, Jake hurried forward.

    * * *

    The Emperor personally welcomed the subjugation team that successfully destroyed the beast¡¯s nest and made the empire a safer place ¨C one nest at a time.

    Calrad Lowell Viseltium ¨C a young emperor of an empire with dark blue hair and ice cold blue eyes.

    His wide and charming smile matched his beautiful face, but he couldn¡¯t hide the intense pressure that intimidated a lot of people. The power of the imperial bloodline was overwhelming in itself, and even high-ranking nobles were forced to bow down to him.

    The only exceptions were the three dukes of the empire ¨C Jeff, Askan, and Franto. They too have managed their lineage as much as Viseltium and cultivated their superior powers generation after generation to defend the empire.

    Standing with his back to the palace, Calrad looked at Baron and Seira in the lead.

    ¡®Seven years have gone already.¡¯

    Seira did her best to avoid it. She didn¡¯t want to face him, as she felt it was a symbol of her vulnerability back when she knew no better. However, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t fight what was destined to happen in the end.

    Just as she changed so much, he was also very different from what she remembered him to be. The freshness of a young man was no longer there. The tenderness vanished, and a sharp coldness took its place.

    The Emperor¡¯s dignity and authority were naturally ingrained in him. His eyes, facial expressions, gestures, and even the steps he took exuded his position in the empire.

    It would be a lie if Seira said there was not the slightest ache in her heart. But surprisingly, it didn¡¯t ache that much for a long time thanks to his change. The sweet old fianc¨¦ who hugged and kissed her gently had long disappeared.

    Staring with the commander-in-chief who served in the war, Baron and all the other parties including Seira got off their horses and paid their respect to the empire¡¯s owner,

    ¡°Commander-in-chief Baron Jeff, you have returned from the duty I have entrusted to you,¡± a heavy, low-pitched voice echoed through the square. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you back safely. You¡¯ve done a praiseworthy job.¡±

    While Calrad¡¯s eyes passed through Baron, Zion, and Aven, Seira didn¡¯t raise her bowed head. In the first place, ¡®between the end¡¯ was more awkward than a complete stranger. She believed there was no reason to make eye contact.

    She didn¡¯t bother to look around the palace which she¡¯d once considered her home. Nothing welcomed her with open arms here, including that of Calrad. It was just bitter in the end.

    Seira fixed her eyes on the patterned floor tiles and turned her thoughts somewhere else. Since she was exempted from taxes for three years, she seemed to be able to use all her earned money on the barren duchy for the time being.

    A banquet would be held in five days as consolation to those who returned, and rewards would also be given during that time. Talks about the remains of the nest that had been conquered flowed meaninglessly.

    Her reward was fixed anyway, so Seira was planning on not attending the banquet.

    ¡®I¡¯m tired,¡¯ she released a long and heavy sigh.

    Seira wanted to have a decent bath and sleep as much as she wanted. Even if she had a lot of work to do, she knew that she could rest a little in this case. It was a reward for herself and her hard work in the first place.

    She was about to yawn as she stood in the sunlight without minding everyone else. Seira thought it was fortunate that the court and the empire were protected 15 years ago, aside from everything else. Such a dull and safe place was surely needed to maintain a healthy mental state in a brutal battlefield.

    Seira¡¯s mouth widened as she was about to yawn again, but a handkerchief was suddenly handed out to Seira.

    She opened her teary eyes and saw the person who disturbed her yawn and uttered in confusion, ¡°Huh¡­?¡±

 Chapter 16.1

    One of the people lined up in front stood out. Seira managed to hold back her yawn and looked at the man staring at her intently.

    Turquoise eyes that resembled the greens of midsummer were directed at her. Louise Franto was the man in a luxurious suit and neatly brushed hair. Aside from his looks, he was also one of the three Dukes of the empire.

    Seira and him had never got to exchange greetings since his succession to the Franto dukedom a few months ago. It was mainly because the previous Duke of Franto, Philias, hid his successor from the public eye. Even the nobles didn¡¯t know of Louise¡¯s existence before he rose as the new Duke of Franto.

    The Duchess of Askan stared at Louise¡¯s handsome face. In all fairness, Philias¡¯ successor indeed resembled the previous Duke, which made it easier for Seira to recognize that the man was truly Louise Franto, the son of Philias Franto.

    ¡®What is with this handkerchief?¡­¡¯

    She wondered in silence as he held out the expensive-looking piece of fabric again towards her. She hadn¡¯t really paid attention to him as he mouthed in silence, ¡®Wipe it.¡¯

    ¡°Ah¡­.¡±

    Seira belatedly realized her mistake and handed back his handkerchief. Withholding yawns several times in a row made tears trickle down.

    It was obvious that Duke Franto¡¯s actions were conspicuous. Aven and Zion, and even Baron, who were all facing the Emperor, looked back at her. Baron¡¯s eyes shook at the sight of the two of them.

    ¡®No, I didn¡¯t cry. Please don¡¯t look at me like that!¡¯

    Seira almost spat curses in the air. She aggressively took the damned handkerchief from Franto and wiped away her tears. Perhaps it was only Calrad and Aven who wouldn¡¯t misunderstand her tears here.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Seira finally said, ¡°I¡¯ll return the handkerchief later.¡±

    Seira then quickly lowered her head before saying anything else. She didn¡¯t want more attention than what she already has on her now.

    She felt a pause from Louis Franto, but she didn¡¯t pay him attention after she thanked him. In the end, he took a step back and went back to his seat without speaking a word.

    After all of that, Seira endured the countless glances that gravitated towards her. Finally when all the formal procedures of ending the subjugation war were over, Seira could finally think of returning to Askan as soon as possible.

    But her plans didn¡¯t happen as she wanted them to.

    ¡°I wanted to speak with you two, so please come along, Jeff and Askan.¡±

    Before Seira could even leave, Calrad called her and Baron together. The young emperor entered the palace first, leaving behind Seira and her eyes full of hate.

    ¡°Seira¡­¡± Baron came closer, bent down and looked at her before he finally asked, ¡°Is everything fine with you?¡±

    She rubbed the space between her brows and Seira sighed heavily, ¡°I suddenly feel dizzy. Couldn¡¯t you just tell His Majesty that I¡¯ll come and visit next time?¡±

    Baron looked around with a troubled face, ¡°Well¡­¡±

    He was wary of the situation. The imperial knights were watching their way and he was sure they wouldn¡¯t let her go. In most cases, Baron wouldn¡¯t have minded a little fight, but there were too many eyes on them. The possibility of being accused of treason was high¡­

    ¡°Enough of this. I was merely joking,¡± Seira smiled and waved her hand. ¡°After all, we can¡¯t disobey the Emperor.¡±

    Calrad¡¯s words in the imperial court of Viseltium were like the law. No one would dare to ignore his call, except maybe if he suddenly dies.

    Seira¡¯s eyes turned towards the person next to her, ¡°Aven.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Duchess,¡± the vassal replied promptly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon enough, so be ready,¡± Seira instructed.

    ¡°Understood, Duchess,¡± he calmly responded.

    It was time for her to walk past him and into the palace. Aven reached out for Seira¡¯s warm hand as if holding her back from something that could hurt her.

    ¡°Please be careful,¡± Aven whispered in a soft voice.

    She paused for a few seconds, but Seira eventually took her steps forward, passing through the wide open main gate and entered the palace.

    A carriage took Seira further into the imperial palace and was accompanied by a servant. She looked around and noted that somehow the place they treaded was one that she hadn¡¯t been to even when she was a prospective crown princess before.

    ¡®It is true that Calrad became emperor¡­¡¯ she mused silently.

    Even though she knew it, the idea only hit her at that exact moment.

    ¡°Please enter,¡± the servant waved her inside.

    ¡°What about Duke Jeff?¡±

    She felt the servant¡¯s hesitation when an answer wasn¡¯t provided. She was already suspicious when she saw two carriages prepared at the gate, but as expected, Calrad wanted to talk to her alone.

    She released a weary sigh and stepped out of the carriage. She didn¡¯t know what Calrad was going to say to her, but she was quite confident that she was more comfortable facing him instead of Baron.

    The hallway was surprisingly empty. The servant even left her after she was guided to an open door. Seira looked back at the servant¡¯s fast fading silhouette, and then turned around to take a step inside the room.

    He was waiting in the middle of what looked like a drawing room that was decorated in vibrant colors. Calrad¡¯s eyes stared at her as she took her time walking. A smile painted the lips Seira once kissed so sweetly, but the smile didn¡¯t reach his cold eyes at all.

    ¡°Long time no see, Seira,¡± Calrad welcomed her.

    Seira stared at his stubborn mouth and returned his smile with an equally bland one. She almost snorted at him for calling her by her name only and not addressing her as the ¡®Duchess Askan¡¯.

    ¡°Yes, it has been a while, isn¡¯t it?¡± she replied.

    Up close, she swore he wasn¡¯t entirely how she remembered him to be. They broke up when he was just twenty-one years old, and now he was already twenty-eight, so that was quite understandable.

 Chapter 16.2

    His soft facial features have all disappeared, and in its place sharp lines replaced. His deep, cold eyes, especially his straight eyebrows, made him feel like a whole different person.

    ¡°Come and sit down,¡± Calrad offered her a seat.

    Apparently, the quality of his voice changed too.

    In the past, Seira used to instantly recognize how he felt with just a few words uttered, but now it was completely impossible. The only thing that she could feel from his cold voice was that he had turned into a complete stranger over the years.

    The two of them sat opposite each other, with refreshments on the table between them. Before she could even reach out a hand, he first raised the teapot and filled two glasses. Seira stared at the scarlet-colored tea and various kinds of snacks she enjoyed a long time ago, and then her eyes slowly raised back towards him.

    His eyes met hers as if he deliberately waited, and then his mouth opened, ¡°I¡¯ve heard the news, but it really has appeared, hasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± came her short reply.

    His long and scrutinizing gaze looked at her carefully, seemingly trying to find traces of the past as much as she did with him.

    The last place where his gaze stopped was by the scruff of her slender neck, and then he said, ¡°You¡¯re still small and delicate.¡±

    ¡°¡­do you really see it like that?¡±

    ¡°I used to leave marks on your skin even when I held you so lightly back then. It doesn¡¯t look any different now.¡±

    With neither a positive or negative answer, Seira picked up her cup and sipped her tea.

    She looked more relaxed and elegant than in her memory. Her wrist, which was peeking in between her sleeves, seemed too thin to even hold a cup. Calrad couldn¡¯t believe how incredible her performance was on the battlefield with such a body.

    ¡°How long are you going to wander around the battlefield?¡±

    Seira hid a sarcastic smile as she heard what she expected him to ask. She looked him dead straight in the eyes and replied, ¡°Until the situation needs me.¡±

    She meant that she¡¯d throw herself into battle as long as her need to earn money continued. Her reality was that she¡¯d take advantage of her master-class slayer status and remove beast nests to finance Askan.

    Upon hearing her adamant reply, his blue eyes turned dead cold.

    ¡°Stop being stubborn, Seira!¡±

    ¡°Stubborn? Me?¡± she asked as if totally shocked by his interjection.

    Seira tilted her head and widened her purple eyes, seemingly conveying an innocent yet seductive look.

    ¡°I¡¯m just living my life to the fullest every day.¡±

    The corners of her red lips soaked in tea rose evenly as she continued, ¡°The Emperor put his faith in me and entrusted Askan in my care. Shouldn¡¯t I repay him?¡±

    Calrad looked at her with a smirk on his face.

    ¡°Seira, it¡¯s very easy to get you out of that insignificant place. Just don¡¯t test my patience, please.¡±

    Seira laughed at the words that sounded like a threat.

    ¡°Your Majesty is still the same. I thought you had changed,¡± she whispered.

    Calrad¡¯s brows scrunched in the middle as he heard Seira¡¯s words. He knew too well what she meant when she said he was still the same.

    As the silence continued, Seira took another sip of her tea and put it down. She hasn¡¯t touched any of the carefully prepared snacks. It¡¯s been a long time since she had a taste of them, and her preference has changed over the past seven years ¨C they were too sweet for her now.

    ¡°Hair¡­ Why did you cut it?¡± he asked her in a soft voice.

    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡±

    He hated seeing her neck being exposed. If the maids braided it, it was often left untied irregardless if it was messy or not.

    As she grew older, Seira came to fully understand the reasons for his past behavior. Born and raised as the Crown Prince, the greed of a pure-blooded Alpha naturally monopolized whatever he wanted. In the end, Calrad turned out to be Seira¡¯s enemy.

    ¡°Perhaps you sold it because someone wanted to buy it at a high price?¡± he asked.

    Of course it was not true. She was just too lazy to manage her long hair, so she asked Aven to cut it short.

    ¡°What?!¡±

    Seira burst out laughing at the sight of Calrad¡¯s reaction. The Emperor couldn¡¯t fathom if her real intention was to provoke, because if she¡¯d confirmed his guess then he¡¯d probably believe her word for it. Funny how the naive person now was Calrad, and not her.

    ¡°I can sell anything now, Your Majesty. The enlightened power, the power of the master-class slayer, and the bloodline that everyone covets.¡±

    Her hand, which had rested at the middle of her chest, slowly slipped downwards. The meaning of the gesture was explicit, inching closer towards her lower abdomen.

    Seira looked at Calrad and smiled as she muttered under her voice, ¡°It doesn¡¯t belong to anyone anymore.¡±

    At that exact moment, the Alpha¡¯s pheromone suddenly exploded with anger. Calrad rose from his seat and trampled over the table. He stood in front of her, and the shadow of a man much bigger than seven years ago looming over Seira.

    Seira continued to smile like it was a permanent painting on her lips. She stared at him in silence, not trembling or shrinking even though she turned pale because she couldn¡¯t breathe.

    ¡°How dare you¡­¡± Calrad¡¯s voice boomed around the room. He reached out and grabbed the nape of her neck as he continued hissing. ¡°How dare you speak to me like that!¡±

 Chapter 17.1

    Calrad completely forgot what he was about to do at the touch of Seira¡¯s soft skin. He didn¡¯t actually intend to cause her pain with the way he grabbed her in the first place. His actions were perhaps due to his instinct to leave a trace of his own, like the way he used to before.

    The quality of his pheromones changed in an instant, his anger turning into a strong desire to possess her entirely. Her cheeks and neck were stained scarlet with the pure-blooded Alpha¡¯s heavy pheromone that captured the Omega, making her spread her legs wide.

    Calrad¡¯s eyes were bloodshot as he gazed at her with pure lust. Her lips parted with the force of his strangling grip. It was only when he lowered his head close enough that he could feel her short and struggling breaths.

    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Baron, who smashed the drawing room¡¯s doors and dashed inside, shouted with eyes widened from shock. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Get out, Baron Jeff,¡± the Emperor glared at his intrusion.

    Despite Calrad¡¯s order, Baron did not back down.

    ¡°She is no longer your fiancee. She is the head of Askan, one of the three pillars that supports the empire. As the head of the same duke¡¯s family, I cannot turn a blind eye to this!¡±

    ¡°Right, she¡¯s not my fiancee anymore¡­¡± Calrad muttered under his breath. His eyes then turned dark as he looked at Baron and questioned him, ¡°But what other reason would you need to take an Omega as an Alpha?¡±

    Baron¡¯s fists curled with suppressed anger, ¡°I don¡¯t care if she agrees to the relationship. However¡­¡± he paused as his eyes glanced at Seira who was panting.

    Calrad snorted at Baron¡¯s words.

    ¡°Well, all right. Then, would you like to check how wet my lovely Omega is?¡± the Emperor challenged Baron.

    Still clutching her slender neck, he put his other hand over her breasts. He slipped a hand in a slow downwards trajectory, the sensation making her pheromones much denser.

    ¡°Stop that! What nonsense is this¡­¡± Baron said, trying to stop Calrad.

    But as he saw Seira¡¯s expression, Baron immediately stopped and just stood in disbelief.

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    The emotions that showed on her face were completely different from what one would expect. There was no fear nor distress. It was far from being sad as well.

    Her lips parted as she looked at Calrad and spoke, ¡°You said you wanted to know what scent I would make once I manifested.¡±

    Calrad looked at her mesmerizing purple eyes. His eyebrows raised at the unbelievable control she had of herself despite his powerful pheromones. Her free hand which was resting on her lap lifted and touched Calrad¡¯s cheek lightly, whereas the other moved over his hand.

    Her touch was too gentle to even feel threatened or nervous about.

    ¡°It makes me happy that I could answer your question,¡± Seira whispered.

    At first, it felt like a gentle tickle on the cheek. However, as soon as he let his guard down from the sweet scent that invaded his nostrils, it became a bitter and fierce storm that wrapped all over and struck him.

    ¡°Ugh¡­.¡±

    Calrad hurriedly grabbed the sofa¡¯s back for support. He felt his head go in circles, and his eyes could only see white. His parted lips sucked in air, his mouth salivating and his stomach heating up at the same time.

    Seira¡¯s pheromones were a terrible temptation that could captivate the mind and body, making them kneel down in surrender. It was an irresistible fascination, like that of the forbidden fruit which led men to betray God with just one bite.

    ¡°Do you like it?¡± she asked in a lulling whisper, gently tracing her fingertips over his cheek, eyes, nose, and the tip of his nose. She touched his lips however she wanted, but he couldn¡¯t even say a word like his mouth had been locked and the keys were thrown far away.

    Lust¡­ hunger for her taste¡­ the sweetness.

    There was nothing Calrad could do but to endure.

    ¡°Seira¡­¡±

    Baron faltered and took a step back.

    He came to the realization that not so long ago, the extent of the pheromones she had used to help him was extremely restrained. The pure-blooded Omega¡¯s pheromones were frighteningly cruel as it was determined to destroy the Alpha. If he was to be swept away by the pheromones that covered Calrad now, he too would¡¯ve collapsed helplessly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you have anything more to say, so I¡¯ll leave.¡±

    Seira rose to her feet and moved away from her ex-fiance.

    ¡°It was nice to see you again, Calad,¡± she bid him farewell with a soft voice.

    She left the drawing room leisurely, and both Calrad and Baron couldn¡¯t catch her. They could only pursue her persistently with their eyes.

    * * *

    In front of the imperial palace, there was not a single soul to be found. Not even a servant or a knight who was supposed to protect the palace. Of course, the carriage that took her was nowhere in sight as well.

    ¡®You did it, Seira¡­ you handled yourself right,¡¯ she told herself.

    As she entered the road leading to the central garden while pretending to be calm, Seira saw a familiar carriage. Relieved at the sight of it, she hastened her pace towards the vehicle.

    Aven was standing by the carriage. He opened the door for her as soon as he saw her walking briskly towards him. However, Seira shook her head and suddenly climbed into the driver¡¯s seat.

 Chapter 17.2

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she told him.

    Aven had a lot to say, but he just moved the carriage immediately as she instructed and asked her softly, ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Seira frowned at his query, ¡°No.¡±

    She took out a handkerchief from under her sleeves that was owned by Louise Franto. Aven instantly recognized it with just a side glance, and he took out his own and handed it over to Seira instead. She leaned forward and spat out blood on the piece of cloth.

    ¡°I told you earlier. You don¡¯t think I cried because of Calrad, do you?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I wish I could say no, but¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t that much wrong. No one knew that Calrad tried to catch her. People only knew that they were unilaterally divorced. It was clear that many misunderstood her tears at the reunion they had today, thinking she still had feelings for the Emperor and couldn¡¯t forget him.

    ¡°This is driving me nuts,¡± she groaned, ¡°He and I are practically enemies now.¡±

    Beyond causing damage politically, today they even attacked each other with pheromones. The two of them had been on each other¡¯s throat that the enmity they built over the past seven years was almost irreversible.

    ¡°You must have used your power today,¡± Aven noted.

    Seira, who was embarrassed by Aven¡¯s confident words, turned away as she confirmed, ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°Was it something you really had to do?¡± he asked again, but the question was left hanging as if he already knew the answer to it but just had to ask her anyway.

    Seira recalled her brief encounter with Calrad.

    ¡®Did it really have to be like that?¡¯ she found herself doubting her actions.

    Perhaps they could have avoided it and parted peacefully. But the chances were slim, and she had to decide. To be obedient or to rebel ¨C she had to choose right away.

    Among the many options, Seira¡¯s choice was an extreme gamble. She angered him with her words that gnawed him on the inside, and he retaliated accordingly. If Calrad hadn¡¯t let his guard down, or had a better grasp of her powers, she would¡¯ve been brutally crushed by now.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t think Calrad still wanted to have me.¡¯

    If she was to be honest, Seira was mortified by her initial reaction when faced with the fierce desire that filled his blue eyes. She barely spoke in front of him, but she was still confused in the end.

    ¡®It¡¯s not a matter that could be solved just by choosing a suitable marriage partner,¡¯ she sighed.

    Unless it was a family as powerful as Viseltium, her spouse could be easily harmed by Calrad¡¯s tyranny.

    Having Aven as her first choice, Seira¡¯s worries were bound to grow. Will Aven, who has no political background or power, be able to withstand Calrad? Also, she was worried for herself. Wouldn¡¯t she regret putting Aven in the face of danger because of Calrad¡¯s possessiveness?

    Seira gazed sideways at Aven who was driving the carriage, and then heaved a long sigh.

    ¡°He made me angry first,¡± came her reply to his previous question.

    ¡°Oh¡­ His Majesty had made a huge mistake out of himself.¡±

    She gave a grumpy remark without an explanation, but Aven still took her side naturally. Seira smiled and turned her head forward.

    Taking advantage of the joyful mayhem caused by the end of the subjugation war, the carriage they rode safely escaped the imperial palace. If they left Viseltium like this, they wouldn¡¯t meet Calrad in a while.

    ¡°I¡¯ve paid him back accordingly, so it¡¯s fine now.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±

    It was a bland reply far from being friendly, but it made Seira feel better nonetheless.

    After a long run on a well-polished road, they finally got out of Viseltium. Seira started to relax, leaning her back comfortably and tilting her head backward.

    Aven turned around to wrap his coat around her, and he noticed red marks left on her slender neck. The shape that remained on her pale skin was clearly that of a handprint. He didn¡¯t intend to pester her anymore about it for he understood immediately that Calrad had intended to subdue her back at the imperial palace.

    Pretending to see nothing, he covered her with his coat up to the chin and changed the subject.

    ¡°Duchess, what are you going to do with the commander-in-chief¡¯s sword?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± she hummed as she thought for a while, ¡°I¡¯m still thinking about it, but I¡¯d like to try and ask the ministry. Even half of it would be quite a large sum of money.¡±

    ¡°The Minister, Count Figley, is a very strict person as I¡¯ve heard. Favors don¡¯t work that much at all.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it is possible? After all, it was because we defended the empire from the beasts that are destroying it.¡±

    ¡°By kicking Damebon¡¯s Pommel?¡±

    The damebon found in the tombs of the ancients is called the ore of God. In terms of strength, it was comparable to that of adamantium and could endure large amounts of energy poured into it. It wasn¡¯t just a simple material.

    The material used on Baron¡¯s great sword Pommel was a magical substance called Rementa. It was valuable enough to be traded at a price similar to the weight of the Damebon.

    Aven was clearly worried, ¡°If this is known, more and more people will be interested in your power. Would that be all right?¡±

    Seira released a long and worrying sigh at Aven¡¯s words.

    ¡°Right. That¡¯s a problem, too.¡±

    Baron and Zion were the only outsiders who ever witnessed her power unleashed up close on the battlefield. But even they would not have guessed that Seira had two main abilities.

    Well, hopefully they didn¡¯t.

 Chapter 18.1

    Most high-ranking nobles close to being pure-blooded can deal with a secondary ability after their primary ability bloomed first.

    The criteria for dividing primary and secondary abilities were simple. If one could use their power naturally as if they were breathing, it was called as a main ability. Whatever could be used using mental powers were called secondary abilities.

    To keep it simple, it was the difference between active and passive skills.

    Most main abilities were not much different from those of their ancestors, so it wasn¡¯t easy to hide them. It was an obvious fact that the power of ¡®amplification¡¯, which was the main ability of her father, Nathan Askan, passed down as one of Seira¡¯s main abilities.

    However, another main ability that blossomed which Nathan didn¡¯t have was ¡®calculation¡¯, which multiplied her powers during battle. It was a hidden card that no one could possibly guess, so it was better to stay hidden as much as possible.

    However, during the final battle, she failed to control her power which resulted to the broken Pommel. It was better to deal with it as discreetly as she could.

    ¡®I wish I could help¡­¡¯ Aven thought quietly.

    He couldn¡¯t even express his worries.

    An empire ruled by power and logic, those who were stronger than Seira were naturally selected. Even as he became a master-class slayer in his twenties, which was unusual for someone outside the four families, he wasn¡¯t in a position give her advises.

    ¡®Asking Baron Jeff would be the best course of action now.¡¯

    But would Seira even try to reach out to him?

    When Aven kept his silence, Seira didn¡¯t say a word too as if she was thinking. But that wasn¡¯t much the case at all until her head suddenly dropped.

    Before she could even fall off the wagon or bent forward or sideways, Aven grabbed Seira carefully.

    ¡®I think a fever is rising.¡¯

    While she was exhausted from wandering around the battlefield in her fragile Omega body, she even had to meet up with her ex-fiance. No matter how powerful she was, she too got tired and worn down.

    Biting his lips with a crushing helplessness, Aven guided her to lean over his shoulder for support.

    He was driving the carriage, but it wasn¡¯t that much uncomfortable. She was so small and light that her immense power in the battlefield was too unbelievable. He only wished she was a bit leaner.

    Aven took his eyes off her while she was sound asleep and lifted his head. D-Arc, the Duchy of Askan which stood tall and towering over the barren land, was just a few meters away now.

    * * *

    When they arrived in front of the Askan territory, it was almost sunset. Aven waited quietly for Seira to wake up.

    The black castle boasts its overwhelming majesty like a fortress when viewed up close.

    Unlike the two other duchies, Franto and Jeff, the duchy of Askan was closer to Viseltium. After passing the double-structured imperial palace, the towering outer fortress surrounding the capital, and the direct control of the emperor, there was the Askan territory just beyond the boundary.

    The Askans have prevented many external threats several times enough to be called the shield of the imperial family, but they were the ones also who could¡¯ve easily overthrown them.

    Many previous emperors welcomed Askan¡¯s daughters as empresses and strengthened their relationships by marrying their princesses to Askans successors vice versa. But all of that was just a temporary solution. Wasn¡¯t it power itself that made people betray their own blood? Seira would¡¯ve been uneasy if she hadn¡¯t manifested.

    Nevertheless, the reason why the imperial family left the Duke of Askan was because of the black castle, D-Arc. The lord¡¯s castle, which existed even before the empire was established, was not just a building ¨C it was alive.

    Many were curious about the identity of the black castle, but no one was able find out. There was no way to enter without permission, and it was impossible to know how D-Arc chose its new owner. Only the true successor of Askan was recognized by the black castle, and now only Seira knew of the secret.

    Seira stretched her upper body and rubbed her eyes, a bit confused by scenery difference, not to mention it was already getting dark too.

    ¡°¡­what???¡± Seira mumbled in a drowsy voice, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve just arrived.¡±

    ¡°Are we?¡±

    Seira jumped from the driver¡¯s seat and Aben followed her down. He pulled out two large suitcases from the carriage. Seira walked forward and took the lead with a smaller bag in hand.

    There were only a few greenhouses installed around the castle with the help of a wizard, but other than that, everything else was barren. Seira first climbed the stairs as she crossed the ruins-like gardens.

    She reached the front gates, and as soon as she was in front, the huge gate opened. Even without Seira¡¯s touch, the castle knew and welcomed its owner on its own.

    ¡°I¡¯m home,¡± Seira¡¯s voice rang through the hall.

    The halls were dark with no light as they went inside. As soon as Seira and Aven entered, the doors closed again. After a while, dozens of candlesticks lit up and burned brightly.

 Chapter 18.2

    Aven followed her as she strode and greeted the empty hallways, not even knowing who she was addressing. Perhaps the castle itself.

    ¡°Take a rest. I¡¯ll have your meal prepared,¡± Aven told her.

    ¡°Shall we prepare it together?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±

    Seira was a bit saddened by Aven¡¯s flat refusal of her help. She watched him disappear into the kitchen by himself, and then slowly trudged up the central stairs, releasing a silent sigh.

    Although there was no one to manage the castle while she was away, her room on the second floor was as clean as the rest of the rooms. Even though water wasn¡¯t drawn from the well, clean water was always available in the kitchen jar, and the bathtub always had its water at an appropriate temperature.

    Seira didn¡¯t really remember what the place was back when she was young. Still, the castle wouldn¡¯t have done all the work alone like it is now. At the time, there were many who lived here, so there was no need for such special intervention and help.

    People would certainly be amazed, if not scared if they found out about the D-Arc¡¯s black castle, but Seira had no questions about this strange phenomenon. There was actually something more surprising than a castle cleaning and maintaining itself.

    When Seira finished washing her body and changed into clean clothes, she left the room and climbed further upstairs. Once she found herself in front of a big door, she knocked thrice.

    The door creaked open as if to allow her entry, and Seira stepped inside without hesitation.

    Come on in.

    Seira smiled at the blurry man who appeared from behind the purple curtains¡¯ shadows. It approached her from the covered window, which was lit only by candles.

    ¡°Dad.¡±

    A man of great build, with black hair and purple eyes in his early thirties, Nathan Askan, the previous Duke of Askan, was known to have died nearly fifteen years ago.

    Nathan¡¯s spirit was the reason why Seira never let anyone in except for Aven, and why she could never give up on Askan.

    On the day of her divorce, Seira saw Askan and the entirety of its destruction for the first time in eight years. Everything collapsed except the lord¡¯s castle D-Arc, and the barren land which did not grow a single grass, was black as they have heard.

    Her heart was filled with a terrible guilt at that moment. Even though her father and other family members were buried somewhere in the land, she lived a good life without even trying to recover their bodies due to the imperial decree which deemed the place ¡®dangerous¡¯.

    Seira, who entered the D-Arc with Aven outside, faced the darkness alone. In her memory, the place had always been bright and full of warmth, but now it was nothing more but a cold coffin for the dead. She sat down and a big wave of sadness took over her, her tears falling like a raging waterfall.

    My baby, please don¡¯t cry.

    At some point, Seira lifted her eyes and saw her father in front of her. He was embarrassed by the sight of his daughter crying endlessly, and he tried as much as he could to wipe away her tears.

    Even though he couldn¡¯t reach her. No matter what he did, it was an impossible feat.

    The first time she saw him, Seira thought she was crazy. But doubt soon turned to yearning, and she became too afraid that Nathan Askan would disappear when she slept, so instead she stayed up the whole night. But the late Duke Askan didn¡¯t disappear in the morning and even joked about her dozing off despite her determination to stay awake.

    Then his precious girl nagged him that he shouldn¡¯t sleep anywhere.

    Seira grew up with her education focused on becoming the crown princess, but she reached the level of master-class slayer in just a few years. It was all thanks to Nathan¡¯s guidance that slowly, Seira was able to raise the duchy little by little. Her father¡¯s teachings and advises helped Seira to make it all possible.

    You must be here alone today.

    However, Nathan¡¯s spirit didn¡¯t come out of the office even though Aven couldn¡¯t recognize his presence when he entered the castle. Seira ended up giving up since it was useless explaining that he was the son of the Helford vassal.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ That¡¯s right, well.¡±

    She didn¡¯t intend for Nathan and Aven to meet anyway. Aven was unaware of her father¡¯s spirit staying at the duke¡¯s castle because Seira hadn¡¯t told him anything. She wondered though ¨C did he ever get sightings of Nathan¡¯s ghost?

    What about rice?

    ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten yet.¡±

    Nathan questioned and nagged her here and there. He didn¡¯t give her time to rest, asking why she went alone, asking where Calrad went, and reminding her that she should eat well. Still, Seira couldn¡¯t be any happier. Because it really felt like she was home when she heard his nagging.

    When the hell are you getting engaged?

    ¡°What about it? I¡¯m not marrying Calrad,¡± Seira pouted.

    Uh-huh, I see you¡¯re being stubborn again. Dad will be relieved if you settle down soon. Don¡¯t worry about the title of your husband. It¡¯s enough for me to be happy with you being happy too.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Seira, are you marrying soon?

    ¡°Better than that, Dad, this time around¡­¡±

    Seira quickly veered the topic to escape the ever-repeating issue. Instead, she chatted to Nathan about what happened with her on the battlefield. Of course, she only confided on things only a daughter could tell her father.

 Chapter 19.1

    If you can¡¯t control your power well, then perhaps it¡¯s too much.

    ¡°This will probably happen a lot in the future. What do you think I should do?¡± Seira looked up to her father¡¯s spirit for wisdom.

    It looks like the situation is truly serious.

    Nathan sighed deeply and looked at his daughter with pity in his eyes as he said,

    For now, you don¡¯t need to worry about it. I¡¯ll look into it tomorrow.

    ¡°Yes, Dad. Thank you.¡±

    It¡¯s already late. Go on child, have dinner and rest.

    With eyes full of regret, Seira gazed into Nathan¡¯s eyes. She wanted to talk more since she had been away for months because of the subjugation war. She wanted to embrace him and feel the safety within his broad arms. After that, all of the tiredness would disappear instantly.

    But he was so near yet so far to reach.

    I¡¯ll be here tomorrow, too.

    Her father looked at Seira with gentle eyes, noticing the relief in her face when he said those words.

    ¡°¡­I know,¡± Seira nodded and rose from her seat. ¡°See you tomorrow, Dad.¡±

    See you tomorrow, Seira.

    The late Duke Askan didn¡¯t move an inch until Seira left the room entirely. Unlike her, he didn¡¯t need to eat or rest.

    He was not alive.

    But why? Seira couldn¡¯t fathom how his soul, who should have rested upon death, was still suffering from being caught in the black castle. Still, Seira didn¡¯t call the High Priest, and she has no intention to do so in the near future.

    Her father¡¯s soul left in the black castle was a miracle to her. She couldn¡¯t tell a living soul, not even Aven whom she trusted the most. She was fine to think she was going crazy, but what she was afraid was that people would tell her to let Nathan go if they knew. It was a secret that she intends to keep to her last breath.

    ¡°Have you been to the office?¡±

    As she went downstairs, Seira saw Aven standing in the hallway of the second floor.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she answered.

    He always waited for her diligently when she went to the third floor. He never climbed up the stairs, as if he knew that there was a line drawn for him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t rest at all,¡± she sighed.

    Aven disregarded her little comment, and then waved for her to follow him, ¡°Eat first and then you can get a good night¡¯s sleep the rest of the evening.¡±

    Aven prepared a stew with minced vegetables in meat broth for dinner. It seemed like a menu that was neither too heavy or light, considering it was about to be bedtime soon.

    Seira quietly emptied one bowl after another, surprisingly finding herself famished from their short travel. It was extremely delicious that the only reason that kept her from eating another bowl was the fact that it was almost bedtime.

    Aven, who had been watching closely with every bite she took, asked, ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°You had a fever¡­¡±

    Seira¡¯s eyes blinked fast in confusion.

    ¡°Can I touch your forehead for a moment?¡±

    Even before she could nod or shake her head in response, Aven strode up to her side of the table. But instead of his hands, what touched her forehead was Aven¡¯s soft lips. Seira¡¯s hand which held her spoon trembled at the the ticklish sensation that seemed to fall down slightly.

    ¡°It¡¯s hotter than usual,¡± he commented.

    She knew her physical condition wouldn¡¯t be normal. It was bound to be true since she fought with the pure-blooded Alpha, Calrad Lowell Viseltium, with pheromones.

    Aven went in and out of the kitchen, and he brought a mug that contained warm milk. Its savory scent wafted in the air as she sipped the drink. There was a distinct taste of honey in it too ¨C it seemed like Aven put plenty.

    When she wasn¡¯t feeling her best, Aven brought her milk with honey to drink as it was now. Just like what her father did every time she whined when she couldn¡¯t sleep as a child.

    ¡°You¡¯d better get some rest,¡± he urged her gently.

    ¡°Yes, I know.¡±

    After she finished the whole mug, Seira immediately returned to her bedroom. Even after her bed has been prepared, Aven didn¡¯t leave the room. Instead of going out silently like he usually did, he pulled a chair towards the foot of the bed and sat down. It seemed like he wanted to watch over her condition just in case it gets worse.

    ¡°You must be tired yourself,¡± Seira said as she lay on the bed, ¡°Go and rest as well, Aven.¡±

    Aven only shook his head and said, ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you until you fall asleep.¡±

    Seira hid a knowing smile and waved him over to her side, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, come this way.¡±

    Aven moved his chair immediately, and Seira then turned around in his direction. Aven pulled his hand which was neatly placed on his lap and put it over her forehead.

    ¡°What do you think? Are you feeling any better now?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Seira simply replied.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to check it again then.¡±

    His long hand looked pretty on the outside, but it was full of hard calluses which wasn¡¯t the best tool to measure body temperature. Aven frowned slightly as he tried to gauge her temperature, but soon shook his head after.

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think it¡¯s changed in the meantime,¡± he mumbled softly as he rose from his chair.

    Seira leaned her upper body on the bed as she pushed with one hand, a single strand of hair slid down the side of her face. When Aven¡¯s lips touched her forehead again as he got closer, Seira suddenly reached out and hugged him.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    His shoulders stiffened at the gentle friction that grazed the back of his neck.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have a higher body temperature,¡± she whispered with a tiny hint of laughter in her voice.

    The sound of one¡¯s pounding heart seemed to be the only thing that ringed in the four corners of Seira¡¯s bedroom.

 Chapter 19.2

    ¡°Today¡­ I don¡¯t think you should overdo it,¡± Aven said in a suppressed voice, obviously controlling his breathing.

    Seira tightened her hug and said, ¡°Just stay next to me. You were going to sit in a chair and stay up all night anyway.¡±

    Aven raised his head and their eyes met. As her mysterious purple eyes fluttered leisurely at him, Aven gazed at her without moving, as if time itself had stopped for the two of them.

    After a long while, he finally gave her an answer, ¡°All right.¡±

    At last, she let go of his neck and opened the blankets as if inviting him over. Seeing her in thin lingerie, he looked down and asked, ¡°May I change my clothes?¡±

    ¡°Okay, go ahead,¡± Seira nodded.

    She glanced at his hand as she watched him leave the bedroom. He definitely looked like he wasn¡¯t in his normal body state, as it was impossible to tell if the pulse that was wildly beating under the palm of his hand was because of her.

    After some time, Aven quietly opened her door without knocking and came in. Seira had been waiting with wide eyes, and she pulled back the blanket as she did earlier. Aven sighed silently as the two of them searched for their comfortable spots next to each other.

    ¡°Don¡¯t we look like a married couple by doing this?¡± Seira joked.

    ¡°A married couple¡­¡± he repeated as if thinking.

    ¡°Yes, a wife that seduced her bored husband.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you could say that I am a bored husband like that.¡±

    Seira only smiled and did not answer.

    The two of them spent most of their days together and discussed the family¡¯s affairs no matter how big or small. It has been three years since they shared a bed, and it did look like they were a couple. But no matter what they felt for each other, they never looked at another Alpha or Omega.

    But even though Aven¡¯s arms were so comfortable, and his pheromone smelled the sweetest in the world, she was now forced to look for another Alpha.

    If she wanted to have a strategic marriage and relationship without the affection, their wishes must coincide with each other. It was clear that even if she pushed for the idea, it wouldn¡¯t have worked when the other person wouldn¡¯t accept her terms.

    Besides, it was none other than Calrad Lowell Viseltium who sought to bite her by the neck.

    Seira wouldn¡¯t be able to forgive herself if she stubbornly held on to Aven and lost him in the process.

    ¡®I should just rest today, and starting tomorrow¡­¡¯

    She decided not to put him in so much trouble.

    Finally finding her resolve, Seira closed her eyes as her fever burned.

    * * *

    The day at D-Ark was just the usual. Aven trained with her when he was in the castle, and Nathan when he was out.

    On the third day of her return, she sent Aven to investigate the situation at the imperial court and take care of a few matters. Seira and Nathan were the only ones left in the castle.

    Seira woke up early in the morning and didn¡¯t realize how much time had passed since she was too focused on solving her problem with controlling her powers. She left the training grounds and headed to the kitchen around lunchtime.

    Looking at her rummaging through the ingredients, Nathan asked next to her,

    What are you going to cook?

    ¡°Stew,¡± she answered him, her attention half on the task in front of her, ¡°Meat stew.¡±

    You need to put in vegetables too.

    ¡°Yes, yes, of course I should.¡±

    She roughly chopped both meat and vegetables, and then dropped them in a large pot. It was a complete mess, but Nathan wasn¡¯t talented in cooking as well, so he merely just watched in silence at the disaster that continued.

    Leaving the stew to boil, Seira went back to her room to clean herself. She took a bath and got rid of the sticky sweat all over her body, and then changed into clean clothes. As she went back down to the kitchen, she saw her father standing in front of the oven.

    Oh, my god¡­ what should we do with this? The stew seemed to have dried up.

    Even if it had burned out, there was nothing Nathan could do as a spirit.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. We can just pour water again.¡±

    Seira scooped water from the jar, and then poured it into the iron pot. She stirred the mixture of vegetables and meat with a ladle, and shredded food floated up and down in the soup.

    ¡°It looks all good to eat now.¡±

    She poured a few scoops of stew into a bowl, grabbed a spoon, and sat down by the table. Her father sat down beside her as well.

    ¡°Dad, do you want a bowl too?¡±

    No thanks.

    She pouted her lips at the stern decline and took a spoonful of the meat stew.

    ¡°I cooked it using the same ingredients.¡±

    It was surprising that the taste was far from what Aven cooked. Still, she didn¡¯t have much of a choice if she didn¡¯t want to go hungry. She only has herself to rely on today.

    You know, if you marry the Crown Prince, you could eat delicious food every day.

    As soon as Nathan started nagging her again, Seira¡¯s spoon which was moving diligently slowed down gradually.

    ¡°This is good, too,¡± she insisted stubbornly.

    If you¡¯re having a hard time, why don¡¯t you talk to the imperial family?

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to keep talking about this, I will stop eating and go up.¡±

    Nathan sighed at Seira¡¯s blunt reply.

    I wish I could be honest with you that it¡¯s not tasty at all, Seira.

    Seira¡¯s brow raised as if she was being challenged into a duel, ¡°No, it was really good that I¡¯m currently thinking of having another bowl.¡±

    Yeah, sure.

    She couldn¡¯t tell because it was a bit blurry, but she swore she saw the corners of her father¡¯s mouth curled up on one side. Contrary to what she stated, it was time for her to empty her bowl.

    Jeff is close.

    ¡°What?!¡±

    Seira doubted her ears at what she heard Nathan said. Now, what did he mean by that all of a sudden?

 Chapter 20.1

    Seira ran quickly and looked out the window. In the distance, she saw someone on horseback riding towards the castle.

    ¡°It really is Baron!¡± she exclaimed in disbelief.

    Baron? You mean that little boy grew up that big?

    Seira looked back at her father. No matter how much she explained about Aven, she couldn¡¯t understand it, but apparently her father remembered Baron Jeff. What was the difference? Was it because he had a noteworthy lineage? Or was it because he looked like the former Duke Jeff?

    She had a lot of questions running up her head, but they were questions that couldn¡¯t be answered just by asking.

    He followed you around like that. Is he still like that up to this day?

    Seira hesitated, unsure of what to say, and she replied blandly, ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡±

    It was true that he did not seem to give up even though she refused him several times.

    ¡®But things are different now,¡¯ she thought at the back of her mind.

    Baron was there the day she faced Calrad, so he should know now. Now there was something else she had to take on aside from the devastated estate. It would be a lot to expect him to show interest in her still knowing that she had to shoulder the fierce enmity of Emperor Calrad.

    ¡®What brought him here anyway?¡¯ Seira found herself thinking.

    From the list of families who could shield her, which she had selected since yesterday , Baron was only in the preliminary. The Jeff family was highly unlikely to confront Calrad to get Seira. Baron and Calrad were cousins in the first place.

    ¡°I need to go out,¡± Seira told her father.

    What? He is a guest, shouldn¡¯t you invite him inside?

    ¡°No.¡±

    Seira had no intention of inviting Baron inside the castle. As much as Nathan recognized Baron, he might also sense Nathan¡¯s spirit. That would become quite a big problem for Seira.

    ¡°We are not that much acquainted with each other for me to invite him inside,¡± Seira gave a flimsy reason.

    She could see Nathan¡¯s eyebrows rise up, but Seira pretended not to see and went outside anyway.

    By the time she was outside the castle, Baron was already getting off his horse. His face was stiff, perhaps because it was the first time he saw the real state of Askan¡¯s destroyed land.

    ¡°Who is it?¡± Seira pretended to call out as if she didn¡¯t know who came by.

    Baron¡¯s expression was softened when he heard Seira¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Seira¡­¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here, commander-in-chief?¡±

    ¡°Stop calling me that now,¡± he lowered his head in embarrassment.

    Seira stopped halfway down the stairs and crossed her arms. It was only at this height that their eyes could see each other at the same level. Baron looked at her as he stood in front of the last step.

    ¡°You look fine,¡± he commented.

    ¡°Why, were you worried?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Seira¡¯s eyes narrowed into thin slits as she looked at him carefully. The overbearingly large man was showing off his best today as a pure-blooded Alpha. However, the tiredness around his eyes stayed, indicating that he hadn¡¯t slept well over the past few days.

    ¡°How can I help you, Baron?¡±

    ¡°Can I come in and talk to you for a minute?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Seira flatly declined, but quickly added, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just so messy that I don¡¯t feel comfortable letting you see it.¡±

    Still, wasn¡¯t he the one who tried to protect her from Calrad? After she left, he must have been in quite a difficult position.

    Watching the corners of his eyes droop down, he looked like a puppy the size of an adult bear who was depressed. A corner of Seira¡¯s chest constricted at the sight of him, and she cleverly avoided his gaze.

    ¡°Okay, then we¡¯ll just talk about it here,¡± Baron relented.

    He pulled something out of his pocket and handed it over to her. Embarrassment spread across Seira¡¯s face as she turned over the expensive paper envelope to see who the sender was.

    ¡°Why is this person¡­?¡±

    The sender was Domina Jeff, Baron and Calrad¡¯s maternal grandmother, who sent her a letter.

    Baron urged her to open the letter right there and read it. After she had finished to the last word, Seira¡¯s question only grew bigger and unresolved.

    ¡°She wants to meet me,¡± Seira stated the obvious intent of the letter as if to summarize.

    ¡°So it is.¡±

    For a moment, the two of them stared at each other in utter silence.

    Unlike Betas who weakened in many ways as they aged, pure-blooded Alphas with developed powers do not lose them until their last breath. Therefore, Seira had no choice but to worry if she should go and see Domina Jeff, the oldest living pure-blooded Alpha.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± It was Baron who spoke first, ¡°She¡¯s not that bad. I don¡¯t think she has the intention of harming you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, hopefully that is the case,¡± Seira mumbled under her voice.

    If one would invite and harm the only pure-blooded Omega in their generation, one would surely face a lot of political attacks for a long time. Although no one really wanted to protect Seira Askan, wasn¡¯t it originally what her father and the late Emperor agreed upon?

 Chapter 20.2

    ¡°First of all¡­¡± Seira said after heaving a small sigh, ¡°I can¡¯t go to the Jeff¡¯s estate. I¡¯m not that free.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s at Viseltium right now,¡± Baron countered.

    Seira¡¯s excuse was lessened, but that wasn¡¯t the end.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a horse to ride,¡± she made another excuse.

    ¡°What? You don¡¯t say?¡± Baron looked around in disbelief.

    Seira lived in a castle like a towering fortress and greenhouses looming around it. Apparently, there was no stable in sight.

    ¡°Really¡­¡±

    ¡°Why are you lying?¡± Baron asked bluntly.

    Since Askan couldn¡¯t produce hay on its own, they had to buy it from outside, so they only kept as much as needed. There truly was no horse to ride since Aven took the carriage as per Seira¡¯s instructions.

    ¡°Then¡­¡± Baron coughed a little and said, ¡°I think it would be best if you can ride with me.¡±

    The tip of his ear turned bright red for no reason at the mere suggestion. It grew worse and spread out to the back of his neck as Seira glanced.

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Seira had little choice but to agree. Whenever Baron showed such a weak appearance, her heart softened as well. Perhaps it was also because¡­

    ¡®If only he didn¡¯t look like Lili,¡¯ Seira grumbled silently.

    Lili was the puppy that Seira raised when she was young. Lili followed her around and grew up to be the size almost that of a tiger.

    ¡°It¡¯ll take a while to get ready,¡± she said.

    At her positive response, Baron quickly returned to his usual brazen face.

    ¡°I can wait here as long as you need me to,¡± Baron assured her.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Seira left him behind and returned to the castle. She changed into the most formal dress she could find and packed a simple luggage. She went downstairs and Nathan, who was standing in the first-floor hall, looked at her bag.

    Are you leaving?

    ¡°Yes, Dad. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    Yeah. Say hello to the Crown Prince. Request for an audience, if possible.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll ever meet,¡± Seira said.

    It was a situation that Seira had to avoid as much as possible. When she was sure she hadn¡¯t forgotten anything, Seira shrugged her shoulders and went out as she carried her dangling bag.

    As soon as she approached Baron who was already on horseback, he reached out his hand towards her as if to help her up. But Seira didn¡¯t want Baron¡¯s help ¨C rather, she didn¡¯t need it. Seira easily climbed on the horse¡¯s back and settled on the saddle.

    ¡°!¡±

    When their bodies touched, Baron¡¯s whole body turned tense.

    ¡°What? Why are you so stiff?¡± she asked him jokingly.

    He quickly grabbed Seira¡¯s wrist, which had started to playfully prank him and his thighs.

    ¡°I think it would be better for you not to do that,¡± Baron cleared his throat.

    ¡°You are just making a big deal out of it.¡±

    Whether or not she knew he was holding back his breath, she rested her back comfortably on Baron¡¯s chest and commented, ¡°The ride is not bad.¡±

    Baron lowered his gaze and looked at Seira¡¯s tiny head. He knew she was grinning by the looks of it.

    Her small body which snuggled into his arms gave him satisfaction and terrible emotional pain at the same time. When he asked her to ride the horse with him, he didn¡¯t expect it to be this much. He didn¡¯t anticipate that she would be this soft and intoxicatedly fragrant.

    Baron swallowed a groan and kicked the side of the horse. Then their speed started to gain momentum. After a while, Baron decided it would be better to run at full speed.

    However, it turned out to be a big mistake. As their speed increased and their positions changed, even the slightest gap that they tried to maintain disappeared. Seira, who was also skilled in horseback riding, showed no signs of nervousness at all. Baron on the other hand was simply dying from physical contact.

    Everywhere they touched, every spot that brushed together, the heat rose and burned.

    If she had worn a dress, it would have been fine thanks to the voluminous skirt. However, the dress she wore now was too thin. Her backs, hips, and thighs were easily felt through the fabric.

    Even though he tried not to pay heed, Baron¡¯s desire was steadily rising. He wanted to hug her tightly and touch her without minding the gap. He pulled the reins tighter and leaned forward, his hands wrapping around her slender waist.

    ¡°Baron, what are you doing?!¡±

    Seira slapped the back of his hand which held the reins. The Alpha¡¯s pheromones which could seduce an Omega were leaking from Baron.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    Only then did Baron come to his senses, and he tried his best to answer back confidently.

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t have much of an effect on you, does it?¡± he asked.

    Dumbfounded by his words, Seira turned her head and looked up at him in a challenge, ¡°Oh really? You want to try it now?¡±

    Baron flinched as he was faced by her provocative eyes. It would be a huge problem if she counterattacked and released her pheromones while her patience ran low.

    ¡°¡­No.¡±

    When Baron immediately tucked his tail, Seira smiled in vain and straightened her head.

    ¡°You must be very bored. There¡¯s not much to see in Askan,¡± Seira sarcastically asked.

    Unlike Seira, who joked lightly, Baron¡¯s face bore no smile. It was also impossible to respond to a conversation while pretending to be calm. It was fortunate that she had her head turned to the front and couldn¡¯t see his face.

    He didn¡¯t want to be caught by the skin of his teeth.

    Of course, this was just Baron¡¯s idea and Seira knew his condition from the very beginning.

    ¡®He shouldn¡¯t have suggested riding with me if he was going to be like this,¡¯ Seira silently smirked.

    How can she not know when something, the size of which cannot be ignored, can be felt between the fabric of their clothes? Only a fool couldn¡¯t.

 Chapter 21.1

    ¡®Why is he so stiff?¡¯

    It was probably a bit exaggerated, but Seira found it uncomfortable that something as big as her forearm was pointing at her right hip. Except for that, the rest of his chest and thighs were warm and firm, so it wasn¡¯t that bad.

    ¡®How old is he that he couldn¡¯t even control himself when he¡¯s riding a horse with me?¡¯

    The situation made her click her tongue. It was hard to disregard, not when Baron¡¯s pheromones were uncontrollably wild and oozing. When she distracted him with small talk, he¡¯d somehow regain his senses, but after a while, his pheromones turned wild again. Seira ended up getting soaked in his heavy wood scent.

    ¡°Baron.¡±

    Seira¡¯s mouth parted as a sense of crisis took over her. She was at the brink of losing control herself.

    ¡°Is Pommel fixed already? I told you to have it fixed and charge me for the repair,¡± Baron said.

    His voice was low as he tried to speak while riding a galloping horse, but such was not a problem for master-class slayers. Seira heard him clearly, as she had far better hearing than ordinary people.

    ¡°I already did have it fixed¡­ but it may take a while,¡± she admitted.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°They said we needed to acquire Rementa first.¡±

    The money needed was not small. She and Aven were already having a hard time funding it, much more than purchasing Rementa for Pommel which was a Greatsword.

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you ask the head of Haipon?¡± Baron suggested.

    Haipon, the largest magic engineering research facility in the empire, was owned by Franto. Obviously, the top of Haipon must have secured Rementas for himself too.

    ¡°I have no intention of doing business with him,¡± Seira flatly refused.

    Baron added after a minute of silence, ¡°Don¡¯t do business with Haipon as much as you can. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but he usually sells them at a higher price.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Seira¡¯s brows shot up and asked, ¡°Then why did you even suggest I call him? Are you spying on me or something?¡±

    ¡°I just ran into Aven in front of the top¡¯s building,¡± Baron made a hasty excuse.

    ¡°By chance?¡±

    ¡°Yes, by chance,¡± Baron insisted, as if dissuading Seira from her obvious disbelief of his words.

    ¡°So you mean to say that Aven sent you here?¡±

    This time around, Baron put on a mask and replied, ¡°Is that how you see it? Anyway, he told me that if I wanted to meet you, I could just go directly to the duke¡¯s castle. I was about to go to town, but I turned around.¡±

    Seira bit the bottom of her lips. It seemed like Aven really meant what he said about considering Baron as her partner. It was unusual for him to divulge her location that easily- especially when she didn¡¯t want to be disturbed.

    ¡®I¡¯m strangely disappointed,¡¯ she suddenly found herself thinking.

    No matter how far their relationship is from true love, the way he was trying to neatly draw a line made her feel empty inside.

    ¡®But perhaps it¡¯s a good thing at the moment.¡¯

    Didn¡¯t she decide to get a new alpha to use as a shield? Even when the chances were slim, she could still talk to Baron.

    ¡®This is not the time to be caught up in useless feelings.¡¯

    Before she knew it, the high walls of Viseltium started to surface from the horizon. Without even hiding it, her face turned gloomy at the sight of it. Viseltium was where Calrad resided.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like you are going to be imprisoned¡­¡± Baron said in a murmur.

    ¡°I was ordered to keep my mouth shut. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll take issue with it.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    Even when she didn¡¯t do a single thing, there were many reasons and ways to put her in a tight spot with just a flick of the Emperor¡¯s finger.

    ¡°Oh, Baron, I need to stop by the boutique first,¡± she turned to ask him.

    ¡°The boutique?¡±

    ¡°Yes, my clothes are soaked. Of course, you¡¯ll buy me a pair because you were the main culprit, right?¡±

    Detecting Baron¡¯s body suddenly stiffening with realization of her words, she thought deeply. No matter what the situation was, she should avoid riding a horse with the huge Alpha in the future.

    * * *

    ¡°I think this would look great on you, too. The dress suits you well.¡±

    Seira looked at Baron with an absurd feeling. He had suddenly sneaked up behind the designer and handed Seira a dress.

    When she first came into the boutique to pick garments, she soon found herself stuck at a corner like a mannequin. What she needed weren¡¯t luxurious dresses, but a ready-to-wear outfit. However, Baron kept on sweeping sample after sample for her to try.

    Seira didn¡¯t seem to be the only one embarrassed by his behavior. Even the staff and the chief designer were staring at him wide-eyed.

    ¡°This is the first time your Excellency took interest in clothes. The last time I sent someone to take your measurements, you would just say you¡¯d do it on your own despite the staff visiting the mansion.¡±

    Whether or not the designer muttered with a depressed expression, Baron was too busy looking around with sharp eyes to see if anything was worth Seira¡¯s time trying as well.

    Seira, who changed into clothes immediately repaired to her measurements, poked fun at him as she passed by Baron, ¡°It seems like you would buy more clothes for me than I would ever buy myself.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that? Weren¡¯t you the one who told me to take responsibility?¡±

    Seira lowered her voice as she pulled his sleeve suddenly and hissed at him, ¡°Responsibility? Don¡¯t make it sound any weirder, Baron.¡±

    The staff, who closed the boutique today due to Baron¡¯s sudden visit, kept their eyes somewhere else. But it was obvious where their ears were directed. Of course, if they wanted to continue working in Viseltium, they wouldn¡¯t talk about it. Seira didn¡¯t want more attention than what was necessary.

    ¡°Stop it and let¡¯s go,¡± she told him.

 Chapter 21.2

    When Baron didn¡¯t move and put on a long face, Seira decided to just leave him altogether. Now that they had entered the commercial district of the capital, she didn¡¯t need Baron¡¯s horse for a ride anymore.

    Seira, who threw her arms in the air to show her exasperation to Baron, heard a tiny whisper as she headed to the exit.

    ¡°You can go. I have taken note of her measurements already so we can make additional dresses without the two of you visiting together in the future.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Then send the catalog along with our purchases today.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Even when they were whispering so low, Seira could hear everything loud and clear.

    ¡®I don¡¯t have to wear a dress,¡¯ she thought at the back of her mind.

    He probably knew what type of clothes she usually wears, but he didn¡¯t know the reason she wears them. Baron quickly caught up with her as she sighed and went outside.

    ¡°What else do you need?¡± he asked her.

    Seira, who glanced at him, asked, ¡°Do you have a perfume that you could use for sex?¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    Baron¡¯s raised voice caught the entire street¡¯s attention. Seira smirked at him and then added, ¡°Our commander-in-chief is acting really weird today. Is it because you couldn¡¯t sleep with me?¡±

    Baron was utterly dumbfounded. He looked at her straight in the eyes and cursed in a soft voice, ¡°I¡­ you are clearly mistaken about that! You¡­ you are wrong, Seira! Yes, you are very wrong!¡±

    His finger was pointed directly at her, shaking uncontrollably with embarrassment. Seira cocked her head, looking at him as he folded his arms like a toddler with a tantrum, all the while muttering to himself.

    ¡°So, do you mean yes or no?¡± she asked.

    His bright yellow eyes glanced at her. He looked down at Seira with great intensity, and then closed them tightly as he answered, ¡°Wait here for a minute.¡±

    He took off and strode into the next shop. All the shops in the alley they were at, including Haute Couture, which was one of the top three in Viseltium, was owned by Jeff. Whatever he needed, the staff would immediately offer the best to their master without questions asked.

    Sure enough, Baron came back five minutes later with a paper bag in tow. As if by cue, the Jeff family carriage arrived in front of them. Apparently, he had called in advance.

    ¡°After you.¡±

    Baron opened the carriage door himself and let Seira in first. She sat opposite him silently, and all of a sudden a memory rushed back into mind.

    ¡°It¡¯s been seven years¡­¡± Seira gasped.

    Baron carefully put down the paper bag he held and nodded, ¡°Come to think of it, it has been such a long time.¡±

    He seemed to have understood what she said out of the blue.

    Seven years ago, Baron escorted Seira instead of Calrad, and the two sat face-to-face in the carriage. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of her just the same, and she had pretended not to know who he was at the time.

    ¡°Did you want to sleep with me then, too?¡± she bluntly asked as she stared straight at him.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    His expression, which he tried as much as he could to keep calm, once again broke.

    ¡°Seira¡­¡±

    His throat bobbed with just her name uttered.

    ¡°Yes, tell me,¡± Seira urged him further.

    Baron heaved a long sigh as she looked at him with a serious expression. She seemed to have no thoughts of letting her question go unanswered.

    ¡°That thought¡­ it never came to mind. His Majesty¡¯s pheromones were stuck to you heavily, and perhaps you didn¡¯t even know what it meant at that time.¡±

    Seira wasn¡¯t too surprised, although she admitted it was something she just came to know. Calrad was truly possessive, she knew he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to have done so. He must have intended to mate with her before the ball, knotting and filling her with his seeds, even feeding her his blood.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that I made a promise before my father died¡­¡±

    Seira¡¯s eyes widened at Baron¡¯s unexpected words.

    ¡°Huh? What promise?¡± she asked, bewildered.

    ¡°I promised to be with you.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Seira¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of that, ever.¡±

    ¡°I agree. Father complained every time that it was not easy to persuade Askan.¡±

    A feeling of nostalgia flashed across Baron¡¯s face as he reminisced the memory of his father.

    ¡°Actually, I was forcing myself not to think of it. Even then, you were already appointed as the Crown Princess, but for the first and last time, I complained to my father.¡±

    Seira stared at Baron.

    It was no surprise that she was his first love, knowing that he followed her back then every time they met when they were younger.

    However, it felt strange to see how their situation differed after their fathers died. While Seira was protected at the palace, Baron had to learn and carry their family¡¯s name at a very young age. He would have been a little boy who still whined at his father, given the chance.

    ¡°I thought it was over¡­ But I thought some more after you went back to Askan. I told myself that I¡¯d try to make an opportunity somehow,¡± Baron whispered underneath his voice.

    He reached out to Seira, who tilted her head and smiled at him suddenly, ¡°So¡­ do you think there is a chance?¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    He couldn¡¯t comprehend what she meant. She raised a hand and slightly overlapped their fingers, and Baron reached out as if he had been waiting for this to happen his entire life. His fingertips grazed past her palm, wrist, and elbow towards her shoulder. Soon, he had wrapped his hands around her small waist and pulled her tight towards him.

    A low whisper permeated her ear, ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, hit me, with all your might.¡±

    Soon after the last word was uttered, their lips crashed onto one another.

 Chapter 22.1

    Baron grabbed the back of Seira¡¯s neck so she couldn¡¯t escape from him. His kisses were fast-paced, entangling his tongue with hers. She shuddered in surprise with the blazing intensity of his kisses.

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±

    His tongue, which poked inside her mouth, was neither kind nor sweet. It was fierce and wild, like a starving predator which finally fed. Even when she was experienced, Seira soon found herself gasping and finding it hard to catch up to him.

    However, Seira didn¡¯t push him away. His impatience was surprisingly not that bad. No matter how shameless his words were before he finally attacked without permission, Seira still found it quite adorable.

    When she clearly didn¡¯t reject his advances, Baron slowly began to release his pheromones. His hand slipped downwards, all the while his mouth pressing hard as he kissed and swallowed their mixed saliva. He quickly pulled up her blouse, yanking her undergarments off, and grabbed her plump chest.

    ¡°Hngh!¡±

    Although she expected it, it still hurt Seira since Baron couldn¡¯t control his strength. But still, Seira didn¡¯t stop him.

    Soon Baron realized his hasty pace, and he slowly relaxed his grip on her. His rough hands full of calluses was extremely stimulating. Seira groaned as they rubbed hard and slowly on her nipples.

    He laid her down on the soft seat, while Seira arched her back due to the height difference. Her garment and her wet panties were dragged down smoothly without even changing their positions. Baron¡¯s finger traced her smooth cliffs until finally, he found what he was looking for and dug in.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    It was only a finger, but her body reacted with great intensity. Everything that she¡¯d been holding back when she rode with him to Viseltium finally exploded. He pushed it into the very end, while rubbing her walls as if trying to measure the narrow and hot flesh.

    ¡°Wait, Baron¡­¡± Seira gasped.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, then you can hit me,¡± he told her.

    He got bolder and added one more finger inside, and a wet sound spread obscenely in the carriage while he pushed in and out roughly.

    ¡°Ahn¡­ yes!¡±

    With his free hand, Baron lifted Seira¡¯s chin and his lips crashed and sucked on hers again. Their tongues wove together with great intensity, and saliva ran down her mouth.

    While they kissed, Baron¡¯s finger moved faster and faster. The moment she moved her body in the rapidly rising pleasure, her body climaxed and overtook her senses.

    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±

    A splash of liquid soaked Baron¡¯s hand wet.

    ¡°Haa¡­¡±

    Finally, Baron lifted his body, their tongues untangling from the passionate kisses.

    Seira¡¯s attire was a complete mess. Beneath her rolled-up blouse, her luscious breasts were exposed, handprints flashing red. The rise and fall of her flat belly, her exposed pubic hair, Baron couldn¡¯t help but groan at how suffocatingly erotic she looked.

    ¡°I¡­ I must have lied¡­¡± He looked down at her with blank eyes, his lips pressed together, ¡°In fact, I think I did want to touch you like this seven years ago.¡±

    He must have wanted to draw her gazing out the window in her pristine white dress that day. Baron had wanted to cover her with his own, if not for Calrad¡¯s alpha pheromones all over her, and then steer the carriage away to hide Seira from him.

    Otherwise, how could it be so satisfying? His ferocious desire for her had clearly remained until this time.

    ¡°What are you trying to say, Baron?¡±

    Seira, whose breathing was a bit labored, kicked him in the ribs with her knees.

    ¡°You took them off, now clean it up,¡± she told him, pertaining to her underwear and the mess he caused.

    She didn¡¯t want to lift a finger and move. Not when her legs had slowly spread down below, seemingly welcoming the pure-blooded alpha¡¯s pheromones.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Baron agreed, and quickly pulled his fingers out of Seira.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    He looked at her trembling thighs that covered her tight hole partially, and his eyes shifted to his hand dripping with her warm and sticky liquids. Did the omega¡¯s scent which made any alpha crazy about her, cloud his wisdom?

    All of a sudden, Baron licked his fingers without even thinking much about it.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Seira yelled in surprise. She tried to grab his arm, but it was already too late. ¡°You can¡¯t lick it!¡± she insisted instead.

    Baron¡¯s long lashes batted slowly. He blinked several times as he lifted her underwear and pants up.

    ¡°You can take responsibility this time,¡± he said.

    Seira¡¯s brows shot up with what he said, and she exclaimed in incredulity, ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you spend the night in Jeff with me instead of Ascan alphas?¡± he suggested, ¡°I promise that I wouldn¡¯t let you down.¡±

    She merely stared at him with her mouth slightly open. She pulled down her rolled up blouse and then raised her body as she answered back, ¡°Alright then.¡±

    This time around, it was Baron¡¯s turn to be shocked by Seira¡¯s quick answer.

    ¡°Really¡­?¡± Baron asked, disbelief clear in his voice.

    ¡°Write an agreement instead, then.¡±

    ¡°What agreement?¡±

    ¡°An agreement that if you give me a child after this, then the child would have nothing to do with Jeff,¡± Seira explained to him what she was demanding.

    Baron stared motionless at Seira, trying to comprehend whatever it was that she was saying. And then, it dawned on him and he had to ask again, ¡°Do you mean you plan to have a child with me?¡±¡±

    ¡°No,¡± came Seira¡¯s blunt response.

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°There is no way for that to happen, Baron,¡± Seira shrugged her shoulders, ¡°not unless you¡¯d write it down and sign it.¡±

    Baron couldn¡¯t help but nod in agreement and ponder over what she demanded of him.

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± he muttered.

    He was not sure that Seira¡¯s reason would be firm up to the end. Knotting due to excessive excitement and impregnating Seira would be entirely his fault.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡±

 Chapter 22.2

    He would do anything, since it was Seira herself that he wanted. He didn¡¯t approach her with the intention of procreating successors. Baron only wanted to prove his sincerity, thus agreeing to whatever it was that Seira demanded of him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it then,¡± she smirked.

    The carriage gradually slowed down while she finished organizing her clothes. He pulled back the curtains slightly just to check outside, and then he announced, ¡°Seems like we just arrived in time.¡±

    ¡°The coachman is competent.¡±

    Baron said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t think of anything strange since it¡¯s a beta. Pheromone blocking and soundproofing magic are casted on the carriage.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ Is it that bad? Well, I heard it¡¯s your taste with the carriage design,¡± Seira said cheekily.

    Baron seriously considered whether to push ahead with them inside the carriage or not.

    * * *

    Unlike townhouses that usually only had a small garden in one building, the Jeff¡¯s had to be traveled via carriage from the main gate towards the main building.

    As the carriage arrived, Baron and Seira got off and were immediately approached by a familiar middle-aged man.

    He bowed his head and greeted them, ¡°How was your travel, your excellencies?¡±

    Baron noticed Seira¡¯s blank stare and whispered in her ear, ¡°That is Noah, our head butler. He is Alec¡¯s father.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Baron¡¯s deputy knew her well. He was a cute alpha who would cower in fear in front of her, trying not to make eye contact.

    ¡°What about grandmother?¡±

    ¡°She was invited to join the Marquis of Tellon. Perhaps she¡¯ll be back tomorrow afternoon,¡± Noah replied.

    He tried as much as he could not to watch the war of nerves between Baron trying to hold hands, whereas Seira was doing the exact opposite and swatting his hand away discreetly.

    ¡°Good, then,¡± Baron commented.

    He was currently in a situation that needed urgent attention, to which he responded to entering the main buildng with Seira in tow.

    Walking towards the central stair, Baron instructed his head butler, ¡°The third floor would be prohibited until tomorrow morning. Remember this, don¡¯t let anyone barge in, not even if His Majesty comes to visit.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Noah replied.

    The clever butler stopped right under the stairs without going any further. Baron and Seira proceeded to climb the stairs, and suddenly, Baron bolted.

    ¡°Why are you in a rush?¡± Seira asked him.

    She smiled and looked at Baron, who was racing her to the third floor without a break. When they stepped foot in front of the Duke of Jeff¡¯s room, Seira playfully pushed him in.

    ¡°If you know, why don¡¯t you cooperate?¡±

    Seira merely shrugged his comment off, and then shifted his attention to the room¡¯s details.

    The room turned out to be divided into two, one designed for the use of the Duke Jeff, while the other by his companion. It was divided by a wall, and there was a large and vibrant bed which could fit five to six people to roll around. On the outside, it was designed soundproof so that people inside could do their business lightly.

    The last place her eyes came upon was the back of Baron, who stood in front of the desk without sitting down and quickly wrote a contract of agreement.

    ¡®This is crazy. Why does he keep looking cute?¡¯ Seira thought at the back of her mind.

    It was amazing how he would do anything just so he could sleep with her, who was now the last of her family and the only pure-blooded Omega of their generation. Even as he wrote an agreement that he¡¯d renounce his rights even if he had a child, it wasn¡¯t because of his greed for succession.

    ¡®Is this how much he wants to have sex with me? Well¡­ he did admit I was his first love¡­¡¯

    She knew well that there were quite a number of people who were obsessed with their firsts. First love, first kiss, first sex. All of them meant nothing in her case, but she didn¡¯t mean to ignore other people¡¯s tastes either.

    ¡°Here,¡± Baron said as he handed her the written agreement.

    Seira checked the items in the contract that Baron completed.

    ¡°What is this?¡± she pointed at the paper in bewilderment, ¡°You want to date me at least three times?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t necessarily mean this agreement to be purely about sex,¡± he explained, ¡°Like I told you, I wanted you to give me a proper chance.¡±

    She tilted her head and said, ¡°You might change your mind.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Baron asked.

    ¡°I believe your interest would probably fade once you get to sleep with me,¡± Seira said as she went over the paper again, ¡°It may be burdensome to spend time with me aside from what we initially agreed upon.¡±

    Like Aven, who pushed her back to consider her relationship with Baron, the chances were high.

    ¡°No,¡± came Baron¡¯s firm reply.

    Seira couldn¡¯t help but to smile, ¡°Well, I guess that would be fine so long as we only meet a few times.¡±

    Grabbing the pen Baron held, she signed the contract which only had one condition from Baron¡¯s side. She didn¡¯t even give much consideration to it anymore, and handed it over to Baron who stamped it with his seal. After dividing two copies for each of them, there was one concern left to do.

    ¡°Shall I take a bath first?¡± she joked.

    Baron¡¯s eyes widened as his face turned tomato red, ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±

    Seira burst out laughing at the way Baron looked when he replied fiercely to her suggestion.

    ¡°Why? Is it too hard to wait? What is a few hours to seven years of yearning for this, right?¡±

    Baron¡¯s brows furrowed in the middle, as if contemplating the obvious challenge he was handed. Without saying a word, he suddenly threw off his jacket and shirt.

    Seira gazed at him comfortably as she sat on a soft bed. Unlike her, who didn¡¯t have much muscle in her body, Baron was simply perfectly well-built. She looked at him continuously, and somehow she became envious as she admired his build and the capabilities that came with him being a pure-blooded alpha.

    ¡°I¡¯m just going to watch,¡± she teased.

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, then don¡¯t move a single muscle,¡± he said as he loosened his belt and threw it together with his pile of discarded clothing, ¡°You stay very still, Seira Askan.¡±

    With his patience wearing thin, Baron was going to rip apart all of his clothes, including that of Seira¡¯s.

 Chapter 23.1

    ¡°No, wait.¡±

    It was intimidating to see him stride towards her as she backed away. Watching Seira quickly unbuttoning her blouse, he grabbed her and sat her on his lap as if they were still in the carriage.

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand it.¡±

    With one arm wrapped around her waist, Baron swept her hair away and pressed his lips firmly on her slender neck, drowning in her sweet scent.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You should have resolved your problem from time to time. I¡¯m guessing you haven¡¯t had sex since you returned to Viseltium?¡± she asked him.

    Baron¡¯s eyebrows scrunched up in the middle, his forehead wrinkling in the process.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Seira noted his reaction and added, ¡°You did, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯ve been busy these days too,¡± he immediately denied.

    Seira¡¯s blouse slid down, revealing her white and round shoulders.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re mistaken,¡± Baron added as he appreciated her silky-smooth skin, ¡°I don¡¯t just drag anyone into bed.¡±

    ¡°What? Why?¡±

    As she asked, Baron¡¯s lips traveled along her neckline, and he slightly nipped where he felt her pulse.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    A soft moan rose from Seira, and she reached out to hug his neck tight as she said, ¡°This is great, but you haven¡¯t answered my question.¡±

    Baron chuckled lightly and nipped at her neck again as he replied, ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really feel the need to. Rut inhibitors work pretty well, unlike for Omegas.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I got to give it to you, you are truly strong to be able to handle that for so long,¡± she complimented sarcastically.

    Anyway, he would have already heard the rumors about him being married to his sword. Seira swore if Baron just winked, any Omega would¡¯ve rushed and begged to pleasure him.

    ¡°But, wait¡­¡± Seira looked at him at the thought that suddenly came to mind. ¡°Then, have you never done it before?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Without answering, he tore off her underwear and threw it away from the bed.

    ¡°Do you still think that?¡± he flashed her a cocky smile.

    Unlike the last time, Baron didn¡¯t leave a piece of cloth on Seira¡¯s body.

    ¡°Why do you answer ¨C ah!¡±

    Seira was suddenly cut off when Baron threw her small body down the soft bed. He positioned himself in between her legs, looming over her like a predator.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that is an important matter as of the moment, perhaps your experience with me will tell,¡± Baron jested.

    He then unbuckled his pants, and with one swift movement pulled his pants and underwear down with only one finger. Because of that, Seira finally caught sight of that one thing she couldn¡¯t get a glimpse of back at the spring site.

    ¡°¡­This is crazy,¡± she muttered under her voice.

    Baron raised his eyebrows in bewilderment, ¡°What?¡±

    His manhood, which was dripping wet with pre-ejaculate, stood up to his navel in a monstrous way.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a little¡­ I need a bit of time to think,¡± Seira stammered as she dragged the blanket over her as if trying to cover her body.

    Baron¡¯s expression was disturbed by Seira¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°Seira¡­¡±

    He barely raised the corners of his mouth, but his face showed a strained relaxed expression, ¡°That¡¯s enough of your jokes. What are you talking about now?¡±

    ¡°You have got to be kidding me!¡± Seira exclaimed as she pointed her finger towards his lower body, ¡°Don¡¯t you have a conscience? You are going to put that inside of me?¡±

    Baron¡¯s forehead wrinkled. He could still recall the narrow place in between her soft thighs in which he had stuck his fingers a while ago.

    ¡°¡­there are perfumes, too.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only for humans.¡±

    To be honest, Aven¡¯s wasn¡¯t that of a normal size as she recalled. However, his genitals were as smooth as its neat and ascetic owner¡¯s appearance. The color was pretty as well, so it wasn¡¯t burdensome at all.

    Moreover, Aven¡¯s relationship with her since the beginning was only to stabilize her pheromones, not to satisfy her wildest desires. He always put Seira as his top priority, and even when he was at the brink of losing his reason, he would always stop whenever Seira demanded him to.

    But Baron on the other hand¡­ he didn¡¯t seem capable of stopping when he¡¯d begun.

    ¡®And it¡¯s the first time¡­¡¯

    She was worried that she¡¯d die if they did something wrong.

    ¡°Don¡¯t run away,¡± Baron sighed as he realized Seira was genuinely hesitating.

    ¡°I¡¯m not running away!¡± she groaned softly.

    The problem was not him, but her. She should¡¯ve been the one to sigh. With the written contract signed, she couldn¡¯t quit even if she wanted to.

    ¡°I promise not to overdo it, yes?¡± Baron tried to console her.

    Seira began to reconsider. He was being gentle as well as he tried to convince her. If he had forced her into it, then that would¡¯ve been another thing.

    Perhaps it was alright to trust him?

    ¡°Just¡­¡± she gulped, ¡°just keep your word.¡±

    ¡°Cross my heart,¡± he smiled broadly.

    Seira unconsciously found herself giggling at his cute reaction.

    Little did she know that she¡¯d be into a roller coaster ride in a short while.

    * * *

 Chapter 23.2

    ¡°Stop¡­ Stop licking¡­¡±

    Seira¡¯s nails dug into Baron¡¯s shoulder. He wasn¡¯t a dog, yet why was he licking her like that? Every time he sucked it in his mouth, pheromones went wild and her skin tingled with every sensation that crawled inside her.

    He lifted his head as he continued to lick her nipples. Her eyes rolled as her brain and body conflicted with how to react. His lips were firmly latched on her breast, and while he suckled to no end, his tongue played on her soft pink nipple.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Underneath, three of his fingers were buried and covered with warm and sticky liquid. His fingers were thick and rough as his large physique, and her entrance opened as if swallowing them deeper inside.

    ¡°Oh, my¡­ Ah!¡±

    Her hands were all over him, her nails digging in. And yet no matter how much she scratched, his trained muscles didn¡¯t show marks, and her hands only tingled. Seira lowered her hand and covered his mouth with her palm.

    ¡°Just a little bit¡­¡±

    Even if she tried to escape, he would only lick her palm again and showed a toothy grin as he said, ¡°This puppy is¡­!¡±

    It turned out that he may have been possessed by a dog¡¯s spirit. Otherwise, even during sex, he wouldn¡¯t be much like a dog at all.

    As she closed her mouth tightly, he concentrated on moving the fingers that he had stuck inside her. In order for her to accept his monstrous manhood, her entrance must be stretched as much as possible. After pushing in deeper, Baron then spread his fingers wider.

    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±

    Seira¡¯s thighs trembled whenever his rough fingers brushed against her inner walls. The sloshing sound came from her arousal dripping out and wetting her inner thighs and Baron¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Now¡­¡±

    Looking down at her with her hands pressed over her mouth, Baron said in a cracked voice, ¡°Can I put it in?¡±

    His hot breath touched Seira¡¯s burning skin, and she nodded her head thinking that she¡¯d rather get it done already than being covered in wet kisses. He stopped his moving hand, and then pushed his fingers further inside her for the last time before he pulled it out with a slow twist of his wrist.

    He looked at her, rubbing his hand from the generous amount of Seira¡¯s arousal.

    ¡°As I said before, you can hit me if you won¡¯t like it,¡± Baron reminded her, ¡°Kick me with all your might, if you will.¡±

    He settled down between Seira¡¯s legs, letting her widen it more for his grand entrance. Baron stared at the erotic display that was all for him to ravish in the next few seconds and he softly whispered, ¡°You know it¡¯s itching to enter you, right?¡±

    Seira couldn¡¯t help but to tremble as she answered coyly, ¡°Alright, just get it over with already.¡±

    ¡®I never expected to be having sex with him,¡¯ she suddenly realized.

    She didn¡¯t expect their arrangement to be just for fun considering her heat cycle. Of course, there were hidden agendas on her end. If Baron hadn¡¯t shown interest, then she wouldn¡¯t have responded accordingly.

    ¡®Perhaps its because I see him so often¡­ I felt too much at ease that I didn¡¯t even consider the possibility,¡¯ she mused silently.

    Baron Jeff was the closest to her for the past few years, except maybe for those who were within the boundary of Askan. It was partly because she didn¡¯t just see him during the subjugation war, but also during most battles she¡¯d worked as a mercenary.

    She couldn¡¯t tell if it was purely coincidence or not.

    ¡®He is a fine alpha¡­ well, except for that monstrous sword he¡¯s wielding right now.¡¯

    She stared at Baron¡¯s face which was contorted in perplexity. He was rubbing the head of his shaft at the front of Seira¡¯s entrance, but it seemed like her hole had narrowed yet again despite Baron¡¯s effort to widen them with his three fingers.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it here¡­?¡± he questioned more to himself than to Seira.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± she replied.

    Baron¡¯s eyes turned to narrow slits at her answer, and then muttered, ¡°How did it become like this again?¡±

    The look on his face as he grumbled about his predicament with closed eyes. Seira then realized it must truly be his first. Thinking fast, Seira decided to change their positions.

    She was ready to raise herself and push Baron on the bed, when all of a sudden, she felt something huge and hard entered her, ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±

    The tip of his hard shaft entered roughly. She saw it with her own eyes, but it was totally different from her previous experiences. His penis was struggling to fit inside her!

    Even though Seira knew she had to relax her body so she could accept him, she couldn¡¯t help but focus more on the stiffness in her lower stomach and thighs.

    ¡®Crazy, this is fucking crazy!¡¯ she screamed internally.

    The wrinkles between Baron¡¯s brows deepened. Looking down at her narrow hole as if he was aiming at a Guardian, he slowly pushed his waist forward. Seira on the other hand was literally dying ¨C he just penetrated her with power without a single trick or skill up his sleeve.

    Even if she bit her lips and grabbed the sheets until her knuckles turned white, what she felt at the moment was something she could never get used to.

    ¡®Maybe this is the time that I kick him and run away now,¡¯ she mused.

    As if he had read her mind, Baron said imploringly, ¡°It¡¯s almost done, so¡­ Just a little bit¡­¡±

    His forehead was covered with sweat. Despite being calm inside the battlefield surrounded by beasts, it was clear that the task in front of him was daunting.

    Seira decided to endure a little longer despite losing strength. Perhaps it was true that he was almost done. She began to spread her pheromones in an effort to neutralize their pain somehow, gradually thickening to the point the scent stuck to one¡¯s nose.

    ¡°Seira¡­¡±

    From where they were joined, Baron¡¯s gaze crawled up to her face. The wrinkles in his forehead had disappeared, and there was a soft look in his eyes.

    But just as he looked at her gently, Baron slammed himself hard on her at the same time.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Seira couldn¡¯t even let out a moan of pleasure nor a scream of pain. His words that said it was almost completely inside her was but a lie. The shock from his penetration spread all throughout Seira¡¯s body, numbing her inside out. With a penis the size of her forearm, Seira knew it was inevitable.

 Chapter 24.1

    ¡°Ah¡­Ugh¡­.¡±

    She clasped her mouth shut as she tried to bear the pain with her eyes tightly closed.

    ¡°Is it that hard?¡± he asked, concern in his eyes.

    She opened her eyes and glared at Baron¡¯s frustrating words, ¡°Baron¡­ It¡¯s like a fucking horse!¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry,¡± came his immediate reply, his face apologetic, ¡°I couldn¡¯t seem to control myself once I began. I never expected it to feel this good¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    His gentle apology rendered Seira speechless. In fact, whether he put it in slowly or not, it would¡¯ve probably hurt the same. The main problem wasn¡¯t the pace ¨C his manhood was just too big for her! There wasn¡¯t even a way to reduce its size even with magic.

    Has he always been this gifted since he was born? Seira could only guess as much.

    ¡°Come on¡­¡± Seira gestured for him as he raised his torso upright. ¡°Come on here, Baron.¡±

    He did as he was told, leaning over and clasping her body as he supported his weight with his elbow. Seira¡¯s eyes softened for a fraction of a second, as his face came close to the tip of her nose.

    She wrapped her arms around his neck and licked his lower lip. Expecting a kiss, Baron leaned further forward to put his lips closer. And then the moment he parted his lips, all of a sudden, a sharp pain shot through him.

    Seira bit his lip until it bled!

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    She then licked his lower lip, her eyes staring intently at his bright yellow eyes. Seira sucked at the wound continuously, swallowing blood that formed into droplets. It wasn¡¯t until his wound healed several moments later and the blood stopped that she finally let go of his lips.

    ¡°As expected, one of your secondary abilities was regeneration,¡± Seira muttered under her voice.

    She¡¯d experienced the same thing in the past. In the same way, a pureblooded alpha¡¯s blood could take away pain as if they were the most effective painkillers. This was originally something direct descendants of the imperial family had. But of course, it wasn¡¯t as good as Calrad¡¯s, but Baron¡¯s blood was strong as well.

    Baron stared at her with a drunk look on his face. He closed his eyes and opened them to see her lips wet and shiny.

    Power didn¡¯t matter to him now. If she¡¯d ask him to confess, he¡¯d willingly tell her everything about his powers and how he used them.

    Seira swallowing his Alpha blood meant a lot to Baron. It gave him hope that she might want to imprint with him. Did she want to be subordinated to him forever? Did she want to possess him entirely?

    Just imagining the possibilities made him crazy.

    He hurriedly kissed her lips deeply, which tasted of his own blood from biting him earlier. Seira¡¯s pupils dilated with the ravenous way he kissed her, his alpha pheromones exploding wildly with each touch.

    Baron¡¯s unrestrained pheromones were unlike anything she had ever experienced. Even more was his giant body that pressed on her helplessly. He was like a hungry beast that crushed his captured prey, chewing her through his pheromones as if devouring her flesh.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Seira groaned as she was exposed to his pheromones that exposed his rawest desires.

    Her body became sensitive to all his sensuous touches. His tongue scratched the roof of her mouth, and the sense of climax soared even higher.

    Baron began to move his waist when he felt her quim flinch and started to become wet.

    All reason left his eyes that flashed a dangerous golden yellow, a great contrast to his deep blue hair. His desire to eat up the Omega drenched in his pheromones was all that persisted in his mind.

    With that greedy instinct, he savaged the inside of her womanhood. Her body was almost pushed up as he pounded deeper inside her. Of course, he didn¡¯t let her get away from him. He snaked one arm around her waist and followed her relentlessly.

    ¡°Uh, yes, ugh¡­!¡±

    His excessively large shaft, the hideously bumpy veins, at this very moment, was the reason her orgasm hastened. He couldn¡¯t help himself at all. Even though he was clueless without the slightest technique, her body still trembled with all the sensations he gave her, and her eyes turned white.

    ¡°Oh, my¡­¡±

    He didn¡¯t stop moving even as she felt her insides get rammed to a climax. Suddenly, he grabbed and pulled out his sticky manhood, and cold-bloodedly inserted it up to her roots.

    ¡°Baron¡­¡± Seira gasped.

    She held him by the forearm, blinking away tears filled with extreme pleasure.

    ¡°Just a little bit, hngh, slowly¡­ please!¡± she begged.

    Tracing her falling tears, Baron stopped his savage ways. He slowed down pushing and pulling as he started kissing her all over her face.

    ¡°Seira¡­¡± he groaned with a sigh. ¡°Am I really holding you?¡±

    Perhaps it wasn¡¯t the right thing to ask considering how their bodies were intertwined passionately. He was rubbing her again, making her thighs open wider to let him move to his content.

    The wild sensations painfully stimulated Seira, bees swarming inside her stomach. He didn¡¯t relax at all as he attacked her conspicuously, making her peak again with his constant wanton touches.

    ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡±

    He tilted his head slowly as he looked down at her. She moaned for a long time, and Baron buried his face into the nook of her slender neck, kissing her tenderly. Their scents were heavily mixed together in a flurry of pure passion.

    Baron grabbed her hand which had clutched on his forearm and shoulder. He grabbed her hands and their fingers intertwined as Baron forcefully pressed them down above her head. It was truly difficult to control himself ¨C especially when it came to Seira.

 Chapter 24.2

    He moved slowly at her request, but in no time did his movements speed up once more. From head to toe, Seira felt her entire body burn with his intense thrusts.

    ¡°Huu¡­ ah-ah¡­ Hah!¡±

    She couldn¡¯t help but scream her feelings as his entire weight crushed her tiny body. He had restricted her movements with their interlocked hands, and Seira could only do as much as moan in pleasure.

    His pheromones surged like a tsunami with his increasingly fast and strong thrusts. It was so intense that Seira suddenly thought of running away, but in the end she couldn¡¯t lift a finger. Baron was reaching his climax, and his seeds were ready to be planted.

    Seira¡¯s eyes opened, her purple jewels almost sparkling. Her pheromones, which she thought had been completely masked by Baron¡¯s, started to take its effects on him as well.

    All control disappeared from Baron¡¯s eyes, who had his face buried on Seira¡¯s neck. He bit her nape the very second her waist rose from the climax of their passionate lovemaking. At the same time, his manhood started to swell inside of her. Baron was knotting.

    ¡°Oh my god!¡± Seira screamed.

    The sensation of her walls stretching with Baron¡¯s enlarged penis was simply something she couldn¡¯t take anymore. When her entrance had been totally blocked, he exploded with semen as thick and hot as his desire for her thus far, filling her womb with his strong seeds.

    Feeling her stomach tightened unbearably as if she wanted to pee and shit at the same time with every ejaculation, Seira decided to finally let go of her consciousness.

    * * *

    Baron seemed to have completely erased the word ¡®moderation¡¯ in his mind. When Seira was unconscious, he busied himself by licking and sucking every corner of her body, and when she woke up, he continued where they left off. He didn¡¯t even hesitate on feeding her his blood to recover quickly.

    As the sun eventually rose, Seira kicked him as hard as she could. Of course, she didn¡¯t use her powers, but at least she succeeded in kicking him out of bed. She rose causally and approached him.

    ¡°If you fucking dare to come one step closer, you won¡¯t be able to get up from there,¡± she told him.

    He blinked slowly at her threat, ¡°Are you mad?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I just want to hit you, that¡¯s all,¡± she replied nonchalantly.

    He smiled at her remark, but there was a hint of sadness in the wrinkling of his forehead.

    ¡°Let¡¯s fight hard tomorrow morning then,¡± he replied, ¡°I¡¯ll compete with you as much as I can.¡±

    Seira¡¯s brows arched at his suggestion, and said, ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? It¡¯s been a while since the sun has come out already.¡±

    Baron turned to the window at her words, and he saw a faint ray of light peeking from the curtains. His jaw dropped slightly and then closed after he finally realized she was right.

    He looked at her with eyes of regret, and swept his face with the palm of his hand as he said, ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s already morning.¡±

    Seira couldn¡¯t help herself but burst out into a laugh. He truly lost track of time as they fought each other on the sheets. Baron¡¯s expression softened at the sound of her laughter, and he sneaked up to sit beside her on the bed.

    He carefully arranged her hair and asked, ¡°I guess you are probably hungry now. Should we go get something to eat?¡±

    After a brief moment of thinking, Seira recalled Baron had boasted about Jeff¡¯s cooking skills.

    ¡°Yeah, I think we should,¡± she finally replied.

    ¡°All right, wait a minute.¡±

    Baron left the room roughly dressed in a robe without even thinking of how messed up he looked. After a while, he returned with two plates that each had a steak four times the size of her palm. The garnishes looked plain, but to Seira who was exhausted, the size of the steak in front of her was the only thing that mattered.

    ¡°The Jeffs actually eat steak so early in the morning¡­¡± she mumbled in disbelief.

    Baron didn¡¯t mind that she just stated something normal and obvious, but just chopped her steak into smaller pieces instead.

    ¡°Would you like to go to the training grounds after this?¡± he asked her.

    Seira smiled and nodded at his suggestion, ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    Apart from the fact that her relationship with Baron wasn¡¯t as bad as she thought, she was still full of desire to hit him as much as she had suffered while they fucked all night.

    She chewed on the steak and thought hard about how to beat him at the same time.

    ¡°Baron,¡± she called out to him.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°After this, when we go to the training grounds, please make sure to be careful with my abdomen,¡± she said. ¡°Just in case I¡¯m already pregnant.¡±

    Something clanged and Baron glanced down in surprise to see his fork had fallen from his hand.

    Seira sighed and shook her head as she said, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you could even suggest such a thing.¡±

    It was a complete lie, but Seira felt not a single drop of pity. She hadn¡¯t forgotten how he lied about putting it all in during when they began. Seira thought it was only fair ¨C he lied to her, then she might as well lie to him too.

    Seira put another piece of steak in her mouth. She stared at Baron, who was clearly overcome with guilt. Suddenly the steak tasted so delicious that she thought the skills of Baron¡¯s chef deserved to be praised.

 Chapter 25.1

    Duke Jeff¡¯s training ground was located in a large space behind the main building. Magical tools that absorbed shock were heavily laid on the floor, while several layers of magic circles were installed for the same purpose. It wasn¡¯t to protect the trainees, but more so to prevent damage to the training ground.

    Their knights watched as the two dukes battled in a frenzy. The dazzling flashes of light were blinding and earth-shaking explosions were deafening. Whenever their swords collided, a gust of wind blew up to the very end of the hall.

    Several layers of magic circles couldn¡¯t even block off the waves of stone dust blown by their parries. Alec, Baron¡¯s lieutenant, wasn¡¯t even able to dodge from a piece of dust hitting his eye, and cried. It seemed like the training ground had to be closed off for two days to inspect for damages.

    The battle that began early in the morning didn¡¯t end late noon due to exhaustion. It was because Baron and Seira¡¯s swords couldn¡¯t withstand the impact of each other¡¯s attacks, which were gradually getting closer to the real thing.

    It was only after the dust had settled that the two of them were revealed standing opposite of each other. Seira¡¯s platinum hair was in disarray, and Baron was neither looking his best ¨C there were even a few torn clothes!

    ¡°Let¡¯s continue next time,¡± Seira said with a soft smile.

    To be honest, it was nearly impossible for her to beat Baron in a one-on-one battle. Although both of them were of pure bloodline, he was an alpha who manifested and trained his powers at a much earlier age than she did.

    Nevertheless, she was able to give him a proper beating today. Thanks to her pregnancy-related remark earlier during breakfast, Baron in turn hesitated to counterattack too many times. He never missed a chance to fight with his sword, but he insisted they cancel the fight ¨C to which both of them knew the results anyway.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s continue next time then,¡± Baron said.

    He didn¡¯t really care that much about Seira¡¯s tricks. Rather, he was more sensitive about other things.

    The Duke of Jeff glanced at Seira¡¯s sweaty white blouse and looked around. The fact that most of his knights were bloody alphas had never been annoying to him ¨C up until today.

    ¡°I¡¯m going back in now,¡± Baron said, hoping that Seira would catch on and follow him as well.

    ¡°Let me catch my breath for a moment,¡± she said as she raised her hand in level with her chest.

    Unaware of his thoughts, Seira flapped the front of her blouse to let cool air flow in. Baron bit his teeth to avoid his face contorting. With a grunt, he stuck close and shielded Seira from prying eyes with his bulky body.

    ¡°Would you like me to show you around the arsenals?¡± Baron asked her.

    Seira¡¯s head raised and looked at Baron with sparkling eyes, ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°A new type of longsword which has a full curved blade came in. I wanted to show it to you,¡± he explained.

    ¡°I like the sound of it.¡±

    Who wouldn¡¯t be interested in Jeff¡¯s arsenal, which focused on military technologies? It was said that their vast collection of swords started way back when the family was established.

    Seira was already on her toes as she followed him around. The knights bowed as the two noble heads exited the training grounds. It was an act to show their deep admiration.

    There were a number of nobles who secretly ignored Askan as they lost their prestige and power over the years. Despite such facts, there were still several of whom admired the family¡¯s martial arts.

    To them, Seira¡¯s father, Nathan, was still a hero who saved the entire empire and that the predicament they are now facing was unfortunate and unreasonable.

    Of course, Seira never really cared about what anyone thought. Just as there wasn¡¯t something to lose if she ignored them, there wasn¡¯t anything to gain for them if they did respect Askan.

    She couldn¡¯t afford to hope and care for trivial things while she protected the Askan land and raised taxes amid Calrad¡¯s efforts to interfere and make her life difficult. Still, whenever she had to, Seira would smile out of habit as she passed them by.

    If they were mesmerized by her appearance or not, she didn¡¯t give a damn.

    ¡°Come quickly,¡± Baron said as his brows created a taut bridge in the middle. There were layers of wrinkles on his forehead despite his age, and Seira couldn¡¯t help but stifle a laugh.

    ¡®Was he always this cute when jealous? Whether it was a bard, a servant, or a noble knight¡­ how amusing,¡¯ she thought at the back of her mind.

    Then again, she was better off minding her own business.

    The Jeff family¡¯s arsenal was located next to the armory. Various weapons and armors were displayed in a two-story high detached building, which was snugly secured with magic staffs and harnesses.

    ¡°I can¡¯t just use my natural arsenal, but I tend to have things that I need right now.¡±

    ¡°You mean this is not all?¡±

    ¡°All things worth keeping or historically meaningful are here,¡± Baron explained.

    In the innermost part of the building, there was the sword that Baron mentioned earlier. It was nearly a meter long, and was made of damebon like Baron¡¯s greatsword. The special ore was one of the best materials to use because of how much energy flowed it contained.

    ¡°Can I touch it?¡± Seira asked politely.

    ¡°As you wish.¡±

    Seira exclaimed as she swung the sword several times. She raised it, and as expected, good weapons felt different even when she was just holding them still.

    ¡°I¡¯d really love to have one such as this,¡± she said without even realizing her words were spoken out loud.

    Seira wasn¡¯t greedy for things most noble women coveted ¨C dresses, jewelry, or any other luxuries at that. She wanted good weapons. Ones that could help her fight longer without burning much of her physical strength from using her powers.

    So far, she never had a similar level of weapon, let alone a damebon. Such things weren¡¯t something she could obtain with her current financial situation. Perhaps it was only possible to hope for such things when one had special connections or their family¡¯s prestige was high.

    In fact, the simplest solution would¡¯ve been to ask Nathan¡¯s spirit. For the land where he died surely had Askan¡¯s heirloom, the spirit sword Illuminum, buried with him.

    However, Seira could not bear to do so.

    Even though she talked to her father a lot, Nathan himself never talked about his death. Seira wasn¡¯t sure he even knew he already left the physical world.

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 Chapter 25.2

    He responded as if he had never heard of certain time-related events, no matter how many times Seira mentioned it. For example, her engagement with Calrad, and the break-up thereafter. He didn¡¯t understand how the imperial family could betray them, as well as why Seira was all alone.

    Maybe he couldn¡¯t accept that there was no one to protect his only daughter or be by her side always. In the end, Seira thought it would be better if she used military supplied swords than to see her father¡¯s frozen expression.

    ¡®I can¡¯t. Things aren¡¯t going out as well as I planned it to be,¡¯ she thought.

    ¡°If you marry me, everything here will belong to you¡­¡±

    Seira¡¯s eyes widened as Baron¡¯s words reached her ears. Her head shot up and she asked him with a stunned look, ¡°¡­what?¡±

    ¡°Seira, aside from the contract we signed yesterday, what do you think about marrying me?¡± he asked her.

    This was the very first that Seira heard Baron spoke so seriously. His face didn¡¯t show a single hint of a joke, making it clear that he was determined to show her his intent to win her heart.

    ¡°I have wished to ask you this for the longest time, and I am sure it wouldn¡¯t change in the future,¡± he continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to be impatient, but after seeing how His Majesty treated you a few days ago, I couldn¡¯t just sit still and do nothing.¡±

    Seira looked at Baron silently, her eyes and whole face void of any expression. He took a step closer towards her, their faces merely inches apart now.

    ¡°As per our contract, the first child can succeed Askan, and the second child can succeed Jeff. Can¡¯t you give me a chance to protect you from now on?¡±

    Baron¡¯s voice was crystal clear. He didn¡¯t stutter nor did he make any mistakes with what he said. He wanted to show Seira how serious he was to do anything for her, to have her by his side.

    To be honest, Seira was utterly caught off guard. She didn¡¯t expect Baron to make this suggestion himself today.

    Did he know the consequences of embracing Askan as part of his family? Or did he just choose not to bother despite the inevitable chance of clashing with Calrad?

    Words could barely come out of Seira¡¯s lips despite her many efforts to open her mouth.

    ¡°If I say yes, can it really be like that?¡± she finally found the right words to speak.

    She knew it would be hugely beneficial for Askan if she nodded and pushed to sign a marriage contract right away, but she also knew marriages between noble families shouldn¡¯t happen that way.

    ¡°You are the head of Jeff. There are a lot of things to consider for you to take Askan in as your companion¡­¡± Seira reasoned out, ¡°Can you truly decide by your own wishes without considering the opinion of other people? Are we both even capable to make such sacrifices?¡±

    Baron knew Seira¡¯s concern was reasonable, however, his answer to all her questions came out naturally as if he firmly believed he was right.

    ¡°At least I think anyone with Jeff¡¯s name should be ashamed. The imperial family betrayed their trust and shied away from their responsibility. Isn¡¯t it funny that Jeff, who urged marriage when Askan was still thriving, turned their backs just because the situation had changed?¡±

    Seira frowned.

    ¡°I want to believe you, too, but¡­¡±

    It would be much of an advantage for Askan, however¡­

    ¡°The Duke¡¯s marriage still needs the consent of the senate, right? I do hope it goes well,¡± she finally added.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Baron¡¯s face immediately lit up when he heard Seira¡¯s words, ¡°I do hope so as well.¡±

    ¡°If Jeff disappoints you, you can always walk away even empty-handed,¡± Seira smiled and patted his chest in response to his ecstatic reply, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My dad originally wanted you as a son-in-law anyway.¡±

    Without looking back at Baron¡¯s response to her last remark, Seira walked out towards the exit.

    ¡®Is it really possible?¡¯ she whimsically asked inside her head.

    She was still skeptical, but at the same time, she couldn¡¯t help but secretly feel excitement. She started to believe perhaps the night spent with him wasn¡¯t that bad at all.

    Or was it because it was the first in a long while since someone wanted her so badly? Or was it because of the hope that Askan wouldn¡¯t fight alone anymore?

    ¡®Well, I hope it works out. Then I could finally get to use that powerful longsword.¡¯

    Seira decided it was worth it to look forward to the unexpected twists in her life for a while.

    * * *

    Jeff¡¯s head butler, Noah, came and delivered important news in person just after Seira washed and changed her clothes. The message was from Domina, who had just returned home and wanted to meet her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat first then meet my grandmother,¡± Baron suggested.

    ¡°No, I think it¡¯s alright, Baron,¡± Seira declined, ¡°I don¡¯t think the conversation would be that long anyway, so I better go and meet her first.¡±

    Baron¡¯s expression clearly showed displeasure, but he only nodded in silence as respect to her decision.

    Domina was staying separately in a detached house from the main building. The reason for it was that pure-blooded alphas tend to feel uncomfortable living together no matter how close their blood relation was.

    ¡°If my grandmother is up to no good, then you can just leave right away,¡± Baron told her.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be quite difficult on your part if I act unsophisticated towards her? There¡¯s a reason one must look good for a short period of time,¡± Seira chided.

    Baron raised his eyebrows at her joking remarks.

    ¡°This and that are different things,¡± he sighed, ¡°you don¡¯t even know yet who she really is.¡±

    Seira shook her head with a slight giggle and insisted, ¡°I know.¡±

    The two of them exchanged a few stories and laughter on their way to Domina¡¯s place. Just as they arrived in front of the house, someone stood tall and greeted them.

    ¡°Greetings to the both of you,¡± the woman said with a slight curtsy, ¡°I am Olivia Tellon, the second daughter of the Marquis of Tellon.¡±

    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 26.1

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think there were any other guests today,¡± Baron commented as soon as Olivia raised her head from the curtsy.

    ¡°Well,¡± she replied in a matter-of-fact tone, ¡°that¡¯s because I didn¡¯t come today as a guest.¡±

    ¡°I think only the Duchess of Askan should come in, would that be alright with you?¡±

    At Olivia¡¯s question, Baron and Seira sneaked a glance at each other at the same time with a confused expression. Who was she actually directing the question to?

    ¡°Grandmother could get a little uncomfortable with me being in the same room. I¡¯ll wait here,¡± Baron finally said.

    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±

    Seira left Baron behind and stepped into the annex building with Olivia. She pondered as she followed her, whose steps were light as they walked.

    ¡®Olivia Tellon is the only Omega of the Marquis. She couldn¡¯t have come in as Domina¡¯s lady-in-waiting.¡¯

    She had no idea at all, but then it would be quite questionable why she asked Seira to come by herself.

    ¡°Right this way.¡±

    An old woman sat on a sofa in a space used as a drawing room inside the first floor of the annex. Olivia let Seira in first, closed the door, and then quietly stationed herself behind Domina.

    ¡°Welcome.¡±

    Seira curtsied at the old woman¡¯s greeting, ¡°It has been a while since I last saw you, your excellency.¡±

    Domina was amused but decided to keep her expression blank and asked, ¡°Do you remember me?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Seira replied without a second to lose, ¡°Time doesn¡¯t seem fair, I still see you from ten years ago.¡±

    A faint smile crept into Domina¡¯s expressionless face.

    ¡°You were quite cute during the ball back then,¡± she commented.

    ¡°Thank you for watching.¡±

    Domina beckoned Seira closer, and she approached to sit opposite her.

    ¡°I heard the news. If the Duchess¡¯ father was still alive, he would have held the celebration for a whole year.¡±

    For a moment, Seira only smiled as she recalled her father¡¯s spirit.

    After exchanging short greetings of pleasantry, Domina immediately brought up the reason she called Seira.

    ¡°I wanted to see you today because I have something to suggest,¡± the old Alpha said. ¡°I thought you might be interested.¡±

    Seira stared at Domina straight in the eyes. She noted the atmosphere has completely changed around her in a snap of a finger, and she said, ¡°Say it.¡±

    ¡°Let me ask you a question first,¡± Domina started, ¡°If His Majesty calls you by his side, are you willing to respond now?¡±

    Seira¡¯s calm expression almost crumbled as her brows started to knit, but she managed to keep calm and reply with a clear voice, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because my relationship with Viseltium has long been over.¡±

    ¡°I see. As expected, it was only a rumor then.¡±

    Unfortunately, many seemed to have misinterpreted the meaning of Seira¡¯s tears that day. As Domina spoke calmly, Seira cursed inwardly at the people who spread hearsays. There were many other things that they should¡¯ve attended to than other people¡¯s business!

    ¡°If that¡¯s all you have to say then I shall take my leave now,¡± Seira said.

    Domina mumbled, the corners of her mouth raising as she spoke, ¡°I¡¯ll be straightforward now. I want you to give birth to Jeff¡¯s successor.¡±

    For a second, Seira doubted her ears.

    ¡°What do you mean by that? You want me to give birth to a descendant¡­¡± Seira asked, ¡°is this some sort of crazy marriage proposal?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it,¡± Domina rebutted flatly. ¡°Now, there is the problem regarding both families joining together in holy matrimony. We only want children.¡±

    The old woman looked Seira straight in the eyes, her expression calculating and swift with her words, ¡°Baron¡¯s child must be birthed by the only pure-blooded Omega of this generation, through you.¡±

    Seira¡¯s mind raced as she thought back at what was proposed to her. Simply put, did Domina mean Seira must let Baron¡¯s seeds impregnate her and just hand over the child to Jeff that easily?

    ¡°To entice you more, I will pay Askan as much as it¡¯s worth. Also, Jeff will not only protect you until childbirth, but also pay Askan¡¯s taxes until the child comes of age. Askan¡¯s blood will be Jeff¡¯s head in the long run, so it isn¡¯t too shabby of a deal if I might say so.¡±

    It was clear to Seira now.

    The damage on Jeff¡¯s name would be far too great to involve marriage in the equation. Domina only saw her, Askan¡¯s last living descendant, as a tool to bear Jeff¡¯s heir in the hopes of producing a powerful child with their pure bloods.

    Her chin rose high as her teeth clenched in an attempt to keep her emotions suppressed and at bay.

    ¡®Yeah, it¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t know it would come out like this anyways,¡¯ she thought at the back of her mind.

    Why was Baron Jeff put off from the beginning in the first place? Jeff couldn¡¯t have had anything to lose by sticking close to her love affairs.

    ¡®How idiotic¡­ I had been so naive on my own,¡¯ Seira came to realize.

    Thinking back to Baron¡¯s proposal less than an hour ago, she was even saddened that it felt totally absurd.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you would entrust the care of a child to Baron.¡±

    Seira¡¯s eyes shifted to Olivia, who hadn¡¯t spoken since the doors had closed inside the drawing room.

    ¡°Your guess is right. I¡¯m planning to make a marriage agreement with Tellon,¡± Domina confirmed.

    ¡°Are you willing to raise another Omega¡¯s child?¡± Seira¡¯s question was directed at Olivia.

    Surprised by Seira¡¯s cold gaze, Olivia replied with a smile on her face, ¡°I take it as a great honor. The child would be extraordinary. He will be the noblest of the next generation.¡±

    ¡°Does that have anything to do with you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡­¡± Olivia¡¯s cheeks turned red as her gaze lowered.

    Soon after several seconds of silence, she spoke again and added, ¡°It¡¯s enough to be an Omega for His Majesty the Duke of Jeff. In the first place, I wouldn¡¯t have dared to dream of standing next to him. I¡¯m just so happy to have this opportunity.¡±

    Seira knew Baron was popular, but that was much about it. It was bound to be amazing.

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 Chapter 26.2

    ¡°It was apparent that she had liked Baron for a long time,¡± Domina commented as her eyes glanced at the blushing daughter of Tellon, ¡°Olivia here was willing to step up.¡±

    Seira did her best not to scoff at the old woman¡¯s remark.

    ¡®You are playing really well, huh?¡¯

    Her remaining respect for the elder noblewoman seemed to have crumbled to dust. The back of her head was even tingling as much as it had been the day Emperor Laud betrayed her.

    ¡°Let me ask you a question,¡± Seira spoke through clenched teeth.

    ¡°Speak.¡±

    ¡°Does your grandson know of your proposal to me?¡±

    ¡°Nothing has been said yet. But I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any reason to refuse the marriage to the Tellons because the will of the senate is also important,¡± the old woman said in a matter-of-fact tone.

    Domina paused and stared at Seira as she emphasized on one last thing, ¡°It is what is best for the family.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±

    Seira tried her best not to sneer. Even when she didn¡¯t like the person in front of her, there was still a certain amount of respect that one should at least pretend to give towards the other.

    She wasn¡¯t just anyone ¨C she was the Duchess of Askan! She was educated and raised with high morals and with such, proper decorum was upheld even in upsetting situations.

    ¡°Then, your excellency¡­¡± Seira¡¯s eyes curled softly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you talk to your grandson first? If he agrees, I will also consider today¡¯s proposal.¡±

    Of course, she planned to disregard the proposal after thinking about it for merely one second.

    Without knowing Seira¡¯s intentions, Domina¡¯s face brightened.

    ¡°Delightful!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°It¡¯s too bad though. If only Askan were alive, it would have been a good relationship.¡±

    ¡®If that was the case, my father would¡¯ve cut off Jeff in an instant,¡¯ Seira scoffed inwardly.

    Meeting Domina in person, she couldn¡¯t understand Nathan¡¯s choice in the past. He would¡¯ve judged better to have his daughter marry Viseltium, who owned the entire empire, than Jeff who was severely interfered with by the senate.

    Seira forced a fake smile on her face and then rose from her seat.

    ¡°Then, I wish you peace until the day I see you again,¡± she bid the old woman good-bye.

    ¡°Yes. Have a safe trip, too.¡±

    Olivia followed Seira, who was heading out of the drawing room as she prayed for Domina¡¯s downfall.

    ¡°Thank you for taking it positively, even though it may have hurt your feelings,¡± she spoke softly.

    Seira never took Domina¡¯s words in a positive manner, but she nodded at Olivia¡¯s remark nevertheless. As a matter of fact, she was greatly offended.

    ¡°If I become Jeff¡¯s mistress, can I call you sister?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± came Seira¡¯s cold and sharp reply.

    She didn¡¯t even miss a beat after Olivia asked.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I was too presumptuous.¡±

    Seira glanced at Olivia who was merely being friendly. The light brown-haired girl in the yellow dress looked pretty and frail as an Omega.

    ¡°You seem to like Baron a lot, aren¡¯t you uncomfortable with me?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Olivia, whose eyes steered away for a while, soon looked at Seira and answered.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be his companion in the end. The condition of this marriage is to make a bilateral imprint by the time the children come of age,¡± she said with a blush on her cheeks.

    Olivia¡¯s eyes turned towards Seira¡¯s purples and she could see the determination behind her meek appearance, ¡°That strong and wonderful man will love and desire only me until the day he dies, so why should I be jealous?¡±

    ¡®She¡¯s not normal either,¡¯ Seira thought as she almost rolled her eyes.

    Her tongue was pressed hard on the inside of her cheeks, and she waved a dismissing hand to indicate Olivia need not follow her anymore. She left the detached house alone, and fortunately, no annoying weak omega was following her.

    ¡°Seira.¡±

    Baron stood straight from leaning on the annex entrance and quickly approached her as if he¡¯d been waiting for her to come out the whole time.

    ¡°Did your conversation with grandmother go well?¡± he asked, concern evident in his eyes.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Seira stared at his face for a long time. It was quite funny and pitiful to see him worry so much when he didn¡¯t even know anything.

    ¡®Your grandmother wants me to make a baby with you and sell it to Jeff at a high price. And you know what? That woman earlier, that would be your future companion. Didn¡¯t you know?¡¯

    Seira could only speak those words inside her mind.

    Originally, she didn¡¯t regret much about Jeff, aside from what happened with Domina. Whether it was Viseltium or Jeff, it was honestly too much for her. Even if they say she has nothing to protect, the truth was there was still something precious left behind.

    However, that should just be what they know of her. Seira was determined that they wouldn¡¯t get anything they thought was easy.

    Because she¡¯ll never hand it over.

    Not long after, Seira opened her mouth and asked, ¡°Baron, can I borrow your carriage?¡±

    ¡°Are you leaving already? Please stay a few more days,¡± he pleaded.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s going to be a bit hard on my side. I need to urgently acquire something.¡±

    Baron¡¯s face turned serious and said, ¡°Tell me what it is. I¡¯ll get it for you.¡±

    Seira leaned forward and whispered inconspicuously, ¡°A birth control tea.¡±

    ¡°¡­ what?¡± Baron¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°I promised I¡¯d think about it for now because I didn¡¯t have the heart to refuse, but I don¡¯t think I can do it,¡± she sighed, ¡°I can¡¯t sell children under such circumstances.¡±

    ¡°What the hell do you mean? Selling kids?¡±

    ¡°Hear it directly from your grandmother. It¡¯s awkward if it came from me.¡±

    Seira wiped her face with the palm of her hand. The fatigue that she felt right now was surreal.

    ¡°Anyway, Baron¡­ let¡¯s pretend that nothing happened last night or what we talked about in the arsenal.¡±

    Honestly, at the moment, Seira actually looked forward to it. She thought it might work out just well.

    It was all an illusion, of course. Baron Jeff couldn¡¯t be a strong companion to share her burdens, nor a solid shield that could protect the rest of Askan.

    ¡®It was ridiculous.¡¯

    Baron¡¯s expression was horribly distorted as he stared intently at her with a weak smile. It was only then did he realize what she was talking about.

    ¡°Wait¡­ don¡¯t go just yet,¡± he said, ¡°Wait for me.¡±

    Seira clenched her teeth as she stood and watched Baron¡¯s back as he entered the annex, and then completely vanished after turning around the corner.

    She hoped there would be a pleasant and fruitful conversation that would take place between grandmother and grandson.

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 Chapter 27.1

    There was no reason not to leave just because Baron said so. At Seira¡¯s request, Noah, the general butler, willingly lent Jeff¡¯s carriage.

    Her destination was the busiest place in the commercial district. It was also the place where the Haipon¡¯s headquarters was located.

    Anyone could tell that Franto and Jeff had a bad relationship. It was natural that Jeff, who respected and valued the platform of the body, and Franto, who led the research on magic engineering and the development of magic tools, were far different from each other.

    The competition between the two families was one that wasn¡¯t spoken, but everyone knew without even a single word uttered. They spied on each other, slipping men into the other¡¯s businesses to see what they were up to.

    The carriage that carried Jeff¡¯s crest stopped right in front of the top of Haipon. In addition, all eyes naturally gravitated towards Seira Askan who got off.

    ¡®Rumors will surely spread,¡¯ she mused.

    She had meant for rumors to spread since yesterday when Baron and her had stopped by the commercial district. Compared to this place, there were many passers-by who witnessed the two of them together.

    In other words, it was only a matter of time before Calrad heard of Seira dating Baron and spending the night at Jeff¡¯s.

    A sardonic smile spread across her face as she thought silently, ¡®And I¡¯m going to buy a contraceptive tea now.¡¯

    Of course, she didn¡¯t really mean to drink it. Actually, if it wasn¡¯t during rut, the probability of getting pregnant was significantly lower. Buying the medicine was just for show.

    After sending the carriage, Seira proudly walked into the top of the Haipon.

    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Baron. I wouldn¡¯t have gone this far if things worked out the way I planned it.¡¯

    She would¡¯ve stayed in Jeff for a few more days and quietly returned to Askan as Baron initially requested. If Jeff and Askan were to be tied by marriage, there would¡¯ve been no need to worry about Calrad anymore.

    But now everything was unclear. To avoid immediate threats, she had no choice but to use certain methods.

    Seira entered the shop and asked a clerk to bring her a contraceptive tea. She waited patiently, even with many people that came by glanced at her. Seira merely gave the displayed horse tools her interest.

    Several minutes later, Miel, the owner of Haipon, came out with her order. It was quite surprising to see a man whose time was golden come out and greet a customer who merely bought a box of tea.

    Seira was suspicious.

    ¡°Good morning, sir. It¡¯s been a long time since I saw you,¡± she greeted him with a warm smile.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a long time,¡± he agreed with a nod.

    Seira didn¡¯t have any plans on interacting with the owner for too long. She paid her order and was about to take the box and go out. However, Miel held the box back as if he had something else to say.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re here, let¡¯s have a cup of tea,¡± he offered.

    Seira cocked her head curiously and asked, ¡°Why? If I were asked who was the busiest person in the empire, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to drop your name.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Miel waved his hand and laughed. He stopped soon after at Seira¡¯s suspicious gaze and quickly added, ¡°Actually, I have something to tell you.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case then¡­¡±

    Seira accepted the proposal for now. Perhaps it was something interesting since he seemed to turn serious for a few seconds there.

    Miel guided her to a reception room on the second floor. It was a place right next to the top¡¯s office, and unlike the crowded first floor, it was unnervingly quiet here.

    Perhaps soundproof magic was all over the room.

    ¡°As you might expect, I wanted to see you two days ago because of Count Helford¡¯s visit.¡±

    ¡°You mean the Ancora deal?¡± Seira asked, leaning back comfortably on the sofa.

    Ancora was an occasional animal found near the beast¡¯s nest. Opinions were divided on whether it could be classified as an animal, but for now, it was considered so because it looked like a rabbit with black fur.

    The translucent crystals that Ancoras sometimes spit out were energy sources that surpassed most mana stones. They were traded at very high prices. It became a useful additional income aside from the money received as mercenaries.

    This time, they were lucky enough to find and capture some.

    ¡°Aven is in charge of getting a quotation for it.¡±

    ¡°I am not pertaining to that.¡±

    Seira looked at Miel. His head was lowered as if heaving a soft sigh before he added, ¡°I know Count Helford showed me the painting for a reason.¡±

    Miel knew Seira wouldn¡¯t bring up the issue first, so he just spoke frankly.

    On the day intermediate-level beasts attacked, loots from nests were snatched when the priests fled in fear.  Seira drew a picture on a piece of paper and handed it over to Aven with instructions to expose them if their quote for Ancora was mistaken.

    ¡°I won¡¯t ask how you got your hands on it. Life is precious.¡±

    One of Seira¡¯s eyebrows rose and she asked, ¡°I¡¯m curious. How did you know?¡±

    ¡°Your Excellency, some of the debris from the beast¡¯s nest is sent to the magic engineering laboratory after initial work at the temple. So that¡¯s how I know.¡±

    ¡°Really now?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no reason to lie, Duchess.¡±

    Seira couldn¡¯t deny it ¨C Miel had a point.

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 Chapter 27.2

    The cause of the nest¡¯s formation is still unknown, and the safest place to study it was the magic engineering laboratory containing the magic essence from the design stage.

    ¡°I see,¡± she hummed in a nonchalant tone.

    Miel laughed at her remark. From what he saw, it seemed like Seira was bored with him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too disappointed. What you have is something that has not been worked on in the temple. It¡¯s not the same as being sent directly to the lab.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I had it. I just drew what I saw.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m quite surprised you are still alright. If handled incorrectly, it could blow a castle into smithereens,¡± Miel noted.

    Seira did her best to hide her disbelief. Did he mean that a piece as small as her thumb had that much power? When she recalled how she carelessly carried it inside her pocket, she felt her back sweat all over.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you wonder why the initial work of the temple is necessary?¡± Miel asked.

    ¡°Well, I just think it¡¯s because it was announced for purification purposes,¡± she shrugged, ¡°That¡¯s all there is to it, right?¡±

    ¡°You are one of the faithful.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    Seira¡¯s words and actions clearly avoided Miel¡¯s point. It annoyed him, but he didn¡¯t show any signs of that. Rather, he just relayed to her what he wanted to say firmly.

    ¡°If you feel like entrusting the research, please bring it on your next visit. Be careful not to come in contact with human body fluids.¡±

    In any case, Seira stood up thinking she was a resourceful person. After handing over a gold coin, Miel bowed his head toward her, and she took the box of contraceptive tea from him.

    ¡°Thank you for trusting and using our products here at the top, Duchess,¡± Miel said. ¡°Take care of yourself.¡±

    The owner of Haipon, who was unusually free at the time, saw her off to the first floor.

    ¡®Was it the reason why it has such high value?¡¯ Seira pondered quietly.

    Seira left the shop with her head heavy with complicated thoughts. All of a sudden, she saw the back of a familiar man standing near her, and she stopped right in her tracks.

    ¡°Aven?¡± she called out.

    As expected, it was Aven Helford who looked back at her call.

    ¡°Duchess,¡± he greeted her calmly.

    Seira was slightly puzzled by their unexpected meeting. She walked closer toward him and asked, ¡°What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°I decided to meet Zion here.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Come to think of it, she remembered that she had decided to call Zion to make Askan¡¯s townhouse usable, as it was empty for nearly half a year now.

    ¡°Duchess¡­¡±

    Aven¡¯s gaze stopped at the box she held. Since she brought what was originally packed in a paper bag, it was easy to recognize with just a glance.

    ¡°I have heard you visited Jeff, but why are you here alone?¡±

    Seira hesitated to answer with his cold gaze. She didn¡¯t want to tell Aven everything that happened in Jeff. He never let go of those who trample on Askan¡¯s honor.

    Either way, she was on the side of retaliation. No matter how much she knew she was treated merely as a tool for breeding, she couldn¡¯t do much to take revenge at this point.

    ¡®I can¡¯t let that happen. I won¡¯t let Askan be in any danger.¡¯

    Seira sighed and smiled as she said to Aven, ¡°It didn¡¯t work out. I appreciate your concern, but I don¡¯t think I can do it with Baron.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    His answer was calm. As expected, he didn¡¯t seem to care much about her overnight stay with Baron. He didn¡¯t seem sorry that things didn¡¯t work out with Baron, though.

    ¡®Maybe he¡¯s just not interested enough with the details.¡¯

    Even in a relationship that didn¡¯t involve emotions, how can he be so carefree when they made love for three years now? Apart from the bitter feeling, Seira somehow felt relieved.

    ¡®I¡¯m so glad you didn¡¯t give me your heart.¡¯

    At least he won¡¯t be hurt and heartbroken by her. From now on, he¡¯ll have to go see the candidate alphas on the list until everything was finished.

    ¡°Come to think of it, the owner of the top of Haipon actually recognized the picture,¡± Seira calmly changed the subject.

    ¡°If you feel like it, they want you to bring the Ancora when you trade. How about getting an estimate?¡±

    ¡°Haipon seems to be the best value for our money.¡±

    Aven nodded in agreement, and then stepped closer to take the box from her hands. He whispered softly to her, who followed the neat movement of his hand with her eyes, ¡°I presume you don¡¯t really intend to take this, so I¡¯ll just keep it.¡±

    ¡°¡­ okay.¡±

    His voice that tickled her ear quickly subsided as quickly as he distanced from her.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to go to the castle soon,¡± she said.

    The Ancoras had been placed in unused greenhouses around the castle. She had also left loots from the nests in the castle, so she had to go and get them as well.

    ¡°Come to think of it, I have to bring a handkerchief, too,¡± she mused.

    Seira suddenly recalled the alpha, who handed her a handkerchief on the day the subjugation force was disbanded.

    ¡°Louis Franto¡­¡± she hummed his name in amusement.

    He had caused unnecessary attention that day as well.

    ¡°Are you calling me now?¡± a man¡¯s familiar voice asked.

    ¡°Huh¡­?

    Seira turned her head at the voice that sounded close. Aven¡¯s gaze was directed at the man in an instant.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you again, Princess Askan.¡±

    She saw a handsome man with turquoise eyes and bright blond hair standing tall. His hair was neatly combed, and he was wearing a navy-blue suit as he stood and smiled at her.

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 Chapter 28.1

    ¡°Duke Franto!¡±

    The man was one of the three dukes of the empire, Louis Franto.

    ¡°I see you are here. I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d run into you like this and didn¡¯t bring your handkerchief,¡± Seira said apologetically.

    ¡°You can give it to me next time, so don¡¯t worry,¡± he reassured her.

    His gaze steered towards Aven, who stood next to Seira.

    ¡°Count Helford.¡±

    At Louis¡¯ greeting, Aven bowed his head slightly. Noting Aven¡¯s expressionless face, Louis turned again to Seira.

    ¡°You must be out together,¡± he commented.

    Seira didn¡¯t feel the need to explain, and answered him with a slight smile, ¡°How about you? What are you up to out on the streets so early?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Despite his indifferent reaction, he spoke firmly without breaking his smile, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, may I invite you to dinner?¡±

    Seira¡¯s eyes narrowed and stared at Louis. She thought he might have come out because she had met with Miel earlier.

    ¡®I can¡¯t think of any other reason for this.¡¯

    There was no contact between Seira and the young Duke of Franto, who recently just inherited the title. It was the beginning of their relationship that everyone, even the emperor, was shocked over the handkerchief incident.

    Seira didn¡¯t tend to believe in pure goodwill, and she guessed as much that there must be a hidden motive with Franto¡¯s new Duke trying to wedge himself into her life.

    ¡®If he¡¯s going to make a deal, then I will need to hear it,¡¯ she thought.

    Seira glanced at Aven first. She wanted to go with him.

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Aven couldn¡¯t speak right away. She could tell because she kept an eye on Louis. He didn¡¯t intend Aven to come in the first place. She didn¡¯t want to ignore it, but it seemed like Aven already knew he couldn¡¯t accompany her.

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think I can go with you. I¡¯m meeting with Zion.¡±

    Seira was reluctant, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. Zion was always busy as he was one of the best wizards in the empire. There was no guarantee that he would be able to make time for them again soon if they missed him today.

    Since Seira already came to Viseltium, she had to make sure the house was worked on. To do so, a wizard like Zion was essential.

    ¡°Ah¡­ That¡¯s right,¡± she looked at Louis and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think Aven will be able to join us.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s too bad. I was looking forward to a conversation with Count Helford.¡±

    Aven responded formally to Louis¡¯ formal remarks, ¡°Please make room for me next time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure of that. Please accept my invitation then.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Louis politely reached out to Seira after his conversation with Aven. She glanced at Aven and placed her hand in Louis¡¯.

    ¡°Have a safe trip, Duchess.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Seira climbed into Franto¡¯s carriage, leaving Aven, who saw her off calmly as usual.

    * * *

    The dinner was one that exceeded what the likes of Duchess Askan would usually have. The variety of desserts that made her full with just a bite surprised Seira.

    The seafood was fresh and was quite unbelievable as they were quite far from the sea. The lamb meat melted in her mouth, and she was blown away with the texture and flavor of the food in general.

    But if she had to choose between the food that Aven cooks and Duke Franto¡¯s dinner, Seira will, without a doubt, choose the former. Starting with the attitude of the attendants, everything was too cumbersome for her.

    ¡°Listen to this a little more.¡±

    The food she thought was even a bit delicious was immediately placed in front of her.

    ¡°The glass is empty.¡±

    Whether it was water or wine, there was no time for the glass to be empty.

    ¡®What the hell¡­¡¯

    Even when she lived in the palace, she wasn¡¯t treated this much. She felt like a queen or princess of a country.

    Of course, being uncomfortable is quite inconvenient, and there was nothing wrong with the food so Seira finished her meal with great satisfaction. Then, she observed the man in front of her as she licked the sorbet off her lips.

    ¡®He must be 23 years old because he was a year younger than me.¡¯

    Louis Franto¡¯s physique was about the same as that of Aven.

    Although he is relatively slim, Aven was a master-class slayer that specialized in close combat. His physical condition wasn¡¯t a match for ordinary alphas or wizards. His similar physique meant that Louis Franto didn¡¯t neglect to train his body even though he was a wizard.

    Seira was roughly measuring the amount of muscle hidden beneath his suit, then she turned to his face after.

    ¡®Is there anything wrong with Franto at all?¡¯

    There were no wrinkles or blemishes over his pale skin. Arched eyebrows that matched his gentle eyes, straight nose, and lips that draw a line completed such a handsome profile.

    Not only that, his gentle smile and soft-spoken voice was a perfect tool to break his opponent¡¯s guard.

    ¡®I¡¯m glad my eyes see beyond what he shows me.¡¯

    It was no exaggeration to say that her ex-fiance was Calrad Viseltium. And the eyes of Aven Helford, to Seira, was something exquisite like the skies above them.

    ¡®Come to think of it, I think he looks a little like Aven¡­¡¯

    Aven with gray hair and black eyes was like an uncolored sculpture because his expression was blank. Louis, on the other hand, had gorgeous jewel-like blue-green eyes and gold-melted hair.

    Yet strangely, Seira kept comparing the two of them. Were they similar or different? She couldn¡¯t really tell.

    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 28.2

    Louis lifted the wine glass and lightly moistened his lips as he smiled at Seira, ¡°I can¡¯t pretend I don¡¯t notice if you look at me like that.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ I apologize if I offended you. I didn¡¯t notice I had looked that hard,¡± she blushed, ¡°it must be because you¡¯re handsome.¡±

    Louis¡¯ eyes widened at Seira¡¯s words.

    ¡°Do you like my face?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Seira, who had pondered for a while, nodded, ¡°I think so.¡±

    His face was quite similar to her taste. Not only the appearance and physique that resembled someone she liked, but also the gentle way of speaking and graceful gestures.

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief,¡± he sighed.

    Seira seemed to be confused, ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s a relief?¡±

    ¡°I think I can talk in a positive way.¡±

    She put down her fork next to the dessert plate and leaned her back on the chair. She could now see that he was getting to the main point why he invited her to dinner.

    The attendants and maids who stood by went out without a sound with just a slight glance from Louis. Only the two of them were now left alone at the spacious restaurant.

    Louis opened his mouth as he put his wine glass down on the table, ¡°I want you to be my lover, Duchess Ascan.¡±

    ¡°¡­what?¡±

    It seemed like the first time she ever heard of someone asking her to be his lover. She often saw innocent young people confess and give flowers, and the sons of cheeky noble families who hand out proposals as if they were friends.

    ¡®Or is he asking me to give birth to a descendant?¡¯

    Perhaps that¡¯s why she was curious rather than angry at his sudden suggestion.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think this is something you¡¯d call a love at first sight kind of proposal?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about a formal relationship. Of course, I can¡¯t deny that I fell in love at first sight.¡±

    Seira was taken aback ¨C surely that wasn¡¯t the case at all. Ignoring what he she asked again out of courtesy, ¡°You want me to pretend to be your lover in public, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Seira reached for the table and grabbed her wine glass.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you why later. What can I get by accepting the Duke¡¯s offer?¡±

    In fact, Louis¡¯ proposal for her to pose as his lover was the most essential thing for Seira now. Franto could also be a strong shielf from Calrad, with whom he couldn¡¯t openly threaten. It could¡¯ve been seen as a better option than Jeff, who was related by blood.

    Seira didn¡¯t want to raise her hopes with what Louis could offer. If it¡¯s just a condition that wouldn¡¯t be much like a pushover¡­

    ¡°If you accept my offer, I will help revive the Ascan estate. Light speed.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Seira¡¯s mouth dropped to the ground. She was confident she wouldn¡¯t be swayed by most things, but this time around she couldn¡¯t help it.

    ¡®Let¡¯s calm down. If you set your expectations too high, you¡¯ll be disappointed.¡¯

    Seira blinked several times before finally emptying the glass in her hand in one big gulp. For a few seconds, she was amazed by the flavor, so the thought of how expensive and good alcohol flashed through her mind.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad suggestion, but aren¡¯t you sure that the deal is something fair and you are satisfied with?¡± she asked him.

    ¡°Of course. First of all, I¡¯d like you to be my partner at the imperial banquet in two days time. I¡¯ll bring the Duchess back to where you want to be. Let¡¯s talk about our contract again after that.¡±

    It was a very tempting offer that Seira didn¡¯t want to answer right away.

    ¡°Why do you have to do this?¡±

    She had to know his intentions first. The more out of balance the contract, the more likely it is to be a trap.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you why now,¡± he added as if he had read her mind, ¡°It¡¯s like a family affair. But I can assure you it is doable. It¡¯s definitely not something that could harm the Duchess.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°On Franto¡¯s honor,¡± he added as Seira was lost in thought. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you one more thing because you hesitate. Aren¡¯t you curious about how His Majesty will react if you and I attend this banquet as partners?¡±

    Louis¡¯ eyes turned into thin slits as he asked Seira that last sentence.

    Seira noted Franto¡¯s cunningness was slowly showing after hiding it for a while now and commented, ¡°¡­you don¡¯t like His Majesty. Is that why you handed me a handkerchief?¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe me anyways if I said it wasn¡¯t a planned approach,¡± he chuckled.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care either way. If the Duke is a calculating person, I¡¯d rather be comfortable with knowing that fact.¡±

    Louis nodded at her answer.

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that.¡±

    Seira stared at his smiling face. What¡¯s behind that glamorous appearance? Is it a green snake or greed as black and endless as the pits?

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be your partner at this banquet. The place I¡¯m going to ask for is Dews¡¯ estate. It¡¯s the closest to the center of Ascan¡¯s territory, but if you don¡¯t know the exact location, I¡¯ll give you a guide.¡±

    ¡°I think I know where. Worry not.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±

    Seira¡¯s eyes calmed down in a moment of silence. A sudden transaction on both sides took only one step at a time, but the repercussions could be formidable.

    If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.

 Chapter 29.1

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be a pretty big deal. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t show up at Viseltium for a reason.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t attended a social gathering since the day you took over the title.¡±

    Seira¡¯s opponent was bound to be astonished. Although the scale may be different, the number of large and small social gatherings held within a year reached to about a hundred.

    It was already seven years since she succeeded the title of Duchess, so it was said that Louis Franto¡¯s intelligence was considerable or that he¡¯d been watching her for a long time.

    ¡°I fully anticipate what will happen,¡± Louis grinned.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Whatever he imagined, she was sure it would be more than that, but Seira kept her silence. Hadn¡¯t she fulfilled her responsibility already for warning him?

    ¡®We haven¡¯t even signed a contract yet.¡¯

    One had to experience in person to know how things went.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Louis said as if he forgot something, ¡°Just in case, I¡¯m not really loyal to one partner.¡±

    Seira also thought she should find out more about Louis Franto, and she naturally changed her mind.

    ¡°I think it will be the same in the future. Does it matter?¡± she asked.

    A heat cycle may come unexpectedly anytime and anywhere. So far, there has been no accident with Aven, thankfully. But she didn¡¯t know what would happen in the future.

    It was difficult to claim that the contract was breached because she had a relationship with another alpha.

    Louis smiled and answered her without skipping a beat, ¡°I have no intention of interfering with the Duchess¡¯ private life. It¡¯s a relationship that could benefit both sides. We shouldn¡¯t put restrictions on what we want.¡±

    Seira nodded at his cool answer.

    ¡°Well, then.¡±

    ¡°Right, can I send you a dress to the Askan mansion in the imperial capital tomorrow, right?¡±

    ¡°Do you know my dress size?¡± her brow shot up in incredulity.

    ¡°Yes, I know.¡±

    Seira¡¯s eyes narrowed, and asked further, ¡°How come you¡¯re so sure?¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I can confirm it. First, the bust¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± she put up one hand with her palm facing Louis, ¡°If you say one more word, I¡¯ll break the contract.¡±

    Lewis looked perplexed at her words.

    ¡°I still have more to say,¡± he pouted.

    ¡°¡­that¡¯s what I mean,¡± Seira replied coyly, and he smiled as if relieved.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that,¡± he said.

    ¡°So, what do you have to say?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Louise¡¯s face lifted a smile. After correcting his posture and adjusting his voice, he looked directly into Seira¡¯s purple eyes, and said, ¡°Duchess Ascan, will you call me by name as your temporary companion?¡±

    Seira groaned slightly at his polite request. Her opponent was much more cunning than she expected.

    ¡°All right, Louis.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Seira.¡±

    Seira held out an empty glass towards him with a frown on her face, and Louis filled her glass over as if it was only natural.

    * * *

    The Ascan mansion of the imperial capital was a very practical structure. This is because the estate was half a day away, so there was no need to stay that long, as well as no need for a hall for holding a banquet.

    A beautifully constructed two-story building was located in the center, with a garden in the front, a training ground, and a knights¡¯ quarters in the back.

    The detached house was also located behind the main building and across from the knights building, but it was now empty.

    ¡°Captain!¡±

    The knights scattered in the smokefield rose in dismay as they saw Aven. Zion took a step back, gagging at the smell of sweat from the crowded knights who were busy snooping outside the training ground.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t the Duchess come with you?¡± one of them asked.

    The wizard Zion was the only one who accompanied Aven.

    ¡°Get your personal belongings out. I¡¯ll give you five minutes,¡± Aven said to the knights who looked disappointed.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± they groaned in unison.

    Magic was the fastest and best way to overhaul a building that had been empty for months. Now that the main building was finished, it was the knight¡¯s quarters¡¯ turn.

    Most of them didn¡¯t unpack their luggage, and only piled it up on one side with their weapons. However, there were a few who were actually tidy with their stuff.

    ¡°She really didn¡¯t come with you? Or is her excellency in the main building?¡± one of them rushed to ask Aven.

    If Seira was in the main building, they had the time to go immediately.

    ¡°Stop snooping. The Duchess won¡¯t be back until evening,¡± Aven said coldly.

    ¡°Why? Where did she go?¡±

    ¡°What about an escort?¡±

    ¡°Hey, what kind of escort do you need?¡±

    Ignoring the noisy crowd, Aven spoke to Zion, ¡°Let¡¯s go and get this thing over with.¡±

    But Zion didn¡¯t help him either. He crossed his arms in front of him and raised a brow as he pried, ¡°So where did she really go? Huh? Did the Duchess meet someone? When will we meet him?¡±

    A tiny wrinkle cracked in Aven¡¯s straight forehead. The knights who saw his expression immediately backed away.

    ¡°Hey, now that we¡¯ve rested enough, how about we go to train again?¡± one of the knights said to his fellow knight.

    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go,¡± another agreed and went far from Aven and Zion.

    The Knights of Askan knew how Aven changed drastically when he was angry.

    ¡°Did she go on a date? Did she get a new boyfriend?¡± Zion continued to ask without pausing.

    ¡°¡­¡±

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 Chapter 29.2

    zion, of course, was the exception. even after facing aven¡¯s chillingly cold gaze, he continued to follow him without showing signs of intimidation.

    ¡°you have the power to catch people with just your eyes,¡± the wizard continued, ¡°if you are jealous, then be honest.¡±

    aven merely shrugged off his comment, ¡°don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±

    ¡°there¡¯s nothing wrong with being honest,¡± zion suggested, ¡°you aren¡¯t a beta like me, you¡¯re an alpha.¡±

    aven walked silently with his mouth shut.

    it was almost impossible for a commoner like zion to understand the world of nobles. even if he was an excellent wizard, it was hard to incorporate him into the aristocratic society that struggled to maintain his bloodline, and his internal circumstances would never be known.

    just as he couldn¡¯t be her companion even if he became the only slayer in the empire above master-class, there are things in this world that can¡¯t be changed.

    she was so young that seira didn¡¯t even know, but aven wasn¡¯t the real son of mark, the previous count of helford. at that time nests weren¡¯t well known, and mark helford who was inspecting nearby said he had adopted an abandoned baby.

    in short, it wasn¡¯t clear whether aven was a noble or a commoner. still, how dare he wish to be seira askan¡¯s companion? this was the betrayal of mark helford, who had given him away, and a disgrace to the noble askan.

    ¡®i¡¯ve so far stained her bed with the excuse of it being unavoidable, but i can¡¯t do it anymore,¡¯ aven thought at the back of his mind.

    the night he noticed baron¡¯s pheromone, which attached faintly to seira, aven felt unusually sad. he wanted to beg her to allow him to be the only one forever, as she reached out her hand while slowly peeling her clothes off that night.

    he was engulfed in an ugly desire to control her, who trusted and relied on him more than anyone else.

    if seira noticed what he had in mind, would she be able to rely on him as she had now? can she trust him at all?

    ¡®if i lose her, it will be a thousand times more difficult than ever,¡¯ he thought.

    so aven had to hide as best as he could. he shouldn¡¯t be caught up with his feelings so he could run the moment seira askan needed him. to stay within her reach until the very end.

    at that time, zion entered the dusty knights¡¯ quarters and looked back at aven while covering his mouth and nose with his sleeve.

    ¡°by the way, i asked the other wizards while i was at a conference if there was any way to interpret the beast¡¯s voice using magic,¡± zion said.

    ¡°what did you learn?¡±

    ¡°research had been done several times, but according to recent outcomes, none had succeeded yet,¡± he answered glumly.

    ¡°right¡­ it doesn¡¯t seem to be easy,¡± aven added.

    it was somewhat expected.

    ¡°is it because of your power? do you want to cross-validate?¡±

    it was questionable whether it could be classified as power, but aven nodded.

    ¡°shall we look into other schools?¡± zion suggested.

    ¡°no, thanks. regardless of whether they understand their language or not, it¡¯s enough to subjugate them for now.¡±

    ¡°that¡¯s, well¡­¡­ that¡¯s true.¡±

    aven left first after he watched zion¡¯s sky blue mana that rose from his fingertips run down the hallway for a while. unlike seira¡¯s main building, the knight¡¯s quarters had nothing he should be paying attention to.

    even if something was forgotten and broken, it was to be the responsibility of the clumsy one.

    aven¡¯s face turned mad serious as his mind focused on one thing, ¡®for now, the first thing to do is to find out what happened in jeff.¡¯

    he walked toward the main building thinking of seira¡¯s glum face, and then noticed that the front door was noisy.

    ¡°i¡¯m telling you the truth. her excellency is not in the mansion.¡±

    ¡°then why don¡¯t we wait inside?¡±

    ¡°no, i don¡¯t know when she¡¯ll be back¡­¡±

    it was none other than baron jeff who was arguing with an askan knight.

    ¡®seeing that he came in person, he must have made a mistake,¡¯ aven scoffed.

    breathing in a sigh, aven approached the two of them.

    ¡°oh, captain!¡±

    the knight who found him rejoiced and nodded toward baron.

    ¡°you can settle the rest with the captain then.¡±

    baron glared at the knight who ran away with wrinkles on his forehead. his eyes veered towards aven, and he greeted, ¡°aven¡­¡±

    ¡°you must be here to see the duchess,¡± aven said.

    ¡°yes.¡±

    baron seemed to be in a very sensitive state. even during the rut period, pheromones that were difficult to detect were pouring out of him.

    ¡°i must meet seira. there¡¯s something i need to apologize for,¡± he explained.

    even if it wasn¡¯t necessarily a pheromone, his complexion was bad enough it could be easily recognized that he had lost his composure unexpectedly.

    ¡®if i were you, i wouldn¡¯t have made a mistake,¡¯ aven thought silently.

    he was truly upset. baron jeff¡¯s bloodline, family, honor, and power¡­ it was only allowed to a very few.

    baron must have been vigilant.

    unlike in the battlefield where he used a perfect strategy based on probability and exact calculations, he was clumsy and missed the opportunity.

    ¡°what you heard is true. the duchess has been invited out,¡± aven said.

    ¡°to where?¡± baron urgently asked, feeling ominous about what aven talked about, ¡°whose invitation did she get?¡±

    in response, aben slowly lowered his gaze and replied, ¡°the duke of franto has invited her to dinner.¡±

 Chapter 30.1

    ¡°¡­louis franto?¡±

    baron seemed to pause for a moment when an unexpected figure popped out. then, his face was getting stiff, and he seemed to be angry.

    ¡°that guy, seira¡­¡±

    ¡°duke jeff,¡± aven called the attention of baron, who looked like he would attack franto at any moment.

    ¡°the problem is, have you solved it?¡± he asked, ¡°that mistake you mentioned about.¡±

    aven had watched the relationship between baron and seira for quite some time. it was probably him who noticed earlier that baron had feelings for seira. he knew that she liked baron as well, and that she was quite generous with him.

    therefore, aven was convinced ¨C the mistake that disappointed seira didn¡¯t come from baron himself.

    ¡°i¡¯m saying this because i don¡¯t think your apology is needed right now,¡± aven added.

    if someone in the jeff family had insulted seira and askan, he thought nothing would go forward until he came and admitted his lapses personally.

    and perhaps the opponent was domina jeff, who asked to meet seira.

    it was questionable whether the pure-blooded jeff alpha, who became more rigid in her old age, could be subdued or persuaded at all. perhaps the other alphas in the family had poured out their anger and came to see seira immediately.

    baron, who was glaring at aven, soon sighed and agreed, ¡°yes, i suppose so¡­¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m glad you understand.¡±

    unlike a while ago, baron seemed to have completely regained his usual composure.

    ¡°thank you. i owe you a lot. then i¡¯ll go now,¡± he bid aven farewell.

    aven bowed in courtesy, and watched baron¡¯s back as he walked away.

    even though baron jeff seemed to make seira laugh the most, the choice was ultimately up to her. so, first of all, baron turned his attention to solve the family¡¯s affairs before interfering with franto.

    ¡°is he gone?¡±

    ¡°he¡¯s gone.¡±

    knights who were scattered around the building to avoid the pure-blooded alpha slowly gathered.

    ¡°i heard that domina jeff went to the marquis of telon yesterday,¡± a knight said.

    ¡°she was with olivia tellon,¡± another whispered.

    one knight lowered his voice as he suggested, ¡°should we investigate more about the details of what we talked about?¡±

    aven shook his head, and said, ¡°i¡¯ll meet olivia tellon myself.¡±

    not only jeff but also tellon were not easy opponents. it was better to move by himself, as the knights might get caught by the tail.

    of course, under the guise of coincidence.

    * * *

    it wasn¡¯t until midnight that seira and louis¡¯ talk ended. contrary to seira¡¯s expectation that he would only lend a carriage, he naturally followed and sat across from her.

    ¡°if i knew you liked it, i would have given you a few more bottles,¡± louis said to her.

    she held an elongated box of wine with a happy expression on her face as she shook her head and said, ¡°this is enough. i¡¯ve drank a lot already. i will give this to aven.¡±

    louis stiffened at her reply, ¡°the count helford¡­ are you two maybe lovers?¡±

    ¡°lover? you¡¯re my lover,¡± seira laughed. ¡°ah! not yet, right?¡±

    ¡°you look a little drunk,¡± louis said with a troubled, toothy grin, ¡°count helford will be angry.¡±

    ¡°louis, excuse me. first of all, i¡¯m not drunk,¡± she raised a finger, frowning at his earlier remark. ¡°it¡¯s hard to see him and me that way.¡±

    ¡°why is that?¡±

    ¡°my aven, he¡¯s not supposed to be involved with me,¡± seira said in a matter-of-fact tone.

    ¡°¡®my aven¡¯¡­ come on.¡±

    ¡°yes, my dear aven,¡± seira giggled as she repeated louis¡¯ words.

    her expression was that of a child giddy and high in sugar, but truthfully she was just an adult who drank more than she should have.

    ¡°how are you seira as the duchess of askan? i¡¯m sure you¡¯re worthy more than just a count helford,¡± louis commented.

    seira lifted her head up and nodded, ¡°yes, i am the duchess of askan. all i have is a precious lineage. isn¡¯t that what came for, after all?¡±

    ¡°do you feel bad about it?¡±

    ¡°no, but it worked because i am the opponent,¡± seira said with a drunk smug look, ¡°usually, you don¡¯t approach the opposite sex that way, even if you have a different purpose. you should¡¯ve at least pretended to be in love.¡±

    ¡°i think i¡¯ve already told you that i fell in love at first sight,¡± he whined.

    seira clicked her tongue as she looked at louis smiling softly.

    ¡°you need to be reasonable for me to trust what you say,¡± she scoffed, ¡°don¡¯t do that to a girl you really want to date. there¡¯s a good book about love and sex in the library. it¡¯s called ¡®the essence of a marriage proposal¡¯, you should borrow it.¡±

    ¡°¡®the essence of a marriage proposal¡¯¡­¡± he hummed, ¡°i¡¯ll make sure to remember.¡±

    although she grumbled, seira wasn¡¯t really offended. it was thanks to his likable manner, which was neither excessive nor insufficient.

    ¡°anyway, i look forward to your kind cooperation,¡± she told him.

    ¡°i am looking forward to your cooperation as well,¡± he answered back.

    while the two exchanged conversations, the carriage reached askan¡¯s mansion in no time. when the carriage stopped in front of the main building, louis got off first and held out his hand for her to take. seira willingly accepted his help, since she had a precious box of wine in one hand.

    ¡°thank you for taking me home,¡± she said.

    ¡°it¡¯s just my pleasure.¡±

    he kissed the back of her hand that he was holding.

    ¡°go on now,¡± she shooed him away.

    ¡°i¡¯ll see you go in,¡± louis cocked his head in a cute manner.

    seira nodded, turned around, and then climbed the stairs towards the entrance. even if she drank too much, her steps remained incredibly steady. aven, who had been out to greet her the moment she arrived, was handed the box of wine from her hand.

 Chapter 30.2

    ¡°welcome home, duchess,¡± he greeted seira.

    ¡°yes, i¡¯m back, aven,¡± she grinned, her flushed cheeks a proof of her drunkness.

    seira glanced one last time at louis franto who still stood in front of his carriage, before entering the mansion with aven.

    ¡°what about zion?¡± she inquired.

    ¡°i just left about an hour ago,¡± aven replied.

    he kicked zion out saying that he would meet seira in a while. aven would be troubled if zion stuck to him and talked nonsense.

    ¡°did you enjoy your dinner with the duke franto?¡±

    ¡°well¡­ well, did i enjoy it?¡±

    seira murmured softly as she climbed the stairs toward the third floor of the duchess¡¯ bedroom. it was an uncomfortable and burdensome situation to be in, but the wine was really good.

    she pointed to aven¡¯s hand that held the bottle of wine and said, ¡°that is a very expensive and delicious wine. i brought it for you, aven.¡±

    ¡°is that so?¡±

    ¡°and¡­¡±

    he looked at her with a puzzled expression. she had thrown her head and closed her mouth, confusing aven even more.

    ¡°do you have something to say?¡± he asked.

    ¡°well¡­ i think i¡¯ll tell you tomorrow. it¡¯s too late today.¡±

    ¡°you can do it now.¡±

    aven thought seira¡¯s behavior was somehow unusual. he didn¡¯t even know if it was related to arriving home later than expected or drinking until she couldn¡¯t talk straight.

    ¡°did something bad happen to you?¡± aven frowned.

    ¡°no, it¡¯s not like that,¡± she shook her head quite vigorously, ¡°rather, can i say it¡¯s a good thing?¡±

    the bedroom of the town house, which had been set up for the first time in a long while, was decorated in the likeness of her bedroom back at the estate. seira looked back at aven, taking off her jacket and putting it on her chair.

    ¡°i decided to attend the imperial banquet¡­¡± she began, ¡°as a partner of louis franto.¡±

    seira smiled faintly as she saw aven¡¯s eyes getting bigger.

    ¡°why are you surprised?¡± she asked him.

    ¡°no, it-it¡¯s just¡­¡± aven stuttered, ¡°it¡¯s unexpected.¡±

    ¡°actually, i was a little surprised, too. he suddenly asked me to be his partner. if i do so, he will help revive askan.¡±

    aven felt that all the words floating in his head shattered and crashed.

    ¡°for now, i¡¯m going to watch the revival of the viscount dews. i wondered if it was possible, but he was pretty confident in himself.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    aven remained silent even as seira noticed and stopped speaking. only the sound of their breathing reminded each other of their existence in a dark room without a single light.

    ¡°duchess¡­¡±

    his voice, which came out after a long time, was low.

    ¡°if he offers to revive the entire estate on the premise of marriage,¡± he asked, his voice almost cracking, ¡°would you accept?¡±

    louis franto and seira had no contact. in other words, his proposal to be her lover meant that it was not because he had a heart, but because it was a give-and-take deal.

    it was a completely different case from baron, who desperately wanted seira for himself.

    ¡°well, i haven¡¯t thought about that,¡± seira admitted.

    ¡°franto¡­ ¡­has a lineage of controversy,¡± aven said with his hands clenched beside him.

    one of the greatest duties of a high-ranking aristocratic family, which has strictly controlled bloodline, is, of course, to establish a successor of good lineage. however, franto¡¯s former duke, phileas¡¯ companion, was not from a high-ranking noble family.

    so how did louis become the patriarch of franto?

    ¡°rumors that his father might be a relative, right?¡± seira asked.

    philias had nailed louis¡¯ father to pure blood alpha.

    as if to prove this, louis, who expressed as an alpha at the age of nine, has an outstanding magical talent among the franto family members. he made great achievements in magic engineering research and magic tool development.

    as a result, the nobles began to suspect who louis¡¯ real father was. philias¡¯ youngest uncle, charles franto, was mentioned as the most likely candidate. in fact, the age difference between the two was not that big, and they were quite close.

    ¡°because there was no pure-blooded alpha without a companion at that time except for charle franto.¡±

    ¡°do you happen to know? for whatever purpose there is, there must be another alpha hidden.¡±

    the aristocracy¡¯s obsession with bloodline was crazy. so, whatever one assumed, there was a high possibility that reality was beyond it.

    ¡°anyway, be sure to keep this in mind when you sign a deal with louis franto,¡± aven warned her.

    marriage between cousins wasn¡¯t prohibited by imperial law, but it was impossible within that time. it was because descendants born from close relatives often had physical or mental defects. worst would have both deficiencies.

    ¡°okay. i don¡¯t think i¡¯ll even get married anyway.¡±

    louis franto is not a love-blind fool like anyone, and he will never do a losing business.

    seira shrugged her shoulders and sat on the bed.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    aven stared silently at the red mark on her neck that was revealed as she swept her hair.

    it would have disappeared tomorrow, but there were probably still many such traces on her body. it was proof that baron jeff hugged and kissed her all night.

    and from now on, she¡¯ll be standing by as louis franto¡¯s lover.

 Chapter 31.1

    it was much more painful than what aven prepared himself for. far from being cut, it hurt a lot as if his chest was ripped into millions of pieces. even without baron jeff, even if louis franto had a big problem, he knew very well that he couldn¡¯t be next.

    ¡°i¡¯ll prepare the bath,¡± he managed to say after a long silence between them.

    by biting the inside of his cheeks, he was able to suppress his presumptuous feelings for seira.

    ¡°it¡¯s all right, aven. i¡¯ll wash myself, so go and rest,¡± seira told him.

    after a moment of hesitation at her refusal, aven soon bowed, ¡°okay. then take a good rest afterwards.¡±

    ¡°yes, good night.¡±

    leaving seira behind sitting on the bed and waving at him, aven walked out of her room. on his way down the stairs to return to his own room, he belatedly noticed the box of wine still clutched in his hand.

    the box of wine that louis franto gave her¡­ what she had brought him.

    it was a precious gift.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    the misery he felt at that moment was worse than any other he had experienced before.

    he wanted to throw the box of wine out of the window and break it into pieces, yet he wanted to hold it in his arms and cherish it as well. even though his heart was so bitter, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

    aven eventually couldn¡¯t throw it away and brought the wine to his room. he put the whole box in the middle of the display case and took a few steps back and gazed at it. if seira found the box, she would definitely say something.

    how can he store wine in a place like this when it¡¯s not something to consume right away?

    but what does it matter? the opportunity to drink will never come anyway.

    even if the precious and valuable thing inside turned into trash, aven wouldn¡¯t throw it away or drink it away.

    like all the little, big, trivial or precious, insignificant or valuable things she¡¯s ever given him.

    * * *

    early in the morning, a savory smell rose from the kitchen. aven prepared his own meal with seira. he boiled a stew and baked some bread. he didn¡¯t forget her favorite tomato-based salad as well.

    however, seira didn¡¯t come down until all the preparations for the meal were finished. much later than usual, aven went up to the third floor and knocked on seira¡¯s door.

    ¡°duchess, are you awake?¡±

    no matter how long he waited, there came no answer from inside. eventually, aven couldn¡¯t stand the anxiety and opened the door.

    as soon as i opened the door, there was a strong smell of alcohol.

    aven, who strode inside and opened all the windows, looked back at seira lying on the table. after drinking a lot of expensive alcohol in franto, why did she decide to empty two bottles of cheap grain wine?

    her platinum hair glistened in the morning sun that poured into the room. the long eyelashes that gently brushed her cheeks, and the slender body surrounded by thin saliva, were submerged in the white sun.

    somehow, everything felt unreal. when he closed his eyes and opened them, seira askan seemed to disappear like an illusion.

    aven, who stood firm and looked at seira, woke her up in a louder voice.

    ¡°stop sleeping and get up. it¡¯s already morning,¡± he said.

    still, seira lay motionless, and he slowly approached her. obviously, the smell of alcohol was strong, but as he got closer, only a fascinating scent permeated the tip of his nose.

    she slept so deeply in a state of drunkenness that she even forgot to control her pheromones.

    ¡°duchess,¡± aven called out to her once more, carefully placing a hand over her shoulder.

    seira didn¡¯t wake up just yet and only moaned. aven couldn¡¯t help as he looked down and hugged her. the warmth that permeated from her thin cloth was as soft and sweet as her pheromones.

    trying not to be conscious of her breath tickling his chest, aven put seira in bed. but as soon as he tried to pull his arm out from under her back and knee, she suddenly clung to him.

    seira whined with her arm around his neck, ¡°no¡­ let¡¯s sleep more, okay?¡±

    aven flinched and stiffened. who was she talking to in her sleep? is it baron, or¡­

    he fixed his eyes on her tiny plump lips, wondering what else to say. she smiled brightly even in her sleep, as if she liked the warmth of his body when he didn¡¯t move.

    ¡°alright, fine,¡± he finally succumbed to her drunk request, ¡°we¡¯ll sleep some more.¡±

    her defenseless smile was both innocent and erotic at the same time. aven couldn¡¯t move as if his whole body was wrapped around an invisible spider web.

    aven rested his forehead on her shoulder and took a deep breath. time seemed to slow down from the usual. his heart was pounding so hard that he could even hear his head pulse in rhythm.

    did he really not have the strength to shake off her hands? the answer was simple. the truth was, he just didn¡¯t want to.

    it was all an excuse.

    aven, who became a master-class slayer at the age of 24 beyond the limits of his bloodline, could overpower the defenseless duchess immediately if he wanted to. of course, when she¡¯s not as wary of him as she is now.

 Chapter 31.2

    he awkwardly pulled out his arm under her, and put his elbow on the bed as he raised his upper body. seira¡¯s look from above was beautiful and lovely to the point where he wanted to stay in this moment forever.

    he wanted to pretend that he can¡¯t win, and let it slide for hours.

    he wanted to kiss her ¨C on her soft cheeks, pale neck, round shoulders, if not on her lips.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    but instead of fulfilling his wishes, aven slowly rose up and got out of bed. it wasn¡¯t difficult at all to shake her off, unlike what he tried to convince himself a while ago.

    ¡°duchess, don¡¯t you have to attend the imperial banquet tomorrow? you have to hurry to prepare what you need,¡± he whispered.

    after saying so, he slowly pumped his mana. this time around, he was determined to wake seira up somehow.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    as soon as his strong mana spread out into the room, seira¡¯s eyes opened reflexively and she quickly rolled herself under the bed.

    seira¡¯s eyes rolled as she lowered her body so that she could leap at any time. her purple eyes were filled with images of aven.

    ¡°¡­what? was it you aven?¡± she groggily asked.

    ¡°yes. good morning, duchess,¡± he greeted her as usual.

    along with his mana that disappeared like melting snow, the sharp tension disappeared as well.

    seira reached for her head and grumbled, staggering as she got up on her feet, ¡°oh, my head hurts.¡±

    ¡°why did you drink too much? you didn¡¯t go to sleep right away,¡± aven began to chastise her as if she was a teenage girl.

    ¡°i was only going to drink until my hair dried, but it didn¡¯t dry until i eventually emptied two bottles,¡± she moaned.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    aven was speechless.

    most noble families have maids who were in charge of taking care of the bath from drawing water until dressing their masters. but seira kept no one around except aven. thanks to this, the length of her hair shortened as the years went by.

    aven sighed and turned around.

    ¡°i¡¯ve prepared a meal. eat while it¡¯s warm,¡± he told her.

    ¡°yeah. i¡¯ll be right back after washing up. go down first.¡±

    he stood still and looked at her as she stumbled into the bathroom. unlike d-ark, warm water does not naturally come out here, but she never asked for him to heat up the water. not even last night, nor today.

    aven decided he¡¯d have to install magic tools soon.

    he needed something to replace him if he intended to gradually reduce the work needed to be done.

    after putting a comfortable dressing gown on the table instead of cleaning up the bed, aven left her bedroom.

    ¡°well¡­¡±

    when his presence disappeared, seira opened the bathroom door and peeked. after confirming that no one was there, she trudged out.

    ¡°i can¡¯t believe it, really,¡± she groaned to herself.

    when i remembered hugging aven in her sleep, her face turned as red as a ripe tomato. how ridiculous it must have been that he still stuck close to her after everything that happened last night.

    ¡®i shouldn¡¯t touch the rice wine as much as possible,¡¯ she decided.

    she was in a bad mood, so she drank too much until she passed out. seira changed her clothes, rubbing her stiff shoulder and arms from sleeping on the cold floor. as she left the room and went down the stairs, the familiar savory smell wafted into her nose.

    seira¡¯s pace gradually quickened and she reached the door of the dining room, but stopped unknowingly.

    the spacious table was filled with food that aven carefully cooked for her. even now, he was buttering the sliced bread with his unique expressionless face. he spread it carefully to every corner, arranged them on a small plate, and pushed it toward her seat.

    ¡®oh, really,¡¯ she sighed.

    who and how could she replace such a man? it¡¯s been years since she lived in silence and tenderness. seira closed her eyes tightly as if reminiscing the past and shortly opened them.

    meanwhile, aven had raised his head and saw her.

    ¡°duchess? is something wrong?¡± he asked, concern barely showing in his face.

    but seira knew. a tiny laughter left her lips and she shook her head as she said, ¡°i was just surprised because this is such a feast.¡±

    aven was bewildered for a while, yet he stood up and pulled out a chair for her nonetheless, ¡°this isn¡¯t even as good as a commoner¡¯s table. hurry up and eat.¡±

    seira, who sat quietly in the chair, smiled at him, ¡°thank you for the meal, aven.¡±

    after eating a bowl of aven¡¯s signature hot stew, seira¡¯s upset stomach quickly calmed down. she ate the chewy bread with glee, and she even finished the tomato salad.

    aven was deeply impressed by her remarkable resilience. he swore she was definitely dying of fatigue and hangover until half an hour ago.

    ¡°come to think of it, franto sent you a lot of things. i think it could be a dress?¡± he said.

    ¡°yes,¡± she nodded, ¡°he said he¡¯d prepare it himself, i¡¯m even surprised it came so quickly.¡±

    a smirk spread across seira¡¯s face. it was clear that the dress was prepared even before his proposal was made. it looked like she¡¯ll have to try it on to see if it really fits.

    seira came out to the drawing room with aven. inside, there was one giant box and several other small boxes. they probably contained her dresses, shoes, and accessories.

    ¡°huh,¡± she scoffed, ¡°he really sent it quite carefully.¡±

    seira casually took off her clothes.

    ¡°duchess¡­? why are you suddenly changing clothes here¡­¡± aven said as he looked away.

    ¡°i¡¯ll try on the dress. it¡¯s hard to wear a banquet dress alone, so you will have to help me, aven.¡±

 Chapter 32.1

    seira¡¯s request was perfectly reasonable. why would it be necessary to take all of those boxes to the third floor? only she and aven were in the main building anyway, so it shouldn¡¯t be a problem to try the dress here.

    the only problem now, perhaps, was aven¡¯s reaction.

    his eyes trembled when he looked at her. even if she didn¡¯t particularly want to show it off, seira¡¯s figure sitting on a cozy chestnut carpet in her underwear was too dizzying.

    ¡°did he really have to send a pair of underwear too?¡± seira mumbled as she rummaged through the boxes, picking up the dress that she was going to wear.

    it wasn¡¯t until her porcelain body was covered partly by the dress that aven finally managed to breath normally. the dark purple dress draped loosely on seira¡¯s body, and she beckoned for aven towards her.

    ¡°could you please tie a knot at the back?¡± she asked him.

    as she pointed out, the banquet dress was impossible to wear by herself. it had to be tightly woven and knotted along the spine, down to her dipping hips.

    aven approached seira with his teeth clenched. as she tilted her head, her short hair fell forward, revealing her long and slender neckline. beyond the string woven together, her smooth back, narrow waist, and upper part of her hips were captured with just a single glance.

    two thin cords were pulled tightly against her body, and aven continued to struggle emptying his head with thoughts of seira¡¯s body.

    no pheromones poured out of her, but the mere smell of her skin rocked his sanity. he had to hold his breath in the case she caught him struggle breathing.

    by the time he finished with the final knot, aven¡¯s hands reached their limits and slipped several times. seira turned around to see him clasp his terribly shaking hands.

    she had a cheeky smile on that turned him on as she asked, ¡°aven, is that rut?¡±

    ¡°ah¡­¡± he blushed.

    it was only then did aven realize his condition. the pheromones, which had lost control and poured out, clung to her skin as if courting her to respond accordingly.

    ¡°i¡¯m¡­ i¡¯m terribly sorry,¡± he said as he hurriedly stepped back in embarrassment.

    ¡°if it¡¯s enough to tempt you, then we could say this dress looks pretty enough,¡± seira joked, a tiny chuckle rising from her.

    aven wanted to disagree that it had nothing to do with her dress, but he only lowered his eyes and remained silent.

    his hand continued to tremble, he lost the sweet scent that came from her. unlike pheromones which could be hidden in different ways, there was no way to keep the feeling of exhilaration as if running nonstop.

    seira was looking at him and changed her words as if nothing happened.

    ¡°how does franto know my size? even i don¡¯t know them too well,¡± she commented.

    ¡°didn¡¯t you tell the duke franto about your measurements?¡± aven asked.

    ¡°no, not at all,¡± seira shook her head, ¡°but don¡¯t you think this fit me well?¡±

    when she asked his opinion, aven looked at the dress fully. her beautiful chest, dizzying curves, waist, hips, and thighs, which were quite larger than her slender limbs. to him, there was nothing lacking in seira.

    ¡°i¡¯m sure they knew your measurements before they even reached out to you,¡± aven finally commented.

    after checking the dress with a slight turn, seira agreed as she said, ¡°exactly! there seems to be no error in my measurements at all. franto¡¯s intelligence is to be commended.¡±

    ¡°yes, maybe¡­¡±

    she playfully tapped the back of aven¡¯s hand, wondering when his pheromones began leaking.

    ¡°please untie the knot again, but don¡¯t pull them out fully,¡± she ordered, ¡°i think i can wear it tomorrow without much help if we leave it like that.¡±

    aven could only divert his eyes as he followed her instruction, ¡°alright.¡±

    he couldn¡¯t help but look at her white neck, noticing that the red mark already disappeared. he knew it after kissing that place countless times ¨C how warm and soft her skin was.

    how sweet the moan that rose from her every time he breathed along her spine and licked them with his skillful tongue. when he surrendered his body to the pheromones that stuck on him like a sticky trap, it was as if his arms and legs were wrapped neatly as seira¡¯s prize.

    all of those were as vivid as yesterday, but he couldn¡¯t take it for granted anymore. there was a clear reason why he shouldn¡¯t pine for her anymore. aven therefore kept it all to himself and focused on the task onhand.

    seira was only in her early twenties, but she already knew how to use her charm like a weapon. entering her prime as an omega, she¡¯d bloom more each day that¡¯ll pass, as much as she¡¯d become more skilled in controlling alphas to her will.

    in such a way, it was a big thing to be swayed by this much ¨C at least for aven.

    watching as the knot loosened and her dress slipped down, aven closed his eyes tightly.

    will he be able to endure it? he surely was having a hard time today. tomorrow and the day after that, will he be able to endure until the end without being caught?

    it was only at that moment that he doubted himself.

    * * *

 Chapter 32.2

    louis franto was a very meticulous person. he didn¡¯t just pack everything they needed, but on the morning of the banquet day, he also sent a maid to help in the preparations.

    ¡°we don¡¯t have to go out.¡±

    ¡°what a shame. i practiced all day yesterday.¡±

    the twin sisters, lucy and meilin, watched as the skillful maids sent by franto moved about. the two had graduated from the academy five years ago, and were the last lineage of the former askan vassal, the viscount clay.

    both were omegas, but their powers were not suitable for battle, so they couldn¡¯t join in the subjugation war. still, they were fortunate that the legal counseling office which was established using aptitudes was very popular, which made their lives easier.

    ¡°are you also attending the banquet today?¡±

    ¡°sadly, we can¡¯t. the royal family only invited selected few from the nobles.¡±

    ¡°i should have gone and protected you!¡±

    seira smiled quietly as the twins spoke in turns, and sometimes even at the same time. she chuckled at the last comment, as she said, ¡°you guys? protect me?¡±

    ¡°the social world is different from that of the battlefield,¡± one of the twins tutted.

    seira knew lucy and meilin¡¯s feelings of concern, but she believed there wouldn¡¯t be a problem at the banquet she would be attending today. there was something else that bothered her though.

    ¡°still, we are glad that count helford would go with you.¡±

    as lucy said, banquets held at the imperial palace usually sent invitations to high-ranking nobles above the marquis family. however, since the celebration was held to commemorate the war¡¯s victory, some of those people who had major contribution to its success were invited, with aven and zion as prime examples.

    ¡°well, aven isn¡¯t my partner,¡± seira sighed.

    ¡°ah¡­ that¡¯s right,¡± lucy said, ¡°i¡¯d have to say, count helford is much better looking than the duke franto.¡±

    seira couldn¡¯t help but to roll her eyes, and then diverted her attention towards franto¡¯s maids. although their facial expressions were managed perfectly like their owner, seira didn¡¯t think they would like to look down on owner¡¯s appearance.

    ¡°it¡¯s because you didn¡¯t see louis up close,¡± seira said, ¡°i¡¯ve never seen such a handsome person.¡±

    ¡°still, count helford is better!¡±

    ¡°there are things you can¡¯t do other than your looks. he is kind and good at cooking,¡± seira complimented.

    ¡°aven is much more popular,¡± meilin insisted.

    seira, who was about to side with franto, but in consideration of the maidservants, she decided to shut her mouth. lucy and meilin were certainly unyielding in their determination and intense eyes.

    ¡®do they like aven?¡¯ she thought at the back of her mind.

    it wasn¡¯t that seira didn¡¯t know better. there was probably no groom left as good as aven when considering both his family and pedigree. whatever he wore, his slender body was full of well-trained muscles. even seira¡¯s heart would sometimes pound if she saw aven¡¯s expressionless face crack a smile.

    it was a fact that not a soul knew because she¡¯d monopolized it for three long years. but if anyone would find out how dedicated and how much joy he brought to her all night with his wonderful body, aven would be more popular than he ever was now.

    unfortunately, being overly ascetic was one of his weaknesses.

    ¡®aven will soon meet another omega,¡¯ seira mulled, ¡®whether it¡¯s meilin or lucy, or someone else from another family.¡¯

    just as seira spent the night with baron jeff and held hands with louis franto. aven will no longer take responsibility for her heat cycle alone, and he will be free from his obligations. with that, he could welcome another omega as his companion.

    ¡°aven has a strong sense of responsibility,¡± seira said, ¡°i have no doubt that he will do well to his chosen companion and future children.¡±

    lucy and meilin¡¯s faces immediately brightened by her words.

    ¡°right? after all, count helford is her excellency¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°lucy¡­¡±

    lucy jumped in surprise and closed her mouth as soon as she heard the cold voice behind her.

    before she knew it, aven was standing at the door. he was dressed in robes to attend the banquet. just like the askan knight¡¯s uniform, the fabric was all black, but looked much more elegant thanks to the silver embroidery and purple jeweled buttons.

    seira found that even the maid¡¯s expressions were disturbed as soon as aven spoke.

    it was only natural for young girls in their prime to react like that to aven, who was more attractive up close. it was just unfortunate that all the maids were beta, but if they could feel his chocolate sweet pheromones, they would immediately fall for the likes of aven, franto, and the rest of the alphas.

    ¡°you haven¡¯t been bothering the duchess, have you?¡± aven turned to the twins.

    ¡°no, it¡¯s¡­¡± lucy struggled to find the right words to respond.

    ¡°don¡¯t be like that, aven,¡± seira tutted and helped lucy, whose eyes were glued on aven, ¡°i was just gossiping here and there. it has been a while since i¡¯ve been to any social gathering.¡±

    aven raised a brow and said, ¡°¡­is that so?¡±

    ¡°of course, i didn¡¯t leave out the fact that you are very popular. i was a little suspicious¡­ but by the way it looks right now, i think its alright.¡±

    aven¡¯s cold and stiff expression was slightly softened by her sly words.

    he turned to the twins and said, ¡°you seem to have only heard unnecessary things.¡±

    seira smiled as she saw the girl¡¯s sigh of relief.

    who doesn¡¯t want to look good in front of the person they like, right? a single expression on his face, the way he flirts with a few words, it reminded seira of their youthful days. she, too, used to go back and forth between heaven and hell with just once glance from calrad.

    ¡®now i really seems like i¡¯m going back and forth between heaven and hell.¡¯

    seira felt dizzy just by thinking of the time she set fire to calrad¡¯s anger that day.

 Chapter 33.1

    ¡°duchess, i think i¡¯ll have to enter the palace first.¡±

    ¡°huh? why?¡± seira asked, confused.

    ¡°i have business to attend to at the imperial palace,¡± came his curt reply. he glanced at franto¡¯s maids, and quickly added with his eyes lowered, ¡°i¡¯ll go ahead and wait, you can take as much time as you want.¡±

    ¡°alright, see you later, aven.¡±

    aven turned to the twins and nodded, ¡°lucy, meilin.¡±

    the girls shuddered at aven¡¯s low voice, and then curtsied at seira, ¡°we¡¯ll be on our way, duchess.¡±

    ¡°suddenly, something urgent came to mind¡­¡± lucy reasoned.

    seira looked at aven and the girls back and forth, and then smiled with a slight nod.

    ¡°alright then,¡± she giggled, ¡°thank you for coming today. please visit more often.¡±

    ¡°yes, duchess!¡± the twins answered with bright faces.

    they followed aven out of the room, and the place quickly turned quiet. seira imagined entrusting herself to franto¡¯s maids, who were busy teasing her hands again.

    one day, aven will surely bring a pretty omega and introduce her as his companion.

    ¡®i was being so selfish.¡¯

    of course, she didn¡¯t consider aven because she thought she¡¯d marry him and support askan together. after all, aven was already twenty-seven years old.

    she shouldn¡¯t be optimistic that aven, who could¡¯ve lived his life like lucy and meilin, would forever devote himself to her and askan. it wasn¡¯t exactly required of him to do so.

    just as seira is the last of askan¡¯s lineage, wasn¡¯t aven also the last of the helford¡¯s? it was also a matter to consider if he¡¯d continue on putting himself into dangerous missions when he still didn¡¯t have a successor.

    ¡®unlike me, aven doesn¡¯t really have to,¡¯ she thought at the back of her mind.

    if she used his loyalty, she can hold him by force. but by then, what was the difference between her and the emperor? seira couldn¡¯t bear to think of it.

    ¡®we must discuss it as soon as possible,¡¯ seira convinced herself.

    she¡¯ll find another alpha now, so aven should meet his own omega. if she was to leave it to aven¡¯s personality, the issue would most likely just get kept behind them without even a single word mentioned.

    ¡®it would be great if he met girls like lucy and meilin¡­¡¯

    it felt strange for her to imagine anyone else, but his complete separation was practically too big of a blow. he was there through everything, starting with the way she fought which was all thanks to aven¡¯s help.

    she had no choice but to be selfish until the end. seira stared into the mirror with her lips tightly pressed to a thin line.

    instead of a master-class slayer who fought at the front line, there was a beautiful omega that looked like she couldn¡¯t even properly wield a single dagger.

    ¡®please, today.¡¯

    she must feel free to play it down, so that she could get more time and more opportunities.

    if that wouldn¡¯t work, let the sin be possessed so it can be used as a disposable shield.

    seira practiced laughing demurely in the mirror as the winds blew into the d-ark, who stood alone on a desolate land far away. this was the weapon she had to wield instead of a sword today.

    * * *

    shortly after finishing her makeup, a young man with long brown hair came and delivered the news, ¡°your excellency, the duke of franto is here.¡±

    the man was alan dews, owner of the dews estate that seira had asked louis to revive this time. a senior at the academy, alan was the youngest child seira had ever sponsored. he was as big as a bear for a 19-year-old, but he was still growing day by day.

    ¡°alright, i¡¯ll be right down,¡± she replied.

    alan was actually a pacifist, but he often called in when aven was away, saying that just being there would be helpful.

    as seira left the mansion with alan, she saw louis franto standing in front of the carriage. the purple accents of his white robes looked like a set to her dress.

    ¡°seira,¡± he greeted her with a slight, courteous bow.

    he stepped into the front stairs, smiled softly, and then kissed seira¡¯s hand. pretending not to see alan¡¯s expression deteriorating, she greeted him with a smile too.

    ¡°you¡¯re just in time, louis,¡± she said.

    ¡°i¡¯m glad to hear that.¡±

    ¡°thank you for the dress,¡± seira added as she pretended to look over herself, ¡° the shoes, accessories, and maids as well.¡±

    he beamed with glee and said, ¡°it¡¯s my pleasure. i hope you liked them all.¡±

    seira was about to walk after she received louis¡¯ hand, but suddenly looked back at alan. she felt something unusual, and alan was also staring at louis with an intense look.

    ¡®what¡¯s wrong with this pacifist?¡¯ she thought at the back of her mind.

    he was ready to beat someone. he was clenching and stretching his fist as big as a pot lid.

    seira sighed and tapped the boy¡¯s arm, ¡°i¡¯ll be back, alan.¡±

    ¡°yes, duchess¡­ please have a good time,¡± alan replied.

    seira climbed into franto¡¯s carriage despite seeing alan¡¯s reluctance. louis sat across from her and stared silently, opening his mouth to speak only when the carriage completely left the mansion.

    ¡°that young man a while ago was the baron dews,¡± he said.

    ¡°yes,¡± seira nodded, ¡°he¡¯s usually just a gentle and cute kid, but he must be in a bad mood today.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    louis pretended he didn¡¯t hear seira¡¯s explanation of alan¡¯s attitude back then and asked another question, ¡°may i ask you why you chose dews¡¯ estate? it¡¯s the closest from here, but it¡¯s too far out for askan.¡±

    ¡°alan is the most urgent,¡± she responded without hesitation, ¡°i have to get him married before he gets even bigger.¡±

    ¡°marriage, you mean?¡±

    ¡°yes, marriage.¡±

    louis¡¯ expression turned strange with seira¡¯s words, which he couldn¡¯t really comprehend. on the other hand, she didn¡¯t exactly bother to elaborate further.

 Chapter 33.2

    with louis as her partner, her main goal was only to divert calrad¡¯s attention. frankly speaking, she didn¡¯t expect much from the estate¡¯s revitalization. after all, isn¡¯t magic the basis of magic engineering in the first place?

    money spent on wizards to revive askan has been enormous. however, they never sprouted a single bud, so she wondered if louis could do anything different this time around.

    ¡®even if i don¡¯t gain any income, i¡¯ll pretend to wait for a while and go on dates with louis,¡¯ she told herself silently.

    it would be great if there was just a little result, and if it didn¡¯t, then it was fine as well.

    seira couldn¡¯t help but chuckle inwardly, ¡®calrad¡­ you¡¯ll be very surprised.¡¯

    the emperor will be surprised, and then angry again.

    he was the one that hated seeing her talking with other alphas. even if the affection was long gone, his fierce desire to control her still remained. he was a person who would rather destroy something that wasn¡¯t his so that others can¡¯t have it.

    the image of him with his neck grabbed was stuck on seira¡¯s head. his eyes trying to figure out what to do with the situation.

    ¡°are you nervous?¡±

    seira spaced out as she stared blankly outside. she casually replied to louis question with, ¡°do i look like what?¡±

    louis observed seira¡¯s expression and shook his head, ¡°on second thought, i don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°then it¡¯s not.¡±

    ¡°isn¡¯t there any love left for his majesty?¡±

    this time around, his question got stuck in seira¡¯s ears and she turned to look at him.

    love ¨C what a meaningless word.

    calrad became the ruler of the entire empire and didn¡¯t lack anything. if they wanted to revive the past, then small concessions were needed. if they had corrected emperor laud¡¯s mistakes from going back on his words to protect her and askan, then their relationship would not have been ruined.

    however, the devastated land, which was meaningless to him, was much more important to him than the love they shared.

    it even got to the point of taking all of askan¡¯s benefits and driving seira to the brink.

    originally, that was what power was like, so she didn¡¯t have any intention of going wild with anger. she just admitted it. an agreement, a heart, was not worth a few gold coins. one couldn¡¯t even move a notch on the scale.

    ¡°louis,¡± she called out to the duke franto.

    a picture perfect smile hung on her lips, ¡°i will be the duke of askan until the day i die. this is the answer, right?¡±

    as an answer, she came up with a heavy truth that couldn¡¯t be compared from their fluttering emotions.

    franto mulled for a second and then answered, ¡°yes, i understand what you mean.¡±

    louis gave a slight nod and then closed his mouth as if he was thinking about something. seira on the other hand, turned her attention outside once more.

    soon after, the carriage passed through the familiar palace gates. it was quite crowded in front of the carriage waiting station, but there was no need for franto to line up at all. he was allowed to enter before anyone else, so they were able to get off right in front of the gaudium hall where the banquet was held.

    louis got out of the carriage first, and then reached out to help seira. to be frank, she didn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s support, but she gladly took his hand still.

    perhaps in consideration to seira¡¯s shoes, louis moved slowly. seira noticed and said in an uneven voice, ¡°even in this outfit,its not uncommon to catch a few beasts.¡±

    ¡°is that so?¡±

    ¡°you don¡¯t believe it.¡±

    he smiled softly, ¡°no, i know it¡¯s possible.¡±

    ¡°then why are you walking so slowly?¡± she asked him.

    ¡°hmm¡­,¡± he hummed in a prolonged manner, as if he deliberately wanted to make seira wait, ¡°isn¡¯t this normal? everyone is walking at a similar pace as we do.¡±

    seira glanced around and replied, ¡°you¡¯re walking slowly so everyone could see us. you don¡¯t know that either?¡±

    more eyes were already staring at them.

    ¡°if that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s not bad. should we walk a bit faster?¡±

    now that he mentioned it, louis¡¯ walk sped up, but it was still below average. seira didn¡¯t know he intended it or if it was just the same from everybody else.

    ¡®well, it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡¯

    whatever he wanted, she knew it wouldn¡¯t be much far from what she intended.

    as they entered the building, philip, the attendant who was standing at the entrance of the banquet hall, recognized her and his eyes widened in shock.

    ¡°your excellency¡­¡±

    ¡°long time no see, philip.¡±

    he was a very familiar figure to seira as well. he had been caring for calrad since he was the crown prince and treated seira as a crown princess in the past. of course, it wasn¡¯t just people in the palace who did so. everyone at viceltium used to be.

    ¡°how¡­ no, i mean,¡± philip struggled to find the right words, ¡°why does your excellency¡­¡±

    seira looked at him nonchalantly, stuttering as if he was very embarrassed.

    ¡°why, i¡¯m here to attend the banquet,¡± she replied simply.

    ¡°however, the one who is by your side by side¡­¡±

    it seemed unbelievable that franto¡¯s duke was standing next to her who attended the banquet for the first time in seven years.

    ¡°i hope you¡¯ll get on with it, sir. i don¡¯t want be delayed,¡± louis said as he glanced down at the old man.

    ¡°oh¡­ i¡¯m sorry.¡±

    philip stepped aside in a hurry.

    it was clear as day that seira askan and louis franto attended the banquet together as a couple. from there on, he decided what he had to do ¨C report to calrad immediately.

    seira and louis walked past a nervous-looking waitress and entered the banquet hall.

    there was no announcement of positions for the two dukes, as philip¡¯s mind blanked during his duty. however, everyone in the hall was watching the entrance from the moment they stepped inside the hall.

    the gaudium hall, decorated with hundreds of luxurious lights that could easily be blindingly dazzling, and bright pieces of light fell on her platinum hair.

 Chapter 34.1

    in the suffocating silence, seira closed her eyes and opened them slowly.

    her gaze, which seemed to have drawn a lot of attention, turned to a particular place. it was where zion, aven, and baron, who made the biggest contributions in the subjugation war, stood.

    baron looked unfazed, as if he had heard of it from aven in advance. but his eyes were terrifying, to say the least. maybe they were mistaken as demons.

    seira walked slowly with louis. their place was closest to the podium where the throne was also situated.

    along the way, each of them left their seats. no one spoke or greeted first. there were only a select few gathered today who had such courage.

    when they finally reached their place, baron opened his mouth, ¡°i never expected you to attend the banquet.¡±

    as if he had no intention of exchanging greetings with louis, baron only looked at seira. louis didn¡¯t bother to greet him either. he just looked down at seira, with her hand gently overlapping around his arm.

    after greeting a wide-eyed zion, and aven who stood next to her, it was only then that baron¡¯s eyes met seira¡¯s.

    ¡°yes, i didn¡¯t expect it either. it wasn¡¯t planned until a few days ago,¡± she replied nonchalantly.

    ¡°if i had known in advance, i would have presented myself as your partner first,¡± baron whispered.

    it was not an exaggeration to say that everyone in the hall was paying attention to their side, but there was no hesitation in baron¡¯s words. he acted as if seira and him were the only people inside the room.

    ¡°well,¡± she tilted her head to the left and said with a smile. ¡°would it be possible? our commander-in-chief is¡­ he¡¯s an amazing person.¡±

    ¡°seira¡­¡±

    baron¡¯s brow scrunched when he realized what she meant. but they couldn¡¯t continue their conversation. as soon as he tried to open his mouth again, the inner door leading to the platform opened wide from both sides.

    ¡°his majesty has arrived, be polite!¡±

    the hall became completely calm with the loud cries of the bellows. seira took her hand off of louis¡¯ arm and straightened his posture, and then turned towards the podium like everyone else and lowered her eyes.

    around a hundred people were gathered, but not a single breath was heard. all seira could hear was the sound of calrad¡¯s footsteps across the platform. entering the banquet hall much earlier than the scheduled time, his steps weren¡¯t relaxed.

    ¡°raise your head.¡±

    the place where calrad stopped was at the end of the platform, not in front of the throne. it was only five steps away from the dukes baron and louis, and the duchess seira.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    even after she straightened her back, seira didn¡¯t look at calrad. she pretended not to notice his gaze for a long time.

    in the end, calrad had to give up first. seira glanced at her ex-fiance¡¯s expression only after his head had turned. the anger on his face, as cold as that of baron¡¯s earlier, made seira¡¯s back tingle. it was more fun now because he was scared of something.

    ¡°baron.¡±

    ¡°yes, your majesty.¡±

    at calrad¡¯s call, baron immediately stepped forward.

    prior to the banquet¡¯s scheduled start, the prize according to the major was given first. on behalf of kalrad, commander-in-chief baron released a list of awardees and their corresponding rewards.

    not a single soul was dissatisfied with the announcement as it was already coordinated around five days prior to the banquet. most of the items awarded were prize money, but sometimes they asked for something special like in the case of zion.

    ¡®fifty beast hearts?¡¯

    it was said that zion originally was offered a title, but he refused and demanded 50 mid-level beast hearts instead. seira shook her head ¨C wizards are sometimes so hard to understand.

    as usual, aven opted for a reward this time, and as promised, seira was exempted from three years¡¯ tax on the askan estate.

    she had to admit that she was a little worried that calrad might break his promise or shorten the deadline because of the last incident, but it was fortunate that he didn¡¯t go down to that.

    at the end of baron¡¯s announcement, calrad resumed speaking.

    ¡°today¡¯s main characters are you, as this banquet is held to praise your achievements while defeating the enemies who threatened the safety of the empire. enjoy the fruits of your labor to the fullest extent, to the point that you¡¯d forget everything else.

    unlike baron¡¯s heavy and low voice, which seemed to be ringing in a cave, calrad¡¯s slow voice, sweet and overwhelming, resonated to the end of the hall, signaling the banquet¡¯s beginning.

    ¡°thank you, your majesty.¡±

    as commander-in-chief, baron thanked calrad on everyone¡¯s behalf and nodded in response.

    with the go signal, the chamber orchestra began to play. it would have been usually played from dance songs to boost the crowd¡¯s excitement, but there was a melody that suited for conversations more.

    the nobles left their seats and looked at seira¡¯s side, pretending to disperse to their respective places. it was only natural. no topic in viseltium¡¯s social circle in recent years has been more interesting.

 Chapter 34.2

    ¡°seira. it¡¯s been a long time since i saw you at a banquet,¡± calrad said.

    it was clear that he had taken a seat at the end of the platform so she couldn¡¯t get time to escape him. when he learned of her coming with louis, he made up his mind to pin her to a conversation.

    ¡°yes, your majesty,¡± seira calmly replied, looking somewhere in calrad¡¯s chest.

    he came down the stairs and stopped right in front of her. the gap between them was now less than an inch away.

    ¡°have you changed your mind?¡± he asked.

    his voice pretended to be calm, but seira could detect it was filled with anger. others wouldn¡¯t have noticed, but seira did, as naturally she learned it from all those times they spent together back when they were still engaged.

    seira finally looked up at calrad and said, ¡°you could say that.¡±

    his gaze was intense, like daggers whipping directly towards her heart.

    seira observed how his mood changed from within his freezing blue iris. the place was the same as seven years ago, but somehow everything else was different.

    ¡°i think i¡¯ll be attending often now,¡± she added with a soft tone that she knew calrad liked very much, ¡°i have a new partner.¡±

    seira¡¯s face lit up with a bright smile, like a flower in full bloom and in love.

    calrad, who she thought would burst out in anger in an instant, unexpectedly pressed his lips into a thin line and looked at seira quietly.

    everyone watched breathless as seira smiled at calrad who only stared blankly at her.

    seira in a dress, which many haven¡¯t seen in a long time, looked whiter in contrast to the deep purple of the dress. her platinum blonde hair, ivory skin, and mysterious purple eyes were extremely pretty as if to prove her prestigious lineage.

    they all seemed to have been woven into silver and gold.

    the image of calrad lowell viseltium, the owner of the imperial hesrad, and her standing close to each other, became a perfect picture as if they had been paired from birth.

    there was no way that anyone would deny it. the pheromones, which she only found out five days ago, deceived each other to surprising extents. even in the midst of fierce emotions at that.

    maybe that¡¯s why.

    calrad reached out to her looking like he couldn¡¯t bear the slightest refusal.

    ¡°let¡¯s go outside,¡± he said, ¡°we need to talk.¡±

    seira¡¯s jaws dropped slightly, as if not expecting his suggestion.

    ¡°your majesty, she attended the banquet as my partner.¡±

    calrad¡¯s face hardened with the sudden intrusion of louis into their conversation.

    ¡°you will dance with me for the first time, so if you have something to say, call me another day.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    calrad didn¡¯t ask seira if louis¡¯ words were true. perhaps he¡¯d already heard from philip. and yet he suggested that they go outside. did he not accept that seira had other options for alphas as her partner?

    ¡°louis franto.¡±

    ¡°yes, your majesty.¡±

    louis calmly looked into calrad¡¯s fierce eyes. he wasn¡¯t scared at all even as they tried to intimidate each other. but making enemies with the imperial family was bound to only bring problems.

    seira slipped back from the hot confrontation between calrad and louis, which didn¡¯t end easily. a servant passed by with drinks on his tray and she naturally picked a glass for herself and smirked.

    ¡®i didn¡¯t expect to see all this fun stuff.¡¯

    as she was about to put the glass on her lips to cover her mouth so she could laugh, a man approached and said, ¡°drinking on an empty stomach would be really bad.¡±

    at some point, aven approached and took the champagne glass from her hand as if it was natural. what he offered in exchange was a plate of easy-to-eat food.

    ¡°thank you, aven.¡±

    seira¡¯s eyes were hooded, and she smiled as she took a bite of a biscuit with yogurt and nuts on it.

    ¡°you look great today,¡± he complimented her.

    ¡°didn¡¯t you see it in the mansion?¡± she said as she slowly stuffed more food into her mouth.

    ¡°but you look even better from here,¡± he insisted. ¡°eat some fruit, too.¡±

    he put a strawberry with chocolate sauce in her mouth, all with his signature expressionless face. only after seira had eaten that he gave back her glass of champagne.

    as calrad and louis¡¯ confrontation turned more intense by the hour, baron suddenly intervened between them.

    ¡°your majesty.¡±

    ¡°why, baron?¡±

    as he answered baron, calrad¡¯s gaze was still directed at louis. baron continued anyway.

    ¡°you gave out rewards for today¡¯s banquet, am i right? but unlike others, i haven¡¯t asked your majesty for anything yet.¡±

    baron¡¯s words took calrad¡¯s attention and he replied, ¡°you said you couldn¡¯t think of anything.¡±

    ¡°well,¡± baron straightened his posture, ¡°now i do.¡±

    calrad nodded as he observed baron, who was acting uncharacteristically.

    ¡°we can¡¯t skip the reward of the commander-in-chief. tell me if you want anything,¡± calrad told him.

    baron looked at seira once, louis once, and calrad for the last time before he opened his mouth.

    ¡°as the leader of the conquest, i want to do the first dance of today¡¯s banquet with duchess askan, another hero of victory.¡±

 Chapter 35.1

    seira¡¯s smiling face froze for the first time the moment she heard baron¡¯s request.

    ¡°is that man crazy¡­?¡± she gasped.

    however, aven didn¡¯t seem to understand her embarrassment at all.

    ¡°you didn¡¯t know that was going to happen?¡± he asked in curiosity.

    seira¡¯s eyes turned to aven without even realizing it, ¡°then you guessed he was going to do that?¡±

    ¡°he obviously can¡¯t stay still, can he? i¡¯ve been following you around for years, so i know. plus¡­¡± he tilted his head and whispered so that only seira could hear, ¡°after spending the night, i¡¯m sure he couldn¡¯t give you up.¡±

    any alpha who hugged a pure-blooded omega at least once would understand what aven meant. there was nothing more addictive scent than drugs, nor was there anything to take its place.

    if baron gave up on something like that, it would¡¯ve been similar to losing one¡¯s only companion whom he imprinted. however, seira was still confused even after hearing aven¡¯s words.

    ¡®baron isn¡¯t particularly special because he is pure-blooded,¡¯ she thought at the back of her mind.

    of course, she wouldn¡¯t deny that she enjoyed it. baron had a formidable weapon that shook her world that night, his strength overwhelming to the point she almost collapsed. it had been intense and dizzying that she both felt dead and alive.

    but her relationship with aven was no less than that.

    ¡®am i only thinking this because aven is special to me in a different manner?¡¯

    he was a very precious person. a man who wanted to protect her at all costs, an alpha who really wanted to be tied by the boundaries of her family. seira always felt great joy with her relationship with aven.

    perhaps she gave them too many meanings that was why she felt that way.

    although, it may as well have been a burden to him.

    ¡°but,¡± aven paused, ¡°if you don¡¯t want to, then just reject him. you don¡¯t have to consider every situation. isn¡¯t he to blame in the first place for burdening you?¡±

    aven¡¯s words revealed his disapproval of baron. it didn¡¯t even need much explanation, but seira¡¯s heart felt warm whenever she looked at aven¡¯s handsome profile.

    ¡°yes, thank you, aven.¡±

    how can she not feel sorry for him? the only thing he didn¡¯t give her was a love affair that was worthless. everything else was laid out neatly at her feet.

    ¡®my greed was just excessive, and my wish for vanity.¡¯

    seira turned sideways to look at his gloomy and dark eyes for the last time. she was curious how things had progressed on the other side, and she needed someone to be her human shield.

    although his face might have turned rigid, calrad granted baron¡¯s request, while louis took a step back. anyway, the main characters for tonight¡¯s banquet were those that took part in the subjugation war, including baron jeff and seira askan.

    baron¡¯s request was only reasonable.

    with the consent of his competitors, baron walked with pride towards seira. he then proceeded to stand tall in front of her and said, ¡°this is how it should be done ¨C to dance with you once.¡±

    seira glanced at his bright yellow eyes, which were blazing fiercely, ¡°i don¡¯t like it. i¡¯m really not in the mood to dance right now.¡±

    no matter how much he paid for calrad¡¯s permission, she wasn¡¯t obliged to do anything. as aven said, there was no need to do anything if she didn¡¯t want to.

    but despite her refusal, baron didn¡¯t show signs of backing down as he held out his hand towards her.

    ¡°you can¡¯t fix pommel on your own,¡± he said. ¡°it would take a whole box of gold to fix it.¡±

    seira¡¯s expression was greatly perturbed with his words.

    ¡°does it really cost that much?¡± she whispered.

    it was only after she knew the specific amount that seira realized. aven¡¯s words were true after all ¨C baron won¡¯t give up easily on her.

    seira emptied the champagne glass in one drink, and then lowered her voice as she said, ¡°well¡­ there¡¯s nothing to eat anyway.¡±

    ¡°of course.¡±

    baron took the empty glass, handed it over to the servant, and then reached out to her again.

    the music naturally changed as they walked out onto the dancefloor. the song that played was in the form of a rondo that wasn¡¯t very fast.

    seira heaved a heavy sigh as she felt the pressure of eyes pouring from the crowd.

    ¡°don¡¯t worry about the eyes around you. it would be a shame for you not to dance when you are this pretty,¡± baron slipped her a compliment.

    she instantly felt better with baron¡¯s words.

    this was her first time dancing in a formal event, but she moved leisurely. baron matched her pace, and then quickly narrowed their distance as if they were hugging. his feet were light as if he was a flower petal in the wind, like a butterfly circling and flapping its pretty wings.¡±you dance much better than i imagined.¡±

    ¡®why did he do that when it attracted so much attention?¡¯ seira asked herself as they continued to dance with the music, ¡®what¡¯s so big of a deal about a dance like this anyway?¡¯

    ¡°our commander-in-chief is not bad at this,¡± she commented after a couple of minutes into the dance.

    he smiled back at her nonchalant praise.

    ¡°i¡¯m good at everything i do with my body,¡± he said with a smug grin.

 Chapter 35.2

    ¡°hmm¡­¡±

    seira wrinkled her nose slightly at his words. he had a point after all.

    she remembered the night they spent a few days ago. the difference of how skillful he ended and how clumsy he began was too great not to be doubtful. as in battle, he was a man who could use his body like a weapon at any moment in time.

    ¡°but baron, where¡¯s your companion?¡±

    he leaned his head toward her and said, ¡°don¡¯t you really know?  i don¡¯t usually wear bothersome things.¡±

    ¡°ha!¡± seira laughed mischievously, trailing her hand down his firm chest, ¡°what cold-hearted man. miss olivia must be very upset.¡±

    when she entered the hall, seira confirmed that olivia tellon also attended the banquet. perhaps because the number of omega from high-ranking noble families was small, the invitation seemed to have gone even though she was only the second daughter.

    ¡°seira¡­¡± he groaned with a low voice as olivia¡¯s name spilled from her mouth.

    come to think of it, this was the first time they saw each other face-to-face ever since that day. seira closed and opened her mouth from too much hesitation, and so baron continued.

    ¡°i really do apologize for that day. i didn¡¯t know that beasts were among my family¡­¡±

    baron looked down as if he was truly remorseful, and then added as he lifted his gaze back to seira, ¡°i know that this might sound like an excuse¡­ but i¡¯m doing the best i can to get it right.¡±

    in short, it meant that the jeff was going to be overturned.

    seira knew from aven that he came to apologize to her. he seemed to be trying his best, but she wondered if it would turn up the way he wanted to. dealing with the elderly would be an entirely different matter for baron who had more experience on the battlefield.

    ¡°i think it would be quite difficult for my situation to say it¡¯s fine. i do have an honor to protect,¡± she said then quickly added, ¡°but i¡¯ll accept your apology, baron.¡±

    ¡°¡­yes, that¡¯s enough, for now.¡±

    as she spun and twirled to the tune, seira found several people looking their way with green eyes.

    ¡®i heard he¡¯s popular, but it must be true.¡¯

    not only omegas but also a lot of alphas were glancing at baron enviously. that would be quite understandable. didn¡¯t she also feel envious when she saw the gloriousness of his naked body?

    baron¡¯s hard and dense muscles, which by far were the strongest amongst master-class slayers, still stood out even with banquet robes.

    ¡®no matter what anyone says, he¡¯s the best groom.¡¯

    seven years ago, when he just turned into an adult, he already showed off his charm as a male, how much more now that he was at his prime?

    it was sure that there would be more than one omega that longed to hug him even for a night.

    ¡°where are you looking?¡± he asked as he suddenly pulled her waist.

    ¡°ugh,¡± seira rolled her eyes, ¡°why are you showing off your strength all of a sudden?¡±

    despite seira¡¯s protest, baron tightened his grip and pulled her closer to the point his own chest weighed down on her.

    baron¡¯s unique low and harsh voice poured into her ears as he said, ¡°i want you to focus on me when you are with me.¡±

    ¡°what did i do wrong?¡± she grumbled as she looked up at him.

    a lot of complicated emotions played in his eyes.

    ¡°do you feel bad that i attended the ball with a partner?¡± seira asked even though she already knew the answer to her question.

    baron¡¯s brows scrunched in the middle at her question. he looked really, really irritated now.

    ¡°yeah. i want to throw your partner out of the terrace this instant,¡± came his honest response.

    ¡°you¡¯re different from your cousin, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    considering whether baron was so sensitive when calrad and she were together, of course he wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°i can¡¯t compare his majesty and franto.¡±

    seira got curious. does louis franto hate it that much? or is his loyalty to calrad that much?

    seira smiled vaguely at baron¡¯s firm answer.

    ¡°yes.¡±

    for seira, calrad was the most threatening opponent, but it was only because of her situation and their shared past.

    baron¡¯s lips pressed together into a thin line at her expression. he had a lot more to say, but he had to end the conversation because the dance song was about to end.

    baron had the first dance with her as a prize to his hardships in the battlefield, but it was actually her freedom that he wanted most.

    seira read the longing in his eyes as soon as she pulled away from his hand. his scent as he exhaled shortly afterwards smelled of dense wood spread out.. wait, he was spilling his pheromones!

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    it wasn¡¯t serious, but she couldn¡¯t help it because her body was hot and her breathing labored.

    baron smiled briefly at her reproachful eyes.

    ¡°find me when you want to, seira,¡± he said to her.

    his body, which was tightly worn with several layers of cloth in between, was as hot and hard as that night.

    ¡°you¡¯re always welcome.¡±

    everything that touched was threatening as if it would be dyed red or burned white.

    the music finally came to a stop.

    the two each took a step away from each other and bowed politely. now that they weren¡¯t obliged to do anything for anyone, and they turned around without regret.

 Chapter 36.1

    olivia actually didn¡¯t want to attend the banquet today. she was uncomfortable and afraid she¡¯d run into baron.

    baron jeff¡¯s reputation in society was quite established.

    like most alphas and omegas, which were prone to succumb to their desires, the nobles were generally promiscuous. they weren¡¯t judged with their constant changing of partners as they go into their heat and rut phases from time to time.

    however, baron jeff had gotten himself a partner, let alone got into a scandal. when news of problems reached him, he would rush out immediately and didn¡¯t stay long in the capital. even when he was invited to social gatherings, he always came alone.

    naturally, the pressure of who would snatch the noble pureblooded alpha first was intense.

    olivia was one of the many who admired baron. when she imagined that a man with such indifference to other people¡¯s thoughts of him would become her own alpha, her heart would skip a beat. for him to enter his rut phase and come rushing towards her in great passion¡­ olivia dreamed of it day and night.

    but her dream coming true was short lived due to what happened a few days ago.

    ¡®i was so scared,¡¯ she thought.

    olivia couldn¡¯t handle baron¡¯s anger after seira left jeff. the omega, who grew up in a high-ranking noble family, wasn¡¯t prepared for it at all. even when she wasn¡¯t the exact reason for his anger, the fear that he instilled was the same. even the brazen domina apologized saying she didn¡¯t think things through.

    in any case, domina, who tried to join hands with marquis tellon, left the ecliptic as if she had been kicked out. it was clear that things had gone extremely wrong, as the whole of jeff was left in a disarray as to whom to sympathize with ¨C seira or olivia.

    olivia¡¯s father, marquis tellon, insisted that she meet another high-ranking noble family¡¯s alpha if baron couldn¡¯t take her to the banquet today. he didn¡¯t care about the shock his daughter went through at all.

    ¡®but¡­ i¡¯m glad i came.¡¯

    up until she entered the hall, she was scared and hated every single second as if she was entering the gates of hell. but as she stepped in, she saw a series of surprises which were good in a sense. several people who were rarely seen in gatherings such as these had shown up.

    ¡®i didn¡¯t expect duke franto, duchess askan, and count aven helford in one place.¡¯

    if she hadn¡¯t attended, olivia would¡¯ve been alienated from social gatherings that would follow afterwards. in a short while, she¡¯ll be talking about today¡¯s plan.

    ¡°should i ask you to dance, too?¡±

    the crowd¡¯s whispering was redirected to the center of the hall. seira, who just finished her first dance with baron, was dancing with louis franto this time. baron seemed to have disappeared right away.

    ¡°if you step forward for no reason, you¡¯ll look bad in his majesty¡¯s eyes,¡± one whispered.

    ¡°no way! of course i wouldn¡¯t be that mad to do such a thing,¡± another responded.

    calrad sat on his throne and looked down at the hall since baron and seira began their first dance. it was hard to read his expression, but anyone could guess that he would be in a bad mood.

    at the meantime, many noble families who were previously convinced it was better to neglect askan as they had nothing left, seemed to be busy looking at the situation.

    ¡°come to think of it, didn¡¯t your brother get dumped when he proposed to askan?¡±

    ¡°that trash deserved it. he didn¡¯t even see it coming.¡±

    glad¡¯s eldest son, who relentlessly judged his younger brother, stroked his chin and said, ¡°askan isn¡¯t an easy target.¡±

    he was exactly right. olivia, who was the same omega as seira, couldn¡¯t take her eyes off of her now even as she had encountered the duchess askan a few days back.

    ¡®it would¡¯ve been great if the plan had worked out smoothly.¡¯

    the child to be born in seira¡¯s womb must be as beautiful as an angel.

    how wonderful would it be to hold the best child in the entire empire, both in appearance, quality, and pedigree. olivia would replace the biological mother as soon as her role was done and raise the child as her own.

    no one would treat her carelessly as she took the head of jeff family as her companion, and held in her hands the last lineage of askan¡¯s blood.

    suppressing the regret that welled in her chest, olivia emptied the champagne glass in her hand.

    ¡®should i get some fresh air?¡¯

    after she placed the empty glass on a nearby table, olivia walked to a nearby terrace.

    ¡°ah¡­¡±

    as she stepped out, olivia exclaimed in surprise. she thought there¡¯d be no one there because the curtains weren¡¯t drawn, but there was unexpectedly a man there.

    he was handsome with his lips slightly parted. shadows delicately shaded his face as moonlight fell at an angle around him. he looked back at her, his gray hair pouring down behind his shoulders as they gently waved in the wind.

    it was count avon helford, a man who carried with him wild rumors.

 Chapter 36.2

    it would be polite to excuse herself and go back, but after checking him out, she couldn¡¯t walk away so easily. aven, if not as much as seira, was also someone who rarely attended social gatherings. even if he stopped by for a moment, he would leave as soon as his business was done, so conversations with him were close to impossible.

    ¡°i apologize for intruding,¡± olivia lowered her eyes and said, ¡°i didn¡¯t see you with the curtains undrawn.¡±

    his eyes were as black as the night sky spread over the terrace.

    ¡°i¡¯ll step out if you want,¡± aven offered.

    ¡°you don¡¯t have to do that. i just came out to get some fresh air.¡±

    having said that, olivia thought he¡¯d leave right away. even with living far away from society, one couldn¡¯t miss the meaning of an alpha and omega staying alone in one place.

    ¡°all right¡­¡±

    when she heard his answer, olivia was even more puzzled.

    ¡®what is this?¡¯

    then, suddenly, a laugh came out.

    calrad lowell viseltium, baron jeff, louis franto¡­

    whatever was the reason why aven helford was so loved, beating the noble pureblooded alphas who¡¯d stiffen up with tension just by thinking of his name?

    the first three alphas were, so to speak, unreachable stars in the sky. even omega olivia of tellon, who belonged to a high-ranking noble family, lived in a different world that she couldn¡¯t even dare to stand by without plotting something.

    but what of aven helford? he was the servant of askan, who had only one castle left to its name, and his lineage was nearly insignificant.

    ¡®so, to say, it sounds easy.¡¯

    unlike pureblooded alphas, he was a handsome alpha whom one could reach out and take without difficulty. thus, all the omegas who were good at counting turned their eyes towards the other direction. the emperor and other pureblooded alphas weren¡¯t there yet, so he didn¡¯t move with haste.

    olivia closed the terrace door behind her and then slowly moved toward him. he watched without speaking a single word, his eyes looking directly at olivia as she approached him.

    ¡®he thinks this could be an opportunity.¡¯

    luckily, he became a master-class slayer in his early 20s, but he wouldn¡¯t dare be greedy for seira askan.

    in fact, olivia didn¡¯t deserve to be his opponent as well.

    ¡®but certainly, his face is one worth looking at.¡¯

    he had such great looks that even when olivia had a taste for handsome men with a good bloodline like baron, she still found her heart fluttering just by looking at aven.

    ¡°you don¡¯t seem to enjoy the banquet very much, seeing you are here alone,¡± olivia said.

    ¡°whether it¡¯s fun or not, appreciation is not important,¡± came his curt reply.

    ¡°of course, it¡¯s important. aren¡¯t you one of the main characters for today¡¯s celebration?¡±

    olivia¡¯s flattering words slightly raised a corner of his mouth. as she got in front of aven, olivia noticed he actually held a glass in his hand. it contained a different drink from the champagne that the servants carried inside the hall.

    the golden liquid, which seemed to be produced by the full moon¡¯s light, reflected in the air. olivia looked at it, strangely curious and coveting to have some of it.

    ¡°what is that? i didn¡¯t see that being served inside.¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s not something lady tellon should be interested in.¡±

    aven lightly moved her hand out of the way as if he didn¡¯t want to give her some.

    ¡°as expected, you knew who i was.¡±

    ¡°it would be odd for someone not to know.¡±

    aven added in a low whisper, ¡°someone who may be jeff¡¯s mistress.¡±

    his hypnotizing voice tickled olivia¡¯s ears, ¡°did his highness say that?¡±

    a startled olivia looked up at him. their eyes made direct contact, and she realized somehow, he had been looking only at her all along.

    ¡°you seemed to have a lot in your mind, lady tellon.¡±

    olivia didn¡¯t even notice how aven deflected his answer from her question. her heart was impatient, and greed, which she had put aside thinking it was already over, slowly rose.

    ¡°i know¡­¡± she sighed, ¡°considering the past¡¯s glories, it was an offer that couldn¡¯t be accepted as easily.¡±

    if seira made up her mind, wouldn¡¯t it be possible for olivia to persuade baron to her side?

    ¡°why don¡¯t you help the duchess make a wise choice?¡± she asked aven, ¡°the conditions are good, and the price for giving birth to a child is great.¡±

    ¡°just one child you say¡­¡±

    when aven¡¯s eyes seemed to waver, olivia thought he was sympathetic with her.

    ¡°yes¡­¡±

    one step closer, she reached for him. holding his arm, she gently released her pheromones.

    ¡°for askan,¡± she whispered.

    she had always hidden her main ability, the power of enchantment, in her sweet scent. aven, whose pedigree was far behind, wouldn¡¯t be able to resist.

    olivia took her shot and persisted, ¡°for you, too.¡±

    her voice was sure.

    wouldn¡¯t it be better for aven helford to leave after seira¡¯s death than to be tied to askan with no hope or future ahead of it? if necessary, they could even get him to serve jeff. askan¡¯s last lineage will be jeff¡¯s next head ¨C wouldn¡¯t it be a win-win?

    olivia brushed his arm with a caring smile on her lips.

    it¡¯s about time that this attractive alpha knelt at her feet and kissed the back of her foot. when she imagined the moment his pale and stoic face distorted with pleasure and desire, her body naturally heated up.

 Chapter 37.1

    work to your heart¡¯s content and forgetting will be much easier. after that, a drink of the golden liquid that aven prepared separately.

    it was about time for olivia to wrap aven¡¯s whole body with her pheromones. her anticipation of the pleasures that would follow was steadily rising.

    ¡°i think i need an explanation.¡±

    she shook as he looked her straight in the eyes. it was at that moment, olivia noticed something strange and cloudy with a hint of red in his black eyes.

    ¡®what is that¡­?¡¯ she wondered.

    olivia was distracted by the look of aven¡¯s eyes, all the while feeling as if her feet were floating off the ground.

    ¡°why is that a ridiculous deal for me and askan?¡± aven asked. ¡°tell me everything¡­ the things that you want to get.¡±

    the way he spoke managed to hold olivia back from the giddy sensation of floating in the air. if aven wasn¡¯t around, she thought that she¡¯d constantly fall into a black hole where the bottom was nonexistent.

    olivia thought maybe it was all a dream.

    it wasn¡¯t just because her power as a high-ranking noble omega, didn¡¯t work on him at all who was just askan¡¯s servant. it wasn¡¯t just because the pheromones she poured out disappeared without a trace.

    it must all be a dream¡­

    otherwise, how can a person¡¯s eyes shine red?

    aven helford wasn¡¯t even a guardian, the last one to protect the beasts¡¯ nest.

    ¡°i¡­.¡±

    when he heard olivia¡¯s purring lips, aven placed the glass he held the whole time on the railing. then, he left the terrace without looking back.

    light and music poured in through the wide-open door, but olivia felt nothing. not until she grabbed the glass and swallowed all the golden liquid in it.

    * * *

    it was time for the second dance song to end.

    ¡®olivia tellon¡­ why did she have to tell aven?¡¯

    seira¡¯s concentration was abruptly disrupted when she witnessed an unexpected scene unfold. fortunately, louis¡¯ lead allowed their dance to end well, but she was no longer in the mood to dance.

    ¡°shall we take a break?¡± the duke of franto asked.

    ¡°yes.¡±

    seira agreed with a nod to louis¡¯ suggestion and left the middle of the hall. alphas, who were waiting for an opportunity to ask her to a dance, pretended not to look disappointed.

    rather than them, seira was much more concerned about calrad sitting on the throne and staring at her, and the second terrace which was closed.

    olivia, who had great affection for baron, thought it was just a simple mistake until she headed to the terrace where aven was. however, after the door closed, the curtains were drawn, and no one came out for more than five minutes. for those who didn¡¯t know of their relationship, it was enough reason to think the two were having a secret meeting.

    ¡®no way¡­¡¯

    what if the bitter olivia approached to intimidate askan¡¯s vassal, aven?

    come to think of it, seira recalled tellon¡¯s omega power was on the side of disrupting the mind.

    seira became increasingly nervous when her thoughts reached that point.

    it was illegal to engage in sexual activities when one has neutralized the other party using their powers, so punishment could be easily demanded when caught. however, it wasn¡¯t easy to prove the situation between the alpha and omega, so it was mostly unsure.

    ¡®wouldn¡¯t it be better to go now and check if everything is okay?¡¯

    suddenly, a glass was handed in front of seira as she chewed her bottom lips in deep thought.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°i thought this would suit your taste, so i brought some over.¡±

    seira turned her attention to the man in front of her. louis franto was looking down at her, a smile hanging over his mouth.

    ¡°ah¡­thank you.¡±

    she wasn¡¯t expecting him to hand her the glass, but soon she realized her mouth was dry and she took a sip of the drink. when the sweet and fruity flavor of the wine quenched her thirst, seira¡¯s breathing became easier.

    ¡°this is delicious!¡± she said in surprise.

    he lowered his voice as he leaned over her hair, ¡°i¡¯m glad to hear that. his majesty is most likely to come this way. what do you want me to do?¡±

    cold sweat covered siera¡¯s whole body at louis¡¯ words.

    ¡®where is your mind going now? geez!¡¯ she chastised herself.

    the biggest threat to aven wasn¡¯t olivia tellon or anything else. compared to the danger seira would face from running to him recklessly, seira could only laugh at herself. the act was comparable to showing her weaknesses.

    calrad was watching. louis was watching her too. many people had their eyes on her, looking forward to the day they could find a good reason to take down askan.

    it was only right to behave and be wise rather than to get herself riled up with aven and olivia, who may have been enjoying themselves in mutual consent. if she wanted to spend the night with baron and make the trouble of attending the banquet with louis as her partner, she mustn¡¯t make hasty moves.

    ¡°i think it¡¯s a little hot.¡±

    seira looked up at louis with a pretentious rose-tinted googly eye as if she was a teenager madly in love.

    she made her pretty turquoise eyes look a little bit bigger, and then lowered them shyly as she asked, ¡°shall we go to the terrace?¡±

    ¡°as you wish,¡± louis said as he extended his hand towards her.

    seira accepted his hand, and they walked out of the hall.

 Chapter 37.2

    calrad was sure to come their way, but he mustn¡¯t show his impatience. it was calrad after all, so seira must make sure to remain as elegant and in control as much as possible in order not to be swept away by his intimidating power. the risk of them coming into contact should be less now.

    most of the terraces were empty except for one or two places because the banquet had not yet begun.

    seira and louis chose the most remote terrace among them. as soon as she closed the door from the inside, her eyes met calrad, who had now narrowed their distance considerably. seira pretended not to see him and lowered the curtains.

    as she turned around, she saw louis was staring at her with great intensity.

    ¡°well, you don¡¯t regret it already, do you?¡± he asked her.

    she didn¡¯t expect calrad to make it look so obvious that he was angry. even seira was embarrassed, but what about louis?

    ¡°i suggested it first. i¡¯m prepared for this.¡±

    ¡°really?¡±

    the two of them stood side by side against the railing.

    ¡°i didn¡¯t know i¡¯d give up my first dance with you to duke jeff, who is not even his majesty.¡±

    seira read louis¡¯ feelings as his words were paired with a grin on his face.

    the light that permeated from the hall didn¡¯t reach the end of the terrace, and only the subtle ray of the moonlight shone on them. meanwhile, his eyes shone clear and cool like the midday of a green summer.

    ¡®pretty¡­¡¯

    that was the only thought that came to her mind after a long time of eye contact. there was nothing else that she could think of. and yet, it wasn¡¯t so uncomfortable because of his gorgeous appearance.

    it wasn¡¯t easy to focus on what was hidden behind his beautiful face that captivated a lot of people. if the standards for appearance hadn¡¯t risen while she stuck with aven, it was clear that seira would¡¯ve appreciated louis¡¯ face foolishly every time she saw him.

    ¡°but, by the way, seira¡­¡±

    seira looked at louis the same way he was gazing at her, and suddenly his cheeks flushed red.

    ¡°i think i know what you¡¯re trying to convey here.¡±

    louis and seira glanced at the door that led to the hall at the same time. even if it was annoying, seira felt she was even closer to calrad now, who had no choice but to turn around when they entered the terrace.

    he usually sank quietly that one wouldn¡¯t even notice, but the pressure he emitted when his emotions rose high remained, to the point the entire imperial palace would notice in an instant. even the orchestra¡¯s performance was immediately cut off.

    ¡°his majesty seems to be very unhappy that we¡¯re on the terrace.¡±

    ¡°that¡¯s right.¡±

    the corners of seira¡¯s mouth went up and down. while the situation looked ridiculous, it was funny to the point it made her laugh. she had only been subjected to calrad¡¯s one-way grumpiness, and she almost regretted that she annoyed his insides in this way.

    seira leaned close to louis, all the while calrad was on the other side of the front door.

    ¡°i think he misunderstood us the way you wanted him to. then shouldn¡¯t we live up to his expectations?¡± seira teased.

    louis raised a perfectly shaped brow at her suggestion, ¡°like a sweet couple, right?¡±

    ¡°yes,¡± seira said, ¡°as long as it doesn¡¯t bother you as franto¡¯s head.¡±

    ¡°all right.¡±

    he nodded his head, the words which seemed to feel like provocation that came afterwards becoming overshadowed.

    ¡°if you¡¯ll excuse me, i think i¡¯ll go ahead,¡± he smirked impishly.

    ¡°do as you please,¡± seira invited him with open arms.

    louis turned completely towards her, and seira put her arm around his neck. with one hand carefully placed on her back, he lowered his voice and whispered, ¡°is this enough?¡±

    ¡°no way. have you ever kissed?¡± she almost laughed.

    his lips opened slightly at her question. for the first time, louis franto had no words to say. seira came to realize that somehow, a shadow of emotion had crossed his face. to his surprise, louis was now stuck in a difficult situation.

    ¡°could you bend your back a little more and cover the back of my neck with your other hand?¡± seira asked.

    louis moved according to her instructions to fix his posture.

    ¡°like this?¡±

    ¡°yes, that¡¯s great.¡±

    now in their adjusted positions, louis and seira¡¯s faces were just a breath¡¯s distance away.

    ¡°tilt your head at an angle. and then lower the tip of your nose¡­¡±

    before seira could even finish her instruction, to which louis followed to the letter, the front door suddenly burst open.

    louis¡¯ lips suddenly crashed on to seira¡¯s. she closed her eyes as she was overtaken by the sweet scent of the fruit wine from his mouth.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    his tongue, which somehow broke the gap between them, was smoothly entangled with hers. unlike one that had never experienced a kiss, his clumsy posture was all just an act, and everything else felt natural afterwards.

 Chapter 38.1

    louis tightened his grip on seira, his hand slightly raised, and pulled her in closer to his body. his legs were intertwined between the hems of her dress, touching her lower abdomen.

    contrary to his relaxed attitude all throughout, his body was extremely hot to touch. it was so intense that it was comparable to being a wizard living in a laboratory.

    ¡°yes¡­¡± seira murmured.

    the door was already open, but they didn¡¯t care who was standing in front of it. regardless of who it was, louis deepened his kiss even more. even seira found it difficult to withdraw from the kiss. she felt like she would stumble if she even tried to take off her arm around his neck.

    after a while, she heard the door shut again.

    still, louis kept his hold on her, and only took off his lips after a long time.

    in the midst of their labored breaths, their saliva which no one can even distinguish whose was whom, became thin threads as they stretched from their parted lips.

    louis¡¯ lips were wet and slightly swollen red. after all, it was such an intense kiss. seira slowly turned her head, thinking that perhaps her lips looked the same. she was still in louis¡¯ arms.

    with his back to the closed door, calrad stood.

    louis looked at her lips a little more and then turned his head slowly to greet calrad, ¡°your majesty.¡±

    there was not a single hint of emotion in his voice. he didn¡¯t seem to be particularly amused or anxious that calrad barged in.

    ¡°seira.¡±

    contrary to louis¡¯ calmness, calrad¡¯s voice was apparently faltering. it was enough that even a fool would¡¯ve noticed.

    ¡°let¡¯s talk.¡±

    he stood still in the shadows, trembling with anger and embarrassment. seira, who was looking at him quietly, loosened the arm around louis¡¯ neck. with a sigh of regret, louis let go of her waist and neck.

    ¡°louis, will you stay in the hall?¡±

    even if she had tried to avoid it, calrad still made sure that he had the time to talk to her alone. if so, it would have been better now that the nobles were crowded beyond the door.

    ¡°no, i¡¯ll be waiting in the carriage.¡±

    ¡°yes, of course. i¡¯ll be with you in a moment.¡±

    upon hearing seira¡¯s answer, louis made an impeccable example to calard, who openly treated seira as badly.

    ¡°then, if you¡¯ll excuse me,¡± louis said, ¡°i¡¯ll be heading out first.¡±

    but instead of going out the door normally, he jumped over the terrace railing. maybe it¡¯s because he didn¡¯t want the others to know that only calrad and seira were left alone on the terrace. many of the aristocrats in the hall would be watching and are surely talking about it behind their backs.

    only after louis had completely gone off did calrad approach seira.

    his face escaped from the shadows and was clearly exposed under the moonlight now, was very distorted. apparently, it looked like he chewed hard on his lower lip to the point it was bleeding, and his eyes were bloodshot red.

    ¡°i couldn¡¯t believe that you were accompanied by a partner,¡± he said in a suppressed voice, just a step away from reaching seira.

    ¡°well¡­ one can change their party partner as much as they wanted. even so¡­¡±

    seira¡¯s words were interrupted as calrad closed his eyes and groaned low. it seemed like he was suppressing his growing emotions as much as he could.

    that image of calrad was very unfamiliar to seira.

    ¡®like a wounded man¡­¡¯

    like someone who owned an entire empire, he was far from what he was supposed to look like, who was accustomed to trampling and suppressing nobilities with a single glare. perhaps it was just her imagination. it was an illusion that came from hoping he would be hurt the same way he hurt seira as he drove askan into a corner without hesitation.

    ¡°how long do i have to put up with you?¡±

    as expected, all seira could feel in his voice was bloody, cold anger.

    ¡°you spent a night in jeff, then kiss franto right after¡­¡± calrad continued, his voice shaking, ¡°are you thinking of showing up next time with another alpha¡¯s child in your arms?¡±

    a sharp feeling suddenly prickled seira¡¯s skin. whether it was from someone precious or insignificant, the question that was raised made her feel bad.

    if it was asked from her seven years ago, she would¡¯ve shuddered, but now she was different. seira looked him straight in the eyes and said, ¡°it¡¯s none of his majesty¡¯s business who i mingle with.¡±

    ¡°what?¡±

    ¡°did you forget? our engagement has long been broken. whether i choose jeff or franto, or marry an alpha from another family, it is something his majesty doesn¡¯t need to pay attention to.¡±

    apart from what she felt inside, her voice was as sweet as honey and her tone was gentle. as if trying to placate and make a child understand.

    this was actually the same way calrad used to treat her in the past. he used to lock her up in her own enclosure and let her grow up blinded from everything else.

    ¡®you don¡¯t have to worry about anything. i¡¯ll be your world.¡¯

    it resembled a friendly whisper.

 Chapter 38.2

    ¡°is it because of what happened a few days ago that you¡¯re doing this?¡±

    seira smiled at him with a firm expression.

    ¡°no way. of course, i¡¯m sorry about that day.¡±

    ¡°you¡¯re sorry¡­¡±

    his low recounting gaze slid downwards. after staying a long on her thin neck that louis had grabbed on to a while ago, he slowly closed his eyes and then opened them.

    ¡°you must think of me as a very, very funny joke.¡±

    unlike his voice, which was cold enough to make her shiver, his touch that brushed her ears was soft. he tucked over a few strands of hair behind her ear and covered her cold cheeks with his palm.

    ¡°didn¡¯t the time you spent with me, the promise you made, mean nothing at all?¡±

    his behavior was so natural it was enough to mistake the years from their break-up to the present for a day¡¯s dream.

    ¡°it¡¯s all over. seven years has long since passed¡­¡± seira whispered.

    ¡°yeah, like seven years ago.¡±

    cutting her off, he spat the words as if he was tired of chewing at them for a long time.

    ¡°you didn¡¯t show me your face even once. after i tried everything, you didn¡¯t even look at me as if i was completely nonexistent and cut off from your life.¡±

    seira clenched her teeth so as not to frown. his words sounded as if all the hardships he gave to askan were a means to call her before him.

    by this point, seira couldn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°why? what¡¯s left between us but hatred?¡±

    ¡°do you ask because you don¡¯t know? of course i believed you¡¯d come back to me one day.¡±

    seira couldn¡¯t help but to laugh at his words.

    ¡°your majesty must have thought i would give up askan after all.¡±

    she had struggled with all her might and lived as a family head of askan, but it seemed to be trivial in his eyes. was the time she spent struggling in fear, sadness, and pain just looked like trivial whining and rebellion to him?

    ¡°i thought you couldn¡¯t let go of me, just like i did. that¡¯s how special we are to each other,¡± calrad said.

    ¡°i don¡¯t think that special relationship is because we spent a night together.¡±

    calrad¡¯s blue eyes shook at the words she uttered out of frustration.

    ¡®what, is he being serious?¡¯ she thought at the back of her mind.

    it was amazing that the owner of the empire was this naive.

    ¡®no, he must be pretending.¡¯

    seira shook her head and said firmly.

    ¡°none of the viseltium nobles gets married for allowing them to be first.¡±

    it was a fact of course. an alpha and omega were in full swing every month. before welcoming a companion, one had to find a partner and have a relationship until one found a partner to spend the rest of their life with. if not, one had no choice but to rely solely on repressive drugs.

    ¡°even if it¡¯s not necessarily because of that, we¡¯ve been engaged for eight years. i watched you grow up. when you cried, i carried you on my back and if you were sleepy, i hugged you and put you to sleep. like all your firsts were me, all my firsts were yours. even the day you started your first period, i was your¡­¡±

    ¡°stop!¡±

    seira took a step back, swatting his hand off that was touching her cheek.

    ¡°stop talking nonsense.¡±

    she shouldn¡¯t talk to the owner of the empire in this way, but calrad seemed to forget that he was the emperor in the first place.

    ¡°it¡¯s all over already. do you think i stayed quietly at the palace because i loved you? i just needed someone to take care of me when i was young.¡±

    his brows twisted by her cold words.

    ¡°that¡¯s enough,¡± seira whispered, ¡°you don¡¯t need to say more.¡±

    ¡°no.¡±

    but seira never stopped talking.

    ¡°i¡¯m sorry, your majesty, i¡¯m happier now than the time i spent at the palace. i am not going back.¡±

    ¡°you won¡¯t last long anyway! wandering through a rough battlefield with an omega¡¯s body like yours, torn and badly injured. so what has changed? askan is still nothing but devastation!¡±

    ¡°even so, the place where i fall will not be in your arms.¡±

    at seira¡¯s words, there was a chilling silence that hung heavy in the air between them.

    his veins were blue on his chin as he clenched his teeth while he looked down at her. unlike a few days ago, his pheromone was completely in control, and he showed no excessive excitement.

    however, seira did not know that he was actually angrier than ever. for his blue eyes, staring at her piercingly, were seething with coldness that dropped by the second.

    how long has it been?

    ¡°seira.¡±

    in a monotonous voice, as if to clear all the emotions, he spoke her name again.

    ¡°seira¡­ seira ewin askan.¡±

    seira stiffened as his mouth uttered her full name. calrad was the only one who knew her hidden name. as both her parents and the late emperor and empress, who signed the marriage agreement on behalf of their young children, died already.

    ¡°i left you alone because i thought you would eventually come back to me.¡±

    his words were self-deprecation. he seemed to dwell on the foolishness of the past.

    ¡°but if that¡¯s not the case¡­¡±

    he tilted his head, talking to himself in a low voice, ¡°yeah. it was a bad decision from the beginning.¡±

    ¡°your majesty.¡±

    seira took a step back, preparing to use her power if he made any unexpected moves on her.

    ¡°where are you going?¡±

    his eyes, which were facing her way, clearly captured her reflection with their deep blues.

    ¡°i¡¯ve decided, seira. i will not allow you freedom now.¡±

 Chapter 39.1

    when calrad said he wouldn¡¯t allow her freedom, does that mean that he¡¯ll arrest and lock her up? seira opened her mouth to refute, but at some point, was overcome by bewilderment.

    ¡®what the heck?¡¯

    her body didn¡¯t move an inch. she couldn¡¯t even speak. seira couldn¡¯t use her powers or unleash her  pheromones.

    ¡°you look surprised,¡± calrad mused, ¡°yes, i never did force you with my power before. not even once.¡±

    ¡®is this his power?¡¯

    seira tried to recall everything from her memory. what was the sovereign power of viseltium? as much as she tried hard to think of an answer, seira couldn¡¯t come up with anything at all.

    ¡®how could he do that?¡¯

    viseltium¡¯s pureblood power was the ability to heal even with the most severe injuries. it was only natural by the time they reach adulthood to exert their physical abilities and power as a master-class slayer, even making arrogant alphas kneel before them without much effort.

    however, there was little to nothing that was known about other abilities.

    calrad approached seira, who couldn¡¯t even blink an eye. he raised her chin to meet his gaze.

    ¡°let¡¯s finish what we couldn¡¯t do that day seven years ago. after that, i¡¯ll give you freedom again.¡±

    seira¡¯s face turned white when she realized what he meant.

    was he going to imprint on her, right here, right now?

    beyond the door, most of hesrad¡¯s high-ranking nobles were gathered. beyond the railing, there was nothing else which left them completely exposed.

    ¡®no, it¡¯s impossible. he can¡¯t be serious¡­ it¡¯s impossible.¡¯

    what was natural was for an imprint to be carried out in a safe place, under the protection of reliable aides. not only was the relationship preceded, but it was also because they would become defenseless as they were soaked in pheromones while fully focused on each other.

    it was simply crazy. doesn¡¯t calrad think so, as well?

    ¡°why? does it sound like a trick?¡±

    of course it was. it can only be considered a trick, or maybe a bad joke.

    ¡°have i ever lied to you?¡± calrad asked with all honesty, ¡°i¡¯ve never broken the slightest word that i¡¯ve ever said to you. you don¡¯t know what i¡¯ve done to get to this point.¡±

    sadness lingered on his face telling her what he truly felt inside.

    ¡°i love only you, seira, who callously repeats that you don¡¯t love me the same way.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°foolishly, madly in love.¡±

    calrad looked at seira and her trembling eyelashes as if she was a poor butterfly caught in a cunning spider¡¯s web. slowly, the corners of his mouth raised.

    he bent down and pulled seira towards him like two pieces of a puzzle that perfectly fit. he tilted his head slowly, keeping his gaze straight. his breath ticked the tip of her nose, and soon, his lips crashed on to her lips in an intense, slow, and passionate kiss.

    her kiss with her ex-fiance, which she thought was completely over, rocked her mind.

    ¡®how come¡­ how come?!¡¯

    after they broke up, she was anything but fine. she ran around in every direction imaginable to find ways to revive askan. she trained day and night to raise her level, but as the sun set and night fell upon her, there was nothing left but a great sense of loss in her chest.

    it took her a whole year to stop crying herself to sleep.

    but now, calrad was trying to make a joke out of all the struggles she went through.

    looking into her purple eyes, calrad continued to kiss her several times. they were light kisses this time, without the mix of tongues, but the meaning was more than heavy.

    ¡°you seem to think i must be out of my mind.¡±

    as he gently touched her lips with his thumb, he lowered his eyes and laughed.

    ¡°did you think i¡¯d be fine then? my beloved companion walks around with her legs spread wide open to any alpha that came her way.¡±

    anger was evident in his words as the laughter faded in calrad¡¯s voice.

    ¡°is this dress and all the jewels from franto?¡± he asked with pure disgust.

    he took off the earrings that decorated seira¡¯s ears beautifully, threw them out without care, and even cut off her necklace. precious jewels twinkled as they spilled down and rolled over the terrace floor.

    ¡°you threw away everything i gave you as a gift.¡±

    he grabbed the hem of seira¡¯s dress and began tearing it off. a part of her thigh wrapped in white tights was revealed with the eerie sound of tearing fabrics.

    ¡°imprint on me, seira,¡± he whispered softly, pushing his knee between her legs. ¡°that was what you wanted all those years ago. it¡¯s time to keep your promise.¡±

    he wrapped seira¡¯s body tightly in his arms and pressed his lips at the back of her neck. he stood and bit down gently and slowly released his pheromones.

    ¡°ugh, hah¡­¡±

    her body pressed against him was engulfed in heat. despite her initial protest, her body had begun to prepare for the imprint because of his power over her.

    hot breath escaped from her lips that naturally opened at the onset of going on heat without warning. her nipples perked through several layers of thin cloth, and she started to get wet down below.

 Chapter 39.2

    hot desire dominated her and pushed back all her reason and control over her body. she found herself craving for an alpha¡¯s hot fluid to drip down her throat. instead of a hard knee that insensitively rubbed between her legs, she needed something else to fill her inside.

    seira wanted to close her eyes as she was eaten by greed like a hungry beast, but even that was impossible.

    all that was left was the omega¡¯s instinct to swallow the alpha in front of her, her old fiance, calrad lowell viseltium.

    calrad pulled the tip of his glove off with his teeth. with his free hand, he pushed two fingers into her mouth. he pressed her hot and soft tongue as he tried to make her mouth open wider, and seira stammered as he did so. calrad scoured her teeth, scratched the roof of her mouth, and then pulled out her tongue as if playing with it.

    finally, he wiped saliva flowing down her chin, put it in his mouth, and licked it in a flash.

    calrad¡¯s pheromone, which swallowed omega¡¯s saliva, became thicker. his genitals, which had already swelled to the fullest and pushed the front of his pants, stabbed her inside her thigh. it was as if he could poke a hole through the cloth and dig in right away.

    even after her body was swallowed by carnal instinct, when her reaction wasn¡¯t what he expected, calrad¡¯s mouth twisted.

    ¡°stop being stubborn, seira.¡±

    then, he pushed his saliva-soaked hand between her legs. seira¡¯s pheromone fluctuated in a frenzy when he scratched on her underwear, which had long been drenched wet with her arousal. regardless of this, he moved his finger along the crack. calrad rubbed and rubbed until he heard a slurping sound, and then he tore off her cumbersome underwear.

    ¡°isn¡¯t it better for you to be subordinated to me than to break the peace of hesrad?¡± calrad whispered as he put his hand back to her waist.

    bang!

    the whole terrace shook as calrad¡¯s arm suddenly collided with something that came pushing down from above.

    ¡°no, your majesty.¡±

    the voice was none other than baron jeff who gripped calrad¡¯s arm and held the end of the tightly pulled leather strap.

    ¡°hesrad¡¯s safety should not be kept this way,¡± he quickly added.

    baron straightened his posture and stood tall on the railing, his yellow eyes shining brightly like a beast in a rather peculiar contrast to his dim face with the moonlight shining behind him.

    ¡°baron, do you dare to disobey me now?¡±

    ¡°it is you who crossed the line first, your majesty.¡±

    calrad¡¯s brows twisted as he glared at baron, nervously pulling his arm wrapped around the leather strap. the tool wasn¡¯t even enough to hold mana, and immediately broke and collapsed to the floor with a soft thud.

    calrad didn¡¯t even pay attention to it, but wrapped seira¡¯s body in his cloak. it was as if he couldn¡¯t tolerate the other alpha¡¯s gaze that touched her.

    with his teeth clenched so he wouldn¡¯t be swept by seira¡¯s pheromone that ran amok, baron asked, ¡°please let go of the duchess askan now.¡±

    she looked like she suddenly went into heat, her cheeks and neck carelessly revealed, and her breath short and labored. it was only a matter of time before the nobles in the hall noticed.

    ¡°too late,¡± calrad firmly cut off baron¡¯s request as he pressed his lips down on seira¡¯s forehead as if to show off, ¡°stop interfering and get out of my way.¡±

    ¡°your majesty!¡±

    ¡°you can¡¯t think of her as yours just because you spent one night together, baron. are you going to meddle with the imperial family? your family didn¡¯t raise you as such.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    calrad glanced at baron who bit his lips in frustration, and then hugged seira wrapped in his cape and strode toward the railing. baron seemed to be frozen in place, as if he knew he couldn¡¯t do anything at all.

    if calrad left the terrace with seira like this, it was obvious what would happen soon after. he wouldn¡¯t let seira go until she imprinted on me.

    no matter how long it took, no matter how many days and nights go by. regardless of whether her body and mind were permanently damaged in the process.

    baron couldn¡¯t let it go like this. he had to stop it even if he broke his oath of loyalty. suddenly, as baron grabbed his trembling fist and chewed his lips until it bled, he heard a familiar voice speak.

    ¡°my partner was running late, so i came.¡±

    artificial light flooded into the terrace.

    louis, who fell quietly like the moonlight, looked at seira in calrad¡¯s arms with a troubled smile. the magic circle that extended out from his hand was winding the terrace wide before they knew it.

    ¡°i don¡¯t think i¡¯ll let this go either, your majesty.¡±

    a sharp cracking sound like glass shattered in the air, and it was at that moment seira finally broke from calrad¡¯s control over her body.

    ¡°seira!¡±

    baron hurriedly flung himself toward her and reached out his hands. he noticed that another power had invaded the terrace, as if he had been trying to catch a chance with his breath held.

    calrad tightened his arms around her, and louis followed her purple afterimage with narrowed eyes.

    in conclusion, everyone had failed.

    all calrad had grabbed was his cloak, which he had covered her with, and none of them saw where and how seira disappeared.

 Chapter 40.1

    aven put seira in bed, who had lost consciousness at the moment. the place they were at, where all the furniture was covered in white cloth, was seira¡¯s room back when she stayed in the imperial palace as a prospective crown princess.

    it was the only place he could think of as an escape route after pouring his power, amplification, that gave aven the ability to jump over space through shadows.

    for his fianc¨¦ who didn¡¯t know back then when she¡¯d manifest as an omega, calrad had placed several layers of devices to prevent pheromones from leaking out. so to speak, this was the perfect place to stay undetected now that seira¡¯s pheromones were running wild as she entered the heat cycle.

    aven carefully pressed his palm around her cheek. her tears running down the corners of her eyes moistened his palms as her fever continued to boil.

    ¡°duchess.¡±

    touching her while she was unconscious was an act aven would never do. furthermore, he was well aware that seira was recently keeping her distance from him.

    but there was no alternative.

    according to olivia tellon, seira¡¯s death was already planned after jeff got their heir from her lineage. therefore, it was impossible to leave the unconscious seira, to baron, who might accidentally plant his seeds into her womb.

    all the more was it impossible for louis franto, who had no clue what was inside as everything was veiled.

    as she did on the first day of her manifestation, it was best for him to stabilize seira himself.

    ¡°i¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    aven made up his mind. he took off his clothes first and then proceeded to undress seira.

    her pale skin slowly revealed itself in the dark room. even when he got permission, everytime he touched seira, aven was haunted with an endless guilt he couldn¡¯t get rid of.

    to him, seira was the noblest person in the empire. on the other hand, he was a humble man of unknown origin, whom mark helford had shown mercy. he never dreamed of reaching where he was now if askan had retained its former glory.

    he always thought it was sinful for him to dare to look at her naked body, covet the flesh, and stain her womb. but the situation now called for him to do so.

    ¡°punish me however you want to when you wake up.¡±

    he kissed her carefully and wiped out calrad¡¯s touch with his pheromone. it was never easy to erase the traces of viseltium, which was the thickest amongst the pure bloods. but in the end, whether alpha or omega, they were people with emotions.

    aven was unaware that seira relied on him. their relationship, which has been steady for three years since she manifested, has placed a bond like a semi-imprint between them. that¡¯s why seira was able to cover up and destroy viseltium¡¯s pheromone with her own.

    the last place he dropped his kisses were on a smooth and shaven mound. her waist bounced with her shallow breathing as aven buried his face between her legs and licked her clean.

    ¡°ha¡­.¡±

    drenched in aven¡¯s familiar pheromone, seira released a sweet moan unlike before when she was suffering. her entrance, from the first time she was undressed, became wetter. after chasing and sucking up to the fluid that flowed down her perineum, aven raised his upper body.

    omega¡¯s heat didn¡¯t end simply by inducing orgasm. it was a problem that couldn¡¯t be solved without providing an alpha¡¯s semen.

    grabbing his throbbing shaft with an undeniable excitement, aven pushed the head to her entrance. as he slowly moved his waist, seira¡¯s narrow hole widened to the fullest as if to accept him. his brows twisted as guilt rose to his throat again. it¡¯s this kind of pleasure that tormented and hurt him.

    ¡°yes¡­¡±

    he bit his lip as he looked down on her moaning either in pain or pleasure. then, aven pushed himself in. he shut his eyes tightly, and by the time he opened them his pleasure turned his sight all white.

    he could see the connection between her and his bodies. he moved slowly, gently rubbing her exposed clitoris. aven had to restrain himself as much as he could to avoid straining seira¡¯s body.

    his penis pushed deeper as he heard a chirping sound. he pulled himself out immediately as if he wouldn¡¯t let himself in anymore, but then again, collapsed helplessly with the delicate hands that reached out to him.

    ¡°ugh¡­¡± he sighed with pent-up frustration.

    contrary to seira¡¯s idea, he remembered most of his relationship with her. of course, he knew where her favorite place was and how to touch it to make her cry out beautifully.

    the tip of the penis was tucked deep inside her, and when he gently pressed her lower stomach with his palm, her vagina tightened and squeezed him in.

    ¡°yes¡­ ahh¡­¡± seira moaned.

    ¡°duchess¡­¡±

    aven, caught in a dizzying impulse, tilted his upper body and lowered his head. he licked her pale pink nipples while hugging her plump chest that couldn¡¯t be grabbed with just one hand. her inner walls holding his genitals flinched and convulsed as he wrapped her small, round nipple with his tongue and suckled like a child.

 Chapter 40.2

    even though he struggled to hold on to his reason, he couldn¡¯t help but hit the bottom faster. she¡¯d never been able to suppress herself completely in her relationship with him in the first place. the moist inner walls, which were wet with her increased body temperature, turned soft as if it was melting. the joy of burying himself in it has brought his pleasure to its peak.

    daring to violate the bed she was lying on when she was truthfully way out of his league also played a major role in paralyzing his reason.

    this was the space where 9-year-old seira, 10-year-old seira, 15-year-old seira and 17-year-old seira would have spent most of her time. he was afraid that he was holding the girl who was supposed to be the crown princess. the girl who would have laughed and cried because of calard.

    yet, it brought aven pure ecstasy. it was impossible to stop now even as he was devoted to seira and was probably going to be kicked out.

    ¡°please, don¡¯t forgive me.¡±

    seira¡¯s body, which was gradually pushed up by the deepening motion, was tightly fastened onto him. it was something she wouldn¡¯t have done if she was awake. her fever was fiery hot that everywhere aven touched, she was sweating and slippery all over.

    ¡°ugh, hngh, hahh, yessss¡­¡±

    the width of his movements became shorter and more intense as wanton moans rose from her throat. the feeling of carnal pleasure has increased and reached its peak. his waist pushed and pulled violently, riddled in pheromones that were so cluttered it was impossible to distinguish his from seira¡¯s.

    whenever their flesh hit each other with great clamor, her lower abdomen and thighs were messed up by bodily fluids that splashed from the joint.

    ¡°ugh¡­!¡±

    her body, crushed by aven¡¯s weight, bent backwards and convulsed. at last, the moment she was swallowed in an orgasm, aven also spilled his semen inside her.

    he repeatedly plunged himself in her vagina. her shaking figure at the climax was of pure ecstasy. thanks to this, his genitals grew and knotted without even him noticing it.

    ¡°¡­aven.¡±

    seira¡¯s pheromones dissolved as she came to her senses.

    he looked down at her with relief, still closing his eyes as she called his name, ¡°yes, duchess.¡±

    ¡°seeing you by my side, i seem to have escaped safely.¡±

    her voice, which had always been playful as if taking tragedy as a comedy, now sounded helpless.

    ¡°we are still in the palace. as you ordered, i came to the place where the duchess stayed in the past.¡±

    seira¡¯s eyelids lifted up, and purple eyes stared at him for a long time. she glanced at his sweaty forehead and nape, at his solid body that was pressed hard against her, then raised her eyes again to scan the room over his shoulder.

    ¡°yes, i see.¡±

    ¡°how are you feeling?¡±

    hoping that she wouldn¡¯t see the space full of memories with calrad, aven changed his words.

    it was much better compared to her first. but seira¡¯s pheromones were still in a state of restlessness. it was for the same reason that he didn¡¯t move away even when she awoke. at least once more, he got involved and relieved seira¡¯s natural desires.

    ¡°well¡­ i think i am better now,¡± seira smiled awkwardly.

    ¡°you had a bad fever. there¡¯s still residual heat left.¡±

    ¡°yes, i think so.¡±

    despite the situation, seira didn¡¯t seem to leave the impression of asking him to continue. she tried to stretch her body, only to let out a short wheezy breath.

    this was all a result of his own making. as if he had no self-interest in my relationship with her, as if it were just an act of necessity, it was his fault for hiding his feelings and turning his back from her. how contradictory and ugly it was for him who knew it all too well but was overcome with sadness.

    ¡°duchess,¡± he opened his mouth, suppressing what his heart truly desired, ¡°the sin of touching you without permission¡­ please punish me as you see fit.¡±

    at the end of the sentence, aven poured his pheromone on her.

    ¡°well, aven¡­¡±

    after confirming that her body underneath her was red-hot again, aven lowered his upper body and his head so their eyes could meet.

    she saw herself reflected in his eyes, which were slightly shaken by the conflict of his own making. when she didn¡¯t close her eyes stubbornly until her lips touched his, he eventually closed his eyes first.

    their lips overlapped with passionate kisses of a wickedly pleasurable feeling. he slowly licked the shape of her lower and upper lips as if drawing with the tip of his tongue, and carefully mixed his tongue with hers. she accepted him with hesitation.

    ¡°uh-huh¡­¡±

    as she continued her long kiss, she put her hand on his back and hugged him. one little act made aven feel overwhelmed with joy. he felt as if she¡¯s accepting him, and she was still willing to have him beside her. excessive excitement beyond aven¡¯s imagination fluttered freely in his stomach.

 Chapter 41.1

    there was no way she couldn¡¯t have noticed this. the tip of her tongue, which was playfully intertwined with his tongue, shrank slightly, and her thighs, which were spread out on both sides, tightened around him.

    aven groaned softly at the unbearably lovely response.

    he was greatly captivated ¨C the name of askan and its pedigree, then with her addictive scent, and finally with her breathtaking appearance. but those were just a few of the best things about seira askan.

    ¡°duchess, would you allow me to be less prudent?¡±

    batting her eyelashes, she nodded without an ounce of refusal, ¡°do as you please.¡±

    as soon as she gave her permission, aven diligently reached down. when he put his hand under one of her thighs and raised it, seira¡¯s body instinctively leaned sideways. looking down at her pressed down on the bed, aven lifted her bottom and hit her hard.

    ¡°oh, my!¡±

    a loud clapping sound came out of their joined bodies, his semen and her arousal mixing inside with every movement. aven pressed down on her belly and seira squirmed with the tingling sensation it sent up her stomach. it felt as if his penis was going to break through inside her.

    ¡°uh, uh, yeah¡­!¡± seira screamed out in pleasure.

    she felt hot inside, and her quim was squeezing him tightly with every push that seemed to be never ending. aven decided to go hard on her since he got permission anyway. he would happily accept any punishment from her later for being too harsh.

    ¡®anyways¡­¡¯

    judging by the way he was today, seira thought it would be best if she wouldn¡¯t leave herself to him in the near future. not unless it was absolutely necessary like today. today was an exception.

    ¡°ah¡­ aven!¡±

    he looked down at her and saw her eyes brimming with tears. she seemed to beg him to stop, or was she encouraging him to do more? aven decided to follow what his heart thought she meant.

    aven pulled her other leg and perched it over his shoulder, and then he continued to push and pull inside of her. seira¡¯s breathing was short, and it was the same for him. they weren¡¯t exactly short of breath, but it was more of the joy that the pleasures of sex provided.

    ¡°duchess¡­¡±

    she was so beautiful and lovely that he couldn¡¯t bear it.

    ¡°ugh¡­!¡±

    their pheromones mixed with each other as if they were one person who forgot to go in moderation. her body, which became sensitive with the rutting beast, constantly spewed a milky white arousal. not only were they wet where their bodies were joined, but their lower abdomen and thighs were wet as well.

    ¡°a little bit¡­ slowly¡­¡± seira gasped.

    she repeatedly tried to gather her knees together, making his hard shaft insert the wrong way and scratched her inner walls roughly. at this rate. her insides might get torn apart.

    aven paused and lowered her leg onto his thigh. lowering his head, he kissed her red eyes as she slowly turned her back.

    ¡°yes¡­¡±

    his hand swept down her spine and gently squeezed her soft love handles. running his fingers downwards, he opened her entrance slowly and rubbed the inside with the tip of his genitals, making her shudder.

    she reached out and put her arm around his neck, groaning in wanton pleasure. she wrapped her legs around his waist, and whispered softly, ¡°more¡­ touch it more, aven.¡±

    the feeling was clearly different from when she was unconscious. his logic was easily torn apart by merely seira wrapping herself around him. it certainly wasn¡¯t the pheromones fault. if so, she deserved to lose her mind as she was swept away by the pheromone storm before she woke up.

    ¡°uh¡­¡± seira mumbled, ¡°it feels so good.¡±

    the sense of crisis that he had to finish and leave as quickly as he could from the imperial palace vanished from aven¡¯s mind. he continued to grind, push, and pull as the natural rhythm of two bodies enjoying the pleasures of the flesh guided them. the act itself repeatedly took his breath away as he dug into places he never had been.

    and when we finally got to the end of it¡­

    ¡°ahh!¡± seira moaned as she threw her head backwards, her body arching in an unimaginably erotic scene, and her legs tightened around aven¡¯s waist.

    ¡°what the¡­¡±

    aven stiffened with shock.

    they were both swayed by carnal instincts, succumbing themselves to their inner desires. in his heart, aven knew seira askan was someone he couldn¡¯t reach, but still he yearned for her. as he managed to suppress his pheromones, his manhood stiffened and began to swell inside of her. fortunately, seira didn¡¯t seem to notice that even her vaginal liquid was spilling.

    biting down the insides of his cheeks until it bled, aven shuddered as his ejaculation finished the deed. as seira¡¯s body accepted the semen from the alpha, she gradually was able to stabilize.

    ¡°aven.¡±

    ¡°yes, duchess.¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m sorry to have put you in this situation again.¡±

    seira spoke in a soft whisper as she buried her face between the nook of his neck and shoulder. thinking of how she was apologizing to him instead, aven felt himself suffocate. he had to swallow his saliva several times to suppress a wave of emotions that came crashing on him.

    ¡°it is my duty, duchess,¡± aven tried to console her instead, ¡°why should you say that?¡±

    ¡°still¡­¡±

 Chapter 41.2

    there was a moment of silence that hung heavy in the air before seira finally asked with an awkward smile, ¡° weren¡¯t you on a date?¡±

    at seira¡¯s words, aven realized what she must have witnessed. he didn¡¯t mean to hide it, but he was embarrassed nonetheless. before he could even think about it, his mouth ran freely and spoke.

    ¡°no, i just talked to the lady of tellon for a moment.¡±

    perhaps even that brief conversation was forgotten by olivia tellon. olivia¡¯s coveted alcohol was originally brought by damon glad to use on seira during his proposal, and was filled with the power of erasing memories. with just one tiny sip, the alcohol could erase everything that happened before and after she entered the terrace.

    ¡°that¡¯s a relief.¡±

    seira raised her head and looked at him. she seemed to be choosing the right words to say, and then her mouth finally opened and said, ¡°if you¡¯re going to date, choose someone else.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°i don¡¯t think she¡¯s good.¡±

    olivia tellon was more than off the charts, as aven judged. didn¡¯t she even plan to use and kill seira in order to become jeff¡¯s mistress?

    for olivia, even baron jeff was just the ¡°best thing¡± to boost her position.

    ¡®but that¡¯s none of my business anymore,¡¯ he thought at the back of his mind.

    now that they know tellon¡¯s and the elders of jeff¡¯s plans, the marquis of tellon, olivia tellon, and even domina jeff, will have to pay.

    ¡°don¡¯t tell me, you already like her?¡± seira asked cautiously when he failed to answer her right away.

    ¡°that¡¯s not true.¡±

    the misunderstanding was simply ridiculous. how can he give his heart to someone else after the three years he and seira had together? even olivia¡¯s enchanting pheromone, despite being a high-ranking noblewoman, smelled like cheap perfume to him. now he couldn¡¯t even go into rut without seira, whether he wanted to or not.

    ¡°oh¡­ that¡¯s great,¡± she added with a relieved face. ¡°i think it would be better to choose from a close place. like perhaps lucy and meilin.¡±

    it wouldn¡¯t be a surprise to aven that the twin sisters would come out as the first suggestion from seira.

    ¡°yes, duchess,¡± aven answered as he lowered his eyes calmly.

    it was useless to refute everything. whether she met a few alphas and had a relationship, or chose one of them as her companion, the day seira would confess that aven was the only one for her would never come anyway.

    * * *

    seira heaved a long sigh as she looked at the ruined bed. she had sex with aven on the very same bed she and calrad spent their first night with seven years ago. how angry calrad would be if he found out about this.

    ¡®it seems like he really cared that much about our relationship.¡¯

    if not, calrad wouldn¡¯t have preserved her place completely. she didn¡¯t even know he¡¯d planned to show her this place again when she would give up askan and come back to him. with an arrogant smile, he really thought it would end up like this.

    ¡®it¡¯s just all in your head, calrad, it doesn¡¯t mean anything.¡¯

    seira confirmed that everything inside her room was still intact. the large bed in the middle, the cabinet, the table, even the location of the vase next to the window were all the way it was when she left. she got off the bed after her initial inspection, and then headed to the dress room.

    as expected, the clothes she used to wear in the past were also hung neatly. thanks to the conservation magic hung in the room, there was not even a speck of dust that settled in.

    seira rummaged through her clothes and picked out something to wear. although her body has changed a lot since she manifested as an omega, a wide indoor dress would still be suitable to wear.

    when she returned to the bedroom with her choice of clothes, seira saw aven with a bowl of water and a towel. unlike her in a rough gown, he was neatly dressed.

    ¡°give me the towel. i¡¯ll wipe myself,¡± she told him.

    ¡°no, i¡¯ll do it for you, so take a little more rest,¡± came his indignant reply.

    seira nodded when she saw an impertinent stubbornness on his lips.

    ¡°yes, of course.¡±

    she never asked him to do this, but sometimes she had no choice but to leave it to aven. he was the only one who took care of her when she wasn¡¯t feeling well.

    using power to escape the imperial palace was their best shot, so it was better to save physical strength as he said.

    aven drew a white cloth and laid it on the ruined bed. as seira laid herself on it, he carefully wiped her body with a wet towel.

    ¡°there is blood on the back of your neck. did his majesty do this?¡±

    ¡°yes. if you were a little late, i would have imprinted on calrad.¡±

    seira told him what happened on the terrace. how calrad¡¯s power immobilized her completely and how powerless she felt.

    ¡°it is then possible to force an imprint.¡±

    seira nodded, ¡°i think so. i didn¡¯t expect it at all either.¡±

    as he listened to the story, he wiped her legs meticulously, and suddenly stopped. seira seemed to know where his gaze was staying.

    ¡°duchess, may i put my finger in it for a moment and clean you?¡±

    seira lost her words for a moment and looked at him with amusement. why does he sound so vulgar when he asks for permission to put his finger inside her, looking so respectfully and extremely neat?

 Chapter 42.1

    ¡®i¡¯m probably the one who¡¯s weird. aven is just trying to help me.¡¯

    seira rubbed her eyes as she replied after a moment of silence, ¡°do it¡­¡±

    even if she stood up and walked around as if everything was fine, it was clear that her arousal was going to flow down. alphas who were far superior than ordinary people were gathered in the palace now. there was no way she¡¯d let them take a whiff of her scent now.

    ¡®it would be difficult if i caused any more trouble,¡¯ she admitted to herself.

    seira raised her knees and spread her legs a bit wider for aven to slip his fingers inside her easily.

    ¡°please bear with it for a little while, duchess,¡± he said.

    right after he said so, one of his fingers penetrated inside seira¡¯s vagina.

    ¡°uhn¡­¡±

    after holding in such a large penis for a long time, she could feel aven¡¯s finger slipping in distinctly.

    his fingers were firm and long, with calluses embedded at every joint. its well-groomed appearance resembled their owner, and seira would occasionally gaze at them unintentionally.

    at first, there was only one finger, then there were two. every time that it slipped deeper and pulled out, more of her liquid arousal spilled.

    seira¡¯s grip on her knees tightened. she bit her lips so she couldn¡¯t let out a groan, maintaining her posture so aven could easily continue his way in and out and clean her faster.

    for as long as he kept poking inside, wet and slightly sticky liquid poured out, but he couldn¡¯t distinguish between the mixed semen and her liquid arousal.

    when he thought seira was already at the brink, he pulled out his fingers and wiped her entrance with a cloth and said, ¡°it seems to be done now.¡±

    ¡°thank you, aven.¡±

    seira stood up pretending to be okay, and began to wear clothes one by one. judging by the scorching heat she felt in her body, she assumed her face might have turned red. fortunately, there was no lit candle at the moment and her profile was hidden in the darkness.

    instead of a torn purple dress that calrad tore, she put on a light blue indoor dress and put on a cloak over it so it wouldn¡¯t stand out.

    in the meantime, seira came out with aven after he finished cleaning the room. the cool night air lowered the heat she felt as they came to pass a quiet hallway.

    the biggest crisis had passed somehow, so now all they had to do was to escape the palace. it was time to leave her old dwelling, which she would never set foot again.

    ¡°seira,¡± a soft voice cut through the darkness and reached out to her.

    as seira stopped and stood alert, someone walked out of the pillars of the corridor leading to the garden.

    ¡°louis¡­ how did you¡­?¡±

    when louis franto fully emerged from the shadows and stood in the moonlight, seira smelled a familiar scent in the air.

    ¡°that¡¯s a relief. at least my expectations were wrong.¡±

    the scent that hung in the air was akin to burnt ashes, like that to the smell of death stuck at the tip of seira¡¯s nose as she used to wander around the battlefield.

    ¡®what is he going to do?¡¯

    he slowly approached her, who was looking around warily.

    ¡°i felt like i had to head here for some reason, and apparently that feeling was right.¡±

    the scent that seira smelled didn¡¯t fit louis at all, but she didn¡¯t even know if it was his pheromone. she didn¡¯t know why it would be out of control.

    ¡°are you here to find me?¡± seira asked calmly as she looked at louis coming closer.

    he stopped a few steps away from her, and answered as he looked down at her with warm eyes, ¡°i was so worried that i couldn¡¯t wait.¡±

    instead of asking about the weird smell that quickly dissipated, seira thanked him.

    ¡°thank you for your help earlier. i am totally embarrassed.¡±

    if it wasn¡¯t for louis, seira wouldn¡¯t have been able to leave the terrace. she couldn¡¯t do anything because of how calrad¡¯s power possessed her.

    his presence here was suspicious as much as why he was dripping with pheromones, but apart from those, she must express gratitude. it made a whole lot of difference with just attending the banquet with him as her partner, annoying calrad, and even using his magic to rescue her.

    ¡°your safety is my duty as your partner. rather, i should be the one ashamed to put you in trouble which you didn¡¯t have to go through.¡±

    seira smiled brightly at his polite speech.

    ¡°then let¡¯s pretend that we are even for today.¡±

    ¡°agreed.¡±

    even though the conversation seemed to end well, what was important was what would happen from then on.

    ¡®the day i offered him a contract, he had asked about my relationship with aven.¡¯

    seira recalled the conversation of that day to every word uttered. pretending to be drunk was just to lower louis¡¯ guard and find out what was on his mind.

    ¡®he must have heard that i had stayed overnight in jeff, but he had to mention aven of all people, not baron¡­¡¯

    but now that he saw her come out with aven, his confidence in his guess would certainly rise. even if they cleaned the semen and removed the scent of pheromones, there was no way one wouldn¡¯t notice what was happening. it¡¯s not like he was stupid or anything.

 Chapter 42.2

    seira worried inside, ¡®what should i do? what should i do with aven?¡¯

    without knowing how seira was in turmoil inside her head, louis just stood still with a kind smile plastered on his face.

    ¡°duchess¡­¡±

    at aven¡¯s call, seira as well as louis¡¯ attention redirected towards him.

    ¡°i¡¯m thinking of going back to the banquet hall,¡± aven said.

    ¡°huh? you¡¯re going back?¡±

    ¡°yes. i don¡¯t think i need to stay by your side any longer since the duke franto is here.¡±

    even though he was looking at seira, it was obvious who he had in mind.

    ¡°of course, you don¡¯t have to worry,¡± louis said, ¡°i will take seira safely to the mansion.¡±

    even after hearing louis¡¯ answer, aven quietly waited for seira to speak.

    ¡°well, aven is one of the people celebrated in today¡¯s banquet. please have a good time.¡±

    it was clear that it would be best that aven showed up even for a moment in her absence. he could even look into the atmosphere as well. maybe aven said he¡¯d go back for the same reason as well.

    after recovering her physical strength to some extent, seira didn¡¯t need an escort anymore, and since she already had a safe way to escape the imperial palace without using her power, she didn¡¯t have any reason to hesitate any more.

    ¡°if possible, why don¡¯t you try to find a date as well,¡± seira added with a slight smile.

    ¡°i¡¯ll try,¡± aven simply replied.

    he bowed to seira and louis, and then passed them to head over to the palace where the banquet was held.

    for a moment, seira looked back at louis and asked, ¡°what shall we do now?¡±

    ¡°i have a carriage parked nearby. we should head home now.¡±

    ¡°yes.¡±

    seira put her hand on his arm and moved on, walking opposite to where aven was headed.

    ¡®i¡¯m sure he knew i was here.¡¯

    franto¡¯s carriage was curiously parked right next to the building where seira came out. she couldn¡¯t stand to believe it was all by chance.

    ¡®all i can do is guess now¡­¡¯ she couldn¡¯t help but be suspicious.

    the more she thought back on it, the clearer it got. louis franto knew too much about her, considering that he and seira didn¡¯t have much contact at all before.

    ¡°what is it? do you have something to say?¡± louis asked, tilting his head to meet her gaze.

    ¡°i was wondering why you¡¯re sitting here.¡±

    unlike the way they sat before, louis had sat next to seira after he let her climb into the carriage first.

    ¡°there¡¯s no particular reason. do you feel uncomfortable?¡± he asked.

    ¡°it¡¯s not like that¡­¡± seira replied, ¡°but aren¡¯t you too close?¡±

    it was burdensome to sit so close together in an enclosed space. she couldn¡¯t help but pay attention to the faint smell of aven¡¯s pheromones, sweat, and semen all over her.

    ¡°well¡­ is it not okay? we even kissed each other.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    seira looked at him at a loss for words.

    come to think of it, she recalled they agreed to pretend to do it on the terrace but ended up really kissing. thanks to him, calrad had lost it and gone crazy.

    ¡®what the hell is up with this man¡­¡¯

    he looked like a virgin who was ignorant of women, but sometimes he was just too relaxed. seira couldn¡¯t pinpoint what he really was.

    as they exchanged a few words, franto¡¯s wagon was simply exiting the palace gates. what seira was deeply worried about passed by smoothly.

    ¡®i never want to come back to this bastard¡¯s palace,¡¯ she thought at the back of her mind.

    nothing good has ever happened to her here both in the past and present. had it not been for her contract with louis, seira wouldn¡¯t have thought of attending the banquet. she would¡¯ve been able to save her body and avoid calrad as much as she could.

    ¡°by the way¡­¡±

    ¡°baron is¡­¡±

    somehow, the two of them spoke at the same time, and so they closed their mouths awkwardly and looked at each other.

    ¡°oh¡­ you must be wondering what happened afterwards,¡± louis noted as he realized what seira was about to say. ¡°duke jeff stopped his majesty who was trying to chase you. the atmosphere was extremely fierce.¡±

    he said it as if he was a third party. wasn¡¯t he the one who interfered with calrad first?

    ¡°if things went as they were, the banquet might have been on the verge of ending, but the confrontation ended with someone else¡¯s intervention.¡±

    seira¡¯s curiosity rose and she asked, ¡°who intervened?¡±

    who would have dared to step into such a brutal fight?

    ¡°the high priest came to see his majesty with the saintess.¡±

    seira almost hardened her expression without even realizing it.

    ¡®the new high priest, tesser¡­ and the saintess isabel.¡¯

    seven years ago, a high priest and a saintess appeared in her first banquet. the high priest at that time was mcclane, who was then replaced after a few years by a young priest named tesser. the saintess isabel stayed.

    ¡°his majesty left the banquet hall with them first. thanks to them, i was also able to pick you up.¡±

    ¡°¡­i see.¡±

    ¡°i don¡¯t know where jeff went after that. there was no rush.¡±

 Chapter 43.1

    seira couldn¡¯t believe what she heard. it was remarkable for a man like baron, who didn¡¯t even flinch or bat an eye even when lightning bolts struck at his feet.

    ¡°that¡¯s a relief. anyway, at least nothing big happened.¡±

    ¡°but i think it would be better to be careful for a while.¡±

    ¡°well, it would be fine if i just stay in askan.¡±

    ¡°that¡¯s¡­¡± trouble flashed on louis¡¯ face as seira expressed her plan to stay hidden again, ¡°would it be too late for you to rethink and make a decision?¡±

    ¡°why? is there any reason for me to stay here in the ecliptic?¡± seira shot back at his words that seemed to mean something else.

    ¡°well¡­¡±

    his eyes lowered gently, looking down at her and choosing the right words to say, ¡°what if it¡¯s because of our promise? if you don¡¯t mind, i¡¯d like you to make time for me tomorrow as well.¡±

    ¡°don¡¯t tell me¡­¡±

    ¡°let¡¯s go to the dews estate together.¡±

    seira¡¯s heart, which was beating steadily for a while now suddenly began to pound. everything that happened tonight seemed to immediately vanish from her mind.

    ¡°i don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll be satisfied, but i think there¡¯s some progress,¡± louis spoke softly.

    ¡®oh¡­¡¯

    seira managed to suppress her desire to brush him off. if not, she would have told him to turn the carriage around and hurry over to askan right away.

    ¡®not yet¡­ not yet.¡¯

    she still hasn¡¯t confirmed what level of achievement louis was bragging about. there was nothing good about showing a hasty joy.

    ¡°alright. then i¡¯ll be ready.¡±

    however, even as she pretended to be calm, there was nothing she could do about the excitement and expectation in her voice. wasn¡¯t it the matter of reviving their devastated territory, after all?

    ¡°should i visit the mansion around lunch time?¡±

    ¡°¡­why don¡¯t you come early?¡±

    ¡°yes, of course,¡± he readily replied to seira¡¯s subtle urging, ¡°let¡¯s start early in the morning.¡±

    considering the smile that hung around the corners of his lifted lips was getting wider, it seemed like louis did intend it in the first place.

    ¡®this man¡­¡¯

    seira turned her attention toward the window. punishment for this cunning man would have to wait until they finished checking the dews estate tomorrow.

    * * *

    shortly after calrad accepted the high priest¡¯s request of his presence and left the hall, baron immediately tried to find seira. if it wasn¡¯t for zion, who stood in his way at that moment, he would have crossed the terrace railing already.

    ¡°zion, i¡¯m not in the mood to mess around with you right now.¡±

    ¡°if you don¡¯t listen to me now, you¡¯ll regret it,¡± zion replied coldly.

    baron had no choice but to pause at zion¡¯s unusually serious expression.

    ¡°it¡¯s about her excellency.¡±

    his following words were enough to draw baron¡¯s attention. the only person zion called ¡°her excellency¡± was seira askan.

    ¡°what is it?¡± baron asked with a tinge of agitation.

    ¡°let¡¯s get out of here for now,¡± zion suggested.

    there were many reasons to say that talking about important things on a noisy terrace was a bad idea.

    ¡°yes, alright follow me.¡±

    baron and zion left the terrace together. numerous eyes followed him across the hall, but he got out quickly without even giving time to pause and return the stares that came his way.

    soon they arrived in a private lounge for the immediate family of jeff.

    ¡°now tell me. what¡¯s going on?¡±

    even though the setting was right to talk, zion clearly was hesitating with the way he couldn¡¯t open his mouth easily. after staring at baron for a long time, he wiped his face dry and heaved a heavy sigh.

    ¡°i¡¯m telling you this because i don¡¯t think the commander-in-chief is such a bad person.¡±

    then the words i brought up were really baseless.

    ¡°promise me you won¡¯t use her excellency and protect those who try to kill her,¡± zion continued.

    ¡°what?!¡± baron couldn¡¯t believe his ears, and quickly added with a fierce look on his face, ¡°who? who planned to kill seira?¡±

    zion once again looked carefully at baron.

    ¡°i don¡¯t think you¡¯re pretending you don¡¯t know¡­¡±

    ¡°i don¡¯t know how you got hold of that information, but just tell me. it¡¯s not something we should be delaying!¡±

    zion nodded at baron¡¯s pressing uneasiness, ¡°all right, then.¡±

    he took a round bead from the inner pocket of his jacket and placed it on his palm.

    [why don¡¯t you help the duchess make a wise choice? the conditions are good, and the price for giving birth to a child is great.]

    [just one child you say¡­]

    [yes¡­ for askan. for you, too.]

    baron¡¯s brow slowly scrunched in the middle by the conversation between a man and woman flowing out of the bead.

    [why is that a ridiculous deal for me and askan? tell me everything¡­ the things that you want to get.]

    of the two, the man¡¯s voice belonged to someone baron knew very well.

    ¡°aven helford¡­¡±

    olivia tellon was obviously trying to appease him. speaking of a ridiculous offer, which he had rejected in anger. the problem was what followed after.

 Chapter 43.2

    [almost half of jeff¡¯s elders agreed to this. starting with domina, felice, gadran, tuhor¡­]

    jeff¡¯s elders and tellon¡¯s key figures were mentioned one after another. and,

    [after the child celebrates his first birthday and receives a hidden name, the duchess seira will die. it¡¯s not uncommon for people to lose their life on the battlefield.]

    olivia¡¯s later plans that baron didn¡¯t know came tumbling out her mouth. that they would kill the biological mother, seira askan, by faking it as an accident after jeff was succeeded by her child.

    [i can do my best to help the child who will be the last of askan¡¯s bloodline, and the future owner of jeff. wouldn¡¯t that be much better? rather than hovering around seira, whom you can¡¯t dare to surpass¡­]

    ¡°what the hell is this?¡± baron questioned with a new sense of dread overcoming him.

    ¡°i hate banquets and stuff, so as soon as it started, i packed some food and climbed to the roof,¡± zion explained at first.

    while he drank alcohol and ate food leisurely and listened to the banquet¡¯s music play one after the other, zion overheard a conversation coming from right below him.

    ¡°i stayed still because i thought aven didn¡¯t notice when i moved, but the conversation turned weirder by the second, so i quickly recorded it with a magic tool.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    in fact, baron believed zion was wrong in his assumption. aven helford would¡¯ve definitely known he was there. the senses of a masterclass slayer were far beyond ordinary people.

    ¡°aven and the woman, too, say it like she was jeff¡¯s mistress. don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to hurt her excellency with her, are you? you¡¯re going to stop her, right?¡±

    baron took the magic tool from the hands of the wizard that stared at him expectantly.

    ¡°i¡¯ll take this.¡±

    ¡°no, you have to answer clearly and then take it!¡±

    baron clicked his tongue in amazement at zion¡¯s reaction. he was someone who had excellent magical talent but was just so pure.

    ¡°have you ever thought that i might shut your mouth?¡± baron raised a brow at him.

    ¡°well¡­i didn¡¯t. the commander-in-chief is not the one who would plan such things behind the scenes.¡±

    ¡°if you trust others so easily, your life will be short-lived,¡± baron warned him.

    ¡°oh, yes or no?!¡± despite being annoyed, zion didn¡¯t ask for the magic tool back.

    ¡°just tell me what you want.¡±

    ¡°what are you talking about all of a sudden?¡± the wizard asked in bewilderment.

    ¡°this. you could have used it otherwise, but you trusted me and brought it right away. don¡¯t you think there should be a price?¡±

    ¡°uh¡­¡±

    zion, whose eyes were wide open, prolonged his words with an embarrassed expression.

    ¡°then it¡¯s just¡­.¡±

    whenever he argued wildly, he would timidly talk about his wishes in a voice that was half-shrunken.

    ¡°please contribute even a little to her excellency¡¯s happiness,¡± he finally asked.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    baron couldn¡¯t understand why zion cared for seira with such devotion. he wasn¡¯t askan¡¯s vassal, nor was he employed by the knights. did he give her his heart? even betas who couldn¡¯t distinguish pheromones were easily swayed by seira¡¯s allure.

    zion, who noticed his subtle suspicions, quickly added as if he were making excuses.

    ¡°of course, people should know grace. there is not a single person in viseltium who doesn¡¯t owe their lives to askan. then i think we should at least take care of her excellency. otherwise, would the late former duke of askan close his eyes in peace?¡±

    ¡°are you for real?¡±

    baron rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand. anyway, this commoner-born wizard was too fearless. he would¡¯ve been in trouble right away if he wasn¡¯t as talented as he was.

    ¡°what about me?¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s good to be brave,¡± baron said as he turned around. ¡°i¡¯ll order an attendant to bring you something to eat, so don¡¯t move and rest here.¡±

    among jeff¡¯s immediate family, he was the only one who attended the banquet today, so there would be no one to talk about the convenience he was offering to zion.

    ¡°oh, then can you ask for beer instead of champagne? and more meat for side dishes!¡±

    ¡°¡­i got it.¡±

    nothing has been solved, but baron left the private lounge, leaving behind the jubilant wizard as if he had thrown off a big load.

    ¡°seira¡­¡±

    walking down the hall, baron thought about her. calrad had gone entirely mad, and the greed of his family and other high-ranking nobles was beyond his wildest imagination.

    the force of seira and the knights of askan was so great that no one could ignore it, but it would not be enough to totally protect her in viseltium.

    he would¡¯ve persuaded her to return to jeff, but now that he realized that he lived in the den of thieves, baron couldn¡¯t dare anymore.

    ¡®it¡¯s frustrating.¡¯

    for the first time, baron felt the weight on his shoulders had become too heavy. how he wished he could only move for one seira like aven helford did. if only he could leave his family behind and share every waking moment with her¡­

    baron unknowingly stopped in the middle of the hallway.

    ¡®if i throw it all away, will they accept it?¡¯

    when he imagined it in his head, he couldn¡¯t help but become even more frustrated.

 Chapter 44.1

    from the very first time he met seira when he was a boy, baron had never cared about her background. not even her lineage mattered to him. even if she hadn¡¯t manifested as an omega, baron wouldn¡¯t have cared.

    he had planned it all in the beginning ¨C running into every place where she worked as a mercenary and pretending it all to be coincidence. he just always wanted to be by her side.

    even if he abandoned his family, his life would unlikely be much different. wouldn¡¯t it be more enjoyable?

    to become a mercenary and earn his own money. he thought there was nothing to envy from the rest of the world even if he had to share barracks and beds with other mercenaries. if he and aven stood by her day and night, her safety was surely guaranteed.

    ¡®then, after cleaning up, finding the right person to succeed as family head would be a priority¡­¡¯

    baron, who had been deep in his thoughts of the future, suddenly narrowed his eyes to the sound of footsteps coming from the opposite side.

    to his surprise, aven helford was walking towards him.

    ¡°aven.¡±

    ¡°why are you standing here?¡± aven asked him.

    ¡°what about seira? i thought you were with her,¡± baron replied.

    he had a lot to say, but of course he needed to check first if she was safe.

    ¡°she must be on her way home with duke franto,¡± came aven curt reply.

    ¡°¡­franto?¡±

    ¡°yes.¡±

    aven¡¯s reply was brief. he didn¡¯t intend to explain everything that happened before and after the incident at the terrace.

    in his mind, askan¡¯s loyal vassal had many things to worry about. how did louis know where to find seira? did he use a special kind of tracking magic? or had seira been looking for him first?

    aven walked past baron, and asked in a low voice as their shoulders brushed, ¡°have you met zion?¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    baron¡¯s head whipped towards aven¡¯s face and their eyes met in that instant.

    ¡°an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life. askan will exact its revenge on domina jeff and the marquis tellon.¡±

    in a way, it sounded absurd for him to say that he¡¯d kill domina, a pureblooded alpha, and the marquis of tellon, a high-ranking nobleman. he was only a vassal of askan, however, baron didn¡¯t disregard his intentions as something trivial.

    baron had worked hand in hand several times with aven during countless battles, and he knew roughly about his main power.

    ¡°i am warning you,¡± aven said with not an ounce of warmth in his monotonous voice, ¡°whether you tell them to be safe or send someone to guard them, do as you please.¡±

    baron was convinced of aven¡¯s resolve. he knew that if he didn¡¯t take care of it with his own hands, they¡¯ll surely lose their lives.

    ¡°yes.¡±

    baron didn¡¯t bother to argue. as aven said, neither an excuse nor an apology was needed. he was going to prove himself with the results if needed be.

    his short answer was sufficient, and aven continued to walk in the opposite direction he was facing. baron stood silently until he lost the sound of aven¡¯s firm footsteps, and then he went on to find his servant.

    even with the important people disappearing, the banquet hall¡¯s music continued to ring through the empty hallway.

    * * *

    seira fell asleep as she waited for aven in his room to break the news about the dews estate. it wasn¡¯t until the first rays of the morning light she found herself awoke. seira stretched her body which had been sitting on the rocking chair all night.

    ¡®i told him to enjoy the party, and he ended up not coming home at all. i was a fool to think he¡¯d be back by midnight at least.¡¯

    did he meet an omega he liked? otherwise, there was no reason not to go home. who was it? which lucky lady took aven¡¯s heart?

    seira shook her head.

    ¡®whatever he does, whoever he meets, it¡¯s aven¡¯s freedom.¡¯

    even pretending to be curious and asking would be a burden to him. she shouldn¡¯t be invested in his private life now that she pushed him further away. as aven did, she had to keep herself in line.

    ¡®i should probably leave before he arrives.¡¯

    she had asked louis to visit early in the morning, so she needed to get ready. seira rose from the chair and paused without turning her stiff neck and back. something decorating the cabinet wall had suddenly caught her eyes.

    the wine she gave him a few days ago was placed in a box.

    ¡®he didn¡¯t even open the package.¡¯

    come to think of it, aven didn¡¯t really enjoy alcohol. she brought it back because she felt guilty to taste expensive and good things alone. she didn¡¯t even consider aven¡¯s preference if it was actually difficult for him.

    seira left the room as she looked at something that would soon lose its value where it was placed at an unsuitable place.

    even after she finished preparing and roughly guzzling down her breakfast of bread and soup, aven still hadn¡¯t returned.

 Chapter 44.2

    louis came to pick her up early as promised. she climbed into franto¡¯s carriage thinking of the note she entrusted alan to deliver to aven as soon as he returned.

    ¡°good morning, seira. did you sleep well?¡±

    unlike her gloomy and tired look, louis franto¡¯s face was as radiant as the morning sun.

    ¡°yes, thanks to you,¡± came her half-hearted reply as she glanced at him casually.

    her bangs, which usually were neatly brushed, were only half combed today. it felt a little bit off today.

    ¡°what about you?¡± she said as she tried to make small conversations.

    ¡°i didn¡¯t sleep well,¡± he said with a smiling face that didn¡¯t match his words, ¡°i¡¯m nervous.¡±

    seira tried her best not to scoff as she said, ¡°it doesn¡¯t look like it at all.¡±

    ¡°that can¡¯t be true. as of today, seira and i may be lovers.¡±

    ¡°oh! i am impressed by your confidence¡­¡±

    ¡°how would you like it to be then?¡±

    his reply filled the air around seira with tension. she was stunned by his question ¨C what does she want it to be like?

    even those that didn¡¯t care for askan knew well what seira askan¡¯s biggest wish was. there was only one thing that she could spend huge amounts of money she earned from running head on to wherever conflicts occur.

    ¡°either way, we¡¯ll see the results soon.¡±

    smiling at the woman who didn¡¯t answer his previous question, louis turned his attention outside the window. seira also followed and gazed at the scenery outside.

    the dews estate adjacent to the emperor¡¯s direct jurisdiction was originally a very fertile land. this was because the stem of piretta, one of the two rivers that originated from the taul mountains, which surrounded the northwest of askan like a roof, flowed across the dews estate.

    however, it has been 15 years since the fertile land had become a wasteland. farmland was covered in pit black ashes, and nothing ever came to life in its soils ever since. three years ago, magicians were hired to remove all the ashes, and seira continued her efforts to purify and fertilize the lands back to how it used to be.

    as a result, the estate managed to regain its original appearance. since it was outside, it had the highest chance of being revived too. this year again, as soon as spring came, seira transplanted greenhouse grown seedlings into the dews soils. although, all of them didn¡¯t even last until the summer and withered.

    was it because of her experience of recurring failures? even when louis said he achieved something, seira didn¡¯t have much high expectations. she thought she would. if she didn¡¯t expect too much, then the disappointment won¡¯t be much either.

    but beyond the small window of the carriage they rode, seira couldn¡¯t dare to believe what she saw in the distance and her eyes blinked wildly.

    ¡®am i seeing something wrong now?¡¯

    she even rubbed her eyes, but the scene that caught her attention didn¡¯t fade away.

    ¡°that¡­ don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± she stuttered in disbelief.

    everywhere her eyes laid on were waves after waves of gold. it looked like a wheat field ready for harvest.

    ¡°it grew well, didn¡¯t it?¡±

    even after hearing louis¡¯ words that confirmed what she saw was real, seira still couldn¡¯t dare to believe it.

    she wanted to jump out of the running carriage that instant. she wanted to touch them with her own two hands to check if she was only looking at an illusion. seira was deeply afraid that it didn¡¯t exist in reality like how nathan was in d-arc. was she becoming mad?

    seira was determined to touch it. as soon as she stepped on the ground, she had to check the evidence of abundance that captivated all of her senses.

    eventually, seira couldn¡¯t help it and popped open the carriage door.

    ¡°wait, seira¡­!¡±

    despite louis franto¡¯s objections, she didn¡¯t listen and went on to jump out of the carriage. she couldn¡¯t even hear the bewildered cries of the knights escorting them on horseback.

    she threw herself recklessly and was finally buried in the golden waves of the wheat field.

    ¡°ah¡­!¡±

    the sweet scent of the earth invaded her senses. she stood mesmerized in the middle of rolling golden waves up to her waist. it wasn¡¯t a fantasy. she felt it. she felt it.

    shoot!

    the winds boasted full vitality of the wheats that were ready for harvest.

    ¡°really¡­? really¡­?!¡±

    seira¡¯s heart was full to the point it was suffocating. there was evidence at her feet that askan had hopes for survival.

    ¡°you must have sown a lot of seeds.¡±

    she froze at the voice that came from behind her. she realized it too late that she had acted out of character in her excitement.

    ¡®manage your facial expressions¡­ you must manage your facial expressions, seira askan!¡¯

    but no matter how she prepared herself, it wasn¡¯t possible at all. as soon as she turned to face louis, seira almost jumped at him and kissed him.

    ¡°seira¡­?!¡±

    his eyes widened with surprise at her eager gaze.

    ¡°how¡­?¡±

    regardless of this, she grabbed his hand.

    ¡°how the hell did you do that?!¡±

    her heart pounded like crazy as if it was about to explode. laughter was brimming from her mouth, ready to spill at any moment.

    ¡°how the hell, in only a few days¡­ god, this isn¡¯t a dream, is it?¡±

    louis looked down at seira and raised his free hand to touch her cheek. a wide smile was painted all over her reddened happy face.

    ¡°do you like it that much?¡± he asked.

    she didn¡¯t care at all when he touched her, and readily replied, ¡°of course! it¡¯s a miracle!¡±

    louis watched, without even much as blinking a single glance, as the joy in her beautiful purple eyes swelled but then suddenly fell.

 Chapter 45.1

    since then, seira continued to ramble for a long time. she didn¡¯t know this day would ever come before she died, and that nobody would believe it until they saw it in person. after all of that, she finally hugged him.

    ¡°thank you, louis. thank you very much,¡± she said, her entire body trembling, ¡°you don¡¯t know what this wheat field means to me.¡±

    louis held and comforted her a little while.

    he was like an angel sent from heaven to seira. louis franto gave her hope which she wasn¡¯t able to find for a very long time since she began her arduous mission of reviving askan.

    ¡®the goddess didn¡¯t do anything for me¡­ louis did,¡¯ she thought at the back of her mind.

    but after some time thinking, she suddenly found herself believing that the goddess might have sent louis in her stead. perhaps it was because the goddess was sorry for all the hardships seira had gone through.

    ¡°that¡¯s a relief.¡±

    as she heard his low voice, seira raised her head and looked up at the man that provided her with her dreams. beautiful blue-green eyes resembling lush greenery stared at her with a friendly twinkle to them.

    ¡°i like it very much.¡±

    his hands suddenly touched her back and waist, and seira hurriedly escaped from louis¡¯ arms.

    ¡°i apologise, louis. i have to admit, i didn¡¯t expect much from you until this morning.¡±

    ¡°of course, i knew this was going to happen. there wasn¡¯t enough time for us to build trust between each other.¡±

    his accommodating answer made seira feel a little bit at ease.

    ¡°i appreciate it if you think so,¡± she replied.

    louis, who had been staring at her radiant smile, closed his eyes for a long time before opening them and asking, ¡°are you planning to harvest these, seira?¡±

    ¡°well¡­¡±

    seira stroked one straight stem with her hand, her delicate fingers touching the tip with a touch of sadness.

    ¡°i don¡¯t know. are these even edible though¡­?¡±

    it was great progress as far as the land was concerned. however, it was an utmost necessity to check whether the first grain harvested from a land that had long been barren wasn¡¯t toxic for human consumption.

    ¡°i see. we do need to check first,¡± louis nodded and then looked at her as he asked, ¡°can i help you?¡±

    ¡°¡­wha-what?¡±

    ¡°we¡¯ll have to make sure the grains aren¡¯t toxic. why don¡¯t we go test it together?¡±

    seira blinked hard. silence fille the air for a long time.

    ¡®i can¡¯t believe he is helping me.¡¯

    doesn¡¯t it sound as if he was implying that he was giving her kindness without asking for anything in return? then, it was too much kindness, at least by her standards.

    ¡®no, this might be part of the deal, too.¡¯

    seira gazed at the wheat field that smelled of abundance for a while, and then after some thinking, she turned to louis again.

    ¡®what else could louis want from me besides a contractual relationship?¡¯ she wondered.

    seira wasn¡¯t a na?ve little girl to believe that his proposal didn¡¯t come with strings attached to it. maybe he was after something else that only she could give. but for that to be fair, the scales must be balanced as she was sure he¡¯d want something of equal value in return.

    ¡®it¡¯s never too late to hear and judge after hearing him out.¡¯

    she didn¡¯t need to be impatient. wasn¡¯t it him who reached out to her first?

    ¡°louis.¡±

    ¡°yes, seira.¡±

    ¡°we have a lot to talk about anyway, don¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°that¡¯s right.¡±

    a soft smile formed on his gorgeous lips.

    seira stared at the man looking like a painting in the golden field. autumn wind disheveled his golden hair, tickling his forehead.

    ¡®he¡¯s so handsome like this.¡¯

    its not just the face. his well-trained, slender body proportions, kind voice, and elegant words and actions checked in on her ideal type. even the well-dressed white suit and dark green coat were to her taste.

    seira noticed she¡¯d been staring for a while, and she quickly looked away awkwardly. if louis franto wasn¡¯t the goddess¡¯ messenger, then he was probably the devil determined to entice and drag her down to the pits of hell.

    ¡°i¡¯ll visit franto tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°really?¡±

    seira nodded and then glanced back at the carriage as she said, ¡°can i borrow a horse instead? i want to go back to the castle. your handkerchief is there too.¡±

    ¡°well¡­ i see. you can talk to me anytime you want to, okay?¡±

    louis seemed to ponder about something for a moment, and then he reached out to her and said, ¡°i wanted to take you there in person¡­ can i?¡±

    ¡°uh¡­ it¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°i¡¯ll send a carriage to the duke¡¯s castle, so please do ride it.¡±

    ¡°no,¡± seira shook her head, ¡°why are you troubling yourself so much for me?¡±

    ¡°i want you to know that this is how i treat my lover.¡±

    seira was caught out of words at his boldness ¨C did he really just call her his lover?

    ¡°ok¡­ send the carriage then,¡± she conceded after some thinking.

    ¡°thank you,¡± happy wrinkles wrapped around louis¡¯ eyes as a smile appeared on his face. ¡°i¡¯ll collect samples in advance today.¡±

    ¡°ah¡­¡±

    ¡°you don¡¯t have to worry,¡± he comforted her, ¡°i¡¯m trying to help regardless of our previous contract.¡±

    she looked up at him with rounded eyes. she hesitated to answer but then said, ¡°i¡¯ll pay for the fees¡­¡±

    he smiled as he sighed in defeat, ¡°if that makes you comfortable, then do it.¡±

    * * *

 Chapter 45.2

    seira parted ways with louis and returned to the d-arc. she requested that he just drove her at a reasonable distance from the building, and louis complied without asking why. then, the carriage turned and disappeared into the distance.

    she liked that about him. keeping a certain line that should never be crossed was one vital condition for her.

    ¡°dad, i¡¯m home.¡±

    when she entered the dark castle alone in broad daylight, dozens of candlesticks lit up on their own as usual.

    seira, over here.

    although she stayed out for several days, nathan¡¯s face didn¡¯t show signs of reprimanding his daughter.

    ¡®it¡¯ll probably be the same even if i leave and won¡¯t come back for a few months,¡¯ she thought.

    she was purely telling it to herself where and when she¡¯d go and leave. maybe seira didn¡¯t have to worry so much about nathan if one day she¡¯d soon die on the battlefield and never come back. perhaps she¡¯ll even meet the real him then.

    did you eat?

    ¡°yes, i ate already.¡±

    truth be told, she only had breakfast at the mansion, but it was better to skip meals than to eat some tasteless stew she made on her own. anyways, she¡¯ll be going to franto tomorrow, so she¡¯d get her fill there to compensate.

    you did a good job.

    nathan nodded with satisfaction.

    did you say hello to the crown prince?

    ¡°ah¡­¡±

    now that she thought of it, nathan did make such a request when she went to jeff with baron. she snorted back then, saying there was no reason to meet him. in the end, seira did end up encountering calrad.

    ¡°we met¡­¡±

    really?

    aside from the meeting, they also talked for a long time. of course, it wasn¡¯t how nathan wanted it to be. but he didn¡¯t know that, and his translucent face began to glow with what little information seira told him.

    did you happen to talk about marriage?

    ¡°well¡­¡±

    seira rolled her eyes. if there wouldn¡¯t be any problem, it was highly likely she¡¯d start a contractual relationship with louis tomorrow. if that happened, wouldn¡¯t it be just reasonable to talk to nathan first?

    ¡°dad, the truth is¡­¡±

    she quietly looked at his expectant face and continued, ¡°well, i¡¯m thinking about getting engaged to louis franto.¡±

    huh? what about calrad?

    seira thought about it for a while, and then decided to just be honest with him.

    ¡°calrad made a mistake. he¡¯d done something he never should¡¯ve done with me, so i think now i can get married to him.¡±

    she couldn¡¯t fool her father forever. one calrad was enough to wander with absurd hopes.

    ¡°i¡¯m sorry, dad.¡±

    at her words, nathan¡¯s expression slowly hardened. it was the very first time she¡¯d seen him look at her like that after he became a spirit at the duke¡¯s castle seven years ago.

    why?

    nathan¡¯s voice rang low.

    why are you apologizing? baby, why is your face like that?

    seira thought it was strange for nathan to ask her that. he looked like he was on the edge of a cliff, but he was worried about her.

    did something serious happen? talk to your dad.

    the whole duchy seemed to resonate with his voice. it wasn¡¯t just a feeling ¨C the candles shook wildly she thought they¡¯d go out. it was clear that nathan¡¯s spirit resonated with the castle, and his negative emotions spread like wildfire.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    seira bit her lips in silence.

    seeing nathan as if he was about to run out and scold calrad made her both happy and upset. if he had been truly alive, she knew he wouldn¡¯t just scold him at all. calrad was sure to pay.

    ¡®no, i don¡¯t think calrad would¡¯ve done such a crazy thing to me in the first place.¡¯

    he would¡¯ve kept his manners in place so as not to offend nathan askan, someone who was considered one of the best masterclass slayers in the entire empire.

    ¡®i¡¯d want to see that happen, but¡­¡¯

    but what could nathan do now? it was just upsetting.

    rather than protesting and repaying calrad from using his powers to forcibly have her imprint on him, she didn¡¯t want nathan to find out how helpless and terrified she had been. she couldn¡¯t even get out of his clutches and escape to safety on her own that night.

    ¡°dad,¡± seira said, looking at nathan with serious eyes. ¡°louis franto is a very handsome man.¡±

    what?

    ¡°i have high standards,¡± she continued, ¡°just like my mother was.¡±

    nathan¡¯s eyebrows, which had been horribly twisted with anger, twitched awkwardly with what she said.

    ¡°louis¡¯ personality is much better too,¡± seira added, ¡°he is friendly, kind¡­ and i think he can solve the problems in our estate.¡±

    that was what was most important, but since nathan couldn¡¯t know exactly the duchy¡¯s situation, she only added that information as a bonus.

    ¡°that¡¯s why i¡¯m getting engaged to louis,¡± she said with a determined look, ¡°apart from how calrad had been mean to me.¡±

    are you sure? then why¡­

    ¡°it¡¯s just that i couldn¡¯t fulfill your wish dad¡­¡± seira smiled awkwardly. ¡°so, i¡¯m sorry.¡±

    seira knew well what nathan¡¯s wish was. even if she wasn¡¯t a princess, he would¡¯ve wanted his only daughter to live happily. protected, cared for, and loved.

    but that was a life that seira knew she could never achieve or reach on her own.

    ¡®poor dad¡­¡¯

    had she not cried loudly on the day she returned seven years ago, had she been well enough, perhaps her father¡¯s spirit might have rested in peace. in that way, he wouldn¡¯t have remained as a spirit.

    baby, i¡¯ve told you so many times, but your happiness is the most important thing to me.

    nathan said with a look of lingering worry.

    if you like franto, do it. i can¡¯t help it if he¡¯s more handsome to you than the crown prince.

    ¡°yes, dad. i¡¯ll do my best this time.¡±

    if their barren land came to life, prosperity to askan was guaranteed. louis franto had the key to making that possible, so seira had to deal with him and figure out the secret. no matter what it cost, in exchange for anything.

    yeah, that would be nice.

    nathan¡¯s expression in reply was still not bright, but seira smiled pretending she didn¡¯t notice at all.

 Chapter 46.1

    the biggest reason seira came to d-arc was to find a way to counter calrad¡¯s power.

    what was known as askan¡¯s main power was ¡°amplification,¡± but seira had another main power besides that. it was ¡°computation.¡± she had the ability to instinctively feel and calculate all kinds of energy that existed.

    the calculated energy could change her position, direction, and characteristics through her sub-powers. with that, she strengthened her fragile body like a damebon, and returned the attack to her opponent.

    she was able to perform as a master-class slayer thanks to those powers that blossomed in her.

    ¡®but i have no idea. how do i counter calrad¡¯s power?¡¯ she pondered.

    in fact, she had many occurrences of losing control of her powers, so she was impatient after taking on the new task when she was still in trouble.

    seira locked herself in an underground training room, wielding a sword in a trance, and combining her powers.

    ¡®it¡¯s too late to calculate. it¡¯s triggered at the same time as i speak.¡¯

    clearly, she was preparing for when the day came again.

    ¡®seira¡­ seira ewin askan.¡¯

    because the look in carlrad¡¯s eyes as he called her name was very unusual.

    ¡®if i can¡¯t find a way to defend myself, i¡¯ll truly get beaten someday.¡¯

    no matter how hard she tried to avoid it.

    seira.

    even if she tried hard to escape¡­

    seira?

    eventually calrad would capture her, and then¡­

    seira!

    bang!

    the blunt steel she wielded exploded with a roar. she hurriedly protected herself as she heard nathan¡¯s cry, and to her shame, she almost got seriously injured.

    seira sat down in shock and looked down at the torn remains of the iron sword in bewilderment. although the quality was inferior to jeff¡¯s high-quality steel, it was the first time that it exploded like this.

    baby, are you okay?

    nathan knelt in front of her as he checked for any injuries.

    let me see your hands.

    at nathan¡¯s urging, seira showed him her hand. it was burned and sore red.

    oh, my god. i¡¯m going to have to treat you soon.

    ¡°this much is fine, dad. i¡¯ll be better tomorrow.¡±

    still¡­ it must hurt a lot.

    ¡°that¡¯s not the problem¡­¡±

    nathan followed seira¡¯s gazed and saw the scattered pieces of iron in the room. he released a deep sigh and then spoke to her.

    did you mean you failed to control your powers?

    ¡°yes,¡± she frowned, ¡°it wasn¡¯t particularly difficult to wield¡­ but what¡¯s the problem with me?¡±

    the powers she combined were just the usual ones. it wasn¡¯t that much to suddenly cause an explosion.

    yeah. from the way i see it, it doesn¡¯t seem to be because of how your power works.

    ¡°then?¡±

    it¡¯s a side effect of releasing power in a very short period of time.

    seira¡¯s expression toughened at nathan¡¯s criticism of why it happened.

    usually, training your body steadily from childhood to prepare yourself, but that wasn¡¯t the case for you. an unstable vessel can¡¯t contain such powers safely.

    nathan wasn¡¯t wrong. in order to become a master-class slayer who can freely handle any type of sword skills, one must have a strong and solid body. but seira blossomed as an omega at a later time, and was using her powers to forcibly transform her body accordingly.

    in the end, she had no choice but to be burdened inside out.

    maybe this phenomenon is getting worse. your powers are especially growing fast.

    ¡°well, what can i do¡­?¡±

    the best option is not to use your power. that way you won¡¯t hurt yourself. but if that¡¯s impossible¡­

    seira felt nervous as she waited for nathan to continue.

    you¡¯ll need help from someone who has the power to regenerate.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    in short, he meant she needed to drink blood to recover whenever she suffered injuries.

    seira was going nuts. as far as she knew, it was only baron and calrad that had such powers to regenerate. in the first place, it was an ability that only appeared from the imperial family¡¯s direct lineage, but baron was unique.

    ¡®it¡¯s probably because jeff has a lot of viseltium blood mixed in.¡¯

    askan also had superior recovery ability compared to the general public due to marriages with viseltium once every few generations, but it wasn¡¯t comparable to the real power of regenerating a whole limb after it was cut off.

    ¡®does this mean i have to get it from baron after all¡­?¡¯

    she wondered if she could get his help when she already joined hands with franto.

    baby, do you have to pick up a sword and fight?

    nathan looked at seira with eyes full of pity as he sighed.

    ¡°your daughter is pretty talented after all,¡± seira tried to joke.

    ¡­

    ¡°there¡¯s no other talent like this in the empire.¡±

    ¡­okay, i know. i¡¯ll stop then.

    seira rose and followed nathan as he clicked his tongue in an obvious disapproval.

    ¡°dad, i¡¯m going to go wash up now. i¡¯ll take the rest of the day off from training.¡±

    yeah, be careful of the wound.

    ¡°yes, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    responding steadily, seira stepped out of the underground training room and headed straight out.

 Chapter 46.2

    she couldn¡¯t find a way to counter calrad¡¯s power or control her raging power, but it wasn¡¯t like she didn¡¯t gain any progress.

    ¡®maybe i should keep a double contract in mind.¡¯

    louis franto and baron jeff¡­ the two of them needed to be involved. if so, she had to make a way to work things out before she signed a contract with louis.

    she grabbed her throbbing head from all the complicated calculations that came into mind, and seira thought of what louis and baron could really want from her.

    ¡®first, let¡¯s get everything that might be helpful for now.¡¯

    she was going to take the remains of the nest as well as the angcoras that she captured and put them in the greenhouse.

    the remnants of the nest, which were stolen with the intention of digging up secrets hidden by the temple, seemed to be impossible to find out without going through the research institute anyway.

    ¡®some say it¡¯s dangerous if handled in the wrong manner.¡¯

    rather, after commissioning research through louis, it could be more helpful to determine whether there was a special link between franto and the temple.

    seira left the bathroom with her body dripping wet and a roughly worn gown on.

    ¡®i put it in the jewel box.¡¯

    crossing the room to check the black piece in the jewelry box on her dressing table, her eyes gravitated towards the door.

    ¡°aven,¡± she said with widened eyes.

    somehow, a stiff-faced aven was standing in front of her bedroom door.

    ¡°duchess¡­¡± he greeted her after approaching her and stopping a few steps away.

    ¡°is everything all right?¡± he asked her.

    ¡°what?¡± seira blinked at him. she really didn¡¯t understand where his question was coming from. ¡°oh! did you see the wheat field from the dews estate on your way here? even i was truly surprised. i think franto¡¯s ability is more than i thought.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°other than that, nothing in particular, i think? what are you doing here? do you have any bad news?¡± she asked.

    looking into her eyes, he dropped his gaze and said, ¡°his majesty has called a grand meeting. he said he would charge treason to anyone that wouldn¡¯t attend.¡±

    ¡°what? treason?¡± seira opened her mouth in bewilderment. ¡°why did he call for a grand meeting?¡±

    ¡°the official letter did not specify the reason.¡±

    the conference to summon all the duke, marquis, and count household heads wasn¡¯t convened unless it was very important to the security of the empire. this is because it takes more than three days to get to the ecliptic from the furthest border, even if one was accompanied by an intermediate wizard capable of moving magic.

    ¡°when would it be?¡±

    ¡°in five days.¡±

    seira, who had been lost in thought, soon concluded, ¡°then there is a high possibility that it is related to the nest.¡±

    the first to find the beast¡¯s nest was the temple, not anyone else. she didn¡¯t know if their searching ability was great or if they received trust through the saintess, but there were few exceptions.

    ¡®not to mention on the night of the banquet, the high priest and saintess came to see him.¡¯

    it must¡¯ve been something urgent for them to come to the banquet hall and ask for an audience with calrad.

    ¡°just in case, our knights should hurry up with maintenance.¡±

    less than a week after the dissolution of the subjugation party, the beast¡¯s nest appeared, and if the location wasn¡¯t good, there was enough reason to summon family heads from the counts and higher.

    ¡°understood,¡± aven answered calmly like he always does.

    seira looked at him with meaningful eyes, ¡°did you worry about what happened to me? do you think calrad would come this far out?¡±

    his expression froze at her funny question.

    ¡°his majesty is extremely obsessed with you¡­¡±

    seira burst into laughter.

    ¡°no, but there¡¯s no way we¡¯re going to call a grand meeting because of me alone.¡±

    aven, who had his whole world centered around her and worried for her constantly, was cute and a bit absurd too. he lowered his gaze as he looked at her laughing and laughing.

    ¡°i don¡¯t know. i don¡¯t know how i¡¯m going to tie it up next time¡­¡± he suddenly stopped talking and his eyes widened at something. his hands grabbed for her sleeve and then exclaimed, ¡°duchess, your hands! how did you end up with this?¡±

    ¡°oh¡­ i got injured by mistake while training. it¡¯s not that big a deal. it doesn¡¯t hurt much.¡±

    ¡°there¡¯s no way this wound won¡¯t hurt,¡± he worried.

    as always with matters like this, he didn¡¯t take her word of ¡°all right¡± as the truth.

    ¡°please wait for a moment. i will bring the ointment.¡±

    seira stared at aven¡¯s back, who immediately left the room.

    ¡°well¡­¡±

    she thought that if he had an omega that he liked, his attitude towards her would change a little, but it seemed to have stayed the same. the way he gave her attention and worried for her¡­

    ¡®i shouldn¡¯t like things like this.¡¯

    helping herself, she sat down on the bed and stared at her palms.

    she was fine when she was alone, but now that she showed aven her wound, it suddenly began to tinge strangely.

 Chapter 47.1

    in addition, seira was hungry and her body began to throb here and there. she had been stuck in the underground training room all day without even a spoonful of food, wielding a sword, and even suffering an accidental injury due to a backflow of her power.

    it was quite ridiculous now that she realized it wasn¡¯t just the palm of her hand that got injured. even if she knew what to do, there was no other way. seira had no choice but to wait for her body to recover by itself.

    ¡°duchess¡­¡±

    aven returned to the room with a box full of medical supplies and a brown bag filled with something having a savory scent.

    ¡°i saw no sign of you eating,¡± he commented.

    ¡°yes. somehow it just happened.¡±

    ¡°even if it¡¯s troublesome for you at times, you must make sure to eat.¡±

    he brought the tart from the bag and put it in her mouth, and then kneeled on the floor beside her bed.

    ¡°show me your hand,¡± he told her.

    chewing at the delicious tart filled with sweet and sour jam, seira handed out her hand. she watched him carefully treat her wound, as if he was treating the most precious and vulnerable person in the world.

    his deep, dark eyes narrowed each time the cotton rubbed against her sore skin. she felt guilty as he bit his lips as if he was in more pain than her.

    ¡°it¡¯s all right, really.¡±

    ¡°the duchess always says it¡¯s okay.¡±

    even if it sounds like a rebuke the first time spoken, when he spoke too softly, seira just couldn¡¯t refute it.

    in the end, she ended up choosing a change of topic.

    ¡°yesterday, did you have a good date?¡±

    as soon as she said it, seira immediately regretted asking.

    ¡®i had been so determined not to ask!¡¯ she rebuked herself internally.

    didn¡¯t she decide to pretend she knew nothing so as not to burden aven? she felt pathetic ¨C why was she being so selfish and kept on asking without considering his side?

    ¡°duchess.¡±

    ¡°no, you don¡¯t have to answer. from now on, if i ask you things like this, please just ignore it.¡±

    seira rambled on as she was unable to make eye contact with him.

    ¡°it was a mistake, really.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    after a long silence, aven rose to his feet. seira sat motionless with embarrassment tied to the corner of her eyes. then, a low voice fell on the top of her head.

    ¡°do you want me to comb your hair?¡±

    ¡°¡­what?¡±

    ¡°i think it¡¯s better not to use your hands until the morning. so please let me stay by your side tonight.¡±

    seira looked up at him. he wasn¡¯t disappointed or angry, nor was he happy or excited as well, but was just as the same as usual. so, even as it was reassuring for him to act that way, seira still felt her heart break.

    ¡°yes, please,¡± she said in a whisper as she fiddled with the bag containing the tart.

    aven proceeded to bring some towels from the bathroom, and then sat next to her. he said, ¡°you can lean on this comfortably.¡±

    seira noted as he leaned her against his arms and dried her hair, his hands were incredibly soft.

    the texture of the cloth rubbing tickled a bit. the temperature of his hand, which occasionally grazed her forehead, cheeks, and neck, made her chest hot.

    ¡®if he got married, he¡¯d be such a good partner.¡¯

    even if it was hard to do better than what he was doing to her now, she thought she¡¯d still smile and often tell herself that she loved him.

    ¡®there¡¯s no other man quite like aven.¡¯

    she closed her eyes, swallowing a deep regret. it would have been nice to become a family.

    with aven¡¯s gentle hands combing through her hair, seira fell asleep in an instant.

    * * *

    ¡°duchess.¡±

    aven tried calling out to her quietly, but there was no answer. she left herself comfortably to his care, and he looked down at her sleeping face.

    ¡°are you already asleep? you promised to punish me¡­¡±

    she probably didn¡¯t even know what she looked like right now. it was very difficult not to be distracted by her chest that rose and fell, or her smooth stretched thighs that were exposed through her thin nightgown.

    no, actually, he didn¡¯t need that much. the mere sight of seira¡¯s white feet and thin ankles, which could fit in one hand, made him struggle with impulses and desires as if he was in a rut phase.

    ¡®you¡¯re not like an animal,¡¯ he rebuked himself.

    he was mad to deny himself to be called as such when he would literally heat up just by staying in the same space as her.

    carefully tucking over her stray hair away from her cheek, aven recalled what had happened before he arrived at d-arc.

    he was determined to move swiftly and retaliate against tellon and jeff¡¯s inhumane plans. it was very unlikely that baron jeff would help them even after he learned the truth, but it was askan that could be compromised even just with a mere 1% chance.

    ¡®above all, i can¡¯t get caught.¡¯

    seira valued those who belonged to askan¡¯s care more than her own life.

 Chapter 47.2

    seven years ago, when she left the palace, she could¡¯ve taken revenge on the imperial family that betrayed her trust. even if she had everything available for her back then, there might have been a great chance for her to beat the late emperor and calrad.

    however, instead of taking the path of revenge, seira put her life¡¯s worth into askan¡¯s revival. as her father nathan askan did, she made it a top priority to save, protect, and preserve the duchy.

    revenge was out of the plan as seira considered aven and her other vassals as people she needed to protect and not just mere tools for her to use. the only thing seira used relentlessly to achieve her goals was herself.

    ¡®i¡¯m sure he¡¯ll stop it.¡¯

    she¡¯d probably demand him not to touch and mess with domina jeff and xyle tellon. he mustn¡¯t delay, as he was ready to defy her orders. before the truth could reach her, aven had to work fast.

    gail tellon and olivia tellon, who attended the banquet and rode separate carriages, were relatively easy to manipulate. the problem was domina jeff. she had already left the imperial capital.

    it would¡¯ve been difficult for him to solve it quickly if he marched into the jeff estate, which was roughly three days away from the imperial capital. however, domina jeff was curiously staying at the mansion of another noble that was only an hour away from viseltium. thanks to the clay family twins that passed the information, aven¡¯s plans went on smoothly.

    only after achieving all his goals did aven return to askan¡¯s mansion.

    and just as he entered the room, the scent she left greeted him, and filled the space that was bright with the afternoon sunshine. he was immersed in the sweet smell of hugging with his whole body, the crushing, and sharp sensation.

    seira was a master at controlling her pheromones when awake, so she must¡¯ve fallen asleep in the room. maybe she sat on the rocking chair by the window and waited for him.

    he missed her like crazy when he couldn¡¯t dare to use the chair she sat on and traced the furniture¡¯s curves with longingness in his fingertips. it was only half a day ago that he made love to her naked body, but he couldn¡¯t breathe as if they¡¯d been apart for several years.

    just in time, alan dews delivered an official letter from the palace and a note seira left him.

    aven asked the twins, lucy and mailyn, and alan to finish their work and immediately headed straight to the askan estate.

    on his way, he saw a golden wheat field which he was told was franto¡¯s work, but it didn¡¯t impress him at all. in fact, he was worried about what franto might demand of her.

    it was already evening when he finally reached the d-ark by driving the horses with all his might. the duke¡¯s castle, which was a towering black structure in the dark after the sun had set, opened the door as if they knew he was in a hurry before he even made his first step inside.

    it was not long before he heard chattering.

    it hurts, it hurts, it hurts.

    my lady is sick.

    why are you alone? why is there no one else?

    help anyone, please.

    sorrowful voices buzzed and echoed in aven¡¯s ears. sadder and more desperate than usual.

    caught by surprise, aven ran up to seira¡¯s bedroom and forgot to even knock as he suddenly opened the door.

    ¡®did they mean the wound in her hand?¡¯ he wondered as his eyes darted towards the hand he healed.

    ¡®it¡¯s not unusual for that to happen.¡¯

    of course, he worried about her injuries, but seira usually just disregarded them despite the severity. they couldn¡¯t have been so desperate if it was only for the burn.

    ¡®maybe she has other injuries¡­¡¯

    her sleeping face looked somewhat pale. he couldn¡¯t help but think about the possibility of internal injuries.

    he wasn¡¯t a doctor, so there was no way he could actually know. but even if he woke her up and asked, would seira even answer honestly? she¡¯d surely just brush it off with a joking laugh.

    after hesitating for a long time, aven soon made up his mind.

    noisy voices. he often heard them since the first day he entered d-arc with seira seven years ago, but they never had been this clamorous. he couldn¡¯t ignore them, because to some extent, he expected their help as well.

    aven touched her cheek gently, and traced his thumb down to her lower lip. when he pressed gently, gums that lacked life were revealed.

    ¡°¡­i¡¯m sorry, duchess.¡±

    he couldn¡¯t help but think that seira could be so defenseless in front of him because she trusted him that much. unfortunately, however, he didn¡¯t deserve it if he were to decide.

    he tilted her head, and then gently licked her dry lips. he moved with great care, trying as much as he could not to wake her up. when their tongues intertwined, he slowly poured blood into her mouth.

    ¡°hngh¡­¡±

    seira responded to the soothing kiss. she moaned and craned her neck as if asking for more.

    aven¡¯s trembling eyelids lifted, revealing his pupils underneath. they were as red as the blood that soaked her lips, and they shone brightly in the dark.

    he pressed his lips and confessed, although the sins of the past were still piled up, ¡°i have sinned again. how dare i, without even a single remorse¡­¡±

 Chapter 48.1

    looking at her flushed face, aven kissed seira¡¯s lips once more. he covered his hot breath and the spreading scent of blood with his own sweet-scented pheromone. like her favorite chocolate, it melted on her tongue and stuck to her throat, leaving a sticky aftertaste.

    it left him wondering ¨C if she opened her eyes at this moment, what would happen then?

    if he got caught with red shining eyes like that of a guardian that protected the beast¡¯s nest¡­ if she found out that he poured dirty blood into her mouth with unknown origin.

    he should just stop kissing her, but his reason behind this act encouraged his greed to dig deeper.

    or at least he should close his eyes, for his reason was paralyzed with his earnest desire to capture even a bit more of her lovely appearance.

    veins bristled in his hands that held her cheek. the touch of her body heated him up. a pleasure similar to that of an orgasm shook his body and mind. he became more and more immersed in the ecstatic feeling.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    and then, at one point, he took his lips off of her in a hurry.

    ¡®now, what¡­¡¯

    he realized something was suddenly different. he could feel a chain tightening around his chest and heart like a leash.

    ¡®no way¡­¡¯

    aven clutched his heart and gazed at seira sleeping quietly with a comfortable look.

    ¡°ah¡­¡±

    it was as if his entire being was shattered and then reshaped into her possessions.

    half pain and joy, that was what it felt. even though he was beaten, he didn¡¯t feel hunger for escape. rather, he choked with joy because his life was shaken by her life and death, joy and sorrow.

    even without experience, he was instinctively convinced ¨C that he had imprinted on her unilaterally.

    * * *

    when seira woke up, her whole body felt light. the palms of the hands were healed without a trace, she didn¡¯t feel sore in any place, and her condition was generally excellent.

    ¡®was it because of aven¡¯s care?¡¯ she wondered.

    it was clear that he took care of her without even taking a rest. it hurt her heart to go and sign a contract with louis when she thought of him.

    ¡®of course, he wouldn¡¯t really care¡­¡¯

    seira just felt sorry for herself.

    she sighed and packed things she needed to take with her. the remains of the nest, which could explode at any time, were wrapped well in a cloth and then double-wrapped in a small, solid box. she didn¡¯t forget the handkerchief louis lent her before and put it in the pocket of her jacket.

    nathan approached seira, who was coming down the stairs after she was done preparing. seeing that he was walking around here, she assumed aven must be outside the castle.

    are you going out?

    ¡°yes, dad. it¡¯ll probably take several days before i come home again.¡±

    ah, i see.

    nathan smiled softly.

    ¡°i¡¯m sorry i¡¯ve been away so often. i want to stay with you dad.¡±

    it¡¯s all right, baby.

    nathan looked into her purple eyes and continued.

    i¡¯m always with you. just because you leave d-arc doesn¡¯t mean you left my side.

    seira almost choked on her father¡¯s kind words.

    ¡°dad¡­¡±

    yes.

    ¡°it¡¯s quite touching, but isn¡¯t it weird to be with a grown-up daughter all the time?¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°you have to protect your privacy¡­¡±

    have a nice meal.

    ¡°don¡¯t worry too much,¡± seira nodded with a chuckle, ¡°well, i¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    seira left the d-arc with nathan sending her off.

    as she assumed, aven was outside the castle. standing in front of the greenhouse where the ancoras were placed, he looked back at her with a serious look on his face.

    ¡°duchess.¡±

    the moment their eyes met, seira was caught off-guard by aven¡¯s bright smile.

    ¡®why¡­ why does he have that expression on his face?¡¯

    aven was never the one to laugh nor show extreme emotions. his beautiful smile was the rarest thing to see about him. seira tried to calm her heart that hammered wildly inside her chest and approached aven with caution.

    ¡°it seems that the ancoras reproduce, too.¡±

    ¡°what?¡±

    her mouth dropped at his shocking information, seira looked into the greenhouse, and saw a bunch of black running around with great energy.

    ¡°what? why¡­? how did it even get this much?¡± she asked in bafflement.

    she knew she definitely captured about three or four, but even if she couldn¡¯t enter the greenhouse now, she definitely could see dozens more.

    ¡°there¡¯s another peculiarity,¡± aven said as he pointed to the greenhouse floor. ¡°maybe the ashes were eaten away, since the soil turned reddish brown.¡±

    since it was only a reserve, the greenhouse¡¯s floor was originally black, as was the rest of askan. however, the color definitely changed with the ancoras release.

    ¡°it¡¯s a strange phenomenon. do these guys have the power of purification?¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s a possibility, but we could be wrong too.¡±

    ¡°hmm¡­¡±

    seira opened the greenhouse door with a cage key she left outside. as she stepped inside, a bunch of furs gathered around her.

    ¡°how have you been, boys?¡±

    she squatted down and stroked the ancoras. it was quite adorable to see them jumping excitedly.

    ¡®why do they have to be this cute when i know i only kept them for money?¡¯

    if she converted all of these ancoras into gold, she could easily pay a year¡¯s worth of taxes on the estate.

 Chapter 48.2

    ¡°but i think it¡¯s better not to dispose of them¡­ not unless it¡¯s quite urgent,¡± she mumbled.

    as aven pointed out, their numbers seemed to be increasing rapidly. if they got lucky, perhaps they could even get an expensive crystal.

    ¡®besides, maybe they have the ability to purify the land.¡¯

    to test her theory, seira put around five to six balls of fur in a cage and moved them into another empty greenhouse.

    ¡°what do you plan to do?¡± aven asked as he followed her and looked down at the ancoras.

    ¡°well¡­ i think i should give at least one to louis for now,¡± she said in a glum tone, ¡°they already know we captured them anyways.¡±

    seira gently picked up one of the furs hovering around. the ancora drooped in her hand and looked at her.

    ¡°hey, what do you want to eat to spit out crystals? talk to your siblings. i¡¯ll bring what you want when i come back.¡±

    of course, there was no way that the ancora could answer her. in the end, it just scratched its nose and licked her palm. seira transferred the tiny creature into a cage as it continued to stare at her.

    the ones that surrounded her as she came in didn¡¯t follow seira as she opened the door and exited the greenhouse. as aven came out and closed the door, he heard thumping sounds coming closer. curiously, there were no birds around the greenhouse.

    and then he realized. parked a distance away, franto¡¯s carriage stood waiting for seira.

    ¡°you¡¯re going straight to franto,¡± aven mused.

    ¡°yes. i¡¯m going to meet louis today and sign a contract.¡±

    ¡°the contract to be his lover?¡±

    ¡°yes.¡±

    aven, who was staring at seira, took the cage from her.

    ¡°i will see you off then.¡±

    seira nodded and took a step first.

    by the time he could see who was standing next to the carriage, aven opened his mouth.

    ¡°duchess¡­ this land will recover over time, but your life cannot be reversed no matter how much you regret it in the future.¡±

    aven looked at seira straight in the eyes as if looking deep inside her and added, ¡°i wish you all the best. may you be happy with your choices.¡±

    seira¡¯s wide eyes soon closed with the sound of desperation in his voice, ¡°thank you, aven.¡±

    she didn¡¯t answer him because she didn¡¯t want to make a false promise.

    seira already used up all the happiness she had to enjoy. or so she thought. didn¡¯t she have a rich childhood in a sweet house built with the sacrifices of nathan askan and many others?

    she didn¡¯t want to refuse what was given, but she couldn¡¯t help being pushed back from her priorities.

    ¡°i¡¯m so lucky to have you,¡± she told him.

    without aven, who put seira above all else and treated her well, her life would have been ruined way back.

    ¡°duchess¡­¡±

    aven¡¯s lips were pressed together in a thin line. a man that came with strong strides found them.

    ¡°seira.¡±

    ¡°good morning, louis,¡± she replied, immediately adjusting the expressions of her face once she faced him.

    like a peacock showing off his beauty, louis franto looked bright today. seira looked at him with a smile plastered on her face as he kissed the back of her hand in a gentlemanly manner.

    ¡°why did you have to come here in person? you only had to send the carriage,¡± she tutted.

    ¡°i missed you,¡± came louis¡¯ simple reply.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    seira looked puzzled. what did he mean that he missed her?

    ¡°the duchess must have never thought of me. still, we kissed and hugged each other then.¡±

    for a moment, seira giggled at his remarks and returned the favor, ¡°i did. why wouldn¡¯t i?¡±

    it wasn¡¯t a lie. of course, she didn¡¯t particularly miss louis. rather, her mind was full of questions and speculations of what he really wanted from her.

    ¡°i probably only thought about you all night long.¡±

    there was no way he believed seira, but louis smiled brightly still.

    ¡°wow¡­¡­ i didn¡¯t expect to feel this good. thank you,¡± he said.

    ¡°what?¡±

    if a few words could change the mood of her trading partner, seira could be as brazen as she could.

    while they were greeting each other, aven, who went to the carriage and arranged her luggage, asked seira, ¡°do you mind if i don¡¯t accompany you?¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s okay. i¡¯m fine even if i go alone.¡±

    it would¡¯ve been a lot easier if aven went with her, but it would probably cause trouble during their discussion of the contract between her and louis. his and her priorities were clearly different as what the conversation veered to a while ago.

    ¡°all right,¡± aven accepted her refusal. ¡°then i¡¯ll see you in the ecliptic.¡±

    ¡°yes, i¡¯ll be back.¡±

    seira looked at aven¡¯s eyes for a moment and turned around.

    it was extremely difficult not to look at him, who stood there and watched her until the moment she climbed into the carriage. it was common for her to leave aven behind once in a while, but this time around her heart felt heavier than usual.

    even as she smiled at louis who climbed after her and sat in front of her, seira couldn¡¯t free her mind of thoughts of aven.

    maybe it¡¯s because she knew today¡¯s contract with louis would change a lot of things for the two of them.

 Chapter 49.1

    the place that they headed to wasn¡¯t franto¡¯s, but instead to the magic engineering institute.

    the research institute was built by pushing the northwest outskirts of viseltium, which was originally a slum area which was considerable in size. seira scanned the strong magic barriers surrounding each building and pondered about its importance.

    louis took seira into the largest and had an incomparably denser barrier than the rest.

    ¡®in this level, it would be difficult even for me or baron to break through,¡¯ she thought.

    but would it be possible if aven, who had the power to go beyond space, and herself, who could amplify his ability, penetrate it together? it seemed to be both difficult going in and out of the facility by the looks of it.

    seira greeted and almost bowed to a researcher they encountered on the way. she watched his back as he walked past them, and then quickly followed louis down the stairs.

    ¡°this research facility operated by franto surely must have a lot of confidential information,¡± she said, ¡°is it fine to casually bring in outsiders like this?¡±

    he looked down at her and said, ¡°that¡¯s fine. you¡¯ll soon be no stranger. right?¡±

    ¡°if franto and askan¡¯s interests are in line with each other, so be it.¡±

    ¡°then there is nothing to worry about.¡±

    louis didn¡¯t seem to mind that there might be the possibility of things going wrong between them. perhaps his confidence lied in the fact that he held the key to seira¡¯s goal, which she had dedicated years to solving.

    however, seira didn¡¯t disregard anything at all.

    ¡®i mustn¡¯t let my guard down,¡¯ she told herself, ¡®this could be a trap.¡¯

    when she began her career as a master-class slayer, many tried to take her by force for she was a pure-blooded omega. day and night, she had to fight and deal with demons and humans alike.

    seira feigned composure, but deep inside she was on high alert so she could use her power any time it was needed.

    thanks to the magic lamps stuck to the ceiling, seira didn¡¯t feel suffocated as they descended down the basement. the air was as pleasant as it was above ground.

    ¡®how much did they spend on these buildings?¡¯ she could only wonder.

    while trying not to be distracted and calculate the estimated cost of one research building, the two of them arrived at their destination.

    ¡°this is my private lab,¡± louis said as he waved his hand towards an entrance door.

    it was the only door there as if he used the entire underground space alone. its large stone gate had elaborate patterns that moved on its own when louis raised his palm. it looked like the magic circle recognized him as its owner.

    louis¡¯ lieutenant was allowed to enter this far only, so he set down the cage he carried for seira inside the room and went straight back up.

    lewis reached out to her saying, ¡°come on in.¡±

    ¡®i don¡¯t think i could get out of her alone,¡¯ she realized.

    the only way to pass through a perfect protective shield, where not even a single hole that could get a needle through was visible, was to hold the hands of its owner.

    her intense worries ended so quickly she didn¡¯t even notice.

    ¡®i can¡¯t go back now.¡¯

    even if it was a trap and a bait, she had no choice. seira smiled at louis and held his hand as if she never even suspected anything negative from him.

    ¡®franto¡¯s mansion would¡¯ve been a much better place if he planned to do something to me,¡¯ she convinced herself at the back of her mind.

    she heard that the emperor¡¯s permission, as the land owner, was essential for the research facility to be located in viseltium. the temple had worked hard to achieve that. the eyes of the imperial family and the temple would be everywhere to prevent franto from wandering.

    not one of them was on her side, but calrad and louis also didn¡¯t seem to get along. there was no way that she¡¯d be locked up in the facility without a rat or a bird knowing.

    seira¡¯s eyes widened as she entered the room nervously.

    ¡°ah!¡± she exclaimed spontaneously.

    hundreds of transparent cubes containing different substances filled the wall. some of them were jewels she knew, and some liquids she had no idea what they were.

    as seira watched, louis entered through the inner door and came out with a tray full of teapots, teacups, and snacks.

    after a while, the fragrant scent of tea filled the enclosed area.

    ¡°seira,¡± he called out to her.

    louis approached seira and wrapped her shoulders with a friendly gesture as he added, ¡°you can visit anytime. we can take a separate tour and look around later.¡±

    he led her to a table in the middle. after pulling out a chair for her first, louis took the seat across seira and sat.

    ¡°do you know how to make tea?¡± she asked curiously.

    it seemed like he was quite skillful in handling the teapot as it tilted and filled the teacup.

    ¡°we don¡¯t have anyone working in this place aside from me, so i had to do everything myself. i can make simple food to eat,¡± he bragged, ¡°there¡¯s everything we need for sustenance here.¡±

    after all, most wizards were like that. once holed up in his personal cave, a wizard didn¡¯t usually come out for months and immersed himself in his dedicated work.

 Chapter 49.2

    after taking a sip of the tea he gave her, seira popped in a buttery chocolate cookie inside her mouth. it was her favorite combination.

    ¡°first of all, i should tell you why i brought you here,¡± louis began as he put down his teacup and reached for the cube that flew and settled into his hand.

    ¡°it¡¯s¡­ ancora¡¯s treasures, right?¡±

    ¡°yes.¡±

    the diamond-shaped, glassy crystal was only the size of her thumb.

    ¡°usually, the treasures that ancora throws up are like this. but on very rare occasions, they spit out something black. do you happen to know the difference between black and transparent?¡±

    ¡°black ones can hold power,¡± louis answered as he gazed at seira directly in her eyes.

    ¡°you seem to be well informed after all,¡± seira raised a brow at him.

    ¡°the reason i brought this up now is because black crystals were used to revive dews.¡±

    ¡°right¡­ i understand now. and the power in it, it belongs to louis?¡±

    he smiled at her question as if amused ¨C was she correct?

    ¡°i don¡¯t know what your powers are¡­ even if i asked, i¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t answer anyway. but i think it would be far from what franto shows to the world.¡±

    ¡°i can tell you if you¡¯re curious¡­¡± he leaned forward and added, ¡°how about we exchange information one by one?¡±

    after a few moments of silence, seira spoke, ¡°never mind. no thanks.¡±

    the more they were entangled, the greater the risk. now that she understood half of louis franto¡¯s intentions, seira knew it was better to trade what was only necessary.

    ¡°that makes me sad,¡± louis frowned, ¡°don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a good opportunity to get to know each other more deeply?¡±

    ¡°enough of the jokes, now tell me. how many black crystals were used to revive dews?¡±

    louis stretched his hands leisurely, as if to inspect his fingernails. seira¡¯s patience was running thin, but she must endure if she wanted to know the secret to reviving their dead land. after some time, louis gazed straight into her eyes and smiled as he raised three fingers.

    ¡°3¡­? then that would mean i need over a hundred to use all over askan.¡±

    ¡°i think so.¡±

    seira nodded her head and began to plan ahead. the problem of knowing louis¡¯ power had to be put aside for the meantime. once there were enough black crystals secured, then she could move on to her next steps.

    ¡°the problem here is that black crystals aren¡¯t easily accessible. in fact, i barely got the ones i used for dews.¡±

    even franto, who surely had the rarest substances, including ancora¡¯s crystals, didn¡¯t know how many years it would take to gather only ten, let alone a hundred black crystals.

    seira bit her lips in bitter disappointment.

    ¡°however,¡± louis pointed out, ¡°there is one shortcut.¡±

    ¡°what is it?¡± she asked as her head immediately lifted hopefully at his words.

    ¡°did you bring the remains of the nest today?¡±

    seira stared at louis and then nodded once.

    ¡°can you show it to me?¡±

    seira took out a small box she stored in her jacket¡¯s inner pocket. then she held it out to louis.

    ¡°now, check it out.¡±

    ¡°wow¡­ i swear i never expected you to bring it like this,¡± louis coughed.

    ¡°it didn¡¯t explode, so that¡¯s fine,¡± came her curt reply.

    he shook his head as if holding back laughter and said, ¡°that¡¯s true.¡±

    louis opened the box, looked inside carefully, and then got up from his seat.

    ¡°wait. i think i need some preparation,¡± he said as he went inside and brought out an empty cube and a large bag containing his experimental tools.

    he first brushed the contents of the box into the empty cube, then carefully unraveled the cloth using tweezers. recalling how she touched the item with her bare hands, seira could only quietly reflect on how reckless she had been.

    ¡°as expected,¡± louis hummed as he observed the item inside the cube, ¡°it was originally black.¡±

    inside it, round as a bead, something that looked like a black mist was swirling around.

    ¡°can that be used in the same way as ancoras?¡± seira asked.

    ¡°it needs more testing, but that¡¯s roughly my guess as well. as it turned out, the transparent colored debris that was sent to the temple could store 50 times the energy compared to an ancora¡¯s crystal.¡±

    ¡°50 times as much?!¡± seira exclaimed in surprise.

    ¡°yes,¡± louis smiled at her reaction, ¡°so, if this black wreckage has the power we need, then we could call it a shortcut, right? also¡­¡±

    his gaze redirected from the nest¡¯s remnants towards seira.

    ¡°if we put seira¡¯s power of amplification to good use, then things will be far easier.¡±

    seira looked at him blankly and nodded her head to agree, ¡°i see.¡±

    the power of askan¡¯s main ability to amplify wasn¡¯t a secret. however, the difference in the amount of information they had about seira was far too little.

    louis raised a finger and suggested, ¡°let¡¯s try to obtain another one of the same properties. that¡¯s how we should have our powers come together and bloom beautiful things. in the heart of askan, in front of the d-ark.¡±

    it was clear as day now what he was trying to put on the scale.

    it was louis¡¯ power that he wanted to deal with her. that, too, would provide enormous power to restore the vast lands of askan, not just on a single basis.

 Chapter 50.1

    ¡°tell me what you want.¡±

    naturally, the weight of her words carried over her voice. if someone asked seira to sell the ancora¡¯s crystals, would she have agreed to deal?

    ¡®i would¡¯ve refused¡­¡¯ she thought at the back of her mind.

    depending on how they were combined, power could become a terrifying weapon, or a tool to save lives. if the usage hadn¡¯t been as clear as it was now, louis wouldn¡¯t have tried to trade his power either.

    ¡°because acting as your lover depends on how you define it.¡±

    she was sure it couldn¡¯t just be all about accompanying him to any public occasions.

    louis looked at seira with gentle eyes as he said, ¡°there are two things i want from seira.¡±

    seira listened intently, partly curious and partly apprehensive of what he wanted from her.

    ¡°i want everyone to believe that seira askan is head over heels in love with louis franto,¡± he added.

    she raised a brow at his words and asked, ¡°all, without a single exception?¡±

    ¡°i hope so. can¡¯t you?¡±

    she¡¯d like to meet all his demands, but unfortunately, there was one problem at hand¡­

    ¡°well¡­ there¡¯s someone who already knew about our contract,¡± seira said.

    ¡°are you talking about the count helford?¡±

    ¡°yes,¡± she nodded, ¡°it is impossible to deceive him because family matters are always discussed and decided with him.¡±

    aven knew more about seira than anyone else. he wouldn¡¯t be fooled even if she insisted that she liked louis.

    ¡°alright, he¡¯ll be an exception.¡±

    fortunately, louis understood her situation.

    ¡°thank you,¡± she sighed with relief, ¡°so, what¡¯s the second condition?¡±

    ¡°i don¡¯t want you to imprint it on anyone until the end of our contract.¡±

    at louis¡¯ words, seira¡¯s eyes blinked rapidly, unable to respond immediately at his demand.

    ¡°why?¡± he tilted his head curiously, ¡°do you think it¡¯s going to be difficult? is there an alpha in mind that you want to imprint on?¡±

    ¡°oh, no. it¡¯s not that kind of problem¡­¡±

    she had no one in mind she wanted to imprint on with aven being around. it¡¯s just¡­

    ¡°i haven¡¯t found a way to defend his majesty¡¯s power yet,¡± she said.

    louis¡¯ face was puzzled for a moment, but he responded, ¡°come to think of it¡­ what happened truly got you into a pinch.¡±

    she¡¯ll try to avoid being left alone with calrad, but there would be no guarantee. wasn¡¯t she summoned to attend the grand meeting in four days? not to mention calrad made sure no one could deny their presence or else be branded the nation¡¯s traitor.

    ¡°seira, how much do you know about imprinting?¡± louis asked suddenly.

    it was a struggle to keep up with how seira¡¯s mind worked.

    ¡°what, as much as others know?¡±

    an alpha to omega, an omega to an alpha¡­ the imprint was like a token of oath to recognize the other person as their lifetime companion.

    to the eyes of the betas, alphas and omegas changed partners so frequently to the point it was promiscuous. but after an imprint, alphas and omegas would never lose sight of their significant other until they die.

    some had even taken their own lives after struggling with their loss over an imprinted partner¡¯s death.

    ¡°but do you know that love must precede to make an imprint?¡± louis asked.

    ¡°does it?¡±

    ¡°an imprint that doesn¡¯t come from love is just a false covenant. when you meet the person you really love and hold an imprinting ceremony, the previous false imprint would be broken.¡±

    ¡°really?¡± seira¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°i guess you didn¡¯t know,¡± he hummed.

    ¡°i¡¯ve never heard of it before,¡± seira shook her head, ¡°an imprint is usually a condition for arranged marriages to prevent any acts of betrayal.¡±

    louis shrugged his shoulders, his expression unchanged, ¡°that¡¯s just funny. it¡¯s no use.¡±

    seira looked at louis while he talked and nodded, ¡°if what you say is true, then i don¡¯t have to worry. i don¡¯t love calrad.¡±

    calrad used his dominating power to force her to imprint. what he would¡¯ve gotten was a false covenant if it had succeeded.

    ¡°even if it¡¯s merely a half imprint, it¡¯s still an imprint, right? you¡¯d have to make a real imprint with someone else to escape his majesty¡¯s clutches.¡±

    ¡°well¡­ that is true,¡± she groaned.

    even if louis made an exception of a half imprint, she had to make a real one so she could totally get away from calrad, which in the end would violate their contract.

    ¡°this part can¡¯t be helped. as your contractor, the responsibility to protect you still falls on me, so let¡¯s try to find a way around to defend you from his majesty¡¯s power.¡±

    ¡°i know,¡± seira sighed softly and looked at him.

    both of his conditions had exceptions, so one or two more things would have to be conceded to balance things out.

    ¡°louis, do you have any relationship you want to have with me in mind? you can tell me in advance, as we also need to add provisions to things related to this in the contract.¡±

    ¡°well¡­¡± he hummed low as if thinking, ¡°there is the concern of children.¡±

    seira nodded her head and said, ¡°as expected. many approach me for the same purpose of securing a successor.¡±

    getting someone from the line of seira askan was something all of the noble families of hesrad wanted, and her child would then be treated as the most valuable thing in the kingdom.

 Chapter 50.2

    however, seira had no intention of offering anyone else aside herself on the table. it was the same for a child that would come from her own womb. even if it was the condition to revive askan, she would never concede to such ideas.

    ¡®please, please¡­¡¯

    trying her best to stay calm, seira waited for louis¡¯ answer with a heavy feeling crushing her shoulders.

    ¡°i really don¡¯t have much interest in that,¡± finally came his answer.

    she had to blink several times before seira found her voice, ¡°¡­ what did you say?¡±

    ¡°planning for succession is only for the family¡¯s future, and i can¡¯t afford to calculate the future,¡± he added an explanation as he saw the confusion in her face.

    seira stared at his face for a long time without uttering a single word. his cynical remarks sounded oddly sincere, which confused her even more.

    ¡°however, when it comes to relationships¡­¡± he paused and then continued, ¡°it¡¯s hard to say for sure. as i mentioned, i fell in love at first sight.¡±

    louis tilted his head to an angle and asked, ¡°what about seira? do you have any thoughts of adding franto¡¯s head to your list of partners?¡±

    seira looked at him wide-eyed. she never thought he¡¯d throw the question she gave him back to her.

    since she already decided to pretend as his lover, it was only natural to spend at least one or two heats and rut together. for that reason, it was clever to ask her intentions even though she wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse.

    ¡°well¡­ well, i don¡¯t think it¡¯s all bad.¡±

    she was the one who pretended to be promiscuous to hide aven¡¯s relationship with her. she didn¡¯t have any excuses to make now.

    ¡°really?¡±

    ¡°i already told you,¡± seira said as she looked him straight in the eyes, ¡°i tend to enjoy my freedom. how can i not refuse a handsome man such as the duke franto?¡±

    she needed another alpha to spend her next heat cycle anyway. she was determined not to put that burden on aven no more. it wasn¡¯t a bad choice to get louis as her partner. first of all, she liked his general appearance. second, his appearance again. third, his appearance¡­

    ¡®my eyes¡­¡¯ she found herself grumbling.

    seira couldn¡¯t help it because he wasn¡¯t as good-looking as¡­

    ¡°instead, it¡¯s a bit hard to be faithful to you alone. do you understand?¡±

    she had to make sure everything was clear in the case she had to get baron¡¯s help.

    ¡°well, of course,¡± louis clapped his hand, ¡°we¡¯re not even a real couple, so i don¡¯t see the need to interfere with such things.¡±

    ¡°no¡­ i have no intention of playing so obviously.¡±

    ¡°is that so?¡±

    ¡°you don¡¯t have that kind of preference, do you?¡±

    at her question, an impish smile spread across louis¡¯ face, but he didn¡¯t give any answer.

    ¡°louis¡­?¡±

    ¡°wouldn¡¯t it be more fun to find out for yourself which one?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    seira was very curious about what alternatives he had, but she tried to suppress her curiosity.

    ¡®we already agreed to include a clause related to children in the contract, so that¡¯s fine.¡¯

    it wasn¡¯t as if the sadistic damon glad was any better. as long as there was a line to a certain extent, she was willing to suit any taste.

    now that the bigger frame has been roughly decided, all they had to do was to write a contract. after seira drafted it first, louis went ahead and decided to supplement necessary parts.

    seira wrote down the details one by one with the paper that louis brought her.

    ¡°when i visit the ecliptic, you¡¯d want me to spend at least a third of your time in franto¡¯s mansion, yes?¡±

    ¡°agree. we need plenty of time to be together, even if it¡¯s because of the power-filling work.¡±

    ¡°i know.¡±

    ¡°is there anything else seira wants from me?¡±

    as if she had been waiting for him to ask, seira immediately answered, ¡°i want franto to act as a political ally to askan while the contract is maintained. it would greatly help me not to suffer from retaliatory disadvantages.¡±

    she had no choice if calrad pushed askan into a corner like before. at that time when she had to focus on sneaking nest remains and filling her powers, she also had to run around everywhere just to make ends meet.

    ¡°you need not to worry about that. it¡¯s not that difficult to take over the real power of the noble council.¡±

    his confidence had his basis. if jeff held hesrad¡¯s military power, franto would¡¯ve held gold. now that baron, the owner of jeff, wasn¡¯t paying attention to much of politics, louis was the head of ceremonies.

    ¡®what¡¯s he really aiming at?¡¯ seira could only speculate as she perused the completed contract.

    ¡®she thought he wanted to marry her because there was no mention of any engagement, and he wasn¡¯t greedy for a successor. but most of all, there¡¯s no way that franto would carry a heavy sense of debt to askan like zion.¡¯

    it wasn¡¯t long ago, but seira sensed louis¡¯ temper was formidable. she shouldn¡¯t be deceived by his splendid and beautiful appearance. he always smiled, and his tone was always soft to her. it was clear that he was hiding something behind her back.

    ¡®is it revenge?¡­ or maybe.¡¯

    as she went through the provisions one by one, seira felt something vaguely familiar to her.

    ¡®there is something wrong with this contract¡­¡¯

 Chapter 51.1

    it wasn¡¯t clear if the target was calrad, the whole of viseltium, or a third party she had no idea of, but it seemed certain that it originated from malice rather than in good faith.

    ¡®then it¡¯s not a bad thing for me either.¡¯

    she didn¡¯t believe in love at first sight. louis franto certainly had no feelings for her, that she was sure of. he just thought of her as a tool to achieve his own needs. seira thought it was even more advantageous if that was the case.

    ¡®i¡¯ll have to play with him accordingly,¡¯ she decided.

    it would¡¯ve been awkward if it was someone who had feelings for her, but there was nothing to worry if that wasn¡¯t the case. she was going to pretend that she was head over heels in love with him with all her might. even louis would surely be fooled. and then¡­

    ¡®it will gradually reveal itself.¡¯

    someone hoping for askan¡¯s downfall would eventually emerge. to cut off and disrupt the alliance she and louis created.

    seira smiled brightly and looked at louis.

    ¡°all you have to do now is to sign this.¡±

    ¡°i see.¡±

    nodding, louis took something out of his pockets. seira presumed it was the duke¡¯s seal, but her eyes widened as she saw what was in his hand.

    ¡®no way¡­ no way!¡¯

    ¡°why do you look so surprised? this is essential if we are to pretend to be lovers.¡±

    seira couldn¡¯t hide her awkward expression as he put his hand over hers.

    ¡°please look at this and always think of it. we share the same thing now.¡±

    the ring he put on his finger was studded with a transparent crystal like that of a diamond.

    ¡°this is a magic tool,¡± she said as she studied the ring at a closer distance.

    the amount of mana she could see was unusual. the color, even the way it was concentrated was different.

    ¡°that¡¯s right.¡±

    his eyes folded as he laughed after putting a similar-looking ring on his finger. it may differ in size, but everyone would definitely notice they were the exact same pair.

    ¡°i think this will please you more than jewelry.¡±

    that was a fact of course. if it had been a simple piece of jewelry, she would¡¯ve taken it off as soon as she entered her bedroom, but this would be stuck to her as if they were one.

    ¡°thank you, louis,¡± she smiled at him, trying to regain composure from her earlier blunder, ¡°i really like it.¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m glad to hear that.¡±

    he looked down at her contended expression, unable to take her eyes off of the ring.

    ¡°but now that you have that, you know what to do, right?¡± louis asked her as he rose from his seat.

    ¡°what to do¡­?¡± seira asked, wondering what he meant.

    ¡°we need to finish testing before we sign the contract,¡± he replied in a matter-of-fact tone, ¡°aren¡¯t you curious how much power this black rubble has?¡±

    ¡°ah¡­!¡±

    at his words, seira jumped from her seat and quickly followed him. as louis said, the test was a procedure that was the heart of why they were signing the contract today.

    * * *

    ¡°do i always have to do this? no?¡±

    in front of them was a glass tub filled with sticky liquid. to be honest, she was very reluctant to go inside and try to use her power to see if losses were minimized.

    ¡®isn¡¯t that the beast¡¯s blood?¡¯

    the color was different, but its texture was similar when she touched it slightly.

    louis gave her a reassuring smile and answered her embarrassing question, ¡°of course. it¡¯s the most efficient method, so it¡¯s much better to use when you are in the ecliptic.¡±

    seira tried her best not to cry and loosened her gown.

    ¡°it¡¯s not toxic nor poisonous¡­¡± louis told her, ¡°should i go in first if you are still hesitant?¡±

    ¡°no,¡± seira shook her head, ¡°it¡¯s not because it looks dangerous¡­¡±

    she just didn¡¯t like dipping herself in an unknown liquid. heaving a long sigh, seira took off her gown. she walked in with only her underwear covering her private parts.

    ¡®this is for askan¡¯s revival,¡¯ she told herself, ¡®now is not the time to be bothered covering myself up.¡¯

    even though the room was relatively warm, seira shivered and got goosebumps. perhaps it was because louis¡¯ eyes were observing her as his test subject.

    deciding to get it done and over with as quickly as she could, seira sat down in the glass tub until her shoulders were soaked in the suspicious liquid. it felt slightly cold, but gradually turned lukewarm after soaking her body in it.

    ¡®well¡­ it¡¯s not so gross after all,¡¯ she thought to herself.

    it was quite manageable considering she was buried in what may look like odorless and colorless mud. louis connected a cube containing black crystals at the end of the tub and approached her curiously.

    ¡°how is it? do you still feel uncomfortable?¡± he asked.

    ¡°yes, well¡­ it¡¯s not that bad after all,¡± seira admitted.

    ¡°then i¡¯ll hop in too. i¡¯m going to take off my robes,¡± he said and then raised a playful brow, ¡°i think it¡¯s better you don¡¯t look.¡±

    ¡°¡­?!¡±

    seira stared at louis, and soon understood what he meant after a while.

    as his upper body got exposed when he took off his robes, large and small scars were slowly revealed. like that of a pure-blooded alpha, it wasn¡¯t difficult to fully appreciate his perfect body covered with dense muscles.

 Chapter 51.2

    ¡°it¡¯s pretty ugly, right?¡±

    ¡°uh¡­ no.¡±

    for seira, who spent more than half of the year on the battlefield, scars weren¡¯t considered as criteria for judging whether they were good or bad. many of askan¡¯s knights had bigger scars than louis had, which they considered as symbols of luck in which they passed life and death safely. it¡¯s just¡­

    ¡°well, i have to admit it¡¯s quite strange.¡±

    ¡°what do you mean?¡±

    ¡°why does franto¡¯s duke, who could¡¯ve negotiated, leave his successor¡¯s wounds to scar?¡±

    most of viseltium¡¯s direct descendants had healing powers. ordinary nobles or commoners would never dare, but franto could¡¯ve just asked for it. of course, he¡¯d have to offer an enormous amount of cash and donations, but couldn¡¯t he do that much for his successor?

    seira didn¡¯t know when and how he got the scars, but it must¡¯ve been a critical condition. but with closer inspection, it seemed to have been abandoned and the wounds treated poorly.

    ¡°i know that look,¡± louis said, ¡°it¡¯s quite bad, isn¡¯t it?¡± he joked back.

    ¡®¡­no way.¡¯

    ¡°it would¡¯ve been nice if they hadn¡¯t hurt me.¡±

    his nonchalant attitude made seira realize who was the person who hurt him.

    ¡°i was actually worried that if you saw this, you wouldn¡¯t want to touch me.¡±

    ¡°you think too much,¡± seira stared up at him and smiled as she pulled him forward to sit down, ¡°it¡¯s all right, so come on in.¡±

    louis¡¯ childhood, which seira presumed had been without worry and princelike, had actually been bitter. it wasn¡¯t easy to guess how deep and dark the shadow of controversy of franto¡¯s lineage must¡¯ve cast over the young boy then. she assumed it must be one of the reasons for the contract they signed.

    while seira was lost in her thoughts, louis got in the tub and sat behind her.

    ¡°seira, if you don¡¯t mind, would you lean on me?¡±

    ¡°like this?¡±

    at louis¡¯ request, seira moved closer to him. his chest touched her back, and she was surprised that it felt much harder than she anticipated.

    ¡°you¡¯d better stick closer. i need you to amplify my power.¡±

    ¡°¡­more than this?¡±

    ¡°well¡­¡± louis hummed, ¡°are you ashamed? the scruff of your neck has turned red.¡±

    seira puckered her lips and opened her mouth in astonishment. he seemed to be hugging her bare body while she wasn¡¯t even that close to him. although she pretended to be promiscuous, seira actually didn¡¯t tolerate such things.

    ¡°it¡¯s hot,¡± she simply replied with a slight grumble.

    at her answer, seira heard louis say with a laugh, ¡°i¡¯m glad to hear that. it¡¯s much better if at least one person is fine.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°in fact, i¡¯m embarrassed to death,¡± he whispered into her ears.

    louis leaned forward and hugged seira in his arms. because of that, seira screamed internally when her shoulders, back, and hips touch louis¡¯ skin. over thin cloth, she felt something like an iron club touching her.

    ¡®ugh¡­ he¡¯s kind of big too,¡¯ she thought at the back of her mind.

    seira assumed it must have been hard carrying such a thing in his pants all day and night.

    ¡°i am sorry if this makes you feel uncomfortable,¡± he apologized shortly after hugging her.

    ¡°no, well¡­ it¡¯s by instinct, so it couldn¡¯t be helped.¡±

    it was even weirder if an alpha in his prime hugged an omega in her underwear and was still fine.

    ¡°then shall we start now?¡±

    seira nodded and at the same time, his arms that held her turned tense.

    ¡®oh¡­¡¯

    seira¡¯s lips formed into a tiny circle at the force wave permeating through his skin. her purple eyes, symbolizing the askan lineage, began to calculate with a brilliant light.

    louis¡¯ power was a clear turquoise like his eyes, resembling lush greenery. the amount of energy that filled up in a blink was astonishing.

    shortly after being enamored by his overwhelming power, seira began to amplify. her powers had no special color ¨C the black made it darker, and the light made it brighter.

    the color of the liquid rapidly changed according to the color of power reflected in seira¡¯s eyes. it sparkled like a jewel in full sunlight.

    whoosh!

    the glass tub vibrated lightly with a sudden surge of energy.

    a brilliant light enveloped them afterward. anyone who saw it would¡¯ve been awed, but seira had no time to pay attention to it.

    she felt sick to her stomach.

    a fishy smell climbed up her throat. it was a side effect of rapidly increasing her power, and for a moment, seira but her lips and squeezed all her strength. at some point, she even thought of stopping.

    ¡®no,¡¯ she told herself internally, ¡®even if i have to know how far i could go.¡¯

    if she stopped in moderation, it would become a habit and only fear would grow. it was better for her to know exactly how far her limits were now that she could measure them using franto¡¯s magic tools.

    ¡°i can¡¯t believe it¡¯s this much.¡±

    how long has it been?

    louis exclaimed and withdrew his power first. he thought that the glass tube wouldn¡¯t last long if it took more than it was meant to.

    ¡°you didn¡¯t covet the power of amplification for no reason.¡±

    seira¡¯s power gradually faded after louis.

    ¡°three to four times? this is really¡­¡±

    louis was admiring her powers when all of a sudden, he stopped talking and looked down at seira.

    ¡°seira¡­?!¡±

    her face was ghastly pale with not so much of a trace of blood.

 Chapter 52.1

    seira¡¯s eyelashes fluttered weakly at louis¡¯ call. it was not long before her lips parted slightly.

    ¡°ah¡­ there you are,¡± louis stared at her with eyes wide open, ¡°i was beginning to worry.¡±

    ¡°i feel dizzy,¡± seira frowned, her brows scrunching for a moment, but then her face straightened and she smiled sheepishly, ¡°when i use my power extensively, i tend to become very hungry.¡±

    ¡°oh, we should¡¯ve eaten first,¡± louis said.

    ¡°i know, right?¡± she jokingly replied as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal, but in fact, seira was dying inside.

    ¡®did i overdo it?¡¯ she slightly panicked.

    she didn¡¯t think she was going to puke digested food she previously ate, but the taste and smell of fishy blood came up and it was making her sick. to avoid getting caught, seira tried her best and pretended to be fine.

    it was very dangerous to show the slightest weakness to someone who might one day become an enemy. despite their alliance now, the moment she stumbled, anyone would want to rush in and bite her heels when she least expected it.

    ¡°i¡¯ll go ahead and wash up,¡± seira said as she slowly rose from the tub while louis¡¯ eyes followed her.

    ¡°would you like me to help?¡±

    ¡°of course.¡±

    seira straightened her body and walked towards the bathroom. it was the same bathroom where she took off her clothes beforehand, which was connected to the room where the glass tub was. it was fortunate that it was close.

    as soon as she closed the bathroom door, seira immediately collapsed onto the floor. she felt like her life flashed in front of her eyes the moment she spat out the disgusting blood.

    ¡®but at least i finally know where my limit is¡­¡¯

    her injury was worse than she thought. she could feel that it wouldn¡¯t be possible to take a day or two off.

    ¡®should i meet baron?¡¯

    seira groaned as she pushed herself up and went to the bathtub. she soaked in the hot water for a long time, and even cleaned up her mess.

    ¡®let¡¯s get out of here. i¡¯ve been delayed too long.¡¯

    however, seira, who dug through the pile of clothes she had taken off previously, was overcome with embarrassment. it was too late when she realized she had no extra underwear. the one she wore had been soaked wet, which was in no condition to be worn again.

    ¡®there¡¯s no way a woman¡¯s underwear would be available in here,¡¯ she thought.

    in the end, seira wore her clothes without underwear beneath her blouse and pants. the jacket she wore on top concealed the fact she had nothing underneath. nobody would know unless one would put their hands over and touch it.

    as she left the bathroom, louis rose from his seat, beaming and on his toes.

    ¡°seira, i have great news!¡±

    ¡°huh? what is it?¡±

    ¡°my initial estimate had been at least 40 days to fill the required amount, but i think 15 days would be enough with your power of amplification,¡± he said excitedly, but then stopped and quickly added, ¡°oh, of course, you can¡¯t do it daily, so it would still take a certain period of time.¡±

    if she could do 15 times more than she could today, seira could fill black crystal with the help of her power.

    ¡°wow, that¡¯s great.¡±

    seira¡¯s smile spread across her face. 15 times more¡­ no, if she was honest, she found it tiresome to do more work including the newly saved wreckage, but wasn¡¯t it significantly less than 80 times? considering that it was the key to reviving askan, which hadn¡¯t progressed for a long time, rejoicing wasn¡¯t enough.

    ¡°now that the test is over, shall we finalize the contract?¡±

    ¡°all right.¡±

    it was what she wanted as well. seira felt she had to sign the contract and return to the mansion immediately and rest or go see baron.

    the two signed the contract that they had written earlier side by side.

    ¡°then, please take good care of me in the future,¡± louis smiled and handed her a copy of the contract inserted in an envelope.

    ¡°i hope this would be beneficial for the both of us,¡± seira nodded after she received it and put it in her arms.

    inches apart, their gazes met. as if unsure of what to do next, the two of them finally bent after a long time, mirroring each other without intending to.

    ¡°then now¡­¡±

    reaching out and tucking her hair carefully behind her ear, louis suggested, ¡°shall we go on our first date? we do need to eat breakfast.¡±

    ¡®this man¡­¡¯

    seira wasn¡¯t in any condition to chew food right now, but her excuse was that she was hungry, so what could she do now?

    ¡°¡­alright.¡±

    seira had no choice but to adjust to his sudden invitation for now. she swallowed a big sigh, and then followed louis who seemed to be in a good mood. she only hoped there was a way to get out of this situation.

    * * *

 Chapter 52.2

    franto¡¯s luxurious carriage stopped at the heart of the commercial district of viseltium, in the middle of the most expensive rodem street. one could say it was the most suitable date spot for their first day as pretend lovers.

    louis held out his hand to escort seira out of the carriage.

    ¡°hey, look at that,¡± she heard someone say, ¡°it¡¯s the duke of franto and askan.¡±

    ¡°i heard they appeared at the royal banquet together¡­¡± another whispered.

    ¡°did you see that? the ring¡­¡±

    louis and seira walked leisurely, seemingly showing off and fanning the blazing murmurs that rose from the crowd around them.

    ¡°welcome! we were waiting for you,¡± a middle-aged man dressed in a suit greeted them politely. seira assumed he probably was the manager of the restaurant they entered.

    ¡®did he make an advance reservation?¡¯ she thought as she glanced at louis.

    as they followed the guide inside, seira noted the tables were empty. considering that lunchtime had passed, it was still questionable how there were no customers in sight. but somehow, louis didn¡¯t find it strange at all.

    seira climbed the stairs and saw a colorful hall that seemed to look wider than the first floor thanks to the open terrace. unlike below, there was only one table here. the man who guided them directly to the table went down without even taking their orders.

    ¡°sit down.¡±

    seira sat in the chair that louis pulled out, feeling puzzled.

    ¡°you must come here often,¡± she finally commented.

    ¡°rather than that¡­ it¡¯s a family-owned restaurant. i usually use it when i have appointments outside.¡±

    seira¡¯s eyes almost popped out of their sockets, and louis continued.

    ¡°rodem alone has quite a few franto-owned shops. i don¡¯t know anything else, but i¡¯m quite sure franto is ahead of other families in terms of wealth.¡±

    ¡°i see,¡± seira hummed.

    magic engineering, which developed rapidly in recent years, was certainly a lucrative field. when one got used to using magic tools, it would be hard to revert back to a life without them. for example, telegraphs. it was very expensive, but most noble families and a lot of upper-class residents had them installed.

    a magical faucet that allowed the use of hot water at any time, and a power supply that didn¡¯t need to be filled with gas. they provided convenience that quickly settled into everyone¡¯s daily lives.

    ¡®askan don¡¯t have any of those yet.¡¯

    but now that she allied herself with louis, seira thought it would be better to have a few things installed. he¡¯d give her a discount if she bought some while they pretended to be lovers, right?

    slowly scanning the hall, which was more ornately decorated with luxurious decorations than askan¡¯s mansion, seira raised her glass to her lips and drank lightly.

    ¡®anyway, i think it would be better to empty my bowels one more time before the food arrives,¡¯ she thought.

    although it had somewhat calmed down, a fishy smell still came up her throat. it was impossible to eat food in her current state.

    ¡°louis, if you¡¯ll excuse me for a moment,¡± seira said as she got up.

    ¡°sure, take your time,¡± he nodded as he gave a slight glance toward the bathroom¡¯s location.

    seira walked gracefully this time, maintaining the right posture without faltering. she walked around the pillar and out of louis¡¯ sight and then heaved a heavy sigh as her shoulders slumped.

    ¡®i want to go home¡­¡¯

    was there any way for her to escape the dining room without violating their contract and hurting louis¡¯ feelings? she¡¯ll have to trudge to the bathroom, rolling her head, in the meantime.

    suddenly, seira got dragged by her arms. she didn¡¯t shake it off, as she immediately recognized who it was.

    ¡°seira.¡±

    the narrow space, which seemed to be used as a closet, didn¡¯t have a single shed of light. but the darkness was no obstacle for them.

    ¡®baron!¡¯

    she swore seira didn¡¯t know the day would come that she¡¯d be pleased to see baron jeff.

    ¡®oh¡­ oh, my god.¡¯

    at her most desperate moment, it felt like a miracle for him to show up in front of her.

    baron didn¡¯t even have the time to explain when, how, and why he hid there. seira stretched out her arms and hugged him around his neck. his eyes widened, seemingly caught off guard by her unexpected behavior, but he readily hugged her back.

    he put his hand behind her back after staying in the air for a second of hesitation. seira could feel his hot body beyond their thin clothes.

    the warmth that dug into her skin felt comforting, and she ended up getting emotional.

    ¡®it¡¯s his fault. he suddenly showed up,¡¯ she convinced herself.

    relying on the big hand that firmly supported her, she leaned forward and their lips touched.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    her usual personality wouldn¡¯t have been this reckless, but she couldn¡¯t afford that now. enchanted by her instinct to avoid pain, she bit baron¡¯s lips until they bled.

    she was thirsty as if she crossed the desert without a single drop of water to drink and sucked the blood that bled from baron¡¯s lips.

    baron moaned with a low hum and didn¡¯t mind that he was bleeding. he slipped his hands from supporting her back slowly down her hips, lifted her, and pinned seira between his body and the wall.

    ¡°mmphh¡­¡±

    seira licked baron¡¯s lips to her heart¡¯s content. she was nestled comfortably between his body and the wall. she slowly opened her eyes, feeling that her internal injury rapidly recovered soon afterward.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    baron stared at her gently. the close proximity between them made seira see clearly his bright yellow eyes.

    various emotions mixed together in a complex whirlwind that melted into one. boiling silently at high temperatures, they longed for something more.

 Chapter 53.1

    ¡°did you get hurt?¡±

    baron noticed immediately why she had cut and licked his lips clean of his blood.

    ¡°yes,¡± seira smiled and looked at his lower lip, ¡°thanks to you, i am alive and well now.¡±

    she seemed to have bitten it quite severely, but it already started to heal cleanly, leaving no trace behind. the only thing left behind was probably her saliva that soaked his lips.

    ¡°are you okay now?¡±

    ¡°as you can see, i am fine,¡± seira replied, ¡°by the way, you can come and visit me anytime you want. you weren¡¯t able to stand it and came first, see?¡±

    ¡°i didn¡¯t know either that my patience was so poor,¡± baron sighed softly and leaned his chin against the scruff of her neck, ¡°the moment you came into view, you were already escaping.¡±

    ¡°did you know this building belongs to franto? it would be very difficult if we got caught.¡±

    ¡°does it matter? i needed to meet you,¡± came baron¡¯s indignant response.

    seira couldn¡¯t help but stifle her laughter, ¡°well, who in their right mind would even dare to stop our commander-in-chief?¡±

    ¡°don¡¯t call me that.¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s just a nickname.¡±

    it was the only way for baron and her to be somehow bound together. of course, at first, she just called him commander-in-chief because found his reaction hilarious.

    baron groaned, unable to stop her from calling him by that nickname.

    ¡°seira. are you going to keep hanging out with that fox?¡± he asked.

    ¡°well¡­¡± she glanced sideways, as if a bit embarrassed, ¡°yes. that¡¯s my plan.¡±

    she didn¡¯t deny it. baron was also included in the list of people she had to deceive according to their contract. aven was the only exception.

    ¡°there must be a reason why right?¡±

    ¡°don¡¯t you see it? we look good together.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    baron looked like he didn¡¯t believe what seira said, she couldn¡¯t help but to quickly add further explanation.

    ¡°as you might have noticed, askan needs an alliance now. i can¡¯t keep getting swayed by calrad,¡± she said, ¡°it¡¯s best to join hands with franto, who isn¡¯t pro-emperor but has a lot of political influence.¡±

    baron also spent a lot of time with seira, if not as much as aven had. if she claimed that she was already into louis franto as much as he knew her, he was bound to become suspicious. it was much better to mix lies and truth to trick him.

    ¡°¡­is that so?¡±

    ¡°but i will keep my promise to you,¡± seira said as she looked into his eyes, ¡°of course, that¡¯s if you haven¡¯t changed your mind.¡±

    she was referring to the promise they made on the first night she spent in jeff. baron had asked her to date him at least three times in exchange for giving up her rights to any child she might have with him.

    ¡°of course, i still want to.¡±

    ¡°alright, then i¡¯ll get back to you tomorrow.¡±

    baron, who looked up at her, said in a sad voice, ¡°you¡¯re already going?¡±

    ¡°i should. if i take too long, he¡¯ll be suspicious,¡± seira said as she glanced towards the dining area, ¡°this is a restaurant owned by franto in the first place.¡±

    the tips of his sharp eyebrows dipped into a disappointed frown.

    ¡°you can bite harder, so won¡¯t you kiss me one more time?¡± he asked.

    now, what kind of healing power was he trying to trade for a kiss? seira could only shake her head in amusement.

    ¡®he¡¯s being serious too.¡¯

    to be honest, it was a ridiculously losing deal. if he had been one of askan¡¯s family members, seira would¡¯ve grabbed his collar and shaken him to his senses.

    ¡®what are you going to do, you stupid man?¡¯

    seira stared at him as if she was in deep thought, put her forehead over his forehead gently.

    ¡°if you promise not to smear me with your pheromones,¡± she said.

    ¡°i promise.¡±

    seira laughed again at his instant reply.

    he was a man she couldn¡¯t hate. even though jeff¡¯s elders trampled on seira and askan¡¯s honor, she couldn¡¯t dare to bear resentment against baron jeff. considering the help she had received from him up to now and in the near future, she was confused if what she felt was merely because she felt indebted.

    ¡®besides, baron likes me¡­¡¯

    she wanted to be fair in a sense. to him, the head of a large family, who gave his heart without any calculation and even proposed. even if there was nothing else she could offer him, perhaps this was enough until a fleeting fever passed.

    ¡®up until the day he admits to himself it¡¯s impossible.¡¯

    cupping his cheeks, seira gently reached for a kiss. as she licked his lower lip as if to comfort the wound she made earlier, she could feel the strength in his hand that supported her bottoms.

    as he promised, baron¡¯s pheromones didn¡¯t spill. but he was still out of breath, and even his skin was so hot it might as well be literally on fire.

 Chapter 53.2

    unable to withstand her tickling touch, baron caught her tongue and chased it with his own inside her mouth. swirling their tongues and sucking saliva turned quite violent.

    ¡°ugh¡­¡±

    every time she scratched the roof of his mouth, there was a giddy shudder. he persisted in kissing, as if afraid that her promise to kiss him one more time would soon end.

    suddenly, he slipped his hand into her blouse and squeezed her breast. because she had no underwear on, the shape of his hand could be seen through the thin fabric.

    ¡°uh-huh¡­¡±

    seira couldn¡¯t push him away easily, even though she knew they had to stop.

    ¡®it feels so good.¡¯

    she only spent one night with him, but he learned quickly anything that used his body, and he knew very well how to heat her up. baron pinched and twisted her nipple, working pleasure into her and teasing even more by rubbing the tip with his adept thumb and index finger.

    ¡®i¡¯m going to get my pants wet if i continue any longer,¡¯ seira realized.

    even without the use of pheromones, seira was getting wet down there with just a kiss from him. her body remembered the rough and stimulating sex with baron. as it is, she longed to swallow his manhood and relieve his desire to her heart¡¯s content. if they did it in her current physical condition, she might be gone the minute he put it in.

    ¡®no, what are you thinking?¡¯ she caught herself racing with all the things that could¡¯ve happened.

    louis franto was waiting for her in the hall, just outside the door.

    ¡°baron,¡± seira called his name, ¡°you need to stop now.¡±

    she managed to take her lips off of him, and pushed his chest away.

    ¡°put me down. i have to go.¡±

    unexpectedly, baron seemed to comply immediately and dropped her. but then he hurriedly stopped her from leaving.

    ¡°wait, seira.¡±

    ¡°what is it now?¡±

    ¡°you¡¯re not wearing underwear, are you?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°i can actually smell it. wouldn¡¯t it be better to solve that and then go?¡±

    seira looked down at her body quickly in embarrassment. she didn¡¯t know if it really smelled bad or not, but it was true that she got excited from the stimulations.

    he pulled her back and whispered seductively, ¡°i¡¯ll lick it for you.¡±

    he tilted his head and stroked her earlobes lovingly, making her spine tingly.

    ¡°don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t be long,¡± baron reassured her.

    seira had never thought of herself as a weak person against temptation. she thought it was foolish to err when it came to pleasure.

    but at this moment, she could barely refuse baron¡¯s touch. she couldn¡¯t even say no even when he pulled her pants down and put his face between her legs. the anxiety of having to return to louis quickly and the expectation of the pleasure that would soon sweep through her body.

    ¡®if he finishes quickly, then it will be fine.¡¯

    eventually, seira gave in to what her body wanted. jeff¡¯s owner, who was more than willing to kneel at her feet, was a man full of talents to bring her into climax in an instant.

    ¡°ahn!¡±

    seira hurriedly covered her mouth. if she hadn¡¯t, there would¡¯ve been no way to stop the moans that would burst out immediately. every time his tongue brushed against her clitoris, her back twitched and bounced.

    even when she endured the violent stimulations of his licking, seira was beginning to worry about the outside. if someone opened the door, they would be seen in such an obscene scene. it was a cramped space with no place to hide or block themselves even if they wanted to.

    ¡°if i am with you, you should focus only on me,¡± baron warned her in a low voice.

    he thrust his finger inside her, and his thick and hard thing pushed her up against the wall.

    ¡°ugh¡­ baron, wait a minute.¡±

    sliding his tongue over her trembling thighs, baron quickly poked her narrow hole. as if it was waiting for a long time, seira¡¯s arousal poured out.

    as soon as his finger pulled out, her hot liquid poured out again. now she had to pay more attention to the loud clatter coming from below her rather than the moans that escaped the gaps from her fingers.

    ¡°yes¡­ yes¡­ ah!¡±

    she could feel something flowing down her thigh. this time around, baron added another finger inside and made seira stomach flip. as if it wasn¡¯t enough, he even licked at the same time.

    seira didn¡¯t have time to think about anything else. not her rising anxiety that they might be caught, nor the tension of having louis wait for her for too long.

    she just felt and moaned. she left herself in his hands and tongue. finally¡­

    ¡°oh, my god!¡±

    the climax of her pleasure made seira¡¯s eyesight go white. her body trembled as she tilted her head as far as she could. she even struggled standing up properly because she was shaking all over and down to her toes.

    ¡°i¡¯m going crazy,¡± baron sighed. ¡°i can¡¯t believe i should just let you go after this.¡±

    pulling out his fingers, baron put them in his mouth and sucked. then, as if it wasn¡¯t enough, he even licked everything on his knuckles and on her thighs.

    ¡°ugh, baron!¡± seira, who just recovered from her climax, covered and pushed baron¡¯s face away.

    ¡°you can¡¯t lick everything!¡±

    ¡°what do you mean? i will lock myself and masturbate until you come.¡±

    ¡°no¡­¡±

    seira looked at him speechless.

    sitting on the floor, he looked like a sad dog abandoned by his owner. in the end, seira looked even more pitiful because her hair was a mess from unknowingly grabbing it.

 Chapter 54.1

    seira dressed up quickly and roughly combed her hair with her hand as she said, ¡°you¡¯ll feel better if you take an inhibitor.¡±

    baron slowly lifted himself up, as he waited for her to finish. seira tilted her head and looked at baron. his bright yellow eyes scanned her cheeks, eyes, and lips one after the other.

    ¡°i¡¯ll take care of my body, so go ahead. it¡¯s not good for franto to notice anything.¡±

    as if to prove he could do it on his own, he completely kept his pheromones even after licking omega¡¯s liquid, which was no less than an aphrodisiac to an alpha. seira admired his patience and discipline.

    ¡°yes. see you tomorrow then, baron.¡±

    she left baron who was shaking his head, and seira quietly walked out of the tiny room. baron¡¯s presence had already disappeared when she came out of the bathroom and decided to check her clothes again. he seemed to have escaped quietly.

    ¡®hey, who am i even worried about?¡¯

    baron was hard to find if he intended not to be found. seira agreed that it was most likely that he would succeed the lineage of lord-class slayers which were nonexistent after nathan¡¯s death.

    his boldness to push himself forward without a second¡¯s hesitation into the heart of tactics combined with his cool judgment as a commander had never lost a war. perhaps even if franto¡¯s knights surrounded the building, baron jeff would just come and go as if it was his own house.

    ¡®anyways, at least i benefited from him coming all the way here.¡¯

    if it weren¡¯t for baron, she¡¯d walk back as if her legs were made of lead. she was in her best condition now, all thanks to her internal injuries healing as well as her desires being attended to.

    ¡®but i¡¯d still have to pretend i¡¯m weak before i eat.¡¯

    wouldn¡¯t it be strange if she turned out fine before she even ate anything? seira walked slowly, pretending to be weak.

    as she entered the hall, louis who was sitting upright at the table, caught her eye. she had been away for about ten minutes, but he didn¡¯t look any different from when she left.

    ¡°are you done?¡±

    all that changed was that the food was already served at the table.

    ¡°i¡¯ve kept you waiting. please go first,¡± she said as she sat down with an apologetic face.

    louis smiled and answered, ¡°i came all the way here because i wanted to eat with you. it wasn¡¯t boring at all, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m glad to hear that.¡±

    seira pretended to be innocent, but deep inside her conscience poked her as she gave a fake smile.

    ¡°come to think of it¡­ you look a lot better than you were a while ago.¡±

    was it because of her mood? his senses seemed to be sharp.

    ¡®he can¡¯t have noticed, could he?¡¯

    it was impossible that they were seen as she and baron would¡¯ve sensed it back in the closet.

    she wasn¡¯t covered in pheromones too, so there was little room for doubt. seira already checked her clothes several times, and she made sure there was no clue as to what happened.

    ¡®well, it¡¯s not as if i did anything that was against the contract.¡¯

    seira relaxed for a moment. what could he say about coming out of a quiet place where no one was around? if they became real lovers or got engaged, then she¡¯d have to care, but they weren¡¯t so seira didn¡¯t have to be careful of her morals behind closed doors.

    ¡°did you put on a bit of makeup?¡± he asked.

    ¡°you mean i look prettier, right?¡± seira said as she put her hand to her cheek as she smiled with her eyes.

    ¡°ah¡­¡±

    with his eyes widened, seira presumed he didn¡¯t expect her to answer him like that. she licked her lips and muttered under her voice.

    ¡°in my eyes, seira is always beautiful.¡±

    ¡°thank you for the compliment. louis is handsome, too.¡±

    reversing his empty praises, seira picked up a fork and said, ¡°wow, this is so divine. i am getting much hungrier just by looking at it.¡±

    ¡°i hear that a lot.¡±

    louis no longer asked about her nonchalant behavior.

    as seira ate the bite-sized appetizer, the table was instantly filled with new dishes. she suspected that he instructed the restaurant to bring all the food on their menu. as expected from the most expensive restaurant in the commercial district, everything was delicious.

    unlike when he treated her at the franto mansion not too long ago, the favor given now was no longer burdensome. it was comfortable that the meeting had a clear purpose.

    unlike seira who ate with much relish, louis barely touched his food. he looked at her carefully as if he was examining her, and merely took a sip of wine.

    ¡°louis, don¡¯t you like the food?¡± she asked when she finally noticed.

    ¡°that¡¯s not it¡­¡± he said, ¡°seeing you eat well makes me full already.¡±

    seira nodded at his words without much emotion ¨C they couldn¡¯t have been sincere anyways.

    ¡°that¡¯s too bad. they are delicious.¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m glad to hear that. how is askan¡¯s cook skills?¡±

    ¡°how could there be such a thing? we don¡¯t even have a butler,¡± seira replied with a chuckle.

    ¡°then, do you cook your own food?¡±

    ¡°sometimes i do, but mostly aven or the other knights do. i¡¯m much more skilled with a sword in the battlefield than i am with a knife in a kitchen.¡±

    ¡°i see.¡±

 Chapter 54.2

    louis turned silent as if he had something in his mind, his head hung low.

    ¡°it would be great if you cook for yourself. there would be fewer risks of getting poisoned.¡±

    ¡°most high-ranking nobles are resistant to poison. even if poison was mixed with food, we won¡¯t die anyway.¡±

    ¡°that¡¯s right. you can¡¯t risk your life with any kind of poison.¡±

    seira smiled and asked him, ¡°why is that? is there anyone in mind you want to kill?¡±

    ¡°no, i don¡¯t think so. there¡¯s no way one should end another¡¯s life with poison only,¡± he replied with a smile as well. ¡°so always take good care of yourself, seira. the ecliptic and the battlefield are the same.¡±

    ¡°oh, you worry about me,¡± she gasped, ¡°why, thank you, louis.¡±

    ¡°of course.¡±

    ¡°is this because you are my lover?¡±

    ¡°yes, i am your lover.¡±

    seira pushed the empty bowl in front of her and looked at him with her chin propped on her hand. louis¡¯ expression remained calm even when she stared at him. all he did was quietly meet her gaze.

    his impression at first glance was friendly with the smile he made like a habit, but his clear turquoise eyes were cold and without warmth.

    seira suddenly got curious. he didn¡¯t know what she could see when she looked at him. was that an act as well?

    ¡°after this, do you have plans?¡± his voice asked sweetly like a real lover.

    ¡°why?¡±

    ¡°i was wondering if we could stay in franto together until the day of the convention.¡±

    come to think of it, there were still four days left until the grand meeting calrad called for. all family heads of high-ranking nobles who stayed outside of the ecliptic were arriving slowly each day.

    ¡®he is trying to show us off.¡¯

    considering louis¡¯ purpose, it was natural of him to propose such.

    ¡®but with four days left, i don¡¯t think i need to go to franto.¡¯

    seira was busy in her own way, too. she had to stop by and see how her knights were doing, and she also had to check if the bounties they received were put to good use.

    ¡°i¡¯m afraid i have other prior arrangements to attend to. i¡¯ll go to franto¡¯s mansion around the day after tomorrow.¡±

    even if she stayed from then on, it wasn¡¯t against his intention that she¡¯d spend two nights in franto until the day of the conference.

    ¡°i don¡¯t mind, but you¡¯d better watch out. his majesty might make a move to prevent you from attending. if you don¡¯t mind, can you tell me what plans you have before coming to franto? i¡¯ll check if the family you¡¯ll meet is pro-emperor or not.¡±

    ¡°ah, the person i¡¯d be meeting was a pro-emperor but¡­¡±

    ¡°then¡­¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s baron jeff.¡±

    louis, who was about to suggest something, stopped in his tracks.

    ¡°if i don¡¯t meet him in time, he might sulk.¡±

    seira smiled awkwardly as she pictured the tiger-sized man sitting and grumbling on the floor. if she delayed their appointment any further, baron might sneak into franto¡¯s mansion or anywhere she¡¯d be at.

    ¡°the duke jeff¡­ i didn¡¯t know you had him as a partner.¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s not that long.¡±

    ¡°so that was why he intervened so many times¡­¡± he mumbled with a nod as he recalled what happened during the banquet. ¡°it wouldn¡¯t be bad.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°it might even help with the plan.¡±

    she was puzzled by his unexpected reaction, but seira was relieved to hear him say that. to her, baron was like her second lifeline. she had a reason to meet with him constantly, but it would¡¯ve been troublesome if louis had been against it.

    ¡°that¡¯s great.¡±

    he had nothing to justify stopping seira from meeting baron, not unless she was breaching the contract. it was comforting to know she could still keep a good relationship with louis, who was the key to reviving askan.

    ¡°but you could still spare me a few hours after eating, right?¡±

    ¡°of course,¡± seira instantly replied, ¡°this is our first date after all, so it would be a shame.¡±

    his eyes curled at her words, ¡°i¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fun.¡±

    she didn¡¯t know what they were going to do, but she was certain it was going to cause an uproar in town just like using the whole restaurant for themselves.

    ¡°i¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±

    seira leaned back on her chair feeling more comfortable. in the near future, there wouldn¡¯t be anything to hope for if louis showed her his calculating side as he did now.

    until they got what they wanted from each other, they would stay as they are now.

    * * *

    baron, who suddenly opened the carriage door, reached out to alec.

    ¡°inhibitors. quick.¡±

    alec always carried an inhibitor for emergency purposes, and he quickly took out the medicine case and handed it to baron.

    ¡°here you go.¡±

    baron swallowed three pills compared to which he previously only took one at a time during his rut period.

    ¡°what the hell is going on here?¡± baron mumbled as he swept his hair backward.

    alec asked, looking nervously at his master, ¡°that¡¯s just the question i want to ask, sir. how did you end up like this?¡±

 Chapter 55.1

    baron had been on his way back from visiting another nobleman¡¯s estate where his grandmother, domina jeff, had last stayed before her disappearance. while he passed the commercial district, baron suddenly jumped out of the running carriage.

    ¡°you don¡¯t have to know.¡±

    ¡°you met with duchess askan, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    baron released a long sigh as if that was the only answer he¡¯d give alec.

    truth was, alec already guessed the moment his master jumped out of the carriage. there was no way he¡¯d act like that, not unless it was related to seira askan.

    asking for an inhibitor as soon as he returned, alec¡¯s prediction turned out right. the only question left was why he didn¡¯t bring her back with him.

    ¡°were you rejected?¡±

    alec knew of the situation between the two because baron had been very clear about his anger with the rest of jeff. how ridiculous the elder¡¯s suggestion to seira in conspiracy with the tellons and how she reacted to it as well.

    he was furious when he first heard of it. it was embarrassing for such rude and shameless people to carry jeff¡¯s name, so he was sincerely helping baron. domina had shouted arrogantly and said she did nothing wrong. she went to a villa on the outskirts of the territory, and somehow alec felt relieved that she was sent out.

    but at some point, things started to take a strange turn.

    ¡®first, it was the accident with the marquis of tellon¡¯s carriage.¡¯

    the next day, damon gland and olivia tellon were found dead together, looking as if they had strangled each other.

    finally, they got hold of information that domina jeff was missing.

    domina should¡¯ve arrived at jeff¡¯s estate by now, and alec had a hunch why she hadn¡¯t yet.

    ¡®surely it¡¯s a retaliation.¡¯

    the accidents happened in different places in such completely different ways, but it was clear to alec that everything was all connected. who did it and for what purpose?

    baron reacted as calmly even after all that happened. as the news of his grandmother¡¯s disappearance reached him, he only clicked his tongue saying she should¡¯ve kept silent and that her greed caused anger.

    in a way, it may look cold-hearted to some, but alec and the other aides to baron weren¡¯t surprised at all. her crime was worthy of death. if it had been the former family head who had a fiery personality who decided what to do with domina, he¡¯d have one of her arms cut off on the spot.

    ¡®in the first place, baron had been seeking the elder¡¯s consent to marry the duchess seira.¡¯

    when he returned from the banquet, something seemed to have changed.

    anyway, the elders were frightened by the unusual accidents and death happening around the ecliptic. one by one they began to leave with words of retirement.

    in other words, baron and seira¡¯s relationship, which seemed to be over, could be revived if done well.

    ¡®i hope it¡¯ll be like that.¡¯

    alphas and omegas acted promiscuously when their partners weren¡¯t decided yet, but when they finally met, the two would become gentle and sometimes even die together.

    however, alec¡¯s great pure-blooded master fell in love early on and burned all his precious youth chasing one seira askan.

    even now, he went through countless emotional ups and downs because of her. but what if seira askan would imprint with another alpha? it was terrifying to even imagine it.

    ¡®he¡¯d be extremely heartbroken.¡¯

    that in mind, alec and the other aides were desperate.

    ¡°you didn¡¯t bring her here or ask to get a meal together.¡±

    ¡°seira¡­ seemed to have decided to join hands with franto.¡±

    ¡°what?!¡±

    at baron¡¯s signal, the carriage pulled out from the back alley of the commercial district.

    ¡°did the duchess fall for franto¡¯s head, a cunning and charming man?¡±

    ¡°seeing you say that makes me think he must be handsome.¡±

    ¡°no, it¡¯s¡­¡±

    alec hesitated to look at baron. to be honest, in his eyes, his master baron looked the best. wasn¡¯t baron, who had a magnificent physique, looked the most alpha-like? most of the imperial knights envied and wanted to be like him.

    ¡®but women have different eyes.¡¯

    the emperor, calrad lowell viseltium, wasn¡¯t mentioned even in private as no one dared to. the most popular alphas left were louis franto, baron jeff, and aven helford.

    ¡°it¡¯s not just fancy appearances. omega women from noble families tend to prefer the pretty ones.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°you¡¯re handsome, too! in my opinion, the young master is the most outstanding of the three¡­¡±

    ¡°three? if louis franto is one and the other is me, who is the third?¡±

    ¡°what? oh, the count helford is quite popular among omegas as well.¡±

    ¡°aven helford. you mean seira¡¯s closest aide.¡±

    ¡°yes.¡±

 Chapter 55.2

    baron¡¯s brows furrowed as if deep in thought, and then murmured to himself, ¡°what it her taste?¡±

    when it came to demeanor alone, aven helford and louis franto were complete opposites. because aven had a strong and ascetic image, and louis was gentle and bright. however, their beauty was both outstanding. a more beautiful face and slender physique than omegas was common too.

    baron, on the other hand, was very manly and had sharp features. he heard many people call him handsome, but never beautiful. if seira¡¯s taste was on the beautiful side, it meant that baron didn¡¯t pass.

    ¡°besides, i was too clumsy¡­¡± he uttered with a sigh of sadness, ¡°i wish i was a bit smaller.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    alec was startled by what he said. was he talking about his physique or¡­

    ¡°but she did say she¡¯d contact me tomorrow, so there¡¯s still a chance.¡±

    ¡°have you scheduled a date with askan?¡± alec asked, his eyes wide open. ¡°then this is not the time for sulking!¡±

    ¡°huh?¡±

    ¡°you should plan your date and take care of your skin. these days, alphas take on the trend to make themselves look beautiful.¡±

    it was better to have his hair trimmed neatly, which now had become a magpie¡¯s nest, and shave where it was needed. they also had to prepare gifts to capture the omega¡¯s heart, and things they needed to fully enjoy their time together.

    ¡°you¡¯ll be reborn as a stylish and handsome man like duke franto and count helford.¡±

    ¡°saying i¡¯m the best was a lie after all,¡± baron joked.

    alec shook his head violently and said, ¡°that can¡¯t be true. this is just an aspect that his excellency needs to address to be more appealing to the duchess askan.¡±

    ¡°alright, there¡¯s no excuse. i was actually going to prepare anyway.¡±

    regardless of seira¡¯s preference, the face she saw every day in aven helford, and the person whom she held hands with in louis franto, it was clear that at least there was something they couldn¡¯t give her.

    ¡°but in the end, seira¡¯s likes and dislikes weren¡¯t important. she risked all her life on askan¡¯s revival.¡±

    ¡°well¡­ that¡¯s right. that¡¯s probably what franto offered her. it was the same time that askan¡¯s trust in jeff went rock-bottom because of the elder¡¯s mistake.¡±

    ¡°i¡¯ll need to find out what she received first. if it was seira, she must¡¯ve gotten something tangible.¡±

    there surely would be solid evidence as she wasn¡¯t the type to believe in empty promises.

    ¡°understood, your excellency. i will check right away.¡±

    baron nodded with alec¡¯s confident answer and leaned back on his chair. gazing over the window at the distant commercial district, baron recalled seira¡¯s face. she was filled with relief and joy the second she knew who it was that pulled her into that narrow and dim closet.

    he was overwhelmed and was frankly distressed by how seira sucked at his lips like a baby looking for her mother¡¯s milk.

    ¡®how did she get hurt? was it because of that sly fox?¡¯

    her bloodless and pale face and precarious walk meant she had serious injuries.

    ¡®or was it because of what his majesty did during the banquet?¡¯

    no one but seira knew that the healing power of viseltium¡¯s direct lineage was passed down to baron. he didn¡¯t even know that calrad had hurt seira so much for her to come to him as if her life depended on his blood.

    baron swore that if he did anything as ridiculous again, he¡¯d leave him no choice but to turn his back on calrad.

    his loyalty and faith in the imperial family were shaken by calrad, who kept pushing seira into a corner. in the midst of deciding whether to throw jeff away if things didn¡¯t work out, somehow it wasn¡¯t that much different with the imperial family.

    he tried to get the elders to give their consent the day seira proposed to him in the armory. he had thought his love would stay unrequited, but her proposal gave him hope.

    it was the chance to hold the love of his life as his companion. he already even had her in his arms.

    baron became hostile to everything and everyone who came his way. his own family, the royal family, louis franto. they were all annoying and cumbersome, to say the least.

    the only thing that could soothe his anger was seira askan. she couldn¡¯t have known what it meant for baron, but it brought him comfort that only she had sucked and swallowed his blood.

    ¡°your excellency, your excellency.¡±

    alec called out to baron who had a blank face as he recalled kissing seira.

    ¡°i think it is better to take another inhibitor.¡±

    ¡°¡­ah.¡±

    suddenly, baron recognized his pheromones had filled the carriage. he opened the medicine case and poured another pill into his mouth. he had a hunch that it would take seira terribly longer than he wanted for her to get in touch soon.

 Chapter 56.1

    seira didn¡¯t mean it when she said she looked forward to dating louis today. she believed the act as nothing but a boisterous show to publicize franto and askan¡¯s relationship.

    ¡°we¡¯ll be seeing each other every day, but the more telegrams, the better.¡±

    wasn¡¯t he going to give her a bunch of magic tools, including three telegraphs, which roughly was about the price of a villa each?

    ¡°choose whichever you like.¡±

    won¡¯t he buy the products she chose and then send them to askan?

    ¡°i actually knew after the test you weren¡¯t wearing underwear,¡± louis told her in a low whisper, ¡°next time, you can speak to me comfortably. we should take care of each other well if we want to make this a believable set-up.¡±

    he also picked out her own underwear. it was even from the most famous haute couture in viseltium.

    ¡®does he really have to do this?¡¯ seira asked herself.

    screaming inside, she smiled and said, ¡°thank you, louis.¡±

    sometimes he¡¯d hug and kiss seira on the cheek. fortunately, she wasn¡¯t offended. it was all thanks to louis¡¯ great looks and the rewards she could get out of their contract.

    the bigger the rumor, the more calrad¡¯s anger would be redirected at louis. the more sincere they seem, the more beneficial it was for her. first of all, wouldn¡¯t it be great to get aven out of calrad¡¯s target?

    finally, after paying everything for seira, louis handed over franto¡¯s carriage and knights to her.

    ¡°use them until you get back home. that way, i will stay at ease knowing you are safe.¡±

    ¡°alright,¡± seira nodded.

    now that louis promised to protect her from calrad, she had to accept his offer, even if it was somehow uncomfortable on her side.

    ¡®everything we did today was seen by the public.¡¯

    after she separated from louis, seira began to deal with things she had to put off for franto.

    contrary to what was known to the public, she didn¡¯t live in frugality because she had no money. as a master-class slayer, seira earned a huge amount of money by becoming a mercenary for more than half a year. she didn¡¯t deny most of her money was devoted to the revival of askan, but some had been invested in the right places.

    contrary to what is known to the outside world, she did not live so frugally because she had no money. as a master-class slayer, he earned a huge amount of money by playing as a mercenary for more than half of the year. it was true that most of them were devoted to the rehabilitation of the territory, but some invested in the right places.

    lucy and meilin, the twins, ran a legal counsel office that helped find an investment prospect. perhaps of their extensive legal knowledge and considerable information obtained through counseling, their recommended prospects always earned from the initial investments.

    her return this year was satisfactory too, and seira extended her contract with her existing investment partner for another year as per lucy and meilin¡¯s advice.

    instead, seira reduced one of her annual expenses. every spring, they used to hire the empire¡¯s most capable wizards to cast revival spells across askan, but this year she decided not to.

    ¡®i still don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen.¡¯

    if the power lent by louis would end up successful, then maybe.

    ¡°your excellency!¡±

    as she stepped into the askan mansion and training grounds, askan knights started to gather. more than half of them remained, even though seira arrived quite late from visiting the counsel office and banks.

    ¡®the rest were dispatched.¡¯

    seira looked around at the knights.

    ¡°have you eaten yet?¡¯

    ¡°oh, not yet.¡±

    ¡°did you have dinner?¡±

    ¡°me, too. should we eat together? i bought some meat.¡±

    the knights¡¯ eyes almost popped out of their eyes as she exclaimed with excitement, ¡°thank you, duchess!¡±

    ¡°i¡¯ll be right back after washing up. please wait for five minutes.¡±

    ¡°hey, rookie! you didn¡¯t sweat much, get ready to grill some meat!¡±

    ¡°oh no! i smell no joke right now.¡±

    seira couldn¡¯t help but stifle her laughter and said, ¡°don¡¯t worry, everyone wash up and then come back. i¡¯ll grill the meat deliciously.¡±

    at her words, all of the knights closed their mouths and exchanged glances. seira bought meat that was obviously delicious and expensive but was on the verge of becoming inedible.

    one of the team leaders, hul, raised his hand in a flash, ¡°rest easy, duchess! we will grill the meat.¡±

    ¡°that¡¯s right!¡±

    ¡°unit 1, ready the charcoal fire! unit 2, prepare the vegetables, and unit 3 will be in charge of the meat. now, go!¡±

    seira laughed at the knights that scrambled to their stations, assuming the roles that were given to them.

    ¡°then i¡¯m going to get some drinks,¡± she said.

    there was something they could drink in the liquor storage in the basement of the main building.

 Chapter 56.2

    ¡°do you want me to come with you?¡±

    ¡°that wouldn¡¯t be necessary,¡± seira shook her head, ¡°it¡¯s not something that would require two to carry anyway.¡±

    rejecting the youngest one¡¯s offer, seira walked to the main building. the sunset was slowly falling, and the scene of everyone preparing dinner warmed her heart.

    ¡®it would have been nice if aven was with us.¡¯

    the twin sisters told seira he wasn¡¯t in the mansion. he seemed to have gone out of town for personal errands, and lucy and meilin couldn¡¯t go with him since they had a lot of work to deal with at the moment.

    on the contrary, seira was slightly surprised that the twin sisters knew more of aven¡¯s daily activities than she did. maybe they were much closer than she initially guessed.

    ¡®it¡¯s none of my business, but¡­¡¯

    if he was going to meet another omega, she wanted aven to choose someone close to askan. but seira wasn¡¯t happy still, so her selfishness seemed to be helpless.

    ¡°he can¡¯t just take care of me forever,¡± she told herself.

    having eaten so badly, had nathan askan¡¯s spirit been tied tightly to the duchy? without even thinking of finding his body, seira stubbornly clung to her dead father, and acted like a child.

    the same was true to her feelings for aven. because she felt like he was part of the family, and no one should be left. she¡¯d be unwilling to accept that aven would bring another omega as his companion, and get tied to a family that had nothing to do with her.

    seira looked around as she descended to the main building¡¯s basement with only a small candlestick. she tried to shake off her melancholic mood and tried to pick a suitable liquor. the storage used to be full in the past but was now empty. at least this was due to aven filling up every winter during the knight¡¯s break.

    ¡®beer would be better, right?¡¯

    putting the candlestick down on the floor, seira approached an oak barrel containing beer.

    ¡®i should just take out one and have it refilled if it wouldn¡¯t be enough.¡¯

    as she was about to lift the oak barrel, the room suddenly turned dark.

    there was no way that wind would have leaked in, but the candle went out. a wave of familiar mana soon hit seira.

    ¡°aven¡­?¡±

    among those she knew, aven was the only one who could jump over space through shadows. although it was quite strange that the color of his mana was different from usual, seira didn¡¯t bother to ask.

    was there anyone else besides aven who could enter the basement of the askan mansion unnoticed, where skilled knights were roaming around?

    seira was confused why aven did this without saying much of a hello, but she trusted him more than anyone else. she never worried that he might do anything that would harm her.

    ¡®i¡¯m glad he came early.¡¯

    seira felt well in an instant, thinking aven would help her take out the oak barrel, and surrendered herself to his power. by the way¡­

    ¡°ugh¡­!¡±

    she was thrown off guard as a body slammed into her from the shadows. she rolled to the floor, unable to foresee the unexpected.

    she couldn¡¯t even use her powers in the first place. she had reached her limit when they were testing the black crystals¡¯ power during the morning.

    of course, power wasn¡¯t infinite and only recovered with time. the only thing that could instantly get her to recover was baron¡¯s blood.

    seira got up and was surprised that someone was looking down at her.

    ¡®aven? no, it¡¯s not.¡¯

    she knew it as soon as she rolled on the floor, but it was even more shocking after she saw it with her own eyes. seira observed her opponent, who was now unwilling to attack her immediately.

    the man looked about in his late thirties. he didn¡¯t look too old despite his white hair with his robust physique and unflattering posture.

    more than that, his cold and expressionless eyes caught seira¡¯s attention. she thought aven only had black eyes, but so was this man.

    ¡®they look alike.¡¯

    were they brothers?

    ¡®did the previous count helford have any other sons or relatives?¡¯

    it was all too coincidental, that even the nature and power of their manas were similar.

    ¡°where are we?¡±

    the place he took her was a small stone chamber. there was some furniture, including a bed, but it had no windows and it was enclosed.

    ¡®it¡¯s quite similar to the prayer room in the temple.¡¯

    ¡°why did you bring me here?¡±

    the man didn¡¯t answer seira¡¯s question and merely shut his mouth.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°do you have anything to do with aven helford?¡±

    he raised his arm out before she could ask any more questions. at the end of his pointed finger was a bed.

    ¡°lie down¡­?¡± seira guessed.

    he nodded at her query. it was the first that he reacted to anything she said. seira pondered for a moment and slowly moved toward the bed.

    she had the ability of a master-class slayer, but she can¡¯t use her power and there was no way to fight against him. didn¡¯t louis give her a ring-shaped magic tool?

    but it was nothing but foolish to rush into a situation before you totally got a grasp of why it was happening.

    ¡®i first need to find out what his intentions are, and if there¡¯s anyone behind it.¡¯

 Chapter 57.1

    if her opponent had been easy, she would have gained information right away after subduing him. however, her intuition told her the man¡¯s skills weren¡¯t normal.

    even though he stood carelessly, she couldn¡¯t seem to find an opening. besides that, she couldn¡¯t believe that she couldn¡¯t discern his presence behind her.

    ¡®he¡¯s probably at master-level or higher,¡¯ she thought at the back of her mind.

    by far, baron was the only person she found difficult to read when she first met him. if this mysterious man was that capable, then she needed to be careful.

    seira climbed into the bed and sharpened her senses.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    she had no choice but to lie down with the man¡¯s persistent gaze, and he strode toward her.

    ¡®what is he going to do now?¡¯

    all the worst things flashed inside her head.

    ¡°wait, we can talk this out, okay?¡± seira yelled urgently as she saw him reach for her feet, ¡°i don¡¯t know what you want¡­¡±

    her sentence wasn¡¯t even finished and her words faded. the man suddenly took off her shoes and put them neatly on the floor. after that, seira raised her body as he pulled out the blanket beneath her.

    ¡®why does he want to take that?¡¯

    her body tensed up as his cold fingertips touched her forehead. he pushed seira to lay on the bed.

    then, the man covered her with the blanket he took earlier. he tucked her in neatly without any folds, and sat beside her. what he did next caught her completely off guard.

    ¡°sleep, sleep.¡±

    ¡®he can talk?¡¯

    he could hear and talk normally, but he kept his mouth shut up until now.

    ¡®this is crazy. if he wants me to sleep, then he should¡¯ve just used sleeping pills instead!¡¯

    even his hand gestures like patting her on the blanket and his words spoken in a harsh voice were very clumsy. besides, what was with his expressionless face that totally contradicted his behavior?

    ¡°no, hey¡­¡±

    seira tried several times to talk to him, but he shook his head firmly and continued his attempt to put her to sleep.

    ¡®this is confusing me, really,¡¯ she thought.

    ¡°hush, hush, my baby, sleep,¡± the man said.

    it wasn¡¯t the worst thing she could think of, but her situation just blew seira¡¯s mind.

    ¡®who is the baby? me?¡¯

    anyway, before she could even fall asleep, seira decided to pretend for now since he seemed like he wouldn¡¯t quit. she closed her eyes, slowed down her breathing, and relaxed her entire body¡¯s muscles.

    she wondered if it even lasted for five minutes.

    ¡°hush¡­¡±

    as if he knew, the man didn¡¯t stop trying to put her to sleep. it was proof that his senses were superior to hers.

    ¡®i¡¯m sure he¡¯ll eventually fall for it¡­¡¯ she hoped.

    seira shook her head as she barely calmed down her rising irritation.

    ¡®let¡¯s stay calm. there¡¯s no need to rush.¡¯

    it was fine if someone was trying to sabotage her from attending the conference as louis feared. she didn¡¯t know if a day had passed by now, but there were still at least less than four days left until the conference.

    there were plenty of opportunities. for now, what she needed was to rest and regain her power. even if the man¡¯s skills overwhelmed her, seira was confident she could escape. as always, any crisis would just pass if one kept calm and cleverly looked for a way out.

    this time around, seira slept for real.

    from signing the contract with louis to meeting baron, to pretending to be lovers. so much had happened within a day, and her mental fatigue seemed to have accumulated. contrary to what she expected, her eyelids sank heavily and she fell fast asleep.

    ¡®my men¡­ what if they couldn¡¯t even eat meat because i went missing?¡¯

    amid her fading consciousness, the man¡¯s voice clumsily lulling her to sleep faded away.

    * * *

    early in the morning, baron parked his carriage by askan¡¯s mansion walls and waited. alec dissuaded him thinking it wasn¡¯t right, but it wasn¡¯t enough to stop him. he was anxious to meet seira as soon as possible.

    ¡®that fox revived dews¡­¡¯

    he couldn¡¯t guess what trick louis used. baron had tried to find a way as well. the revival of askan estate was the key to seira¡¯s heart.

    if some miracle happened where even the best wizards shook their heads, there was only one possibility.

    ¡®it means the answer lies with his power.¡¯

    the moment he reached such a conclusion, baron felt helpless. his power only specialized in breaking and destroying crimes.

    ¡®what a useless bloodline.¡¯

    he didn¡¯t like his unnecessarily large size and fierce appearance, but even his own power didn¡¯t help. at the very least, it was fortunate that he had the ability to heal as the direct descendant of viseltium.

    ¡®i have no choice but to use it to be appealing,¡¯ he thought at the back of his mind.

 Chapter 57.2

    what does it have to do with pride? he didn¡¯t care about his face. what weighed heavier when he was at the verge of losing the love of his life in front of his eyes? baron had no choice but to put in much more effort than franto.

    ¡®they said she didn¡¯t come out after returning home yesterday.¡¯

    his preparation for their date was impeccable. for the first time in his life, he received skin care, and he trimmed his entire body to look good, including his shaggy hair. he even wore the most fashionable clothes and accessories there were available.

    finally, he prepared a bouquet of flowers and presents for her.

    ¡®i¡¯m not sure if she¡¯d like the flowers, but i¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯ll love the gifts,¡¯ he beamed thinking about seira¡¯s reaction upon seeing what he prepared for her.

    looking at the rectangular box on the opposite seat, baron imagined how she¡¯d react when seira finally opened it. he was sure her whole world would brighten. maybe she¡¯d embrace him, or perhaps a kiss like yesterday.

    ¡®i can¡¯t wait to give it to you¡­¡¯

    he swiped a finger at his twitching lips.

    knock! knock!

    baron glanced out his window to a sound of a knock on the carriage door and opened it right away.

    ¡°your excellency? what are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°¡­aven.¡±

    aven helford, with a plain black uniform and his gray hair tied up into a ponytail, seemed to be standing alone in a colorless world. his beautiful appearance combined with his unique collected atmosphere caught his attention.

    baron hadn¡¯t recognized him as a competitor before because of his insensitive expression and his thoroughly humbled attitude in front of seira.

    in fact, baron was still suspicious. even if seira lay down with all the askan knights, aven would still quietly wait by her side.

    ¡®well¡­ i¡¯m not too sure either,¡¯ he thought.

    anyway, it was clear that aven was someone precious to seira. not only him, but she treated all of askan¡¯s knights like her family.

    ¡°i¡¯m meeting seira today.¡±

    ¡°then you can come and wait inside.¡±

    ¡°can i?¡±

    aven, after giving baron a strange look, turned around and said, ¡°i¡¯ll go ahead and open the door for you.¡±

    seeing him on a horse heading toward the mansion, baron also instructed the carriage to move forward.

    ¡®is he going home just now?¡¯

    he must¡¯ve been very busy. was he busy with the goods and other spoils they earned from participating in the subjugation? in the meantime, he must¡¯ve moved constantly to take revenge on those who tried to harm his duchess.

    ¡®you had to clean up the mess yourself. it seems like you didn¡¯t tell seira too,¡¯ baron said in his head.

    the family was searching for his grandmother who had gone missing, but baron didn¡¯t expect anything. even if she returned safely by luck, she wouldn¡¯t be able to escape death because she had violated the askan head several times. it might have been better for his grandmother¡¯s honor to be treated as missing forever.

    following aven through the open door, the carriage stopped in front of the askan mansion¡¯s main building.

    baron, who concealed everything about the tellons, smoothed out the wrinkles in his pants and straightened his cravat.

    ¡®would she be angry because i didn¡¯t wait calmly and come again?¡¯ he worried.

    he imagined seira would be embarrassed to see him come even before dawn. still, he hoped she¡¯d smile at him like she was happy to see him. baron stood up, trying to calm down his racing heart.

    but soon after getting out of the carriage, his jovial expression slowly disappeared.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    there was something unusual about the atmosphere. at the time of dawn, the expected silence was nowhere, and only the uproar of askan¡¯s knights filled the mansion.

    knights who saw aven come in on his horse rushed toward him.

    ¡°captain, why have you come back just now?¡±

    ¡°we couldn¡¯t contact you at all¡­¡±

    they seemed to worry of something so urgent that they couldn¡¯t care less about baron¡¯s presence.

    ¡°don¡¯t panic,¡± aven spoke which silenced the knights, and then turned towards one as she said, ¡°hul, explain what¡¯s happening here.¡±

    ¡°the duchess¡­ her excellency¡­ her excellency suddenly disappeared,¡± hul said with a soft but rushed whisper. ¡°we couldn¡¯t find where she was after she headed to the main building¡¯s basement to get liquor.¡±

    the knight was cautious with his tone and words, but even so, his words sounded like thunder to baron¡¯s ears.

    ¡°what do you mean?¡±

    it was askan¡¯s business, and baron knew it was rude for the head of another family to demand answers like this. but he just couldn¡¯t stand it. seira was gone?

    baron wasn¡¯t the only one who was paralyzed by reason.

    ¡®no way. there must be some kind of mistake¡­¡¯ aven thought at the back of his mind.

    he had frozen in place and didn¡¯t even notice baron¡¯s question, but then he suddenly rushed into the main building like a mad man. hul and baron followed immediately.

    there was no one that could stop baron, the head of jeff. in the worst case, he might be of some help.

 Chapter 58.1

    the stairs leading to the basement were guarded by knights so that no one could enter. they wanted to preserve the clues inside as much as possible until aven returned. hul stayed outside, and only aven and baron went underground. he was as alert as he was when facing the guardian.

    baron was careful to light fire, so he scanned the dark space without candles or magic tools. they passed a candlestick on the floor and took a few more steps inside. as they stopped in front of a liquor-filled oak barrel, they could feel the faint remnants of magical power.

    ¡°it feels similar to you, but still quite different,¡± baron said, ¡°weren¡¯t there any other blood relatives alive besides you?¡±

    ¡°¡­no.¡±

    in the pitch of darkness, aven looked straight into baron¡¯s beastly bright yellow eyes and said, ¡°the magic remnants don¡¯t seem like it belonged to the helfords.¡±

    ¡°then?¡±

    ¡°i am the adopted son of the former count helford. my parents and origins are unknown.¡±

    ¡°¡­what?¡±

    baron couldn¡¯t speak straight with surprise. aven was a rarity as he reached master-class level at his early 20s since he didn¡¯t come from either viseltium, askan, franto, and jeff. but it wasn¡¯t impossible to say the least, since the helford family were rooted in askan.

    but now he confessed he wasn¡¯t even from the blood of helfords? it was unbelievable considering aven¡¯s skills.

    ¡®no, that¡¯s not the point now.¡¯

    they had no clue to seira¡¯s captor except that the nature of his magic was similar to aven¡¯s. baron was at a loss where and how to begin tracking.

    ¡°it looked like she thought it was me and didn¡¯t resist.¡±

    there was only one type of mana left behind. there was no trace of seira using her powers either.

    baron frowned as he looked around the liquor store and said, ¡°perhaps franto¡¯s fox may know something.¡±

    baron naturally heard of what seira and louis were doing and where they were after their boisterous dating in the commercial district.

    ¡°i¡¯ll meet with him, so you go search around the mansion. if my hunch is right, his power would¡¯ve been similar to yours being able to move between spaces, at which point even seira wouldn¡¯t have noticed it wasn¡¯t you. her kidnapper must surely leave a mark.¡±

    ¡°i see.¡±

    at his late reply, baron turned his gaze to aven.

    ¡®this man¡­¡¯

    even in the dark, baron could gauge his state.

    aven¡¯s clenched fists, no, his entire body was shaking. a cold-hearted man, who never showed emotion in any crisis, lost his reason as he couldn¡¯t endure the thought of losing seira.

    ¡°aven, calm down. your master, duchess of askan, is a master-class slayer. do you think she¡¯d be beaten so easily?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°don¡¯t worry,¡± baron tried to console him, despite him feeling distraught as well, ¡°she¡¯ll be able to cope well on her own until we find her.¡±

    the duke of jeff was strangled with anxiety, but times like this needed his calmness. he couldn¡¯t afford to make a mistake and put seira in more danger if he panicked.

    ¡°you have a telegraph in askan already, right? share whatever clues you find as soon as you can.¡±

    baron quickly climbed the stairs after he finished speaking, when aven called out to him, ¡°your excellency.¡±

    ¡°what?¡±

    ¡°if his majesty had intervened in this¡­ what would your excellency do?¡±

    ¡°is there any reason to assume that?¡±

    ¡°there are only four days left until the conference. an absence would mean treason,¡± aven trailed, ¡°i know it¡¯s a disrespectful thought, but his majesty has done many harm to the duchess lately.¡±

    baron had to swallow the curses that rose in his throat. aven was right.

    ¡®come to think of it, that was written in the official letter.¡¯

    he thought what could be so scary, but then seira came to mind, and he couldn¡¯t help himself from laughing.

    ¡®no, his majesty wouldn¡¯t go that far¡­¡¯

    but was he really sure? baron asked himself and instantly knew the answer. apart from putting his faith and following calrad to whom he swore his loyalty, the emperor was the only one they should be most wary of when it came to things relating to seira.

    ¡°of course, seira¡¯s safety comes first.¡±

    aven bowed with baron¡¯s unhesitating answer.

    ¡°thank you. then i trust your excellency and am willing to lend you my assistance.¡±

    it was an indication that if baron had refused and stood by calrad even a little, aven would¡¯ve refused to help him. he must be confident he could bring back seira on his own.

    ¡°okay.¡±

    he thought he had been afraid that something would go wrong, but it didn¡¯t seem that way. aven¡¯s voice was full of hostility and clear anger. he would definitely find the person responsible for kidnapping his master, and pay him back.

    ¡®it was pointless to worry,¡¯ baron smiled and strode up the stairs.

    now that jeff was strongly hated by askan, he was in a position where he had to insist on helping even if they refused. anyway, he still found himself fortunate.

    * * *

 Chapter 58.2

    how long has it been? seira woke up and looked around blankly. she couldn¡¯t find the man who took her.

    instantly, seira found it an opportunity, as her opponent who had formidable skills and was completely unpredictable was away.

    she lithely approached the door. now that she regained her powers, she could use basic magic to unlock the door. however, there was no magic surrounding the door when she looked into it. it seemed to have been locked manually.

    ¡®but there¡¯s nothing i can¡¯t open,¡¯ she thought.

    seira could pierce through not only locks but also stone walls if she put her mind to it. she only worried that if she did so, the man would come back from hearing the ruckus afterward.

    ¡®maybe if i just keep the intensity in check¡­¡¯

    she pushed the door lightly, and seira¡¯s eyes widened with surprise.

    ¡®what? it just opens¡­?¡¯

    seira opened the door and peered outside. she could see a narrow corridor which two adult men could barely walk side by side without touching their shoulders.

    ¡®i¡¯m sure we are underground.¡¯

    the room she was in was decent, but outside smelled humid and musty.

    seira crept along stealthily with her senses on high alert. the was at the end of the corridor, and she caught a glimpse of the stairs leading up at the opposite end. she noted there were several other doors in between, but for now, seira opted to pass by without opening them out of curiosity.

    she succeeded in climbing the stairs safely without encountering anyone, but then her first obstacle appeared and took away a moment of joy she felt. the door that she had to pass through was locked, and she couldn¡¯t go upstairs.

    ¡®there are magic circles carved on the sides¡­¡¯ she noticed.

    two different shapes of magic circles were engraved inside and outside the door so that it was impossible to go in and out vice versa, but she was confident she could release it. the only problem was that it would take too long to solve it with the magic circles closely intertwined, not to mention avoiding traps.

    ¡®in the meantime, if he did come back, it would be a disaster. i¡¯m still not fully recovered.¡¯

    after memorizing the forms of the two magic circles, seira climbed down the stairs.

    ¡®let¡¯s check the other rooms first.¡¯

    seira opened the doors one by one from those nearest her.

    each room was equipped with spaces necessary for living, such as bathrooms and toilets. other than that, there were also storage rooms. one room had hundreds of beddings similar to what she used piled up, and also a room full of wooden boxes with empty bottles.

    after looking around every room but one that was chain-locked, seira returned to the last room where she was first brought into.

    then she began to rummage through everything in the room.

    there were clothes in the closet the size of her captor. the material of the clothes wasn¡¯t great. overall, it was rough and crude, which felt worse than what most commoners wore.

    after putting the clothes back in, seira searched the desk. there was no paper or any writing instrument at all, and there was nothing that could lead to her captor¡¯s identity or origin.

    the doctrines of the priya temple, which served the goddess of abundance and fertility, looked untouched collecting dust on the shelf. seira perused through the book thoroughly, but there were no writings nor a name of the owner as well.

    finally, seira checked the bed. she looked everywhere at the blankets and bedsheets, and even peeled off the pillowcase and turned it inside out.

    after trying everything, seira sat on the bed and began to combine the clues she obtained so far.

    for now, it was clear that she was in the temple¡¯s basement. the items she saw at the storage room were familiar. it was easy to spot since she joined the subjugation expeditions and rode in priests¡¯ carriages when they moved.

    ¡®this is not something calrad had planned.¡¯

    calrad, who had a strong desire to control her, wouldn¡¯t have thought of leaving her to another alpha. he¡¯d definitely take her straight to the palace and force her to imprint or something.

    seira pondered, ¡®but it doesn¡¯t seem like the temple is using him¡­¡¯

    if the temple was behind her kidnapping, she wouldn¡¯t have been left alone unattended where she could be identified easily by anyone who¡¯d come across her.

    besides, her captor was unlikely a priest. had he been one, the doctrines wouldn¡¯t have been left behind to accumulate dust.

    ¡®he lives underground in the temple, but he isn¡¯t a priest,¡¯ she finally came to a conclusion.

    also, he was an alpha who was powerful enough to travel from the askan¡¯s mansion to this place at once. who the hell was he?

    seira was so lost in her thought, but then suddenly raised her head at another person¡¯s presence in the room. her captor, which she believed owned the room she was in, was back before she knew it.

    she flinched at the sight of a man looking around the room slowly.

    ¡°you¡¯re here,¡± seira said, ¡°let¡¯s talk today, okay?¡±

    there was no way he didn¡¯t recognize the culprit of the messy closets and scattered blankets. after visually scanning through her clutter, the man¡¯s eyes finally turned to seira.

 Chapter 59.1

    ¡°that¡­ i just somehow made a lot of mess¡­¡±

    the man still wore a blank face, but somehow seira felt intimidated. she picked up one sprawled shirt and folded it as she stood up, and the man strode forward.

    ¡°oh!¡±

    he took the shirt from her hand, threw it back into the closet, and then pointed to the chair in front of the desk.

    ¡°are you telling me to sit still?¡±

    not wanting to offend him, seira sat quickly at the chair and he handed her something.

    ¡®a doll?¡¯

    it was of a cute teddy bear with soft fluffy brown fur, black beady eyes, and a shiny nose.

    ¡®why is he giving this to me?¡¯

    as she lifted it up to study it, her captor brought her blanket and wrapped it around her and the teddy bear.

    ¡°no¡­ even if you do this, i have no intention of messing up again¡­¡±

    whether she whined or not, he wrapped her into a cocoon and started tidying up the room.

    she wondered why he threw the folded clothes back, but it seemed that he wasn¡¯t satisfied with seira¡¯s work and had to fold them neatly again to relieve his anger. somehow, the act was quite familiar to her.

    as she watched him unfold and organize the sheets that were scattered on the floor, seira naturally thought of someone.

    ¡®i originally thought his face was quite similar, but he is good at tidying up too like aven,¡¯ she came to realize.

    the room quickly returned to its original neatness. after he finished his work, the man looked back at her.

    ¡°ah¡­¡± seira gasped when he suddenly approached and bent over without a sound. ¡°sorry for the mess¡­?¡±

    she couldn¡¯t stand his persistent gaze and was forced to apologize. he patted her on the head, and his hand felt warm. it didn¡¯t fit his image which had no emotion at all.

    after stroking her for a while, he took a tangerine from his pocket, cut it in half, and fed her a piece at a time. he stared at her chewing face, feeding her more than he fed himself.

    seira felt really strange. his behavior since yesterday was like he treated her like his child. it was something her father, nathan, had done himself when she was very young.

    ¡®as expected, this person¡­¡¯

    seira stared at the face of her captor, who looked just like someone she cared deeply for.

    ¡®this is making me crazy.¡¯

    it was an easy and clear conclusion.

    * * *

    louis raised an incredulous brow as she stared at baron who was pacing around the drawing room without even sitting.

    ¡°this is huge,¡± he gushed, ¡°the head of jeff suddenly seeks franto without even informing first he was coming.¡±

    ¡°this is not the time to pick a fight,¡± baron grumbled.

    jeff and franto had never been on good terms since hesrad¡¯s founding, which explained very little to rare occasions of visits between members of either family. in particular, today was the first time baron jeff visited louis at his mansion.

    ¡°didn¡¯t you meet seira today?¡±

    at his question, baron straightened his back and asked, ¡°how did you know that?¡±

    ¡°she told me,¡± louis said, and then added as baron squinted at his short reply, ¡°i thought we¡¯d have to meet a day later because of her previous engagement with you. we decided to spend time together here until the conference.¡±

    ¡°in franto¡­ she agreed to stay here?¡±

    ¡°yes,¡± louis confirmed, ¡°after all, askan¡¯s mansion has poor defenses.¡±

    baron¡¯s expression twisted with louis¡¯ words. if it weren¡¯t for him, seira wouldn¡¯t have returned to askan and stayed in franto all this time.

    if seira hadn¡¯t gone missing, he would¡¯ve been secretly pleased that she put him first in her priorities. but then he came to realize he had put her in danger in the first place.

    franto¡¯s mansion was a concentration of magic engineering and technology. there was no place as safe from outside threats than where they were now. baron had to admit it even if he hated franto.

    ¡°are you going to cancel your appointment with seira?¡± louis continued, ¡°if that¡¯s the case, please tell me immediately. we still have to prepare to receive guests.¡±

    after glancing over louis¡¯ smooth smile plastered on his face, which baron always thought was unlucky, he sat opposite him and said, ¡°you don¡¯t seem to know anything either from the way you are speaking now.¡±

    louis tilted his head and asked, ¡°what do you mean?¡±

    ¡°seira is missing.¡±

    louis was silent for a long time after hearing baron¡¯s words. only the faint movement of his brows proved he understood baron.

    after waiting for a few minutes, baron spoke again and asked, ¡°do you have any guesses who might have taken her?¡±

    ¡°if they had kept an eye on her since yesterday, then they¡¯d known it was a golden opportunity,¡± louis said with a click of his tongue,

    ¡°why is that?¡±

    ¡°seira had exhausted all her powers yesterday,¡± louis answered.

    baron¡¯s eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

 Chapter 59.2

    ¡°she had to use that much power? she wasn¡¯t even in a warzone.¡±

    baron spoke as if asking himself, but then soon realized something.

    ¡®askan¡¯s main power was to amplify power several times, whether it was her own or other¡¯s¡­¡¯

    if franto¡¯s power was crucial to the revival of the dews¡¯ estate, then seira would¡¯ve tried to amplify his power as much as she could to achieve a greater result.

    ¡®if he promised her askan¡¯s revival, what was seira to give him back then?¡¯

    it wasn¡¯t something baron should focus on at the moment, but he couldn¡¯t help it as if it was by instinct. louis franto was very calculating and never lost a deal. even experienced businessmen kept their tongues.

    ¡®he¡¯d take advantage of anything without a single thought.¡¯

    seira must be on the losing end of this deal. baron¡¯s heart ached. to revive askan, seira had no choice but to follow louis¡¯ and provide everything he would ask of her.

    his situation was no more than a poor man who could only watch helplessly.

    louis also noticed baron¡¯s mood was rapidly going sour. as they spoke, clues were slowly leaking and he couldn¡¯t help but know why he was grinding his teeth.

    ¡°i¡¯d like you to explain the situation. her disappearance is a big deal for me, too,¡± louis said.

    baron opened his mouth even as he glared at louis as if he was going to kill him. as louis stated, what was important now was to find seira as soon as possible.

    ¡°it happened inside the askan mansion last night.¡±

    baron briefly summarized what he saw and heard in the askan mansion to louis.

    the part related to aven¡¯s power was a sensitive issue, so he kept that fact out except that they found out the mana left behind was similar to one of askan¡¯s vassal. this was one of the main clues that could identify the criminal.

    ¡°was it similar to count helford?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°i guess my predictions were right. there¡¯s nothing to be upset about,¡± louis waved a dismissing hand, ¡°is there any other vassal of askan besides count helford who had a similar mana?¡±

    baron nodded disapprovingly.

    ¡°seira seemed to have mistaken the culprit as aven and lowered her guard. there was no sign of any resistance.¡±

    louis sat back in his chair and hummed, ¡°i see. i think i have some idea where she might be¡­¡±

    ¡°what? really?¡±

    ¡°however, it is impossible to make a move right now.¡±

    ¡°why?¡±

    ¡°as it was back in the imperial palace, we¡¯d need to use count helford¡¯s power. we need to wait until seira can fully recover her powers to increase our chances of succeeding,¡± louis explained, ¡°according to my calculations we can move around tomorrow night.¡±

    baron was momentarily speechless.

    first of all, he was shocked that louis not only knew aven¡¯s power but also the fact that aven was the one who took seira away from calrad¡¯s arms. he even calculated the best time to make a move to ensure seira¡¯s safety.

    ¡°where is it? tell me at once.¡±

    ¡°well¡­¡±

    ¡°do you suspect his majesty, too?¡±

    despite baron¡¯s words, louis only shrugged his shoulders and smiled cryptically. baron stood up from his seat, and glared fiercely at him.

    ¡°louis franto! it¡¯s been one night since seira¡¯s disappearance. why should we wait for another day and a half? are you out of your mind? how do you know what¡¯s going to happen in the meantime?¡±

    ¡°that¡¯s up to her.¡±

    despite the pressure that most ordinary people couldn¡¯t take, louis didn¡¯t even blink an eye as he replied to baron¡¯s questions.

    ¡°if seira had heard our conversation, whose hand do you think she¡¯d have taken? she won¡¯t expect my help, nor the help of duke jeff. we can only support askan if she wishes us to. maybe she doesn¡¯t even need our help.¡±

    baron couldn¡¯t resist. to him, louis talked about seira as if he knew everything about her. if seira was really here, she would¡¯ve slapped their backs and dealt with things wisely.

    but¡­

    ¡°fine, let¡¯s go with your plan. i¡¯ll tell aven.¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m glad you understand,¡± louis smiled.

    ¡°i¡¯ll move separately. i don¡¯t think you¡¯d need me in your plan anyway.¡±

    ¡°it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± louis replied with his usual smile. ¡°i wonder what you plan to do.¡±

    ¡°anything.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m going to do whatever i can.¡±

    immediately after speaking, baron turned around and left the drawing room.

    ¡°jeff¡¯s head seems to be very angry.¡±

    a black figure appeared behind louis, staring at the drawing room door that baron slammed shut as he got out.

    ¡°yes, i think so.¡±

    ¡°should i go follow him?¡±

    ¡°can you? baron jeff isn¡¯t a pushover.¡±

    ¡°but¡­¡±

    louis shook his head and glanced back at the black figure murmuring behind him.

    ¡°you can¡¯t. why don¡¯t you check the temple instead? did you notice anything or are you still unaware?¡±

 Chapter 60.1

    ¡°yes, i will,¡± the black figure answered, but hesitated and asked, ¡°but why did he do something unexpected at this time of year? i can¡¯t believe he suddenly sneaked into askan and kidnapped seira.¡±

    ¡°well, unless you are equally crazy, who can understand the spiritual world?¡±

    ¡°but he¡¯s usually fine. maybe there was a reason.¡±

    louis was lost in his thoughts for a while, clicked his tongue lightly and said, ¡°i have no idea. but as you said, if my judgment was right, then it could be a clue.¡±

    the black figure jumped from where he stood.

    ¡°are you saying that someone was targeting seira again? that¡¯s why he took it one step ahead?¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s highly possible.¡±

    the corner of louis¡¯ mouth raised.

    ¡°his majesty and the temple are most likely to do it, but tellon and glad will also make their attempts. blood calls for blood, and revenge begets revenge after all.¡±

    the late emperor thought seira was useless when she hadn¡¯t manifested as an omega and threw her out. damon glad, who tried to manipulate her using his alcohol with the power of oblivion. xyle tellon, tried to steal askan¡¯s lineage and kill seira too.

    after plotting such an ugly scheme, when retaliation came their way, they even felt resentful as if the blood of the innocent was shed.

    ¡°even if it¡¯s not them, there surely would be one or two families who¡¯d want to get their hands on her.¡±

    so far, there have been dozens of enemies that aven and askan¡¯s vassals had struck. there were just too many of them that seira couldn¡¯t handle and stop herself.

    ¡°there are things i¡¯m not even informed of.¡±

    seira askan¡¯s real use wasn¡¯t in her womb where one could produce an heir, but it was funny for them to come and attack her without even recognizing her true value. was viseltium optimistic that franto and jeff would just wait and watch without making a move?

    knowing calrad¡¯s personality, it would be clear that he¡¯d kill and eliminate all alphas and their families who¡¯d take her in as their family.

    besides, even a terrifying monster wearing a servant¡¯s mask was crouching next to seira.

    ¡°i wonder what our ¡®brother¡¯ will be doing. i should visit him.¡±

    ¡°me too! i want to see him too!¡± the black figure exclaimed, excited at the mention of their ¡®brother¡¯.

    ¡°now, just go and do as i told you,¡± louis waved a dismissive hand, ¡°if you don¡¯t make a mistake, you will get your chance someday.¡±

    disappointed by louis¡¯ words, the black figure drooped his shoulders and said, ¡°alright. then i will go.¡±

    after the black figure sullenly disappeared into the shadows, louis got up and headed to the telegraph in the corner.

    as he wrote a letter to aven helford, he recalled the image of baron¡¯s furious face when he told him to wait for just one day.

    louis thought it strange to see a turbulence of emotions which he couldn¡¯t seem to hide. all the more because it was baron jeff, the commander-in-chief of the empire, who led victorious wars with cool judgment and boldness.

    ¡®how long has it been since they became partners? how could he lose that much reason?¡¯

    of course, seira askan was very beautiful. louis often found it difficult to even take his eyes off her captivation smile and elegant gestures.

    when he recalled the moment when she saw the wheat field and hugged him with tears in her eyes, or when they kissed on the terrace of the imperial palace, his body froze.

    but that didn¡¯t mean his emotions didn¡¯t flutter. it was nothing more but the desire to hold an omega as an alpha.

    ¡®i wonder if things would change,¡¯ louis pondered.

    the pleasure of mating with a pure-blooded omega was addictive like a drug to an alpha. if he coveted her body as if digging into her narrow, wet, and warm mouth, would he end up clinging to seira blindly like baron did?

    ¡®no¡­ there is no way.¡¯

    louis sneered.

    if that was truly possible¡­ if a pure-blooded omega could easily seduce any alpha with her body like a swamp would swallow an unsuspecting prey, his mother, philias franto, wouldn¡¯t have crossed the line as a human.

    no matter how beautiful she was, no matter how soft and sweet her body was, it wouldn¡¯t make the slightest change in his plans.

    five minutes passed after louis wrote and sent his message to askan, an answer immediately came back.

    ¡®is this a refusal?¡¯

    he couldn¡¯t hold back a slight laughter with how cold the sentence that was written back to him. he was polite as seira and him were contracted, but he seemed to have no intention of sharing information. aven¡¯s wariness towards louis and franto in general seemed to be close to hostility.

    ¡®as expected, i¡¯ll have to go and find him.¡¯

    determined, louis crumpled the paper in one hand. when he opened it again, all that was left was a handful of ashes.

    * * *

    perhaps because he brought enough fruit to feed seira, her captor never left her side. even when she went to the bathroom, she wondered if she¡¯d get another chance to escape since he stood guarding the door.

    ¡®it¡¯s fine, we still have three days left,¡¯ she convinced herself.

    seira devoted herself to knowing the man¡¯s identity rather than becoming impatient. even if she looked at it from different angles, it seemed like the similarity with aven proposed the idea that they were related by blood. maybe even a cousin.

 Chapter 60.2

    ¡°can you tell me your name? i can¡¯t just call you ¡®hey¡¯ all the time.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°if you can¡¯t give me your name, at least tell me how i should address you. yes?¡±

    as always, the man didn¡¯t listen to her. the way he didn¡¯t raise an eyebrow, let alone look at her when she spoke to him, he seemed to have a serious hearing problem. however, knowing he was able to somewhat hear and speak when he wanted to, seira had no plans of giving up.

    after much coaxing, seira tried her last resort.

    ¡°i won¡¯t listen to anything you say until you tell me your name.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m not going to eat nor sleep,¡± seira continued.

    a little¡­ no, it was quite a childish threat.

    after a day of not drinking a sip of water for half a day, the man started to feel restless at seira¡¯s actions. he didn¡¯t care at first, but the man¡¯s expression betrayed him.

    when night came, he finally opened his mouth. he looked alternately at her pursed lips and the grapes, and then said, ¡°mel.¡±

    ¡°mel?¡± seira repeated, ¡°is that your name?¡±

    he nodded once and quickly offered her a grape. as if he had been waiting, seira accepted the grape and ate it while she pondered.

    ¡®she thought her tactic would work. he really does seem to want to take good care of me just like a child¡­¡¯

    it was obvious mel was an alpha, but he didn¡¯t seem to consider seira as a sexual target at all knowing she was an omega.

    seira looked at him and tried to roll mel¡¯s name with her tongue as she asked, ¡°why does mel live here alone? don¡¯t you have a family?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    in response to her words, his gaze toward seira changed slightly from how he looked at her before.

    ¡°me? am i mel¡¯s family?¡±

    he nodded vigorously as if seira was asking something obvious.

    ¡®what¡­?!¡¯

    of course, she knew she shouldn¡¯t take his words seriously as she already concluded the man was out of his mind. but she still couldn¡¯t easily get past it.

    ¡®family¡­ what does he mean by that?¡¯

    after she finished eating the fruits that he had set in front of her, seira made her decision.

    ¡®i have no choice but to check for it myself.¡¯

    she had an intuition that it would be a decisive hint to finding out the man¡¯s identity.

    mel¡¯s gaze followed sera as she suddenly got up from eating fruits quietly. she put the teddy bear at the far end of the bed as he kept holding her in his arms, and then approached mel and sat on his lap.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    her image was reflected entirely in his jet-black eyes, which were filled with wonder.

    ¡®fortunately, he didn¡¯t push me away.¡¯

    she kind of expected it. whatever it meant, it wasn¡¯t strange to let your family sit on your lap.

    seira stared at mel, then raised her hand and stroked his hair. the gray hair that rolled between her fingers was as soft as aven¡¯s.

    wouldn¡¯t aven¡¯s gray hair be the same as mel¡¯s if he got older and the grays turned to white? it wasn¡¯t bad to imagine. his long ones were pretty, but she thought it would look even better if he kept it short like mel¡¯s.

    seira kept her hands moving.

    as she traced the neat shape of his brows, sharp nose, and red lips with her fingertips, she noticed a few differences. first of all, the lines that made up mel¡¯s features were thicker and rougher than aven overall.

    ¡®aven¡¯s a bit more delicate.¡¯

    so, what about the other part?

    his thighs were as hard as baron¡¯s. he was thick-boned, and also had a lot of muscle mass. it wasn¡¯t a body that would be built without much training.

    ¡®this is enough, it seems he was born with it,¡¯ she thought, ¡®just like most alphas.¡¯

    seira knew someone who was born and gifted with overwhelming physical abilities.

    when was only the crown prince, calrad spent at most an hour a day training his physical strength and sword fighting skills. it was inevitable as he had to continuously learn for him to become the master of hesrad.

    nevertheless, his muscle mass increased much more than those who trained all day. so was his physique. he achieved his most ideal form even before he turned into an adult.

    this was purely because he came from the bloodline of viseltiums.

    they were god¡¯s messengers who came down to protect the people from giants, demons, and vicious monsters. it was the origin of viseltium, askan, jeff, and franto which dated back into ancient times. the physical abilities and powers of pure bloods were unimaginable compared to ordinary people.

    ¡®maybe mel is a pureblood too.¡¯

    not only overwhelming power, but also unfathomable skills. it was odd that he looked a lot like aven, but for that reason, the most likely possibility would be ruled out.

    ¡®there is only one way to know how much of viseltium¡¯s blood is mixed¡­¡¯ seira thought at the back of her mind.

    she grabbed his cheek with both hands.

    ¡®it could be dangerous, but¡­¡¯

    however, she wouldn¡¯t be able to find out anything if she had to wait for mel to speak out. the reason he brought her here, his identity¡­

    seira tilted her head, and mel stared at her with a blank face.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    mel¡¯s eyes widened as he realized what seira was trying to do as her lips suddenly touched his lips.

 Chapter 61.1

    the chair fell over with a loud clatter as mel jumped to his feet.

    he looked down at seira, crouched on the floor with a face full of embarrassment. his dark eyes flickered aimlessly.

    glancing at him, seira wiped her lips with the back of her hand. she bit him hard enough to bleed quite a bit, but his lips healed cleanly within seconds.

    ¡®it¡¯s a level higher than baron¡¯s ability to recover,¡¯ she concluded.

    she didn¡¯t even have to calculate, just by looking at his eyes, seira could tell that mel¡¯s blood had enough power to regenerate even a lost arm.

    ¡®it¡¯s likely that he¡¯s a direct descendant of viseltium.¡¯

    judging roughly his age range, it looked like he was a generation older than calrad. seira racked her memories of whether the late emperor laud had a brother or not. but during her eight years stay at the imperial palace, she had never met anyone like mel.

    ¡®then, he must have disappeared before i came to the palace.¡¯

    she¡¯d have to go out and search for someone who¡¯d be knowledgeable about this, but the information she gathered was enough for now. also¡­

    when seira didn¡¯t get up from the floor, mel approached her hesitantly.

    ¡®i expected it, but there is still no response.¡¯

    when she said he treated her like a child, seira didn¡¯t seem to have aroused in him any sexual desire from the kiss. his pheromones, of course, weren¡¯t even altered.

    rather, the gaze that looked at her squatting on the floor was similar to how he looked at her when she made a mess in the room. now she seemed to have a rough idea of how to interact with him.

    ¡°i¡¯m sorry i bit you,¡± seira faked a sniffle, ¡°i suddenly wanted to eat meat.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    seira¡¯s lips parted slightly when she apologized with a sullen expression. then, with a small groan, mel wiped her face with his hand.

    he lifted her up, put her down on the bed, and even handed her the teddy bear back. he kept his eyes on her as he said, ¡°i¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    it was the most coherent sentence he¡¯d ever said.

    ¡®seriously? he knew how to say that!¡¯

    although she choked up for a moment with surprise, seira nodded her head calmly like a good child. the information she needed to get away was on the palm of her hands, and her goal was soon to be fulfilled.

    after stroking her hair once, mel¡¯s body melted into the shadows. now there were only remnants of his power left in the room.

    after guarding her all this time, he finally left her side to bring her the meat she demanded!

    ¡®alright!¡¯

    seira got out of the bed and left the room bouncing with excitement. she ran down the hallway and climbed the stairs, and soon the door with the overlapping magic circles appeared.

    just as she solved in her head again and again, seira soon released the magic circles. it took her about 15 minutes of pure concentration. the door to the upper floor finally opened with a tiny click.

    ¡®whoa¡­¡¯

    seira took a deep breath and calmed her excited heart, and then headed out coolly.

    outside the door, a narrow space that looked like a preparation room for worship was connected. the drapery hanging from the wall made the door leading underground hard to notice.

    ¡®there¡¯s no window here either.¡¯

    she didn¡¯t expect things to work out as easily from the beginning. seira moved along the wall, diminishing her presence to none. as she left the preparation room, she could see a tall altar and the wide space beyond it.

    ¡®what is that¡­?¡¯

    there was something tangled and wriggling in the place where only magic lamps were stuck on the wall and emitted light faintly.

    a strange scent and the sound of wet rubbing was evident.

    ¡°ah¡­ ah¡­¡±

    ¡°yes, yes, yes¡­¡±

    a strange moan mingled with rough breathing. the scene that welcomed seira was of a group orgy participated by dozens of men and women. the hazy smoke rising from the incense burners placed around the chapel seemed to work as a narcotic aphrodisiac.

    although it was said that the temple of the god priya symbolized abundance and fertility, it was a surprise that the chapel was used for this purpose.

    seira could only wonder, ¡®are they holding prayers for fertility or something?¡¯

    after staring for an absurd amount of time, she then hid herself in the shadow of the wall and started to crawl carefully.

    ¡®why doesn¡¯t this temple have windows?¡¯

    then again, how could anyone do such an obscene scene with open windows? it still frustrated seira as she needed to escape. cold sweat flowed down her spine as she tried her best to control her breathing and not get addicted to the incense¡¯s scent.

    finally, she reached the end of the chapel.

    ¡°¡­do you really want me to believe that?!¡±

    a cry of anger rose from someone. unexpectedly, seira knew too well whose voice it was.

    ¡®calrad!¡¯

    there he was over the door. she couldn¡¯t believe he was at this temple. it was too coincidental.

    ¡®what should i do?¡¯

    seira bit her lips and looked back the way she came from. even now, she couldn¡¯t decide whether to go back or wait for calrad to go away.

 Chapter 61.2

    while she was lost in her troubles, another person¡¯s voice was heard.

    ¡°it¡¯s not us. if it were, i would¡¯ve informed his majesty first.¡±

    ¡°i found traces of homunculus movements. nevertheless, are you still going to deny it?¡±

    seira¡¯s eyes widened as she listened in on the conversation, ¡®what? what does he mean with a homunculus?¡¯

    didn¡¯t that word imply terrible things?

    ¡°well, it¡¯s true that i was aiming for an opportunity.¡±

    ¡°isabelle!¡±

    the rage that flowed from the furious calrad crossed the room and pierced through seira¡¯s skin.

    ¡°i¡¯ve told you several times,¡± isabelle said with a sigh, ¡°you don¡¯t have to make her an empress.¡±

    seira had a hunch about what the saint was talking about.

    ¡°and as i¡¯ve said several times too,¡± responded calrad, ¡°stop meddling with my affairs with her.¡±

    ¡°think carefully what your majesty truly wants.¡±

    even though calrad was raging with anger, isabelle¡¯s voice was full of composure and control.

    ¡°wasn¡¯t it your majesty¡¯s wish to lock her in a place where no one can see or reach her?¡±

    ¡°¡­i don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    ¡°now that this has happened, please subjugate askan to the imperial family. we¡¯ll get her back and hide her.¡±

    for a moment, silence fell between the two of them. at isabelle¡¯s brazen suggestion, calrad seemed to have become speechless. but after some time¡­

    ¡°baron is picking the whole ecliptic searching for her,¡± calrad spoke.

    his voice was so dry that seira couldn¡¯t feel any emotion from it.

    ¡°askan and franto must be searching as well. are you sure you¡¯d be able to find her before them?¡±

    ¡°of course,¡± came isabelle¡¯s confident reply, ¡°have you forgotten who we are?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be able to get our hands on her before the conference.¡±

    seira was curious what kind of expression calrad had now. was he smiling at the thought of playing with her and making askan a toy after subjugating them to the imperial family for treason? does he relish the thought of making askan his slave? or¡­

    ¡°if you promise to welcome the next saintess candidate as empress, then her majesty would accomplish your will very easily.¡±

    seira¡¯s lower lip trembled. she didn¡¯t want to hear any more. she couldn¡¯t stand the moment when calrad replied that he would make a deal over her. seira had to clench her teeth and curl her fingers into a fist to suppress her urge to run away.

    if calrad hadn¡¯t suddenly burst into laughter, she might¡¯ve never been able to hold back.

    ¡°you want your saintess candidate to be the empress?¡±

    after he repeated the saintess¡¯ words, calrad laughed for a long time. it was as if he turned mad. seira¡¯s heart ached at the sound of his laughter.

    ¡°i was going to see where this was going, but you¡¯re crossing the line here,¡± he said as the laughter was cut off and was replaced by a cold and murderous tone.

    ¡°hngh¡­!¡±

    suddenly, heavy and thick power which was incomparable to anything she came across before began to choke her.

    ¡°your majesty¡­!¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s hard to forgive you for trying to reach out your dirty hand without permission, but how dare you even suggest such a thing¡­?!¡±

    it was fortunate that calrad didn¡¯t sympathize with isabelle¡¯s evil scheme, but the problem was that seira was also within his range of influence.

    ¡®breathe¡­¡¯

    the intense pressure made seira¡¯s vision flicker and suppressed her airway and crushed her lungs. she could counter it with her power, but if she did, calrad would surely notice her presence.

    ¡®i have to get out of here.¡¯

    seira took a step back little by little, forcing her frozen body to move despite the pain. once she¡¯d distance herself far away where she could breathe again, she¡¯d try to find another way out.

    rattle

    if only that door hadn¡¯t opened.

    ¡®oh my god¡­¡¯

    isabelle¡¯s body, covered with calrad¡¯s wrath, leaned toward the door. light leaked obliquely through the gap with a noise that she didn¡¯t want to hear. seira held her breath, pulling her knee toward her body narrowly across the boundary.

    calrad¡¯s presence was getting closer.

    one step, and then another. the sound of steps leisurely taken grew louder by the second. he stopped next to isabelle, who had collapsed inside the chapel, and then lifted his foot. as if he was completely determined to cut off her breath, calrad stepped on her neck and slowly applied force.

    ¡°ugh¡­ugh¡­!¡±

    looking at isabelle¡¯s white face, seira felt conflicted.

    if calrad turned her head to the right, she¡¯d find seira crouching in the shadow. before that happened, it might be better to attack him and run away now.

    ¡®there¡¯s more than half a chance that a surprise attack would succeed,¡¯ she thought quickly, ¡®however, his power to control is the problem¡­¡¯

    even if the power was absolute, it was unlikely without restrictions. for example, in her situation now, she couldn¡¯t exert the same power as it was difficult to concentrate.

    ¡®it¡¯s a gamble in the end¡­ but¡­¡¯

    she had to make a decision. because she didn¡¯t know what would happen next if she got caught by him now.

    seira slowly pulled up her strength. he wasn¡¯t even halfway through yet, so this would be her only chance.

    her thighs, knees, calves, and toes tensed up. the time to prepare to hit the ground and shift her center of gravity took only a second, the moment her upper body tilted¡­

    bang!

    there was a roar.

 Chapter 62.1

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    seira was barely able to stop moving. someone had attacked calrad before her by a narrow gap.

    was it to save isabelle? or was there another reason?

    ¡®mel¡­?!¡¯

    the man was none other than mel. their bodies clung together, broke the door, and flew beyond it. seira coughed as she held her stomach. she caught a glimpse of isabelle coughing up her stomach as she left the chapel while the two were fighting.

    ¡®is this still underground?¡¯

    she assumed she was already outside when she exited the door, but what appeared was a staircase that split into two. to her right, calrad and mel were fighting, so the only way was to take the left stairs.

    seira, who decided it was useless to not take the opportunity, ran straight up the left-side stairs. of course, calrad saw her.

    ¡°seira? why are you here?¡±

    she didn¡¯t look back even with his astonished cries.

    ¡°wait, stop!¡±

    ¡®i can¡¯t just stop because you tell me to!¡¯ seira sneered.

    if she missed this time, it was going to be difficult to find another chance to escape. calrad and mel were both tough opponents for her now. it was best to avoid them as much as she could.

    ¡°seira!¡±

    ¡®disobeying the emperor would be much better than to attack him.¡¯

    with explosive powers in her legs, she widened the distance between them.

    ¡®how did this building look like again?¡¯

    seira quickly climbed the stairs, recalling the shape of the temple she had seen several times when she was outside.

    the priya temple¡¯s influence expanded throughout hesrad after the catastrophe 15 years ago. the people of the empire, who were once on the brink of extinction due to the beasts that poured endlessly out of their nests, were terrified that the same thing would happen again.

    just at that point, the goddess priya¡¯s saintess began to receive oracles.

    thanks to the oracle, they could find the nests faster. then, she¡¯d present a solution in the name of the goddess.

    ignorance brought fear. it was only natural for the authority of priya¡¯s temple, which gave the people the answers they sought, rose. originally existing from the outskirts, the temple now stood tall at the highest point of viseltium.

    however, high-ranking nobles still didn¡¯t visit the priya temple much often. seira also had never entered the temple until now, as well as during the days when askan was still alive.

    the problem lay in the fact that the purebloods were said to be the messengers of god himself. the ¡®god¡¯ they refer to and the goddess priya were unrelated and their doctrines were very different.

    ¡®because of that, i have no idea of this place¡¯s structure at all.¡¯

    the stairs she followed recklessly felt hopeless. she didn¡¯t think it would¡¯ve been drilled very deep to the ground, but she couldn¡¯t see an exit leading to another floor or the outside.

    ¡®should i have taken the stairs to the right, instead?¡¯

    suddenly thinking of something else, seira slowed down and put her hand to the wall.

    ¡®no way, top¡­is it?¡¯

    perhaps it wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t get out of the basement, but she might¡¯ve climbed without thought into a tall tower without a single window.

    she stopped in her tracks and wondered what she should do next. she then raised her head in anger. she could feel someone¡¯s presence above her.

    the man was in his mid to late 20s with long, bright blonde hair. despite him wearing priest¡¯s clothes, there was a decadent atmosphere around him. seira couldn¡¯t tell if it was because of his dark eyes and single eyelid, the shape of his thin lips, or whether it was because of his loose front teeth.

    ¡®who is it?¡¯

    as she paused and gazed, the corners of the man¡¯s mouth raised into a smile.

    ¡°this isn¡¯t a place for ordinary believers to set foot in, so i came out and lucky me! i never thought i¡¯d meet you,¡± he said.

    ¡°do you know me?¡±

    ¡°of course. how can i not?¡± he chuckled, then came down one more step and said, ¡°aren¡¯t you seira, the last bloodline of askan who saved the empire, and his majesty¡¯s fianc¨¦e?¡±

    ¡°i don¡¯t know you.¡±

    ¡°oh¡­ it¡¯s our first time to meet,¡± he gasped, ¡°i am tesser. although i¡¯m not good enough, i¡¯m in charge of this post.¡±

    ¡®high priest tesser?¡¯

    when she found out who the man was, seira¡¯s fingertips tensed.

    ¡°i really wanted to see you,¡± tesser said.

    ¡°why was i brought here?¡±

    the powers she had saved just in case were activated regardless of her will. this place¡­

    ¡°even if i don¡¯t tell you, you¡¯re probably well aware of your value.¡±

    he meant that it was a place full of malice.

    the entire dark space seemed to wriggle. there were dozens of signs she could feel throughout the floor, walls, and ceiling.

    ¡®how¡­?¡¯

    even when she opened her eyes wide, the only thing she could see was tesser.

    ¡°as expected, you seem to have noticed. then we can talk quickly.¡±

    as if thirsty, she stuck out her tongue and wet her lower lip.

    tesser reached out to her, ¡°will you come to me? dare i say, that the best path for you to take now is to hold my hand.¡±

    patterns in the shadows surrounded her and narrowed down. however, seira¡¯s gaze was fixed only on tesser.

    ¡°i¡¯ll take care of you. now, come here.¡±

    suddenly, a scene flashed in front of seira¡¯s eyes.

    askan¡¯s vassals and knights lost their lives miserably. the duke¡¯s castle, which used to protect their devastated territory alone, collapsed without a single cornerstone left. and seira, watching it all, moaned helplessly as she was crushed by someone.

 Chapter 62.2

    the terrible illusion repeated constantly and wore her down. it became an ominous prophecy, breaking her will and wearing her spirit. it was a demonic power.

    ¡°if you listen to me carefully, everything will be fine. only fun will follow.¡±

    looking at his fingertips, seira thought out loud, ¡°what kind of a scoundrel is the high priest?¡±

    ¡°now, what do you say?¡±

    ¡°oh¡­ sorry. i didn¡¯t mean to speak out loud. i¡¯m only talking to myself, so pretend you didn¡¯t hear anything.¡±

    she spoke with her eyes closed, her face so innocent and lovely that tesser lost his words.

    of course, for a short while, his expression immediately stiffened as he shouted in a cold voice, ¡°it is foolish to insist on suffering!¡±

    at the same time, the signs that surrounded them without stopping suddenly rose from the shadows and attacked. his almost guardian-level magic swirled around her.

    he was a difficult opponent to face even if she held a sword against him.

    however, the smile on seira¡¯s face wasn¡¯t disturbed at all.

    ¡°i¡¯m sorry, but i¡¯m not interested in fighting when i don¡¯t make money.¡±

    bang!

    the wall she had been holding all along burst open. no, it wasn¡¯t just the walls¡­

    kurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

    the whole building shook as if there was an earthquake.

    ¡°instead, i am very interested in fucking up the people who messed with me.¡±

    ¡°no! stop it!¡±

    tesser reached out to her, but he was already too late. her body passed through the open wall by hitting the stairs with all her might.

    as seira assumed, she mistakenly climbed a tower and wasn¡¯t underground anymore. she seemed to have climbed quite high, and she jumped from about five stories. even when she was falling, seira only looked at the building she destroyed with her powers.

    ¡®the people who were praying for fertility wouldn¡¯t be buried, right?¡¯

    if she had come to her senses when calrad and mel clashed, she wouldn¡¯t be in any trouble. of course, she didn¡¯t have to worry about the two men. weren¡¯t they monsters that would still be fine after being buried under a 10-story pile of stones?

    ¡®i¡¯d be glad if they don¡¯t track me down.¡¯

    seira counted down, expanding her senses.

    ¡®5, 4, 3, 2¡­¡¯

    just before landing, it was time for her to protect her body by raising her powers. the body that should¡¯ve been thrown to the floor suddenly settled into someone¡¯s arms. his arm strength was so strong that he was able to support her fall. far from shaking, he was firm like a centuries-old tree.

    seira wasn¡¯t surprised by his sudden appearance. she already noticed his familiar presence approaching.

    ¡°hello, baron.¡±

    seira¡¯s eyes curved into a lovely arc. in response, baron squeezed her tightly in his arms.

    ¡°i¡¯ve come to pick you up, seira. am i not too late?¡±

    she stared into his face as he strode along. seira remembered calrad had mentioned baron was scouring the entire ecliptic just to find her.

    come to think of it, he was dressed more beautifully than he was at the royal banquet. he even wore a cravat! it seemed obvious he was looking for his missing date.

    ¡°how did you know i was here?¡±

    ¡°the fox gave me a hint.¡±

    ¡°louis to aven?¡±

    baron nodded.

    ¡°you seem to know something about the man who kidnapped you.¡±

    ¡°where is aven now? he didn¡¯t go in there, did he?¡±

    ¡°is there any reason to worry about him? even if he went in, he would¡¯ve escaped easily.¡±

    baron wasn¡¯t wrong. there was no way that aven wouldn¡¯t notice her power had swept the tower down.

    ¡°we¡¯ve made a promise, so i wanted to meet you soon.¡±

    although they were a bit delayed to avoid pursuers, baron and seira safely crossed the temple walls. where a black and rugged carriage was parked, seira found aven standing in front of it.

    ¡°duchess.¡±

    seira escaped baron¡¯s arms and landed lightly on the floor.

    ¡°is there anything wrong?¡± aven¡¯s face, looking at her, was stiff.

    ¡°aven, did you enter and escape from there?¡±

    ¡°yes.¡±

    ¡°then maybe¡­ did you meet him?¡±

    was it because of her random question? or maybe it was because she already had a hunch. there was a faint crack between aven¡¯s brow.

    ¡°who might you mean?¡±

    seira carefully examined aven¡¯s expression, but soon shook her head as she said, ¡°no, it¡¯s nothing.¡±

    even if she said it, it wasn¡¯t something to mention in front of baron.

    ¡°i¡¯m sorry to have worried you. you must have been surprised because of my sudden disappearance. i hope you didn¡¯t starve yourselves while you searched for me.¡±

    ¡°duchess¡­¡± aven couldn¡¯t find the right word to say and blurted out loud.

    ¡°aven, i assure you,¡± seira smiled, ¡°i am fine.¡±

    ¡°are you not coming with me?¡± aven asked.

    ¡°no,¡± came seira¡¯s firm reply, ¡°i have a prior engagement.¡±

    she smacked baron on the arm and smiled.

    ¡°he came all the way here, so i can¡¯t let him down.¡±

    a promise was a promise, but she couldn¡¯t return to askan mansion without any preparation.

    ¡®i don¡¯t know where those guys suddenly came from, but¡­¡¯

    if she was unlucky, she realized that even the askan knights would¡¯ve been in danger. not only mel, but the high priest was like a con artist and the monsters he commanded were formidable.

    ¡®there is no way to counterattack other than with jeff or franto.¡¯

 Chapter 63.1

    seira wouldn¡¯t want to hurt aven because she wanted something from him. who could guarantee the lives of those who would drop everything just to protect her?

    aven was like family, and so were the knights who believed in her and followed her orders. it was clear that she couldn¡¯t take it if she lost them.

    ¡°understood, duchess,¡± aven said with a low voice.

    he was looking down at her but his gaze didn¡¯t meet seira¡¯s.

    ¡°still, please let me take you to jeff,¡± he added.

    ¡°of course.¡±

    aven wrapped a black cloak with askan¡¯s symbol around seira¡¯s shoulder, and then opened the carriage door.

    ¡°thank you, aven.¡±

    as she climbed into the carriage, baron, who had been quietly watching the two of them talk the whole time, quickly followed.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    after the door closed and the carriage started, heavy silence settled for a while. seira was the first to speak. she couldn¡¯t stand baron¡¯s persistent gaze.

    ¡°what? why are you looking at me like that?¡±

    ¡°are you okay?¡±

    ¡°¡­ am i okay? what?¡±

    ¡°you look like you¡¯re tired.¡±

    only after hearing baron¡¯s words did seira take inventory of her condition. she was kidnapped by mel and got locked up for about 30 hours. she slept well and ate food. she escaped after being well taken care of, so she didn¡¯t particularly feel ill.

    she was a bit stressed out because of the situation, and was just a little overworked, shaking the tall tower at the last minute.

    ¡°i guess it¡¯s because i used too much power,¡± she explained.

    if she seemed low on energy, that must¡¯ve been why.

    ¡°you don¡¯t need to worry,¡± she told him with a dismissive wave, ¡°it¡¯s not that i am feeling weak at all.¡±

    ¡°is that all?¡±

    ¡°well¡­ i guess?¡± seira said as she tilted her head, unsure why he asked that.

    ¡°seira.¡±

    baron reached out his hand towards her. unlike jeff¡¯s luxurious and large carriage, askan¡¯s was small and was narrow enough their knees touched. baron didn¡¯t even need to lean over to touch her cheek.

    ¡°even after everything that happened, i don¡¯t think you¡¯re actually okay.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°or at least i think so on my part,¡± he quickly added, ¡°it pained me to know that you couldn¡¯t ask for my help. anxious and angry, i realized that i was much more incompetent than i previously thought.¡±

    seira could tell the amount of pain he must¡¯ve felt from the way baron¡¯s face twisted.

    ¡°i¡¯m sorry,¡± he said in a weak voice, ¡°i couldn¡¯t find you sooner, seira.¡±

    baron jeff, who had done absolutely nothing wrong, said that her debt was canceled and there was nothing wrong about him, and then offered another apology. his rough and large hands gently caressed her cheeks, comforting her.

    ¡°¡­my commander-in-chief, did you worry a lot about me?¡±

    seira¡¯s heart strangely trembled as she replied with a light tone as if she was joking.

    to be honest, it was given that aven and the rest of askan would worry about her and set out to find her after she went missing. they were bound by one name under askan, it was to be expected.

    but baron on the other hand was doing it for a completely different reason.

    he liked her that much that he wanted to be with her all the time.

    baron poured his heart out without hesitation, even though he knew that all she could give him back were very trivial things.

    ¡®a person who wants me regardless of my lineage or family,¡¯ seira thought.

    for the first time, she could truly feel that someone like him existed in the world.

    ¡®i thought there wouldn¡¯t be.¡¯

    she was amazed beyond words that she felt sorry¡­ and happy at the same time. somehow the small space inside the carriage warmed up.

    even though nothing would change. even though he knew very well that one day she¡¯d send him back empty-handed, and that this warmth would soon turn cold with her own hands.

    ¡°i was supposed to go on a date, but i ruined it¡­¡±

    ¡°it wasn¡¯t spoiled. let¡¯s just think of it as playing hide and seek,¡± he said, ¡°it took a while, but i found you in the end, so you better let me win.¡±

    ¡°i tried my best to keep it to myself,¡± seira said after looking at him quietly. with a smile she continued, ¡°baron, you look like you are trying too much.¡±

    his dark eyebrows rose slightly then quickly returned to their original place.

    ¡°isn¡¯t this expected if you really like someone? to go beyond the normal?¡±

    ¡°yes, anyway¡­¡±

    his brows were frowning but the corners of baron¡¯s mouth formed an arc. her plaintive reply was quite unfair.

    he¡¯d been chasing and pining for her for a long time, yet he couldn¡¯t help but notice that the look in her eyes towards him had changed. even if it was something minor, it was enough to make his chest swell.

    * * *

    deep in the night, the carriage quietly crossed the ecliptic in the darkness and stopped in front of jeff¡¯s townhouse.

    ¡°welcome!¡±

    baron¡¯s lieutenant, alec, quickly opened the carriage door with a warm greeting. noah, the head butler, could only shake his head with his son¡¯s rude behavior. he quickly straightened his disapproving expression and greeted baron as well.

    ¡°you finally arrived, your excellency. we have been waiting.¡±

    ¡°what about the knights?¡± baron asked.

    ¡°they are returning.¡±

    seira pulled baron¡¯s arm as she overheard the two¡¯s conversation and asked, ¡°did the knights move?¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± alec replied with a frown.

    soon after he said those words, noah hit his son and alec¡¯s expression immediately returned to a smiling face.

    seira¡¯s gaze turned to aven, who still stood beside the carriage. with his usual unemotional face, she had no idea what he was thinking.

 Chapter 63.2

    as she approached, only then did aven raised his lowered gaze and looked at her.

    ¡°i¡¯ll go straight to the conference hall. see you there, aven.¡±

    his eyes widened at her unexpected words.

    ¡°duchess, there are three days left until the conference.¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s late night now, so practically there¡¯s just two days left.¡±

    normally, aven would¡¯ve nodded with a yes and turned around, but this time around he couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°¡­i¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll overdo it.¡±

    seira burst into laughter at the words that tumbled out of his mouth after licking his lips several times as if he was shy.

    ¡°what are you so worried about?¡± she asked with a giggle, ¡°i¡¯ll probably eat, rest, and enjoy myself to the fullest.¡±

    despite her playful reply, aven couldn¡¯t keep up with the mood. he stared at her with dark sunken eyes and asked, ¡°all right, but please call me whenever you¡¯ll need me.¡±

    ¡°yes, i surely will.¡±

    he bowed to her and turned around in silence.

    seira stood outside for some time until aven climbed into the driver¡¯s seat and drove the rough, black carriage out of jeff.

    as one of the few master-class slayers and counts in the empire, the carriage he was pulling was the very same one seira used seven years ago when she left the palace after choosing askan over becoming the crown princess.

    despite aven¡¯s suggestion to change to a bigger and more comfortable carriage, seira insisted that what they had was good enough. it wasn¡¯t because she thought they¡¯d waste money, but because the carriage meant a lot and carried many important memories to her.

    however, today she regretted not listening to aven with her stubbornness. even though it was quite sturdy, she felt sorry for aven for driving the carriage alone.

    it felt like she betrayed him, someone who had always been by her side after the palace abandoned her.

    still, it was a choice she had to make to protect him. even though he hadn¡¯t turned his back on her, she pushed him back first.

    ¡®my feelings are probably meaningless.¡¯

    seira internally chastised herself. what was her deal with the carriage? to her it carried good memories, but it was probably burdensome and difficult for aven.

    what she should be sorry for wasn¡¯t as trivial as letting him ride alone in a small and old carriage. she should be sorry for wasting the prime of his life with askan and her, going through all kinds of hardships, and getting himself exposed to danger.

    ¡°seira.¡±

    seira turned at baron¡¯s low call.

    ¡°i guess it¡¯s time to change the carriage,¡± she said with a click of her tongue, ¡°i didn¡¯t realize it was already that old.¡±

    baron smiled at her and held out his hand to her.

    ¡°if possible, you could change it to something that could block pheromones,¡± he suggested, ¡°and perhaps even sound proof it?¡±

    ¡°you like that sort of carriage?¡± seira snorted.

    she took his outstretched hand, and alec and noah followed them at a distance as they walked together toward the main building.

    ¡°can i ask you something?¡± baron said out of the blue.

    ¡°yes?¡±

    ¡°is aven included in the ¡®alphas of askan¡¯ you mentioned before?¡±

    seira glanced at baron and nodded.

    ¡°there is no particular reason why he should be an exception,¡± she replied.

    ¡°i see.¡±

    ¡°why? does it bother you?¡±

    ¡°rather than that¡­¡±

    his words trailed off, and he touched and smoothed out his cravat. compared to how he looked completely disheveled in the morning, was neatly swept away.

    ¡°now that i have experience, it will be much different than the first time.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    seira¡¯s mouth hung agape as she watched baron talking sheepishly. someone as big as a tiger like him was quite cute when he acted this way.

    ¡°baron,¡± she called him, ¡°listen to me.¡±

    he stopped in his tracks and leaned toward her.

    ¡°actually¡­¡±

    pressing her lips to baron¡¯s ear, seira whispered a few words. her voice was so small that even a knight with superior senses wouldn¡¯t hear it.

    ¡°¡­understood?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    baron stopped talking. he was frozen in place like a statue and looked at seira who walked first, leaving him behind to follow.

    before long, redness spread across from ear to ear. her sweet voice that carried her warm breath touched him. it took less than three seconds for baron¡¯s entire face and neck to flush into a vibrant red color.

    straightening his bent back, baron released a long sigh. his bright yellow eyes, which reflected seira¡¯s silhouette from afar, shone ferociously like a beast on a hunt for prey.

    in an instant, he caught up with seira and wrapped her in a big, tight hug.

    ¡°ugh, what is it?¡±

    ¡°don¡¯t pretend you didn¡¯t think this would happen after you provoked me like that.¡±

    without even using his power, baron ran at a terrifying speed as if his life depended on it. if the attendants hadn¡¯t opened the doors in time, he might have even crashed right through it. everyone stared in awe as he crossed the hall and jumped the stairs in one fell swoop.

    ¡°you know it won¡¯t be any use if you hit and kick me today.¡±

    seira ground her teeth at the warning he gave her while she was in his strong arms.

    ¡®he talks so big as if he isn¡¯t on the verge of exploding.¡¯

    he was almost out of breath, as seira felt the beating of his heart race a thousand miles like he was running a crazy marathon.

 Chapter 64.1

    in the blink of an eye, they reached the master¡¯s bedroom.

    as soon as they entered and closed the door, baron rushed to kiss seira. she simply wrapped her arm around his neck, realizing that it would be much more difficult if she resisted.

    his kisses, which frankly revealed his wanton desires, weren¡¯t bad. no, it was very pleasant if she was to be honest. looking at him digging in without any sense of control, his eyes shut tightly like a young boy, made her feel excited.

    ¡°yes¡­¡±

    baron and seira were deeply immersed in each other for a very long time.

    his skin was scorching hot to the touch. her heart beat faster by the second, keeping up with baron¡¯s pace. the heat spread to her cheeks, the back of the neck, to the lower abdomen and in between her legs.

    seira pushed his face away with the palm of her hand after a long kiss that almost took her breath away.

    ¡°i¡¯ll wash first.¡±

    ¡°can¡¯t you wash up after this? we are going to make a mess anyway.¡±

    ¡°i don¡¯t want to. i prefer to wash first.¡±

    it was clear that baron would lick and suck her entire body again. for some reason, she felt as if she was feeding dog food that fell on the dirty floor.

    ¡®he should¡¯ve rolled and crawled.¡¯

    for a moment, her brows curled as if she didn¡¯t like it.

    ¡°i won¡¯t do it if my hair is unwashed.¡±

    baron moved toward the bathroom and said, ¡°i¡¯ll help you.¡±

    ¡°no, what are you saying¡­?¡±

    ¡°shouldn¡¯t you save some stamina even a little bit?¡± he said with a mischievous smile. ¡°it will be a long night.¡±

    seira smiled and nodded, ¡°well, if you insist. our commander-in-chief said he¡¯d wash my hair instead, so i have no reason to refuse.¡±

    baron entered the bathroom with her, his brows raised as he wasn¡¯t expecting her to take it as lightly.

    after dropping seira by bathtub, he began to operate the faucet. he was too lazy to set the temperature, so he usually washed with cold water thoroughly, but he didn¡¯t mind the extra steps for her. after a few trials and errors, lukewarm water gushed into the bathtub.

    finally, baron picked up a glass bottle of perfume among the bath products that alec and his aides prepared.

    ¡®how much should i use?¡¯ he wondered.

    he poured half of it after thinking for a while. it was said to be good for the body, surely it wasn¡¯t bad to put in that much?

    as baron finished his preparations, he turned to seira and said, ¡°you can go in now¡­¡±

    his words faded approaching the end of his sentence. his eyes caught seira¡¯s figure towel wrapped figure from her breasts down to her hips. even when she wasn¡¯t entirely naked, she still looked so erotic with the towel narrowly covering her private parts.

    baron¡¯s mind completely went blank.

    ¡°you set the temperature well,¡± seira commented.

    she dipped her hands, smiled and slowly inched herself into the water starting from her toes.

    baron watched her without blinking. the towel got wet and stuck to her body. from her deltoids, concave navel, flat underbelly, and full chest¡­ the dizzying curves were slowly revealed.

    ¡°come to think of it¡­¡± she murmured softly and leaned her back gently in the bathtub, ¡°it¡¯s already been a month.¡±

    baron, who forgot to breathe, finally came to his senses and blinked, ¡°¡­a month?¡±

    she looked up at him with a smile on her face as he answered her slowly, trying to control his breathing.

    ¡°yes, from the day i caught the guardian,¡± seira added.

    baron groaned as he tried to understand what she meant. at some point, his pheromone leaked out and filled the bathroom. he only noticed it up until now¡­

    ¡°looks like rut arrived, commander-in-chief,¡± she said as she slowly opened her legs, ¡°thanks to you, i am also¡­in a hurry.¡±

    she thought it was only gradual, but it seemed that the heat cycle started unexpectedly. today, at this very moment. she felt strangely hot, somehow. the heat that accumulated in her lower abdomen was swirling wildly, rather than dying down.

    fortunately, there was an alpha in front of her now, who was in a rut. it was so appetizing that her mouth watered.

    ¡°come over. you said you¡¯d take care of me.¡±

    wasn¡¯t it the most intolerable temptation in the world? baron came to realize that the obscene words she mumbled earlier in his ear were nothing.

    he tore off his cravat which had been previously painstakingly put on. whether the buttons came off or not, seira burst into laughter as he took off his shirt and threw it to the side along with his jacket.

    ¡°as expected, our commander-in-chief looks the best naked.¡±

    wasn¡¯t it a waste to hide those ecstatically beautiful muscles with layers of fabric, even when they were luxurious? seira was sure that if her body looked as good, she¡¯d go half-naked and show off.

    ¡°if you like it, so do i.¡±

 Chapter 64.2

    baron went into the bathtub without a second to delay. he slowly knelt down as surrendered himself to the heavy scented pheromones wrapped around him.

    he had to clench his teeth when he reached out and grabbed her ankle. otherwise, he thought he would¡¯ve rushed in like a loose beast.

    ¡°seira¡­¡±

    her eyes were chillingly white as she sucked in a breath. baron rubbed his lips against her foot on one hand, and then lifted his gaze back at her.

    as soon as he was caught up in her purple eyes, his reason instantly vanished.

    * * *

    on the way back from sending seira and baron to jeff¡¯s mansion, aven¡¯s heart sank heavily.

    she was held captive for a day and a half after being kidnapped. her physical condition couldn¡¯t have been normal after using her powers excessively while she escaped. she should be resting peacefully, but would baron jeff ever let her get some sleep?

    nevertheless, all he could ask of her was an obvious request not to overdo it. he didn¡¯t know why she wouldn¡¯t return to ascan, so he had no choice but to turn alone.

    his master, joy, despair, the reason he wanted to live, became distant day by day. the longer she was away, the more were aven¡¯s secrets piled up.

    as if they were the only ones left in the world, every waking moment they spent together in the past felt like a distant fantasy now.

    ¡®you¡¯re not going to leave me, are you? surely you wouldn¡¯t betray me?¡¯ aven asked in his head.

    to her who looked at him with eyes full of fear and worry.

    ¡®i¡¯m so glad to have you. i¡¯m so happy we could rejoice and grieve together.¡¯

    to her, who came with a tearful face and a big smile as she hugged me.

    it didn¡¯t seem like she needed him anymore. rather, it seemed like she saw him as a burden as she desperately tried to hide and protect him.

    he felt sick. the moment he watched her walk away was like hell, even though he knew it was only fair for her to be with men who shared the same status as her.

    both baron jeff, who put her in danger when he couldn¡¯t control his own family, and louis franto, who tried to use and wield the revival of askan as if like a hostage, were disappointments. not to mention a crazy emperor that was obsessed with her.

    no one seemed to be able to make her happy.

    he hated himself for being the one to push her toward them because he thought it was for the best.

    ¡®i thought it would be okay.¡¯

    he believed it was his job to become a loyal dog that guarded the door where his master lay and rose. he was sure that he¡¯d be satisfied as that alone was enough for him.

    in the end, it was all bad decisions. seira wouldn¡¯t let aven guard her close, and he wasn¡¯t okay at all.

    askan in the dark was still. contrary to jeff, who was alive like daytime because of all the servants that were awake and waiting for their master¡¯s return. since he told nel that they found seira, all the knights that didn¡¯t rest for two days must be scattered all over the place.

    it made his heart ache even more when he confirmed that her choice to stay with jeff for safety was right. his own helplessness, askan¡¯s laxity, was terribly miserable.

    aven, who entered the main building after pulling up the carriage, stopped with a hard expression on his face.

    ¡°looks like seira went to jeff.¡±

    after wandering around the mansion finding for clues on seira¡¯s disappearance, it wasn¡¯t until evening that the insidious man threw aven a hint.

    ¡°i didn¡¯t know you were still here,¡± aven said.

    despite his cold attitude, louis still smiled at aven.

    ¡°my lover is in danger, so i can¡¯t rest in peace.¡±

    he knew exactly where she was, but he didn¡¯t say a word and just dragged his feet. but louis was seira¡¯s contract lover anyway. aven can¡¯t be rude.

    ¡°you don¡¯t have to worry anymore because she is safe.¡±

    aven meant to walk away, but louis didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of ending their conversation. he rose from the sofa slowly, and then approached aven.

    ¡°i¡¯m glad you saved her. but what about next time?¡±

    aven¡¯s eyes narrowed into thin slits as he looked at louis. as usual, he looked splendid with his soft smile around his mouth that uttered ominous words.

    ¡°you would be able to beat swarming bugs as you have done so far. but what if he¡¯s a beast? what if it¡¯s a monster too ferocious for you to handle?¡±

    ¡°what do you really want to say?¡± aven snapped at him.

    louis grinned and then asked, ¡°how would you feel if you could obtain the key to askan¡¯s recovery? count helford, only you can do it.¡±

 Chapter 65.1

    aven didn¡¯t even have to worry about nonsense words.

    ¡°there can¡¯t be such a way¡­¡± he shook his head.

    ¡°are you sure you don¡¯t?¡± louis, who cut off aven¡¯s words, tilted his head at an angle and added, ¡°strangely fast achievement, a healing power in your blood, and¡­¡±

    the last word that louis spoke was something aven had never told anyone else before.

    ¡°the power of domination that is exerted unconsciously.¡±

    aven guessed from what happened during the banquet that the special ability to restrict other¡¯s actions was the main power of the imperial viseltium, but that didn¡¯t change anything. because he¡­

    ¡°i think you¡¯ve become too delusional. why don¡¯t you go home and rest now?¡±

    aven was not only found in front of a beast¡¯s nest, but he was also unique with his red eyes and ability to hear their voices.

    even if he was related to viseltium, how could one undo the contamination in his blood? he didn¡¯t know how louis got hold of the information about him, but it was useless.

    aven walked past louis as he walked past him. he thought he was careful enough to sound polite.

    but before he could climb the stairs, louis¡¯ voice grabbed his attention.

    ¡°i wonder if seira knows¡­¡±

    louis¡¯ words fell like lightning on a stormy night, and aven turned halfway to stare at him.

    ¡°that her loyal vassal had unilaterally imprinted on her without her consent.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    aven¡¯s expressionless face finally cracked.

    ¡°oh, dear¡­ it must¡¯ve been real then,¡± louis gushed, ¡°i thought it could¡¯ve been something like that, but i was only guessing.¡±

    ¡°why are you doing this to me?¡±

    aven¡¯s eyes, which remained cold for the entire time they spoke, slowly darkened with sharp hostility. now that the skeletons in his closet were revealed, there was nothing more to hide. the heavy sense of pressure weighed down on louis¡¯ shoulders.

    with a click of his tongue, louis raised both hands and said, ¡°you don¡¯t have to be too suspicious. i¡¯m not trying to harm askan.¡±

    ¡°are you seriously trying to convince me you mean that?¡±

    ¡°if you don¡¯t believe me, then what can you do? just guard her door while seira is busy running around trying to save askan?¡±

    aven¡¯s tightly pressed lips twisted.

    louis took a few steps back as he noticed a foggy red glow in his black eyes. his intention was to calm down a beast that had already borne its teeth at his prey. he had to admit that he provoked him a bit too much.

    louis franto didn¡¯t know. if aven helford decided to go all out, he¡¯d risk his life, too.

    ¡°it doesn¡¯t matter if you pretend to be oblivious. just because you don¡¯t make a move doesn¡¯t mean the plan would be ruined.¡±

    he didn¡¯t mean to drag aven so hastily from the beginning. however, ¡®he¡¯, who had been dead for years, suddenly moved and forced louis to hurry.

    ¡®what else would he do for the son he loves so much to the point he lost his mind?¡¯

    it was best to advance the plan than to increase the number of variables.

    ¡°what i¡¯m trying to tell you is¡­¡±

    the smile on louis¡¯ face faded, and the mask was thrown off to reveal a cold and dry expression.

    ¡°we are brothers. even if it¡¯s only half.¡±

    a man who thought his wife¡¯s nickname, ¡®mel¡¯, was his name. that was all he remembered. the twin brother of the late emperor laud, and the man who was supposed to be the owner of the empire.

    ¡°bern clemens viseltium.¡±

    that was the identity of the man who kidnapped seira.

    ¡°that is the name of our father.¡±

    * * *

    it was slippery everywhere she touched, making it difficult to support herself.

    ¡°how much balm? it¡¯s large.¡±

    ¡°well¡­ about half a bottle?¡±

    seira let out a heavy sigh as she leaned against the bathtub rail.

    ¡°just a few drops, uh¡­ it¡¯s meant to be used anyway¡­¡±

    ¡°is it like that?¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s definitely slippery,¡± baron said as he caressed her neck, ¡°i like it better.¡±

    he rubbed her nipples with his thumb and index finger as he casually cupped her breasts which couldn¡¯t fit in one hand.

    there was no way she didn¡¯t notice that something outrageously thick and long was rubbing against her hip bone. he was so excited.

    normally, she wouldn¡¯t have let him do his way, but now with the heat cycle where just by their skins touching turned her on. the rubbing was pleasant, so she didn¡¯t feel like pushing it away.

    even his playful act of pulling at her nipples blew her mind. if he reached below¡­

    ¡°ahn¡­!¡±

    the fingers that came inside her and shoved as if searching for treasure came out as soon as it entered. was he teasing her?

    ¡°why is it so cramped here?¡±

    with a sigh and grumble, baron pushed his two fingers in at once.

    ¡°uh¡­¡±

    like a reflex, her entrance immediately tightened.

    rubbing her breasts, poking underneath, licking and biting her earlobes and neck¡­ it all felt too good.

    ¡°yes¡­¡±

 Chapter 65.2

    as his hand moved faster and faster, the water in the bathtub splashed and spilled. her pheromones were fluctuating. at times it felt like a strong tsunami, sometimes it was like a soft spring breeze.

    ¡°ah¡­ yes! yes!¡±

    the stimulation all over and an alpha¡¯s pheromone, which dug deep between her legs, heated her up. the fast-paced pleasure steadily rose to its limit. seira, embraced tightly in his arms, reached her peak and pressed her legs together, making his fingers stuck inside her.

    ¡°ahn!!!¡±

    she rubbed his lips gently with her lower teeth as if to bite.

    ¡°bite my hand instead.¡±

    baron narrowed his brows as she slowly let go of his finger after biting him. his finger was bitten, but his heart itched unbearably.

    driven by impulse, he pressed his tongue to open her wide below. a violent desire shook him as he stared at her bare flesh.

    he wanted to rub himself all over her and leave his mark. on those red lips and soft tongue, her pink nipples or between her cleavage. her navel and flat belly.

    and deeper than that, his finger inside her narrow hole below.

    the sound of him gulping and swallowing his own saliva was blatant.

    baron pulled her to sit on his lap, made seira lean against his chest, while he moved his embedded fingers inside. while he rubbed her flinching flesh as if to soothe her, he spread his fingers wide like open scissors.

    ¡°ugh¡­¡­¡±

    she groaned softly with the strange feeling of water filling her vagina. her legs splayed wide outside his thighs and twitched.

    he added his fingers in to widen the gap more, and repeatedly rubbed her hard.

    ¡°i hate that¡­¡± she whimpered.

    ¡°you can¡¯t do it. it¡¯s still too narrow inside,¡± baron grunted.

    ¡°just put it in. put yourself inside me¡­¡±

    baron¡¯s head completely blanked out at her words asking for him to put them in.

    ¡°this is driving me crazy¡­ what am i going to do with you?¡±

    he pulled his fingers out and positioned the tip of his shaft by her entrance.

    ¡°if you want to, try taking me in first.¡±

    seira, who had already moved her hips from the moment his manhood touched her, turned her hand back and placed it on his shoulder to raise herself slightly. she slowly lowered herself to receive him inside her narrow quim, which then widened and swallowed him little by little.

    ¡°ugh¡­ it¡¯s too big¡­¡±

    even though she was drenched in alpha¡¯s pheromones, it was still hard. it felt like a big pillar was splitting her body in half.

    baron was going crazy. the way she moved herself and held him gave him a mental climax. no, it wasn¡¯t just in his head. it seemed like she wrapped him tightly and massaged his manhood with each movement.

    ¡°ha¡­ seira¡­¡±

    he lifter her chin up and kissed her. he bit his own tongue and spilled his blood into her mouth.

    in a daze at the pleasure, she lowered her waist without hesitation. it went so deep that it felt like the tip reached and crushed her uterus. however, thanks to the healing power of his blood, she didn¡¯t feel any pain.

    the two of them shared a long kiss, swallowing the groans that escaped with each other¡¯s saliva. it just barely got in, but the shallow climax continued.

    ¡°stop¡­ stop¡­¡±

    she couldn¡¯t stop herself from spasming as baron¡¯s pulsating manhood shot hot semen nonstop inside her.

    ¡°you too. at this rate, ugh¡­ i will break!¡±

    he knew he had to wait a while, but his patience was already running out.

    baron¡¯s back moved in its own. from bottom to top, seira¡¯s body jumped in surprise. he said he was confident that he was already experienced, but it didn¡¯t matter. no matter how much he tried, he couldn¡¯t afford to be calm in his relationship with her.

    seira¡¯s head tilted back. it was a terrible pleasure. pushing to reach her womb as he ejaculated.

    ¡°ahhh, baron¡­¡±

    saliva trickled down her open mouth. she felt dizzy and her eyes turned blurry. the rough fingers that rubbed her clit and caressed her breasts were insanely stimulating.

    however, what annoyed her the most was his penis that scratched the inner walls of her vagina, putting great pressure on her pleasure points.

    her insides were already a mess from her spilled vaginal fluid and his spurted semen. her entrance was blocked tightly, otherwise the water in the bathtub would¡¯ve turned cloudy.

    squeezing her tightly into his arms, baron couldn¡¯t hold back his excitement and bit her nape. sharp fangs tore her tender skin. omega¡¯s blood didn¡¯t taste different, but to him she was strangely sweet. baron drew her deeper into his arms and sucked.

    at the same time, seira¡¯s purple eyes were blank and out of focus. his penis, which had lodged itself from her entrance, swelled.

    he imprinted his existence by pushing his swelled penis to the limit.

    the knotting that began when the heat and rut cycle exactly overlapped, was ferocious.

 Chapter 66.1

    no matter how swollen it was to the point his penis felt like it was protruding out of seira¡¯s skin, it should¡¯ve been painful.

    ¡°yes¡­¡±

    however, only a soft moan escaped her slightly open lips.

    when an omega manifested, her body changed in order to receive an alpha¡¯s seeds, and be suitable for conception and childbirth. it was an irresistible instinct, just like the release of pheromones to attract alphas or facing a heat cycle.

    during this period, as chances of pregnancy skyrocketed, it was natural to be swallowed by omega¡¯s instinct as the alpha entered the rut phase, whether one wanted to or not.

    ¡°all right¡­¡±

    her vagina wrapped around his shaft to keep him knotting as long as he needed to. she poured her pheromones to the fullest and it encouraged baron to ejaculate a larger amount of semen.

    a terrifyingly thick and enchanting scent filled the whole space. it mixed into his breath, seeped into his skin, imbuing him with his own.

    of course, alpha¡¯s instinct welcomed it with cheers. the purpose of knotting was to eventually impregnate an omega. seira had no reason to refuse as she opened herself to take his seeds. otherwise, he would¡¯ve grabbed and spread her wide, and pushed himself forcefully.

    ¡°seira¡­¡±

    he called her name as he licked his wound. after caressing her trembling body, he couldn¡¯t help but grit his teeth.

    nothing compared to the feeling of pouring his seeds into the womb of the woman who he loved for a long time. he knew he shouldn¡¯t move, but his excitement kept rising. baron couldn¡¯t wait to get a little deeper than he was now.

    instead of rocking his hips to his heart¡¯s content, baron raised his knee and rubbed her erect clitoris as her legs spread apart.

    ¡°oh¡­ no, no.¡±

    ¡°are you alright? we just began, things are going to feel much better.¡±

    he could feel her squeezing him.

    ¡°do you think i¡¯m going crazy? i do too.¡±

    she thought if they did more, she wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it. she felt like she was being swallowed by joy and pleasure.

    the exhilaration that could be the death of her ended after a long time. his penis wasn¡¯t swollen anymore, and even the lingering effects of the climax slowly faded.

    baron gazed quietly at her closed eyelids. the sound of his breathing, which had been like a wounded beast, also gradually became even.

    ¡°are you asleep?¡±

    she must¡¯ve been exhausted. she just came back after being locked up for a day and a half. even if the night was long, baron initially was going to let her rest first, but he lost his reason when he suddenly went into rut.

    the problem was that one knotting couldn¡¯t relieve the terrible feeling rut phase brought. seira¡¯s pheromones hadn¡¯t calmed down at all, even when she was fast asleep due to accumulated fatigue.

    apart from her limp body, she was still flinching. his penis, which had swollen hard from earlier, showed no signs of going down.

    baron swept his hair and murmured in a low voice, ¡°¡­i¡¯m going crazy.¡±

    he looked down at seira and then continued, ¡°first of all¡­ let¡¯s take a shower, if that¡¯s alright?¡±

    after asking for meaningless consent from someone who was asleep, baron lifted her body from the tub. he could see the hazy liquid that slipped over her skin. he closed his eyes tightly at the terribly erotic sight of her.

    he was entirely at a loss to suppress the urge to shove himself back into her and wash her afterwards.

    ¡°it¡¯s like taking care for no reason.¡±

    he never won over her provocation, but he considered it his fault for responding instantly.

    he did everything he could to remain calm while he got water and washed seira. in particular, he almost broke the bathtub when he rubbed the slippery floor even though he didn¡¯t use the balm.

    if it hadn¡¯t been for his ability to recover quickly, which the damages weren¡¯t even noticeable to some extent, more than half of what was replaced would¡¯ve been worn out.

    but as promised, he bathed and wiped seira thoroughly, and then brought her out.

    ¡°ha¡­¡±

    baron looked down at seira, adding another sigh he must¡¯ve exhaled for a hundredth time overnight.

    her skin, which had turned red from soaking in the hot water for a long time, looked like a delicious and plump peach. when he put her down on the bed as calmly as he could despite his mouth watering fiercely, he noticed that his hand under her thigh was wet.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    baron blamed it on her leaking vaginal fluid. he licked the liquid off his hand as if he was possessed. as if it wasn¡¯t enough, he sucked up all the fluid that ran down her thighs and buttocks.

    ¡°uhn¡­¡±

    the sight of seira¡¯s twisting figure as she groaned softly stimulated his aggression. he wanted to eat her from head to toe. perhaps even hit her hard enough to make her cry in her sleep.

    ¡°it would surely make her regret falling asleep so defenselessly with an alpha, who is currently in the rut phase.¡±

    baron glanced back at her quim, which had turned wet again from his aggressive and stimulating sucking, and the corners of his mouth raised.

    * * *

 Chapter 66.2

    seira opened her eyes in the midst of fatigue and blinked for a couple of moments.

    ¡°woah¡­¡±

    she could see red marks all over her body.

    ¡°did you sleep well?¡±¡±

    baron, who looked at her as he rested his chin on one hand, bowed his head and kissed her.

    ¡°¡­what the hell happened?¡±

    like a puppy caught in the act, he licked her lips and replied, ¡°i don¡¯t know.¡±

    seira would¡¯ve believed him if it were just the red marks, but even his penis was stuck inside her. every time she moved, it squirmed along, and there was a sound of pleasured groans.

    ¡°you better thank me,¡± he said as he shook his back lightly. ¡°if i hadn¡¯t done this, you would¡¯ve suffered from the pheromones for half a day more.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    it¡¯s annoying, but he wasn¡¯t wrong. omega¡¯s heat cycle only calmed down after receiving an alpha¡¯s semen all night long. she fell asleep after one round, so it was rather right for her to be sorry.

    ¡°look, i gave you so much.¡±

    baron grinned and dragged her hand to place it on her belly. maybe it was just her, but she felt as if her flat stomach was slightly swollen.

    ¡°how much did you do?¡±

    ¡°well¡­ i don¡¯t really know since i didn¡¯t count.¡±

    seira released a soft sigh and pressed his cheek with both hands.

    ¡°baron jeff¡­¡±

    ¡°yes.¡±

    even though she smiled, it wasn¡¯t pretty at all coupled with her fierce eyes. it was a little cute, but¡­

    ¡®crazy¡­ it¡¯s crazy,¡¯ baron thought.

    he kissed her again, and she looked up at him with a frown. but seira opened her mouth, and their tongues twisted slowly together in spirals of heated romance.

    ¡°uh¡­ ahn¡­¡±

    she didn¡¯t know how long he hadn¡¯t pulled out, but every time he scratched her inner wall, seira¡¯s spine tingled. his hands overlapped on her hands, which fell gently onto the bed. gradually, baron began to move a little faster.

    maybe it was because they were too immersed with pheromones all night. she felt like she was melting. black and white flashed before her eyes. and then, another tsunami rushed over with another easy climax.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    he stole all the loud moans that escaped her mouth, and maybe she swallowed his too.

    the sight of her perking nipples being crushed by his hard chest was outrageously erotic. the same was true for below, where not a place was found to be dry.

    closing her eyes eventually, baron whispered in her ears, ¡°isn¡¯t this enough to satisfy you? we can do it for a few more days if you want, seira.¡±

    she was more scared that he wasn¡¯t exaggerating. if she would agree now, he¡¯ll probably push her into this crazy pleasure without a break. from the time she woke up to the moment she fell asleep. three of five days¡­ or even seven!

    ¡°stop speaking nonsense,¡± she grunted as she poked his waist with her knee. ¡°even animals wouldn¡¯t do this. let¡¯s stop, i¡¯m hungry.¡±

    after complying, seira heard baron smacking his lips with regret. still, she responded adamantly that she was indeed hungry.

    finally, he shoved it in slowly as he pressed her belly, feeling her clung to him.

    ¡°you seem more honest here than with the words that came out of your mouth,¡± he commented.

    ¡°ugh¡­!¡±

    seira suddenly exclaimed at the touch that pressed down on her belly as baron finally pulled himself out of her.

    she could feel what was stagnant had now started to leak out. it was no use trying to close her legs quickly. everything poured out endlessly to the point she herself was amazed.

    ¡°you really¡­!¡±

    whether she was angry or not, his gaze didn¡¯t fall and was fixed to the pretty hole he had packed with his semen.

    ¡®at this point, i think it would be weird if she isn¡¯t pregnant,¡¯ he thought at the back of his head.

    baron¡¯s thoughts blazed like wildfire. how would their relationship change if she had his child?

    it didn¡¯t matter if he couldn¡¯t claim the right to the child. wasn¡¯t the role of the alpha who sowed his seeds important to have a stable pregnancy?

    what if he gave her an arm pillow and sung her a lullaby under the pretext of pouring pheromones? it would be nice if he carried her everywhere so her feet wouldn¡¯t touch the ground. to feed her only the best, dress only the best, see only the best, and raise a child in her womb together.

    then, when the child would finally come, he wanted to visit him often and spend time together, even if the child didn¡¯t call him father.

    ¡®ah¡­ i want to marry you.¡¯

    he thought he could do anything if he wanted to. in addition to giving up his position as the family head, he would also have to return the name of jeff. wealth, honor, status, nothing more was as important as seira.

    of course, there was still the question of whether she¡¯d accept him who would have nothing by then.

 Chapter 67.1

    ¡®it¡¯s not going to work¡­¡¯

    baron didn¡¯t know until he shook louis¡¯ hands. if he couldn¡¯t give something greater than the revival of askan, then he was sure seira wouldn¡¯t choose him.

    he felt that he ultimately lost an opportunity. if only he spent a fraction of his time chasing her around and used it to keep his family at bay, the contents of the contract they signed that day would¡¯ve been completely different.

    ¡®you are such a jerk¡­¡¯ he told himself.

    he regretted that he couldn¡¯t take on his father¡¯s advice to fix his habit of focusing everything he had on chasing one thing only.

    seira looked at him with a puzzled face, ¡°baron? what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°what?¡±

    ¡°your face looks strange.¡±

    she tilted her head and reached out to his face. her warm eyes and soft touch, which weren¡¯t playful at the moment, made his heart tingle. as she leaned her cheek so she could inspect him more comfortably, she couldn¡¯t help herself and suddenly burst out into laughter.

    ¡°i won¡¯t get angry, so why don¡¯t you stop acting this pathetic?¡±

    ¡°you should be grateful to me,¡± he brazenly replied, then bit his palm as if he regretted it immediately after he spoke. even the way he raised his eyebrows and pulled his hand away seemed cute.

    ¡°alright, this time around i¡¯m going to wash on my own.¡±

    as she got out of bed, seira headed directly to the bathroom.

    ¡°is this the part where i follow you? my bathing service must have surely been quite satisfactory.¡±

    ¡°our commander-in-chief, why are you so fearless?¡±

    the more upset he got, the prettier she smiled, and the more that it scratched his stomach. he raised his hand in surrender, and seira smiled so brightly it felt like the curtains were drawn and the dark room was lit.

    ¡°shall we go down to the restaurant today and eat?¡±

    his quick change in attitude went through.

    ¡°all right.¡±

    baron stared at her as if possessed as she gracefully walked into the bathroom like a queen with sleeveless garments. as the door closed, he was quickly brought back to reality.

    ¡°oh my god¡­¡±

    like an alpha who passed through the rut by staying up all night with his beloved omega, his condition was at the point where he couldn¡¯t even close his eyes. he thought she wouldn¡¯t have enough time to wash and dress up like yesterday.

    baron called a servant as he hurried over to another bathroom. he could only hope that seira enjoyed her bath as leisurely as possible until she was ready again.

    * * *

    seira didn¡¯t have to worry about changing clothes at all. the dress room that was solely for jeff¡¯s lover was filled with clothes.

    she released a sigh and looked back at baron, to which he only shrugged his shoulders as their eyes met, as if saying it was normal.

    ¡°i¡¯ve only got a few pairs for guests.¡±

    ¡°how many¡­ but why is there only one uncomfortable dress?¡±

    ¡°the clothes you usually wear were too revealing in my opinion.¡±

    she laughed out loud.

    ¡°it¡¯s similar to the design of the knight¡¯s uniform, what¡¯s sexy about it?¡± she asked and then waved at the dress, ¡°in my opinion, this is more revealing.¡±

    despite grumbling, seira picked a few options and put them on her body. she didn¡¯t hate being pretty, but dresses were unnecessarily expensive and she was practical all her life. whenever she passed the street where boutiques were gathered, her eyes would turn without realizing.

    moreover, the dresses were ordered by jeff¡¯s family head himself, so how much effort must it have cost? it would¡¯ve been burdensome, but there wasn¡¯t anything he didn¡¯t like.

    seira glanced at baron, who was dressed quite neatly today, and then chose a turquoise dress to match. they were just going to lunch together, but it wouldn¡¯t be bad to match colors. it was considered a ¡®date¡¯, right?

    ¡°underwear is in the drawer.¡±

    she opened the drawer and her eyes darted back to baron as she saw what they contained.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    noticing seira¡¯s glare, baron hurriedly made excuses as he confirmed the contents of the drawer.

    ¡°i never chose them. they said it was needed, so they filled it in moderately. honestly, i don¡¯t remember buying a piece of fabric that was worse than not wearing it.¡±

    ¡°oh, really?¡±

    it didn¡¯t matter if he was lying or not. the problem was finding a better underwear to wear than the erotic ones she was seeing.

    anyway, as she assessed them, the underwear and her dress fit perfectly.

    however, there was not a dress made in haute couture that she could wear on her own, so she had to ask for baron¡¯s help in the end.

    ¡°tighten the string here, baron.¡±

    ¡°like this¡­¡±

    ¡°ugh¡­ you pulled it too tight.¡±

    ¡°but if it¡¯s tightened this much, your bare skin would be visible¡­¡±

    ¡°that¡¯s the way it is.¡±

    despite his hesitation, baron shaped the dress as he was told to. it was kind of funny and cute to see him bending his large body and wriggling as he tried to tie the thin string somehow.

    in conclusion, baron miserably failed. when she heard something snap, seira kicked him out without mercy.

    ¡®these clothes are expensive!¡¯ she grumbled inwardly.

 Chapter 67.2

    she had been so accustomed to aven¡¯s skillful attendance, but then she left without much thought.

    ¡°please call me a maid instead.¡±

    ¡°¡­alright.¡±

    jeff¡¯s maid rushed into the dressing room with baron¡¯s call, staring blankly at the ruined dress. she managed to pick something to put on her that matched baron, who held the torn string with a sullen face.

    ¡°why does the dress show too much of her skin? surely the measurements are wrong.¡±

    ¡°didn¡¯t you see the ladies wearing them at the banquet? this is good enough. revealing the top of your chest is quite trendy these days.¡±

    baron¡¯s eyes widened and he murmured with clenched teeth, ¡°you¡¯re crazy.¡±

    ¡°you¡¯re crazy.¡±

    ¡°that is why i prefer blouses and pants. it¡¯s fine if we don¡¯t ride together.¡±

    when seira discovered where his stubbornness came from, baron¡¯s ears instantly turned red.

    in the past she would¡¯ve laughed and laughed, but now that their relationship progressed to this point on, it was a bit more like a tease.

    ¡®i¡¯m seriously na?ve about this¡­¡¯

    baron was a reliable commander-in-chief who was incomparable to no one in tactics and strategies, let alone individual incompetencies. but why was he such a novice with relationships? it was outrageous. of course, she couldn¡¯t say he was clumsy with sex anymore.

    the first formal luncheon at jeff was spectacular after all the fuss.

    ¡®a variety of meat is piled up in mountains!¡¯ seira thought with glee.

    even though she grew up to have tasted various high-end dishes when she stayed at the imperial palace, there were still quite a few varieties of meat that she didn¡¯t know of.

    ¡°you didn¡¯t seem to have eaten veal steak before, so i told them to prepare a variety.¡±

    it was just a bit like eating steak from the morning, but seira just smiled and nodded.

    ¡°thank you for the food.¡±

    she felt sorry for jeff¡¯s chef, who would¡¯ve been annoyed as hell with baron, and she didn¡¯t want to disappoint him who triumphantly smiled as he revealed the dish to them.

    the dish actually suited her taste quite well. meat was always the right thing to do, even if it wasn¡¯t as good as the food that aven cooked with all his heart.

    ¡°i wanted to take you someplace else, but let¡¯s go there another time. we still have two chances to date.¡±

    ¡°okay.¡±

    by the time they were almost done with the vegetables. seira asked in a passing tone, ¡°oh, but are there any contraceptive pills in the mansion?¡±

    baron stared at her for a while before lowering his eyes.

    ¡°there isn¡¯t,¡± he simply answered.

    he could¡¯ve lied and brought out a fake one, but he thought it was best that he was clear there were none.

    ¡°baron, even if you don¡¯t give me one, i¡¯ll end up getting one and drinking it anyway.¡±

    ¡°if you wish so,¡± he replied, ¡°but i won¡¯t give you a contraceptive with my own hands.¡±

    ¡°i see¡­¡±

    he looked up at her with conflicted eyes, ¡°seira, are you seriously thinking of marrying louis franto?¡±

    ¡°hmm¡­ well¡­¡±

    louis¡¯ plan wasn¡¯t to marry her. however, she couldn¡¯t tell baron this. she signed a contract with louis as a pretend lover, and baron was included in their list of people she should deceive.

    ¡°one thing is for sure, this is the only thing i can share with you in the near future.¡±

    in fact, she needed baron, to be precise, his regenerative power. but she didn¡¯t mean to take advantage of his heart. the joy it brought was too great to trample on the pure affection she received for the first time.

    ¡®if baron wants to, we can continue our relationship, but¡­¡¯ seira thought with a pause, ¡®if he doesn¡¯t like it, i can find another way.¡¯

    if that happened, it was up to her to deal with the consequences. she couldn¡¯t return his affection, and it was her duty to let him go whenever he wanted.

    ¡°i see.¡±

    a smile spread across baron¡¯s lips as he heard seira¡¯s words.

    ¡°do you mean the fox hasn¡¯t proposed to you yet?¡±

    ¡°huh? well, yes. we¡¯re just started to date.¡±

    ¡°that¡¯s fine then.¡±

    seira was confused, but he didn¡¯t seem disappointed. rather, baron looked much better than before.

    ¡°i¡¯d be a coward if i give up without even trying,¡± he finally added, ¡°i¡¯ll do my best, seira.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    he gave her a smile, which she couldn¡¯t bear to answer and merely stared back at him.

    ¡°i¡¯m glad you finally know my true feelings.¡±

    ¡°what are you trying to say¡­? no matter what, you¡¯re jeff¡¯s¡­¡±

    as soon as she tried to continue her words, seira shut her mouth at a sudden knock.

    ¡°your excellency.¡±

    it was noah, the general butler. it seemed urgent since he came to baron who was still spending time with seira.

    ¡°come on in,¡± baron permitted.

    noah entered and bowed politely.

    ¡°what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°we have a man from the duke of franto.¡±

    ¡°to me?¡±

    ¡°no, to the duchess of askan.¡±

    seira received a letter from noah and read it.

    after reading the letter, seira folded it with a smile and asked, ¡°is the person who delivered this still out there?¡±

    ¡°yes. i¡¯m waiting for you to give me an answer right away.¡±

    seira nodded and looked at baron.

    ¡°i have to go.¡±

 Chapter 68.1

    ¡°do you really have to go right now? can¡¯t we have a cup of tea?¡±

    baron knew she had decided beforehand to stay in franto before the conference. however, he felt he was going crazy if she¡¯d go right away now. his instincts roared to hold her by his side, whether it was his pride or not.

    ¡°there is something you must know,¡± baron hurriedly added, ¡°after you disappeared¡­ of course, aven will report to you, but there are things he doesn¡¯t know too.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°huh? seira¡­¡±

    seira, who stared at baron silently, finally said to noah, ¡°will you tell franto¡¯s man to wait for half an hour?¡±

    noah also seemed quite surprised to see his master begging, and there was a hint of embarrassment in his voice as he answered.

    ¡°ah¡­ i see,¡± he stuttered, ¡°i will tell him that.¡±

    even before noah finished his words, baron got out and stood up from his seat.

    ¡°let¡¯s go to the greenhouse. i have prepared the place.¡±

    ¡°don¡¯t get too excited, baron,¡± seira warned him, ¡°i¡¯m just curious about what you said.¡±

    ¡°yes. ask me anything. i¡¯ll answer everything you want to know.¡±

    it was merely thirty minutes, but baron¡¯s face was full of joy.

    ¡®what am i going to do with him?¡¯

    shaking her head, seira stood and quickly followed suit.

    ¡°¡­ your excellency.¡±

    noah, who stood by the door waiting for them to exit, spoke carefully, ¡°if you decide to leave franto, we¡¯ll take care of you, so feel free to spend your time here comfortably.¡±

    ¡°i¡¯ve caused too much trouble already.¡±

    seira answered him with a sheepish smile, and then left the main building with baron.

    * * *

    at the beginning of spring, the greenhouse bathed beautifully under the sunlight to the extent that it didn¡¯t match the image of the family with a whole armory of iron weapons that owned it.

    in the middle, baron and seira sat facing each other. the table between them was littered with various kinds of desserts, but neither of the cakes and chocolates were looked at.

    ¡°you went to see louis yourself?¡±

    seira, who had just learned about the situation while she was held captive, was surprised and asked again.

    ¡°is that such a surprise?¡±

    ¡°no¡­ you obviously didn¡¯t like him.¡±

    ¡°your safety was at concern, so i didn¡¯t bother to argue about it.¡±

    seira looked at him with gentleness in her eyes.

    it was never easy for a family member, let alone the family head, of an opposite faction to approach the other family. of course, no matter what would happen, baron was skillful enough to get out, but it didn¡¯t matter. people would see it as if jeff has bent its knees to franto.

    baron told her everything about franto, regardless of how petty it looked to her.

    ¡°if he didn¡¯t tell you directly, think about it carefully. it bothers me that the fox even knew of aven¡¯s ability. besides, he knew instantly where you were trapped by just hearing a few words.¡±

    ¡°well¡­¡±

    baron¡¯s argument for her to be wary of louis was reasonable. she, too, had been embarrassed more than once by his intelligence.

    but what was more troubling was the fact that he wasn¡¯t afraid to hide it at all.

    didn¡¯t he know it was much more natural to ask her measurements instead? what about aven¡¯s power? what was his reason for openly saying those words and acting suspiciously?

    ¡®as if he¡¯s telling me not to blatantly trust him.¡¯

    in the first place, louis and she were only contracted to gain what they wanted from each other. not only did she have no room for useless affection, but she only believed in the contract she signed with duke franto, not louis himself.

    ¡®is he encouraging everyone around him to suspect him?¡¯

    baron¡¯s warning meant to keep in mind the possibility that information might¡¯ve leaked from within askan.

    her whereabouts, her measurements, her weakness, her taste. who would be the person to hand it over to louis¡¯ hands?

    ¡°that¡¯s everything i wanted to say,¡± baron added, ¡°the decision is yours, so i won¡¯t say more.¡±

    ¡°yes. thank you, baron,¡± seira smiled and looked at him, ¡°you tried hard to find me, you told me everything.¡±

    he answered her heartfelt words with a faint cough, ¡°i just did the obvious thing.¡±

    the man that sat in a chair too small for his size looked at her passionately with his red eyes was cute. even during their serious conversation, she wanted to stroke strands of his hair that stuck out.

    ¡°what did you want to ask me?¡±

    ¡°ah¡­¡±

    after thinking several times who to ask, seira decided to ask baron.

    ¡°did emperor laud have any brothers? prematurely dead or missing.¡±

    it was an imperial affair, but she thought as calrad¡¯s cousin, baron would know. after thinking for a while, he nodded.

 Chapter 68.2

    ¡°it was before you and i were even born, but i¡¯ve heard of stories. his majesty the late emperor had a twin brother.¡±

    ¡°¡­really?¡±

    seira recalled the face of the late emperor laud, whom she forcibly erased from her head when he betrayed askan. the last time she saw him was not long after he lost his imprinted omega, so he was mentally and physically ill. perhaps because of that, it wasn¡¯t easy to connect him with mel.

    ¡®but, at first glance, the resemblance was definitely¡­¡¯

    ¡°it was an accident that involved the pregnant princess¡­¡± he continued, ¡°anyway, it was a great tragedy for both viseltium and franto, so it was kept silent ever since.¡±

    ¡°what about franto?¡±

    ¡°because the princess who had an accident was franto¡¯s eldest daughter.¡±

    in other words, it was the older sister of the former head, philias franto.

    ¡°do you remember their names?¡±

    ¡°well¡­ i¡¯m not quite sure if i remember. do you want me to look for it if you¡¯re curious?¡±

    ¡°yes, please.¡±

    seira became strangely anxious.

    why does a person who seemingly was insane, presumed to be directly from viseltium¡¯s bloodline, live in the temple basement? with his ability, he could always get out and take her back. but why¡­?

    ¡®if this has something to do with the emperor¡¯s sudden visit to the temple¡­¡¯

    she was questioning that for a long time, too. no matter how much the temple could find the beast¡¯s nest, she was surprised with the emperor¡¯s attitude, which seemed overly dependent.

    if mel was indeed the prince, and if the temple, the late emperor, and philia franto conspired to kill the couple, it was no wonder that louis knew of mel¡¯s existence.

    the problem was that mel¡¯s face, his power, resembled her favorite person¡­

    ¡®aven is mark helford¡¯s son. but why¡­¡¯

    when she thought of this, her heart constricted. what should aven do if he knew he was directly related? if she asked him and he reacted differently than she expected¡­

    ¡°seira.¡±

    suddenly, a heavy warmth fell on the back of her hand. baron gazed at her and added, ¡°you don¡¯t look too good.¡±

    seira felt the impulse in his eyes which were filled with pure affection and concern. she wondered if it would be fine to confide her feelings a little with him.

    she showed no sign of weakness to anyone, including nathan and aven. she hated seeing a sad expression in nathan, who sacrificed his life for his daughter¡¯s future. aven was a vassal she should protect, so it was only natural for her.

    she has no friends or siblings to open up to, so she pretended to be strong alone, but sometimes all she just wanted was to rely on someone. she thought it¡¯d be nice if she could at least whine about her burdens. then the weight on her shoulders would somehow feel much lighter.

    ¡®no, what the hell am i thinking?¡¯

    seira finally came to her senses, and she hurriedly pulled out her hand.

    baron jeff liked her. he liked her for the longest time.

    on the other hand, how was she?

    she didn¡¯t have the ability to return his affection, but only intended to take advantage of it. her cheeks were burning with shame at her ugly selfishness.

    she smiled sheepishly at him, rubbing the back of her warm hand on the hem of her clothes.

    ¡°you have no conscience, baron,¡± she joked, ¡°it¡¯s not because you already know, right?¡±

    as a result, he also smiled and withdrew his hand as he said, ¡°i think i¡¯ve said it for the third time already. it¡¯s all thanks to me.¡±

    seira snorted and began to eat away the refreshments they hadn¡¯t touched during their entire conversation. she felt a little better when she ate the sweet and bitter chocolate cake and tart with plenty of strawberries.

    ¡°don¡¯t go until you¡¯re done eating.¡±

    ¡°can you do that?¡±

    seira and baron, who already knew who entered the greenhouse by the sound of his voice, weren¡¯t the least bit surprised.

    ¡°you didn¡¯t have to come yourself,¡± baron said without masking the annoyance in his voice.

    louis franto smiled and put his hand on his chest, ¡°thank you for welcoming me. i was rude because i wanted to see my lover as soon as possible, but i believe you will understand.¡±

    baron could only shut his mouth with a disapproving expression, as he too had visited franto without prior notice the other night.

    ¡°i was about to go anyway. i¡¯m sorry to keep you waiting, louis.¡±

    seira got up from her seat, smiled and moved towards louis. the splendid-looking man held out his hand to her, his eyes staring with a contrary look to his soft smile.

    ¡°i was very worried, seira. i¡¯m relieved to see that you¡¯re safe.¡±

    ¡°it wasn¡¯t a big deal.¡±

    replying lightly, seira accepted the hand he held out. louis kissed the back of her hand for a rather long time, and seemed to be a man who sincerely wished for his lover¡¯s safety. of course, nobody actually believed it.

 Chapter 69.1

    ¡°can you wait outside the greenhouse for a second?¡±

    at louis¡¯ words, seira looked back at baron. he glared at louis with his brows furrowed, but before her gaze could reach him, he smiled and said, ¡°i¡¯m sorry to let you go now. i look forward to our next date, seira.¡±

    ¡°yes, it was a pleasure, baron. i¡¯ll see you at the conference.¡±

    with a slight wave of her hand, seira left the greenhouse first, leaving the two men behind.

    baron stared blankly at her back, feeling no regrets or lingering feelings, but as soon as the door shut¡­

    ¡°so.¡±

    as if to reflect his uncomfortable feelings, a chill came down his low voice.

    ¡°what does the head of franto have to say that he walks himself all the way to jeff?¡±

    ¡°i don¡¯t know why you set me up like that,¡± louis spoke without hesitation, ¡°i even provided you with the information you wanted.¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s probably because you have an ulterior motive.¡±

    the smile that was on louis¡¯ mouth widened slightly.

    ¡°well, it¡¯s none of my business what you think. but¡­¡±

    moving slowly, he slumped into the empty chair across baron. louis took a sip of what was left of seira¡¯s teacup where her lips touched, and then muttered, ¡°i don¡¯t think this is seira¡¯s taste,¡± and then spilled the rest on the floor.

    ¡°if i ask her not to meet you, what do you think will happen?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°a partner is just a relationship made to satisfy your desire. if you don¡¯t want to lose that, please think otherwise.¡±

    ¡°don¡¯t even think about wielding seira at your disposal, louis franto.¡±

    ¡°of course. i¡¯ve never been so conceited, duke jeff.¡±

    setting the teacup down to its original place, louis looked straight at baron, ¡°let¡¯s stop this useless emotional battle. it won¡¯t benefit anyone.¡±

    louis raised his head slightly and bowed as if it was the end of his business, rose up and left the greenhouse.

    baron stared intensely at the empty seat opposite him. louis¡¯ threatening words were imprinted in his head. he wanted to shout that it couldn¡¯t be, but he can¡¯t. he was afraid he wouldn¡¯t see her ever again.

    ¡°your excellency.¡±

    noah¡¯s voice came calling outside the greenhouse. the head butler worried about baron who was left alone.

    instead of answering noah¡¯s call, however, baron rose from his seat and walked towards the view outside.

    franto¡¯s carriage, where seira was riding now, was getting farther away.

    ¡°¡­seira.¡±

    it was the first time he felt so helpless.

    on the desk in his office, there were always a lot of party invitations and letters from powerful families. few men were found as popular to be thought of as husband material. but what was the point of all that?

    crack!

    as soon as his sense of loss turned to anger, the glass walls of the greenhouse broke with a loud noise. baron¡¯s violent energy was destroying everything in its path. however, baron¡¯s gaze followed seira without blinking an eye.

    in that situation, alec came instead of the butler.

    ¡°your excellency¡­!¡±

    but he too could no longer go in from the entrance.

    alec stood motionless and looked at baron¡¯s back, who was spewing bloody murder. his clenched fist was shaking with rage. the violent swirling of the glass window¡¯s powdery fragments was beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

    ¡°what the hell is going on? the duke of askan, by any chance¡­¡± he muttered in disbelief.

    ¡°alec.¡±

    perhaps because of his voice or because of the special name he mentioned, the heavy pressure that baron exerted disappeared as if it never happened.

    alec¡¯s heart sank as slowly, baron looked back at him with surprisingly cold and dead eyes.

    ¡°yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°i want to kill louis franto. what should i do?¡±

    alec sucked in air. did he really mean louis franto? how on earth would he kill a duke of an empire who was a one-man army himself? no, in fact, it was possible if baron goes all out. but alec pointed to a bigger problem.

    ¡°your excellency, can you achieve what you want by killing him?¡±

    alec was sharp and he knew what baron wanted. to his knowledge, seira askan wasn¡¯t someone he could obtain through the death of louis franto.

    ¡°¡­no.¡±

    baron didn¡¯t know it either. getting rid of louis wouldn¡¯t change anything. rather, it was more likely that his relationship with seira might worsen if he did.

    ¡°i feel really dirty.¡±

    ¡°you should retaliate in an appropriate way. doesn¡¯t franto also have a weakness?¡±

    as alec said, louis franto had an obvious weakness. but that wasn¡¯t the kind of revenge that baron wanted.

 Chapter 69.2

    seira, who claimed to be very selfish herself, had the support of people who had similar situations to her. the askan knights, including aven helford, were all abandoned by someone just like her who was left alone with nothing.

    therefore, if louis lost everything, including his position as the family head, the exact opposite would surely happen.

    ¡°i¡¯d feel relieved if i could just get to punch him in his haughty face.¡±

    muttering, baron turned again and looked out. the carriage that carried seira was no longer in sight.

    * * *

    louis was silent all the way to the laboratory. seira was curious why, but since they sat next to each other, she had to turn her head openly so she could see his expression.

    ¡®there is definitely a smile on his face, but¡­¡¯

    it was difficult to guess what he was thinking with his unique expression that didn¡¯t give a hint of sincerity. seira got worried, and decided to finally speak.

    ¡°what happened with baron?¡±

    when louis¡¯ gaze landed on her cheek, she looked at him too. as expected, his mouth was subtly stiff.

    ¡°no¡­ we just exchanged a few words of thanks. he helped me with this.¡±

    ¡°i see. i just wanted to ask because you seem to be in a bad mood.¡±

    ¡°am i?¡±

    his reaction convinced seira.

    ¡®looks like they had a fight.¡¯

    perhaps louis irritated baron alone. honestly, louis didn¡¯t care who she spent her time around with, but baron wouldn¡¯t be.

    ¡°maybe.¡±

    ¡°hmm¡­?¡±

    as seira stared at his confusing remark, louis added, ¡°i think my nerves got a little bit sharper. the scent of duke jeff¡¯s pheromones is infused with seira.¡±

    ¡°oh dear,¡± she gasped, ¡°that is possible. our cycles had overlapped.¡±

    normally, she would¡¯ve easily erased the pheromones of others left in her body, but last night was different.

    ¡®i didn¡¯t think much about it because it was my first time with an alpha rutting. besides, aven¡­ he never knotted inside me.¡¯

    no matter how hard she¡¯d try, the semen she took in to conceive will still remain somewhere inside. it wasn¡¯t easy even for her, a pureblooded omega, to erase the traces left by a pureblooded alpha in less than half a day.

    ¡°heat¡­ came? last night?¡± louis asked, his eyes widening as if surprised.

    ¡°yes.¡±

    ¡°why so soon¡­?¡±

    the way he stared at her and muttered to himself as if a mortified wizard who made a mistake in a very easy calculation.

    ¡°it could have been a disaster.¡±

    ¡°it was a relief.¡±

    what could¡¯ve happened if her heat cycle began before she could escape from mel? just thinking about it made her dizzy. those who were having an orgy must¡¯ve rushed in a frenzy, lured by a pureblooded omega¡¯s pheromones. of course, she would¡¯ve lost the chance to escape after calrad discovered she was there.

    if it weren¡¯t for baron¡¯s pheromone, the heat cycle wouldn¡¯t have been this long, but it was true that it came so close.

    ¡°nothing happened there, right?¡±

    ¡°well¡­¡±

    seira pondered with her eyes down slightly. if she was right, louis would know who mel was.

    ¡®and he could be his nephew too.¡¯

    then would it work if she tried to ask him now?

    ¡°the kidnapper was quite kind, and he was good-looking too, so i kissed him once¡­¡±

    sure enough, louis¡¯ mask cracked and shattered. enjoying his slowly changing expression, she gently moistened her lips with her tongue.

    ¡°it is a bit different from what i expected,¡± louis murmured, ¡°so it was just that, huh? anything else?¡±

    he stared blankly at her lips with wide open eyes, and then covered his eyes with his hand.

    ¡°i see¡­¡±

    because louis blocked her view, seira watched to her heart¡¯s content. it wasn¡¯t often that he got so embarrassed.

    ¡°i wonder whether perhaps he was around his late thirties. he said his name was mel,¡± she continued, ¡°i¡¯ve never met an alpha with that name or face in viseltium.¡±

    even when she knew louis wouldn¡¯t answer her, seira asked tersely.

    ¡°do you think you know who my kidnapper could be?¡±

    only then did louis lowered his hand from his eyes. as soon as they made eye contact, seira smiled and added, ¡°i think i want to visit him again and find out who he really is.¡±

    ¡°seira.¡±

    louis, who managed to regain his usual expression, put his hand over hers.

    ¡°even if jeff wasn¡¯t satisfied, seira is with me now.¡±

    seira glanced down at his hand and raised her eyes again in confusion.

    ¡°the night we spend together as lovers will be much more fun.¡±

 Chapter 70.1

    louis spoke with a soft whisper. his eyes looked at her, seemingly aware of how good she looked at the moment.

    ¡®this is quite unexpected again.¡¯

    the way to distract is to seduce using the body. wasn¡¯t it quite desperate of a choice to be made by someone who didn¡¯t seem to agree with her? it was clear that the subject of mel made louis impatient.

    seira decided to change the subject at this point.

    ¡°let¡¯s finish our work first before we think about that.¡±

    after she confirmed his response to some extent, seira decided it would be better not to provoke him any longer. however, she didn¡¯t know anything else, but she felt she had to add one more thing.

    ¡°and¡­ baron is a pretty good partner. don¡¯t get me wrong.¡±

    to be honest, she didn¡¯t like the thought that her relationship with baron would be bad.

    ¡®a good example of how terrifying a genius could be when he tries¡­ i don¡¯t even know if it¡¯s okay to use that word¡­¡¯

    ¡°i see¡­¡± he trailed off, ¡°that¡¯s a relief, you were satisfied.¡±

    seira didn¡¯t miss the slight frown on his eyebrows. the fact that she said baron was good at sex seemed to annoy louis.

    she opened her mouth again, pretending that she didn¡¯t notice, ¡°by the way, what was the urgent news written in the letter?¡±

    ¡°ah! i wanted to deliver it as soon as possible, so i came to see you myself. it¡¯s nothing really, but¡­ the results show that the wheat harvested from the dews estate is no different from those harvested from other territories.¡±

    seira¡¯s eyes widened with the news that she heard.

    ¡°really?¡±

    ¡°yes,¡± louis confirmed, ¡°i don¡¯t know about anything else, but there is nothing to worry about the type of experiment done since it is highly accurate with its results.¡±

    the study was done to determine how much of the components of the two substances matched.

    in fact, there was a funny reason why this kind of research was developed in the empire. alphas and omegas were pretty promiscuous before marriage, so often there were doubts about the lineage of a child immediately born after marriage.

    in an aristocratic society, bloodline was more important than anything else, and it was essential to identify a noble child¡¯s biological parents. this then led to the development of research comparing blood and other components.

    ¡°go check it out.¡±

    seira¡¯s face flushed with anticipation at his convincing words. louis smiled softly, sweeping seira¡¯s red cheeks with the back of his hand.

    * * *

    arriving at the magic engineering institute, the two of them headed straight to louis¡¯ private lab.

    ¡°here it is.¡±

    louis handed her a thick stack of papers. seira scoured every page of the report, and was able to confirm that all 100 samples obtained from dews came out with the same result.

    there was really no sign of contamination from their first harvest after 15 long years.

    ¡°wow¡­ what¡¯s going on here?¡±

    a big smile spread across seira¡¯s face.

    the fact that components of the crops were the same meant the land had completely recovered and not just the appearance. it meant that crops, animals, and even people could live and reproduce prosperity just like in the past.

    ¡°i don¡¯t need to buy wheat anymore.¡±

    louis¡¯ eyebrows lifted with seira¡¯s words of delight.

    ¡°do you want to try it yourself?¡±

    ¡°of course.¡±

    in fact, even with the positive results, she needed to be careful about distributing them on the market right away. it would be a big problem if it harmed common people who couldn¡¯t avail treatment if any aftereffects of consuming the crop occurred.

    since most poisons only gave her a stomachache, she intended to expand the scope of the test bit by bit after she confirmed it herself. wouldn¡¯t it be fine to experiment with a small group of volunteers among askan¡¯s knights that were used to eating spoiled food, saying that it was a waste to throw out?

    it would be better to dispose of the rest of the crops, even if it was wasteful.

    ¡°it¡¯s the first harvest to celebrate askan¡¯s revival,¡± she said, ¡°but who else would eat it besides me?¡±

    louis, who was looking at the corner of seira¡¯s excited mouth dancing, laughed at one point. it was more like a burst of laughter too rather than a broken laugh.

    ¡°i¡¯m glad that you are happy.¡±

    ¡°thank you for always bringing me good news, louis.¡±

    ¡°can i kiss you?¡±

    seira blinked several times before she looked at him and said, ¡°¡­what?¡±

    ¡°because your smiling face is so pretty. if you don¡¯t mind, will you allow me?¡±

    although somewhat puzzled, seira couldn¡¯t think of a reason to refuse. what¡¯s the big deal about kissing someone when she already agreed to have sex?

    ¡°okay, then¡­¡±

    before she could even finish speaking, louis reached out his hand, clasped her wrist, then pressed his lips over hers. the movement of his tongue rubbing her lower lip was slow, contrary to his somewhat rushed approach. as if carving the shape of her lips, he slowly and carefully licked it then parted their lips.

 Chapter 70.2

    his eyes, which looked down at seira¡¯s lips that were smooth with his saliva, were darker than usual. perhaps it was because of his long lashes. it was difficult to comprehend the emotions they contained, like a deep forest that you could easily get lost in if you mistakenly wandered into it.

    ¡°even when you¡¯re already satisfied, do it with me.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    seira stared blankly at him.

    ¡°i meant sex.¡±

    as her eyes widened with surprise, louis kissed her again. he sucked her lips and licked until an obscene sound of wetness could be heard.

    seira thought she knew nothing of this man. while his kisses were skillful and smooth enough to make her anxious, his hand that held her wrist was flinching as if he was nervous, making it hard to determine which was real and which was merely an act.

    ¡®anyway, i have to keep up.¡¯

    in order to fulfill the contract they signed, it would be right to act as if he succeeded in deceiving her with his sudden act. it wasn¡¯t a bad choice for her either, as she¡¯d need to release her pheromones one more night or so to completely end her heat cycle anyway.

    ¡°alright,¡± she replied, ¡°after power is filled up let¡¯s go to the mansion of franto¡­¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s fine to do it here. there¡¯s a bed and everything else.¡±

    ¡°really¡­?

    seira rolled her eyes in embarrassment.

    ¡®what else could be there aside from the bed?¡¯

    it was a little strange to mean something more than just enjoyment.

    while seira worried if it would be hard for her to match louis¡¯ weird and eccentric taste, he connected a cube with black debris to the glass tube with a noticeably happy face.

    ¡°if there¡¯s nothing special, try to fill up the power once every three days, but half as much as the last time. at least that won¡¯t be too much for you daily, will it?¡±

    ¡°yes, i like it.¡±

    certainly, putting all her energy into it every time was too risky.

    ¡®it¡¯s impossible to even go to baron every time.¡¯

    even if it took a bit longer, it couldn¡¯t be helped.

    just like before, seira amplified louis¡¯ power by immersing herself in the dubious liquid. thanks to the use of strength at the right level, her physical condition was quite good.

    however, one thing that bothered her now was that ¡®it¡¯ was touching her buttocks. it felt like something turned more solid, and it felt like it was actually shaking and moving. louis¡¯ temperature was higher than before, and he sighed from time to time¡­

    ¡®he must be in a rut¡­¡¯

    she didn¡¯t know if it had been like that before, but it was definitely real now.

    ¡°this is more efficient, but¡­¡± he said as he removed his hand from her belly. ¡°it¡¯s a little dangerous.¡±

    seira, who had become quite adept at pretending to be promiscuous, said with a smile, ¡°what¡¯s dangerous? you can just hold it in for a while and we¡¯ll solve it afterwards.¡±

    ¡®no, it¡¯s not that anymore.¡¯

    as of today, she is having a relationship with louis after baron. with two partners, it would make her an omega who played around very well.

    ¡°by the way, do you have any contraceptives here?¡±

    ¡°ah¡­ i¡¯m sure you¡¯ll need that too,¡± louis nodded his head and then lifted her up in a strong embrace.

    ¡°¡­what?¡±

    ¡°i think i¡¯m tired after using my powers. i¡¯ll take you to the bathroom.¡±

    even though he tried his best to hide it, she could see that his condition was slowly falling to the bottom. he carefully lowered her into the bathtub that was already filled with water. as if he calculated the time it would take to set the temperature in advance, the water was pleasantly just warm enough.

    ¡°take your time to wash up and come out. i¡¯ll get the contraceptives.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    the way he stepped out of the bathroom and looked a little nervous, was that an illusion? anyway, his determination to have sex with seira in his lab today seemed to be firm.

    seira washed herself at a fast pace and put on the gown he had prepared for her. seeing that there was no extra underwear, she didn¡¯t want to wear hers again.

    ¡®he must have a fetish for women with no underwear.¡¯

    seira left the bathroom deep in thought.

    ¡°louis?¡±

    she called out to him in a loud voice and then went through louis¡¯ private laboratory.

    ¡°where are you?¡± did you go get the contraceptives already?¡±

    the reason was simple.

    ¡®i don¡¯t care about anything else aside from the bed.¡¯

    when she suspected that he might have some unusual taste, seira couldn¡¯t stay still. she needed time to check with her own eyes and prepare her mind.

    ¡®if its going to be too much, i can just refuse, right?¡¯ she asked herself.

    seira took a deep breath as she entered the inner space she had never stepped in before.

    ¡®please, i hope his taste is at an acceptable level¡­¡¯

    high-level magic circles were engraved on the door, but it wasn¡¯t a big problem. she poured her magic and used her ¡®calculation¡¯, and the seal was easily reversed and lifted.

    soon, she entered the door that opened. as expected, it was a bedroom. in the middle, there was a bed where six to seven adults could roll around, and the wall surrounding the bed looked like it was used as a display case.

    seira passed the bed and walked further inside to check the items displayed in the case.

    ¡°¡­ what is that?¡±

 Chapter 71.1

    there were magic tools that she had never seen before.

    ¡®is it a product that franto is developing?¡¯

    in fact, she only knew it was a magic tool because of the mana stone embedded in it, but she couldn¡¯t guess what it was for just by its appearance. there were numerous kinds and sizes of magic tools neatly placed, such as round eggs, beads attached together, or just like a thin stick or string.

    ¡®i guess i could get a rough idea by looking at the magical formula.¡¯

    it was high time to decide whether she should touch the strange objects or not.

    ¡°seira, you are here.¡±

    seira looked back at the voice that called out to her. louis stood by the door, holding a mug in each hand.

    ¡°i looked around freely without asking,¡± seira blurted out. ¡°is this a place i wasn¡¯t supposed to be?¡±

    ¡°that can¡¯t be. it¡¯s only natural between lovers to share even the most intimate places.¡±

    ¡®the most intimate place¡­?¡¯

    it wasn¡¯t wrong since this was louis¡¯ private laboratory where security was ridiculously tight. it just sounded a little strange again this time.

    he stood beside her and handed her one of the mugs he brought. in the large glass, a cold pink tea was swirling.

    ¡°it¡¯s a contraceptive tea. i heard it¡¯s better to drink it together, so i also brewed my own.¡±

    ¡°thank you for your concern, louis,¡± seira replied with a big smile, and then sipped her tea.

    louis, who drank his share of cold tea, reached for the display case. the object that was closest floated and landed on his hand smoothly.

    ¡°it looks pretty cute, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    it was small and round like a bird¡¯s egg, and the light pink surface had a glossy exterior.

    ¡°what¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°hmm? is this your first time seeing this?¡±

    at louis¡¯ question, seira took a closer look at the display case. however, none of the items were familiar to her either.

    ¡°i have no idea. there are very few magic tools in askan.¡±

    ¡°i see.¡±

    louis alternately looked at the magic tool and her, as if surprised.

    ¡°seira¡¯s partners must have not been interested in this.¡±

    it wasn¡¯t until she heard what he said that she noticed. the harness displayed was used to¡­

    ¡°these are sex toys.¡±

    ¡°yes,¡± louis confirmed with a devilish smile, ¡°they are one of franto¡¯s biggest sources of income. this tiny one is as expensive as a telegram.¡±

    seira¡¯s jaw dropped.

    ¡°what? i don¡¯t think i need to spend that much to have sex¡­¡± she blurted out in bewilderment.

    it occurred to her that the efforts that louis and other researchers would make were formidable to develop a magic tool that she herself thought was useless.

    ¡°you had to, of course. there is nothing more important in life than pleasure itself. such an amazing invention.¡±

    quickly changing her words, seira gulped down her cold tea in embarrassment.

    ¡°ah¡­ cold.¡±

    having emptied her share, she even took the empty glass from his hand and put it down on the bedside table. then, as she turned towards louis, seira saw him covering his face with his palm.

    ¡®what¡¯s wrong with him?¡¯

    she could even hear a very long and audible sigh from him.

    ¡®i wonder if i spoke too harshly?¡¯

    wizards used to get very angry or hurt by unexpected things. it was said to be because they had a tendency to think about it too much, especially if someone talked about their main research field recklessly, it was easy to make enemies with them.

    ¡®i keep forgetting that louis is a wizard.¡¯

    surprisingly, louis was very different in many ways from the wizards she knew.

    what about zion? as he thought it was a waste of time to choose clothes, he always wore dark robes, and his stamina was weak because he hated to move.

    louis, on the other hand, seemed to put a lot of effort into grooming and making himself look good. judging from his muscles, he didn¡¯t seem to neglect physical training too.

    ¡°louis¡­?¡±

    as she carefully called him while looking around, his hand that was covering his face, fell down. she didn¡¯t know how he felt, but his expression wasn¡¯t much different from usual.

    ¡®okay¡­ is it?¡¯

    ¡°oh, i¡¯m sorry. it¡¯s a little different from what i expected.¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s not what you expected?¡± seira asked, ¡°what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°your reaction.¡±

    seira¡¯s head turned to the side as she found it difficult to grasp the context of the mood.

    ¡°anyway, you seem to have no aversion to things like this.¡±

    how could she be repulsed by something she didn¡¯t even know what was used for?

    ¡°yes, well, it¡¯s not bad,¡± she casually answered.

    ¡°then would you like to try it?¡±

    he strode forward and bent down with his hand on the table where the mug was placed. louis was eyeing her at a similar level.

    ¡°if you¡¯re also interested in sex toys.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

 Chapter 71.2

    she stared at his face, then lowered her gaze slightly. she¡¯d be lying if she¡¯d say she wasn¡¯t curious what that egg-like thing did.

    ¡°since you mentioned it¡¯s so expensive, it must be very effective.¡±

    seira nodded gladly, finding no reason to suppress her curiosity anymore.

    ¡°okay. you¡¯re not sick, are you?¡±

    ¡°of course.¡±

    seeing him smile so broadly as if he was genuinely happy, seira held out his hand without complaining.

    she also felt the innocence of zion, who got excited and jumped to show off an illusion magic he developed, in louis. after all, louis was a wizard in the first place.

    ¡°well, then¡­¡± he said after putting her in bed. ¡°can i cover your eyes to get rid of the sense of rejection?¡±

    ¡°is this a must?¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s not like that, but it would be much better for you to cover it.¡±

    ¡°¡­then do it.¡±

    he covered her eyes with a soft cloth at her permission. then, he sat down right behind her, just like how they were positioned in the glass tube, and made her lean on him.

    ¡°i¡¯ll get started now.¡±

    immediately after his low voice tickled her ears, something began to climb from her toes, lightly brushing her skin like a snake would¡¯ve felt slithering on one¡¯s skin.

    ¡°this is¡­ a magic tool?¡±

    ¡°yes, isn¡¯t it amazing?¡±

    he put his hands under her knee, lightly grasping her leg, and spread it wide apart on either side of her.

    ¡°don¡¯t be nervous and enjoy yourself, seira.¡±

    the thing continued to climb, slithering until it reached her most private parts. it was colder than that of body temperature, and it thrusted its head into her as if trying to dig inside deeper.

    ¡°um¡­ no, wait.¡±

    with her vision blocked, with something unknown that was trying to get inside her, an inevitable sense of dread rose up in her. thanks to this, her tightly closed entrance didn¡¯t leave a gap at all, and it turned as if it couldn¡¯t penetrate.

    it had been going back and forth, rubbing her exposed clitoris with its body as her legs were spread wide. it twisted and squeezed her voluptuous breasts once or twice, then climbed up and reached the tip of her chin.

    finally, she was wrapped in something cool and smooth from the tip of her toes to her neck.

    only then did seira vaguely have an idea. the magic technique underlying this would be ¡®bondage¡¯.

    ¡°ah¡­¡±

    louis let out a soft exclamation.

    ¡°it¡¯s such a shame to watch it all alone. it¡¯s so beautiful, seira.¡±

    he slipped his hand as he muttered in captivation. seira felt his fingertips groping her down there, pressing them hard and entering her vagina.

    ¡°uhn¡­¡±

    her sensitive body instantly responded to the strange intruder.

    ¡°i feel like my fingers are being bitten off.¡±

    slowly, but without stopping, he pushed all of his fingers all the way, twisting his wrist as if measuring her.

    ¡°i don¡¯t think i can put more than this¡­ do we need pheromones?¡±

    louis¡¯ pheromone. was the smell of ashes that seira smelled in the palace really his?

    as she became curious, seira told him impatiently, ¡°kiss me, louise.¡±

    he replied with a short laugh, ¡°as you wish.¡±

    it was probably the softest part of his body that came into contact with her. when he opened his mouth and kissed her, their tongues entangled and their breathing mixed.

    she spilled pheromone into his mouth as soon as their lips were engaged. melting in his breath, seeping into his saliva, so that she can draw out his desires.

    ¡°ah¡­¡±

    a suppressed groan escaped from his throat. louis¡¯ pheromone, which burst out right in time, was similar to the smell of a refreshing forest.

    ¡®¡­different?¡¯

    it smelled completely unlike what she expected.

    ¡®then at that time¡­¡¯

    however, she could no longer continue thinking leisurely. her pheromone, which had barely calmed down after having sex with baron, was stimulated by louis¡¯ pheromone and began to spike again.

    she could feel herself pouring from below. it was enough to wet his fingers as well as his palm. when he noticed, louis immediately pushed another finger in. making use of the liquid that she spilled as a lubricant, he stirred deeply and repeatedly pulled out, leaving only but a joint.

    ¡°ugh, yes¡­¡±

    his tongue was like a tyrant, digging into her mouth as if ready to break down every moan that spilled. he touched her nipples, which had been erect since the moment the pressure of the magic tool bound her.

    then, when he twisted them slightly with a pinch, seira felt a shudder of pleasure run up and down her spine.

    his hand, which was poking inside her more intensely and quicker each time, suddenly slipped out. but the emptiness that followed was brief.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    something round and hard without body heat came slamming inside her. it pushed through her vagina and dug in, reaching a depth that louis¡¯ fingers could never reach.

 Chapter 72.1

    louis stared at her, gently stroking her tense belly.

    the binding tool, designed to accentuate the most important parts of the female body, performed perfectly. in her loose gown, a dark blue mana chain that contrasted with her white skin wrapped around her body.

    from the moment the pressure was applied, her perky nipples trembled without even being touched. and her vagina, which was clearly exposed thanks to the crossed chains above her clitoris, twitched restlessly as if it was chewing his finger and swallowing it.

    was it because of the stimulus that lasted at a subtle intensity? or was it because of the shame of her showing her naked body while her eyesight was blocked? seira¡¯s cheeks and neck were lovingly flushed.

    ¡°uhn, ah¡­¡±

    she had held it in for a long time, but eventually a stream of moans that she couldn¡¯t swallow with her glossy wet lips poured out.

    barely resisting the urge to remove the blindfold that hid the most valuable jewels, louis pressed his lips against hers again.

    they were never empty words to say that it was a waste to see it alone. it was truly stunning in beauty. not even an alpha in his prime would be able to resist from jumping into a rage if he saw her right now.

    ¡°seira askan.¡±

    even as she was tied up helplessly and dressed in such an obscene manner, she didn¡¯t look vulgar even with her dripping saliva.

    ¡®a failure like you wouldn¡¯t be chosen by an omega without working hard.¡¯

    what would his mother say if she knew that he¡¯d become the lover of the most noble omega in hesrad, and that he¡¯d kissed her like this?

    ¡®i can¡¯t believe that i have to present you as my successor.¡¯

    philia franto couldn¡¯t get rid of the contempt in her eyes for a single moment. she kept lamenting until the moment she died.

    in fact, louis had no intention of touching seira until he offered the contract. he had a clear purpose from the start. she was merely a necessary means to succeed in his plan, and everything from saying he fell in love with her were all lies.

    how did he come to recognize seira askan as herself?

    when he saw her hug him with a big smile? or when they kissed for the first time? it was true that he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of her every time, but the triggers were more trivial.

    the cheeks that blushed immediately when he pointed out the fullness of her chest as she claimed to be promiscuous herself, or the sad expression that passed her face as she laughed about not tying aven to herself. or even selling herself casually as she took care of her knights.

    there were things he didn¡¯t notice when he looked at it from a distance.

    her relaxed expression and painted smile were like a mask. he couldn¡¯t help but notice because he himself wore a similar mask from an early age as necessary.

    the danger hidden in her graceful gestures scratched him sharply inside. when she, who used to snort at him, saying that their love affair was ridiculous, softened her eyes in front of his trivial kindness, he wanted to reach out to her without even realizing it.

    the urge to stare into her pretty eyes and stroke her soft cheeks soared inside him.

    he named the feeling inside him ¡®pity¡¯ for the first time. he thought it was a tiny feeling that sprang from a sense of kinship with having a painful past. louis knew he¡¯d end up where he decided to be as friendly as he could, if not enough to modify his plan.

    but if the waves in his chest had stopped there, he wouldn¡¯t have decided to embrace her.

    from the moment he felt sympathy, his gaze began to follow her steps from a completely different point of view. he saw what drove her to despair and disappointment. also, what gave her hope and joy.

    the latter was concluded as one. the only thing that philia franto wanted to replicate so much, and the only being that was recognized as bern clemens viseltium¡¯s child ¨C aven helford.

    seira seemed to feel joy and happiness in her relationship with aven, gaining comfort through him. the colorful emotions that unraveled when she was with him were proof of that.

    he didn¡¯t even need to count the former. except for a few of askan¡¯s family members and aven helford, everyone else were her enemies.

    the only exception so far that had become a solid relationship, was none other than baron jeff.

    louis wasn¡¯t jealous of aven. although he was close to saying he couldn¡¯t.

    whenever philia franto lamented by comparing the perfect finished product to her own failures, louis and the others longed for aven¡¯s return. it was because then he¡¯d be freed from the terrible pain that didn¡¯t seem to end.

    the meaning has changed now, but for louis, aven was still the key to ending this hell. so even though he felt guilty, he couldn¡¯t be jealous of him.

    however, baron jeff was not an exception.

    when he first heard about his relationship with seira, louis decided that he could use it as a means to rouse aven. however, his feelings for betraying reason boiled over.

 Chapter 72.2

    he couldn¡¯t tolerate a man who was born without a single flaw and ran down a flawless road to reach seira. he gnashed his teeth as if something was taken away from him even if he didn¡¯t have it in the first place.

    then in the morning, after pacing around the door a dozen times, louis finally decided to pick her up himself.

    he was determined to embrace seira.

    rather, it would¡¯ve been better to have compassion, but the purpose was shady.

    he was determined to tame her body in his own way in every possible way. he can¡¯t forget this terrible pleasure that he got wet just by looking at her face. he can¡¯t help but think of sex even when he was hugged by her.

    louis gently pressed her belly, which had started to relax little by little with his touch.

    ¡°ugh¡­!¡±

    the magic tool, which happened to be in place, began to vibrate inside her. to prevent her from refusing, louis pushed his tongue violently into her mouth. he rubbed and stroked her tongue promiscuously until they ached.

    underneath, where he used to barely squeeze a finger in, was now holding three of his fingers. the sight of the spurts that clashed on the palm of his hand was breathtaking.

    he wanted to shove his penis inside her right away, but he had to hold back.

    when seira reached her third climax, he removed his hand from her belly and summoned several of his magic tools from the display case.

    ¡°you¡¯ll probably like this one, too,¡± he whispered softly in seira¡¯s ear.

    he hung a small bead-shaped magic tool on her nipples one by one. like what he inserted in her vagina, it was a magic tool that was made to precisely stimulate that area.

    ¡°ugh, lou¡­ louis¡­¡±

    ¡°yes, seira. i¡¯m here.¡±

    his response was affectionate, placing one last magic tool on her clitoris. it was extremely pleasant to see the magic tools shining bright like pearls that decorated the prettiest parts of her body. they were so pretty to the point that he wanted them hanging there forever.

    ¡°i don¡¯t like this, yes¡­¡±

    as expected, as soon as she gave it a chance, her disapproval came out. louis pretended not to hear and put his finger in her mouth.

    ¡°it¡¯s not weird, it feels great, right?¡±

    louis, who was slowly searching her mouth, kissing her wet eyes, measuring the height of the roof of her mouth and the depth of her throat thought¡­ has she ever asked for him?

    ¡®i think it¡¯d tear too.¡¯

    he had no intention to put his penis in her mouth. however, in general, omegas during their heat cycles fancied sucking up alpha¡¯s fluids, so he kept it in mind that there was a possibility that it wouldn¡¯t go as expected.

    ¡®if bitten, move in this direction so as not to tear too badly¡­¡¯

    louis¡¯ penis twitched greatly at the sight that he pictured in his mind. seira askan on her knees and between his legs, holding his penis to the fullest. when he imagined that she¡¯d get tears due to difficulties, even his sense of the situation soared.

    he had a hunch that he wouldn¡¯t be able to control himself if he really put it in.

    ¡®i can¡¯t treat her if you¡¯re seriously injured, so i should avoid it as much as possible.¡¯

    it was fortunate that even though she was on her second day of the heat cycle, she would still have some sense of reason left.

    ¡®i wonder if aven has ever tried to¡­¡¯

    there was no way that aven, who¡¯d rather strangle himself than hurt seira, would try fellatio. even if seira came at him recklessly, he would¡¯ve stopped her from licking him.

    ¡®then what about baron jeff?¡¯

    at least it seemed clear that she didn¡¯t put anything in her mouth last night. if she did, she¡¯d definitely have a scar on her lips. like congestion that left red all over her skin.

    but louis¡¯ mood dropped sharply even though he was sure she hadn¡¯t.

    even if he didn¡¯t put his penis in her mouth, he probably would¡¯ve crammed it between her legs. he was annoyed thinking that baron had shook his back like an animal as he violently crushed her fragile body.

    considering that baron¡¯s pheromone scent clung to her, it was highly likely that he had knotted. not once, but maybe at least three or four times.

    on the subject of a partner to have sex with, she would¡¯ve deeply bitten her neck and poured his semen. if she was pregnant, she¡¯d probably get a heart attack.

    now that he considered the savage seeds baron left in her womb, louis¡¯ planting hit bottom.

    he wanted to cleanly melt away the traces that remained deep inside her. or cover it with his own.

    a wave of excessive emotions caused by pity for seira and jealousy of jeff overcame him, but louis ignored it. he thought that the reason for his unusual ups and downs was her pheromone that had already taken over his body.

    louis, who licked the saliva flowing down her chin as he stirred her mouth, asked seira in a calm tone, ¡°what do you think? do you want to swallow this too?¡±

    he dragged her hand and placed it on top of his penis.

    as something big and hard wriggled in her hand, seira¡¯s lips opened slightly and then closed. her mind was full of thoughts now.

    ¡®i think i¡¯d be in real trouble if i put this in¡­¡¯

 Chapter 73.1

    seira was having difficulties from the very beginning on coming back to her senses because of the magic tools. the amount of stimulation she was given at once was too much.

    she wanted to take out something that was stuck deep inside her. or whatever it was that louis put on her clitoris and nipples.

    even during the climax, the tools that vibrated didn¡¯t stop and were so intense that she felt she¡¯d piss herself. but in the middle of all this, louis was even asking to shove himself in her?

    ¡°don¡¯t you want it? if you don¡¯t feel like it, you can tell me honestly.¡±

    ¡°no, it¡¯s not like that.¡±

    the reason why she couldn¡¯t tell him to stop was actually simple. because she knew it would be better to have sex in such a crazy state.

    the more time she was given, the longer she¡¯d think of it over and over again. as of the current situation, she became involved with this alpha, who didn¡¯t have the slightest crush on her and she¡¯d never cared for either.

    as soon as she leaned against louis¡¯ arms and held his fingers as her legs spread wide, seira could feel it vaguely. she knew she was standing on the line she had set since her childhood. if she took a step further, she wouldn¡¯t be able to return.

    she wondered what it was, but there was a difference. it wasn¡¯t like the relationship she had with aven or the night she spent with baron. sex with louis was made up of cold calculations.

    but¡­

    what can she do by stopping here? she won¡¯t go running out and grab baron¡¯s hand, or go back to the time she spent alone with aven.

    so, she had to empty her head and accept it. if there was no turning back, it was better to go all the way. don¡¯t be disappointed and greedy. don¡¯t let the precious person get into the mud.

    ¡°do it, louis¡­¡± she finally said, squeezing and letting go of his penis which she felt through the fabric.

    ¡°hurry¡­ put it in.¡±

    hot breathing and panting. the sound of hot bodies rubbing and wet things together. the voices that pushed itself into her pitch-black desire mixed in a mess.

    ¡°that¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    louis lifted her to bed. it¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t feel his presence, but the few minutes that she waited alone in bed felt terribly too long. fortunately, it wasn¡¯t long before he returned to her side.

    ¡°i don¡¯t think i need it because you¡¯re wet enough¡­¡± he trailed off, ¡°but i¡¯ll use it just in case.¡±

    the liquid, which felt slightly cold, was poured over seira¡¯s vagina. it must¡¯ve been a balm to make sex smoother. it wasn¡¯t long before he nestled between her legs and close to her body.

    his genital area wasn¡¯t much different from what was expected from a sharp outline. even if she was blindfolded, seira could fully grasp that it wasn¡¯t that big.

    whenever his solid shaft brushed against her clitoris, which became sensitive due to continuous stimulation earlier, her lower abdomen twitched. how many times would it be possible to slip even after pushing hard on the entrance? then all of a sudden, she was penetrated when she least expected it.

    ¡°oh, my god!¡±

    seira grabbed the sheet, feeling the strangely shaped penis invading her inside. only the sound of rough breathing could be heard, and only the sensations of her body being penetrated was clear to her mind. she was stimulated to the point she couldn¡¯t pay attention to anything else.

    even if louis was raising his upper body, the fact that her inner walls were scratched like this meant that his penis wasn¡¯t straight but curved.

    several times louis withdrew and entered. finally, the tip of his penis bumped into the round orb stuck inside her.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    the shock within her whole body rang with a thud that made her ears numb. seira couldn¡¯t even tell what she said or had she even opened her mouth wide. it seemed like she had been swallowed whole by a beast called pleasure.

    grasping her butt with both hands, louis bit her back again and then pushed hard. again and again. the climax began with the third stroke, and when it was repeated ten times, she was so wet below as if she had peed.

    as if she had sunk deep beneath the surface, her eyes turned black and her voice seemed far away.

    ¡°oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.¡±

    it seemed like she had been reduced only as a tool to receive his penis. all senses were focused on feeling and presenting pleasure.

    even the person she was having sex with started to fade.

    ¡®again¡­ i think i¡¯ll go again.¡¯

    her body jumped up on its own. even though she could release herself anytime with her powers, seira just swayed as he moved.

    she was pierced on the way, and when she repeated to climax without calming down, the bottom loosened up. as if something had broken down and there was leaking.

    thud thud thud

 Chapter 73.2

    she couldn¡¯t tell if it was the sound of a pulse beating or if it was the sound of his penis pounding the entrance of her uterus. but it got faster and stronger. it hit her so fast that she felt like she was going to explode.

    ¡®ah, ah, ah, ah¡­¡¯

    her chest rose high toward the ceiling and her head tilted. the wet blindfold put heavy pressure on her eyes.

    thud thud thud thud

    ¡®no¡­¡¯

    she was on the verge of being eaten alive by the build-up that had become so huge she thought she couldn¡¯t handle it any longer.

    her reason, which had been sleeping behind the body¡¯s instincts, suddenly shook.

    ¡®no¡­¡¯

    as if her memory had been cut off, she couldn¡¯t recall where she was or who she was having sex with. she wasn¡¯t sure of anything like she¡¯d fallen into years of coma and just woke up.

    she didn¡¯t even know that a complete stranger was moving and fucking her hard. she didn¡¯t know that she felt this way and dragged herself to a person she didn¡¯t even know.

    like the terrible vision she had one day, the smell of death clinging faintly on the tip of her nose seemed to prove it.

    seira fumbled and reached for the blindfold. the piece of cloth, which she thought would immediately peel off, didn¡¯t go as she wanted. it wasn¡¯t easy because her body was shaking violently.

    ¡°seira? wait a minute¡­ i¡¯ll take it off.¡±

    she didn¡¯t stop at the dissuading voice, and continued to pull recklessly as it eventually tore off. light poured into the dark world. the image that began to form in her recovering field of view slowly reminded her of someone.

    ¡®oh¡­¡¯

    only then did seira exhale after holding her breath for a long time.

    as he reached out with a frown in his eyes, louis leaned his cheek and kissed her palm. the hot breath warmed her cold fingertips.

    her anxious drumming heart beat rapidly in a different sense. everything got better quickly.

    her crushed sensations slowly returned, and deep in her belly, his penis began to prepare for ejaculation.

    right then¡­

    the tears that formed in her eyes rolled down, and seira could clearly see the man that held her.

    sweaty blondes and hot turquoise eyes ¨C a handsome man with a splendid appearance¡­

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    quite naturally, it was louis franto.

    the moment seira realized it, he broke off already.

    ¡°ugh¡­¡±

    with a low groan, he scattered semen in her deepest part. she too came to her climax. her eyes contained the face of louis franto, and they trembled in convulsions.

    ¡°ugh¡­ugh¡­¡±

    louis was breathing hot and he tilted her upper body. louis grabbed her face and put his nose against hers.

    ¡°seira¡­¡±

    his eyes were now vibrant and were filled with a friendly light.

    ¡°can i kiss you?¡±¡±

    ¡°¡­of course.¡±

    the moment she answered him, their lips were instantly pressed together. louis rubbed his lips gently, caressing her sweaty hair.  seira raised her trembling hand and wrapped them around his neck.

    she tried to calm herself down while he slowly moved his back and enjoyed the aftertaste.

    ¡®i must be crazy.¡¯

    it was the first time for her to be confused while having sex. she wasn¡¯t addicted to illegal drugs, and she wasn¡¯t misled by her power.

    however, seira¡¯s greatest embarrassment now wasn¡¯t because she was temporarily out of her mind and fell into a panic.

    ¡®i mistook louis for¡­ aven.¡¯

    fortunately, louis didn¡¯t seem to notice. seira¡¯s expression was distorted by surprise, embarrassment, and guilt.

    when seira realized that she was trying to find a resemblance to aven on his face even after she confirmed it was louis, she had no choice but to admit it to herself.

    what did she desire that she¡¯d turn a blind eye to?

    ¡®i wish it were aven.¡¯

    the way he pushed her into a crazy pleasure, desperately covetting and filling her stomach with seeds, and kissing her. all she wanted was aven.

    perhaps it was because he looked a bit like aven that she accepted her relationship with louis, a complete stranger, without much resistance. she was already thinking that way from the first time she proposed the contract.

    somehow, laughter rose in my head.

    in the end, all these words meant one thing.

    ¡®i guess i like aven,¡¯ she finally admitted to herself.

    she gave him her heart and saw him as a man, not only as a reliable colleague or knight. seira was determined to never be foolishly shaken by a love affair.

    at the very least, it was far too late to make a difference. but then it wouldn¡¯t have made a difference if she knew.

    it was a good thing now that she hadn¡¯t offered for marriage. having nothing but personal strength, he might¡¯ve already been dead if he had been targeted by calrad. she was sure he was holding back because she was lately with franto and jeff.

    ¡®yes, i did well for aven. he doesn¡¯t even have feelings for me, and it would be a burden for him if i reveal my feelings.¡¯

    after acknowledging that, seira felt at ease.

    ¡°seira, do you want to do it again?¡±

    she felt at ease, enough to nod to louis¡¯ question that followed.

    ¡°okay, but i won¡¯t be covering my eyes. it¡¯s better to do it while looking at your face.¡±

    louis¡¯ eyes almost popped out of their sockets at her unexpected words.

    ¡°¡­alright, if that¡¯s what you like.¡±

    feeling him wriggle inside her, seira pondered. as expected, aven shouldn¡¯t be entangled with an ugly and selfish woman like herself.

    so, when she looked back at the way she passed, nothing was wrong.

 Chapter 74.1

    in the evening, seira and louis moved to franto¡¯s townhouse, enjoyed dinner, and then locked themselves in the bedroom again.

    they took a break, washed their bodies, ate a simple meal, but the rest of the time was dedicated to having sex. even after a full day, until deep in the night.

    seira suspected that louis had come to rut. otherwise, how could a person who was so calculating, would cling so frantically to her.

    thanks to this, her heat cycle passed safely, but her stamina didn¡¯t recover after hitting the bottom. there wasn¡¯t time for that.

    ¡°ugh¡­ that, stop¡­¡±

    she¡¯d have kicked if it had been baron who didn¡¯t budge, but seira couldn¡¯t bear to tear louis¡¯ hair, so she pushed his shoulders away instead. but pushing wasn¡¯t enough to get rid of louis, who was persistently poking and sucking her down there, and she climaxed once again in the end.

    ¡°ahhh¡­!¡±

    her body trembled with great intensity. she couldn¡¯t even count how many times it¡¯s already been.

    louis was strangely obsessed with making her feel an orgasm. it increased the threshold of stimulation by inducing pleasure in various ways, including the use of magic tools.

    at the same time, he didn¡¯t seem very interested in solving his own desires. of course, she tried to use her hands sometimes, but he always ejaculated inside her.

    from the night spent in jeff to the night in franto, it seemed that the amount of semen poured into her vagina for two full days was enough to impregnate all the omegas in the imperial capital.

    louis, who pushed inside her until he peaked, breathed a long hot breath.

    it was clear that the drops on his long, pale lashes were her vaginal fluids. seira stared blankly at him as he swept his hair with a hand and wiped off his wet mouth.

    even though he was covered from head to toe with traces of carnal pleasure, he wasn¡¯t messy and was overflowing with sensuality. it seemed that louis franto was as beautiful as aven.

    ¡°if you look at me like that¡­¡±

    louis, who still relished on the lingering feeling, slipped his lips over her ankle and murmured.

    ¡°i can¡¯t stop.¡±

    after thrusting his hips and squeezing out all his semen, he removed himself and pushed an elongated imitation genital into her vagina.

    ¡°if you work hard to fit in like this, this place will be a little loose, right?¡±

    whenever an imitation genital wriggled like a living creature stabbed inside her, seira flinched.

    ¡°ah, uh, yeah¡­¡±

    ¡°how about attending the conference with this blocking your entrance?¡±

    he put the imitation genital in, took it out, and then pushed it all the way in, turning it around as if to seduce her.

    ¡°then no one would doubt our relationship because of the smell of semen in seira.¡±

    ¡°nghh, huhhhh¡­¡±

    ¡°maybe even count helford will be fooled.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    seira had to bite her lips tightly, swallowing the emotion that instantly surged.

    she had a relationship with louis, who resembled aven, and fulfilled her desires, but the duality that she doesn¡¯t want to openly show her promiscuity in the open. maybe she was scared at the thought that aven would be disappointed in her.

    ¡®come now¡­¡¯

    this was why she¡¯d been trying so hard to kill her heart in the case it might happen.

    she was determined in the beginning. seira moved only for askan whenever she was at a crossroads of choice. she never dreamed of a life that she loved and was loved. she never wanted comfort and sold her pride at a bargain.

    what was left if she didn¡¯t take such pride in herself? that was tantamount to agreeing with calrad, who has been so stubborn for the past seven years.

    ¡®i did nothing wrong.¡¯

    even if she was despised by the man she liked, seira had to do what she had to. of course, that never meant being obedient to louis.

    ¡°louis¡­¡± seira said, touching her lower belly, where the shape of the fake penis protruded. ¡°even if i don¡¯t have this¡­ all, uh¡­ you know. my uterus is already limp.¡±

    seira didn¡¯t miss the way louis¡¯ eyes shook slightly. his gaze fell down to her lower abdomen, and his manhood, which was greatly swollen, hit her butt.

    unlike before, he poked inside her with an imitation genital rather hastily, and pulled it out all the way. then he turned her over, grabbed her ass, and shoved it from behind.

    much longer and thicker was driven deep inside.

    when she collapsed from the force that hit her, he held both her wrists and pulled them back so that she had no choice but to stand up. her waist bent in reverse with her knees wide, and the insertion deepened.

 Chapter 74.2

    ¡°oh¡­!¡±

    due to the unusual shape, places that she had never been conscious of before were greatly pressed on.

    he kept his silence and focused only on his waist for a long time. the heavy breathing on her back and the dripping sweat made it clear how immersed louis was in the act.

    at one point when the sound of flesh slapping against each other grew louder, he lowered her head and grazed his teeth on the nape of her neck. at the same time, deep inside, his penis swelled rapidly.

    ¡°oh, my¡­¡±

    louis had knotted at a totally unexpected moment.

    ¡°¡­knotting is, ha¡­ something like this, huh?¡± louis whispered softly as he hugged her tightly. ¡°you must be tired, but seira should sleep now for tomorrow.¡±

    it wasn¡¯t anything one would say while spilling his cum inside her.

    ¡°i¡¯ll make sure to soak your whole body and not just your uterus, so rest well.¡±

    ¡°louis¡­?¡±

    seira, who was about to reply to his suspicious words, felt her head suddenly go blank. her vision blurred at first, and then all her senses began to fade, as if someone forcibly blew out the lights of her consciousness.

    ¡®what the¡­¡¯

    it was impossible to continue her thoughts when she wasn¡¯t awake. the black darkness devoured her completely.

    it took less than three minutes for seira, who fell into a deep slumber, to droop. louis, who was waiting for that moment, pressed his lips down the back of her neck, which he had left a bite mark on and said, ¡°i didn¡¯t mean to take it this far.¡±

    he certainly had no intention of spending all his time on sex with her, or knotting to this extent. using his power of domination to put her to sleep was an extremely impulsive decision.

    normally, it wouldn¡¯t have been possible with his incomplete abilities compared to those of aven or calrad, but now that she was physically and mentally at her limit, louis was fortunate enough to succeed.

    ¡°because you are so pretty, seira.¡±

    for a good day or so, this was the only way to make it impossible for her to erase his smell.

    louis lay with seira in his arms, allowing her to rest comfortably in her nakedness.

    if she was still filled with his own semen by the morning, no one at the conference would doubt that seira askan belonged to louis franto.

    ¡°it¡¯s all to protect you, so please understand.¡±

    tomorrow, when the first phase of his plan would take place, her situation would be much different from before the conference. she would¡¯ve probably agreed if he¡¯d explained in advance, but he had no time, so he had to do it anyway.

    trying to ignore his desire and jealousy that crouched beneath him, louis made a plausible reason. he then covered her belly with his own hands.

    * * *

    when seira woke up from her deep, dreamless sleep, she found herself in a shaky carriage, she couldn¡¯t understand what was going on, as if her memory was prematurely cut off.

    ¡°ah¡­ you¡¯ve awakened.¡±

    seira raised her head to the voice that came just above her head. she was leaning on louis¡¯ arms apparently the whole time.

    ¡°louis? now, where¡­?¡±

    ¡°we¡¯re on our way to the conference. i was about to wake you.¡±

    ¡°uh¡­¡±

    louis explained in her confusion. she must¡¯ve been exhausted, so she fell asleep deeply after, and she didn¡¯t wake up, so he washed and dressed her himself.

    ¡°the ladies-in-waiting dressed you, so don¡¯t worry. you look pretty again today, seira.¡±

    ¡°¡­thank you, louis.¡±

    because her memories of last night were all painted in black, that was all she could say.

    ¡®was i that tired?¡¯

    it certainly wasn¡¯t unreasonable. after consuming half of her power and the continuous sex afterwards, her stamina was depleted, and she seemed to have fainted and fell asleep.

    still, thanks to having a good rest, she wasn¡¯t in a bad condition now. but no matter how much she tried, she still felt uncomfortable down there as if something was stuck, and the scent of his pheromone was heavily thick on her body.

    ¡®i can¡¯t get rid of this in time.¡¯

    in fact, it wasn¡¯t something that could be accomplished just by erasing the traces of him on her body. perhaps because she had been in contact with him during her heat cycle for two days, the scent of her pheromones stuck heavily with louis as well.

    at this point, anyone could say they were truly lovers even if they didn¡¯t talk to louis in the meeting room.

    ¡°i¡¯m hungry. do you want some chocolate?¡±

    he picked up a basket he¡¯d placed in the opposite seat and held it out to her. cookies, candies, and chocolates wrapped in pretty paper were abundant.

    louis hugged her harder as she tried to straighten her posture, so seira didn¡¯t bother to argue and just leaned against him and put chocolate in her mouth.

    ¡®i wonder if aven has arrived by now.¡¯

    when she pulled back the curtains slightly and looked out the window, she saw many carriages heading to the palace. perhaps this has been the busiest viseltium has been in recent years.

    the carriage with franto¡¯s coat of arms could quickly enter the palace, as it had never stopped even on days like this.

 Chapter 75.1

    ¡°seira, do you know what brings us to the council today?¡±

    ¡°well¡­ i don¡¯t know. personally, i think it¡¯s because we found the beast¡¯s nest.¡±

    louis¡¯ eyes softened at her answer.

    ¡°you got it right. this time, we will be moving with a minority, not an army.¡±

    ¡°i guess the location is terrible?¡±

    ¡°that¡¯s right.¡±

    as seira expected, franto¡¯s eyes would be planted at the temple or the imperial palace, and she nodded without being surprised.

    ¡°i must take part.¡±

    for her, who had to steal the remains of the nest, this was an opportunity she couldn¡¯t miss. the smaller the number of people, the easier it will be to slip a few things.

    ¡°what are you going to do louis?¡±

    ¡°of course,¡± he calmly answered as he swept his thumb over seira¡¯s chocolate powdered lips, and then put it in his mouth, ¡°we should go together.¡±

    ¡°hmm¡­ it¡¯s a bit bitter.¡±

    seira stared blankly at him, sucking the chocolate from his hands.

    ¡®as expected, it¡¯s a little¡­ strange?¡¯

    was it because they spent the night together? it felt like something has changed. it¡¯s the same with physical touch, and it¡¯s the same with becoming extremely intimate.

    ¡®are we practicing in advance?¡¯

    soon after getting off the carriage, they will have to act like earnest lovers, so attempting wasn¡¯t a bad idea. although seira doubted whether she should.

    in the first place, their contract specifically said that she must convince everyone that her heart belonged to louis franto.

    ¡®well, it¡¯s not bad to get used to it.¡¯

    it was rather a positive change, except that something in her heart kept tingling after she realized that she was seeing louis and aven overlapping. the stronger the alliance, the better their contract would be.

    ¡°if this is the case, are we sharing accommodation?¡±

    ¡°¡­if you do, you won¡¯t be able to show half of your skills.¡±

    ¡°only seira needs to sleep in the bed. i¡¯ll be on the floor.¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m sure you¡¯ll just be fine.¡±

    louis burst into laughter at her sarcastic remarks. seira was rather puzzled by the way he enjoyed himself without being obvious that he was pretending.

    ¡®you really like it.¡¯

    this kind of jokes seemed to be louis¡¯ taste. seira thought it¡¯d be best that she remembered it when she¡¯ll need it for future acting.

    while they were talking, the carriage stopped in front of the assembly hall. louis, who stepped out of the carriage first, reached out his hand and escorted seira.

    the dress she wore exposed a bit of her skin, fitting on her thighs to reveal the curves of her body. it was an elegant design, but it hindered less activity.

    ¡®there will probably be more occasions that i¡¯d have to wear dresses¡­¡¯ she grumbled silently.

    a large shadow fell over her suddenly. as she tried to take a step with a deep sigh about her situation, the mood drastically changed.

    ¡°seira.¡±

    in the past, she¡¯d have thought that it was merely a chance encounter, but now she knew better. he must¡¯ve arrived early and waited for her the whole time.

    seira looked up at him and smiled.

    ¡°good morning, baron.¡±

    baron, who seemed to have dressed up today, had his teeth clenched as if he was being strangled by his cravat. the reason why his face was full of anger and sorrow, a mix of hostility and longing, was probably because of the pheromones that stuck on her.

    ¡°i have something to say.¡±

    louis who stood in his way and said, ¡°the meeting will begin soon. why don¡¯t you talk afterwards?¡±

    ¡°it won¡¯t take much of her time,¡± baron replied, ¡°it¡¯s important.¡±

    ¡°in that case, all the more so, you must do it later.¡±

    before seira could say anything, louis had cut baron¡¯s offer and rejected him. she was worried that baron might grab louis by his collar and throw him at his repeated refusals, but she was surprised to hear what he said next.

    ¡°alright,¡± baron sighed, ¡°i¡¯ll do as you say, so get out of the way for now.¡±

    although he was greatly annoyed, baron stepped back. louis stepped aside slightly as if satisfied with baron¡¯s response.

    coming close enough to touch her toes, baron leaned in and whispered in seira¡¯s ears as he held her wrist for a second and let it go, ¡°keep this just in case.¡±

    seira couldn¡¯t help but stare at him as he turned and walked away from them.

    the flow of magic that she felt from the bracelet he put on her wrist was unusual. after raising her powers and calculating it, seira finally figured it out.

    a silver sword ¨C moor.

    it was a sword known to be able to cut off iron as if it was a vegetable. the original appearance would¡¯ve been a dagger about a centimeter long, but it seemed to have been enchanted with conversion magic to be easy to carry.

    ¡®i think i¡¯ve heard that it was kept in the jeff¡¯s treasury.¡¯

    it was too valuable to borrow.

    however, seira pursued baron and failed to return it. she knew it was shameless, but it was a desperate means to protect oneself when one couldn¡¯t use power.

    ¡®let¡¯s keep it for a few days and return it immediately.¡¯

    even so, she had decided to find illuminum, the family heirloom of askan.

 Chapter 75.2

    it must¡¯ve been buried with nathan, so she hadn¡¯t thought about it so far. she couldn¡¯t bear to ask her father where he died.

    but there was no way out. mel, who she wasn¡¯t sure was an ally or an enemy, and high priest tesser who tried to catch her, were also formidable figures. not to mention calrad. it would be brutal to deal with them with poor supply of steel swords.

    ¡®and how long will my father¡¯s body¡­ no, i can¡¯t throw it away.¡¯

    even if she didn¡¯t want to face it, she shouldn¡¯t look the other way anymore. after somehow locating and recovering illuminum, she must build a new tomb for nathan and return moor to baron. she could only hope that she didn¡¯t have to use it until then.

    louis, who glance at her wrist, said lightly, ¡°well, shall we go in?¡±

    he didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of pretending he didn¡¯t recognize moor.

    ¡°yes.¡±

    she wondered why baron agreed with louis, but she didn¡¯t think she¡¯d get an answer if she asked him now.

    ¡®i¡¯ll have to try with baron later.¡¯

    leaving the question aside, seira entered the building with louis.

    even thought there was still a bit of time left, most of the seats were already filled. at times like this, there were people who exchanged greetings with one another, people who were difficult to interact with, and some who fought over business.

    the two upper seats of the long c-shaped table belonged to jeff and franto.

    it was only in the days of askan¡¯s prime that jeff and franto competed for the second seat, leaving one seat empty for askan¡¯s family. however, that was all in the past. if seira missed a step, askan¡¯s seat would¡¯ve completely disappeared from this assembly hall.

    there was no certaintly that the seat next to franto was for askan, but seira shamelessly walked toward it. from the moment louis and seira entered, it seemed that her seat was somewhere else by the way the other nobles watched them in silence.

    ¡®i don¡¯t give a damn.¡¯

    she wasn¡¯t someone who would be happy to be given the best seat or angry to be given the last.

    she was not the one who would be happy to give the best seat or angry to give the best seat.

    if they don¡¯t like her seating there, they could take it away as it is now, and if they don¡¯t give her space, then she¡¯ll have an attendant give her a chair.

    ¡°do you want to sit here?¡± louis said as he pointed to his chair.

    ¡°that¡¯s all right. actually, i¡¯d like to sit at the end.¡±

    she was sincere when she said she wanted to sit furthest away from the throne. she chose to stand by louis purely because of the contract she made with him.

    as louis sat down on the chair he pulled out, her eyes met baron¡¯s, who looked her way with his arms crossed from the other side.

    seira smiled softly and tapped on her wrist at the straight and persistent gaze that was unlikely to go away. she mouthed a thank you, silently moving her lips, and he finally turned his head away with a smile.

    only then did she slowly look around the hall. she already knew it from the moment she entered, but she couldn¡¯t see aven.

    ¡®he¡¯s late for some reason.¡¯

    she was slowly beginning to worry because she couldn¡¯t see him even as the meeting was about to start.

    ¡®i hope nothing¡¯s going on.¡¯

    originally, she was going to leave after telling the news to askan early in the morning, but she fell asleep and woke up in the carriage instead, so her plan was disrupted.

    even though she wondered if he¡¯d arrive on time, it was hard to let go of her thoughts thinking it wasn¡¯t like aven to be late. he was always diligent.

    ¡°his majesty has arrived!¡±

    and eventually, as she had feared, calrad arrived before she could see a glimpse of aven. the door of the assembly hall closed after the chamberlain, who would record the meeting, came after calrad. now, she had no choice but to endure the meeting before she could meet aven.

    calrad rose from his seat, walked past the nobles with their heads bowed low, and then stood in front of the throne.

    ¡°i would like to congratulate you all for your hard work gathering here today in response to my call. let¡¯s take a seat.¡±

    with the ceremonial greeting, calrad sat first on the throne and the rest of the nobles followed.

    ¡°but, seira askan.¡±

    at his call, which never went unnoticed, seira looked at calrad with a sigh.

    ¡°yes, your majesty.¡±

    ¡°your seat won¡¯t be there. you must have been misguided.¡±

    ¡°i must¡¯ve been mistaken,¡± she politely said, ¡°it¡¯s been a while since i attended¡­¡±

    seira answered him with a big smile.

    ¡°i¡¯ll move my seat if you want. can i sit next to jeff?¡±

    calrad¡¯s brow slowly twisted. seira naturally continued to talk, ignoring his expression.

    ¡°but i think that seat at the end would be fine.¡±

    ¡°your place is here,¡± calrad said as she calmly got up from her seat and tried to move.

    a sneer flashed across seira¡¯s face as she turned slowly and looked at him.

    ¡°you are too much of a joke, your majesty.¡±

    the place he had pointed at was the seat next to him, which was solely for the emperor¡¯s companion.

 Chapter 76.1

    ¡°come and sit down. today¡¯s meeting agenda isn¡¯t light enough to waste time regarding seating arrangements.¡±

    so, why did he bother to call someone who was sitting still? although she put on a bewildered look, seira had somewhat guessed that this would happen. two thrones arranged side by side on a podium with no one being mentioned as an empress candidate, let alone a fianc¨¦e. wasn¡¯t it obvious?

    ¡°are you serious?¡±

    calrad, who squinted at seira¡¯s question as he stared at her, nodded and replied, ¡°yes.¡±

    ¡°then¡­ you leave me no choice but to do so.¡±

    it was perfect to be falsely accused of treason by disobeying the imperial order at this place where all of hesrad¡¯s most high-ranking families were gathered. she didn¡¯t know when she¡¯d be alone next time, but she had to follow him now.

    seira passed louis¡¯ seat, gently touching his shoulder. he raised his head and smiled at her, and that was enough to look like a friendly and understanding lover.

    recently, the two of them were seen spending time together everywhere, and it was like stamping a seal on the rumors that have spread like wildfire ever since.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    as the distance between them grew closer, the look in calrad¡¯s face turned more sinister in her eyes. seira moved on, watching the blue veins popping up on calrad¡¯s jaw as he closed his mouth.

    when she finally reached calrad¡¯s side before the empty throne¡­

    ¡°it would have been better if his majesty hadn¡¯t called me,¡± she whispered with a small voice.

    he hated when his ex-fianc¨¦e even talked to other alphas, so the feeling of having louis¡¯ pheromones all over her would simply be disastrous.

    ¡°your majesty owes me a debt because i obeyed his order with nothing in return.¡±

    if by chance aven came too late, she wanted calrad to forgive him in exchange.

    ¡°¡­i will remember that.¡±

    she thought he might get angry, but calrad calmed down his anger sooner than she expected. he examined her carefully with sharp eyes as if he was afraid of something, and before too long, he withdrew his gaze and seira was able to sit and relax next to him.

    the agenda of the meeting was, as expected, the new beast¡¯s nest. the atmosphere wasn¡¯t good because it was less than a month after the 11th subjugation war ended, which lasted almost a year. besides¡­

    ¡°they say it¡¯s located in the ardennes islands.¡±

    ¡°are you saying it was created on an island?¡±

    this time, cyril glad, who succeeded the marquis of glad, exclaimed in astonishment. the family heads with nearby territories also turned contemplative.

    as louis told seira, the location was terrible. the pirate-infested ardennes had long since ceased to be of interest to the empire. rather, the kingdoms of the east who wanted exchanges with hesrad were actively fighting piracy.

    however, it was impossible to ask them to get rid of the beast¡¯s nest.

    ¡°it would be better to organize a mission as swiftly as possible in secret.¡±

    ¡°yes,¡± calrad agreed, ¡°i plan to form a subjugation party with only above master level slayers and wizards. the resulting military vacuum and other costs will be covered by families that don¡¯t have master-level power.¡±

    the nobles glanced at each other with a clear mix of relief and concern.

    after the catastrophe 15 years ago, it became the first duty of the nobles to remove the beasts¡¯ nest. as a result, he wasn¡¯t satisfied with dispatching knights or handling supplies just because the location of the nest was far from the territory he ruled.

    however, the number of master-class slayers and wizards was very rare, even if they belonged to high-ranking noble families. and even if they had them, most were the head of their respective families, so they had to be cautious.

    ¡°the risk level seems to be distinctly different from before.¡±

    it was seira askan who broke the long silence. everyone¡¯s eyes were on her at the clear, and soft-spoken voice, which contradicted the heavy atmosphere in the meeting room.

    ¡°if i am allowed to do so, may i ask about the reward?¡±

    there was no one to criticize her for asking with a smile on her face. everybody knew that the only thing that could be called income in the devastated askan was the goods that seira and her knights earned from participating in the war as mercenaries.

    calrad, who looked for a moment at her violet eyes, glistened with anticipation, and answered, ¡°i guarantee you three times as much as the 11th subjugation.¡±

    ¡°wow¡­¡±

    seira, who gave an exclamation of joy, lifted her hand lightly to the side of her face and added, ¡°seira askan, i¡¯ll apply for this 12th expedition.¡±

    before her hand landed on her lap, a deep and low-pitched voice echoed through the hall.

    ¡°i¡¯ll join the war.¡±

    everyone was delighted by the support of baron jeff, the commander-in-chief who was never defeated, and looked at the person opposite him with expectant eyes.

 Chapter 76.2

    louis also raised his hand with a smile with his gaze directed at seira.

    ¡°even if it may be insufficient, i hope that it would help the safety of the empire. on behalf of franto, i, louis franto, will also lend my support.¡±

    when all the heads of the three ducal families representing hesrad applied, several more bravely raised their hands afterward. some families didn¡¯t have master-class power, but those with special powers were included as reserve personnel in case of maritime battles.

    ¡®among the nobles, there are about six of them.¡¯

    like zion, there may be applicants among the commoners, but even so, the number of people in the subjugation force seemed to be around ten.

    ¡®it¡¯s not impossible if you aim to only deal with the intermediate or higher level¡­¡¯

    seira began to calculate the power of the subjugation force in her head, but suddenly felt someone staring at her. she raised her head, and saw calrad looking at her with a confusing expression.

    ¡®why¡­¡¯

    come to think of it, something had been bothering her since earlier. as for askan, it was strange that calrad, who looked at her first, didn¡¯t mention aven, nor did he add words to his expression. also¡­

    ¡°why are you looking at me like that?¡±

    calrad¡¯s gaze toward her now wasn¡¯t unfamiliar. when the doll she loved as a child was ruined, when her dress got muddied and she couldn¡¯t wear it ever again. or even when her hard work burned all her baked goods, he looked at her with those kind eyes.

    ¡®what did i miss¡­?¡¯

    as her unexpected uneasiness gripped her heart, calrad, who turned his eyes to the front, opened his mouth and announced, ¡°i¡¯m also thinking of participating in this subjugation.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    the meeting room filled with astonishment. the emperor didn¡¯t go to war himself, but this case was different. as a commander, he was taking on the most dangerous task as an elite, not as a motivational role.

    ¡°your majesty, please take back what you said!¡±

    of course, all of the nobles opposed it.

    ¡°the safety of the imperial family could be at stake.¡±

    ¡°now that the succession isn¡¯t stable, it is impossible for his majesty at all!¡±

    calrad, who waited patiently until the uproar died down, smiled and leaned his back on his throne.

    ¡°i fully understand why you are against it. the problem is that there is no direct imperial family member to replace me in the event of an accident.¡±

    no one could open their mouths at his overly relaxed attitude.

    ¡°otherwise, i have something to announce to you here today in relation to that.¡±

    seira found baron¡¯s arms loosen while his expression hardened.

    ¡°some may remember. the late emperor, my father, had a brother.¡±

    at that moment, louis turned his head and met her eyes. seira realized when she saw the smile on his mouth. both baron and louis knew what calrad was about to announce.

    ¡°but no one knew that there was a child born to bern clemens viseltium, the first prince at the time, and princess amelie. i, too, didn¡¯t recognize my blood and kin no matter how many times i had met them up close.¡±

    it was so coincidental. wasn¡¯t it the first prince he inferred, ¡®mel¡¯? but he had children. and that¡¯s one of the people that calrad faced.

    ¡®no, i don¡¯t think so. don¡¯t tell me, it can¡¯t be¡­¡¯

    seira had struggled to deny any assumptions that had been gnawing at her nerves over the past few days. her fingers dug deep into the palm of her hand to the point it hurt.

    did he notice her? at calrad¡¯s gesture, the chief of staff opened the door of the conference room. it opened completely, and the moment felt terribly long before the man standing beyond stepped inside.

    seira¡¯s mind went completely blank as soon as she finally caught his image.

    ¡°aven helford. no, i shouldn¡¯t call you helford from now on.¡±

    at calrad¡¯s beckon, he walked up to the podium. with an expressionless face that was hard to read even a single piece of emotion.

    ¡°as a result of commissioning a lineage connection to the magic engineering institute, we received a report that he is a direct descendant of viseltium and franto. this is notarized by louis franto and baron jeff.¡±

    with the report handed over from the chamberlain on his lap, calrad announced.

    ¡°so, i would like to give him a new name of viseltium and make him crown prince.¡±

    as aven stood next to calrad with his back to the throne, all seira could see was his back. aven¡¯s appearance in white robes with splendid golden embroidery, was both familiar and terribly unfamiliar at the same time.

    seira wasn¡¯t sure if she was breathing properly. everything seemed to become distant as if the land she stood on was collapsing.

    then, she heard a low laugh.

    ¡°i can finally get out of the palace, seira.¡±

    calard¡¯s voice was as sweet as it was a long time ago, when he was her fianc¨¦.

 Chapter 77.1

    aven ricard viseltium. that was the new name given to aven.

    in addition to hidden names that were only revealed to very close friends, members of the imperial family had middle names. the ¡®ricard¡¯ that calrad gave to aven was taken from the first emperor who founded hesrad after calming the chaos all over the continent.

    this could be said to be the imperial family¡¯s external stance on the blood and kinship recovered after more than 20 years. it would¡¯ve been necessary to express this much emotion in order to appoint a crown prince immediately without going through verification of his qualifications.

    since it was a serious and shocking event that directly affected the future of the entire empire, the meeting had to be suspended for a while. the hall was immediately in a mess when calrad left so that the nobles could talk to their heart¡¯s content.

    the nobles rushed to the chamberlain and asked for a copy of the report from the magic engineering institute, or flocked to aven, louis, and baron to ask questions.

    a number of them openly glanced at seira too.

    the fact that aven, seira askan¡¯s sword and shield, belonged to viseltium was no different from meaning askan¡¯s power was cut in half.

    will the emperor, who took away her loyal man, protect seira askan from now on? what about her lovers, louis franto and baron jeff?

    the nobles were quick to rack their brains and calculate what they have to gain and lose.

    in the aristocratic society of hesrad, the lineage of the heir was directly related to the family¡¯s power. this was much more important of an issue than honor or pride in determining whether the family could survive to the next generations.

    in addition to the formal engagements between families, there was one more option in bringing prestigious lineage into the family that they wanted so much.

    bloodline looting. this has long been a shortcut for lower families to become higher in rank.

    that was also why seira askan¡¯s barracks were continuously targeted. all they needed anyway was a strong heir to be born from her. there was no need to take on the dead land, which was nothing short of a burden. once the child was born, it was enough to take it away through a lawsuit.

    in anticipation of all this, nathan entrusted his young daughter to the imperial family. he couldn¡¯t have known how miserable his omega daughter¡¯s situation would become. his mistake was that he didn¡¯t foresee the emperor¡¯s betrayal.

    since seira appeared with louis¡¯ pheromones all over her, it was difficult for them to reach out for the time being. this was because it was nothing short of a warning from the top alpha not to touch what is his.

    but that didn¡¯t mean that an opportunity would never come. if one was planning to be welcomed as a companion, it was natural to be engaged first. the absence of such news meant that there would be a moment when that omega with precious lineage, would be left alone one day.

    in particular, the five marquis families couldn¡¯t easily give up as it was a golden opportunity to step on the four unbalanced families.

    whether or not such greedy gazes were directed at seira, she merely sat like a doll. it was because she couldn¡¯t afford to pay attention to such things.

    she just looked a bit surprised in the eyes of the nobles standing far away. seemingly transparent, the white skin wasn¡¯t so noticeable even when it turned pale, and the lips which were red were from the blood after all the chewing of her lips.

    but her inner self was no less confused than the scene in the conference room.

    numerous thoughts and emotions dogpiled in a mess and collapsed, formed again, and then crushed into an unrecognizable blur.

    ¡®calrad, did you take aven from me too?¡¯

    ¡®no, calm down. this was originally aven¡¯s seat.¡¯

    ¡®but i didn¡¯t hear anything. if only i had said one word first¡­¡¯

    ¡®i was the one who didn¡¯t give him a chance to do so in the first place.¡¯

    seira didn¡¯t have the right to blame aven. nevertheless, she was so sad and heartbroken that she couldn¡¯t stand it.

    she hated the fact that she didn¡¯t look back. no, she didn¡¯t hate it. she was just hoping. she wanted him to come up to her and explain. she wanted him to reassure her that their relationship wouldn¡¯t end because of this.

    even at this moment when he deserved to be congratulated, seira shut her eyes tightly and opened them again because she felt terrible thinking only about herself.

    ¡®i have to go to aven and say something, at least say a hello¡­¡¯

    however, she couldn¡¯t get close to him when she finally got up. she wasn¡¯t confident that she could talk to him without shaking or smiling awkwardly.

    ¡®hold on¡­ let¡¯s organize our thoughts for a second.¡¯

    seira turned around and left the conference room as she was about to go to aven. pretending it was nothing, she straightened her back and slowly headed for the break room at the hallway¡¯s end.

    ¡®baron and louis must have known.¡¯

    she probably got a call yesterday or the day before yesterday. it finally occurred to her that this was probably what baron wanted to tell her before the meeting began.

    ¡®louis stopped him because¡­¡¯

    did he think that she would go and hang on to aven? ask him to stay in askan and not leave her?

    ¡®nothing would change, but i wouldn¡¯t¡­¡¯

 Chapter 77.2

    when the door to the break room came into sight, her steps naturally took pace. she wanted to empty her stomach that started out as a nauseous feeling earlier. she should probably pour cold water on her face and rest for a while.

    as she held the handle with her pale hands and turned it, the sunlight that filled the spacious space blinded her. walking one step at a time into the room and immersing herself in white silence, she let out a ridiculous laugh.

    after a long time¡­

    ¡°¡­aven has left,¡± she whispered to herself. ¡°he promised he wouldn¡¯t leave.¡±

    when she left the imperial palace and locked herself in d-arc, seira suffered from nightmares every single day. sometimes when aven found her like that and woke her up, she¡¯d grab and beg him.

    ¡®you¡¯re not leaving me, are you? you¡¯re not going to betray me, are you?¡¯

    each time, he gave her a firm answer. that he¡¯d stand by her side until he died.

    but he chose to leave her. now seira had to leave aven at the palace and return to askan alone.

    ¡°ah¡­¡±

    her tears welled up in the cold sunlight.

    how could he have turned his back on her? how trustworthy she must have been. how ugly she must¡¯ve looked.

    ¡®but aven, this was my best.¡¯

    she had to admit, if she could turn back time, she wasn¡¯t sure if she¡¯d made a different choice. that it would all come to pass.

    instead of emptying her stomach, seira let go of her sadness. she couldn¡¯t cry in the imperial palace as if she had lost her own blood, so she had to hold down her breath to drown her pain. seira swallowed her sorrows.

    her cheeks were all wet, but there was no one to wipe them or console her. if she were in the duchym, even the spirit of nathan would¡¯ve stood by her, but she was in the imperial palace full of people who had her as their target.

    even though she didn¡¯t want to believe that she was all alone again, she was already convinced and resigned to the idea.

    she didn¡¯t leave the palace in the first place expecting someone¡¯s help. she¡¯d been ready to walk through the night, set out with determination to no return.

    she decided to take seven years of help from what she originally had to do on her own. to aven, who came into her life like a miracle.

    it was a great favor and something she was thankful for. even so, he was rather fortunate to get out of this hell. may he be rewarded for the years he didn¡¯t enjoy anything. she genuinely hoped that he could enjoy the most glorious position.

    seira had to let him go. if she wanted to continue with the smallest ties with him, she had to.

    after clearing her face of the traces of her meltdown, seira returned to the conference room with enough calmness in her heart.

    then, she headed straight to aven. those who remained around him stepped back, looking at each other.

    ¡°your highness, the crown prince.¡±

    at her call, aven turned slowly. perhaps the status he recently regained was awkward, and his reaction was rigid.

    ¡°it hasn¡¯t been officially appointed yet¡­¡± he answered with a voice that held back something from her.

    seira looked at him quietly. dressed up in expensive things, he was like a different person. to the point where their once most intimate relationship felt like a dream.

    she kept choking up at his more beautiful and wonderful appearance. maybe it was because she was more conscious of her feelings for him now more than ever.

    ¡°why didn¡¯t you call a little earlier?¡±

    seira tried her best to smile broadly.

    ¡°congratulations on your return to the palace.¡±

    his eyes toward her, instead of shining with joy, seemed to be dying. however, seira thought that she was only probably seeing what she wanted to believe.

    ¡°¡­thank you.¡±

    ¡°and there was something i really wanted to say¡­¡±

    seira paused for a moment, and tried to swallow her emotions.

    ¡°thank you for all this time. i hope that someday¡­ i could pay you back.¡±

    as if by reflex, aven¡¯s mouth opened and closed as if conflicted on what to say. after greeting him with a slight bend of her knee, chewing her lips and dropping her gaze, seira turned around.

    fortunately, her calmness seemed to be convincing by the looks of surprise in the dozens of pairs of eyes. calrad, who was watching her closely as she returned to his seat, asked.

    ¡°did you know? you don¡¯t seem very surprised.¡±

    ¡°no, i didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°then?¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s a good thing.¡±

    seira replied with a sweet smile on her lips, as usual, scratching calrad¡¯s insides.

    ¡°wouldn¡¯t it be such a waste if an outstanding and dedicated man was tied to the narrow fence of askan?¡±

    ¡°yes, you are right. it¡¯s a very good thing.¡±

    aven stood there the same way he always had. as if he couldn¡¯t hear the voices of the nobles talking to him, he still kept his mouth shut and dropped his gaze somewhere on the floor.

    then at one point, he looked up at seira. sitting on the throne originally made for the empress.

    seira¡¯s eyes widened as she discovered a fragment of emotion that briefly passed in his eyes.

    aven, who turned quickly around, sat down in a new seat prepared for him, and soon the meeting continued. however, seira couldn¡¯t concentrate on what was discussed.

    ¡®i must have seen it wrong¡­?¡¯

    wasn¡¯t it strange? having never said that he wanted her in all those years together, he looked at her then with eyes full of desire.

    it was clearly an illusion caused by her selfishness, which couldn¡¯t easily let him go.

 Chapter 78.1

    ¡°what does everyone have to say about this?¡±

    calrad asked while seira was lost in her thoughts for a moment.

    ¡°all right. it will do.¡±

    baron nodded once.

    ¡°i¡¯m fine, too.¡±

    louis was also convinced. next, it was none other than seira that calard¡¯s eyes were on.

    ¡®what question did he ask?¡¯

    although she was embarrassed for a while, she could easily predict that it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal considering the mood.

    ¡°i will obey his majesty¡¯s wishes.¡±

    as she answered with a smile, calrad¡¯s expression softened as well.

    ¡°yes,¡± he continued, ¡°then after the meeting, go to the emperor¡¯s palace. we can relax and talk over dinner.¡±

    it seemed to be a conversation between the heads of the four major families about having a meal and talking separately. thinking that aven, who became the crown prince, would also attend, seira¡¯s heart suddenly became troubled.

    at the same time, she wanted to spend a little more time with aven, who she wouldn¡¯t be able to meet as leisurely anymore. then again, she was worried whether she could act calmly without making a single mistake.

    ¡®¡­what¡¯s the point of being a little awkward? aven isn¡¯t even a helpless vassal to askan anymore.¡¯

    fortunately, aven would no longer be in danger because of her. when she thought about it, she felt a little relieved.

    everything went smoothly since calrad¡¯s joining was confirmed. a few more nobles applied, perhaps because they wanted to look good in the eyes of the emperor. some families, like cyril glad, expressed their intention to participate, while others decided to send one of their children.

    using the countess of osron, which was closest to the ardennes islands, as a defensive line, the reserve forces under the command of the crown prince aven decided to prepare in case of an emergency.

    the detailed strategy wasn¡¯t a matter to be discussed at the meeting, so it ended with the final decision of the families who¡¯d be in charge of the defense of the imperial capital, and the person in charge while the emperor was away from the palace.

    as calrad first rose from the throne, all the nobles immediately followed.

    ¡°you come with me.¡±

    seira glanced at calrad¡¯s hand, which was extended toward her. she didn¡¯t want to hold it, but she couldn¡¯t commit such disrespect to the emperor of the empire in everyone¡¯s presence.

    ¡°yes, your majesty.¡±

    he lightly took her hand and placed it on his arm.

    although their close proximity was uncomfortable, calrad was seemingly satisfied to say the least. his forehead, which cracked like habit, straightened for a long time, and the corners of his mouth her raised.

    when the distance between them and the nobles was quite considerable, she spoke with a small voice.

    ¡°you don¡¯t seem to be disgusted. i smell like another alpha.¡±

    even looking straight ahead, seira could feel his gaze touching her cheek.

    ¡°i just acknowledged it.¡±

    ¡°¡­what?¡±

    ¡°that you had no choice but to bring another alpha to replace me.¡±

    at that moment, seira blinked because she didn¡¯t know what to answer. what kind of weird was this?

    as if understanding her silence, he added, ¡°unlike alpha¡¯s inhibitors, i heard that omega inhibitors are terrible. it must have been unbearably painful for you, who are a pure blood, but how could i blame you for not being by my side?¡±

    calrad seemed to think she would¡¯ve had a heat cycle with him if they had been together.

    ¡®of course, i thought of it when i first developed into an omega¡­¡¯

    at that moment when she felt like she was about to die, seira instinctively couldn¡¯t help but think of having sex with any alpha. it was only natural that she had never kissed an alpha other than calrad in her dreams.

    ¡®cal¡­ ugh¡­¡¯

    calling his name, she carelessly caressed her breasts and rubbed herself below to relieve the pain. but somehow her thirst wasn¡¯t quenched, and with her fingers she couldn¡¯t imitate a fraction of the pleasure that calrad gave her then.

    by the time she thought she¡¯d rather lose her consciousness, aven found her.

    she was in such distress that she couldn¡¯t even recall what his expression was like when he saw her. except that he, who took her to bed, made her know very faithfully what it meant to unite with her alpha as an omega.

    in fact, seira didn¡¯t even know who she was involved with until the next day. she thought she had been distracted by the sweet alpha¡¯s pheromone, but when she came to her senses, she was holding aven¡¯s finger in her mouth.

    at that time, she was mortified and sorry, so she thought it was a good thing that she couldn¡¯t remember anything, but not that she thought about it, she felt sorry.

    the first night she spent with aven¡­ no, how she wished she could remember the second, third, and all the nights since. she could¡¯ve recalled and reminisced from time to time.

    ¡°what are you thinking about?¡±

    seira woke up from her light daydream at the low voice that came from beside her.

    ¡°i suddenly remembered the day it first happened.¡±

    ¡°with whom¡­ no, i said i shouldn¡¯t ask you this.¡±

    nervously sweeping his hair, calrad added after a short sigh.

    ¡°anyway, there will be a chance to resolve the misunderstandings between us. from now on, i will be by your side.¡±

 Chapter 78.2

    regardless of whether it was all a misunderstanding, seira wondered what he meant. but she also had problems that she had to get answers too. if it was the temple that instigated the late emperor laud, what would their purpose be? why did he do that to her?

    ¡®could i find out through calrad?¡¯ she wondered silently.

    seira glanced up at him and his blue eyes were fixed at her. they were cold, but strangely they have softened today.

    she thought she could try to negotiate at least once now.

    ¡°your majesty, if you really want to resolve the misunderstanding with me, i would like you to make one promise.¡±

    ¡°promise?¡±

    ¡°yes. from the first time we were reunited, his majesty only wanted me to obey. he didn¡¯t even think about looking back at my misery and the agony the imperial family had made me go through.¡±

    ¡°that¡­¡±

    in order not to blame him directly, seira brought up her resentment towards the imperial family, not calrad himself. now was the time to continue the conversation and get what she wanted without offending him as much as possible.

    ¡°his majesty is nothing but a fearful existence to me. if that¡¯s what you want, his majesty has succeeded.¡±

    ¡°¡­you know very well it¡¯s not like that.¡±

    ¡°then, i don¡¯t know about anything else, but please don¡¯t force me to imprint. unless my heart truly belongs to you, it¡¯s useless anyway. i don¡¯t want to ruin our relationship like that.¡±

    seira looked straight at calrad and waited for him to respond. contrary to the calmness of her eyes and expression, her mind was a nervous wreck.

    ¡®please, calrad¡­¡¯

    after a while, he opened his mouth and replied.

    ¡°alright, i promise. instead, i want you to give me a definite answer, too. that you won¡¯t avoid me.¡±

    seira didn¡¯t think that calrad knew she had been avoiding him with all her might, but she replied brazenly, ¡°why would i avoid his majesty?¡±

    he looked at her gently and nodded as he stared at her, ¡°is that so?¡±

    his gaze, which began to move again, seemed to feel like the days which they couldn¡¯t reach for now.

    ¡°well, i¡¯m old enough to get tired playing tag and hide-and-seek.¡±

    even though it would¡¯ve been a fair time for the two of them to mature as full-fledged man and woman, calrad¡¯s attitude toward her remained the same. it¡¯s as if they spent their days together every day.

    seira gazed out the window with a sigh.

    it seemed the same here at the imperial palace as the years passed. seeing that every scenery that came into sight hasn¡¯t changed.

    * * *

    after calrad and seira left the conference room and the other nobles left one by one, all that remained in the room were aven, louis, and baron.

    baron, who was staring at aven with complicated eyes, asked, ¡°why didn¡¯t you tell seira first? she seemed very surprised. it would¡¯ve been nice if you¡¯ve given her a heads up.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    aven just stood still without answering. baron couldn¡¯t question him further seeing that he couldn¡¯t see joy in him rising as the next heir to the throne.

    baron heaved a long sigh in frustration, and paused as he tried to brush his hair backwards. considering their next schedule, he shouldn¡¯t ruin how he look seeing as it took hours to finish.

    ¡°don¡¯t you know how much seira cares about you? you¡¯d better explain the situation instead of making an excuse because you¡¯re late. it¡¯s not like she wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±

    though he thought it wasn¡¯t needed, baron didn¡¯t want him to forget his advice. it was for both seira and aven, as colleagues who frequently left with him for the battlefield.

    ¡°then i¡¯ll see you at the dinner, your majesty the crown prince.¡±

    baron bid farewell to aven politely in his own way, and went out first. only then did louis open his mouth.

    ¡°is it that bad?¡±

    originally, aven often didn¡¯t show his emotions, so most of the nobles just thought he was silent because he felt awkward with the change of status. however, louis saw through without difficulty that aven was low and was ready to dig into the ground.

    ¡°there must be more than one or two people who wish to sit in that throne.¡±

    even louis, who said that, didn¡¯t mention the power he could enjoy when he coaxed aven. that was not how he could move him.

    ¡®you can give back everything that seira had. you can fully support the restoration of askan, or offer up the position of a noble empress.¡¯

    ¡®how long are you going to get hurt and wander the battlefield? you don¡¯t really believe that¡¯s what she wants.¡¯

    by the time aven¡¯s eyes changed bit by bit, louis hit the wedge to completely lodge his ideals into him.

    ¡®you know what? seira is overdoing it. every time i use my powers, my physical condition deteriorates rapidly. she won¡¯t last long at this rate. when and where will that life end¡­¡¯

    when louis said that, he almost died at the hands of aven.

    for aven, leaving seira alone and in pain would be hell. therefore, another way to call the great anger that he felt at that moment was despair.

    louis, who was looking into aven¡¯s eyes that turned bright red in an instant, finally realized. the hope of all the brothers, wandering in the darkness and waiting for the day of liberation, has finally come.

 Chapter 79.1

    when aven eventually accepted the offer, louis felt that the unseen end of the pain finally approached. although the variables overlapped and many changes were made from the initial plan, it was fantastic that he was able to persuade aven as his plan wouldn¡¯t even happen if he failed to do so.

    ¡®why don¡¯t you do it yourself?¡¯

    ¡®i can¡¯t go against the temple. i have a weakness.¡¯

    aven helford, no, aven ricard viseltium was never a man of fairness or was good at all. he had no interest in anything outside the fence and was relentless.

    ¡®when this is over, never approach me again.¡¯

    with aven¡¯s words to never meet again as much as possible, louis replied that he understood. he didn¡¯t think it was that difficult of a request.

    surely that day was¡­

    ¡®i think she¡¯d be very sad if she didn¡¯t see you.¡¯

    when he kissed seira in his arms this morning, and while he was carefully dressing her with his own hands, louis thought unconsciously.

    ¡®a chance encounter would be fine.¡¯

    if seira became the empress, she¡¯d have no choice but to appear in public, so she wouldn¡¯t be out of sight.

    ¡®of course, the biggest problem is whether we can finish it safely.¡¯

    he had predicted a 40% chance of success.

    what was the probability that he would survive until the very end? louis didn¡¯t know that while there were many people who regarded him as a thorn in the eye, no one would bother to save him.

    therefore, the idea that he wouldn¡¯t regret it if he didn¡¯t see seira in the future was actually absurd.

    ¡°then i¡¯ll see you at the dinner, your majesty the crown prince.¡±

    at that time, aven didn¡¯t respond to any of baron¡¯s or louis¡¯ words, and merely walked up to the podium. the sight of seira in front of the throne where she stood and stared down at aven whose attitude was slowly turning bad was what louis expected.

    somehow feeling uneasy, louis approached aven and warned him, ¡°just in case, you should keep a proper distance from seira. do you understand?¡±

    he meant that he had to be prepared in case things went wrong. if their plans failed, it was necessary to appear in bad terms to the rest of the world.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    aven, whose hands were still on the throne¡¯s handle, didn¡¯t reply to louis¡¯ warning and suddenly disappeared in an instant.

    ¡°your highness¡­!¡±

    louis lost sight of aven in a split second, and he burst into laughter.

    he knew that he wouldn¡¯t move the way he wanted, but louis didn¡¯t expect him to go this far. only they can be as unpredictable as their father, who has become nothing more than an idiot.

    ¡®no, no.¡¯

    louis quickly changed his mind. he was wrong about being unpredictable. louis could be 100% sure where aven was headed now.

    ¡®this is why you shouldn¡¯t imprint so recklessly.¡¯

    he hurriedly left the conference room to find aven, who might as well be following the tragedy of his predecessor.

    he could only laugh at the thought of himself being optimistic that the first phase of the plan was going pretty well an hour ago.

    * * *

    arriving at the imperial palace, calrad led seira up the stairs. passing through the second floor where his office was and reaching the stairs leading to the third floor, seira asked.

    ¡°where are you going? the banquet hall is on the first floor¡­¡±

    at this, he glanced down at her and said, ¡°just because i don¡¯t blame you doesn¡¯t mean that i would continue to endure this smell.¡±

    ¡°¡­are you telling me to take a bath or something?¡±

    ¡°yes, and change your damn clothes too.¡±

    ¡°what¡¯s wrong with them?¡±

    her question this time was truly out of curiosity. it was a bit uncomfortable to move, but there¡¯s little exposure, so there shouldn¡¯t be any reason for calrad to be offended by it.

    ¡°do you really need to know why?¡±

    he stopped at a certain door on the third floor, then turned and looked at her.

    seira looked straight in his eyes as she raised her head and replied, ¡°yes.¡±

    ¡°if you wish so¡­ i¡¯ll tell you the truth.¡±

    calrad¡¯s shadowy blue eyes slowly moved down her body.

    ¡°you know that alphas have very good senses. maybe that¡¯s you look like you¡¯re naked to me now. all your curves can be seen. i don¡¯t know what kind of fabric you used, but try to avoid such a thing as much as possible.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    seira, who had been staring at him blankly all this time, looked down at herself.

    ¡®it¡¯s just plain cloth¡­ right?¡¯

    as it was a custom-made dress by franto¡¯s head, whose wealth had no one to match, there wasn¡¯t anything special to it except the high-quality fabric and that it was light and soft to the touch.

    ¡°but i don¡¯t have clothes to change.¡±

    ¡°of course, i¡¯ve had it prepared.¡±

    ¡°my measurements have changed a lot over the past seven years.¡±

 Chapter 79.2

    calrad¡¯s brows wrinkled at her words. he clenched his teeth as if holding back something before his eyes closed and opened and said, ¡°i¡­i matched the measurements with the clothes from your old room, so it will probably fit well.¡±

    ¡°ah¡­.¡±

    on the day of the royal banquet, calrad seemed to have found the clothes she¡¯d left behind after she had sex with aven. if so, he would¡¯ve seen the traces of their affair, which made him angry all the more.

    even seira, who was always brazenly confident in front of calrad, couldn¡¯t do that now. she could only imagine how hurt he¡¯d be, who valued the first night he spent with her very much. of course, calrad himself caused it.

    perhaps because he knew, he didn¡¯t say much to blame her.

    ¡°i¡¯ll send the attendants, so wash slowly, change everything, and then come down.¡±

    ¡°all right.¡±

    this time around, seira nodded her head obediently and entered the room. more than half of the knights escorting the emperor remained in the corridor, and the rest disappeared along with calrad.

    ¡®anyway, this is¡­¡¯

    passing through the spacious and luxurious room decorated like a drawing room, it was a powder room for dressing up, and beyond it was a bedroom. seira looked around the bathroom attached to the bedroom, then came back to the powder room.

    ¡®it looks like nobody¡¯s using it now.¡¯

    it seemed to be a spare bedroom prepared for guests who stayed the night at the imperial palace.

    ¡®i¡¯m not a regular guest, but¡­¡¯

    depending on the emperor¡¯s preference, the empress could be allowed to stay here, and if there was no companion, it was likely to be used to bring in partners or anyone disposable for the sake of having sex.

    it was difficult to take off the dress alone, so seira sat comfortably on the sofa and waited for the attendant to come. when she looked back on the contents of the meeting in preparation for dinner, seira could only heave a long sigh.

    ¡®it¡¯s surprising that calrad decided to join, but i¡¯m glad we solved the problem of him forcing me to imprint. but i¡¯d better be careful not to go against his will until i found a way to counter his power of domination.¡¯

    it wasn¡¯t an easy task to subjugate the nest. once a guardian¡¯s ability exceeded that of a master-level slayer, and if intermediate-level and higher-level beasts who used special skills attacked together, it was hell on earth.

    moreover, there won¡¯t be support from the knights this time, so the best strategy and condition management would be the key to a successful mission.

    ¡®it¡¯s the first time i¡¯ll go on a subjugation alone without aven¡­¡¯ seira mused.

    because he¡¯d always been by her side, she was able to focus only on the battle in front of her, but this time around she will have to take care of everything herself.

    in the meantime, she had to steal the black debris. to be honest, it was almost impossible.

    ¡®but you must do it.¡¯

    she didn¡¯t know when another opportunity might come if she failed.

    in the future, things were bound to take a worse turn for her. as long as askan¡¯s most powerful force, aven, was gone, those who aim for her will reach out regardless if it was night or day. at least now that they decided to move in small numbers, her situation was at its best.

    lost in thought, seira straightened herself to a sudden feeling. a question popped in her head as she tried to look around casually, thinking that the attendant calrad sent had arrived.

    ¡®i didn¡¯t hear a knock¡­¡¯

    come to think of it, she didn¡¯t even hear the door open and close. she wrapped her right hand around the bracelet on her left wrist, nervous at the thought that it might be her enemy.

    then, a familiar scent brushed at the tip of her nose.

    the color of magical power spread faintly in the air was clearly someone seira knew. there was no way she wouldn¡¯t know whose footsteps it was who approached her quietly without any intention of masking his presence.

    she tried to call his name out of habit, but quickly closed her mouth. now, his name shouldn¡¯t be called recklessly without permission.

    but¡­

    ¡°duchess.¡±

    seira¡¯s lower lip trembled at the sound of his voice calling her.

    it only took a moment as his fierce shadow seemed to devour her. lowering himself, he knelt at her feet.

    looking at her stiff face full of surprise, he carefully wrapped his hands around her feet half covered by the hem of her dress.

    ¡°i¡¯ve come. may i have your permission?¡±

    ¡°what the¡­¡±

    she opened her lips several times in embarrassment. repeatedly closing them, she pushed his hand against his shoulder.

    ¡°stop playing tricks, your highness.¡±

    ¡°i don¡¯t know anything else, but i don¡¯t have the talent to make you laugh with nonsense.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    when seira closed her mouth as she couldn¡¯t find the right words to answer him, he turned to her feet. with his large and firm hand, her shoes slipped and lightly fell on the floor.

 Chapter 80.1

    ¡°i want you to treat me as before, even if it¡¯s just the two of us,¡± he said, peeling the shoe off her other foot. ¡°please call my name and give me orders.¡±

    of course, seira had to refuse, thinking it was nonsense. how can she treat someone who was found out as a direct descendant of viseltium and became the imperial crown prince?

    however, as their faces were up close, his eyes and expression were as dangerous as standing on the edge of a cliff. seira couldn¡¯t bring herself to say no.

    after a long time of hesitation, her lips finally uttered his name.

    ¡°aven¡­¡±

    at the same time, seira reached unconsciously, seeing the relief in his eyes. her fingertips almost brushed his eyes but moved away.

    ¡°then let¡¯s just call each other by name.¡±

    he nodded his head as he anxiously pursued the warmth of her moving away from him.

    ¡°if you wish¡­ i will do so, madam seira.¡±

    ¡°get rid of the formalities.¡±

    ¡°¡­yes, seira.¡±

    seira¡¯s eyes widened with joy. her own name, wholeheartedly spoken by him, was as sweet as his pheromones which were to her taste.

    ¡°but can you be here now?¡±

    ¡°no. i came secretly.¡±

    ¡°the maids will come soon.¡±

    ¡°you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡±

    indeed, he was viseltium. she had to remind herself that he didn¡¯t need her protection anymore. that would be nothing short of ignoring his status or belittling him.

    ¡°i wanted to see you and be next to you. there won¡¯t be chances like this for a while.¡±

    ¡°i suppose so¡­¡±

    there were many things that she wanted to ask and say to him, but seira kept her mouth shut and looked at him, feeling the touch of his hand. she was afraid to miss even a single movement if she talked about herself.

    with seira¡¯s implicit permission, aven moved his hand slowly. he dug into the narrow dress, loosened the garter, and peeled off her tights one by one. whenever his hand brushed the inside of her thigh, seira could only bite her lips and swallow a moan.

    she was embarrassed by her body¡¯s sensitive reaction. even her underwear was already wet. in addition, half of them were louis¡¯ semen, so even the distinctive smell spread lightly.

    ¡°looks like you still have a lot inside you.¡±

    seira¡¯s face burned red. it was so hard to pretend that nothing was happening.

    ¡°i¡¯ll take them out and wash them.¡±

    ¡°yes¡­¡±

    when she answered with a melancholic face, he looked up and examined her expression.

    ¡°what happened in franto?¡±

    ¡°huh? no¡­ no, it¡¯s not.¡±

    he rose up and sat next to her, loosening the knot behind her back one by one, and said, ¡°you don¡¯t have to do everything he asks. say no if you don¡¯t want to.¡±

    the dress which fit her perfectly, loosened and fell off her shoulders. seira lowered her eyes as she felt his gaze travel from her neck, shoulders, and down her spine. she couldn¡¯t confirm it herself, but it was clear that the traces left of her previous affair was a mess.

    ¡®i don¡¯t want to look like this.¡¯

    when she tried to grab her dress and cover herself, seira felt something warm and soft touch her spine and slipped down.

    ¡°oh¡­!¡±

    a groan that was close to an exclamation escaped at the strength that was applied to her waist. with his hand on her lower abdomen and her body on the sofa, he pulled down her dress that hung halfway from her pelvis. soon, even her underwear fell down her knees, and not a piece of fabric was left on her body.

    with her completely naked in front of him, seira was torn between shame and expectation.

    ¡°don¡¯t worry. i¡¯ll erase it all for you.¡±

    he spoke with a voice not much different than usual, but she was strangely nervous. she didn¡¯t even know if it was because of his bot breath touching her spine.

    with his lips down to the pubis, he stuck out his tongue and licked her vagina.

    ¡°ugh¡­!¡±

    seira¡¯s body flinched and jerked. her mind was occupied with the sensation of his tongue moving and licking her inside out. her toes curled and her knees trembled.

    ¡°there, don¡¯t lick it¡­¡±

    ¡°there¡¯s nothing we can do if we want to get rid of what¡¯s flowing out.¡±

    ¡°but¡­¡±

    ¡°please relax and leave it to me.¡±

    seira couldn¡¯t resist aven when he said that. she widened her knee, which he had propped up so he could suck and peck under her as comfortably as possible. she could feel his fingers that dug into her vagina, skillfully scratching the liquid out of her.

    white liquid dripped over the dress under her knee, creating a stain.

    ¡°uhhh¡­¡±

 Chapter 80.2

    even if she tried to hold it in, her moans of pleasure escaped her mouth. no, it wasn¡¯t just moans of pleasure. she felt that her pheromones were overflowing and out of control.

    ¡®oh, no¡­ at this rate¡­¡¯

    she felt like she was going to reach her climax while he was getting semen out of her. it was wonderful to have his straight, hard fingers deep inside her, and with him poking and scooping semen out of her made her excited.

    ¡°aven¡­¡±

    above all, she was so happy that she couldn¡¯t believe that it was none other than aven who touched her.

    ¡°ahhh~!¡±

    the rush of pleasure in her body eventually swept through her. aven quietly watched seira as she collapsed and sprayed liquid and pheromones at the same time.

    ¡°pheromones¡­ you can¡¯t control them.¡±

    at his words, seira responded with a twinge, ¡°it¡¯s¡­ the heat cycle¡­ i guess it¡¯s not over.¡±

    having rolled around with louis right after baron, the heat cycle that began a few days ago hasn¡¯t yet been resolved. her body, which was touched by the alpha who had her heart, couldn¡¯t control the excitement within.

    ¡®but i can¡¯t say that i like him¡­ not in this situation.¡¯

    so, she made a random excuse and glanced at him.

    ¡®at least one more time i could make memories with aven.¡¯

    he was burdened with the progress of their relationship even when he spent his time practically glued to her side, sharing her bed. there wouldn¡¯t be more opportunities in the future. if she missed this time when he approached himself, she would definitely regret it.

    ¡°help me, aven¡­¡±

    it was the very first. she always said she¡¯d help him first, but this time she tugged at his sleeve.

    perhaps in surprise, his eyes widened and looked at her, trembling helplessly with deep darkness like the night sky.

    ¡°huh? it¡¯s so hard right now¡­¡±

    when she thought about how she looked in aven¡¯s eyes, her cheeks flushed with shame. she couldn¡¯t believe she was seducing him because it still wasn¡¯t enough rolling around with other alphas for days. wouldn¡¯t she look like she was blinded by lust?

    ¡®whatever. it might be the last one.¡¯

    afraid she might be disappointed, still aven wasn¡¯t one to turn a blind eye to her struggling with the heat cycle.

    as expected, he nodded.

    ¡°all right.¡±

    seira stared hard at him as he loosened his belt. she was going to ingrain everything about him in her mind.

    a light-colored, well-groomed pubic hair and light pinkish genital was exposed. even though it was thick and as long as a club, it didn¡¯t look ugly at all. perhaps it was because of its smooth appearance and pretty color. rather, she coveted it so much that it made her mouth water.

    ¡°aven, can i suck it once?¡±

    ¡°you can¡¯t,¡± he replied sternly.

    ¡°i¡¯ll just lick it.¡±

    ¡°if any alpha dares to put it in your mouth, you should immediately slap it away.¡±

    he treated himself relentlessly even though it was a part of his body. when seira kept quiet, he wrapped his hands around her face, looked her straight in the eyes, and emphasized once more.

    ¡°his majesty is no exception. never put an alpha¡¯s genitals in your mouth. you will get hurt.¡±

    ¡°¡­yes, i understand.¡±

    when she reluctantly nodded her head, aven¡¯s forehead, which had been extremely tense, finally unfolded. as she stared at his figure, she immediately pressed her lips against his.

    ¡®ah¡­¡¯

    she just lightly pressed her lips to his, but it felt so good that her back tingled. her heart began to beat like crazy.

    ¡°ah¡­¡±

    what she felt now was so clear that it was absurd how she hadn¡¯t noticed it before.

    aven wrapped himself around the nape of her neck, supported her back, and laid her on the couch. at the same time, the softness of her lips and the sweetness of her saliva practically melted his whole body.

    whenever the round tip brushed against her, seira reacted obscenely. she twisted her hips in eagerness to devour him until they broke into pieces. when his hard shaft began to press gently over her entrance¡­

    at that moment, a knock came from outside the drawing room.

    ¡°your excellency, i have received the orders. may i come in?¡±

    the maid sent by calrad arrived.

    ¡°wait, aven¡­ ugh¡­¡±

    surprised, seira grabbed his forearm, but he didn¡¯t stop. slowly, painstakingly, with no sign of haste, he pushed himself inside her.

    ¡°uh, huh¡­¡±

    fearing that her moans would leak out the door, seira held back and accepted him fully. her body, longing for aven, was filled with ecstasy as it received his genitals. her head was dizzy with physical and mental pleasure.

    ¡°your excellency.¡±

    she couldn¡¯t hear the knock again.

    all her attention was focused on him who only penetrated her body. when his genitals finally hit her in the deepest part¡­

    ¡°tell her to come in and wait,¡± he whispered softly in her ear, his breathing heavy.

 Chapter 81.1

    seira hesitated for a moment at aven¡¯s questionable words, but then spoke up and said as he told her to.

    ¡°you may come in.¡±

    with her permission, seira heard the door open and close. she then quickly added another order,

    ¡°i¡¯ll wash up first, so please wait there.¡±

    ¡°yes, your excellency,¡± the maid answered politely, and stopped walking toward the powder room and returned to the drawing room.

    seira, who had been observing her presence, released a sigh of relief and then whispered in a small voice, ¡°now what?¡±

    there was no separate door between the drawing room and the powder room. the obscene sounds of continuing their affair would clearly be heard.

    thinking that they might have to move to the bedroom or bathroom, seira looked up at aven and her eyes widened in surprise. there was something strange about the way he looked at her with a faint smile on his lips.

    the reason why aven was said to be stoic was because his words, actions, expressions, and eyes didn¡¯t reveal any joy or sorrow. even she found it hard to see a glimpse of emotion in him.

    now, however, aven was showing only one emotion too clearly. he didn¡¯t even try to mask it.

    that emotion was desire.

    he was looking at her like that, as if she was an appetizing fruit which he wanted to covet alone.

    ¡®but wasn¡¯t it just my imagination?¡¯

    even back at the conference room, she saw him express desire for her. at that time, she thought she¡¯d been mistaken because of her selfish hope that even a small thing was left between them, but upon closer look, she couldn¡¯t really tell.

    aven absent-mindedly caressed her stiff cheek and then gently kissed her lips. then¡­

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    he lifted his back vigorously. seira¡¯s vision flickered pure white at the intense pleasure that she couldn¡¯t even make a sound. as he crushed her with pure ecstasy again, seira went into a fiery climax. even after everything, her orgasm didn¡¯t fade, but only gained more momentum.

    digging deeper, aven deftly plowed seira. he stroked her shoulders and back, and licked her lips.

    ¡°hngh¡­¡±

    inevitably, her moan escaped her. in fact, a person with a keen sense of hearing would¡¯ve already heard the sound of wet rubbing and bodies colliding.

    ¡®if the maid reports to calrad, aven will be in trouble¡­¡¯

    seira worried about him even as she was completely consumed by mental bliss and carnal pleasure. she knew she didn¡¯t have to, that he could take care of himself, but she couldn¡¯t help it.

    ¡®but i can¡¯t help but make a sound¡­¡¯

    she could do better than this even in her heat cycle, but she couldn¡¯t come to her senses.

    ¡°ah¡­!¡±

    eventually, a moan close to screaming burst out. aven looked down startled, blinking at her as he asked, ¡°do you not care about the maid?¡±

    seira hurriedly shook her head at the sight of aven clenching her waist as if he was about to pull out of her.

    ¡°that¡­ it¡¯s not like that¡­¡±

    aven glanced down at her and then tightened his grip as he put his genitals in at once.

    ¡°haaa¡­¡±

    ¡°now you don¡¯t have to hide your relationship with me, do you?¡±

    sure enough, the maid¡¯s presence was approaching. even if she walked sneakily, seira and aven, who were master-class slayers, would notice. she seemed to hesitate whether to look inside or not as she reached the powder room, but she¡¯d probably stick her head in no time.

    ¡°if it bothers you, you can get rid of me.¡±

    seira thought that she misheard him. her voice was high, and his was as low as a whisper.

    ¡°so please look at me. just for this moment, please, just me¡­¡±

    with that, aven pushed seira without even answering. her upper body smashed into the sofa, and he pounded her to the point she felt like she¡¯d been buried in the sofa.

    ¡°ah! aven¡­¡±

    now, as he wished, she couldn¡¯t think of anything but aven. it was even too much for her just to open her legs and accept him. her pupils dilated and her lips parted as his pheromones, which had been contained all this time, poured out like a raging waterfall and hit her whole body.

    not only the bottom, but her whole body seemed to be soaking wet. the intensity of him piercing through her was stranger than the beating of her heart.

    ¡°seira¡­¡±

    it was only for a moment that his long-suppressed emotion turned into a violent desire to possess her.

    he humped her with a force to carve himself into her half-folded body, forcibly opening his way to her womb. along the ejaculate pouring out of her vagina, his pheromone also dug deep into her. he moved until he dyed each of her organs with his own color and aroma.

 Chapter 81.2

    even if he refused, she gave him a way as if welcoming when he was about to let her go or not, and there was nothing he could do to distance himself. just as he got rid of calrad¡¯s in the past, louis¡¯ was also completely erased one by one.

    after removing all traces of the other alpha, he thoroughly imprinted her body to remember and react only to him.

    with his own flesh, more addictive than drugs and sweeter than sugar.

    ¡°ah¡­ aven, uh¡­ aven¡­¡±

    instead of running away in fear, she reached out and embraced his neck. aven supported her back and raised her upper body as he leaned on to her. only then did she release her suppressed breathing, and slowly returned to normal.

    seira¡¯s butt was pushed closer to him, and as he sat with his back to the sofa, a small gasp was heard from the door.

    succumbing to her curiosity, the maid had eventually peeked in at them.

    fortunately, seira was unaware of the maid¡¯s presence as she was completely taken over by aven¡¯s pheromones.

    aven pondered for a moment as he slowly swirled his palm on her soft and trembling body. what to do with the intruder?

    he didn¡¯t feel any malice, but there was no guarantee that she¡¯d keep her mouth shut. he didn¡¯t care about himself, but he had to intervene so seira¡¯s name wouldn¡¯t drift from one mouth to another as another interesting topic.

    ¡°huh¡­¡±

    seira came to kiss him first, and aven closed his eyes as she pushed her tongue into his mouth. even in the darkness, he could see the presence that peeped at them.

    he was annoyed, so he thought of completely getting rid of the maid, but changed his mind. seira seemed to care about the maid, and if she went missing all of a sudden¡­

    in the shadow of the maid, he commanded¡­

    i¡¯ll do your job for you, so you can go. instead, forget everything you¡¯ve seen and heard here.

    the maid¡¯s eyes lost focus as aven¡¯s magic, like a snake¡¯s whisper, entered her head.

    ¡°¡­yes.¡±

    after answering with a blank face, aven opened his eyes again as he watched the maid turn around and leave the room. looking at seira, who was lovingly disheveled and moving her hips, he wanted to steal her and run away. or kill all the distractions around her.

    however, would she be devastated if he¡¯d destroy the country she had dedicated herself to? the rotten parts were necessary to be cut off with the rest left intact as possible to be enjoyed. because that was what she deserved.

    ¡®until then¡­¡¯

    aven decided to persevere. waiting for her was familiar to him.

    * * *

    in fact, aven personally helped seira take a bath and get her dressed.

    ¡°did the maid really say that and leave?¡±

    ¡°yes, so don¡¯t worry. she has nothing else to say beyond what she swore.¡±

    ¡°huh¡­ all right then.¡±

    ¡°then, i¡¯ll see you at the banquet hall.¡±

    since there were knights left by calrad in the hallway, aven decided to use his power to exit the palace.

    ¡°ah, wait¡­ aven¡­¡±

    seira hurriedly grabbed him as he was about to disappear. there was something she had to say.

    ¡°what is it?¡±

    seira looked down with a serene look as she asked, ¡°now to askan¡­ are you not coming back?¡±

    aven stared at her eyes for a moment as they shook momentarily.

    ¡°are you disappointed?¡±

    seira smiled bitterly at his question. maybe he¡¯d be the one to tell her he was disappointed. she trusted and relied on him, and she finally gave him her heart.

    then she was cruel and pathetic. it meant that she didn¡¯t show any sincerity to aven until this point in their relationship.

    even so, if she was honest now, she¡¯d feel pressured.

    ¡°yeah, somewhat.¡±

    nevertheless, seira replied like that.

    ¡°then, did you think i¡¯d be fine?¡±

    ¡°that¡¯s not true, but i thought you¡¯d just say it¡¯s okay this time too. because you always did¡­¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m not fine, aven,¡± she said with all her heart with a grunt. ¡°to me, you were the only alpha i wanted to welcome as a companion. that¡¯s how much i liked you.¡±

    aven¡¯s eyes almost jumped out of their sockets. it was something he didn¡¯t expect to hear at all.

    ¡°when askan recovers and my situation gets better than it is now¡­ can¡¯t you also consider it?¡±

    she couldn¡¯t ask him to come back right now. this was how she felt, so she couldn¡¯t even cling to him for acceptance.

    she really liked aven a lot, but seira had something more important than her personal happiness. to do so, she had to continue her contract with louis and throw herself into danger.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    when aven stayed silent, she felt embarrassed to even ask and made excuses, ¡°don¡¯t get me wrong. i¡¯m not as greedy just because you are viseltium. i¡¯ve always thought of you¡­¡±

    but there was no denying that she was able to confess because she knew he was viseltium. although it was a decision to protect aven, seira couldn¡¯t raise her head as she thought how she¡¯d look in his eyes now.

 Chapter 82.1

    it occurred to her that perhaps, this time, he was truly disappointed in her.

    excited that aven treated her the same way as before, she became impatient and thought there might be no chances to confess if they broke up like this. seira was unsure if she made a mistake or not.

    however, seira couldn¡¯t take back what she said already, so she had no choice but to wait for his answer, biting her lips as if like a criminal about to be sentenced to death.

    on the other hand, aven¡¯s head was completely blank as he stared at her. in the pure white background of his mind, only one thing kept flashing.

    ¡®companion¡­¡¯

    even though he unilaterally imprinted on seira, aven had never hoped that she¡¯d become his companion. he knew she cared about him a lot, but he believed it was affection for someone that stood by her during her most difficult times.

    ¡®is it real?¡¯

    if what she said was true, he had done her terribly wrong. wasn¡¯t he the one that pushed her towards baron, saying she¡¯d ought to give him a chance? he was so obsessed with the thought of doing it for her sake, but he only ended up hurting her several times.

    ¡°don¡¯t feel pressured, just think slowly.¡±

    her hand fell helplessly off his sleeve. at that, aven grabbed her hand without realizing it. seira¡¯s purple eyes shook greatly as she looked up at him.

    ¡°aven¡­?¡±

    ¡°i will¡­¡±

    only after forcing himself to utter a word did aven realize that his throat was tight.

    ¡°if i ever hurt you¡­ i¡¯m really sorry.¡±

    ¡°huh? why are you apologizing? i¡¯m full of things to be sorry about too.¡±

    she reached out her hands and cupped his cheeks.

    ¡°no matter what you say, i want you to remember the fact that to me, you remain the same person.¡±

    aven wanted to hold her in his arms and confess that he was all hers. but he knew better than that.

    his work in the future was very dangerous. if he succeeded, he could bring all precious things to seira, but he couldn¡¯t help but think of the possibility of his failure.

    as louis warned, it would be safer to keep his distance, but it seemed like he couldn¡¯t bear it. in the end, he wanted to keep their relationship a secret.

    ¡°just a little¡­¡± aven replied to her, barely suppressing the feeling of wanting to strangle himself, ¡°give me time.¡±

    he¡¯ll tell her when it¡¯s all over. what seira askan was like to him. he will offer her a shining crown at her feet, and ask her if she still felt the same way and if she¡¯d want to stand by his side.

    ¡°of course.¡±

    smiling broadly, seira gently ran her thumb over his eyes and withdrew her hand.

    ¡°okay, now go ahead. i think you should change your clothes, too.¡±

    she had been a mess because she didn¡¯t take off her clothes completely and had sex with him earlier before taking a bath. to avoid unnecessary suspicions, they had to hurry as she said.

    ¡°yes, then¡­¡±

    he lowered himself and kissed the back of seira¡¯s hand, which he hadn¡¯t let go yet.

    if he stayed longer, he¡¯d kneel down and crave for affection, so he clenched his teeth and let go of her hand. then he took a step back and disappeared into the shadows.

    seira was now left to look at herself, and she couldn¡¯t confirm the emotions in her eyes.

    * * *

    since its foundation, dinners between viseltium, askan, jeff, and franto have always been held at the round table. this was customary in a sense of respect to the three families who founded the empire of hesrad, and was still maintaining it to this day.

    ¡°uselessly.¡±

    seira was very resentful of the person who created such a custom.

    she was the last to arrive at the dinner table, as aven moved leisurely, counting the time for her to return in her clothes. because of that, she was caught in an uncomfortable game of mind.

    ¡°your place is here,¡± calrad said, pointing at the seat next to him.

    seira turned to confirm aven was sitting on the left side of calrad, and then headed to the table with a sigh.

    ¡°the duchess of askan will be comfortable in this seat, your majesty,¡± baron said as he stood up from his seat beside aven.

    then, he tapped louis on the shoulder as if telling him to move to a seat next to calrad.

    ¡°baron jeff,¡± calrad said with a low voice.

    ¡°let¡¯s look at the situation. wouldn¡¯t a conversation be necessary between his highness the crown prince and the duchess of askan?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    surprisingly, louis followed baron¡¯s suggestion without saying anything, and he wasn¡¯t one who¡¯d follow just anyone.

    naturally, seira¡¯s seat turned to be between baron and aven. as she approached, baron pulled out her chair and whispered softly, ¡°i¡¯ve warmed up the seat, seira.¡±

 Chapter 82.2

    seira had to hold back her laughter at the look of a big puppy waiting for compliments. when she sat down in her chair, barely able to hold herself back, baron also sat down on what was originally louis¡¯ seat.

    ¡°do you like the seat i have warmed up, duke jeff?¡± louis asked sarcastically with a smile on his face.

    baron responded mercilessly and ended the conversation, ¡°not really.¡±

    ¡°let¡¯s stop talking nonsense and just eat.¡±

    ¡°yes, your majesty.¡±

    the dinner began in such a chilly atmosphere.

    as seira cut tomatoes into pieces and put them in her mouth, she turned her head at the plate someone had pushed in front of her. aven, who cut food for her, belatedly realized his behavior and stopped his hand. pulling the plate naturally, seira turned to calrad and asked.

    ¡°when will we leave the imperial capital?¡±

    ¡°the sooner the better. how long do you expect it to take to get ready, baron?¡±

    baron, who had been watching aven¡¯s actions closely, replied as he pushed a hard-cut veal steak toward seira.

    ¡°it will take at least a week.¡±

    ¡°oh¡­ it¡¯d take longer than i thought.¡±

    ¡°the 11th subjugation took a month to prepare. of course, we moved with an army then, but this time your majesty is also accompanying, so we¡¯ll need to prepare more thoroughly.¡±

    calrad nodded at baron¡¯s words and turned toward seira.

    ¡°if you don¡¯t have anything else planned, why don¡¯t you stay at the imperial palace until then? you don¡¯t have to move from one family to another, choose any palace you like, or you can use the palace where you stayed in the past.¡±

    ¡°thank you for offering¡­ but i think i should go to askan.¡±

    slightly furrowing his brows at her words, calrad asked, ¡°why so?¡±

    ¡°i want to make a grave for my father before i leave.¡±

    there was no one who couldn¡¯t understand what seira meant at the moment. the tomb of nathan askan in the imperial capital was grand in appearance but had an empty coffin.

    ¡°if it¡¯s about recovering the remains of the former duke of askan, i¡¯ve tried, but failed.¡±

    seira¡¯s eyes widened with calrad¡¯s words. it was the first time she had heard him speak of it.

    ¡°his majesty has tried to search¡­?¡±

    ¡°of course. he is the empire¡¯s hero and the father of my fianc¨¦e at the time. during my time as crown prince, i had searched askan with baron several times. i even took a wizard with me, but it wasn¡¯t easy.¡±

    baron, who sat next to seira, nodded silently.

    ¡°is there a way?¡±

    seira, who was frozen in a daze at hearing the unexpected words, came to her senses and answered calrad¡¯s question.

    ¡°¡­not sure. i¡¯m just going to try hard to find it.¡±

    she had planned to use her power to search for illuminum, but she didn¡¯t think there was a need to explain that to calrad.

    ¡°i see,¡± he hummed, ¡°let me know if you need help. i¡¯ll support you with troops or anything.¡±

    ¡°thank you for offering. i¡¯ll try to find it by myself this time.¡±

    calrad, who had been staring at her smile, answered with a short sigh, ¡°okay. do what you like.¡±

    in a slightly subdued atmosphere, seira resumed eating dinner. as she munched her daintily cut pieces of steak, several plates floated up and settled in front of her.

    ¡°from what i¡¯ve seen before, you seemed to like seafood.¡±

    it was none other than louis who even used magic to pass on food to her.

    the plates had various kinds of seafood that were skillfully peeled off from their spikes and shells. it was ridiculous to think that he was trying to fight baron in this childish manner, but seira couldn¡¯t ignore louis¡¯ favor, who pretended to be her lover.

    ¡°thank you, louis. i wanted to eat this too.¡±

    she smiled at him and put the fish dish into her mouth as if it was very tasty.

    ¡®come to think of it, it¡¯s been a while since i ate at the palace.¡¯

    the taste of the food almost didn¡¯t change, as if the chef in charge of her meals as a child was promoted to cook exclusively in the imperial palace.

    as she ate and listened at the same time to baron and calrad regarding the plans for the subjugation force, all her plates had become suddenly empty.

    ¡®i should avoid this kind of position from now on.¡¯

    she didn¡¯t intend to devour a lot of delicious food, but seira felt a bit tired.

    she expected that a gathering of alphas wouldn¡¯t be peaceful, but there were more childish aspects she didn¡¯t expect. like arguing where she sat, and making it a competition who gets to serve her a plate of food.

    ¡®would it be fine to form a subjugation force with these people?¡¯

    soothing her slightly bloated stomach with a refreshing lemon sherbet in front of her, seira worried about something for a while. although the emperor, calrad, didn¡¯t know, louis and baron were bound to argue with each other in every case.

    ¡°seira.¡±

    out of the blue, calrad called out to her. when she looked up at him, his blue eyes were slightly lowered as if avoiding her gaze.

    ¡°this. it¡¯s something you especially enjoy eating.¡±

    it turned out that the lemon sherbet had come from him. his earlobes were blushing, as if knowing his behavior was childish.

 Chapter 83.1

    ¡°¡­thank you. thank you, your majesty.¡±

    calrad, who had been looking at seira as she picked up the sherbet bowl, cleared his throat.

    ¡°keep talking. the crown prince and i will go out for a while.¡±

    seira¡¯s heart sank at calrad¡¯s words, saying that he was meeting with aven separately.

    ¡®did he notice?¡¯

    otherwise, there was no reason to call out aven before he could leave.

    ¡°what¡¯s the matter?¡± she asked cautiously, trying not to show her anxiety.

    ¡°you don¡¯t have to worry.¡±

    as his habit of reassuring her like a child, calrad patted her head gently and then turned to leave the banquet hall first, and aven also rose from his seat. at her anxious look, aven gave her a small smile and then followed calrad outside.

    ¡°why such a serious face?¡± baron asked, leaning on his chin as he looked at her. ¡°are you worried that the new crown prince will be bullied by his majesty?¡±

    ¡°what are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°except for things related to you, his majesty is very meticulous with his work, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡±

    seira was worried that aven would have a hard time because of the matter related to her. still, knowing it was unwise to show her emotions, seira naturally changed the subject.

    ¡°come to think of it, baron. was it about aven that you had something to say earlier?¡±

    ¡°ah¡­ that is¡­¡±

    baron straightened his posture and rubbed the tip of his eyebrows as if agitated.

    ¡°i wanted to tell you in advance, but i had no way of contacting you. i¡¯m sorry, seira.¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s not something you should be sorry about.¡± seira¡¯s eyes turned to louis, ¡°is that right, louis?¡±

    when he finally made eye contact with her, louis closed his eyes and laughed out of habit.

    ¡°i see.¡±

    he could feel seira glaring at him even though she had the same expression as usual. louis was in a bind right now.

    ¡°you knew it would turn out like this, and yet you¡­¡±

    or was it even acting? if so, she thought it could be said that his skill was at par to an actor.

    ¡°as seira probably guessed by now, i was the one who informed the imperial family that there was an unidentified direct descendant to viseltium.¡±

    ¡°since when did you know?¡±

    ¡°on the day of the imperial banquet. i was wondering when i found out he was the one who took you from the terrace. the reason why i couldn¡¯t keep turning a blind eye is because even seira must have noticed by now.¡±

    ¡°was bern really alive?¡± baron said with an incomprehensible expression, ¡°then why hide his existence from the imperial family?¡±

    it was more of a self-talk than a question.

    if bern was alive and capable of walking around intact enough to kidnap seira out of askan¡¯s mansion, why still leave him as a dead person? also, how was that possible? they couldn¡¯t help but wonder.

    although he didn¡¯t bother to answer baron¡¯s question, seira made several hypotheses in this regard.

    first, the accident with the first crown prince, bern, and the rain was highly likely to have been manipulated from the beginning. it was most probably the doing of the imperial family and the temple. maybe even franto was involved.

    ¡®maybe calrad¡¯s father became the emperor without a choice with the disappearance of the first prince and followed the temple¡¯s will.¡¯

    on the day seira came of age, the late emperor had appeared with figures from the temple. if her hunch was right, it could also explain why the emperor suddenly threw her out.

    ¡®for some reason the temple seemed to be targeting me.¡¯

    if seira became the crown princess and ascended to the position of empress, they wouldn¡¯t dare to reach out. maybe that¡¯s why she was removed from the imperial palace without a single property to her name. and merely just because she hasn¡¯t manifested as an omega back then.

    second, it was clear that the temple had means to carry out bern clemens viseltium¡¯s will. she thought so after overhearing the conversation isable and calrad had on the day she escaped the temple.

    ¡®are you sure you¡¯ll find the child before they do?¡¯

    ¡®sure, but have you forgotten who we have on our side? i¡¯m sure you¡¯ll understand it before the conference.¡¯

    at the time, it was probably bern that isabel meant. there could be no other person who could kidnap seira that easily.

    third, it was likely that bern kidnapped seira to protect her. according to isabel, the temple had moved the homunculus to try and kidnap her, but it seemed to have failed because bern moved one step ahead of them.

    ¡®why would he want to protect me? is it because of aven, his son?¡¯

    did he take action for his son knowing that aven and seira were close? it seemed like a big leap, but it was hard to find a connection with bern other than that.

    anyway, the good thing was that there seemed to be a crack between the temple and calrad¡¯s relationship. unlike emperor laud, calrad didn¡¯t seem to have the intention of listening to the temple¡¯s whims.

 Chapter 83.2

    despite the opportunity to accuse askan of treason and make seira easy to claim, calrad rejected isabel¡¯s offer. he even went as far as to kill her inside the temple, so their relationship right now must be strained.

    ¡®moreover, calrad would¡¯ve thought i had escaped from being held in the temple, which made him lose faith in them more.¡¯

    what was left now was to confirm her hunches and find out why the temple was targeting her. meanwhile, it would be much easier to confront them if they could identify bern¡¯s connection to the identity of the homunculus.

    ¡°why don¡¯t you ask his majesty if you¡¯re curious? about bern.¡±

    louis shook his head at seira¡¯s words as he said, ¡°it would be better to pretend not to know.¡±

    ¡°why?¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s not something his majesty can answer,¡± he added, ¡°besides, it would only inform him that duke jeff broke into the temple that day.¡±

    seira immediately understood what louis meant. baron had nothing to do with the temple and the imperial family, so he could be the most suitable person to uncover the truth.

    ¡°that¡¯s true. i¡¯d rather find out quietly.¡±

    lost in his thoughts, baron heaved a long sigh and looked at her.

    ¡°it might be better for you not to return to the askan mansion in the imperial capital until the matter involving him is completely settled.¡±

    louis also chimed in and added, ¡°that¡¯s right. i can send someone to deliver the things you need, so if you¡¯ll stay in the imperial capital, you should come to franto.¡±

    ¡°you can come to jeff,¡± baron quickly offered, ¡°you don¡¯t have to tell me in advance.¡±

    seira smiled bitterly as she looked at the two of them starting another fight.

    even so, she thought it would be difficult to stay comfortably in the imperial capital in the future. the temple wasn¡¯t the only problem. she didn¡¯t know what the greedy eyes of some family heads who looked at her meant.

    ¡°it would¡¯ve been better if i had imprinted as soon as possible¡­¡±

    baron and louis, who were quite engaged in their war of nerves, looked at seira with surprised faces.

    ¡°imprint with who?¡±

    ¡°no¡­ it was just a thought. i¡¯m not in a situation where i can decide on a companion,¡± seira shrugged at baron¡¯s urgent question.

    even if it wasn¡¯t louis¡¯ request to not imprint with anyone, she had to avoid imprinting in the future with her risky physical condition whenever she used her power. alpha and omega, after imprinting, were greatly stabilized mentally and physically, but as soon as they lost their other half, they lived a life that was much worse than death itself.

    maybe the day would come when askan was revived and entered a stable period, and then she¡¯d no longer have to wander the battlefield herself.

    ¡®it¡¯s like a dream¡­¡¯

    she would be very happy to see a city being created around d-ark, and people living in peace before they die. if she was lucky enough to marry aven and have several children, seira could only imagine the future¡­

    ¡°i¡¯ve kept you waiting too long.¡±

    by the time she thought about it, calrad had returned to the banquet hall with aven. seira, who was staring at aven without blinking, lowered her head unconsciously when they eyes met. her face seemed to burn red for no reason.

    ¡°i brought this because i thought you might need it.¡±

    her face burned all the more because of the digestive medicine that aven handed over as he passed her seat.

    * * *

    they found out the reason why calrad and aven were away after they returned.

    ¡°it would be better if you stayed at the imperial palace for a night, but you wouldn¡¯t want to. i¡¯ve got everything consulted with the crown prince, so you wouldn¡¯t need to stop by your mansion in the imperial capital and just go directly to askan.¡±

    with calrad¡¯s orders, two horses and a large and solid carriage was parked and waiting behind the imperial palace.

    ¡°i¡¯ll pick you up in a week, so don¡¯t move alone.¡±

    at his unexpected consideration, seira couldn¡¯t say a word of thanks and just stood still in front of the carriage.

    ¡°at that time¡­ i regretted a lot because i sent you unprepared because i was overcome with sadness. i tried to chase you, but you were already gone,¡± calrad said as he wrapped a thick robe that covered his face. ¡°please don¡¯t say no, for now i will only do what i can.¡±

    seira looked up at calrad, biting her lips.

    although arrogant and possessive, and sometimes downright self-righteous, he was by nature fiercely affectionate toward her. to the extent that he made himself the first person to open up to the troubled child who whimpered whenever she recalled the loss of her family.

    but then his kindness, which pleased her heart so much, was nothing but a painful memory now. no, in fact, just looking at calrad was painful as if her wound had barely healed.

    ¡°thank you, your majesty. i¡¯ll use it well.¡±

    she didn¡¯t refuse and accepted his offer for aven, who would worry about her, and that was all.

 Chapter 84.1

    ¡°don¡¯t worry about the knights, i¡¯ll go to the mansion.¡±

    ¡°yes, please. i beg of you, your highness.¡±

    after smiling at aven, seira climbed to the driver¡¯s seat. she greeted baron, who looked at her with a complex expression, and louis, who just put on his mask and smiled, and then rode off straight away.

    the carriage was able to get out of the palace without much fuss, even thought it had no coat of arms to identify the family that owned it, perhaps due to calrad¡¯s orders.

    she didn¡¯t know why she was told not to stop by the mansion, so seira only concentrated on getting out the imperial capital through the shortest distance.

    she was disguised as a wagon carrying goods, and was even wearing a robe. seira looked like a small worker so that she wouldn¡¯t attract attention.

    ¡®most would think i¡¯d rid franto¡¯s carriage home, but¡­¡¯

    to prepare for any possible attack, seira converted the moor given by baron into a dagger and hid it under her sleeve. she knew that a second would be too short to respond immediately while she drove a carriage.

    however, her anxiety was overshadowed by seira¡¯s carriage leaving the imperial capital without much trouble. calrad and aven¡¯s countermeasures have worked.

    ¡®what a relief.¡¯

    it wasn¡¯t until she entered the dews that she returned moor to its bracelet form, with a sigh of relief. to be honest, it wasn¡¯t easy for her to even drive a carriage and fight. in the worst case, she¡¯d have to sacrifice the carriage and the horse.

    seira realized how risky it was to have no aven stand by her side.

    the road that she used to go well alone felt particularly far today. while she crossed the desolate land lit only by moonlight, she wasn¡¯t lonely when aven was by her side. but now that she was alone, she felt a bit scared.

    ¡®aven¡­¡¯

    she was the one who confessed that she liked him, but when she recalled herself looking at him with begging eyes, her heart ached again.

    ¡®clearly i have a heart¡­¡¯

    perhaps it was because aven got the status of crown prince. it was more difficult not to recognize her feelings for him, which she expressed for the first time without suppressing.

    however, she also has her reasons. why can¡¯t she hold his hand no matter how much she wanted to?

    he didn¡¯t seem to know how sad the water on her fingertips made her when she wiped aven¡¯s eyes.

    rather than carrying the burden together, she felt like her feet were sinking deeply at the fact that she couldn¡¯t even be someone aven could confide in. she resented her inability to solve aven¡¯s problem, and her poor situation made her worry more as she couldn¡¯t even take care of herself.

    ¡®anyway¡­ i didn¡¯t expect anything to change right away.¡¯

    hadn¡¯t she told him, too? if askan recovered and her situation was better than it is now, perhaps he would consider it then.

    so now, she just had to do what was needed step by step. it¡¯s not like she was being lazy for no reason.

    it was past midnight when seira reached d-ark. she parked the carriage right in front of the stairs and checked the luggage inside.

    heaps of hay for the horses lay on the floor, and crates full of groceries, clothing, and medical supplies were loaded on top of each other.

    seira carried everything into the castle except for the hay. afterwards, the horses and the carriage were separated, with the carriage stored in the warehouse, and the horses put in the greenhouse that was converted into a stable.

    ¡°i¡¯m back.¡±

    as she greeted him, the spirit of nathan, who was snooping around random crates, approached and responded.

    welcome home, baby.

    glancing behind her, he added with a disappointed look.

    you¡¯re alone again today. didn¡¯t you say you were getting engaged to franto¡¯s kid?

    ¡°ah¡­ that is¡­¡±

    seira remembered belatedly that she had said that to nathan before visiting louis to sign their contract, and she could only roll her eyes and ponder what to say. it was highly unlikely that she¡¯d be engaged or married to louis in the future.

    ¡°we decided to see each other more for now. i thought it might be best that we know each other first.¡±

    hmm¡­ i see. but why don¡¯t you bring him over. i wonder what kind of person my daughter meets.

    ¡°anyone would be a disappointment to you,¡± she joked.

    i can¡¯t deny it.

    seira¡¯s mood, which had been down, turned much better as she playfully spoke with nathan.

    baby, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to sleep without unpacking, are you?

    ¡°¡­i was going to.¡±

    at nathan¡¯s nagging, seira moved the grocery crate first to the kitchen. then she piled up crates of clothing and medical supplies, and carried them to her bedroom.

    uh-huh, handrail in front, handrail!

    she bumped and dropped the crates a few times, but she was able to tidy up in no time.

 Chapter 84.2

    ¡°dad,¡± seira called out to nathan as she stood in front of her bedroom door.

    what?

    ¡°tomorrow, i¡¯m going to search for you.¡±

    nathan blinked as if he couldn¡¯t understand what seira meant, and then smiled.

    okay. then i¡¯ll have to hide from early in the morning.

    he seemed to misunderstand that she wanted to play hide-and-seek with him.

    ¡°if i can¡¯t find you, i¡¯m going to cry¡­ you have to watch over me.¡±

    okay¡­ it¡¯s late. you should go to bed now.

    leaving nathan in the hallway as he waved at her with a friendly look, seira closed the door.

    ¡®as expected¡­ i don¡¯t think he knows.¡¯

    as she had felt every time she searched for the past seven years, nathan seemed unaware of his death. but seira didn¡¯t have the courage to tell him that he died 15 years ago. because it was clear that seira wouldn¡¯t be able to bear it if nathan left after saying it.

    ¡®i¡¯m sorry, dad. instead, i¡¯ll definitely find you, so please wait a little bit.¡¯

    even if no one could bring her warm milk with plenty of honey, she had to sleep somehow now. to search the whole territory and find nathan askan.

    * * *

    whether it was true that he was going to hide, nathan¡¯s spirit was nowhere to be found since the morning. seira left the castle early after eating a simple meal with chocolate cake she found in the grocery crate.

    she packed piles of hay, bags of beef jerky, drinking water, and some tools on horseback, and began her search around d-ark.

    her method was simple. amplification and calculation were used together as she searched for the magical power of illuminum. when using her power, the area that could be explored at once was divided and marked up in the map, and then checked by walking around.

    ¡®only up to 20 places a day.¡¯

    her body wouldn¡¯t hold out any longer than that. it was important to do it at a steady pace every day, so she wouldn¡¯t overdo it.

    on the first day, she looked back to the place where the outer castle of askan existed before. she expected a little because she thought it was most likely that there wouldn¡¯t be anything that would hint the presence of illuminum there.

    the next day, she combed the plains of esdrellon. as it was a place where askan, which had existed since long before, had rotated several times against the enemy. there were several magical reactions, but when she dug up the ground, only unfamiliar weapons, jewelry, and ornaments were found.

    of course, seira packed them all, too.

    on the third day, she even checked the entrance of the johern mountains beyond the esdrellon plains. somehow, a lot more stuff came out.

    ¡°this thing is taking too long!¡±

    after digging carefully thinking nathan¡¯s remains might be there, seira only found relics of an era long gone. seeing that the magic still remained, it was certain to be quite valuable, but she wasn¡¯t happy at all.

    it wasn¡¯t until the moon had peeked over the clouds that seira returned to the castle with only two unidentified items.

    and on the morning of the fourth day.

    seira opened her eyes as she felt d-ark shaking with a thud.

    ¡®what???¡¯

    as she quickly dressed up and went down the first floor, nathan¡¯s spirit greeted her, perhaps deciding he was done playing hide-and-seek with his daughter.

    ¡®you¡¯re awake!¡¯

    ¡°yes, dad,¡± seira replied, ¡°but didn¡¯t you hear something strange just now? i thought there was an earthquake in the castle.¡±

    that¡¯s right. fools shouldn¡¯t dare to invade the territory of askan.

    ¡°¡­what?¡±

    seira, who ran to the window, looked out.

    ¡°what the hell is that¡­¡±

    bodies were strewn about. beyond that, those who stepped back with fear-stricken faces seemed to be hired mercenaries. seeing that the number reached hundreds, it seemed that someone had put a large bounty on seira.

    ¡®i don¡¯t think they died fighting each other¡­ right?¡¯

    as she carefully observed the mercenaries, she could see that their eyes were fixed in one place. it was the only door that could enter the duke¡¯s castle.

    ¡°who¡­ are you fighting?¡±

    nathan nodded at seira¡¯s question.

    there was a guy you weren¡¯t close with who has been here since before.

    a guy who¡¯s not close to me? don¡¯t tell me¡­

    seira checked the bracelet on her left hand, took a deep breath and headed for the gate. as the great door opened itself in response to its master¡¯s will, the back of the man who blocked the stairs was right in front of her.

    ¡°baron.¡±

    with his shoulders squared, he wiped his face with the hem of his clothes and looked back.

    ¡°seira. good morning.¡±

    while blood was all over him from head to toe, his white tooth was terrifying. even his dark blue hair was soaked red, so it was hard to figure out when he began wielding his sword here.

    ¡°what are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°well¡­ i thought i came too soon, so i waited for the sun to rise. i¡¯ll clean the garden.¡±

    as she glanced at him, the mercenaries became more contemplative.

    ¡°he sent me things like that¡­?¡±

    seira wrinkled her brows.

    ¡°you would only lose strength due to the volume of the offensive. i don¡¯t think this would be the real thing.¡±

    ¡°well, yes.¡±

    this level of attack was nothing short of a disaster for her, who had to travel far and use her power.

    ¡°come in for now.¡±

    because of nathan¡¯s spirit, no one originally intended to enter the castle. but for now, it was inevitable, and seira stepped aside for baron to come in.

 Chapter 85.1

    ¡°what about them?¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s all right. they won¡¯t be able to take a step forward without my permission.¡±

    baorn nodded at seira¡¯s words, swung his sword to shake off the blood on its blade and climbed the stairs. the mercenaries who stood afar only looked at each other and showed no signs of following him any further.

    it was funny and frustrating at the same time to see them come to askan, which was a barren and blackened land, inhaling its air, where no one would even have bothered to visit.

    seira watched them for a while, but soon turned around and followed baron inside.

    kugung¡­

    baron¡¯s eyes widened as the huge gate opened without anyone pushing it.

    ¡°i heard that the duchy of askan was special, but i didn¡¯t expect this thing to be possible.¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m sure you¡¯re pretty surprised by it.¡±

    as she spoke proudly, seira became a bit nervous. this was because she didn¡¯t know if baron didn¡¯t see nathan¡¯s spirit or how he¡¯d react if he did see him.

    ¡®when aven¡¯s around, he¡¯s more likely not to come out of the office from the third floor.¡¯

    thinking as she went, seira guided baron to the central hall and was surprised to see nathan standing there.

    ¡°oh, dad¡­.¡±

    ¡°dad?¡±

    baron looked at seira with a puzzled face.

    jeff¡¯s kid has grown up a lot.

    ¡°that¡­ baron, say hello. my father¡­ have you ever met him before?¡±

    seira stared at baron nervously. after touching his stiff face, he lowered his gaze to her.

    ¡°nathan¡­ you say?¡±

    ¡°yes.¡±

    his eyes shook for a moment of bewilderment, but they soon quickly sank into silence.

    ¡°¡­i see.¡±

    facing front again, he put his right fist on his left chest and bowed his head, taking a knight¡¯s bow.

    ¡°i am baron jeff. i¡¯m elated to meet the hero of the empire¡­ it¡¯s a great honor.¡±

    is it?

    with a smile, nathan accepted baron¡¯s greeting.

    by the way, he needs to wash up and get a change of clothes.

    ¡°there are no clothes that will fit baron here.¡±

    give him my clothes. it should fit just right.

    ¡°daddy¡¯s¡­¡±

    seira hesitated for a while, then looked back at baron who was still in a bow.

    ¡°anyway, after washing, let¡¯s talk or do something.¡±

    baron, who held his head up, said with his eyes closed, ¡°then please take good care of me!¡±

    nathan clicked his tongue at baron¡¯s heavy voice that rang through the hall.

    you¡¯re in good spirits. i guess it¡¯s jeff¡¯s effect on you.

    seira turned around and watched nathan climb the stairs for a while, then shrugged her shoulders.

    ¡°i guess you like it here.¡±

    ¡°well, it¡¯s a good thing. i was worried about how things looked for you here.¡±

    it would¡¯ve been frightening to see nathan¡¯s spirit 15 years ago, but baron only spoke with a relieved look.

    ¡®had he ever experienced anything like this before¡­?¡¯ seira couldn¡¯t help but wonder.

    she moved ahead, thinking that she should take a peek later.

    ¡°i¡¯m asking just in case, are you hurt?¡±

    ¡°obviously not,¡± baron huffed, ¡°i feel like i wouldn¡¯t be qualified to court you if i even cut a finger with those guys¡­¡±

    seira freaked out and quickly shut him up as she said, ¡°keep your voice down. dad thinks i¡¯m getting engaged to louis.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    baron became contemplative as he looked at her, pressing his mouth tightly with both her hands. her sharp eyebrows twitched, as if she was disapproving of something.

    ¡°that¡¯s right,¡± he muttered softly, biting the flesh of her palm with his teeth. seira withdrew her hand at the tingling sensation, but this time around she put her finger in her mouth.

    ¡°well, what are you doing?¡±

    as she pulled her hand away, she felt a strangely tingly sensation from his teeth and tongue, and seira rubbed the palm of her hand against the hem of her clothes for no reason.

    ¡°if you¡¯re going to lie, say you¡¯re doing it with me. better to tell him that we¡¯re planning to get married.¡±

    the tone of his voice was light as if joking, but his eyes weren¡¯t. like that of a beast, his bright yellow eyes were imbued with sincerity. seira couldn¡¯t decline him firmly.

    ¡°i¡¯ll think about it.¡±

    baron¡¯s lips relaxed as if satisfied with seira¡¯s answer.

    ¡°okay.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    seira turned around and walked up the stairs.

    the place she took baron was none other than her bedroom. she had never checked whether the bathtub in the bathroom of the other rooms, other than the ones she and aven were using.

    ¡®but it¡¯s kind of weird to let baron into aven¡¯s room.¡¯

    she intended aven¡¯s room to remain the same. just the way it used to be, without touching anything. therefore, she thought it was better to let baron use her room.

    as he saw and observed her bedroom, seira pushed baron¡¯s back.

    ¡°hurry along and wash up and come out. i¡¯ll bring a change of clothes in front of the bathroom.¡±

    he went into the bathroom as she said, pretending like he didn¡¯t hit the jackpot at seeing seira¡¯s room.

    ¡°seira, you don¡¯t need to give me nathan¡¯s clothes. a robe would be fine. i brought my own things to use.¡±

    ¡°where is it?¡±

    ¡°in the greenhouse you use as a stable. staying with my horse.¡±

    the greenhouse was equipped with several layers of protective magic and owner recognition magic. it seemed like he managed to unlock it.

 Chapter 85.2

    ¡°you didn¡¯t break it, did you?¡±

    ¡°no way.¡±

    ¡°okay.¡±

    seira pushed him back into the bathroom and left her room.

    ¡®i¡¯ll have to sort the men out first before bringing his luggage.¡¯

    she didn¡¯t mean to pass her duties to the guest. if they came for her, she should be willing to deal with it herself. there¡¯s no need to use power against those people anyway.

    ¡®i¡¯ll need to grab a sword first.¡¯

    if she¡¯d get too excited, they¡¯ll soon realize she wasn¡¯t just a mere omega. thinking that she found a way to relieve some stress that accumulated for a while, seira came down the stairs lithely.

    and when she came out after scouring for a few useful weapons¡­

    ¡®¡­what?¡¯

    as if what happened earlier was an illusion, seira could see the front was empty. there wasn¡¯t even a single body left, presuming that the others had run away in fear.

    ¡®there¡¯s no such thing as loyalty.¡¯

    there must be mercenaries who weren¡¯t like that, but there was no way that the people who came in separate groups would take their competitor¡¯s body with them.

    ¡®what¡¯s going on?¡¯

    after descending the stairs and looking around, there was no one left hiding.

    ¡®it¡¯s a strange thing.¡¯

    seira headed to the greenhouse without an answer to her question. on the way out after checking baron¡¯s horse, which she had often seen, seira checked the greenhouses where the ancora was put in once in a while.

    there was nothing particularly amiss except that the greenhouse became very crowded due to the breeding of the ancora.

    after she returned, seira climbed the stairs with unresolved questions in her head.

    the only conclusion she could manage was rather an unrealistic assumption that the hundreds belonged to the same mercenary group and had taken their dead colleagues as they fled.

    ¡®there¡¯s no other explanation¡­¡¯

    as seira opened the bedroom door without a thought, she was caught by surprise.

    ¡°oh¡­.¡±

    baron barely covered his private parts with a towel and stood in the middle of the room.

    ¡°er, have you washed up already?¡±

    she finally realized that she¡¯d forgotten to bring the robe in front of the bathroom as she was distracted by the intruders. seira, who closed the door pretending to be calm, approached him and handed him the bag.

    ¡°here. i thought it would be better to dress properly, so i brought it with me.¡±

    even though she already saw him naked and had sex with him more than once, seira hasn¡¯t fully adjusted to baron¡¯s body. no, she didn¡¯t see it in a more comfortable manner. it was because she could vividly recall how those muscles twitched and moved whenever he got on top of her. as a result, she could only associate them with overly obscene and lewd thoughts.

    baron took a step closer and took the bag as he asked, ¡°did you go out alone? what about them?¡±

    the distance between them made the moisture in his body noticeable in her eyes.

    ¡°they must have been scared, and everyone ran away.¡±

    seira grabbed a towel which was about to fall off his body, and wiped his wet parts.

    ¡°you need to wipe yourself thoroughly, the floor is getting wet.¡±

    baron, who was embarrassed by the way she took his towel unexpectedly, blinked as he reached out and stiffened.

    ¡°ran away? all of them?¡±

    ¡°yes.¡±

    ¡°that can¡¯t be possible¡­¡±

    his words blurred as he bent his knees and lowered himself. thanks to her, he was able to clean the nape of his neck and back without much difficulty.

    ¡°now that you¡¯re done, get dressed.¡±

    ¡°why don¡¯t you dry my hair as well?¡±

    baron¡¯s face, looking up at her, was full of expectations that it was difficult to be cold.

    seira let out a short sigh and pointed with her chin.

    ¡°then sit down on the bed.¡±

    as soon as she finished speaking, seira couldn¡¯t help but laugh at him as he sat obediently on the bed. it was cute because he looked like the dog she raised as a child, but quite different because he was as big as a tiger.

    baron¡¯s dark blue hair was softer than usual, perhaps because it was wet. even though her hands must be clumsy, he left her to dry his hair without a fuss.

    doing this naturally reminded her of aven, who brushed her hair always. no one would be able to imitate that pleasant touch anyway. seira, who felt sorry for no reason, rubbed baron¡¯s head with a towel and said it was done.

    just as she was about to take a step back, baron¡¯s arm wound around seira¡¯s waist.

    ¡°seira¡­¡±

    he put his forehead on her belly and rubbed it slightly, tilting his head and meeting her gaze.

    ¡°it¡¯s only been three days, and i missed you so much that i was going crazy.¡±

    was it because of his messy hair? or was it because of the eyelashes that were still wet?

    ¡°can you kiss me?¡±

    a man with a lot of hope looked so pitiful.

    though she was conflicted, she put a brief kiss on his forehead and lifted it right away. she knew at this point she should walk away.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    seira, who was agonizing over the pitiful look in baron¡¯s eyes, held his shoulder and leaned her head a little more.

    considering that he came all the way to see her and stood guard by her door, she thought she should do this much.

 Chapter 86.1

    the moment her soft warmth fell on his lips, his arm, which wound around her waist, tensed up. a heavy woody scent resembling his body odor blended in the air that seira breathed.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    it was too late to back out. only a few days ago, omega¡¯s instinct naturally reacted to alpha¡¯s pheromone, which was accompanied by going into heat and rutting together. he held her lightly staggering body and sat her on his lap.

    baron licked seira¡¯s lips like a greedy beast. however, when she refused to give in, he gave up and slid his lips downward.

    past her nape and collarbone, there lay mounds of soft flesh that he couldn¡¯t even hold in one hand.

    baron pulled down her cumbersome underwear from inside her loose blouse, and buried his face in it. holding a big lump of white flesh, he persistently stimulated the apex with his teeth and tongue.

    ¡°ugh¡­¡±

    seira¡¯s head tilted back.

    in the meantime, the thing she was sitting on had wiggled and stimulated her between her legs. his penis, which didn¡¯t reduce in size since stepping into her bedroom, was leaking and aiming for a hole separated over a thin piece of fabric.

    her panties weren¡¯t only dampened by the fluid that leaked from him. she herself was getting heated up, and her vagina naturally responded by getting wet on its own.

    at this rate, she felt like she was going to fall into carnal lust and wallow with baron. seira managed to come to her senses, pushing his shoulder away.

    ¡°stop¡­ ugh, stop it.¡±

    baron, who was sucking her pink nipples like a baby, rolled his eyes and looked up at her as he asked, ¡°why?¡±

    ¡°there¡¯s a lot of work to do. the timing, uh¡­ there won¡¯t be enough time to finish everything.¡±

    it was really hard to leave her when she was already in his arms with her sweet scent. but baron let her go, drawing all the patience he could. he understood how important her ¡®work¡¯ was to her.

    he removed his lips from her soft chest, arranged her bra, and straightened her blouse himself.

    ¡°yes. i¡¯ll go with you. that¡¯s why i¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°weren¡¯t you busy with the problem of organizing the subjugation force?¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m not the only skilled person in the empire. i¡¯ve done what i have to get done, so don¡¯t worry.¡±

    kissing seira¡¯s cheek, he lowered her to the bed.

    seira got up and walked to the middle of the room and stared at baron as he took out his clothes from his bag and put them on. far from subsiding, it was both cute and pitiful to see him struggle with pushing his erection dripping with fluid at the tip back into his pants.

    ¡°how come you were born with something like that¡­¡± she blurted.

    ¡°seira¡­¡± he said as he paused and sighed, glancing back at her and saying, ¡°if you¡¯re staring at me like that, i can¡¯t calm down.¡±

    ¡°are you saying it¡¯s my fault?¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s because you¡¯re very pretty.¡±

    it was obvious that he noticed that she was surprisingly weak for such words.

    ¡°¡­get ready and come out. i¡¯ll be on the first floor.¡±

    being embarrassed, seira left the bedroom first taking her extra clothes. as she took out chocolate cake, beef jerky, and several loaves of bread from the kitchen, she realized it was difficult to estimate the amount of food baron needed for his meals.

    ¡®can i serve him a meal like this in the first place?¡¯

    aven, who knew her cooking skills very well, didn¡¯t pack her many ingredients knowing she didn¡¯t cook. instead, he packed her with two boxes of all the finest, high-calorie desserts that would last for a week or so.

    ¡®i have meat, but¡­¡¯

    there was smoked and salted meat, but she had no idea how to eat it.

    ¡®let¡¯s bring some for now.¡¯

    considering that baron could easily eat a calf a day, it seemed that meat shouldn¡¯t be left out. after packing everything, there were only two bags of groceries.

    ¡®it was too much to take wine, too,¡¯ she reflected, but she didn¡¯t take it out.

    seira realized that she was a little excited unlike yesterday when she was walking around alone. it was like going on a picnic with a friend.

    in fact, it wasn¡¯t wrong because baron was a really good friend. if anyone asked if she ever had a friend in her life, baron jeff wouldn¡¯t be the only answer. even if he would deny it.

    ¡°you have quite a lot of luggage,¡± baron said as he took the bags from her.

    ¡°i have to go far today.¡±

    ¡°are you going to move after deciding?¡±

    ¡°yeah. do you want to take a look at the map?¡±

    baron looked closely at the map seira handed him.

    ¡°i think we can exclude this, this, and this place. i thought it was the most likely one, so i searched for it thoroughly with his majesty in the past.¡±

    ¡°really?¡±

    she thought she¡¯d run out of time, so seira excluded the areas marked by baron from the search area for now.

    ¡°let¡¯s take the route this way and go out for two days.¡±

    ¡°stay out, are you okay?¡±

    ¡°well, isn¡¯t it common for us?¡±

    seira, who thought for a while, nodded, ¡°okay. let¡¯s do that.¡±

 Chapter 86.2

    certainly, she had to go quite far this time because she went searching in places that were easy for the past three days. in order to save time, it was better to set a long period of time and move according to the trail that baron suggested.

    the fourth day. finally, seira and baron headed north of ascan. it was the opposite direction from the plains of esdrellon, which she¡¯d already searched for a few days.

    as far as the taul mountains, which covered northwest of ascan, was effectively the empire¡¯s territory. beyond that, it was so cold and harsh that it was difficult for people to pass by, much more live in.

    baron silently helped seira, stopping once in every certain area, using his power, and digging the ground from time to time. thanks to his enormous power, the time it took to check what was buried beneath was greatly reduced.

    ¡°are you not asking me anything?¡± seira asked, shaking rusty relics roughly and putting them in her bag.

    ¡°what?¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s just¡­ about my dad, about my powers.¡±

    ¡°hmm¡­¡±

    baron shrugged his shoulders as if looking far away.

    ¡°if you tell me, i¡¯ll listen, but you don¡¯t have to prove anything to me. if you say otherwise, then so be it. i will accept any reason you give me.¡±

    seira was dumbfounded by his answer, which was far from what she predicted. at that point, he¡¯s like a fanatic. he trusted her too much that it was literally blindness.

    ¡°it¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡±

    unconsciously, he turned around and looked straight at her.

    ¡°this is what it is to be blinded by love, seira.¡±

    smiling with his teeth exposed, he looked as innocent as a boy.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    as he was born and raised as the only successor of his family, the level of education baron received and its intensity must be cruel. nevertheless, didn¡¯t he say that he was willing to give up judging by himself and trust her unconditionally? only because of love. for that one thing that felt of little value to seira.

    he looked pathetic, but seira strangely felt that he was great. she was the same with calrad and aven, and she chose a different one each time.

    ¡®it¡¯s a dead land. throw it away and give it to me!¡¯

    her heart was bitter when she recalled 21-year-old calrad, who was desperately shouting in despair. she didn¡¯t regret the choice she made that day, but at least she was certain that she was a person who couldn¡¯t make those who were by her side happy.

    ¡°it¡¯s late at night, so let¡¯s take a rest here today,¡± baron suggested as he looked around.

    ¡°¡­yes.¡±

    it was an open area on all sides, so it was a good location to prepare for an attack. of course, there was no fire. in the end, if they had to face their pursuers, shouldn¡¯t they give them the trouble of wandering and stumbling in this vast land without a clue?

    in order to fight the chilly night air, seira and baron sat together and shared a bottle of wine. she didn¡¯t like it when she was alone, but the alcohol that she left unattended tasted delicious when shared with him. the beef jerky made by the imperial palace¡¯s chef was also a perfect snack to pair.

    ¡°oh, i think you¡¯ve had two sips just now¡­!¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s just your imagination.¡±

    ¡°how could you say so?¡±

    ¡°hmm¡­ reflecting on it, i think i must have had two sips. so as a punishment, i¡¯ll let you use my body as a bed.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    baron smiled at seira, who was looking at him with a surprised expression. he immediately hugged her and entered the sleeping bag. it was cramped because it wasn¡¯t tailored for two people to fit in, but it was fine if she lay down roughly halfway on his body.

    ¡°what do you think? it¡¯s soft, right?¡±

    ¡°what do you mean soft?¡±

    how could he say it was soft when his entire body was a lump of muscles? still, it passed because of the body heat.

    if baron hadn¡¯t come, what would she have been doing by now? seira felt grateful and sorry for him at the same time. she was grateful that he liked her so much, but she was sorry too that there was so little she could give him.

    on the other hand, she worried about him more and more. how painful would it be for baron if she one day imprinted with someone other than him? he wanted her so much that his expression ¡®blinded by love¡¯ fit perfectly.

    ¡°baron, what do you want me to do for you?¡± she asked with a whisper.

    baron stared at her. perhaps it was dark everywhere, his bright yellow eyes looked especially clear.

    ¡°if i tell you, will you do it all?¡±

    ¡°if it¡¯s possible.¡±

    her words made him laugh softly. because her cheeks were against his chest, the echo of his laughter was conveyed to her through the thin cloth.

    ¡°kiss me, seira,¡± he said, gently combing through her hair. ¡°that¡¯s enough for now.¡±

 Chapter 87.1

    he could¡¯ve asked for a lot of other things, and he could¡¯ve wanted something bigger.

    but baron didn¡¯t.

    he chose her in front of him now instead of the future that may not come.

    maybe she didn¡¯t even notice. the way she looked at him wasn¡¯t what he expected. nevertheless, he didn¡¯t show any disappointment or push her away, but just begged her to be nice to him.

    how could one refuse such a request?

    seira lifted her half-stretched body and stroked his cheek. a man with the strongest body in the empire was looking up at her with innocent eyes. like a docile sheep, or like an obedient dog.

    ¡°what should i do with you¡­?¡±

    seira¡¯s contemplative words made him laugh out loud.

    ¡°that¡¯s what i wanted to say, but you beat me to it.¡±

    she tapped around his mouth with her fingertips, tilted her head and then kissed him lightly. when he raised his eyebrows at the tickling sensation, she rubbed them gently and smiled.

    ¡°you look like a fool.¡±

    ¡°do you want to save a man who¡¯s a pushover and a fool?¡±

    ¡°have a big dream, too.¡±

    he hugged her and rolled around, trying to pin her down with just that short kiss. her lips overlapped without complaint, even when she was under him who was several times heavier than her.

    after a moment of hesitation, seira couldn¡¯t resist his begging gaze and finally gave him a break. unable to keep looking at his ecstatic face, she closed her eyes and surrendered herself to his tongue, which engulfed her in an affectionately.

    fortunately, he focused on just kissing her as if he didn¡¯t want anything more than this.

    the sincerity in the conversation they exchanged lightly like a joke was bittersweet, but the body contact was warm, the kiss sweet, so it was at the very least comforting.

    what was supposed to be a cold night in the middle of a desolate land where not a single grass could be seen had turned surprisingly warm.

    * * *

    on the fifth day, their search didn¡¯t progress.

    seira and baron returned to d-arc again to reorganize. there were only two days left. if she couldn¡¯t find it here, she had no choice but to promise to find it next time.

    ¡°what the hell, where is it¡­?¡±

    baron put a plate in front of seira as she agonized looking over the map once again.

    ¡°eat first, seira.¡±

    feeling sorry for the poor meal she had served while they stayed out for two days, she made a meat stew, the dish she worked hard on this morning, and served it to baron. his reaction to the stew was simply intense.

    ¡°you¡¯ve been eating things like this?¡±

    to her surprise, he drove her out the kitchen. then, baron put various unknown ingredients into the stew and boiled it again. then, the stew was served again.

    ¡°it doesn¡¯t look much different on the outside.¡±

    baron snorted at her words, ¡°eat it and tell me.¡±

    ¡°okay, i¡¯ll enjoy it.¡±

    without expecting much, seira put a spoonful into her mouth, and her eyes widened with surprise.

    ¡°what did you do to it?¡±

    the deep taste of the broth mixed with various vegetables was slightly spicy and very delicious.

    ¡°is it edible?¡±

    eating his share of the stew, baron reacted calmly as if he knew from the start.

    ¡°if meat is the main ingredient, it is obvious that secondary ingredients should be included. it¡¯s a matter of union¡­ wait, why are you looking at me like i just betrayed you?¡±

    ¡°at the very least i thought i was a better cook than you.¡±

    born as jeff¡¯s successor, she wondered if he would ever cook and eat his own food. when his cooking skills, which she thought would be similar to hers, were unexpectedly excellent, seira felt it was very unfair.

    baron, who glanced at her, told the truth.

    ¡°since following you secretly as a mercenary, i realized that it was inevitably a skill to improve. i had to figure it out.¡±

    ¡°what?¡±

    he reached out and wiped the stew from her lips.

    ¡°don¡¯t be mad. but thanks to the connections i made with the mercenaries at that time, i was able to obtain information about the d-arc¡¯s raid first.¡±

    at his words, seira asked right away a topic she was curious about.

    ¡°what¡¯s the price?¡±

    ¡°the elixir of eternity.¡±

    at baron¡¯s reply, seira¡¯s expression hardened, ¡°the elixir of eternity?¡±

    the elixir could restore severed limbs as long as a person was breathing. it was the result of extracting blood from the direct line of viseltium, refining it for easy consumption, and applying preservation magic.

    there was no doubt of the source, as calrad and aven wouldn¡¯t have given away their blood to capture her.

    ¡°is it the temple?¡±

    they must have extorted blood from bern clemens viseltium, who had been hiding beneath the temple grounds.

    ¡°that¡¯s a good chance.¡±

    ¡°what the¡­¡±

    seira rubbed her eyes with the palm of her hand. knowing bern was aven¡¯s father made her feel even worse.