HTTRPIAO Ch 135-139

“Seems like it, doesn’t it”

Elvin seemed to be thinking the same thing, and he agreed with Rishar’s words. Then Stella, who had been listening to their conversation, opened her mouth wide and widened her eyes.

“Huh? The Empress did that? Why? Marquis Miles was notably a member of the noble faction. Why would she…”

“She must have judged him useless.”

“He’s not just any noble, but the head of the top 10 noble house!”

“His son’s actions have already diminished the family’s prestige. Our media campaign has made everyone turn against him. Even if he doesn’t receive a heavy sentence in the trial, the family’s honor has already been significantly damaged.”

“Oh.”

“The trial alone will take at least several months, and even after the trial, he won’t be able to wield influence like before for at least several years. So she must have judged him a disadvantageous factor in the upcoming fight for the crown prince position. The imperial faction will continue to attack using him.”

“Now that you mention it, that makes sense.”

Stella nodded at Rishar’s explanation. However, she still murmured with a face that didn’t fully understand.

“I didn’t expect him to be out of the picture so easily…”

“Didn’t Marquis Miles meet his son the day before yesterday? Something might have been discussed then.”

“A conversation? What kind?”

“It’s about my hyung-nim’s pheromones. I thought he might have brought that up to the Marquis.”

“Security officers are always monitoring the door during the visit. The prison warden didn’t say anything either.”

“Talking without the security officers noticing is not as hard as you think. House Miles probably has their own codes or signals.”

Rishar, who had answered Stella’s curiosity, lowered his eyes and fell into thought. What if Theodore had mentioned Etienne’s pheromones to the Marquis? What if the Marquis had been trying to negotiate with the Empress using Etienne’s true gender?

If his guess was correct, the current situation made sense. Leona didn’t know that Theodore had smelled Etienne’s pheromones.

‘If we escalate the matter with Marquis Miles’ son, we’ll be directly confronting Mother. You understand that, right?’

‘I do. The timing might be a bit early, but it’s not a bad thing. In fact, it’s a good opportunity. It’s almost like a surprise attack, so if we handle it well, we can deal a significant blow to the noble faction.’

‘Alright. Then I’ll keep it hidden from Mother that Marquis Miles’ son detected my pheromones. You also need to make sure Young Master Miles’s mouth stays shut so that Her Majesty doesn’t hear about it.’

On the day of the incident with Theodore, Rishar and Etienne had a long conversation. They discussed everything—things they couldn’t say through Viena and Stella, their future plans, and what strategies they were preparing. They needed to be on the same page to coordinate effectively.

‘If Mother finds out, she’ll eliminate the son before we can act. Then our plan to escalate this and shake the noble faction will fall apart. If the perpetrator dies, the case will end as is, which could generate sympathy or conspiracy theories.’

‘If the perpetrator dies… I see what you mean.’

‘And if it comes out that I’m an Omega, I won’t be able to move around as freely as I do now. To avoid that, it would be good if I could stay somewhere out of Mother’s influence for a while…’

‘I think we can seek help from His Majesty the Emperor.’

‘From Father?’

‘At this point, he’s the only one who can completely shield you from Her Majesty’s influence. You could stay in a detached palace under his protection.’

‘The detached palace…’

‘Yes. After disembarking from the ship, instead of returning to the palace, you could go directly to the detached palace. You could say that your injuries from the incident with Young Master Miles require a period of recuperation.’

‘Hmm.’

When Rishar brought this up, Etienne’s expression immediately darkened. Since the previous incident at the detached palace, the relationship between Edwin and Etienne had remained awkward.

Although they communicated through Viena when necessary, Edwin couldn’t bring himself to approach Etienne directly, and Etienne didn’t want Edwin to show any interest in him.

‘If it’s uncomfortable for you, I’ll handle this matter. I need to report the incident with Marquis Miles’ son to His Majesty anyway. I can bring it up then.’

‘…Would you do that for me?’

‘Yes. Leave it to me.’

‘Thank you.’

Etienne visibly relaxed when Rishar offered to speak with Edwin on his behalf. Rishar realized once again that it would take a long time for their father-son relationship to heal.

But it was unavoidable. The emotional rift that had been growing for over 20 years, and the wounds it caused, couldn’t be healed overnight.

Honestly, Rishar thought it was okay if they never fully reconciled. Rather than forcibly suturing the wound and causing problems later, maintaining an appropriate distance like now wasn’t bad.

At any rate, Edwin wouldn’t ignore Etienne as he had in the past. That alone would improve their relationship compared to before.

The problem was that Edwin wanted to restore his relationship with Etienne, while Etienne was afraid of that restoration. So, no matter how things turned out, Richard hoped it would go in a direction that caused Etienne as little pain as possible.

“Anyway, this has become troublesome. This way, people might sympathize with Young Master Miles, right? A father who was desperately trying to save his son dies in an unfortunate accident.”

Rishar, who had been lost in thought, returned to reality at Elvin’s voice. When he looked up, Elvin continued.

“He’s an only child, right? The official heir of the family… Then we’ll need to temporarily release him to oversee the funeral. This is going to be a hassle.”

“We’ll release him on bail with surveillance.”

“Will he inherit the Marquis title?”

“Until the trial ends, a branch family might temporarily select a head, but that possibility can’t be ruled out. Anyway, this situation only benefits the Empress.”

Rishar clicked his tongue in an annoyed manner. Would the family obediently follow Theodore, who had stained the family’s honor? Even if a temporary head was selected from the branch family, it would be the same. House Miles would likely be engulfed in severe internal strife for some time.

“When you lose power, all that’s left is to be devoured. The Empress will use the internal cracks to bring the Miles family under her control.”

“Whoever becomes the new head, the Miles family will fall into her grasp. I’ve felt it before, but she’s truly terrifying.”

Elvin muttered with a pale expression. Stella also strongly agreed, nodding her head. Then she cautiously asked,

“What about the matter with Count Herace? People might raise issues on our side due to the Marquis’s death. Shouldn’t we postpone the plan a bit?”

“No, if the Count changes his mind, that would be problematic. We’ll proceed as planned.”

“As is?”

“The fight has already begun. That’s why the Empress made a move to eliminate Marquis Miles. We should continue attacking before they do something else. No, now that House Miles is staggering is actually the best time. Let’s not give them a chance to regroup and keep pushing.”

“Understood. I’ll execute the plan as discussed.”

“Good. I’ll move directly that day.”

“You’ll move personally?”

“A declaration of war should be done properly, right?”

Rishar smiled slyly. Whether sooner or later, he and Leona were destined for a bloody confrontation. He was a bit surprised by her more radical approach, but he also thought it might be for the best. Having finished his thoughts, Rishar stood up.

“Where are you going?”

Elvin looked puzzled, seeing Rishar gathering his jacket. There was no external appointment on his schedule today. In response to Elvin’s question, Rishar answered smoothly.

“To the detached palace.”

“The detached palace? At this hour?”

“I think my hyung-nim must be very surprised, so I want to pay him a visit.”

“Then let me prepare…”

“No need. I’ll go quietly without drawing attention.”

“It’s dangerous to go alone. It’s also too late. Oh, you’re not planning to stay overnight, are you?”

“Well… I’ll know when I get there. If I don’t come back, don’t wait.”

Rishar, leaving a vague statement, quickly left the office. Elvin, bewildered by the sudden events, soon shook his head.

“He’s really hopeless.”

***

“Marquis Miles is dead? How did that happen?”

As Rishar expected, Etienne dropped the book he was holding, startled by the news Viena brought. Viena reported the incident to the severely shocked Etienne in a calm manner.

“It was reported as an accidental death. Currently, the security force is investigating the scene. Although the autopsy procedure is still yet to be done, it seems it’ll be concluded as a horse-riding accident.”

“A horse-riding accident…”

Etienne mumbled Viena’s words and leaned back in the chair with a helpless face. Pressing his temples as if experiencing a headache, he spoke in a deflated voice.

“Mother must have killed him.”

“Pardon?”

Viena’s eyes widened at Etienne’s statement. The Empress killed the Marquis?

“Do you mean it wasn’t an accident?”

“Most likely.”

Etienne answered with a gloomy face. He would know, even if others didn’t. This was Leona’s method. She had definitely killed the Marquis because of Theodore’s incident. That also meant there was a high probability that Leona had learned that Theodore had sensed his pheromones.

“This isn’t an accident, it’s murder. Go to Rishar right now and tell him. The Marquis must have gone to the Herace Ducal residence before the accident. Tell him to investigate that area thoroughly.”

“Understood.”

Viena left the room with a stiffened face. After she disappeared, Etienne covered his face with both hands and sighed. Seeing his state, Ben spoke up anxiously.

“Your Highness, are you okay?”

“I’m sorry, Ben, but can you leave me alone? It’s late, so you should rest too.”

Etienne dismissed Ben with an order to leave while washing his face dry. Ben, looking like he wanted to say something, pursed his lips, bowed, and left.

“Haah…”

Left alone, Etienne let out a long sigh. Someone had died because of Leona again. The realization made his breath catch in his throat. Etienne raised his hand and lightly tapped his chest. His heart felt heavy and suffocated, as if something dense had settled inside him.

‘Look carefully, that is the end of someone who has become useless.’

Even though a long time has passed, there are memories that remain vivid. The moments that were repeated numerous times were the sight of people being abandoned by Leona.

Whenever an issue arose related to Etienne, Leona would ruthlessly dispose of people. Some days an official would disappear, some days a doctor, and some days a teacher. It didn’t matter how loyal they had been or how long they had served her.

Many were driven out of the palace and vanished due to the crime of knowing the Prince’s secret, or for almost discovering the secret. The person who handled these matters was Duke Herace.

‘Those people are being dragged away because of you. Because you almost exposed that you’re an Omega, because you couldn’t properly prevent that, they’re the ones being punished.’

On a day when Etienne had collapsed at an imperial tea party and came to Duke Herace’s residence seeking refuge, Leona showed Etienne how the Duke was disposing of officials.

Those who had come with Leona and Etienne to serve them suddenly began to be dragged away by knights, pleading and crying to be spared.

‘Be grateful to the Duke, he’s doing the dirty work for you.’

Little Etienne was speechless at the shockingly horrific scene. He couldn’t do anything and trembled beside Leona. He wanted to turn away but was too scared that Leona might get angry. Then he discovered something and opened his eyes wide. In that terrible scene, he recognized a familiar face.

‘Na… nanny?’

Etienne was shocked to see his nanny being dragged away by the Duke’s knights. She had genuinely sympathized with Etienne’s situation of not being loved by his parents and had carefully tended to him like her own child. Now she was being dragged away in a miserable state. The shocked Etienne quickly said,

“Mother, nanny, why is nanny…”

“Hm? Your nanny? Ah, she for sure was a bit of a waste. She did her job so well. But what can be done? She dared to give me advice, claiming to be concerned.”

“Nanny did?”

“Yes. She thought it was pitiful that you were living as a Beta. Those who have such thoughts are dangerous. They might spread the secret around, so we eliminate them before any issues arise.”

Leona clicked her tongue as if still finding it offensive. Etienne, turning pale at the word ‘eliminate’, grabbed Leona’s dress hem.

“N-no, please, hic, Mother. Save nanny. I, I was wrong. I’ll take my medicine properly and be careful from now on. So please…”

“No.”

Leona firmly rejected Etienne’s plea. She grabbed Etienne’s face, making him look up at her, and wore a cruel smile.

“Learn from today’s lesson, Prince.”

“Hic!”

Etienne looked at Leona with a terrified face. Leona whispered softly to Etienne, who was silently shedding tears.

“If you’re not careful, such things will continue to happen. More and more people will bleed out than now.”

“…”

“If you don’t want that, be careful in everything. Don’t disappoint this mother of yours. Understand?”

Etienne couldn’t respond, so Leona pressed harder on the hand holding his face. Sharp nails dug into tender flesh, creating wounds. Etienne suppressed the sob rising to his throat and forcibly nodded. Only then did the pressure on him ease.

“Good. That’s my son.”

Leona smiled satisfactorily and lightly stroked Etienne’s hair. Then she went inside, leaving Etienne alone.

“Watch until the end.”

Left alone, Etienne tightly closed his eyes as if averting the screams piercing his ears. Then his legs gave way, and he sat down. Curling his body, he covered his ears with both hands. Tears would fall every time people’s cries and screams penetrated his ears.

I’m sorry, I’m truly sorry.

Etienne kept muttering an apology that would never reach those about to die. For a powerless child, that was all he could do.

After that, similar incidents occurred several times. Whenever a big or small incident happened – during his first heat cycle, when he collapsed at a ball, when he vomited blood due to suppressant side effects – countless people were killed for not properly caring for Etienne.

Every time a face he had just gotten used to disappeared and a new person came to greet him, Etienne was engulfed in deep fear. When will they disappear next?

For Etienne, parting with someone meant their death. No matter how many times it happened, he never got used to it. On nights when guilt overwhelmed him, he would sob quietly without sleeping. Eventually, his tears dried up. Instead, he learned to swallow his pain.

Today was no different. Etienne didn’t like Young Master Miles. He was closer to disliking him. But when he learned that the Marquis died because of him, he felt guilty.

“Haah.”

Again, someone died because of Leona’s ambition, no, because of his own secret. Etienne forcibly took a deep breath and exhaled. Since hearing about Marquis Miles from Viena, breathing had been difficult.

“Ngh, hgh, haah.”

Etienne gasped for air, feeling severe respiratory distress. It seemed like he was hyperventilating from stress. He gripped the armrest tightly, feeling a strong dizziness.

He had thought that many things had changed since he decided to walk a different path from Leona. He had ventured out into the world, met his own people, and become more honest with himself, and he had arrogantly thought he had grown a little. But at times like this, he realized—nothing had changed.

Etienne, feeling his vision blur, buried his face between his knees.

It’s okay, he comforted himself, taking slow, deep breaths. He needed to calm his mind first. Then, he heard a small sound.

Tap.

“…?”

Etienne raised his head at the sound near his ear. At first, he thought he might have misheard, but no. Tap, tap, the sound came again.

Who could it be?

Etienne stood up with a wary expression. The consistent sound against the window seemed like a knock. That made it even more incomprehensible.

Why knock on the window when there’s a door? Could it be an animal drawn by the light? Or something else? While Etienne speculated about the sound’s origin, it continued.

“Who’s there?”

Wondering whether to call Ben or not, Etienne approached the window with a tense expression. Holding the curtain covering the window, he asked cautiously. Then, as if waiting, a response came.

“It’s me.”

“…!”

At the voice coming from beyond the curtain, Etienne’s eyes widened. Pulling back the curtain, he saw someone wearing a black hood pulled deeply over their head. Only the lips were visible, but he immediately knew who it was. Rishar.

“Rishar?”

Confirming it was Rishar, Etienne hurriedly opened the window. Cool night air and a refreshing scent flowed in. As the window opened, Rishar removed the hood covering his face.

“Thank goodness. I was worried you might not open it.”

“How…”

Etienne stared at Rishar with a dazed face. The detached palace was currently under the strict guard of the imperial knight corps.

The knights were thoroughly controlling all entrances, so if Rishar had visited, they should have known. Yet no one had informed Etienne of his visit. That meant Rishar had secretly bypassed the guards and made his way to the detached palace.

“By the way…”

Etienne looked Rishar over with bewildered eyes. Now that he thought about it, his attire was different from usual. Rishar was dressed head to toe in black, perfect for blending into the darkness. It looked like he was trying to hide his visit.

“How did you get here?”

“I thought you might be feeling down, all alone.”

Rishar smiled softly at Etienne, who was looking at him like a startled rabbit. He lightly climbed through the window and sat on the windowsill, reaching out to pull Etienne into a hug.

“I came to see if you were crying again.”

“Oh.”

Only then did Etienne understand why Rishar had come to find him. He had come to check if Etienne was suffering from guilt after hearing about the Marquis’s news.

“I’m not crying…”

Etienne mumbled in a small voice. Suddenly, his chest felt heavy, and old memories surfaced. Something similar had happened before. Rishar, who had secretly entered his bedroom, had once comforted him when he was hiding and crying in the blankets.

‘Are you okay, hyung-nim?’

‘Rishar? Why are you here?’

‘I knew this would happen. I heard from the servants. Did the Empress bully you again?’

‘It’s not like that…’

‘It’s not? The etiquette teacher suddenly quit—that was Her Majesty, wasn’t it? She drove them out!’

‘That’s… because I did something wrong… because of me, the teacher, hic.’

‘Don’t cry, hyung-nim. It’s not your fault. The Empress is the one who’s at fault.’

Looking back, Rishar was always like that. He would mysteriously sense when Etienne was not doing well. On such days, he would definitely find Etienne through secret passages. And he would wipe Etienne’s tears with his small, warm hands and comfort him. Just like now.

“You’re still upset, aren’t you?”

Feeling the hand caressing his eyes, Etienne tilted his head. Both then and now, he was grateful for Rishar, who unfailingly came to comfort him.

“I’m okay.”

Etienne, who had rested his face on the cool hand, smiled faintly. Just moments ago, breathing had been difficult, but feeling Rishar’s warmth, the suffocation in his chest had eased, as if his airways had opened.

“I’m okay because you came.”

“What a relief.”

At Etienne’s words, his long and cool eyes curved with joy. He thought to himself that coming here was indeed the right decision.

He would never know how happy it made him to be helpful to Etienne and to be able to comfort him.

Rishar tightened the arm around Etienne’s waist and buried his face near Etienne’s chest. As he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, he felt a delicate floral scent. As if he had embraced an armful of flowers, the corners of his lips rose involuntarily.

How had Etienne hidden such a scent until now? No, why hadn’t he been able to smell it before?

Rishar now felt a deep sense of regret for only now discovering Etienne’s scent. At the same time, he was also slightly relieved. It was a selfish thought, but he was glad that few others knew how Etienne smelled. If another Alpha had caught Etienne’s scent, they surely would have lost their composure just like he was doing now.

“You said you would stop taking suppressants while staying at the detached palace, right?”

“Yes. Celodine suggested it would be good.”

“Hmm, is that why…”

“What?”

“Your scent is particularly noticeable today.”

Rishar took another deep breath. The scent stimulating his instincts made the lower half of his body tense. Before, the problem was that he couldn’t sense it, but now the problem was that he could sense it too well.

“That’s because it’s you…”

“Huh?”

At the small murmur from above, Rishar’s head snapped up. Whether due to the light or not, Etienne’s face had a faint blush.

“What did you just say?”

“…Nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. It sounded like something very important.”

Pressed by Rishar, Etienne subtly averted his gaze. Then, as if embarrassed, he covered Rishar’s eyes with his hand.

“You heard it all, so why…”

“I didn’t hear it properly, so please say it again, mn?”

Rishar pulled Etienne close and whined. Etienne was now nestled in his arms, mumbling a response. He couldn’t refuse when Rishar pressed him like this.

“…It’s because it’s you.”

Oh my god. Rishar bit the inside of his cheek at the bashful answer. Since becoming lovers with Etienne, he had newly discovered that he was surprisingly candid in expressing his feelings.

“Maybe because I don’t have to hide anything from you anymore, so I feel at ease.”

As if reacting to having hidden his true self all this time, whenever Rishar asked something, Etienne would reveal his emotions and thoughts without hesitation, just like now. Not only that, but he was proactive in everything he did with Rishar. He was even faithful to his desires.

Rishar found Etienne’s attitude both welcome and somewhat awkward. Hearing such words made him want to connect deeply with Etienne, making him restless. Just like a dog in heat.

“I’m not doing it on purpose, but somehow, I feel like my pheromones are… well, keep coming out.”

Etienne added an explanation with an embarrassed face. He was aware himself that something was strange. He couldn’t remember exactly when, but whenever he was with Rishar, he couldn’t control his pheromones well.

In a way, it was natural. How could he calmly control his emotions when he was with someone he liked? Especially since they had only recently realized their feelings for each other and become lovers.

“Me too.”

Rishar smiled, pretending to be composed as he agreed with Etienne. He was happy that Etienne felt comfortable enough around him to naturally release his pheromones, but it was also troublesome. It made it impossible to suppress his rising desires.

“Being with you makes it really hard to hold back…”

Rishar suppressed the desire boiling inside him and buried himself in Etienne’s embrace. The desire to ruin Etienne beneath him clashed with the desire to cherish him like a precious, unique flower.

“Rishar?”

As Rishar nestled into his embrace like a child seeking comfort, Etienne raised his hand and gently stroked his hair.

Rishar closed his eyes, feeling the gentle and tender touch, reminiscent of soothing a child. Whether in the past or now, only Etienne treated him like fragile porcelain. When Etienne handled him carefully, memories of the past would surface.

When he was young, he used to feel hurt, thinking Etienne saw him only as a younger brother, but not anymore. Now he felt good because he could sense Etienne’s love and care.

“By the way, our paths crossed. Before you arrived, I sent Viena to your residence…”

“You did?”

“Yes. Miles, the Marquis, had probably gone to the Herace residency. We might discover his whereabouts by investigating around the Duke’s residence.”

“…Do you think the Empress is behind this?”

“It’s her usual method.”

Etienne answered in a bitter voice. He didn’t want to show Rishar his depression, but thinking of Leona made his mood sink again. Etienne tried to compose his expression and spoke.

“You were suspecting it too, weren’t you? That’s why you came here.”

To comfort me. Etienne swallowed the last words and fidgeted with the tip of his ear peeking through his black hair. For a moment, Rishar’s jaw tensed.

“Based on the timing of the incident, I did think it was her. As you said, I’ll focus on investigating that side. It’ll be difficult to connect anything just from the Marquis visiting the Duke’s residence, but… it would be good if we could find evidence. I’ll investigate discreetly so the Duke doesn’t notice.”

“I’m counting on you.”

After speaking, Etienne stroked Rishar’s hair again. He felt sorry for entrusting him with all these difficult tasks. Noticing Etienne’s weakened voice, Rishar changed the subject.

“Are you eating well? You seem to have lost more weight…”

“Hm? I’m eating well.”

When Rishar lightly massaged his waist, Etienne trembled slightly. He focused all his nerves on the hand stroking his waist and bit his lip.

Even knowing Rishar wasn’t touching him with that intention, Etienne’s body slightly heated up from just one touch. He suppressed the faint excitement and tensed his toes.

“You’re too thin to say you’re eating well. You seem to have lost more weight compared to a few days ago.”

Rishar muttered with a serious expression. He was originally quite slim, but today his waist seemed especially delicate. It was so slender it could almost be grasped in one hand. The tight-fitting clothes that highlighted his slender frame made him appear even thinner.

“Come to think of it, your clothing is…”

Rishar trailed off, only now noticing Etienne’s unusual clothes. When resting, Etienne usually preferred loose, comfortable clothing, not these body-hugging outfits.

“Count Herace came and left earlier.”

“The Count?”

“Yeah, he wanted to apologize for the delays in mine development. He didn’t look too well.”

“He must be under a lot of stress. I’ve been persistently troubling him.”

“That’s what I thought. He was trying to act fine, but seemed quite anxious. So I deliberately got a bit angry. To make him feel pressured.”

“Good job. I was already wondering how to apply more pressure since he’s been dragging his feet.”

“Really? Then shall I shake him up a bit more?”

“Right now is enough. If the Count still doesn’t make a move in a few days, I’ll ask for your help then.”

“Alright.”

Etienne nodded enthusiastically. Since he couldn’t do much, he wanted to do everything he could to help Rishar as much as possible.

“Ah, Marquis Miles’ son will probably be released on bail tomorrow.”

“Since the Marquis is dead, the Empress might approach him, so it would be good to keep a close watch.”

“I’ll do that.”

They continued to discuss various matters and future directions. However, Rishar found himself increasingly unable to concentrate on the conversation. His patience was wearing thin.

“Hmm.”

Rishar, reaching his limit, let out a small groan. He forcibly tried to move his gaze away from Etienne’s waist.

“Oh, right, how’s your arm? Any pain?”

“Hm? It’s fine. The swelling has almost gone down.”

Etienne raised his arm in response to Rishar’s question. The muscle tear was a pretext for staying at the detached palace to avoid Leona, but it was true that his arm was badly bruised and painful from the incident with Theodore. He had even deliberately wounded himself and drawn blood to reduce the swelling.

“The bruises have mostly faded. It doesn’t hurt much when I move.”

“That’s fortunate.”

No, he can’t take it anymore. As Rishar watched Etienne smile and move his arm up and down, he realized his patience had reached its limit. He stood up, prodding his own thigh. Although he had jokingly told Elvin he might stay out, he had no real intention of doing so.

“Then I’ll head out now.”

“What?”

Etienne’s eyes widened at Rishar’s words. The smile disappeared from his lips.

“You’re leaving?”

“I should return soon.”

After coming all this way, he’s going to leave just like that? Etienne looked at Rishar, who was saying he would return to his residence, with eyes that couldn’t understand at all. It seemed only he felt reluctant.

“Are you very busy? Can’t you stay a bit longer? I’ll call Ben, so at least have a cup of tea before you go.”

“I’m busy, and… well, if I stay here, I won’t be able to control myself.”

Rishar, after briefly pondering, answered honestly. He hoped Etienne wouldn’t push himself too much. But in doing so, he overlooked the fact that Etienne was just as honest about his desires and was a young man full of vigor.

Having been lovers for just over a week, though they were together on the ship, they hadn’t met for four days since then, and the inability to bear it was mutual.

“You should rest too. Your arm still hurts.”

Rishar offered a bitter smile while speaking. It was more a statement to hold onto his own reason than something directed at Etienne. At that moment, Etienne felt a strong sense of déjà vu. This had happened once before, when Rishar had turned away, leaving Etienne behind in the room.

It was like this back then too. Etienne’s expression darkened as he recalled the night before Rishar left the imperial palace. He knew that Rishar’s actions were meant to be considerate of him, but strangely, he felt upset.

“I don’t know when I’ll see you again…”

“What?”

Eventually, a grumbling sound escaped Etienne’s mouth. Rishar’s eyes widened upon hearing his murmur. Seeing this, Etienne made an ‘oh, no’ face, but the words had already slipped out.

“Are you upset that I’m leaving?”

“That…”

Rishar asked with a bright smile. Etienne was flustered, thinking he had just thrown a tantrum, and his lips quivered. Eventually, unable to bear the embarrassment, he lowered his head. Lately, he felt like he was losing his maturity.

“…Yes.”

After a while, Etienne answered in a small voice. No matter what, Rishar wouldn’t believe him if he said no. It was better to just admit it. Rishar was surprisingly speechless by the straightforward admission.

Rishar let out a low breath and suppressed the urge to smile. He knew if he laughed now, Etienne would become even more embarrassed. In the meantime, a small white hand gently grabbed his black hood.

“It seems like only I am feeling sad.”

Etienne pulled Rishar’s hood slightly, pouting his lower lip.

“Oh, damn it.”

Rishar’s expression collapsed, and he swore in his head. His hyung-nim had become too adorable by being honest with his emotions.

He suppressed the urge to immediately hug Etienne, clenching his fist. He wanted to bite his slightly protruding lower lip and swallow it, exploring the soft inside of his mouth.

“You could have a cup of tea before leaving, couldn’t you?”

Etienne expressed his disappointment in a dull voice, unaware of Rishar’s thoughts. He knew he was acting like a child, and his cheeks burned. However, his desire not to let him go was stronger than his embarrassment.

More than anything, if they parted like this without doing anything, it would be no different from before they became lovers. In fact, it might be worse… Suddenly, Etienne’s face turned bright red. He realized what he was hoping for from Rishar.

“Hyung-nim?”

Rishar tilted his head, puzzled by the change in Etienne’s expression. Avoiding his worried gaze, he let out a small cough and mumbled vaguely.

“No, just… it’s hot. Anyway, stay a little longer. You don’t have to drink tea.”

“Mm, alright.”

Rishar sat on the windowsill at Etienne’s insistence. He couldn’t leave when Etienne was speaking like this. Etienne looked at him sitting by the window again and pursed his lips. It would be nice if he came inside and sat comfortably, but he didn’t seem to have any intention of doing so.

“Come here, hyung-nim.”

Rishar tapped his thigh, calling Etienne. Without hesitation, Etienne nestled into his embrace.

Rishar lifted Etienne slightly and sat him on his knee, wrapping his arm around his waist. Etienne relaxed and leaned against Rishar. Soft lips then descended on the top of his head and forehead.

Should I just tell him to stay the night?

Etienne pondered how he could prevent Rishar from leaving. However, the words didn’t come easily. Although he had managed to hold him back somehow, asking him to stay the night suddenly felt embarrassing. It might seem like he was explicitly asking for **something more.

“I don’t want to go back either.”

“Then…”

Just don’t go. Etienne swallowed the words that had risen to his throat. He didn’t want to whine like a childish brat when he should be showing a mature demeanor.

Rishar laughed languidly, having understood his unspoken words. My fearless hyung-nim, what do you think you are doing?

“If I don’t go back, it’ll be very difficult for you, right?”

Rishar kissed from his forehead to his eye, then slid to his cheek. Deliberately making a sound as he kissed, he whispered in a low voice. Etienne slightly hunched his shoulders at the ticklish breath on his skin.

“Whether it’s difficult or not is for me to decide, not you.”

“Well, last time you couldn’t move properly for several days.”

Etienne fell silent as he remembered the night they spent together, when he couldn’t use any strength below his waist and had to rely on Rishar for two days.

“This time might be different. Celodine said getting used to it helps.”

“…You keep saying dangerous things.”

“How are you going to handle the aftermath?” Rishar smiled helplessly and gently kissed Etienne’s neck. Then he lightly bit the nearly vanished mark.

“What are y-, nhg.”

Etienne let out a small moan as Etienne suddenly bit his nape. A thrilling sensation rushed down his spine.

Rishar traced the newly marked reddened skin with his lips. The strange stimulation made Etienne’s waist tremble. Feeling this, Rishar strengthened his grip on Etienne’s waist. The thin shirt crumpled in his hand, and his firm fingertips pressed into soft flesh.

“Haah, wait. Mm…”

A moist heat invaded between parted lips at the touch stimulating the sensitive waist. Their breaths overlapped and saliva mixed. As the sharp tongue tip pierced the delicate mucous membrane and licked the roof of his mouth, sending uncontrollable shivers through his body, unable to bear the pleasure.

“Stick out your tongue.”

“Mmm…”

Rishar, who had swallowed all the moans escaping between their sealed lips, whispered in a deepened voice. Etienne trembled as he stuck out his tongue. As if waiting for this, Rishar took the red tongue tip between his lips and sucked it with a slurping sound.

“Ahh, ah, ngh.”

The flesh helplessly drawn into the hot, wet mouth was bitten and crushed randomly. Saliva that couldn’t be swallowed in time flowed out of the tightly parted lips.

It feels like I’m being devoured.

Etienne squeezed his eyes shut, unable to bear the heat crushing and rubbing his tongue. His lips and the nape of his neck tingled. An indescribable thrill ran down his back to his waist.

Unable to bear the dizzying sensation, Etienne grasped Rishar’s shoulders with his hands. Then the heat ravaging Etienne’s lips separated with a wet sound.

“Haa.”

Etienne exhaled the breath he’d been holding and collapsed into Rishar’s arms. His body went limp from just one kiss. Rishar firmly supported Etienne’s trembling waist and kissed his flushed cheek. The scent of Etienne’s body, now stronger than before, stimulated Rishar’s nose. Rishar’s pheromones surged in response. Feeling an intense thirst, he rested his face on Etienne’s shoulder.

“You’re struggling this much just from one kiss.”

Rishar murmured in an amused voice as he nuzzled the neck where his mark remained. It seemed like this used to be enough to satisfy him before, but now it was woefully insufficient. They say human greed is endless, and this was exactly that.

Rishar inhaled Etienne’s pheromones deeply, resisting the urge to sink his teeth into the fragrant skin. A strong hunger arose as the floral scent filled his lungs. He felt he understood how it felt to have delicious prey right in front of you but be unable to eat it.

Should I just do it since Etienne wants it too? Momentarily seized by intense desire, Rishar gritted his molars so hard they made a grinding sound. No matter how he thought about it, he didn’t trust himself to stop before going all the way. If he continued in this uncontrolled state, he would surely hurt him.

“Shall we stop here?”

Rishar finally raised his head and gently lifted the body slumped in his arms, seating Etienne on the sofa. He was truly grateful that his patience was on the stronger side.

“What?”

Etienne, still breathing heavily, looked up at Rishar with an uncomprehending face. Rishar tucked Etienne’s fallen golden hair behind his ear, kissed his forehead, and slowly straightened his upper body.

“I think I really need to go back now.”

You’re going to leave after working me up? Etienne looked with disbelieving eyes at Rishar as he pulled his hood on.

“You’re… leaving?”

“Yes, I’ll come again next time.”

Rishar left a brief farewell and turned, placing his foot on the windowsill. He hurried, feeling that if he stayed any longer, he truly wouldn’t be able to leave.

To Etienne’s eyes, this looked like Rishar had no lingering attachment or regret. Suddenly upset, Etienne gripped the armrest and forced strength into his trembling legs.

“Rishar.”

“Yes?”

Rishar, already halfway out the window, reflexively turned his head at Etienne’s voice calling him. At that moment, Etienne reached out and firmly grasped Rishar’s hood. Then he pulled hard towards himself.

“Hyung-…!”

Rishar lost his balance for a moment and his body tilted towards Etienne. Before the surprised Rishar could call out to Etienne, their lips collided. Rishar’s eyes widened at the soft sensation touching his lips.

Etienne, slightly raising his heels to kiss Rishar, stuck out his tongue and licked along the line of his lips. Then he gently bit the plump lower lip.

“Sha…”

Feeling the lips against his quiver, Etienne breathed into the parted lips.

“Hyung-nim?”

Rishar, dumbfounded by the unexpected kiss, called Etienne with a blank face. Etienne, separating their lips, repeated words he had once said before, his face as red as a ripe apple.

“Ta-take the cardigan with you.”

“…Eh?”

Cardigan? Rishar blinked with a bewildered expression. He couldn’t comprehend Etienne’s words. The rough sensation of his tongue licking his lips was still vivid, leaving no room to think about anything else.

It wasn’t the first time Etienne had initiated a kiss, but it wasn’t something he was so accustomed to that he could brush it off casually. Perhaps because his period of unrequited love had been so long, Rishar would malfunction like a broken wooden puppet whenever Etienne acted differently from his expectations. His mind would turn blank as paper whenever Etienne expressed his affection like this.

“You didn’t take it last time.”

Etienne spoke in a small voice to Rishar, who was staring at him with a dumbfounded face. Although he had impulsively pressed their lips together in a surge of emotion, now that he had done it, an unbearable embarrassment washed over him.

About a week ago, when they had first confessed their feelings to each other, they had been so overwhelmed with emotion that they had no trouble saying embarrassing things. They had also been a little drunk.

It had been similar when he had collapsed at the Grand Duke Bismarck’s residence. He had been in a hazy state due to his illness, and wanting to cheer Rishar up, he had acted more assertively. But now he was completely sober. Grabbing Rishar for a kiss and making what amounted to a seductive suggestion about taking the cardigan was, for him, an incredibly brave act.

“Last time? Ah.”

Rishar let out a small exclamation as he belatedly realized what previous time Etienne was referring to, and what cardigan he meant.

Is this his way of seducing me then?

Rishar swallowed hard enough for his Adam’s apple to bob, feeling his ears growing hot. The strong emotions he had been trying to suppress surged up to his head.

Like a taut string finally snapping, his patience broke. He moved his awkwardly frozen hands to grab Etienne’s waist. He couldn’t hold back anymore. As he roughly caught and pulled closer the waist with his arms, Etienne let out a small “ah.” But that sound was soon swallowed by the urgently pressing lips.

“Mmm, hah.”

Etienne trembled and gripped the hood tighter as a tongue aggressively invaded his mouth. Meanwhile, Rishar, who had moved back into the room, pounced on him as if to devour him. It was a kiss without any restraint.

“Ri-, ngh, haa.”

Etienne’s body gradually moved backward, unable to withstand the rough kiss. All sorts of sensations whirled inside his mouth.

Rishar pressed on relentlessly without giving any space. Etienne couldn’t gather his thoughts under the shower of kisses. He stumbled backward as Rishar pushed forward. Then he bumped into the sofa’s armrest. In that moment, losing his balance, his body fell back with a thump, and his back met the soft cushion. The impact made his head tilt back, breaking apart their connected lips.

“Haa, hng, mph.”

Etienne let out a breathless moan with half-lidded eyes, having escaped the suffocating pleasure. But as if unable to tolerate even a moment’s gap, lips wet with saliva pressed against his again.

Rishar only released Etienne’s lips after he had bitten and sucked them to his satisfaction. He looked down at Etienne panting beneath him and caressed his swollen lips. The delicate flesh that swelled from just a few kisses stirred his darker desires.

“What should I do about this mouth that keeps saying dangerous things? When you do this, I can’t control myself.”

Rishar pressed his thumb firmly against the lower lip that was redder than usual. Etienne looked up at the intensely fluctuating navy blue eyes with a clouded gaze. He was pleased by the clear desire reflected in those eyes.

Does everyone become like this when they fall in love?

Etienne thought with his dizzy mind. He didn’t recognize, his mood swaying with Rishar’s every word and action. Even now, he wasn’t upset simply because Rishar had tried to leave.

Until now, Etienne had maintained emotional superiority over Rishar. This was true both before and after Rishar’s confession.

Since childhood, Rishar had often followed Etienne, trailing behind him like a puppy. Even when Etienne kept his distance from Rishar, he had never turned his back first.

But today, that same Rishar had rejected Etienne’s suggestion to stay together longer and turned away. That’s what had upset Etienne. Even if Rishar’s action was out of consideration for him, he didn’t like it.

Etienne was that unfamiliar with Rishar rejecting him. If it had been before, he might have accepted it. Back then, they weren’t lovers after all.

But now was different. So he acted stubbornly, unlike himself. Even if it was selfish, he couldn’t help it. He knew it was a bad habit, but Etienne liked how Rishar was swayed by him. Both before and after realizing his feelings.

No, it had actually gotten worse after realizing his feelings for Rishar. Etienne constantly thought about how he wanted those passionately shining eyes to look only at him, to be filled only with thoughts of him. It was a greed he hadn’t even known he possessed.

“I never told you to control yourself.”

Etienne slowly opened his lips while looking at his own reflection in the dark blue eyes. Then he took the thick thumb into his mouth. When he lightly bit the calloused fingertip, he could see the dark eyebrows twitch.

“Sha.”

Etienne curved his eyes seductively while holding Rishar’s finger in his mouth. It was a deliberately provocative smile.

“If you want your cardigan back, stay the night.”

“Ha.”

A short, hollow laugh escaped Rishar’s mouth. Though it seemed somewhat defeated, he didn’t appear displeased. Rather, he seemed to like it.

“I truly… am no match for you, hyung-nim.”

Rishar muttered in an amused voice while applying pressure with his fingertip. His thumb parted Etienne’s lips and pressed firmly against the soft tongue inside. Then he raised his finger and strongly scraped against the roof of his mouth.

“Hng.”

Etienne’s shoulders jerked as he let out a moan, his palate being touched. The sensation from fingers was different from that of a tongue.

“Mmm.”

Etienne moved his tongue to gently push away Rishar’s thumb. Although it wasn’t an unpleasant sensation, he wanted something else right now.

“Not this.”

After pushing away Rishar’s finger, Etienne voiced what he wanted. Rishar quickly understood what he desired. Along with a faint laugh, a gentle warmth approached. Etienne hugged Rishar’s neck while accepting the sensations pouring over him. It seemed like tonight would be longer than usual.

***

On a night when the moon was hidden behind clouds, a carriage moving in the darkness quietly came to a stop in front of a building. Immediately, someone who had been lingering at the door relying on dim lamplight hurriedly approached the carriage.

“Count.”

“Yeah?”

Reyan, who had stepped down from the carriage, looked around while pulling his hood lower to cover his face. He looked at the knights who had arrived slightly after him.

“Have you confirmed there was no one following you?”

“There were none.”

The knight at the front answered in a tense voice. Reyan rolled his eyes to look at his aide. The aide quickly spoke up upon receiving his gaze.

“Before your arrival, Count, we checked the entire area around the trading location with the Verris Guild people. We didn’t notice anything suspicious.”

“Well done. The Guild Master?”

“Waiting inside.”

“Good. Bring the box.”

Reyan, after ordering the knights who had dismounted, quickly walked toward the building. In these kinds of trades, speed was essential.

“Haah.”

Standing before the tightly closed door, Reyan exhaled with a tense expression. Until the very last moment, he had worried whether making this trade was the right thing to do. But no matter how much he thought about it, there was no other way.

Currently, Reyan’s funding sources were completely blocked. After consecutive mishaps befell the nobles who had been cooperating with Reyan, transactions had drastically decreased, and problems arose in fund circulation.

The new deals made using the Prince’s name had also been indefinitely postponed due to this incident with House Miles. Although the iron mine development had finally begun after various difficulties, it would take several months before proper profits could be seen.

“I never thought I’d be doing this again.”

Reyan clicked his tongue. The Verris Guild Master would be waiting for him inside. But he couldn’t bring himself to move his hand readily.

“It should be fine.”

Reyan muttered to himself as if trying to suppress his anxiety. Recently, Rishar’s security forces had been busy investigating the death of Marquis Miles. Even their patrols had decreased in the past few days.

Moreover, this was near the townhouse where the Lhis Duchy’s envoys were staying. The security forces usually avoided this area to prevent any diplomatic incidents. So, while he thought it would be fine, he couldn’t help feeling uneasy.

“How did it come to this…”

Reyan lamented as he grabbed the door handle. He had intended not to engage in illegal trade with the Verris Guild from the start. With so much to lose, he had to be careful.

What changed his mind was an incident from a few days ago. Three days ago, Reyan had met with Etienne under the pretense of a sick visit. It was to ask for understanding about delaying the support funds he had promised to give Etienne.

‘How disappointing. I trusted you and even handed over the mining rights, and now what? You say you lack funds?’

Contrary to Reyan’s expectations, Etienne had severely reprimanded him.

‘I apologize, Your Highness. Because of Grand Duke Eckhart…’

‘Don’t blame others. This is a matter of your ability, Count. Even the mine development you so confidently promised me is progressing slowly, isn’t it?’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘How can you hope to achieve greater things like this… If I had known it would be like this, I should have just met with Margrave Mathias.’

‘What? The Margrave?’

‘Yes, it seems his relationship with Her Majesty has become somewhat strained due to the recent incident with Marquis Miles. He contacted me saying he’d like to meet. Said he wants to help me in various ways.’

‘That…’

‘He also mentioned wanting to discuss the fur business in the Mathias territory. I’ve heard the Mathias family has quite the expertise in mine development too.’

Reyan’s face hardened at Etienne’s additional words. He asked in a voice barely containing his anger.

‘What is your intention in telling me this? Are you saying you might hand over the mining rights to Margrave Mathias?’

‘Why? Would that be a problem?’

‘Your Highness!’

‘Lower your voice, Count.’

Etienne glared at Reyan with cold eyes, having removed the smile from his lips. For a moment, Reyan faltered, overwhelmed by Etienne’s presence.