HTTRPIAO Ch 70-74

What are you trying to say? Reyan unconsciously swallowed dry saliva. Strangely, Etienne felt somewhat strange today.

While Reyan was wondering, Etienne also collected his feelings. From now on, gaining the upper hand was important.

“Count, what is your dream?”

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“My dream?”

At the unexpected question, the tense Reyan momentarily showed a blank expression. He didn’t even notice that Etienne had started to speak informally to him.

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Etienne gently curved his eyes toward Reyan, who was studying his expression to understand the intent behind the question.

“Her Majesty plans to put me on the throne and then reign as empress dowager while serving as regent, and Duke Herace intends to place his family above the imperial family. I wondered if you might have your own goals as well.”

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“Well, I… I’m just thinking about leading the family after succeeding my father.”

Reyan answered, wary. He couldn’t understand why Etienne was bringing this up.

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“Leading the House Herace, huh? I wonder if that will really happen?”

Etienne let out a small laugh as if he’d heard something amusing. Reyan grew serious at the laugh that carried a subtle hint of mockery.

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“Does Your Highness find my words amusing? My succession as Duke Herace is a foregone conclusion…”

“Do you really think so?”

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Etienne cut off Reyan’s words with a counter-question. Reyan hesitated, sensing the implication that he might not be able to become duke.

“Your Highness seems to speak as if I definitely won’t inherit the ducal title.”

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“And you speak as if the position of head of House Herace already belongs to you.”

“Of course…”

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Reyan, suddenly agitated, opened his mouth but closed it again. What does he know? His eyes narrowed like needles.

He needed to find out what Etienne knew. Composing his expression, Reyan asked with his usual grinning face.

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“Did you hear something from Her Majesty the Empress?”

“Who knows…”

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Etienne deliberately avoided answering and picked up his teacup again as a way to hide his trembling lips from Reyan.

As Etienne maintained his ambiguous attitude, Reyan, getting impatient, suddenly contorted his face.

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“If you wanted to talk with me, beating around the bush seems rather impolite.”

Did it work? Etienne bit his lip at the sight of Reyan failing to maintain his poker face. His mouth was dry and his heart was beating hard from the excessive tension.

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Etienne gritted his teeth to suppress the trembling. If he showed weakness here, Reyan would surely notice immediately.

After taking a small breath while pretending to drink tea, Etienne looked at Reyan again.

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“I’m sorry. I wasn’t sure if you’d believe what I have to say. I’d be in trouble if this somehow reached Her Majesty’s ears after bringing it up needlessly.”

“That will absolutely never happen. Her Majesty the Empress would be displeased from the moment she learned we were talking about her between ourselves. So please speak freely.”

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“Hmm…”

“Your Highness.”

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As Etienne hesitated as if about to speak, an anxious Reyan called out to him urgently. Etienne then sighed as if he had no choice.

“I’ve heard Her Majesty and Duke Herace discussing you several times before. More specifically, about the successor of House Herace.”

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“…What kind of discussion was it?”

“They were lamenting the absence of a dominant Alpha to inherit the family.”

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At Etienne’s answer, Reyan’s face hardened. He trembled as if he had been insulted.

“They said such things even though I exist?”

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Reyan muttered while grinding his teeth with an audible sound. Etienne realized his plan was working when he saw Reyan’s expression turn fierce. Growing confident, Etienne opened his mouth.

“As you know, Her Majesty and Duke Herace believe that only dominants are true Alphas and Omegas. Especially the Duke, it seems he still hasn’t given up his desire to make a dominant Alpha his heir.”

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Duke Herace was a famous supremacist. He went further and believed that only dominants were real Alphas and Omegas.

The reason the Duke cherished Leona was because she was his only dominant Omega child. Naturally, Leona shared the same ideology.

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“While Her Majesty and the Duke probably said those things out of regret, I felt a bit concerned to just let it slide.”

After finishing his words, Etienne observed Reyan’s reaction. Judging by his reddening and paling face, his words had fortunately hit their mark.

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When Etienne decided to turn his back on Leona, he pondered what he could do. He wanted to be of at least some help to Rishar, who had taken on a heavy burden because of him.

The method Etienne thought of was to pass all the information he had to Rishar.

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Even a palace dog will learn manners in three years¹, as they say, and having lived as the Empress’s son for so long, he had quite a bit of information. He planned to use that to attack House Herace.

But he felt that wasn’t enough. When Rishar begins to move in earnest, Leona, Duke Herace, and the noble faction would move together.

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It would be a difficult fight even with Rishar having the support of Edwin and the imperial faction.

Etienne fell into contemplation again. While the noble faction had been losing younger members recently, they were originally more tightly bound than other factions. This was especially true when faced with external threats.

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What if he could create a crack in the noble faction?

If it was difficult to break from the outside, then create division from within. A small crack can become a large hole in an instant.

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From that day on, Etienne searched for ways to create internal rifts and candidates who could be targeted. This was something only a traitor from within could do.

Someone influential enough to create a hole in the noble faction while harboring grudges with the Empress and Duke Herace, someone he could sufficiently manipulate.

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When combining all conditions, Reyan naturally came to mind. While he was known to the world as the Duke’s late born son and next head of House Herace, the reality was somewhat different.

Reyan had not yet received recognition from the people of House Herace. This was because the Duke and Leona, the family’s core, looked down on him for not being a dominant Alpha.

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Duke Herace, a supremacist, kept several Omegas as concubines to obtain an excellent heir. He wanted a dominant Alpha or Omega to inherit the family.

However, after Leona, not a single child was born dominant. Every child born was recessive without exception.

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That’s when Reyan was born. While he wasn’t a dominant Alpha, he wasn’t a recessive Alpha either.

Eventually, Duke Herace made Reyan’s mother his new duchess and raised him as his heir.

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Among numerous illegitimate children, only Reyan was recognized as Leona’s half-brother and a direct descendant of House Herace. But Reyan’s position was always in doubt.

Since childhood, Etienne had often seen Leona and the Duke reprimanding or ignoring Reyan.

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When he was young, he sometimes thought Reyan’s anxious behavior, fearing abandonment by the two, somewhat resembled his own.

That’s why he could tell. That Reyan felt inferior to Leona and Duke Herace.

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Etienne decided to exploit Reyan’s dissatisfaction and anxiety toward the two. Planting doubt in Count Herace’s mind was today’s objective.

“I heard one of the Duke’s concubines recently became pregnant. What if that child is born a dominant Alpha or Omega? Would you be able to keep your position as heir then?”

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“Don’t speak so carelessly.”

“Just how many younger uncles and aunts do I have… Looking at it this way, isn’t the Duke quite remarkable?”

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Ignoring Reyan’s warning, Etienne deliberately provoked him while sipping tea. His skin tingled from the pheromones Reyan was emitting.

“That won’t happen.”

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Reyan growled. The Frederick Empire was a society where Omegas were rare. Even Duke Herace couldn’t keep a dominant Omega as a concubine.

While there were exceptions, naturally, the probability of dominant children being born between dominant Alphas and dominant Omegas was higher.

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The reason the Duke’s illegitimate children weren’t born dominant was because his concubines were either common Omegas or recessives.

“Since Father is a dominant Alpha, while the possibility isn’t completely zero, they’ve all failed so far. Probably the next time too…”

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“Can you really be certain about that?”

“Your Highness.”

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“Her Majesty said that if it doesn’t work out, they could just give House Herace to the child I bear later.”

At Etienne’s additional words, Reyan took a deep breath. He asked in a trembling voice, as if unable to believe what he had heard.

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“Is… that true?”

“It is. What would I gain by lying to you?”

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Etienne set down his cup with a clank and a smile. Reyan still didn’t know that he might be infertile.

It wasn’t a lie either, since making Etienne’s child the head of House Herace was actually Leona’s plan.

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“Ha, damn it.”

After looking at Etienne for a bit, Reyan let out a curse. While he didn’t trust Etienne, he didn’t think he was lying.

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Reyan trusted neither Leona nor Duke Herace. Though he didn’t want to admit it, Etienne was right. If a dominant child with Herace blood was born, the two would undoubtedly abandon him immediately.

After living like a dog all this time, they were saying such things behind my back? Unable to contain his rising anger, Reyan ground his teeth. He glared at Etienne with bloodshot eyes.

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“So, why are you telling me this? Do you want me to get angry at Her Majesty and Father?”

“Because just as you have your dream of becoming the head of House Herace, I too have my dreams.”

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Etienne answered in a solemn voice toward Reyan, who was sending him a threatening gaze. Returning to formal speech, he faced Reyan with a more serious expression than usual.

“Uncle.”

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At the word that came from Etienne’s lips, Reyan unconsciously stiffened his shoulders with a start. It was the first time since childhood that Etienne had called him uncle.

Etienne gave an alluring smile toward him, who was visibly flustered.

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“What do you say about creating a new Frederick Empire together with me?”

“What?”

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Rayan’s eyes widened at the unexpected proposal. Startled, he stiffened his neck. Gulp – he swallowed hard enough for the sound to be audible before carefully opening his mouth.

“Surely, you’re not suggesting to break away from Her Majesty the Empress…?”

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“Break away from Mother? What a frightening thing to say. Rather than such words, how about saying ‘becoming independent from Mother’s embrace’?”

Independence. Rayan’s eyes trembled at those words. This was no joke, Etienne was serious. Realizing this, goosebumps instantly spread across his skin.

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“I apologize, but I don’t quite understand. Is there really a need to separate from Her Majesty the Empress?”

Rayan asked while trying hard to maintain his composure. His head was spinning, feeling as if he’d been hit on the back of his head repeatedly.

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“Count. I’m already twenty-three years old. Yet Mother still treats me like a seven year old child. If I ascend to the throne like this, I’ll probably be Emperor in name only.”

“That’s, hm…”

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Etienne spoke as if it was obvious. Rayan let out a small sigh at the irrefutable statement. He knew Leona’s personality. The Leona he knew would never share her power with Etienne.

“I can’t live as Mother’s puppet forever. That’s why I’ve decided to stand on my own.”

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“I understand your feelings, Your Highness, but why me?”

“Because you’re similar to me.”

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“Pardon?”

“Both Mother and Duke treat us like tools that can be used and discarded at any time, don’t they? That’s why I thought you would understand my feelings.”

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“Ahem, as Your Highness said earlier, I’m destined to be discarded once a dominant Alpha with Herace blood is born. How could I be of help to Your Highness?”

Rayan expressed his refusal indirectly with an awkward smile. He didn’t understand why Etienne was suddenly acting this way, but even this conversation was already dangerous enough. If it went any deeper, there would be no escape.

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“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear this conversation. I’ll erase today’s events from my memory…”

“I’m not suggesting we raise the banner of rebellion right now. Both you and I still lack power.”

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Etienne wouldn’t let Rayan withdraw. Rayan furrowed his brows in difficulty at Etienne’s persistent attempts to hold onto him.

However, he couldn’t shake off Etienne. He was clearly wavering.

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“How? Do you have a plan in mind?”

Rayan asked while sitting up straight. Despite thinking he should refuse, his mouth moved on its own.

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“To become independent, one needs proper preparation, don’t you think? Once my rest period ends, I plan to start activities that require me to go outside in earnest. With the debutante season approaching, Mother won’t be suspicious if I go around meeting people.”

Etienne quickly continued as Rayan showed interest. He needed to push hard while Rayan was wavering.

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“Power grows where people gather. Starting with you, Count, I plan to gradually increase my supporters.”

“It won’t be easy.”

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“I know. But it must be done. Time is on our side anyway.”

“Pardon?”

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“As time passes, both Mother and Duke will eventually become setting suns². The same goes for the nobles who have pledged loyalty to them.”

“Ah.”

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“That’s all I have to say, what will you do?”

Rayan looked strangely at Etienne, who was proposing to join forces. The Etienne before him now was vastly different from the Etienne he had known until now.

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The Etienne that Rayan knew was always timid and lacking confidence in everything. However, the Etienne before him now was overflowing with confidence and composure. Just like Leona.

“…!”

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Rayan’s body tensed at the thought that suddenly crossed his mind. Even for him, comparing Etienne to Leona seemed to be going too far.

But it was also true that he was shaken by Etienne’s current attitude and proposal.

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Rayan’s mind became busy. If things went well, he might be able to repay all the humiliation he had endured from Leona and Duke Herace for not being a dominant Alpha.

“…What would you have me do?”

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After contemplating for a while, Rayan carefully asked. He needed to know what Etienne wanted from him first.

“Let’s see… First I’d like you to introduce me to anyone you think might be useful. Then I’ll meet with them.”

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“That much is easy.”

“And I need funds that can be used without Mother knowing.”

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Etienne casually added. Rayan was in charge of several businesses of the Herace family. Also, as vice minister of Industry, he managed trade and merchant groups.

Etienne planned to identify both the Herace family’s financial channels and the secret funds that Rayan managed separately, and pass them to Rishar.

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“As for funds…”

“One needs money to make acquaintances, don’t you think? Of course, I’m not asking for it for free. Since I can’t freely use money right now without Mother’s eyes on me, I’d like you to invest. As collateral, I’ll give you the mine that Father bestowed as a coming of age gift.”

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“You’ll give me the iron mine in the Merkel Mountains?”

Rayan’s expression, which had slightly hardened when Etienne brought up money, suddenly brightened as if nothing had happened when he mentioned the iron mine.

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“To be precise, I’ll transfer the mining rights of the Merkel iron mine. Since it’s not a family matter, you can develop it using your own merchant group. If we split the profits from there, I don’t think you’ll lose anything. What do you think?”

“Fine by me.”

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Rayan answered with an excited face. The mine in the Merkel Mountains was discovered a few years ago, and if developed, it would guarantee profits for at least several decades. Obtaining the mining rights would be beneficial for him as well. Even more so if he could proceed without involving the family.

“Uncle, I’ll say it again. I need your help.”

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Etienne, realizing that Rayan had almost given in, met his eyes with a desperate expression.

Rayan gulped down dry saliva at Etienne’s expression that seemed to be pleading with him. It stirred strange emotions to see someone with Leona’s face asking for his help.

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“Let me ask one more thing. What do I gain by helping you, Your Highness?”

“The Grand Duchy of Herace.”

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“Eh?”

Rayan momentarily blanked at the answer that came from Etienne’s lips. Etienne curled up the corners of his lips towards the surprised Rayan.

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“If we succeed, you’ll be the Emperor’s only maternal uncle – would being merely a ducal title suffice? You should at least be a grand duke. I would like you to become the Grand Duke of Herace and the empire’s minister.”

“Grand Duke…”

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Grand Duke of Herace? Me, becoming a Grand Duke? Rayan repeated to himself with a dazed expression. Etienne quietly watched as greed gradually spread across Rayan’s face.

“…I would like some time to think.”

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“Of course.”

Etienne didn’t hold onto Rayan any longer. Judging by his expression, the probability of him rejecting the proposal seemed low.

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Even if he did reject it, it would be fine. Rayan would never be able to tell Leona about today’s conversation. His wariness and distrust towards Leona and the Duke would have only grown stronger.

So there was no need to show a submissive attitude. Being too desperate here would backfire. Etienne confidently extended his hand as if he wasn’t disappointed at all.

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“Take your time to think about it. I’ll wait for a favorable answer.”

It’s over.

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After sending Rayan away, Etienne, left alone in the reception room, slumped onto the sofa with a tired face. As the tension released, strength drained from his body.

Did I do well?

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Etienne nervously chewed his lower lip. It was his first time deceiving and manipulating someone like this.

“Phew.”

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After finishing the remaining tea, Etienne let out a tired breath. He hadn’t noticed while talking with Rayan, but after sending him away, worries came flooding in.

Etienne pressed his left part of the chest firmly with his hand. His heart was still pounding. Just then, a small knock was heard from behind.

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“Prince, may I come out now?”

“Ah, you may.”

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“Yes!”

As soon as Etienne gave permission, Stella poked her head out from between the doors of the adjoining room with a bright smile. Disguised as a palace servant, she had been staying in the detached palace since yesterday.

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“Good work. I’ll remove the magic now.”

Stella, who had rushed to the sofa in one breath, removed the magic she had cast on Etienne’s face. Etienne expressed his gratitude to her as he felt the magical power surrounding him disappear.

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“Thank you for your hard work. Without you, I would have had to take medicine both yesterday and today.”

“Oh, it’s nothing, I just did what was natural. It’s an honor to be able to help you, Your Highness.”

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When Etienne expressed his gratitude, Stella wrinkled her nose as if embarrassed. Then she clenched both fists.

“While you stay in the detached palace, just trust in me. I’ll help you live comfortably without the need of taking medicine!”

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“I’ll rely on you. Aren’t you tired?”

“Ah, this is nothing.”

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Stella waved her hand lightly and asked with a curious face.

“But doesn’t Count Herace know Your Highness’s secret? I thought we didn’t need to cover your eyes…”

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“The Emperor and Rishar are currently in the detached palace. If I hadn’t covered my eyes, the Count would certainly have felt something was strange. He’s quite sharp about such things.”

“Ah! Now that you mention it, that’s true! I hadn’t thought that far ahead, wow! As expected, you’re so smart!”

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Stella repeatedly expressed amazement at Etienne’s explanation. Then she looked at him as if regretful.

“By the way, I wish I could continue helping you even after you return to the imperial palace… Wouldn’t magic be better than the medicine that harms your health?”

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“That’s true, but magic carries more risk than medicine. What you’re doing now is more than enough.”

“Ah. Right, other magicians would detect the flow of magic if they were nearby.”

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It wasn’t that Leona hadn’t considered using magic to change Etienne’s eye color and suppress his pheromones. In fact, both magic and medicine had been used when he was young.

However, changing eye color with magic was less stable than medicine. Unless a magician continuously supplied magical power from a close range, his eye color would revert to its original state. As Stella said, there was also a chance that other magicians would notice.

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“Anyway, I’m glad I could help like this. I apologize for my rudeness the other day, though… I’m sorry about what happened then.”

“No need. I was a bit sensitive that day. I was in a bad mood because of the servants who were speaking carelessly.”

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Etienne explained with an awkward expression. He couldn’t bring himself to say he had been jealous of Rishar and Stella’s relationship.

“I understand. Those guys paid the price for their loose tongues, so forget about it now. The Grand Duke was also terribly angry that day.”

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“Oh?”

“After Your Highness left that day, really… whew.”

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Stella shuddered as if feeling cold as she recalled that day.

“To somewhat excuse my rudeness that day… I had heard so many stories about Your Highness from the Grand Duke. So I think I had a sense of familiarity with Your Highness. Please forgive me.”

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“I told you there’s nothing to forgive, there’s no need to apologize… By the way, does Rishar often talk about me?”

After hesitating briefly, Etienne asked with a curious face. He had thought about it before, but besides Stella, Rishar’s close aides like Elvin and Jade were very friendly and favorable towards him. Stella answered as if she had been waiting for this question.

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“Oh my, don’t even get me started. The Grand Duke’s love for his hyung-nim has been famous since his military academy days. Even on the battlefield, whenever he had a chance, he would agonize over writing letters to his hyung-nim… Though it might be inappropriate to say this, he was just like a puppy separated from its owner.”

“Puppy? Well, Rishar does have that side to him a bit.”

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Etienne agreed with Stella’s words. When he was young, the way Rishar would follow him everywhere, calling him ‘hyung-nim’ while tagging along, was no different from a puppy wagging its tail.

No wonder he called him a little puppy. Even now, though he’d only grown bigger, his behavior was unmistakably that of a puppy. Etienne’s lips curved slightly as he thought of Rishar.

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He hadn’t known that Stella knew about Rishar writing letters to him, though. Etienne felt a little embarrassed.

“How did you know about him writing letters to me?”

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“How could I not know? The only person who wrote letters consistently even in the middle of bloody battlefields was the Grand Duke.”

Stella answered as if it was obvious. Now that she had opened up, she chatted away about Rishar.

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“Do you know how long it took him to complete one letter to Your Highness? Once he started, it took at least three days. He would worry about what to write to Your Highness, write something and then erase it thinking it wasn’t right, and after finishing, he would rewrite it all if he wasn’t satisfied. He spent days doing this.”

“I had no idea he put in that much effort…”

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Etienne mumbled in a small voice. Rishar’s letters were always short, and the content was similar. Sometimes they were so short that he would needlessly check the back of the page. To think that these were the result of days of consideration and rewriting.

“I guarantee there are more undelivered letters than the ones sent to Your Highness. He might still have them even now. He kept them all, unable to throw them away.”

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Stella added with certainty. Hearing this made his chest sting slightly.

“Excuse me, Lady Stella.”

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After hesitating for a moment, wondering if he should ask such a thing, Etienne carefully opened his mouth.

“Did… did Rishar wait a lot for my replies?”

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“Oh, that’s… uhmm.”

Stella looked away at the difficult question. Though she had enthusiastically talked about Rishar, she wasn’t sure if she should reveal such things.

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“…He did wait.”

“I see.”

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After hemming and hawing, Stella finally answered honestly as if she had no choice. Hearing her answer, Etienne smiled bitterly. Though it was the answer he expected, his heart grew heavy.

I should have replied at least once.

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Etienne regretted it belatedly. He had been careful not to raise Leona’s suspicions by sending replies to Rishar, but in the end, he had ended up disappointing him.

Would it be wrong to apologize now?

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Etienne fidgeted with his fingers as he pondered. Though he never showed it to others, not even to Ben whom he trusted most, for the past three years, Etienne had secretly waited for Rishar’s letters.

When letters didn’t come for a long time, he would worry, and only when a new letter arrived could he feel at ease. After all, receiving letters meant that Rishar was safe and sound.

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In truth, he had tried to reply several times. But he never managed to send them. No matter what words he wrote, every sentence, every word was imbued with worry and longing for Rishar.

If Leona were to read the letters, she would surely notice that he was deliberately keeping his distance from Rishar, to such an extent that he couldn’t send them.

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So that’s why he didn’t send any. Just as Rishar had kept the letters he couldn’t send, Etienne’s desk drawer also contained several unfinished replies.

In the end, all Etienne could do was read and reread Rishar’s letters until the corners of the paper wore thin, hoping that he was safe.

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“I think I’ve said something I shouldn’t have. I apologize.”

Seeing Etienne’s troubled expression, Stella apologized while slapping her own mouth. Despite always being told by Elvin that she had a loose tongue, she had made another mistake.

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“Not at all. I’d been curious about it, and thanks to you, my curiosity has been satisfied. Thank you.”

“Still, well, what I want to say is that including myself, Sir Jade and Sir Elvin are on Your Highness’s side.”

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Stella, who had been fidgeting while watching Etienne’s expression, looked at him with a serious face.

“Before returning to the capital, the Grand Duke called us separately and told us. He said he had no intention of being hostile to Your Highness, so we shouldn’t harbor any strange thoughts.”

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“Rishar did?”

“Yes. Even then, as now, there were many voices within the family saying that the Grand Duke should become Emperor. But the Grand Duke told us to think of Your Highness as our other lord.”

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“Didn’t that cause any feelings of resistance?”

“Well, I didn’t have any. Sir Jade and Sir Elvin probably felt the same. We all knew and had watched how preciously the Grand Duke regarded Your Highness. How could we dislike someone precious to our lord?”

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Someone precious – at those words, his chest tickled as if it had been filled with flower petals. Etienne unconsciously bit his lip.

He felt embarrassed that Rishar had shown his affection for him enough for his vassals to know, but at the same time, he felt grateful and sorry towards him, making him want to cry a little.

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“So to me, Your Highness is my lord’s lord. So please be comfortable with me. If you need anything, feel free to use me as you wish. That’s what I wanted to tell you.”

“…Thank you.”

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Etienne barely managed to speak while suppressing the heaviness that rose to his throat. Though Rishar had ordered it, it was difficult to think well of someone who wasn’t one’s own lord, especially someone in an opposing position.

But Stella had never shown any hostility towards him. This was a sign that she had truly accepted Etienne.

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“I hope both the Grand Duke and Your Highness will be happy. When I see people I like becoming happy, it makes me happy too.”

Stella wrinkled her nose and laughed, “Hehe.” Then, with an expression that seemed to say ‘oh, right,’ she continued.

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“Please don’t misunderstand. Though I like the Grand Duke, I’ve absolutely never looked at him in that way. While I do enjoy meeting people, I don’t have a hobby of coveting others’ lovers.”

Etienne felt a pang at the words Stella quickly added. It was undeniable that he had felt jealous of her, who seemed close to Rishar.

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“Don’t worry, I won’t misunderstand.”

“Really? Phew, what a relief.”

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Stella sighed in relief while shrugging her shoulders. Then, with a mischievous grin, she opened her mouth.

“If I had to say, I prefer Your Highness over the Grand Duke. I like pretty people.”

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“Huh?”

Etienne’s eyes widened at the unexpected words. At the sudden compliment about his appearance, he mumbled.

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“I think you’re prettier than me…”

“Me? Well, I won’t say I’m ugly, but compared to Your Highness, I’m like a squid.”

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“A squid? You jest.”

“I’m not joking, I’m serious! I really am.”

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Stella emphasized while widening her eyes. Becoming even more embarrassed at her words, Etienne’s cheeks turned slightly red. It felt awkward to receive compliments from someone other than Rishar.

“Thank you for the compliment. But, uhm, isn’t Rishar prettier?”

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“Uh… the Grand Duke is more handsome than pretty. More of a beautiful man than a pretty person?”

Stella stammered as if she had heard something strange. While Rishar was handsome and beautiful enough in face and body to be unforgettable once seen, it would be a bit of a stretch to call him pretty.

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More precisely, he had a different quality from Etienne. If Rishar was a tall and refreshing handsome man, Etienne was more of a pure and ethereal beauty.

“And I don’t like scary people. What good is being handsome or pretty when they’re terrifying when angry.”

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“Hmm?”

“In public, he’s a good lord, but in private, he has quite a difficult personality. Even normally he’s somewhat cold, rational, blunt? Since he has an atmosphere that’s hard to approach…”

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“Rishar is scary?”

Etienne tilted his head. The Rishar he knew was someone who suited spring and summer more than winter. Rather than cold, he was affectionate, and rather than rational, he was passionate.

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“Well, even fierce dogs are gentle before their masters.”

Stella looked at Etienne’s puzzled expression, nodded in understanding, and muttered to herself.

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“Huh? What did you just say?”

“Nothing. Just talking to myself. Anyway, my ideal type is Your Highness! Got it? And please keep today’s conversation a secret from the Grand Duke.”

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As if suddenly worried, Stella put her index finger to her lips and laughed.

“Please. If His Highness finds out, I might end up buried in the back garden of the detached palace.”

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“Don’t worry. I won’t breathe a word.”

“Thank you!”

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Stella smiled brightly after receiving Etienne’s promise to keep it secret. Etienne smiled along with her. Being with someone as bright as sunshine seemed to make him brighter too.

A breeze announcing the full arrival of spring brushed through his hair. Etienne shifted slightly as he felt the warm wind touching him. Then, a soft warmth touched his cheek.

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Etienne smiled broadly like a child in his sleep as he felt the hand stroking his hair. Then a faint laugh was heard.

“Rishar…?”

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The moment the soft laughter wrapped around his ear, a drowsy voice flowed between his lips that had been breathing evenly.

Even without opening his eyes, he could tell who it was. Only Rishar would touch him like this.

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“Yes, hyung-nim.”

When he called out in his sleepy state, along with the answer, soft flesh touched his forehead. Etienne slowly lifted his heavy eyelids, feeling lips tickling his forehead.

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Etienne slowly closed and opened his eyes with a dazed expression. After repeating this a few times, his blurry vision became clear. Then he saw Rishar looking at him with a smile.

“Are you awake?”

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As their eyes met, Rishar greeted him warmly. Etienne raised his drowsy face and lifted his stiff body.

After talking with Stella, he felt tired and had leaned back on the sofa for a moment, but it seemed he had fallen asleep without realizing it.

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“You should have woken me if you came…”

“You were sleeping so peacefully.”

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Rishar reached out and tidied Etienne’s disheveled hair. Etienne yawned softly while accepting his touch.

The hand that tucked his hair behind his ear moved to the darkened area under his eyes.

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“Are you tired? I heard that Count Herace visited this morning… Did he perhaps tire you out? Or trouble you?”

“No. If anything, I probably tired him out.”

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“You, hyung-nim?”

“Yes, he must have quite a headache right now. From all the thinking.”

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Etienne chuckled, remembering Reyan’s troubled face as he left. Though he was nervous and tense since it was his first time deceiving someone and setting a trap like this, he felt he had done well for his first attempt.

Next time I can do even better, Etienne thought with growing confidence as he yawned again. He was definitely tired after a sleepless night and dealing with Reyan since morning.

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“You look very tired.”

Rishar observed Etienne with worried eyes as he kept yawning. Etienne, who had resorted to covering his mouth with his hand due to constant yawns, slowly blinked his sleepy eyes.

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“I couldn’t sleep well last night…”

“You couldn’t sleep? Why?”

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“Hm? Ah, well… I guess it was because I wasn’t used to a different bed.”

Suddenly wide awake, Etienne hurried to make an excuse. He couldn’t possibly say that he couldn’t fall asleep because he was alone without Rishar. Fortunately, Rishar didn’t press further.

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“But why did you come here?”

“Because I missed you.”

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The response was overwhelming to what had been a casual attempt to change the subject. Caught off guard by the direct answer, Etienne gaped blankly. Then, coming to his senses, he cleared his throat awkwardly.

“What if people think strange things…”

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“Don’t worry too much. Since I came to deliver His Majesty’s message, they won’t read any unnecessary meaning into it.”

“An errand?”

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“Yes. His Majesty said he wants to have dinner together like yesterday. I volunteered to come since it was a chance to see you.”

After finishing his explanation, Rishar smiled like a child seeking praise, as if to say ‘I did well, didn’t I?’ Then, perhaps remembering how uncomfortable Etienne had been with Edwin yesterday, he added kindly.

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“It’s not mandatory, so don’t feel pressured. If you’re very tired, you can just rest. I’ll explain it well to His Majesty.”

“It’s fine. Father came to the detached palace to talk with me, right?”

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“That’s true, but it doesn’t have to be today…”

“No. These things should be concluded as quickly as possible. That way we can determine our direction… and it’s not good for Father to leave the main palace empty for too long.”

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Etienne spoke calmly. Though he said it like that, the truth was that he wanted to finish all talk with Edwin quickly. Probably Edwin felt the same way.

Yesterday he had been too shocked to think about it, but now he could roughly guess why Edwin’s attitude toward him had been strange.

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He felt guilty toward Etienne. The cause was probably because he knew how Etienne had been born.

Etienne’s expression darkened slightly as he thought of Edwin. Etienne didn’t want him to feel sorry.

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In the end, Edwin and he could only bring pain to each other. It was impossible to become close now. Both of them had too many wounds for that.

Etienne thought it was right to maintain an appropriate distance and avoid meeting Edwin as much as possible, just as they had done until now.

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“Then rest a bit more, there’s still plenty of time until dinner.”

Seeing Etienne’s expression darken, Rishar’s face fell as well. He suggested to get some rest in a worried voice.

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“Maybe I will…”

Etienne murmured weakly. Even if he didn’t sleep, he did want to rest.

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Just then, a slightly strong wind blew in through the wide open window. Feeling something in his right eye, Etienne raised his hand.

“What’s wrong?”

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“My eye is a bit itchy… I think some pollen got in.”

“Hold on, let me blow it out, don’t rub it.”

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Rishar grabbed Etienne’s wrist to stop him from rubbing his eye and leaned toward him. Then he blew a gentle puff of air. Etienne reflexively closed his eyes at the warm breath on his eye.

“How is it? Still uncomfortable?”

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“…I think it’s better now.”

Etienne answered while blinking his right eye several times. His vision was blurry from the natural tears that had gathered.

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Then, fingers approached and wiped away the tears gathered at the corner of his eye.

“Seems fine now.”

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“Yes, than-”

Etienne stopped mid-thanks to Rishar. As his vision cleared, there was a dark blue sea right in front of him. Etienne straightened his back with a start, surprised by Rishar’s face being closer than expected.

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“Th-thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.”

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Etienne stammered unconsciously, having been momentarily captivated by the clearly shining navy blue eyes. Rishar withdrew his hand and smiled.

Fool, why are you being so conscious of it.

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Etienne bit his lower lip, feeling his heart beating violently. When he saw Rishar’s face right in front of him, he thought they were going to kiss. A kiss, he was dumbfounded at himself for having such thoughts.

Etienne closed his lips tightly and then chewed on them to try to calm his racing heart.

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His heart seemed to be beating faster than when he was talking with Reyan. Rishar’s eyes narrowed at the sight of the mercilessly chewed lips. His Adam’s apple trembled slightly as if feeling thirst.

“Hyung-nim.”

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“Y-yes?”

Etienne responded half a beat late to Rishar’s call. Did he realize the strange thoughts I was having? Etienne looked at Rishar with an anxious face.

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Rishar moistened his lower lip with his tongue while looking at Etienne waiting for his words. The flushed eyes, the reddish tinge on his cheeks, and the increasingly red lips were severely tempting.

Rishar moved his hand silently. He should hold back, but he couldn’t. When the large hand cupped his jaw, Etienne’s eyes went round in surprise.

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“Ri-Rishar?”

Instead of answering, Rishar pressed his thumb firmly against the soft lower lip. The red tongue visible between the parting lips at his touch aroused an intense desire.

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Rishar opened his mouth while suppressing the urge to kiss Etienne right away.

“May I kiss you?”

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Etienne’s eyes widened at the unexpected, explicit desire in the question. He repeated blankly, as if unable to believe what he had heard.

“What did you say…?”

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“I want to kiss you, hyung-nim.”

The blunt fingertip touched the soft flesh revealed between the soft, slightly parted lips. Startled by the finger touching his tongue, Etienne jerked his head back.

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“Wh-what! Wh-why are you asking such a thing!”

Etienne shouted with a bright red face in embarrassment. Unlike him, Rishar remained calm.

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“But isn’t it rude to kiss someone without their permission?”

Rishar tilted his head to the side like an innocent child and playfully curved his eyes. Left speechless, Etienne’s lips quivered before he lowered his head as if to hide his reddened face.

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“You’re kind of… like a playboy.”

“A playboy?”

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Rishar frowned as if wronged by Etienne’s words. Bringing his face close, he whispered in a voice only Etienne could hear.

“The kisses, and everything beyond that, I’ve only done with you.”

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Badump. The moment the suggestive whisper went inside his ear, his heart beat so hard it felt like it would burst. Etienne swallowed his breath, feeling his whole body pounding. It felt like everything from head to toe had become his heart.

“Th-that’s the same for me too!”

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Etienne raised his voice to hide his embarrassment. He wanted to answer casually like Rishar, but his voice kept trembling.

“I’m glad.”

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“What?”

“I’m glad to be the one who gets to have all of your firsts.”

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Rishar smiled brightly like someone who had gained the whole world in response to Etienne’s protest. He looked genuinely happy.

“Hyung-nim.”

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Rishar approached Etienne while maintaining his smile. When their noses touched, Etienne flinched. Rishar took in each of Etienne’s reactions and asked once more.

“May I kiss you?”

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Why does he have to be like this? Etienne swallowed the words that had risen to his throat. He was afraid his heartbeat would jump out of his mouth.

“…Yes.”

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Etienne hesitantly answered in a small voice. How could he refuse when he made such a face? Despite everything, he was weak to Rishar.

Upon receiving Etienne’s permission, Rishar tilted his head as if he had been waiting for it. Soon their lips overlapped and their breaths mingled. What started as a light touch of lips quickly deepened and became intense.

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Rishar consumed Etienne’s lips as if biting into them. When the startled Etienne straightened his back, large hands gently caressed his thin back.

“Mmph.”

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The flesh that parted his lips gently swam inside his mouth. Etienne, suddenly short of breath, grabbed Rishar’s shoulders.

Rishar pulled the trembling wrist and made it hang around his neck. Then he embraced Etienne in return.

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All the while, their lips remained connected. The two bodies, completely overlapped as if they had been one from the start, gradually tilted until they sank into the sofa.

“Mmm, Sha…”

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Etienne gasped, overwhelmed by the heat ravaging his mouth. Just one kiss had made his body burn.

Rishar felt his nape tingle at the intimate call that escaped through their connected lips as he grazed with his teeth.

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“Ah!”

Etienne let out a pained sound and hunched his shoulders as his lower lip was bitten. His lower abdomen tingled along with the stinging pain.

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“Hah, stop. Ah…”

As he twisted his waist, feeling suffocated, the leather sofa made a scratching sound. Sensing Etienne’s struggle, Rishar strongly sucked on the tender flesh one last time.

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With a wet sound, their lips parted. Etienne looked up at Rishar as he pulled away, breathing heavily.

He could see the thread of their mixed saliva connecting their lips. Unable to bear the embarrassment, he turned his head away, but Rishar peppered kisses on his flushed cheeks as if telling him to look.

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“Before coming here, I met with your doctor.”

Rishar spoke gently while continuously kissing the slightly warm cheeks. Etienne momentarily held his breath at the unexpected statement.

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“Sir Celodine? Why?”

“I had something to ask him.”

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At Rishar’s answer, the heat that had consumed Etienne’s body instantly subsided. A surprised look crossed his face.

He knew that while he was sleeping exhausted after his heat cycle, Rishar had learned from Celodine about how he had lived and how he had hidden being an Omega.

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After all, it was Rishar who had sent Stella yesterday to tell him not to use drugs that harmed his body anymore.

Someone like him wouldn’t have visited Celodine without reason. Etienne’s lips trembled anxiously. He wanted to ask why he had visited Celodine, but his voice wouldn’t come out.

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“What… were you curious about?”

Etienne finally managed to speak while swallowing hard. He couldn’t think of any reason immediately.

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Could he have asked about the possibility of pregnancy? The moment that thought occurred to him, his body went cold as if his blood was draining away.

No, that can’t be.

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Etienne quickly denied the thought that had crossed his mind. A few days ago, when he had questioned Celodine about his conversation with Rishar, he had said he hadn’t mentioned anything about infertility.

So he wouldn’t have mentioned it this time either. And Rishar wouldn’t have asked about it.

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Etienne tried to think positively while forcefully suppressing his anxiety.

Before leaving the Grand Duke’s residence, Rishar had said there was no need to worry about pregnancy since he hadn’t knotted during his heat. At that time, Etienne had just quietly nodded.

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Rishar seemed like he wanted to say more, but seeing Etienne’s troubled expression, he quietly closed his mouth. Etienne didn’t bother to speak either.

Although Celodine had advised him to have a proper conversation with Rishar, Etienne couldn’t follow his advice. How could he tell him that he might be ‘defective’ even as an Omega?

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Rishar had said he didn’t care whether Etienne was a Beta or Omega, that he had liked him continuously since thinking he was a Beta, but there was a clear difference between an Omega who could bear children and one who couldn’t.

If Rishar knew that fact and felt disappointed or regretful, it would be unbearable. Etienne’s trembling lips drew together.

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Though his long kept secret had been exposed and he had shown all sorts of unsightly appearances to Rishar, he still had pride.

Rishar already viewed him with pity. He didn’t want to appear more pitiful than this. It was already sufficiently miserable.

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If he had known this would happen, he should have made sure to keep Celodine’s mouth shut.

Etienne regretted it belatedly. He wanted to run to Celodine right away and ask what he had told Rishar.

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He waited for Rishar’s answer with an anxious face. His mouth went dry with nervousness. A few seconds felt like minutes. Finally, Rishar opened his mouth.

“About ways to make you healthier than you are now.”

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“What?”

Rishar’s words were unexpected once again. Etienne, who had been extremely tense, had a surprised expression at the completely unexpected response.

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“Last time, Sir Celodine said that it was a miracle you’ve endured so much until now, that if you weren’t a dominant Omega, something terrible would have happened long ago.”

Rishar’s face darkened as he recalled his conversation with Celodine. Even now, anger rose when he thought about that day when he learned all the truth.

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“I’ve been worried ever since… I wanted to know if there was anything I could do to help.”

“What the…”

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Etienne’s expression deflated as he had been anxiously wondering if Rishar would bring up the topic of infertility. He felt both relief and emptiness.

“You scared me.”

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Etienne unconsciously complained once the tension was released. Now that he felt relieved, he was now annoyed.

At the reproachful voice, Rishar made an expression like a puppy being scolded by its owner.

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“Are you angry that I went to see him on my own? I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

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Etienne let out a small sigh at Rishar’s apologetic demeanor as he watched for his reaction. What could he say when Rishar had done it out of concern and desire to help?

After all, this anxiety he felt was because he was keeping secrets from Rishar.

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Etienne smiled bitterly. As it is said, a guilty conscience needs no accuser – that’s exactly what he was like.

But he still felt somewhat wronged. Rishar and he weren’t yet at a stage to discuss the future. Though Rishar had confessed, he had postponed his answer.

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Because he himself couldn’t tell whether his feelings for Rishar were affection for a childhood friend and brother-like figure, or love for someone he wanted as a lover and partner.

Because of that, while unable to accept Rishar’s feelings, he couldn’t reject the affection Rishar gave him, creating an ambiguous situation.

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They kissed, did even more than that, and were indeed closer than others, but their relationship was unclear, not quite lovers.

That was the current state between Rishar and Etienne. That’s why he couldn’t speak up. He didn’t want to create unnecessary trouble.

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Unless I actually am pregnant…

For a moment, Etienne stiffened, startled by his own thought. When the thought of children crossed his mind, an inexplicable fear overwhelmed him. Etienne lightly shook his head as if trying to shake off the anxiety clinging to his body.

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“What did you talk about with Sir Celodine?”

Etienne asked in an intentionally light tone after composing his expression. He was curious about what conversation Rishar had with Celodine.

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“Huh? Ah, well…”

Rishar didn’t answer immediately. Etienne became anxious again when he trailed off. Rishar saw Etienne waiting for his words with a tense expression and smiled mischievously.

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“I heard about various ways to make you healthy.”

“So what are those ways?”

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“You might regret hearing them. No, actually, you already know one of them.”

“I do? …Ah.”

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Etienne, who had been pressing Rishar, let out a small exclamation as if realizing something. There was one memory that instantly crossed his mind.

No way.

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Etienne’s face turned as red as if it were on fire as he recalled the method he had heard from Celodine before. There was only one method he knew of.

Rishar leaned in slightly again as he watched Etienne’s complexion turn as pink as a ripe peach. He kissed the ear lobe that had turned as red as his face and whispered in a subtle voice.

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“Sir Celodine said that nothing is better for your recovery than spending nights with an Alpha.”

“T-that’s only during heat cycles…”

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“That’s not what I heard, though? Because there’s a lot of toxins accumulated in your body, he said it would be good to do it frequently even when you’re not in heat to get rid of them all…”

“You’re lying.”

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Etienne denied Rishar’s words while hunching his shoulders. As lips brushed against his ear and hot breath invaded his ear canal, his cooled body became hot again.

“Lying? I would never lie to you.”

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Rishar grinned with smiling eyes while rubbing Etienne’s ear with his hand. He slid his hand downward while admiring with his eyes how Etienne flinched at his touch.

The hand that smoothly traveled down the straight neckline traced over the mark between his neck and shoulder. The soft skin and appropriately warm temperature felt good under his fingertips.

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“I heard about another method too.”

“Another, ah, method? Which one…?”

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Etienne, who had been twitching at the touch that lightly pressed against his throbbing skin, carefully asked. He was both afraid and curious about what would come from Rishar’s mouth.

“Pheromone shower.”

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“Pheromone shower?”

Etienne’s eyes widened at Rishar’s answer. A pheromone shower was the act of an Alpha and Omega spraying their pheromones on each other’s bodies.

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It was an act of covering one’s Alpha or Omega with pheromones to prevent them from smelling other Alphas or Omegas’ scents while simultaneously preventing others from smelling their scent.

In the past, it was used by parents to protect children who were inexperienced with control, or to calm those who experienced pheromone surges due to injuries, but at some point, it became established as an act of affection between close lovers or unmarked couples.

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This was because pheromone showers satisfied their mutual possessiveness and desire for exclusivity, and had the effect of announcing their relationship to others.

“Though the effect is weaker than spending the night together, he said that receiving regular pheromone showers would be most helpful for getting rid of your built up tolerance.”

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Rishar explained what he had heard from Celodine while lowering his head. He buried his face in Etienne’s long, slender nape and took a deep breath.

Though Etienne didn’t seem to realize it, his body had been emitting a faint flower scent since the moment they kissed.

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“So I was thinking…”

Rishar whispered in a low voice as if telling a secret. His body was already releasing pheromones too.

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Etienne wiggled his toes as he felt Rishar’s body scent wrapping around his ankles. The suddenly intensified pheromones crawled up his calves like a snake.

“Shall we try a pheromone shower?”

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