HTTRPIAO Ch 90-94

“I…”

Etienne could not answer right away. His hazy sky blue eyes trembled slightly. His heart was beating so violently that he felt it might burst at any moment.

Rishar looked at Etienne, who was flustered and at a loss for words, silently.

Etienne bit his lip while looking at Rishar, who was waiting for his answer.

Did he miss him? Of course he had missed him. Rishar had always been his comfort and the driving force that helped him endure such a difficult life. Now that they had grown even closer, that meaning was even greater.

Yet he could not answer Rishar’s question. More precisely, his voice wouldn’t come out. From the moment he heard Rishar say he missed him, his mind went blank.

“So, uhm…”

Etienne, who had barely opened his mouth, mumbled and then closed it again.

He could just say that he missed him too. However, as if it was being blocked by something invisible, no voice could be let out.

“Was the question too much?”

Rishar cautiously asked when Etienne could not easily answer. He got overwhelmed with anxiety in a moment of jealousy and said it, but now he wondered if that had burdened him.

“No, no at all.”

Etienne shook his head, denying it. Rishar had done nothing wrong. His question was an ordinary one that anyone could ask.

The problem was with himself, who could not even give a simple answer of ‘me too.’

“It’s not that…”

Etienne, who had opened his mouth as if making an excuse, trailed off. He could say other words, but for some reason, that wouldn’t come out of his mouth. Every time he tried to tell Rishar he had missed him, he felt as if he were choking.

What’s wrong with me?

Etienne furrowed his brow with a confused expression. He was aware that something was wrong with him, but he could not understand what.

Moments ago, when he saw Rishar with Stella, various emotions overwhelmed him to the point where he couldn’t control himself.

Happy yet embarrassed, excited yet afraid. Etienne didn’t know the name of the emotions he felt when seeing Rishar.

“Rishar.”

This won’t do. Etienne called Rishar, forcing strength into his neck. His eyes, which had been wandering aimlessly and unable to look directly, finally turned towards him.

But this time too, he couldn’t continue his words. The moment he met Rishar’s eyes filled with affection and longing, Etienne felt his heart drop with a thud.

“Ah.”

His eyes, which resembled droplets, grew larger than usual, and a sigh escaped between his slightly parted lips.

Only then did Etienne realize why he had not been able to look directly at Rishar’s face or meet his eyes.

He had missed Rishar. Since that last night in the detached palace, he had continuously missed him, and because his longing was huge, the impact of meeting him again was also immense.

Etienne was startled by this belated realization. Though it had not been just a day or two since they were apart, and they had been apart for longer periods before, he was flustered to feel these emotions now.

No, actually, this time had been particularly difficult. Even though he could communicate with Rishar through Stella and hear news about him, somehow it had been more challenging than waiting for letters that may not come over the past three years.

On days when Stella would relay Rishar’s words or tell him about Rishar, his longing grew even more. He wanted to see, feel, and experience Rishar directly with his own eyes, not through someone else.

And so, he missed him, and felt as lonely as if he were left alone in the world.

Yes, he was lonely. Especially at night, when he had to sleep alone without Rishar.

Even when he was so tired he felt like he might die, or his head was about to split from pain, there were quite a few nights when he tossed and turned without falling asleep until dawn.

On such nights, Rishar’s embrace would inevitably come to his mind. That embrace that made him feel protected from everything in the world, solid and warm.

Once, he had even slept while hugging Rishar’s cardigan. Though Rishar’s scent had completely disappeared, the fact that it was his alone gave Etienne a strange sense of comfort.

That’s how he endured the time without him.

And today, after not seeing him for several weeks, his emotions overflowed. That’s why he couldn’t meet Rishar’s eyes.

He was afraid of revealing the longing that had accumulated over time, afraid he couldn’t hide his wavering emotions from Rishar.

“Hyung-nim?”

Rishar called out, startled, as Etienne’s face contorted as if he might cry.

Etienne only slightly moved his lips without making a sound. The emotions rising to his throat felt like they might overflow at any moment.

At that moment, Eris’s voice echoed through the corridor.

“What the, are you all here?”

Startled by the voice from behind, Etienne quickly moved away from Rishar. Stella and Antoine also stopped their conversation.

“Grand Duchess Sachsen.”

Etienne tensed upon seeing Eris appear at the end of the corridor. He worried whether she had seen him and Rishar standing intimately together. Fortunately, she didn’t seem like she had.

“It’s been a while, everyone.”

Eris approached and greeted them with a bright smile. Her husband, Count Hiasen, timidly bowed his head.

“Wow, Your Highness. You’ve really put in some effort today. Aren’t you going to make everyone’s hearts flutter?”

Eris whistled while looking Etienne up and down. It was quite disrespectful for someone to address a prince like that, but Etienne didn’t point it out. He knew why she was behaving this way.

“You are particularly beautiful today, Grand Duchess.”

“What, are you trying to flirt with me now? Who told you to smile so prettily? I’m a taken woman!”

Etienne smiled faintly at her. Talking with Eris gradually calmed the surging emotions that were like a strong wave. Without realizing it, he let out a sigh of relief.

Unlike him, Rishar coldly stared at Eris, who had interrupted their conversation.

Eris also didn’t bother to speak to Rishar. Instead, she showed interest in Antoine.

“By the way, is this the person…?”

“Ah, yes. This is the Margrave’s son, whom I’ll be escorting today. You saw him once at the last banquet, right? Lord Mathias, this is the Empress’s cousin, Grand Duchess Sachsen.”

Etienne introduced Eris to Antoine. Antoine then bowed politely.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Grand Duchess Sachsen. I am Antoine of the Mathias family.”

“Nice to meet you, Lord Mathias.”

Eris pursed her lips and received his greeting. Her eyes shone sharply as she looked at Antoine.

Etienne sensed curiosity and wariness in Eris’s gaze towards Antoine.

“Ah, right. Have you heard the news about the Grand Duke Bismarck? I heard he’s not feeling well.”

After briefly greeting Antoine, Eris spoke to Etienne again.

“I’ve already heard from my mother. I plan to visit when I have time.”

“That’s a good idea. Should we go together if our schedules align?”

“Sure. It seems it’s almost time to enter.”

Etienne pulled out his pocket watch and turned his gaze towards the entrance connected to the great hall. He didn’t want to talk with Eris for too long. Conveniently, the doors opened at that moment.

“Esteemed guests who illuminate the skies of the Empire, we welcome you. We will now escort you inside.”

The chamberlain, dressed in formal attire, appeared between the opened doors. He greeted Etienne, Rishar, and Eris with a respectful gesture.

As soon as the chamberlain finished speaking, Etienne rushed towards the door as if fleeing. He could feel Rishar’s gaze on his back.

“Lord Mathias.”

Etienne, standing at the door, extended his hand to Antoine. Antoine, with a tense face, took his hand. The chamberlain, confirming Etienne was ready, signaled to the doorkeeper.

“The Star of the Empire, Etienne de Frederick and the third son of the Mathias family, Young Master Mathias, are here!”

At the chamberlain’s signal, the doorkeeper announced their entrance in a resounding voice.

The noisy great hall instantly fell silent. Etienne felt the gazes directed at him as he moved inside.

“Don’t be so nervous.”

Etienne consoled Antoine, who was frozen by the stares, as they walked. Countless eyes followed them with each step.

Curiosity, desire, reverence, hostility, jealousy… Gazes filled with numerous emotions clung to Etienne.

He ignored both favorable and hostile gazes, focusing on moving to his seat. In truth, he had no leisure to care about such things.

All his senses were entirely focused on Rishar, who was behind him. Rishar’s gaze was so intense that other people’s looks felt dim in comparison.

“The Shield of the Empire, Grand Duchess Eris von Sachsen and her partner Lua Hiasen, are here!”

The voice announcing Eris’s entrance dispersed people’s gazes.

Only then did Antoine exhale the breath he had been holding. Etienne forgot to tell him he did well and looked up at the stairs he had descended from.

“The Sword of the Empire, Grand Duke Rishar von Eckhart and the first daughter of the Flang family, Lady Stella Flang, are here!”

After the doorkeeper’s call, Rishar and Stella appeared. Hundreds of eyes in the great hall immediately turned to Rishar. The remaining gazes on Etienne and Antoine almost completely disappeared.

“…”

Etienne blankly stared at Rishar, who was descending the stairs escorting Stella. He was no longer looking at Etienne.

Etienne felt his heart throb and bit the inside of his cheek.

Seeing the gaze that had persistently followed him just moments ago now turn to Stella made him feel like he had been doused in a sticky, viscous liquid.

“Is that the Omega who is… the Grand Duke’s first partner?”

“She’s incredibly beautiful. They say the Grand Duke is completely smitten with this young lady?”

“She’s the mage commander of the Eckhart family.”

People showed interest in Rishar and Stella without holding back. Since Rishar, known for not giving attention to Omegas, was now surrounded by romantic rumors, it was impossible not to be intrigued.

Etienne tried to let the chatter about the two slide past one ear. But it was not as easy as he thought.

“I heard that, because of this Omega, the marriage talk with the Mathias family fell out.”

“Really? So does that mean that Lady Flang will become the Grand Duchess?”

Without realizing it, Etienne clenched his fists tightly.

Even knowing the current situation was meant to deceive Leona, and understanding that all these rumors were baseless, his mood sank endlessly.

“Margrave Mathias must be upset.”

“The Margrave? Why?”

“After putting in efforts for the Grand Duke for months, suddenly losing out to an Omega who appeared out of nowhere…”

As someone mentioned Margrave Mathias, the surroundings became even more noisy. Some were cautious of Etienne’s presence, but most were not.

Those who could sit near the imperial family at the banquet were high-ranking nobles of the rank of count and above, and mostly Alphas and Omegas. They were not very afraid of Etienne. They were also confident that Etienne, being a Beta, would not hear their conversation.

In fact, if Etienne were truly a Beta, he wouldn’t have heard more than half of their conversation. Alphas and Omegas, having better physical conditions than Betas, could converse in voices too small for Betas to hear, and they were doing precisely that now.

However, Etienne was a dominant Omega pretending to be a Beta, and he heard every single word of those talking about him and Antoine.

“Nah, what’s there to be upset about? Being the Prince’s partner is better than being the Grand Duke’s.”

“I’m not so sure about that, we’ll have to wait and see.”

What should I do? Etienne wondered as the murmurs grew increasingly intense. The nobles had one purpose: to insult Antoine, a dominant Omega, while avoiding the situation where it could reach Etienne’s ears as he’s a Beta.

Sure enough, Antoine’s face turned bright red upon hearing the people’s chatter. However, he couldn’t confront them. The nobles’ actions were a typical method of constraint in social circles.

For nobles, social circles were important. A reputation in social circles could lead to reputations in political and business circles, and even in the empire.

Despite having Margrave Mathias as his father and being predicted as the future prince’s consort, Antoine was merely a newbie who had just taken his first steps in the imperial social circle. For him to stand up to nobles much older than himself was unthinkable. If he failed to endure and stepped forward, he would surely be torn apart as an arrogant young Omega.

Also, Margrave Mathias’s reputation was currently not that good. To nobles who valued self-esteem and honor, he was like a bat who switched factions for momentary gain. Especially to the imperial faction nobles, Mathias Margrave was nothing short of a traitor.

Furthermore, it was not just the imperial faction who looked down on Margrave Mathias. Even the noble faction found the Margrave to be a thorn in their side simply because Antoine had taken the seat beside Etienne. To the noble faction, it seemed like an outsider had rolled in and displaced one of their own.

In the end, Margrave Mathias and Antoine had become uncomfortable presences for both the imperial and noble factions. The nobles’ current behavior was because of all this. Unable to criticize him directly, they were expressing their dissatisfaction by making Antoine feel humiliated.

“Why did he even bother proposing a marriage alliance to the Eckhart family… Seems like he has no self-respect.”

“It’s human greed, honestly. How disappointing. It’s like he’s doing business with his children.”

As Etienne and Antoine showed no particular reaction, people became increasingly bold. The more they criticized Margrave Mathias, the more Antoine’s face turned red and pale. Etienne let out a small sigh looking at Antoine, who was biting his lower lip in frustration. He had tried to endure, but it seemed impossible now.

“How noisy.”

As soon as Etienne deliberately spoke loudly to himself, the murmurs abruptly stopped. Those who had been chattering enthusiastically just seconds ago simultaneously closed their mouths as if by agreement.

“You.”

Etienne looked around the suddenly quiet surroundings and pointed to the man who had most blatantly criticized Margrave Mathias. In such situations, it was best to grab one person and make an example.

“You’ve been crossing the line for quite some time. Moderate yourself.”

“Pardon? What do you mean…”

The man singled out by Etienne played dumb with a flustered face.

“Are you asking because you don’t know?”

Etienne tilted his head and asked back. His gaze turned towards the man’s chest.

“Looking at the emblem, you’re from House Lumos? I remember hearing that the Count’s only son would attend this ball… How unfortunate to meet like this, Young Master Lumos.”

“Uck!”

The Count’s son, whose identity was exposed by Etienne, reflexively covered his emblem, but it was already too late.

“It seems like Count Lumos has failed miserably in raising his child. To think you’d have the audacity to insult the prince of the empire so casually. Where did you learn such manners? Did your etiquette teacher teach you this?”

“I-Insult?! It’s a misunderstanding!”

“Misunderstanding? I heard it directly. Shall I recite word for word what you said just now?”

“I, uhm, I was just talking about rumors about Young Master Mathias, Your Highness… Others were saying the same…”

The Count’s son complained tearfully. He looked around, seemingly seeking help, but no one was willing to help him. Those who had been chattering with him just moments ago now completely ignored him.

“Don’t you know that insulting someone I’m escorting is the same as insulting me? I didn’t know you were so stupid as to not understand that.”

After making excuses, Etienne sharply shot back at him. People swallowed dry watching Etienne harshly reprimand Young Master Lumos. They knew he had a bad temperament, but today was different.

Until now, nobles had subtly looked down on Etienne. Partly because he was a Beta and hadn’t achieved any notable accomplishments as a prince, but most significantly because Etienne himself had never highlighted his own presence.

Indeed, Etienne had rarely appeared in official settings, and when he did, he always appeared powerless. The Prince would have a gloomy impression and wouldn’t do anything more than sit quietly in his seat or drink alone before leaving.

Having a passive behaviour, he didn’t engage in any social activities or even have basic interactions with people. Rather, when someone approached him, he would stiffen up like a hedgehog with spikes, seemingly refusing human contact.

In an era where the imperial family’s power was weaker than before, Etienne’s unmotivated attitude and defensive attitude only invited further disregard from the nobility.

But not today. Those with keen senses realized that Etienne had changed. They couldn’t pinpoint exactly what, but the atmosphere around him was definitely different from before. His usually blurry presence was particularly vivid today.

“My apologies, Your Highness. I was wrong.”

Realizing he had no way out, his face distorted. He bowed with a face as white as a sheet. He thought about how unlucky he had been to be caught.

“Please show mercy…”

“Seek mercy from Young Master Mathias, not me.”

Cutting off his words, Etienne handed him over to Antoine. And as if to make a statement, he wrapped his arm around Antoine’s shoulder.

“If Lord Mathias accepts your apology, I will forgive you.”

“I-I’m sorry, Lord Mathias.”

As soon as Etienne stopped speaking, Count Lumos’s son apologized to Antoine. He had already been thoroughly humiliated, but he needed to handle the situation as best he could.

“I have no intention of making a scene on such a good day. I will accept your apology.”

Antoine responded calmly. With a composed face, he accepted the apology. Seeing the situation somewhat resolved, Etienne smiled and sarcastically remarked to Lumos.

“Fortunately for you, Lord Mathias has a generous heart, hasn’t het?”

“Yes, yes, Your Highness.”

“Then I hope you enjoy the ball.”

“Th-thank you.”

Count Lumos’s son disappeared into the crowd as if fleeing. This incident would likely be discussed for a long time as a stain on his reputation. Such is the nature of social circles.

“It’s finally quiet.”

Looking around at the surroundings now as quiet as if cold water had been poured, Etienne muttered with a satisfied expression. No one was talking about Rishar or Antoine anymore.

“Thank you…”

Antoine whispered gratefully to Etienne. The corners of his eyes were flushed as if they had been dyed with flower petals.

“I didn’t do it for you. I did it for myself.”

Etienne spoke firmly to Antoine, who was looking at him with a moved expression. He didn’t want Antoine to develop any other expectations of him.

“Still…”

Despite Etienne’s words that it wasn’t for him, Antoine smiled softly. Then he whispered in a shy voice.

“As expected, Your Highness is truly kind.”

“Nonsense.”

Etienne dismissed Antoine’s words. His reason for intervening was that he was irritated by people talking carelessly about him or Rishar. He didn’t want to hear talk of Stella being called a Grand Duchess, or Antoine being referred to as the future prince’s consort.

“I just didn’t want to hear useless chatter about us.”

“Alright.”

Etienne frowned slightly looking at Antoine, who was still beaming. It seemed Antoine didn’t believe his words. Instead, he seemed to have some strange misunderstanding. No, not just Antoine. Others also thought Etienne had stepped in for him.

“The Prince seems to care quite a bit about Lord Mathias. I’ve never seen such a side of him before.”

“Shh, the Prince might hear. Let’s talk about this later.”

“Both the Grand Duke and His Highness the Prince… it seems spring has come to the imperial family.”

Etienne swallowed a sigh at the conversation tickling his ears. He had expected some misunderstanding, but it was far more intense than anticipated. He suddenly felt extreme fatigue. Then, a slightly subdued voice was heard.

“What a weird atmosphere.”

“Grand Duke Eckhart?”

Etienne flinched seeing Rishar approach him. His face was stiff without a trace of a smile.

“As I was coming here, I heard someone boldly spoke and disturbed Your Highness’s mood.”

Rishar, standing before Etienne, smiled fiercely. His deep, blue eyes glinted menacingly. Soon, his lips pressed into a straight line as if he had never smiled.

“Indeed, from what I briefly heard, it was truly ridiculous.”

With a voice like it carried a cold wind, a gaze as sharp as icicles turned towards the people. Those who made eye contact with Rishar each inhaled sharply.

“Grand Duke.”

Without thinking, Etienne reached out to stop him. Rishar’s face, now devoid of expression, was frighteningly cold. Even though that face wasn’t directed at him, it made his heart chill.

“There’s no need to be angry. I’ve already said a word to put them in their place.”

“Is just one word enough?”

Rishar paused at the hand grabbing his wrist. The coldness instantly softened. Seeing Etienne’s hand gripping his sleeve, warmth returned to his icy eyes.

“Today is the debutante ball. Countless noble ladies and gentlemen have been waiting for this day. We don’t want to cause a disturbance.”

Once is fine, but twice is not. Etienne put strength into his hand gripping Rishar’s wrist, trying to calm him down.

He had already caused one because of him. He roughly understood why Rishar was angry, but he had to endure it now. If the problem escalated here, he would only give his enemies more ammunition against him.

“Absolutely. I have no intention of causing a commotion here.”

Rishar smiled as if to say not to worry. Etienne still couldn’t relax, even seeing Rishar smile like a gentle puppy. This was because he had recently learned that Rishar was more hot-tempered than he initially thought.

Even now, his gaze toward others was terribly cold.

“I’m just a bit upset because there seem to be more people disloyal to the imperial family than I thought.”

His eyes, filled with a coldness, stared behind Etienne. At Rishar’s additional words, some people coughed uncomfortably. Etienne slightly tugged on Rishar’s sleeve as if to stop him.

“I told you to stop.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Rishar responded obediently to Etienne’s restraint and withdrew his gaze.

Antoine blinked, observing how Rishar listened to Etienne. Although Etienne had given him a hint, their relationship seemed much closer than expected.

Antoine wasn’t the only one who sensed this atmosphere. Some quick-witted individuals exchanged glances. In their eyes, Rishar and Etienne were not only on good terms, but seemed quite close. Most notably, Rishar appeared to be following Etienne’s lead.

Feeling the suspicious gazes, Etienne unconsciously removed his hand that was holding Rishar’s sleeve. He had moved without thinking to prevent him from causing trouble, but he realized they looked too intimate.

However, Rishar didn’t let Etienne remove his hand. Instead, he deliberately grabbed Etienne’s hand.

“…!”

Suddenly feeling the warmth at his fingertips, Etienne’s arm tensed. He tried not to show his confusion and gave Rishar a look to let go of his hand.

Rishar then playfully curved his eyes, squeezing Etienne’s hand once before releasing it.

“I’ve thought about this before, but Your Highness is truly generous.”

“Me?”

“Yes. You generously forgive those who speak thoughtless rumors without knowing their place. If it were me, I would have considered it an act of insubordination to the imperial family and strictly punished them according to military law.”

“Grand Duke!”

Etienne called out in a surprised voice, shocked by such a statement. At that moment, the doorkeeper timely announced the arrival of the Emperor and Empress.

“The Sun of the Empire, His Majesty the Emperor, Edwin de Frederick, and the Moon of the Empire, Her Majesty the Empress, Leona Herace, are here!”

As the powerful voice echoed through the reception hall, the central staircase doors wide opened. Edwin and Leona revealed themselves.

“We greet the Sun and Moon of the Empire!”

As the two appeared, everyone in the hall simultaneously bowed. The hall, with hundreds of people, became silent in an instant.

So quiet that not even a breath could be heard, only Edwin and Leona’s footsteps resonated.

“Whew…”

Confirming that everyone’s attention was focused on Edwin and Leona, Etienne let out a sigh of relief.

Then, with a casual face, he glanced sideways at Rishar, who was bowing his head, with an annoyed expression.

Although he seemed in a bad mood even before entering the hall, today Rishar was particularly tense.

He seemed somewhat anxious, and also seemed angry about something.

Though Etienne didn’t know the exact reason, he was certainly not relaxed right now.

“Everyone, you may raise your heads.”

Worried and glancing sideways at Rishar, Etienne straightened his upper body at Edwin’s voice.

Edwin smiled benevolently as people began to raise their heads. As he slowly surveyed the hall, he paused when he spotted Etienne.

What’s going on? Etienne unconsciously tensed up as Edwin’s gaze lingered on him. Since their conversation in the detached palace, things had been awkward between them.

“Everyone here today represents the future of the Empire. I celebrate the new beginning of the young people who will lead the Empire. I hope you all enjoy your time.”

Edwin was the first to look away. After averting his gaze from Etienne, he gave a brief congratulatory speech. Thunderous applause followed Edwin’s words. Leona then said her prepared speech.

“Prince and Young Lord Mathias, come closer.”

After Leona’s speech ended, Edwin called Etienne and Antoine.

Etienne extended his hand to Antoine as they had practiced.

“Etienne de Frederick greets the Sun and Moon of the Empire.”

“Antoine Mathias greets the Sun and Moon of the Empire.”

Etienne and Antoine, standing before Edwin and Leona, greeted them using proper etiquette. The debutante ball traditionally began with the highest ranking family or title holder greeting the Emperor and Empress and dancing the first dance.

This year, Prince Etienne and his escort Antoine were set to dance first.

“The two of them look quite the perfect match, don’t they, Your Majesty?”

Leona, looking fondly at Etienne and Antoine, asked Edwin.

“Well…”

Instead of agreeing, Edwin trailed off. His gaze briefly turned to Rishar. Knowing Rishar’s feelings, he found the current situation uncomfortable.

“Your Majesty?”

Leona stiffened her eyes when Edwin mumbled his response. Edwin ignored Leona’s call and shifted his gaze to Etienne, which made him feel even heavier.

Rishar had said he was in love with him, but from Edwin’s perspective, Etienne didn’t seem entirely indifferent to him either.

“…Both the Prince and Young Lord Mathias look as beautiful as flowers today.”

Eventually, Edwin couldn’t bring himself to say that Etienne and Antoine looked good together. He couldn’t bring himself to speak of them as if they were a couple. Instead, he complimented their appearance.

“Thank you.”

Etienne responded with a calm face. Edwin looked at him with a sorrowful gaze and cautiously added,

“I look forward to… the first dance.”

As soon as Edwin finished speaking, the chamberlain signaled to the edge of the hall. As the imperial band began to play, life returned to the previously quiet hall.

“Come here.”

Etienne naturally led Antoine to the center. Hundreds of gazes turned to them. Antoine looked like he might suffocate under the attention.

“There’s nothing to be nervous about. Just do it as we practiced.”

“Aren’t you nervous, Your Highness?”

Antoine asked in a highly anxious voice. Etienne whispered reassurances to Antoine, whose face had turned pale, and held his hand. Soon, their bodies moved in harmony with the music.

“What if I make a mistake?”

Even after the dance began, Antoine couldn’t calm down. As if trying to shake off his anxiety, he kept talking to Etienne.

“I’m more likely to make a mistake than you. You dance much better than me. And what if I do make a mistake?”

“If you make a mistake, like before…”

Recalling the earlier incident, Antoine’s face was filled with worry. It seemed the public verbal assault had been quite shocking. He muttered in a trembling voice,

“I didn’t know people’s stares could be this frightening.”

“…Indeed.”

Etienne agreed with Antoine’s words and guided him softly. He had been feeling Rishar’s gaze continuously from earlier.

Feeling the persistent gaze fixed on him, Etienne subtly tensed the corners of his lips. He could let other people’s gazes slide, but not his.

***

“You were incredibly impressive earlier.”

“Hm?”

Etienne, sitting with a tired face, blinked slowly as Eris spoke to him. She was standing before him with a wine glass, though he didn’t know when she had approached.

Their eyes met, and Eris lightly clinked her glass against his.

“Count Lumos’s son, was it? When you put that arrogant brat in his place.”

“How’s that impressive…”

Etienne retorted as if it weren’t a big deal, bringing the wine glass to his mouth. The sweet yet bitter liquid burning his throat made his insides heat up.

“But how did you hear him?”

Eris, moving closer to Etienne, asked with a face full of curiosity.

“It’s embarrassing to admit it, but I didn’t hear what those people were saying at all. It’s just typical behavior of those Alphas and Omegas assholes, right? Using the fact that Betas can’t hear their voices to whisper behind their backs.”

“I didn’t hear everything, but when I noticed Lord Mathias’s expression wasn’t good, I focused and caught some of it. Especially Young Master Lumos, he wasn’t trying to lower his voice at all…”

“Hmm, is that so? But why couldn’t I hear it?”

“Who knows. Maybe I have better ears than you, Grand Duchess.”

Etienne responded casually, putting down his wine glass. Was it because he hadn’t had alcohol in a while, or because he had been tense all day? His head had been dizzy since earlier.

“Nonsense. How could a knight like me have duller ears than Your Highness?”

Eris laughed, looking incredulous. Then, in a subtle voice, she pressed him.

“Tell me. What trick did you use?”

Eris’s eyes narrowed. Etienne felt a small doubt in her gaze.

“What trick? I just happened to hear it.”

“Just happened to hear it… that doesn’t make sense.”

“What doesn’t make sense? Honestly, even you didn’t completely miss it, did you?”

Etienne raised his voice, acting like he knew everything. In these situations, it was best to be aggressive.

“Well, but…”

Eris trailed off as Etienne became irritated and raised his voice. Etienne didn’t miss the opportunity to continue.

“I also only heard a few conversations just like you, Grand Duchess. I singled out Lord Lumos because, as I said, his voice was the most audible.”

“Hmm.”

Eris furrowed her brow at Etienne’s explanation and fell silent. It seemed she wasn’t easily convinced.

“Let’s end it here. I’ll pass on any further pointless bickering.”

“It’s still strange…”

Eris muttered to herself even though Etienne had signaled the end of the matter. However, she didn’t press further.

“Whew.”

Etienne let out a tired sigh after confirming Eris had calmed down. His headache was getting worse.

He looked around the banquet hall with a weary face. As the masquerade progressed, the pheromones in the air were growing thicker. It was natural since vigorous Alphas and Omegas were gathered in one place.

Etienne frowned at the pheromones stinging his nose. Even though he had taken sufficient medication before the banquet, he could still sense scents everywhere. It seemed the medicine’s effects were gradually wearing off.

“…”

As Etienne realized his numbed sense of smell was returning, he rolled his eyes to check Antoine’s location. Antoine was with Mathias.

“What are you looking at… Oh, you were looking at Margrave Mathias’ son?”

Eris turned her head following Etienne’s gaze, twisting her lips with a mischievous expression.

“I thought you had zero interest, but now I see that even Your Highness is a man after all?”

“It’s not like that.”

Etienne responded firmly. Although he had somewhat prepared himself when becoming Antoine’s cavalier, his chest felt tight whenever his name was linked with Antoine’s.

“Hey, come on. You even stepped up for him earlier. You can speak comfortably with me. You like Young Master Mathias, don’t you?”

“I’m telling you, no.”

Etienne, who had repeatedly denied Eris’ words, stood up staggering. Perhaps due to the medicine wearing off, his stomach was churning.

“Where are you going?”

“I feel like I’m getting drunk. I’ll just rest for a moment.”

Etienne headed towards the door connected to the imperial family’s private lounge, leaving Eris behind.

He had been maintaining his position because he had a responsibility to escort Antoine. But now it seemed unnecessary.

“If Young Lord Mathias looks for me, please let me know.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

After giving this instruction to Ben, Etienne checked Antoine, who was walking around the reception hall with Margrave Mathias and greeting people, and then left the hall.

“Ugh.”

As soon as he entered the corridor, Etienne covered his mouth with his hand and retched. He repeatedly inhaled and exhaled deeply to calm his churning stomach.

“Haah.”

After a while, Etienne, somewhat calmed, leaned his body against a cold marble column.

Fortunately, the corridor was quiet without a single sign of life. It was natural since that corridor connected to the imperial family’s private lounge.

“What time is it…”

Etienne, who had been blankly staring at the empty corridor, slowly pulled out his pocket watch.

There were nearly two hours left until midnight, when the debutante ball would end.

The ball commemorating the debut would continue until the next morning, but the masquerade itself would end at midnight.

He just needed to endure for about two more hours, and his tasks for today would be over.

“Just hold on a little, just a little.”

Etienne murmured like a magic spell as he moved. In his heart, he wanted to return to the Estella Palace right away and rest, but he had to hold out until midnight.

“Where is it?”

The imperial family’s lounges were prepared individually for each person. Etienne checked the doorknobs to find the room assigned to him.

Soon, he easily found his assigned room and moved towards it. Celodine would be waiting inside.

However, Etienne couldn’t reach the room. Suddenly, an arm that burst out wrapped around his waist and pulled him.

“Who…! Ah.”

Before he could react, Etienne was dragged onto the balcony and trapped in a solid embrace. At that moment, a small exclamation escaped his lips.

He immediately recognized who had embraced him. How could he not? It was now a very familiar embrace to him.

“Rishar?”

Etienne called Rishar’s name in a slightly startled voice. Because he was backlit by moonlight, he couldn’t clearly see the face of the person embracing him. Perhaps because of that, even though he thought it was Rishar, he felt uneasy.

“Yes, hyung-nim.”

Only after the soft voice whispered in his ear could Etienne relax his body. Only then could he see Rishar’s face properly.

“You startled me.”

“I apologize.”

Rishar apologized with a faint smile to Etienne’s complaint.

“How long have you been here?”

Etienne, having completely relaxed his tension, asked in a more comfortable voice. It seemed he had been hiding away from people to rest.

“Not long. I came out because it felt stuffy inside, and then I saw you come out.”

“If you saw me, you could have called me…”

Etienne grumbled in a small voice. Then, realizing he was still in Rishar’s embrace, he pulled his body back. Someone seeing them like this would be problematic.

“It’s fine.”

As Etienne tried to escape from his embrace, Rishar subtly applied force to the arm holding him. Then he spun around as if dancing.

Etienne momentarily felt his body float and grabbed Rishar’s clothes tightly.

Rishar moved a few more steps while holding Etienne. Then he sat Etienne on the balcony railing.

Etienne gripped Rishar’s clothes as he felt his body wobble. Then a hand rising above his waist steadily supported his back.

Etienne, who had suddenly ended up sitting on the railing, frowned. He wanted to get up, but Rishar was blocking him, making it impossible.

Since it was difficult to maintain his balance, he couldn’t remove his hands from Rishar’s body. As a result, their bodies were even more closely pressed together than before.

“What if people see us?”

“Don’t worry. There’s no one here but us.”

Rishar replied in a relaxed voice. The Emperor and Empress’s room was located separately, connected to the central staircase. The only other people who could come here were Eris and her husband, Count Hiasen.

“Still…”

Despite Rishar’s words, Etienne couldn’t easily shake off his anxiety. Even knowing that only imperialty or their attendants could enter, he kept feeling uneasy.

“It’s fine, I tell you.”

As Etienne looked around nervously, Rishar pressed his forehead against Etienne’s, as if to say not to worry. Thump, as their foreheads touched, Etienne’s shoulders flinched.

“If anyone comes or something happens, Stella will signal us.”

“Is Lady Stella here too?”

“She is, so don’t worry.”

Rishar smiled as if to say it was okay to relax. However, Etienne’s expression didn’t get better. If anything, it got worse.

If people saw Rishar and Stella enter here together, the rumors would grow even more.

An Alpha and Omega embroiled in scandal spending time alone in the lounge would surely stimulate people’s imaginations.

Etienne’s face darkened as he recalled the vulgar things people were saying earlier about Rishar and Stella.

“Hyung-nim?”

Rishar called out in a puzzled voice as Etienne’s expression darkened. Etienne snapped out of his thoughts at the touch caressing his cheek.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen inside?”

“No. I’m just a bit tired… Come to think of it, why were you like that to Young Lord Mathias earlier?”

“Like what?”

Rishar furrowed his brow slightly when Etienne brought up Antoine. He didn’t want to talk about other people now that they were finally alone.

“You kept being prickly to him before entering the hall. We’ll be working together from now on, so get along with him.”

“Just because we’ll be working together doesn’t mean we have to be close.”

Rishar replied curtly. His hands on Etienne’s back tightened slightly.

Etienne looked at Rishar in bewilderment as he showed hostility towards Antoine. He had noticed it earlier, but Rishar was particularly curt towards Antoine, almost as if…

“Are you jealous?”

Etienne blurted out without thinking, then made an ‘oops’ expression. The words had left his mouth before he could even think.

“Is it wrong to be jealous?”

Rishar didn’t deny his feelings. Instead, he asked if it was wrong. Etienne was momentarily at a loss for words at his bold attitude.

“It’s not wrong, but… um.”

As Etienne fumbled for words, Rishar knelt on one knee and wrapped his arms tightly around Etienne’s waist.

“I was incredibly frustrated watching you dance with him earlier.”

Rishar buried his face near Etienne’s stomach, openly admitting his jealousy.

Etienne looked down at the black head of hair, like a dejected puppy, and gently stroked it.

“Why?”

“It felt like he stole your first dance.”

“I’m not the debutante, Antoine is.”

“Still.”

Rishar replied in a sullen voice, burrowing into Etienne’s embrace. His face must look ugly to anyone right now. He couldn’t show Etienne a face twisted with vile jealousy.

If we’re talking about that, you danced with Lady Stella too.

Etienne swallowed the words that had risen to his throat. After the debutantes’ first dances were over, Rishar had also danced with Stella. The emotion he felt then was, embarrassingly, clearly jealousy.

Did Rishar feel the same watching him and Antoine? Somehow, it was reassuring to think they shared the same emotion. It made him feel a bit better.

“Nothing happened with Antoine. We’re not as close as you think.”

“I know.”

Rishar replied in a low voice. He quietly ground his teeth, recalling Antoine from earlier.

Rishar could tell, even if others couldn’t. The look in Antoine’s eyes as he gazed at Etienne clearly held affection.

Even if it wasn’t love, he definitely had favorable feelings towards Etienne. Rishar hated that.

“I know, but I’m still uneasy.”

Rishar murmured in a barely audible voice, then lifted his head. He looked up at Etienne with an anxious face.

“Hyung-nim.”

“Mn?”

“I want to hear the answer I didn’t get earlier.”

“Earlier? Which one?”

“Did you miss me?”

Etienne caught his breath at the unexpected question. He didn’t expect Rishar to ask that again so suddenly.

“…”

Etienne’s lips moved silently, unable to answer right away this time either. Rishar waited anxiously for Etienne’s response.

Etienne felt a strange sensation watching Rishar like this. He moved his hand from stroking Rishar’s hair to gently caress his eyes.

His heart fluttered whenever the usually confident Rishar looked at him with such pleading eyes.

“…I missed you.”

Following his heart and answering honestly, Rishar’s eyes widened. Soon, those eyes, resembling the night sky, sparkled as if holding stars and curved gently.

Etienne found himself captivated by the radiant and bright smile.

“Hyung-nim.”

Lifting his head slightly higher, Rishar lightly kissed the exposed neck above Etienne’s collar. Then, brushing his lips softly against Etienne’s rounded chin, he whispered pleadingly.

“Kiss me.”

“Kiss…?”

“Yes.”

Etienne asked in a surprised voice at the unexpected request. Rishar responded by nibbling the tip of his chin with his lips. Then he pleaded once more, voicing his desire.

“Please kiss me, hyung-nim.”

“Ah.”

Etienne’s shoulder flinched at the breath touching his sensitive skin. A ticklish heat spread throughout his body from where Rishar’s breath touched.

“Is that a no?”

When Etienne didn’t answer immediately, Rishar looked up at him with a desperate face.

Faced with eyes like an abandoned puppy, Etienne bit his lip in difficulty. There was no way he could refuse when looked at like that.

Finally, Etienne slowly lowered his head towards Rishar. Though he had kissed him before, doing it sober for the first time made him feel oddly shy.

His lips first touched Rishar’s smooth forehead. Rishar closed his eyes, feeling the gentle touch near his eyes and the sweet breath on his eyelids.

“Rishar.”

Etienne called his name, lips still pressed to Rishar’s eyes. The trembling warmth moved from eyes to cheeks, from cheeks to nose. A sweet sound echoed each time Etienne’s lips touched skin.

“Sha…”

Uttering Rishar’s nickname, Etienne carefully overlapped his lips with Rishar’s slightly parted ones. It was a soft kiss, like fluttering flower petals.

Etienne pressed his lips firmly against Rishar’s and let out a sweet sigh.

As if that was a signal, Rishar roughly cupped the back of Etienne’s head. Then he urgently delved into Etienne’s mouth. Unlike Etienne’s kiss, it was passionate.

“Mm, ahh.”

Etienne shuddered in surprise at the heat urgently invading his mouth. Rishar pressed even closer in response.

“Haa… Ri-, mmh.”

Etienne clutched Rishar’s firm shoulders as if clinging to him, his breathing quickened. His nape tingled and his waist felt numb.

Stars sparkled in his mind each time the hot tongue scraped his sensitive palate and probed deep inside his mouth. It felt like the stars densely filling the night sky were pouring down on him.

I don’t want to let go.

Etienne embraced Rishar’s neck, seized by intense desire. As their lips locked and breaths mingled, his lower abdomen tingled.

In that moment, Etienne understood the nature of the loneliness that had kept him awake for weeks.

It was this warmth he had missed. He had longed for this heat, gentle yet rough, threatening to devour him whole.

“Mmm.”

Etienne felt his mind going blank as he accepted Rishar with his whole body. As a strange sensation arose, his fingertips tensed. His slender nails dug into Rishar’s nape.

“Ugh.”

Rishar let out a muffled groan from the sharp feeling on his nape. Then he tilted his head to kiss even deeper. It was a fierce kiss, enough to bruise lips and make tongues ache.

Rishar roughly pushed Etienne, as if unwilling to allow even the slightest gap. He was impatient, but for a different reason than before.

Etienne panted, intoxicated by the pleasure Rishar gave. His heated eyes gradually grew moist. He felt increasingly breathless.

“Haa, ah…!”

Sensing Etienne’s struggle, Rishar separated their lips. Etienne burst out the breath he’d been holding as the lips on his mouth parted with a wet sound.

“They’re swollen.”

Rishar rubbed Etienne’s lips, which had become plump from just one kiss.

Etienne couldn’t respond to his words. Ragged breaths continued to escape between his lips.

Rishar’s eyes narrowed as he watched Etienne breathing heavily. The glimpses of red flesh inside the lips exhaling hot breaths were incredibly tempting.

Unable to resist, Rishar devoured Etienne’s lips again.

“Mmph!”

Etienne’s eyes widened in surprise at the violent invader parting his lips and pushing in. The hard, hot flesh entwined around his soft tongue, crushing it.

In an instant, saliva mixed and wet sounds echoed inside their mouths. Rishar sucked on the soft flesh persistently, then bit the tip of Etienne’s tongue with his teeth.

“Wait… Ahh!”

Etienne’s body stiffened as his lips were sucked and tongue bitten simultaneously. Along with a stinging pain came intense pleasure.

He trembled, overwhelmed by the heat filling his mouth. Countless sensations crashed over him, too much to handle.

This is dangerous.

Etienne squeezed his eyes shut as a dizzying sensation climbed up his spine. He trembled, unable to push Rishar away but also unable to fully accept him.

The heat Rishar created made his mind burn and his whole body melt. His waist twisted and tears formed from the strange excitement.

“Haa, ha…”

Only when Etienne’s moans mixed with sobs did Rishar finally part their lips.

Etienne gasped for air, finally free. His heated face burned fiercely, and his excited heart beat violently beyond control.

“Breathe.”

Rishar gently massaged Etienne’s quivering neck as he whispered softly.

Etienne tried to steady his ragged breathing, his chest heaving. But once broken, his breath didn’t easily return to normal.

Rishar pulled the exhausted Etienne into his arms and breathed into him with a gentle kiss. Gradually, the heaving of Etienne’s chest subsided.

Confirming Etienne’s breath had calmed, Rishar slowly separated their lips. Now fully embraced by Rishar, Etienne exhaled with a flushed face.

Rishar gritted his teeth as he looked down at the lips wet with saliva either from him or Etienne. Though he knew Etienne was fighting a battle against his desire, and though he thought he should stop now, he still wanted to touch him.

“Hyung-nim.”

Rishar lifted the weakened Etienne and kissed his sweaty forehead.

Etienne slowly closed and opened his eyes, feeling the shower of small kisses. Tears that had gathered at the corners of his eyes rolled down his cheeks.

Rishar’s lips slid along the tear tracks, catching the tear dangling from Etienne’s chin. Then he moved down to Etienne’s neck.

Etienne let out a pained sound as the straight bridge of Rishar’s nose tickled his sensitive skin. His aroused body reacted strongly even to small stimuli.

“It tickles…”

Etienne mumbled weakly, his forehead resting on Rishar’s shoulder. He wished Rishar would move away a little. But Rishar pressed even closer instead.

Rishar buried his face in Etienne’s neck and took a deep breath. He sensed scents that weren’t Etienne’s. They had been bothering him for a while.

“You smell of other people, hyung-nim.”

Rishar expressed his irritation, as if complaining. All the scents bothered him, but by far the most unpleasant was Antoine’s.

Smelling the overwhelmingly strong rose scent, his jealousy that had subsided rose again.

“Can I get rif of all of these?”

Rishar lightly kissed Etienne’s neck and gradually released his own pheromones.

Etienne shuddered as the pheromones climbed up from his ankles, but he didn’t refuse. In fact, he had been strangely bothered by the scent of violets coming from Rishar.

It was a faint scent, barely noticeable unless you were concentrating, but whether because the drug’s effects had almost disappeared or because the kiss with Rishar had heightened his senses, it felt particularly vivid.

“It’s not good for you either to have other Alphas’ or Omegas’ pheromones clinging to you…”

“Do as you like.”

As soon as Etienne gave permission, Rishar’s pheromones surged forth as if he had been waiting.

Etienne bit his lower lip at the wave of pheromones enveloping his body. Rishar’s pheromones were too much stimulation for his body, still excited from the kiss.

In an instant, the pheromones clinging to Etienne’s body were washed away. Etienne trembled, unable to bear the chilling sensation rising from his toes. Goosebumps rose all over his skin.

“Are you cold?”

When Etienne shivered, Rishar withdrew his pheromones. Etienne felt a strange disappointment as the pheromones receded like the tide.

“I’m fine. Keep going.”

“You look like you’re having a hard time.”

Rishar said in a worried voice. His hand caressed Etienne’s trembling eyes.

There were still traces of other people’s scents, but he couldn’t indulge his own desires if Etienne was struggling.

“I’m just a little cold. I’m not sick or anything.”

“…Shall we go inside?”

Rishar asked cautiously after hesitating for a moment. Etienne’s eyes wavered at his suggestion. It sounded like a simple proposal, but was clearly meant as an invitation.

Momentarily conflicted, Etienne’s lips moved silently as he looked at Rishar waiting for his answer.

Although there was no possibility of others entering, that didn’t mean there was no risk. There were numerous Alphas and Omegas nearby.

Rationally thinking, it would be best to stop here. The usual Etienne would have certainly done so. But he was different from his usual self.

His reason had already blurred from the moment he kissed Rishar. Or perhaps even before that.

Above all, the scent of violets coming from Rishar bothered him. Etienne knew whose scent it was.

He didn’t want to be jealous. He knew Stella and Rishar were nothing to each other, that it was an unavoidable situation.

But once he became aware of it, it kept bothering him. He had just asked Rishar if he was jealous, but in the end, he was the same.

The only difference was that Rishar had expressed it outwardly, while he had kept it inside.

“…Alright.”

The hesitation didn’t last long. Etienne embraced Rishar with a brief word of permission. A soft scent like a moonlight flower opening bloomed from his body.