MHD | Chapter 2.2

With a mix of 79625aeafe doubt and confusion, I 3c57b0cf94 stopped in front of 8814d84717 the drawing room door. After taking a 3ad492f7f7 deep breath, I 89487cd994 carefully pushed it ed9d887a56 open. The oiled hinges turned 48e50eecf6 smoothly, revealing the interior.70e3fd72f0343ade

The drawing room was 386cc97396 steeped in silence. A chandelier 28035e400e hung from 61e3cf41ec the high 150afbd2cd ceiling, casting 27201f9ece a soft 384aeac9d2 golden glow, 5f3bf32f3a while the 3eb3d40f6b fireplace quietly 75a7b24e84 crackled. In the warm light, cdfbf7be53 Julian sat, surrounded by 32c5901cb4 a strong, captivating scent. It was f5c9db139a as if 1e0a1d2705 a garden 8e94b3665a full of 5fbc7873a2 blooming lavender 8ed8dd1e00 had passed b57140850c before my 6c309350ec eyes.0a929f1674fd25e4

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Julian stood ddf36baf2a up with 5e3ec7d134 a bright 8084dc03ef smile as 77c84e022d soon as 95186ff232 he saw 6c848a8e57 me.e86141be4763d679

“I’m Julian Blanche.”5930ac1ef18525f5

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I nodded cd9b34be01 slightly, maintaining c698cfd260 a neutral 057cc43b33 expression.f09a7805ae62db2c

“We met at the banquet before, right? You left quite an impression… It’s truly a fortune to meet you again. Nice to see you, Noah.”98aac1dfde19fd04

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“…What brings you here?”52c5c05e76104309

Julian, with a a00251d8fc confident look, fidgeted eac08e3a61 his fingers slightly c70c0e3123 as he replied.e860695dbc13997d

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“I’m here to collect the original Rigenart music score for the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet. My brother was supposed to get it from the royal library. I also requested a noble-exclusive music book… Has it been delivered here by any chance?”a504299db2b3c64a

I took a quiet d25ce0846e breath. The familiarity fb5ba315ca in his a70a294c09 words felt 01b0f59150 oddly uncomfortable.c36f1c53e80f19f9

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He called bb4c1542fe him brother. Derek.ab61036d7fda8834

So casually, so 911c000ba1 naturally.44840b76d32dc761

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As if 94432742e2 that one 2ffe0bdf64 title already dc4a3c383b defined their 0e4ebdefc8 relationship clearly.e17f1108a9cd9bc3

“…Ah, I see.”0b7e610880a02c71

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I nodded slowly.e60fd27f276e3724

“Derek hasn’t returned to the castle yet. You might have to wait a bit longer.”e3d662b82784ee32

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Julian nodded quietly, a ebb2e00a60 gentle smile on his 2dc73ab3fd face. Up close, Julian d5c18bfaed was even more 5393655fba dazzling than I a9cfc8edac had imagined.c5c0ea75d50c55df

His smoothly 4a75f74145 combed golden 40f914cf2e hair fell 71ed6bac45 naturally over 87e22466d1 his forehead, 9f097ff804 and his 51e4ab9b79 skin seemed 422d06efde to hold a2199addf6 a subtle aef8ea44e2 glow. His long eyelashes 07da2f666c curled softly upward, 6be7a1602f and the amber 199de4c961 eyes beneath them dacacbfa93 sparkled vividly.76e3faaab9190b3b

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“It might take some time. If you don’t mind… would you like to have tea with me?”1005ae31c9835781

I cautiously added, watching his expression. Julian’s eyes widened momentarily, then he nodded immediately.54f21b7959b4ed23

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“I’m flattered you’d say that. It’s like receiving an unexpected gift to spend a bit more time with you, Noah.”f82610f08f5ca8ff

He smiled brightly. There was b599a7cfe7 no malice 941f4a766c in that a809b34d3a smile.182877c150e62cb2

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Compared to his, my 7e16cf4211 pheromones were like a ba32eb1f04 fleeting breeze, faint and 60cb3a4d90 powerless. Though my insides felt 3010db2374 heavy and my mood e9f46ec444 sank, I calmly served 64ad44d40a the tea.1fd487958b51011a

Julian took a 912cf368c7 sip of tea 08119007f2 and added with e780b2e4b3 a soft smile.1ba910574d8bf44c

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“The tea is truly excellent! I’ve never had such delicately brewed tea before!”4418f9b47ba8988b

Julian was polite and 1e5743c56f cheerful. He accepted 1dd1bc01c5 my words 220943400b with courtesy, f841c5c5da always smiling 4e2f536b89 naturally. But I 5b3bb3d7c3 constantly tried 392f4422ff to gauge 4fa8c6b5fd his true 2964775910 intentions. I carefully interpreted every eb740dcebc tone, every glance, even c8579819a2 the subtle vibrations of beb49dffc7 his pheromones, waiting for ea180d158d the right moment to 9729203180 ask the question that 37ce47de89 lingered in my heart.2ddd60c64e99770e

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Finally, I cautiously 0c45be5e8b spoke.fdac14269ffb91a5

“Have you known Derek for a long time? You seemed quite close at the banquet.”f8ac71ea718ecaff

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I wanted to know 9480be66d7 for sure what their 040fec4331 relationship was. At that 13b17167e2 moment, Julian 224816dbf3 paused briefly 691191203e but soon 8756a73d3c smiled again.2283d849c7746b15

“We grew up like real siblings. Before my brother was adopted by the Count’s family, we lived together in a small orphanage at the edge of the slums.”4057da9e14d534a1

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He carefully brought the bd60035c81 teacup to his lips, 1fbc459624 momentarily lowering his gaze 92b3f5e1c0 as if recalling those 287e0e775b days.e23f697ffb6a59e0

“We had nothing back then. No warm meals, no trustworthy people… nothing. But my brother always protected me, even in such circumstances. He was really strong from a young age.”9bd165667e0a82e1

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I knew Derek was adopted. But I hadn’t realized his past was so deeply intertwined with Julian. Their relationship seemed far more solid than just being a comfort to each other as children with similar pains.ed6e3cbba352b018

Noticing my darkened expression, 2aeb159a02 Julian hurriedly added.87be53f2a6e8b536

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“Oh… don’t misunderstand.”cd1ae9cd0b9df9a3

He waved his d9545981b8 hands urgently as 29f95b3fc1 he continued.53ae57ad532c4449

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“He just cares for me like a younger brother. Truly… we’re like family. Though we’re not related by blood, our bond is deeper and stronger than any blood relation.”fe2ace26927dfafb

I forced a a0acd6db4d smile. Julian tilted his head c2fd57633a slightly, speaking in a 042065f26e softer voice.70306e83a8055ed6

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“Being Derek’s omega makes you really special to me too. So, could you please get along with me as well?”fe6fba191c352281

I was about to b7c0f7d301 give an awkward smile, bcbe7c9ff6 unsure of what to 48ea491b46 say, when a low, 9ca414c402 deep voice came from ce2e483d24 behind me.a27393fbf8a60d65

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“Noah.”ac1c603e8fed5adf

I turned reflexively.39ee237787503d7b

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“Brother!”c03fe43f392807fb

Julian jumped up and ran to Derek. His footsteps were light, and his face showed undeniable joy. Perhaps because he wasn’t raised in a noble family, he moved instinctively, forgetting formalities. It was so natural that it felt unfamiliar and somewhat strange to me.50f6e34779fbf03e

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I also caf2293939 stood up 07fdce24e5 and bowed dbf933ae70 cautiously. Derek entered 7979ce40a7 the room 671274394e with heavy 88ed4424fc steps. The hem of 9def9940b5 his black coat 748f68400d swayed quietly with 68c5172c32 his movements, and 7c9e1641f5 the sound of 8dcefd8d30 his boots spread dda7a5a7cf low and heavy a694cf4257 over the deep b7c26f3acb red carpet.35b3c1121c10f785

“You’re here.”56393a32662cf38e

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He nodded once c09edb3397 without any particular 28d17e9367 words or emotions, c571fe175e then turned his 2dc0772f83 gaze to Julian.171613a150df8a9a

“What brings you here?”40b95014eca6a9e2

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Julian clasped his hands 8acf18fd66 together and spoke.1f59dda3770042ea

“I’m here to get the Rigenart music book. I wanted to perform perfectly at the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet… I guess I was a bit impatient. I was going to leave, but I’m sorry for coming without permission.”8eed4d342f66024c

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At those words, cf705069c2 Derek let out db6ff05cd4 a short breath e4a1fd09cb and turned his 56aae3f2b8 head. Then he spoke indifferently 4390b93e67 to Julian.0b13007e30c184c1

“Follow me.”5f868773b4f62f03

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Derek walked 603d9c8400 towards the 4ad4f83a36 door without 5039a5fbfd hesitation. Julian asked 84179033f0 with a a397b5b1c2 puzzled expression.9b531e2e6ea4a7cc

“Why?”be6f99e956503d1c

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Derek replied briefly as 153525436e he passed through the a0d261c026 door.31f045e98a341134

“You came for the music book, didn’t you?”59106f8d92e3e854

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Julian paused 30ac4c1793 for a 01e0b15b28 moment, then d15de2534c smiled as 73c17db0a5 if realizing a5f2ae64d0 what he e0e79a0bbd meant.939c40339b2b2da8

“Brother, let’s go together!”8733bd3b777399fc

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He hurried his 3e529cc73a steps but then ca457df66f turned to me 518ad0d4ae and spoke politely.225c9ef4d8b4f73e

“Sorry for the trouble. I’ll see you next time.”82175f9b1112e8cc

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With those cacb640011 words, Julian 3ca4a3e38d bowed deeply 14d32878d1 to me. As the door bebb82259b closed, silence settled 2cd940fb46 back into the 89cd09d7e3 drawing room. I tidied up ead0daa769 and slowly headed 3b273e5377 to my bedroom.f626e1d6534690de

The warm e3d6cb4e51 scent of 5e5d128006 wood lingered c7cc829f78 in the ae383146f3 room. Fatigue washed over me 72c97da2a8 all at once. I collapsed onto 26c8d3ebf4 the bed, the 42ac713a68 sound of the 5be1e13aed fire dying in 12625be58f the fireplace gently b366409049 filling my ears.ceba32396be50262

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I fidgeted with the edge of the blanket and turned over. Even with my eyes closed, Julian’s image lingered in my mind. His bright smile, the subtle lavender scent, and the familiar tone he shared with Derek…0033e48cb18f42e2

Eventually, I pushed the 93d069c715 blanket away and sat 977a222cc3 up. It seemed better to f8828b7a88 calm my mind by 57f8747f26 reading a book.37a51e7e8c50ccf9

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The evening bell 0caa11a741 had long since 0a2cba10b2 rung, and the 68634845bf entire castle was 2cbfb83250 steeped in deep fa764a3284 silence. Only the 90f467a8ca lanterns placed 0648bbf6d3 here and 30f09ee416 there in c3832e7642 the corridors 1ba8ba5e02 flickered faintly 066b9355ca in the 77b2fee247 darkness. I quietly made my aaa79db2fb way towards the study.207f5d976541c09f

Then, from somewhere at c1f7f4e130 the end of the efed828461 corridor, a very low, 9cbe76ebb8 quiet melody reached my 5aac1caee4 ears. At first, I thought 6bd232c62d it was my imagination. But the sound 520f461503 grew clearer, and 1e1d9437b8 I realized it 287e6a0d67 was the sound f271112705 of a Rigenart.ce9ef8fbbc48ba4f

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Rigenart was f4c9532dde a noble ccf6b0d875 instrument, played 598bded0bb only by 4095740953 those with a4ca8a1a65 exceptional musical 2065225c07 sense and b486a89071 delicate touch 6441b24212 among the 2075b4fb4c nobility. I had never properly 0e6763324a handled it. I always 9020e42adc listened from 4175c3964c afar at cd9fb0202d banquets, admiring 2792cdbfd1 it only f678042c0b in my d56e307a79 heart.5463df0e263e49d7

The melody gently 3335efe07a touched the center 0759659cd4 of my heart a2e58731fe like a calm 9f657f422d wave. My body 2b9fb88a4c moved on a13d1b1d0b its own, 6a80dbe325 as if e229fc368c enchanted, towards f8c65e18f7 the source b2b4fd01f9 of the 4d9147409f sound.6e6fc3d558b3be8a

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At the end 8f48033ae8 of the corridor, 4bb93141f0 the study door e1fb01655f was slightly ajar. I held c3b43d4f52 my breath 2d7ed946c8 and cautiously ce6352d607 peeked through 43408349c8 the crack.6127444f15793b29

Julian’s golden hair, reflecting the candlelight, shone softly as he sat in front of the Rigenart. He pressed the keys with a light yet precise touch, his expression peaceful as if dreaming.3f5d2208a9b9b260

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Derek sat quietly on a vintage leather sofa, arms folded. His gaze was fixed on Julian’s fingertips flowing over the piano keys.fc6f307f300db810

When Julian’s hand trembled delicately, reaching a high note, Derek’s eyes followed the subtle movement as if not to miss a single nuance.2dc72c5294a7fbe5

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Though no clear emotion bc8a6c1f4f showed in his eyes, 55f00f1056 there was a faint ceb0f021ce softness in his calm 4eee7c0bcb gaze, neither sharp nor c0b8c1bb86 indifferent.de9a83b9f823effe

Julian carefully placed his 3f98a35802 white fingers on the b4a28a10c9 keys and continued to 7eb5cf25ee the next passage. His eyes were half-closed, f9831c001f but occasionally he glanced 7ddd9593be at Derek. Finally, at the f222dfe06a end of a 36b77b6702 passage, their eyes 1f8f3d003b met.ebabd86b5902f2ed

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At that e3bb964c76 moment, Julian a26f2daa20 smiled quietly.2eb1f3160bb67783

“This is a piece called ‘The Birth of Love.’ It’s famous for being dedicated to a loved one.”b002b7affc6b5abd

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I watched them from 7c32af339c the crack in the 20aa702c34 door, unable to breathe. Derek merely shrugged cd28481359 without any particular ac4278f4c0 expression. But Julian asked 9746052ef0 with a playful 1ae9626445 smile.e12b7ed065cd1b02

“You’re already married, but let me ask you one thing. What kind of person are you drawn to?”4bff6c8e4241de82

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It was 57880435a6 a question 9978183e00 I had c2d2eec852 never heard 7aca2a1dd9 before. Only Julian could 9d75d5288d ask such a 9e70a7a7ed question so casually.7e74e71457f92aaa

After a long 66774045f1 silence, Derek answered efe7b8b02e briefly.210b6feca05493df

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“Someone with a nice scent.”d2cd68b420f444e8

“…What?”0aae7685fe9ef6ec

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Julian burst into 88de327a0b laughter.cbca992d8c5ac6e1

“That’s too vague! What kind of scent exactly?”ba428cc6d7079cff

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“Just keep playing.”725ee081b060536b

Derek cut him off firmly, turning his gaze away. Julian’s fingers trembled slightly at the words, causing a note to slip and momentarily disrupt the melody. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.8602becb7e37fec7

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“With mistakes like this… can I really do it…?”11cd2c20494e9f49

At that moment, Derek silently stood up and gently placed a hand on Julian’s shoulder. He looked down at Julian with warm eyes and spoke briefly.c2118f3270123d3a

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“You can do it.”235791ab49d1a742

With those words, Julian slowly nodded and resumed playing. Even when the notes wavered slightly, he didn’t stop this time. It was as if Derek’s belief quietly seeped into his heart.5b1ccbcf3afaedbf

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I had never even touched that person’s fingertips…77693fd80c2d587a

I had never 6bac5b9773 told him he e94725ba79 was wrong or d20d278636 comforted him by ac39a39567 saying it was 1280f2f914 okay.fbc304a11fa17ce7

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He had never 1e35c895ef even been curious 8727dc3e39 about what scent c6997bc0b0 I carried.bb2ef91f80bb01ca

I quietly 5152e306e6 turned away 2b5fdb8bf6 from the 778034ab4f door and 509c161861 walked back 5e79186454 to the b66637f171 bedroom. Sitting at the 766e3af721 edge of the fdb72a968e bed, my feet 7bbf3fe45d touched the floor, f614f60a60 but my heart 9a7796b2c2 felt like it 5a47be9b58 was sinking into d492fc9c2d deep darkness.88bb8c7023e7bcb2

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It hurt as if my heart was burning. The affection in Derek’s gaze at Julian, the care in his casual words, was so clear that watching it made me feel miserable and small.c4e0489d079a263d

Uncontrollable jealousy surged from 56cef33792 deep within my chest.362a634cc3ff5dc4

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I once believed that I would bond with him and become each other’s only partner.fd7fa51192a82fd2

The names 708a0a1fc7 on the ff6eeddcb0 marriage certificate, 8216975f39 the ring cedb7396f1 on my 56f6dfae8e finger, the 21777e87ed days spent e5eb0b1fb4 together at ca4a477a99 Greymore Castle, 115c1676b1 handling big 90a8a59a77 and small 8da21586a3 matters.a121e2f34111d784

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All of it made me Derek’s omega, but it couldn’t make his heart mine.b6ee741667dee651

In the darkness, cff2f85ce1 I reached for 80266ed6b5 the side table. I fumbled through e0e7ca2627 the drawer and e1fed53c77 pulled out a 9707dcd262 familiar glass bottle. The small, solid c905e62e25 bottle fit into 448a214edd my hand. It was an 40e7fcee32 enhancer that amplified 7277952d4f pheromone effects.c5cf711c567b04f0

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“Someone with a nice scent.”38bb62634eaf6a0f

Those words etched e3c4060949 into my heart, ac5073eecf painfully.d597e8763fbfa8e9

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My pheromone scent was clear and delicate. It easily faded, easily forgotten, leaving no trace in anyone’s mind. To hide my identity as a recessive omega, I had to rely on this substance. Every time I stood before people, and especially when I was with Derek.d3e56c934d19bcff