IBPC | Chapter 14.1

Late at night, or perhaps as dawn approached. Heegon walked down the long corridor to Seoyul’s room. As the court ladies quietly opened the door for him, Heegon entered and looked at Seoyul, who was asleep on the bed. Heegon’s breathing was quite rough. It was irregular, and his eyes, shining in the darkness, looked anxious.

“……”

Only after confirming the sleeping figure of Seoyul did Heegon gradually regain his composure. He staggered towards Seoyul.

He had that dream again.

Seoyul, unmoving amidst the blazing flames. Himself, unable to approach despite witnessing it. In the end, everything turning to ashes and disappearing before his eyes… that dream.

Since Seoyul fainted at the pond, Heegon had that dream every day. The recurring nightmare slowly began to blur the line between dream and reality.

So now, Heegon had to visit Seoyul’s room every night after waking from the dream to reassure himself. To confirm that Seoyul was indeed by his side.

Heegon sat down beside the sleeping Seoyul. He quietly watched him for a while, then reached out and carefully pulled down the collar covering Seoyul’s nape. In the faint moonlight, the healing mark of the imprint was visible.

It’s strange and peculiar.

Even with his imprint left on Seoyul, why did it feel like he had lost him? There wasn’t even a hint of relief from having claimed him as his own.

“That’s not… considering me important. It’s just Your Highness’s selfishness.”

Yes, it was definitely his selfishness that trampled on the crying child to keep him by his side. But why… does it feel like such a loss?

A deep sigh escaped. Heegon couldn’t bring himself to hold Seoyul and instead buried his face in the empty blanket beside him.

He was afraid to sleep. Afraid of having the same nightmare again. No, now he couldn’t even distinguish what was a nightmare and what was reality.

Heegon spent another night relying on Seoyul’s small breathing sounds.

⊹₊⟡⋆

“I need you now. Not as the Eumin who will bear my child, but just as you, whole, by my side.”

Since that day, Heegon’s words echoed in his ears all day. But no matter how many times he mulled it over, he couldn’t find an answer.

It was inevitable, wasn’t it? Wasn’t he brought here initially to have an heir? But now…

“I’ve come to value you more than a child.”

He couldn’t understand Heegon’s intentions. When he begged not to be imprinted, he acted as if someone like him didn’t matter. And now he says he’s more important than a child? Even while still keeping other Eumin around.

Seoyul sat by the pond, staring endlessly at the sunlit ripples.

No. Get a grip, Min Seoyul. That’s not really considering me important. You know, he probably said that because controlling the madness is more urgent than having an heir. Besides, now that I’m already pregnant, anyone could say such things. It’s just sweet talk. He’s just trying to appease me.

He doesn’t feel the same way I do.

“―!!”

Deep in thought, Seoyul suddenly felt a pang of guilt. He was startled by his own thoughts.

What am I… feeling?

The unconscious thought that shot up made him blush.

Tae Heegon, what feelings do I have for such a ruthless and self-centered man?

Questioning himself… no, scolding himself, Seoyul bit his lower lip.

“Seriously… get a grip.”

He covered his face with his hands and let out a long sigh.

But just then, a familiar alpha scent brushed past Seoyul’s nose.

“……?”

Feeling Heegon’s scent, Seoyul flinched and turned his head. But in that brief moment, Seoyul had a strange thought.

Heegon’s pheromone scent. But… it was slightly different. He had occasionally caught Pacheon’s scent when he first smelled Heegon’s.

In fact, until he smelled Kangmu’s scent, he couldn’t properly distinguish between the three. But as the days went by and he was exposed to Heegon’s pheromones for longer periods, he became quite certain of Heegon’s scent. The scent of an old tree in a rain-soaked forest.

But what he just smelled was similar yet different. Seoyul knew this similar scent.

“…Your Highness?”

Seoyul turned his head and looked up at… Kangmu, who had approached him.

A scent of grass dried more thoroughly in the sunlight. This was Kangmu’s scent.

“You seem to like the pond.”

Looking at Kangmu, who was smiling down at him, Seoyul felt something was off. Before he even realized it, a realization stirred in his mind.

What is this? Did I just… smell Tae Kangmu’s pheromone scent?

“Are you feeling better? I heard you were quite ill last time.”

Kangmu cautiously observed Seoyul, looking a bit embarrassed.

“After what happened last time, I was a bit worried, but it seems like you’re okay, which is a relief.”

“……”

“I don’t know the details, but even though my brother can be a bit forceful, his heart isn’t like that, so could you try to understand…?”

As Kangmu continued speaking, he gradually trailed off and closed his mouth. Seoyul had stood up and approached him, sniffing near his collar.

“Why… are you doing that?”

Kangmu awkwardly laughed and took a step back from Seoyul. Seoyul frowned and confirmed Kangmu’s scent once more.

Faint, but he could definitely sense Kangmu’s scent. But how…? He should only be able to sense Heegon’s pheromone scent now.

“I can sense Your Highness’s Yangin scent.”

Seoyul muttered with a puzzled expression. Kangmu chuckled.

“Well, I am a Yangin, after all.”

“But… it shouldn’t be possible because of the imprint.”

“Imprint?”

Kangmu’s eyes widened slightly at the mention of the imprint.

“Did you perhaps imprint with my brother?”

Seoyul answered with a slightly heavy expression to the cautious question.

“Yes. I didn’t want to, but it ended up that way.”

“……? If you didn’t want to, you could have refused, right? Your consent is the most important thing in an imprint.”

“Because His Highness Heegon ignored my consent!”

“……?”

Kangmu looked increasingly puzzled at Seoyul’s slightly sharp attitude.

“I don’t quite understand what you mean…”

He tilted his head even more.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t seen it on my brother lately… Are you sure you imprinted?”

“What do you mean?”

“I didn’t see any trace of the imprint on my brother’s neck… Did he bite somewhere not visible?”

“……?”

This time, it was Seoyul who looked confused at Kangmu’s words.

“Why… would the imprint leave a mark on His Highness Heegon? It should obviously be on me.”

At Seoyul’s question, Kangmu paused and looked down at Seoyul. After pondering something for a moment, he spoke again.

“I’m not sure if I’m mistaken, but isn’t the imprint something the Eumin does to the Yangin?”

“…What?”

“I’m only aware of it from the records left in the ancestors’ journals, so I’m not certain, but the method is clear. The Eumin bites the nape of the one they want to imprint with—that’s it, isn’t it?”

“What are you talking about… An imprint, between an alpha and an omega—”

Imprint. An act that alters the pheromone interaction between an alpha and an omega. Biologically, it refers to an alpha, with a smaller population, biting the nape of their omega to claim or monopolize them.

…is the dictionary definition of an imprint.

Recalling that, Seoyul couldn’t continue speaking, as if frozen.

Wait a minute. Come to think of it, the imprint I know is like that.

Biologically, an alpha with a ‘smaller population’ biting the omega’s neck.

For a long time, alphas had a smaller population compared to omegas. Then their numbers gradually decreased until, in the present where he lived, alphas no longer existed.

But what about now? In this 6th century, the population of omegas was overwhelmingly smaller than that of alphas. So perhaps, the subject of the imprint… is reversed? Then…

The imprint didn’t happen?

Even though it wasn’t Heegon, he could clearly sense Kangmu’s pheromone scent. Realizing this, Seoyul unknowingly staggered and sat down on the spot.

“Are you okay?!”

Kangmu was startled and supported Seoyul as he suddenly collapsed. But Seoyul, still unfocused, stared into space, touching the ground.

The imprint… didn’t happen—

Feeling immense relief from that fact, yet simultaneously mixed with a new anxiety, Seoyul looked at Kangmu, who was supporting him. Grabbing his collar tightly.

“Please… don’t tell His Highness Heegon.”

“Tell him what?”

How should he explain this, and from where? And would Kangmu, being Heegon’s brother, even listen to him?

Seoyul couldn’t be sure of anything but desperately clung to Kangmu.

This fact must not be known to Tae Heegon.

“Please, I’m begging you.”

“……”

“At least for a while, please grant my request, okay?”

Looking at Seoyul’s earnest face, Kangmu quietly lowered his gaze. He seemed to be deep in thought.

⊹₊⟡⋆

Seoyul anxiously hugged his arms. Unable to stay still, he paced around his room.

The imprint didn’t happen.

Realizing that, he couldn’t calm down, trembling all over.

For now, he roughly explained the situation to Tae Kangmu and asked him to keep it a secret. Perhaps because Heegon had shown quite a rough and forceful attitude last time, Kangmu promised not to say anything. Thankfully.

Since Seoyul was the only omega in Heegon’s palace, there was no reason for Heegon to suspect the imprint. Although Heerang had manifested as an omega, being a blood-related relative, she wouldn’t react to pheromones. Unless he met the omega he kept outside the palace…

“……”

Lost in thought, Seoyul suddenly slowed his pacing and then came to a complete stop.

Another omega. Right now, Seoyul was the only omega by Heegon’s side, but since they hadn’t imprinted, if another omega appeared, it would be possible for him to recognize and embrace them.

Seoyul raised his hand and clutched his chest.

So what… does it matter? It has nothing to do with me. I’m… going to leave.

“…Because I didn’t want to let you go.”

Nothing changes, don’t waver. Just because the imprint didn’t happen doesn’t mean what he did, ignoring my will, didn’t happen.

“Nothing… changes.”

Seoyul repeated to himself, as if making a vow.

“Did Kangmu visit during the day?”

Around dinner time, Heegon came to see Seoyul. Seoyul, who thought Heegon would just ask about his well-being and leave as usual, was caught off guard by the unexpected question.

“……”