- Anywhere
Cayden met with Ramon, his doctor. It was in the reception room located opposite his bedroom.
What once seemed like it would never feel familiar, no matter how many times it was repeated—these private meetings with Ramon—had now become just one of the daily routines he had to go through. But today… his heart tightened just like the day he was first introduced to the doctor who looked as if he might collapse at any moment. This was due to Ramon’s unusual behavior.
Ramon, who had come to see Cayden even earlier than their original appointment time, had initially appeared no different than usual. That is to say, he talked a lot.
Today too, Cayden had to make an effort to properly understand the imperial language that Ramon muttered without pause. Understanding Ramon’s words directly was still challenging, but he had become familiar enough that he didn’t need to ask Lihet for a separate translation.
But then the usually talkative Ramon suddenly fell into an inexplicable silence. He exhibited a completely different atmosphere, like day and night. This happened right after he finished the examination.
“Hmm…”
Ramon could not continue his words and only made groaning sounds. Faced with such a Ramon, Cayden could only smile awkwardly. He became automatically tense since it was the first time he had seen him not nagging.
Ramon looked somewhat anxious. He kept pushing up his glasses even though they weren’t sliding down, and he repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists for no reason. He even suddenly took off his glasses and rubbed his face. His already tired-looking face sank deep into worry.
“Is there… a problem with my health?”
Gathering his courage, Cayden questioned Ramon first. He opened his mouth in Ramon’s place, fearing they might not leave the reception room until afternoon at this rate.
Although he asked lightly as if unconcerned, Cayden was actually in an anxious state. It was because this was the first time he had seen Ramon behave this way. Ramon was acting disoriented like someone who had drunk a lot, though there wasn’t even a hint of alcohol smell.
“Perhaps I’ve caught an illness or…”
“Illness? Absolutely not!”
A startled Ramon exclaimed.
“Just that, for now, it seems like I should refrain from speaking.”
“…”
“I want to tell you my opinion right away, but I lack confidence in the diagnosis I would make. Let me examine more carefully over time and then speak to you. It won’t be too late.”
Ramon said, pushing up his glasses once more.
What did he mean by lacking confidence? Unnecessary worry arose.
Cayden had never been sick. He rarely even caught common colds. The imperial doctors and healing mages also expressed no particular concerns about Cayden’s health, except for his pheromone issue. The same was true for Ramon who was now in front of Cayden.
Whether it was because he instinctively realized that he shouldn’t get sick since he had no money to see doctors or healing mages, or because he was fortunate enough to be born healthy, he didn’t know the reason. Either way, Cayden had always thought it was fortunate for someone as poor as himself.
But it seemed that luck was coming to an end. Had he contracted a fatal disease? Such ridiculous and dispiriting thoughts kept floating around in his head.
“It’s not a disease. Of course… you will feel pain, but it’s pain of a different classification from diseases you would worry about, no, never mind. If I want to continue working under His Majesty the Emperor, I should watch my mouth…”
Cayden couldn’t properly understand Ramon’s rapid, mumbling monologue. Only his determination that he should be careful with his words clearly stuck in Cayden’s ears.
“It won’t be anything bad, so don’t worry.”
“…Yes. I understand.”
With a bewildered face, Cayden answered. He could trust the words of this man who cared about his health as much as Assad did. Although it was somewhat perplexing.
“You need to continue having contact with His Highness the Crown Prince, your husband. Ask him to release alpha pheromones whenever possible. And eat plenty of delicious food too.”
Ramon’s casually delivered words made Cayden freeze.
Hearing that he would need alpha pheromones, Cayden fell into even greater bewilderment than before. He had a premonition that perhaps the time had finally come for his pheromones to be completely ruined.
It wasn’t strange. He was an artificially transformed omega. His already weak pheromones had been completely ruined by overusing drugs. However, since mixing bodies with Assad, they had been gradually returning to their former state… Perhaps a new problem had arisen during that process.
He wasn’t afraid. At worst, he would just return to the state he was in before meeting Assad. Perhaps that would be better. There would be no need to worry about pheromones or heat periods anymore.
But…
A subtle desire pulled at Cayden.
Cayden thought his pheromones were quite awkward and shabby. They couldn’t even be compared to Assad’s, which were intoxicatingly sweet and warm.
However, Assad had liked his pheromones, those awkward and shabby things. So, Cayden didn’t want to lose the scent of his pheromones.
A quiet storm arose in Cayden’s otherwise calm heart.
“It won’t be anything bad, so don’t worry.”
Cayden believed Ramon. Or rather, he wanted to believe Ramon’s words, hoping that there was nothing wrong with his pheromones.
“Have I planted unnecessary anxiety in you? I’d prefer if you didn’t worry.”
Ramon muttered with a furrowed brow. Seeing Ramon conscious of another person’s feelings seemed unfamiliar and strange.
“I’m not worried.”
Cayden relaxed his hardened expression and smiled.
“You are quite worried; it’s written all over your face.”
Embarrassed by the lie that was seen through too quickly, Cayden simply closed his mouth.
After heaving a big sigh, Ramon immediately poured out all the nagging he had momentarily postponed in front of Cayden. Claiming to make him forget his immediate worries, he whispered plenty of new concerns.
Only after absorbing every word of the nagging that continued without pause for about 10 minutes could Cayden finally part with his doctor.
Pretending to ignore his heavy heart, Cayden left the reception room. He returned to his own space.
For a while, he couldn’t do anything. The words he had heard from Ramon kept circling in his mind. Cayden could only be absorbed in blank thoughts. They were all dark thoughts without any nutritional value.
He knew well that everything he was thinking about was too early to worry about and excessive imagination. Despite knowing this, he couldn’t stop himself from trying to prepare for the approaching misfortune.
However, before Cayden’s worries could solidify like a shield, another visitor came looking for him. It was Lihet, whose face looked somewhat urgent.
What shattered Cayden’s anxiety was a single statement from Lihet.
“His Majesty the Emperor wishes to see Your Highness the Crown Prince’s consort.”
He said he would wait in the reception room of the South Wing of the Imperial Palace, Lihet concluded her words, looking extremely tense. It was with a subdued demeanor unlike her usual self.
There was no time to prepare anything. Cayden hurriedly left the room, following Lihet. The new anxiety that visited Cayden swallowed in one gulp all the worries that had been circling around him.
* * *
In the family reception room of the Imperial Palace, neither the audience chamber nor the reception hall, Cayden came face to face with Emperor Heset Mekerius.
The reception room attached to the left side of the Emperor’s bedroom was very different from the reception room of the separate palace, which was decorated extravagantly in full color. This place was so devoid of color that it gave an impression of bleakness. Even the flowers in the white vase had only white, lush leaves.
In this colorless space, Heset was waiting for Cayden. He sat alone on the sofa.
Heset stared steadily at Cayden, who had stepped into the reception room. When Cayden paid his respects with proper courtesy, that gaze became even more intense. To the hesitating Cayden, Heset merely gestured with his eyes to sit down. He didn’t seem inclined to speak right away.
Cayden hurriedly sat down on the white sofa placed opposite Heset. The plush leather sofa felt as uncomfortable as an old wooden chair. It was because of Heset’s gaze, which wouldn’t leave his face.
From his short platinum hair and the golden eyes visible beneath it to the ornaments hanging at his ankles. The Emperor was sparkling all over in gold. He was like the sun, shining alone in a lifeless space.
Facing Heset, who resembled Assad so much, Cayden felt his heart tighten. He had to make an effort to keep his mind straight.
A heavy silence descended inside the reception room.
“Your face looks much better.”
Heset spoke. His low voice, neither soft nor hard, was indifferent.
“…Th-thank you, it’s thanks to His Highness the Crown Prince’s care.”
Cayden answered, clenching his hands that had stiffened with tension. The manner of speech of royalty that he had learned from Amun randomly appeared and disappeared in his mind.
“What could that kid have done? He probably just tormented his partner.”
Heset’s quiet laughter, as subdued as his voice, stuck in Cayden’s ears. Cayden was startled and had to unclench his hands again.
“No, torment, that’s… he never did such a thing.”
“You’re taking his side.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
