Fortunately, the Emperor of the Ohariko Empire was fond of Kalroy, who despite being abandoned by his own family, held his head high and maintained his noble dignity, and had already adopted him as his son.
The reason the Crown Prince investiture ceremony was delayed was because this year was when Kalroy would turn twenty years old.
‘My Crown Prince, what good does being twenty do? You’re still the same as when you were young.’
Rob swallowed a sigh and approached Kalroy.
“Your Highness, shall I go out and check?”
“No.”
Kalroy pulled his body away from the window. As if embarrassed belatedly, he cleared his throat and sat at the table, crossing his legs, which to Rob’s eyes looked like a thoroughly sulking child.
‘It can’t be helped. Even that side of him is part of Kalroy.’
Though his master was young and weak, Rob had never once failed to be loyal to Kalroy. The feelings that began with pity had grown uncontrollably and transformed into deep loyalty, and Rob had resolved to serve only Kalroy for his entire life.
While Kalroy pretended to be indifferent, swinging his legs and waiting for Daniel who hadn’t yet arrived, Rob’s gaze never left Kalroy for even a moment.
***
“Crown Prince William McCurren of the Stamili Empire greets Crown Prince-elect Kalroy Dien, elder brother. Truly congratulations.”
“Thank you, William McCurren. May the blessings of both empires’ emperors be with you as well.”
William greeted first with proper courtesy, and Kalroy answered with dignity. Daniel looked at the two who had matured considerably with a pleased expression. However, that satisfaction disappeared before even five minutes had passed.
“Indeed, human nature doesn’t change easily. I was born to become the Crown Prince of the Ohariko Empire, you see. It’s on a different level from the crown prince of a small nation.”
“……”
‘Sigh. Kalroy, what if you still can’t come to your senses.’
Daniel sighed inwardly. Looking at William, he seemed to be getting heated up as well, but since he couldn’t show his temper in front of his elder brother and the crown prince-elect of an allied nation, he appeared to be holding back.
‘That’s right. Just because Kalroy is acting strange doesn’t mean you should too. Our William really has grown well.’
While Daniel was genuinely admiring, Kalroy’s gaze reached Daniel. It was a look as if asking where he was looking when he had come to see him.
“Hey, lowly Omega I’m seeing after a long time.”
“Yes, Your Highness. Did you call me?”
“Yes. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, and I wanted to see… ahem, that’s not it! What are you doing not showing proper courtesy even when seeing the crown prince-elect of an allied nation?”
He had clearly bowed his head when William offered congratulations earlier and joined in the final blessing. So why he was picking a fight was beyond understanding.
While Daniel was searching for words, trying to think of a solution that wouldn’t cause trouble for William, William stepped forward first.
“Since my concubine and Dominant Omega Daniel has a small stature, he was probably hidden behind me and not visible to Your Highness. Everything is my oversight, so please place the responsibility on me and calm your anger.”
An invisible tension seemed to be tautly stretched between the two, making Daniel unable to even breathe.
Hearing William’s words, Kalroy struck the wall hard and said,
“…What did you say!”
Daniel couldn’t understand such a reaction from Kalroy. William had acknowledged that Kalroy was being unreasonable while saying everything was his own fault, so why was he getting so angry?
“That wicked Omega was trying to disrespect me by hiding behind Crown Prince William?”
Kalroy made a threatening expression and took a step toward Daniel.
Kalroy was dissatisfied with everything right now.
The fact that Daniel’s appearance, which he had only seen in dreams, had completely changed from his memory, that Daniel’s gaze was only on William, that he kept too much distance and stayed far away so he couldn’t smell his scent. There wasn’t a single thing he liked about it.
“I’m going to take you right now and question your crimes!”
Kalroy reached out toward Daniel’s shoulder to grab him, but William was faster. Kalroy was left with his hand in the air, not knowing what to do, and Daniel trembled in fear that William might go into a rampage. However, William hid Daniel behind his body and spoke calmly.
“Daniel Lambert is my Omega. Though he is from concubine origins, since there is no Crown Princess now, he bears the duty of an Omega who continues the bloodline, so the crown prince-elect of the allied nation should show appropriate courtesy.”
After William finished speaking, Daniel shed tears of admiration. Seeing them side by side for comparison clearly revealed how different the behavior was between William, whom he had taught one by one from childhood, and Kalroy.
‘I may not know about other things, but I chose my stock investment incredibly well. Our William, you really can’t find a single flaw no matter how hard you look. Is it okay for a person to be this perfect?’
Just before coming here, William had been childishly bickering with Erica over him, yet it was confusing whether this William speaking of allied nation protocol in front of Kalroy was the same person.
“Bl-bloodline… Crown Princess what now?”
The moment Kalroy said those words, his eyes met directly with Daniel, who had peeked his head out from behind William.
The brown eyes that had been light in childhood seemed to have become deeper and more intense. Looking at those eyes that contrasted with his fair, transparent skin gave him a mysterious feeling.
‘Daniel is an Omega who will continue the bloodline… And he’s Dominant?’
Though not as much as William, Kalroy was also a Dominant Alpha of imperial blood. There was no way he wouldn’t recognize a Dominant Omega.
‘Did the Dominant traits manifest late after his manifestation?’
Whatever Daniel’s traits were, seeing the face he had wanted to see once more was more important now. Kalroy dismissed his idle thoughts and focused on looking at Daniel.
‘He’s definitely become prettier. With that pretty face, becoming William’s concubine!’
The more he thought about it, the more infuriating it became. But then when he looked at Daniel again, his anger seemed to subside, and heat rose to his face so he couldn’t even get properly angry.
Daniel, sensing such a gaze from Kalroy, hid behind William again. William, noticing the strange atmosphere, spoke up.
“We are very tired from the long journey, so let’s end the greetings here and return to our quarters. We will devote ourselves to learning and mastering the protocols we must observe as envoys of an allied nation until the investiture ceremony, so I hope elder brother will also take care.”
Just as William said this and was about to take Daniel away, Kalroy blocked their path.
“Wait!”
“Do you still have business with us?”
When William asked irritably, Kalroy answered quietly.
“Give me a little time… that is to say…”
“I can’t hear what you’re saying very well. Please speak a little louder.”
At William’s words, Kalroy’s face turned bright red.
“I, the crown prince-elect of the great Ohariko Empire, have something to say to the lowly Omega Daniel Lambert!”
Though his voice was loud, rolling his eyes while speaking made it look like pleading rather than threatening. But Daniel’s attention was entirely on William. Because Kalroy kept provoking him, it wouldn’t be strange if William went into a rampage at any moment.
William answered irritably.
“I don’t know what you have to say to my Omega, but I cannot give him to you separately.”
“I don’t expect that either. Just a very brief moment will do.”
At Kalroy’s rarely serious attitude without any bluster or pretense, William, who had been thinking for a moment, reluctantly released Daniel’s hand that he had been firmly holding.
“Fine. But don’t go too far from me.”
When Daniel looked at William for his reaction, William nodded. It meant he could go. Still, worried that going too readily might displease William, Daniel slowly walked toward Kalroy.
“Daniel.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I have a request.”
“Please speak comfortably.”
“Could you hug me and pat my back?”
“What?”
Daniel didn’t understand Kalroy’s words at once and asked back. No matter how he thought about it, this didn’t seem like something that should come from the mouth of someone who had become an adult and was days away from a Crown Prince investiture ceremony.
“Like before, that is, like when I was out of my mind and couldn’t do anything, when you comforted me—could you hug me like that just once?”
Kalroy’s pleading voice was so pitiful it was heartbreaking, so Daniel couldn’t refuse immediately. But he was now the concubine of an allied nation’s Crown Prince. As long as proper protocols existed, he couldn’t do such a thing.
Moreover, with William watching with blazing eyes focused only on this place, how could he hug Kalroy of all people!
“It’s presumptuous of me to say, but…”
“Just once. That’s all I need, one last time before I die.”
Kalroy’s expression became as gloomy as someone who had lived through everything in the world. Daniel couldn’t understand why he was going to such lengths over something as simple as one hug, and didn’t know what to do.
Seeing Daniel hesitate, Kalroy asked.
“Are you worried about William’s reaction?”
Daniel shook his head.
“It’s not that I’m worried about his reaction.”
“Then?”
“It goes against protocol, and I’m hesitating only because I can’t find a reason why I should do it.”
Kalroy looked up at the sky and held his forehead. Then, as if a good idea had occurred to him, he looked at Daniel again.
“What if I want to express gratitude to a friend who comforted me during my most difficult time?”
“To a lowly Omega?”
Daniel knew this was too cruel to say to Kalroy, who had set aside his arrogance and pretensions and was sincerely conveying his heart, but he was determined to avoid this moment somehow.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
