I subtly changed the subject while watching William’s expression, but he didn’t seem to be listening to my words. His pupils had no focus and the breathing coming from his slightly parted lips was rough. It wouldn’t be strange if he pounced on me right now.
As William grew older, his pheromones became increasingly thick, and my pheromones must also be getting thicker.
How foolish! Not knowing that the stories had helped stabilize him, I had tried to dig my own grave.
I sat up and observed him while staying as far away from William as possible. William seemed unable to stop me from moving away, probably because he was intoxicated by hormones. Looking at his face, fortunately it seemed like color was gradually returning. Still, just in case, I was about to say that we should sleep in our separate rooms tonight when William opened his mouth.
“What are you doing over there? I’m fine now, so come here.”
“…Are you really okay?”
“Yeah. How can my one and only concubine not trust the Crown Prince’s words? I’ve been holding back well until now, haven’t I?”
“Still…”
William’s expression grew increasingly menacing as he watched me hesitate. It seemed better to go to his side before he went into a rampage.
When I lay down beside him, William said in a low voice.
“Don’t make me into a bad Crown Prince.”
“……”
“I want to be a good Crown Prince for the empire’s citizens and for you too.”
Although the words carried good meaning, the coldness I felt in his voice seemed to freeze my liver. I’ll have to be more careful in the future.
***
They say that affairs in the Imperial Palace can’t be predicted even by a minute or second, and the incident broke out two months later.
I stared with my mouth agape at the flowers and jewels filling the room, as well as the fruit piled high on the central table.
William had already given me a gift, so it didn’t seem like he would send something else. William knew that rather than liking gifts, I found them burdensome.
Still, William’s purpose in continuously giving me gifts was separate. It was to let other nobles know that I was a concubine who received gifts directly from the Crown Prince, so they wouldn’t treat me carelessly.
Then who on earth had offered all this tribute?
“What is all this…”
As I trailed off, Erica pulled out a letter from the pile of jewels. Erica’s eyes widened when she saw the writing on the surface.
Why is she so surprised?
“Eek, I have a feeling something that shouldn’t have come has arrived.”
“Who is it from?”
I snatched the letter from Erica’s hand. On the surface, it was written like this:
[From Kalroy McCurren, to Daniel Lambert…]
The moment I saw the name, I was as surprised as Erica. After freezing for a moment and coming to my senses, all kinds of thoughts flashed through my mind.
Poor and pitiful Kalroy, he must have adapted well there. That’s why he sent such expensive things. Did he send them for my birthday? Did news of my birthday spread all the way to the Ohariko Empire?
The warm thought that it was fortunate Kalroy had adapted well in the Ohariko Empire was brief, and I soon began to feel anxious. If Kalroy was the one who sent all these gifts, there were more than one or two problems that would arise.
I had only told William about my birthday. The fact that Kalroy, who was being held hostage in a distant empire, knew about it meant there was still someone informing him of the situation here. In other words, the purge of traitors remained incomplete, which was a matter requiring great caution.
But more important than this was that William must not find out that Kalroy had sent me birthday gifts.
If William, who had strong possessiveness and especially didn’t want to lose anything to Kalroy, found out about this fact, I didn’t know what he might do. That had to be prevented.
“Lord Daniel, aren’t you going to open the letter?”
I snapped to attention at Erica’s words. Although I was curious about how Kalroy was doing, there was a more important problem than reading the letter right now.
“Erica, quickly clear away all the gifts here. It’ll be big trouble if His Highness the Crown Prince finds out!”
The perceptive Erica nodded as if she understood.
“And hurry and tell Behern that I’m looking for him.”
“Yes, understood!”
Erica, who realized the seriousness of the situation, began moving nimbly. After calling Behern and returning, I helped her move the items to the storage room on one side of the room, and we were able to clear them away faster than expected. I sent the easily spoilable fruit to the kitchen for the hard-working attendants to share. Of course, I strictly warned them to keep their mouths shut about where the fruit came from.
After roughly finishing the work like that, I opened Kalroy’s letter. As I read line by line, I couldn’t help but burst into loud laughter.
How could Kalroy not have changed at all even after going there?
[Daniel Lambert, you were the only lower-class Omega who wasn’t disgusting even after looking at you for a long time. I get annoyed just being near people of lowly status, but strangely, when I was near you, I didn’t feel annoyed or disgusted at all, so I liked you.]
Of course. Although you’re lower-class, you’re a Dominant Omega, so it wouldn’t have been disgusting. Plus, when you comforted me when I was sick and struggling, wouldn’t there be a problem with your character if you thought it was disgusting?
[However, I will definitely hold you accountable for the crime of daring to ignore me, a lowly lower-class Omega like you, and not coming even when I asked you to come with me.]
Sigh… Even being taken as a hostage, being this arrogant meant he was definitely living it up there too. Kalroy’s last appearance looked so pitiful that I had briefly misunderstood him.
[I am doing well here. The Emperor of the Ohariko Empire is old but has no sons, so he seems to think of me as a son. It’s rude for the Emperor of a mere Ohariko Empire to dare think of a royal of the Stamili Empire as his son, but… I am understanding because the devotion he shows me is touching.]
Even if you’re ill-mannered, there should be a limit. This is no different from a grandchild grabbing their grandfather’s beard. I was laughing in disbelief when I heard Behern’s voice.
“Lord Daniel, I heard you were looking for me.”
I folded the letter and placed it on the table, then greeted Behern.
“Please come in, Behern. Even though I told you to speak comfortably when we’re alone, you still do this.”
“I hope Lord Daniel will speak casually to me instead. It’s embarrassing to hear.”
Even though we had bickered about similar things since I became a concubine until now, Behern didn’t budge an inch.
A moment later, Erica brought two cups of tea and placed them on the table. I took a sip of tea and spoke up.
“Um, Lord Behern, a letter and gifts have arrived from Prince Kalroy.”
Behern, who I expected to be surprised, smiled slightly as if he had known this would happen.
“You’re not surprised. I was worried that perhaps Kalroy’s remaining followers were informing Kalroy of news from the Stamili Empire.”
Behern chuckled and nodded.
“That would be understandable.”
“Your reaction isn’t like you, Behern.”
Behern slowly sipped his tea and placed it on the table.
“You don’t need to worry.”
My prediction that he knew something was right, as I had thought.
“Because I was the one who informed His Highness Kalroy of Lord Daniel’s birthday.”
“…What did you say? Why did you do such a thing? You’ve caused trouble that His Highness the Crown Prince would dislike if he found out.”
Behern spoke as if he felt wronged.
“I had no choice. If I don’t report news of Lord Daniel every two months, he says he’ll return to the Stamili Empire immediately, envoy or not. What could I do?”
Hearing this, it seemed like something Kalroy would definitely do. Moreover, while the Emperor of the Ohariko Empire was thinking of Kalroy as a child, if he suddenly came here… that could lead to a national dispute rather than just a fraternal conflict.
“I understand. Prince Kalroy has been quietly keeping his place until now thanks to you, Lord Behern.”
“Rather than thanks… it would be more accurate to say I had no choice. Actually, I still don’t understand well. The reason why both princes are excessively obsessed with Lord Daniel.”
I didn’t know the reason either, so there was no way Behern would know.
I thought William’s obsession was natural since he was a helpless child clinging to almost the first attachment figure he’d ever had, and I didn’t consider that there might be other meanings behind it.
But recently, after hearing that he had been suppressing his instincts with folk tales, I realized that such thinking was my misunderstanding.
Behern glanced at me and said.
“I apologize. I seem to have spoken presumptuously.”
“Not at all. Thank you for telling me. As long as there are no spies, anything is fine.”
Behern sighed with a tired expression.
“Lord Daniel is truly remarkable.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m saying this because even in this situation, what you always think of first is His Highness the Crown Prince’s safety.”
I awkwardly scratched my head.
“Since I’m His Highness’s one and only concubine, I know that I can only be safe if His Highness is safe, so that’s why I do it.”
“Yes, yes. I understand well.”
Behern stood up from his seat with a tired expression. After greeting me and turning to leave, his muttered words to himself reached my ears too.
“No wonder the obsession gets stronger… Even I would be obsessed.”
Haha, the idea that William is obsessed with me because I always think of his safety first…
While that might be one way to think about it, I couldn’t neglect William’s safety out of fear of his obsession. His safety was my life after all.
“Um, Lord Behern!”
Behern, who was about to open the door, turned around.
“Yes. Do you still have something to say?”
“Well, you see. About the fact that gifts came from His Highness Kalroy to His Highness the Crown Prince…”
“Ah, that’s obvious. I’ll absolutely keep it secret, so don’t worry.”
“Yes, please do that for me. And please take care of reporting news every two months as well.”
Behern burst into laughter.
“You’re openly asking me to act as a spy.”
“I have no choice. I have to prevent various mishaps even if it means doing that.”
“Yes. I understand well.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
