#62
“Next time something like this happens, direct it straight to me. Don’t bother dirtying Father’s ears with my affairs unnecessarily.”
Enrique said this while placing his hand on his father’s shoulder. King Shamier looked at Enrique with a complex expression.
“Seeing how you’re already handling things like this, it seems the Prince has no intention of letting you go easily.”
In response to his father’s words, Enrique just gave an awkward smile.
“Enrique, do as your heart tells you. Although our Shamier is not a great power, we’re not so weak as to be pushed around either. We can support you to some extent. If you have feelings for the Prince, then just like this…”
“Father.”
Enrique cut off his father’s words sharply. Then, with a smiling face, he asked,
“You’re not trying to remove me from the position of heir, are you?”
“You know that’s not what I mean.”
“If that’s not what you mean, then what is it? If I maintain a marriage with the Prince of Ruben, I’ll eventually have to go to Ruben, won’t I? Then how will I succeed you? As I’ve said many times, I’m very ambitious for the throne. I will succeed you, Father. If you’re not satisfied with me as your heir, just say so. Don’t think about using marriage as an excuse to drive me out.”
“Enrique…”
King Shamier sighed. Enrique gripped his father’s shoulders tightly, conveying his determination.
Being newlyweds, there wasn’t much to do separately. There was no news from Anture either. He was probably in the midst of discussions with the Ruben side or in a dispute with Monta. Enrique didn’t try to find out more about it. As long as it didn’t affect Shamier, he didn’t care.
In the end, Enrique spent his time leisurely. He went to the stable for once and personally groomed Casto. Thinking it was about time to pair him up and have offspring, he showed him potential mates here and there. As the sun began to set, he shut himself in the study and read books. He couldn’t remember the last time he had spent time so idly without anything to do.
After bathing and changing into his nightclothes, Enrique climbed onto the bed in his new bedroom. Glancing down, he saw a door on one side. It was the door connecting to Anture’s bedroom.
‘Should I lock it?’
Enrique hesitated for a moment. But he decided to leave it as it was. Somehow, it felt childish to lock it.
Lying straight on the bed and staring at the ceiling, Enrique suddenly realized something. It was already the fourth night in this bedroom, but it was the first time he was seeing the ceiling. For three days, he had been so entangled with Anture day and night that he hadn’t had the time or presence of mind to look at the ceiling or anything else.
Enrique stared at the somewhat unfamiliar ceiling and let out a deep sigh.
His feelings were complicated.
Anture, who wanted to maintain this marriage to the end, and Enrique, who was determined to divorce in four years.
Instead of trying to persuade or overpower Enrique, Anture had turned his blade towards Monta. Was it because of this approach? Even though his intention to ruin Enrique’s plans was obvious, Enrique couldn’t bring himself to be angry at him.
Honestly… Enrique had considered other calculations too.
There was a way to make Ruben pay the massive wedding gifts promised by Monta and Baron instead of breaking off the engagement with them. This way, Shamier could reap all the benefits intact and continue the marriage with Anture.
But the problem was that Anture would eventually have to succeed to the throne of Ruben. Enrique would end up leaving for Ruben and be unable to succeed to the throne of Shamier. Enrique absolutely could not accept that.
The fact that he had even considered modifying his original plan was dangerous in itself. It meant he was that attracted to Anture.
The most important thing in this situation was that Anture had made the first move. If Ruben shamelessly used force to oppress Monta and Baron… If Monta and Baron, unable to withstand it, declared they would give up on the marriage, it would be a huge setback. So Enrique needed to prepare a countermeasure.
As he tossed and turned, continuing his complex thoughts, the night deepened. But there was no news from Anture. He was probably in an all-night meeting, or maybe deliberately avoiding Enrique. Either way, it was fortunate. If he saw Anture’s face now, he’d either have to slap him once or kick him out of bed.
Enrique drifted off to sleep without realizing it.
How long had he been asleep? He felt someone’s presence seeping into the bed. From the touch of the strong arms pulling him into an embrace and the body scent, he could tell it was Anture. Enrique wanted to open his eyes to look at him, but he simply couldn’t. Perhaps due to the aftereffects of being worn out for three days and nights, his eyelids, once closed, were too heavy to lift again.
“Shh… Keep sleeping, Enrique.”
Anture whispered, as if he had noticed Enrique’s struggle to open his eyes. Then, as if handling a child, he held Enrique in his arms and patted his back. Enrique breathed languidly, feeling light kisses falling repeatedly on his crown and cheeks. Sleep came rushing back. Enrique didn’t resist and threw his consciousness into slumber.
The next day, Enrique woke up after a deep, dreamless sleep. The first thought that came to mind as he woke was that he should kick Anture out. But Enrique couldn’t put that thought into action. The bed beside him was already empty.
He pulled a cord, and Pol opened the bedroom door and entered.
“You’re awake, Your Highness.”
Pol greeted with a slight smile.
“Where’s Anture?”
Enrique asked abruptly.
“He came in briefly late last night and left again at dawn.”
“Where did he go?”
“He headed towards where the Ruben envoys are staying, I believe.”
Enrique let out a soft sigh at Pol’s answer. It seemed the conspiracy wasn’t over yet.
After a light breakfast, Enrique immersed himself in the bath. He had a habit of soaking in the bath to think calmly when his mind was too cluttered to organize his thoughts.
Enrique leaned his head back and closed his eyes, his body submerged in the fragrant water.
Anture had been busy moving around since right after their wedding night. Something was needed to stop him. And at the same time, Enrique needed to steadily realize his own plans.
So what should be done now?
As soon as he asked himself, the answer popped up.
What was originally planned to be done right after the marriage. That was to have a child.
Enrique slowly opened his closed eyelids.
Yes. From the beginning, the marriage was nothing more than a procedure to have a child. He needed to give birth to the first child as soon as possible to secure an heir for Shamier, and then take some time to recover his body before having a second child. The set marriage period was 4 years. It wasn’t time to be dawdling around.
With his goal clear, Enrique rose from the bathtub with a light feeling. A smile naturally appeared on his face. Having a child was such an easy task, after all.
After drying his body and hair and getting dressed, Enrique was about to send a servant to call for Anture when he paused.
Come to think of it, had Anture ever experienced a rut?
Unlike an omega’s heat, which comes regularly, an alpha’s rut doesn’t come at regular intervals, as far as he knew. Now that he had come of age, he should have experienced a rut at least once. But hadn’t Anture rushed to Shamier alone as soon as he came of age? Since then, as far as Enrique knew, Anture hadn’t experienced a rut.
…Or had he?
Enrique narrowed his eyes.
As far as Enrique knew, an alpha’s rut comes irregularly, and is mostly triggered by an omega’s pheromones. An alpha in rut experiences uncontrollable sexual desire, and often causes trouble when unable to resist it.
Come to think of it, when they reunited in the forest… Could that have been his rut?
Thinking back to that time, Anture seemed somewhat clumsy, as if inexperienced, and pounced on him haphazardly. Considering the current Anture, he wouldn’t have treated him so roughly upon their reunion. Moreover, hadn’t Enrique’s own heat been triggered by stimulation from Anture’s pheromones at that time? The circumstances matched up in many ways.
“Come to think of it… it’s about that time too.”
“What time?”
Pol, who was waiting nearby, tilted his head and asked.
“My heat.”
“Ah, indeed it is.”
Pol nodded.
“You’ll spend this heat smoothly too. Now that you’re married.”
“Just smoothly?”
“Pardon?”
Pol asked in response to Enrique’s muttering. Enrique turned to Pol with a smile and said,
“It’s the first heat after marriage. I should use this opportunity to conceive a child. An heir for our Shamier.”
At those words, Pol’s eyes widened. Enrique chuckled softly at Pol’s surprised expression.
