# Chapter 11
Feeling melancholic, Asher headed toward the library where the books were kept. Just then, he noticed Ember coming up from the second floor. Although he didn’t want to face him, their eyes met, causing Asher to slow his steps before coming to a complete stop.
Despite two months having passed, the relationship with Ember was still uncomfortable. Asher forced a smile and nodded toward Ember.
“Where are you going?”
Noticing Asher’s desire to escape, Ember stared at him intently with a scrutinizing gaze. Asher had expected they would just exchange greetings and pass by each other, but surprised by the unexpected question, he awkwardly rolled his eyes before answering.
“I was thinking of reading some books… What about you, hyung?”
“I just dropped by for some business. But you know what? How long are you planning to stay cooped up at home?”
He seemed displeased with Asher spending all his time at home without going out. However, Asher wasn’t particularly drawn to the idea of going outside, and as for socializing with other nobles, by next year they would all be strangers to him. Not wanting to stress himself by interacting with such people, Asher responded with an embarrassed expression.
“From what I can see, things don’t seem to be going smoothly with His Grace the Duke either. Instead of staying at home, why don’t you go out and socialize a bit?”
“I’ll handle it myself.”
“You’re too precious to be kept hidden away. If your late mother saw you holed up at home only looking at rabbits, what would she say? She’d probably blame Father and me. I don’t want that.”
There was so much he wanted to say. Asher wanted to ask why Ember disliked him so much, but he quietly rolled the unspoken words on the tip of his tongue and silently listened to Ember’s words.
“So either meet people socially or at least meet with Baron Varhan. You used to socialize well enough before you lost your memory, but now are you two really acting like a married couple?”
Watching Ember speak as if constantly crossing a line, Asher bit his pale lips hard. Seeing Asher’s reaction, Ember sighed deeply and placed his hands on his hips.
“I really wasn’t going to intervene, but honestly, I think the sociable Baron Varhan suits our family better. If I inherit the family in the future, I have no intention of following Father’s wishes.”
“Hyung.”
“Of course, that’s only if you haven’t married by then.”
He spoke as if Luke and Asher wouldn’t be able to marry. Although that would likely be the case in reality, something about his words made Asher’s throat ache with sadness.
“Hyung… Why do you hate me so much?”
“What?”
“I know I’ve done many wrongs in the past. I know I’ve done things that would make you dislike me… But now I’m living quietly without causing trouble, just as you want…”
He expressed the thoughts he had been keeping in his heart, trying his best to suppress his emotions. Part of him worried about being scolded by Ember again. However, Ember looked at him with a serious gaze.
The resulting heavy silence divided them, and a quietness settled in the corridor. Finally, Asher lowered his eyes halfway, clenching his hands tight with tension.
“I won’t ask you to love me. I’ll just continue to live quietly as if I’m not even here… Just please don’t hate me… hyung.”
Asher added the last word while faintly lifting the corners of his mouth. Although it was a smile so slight it seemed pitiful, it quickly vanished without a trace.
“Asher.”
“…Yes?”
“I don’t like who you’ve become.”
At Ember’s single statement, Asher’s eyelids trembled. Between them, blue eyes that seemed hurt shone briefly before disappearing behind his eyelids, quickly replaced by a composed expression.
“…I know.”
He knew that no matter what he did, he would never be loved in this household. That wasn’t something he could change now, no matter how hard he tried. His past behavior had already hindered his path forward, and in ten months, he would have to hand over his position to the real Asher.
Rather than bonding with these people and getting hurt, it wasn’t such a bad idea to close his heart. After all, living here had never suited him in the first place.
Asher slightly hid his tense hands behind his back and smiled at Ember.
“But I’ll try to make an effort, like you said.”
“Asher.”
“I’ll be going now. You take care of your business too.”
Watching Asher pretend not to be hurt, Ember’s eyes wavered for a moment. But Asher didn’t see this as he quickly walked down the corridor and entered the library. After dismissing even the servant so no one could enter, he wiped away the tears he had been holding back.
*
After the incident with Ember, a letter arrived from Baron Varhan. The contents of the letter invited him to a horseback riding gathering that had been postponed for several months. Though he didn’t particularly want to attend, remembering Ember’s words, he put the letter down on the table.
“A horseback riding gathering…”
Now somewhat faded in his memory, in the original work, Asher’s horseback riding incident was described in just a few lines of text. To elaborate slightly: Baron Varhan and Asher, who enjoyed horseback riding, discover a tree beneath the Vahalm Cliff. That tree, emanating a rainbow-like aura, was like something out of an ancient legend, and inside it slept a young bird that had not yet reached maturity.
The bird’s name was Phoenix. It was a being from ancient legends that was said to grant wishes if one obtained its feathers.
The greedy Asher, who discovered the bird by chance, asked Baron Varhan to get him a feather. Baron Varhan, who always wanted to impress Asher, descended the cliff, but at that moment, the stones beneath his feet began to crumble, putting him in a dangerous situation.
Because of the dangerous situation, Asher called nearby knights to save Baron Varhan, but the young phoenix, awakened from its sleep, attacked Baron Varhan. Unable to stand by, Asher picked up a nearby stone and threw it, and the enraged phoenix placed a curse on Baron Varhan. The content of the curse was a spell that would only free him from pain if he killed Asher.
Because of this, Baron Varhan unintentionally tried to kill and torment Asher. Since the character Asher Anest existed from the beginning to make the main character shine, this setting was not prominently featured in the original work. After all, he was a character destined to be ruined by the Anest brothers, not by Baron Varhan.
A device solely to torment Luke and Asher. That was Baron Varhan’s role.
“Should I just not go?”
He considered avoiding the original plot, but Asher remembered the rabbit beastman that Shaki had brought last time. Somehow, he felt that if he avoided it this time too, the original work would find a way to connect him with Baron Varhan. In that case, he thought it might be better to slightly alter the original plot and escape the curse.
As soon as Asher finished his thoughts, he rang the bell next to him.
“Did you call for me, Young Master?”
In response to Asher’s call, Jan entered and bowed at the waist. He mentioned that he was already on his way to see Asher and called in a woman who was waiting outside.
“Pleased to meet you. I am Aria, who will be in charge of your refinement lessons.”
Hearing this news for the first time, Asher tilted his head to the side. Seeming quite perceptive, she bowed her head and answered.
“I was sent by His Grace the Duke. I will teach you with all my heart.”
Her face was filled with tension, perhaps having heard rumors about him being a scoundrel. Considering that the Duke had even assigned a teacher to him, it seemed like Duke Anest was hoping he would cause trouble with the Duke. After all, secretly assigning a teacher to an Omega meant something like that.
“Now that we’ve seen each other’s faces, I’ll send the official lesson dates through my servant.”
“His Grace asked that you focus on your lessons starting today.”
“I will speak to my father about that separately.”
Asher looked at her as if telling her to leave now. She seemed to have something more to say, but she bowed and quietly left the room.
For a teacher who came to instruct him, she was excessively polite, and there was a strangely cold feeling. It was like a feeling of not being able to form an attachment. Because of this inexplicable feeling, Asher asked Jan.
“Father never mentioned anything like this, so when did he hire her?”
“I apologize, Young Master. I should have noticed sooner and informed you…”
Jan was his personal servant who stayed with him like an extension of his body every day, serving as his eyes and ears. But the fact that even Jan didn’t know suggested that the Duke had hired her impulsively without any vetting.
“What’s her designation?”
“I heard she’s a Beta.”
“Did she say anything else?”
“I didn’t receive any special information. She’s quite taciturn and didn’t say a single word the entire way here.”
Normally, he wasn’t the type to be so sensitive. But this time, he had an uneasy feeling that made it difficult to just let it go.
“Please discreetly investigate this woman named Aria.”
“Yes.”
“And also pay attention to tomorrow’s outing.”
At Asher’s words, Jan responded respectfully and left the room. Gazing at the distant window, Asher fell into deep contemplation.
Aria… It was definitely a name he had heard somewhere before. But no matter how much he thought about it, it was like a thick fog had settled in his mind, making it impossible to remember. It felt like he had forgotten something most important. In the end, Asher just stared at the light spilling chaotically behind the setting sun, slowly blinking his eyes.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
