# Chapter 13
“What?”
“Go ahead and say whatever you want. Honestly, even though there’s supposedly a contract, I haven’t seen it with my own eyes, and even if I did sign it, that was before I lost my memory, right? So it doesn’t matter.”
Asher expressed his firm resolve, as if refusing to be dragged along any further. Though he spoke with a relaxed expression, Baron Varhan stared at him intently with undisguised sarcasm.
“You’ve definitely changed. The old you would have tried to approach me somehow and soothe my mood.”
Swallowing the words, “That’s because he tried to understand your feelings through his empathic abilities,” Asher waited for what Baron Varhan would say next.
“You don’t usually go around with knight escorts, so why are you being so meticulous today? Makes a person even more anxious.”
“…”
“But you know what? The more noble the flower, the stronger the desire to pluck it.”
Baron Varhan smoothly curved his lips upward, as if telling Asher to look forward to what was coming. Just then, Asher noticed Benedict and Lady Shine who had approached from behind. Baron Varhan seemed to notice them too and responded in a self-deprecating tone.
“What a shame. I was enjoying our intimate time together.”
With a low whisper, he approached the twins who were coming this way. Only then did Asher release the breath he had been holding and looked at the three people facing each other.
Baron Varhan was certainly as dangerous a person as the Duke. His aura was palpable even without releasing pheromones, draining Asher’s energy more than expected. Thinking it would be best to avoid getting entangled with him, Asher left the field, leaving behind the three who were huddled together as if conspiring.
*
As predicted, Baron Varhan and Asher lost the bet. The good thing was that, unlike in the original work, Baron Varhan and Asher didn’t go to the Vahalm Cliff, which meant he wasn’t cursed.
Although Asher had unavoidably twisted the original plot a little, since Caleb had also appeared earlier than in the original timeline, Asher thought things might turn out okay. After all, he wasn’t trying to completely change the original story to become the main character.
Asher went to a nearby high-end restaurant, ordered food, and took a seat.
“Feel free to eat as much as you want. This is Asher’s and my generous treat. Everyone, eat up!”
Baron Varhan, who had already had a drink, encouraged the knight escorts around him in an excited voice. As if it were a regular occurrence, they eagerly grabbed their glasses and toasted, “The Young Baron is the best!”
But the escorts protecting Asher were different. Although some of them, except for Toms, looked thirsty for alcohol, they silently emptied their plates while drinking water.
“This is the time to drink! When else would you get to? Aren’t you being too uptight?”
“They can drink plenty when they get home.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
Baron Varhan’s face hardened at Asher’s behavior, which was particularly disagreeable today. He seemed to be reaching the limits of his patience.
“Young Master, your meal has arrived.”
The tense atmosphere eased somewhat thanks to the timely arrival of the meal. The restaurant regained its laughter, and Asher quietly continued with his meal.
As the meal was coming to an end, Asher called the twins and Baron Varhan like someone about to make an important announcement.
“The reason I came to this gathering today is because I have something I wanted to say.”
“…”
“After today, I don’t plan to attend the horseback riding gatherings anymore. But I came in person because I thought it was right to talk face-to-face.”
Although he had attended the gathering because ending it with just a letter seemed impolite, the twins looked anxiously at Baron Varhan upon hearing his words.
“So either reinforce the membership or it might be best to dissolve this group.”
“It sounds like you’re cutting off our friendship?”
He picked up the wine glass next to him while wiping his mouth with a linen napkin. With a slight smile on his lips, he gestured to the servant to pour him some wine.
As the sound of pouring wine filled the air, a suffocating atmosphere settled over the table. The twins swallowed what they wanted to say and kept glancing at Baron Varhan.
“Baron Varhan.”
“Fine. If that’s what you want, we’ll do that.”
“…”
Surprisingly, he agreed even though it had seemed like he wouldn’t end things smoothly. With a smile sweeter than chocolate on his lips, he swirled his glass slightly and took a sip of the wine.
“Oh right, I prepared a gift for you.”
At the word “gift,” Asher felt his heart pound. An inexplicable sense of anxiety. That emotion swirled within him, creating an eerie feeling.
“It’s unexpectedly become a farewell gift for the gathering, but I hope you’ll be pleased.”
With a hollow smile, he rose from his seat. Still holding his glass, he approached Asher and offered it to him.
“You should have a drink. I’d be really hurt if you just left like this.”
“So what’s this gift you’re giving me?”
“His Grace the Duke.”
At the unexpected mention of this name, Asher’s eyes widened. Now he recalled the three conspiring in the field. At the time, he had dismissed it, but now it seemed that wasn’t the case. Anxious, Asher gripped his thigh tightly and looked up at Baron Varhan.
“I warned you, didn’t I?”
“Why are you being so sensitive? You’ve been fine sending magical messages to our Duke all along.”
Baron Varhan casually used the magical messenger that others found too expensive to use. While that certainly meant wealth and power, Asher stared at him with cold eyes, as if displeased.
“Are you confident you won’t regret being disrespectful to me today?”
“Do you think you’re doing this without having something to rely on?”
“…”
“Asher. I’m higher above your head than you think. What I’m saying is, no matter how much you try to break away from me, it won’t be easy.”
He put down his glass and looked over Asher’s nape. As if he wanted to sink his teeth into it right now, he sensually curved his red lips.
“Don’t worry too much. As always, he won’t come, and those things you’re thinking about won’t happen. And you’ll realize once again that you’ve been completely abandoned by him.”
Asher’s eyelids trembled slightly at his voice, which whispered like a sigh. But he soon composed his expression and stood up with an unwavering gaze.
“Thanks for the advice. But this is where it ends.”
“…”
“I don’t know what you’re relying on, but I hope you won’t forget that I was a scoundrel.”
With those final words, Asher smiled. Wearing a smile that anyone would see as unfriendly, he signaled to Toms with his eyes.
“I’ll cover dinner. Enjoy your meal.”
Asher left the restaurant with Toms following behind. He quickened his pace in case Baron Varhan might follow, but fortunately, he didn’t seem to have such intentions.
Thanks to the released tension, Asher felt his legs wobble.
“Are you alright?”
Toms, who had been following behind, quickly approached and supported Asher. But at the voice that followed, Asher slowly raised his head which had been lowered.
“I thought you had changed.”
Asher’s eyes trembled greatly at the unexpected appearance of Luke. Though he thought Luke wouldn’t come, he was now looking down at him with a gaze so cold that Asher would have believed it was winter.
“…Your Highness.”
“They say a person’s character doesn’t change, but I became the fool for believing that this time might be real.”
“It’s not like that. I didn’t intend for this to happen this time.”
Whether intentional or not, the fact that he had disappointed Luke remained unchanged. Facing Luke’s emotionless gaze, Asher pressed his lips together and refrained from speaking for a moment.
“I’m sorry. I should have apologized first…”
At Asher’s words, Toms quietly stepped back. He maintained just enough distance to be barely visible, watching the two of them.
“I won’t call for Your Highness like this again. It may be hard to believe, but…”
“The people inside are alphas. And you’re an omega.”
“…What?”
Asher asked almost stupidly at the sudden change of subject. Honestly, before his possession, he had no aversion to the idea of men being with men, so he hadn’t given it much thought. Though he had possessed an entity called an omega, perhaps due to his profession as a writer, he had no prejudice about such things. Above all, he believed that when it comes to who a person likes, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a man or a woman.
But Luke didn’t seem angry just because Asher had sent a magical message. Rather, he looked like someone who was angry because he was worried about Asher being among alphas who could snap at any moment. Perhaps, vaguely, Asher felt that Luke might not dislike him after all.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
