# Chapter 43
The words unsuitable for a child came as a shock to Shaki. Only then did Shaki realize that Asher was the only omega in the family. Perhaps that’s why Shaki wanted to be Asher’s sole ally. But as soon as Asher experienced his heat, he began to change frighteningly.
The inappropriate behavior that began then gradually escalated, and people around them started pointing fingers at him. Eventually, Ember, unable to endure it anymore, got angry at Asher, but each time, Shaki took Asher’s side and defended him. He wanted to be the only ally for Asher who had grown up lonely among alphas.
Then one day, Asher fell from the second floor. It was such a serious accident that his once-beautiful pink hair turned red with blood.
“Why did he fall?”
“Don’t know.”
“Did you try to find out?”
“Why bother?”
Unable to contain himself at Ember’s words, Shaki struck the wall. He couldn’t understand why Ember treated their blood-related brother like a stranger. Eventually, Shaki gathered all the household servants and began an investigation. But the incident was concluded as him falling while reading a book.
“He got what he deserved.”
“Do you really think that? He’s still your brother, isn’t he?”
“Brother? That guy just brings shame to our family? Honestly, I’ve been tolerating it because you’ve been so indulgent, but you need to stop too.”
Ember didn’t seem to have even a trace of sympathy. Seeing this, Shaki wondered if it wasn’t someone deliberately pushing him, but rather Asher attempting to fall of his own will.
“What if he was trying to commit suicide?”
“For what reason?”
“He’s always talked about wanting to be an alpha. Maybe he was lonelier than anyone else.”
At Shaki’s words, Ember snorted as if it were absurd.
“Even so, it doesn’t change the fact that he’s a disgrace to the family.”
“Maybe that could change.”
“Is that really possible?”
Ember sneered as if it would never happen. Shaki didn’t say anything, just stared at Ember before looking at Asher lying in bed. As if promising to do anything if only Asher would safely wake up, he stayed by Asher’s side for days.
But when Asher finally woke up, he looked at himself and everyone else as if they were strangers. It was a confused look, like someone who had lost everything.
“And that was you…”
As if recalling that time, Shaki tightly embraced the limp Asher in his arms and closed his eyes firmly.
“Asher…”
Shaki’s voice filled the room, carried by the air. Somehow, there was an illusion of tears falling from beneath Shaki’s dry eyes.
“I like how you’ve changed. …So just keep smiling like you do now. I’ll handle all the difficult things.”
Shaki opened his closed eyes and tensed his gaze, as if willing to do anything the Duke ordered to protect Asher.
*
When he opened his heavy eyelids, a familiar ceiling came into view. A plain color with wave patterns. It was his room.
“…What happened?”
Asher squeezed out his barely audible voice and slowly got up from his place. His head throbbed as if he’d been sick all night, and his body ached as if beaten. Above all, the churning nausea inside kept making him want to vomit. Finally unable to bear it, Asher went to the bathroom, emptied his stomach, and rinsed his mouth.
“I’m so sick of this…”
As if in agony, Asher swept back his wet hair and moved back to his room. Then, out of habit, he took out the digestive medicine he kept in the drawer, poured it into his mouth, and called for Toms who was waiting outside.
“The letter?”
“I delivered it well. And he asked me to give you this.”
What Toms handed over was a purple envelope stamped with Kan’s seal. Asher slowly opened the envelope and read the words written inside.
[As you said, it was an urgent situation.
Please don’t worry too much.
I will take good care of the child.
If you ever need my help, please use the stone anytime.
-Cal]
“That’s a relief… It seems to have gone smoothly.”
Once the situation here calmed down a bit, Asher planned to send a magical messenger to the western mage tower in the Bulldog Kingdom. He would feel more at ease if he directly confirmed that Narta was safe. Asher read Cal’s letter and quietly put it away in the drawer.
“How long have I been unconscious?”
“A full day has passed.”
“Was it Brother Shaki who brought me here?”
“Yes.”
Asher recalled Shaki’s appearance the last time he saw him, as if he had expected this. Shaki had rushed over looking precariously unstable… If it hadn’t been for him, Asher didn’t know what would have happened to him there.
“Do you know where my brother is?”
“I heard he’s at the Wind Garden.”
Toms answered immediately, as if he had anticipated that Asher would look for him. Asher added a word of thanks and moved to where Shaki was.
Perhaps because winter was approaching, only the biting wind was blowing in the Wind Garden. In such a desolate place, Shaki was gazing blankly at a tree that had lost all its leaves.
“Brother.”
Though Shaki must have sensed his presence, he remained silent. Asher, who blew away the dust carried by a sudden strong wind with a “puff,” poked Shaki’s back.
“What are you thinking about so deeply?”
Asher asked him the same question Shaki always asked him. Only then did Shaki take his eyes off the tree he had been looking at and smiled at Asher.
“Welcome, Asher.”
“Brother, your lip…!”
“Oh, this? It’s nothing. I just had a little argument with someone.”
Despite what he said, he had never before argued or fought with anyone. He certainly had never been hit by anyone. That’s why Asher could immediately tell that Shaki was lying.
“Father hit you… because of me…”
As Asher’s expression saddened, Shaki ruffled his hair as if to reassure him. He was caring as always.
“Why would I get hit by Father? Believe it or not, I’m trusted by him.”
“…That’s a lie.”
“It’s true, Asher. So don’t make that face.”
“…”
“When you make that expression… I don’t know what to do.”
Shaki looked down at Asher with a contemplative expression. Somehow, an inexplicable suffering seemed to be felt between his eyes.
“More importantly, are you okay? I came out because I thought you’d be worried, but why did you come out here? Wearing such thin clothes.”
Shaki hurriedly put his outer garment around Asher’s shoulders. Looking at Shaki who consistently took care of him, Asher suddenly remembered that Toms had given him some ointment. At the time, he thought it was because his own lip was injured, but now thinking about it, it seemed like Toms had prepared the ointment knowing that Shaki was hurt. Asher took out the ointment he had kept in his pocket and put some on his index finger.
“I’ll apply it.”
“No, I’ll put it on for you…”
It was an injury caused by him. That’s why Asher stopped Shaki, who wanted to apply it himself, and applied the ointment to the wounded area with his own hand.
“This really upsets me…”
Asher’s heart ached because everything seemed to be his fault. But Shaki quietly looked down at him and took the ointment from his hand.
“Why?”
“You’re hurt too.”
“I’m fine.”
Despite Asher’s words, Shaki silently put some ointment on his finger and reached for Asher’s lips. Then Asher, seeming flustered, pushed him away and covered his mouth.
“…Asher?”
“S-sorry… I… I think I was momentarily distracted.”
The strange feelings he had felt for Shaki before seemed to have intensified. Asher stepped back with an awkward smile, feeling an oddly profound sense of familial love.
“I, I… Toms already applied it for me. So I’m fine.”
“…”
“Besides, what were you doing here? With the wind blowing so strongly.”
Asher composed his expression and changed the subject. Fortunately, Shaki didn’t inquire further.
“Just thinking about childhood.”
“Childhood?”
“Mother used to read books here often. When she was pregnant with you, Asher.”
Shaki smiled bitterly, as if missing those times. Then he stroked the tree once with his hand and grinned.
“I made a promise to Mother back then. That when you were born, I would make you the happiest person in the world and take care of you without holding back.”
“…”
“But after Mother passed away, I couldn’t keep that promise. At that time, I thought the reason for Mother’s death was solely because of you. I think I was too young then. I shouldn’t have thought that way.”
Shaki shook his head, looking regretful about those childhood days. Then he looked at Asher, as if making a promise under that tree.
“But now I want to keep that promise.”
“Brother…”
“From now on, I’m willing to do anything to protect you. Even if the end of that path is hell.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
