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As soon as I heard that one word “no,” my heart sank with a thud. My vision went dark and my mind drifted distantly away.
The Grand Duke of Soliwen, who already had a scary and sharp face, felt even colder and without a trace of warmth.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Was it because I’m not a dominant trait person after all?
If that’s the case… then what should I really do?
Even if I went through trait change, all I could become was a recessive Omega. In other words, if the Grand Duke of Soliwen was opposing this marriage because I wasn’t a dominant trait person, it was no different from saying he couldn’t accept my very existence.
My head was filled with worry…
“Don’t even think about getting permission from me for something like marriage until Edgar safely undergoes trait change to become an Omega and is equipped with the conditions to continue the lineage.”
The Grand Duke of Soliwen’s voice continued.
I, who was already in despair, became completely cowed. Then Cedric, who had been quietly listening to the Grand Duke of Soliwen’s opposition beside me, moved his lips.
“That sounds like you’ll give permission if the conditions are met. Am I understanding correctly?”
“Yes.”
…Huh?
I opened my eyes again at the strangely sounding answer. I rolled my eyes around, pondering the Grand Duke of Soliwen’s words for a moment.
‘He’ll give permission if the conditions are met…’
So, he’ll give permission if I just succeed in trait change, right? If I understood correctly, it’s not really opposition, is it?
As soon as I understood that much, I quickly lifted my head.
At the same time, my eyes met exactly with Cedric’s mother, who was sitting next to the Grand Duke. She smiled kindly and said.
“I don’t mind at all if you two are happy with it.”
It felt like the hazy cloud of smoke that had been filling my head suddenly disappeared all at once. The moment I realized I could relax for now, the corners of my mouth curled up without me knowing.
I quickly composed my expression, worried that I might look like an idiot smiling to the Grand Duke and his wife, when Cedric’s mother suggested.
“Edgar, since you’re here, would you like to have dinner before you go?”
That kind and warm voice seemed to melt away even the remaining tension.
When I answered as dignifiedly as possible that I would, she smiled broadly and soon looked back at Cedric.
“Cedric, you’ll join us too, right?”
I also turned to look at that…
“…Yes.”
Cedric was answering while slightly avoiding her gaze like someone awkward. Not only was it awkward, but it was quite cold. He seemed more affectionate with our parents, who didn’t share a drop of blood with us.
Only after seeing Cedric’s mother smile bitterly at that sight did I recall the fact that Cedric wasn’t very close to his parents due to family circumstances in his childhood.
‘Hmm.’
It was unfortunate. Actually, I had met Cedric’s mother several times before, so I knew she was a kind and gentle person.
The awkwardness between her and Cedric was probably due to the lack of interaction because of the illness Cedric’s mother had suffered from in his childhood.
‘As for the father…’
I glanced at the Grand Duke of Soliwen. His face was sharp as if drawn with a knife, and even his eyes had a chilling blue edge.
Sometimes when Cedric was expressionless or occasionally angry, he would show such a face, and thinking about that, I realized Cedric really resembled his father a lot.
Especially the eyes and facial features…
When the Grand Duke, who felt my gaze, looked straight at me, I unconsciously got scared and bowed my head.
I thought he might see me differently since he had given permission more easily than expected, but he still seemed like a scary person…
Soon I was guided to the dining room and spent most of the meal time talking with Cedric’s mother.
The Grand Duke of Soliwen silently focused only on eating, and Cedric also became more taciturn than usual, staying quiet except when cutting meat into bite-sized pieces and passing them to me.
“I heard about the divine artifact matter. You were chosen when you visited the temple with Count Lowell, right? I heard you experienced unpleasant things because of the divine artifact, but are you alright?”
“Yes. I heard the group that tried to harm me has now been disbanded too. For a while there was a ban on going out and it was troublesome in various ways…”
“Hoho. I’m glad nothing serious happened. Come to think of it, it’s been quite a while since I met Count Lowell and his wife. With your situation and all, we should meet soon… Ah. Does that taste good?”
“Oh, yes. This is delicious.”
One dish of meat marinated in sauce was well-seasoned, so I found myself continuously picking at it without realizing.
Then the Grand Duke of Soliwen stopped eating and called a servant closer, ordering them to bring more of the marinated meat dish.
It clearly seemed like an action showing consideration for me, so I quickly waved my hands.
“It’s, it’s okay…”
My stomach was getting full anyway and I could hardly eat more! But my words were ignored. The Grand Duke of Soliwen immediately continued with his own meal. As I was fidgeting restlessly, Cedric’s mother chuckled softly.
“I’m sorry. This person is quite blunt.”
“Ah! No, it’s fine.”
Soon the half-empty dish was filled up like new again. Since it would be awkward not to eat this too, I diligently stuffed it into my mouth.
‘My stomach’s going to burst…’
Even after the meal ended, we continued talking a bit more, and when I thought it was about time, we decided to break up this somewhat awkward yet not awkward gathering and stood up.
“Madam, thank you for today.”
“Come visit anytime.”
“Yes!”
“I’ll see him off and return.”
As we were about to leave the mansion, Cedric spoke to the Grand Duke couple for the first time.
While Cedric’s mother smiled and told him to do so, I finally bowed politely to the Grand Duke of Soliwen with a respectful attitude.
“Your Excellency, I’ll come visit again next time!”
“…Right.”
Though his reaction came a beat late, I decided to take significance in the fact that I wasn’t ignored this time at least. When I grinned, the Grand Duke of Soliwen stared at me intently before turning his gaze away.
I soon went down from the mansion with Cedric. Cedric escorted me to the carriage stop while casually asking.
“Were you uncomfortable because of my parents at all? How was it?”
“Hmm, it was much better than I thought it would be. Even though it must have been sudden for them, they treated me well and although there were conditions attached, they gave permission for our relationship.”
“Really? As long as you were okay with it.”
Cedric, who seemed to have shed a handful of worry as his expression relaxed, took my hand, so I answered by gripping his hand tightly.
“Go safely, Eddie.”
“Yeah, you go in quickly too.”
After boarding the carriage, I waved my hand small until Cedric was no longer visible.
On the way back to Lowell territory, I naturally pondered over the day’s events. Then my heart swelled strangely and I got excited, so I composed myself and secretly hid my laughter.
‘Thank goodness.’
That I wasn’t criticized for my traits. If I had been criticized, it would surely have become a long and difficult fight. Then suddenly a word that struck me anew came to mind.
‘…Omega, huh.’
I’ve lived my whole life as a Beta, but now I have to become a trait person.
‘Will it be very different?’
Hmm… it probably will be. Especially since I’ll be changing from a Beta male who can’t get pregnant to an Omega who can get pregnant, my body structure will change a lot.
It would be a lie to say I had no anxiety about the unfamiliar change. Still, since I could be with someone I like, I could overcome it sufficiently.
I leaned my head against the window glass.
‘Now there’s only one gateway left.’
I had overcome the biggest barrier, and the remaining gateway was whether I could safely undergo trait change, but I actually wasn’t too worried about that part.
‘The trait itself will change quickly.’
It was a vague thought, but I believed so.
As soon as I arrived home, I told my parents that I had received conditional permission.
Both families needed trait change to solve the succession problem, and because of that, my parents also knew it was essentially permission since it was an issue they had in mind.
“His Excellency unexpectedly accepted right away. If things didn’t work out, I was thinking of going to talk to him directly, but that won’t be necessary.”
“A child who resembles you two would surely be pretty, right?”
Mother seems to already be imagining a future where we’re married and even have children…
I smiled awkwardly, and soon Mother brought up a topic.
“Oh, Eddie. You know the Lumentia festival is coming soon, right?”
“Ah, yes.”
The Lumentia festival. It was a holy day that Castian had briefly mentioned before leaving, celebrated since ancient times to commemorate the safe passage of half the year.
And on the day of the Lumentia festival, a big celebration is held throughout the capital centered on the Imperial Palace, and since most influential nobles of the Nemad Empire participate, the Lowell family was no exception.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
