* * *

Allen, who had been lost in thought until now, stopped him.

Remy, worried that Hayward might arrive any moment, turned back despite his urgency.

What met him was Allen’s conflicted, slightly uneasy expression.

“What is it, Allen? I’m really fine, you know?”

“No, it’s not that…”

“Then? Just say it.”

“You… earlier…”

“Yeah?”

“You were alone with His Highness, weren’t you?”

“Yeah, I was. Why?”

“No reason. I just wanted to make sure… nothing happened.”

“…?”

Remy’s large eyes widened in confusion.

He stared at Allen, wondering what he meant.

After a few moments of hesitation, Allen chewed on his lip and finally spoke with a solemn look.

“Well… you’re an omega, and he’s an alpha. I just wondered if… something might have happened.”

“What are you talking about, Allen?”

“You know. His Highness even dismissed his attendants and stayed in this room for a long time. I couldn’t help but wonder why the two of you were alone in the same space for so long.”

Huh? Huh??

Remy’s mind momentarily blanked at Allen’s words.

Why was Allen concerned about him and Hayward being in the same room together?

‘Wait. Didn’t Allen like Ashton in the original story? Weren’t they… kind of involved?’

“Allen.”

Remy decided he needed to clear this up.

“Yeah?”

“Be honest with me.”

“About what?”

“You like Ashton, don’t you?”

Allen tilted his head for a moment at Remy’s question.

Then, as if something dawned on him, he smiled brightly.

“You… like Ashton, don’t you?”

“W-what?”

“Yeah, I kind of figured. I always got the sense you didn’t like it when I spent time with Ashton.”

“I-I did?”

That was, after all, how it had been written in the original story, leaving Remy at a loss for words.

“Ashton is pretty amazing, isn’t he? Honestly, he’s got a great family, a handsome face, a good physique, even a pleasant pheromone scent. And above all, he’s a rare dominant alpha. To be fair, I was smitten too when I first manifested as an omega. I mean, who wouldn’t be charmed by that face?”

“…Really?”

“But that was a long time ago, back when I didn’t know anything.”

“And now?”

“Now I have to think about my family. My parents’ wishes, you know?”

“Your parents’ wishes?”

“They want me to marry Prince Hayward. Apparently, there aren’t many families suitable for a royal alliance. As a dominant omega from the Aylesford family, the Frederica royal family would surely welcome me.”

Huh…? Remy’s mind grew cluttered as he processed Allen’s words.

‘Wait, so Allen doesn’t like Ashton? He likes Hayward? Then what about Ashton? Is he just pining for Allen on his own?’

“Anyway, Remy, if you like Ashton, go for it. I’ll support you.”

“N-no! That’s not what I meant. I have no interest in him.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Then… could it be…?”

Allen’s expression seemed to ask, ‘Don’t tell me you’re interested in Hayward?’

Panicking, Remy quickly waved his hands.

“No! I’m not interested in anyone.”

“Really?”

“Y-yeah.”

It was true.

Remy was in no position to show interest in anyone.

No, if he were to show interest at all, it needed to be in a completely different direction.

After all, he had to make sure the three hated him no matter what.

“So, nothing really happened earlier, right? You were alone with His Highness for a while.”

“Yeah. Nothing happened. Really.”

“Then… what did you talk about? What did His Highness say?”

“Oh, well, he said something like…”

Ah, crap. Just as he was about to speak, Remy clammed up, recalling what had happened earlier.

It was a disaster. He had nothing to tell Allen.

Instead, the only thing that kept floating through his mind was the honey-drenched gaze Hayward had given him.

“Haha… Nothing important. Really, nothing important at all…”

“Really?”

“Y-yeah…”

As he said that, it felt like a giant fork had pierced straight into Remy’s heart.

Seeing Allen’s half-worried, half-concerned expression made him feel incredibly guilty.

Judging by everything he had said so far, Allen seemed like a filial son trying to follow his parents’ wishes.

Remy couldn’t shake the feeling that he was messing things up for him.

‘This won’t do! For Allen’s sake, I absolutely must make Hayward hate me!’

Remy momentarily forgot that his mission was to torment Allen.

“Allen.”

“H-huh?”

“Don’t worry. You and His Highness will work out just fine.”

Remy spoke with genuine concern for Allen.

“You’re beautiful. Even if His Highness is a prince cherished by the king, he wouldn’t dare hurt the heart of an omega as beautiful as you.”

As he said this, Remy smiled brightly at Allen.

For some reason, Allen’s face flushed a deep red as he looked at him.

“Allen, are you feeling unwell? Your face is suddenly so red.”

“N-no, it’s nothing. It just got hot all of a sudden…”

“Could it be…”

Remy leaned in closer to Allen with a serious expression, causing Allen to step back in surprise.

“Are you…”

“W-what?”

“Are you going into heat?”

“…??”

“No, I mean… They say you start getting flushed right before a heat cycle…”

That’s what the original novel had clearly stated.

“No, it’s not that. My next heat is still a while away. I’m just hot, that’s all.”

Allen quickly turned away from Remy, looking visibly flustered.

Though Allen’s reaction seemed a little suspicious, Remy didn’t press the issue.

Being simple-minded, he just thought, ‘Maybe he really is just feeling hot,’ and left it at that.

“Anyway, you’re done talking now, right?”

“Yeah…”

“Then I’ll go get ready. I need to head down quickly.”

“Okay, sure.”

Waving to Allen, Remy headed toward the bathroom, needing to leave the room before Hayward arrived.

Allen, still slightly dazed, waved back at him.

Once Remy disappeared into the bathroom, Allen was left alone in the room.

He muttered under his breath like someone waking from a dream.

“What the… Who’s comforting who…? This is annoying…”

Despite his words, Allen’s face was still deeply flushed, and for some reason, he couldn’t seem to leave his spot for a long time.

---

By some miracle, Remy managed to reach the dining room before Hayward arrived.

The disappointment Hayward felt upon arriving at an empty room was beyond words.

Not that it mattered to Remy. He sat at the dining table with a sullen face, determined to maintain this expression throughout the meal.

“Is everyone here?”

The Count of Aylesford, accompanied by his wife, entered the room, looking around at the gathered guests.

After exchanging greetings, he naturally took his seat.

Normally, the Count’s seat would be at the head of the table, but with royalty present, his place was at the first seat to the left.

His gaze naturally fell on Remy, who sat with a large bump on his forehead.

With a worried tone, he asked, “Oh dear, I heard you had an accident today. That’s quite a lump on your head. Are you all right?”

“Yes, my lord, I’m fine.”

“That’s good to hear. If you feel unwell at any time, let us know right away. I’ll make sure a doctor is on standby in the villa.”

“Thank you for your concern. I’ll be sure to let you know.”

Seeing Remy’s nonchalant expression, the Count seemed reassured.

* * *