* * *

It had been several days since Remy and his companions visited the summer villa in Aylesford.

Time flew by, and soon, the day of Allen’s birthday party approached.

The bump that had stubbornly sat on Remy’s forehead had gradually shrunk and eventually disappeared without a trace.

While his smooth forehead had returned to its original state, his condition wasn’t quite back to normal.

He fainted at the slightest provocation, making it clear that something was still wrong with his body.

Perhaps the symptoms of manifestation pain hadn’t completely subsided.

In any case, Remy ended up unintentionally taking a sort of retreat at the picturesque countryside villa, surrounded by clear waters and fresh air.

During this time of reluctant recuperation, the tension between Ashton and Hayward seemed to have calmed somewhat, much to his relief.

“Is today the day of the showdown?”

Standing before the large window bathed in morning sunlight, Remy spoke meaningfully.

“Yes. Today’s important. If I can successfully pull off ‘that thing’ today…”

The “thing” Remy was referring to was pushing Allen down the stairs.

According to the original story, Remy would push Allen down the stairs to prevent him from joining an upcoming hunting trip.

But as fate would have it, Hayward, who happened to be at the bottom of the stairs, caught Allen, earning Remy complete hatred in the process.

It was the perfect opportunity.

Having failed to play the proper role of a villain so far, this was his chance to cement his place as a true antagonist and fall out of Hayward’s favor once and for all.

However, even this flawless plan had one glaring flaw:

“Wait a minute. So that means I’m the one who has to push Allen down the stairs?”

The problem was that Allen might actually get hurt.

Considering what Allen had done so far—worrying about him when he’d fainted from being hit by a ball Allen accidentally threw, cheering him on with earnest sincerity in case he liked Ashton, and being a pure-hearted omega dreaming of marriage with Hayward out of filial duty—Remy couldn’t bring himself to harm him.

How could he push someone as kind and lovely as Allen down the stairs?

And what if Allen got seriously injured?

“No matter how much of a villain I am, I can’t push someone as sweet and adorable as Allen…”

Remy agonized.

There were things you could do and things you simply couldn’t.

And this was undoubtedly the latter. How could he do such a terrible thing to someone as good as Allen?

“No, no. I can’t let myself waver. Allen isn’t the issue right now. I need to survive first.”

It was a fair point.

Despite being an omega, instead of earning the alphas’ disdain, he seemed to be attracting more and more attention.

He couldn’t let things continue like this.

Though he felt terribly sorry for sweet Allen, this step was absolutely necessary to earn the alphas’ disfavor.

“Right. I just need to push him very carefully. Gently, so he doesn’t get hurt too badly.”

And after all, in the original story, Allen hadn’t gotten severely injured, thanks to Hayward catching him at the bottom of the stairs.

Recalling Hayward carrying him effortlessly a few days ago, Remy felt it was entirely possible.

Despite his delicate features, Hayward’s strength surpassed that of most men.

No matter how small and slender Remy’s body was, Hayward had carried him with ease, walking a considerable distance.

“Come to think of it… his arms… there were muscles. And his thighs…”

Suddenly, Hayward’s physique popped into Remy’s mind.

His white uniform, adorned with gold embroidery, fit tightly, subtly highlighting his muscular frame.

The muscles on his arms and thighs rippled with every movement, exuding a powerful presence.

Remy had found himself momentarily dazed by that impressive physique.

The broad shoulders, the tall stature, and those defined muscles—it was enough to make anyone, even another man, swoon.

If he looked that good with clothes on, how amazing would he look without them?

His robust thighs might rival those of a white stallion.

And not just his thighs—other parts, too…

“Why is it suddenly so hot…”

Remy rubbed his flushed face, trying to calm himself.

He felt a wave of self-reproach.

Even though he was an omega in this world, was it really appropriate to blush while imagining another man’s body?

“It’s just envy, that’s all. Just envy.”

He tried to convince himself that he was simply jealous of Hayward’s physique.

After taking a few deep breaths to steady himself, he stepped away from the window, ready to prepare for the party after breakfast.

In this wretched era, parties were serious business.

Even men had to go through a lengthy preparation process to meet the dress code.

Though the servants helped him get ready, saving him from fumbling around alone, it was still a tedious ordeal.

“There’s no one I need to impress anyway. Why bother…”

Sighing, Remy headed to the dining room.

Breakfast was always a delight.

It was one of the few joys Remy had in this novel world.

Freshly squeezed orange juice, aromatic tea, and coffee roasted from five different types of beans were staples of the morning meal.

Since Remy disliked bitter flavors, he always mixed his coffee with milk, adding a touch of honey from the nearby fields for extra sweetness.

Spreading long-simmered orange compote onto a slice of crusty bread and pairing it with the honeyed latte was pure bliss.

The vegetable-filled omelet and crispy bacon only added to his happiness.

At least not every dish here tasted like venison.

‘It’s delicious, but… If only I could have a bite of kimchi. No, even something spicy would do.’

Though breakfast was satisfying, Remy couldn’t shake a sense of emptiness.

He missed the fiery, tangy flavors of home.

‘Tteokbokki, ramen, jjampong, jjolmyeon, gochujang stew, spicy stir-fried noodles, chicken feet, dakbokkeumtang… I want them all. Red, spicy braised crab drenched in gochugaru, stir-fried pork… I miss it so much I could cry.’

As his mind wandered to the foods he missed, he unconsciously mumbled aloud:

“Just one bite of something spicy…”

“Huh? What did you say?”

Ashton, who was seated beside him, overheard and asked.

Startled, Remy quickly turned his head.

Was he sick or something?

Why was he talking to himself so much lately?

“It’s nothing. Forget it.”

Remy replied coldly, setting his fork down and dabbing his face with the napkin on his lap.

“You’re done already?”

“Yeah. I’m not that hungry.”

“Are you heading straight to your room?”

“I was planning to. Why?”

“Why don’t we go for a walk? The weather’s nice.”

“I’m busy. I need to prepare for the ball.”

Feeling proud of his firm rejection, Remy turned away from Ashton.

But as always, Ashton was undeterred.

“Come on. Just a quick walk to help with digestion.”

Before Remy could protest further, Ashton placed a hand on his shoulder and gently but firmly led him outside.

“A-Ashton!”

Remy turned to him, startled, his eyes wide like a rabbit’s.

Ashton’s increasing displays of physical affection were becoming harder for him to handle.

‘Why does he keep touching me and hugging me? It’s so confusing…’

“Let go! What are you doing?”

“What am I doing? It’s just a shoulder hug.”

“Well, yes, but still…!”

“What’s the big deal, Remy? Are you saying I can’t even do this now that you’ve manifested as an omega?”

“W-what?”

“What’s with the serious face? You used to do it all the time.”

Ashton looked genuinely hurt, making the timid Remy shrink back in guilt.

* * *