* * *

“This concludes today’s lesson.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Henry closed his book with a sense of fulfillment tinged with regret that the lessons had come to an end.

Initially planned to last a month, the lessons had been delayed by various events, stretching them into two months.

“At first, I thought you were attending these lessons to prepare as the heir to your family. Had I known you’d manifested, I would have prepared differently.”

Count Ariat, now aware of Henry being an Omega, expressed his lingering regrets.

“What I’ve learned so far is more than sufficient. Above all, I greatly appreciated your teaching style, using a question-and-answer approach.”

Though theoretical knowledge could be gleaned from books, understanding it fully had its limitations.

The ability to question Count Ariat directly had been most helpful to Henry.

“That’s reassuring to hear. Thank you for your diligence.”

“The lessons were so engaging that it was easy to focus.”

As Henry and Count Ariat conversed, Edwin remained silent.

Yet, his presence blended seamlessly into the atmosphere. Henry could sense it through Edwin’s stable pheromones, and Count Ariat could see it with his sharp eyes.

The count briefly glanced between Henry and Edwin.

Initially, he had thought the two had nothing in common apart from their ties to the duke’s estate.

Edwin was reserved and solemn, while Henry had a smoother, more talkative demeanor.

If Edwin had a weighty, serious personality, Henry seemed lighter and more sensitive.

How the two got along had been a mystery at first, but over time, the count’s perception shifted.

Edwin never dismissed Henry’s words, and Henry’s sharp intuition always picked up on Edwin’s moods.

They observed each other so closely that they knew precisely how to interact.

Like two entirely different gears perfectly meshing together, their bond appeared unshakable.

Realizing that their emotions underpinned this incredible dynamic, Count Ariat smiled softly.

“I’m curious to see how your relationship will develop.”

“There’s nothing to see. What could possibly change?”

Henry dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand, sounding bored.

Edwin, however, mischievously grabbed that hand, only for Henry to brush it away.

Even in such playful moments, the emotions they shared were palpable.

Count Ariat realized it was time for him to step aside.

“I won’t be officially visiting here anymore. If you ever need me, come find me yourselves.”

Looking directly at Henry, the count referred to the time Henry had abruptly sought him out for guidance.

Chuckling at the memory, Henry nodded.

“Will do.”

After bidding a polite farewell, Henry watched the count leave. Stretching his arm, he muttered to himself,

“The most rewarding part of these lessons was forming a connection with the count.”

Henry’s words brimmed with satisfaction at having developed a bond with Count Ariat.

When Edwin had first brought the count over, Henry had been too startled to think straight.

Reflecting on it now, it had been a fortunate turn of events.

The count had been a steady source of emotional support.

“And I’m the one who made that connection possible.”

Edwin lightly tapped Henry’s hand, which he had brushed aside earlier, voicing his dissatisfaction.

“Yes, it’s all thanks to you.”

Would it kill him to accept that modestly? Did he always have to draw attention to himself?

Henry replied with mock exasperation as he organized the papers and pens in front of him, all the while sneaking glances at Edwin.

“Just say it if you have something to say.”

Edwin grinned as he caught Henry’s blatant stares.

“Hmm… Never mind.”

Henry hesitated, debating whether to mention the necklace he was wearing today. In the end, he decided against it.

If he brought it up, it might seem like he wore it just to show it off.

Besides, Edwin had given it to him, so surely he would notice on his own.

---

While cleaning up after class, Henry noticed the pheromones lingering in the room.

Though they had become as natural to him as breathing air, occasionally, when he became aware of them, their presence felt overwhelming.

Edwin’s pheromones floated lightly around the room, mingling with those locked in Henry’s necklace—also Edwin’s.

It felt like layering perfumes on his body.

Henry closed his eyes briefly, savoring the scent he had grown not just accustomed to but genuinely fond of.

Then, suddenly, a distinct body scent, not pheromones, washed over him, snapping his eyes open. It was Edwin’s scent.

He didn’t know when Edwin had gotten so close.

Their eyes met, and Edwin leaned in slightly before pressing a soft kiss on Henry’s forehead and pulling away.

Feeling the gentle, plush sensation linger, Henry awkwardly touched his forehead.

“Why do you do that without saying anything?”

“Because you didn’t say anything either,” Edwin replied nonchalantly.

“How childish,” Henry muttered, half-exasperated, but he voiced no real complaint about Edwin’s actions.

These small displays of affection constantly tickled Henry’s heart, and truthfully, he didn’t dislike them.

Maybe it was because he had come to terms with his feelings, but honestly, he liked it.

Of course, he hadn’t made many moves toward Edwin himself yet.

“Oh, by the way, I’m going to be busy for a while,” Henry said abruptly.

“Personal matters?” Edwin asked.

Henry’s unexpected words shattered the sweet atmosphere. Edwin sighed before replying.

“I’m not sure yet.”

What Henry intended to do involved Taylor.

After hearing that Taylor was gathering information on him, Henry planned to look into the matter.

“If you miss me, come find me.”

Instead of telling Edwin to wait, Henry instructed him to act as he pleased.

If Edwin wanted to stick by his side all day, that was fine; if he wanted to come to him, that was fine too.

As long as Edwin didn’t interfere with his work, Henry didn’t mind.

Since Henry didn’t explicitly say they wouldn’t meet, Edwin seemed satisfied and nodded in agreement.

“And we’ll see each other at the estate anyway.”

The thought that Edwin’s pheromones in the necklace might fade meant they’d inevitably meet again at the estate.

It didn’t feel like a real goodbye.

---

“I’ve been thinking,” William said, his finger tapping repeatedly on the armrest.

The soft but annoying rhythm made Hook raise an eyebrow.

Hook gave the crown prince a wary look, wondering what scheme he might have in mind this time.

“In our deal, I realized I’m at a considerable disadvantage.”

Hook was incredulous.

He had been summoned here without explanation, only for William to start complaining about his position.

“Are you saying you want to cancel the agreement now?” Hook asked flatly.

“No,” William replied firmly, shaking his head.

He had no intention of going back on his decision to proceed with Hook.

“It’s just… agreeing to the deal without knowing much about my counterpart feels a bit regrettable.”

Finally, William’s reason for calling Hook became clear.

Though he danced around the subject, his intentions were simple.

After a brief pause, Hook asked, “Are you curious about my identity?”

“And if I said I was?”

“Then why didn’t you just ask me directly from the start?”

Hook tilted his head, showing his mild exasperation, as if to say William was hopeless.

William, unfazed, calmly explained why he had chosen a more roundabout approach.

“Would you have answered if I had?”

“No,” Hook replied bluntly.

William was momentarily taken aback by the candid response before breaking into a smile.

It wasn’t the first time he had met someone who could match his wits, and Hook was proving to be one of them.

“If you hadn’t mentioned our deal, I might’ve stayed silent.”

“At least you’re honest,” William remarked with a cHookle.

“Do you remember what you said to me before, Your Highness? You didn’t want to get involved with others, so you weren’t curious about their circumstances.”

William nodded slowly, recalling the conversation. He had indeed told Hook something like that.

“Yes, I remember.”

“That’s why I didn’t say anything.”

Hook’s reason for keeping his silence until now was straightforward.

William countered, “But that’s not the case now, is it? Back then, I was catching a cat sneaking into my room. Now, we’re respectable business partners, looking at each other as equals.”

William’s smooth words were carefully chosen to pull Hook in.

Perhaps too carefully, as Hook fell silent, seemingly lost in thought.

After a while, his gaze sharpened, fixing firmly on the prince.

“Then does that mean you’re interested in me now?”

“Calling it interest sounds strange, but… yes. I’m interested in you,” William admitted without hesitation.

To him, the word itself didn’t matter as long as he got what he wanted—to learn more about Hook.

“Do you remember the example you gave me back then?” Hook asked, his voice steady.

[Someone stole a loaf of bread. Punishing them for their crime seems fair, but they kneel and beg, claiming they were wrongfully deprived of their shop and cast into the streets. They stole the bread to feed a starving child who might otherwise die.]

William, recalling the conversation, replied, “That was just a hypothetical example I made up.”

“But it’s something that could very well happen. It also happens to fit my situation perfectly. I’m that child,” Hook said, his tone even, as if explaining a simple fact.

William frowned, still not fully grasping the meaning behind Hook’s words despite the clarity with which they were spoken.

* * *