* * *

Even though Henry had imprinted with him, Taylor felt none of his pheromones—an expected outcome.

And yet, his body was tense, overwhelmed by Edwin’s sheer presence.

It irritated him to no end.

“What could I have possibly done?” Taylor replied, retreating a step.

He knew Edwin was out for blood, but as long as there was no concrete evidence, Edwin couldn’t touch him.

However, Edwin, apparently unsatisfied with the response, drew his sword without hesitation.

Taylor raised his hands defensively as Edwin showed no intention of asking a second time.

“You’re really going to attack me? You know there’s a protocol for disputes between nobles…”

“I’ll handle the consequences myself.”

Edwin’s casual reply made it clear he had no intention of letting Taylor leave this alley alive.

“How can someone like you hold a noble title? Aren’t you ashamed?”

“That’s also my burden to bear.”

With those words, Edwin lunged.

His blade struck with such speed that Taylor barely had time to sidestep, pressing himself against the wall.

He glanced down, his face pale—his clothing sliced clean through.

If the strike had been any closer, it would have cut his flesh.

“Wait!”

Desperate, Taylor began shouting, trying everything to fend off Edwin.

He darted around the alley, his voice hoarse as he screamed for help, all while parrying Edwin’s relentless strikes.

But no matter how hard he tried, a growing sense of dread took hold—there was no escaping this.

“Fine! Yes, it was me. I did it to Henry Timothy!”

Changing tactics, Taylor confessed to his crime.

“Just throw me in prison! You know what happens if you execute a criminal without due process, right?”

That was exactly what Taylor wanted.

Prison might mean punishment, but it was far better than dying here.

Of course, Taylor wasn’t planning to sit idly in a cell either.

Edwin’s blade paused mid-swing, hovering in the air as Taylor admitted his wrongdoing.

Seeing this, Taylor let out a shaky sigh of relief and carefully watched Edwin’s reaction.

“I’ve heard about him. He woke up safely, didn’t he?” Edwin said, his tone neutral.

“What does that matter?” Taylor shot back.

Henry’s recovery didn’t absolve Taylor of his crimes.

He paced nervously but continued speaking.

“Besides, it wasn’t just me. Henry interfered with me first. He’s no innocent victim.”

The animosity between the two had started when Henry took the Grand Mage’s treasure.

If not for that, their paths would never have crossed.

“So don’t try to pin this all on me.”

Taylor’s lips curved into a faint smirk.

He was stalling, his fingers subtly moving as he prepared his next move.

When his preparations were complete, he couldn’t suppress a grin.

“If that’s your excuse to lighten your guilt, suit yourself,” Edwin replied.

He seemed unaware of Taylor’s scheming, offering no resistance.

Taylor, spotting an opening, raised his hand.

“Yeah, that’s right. I wanted him gone because he was in my way. And you should’ve been more careful too.”

Taylor’s smirk widened as he pointed to his temple with his index finger.

“Do you know what I did? I amplified Henry Timothy’s pheromones to dangerous levels. Once it exceeded what he could handle, it turned into poison, damaging his organs. Right here.”

Taylor tapped his temple.

He had no intention of going to prison; this was all part of his plan to catch Edwin off guard.

His final weapon was pheromone amplification—a method Edwin, as an Alpha, wouldn’t escape unscathed. For the first time that day, Taylor smiled genuinely.

“Henry Timothy got lucky and survived. But for an Ultra Dominant Alpha like you? It’s different.”

---

Perhaps Henry Timothy’s pheromones were truly faint.

After all, as a member of the Duke Timothy family, it was unthinkable for him to be a recessive Alpha.

Even if his recessive nature had amplified upon manifestation, it might not have affected his brain.

As Taylor mulled over why such thoughts suddenly crossed his mind, his eyes lit up.

Regardless, it was universally acknowledged across the continent that the man standing before him was an Ultra Dominant Alpha.

The overwhelming pheromones already spilling out—if amplified further by his own—would leave no chance of escape.

“Failing to take Henry Timothy down is disappointing… but watching you collapse and scream will be a satisfying consolation.”

Once Edwin fell, Taylor planned to leave the scene leisurely.

And if the opportunity arose later, taking down Henry Timothy would be the cherry on top.

Taylor, deliberately stalling for time, spoke to Edwin.

Seeing the slight furrow in Edwin’s brows, Taylor smirked smugly.

Just like he had with Henry Timothy, Taylor intended to sneer at Edwin as he collapsed and then walk away without a second glance.

“Soon enough, hmm?”

Taylor, eagerly anticipating Edwin’s fall, suddenly clutched at his chest, overcome with an unfamiliar sensation.

It felt as though all the air had been sucked out of the space around him.

“What… is this…?”

Taylor choked and writhed in agony.

His gaze inadvertently met Edwin’s, and his jaw dropped.

“So, this is what you did to Henry.”

Edwin murmured with the same faintly furrowed brow as before, his voice calm and unperturbed.

While he seemed to be observing the reaction emanating from his own body, there was no sign of distress.

His composed expression only heightened Taylor’s bewilderment.

The overwhelming pressure wasn’t just suffocating—it felt as though a massive boulder was crushing him.

The sheer terror of possibly having every bone in his body shattered gripped him.

“Is it just about increasing the volume of pheromones?”

“How… is this even… possible?”

Taylor forced out the words between ragged breaths, his hands scraping helplessly at the walls in agony.

“I’m used to having an abundance of pheromones.”

Since his manifestation, Edwin’s body had been brimming with an excess of pheromones.

Initially, he had tried to suppress them entirely, but there came a moment when he allowed a tiny fraction to seep out—and the sensation was liberating.

From that point on, he stopped holding back, reasoning that no one would notice anyway.

Letting his pheromones flow freely became second nature.

Now, with the aid of pheromone crystals, Edwin had mastered the art of control.

Amplification posed no challenge to him.

Instead, he redirected the amplified pheromones toward Taylor, who crumpled under the weight, unable to bear it.

“Fascinating.”

Edwin’s intrigue grew as he realized just how much could be achieved with pheromones.

He seemed entirely indifferent to Taylor’s suffering, even as the man writhed on the ground, clawing at the dirt in agony.

“P-please… spare me…”

Taylor extended a trembling hand toward Edwin, the other clutching his chest.

He felt moments away from death.

Desperation filled his eyes as Edwin’s gaze finally turned to him.

To Taylor, even being looked at felt like a glimmer of hope.

Mustering all his strength, he forced his quivering lips into a plea.

“I was wrong… I’ll make amends… just please… lessen the pheromones…”

“It’s already too late.”

Such words should have been spoken before Henry collapsed.

Taylor had crossed the line when he targeted Henry Timothy, and the potential consequences were far too grave for Edwin to offer forgiveness.

Edwin reached down and grabbed the collar of the writhing Taylor.

* * *