* * *
He suppressed everyone with a sharp presence like a finely honed weapon, yet his words were, “Do you like it?”
It was an entirely inappropriate question for the situation.
Though he had no right to speak, it was clear he was quite insane.
Because of that, Etienne liked it even more.
“Pfft… Yes.”
Etienne chuckled, burrowing into Lucian’s embrace.
Regardless of how it happened, the plan was a success, and he was thrilled to see what he wanted, making him laugh.
“I really… like it.”
Despite feeling good, Etienne’s physical state was not great.
His voice, halting and trembling, sounded precarious.
It was clear he needed to be separated from the other alphas as soon as possible.
Lucian held the small, feverish body tenderly, looking around with disdainful eyes as he spoke.
“My esteemed partner seems unwell, so I shall take my leave.”
Though his hands gently cradled Etienne, his violet eyes glared at the crowd with hatred and contempt as he strode toward the door, washing away the other alphas’ pheromones with his own.
None dared to stop Lucian. Some alphas staggered just from his approach, cruhed by the intense pheromones.
It was more accurate to call it a weapon than pheromones.
“Oh, and everyone was making a fuss over why I attended this ball…”
Reaching the door, Lucian turned as if remembering something, a mocking smile on his lips.
“I came here simply at my partner’s request.”
He was mocking them now. He was saying that the reason he attended this ball was merely because of the wish of the omega they so despised and ridiculed.
Etienne’s wish was more important than their elegant invitations, sweet words, or desperate pleas.
This meant that Etienne’s words held more significance than the nobles’ requests or entreaties.
Some turned red with clear insult, but Lucian didn’t care, smiling coldly.
“So, when you send invitations to the Duke of Leondine in the future, you might want to try flattering my partner instead of me.”
With that, he turned and left without a second thought.
Lucian walked out of the marquess’ hall without hesitation, with Etienne in his arms. As they exited the ballroom, Etienne etched the faces of the nobles, caught between shame and fear, into his memory.
Ah, is this the kind of influence a queen ant or queen bee has over a colony?
Only the lack of popcorn was disappointing.
Lucian carried Etienne into the carriage, continuously calming him with his pheromones.
The multiple alphas’ pheromones had violently stirred Etienne, making it hard for him to calm down.
His stomach churned with a lingering heat, but Lucian’s refreshing scent, washing away the others’ pheromones, brought him some relief.
“Ah, ugh…”
Even in the carriage, Lucian sat Etienne on his lap, holding him tightly and soothing him for a long time.
Etienne’s face buried in Lucian’s shoulder, emitted faint gasps.
Finally, as the heat subsided slightly, Etienne carefully spoke.
“I’m sorry… for causing such a scene.”
“No, you did well.”
Though it was true he had caused a scene, Lucian didn’t scold or blame Etienne.
Instead, he gently stroked Etienne’s hair and said.
“It was better this way. Rather than being weak, it’s better to speak up sometimes.”
“Haha… Is that so?”
Looking at Etienne’s clear smile, Lucian was overwhelmed with complex emotions he couldn’t express.
At first, it was just anger. Anger at those stupid fools who dared to insult his precious partner despite all the warnings.
As he hurried his steps to approach, he stopped for a moment when he heard Etienne’s shout.
“You crazy bastards, you have to go after family because you have nothing else to target?”
Etienne, who had let insults slide when directed at himself, raised his voice for Lucian’s sake.
His eyes, filled with genuine sincerity, were unwavering as he fought back.
Captivated by the sight, Lucian unknowingly slowed his steps, a shameful desire to take in the scene a little longer.
But this hesitation cost him dearly, as those alpha bastards managed to put Etienne in this state.
Unaware of Lucian’s regret, Etienne simply wriggled in Lucian’s arms.
“Thank you for getting angry, Etienne.”
“What?”
Surprised by the unexpected words, Etienne looked up and then quickly averted his gaze, realizing the reason behind them.
Guessing that Lucian had heard the nonsense spewed by those foolish nobles about alphas being physically superior, Etienne awkwardly stammered.
“Well, that… um.”
Etienne, usually eloquent, found himself tongue-tied and flustered, knowing how anyone would feel hearing such degrading words about their sibling.
“Did you hear what they said?”
“Every single word, from start to finish.”
Etienne’s expression hardened even more at Lucian’s confirmation. The vile nonsense those fools uttered was nothing one could easily tolerate.
Feeling frustrated, Etienne regretted bringing Lucian along, no matter how curious he had been about the effects of pheromones.
Seeing the guilt in Etienne’s face, Lucian spoke in a calm voice.
“It’s okay. I’m used to it.”
It was somewhat true. He was indeed accustomed to such nonsense to the point of indifference.
The tragedy began the moment his brother was born.
People whispered and pointed fingers at the royal family’s child born as an omega, sometimes even throwing stones.
Lucian’s father, a beloved and welcomed late-born prince, couldn’t bear the public’s gaze and went mad, leaving his mother and brother to suffer the consequences.
Thus, Lucian had to constantly prove his excellence and value from a young age, just to survive.
He developed new technologies and weapons with his brilliant mind, and he earned accolades on the battlefield from a young age.
By the time his technologies and weapons were used throughout the empire, and the empire depended on his innovations, Lucian had become the Duke of Leondine, untouchable by anyone.
“Before I developed new technologies and earned military merits, people would gossip about me right in front of my face. Some old men still haven’t kicked the habit.”
“That must have been tough.”
“My mother and brother had it worse than me.”
His voice was monotonous as he spoke of past wounds, as if those harsh childhood days meant nothing.
This made Etienne feel even more pity.
If Lucian had shown a twisted face and poured out his sorrow, it might have been less painful.
“And your mother and brother…”
Etienne trailed off, but Lucian answered calmly.
“My mother couldn’t endure my father’s abuse and hanged herself. My brother is currently protected at the family’s villa.”
“…”
“My father also ended his life the same way as my mother.”
There were no words of comfort to offer. The purple eyes seemed filled with a hint of bitterness.
Thinking of the deep scars hidden beneath Lucian’s seemingly indifferent expression, Etienne unconsciously tightened his embrace around him.
Though he wondered if it was right for him to hear such stories, Lucian continued in a composed voice. He wanted to be completely honest with Etienne.
“If not for these eyes and traits, I too might have been suspected of illegitimacy, driven mad by abuse.”
Having the same rare violet eyes as his father, only seen in high-ranking nobles with royal blood, and being an alpha, it was fortunate no one could question Lucian’s birth.
If even one of these had been missing, he wouldn’t have reached his current position.
“And your brother… is he doing well now?”
“I’m not sure if I can say he’s well. He was frail from birth, mentally unstable, and physically impaired. Since we can’t communicate, I have no way of knowing if he’s well.”
“…”
“I’ve heard that many omega children of alpha fathers end up like my brother.”
A bitter smile played on Lucian’s lips.
“And nine out of ten times, they accuse the woman who gave birth to such a child of being a cursed witch and kill her, and offer the child as a sacrifice.”
Recalling the contemptuous looks he felt at the ballroom, Etienne gritted his teeth. Imagining how those looks must have hurt young Lucian and his family made his blood boil. Knowing that such stares could endanger lives made it worse.
Etienne felt an even deeper loathing for the superstitions he already despised.
He felt an intense anger at a world ruled by laws and customs based on incomprehensible and unacceptable superstitions.
Having spent only a few months in this world, he was already feeling this way.
He could only imagine how much worse it had been for Lucian, who had to face prejudice and malice alone as a child.
How many times must Lucian have felt despair, frustration, and pain without anyone to understand him?
“What a disgusting world. Don’t you think?”
Seeing the self-deprecating smile on Lucian’s lips, Etienne felt a surge of compassion, affection, and pity.
It might have been because of the pheromones, or perhaps the warmth and kindness he felt from Lucian’s touch and body heat.
The reason didn’t matter. He just wanted to embrace the loneliness before him. He wanted to share Lucian’s pain, even if just a little.
He wanted Lucian to no longer struggle alone amidst others’ misunderstandings.
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