* * *

After a bath, Henry’s room was bustling with staff.

He closed his eyes, feeling the soft towel drying his hair.

Though he’d washed thoroughly, he still felt like Edwin’s pheromones clung to him.

Perhaps it was because Edwin had unleashed such a potent wave of them earlier.

Today, Henry had been utterly drenched in Edwin’s pheromones.

The strongest moment had been…

[Try looking away from me. Just try.]

That menacing glare, paired with Edwin’s almost threatening tone, was overwhelming.

The sheer intensity of his pheromones felt like drowning in waves of possessiveness.

It was so strong, Henry had struggled to breathe.

Once he managed to catch his breath, he’d blurted out an equally ridiculous response.

[You’d better not change your mind either.]

They’d both looked ready to tear each other apart, yet the exchange had been nothing but a pheromone-laden tug-of-war of possessive words.

“Ugh…”

Henry groaned, covering his face with both hands.

What kind of lunacy had possessed him to say something so embarrassing?

As he shifted, the towel slipped from his head, prompting the staff to rush back and dry his hair again.

For now, all he could do was finish getting ready for bed.

If he could sleep, maybe he could forget the sheer humiliation of today. Lifting his head, he allowed the staff to resume their work.

“Brother.”

A familiar voice broke through his thoughts, and Henry looked up slowly.

Somehow, Hena had entered the room and was now approaching him.

“You went to the tailor’s today, didn’t you? Why didn’t you take me with you? That’s so mean.”

As she scolded him for going alone, Henry held up a hand to signal her to stop.

Watching her glare at him with frustration, Henry asked in a slightly dazed tone.

“Go to the tailor’s together? Don’t you already have your own tailor?”

“I can visit other tailors too! Did you even think to ask me? You didn’t even hold my hand.”

Some of the staff must’ve told her Edwin had held Henry’s hand on the way there.

Mimicking the gesture, Hena pouted.

“You want to go holding hands to the tailor’s?”

“Why not?”

Hena puffed her cheeks in annoyance.

Henry tilted his head as he considered their relationship.

“Are we the kind of siblings who do that?”

“What does being siblings have to do with it?”

Hena snapped, her sharp tone making Henry plug one ear momentarily.

Did she really have to react so strongly to something so trivial?

“You’ll soon…”

Hena looked like she wanted to say something but stopped, her face clouded with disappointment.

Henry, curious about the unspoken words, simply kept watching him.

Hena, as if sulking, turned her head away.

Thankfully, she didn’t catch Henry’s gaze, which silently wondered why a grown woman was acting like a child.

If she had, he would’ve likely started shouting again.

“You wouldn’t understand my feelings, anyway.”

“So, what are you feeling?”

“You don’t need to know.”

Hena stomped her foot in frustration.

It was the first time Henry had seen her like this today.

Clearly, something had happened to stir her up so much in the meantime.

“Did something happen today?”

“Other than spending all day with Father, nothing.”

Was that the issue?

“Why were you with Father?”

“Things like that happen. Anyway, Father asked for you.”

Hena shook her head, deflecting the topic.

From the start, it was clear she had come to relay this message to Henry.

As soon as she finished speaking, he half-turned to leave, but Henry grabbed her arm.

“At this hour?”

“Father’s been waiting for you all day.”

When Henry glanced at the fully darkened night outside, Hena, as if insisting she go, added with emphasis:

“Go and find out for yourself.”

With her job done, Hena turned to leave without hesitation.

But after walking a few steps, she stopped, glanced back at Henry, and said:

“From now on, spend some time with me, too.”

“Huh? Oh. Sure.”

It wasn’t a difficult request, so Henry readily agreed, though he couldn’t help feeling a little puzzled.

Before Hena left the room, Henry thought he caught a brief mention of something about marriage—but he wasn’t certain.

“It’s ready.”

The attendant stepped back as Henry reluctantly cast a wistful glance at his bed and left the room.

---

When Henry arrived, the first thing he saw was his father, Duke Timothy, sipping from a glass of alcohol.

Seeing the duke pour more liquor into the deep glass, Henry quickened his steps.

“You’ll upset your stomach.”

Henry said this as he dropped a few ice cubes into the drink.

The duke didn’t stop him, only watching the ice float in his glass.

When Henry sat across from him, the duke got straight to the point.

“You met with Duke Lorenz.”

“Yes, I was invited.”

“Did you feel uncomfortable?”

Duke Timothy, who knew Duke Lorenz’s personality better than anyone, asked directly.

Henry recalled their conversation.

He had been summoned without any chance to prepare and forced to face him.

Duke Lorenz hadn’t held back.

He openly said he’d expected the invitation to go to Hena and didn’t bother hiding his surprise at the relationship between Edwin and Henry.

He had even scolded Henry harshly for hesitating and failing to make a decision.

So yes, it had been uncomfortable.

And yet…

“It wasn’t unbearable.”

If anything, Duke Lorenz’s words had snapped him back to reality.

Without them, Henry might still have been floundering, pushing Edwin away while ignoring his own feelings.

“I’m glad it wasn’t too bad. In fact, I heard from Duke Lorenz that he met with you.”

Henry began to understand why Duke Timothy had been waiting for him.

“It’s almost laughable, isn’t it? As you know, Duke Lorenz has ignored Edwin for years. Yet now, he suddenly shows interest in him and invites you over.”

Duke Timothy wasn’t wrong.

Duke Lorenz had placed high expectations on Edwin, but when he didn’t meet them, he had turned away.

He had known the loneliness Edwin would face and still didn’t look back.

Not only the duke but also the duchess had distanced themselves, acting as though Edwin’s troubles were entirely his fault.

Henry nodded slightly, acknowledging this truth, but he couldn’t completely agree.

“While it’s true that the Duke pushed Edwin away… he must’ve had his reasons.”

On the surface, Duke Timothy’s criticism was valid.

But Henry knew the hidden circumstances and couldn’t lay all the blame on Duke Lorenz.

‘I understand why Duke Lorenz had no choice but to act that way.’

If Edwin’s wounds were to be wholly soothed by Keila, everyone around him had to turn their backs.

If Duke Lorenz had shown any kindness, Edwin wouldn’t have fully depended on Keila.

That narrative setup was the key reason the author had driven a wedge between father and son.

Considering the constraints of the story, Duke Lorenz had actually done his best to protect Edwin.

While he had distanced Edwin from the family’s core, he hadn’t abandoned him.

He ensured Edwin lacked for nothing and didn’t bring in another heir to replace him.

‘And he never entirely gave up on Edwin, despite his disappointment.’

That’s why, though Duke Timothy wasn’t wrong, Henry couldn’t fully agree with him.

“Maybe the Duke had his own reasons.”

Duke Timothy studied his son for a moment before nodding.

“Yes, he probably had his reasons.”

“I hope they can reconcile now. Edwin still cares deeply about his parents.”

“The thought of those two sitting together makes me laugh. I wonder how two people so alike will manage to get along.”

“I’m curious about that, too.”

The awkwardness of such a scene was almost palpable, and even Duke Timothy chuckled lightly.

He didn’t mention his suspicion that Duke Lorenz intended to use Henry to mend his relationship with Edwin.

That would become clear to Henry in time.

“What have you decided about Edwin?”

“For now, I’ve decided not to use the Pheromone Stone.”

Duke Timothy, already aware that the stone was a relic of the Grand Mage, nodded.

He recalled that Henry had sought it to break their bond.

“In the meantime, I’ll help Edwin refine his control over his pheromones.”

Even if only Henry could sense Edwin’s pheromones, the need for control remained.

Henry, too, was affected by Edwin’s pheromones.

Though Edwin was trying to suppress them, his efforts were still clumsy.

“Isn’t it unsettling to maintain an imperfect bond? You’d know best.”

“I’ve lived as a Beta for most of my life because of it, so it’s fine.”

To Henry, who identified as an Omega yet lived as a Beta, his situation felt easier to adapt to.

The only downside was the cycles triggered by Edwin’s pheromones.

Duke Timothy nodded.

“If you’re certain, I’ll respect your choice. But remember, every decision comes with responsibility.”

“I understand.”

Henry already knew his actions shaped the story’s path.

He would tread carefully moving forward.

* * *