* * *
Unaware that Leonard was trailing them, Chaeyi stopped behind the Great Hall, where it was peaceful and secluded.
The area was lined with trees, and the sound of rustling leaves in the breeze created a refreshing atmosphere.
Chaeyi stood there for a moment, enjoying the cool wind before turning back to Bennex.
“Ben. Thank you for telling me how you feel the other day.”
At those words, Bennex’s long eyelashes lowered.
It wasn’t a clear affirmation or rejection—just a vague expression of gratitude.
Yet even that was enough for Bennex to sense the inevitable: a gentle refusal.
Still, after coming this far, he wanted to hear it directly, no matter the outcome.
“…Does that mean, Chaeyi, you’re accepting my confession? Or are you rejecting it?”
Concerned about hurting Bennex, Chaeyi hesitated briefly before finally gathering his resolve.
“I’m sorry, Ben. There’s already someone important in my life, so I can’t accept your feelings. But I believe you’ll find someone much better than me.”
“Someone better…”
At that moment, Leonard’s face flashed through Chaeyi’s mind.
For some reason, a pang of guilt hit him—a feeling that he had taken away that “better person” for himself.
“I’m sorry,” Chaeyi apologized again.
With that, his rejection was clear.
While Chaeyi carefully observed Bennex’s expression, the latter, though feeling both relieved and disappointed, managed a small smile and lifted his head.
“By any chance, is that important person Lord Leonard?”
To Chaeyi’s surprise, Leonard’s name came up so readily. How long had Bennex known?
From the beginning?
Or was it just a lucky guess?
A flood of thoughts crossed Chaeyi’s mind, but his lips moved before he could stop them.
“Did you already know?”
Bennex shook his head, a faint smile on his face.
“No. But… I had a feeling.”
It seemed his intuition was just that sharp.
On reflection, it made sense—if Bennex had known they were already together, confessing would’ve been inconsiderate, and Bennex wasn’t that kind of person.
However, contrary to Chaeyi’s assumption, there was a specific reason Bennex had suspected their relationship.
“I’m aware of what feelings Lord Leonard has for Chaeyi.”
That moment of realization had come when Chaeyi and Leonard visited Bennex during his recovery.
After Chaeyi excused himself to the restroom, Leonard, unable to hide his frustration, blurted out:
“Yes, I like Chaeyi. I like him a lot. Is that so wrong?”
Feeling irritated by Leonard’s aggressive tone, Bennex retorted sharply.
At the time, he didn’t fully understand their relationship, which only fueled his irritation.
“It’s not ‘wrong’ on its own.”
Leonard’s next words, however, revealed everything.
“But I’m not going to sit back and let you take him away from me.”
That near-confession clarified Leonard’s feelings.
Even if Bennex didn’t know Chaeyi’s heart, he was certain Leonard loved him deeply.
From that moment, Bennex doubted his chances.
Could he possibly compete with someone so flawless? The answer was clear: no.
“I could never win against someone like Leonard.”
Bennex was determined to become stronger—to be someone who could stand by Chaeyi without shame.
But his innate frailty and the dangerous nature of his abilities often held him back.
Still, no matter how much he struggled, one thought lingered in his mind:
“If I stay by Chaeyi, I’ll only be a burden.”
Bennex had decided he needed to let go of Chaeyi.
Even so, Chaeyi’s brilliance was blinding, and in the end, Bennex found himself confessing feelings he should have kept to himself.
Predictably, he was rejected.
Yet, he told himself it was for the best.
Better to end the ambiguity and the false hope of staying by Chaeyi’s side.
“But… Chaeyi, we’ll still be friends, won’t we? Just like before?”
“Of course.”
Chaeyi answered without hesitation.
With a bright smile, Bennex responded in kind, then turned away to leave before Chaeyi could.
As he hurried around the corner, Bennex froze upon spotting Leonard standing there.
Had Leonard overheard their conversation?
At this point, it didn’t matter.
Bennex met Leonard’s gaze for a moment before sharply looking away and walking past him.
Leonard, noticing the tear-streaked face of Bennex, cast a fleeting glance in his direction before turning and heading the other way.
Chaeyi stood lost in thought, unaware of Leonard approaching until he felt his presence and lifted his head.
“Hm? Leo, what are you doing here?”
Chaeyi found it amusing how Leonard always seemed to show up at the perfect time.
“Just went out for some air,” Leonard replied nonchalantly, not wanting to admit he’d overheard anything.
He gently touched Chaey’s cheek before leaning in to press a light kiss on his forehead.
Under the moonlight, Chaey’s golden eyes gleamed more brightly than usual, and the faint blush that spread across his cheeks stirred something within Leonard.
“It’s getting chilly. Shall we head back inside?”
“Yeah, let’s do that.”
Chaeyi clasped Leonard’s hand tightly as they walked back together.
Meanwhile, behind the lively banquet hall, where the celebration continued late into the night, small dramas unfolded quietly amidst the laughter and merriment.
Under the serene light of the crescent moon, the banquet hall had grown quieter as nobles began to head back to their estates.
Standing alone in the now-deserted courtyard was Ferdinand.
Moments earlier, he’d been speaking with his father, Samuel, in private—a rare occurrence initiated when Chaeyi had stepped away, leaving the two alone.
Surprisingly, through an honest and heartfelt conversation, Ferdinand managed to resolve some of the long-standing resentment he harbored toward his father.
Looking back, he realized he’d taken an unnecessarily long and winding path to reach this point.
Perhaps that’s why he felt so strangely light and dazed, even after Samuel had left.
Ferdinand remained there, gazing at the night sky and letting the cool breeze clear his mind.
“…Hic.”
The sound of someone quietly sobbing broke the stillness.
Startled, Ferdinand turned toward the source. In a secluded corner, someone was crying alone.
For a moment, a chill ran down his spine.
Thankfully, it wasn’t a ghost.
Curiosity got the better of him, and he peeked cautiously, only to discover the crying figure was none other than Bennex.
“Tch, I got scared for nothing,” Ferdinand muttered under his breath, relaxing.
From a distance, he observed Bennex huddled on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.
Sensing his presence, Bennex glanced over, his tear-filled eyes narrowing in irritation as he quickly looked away.
“Why are you just standing there? Go away!”
“You confessed to Chaeyi and got rejected, didn’t you?”
“Just leave me alone!”
“So it’s true…”
Ferdinand’s eyes drooped lazily as he sat down nearby, watching Bennex.
Despite his timid and fragile appearance, Bennex was surprisingly stubborn, Ferdinand thought.
In contrast, he himself had refrained from nurturing any feelings for Chaeyi, knowing they wouldn’t be reciprocated.
When Leonard and Chaeyi grew closer, he had already decided to let go.
Ferdinand wasn’t the type to hold on to hopeless causes.
In that sense, he couldn’t help but admire Bennex for having the courage to put his feelings out in the open, even if it led to rejection.
Letting out a small sigh, Ferdinand sat beside Bennex.
That simple act seemed to comfort Bennex, whose sobs grew louder.
‘Come to think of it…’ Ferdinand tilted his head, a troubling thought crossing his mind.
‘What will Bennex do if Chaeyi fails to manifest as an Omega again?’
The Lancaster family’s cold and unyielding traditions were infamous throughout the empire.
Leonard’s decision to choose Chaeyi, a Beta male incapable of bearing children, would lead to one of three outcomes: successfully forcing Chaeyi’s Omega manifestation, exile, or outright rebellion against the family.
‘It won’t be easy,’ Ferdinand thought, his gaze drifting upward.
All he wished for was that no harm would come to Chaeyi.
* * *
