* * *
Sylvian studied his expression. Should he push a little further?
No, not while Zeroth was home. He couldn’t afford to show any weaknesses.
“Ah!”
“Careful.”
The moment he stepped into the garden, he misstepped and stumbled.
Whisen’s hand shot out to steady him but withdrew the moment Sylvian regained his balance.
So, he wasn’t completely indifferent.
That meant he could be won over—with time.
Confirming this, Sylvian feigned ignorance and continued his stroll.
Humming, he basked in the fresh air.
After days of feeling heavy and sluggish, energy finally returned to his body.
Zeroth had filled him with pheromones, after all.
Most of his memories from the heat cycle were hazy.
But one thing was clear—throughout it all, he had clung to Zeroth and cried.
“Are you cold?”
“I’m fine. I can walk a bit more.”
Sylvian shook his head at Luaia’s concern. He truly felt much better.
There was a reason Omega resilience was so highly praised.
As long as an Alpha was present, everything else seemed to work itself out.
Walking wasn’t tiring at all.
In fact, he was starting to sweat.
For the first time, his body actually felt healthy.
Perhaps he really should try living a good life for once.
“I heard Sir Whisen protected me?”
“It was my duty.”
“Thank you.”
Whisen’s lips pressed into a thin line at Sylvian’s soft smile.
It seemed he truly had no memory of what had happened that night.
Good.
If Whisen had started acting awkwardly, Zeroth would have noticed immediately.
Whisen had accepted Zeroth’ order to increase Sylvian’s guards without question, likely believing it was only natural.
After all, leaving an Alpha alone with an Omega during a heat cycle was suspicious at best.
Though officially, Whisen had only received words of appreciation, guilt still gnawed at him.
There was no way he could confess what had actually happened that night.
“Are you mad?”
“Sir Whisen always looks like this.”
As Sylvian studied his expression, Luaia playfully lifted the corners of his eyes to mimic him.
Whisen shot his a sharp glare.
“Pfft—!”
A bright laugh spilled from Sylvian’s lips.
“Don’t laugh.”
“B-But… It’s just… too perfect!”
Watching Luaia continue to mock him, Sylvian trembled with suppressed laughter.
So, this same cold, unyielding man had once touched his body so intimately?
No—
He couldn’t be sure.
After all, he had never once turned to look back.
He couldn’t quite imagine what kind of expression he had on his face.
But judging by how much colder he had become, it seemed like he might be regretting what happened.
“Thank you, everyone.”
Sylvian, who had been laughing cheerfully, wiped away the tears welling in his eyes and revealed a bit of his true feelings.
Well, gratitude was still gratitude, wasn’t it?
Even if there was a bit of personal sentiment mixed in.
“Ever since I joined the duke’s household, it feels like only good things have happened.”
Sylvian smiled brightly at Luaia and Whisen.
At that, Luaia’s eyes welled up with tears, as if deeply moved.
“It is only natural for us to help you, Lord Sylvian!”
She dabbed at his tears with a handkerchief. Whisen, on the other hand, had already returned to his usual expressionless face.
“You have to make sure to tell the others, too.”
Sylvian, making an adorable promise, caught Whisen’s brief gaze.
That face—crying out, moaning—kept surfacing in his mind.
The Duke had made the right choice. He himself was dangerous.
Thinking that he still lacked the discipline to control his emotions, Whisen resolved to cut down on sleep and train harder.
“Zeroth?”
“Are you feeling well today?”
After finishing his walk, Sylvian made his way to Zeroth’s office.
Since Zeroth hadn’t touched him since the heat cycle, he had to leave some room for possibilities.
One heat cycle alone wouldn’t have completely driven him away.
There were still about six months left before the main omega would appear.
Until then, he needed to gradually and amicably distance himself from Zeroth.
Ignoring him entirely was too risky.
That was why, after using a walk with Whisen as an excuse to pass the time, Sylvian sought him out.
“Yes. I just came back from a walk!”
Peeking into the office through a slightly open door, Sylvian stepped inside, leaving Whisen behind when Zeroth gestured for him to enter.
As the door closed, Whisen’s gaze briefly lingered on Sylvian before breaking away.
“What brings you here?”
“I wanted to see you, Zeroth.”
Had he really been away on urgent business the day the heat cycle hit?
Since then, he’d only been around in the evenings, just long enough for a fleeting glimpse.
Every morning when Sylvian woke up, his room was still filled with Zeroth’s pheromones, the only proof that he’d been there.
Tap, tap.
As Sylvian, blushing, spoke, Zeroth lightly patted his thigh.
Sylvian glanced around needlessly before scurrying over and settling himself on Zeroth’s lap.
“Are you busy?”
“There are some matters to handle regarding the rebels, nothing more.”
At the mention of rebels, Sylvian’s eyes widened.
He had heard as a child that the Emperor had once turned an entire neighboring kingdom to ruins just for daring to provoke the Empire.
“It’s nothing serious, so don’t worry.”
“Just don’t get hurt.”
Their eyes met.
His worried reflection was clearly visible in Zeroth’s crimson irises.
His expressions were always impeccable.
Smooch.
“Are you trying to comfort me?”
“Yes.”
While anything more intense was difficult, light physical affection was fine.
His body had been so thoroughly wrecked that at first, even the slightest touch made him flinch.
Brush.
Brush.
“Mm.”
Zeroth wasn’t satisfied with just a small kiss—his soft lips continued to press against Sylvian’s.
And before long, unable to hold back, he buried himself against him.
“You shouldn’t keep acting so adorably.”
“Do you think I’m cute?”
After the long kiss, Sylvian, slightly dazed, lifted his head at Zeroth’s words.
His shining eyes practically asked, ‘Really?’
Zeroth kissed the corner of his eye.
“Of course. You’re so lovely that I can’t control myself.”
It was clear that Zeroth had changed in some way since the heat cycle.
Sylvian wasn’t sure exactly how, but he had definitely become a bit gentler.
Still, he was satisfied enough with the fact that Zeroth had given him a full week to recover.
“Now that you’re feeling better, shall we draft a formal letter of complaint to the Crown Prince?”
Zeroth spoke as if casually suggesting dinner.
“A real letter of complaint?”
Sylvian had almost completely forgotten about the Crown Prince ever since he left so suddenly.
And now, here was Zeroth, practically serving up the perfect opportunity.
Sylvian’s eyes sparkled with excitement as he turned to him.
“Can I write it myself?!”
Zeroth chuckled at the sheer anticipation on Sylvian’s face.
“Have you never written a letter before?”
“Uh… no.”
There had never been anyone to send letters to.
And although he had learned to read and write, back in the viscount’s household, he wasn’t allowed to do either.
The most he had done since arriving at the duke’s estate was ask the maids to help him read little by little.
“Do you think I can write a proper letter to the Crown Prince?”
And a complaint letter, no less!
What an exhilarating thought—Sylvian pondered what he could squeeze out of the Crown Prince.
“I’ll guide you through it, so don’t worry. Since we’re on the topic, why don’t we start now?”
“Gasp.”
When Sylvian hurriedly tried to get up from Zeroth’s lap, Zeroth pulled him back down.
Every time his small body shifted, their lower halves naturally pressed together.
But Sylvian, completely preoccupied with the letter, didn’t notice.
“Today’s lesson will be on letter writing.”
And—unfortunately—only letter writing.
Swallowing his disappointment, Zeroth effortlessly lifted Sylvian and carried him to the desk.
* * *
