* * *
“We’ve arrived.”
Henry looked up at the sound of Sir Teher’s voice. H
e’d been so absorbed in his thoughts that he hadn’t checked the destination once.
Henry stepped out of the carriage and took in his surroundings.
This was one of the places he had requested from the information guild.
He needed a place suitable to absorb the energy of the pheromone stone to its fullest.
Tall trees stretched skyward in all directions, and the fresh air enveloped him.
Savoring it with his eyes closed for a moment, Henry turned to Sir Teher with satisfaction.
“This is the place I’ve been looking for.”
They had arrived at the spot where the Woneum trees grew.
Sir Teher had positioned himself a good distance away from the carriage.
[Whatever I do here, no matter what happens, do not turn around. I would prefer you return to the mansion entirely, but I know you won’t agree to that, so let’s settle on this.]
[Can’t you tell me what you’re planning?]
[Hmm… that would be difficult. The truth is, I don’t even know how much you’ll end up knowing.]
[And yet, you’re asking me not to turn around? I promised I’d never lose you again.]
[I understand your feelings well. But just this once, please listen to my request. No matter what happens, don’t come near me.]
[Even if there’s danger?]
Sir Teher asked, his concern still evident. After a moment of thought, Henry held up three fingers.
[Three days. After that, it’s okay to come find me.]
Henry had set his limit in case of danger, but he stressed once again not to come before then, no matter what.
With that, Henry climbed back into the carriage.
That had been hours ago.
Since then, Sir Teher had stood guard, unaware of what was happening inside the carriage.
All had been quiet, and he hoped it would remain that way.
But the uncertainty of what Henry was doing gnawed at him.
Having almost lost Henry once before, Sir Teher couldn’t shake his growing unease and absently fingered the hilt of his sword.
Suddenly, Sir Teher’s gaze sharpened.
He swiftly drew his sword and pointed it at the figure that had appeared before him.
As tense as he had been, he hadn’t sensed their approach until they were almost upon him.
Startled by his own lapse in awareness, Sir Teher’s aura surged outward with dangerous intensity.
But the person who stood before him seemed unaffected by the lethal energy radiating from Sir Teher, casually surveying the area.
When his gaze landed on the carriage, Edwin’s eyes gleamed with interest.
“Step aside.”
“Move.”
Without even glancing at the threatening tip of the sword pointed at his throat, he responded indifferently.
Sir Teher knew his pressure wasn’t working, but he didn’t back down.
“You cannot pass.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“It’s my duty to protect the young master.”
At Sir Teher’s repeated refusal, Edwin, who had been watching the carriage, turned his gaze toward him.
His eyes, devoid of emotion and almost lifeless, made the tip of Sir Teher’s sword quiver slightly.
But it was only for a moment.
Clenching his teeth, he gripped his sword tightly again.
Edwin smirked at him.
“How are you so sure that’s protection?”
“What are you saying?”
“What if I’m going to save him?”
“That’s absurd…”
“I’ve been the one calming Henry’s seizures all this time. What have you done?”
Though Edwin’s words were uttered casually, as if they meant nothing, Sir Teher couldn’t accept them as such.
His eyes trembled.
He couldn’t believe what he’d just heard.
Seizures?
The young master?
He had no idea.
“I’ve warned you many times already, but you never once managed to save Henry.”
With that, Edwin casually pushed away Sir Teher’s sword with his bare hand.
Sir Teher’s head lowered as his sword lost its direction.
“That’s why you can’t stop me.”
Edwin passed him with light steps, but Sir Teher couldn’t raise his head.
‘Henry Timothy.’
Edwin, who had easily brushed past Sir Teher, slowly closed the distance to the carriage.
The only thing Henry had left for him was a bothersome pouch he’d given with no explanation.
It was as if throwing candy at a child to distract him.
‘Will I have to crack open your little head to see what’s inside?’
Why won’t he just say it?
‘If he had, I wouldn’t have to come looking like this.’
Edwin reached into his coat and pulled out the pouch Henry had given him.
Hanging it by its string on his finger, he let it sway in the air, a subtle fragrance emanating from it.
It smelled both like the refreshing scent of fruit and the fresh bloom of flowers.
“I’ll admit it’s quite sweet.”
But that’s as far as it goes.
Edwin noticed the same scent coming from the carriage, his gaze sharpening as the fragrance intensified.
To handle pheromone stones, one first had to release all of their own pheromones.
Once the body was completely emptied of pheromones, the stone would react, filling Henry’s body with pheromones.
This would increase the overall amount of pheromones while also heightening sensitivity to them.
This was the theory Henry knew.
Kayla had used it to help Edwin control his pheromones.
As he understood his emotions in the process, it was only natural for him to develop feelings for Edwin.
Henry, however, unlike Kayla, planned to cut the imprinting bond between him and Edwin by heightening his own sensitivity.
If he could alter the flow of pheromones, no longer merely sensing them as he did before, it was certainly possible.
This was the original method devised by the Grand Wizard.
“This feels weird.”
Henry rubbed his clothed arm, shivering from the ticklish sensation.
It felt like someone was gently brushing a feather against a spot he was particularly sensitive to.
He’d always kept his pheromones tightly sealed, never intentionally releasing them, so this new sensation was hard to adjust to.
“Edwin let his pheromones out so easily.”
That guy would probably stay calm even if you tickled his ear with a feather.
Henry muttered to himself, trying to focus on releasing more pheromones.
The carriage was already thick with his scent, but it wasn’t enough.
The windows, open on all sides, allowed his pheromones to escape.
Simultaneously, the life force from the Wonoem trees around him flowed into the carriage, revitalizing him.
“Sir Teher won’t be able to sense my pheromones.”
Just in case, he had put some distance between them, but Edwin was likely the only one who could detect his scent.
Henry scratched his itchy heart lightly and leaned against the window.
He wasn’t sure what would happen once all his pheromones were released, but he trusted that a signal would come when it was time.
It was a peaceful moment, oblivious to the intruder who silently approached the carriage.
Edwin had appeared unnoticed, gazing down at Henry through the window he was leaning against.
“Hmm? It smells nice around here.”
Henry, slightly raising himself from the wall, tilted his head in confusion.
Up until now, the only scent he’d been able to detect was that of the Wonoem trees, but another smell had sneaked its way in.
Henry looked around, searching for the source of the scent.
“I don’t know.”
It was familiar, yet strangely foreign.
“Is this Edwin’s…?”
He was just about to finish his thought when—
“What are you doing here?”
“Ah…!”
When someone is truly startled, they say no sound escapes their throat.
With a choked gasp, Henry froze stiff, as if he’d been strangled.
If that wasn’t a hallucination, then this voice—
He turned his head and locked eyes with Edwin, raising his hand to clutch his chest as if to stop his heart from leaping out.
“You look surprised. You should start by breathing.”
“Ha, haaa…”
Like a fish out of water, Henry opened and closed his mouth as if he’d forgotten how to breathe.
Only after a few tries did he finally manage to catch his breath, his gaze darting in all directions.
He never expected Edwin to show up here.
This wasn’t the mansion, and he’d thought he had completely hidden his tracks…
“Is this what you were doing when you disappeared without a word?”
* * *
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🔥❤️❤️❤️
The moment is about to come 😍😍😍
Thansk