* * *
At that thought, Rex stopped in his tracks.
His words betrayed his inner acknowledgment of Remy.
He was admitting that Remy could be a source of hope for those children.
Rex felt conflicted.
The Remy he thought he knew wasn’t like this.
He wasn’t particularly close to him, so he couldn’t claim to know his heart, but the Remy he’d observed was nothing like this.
A proud and arrogant nobleman… comforting a lowly child and saying such things? It seemed impossible.
“Sharing food or clothes, sure. Maybe even playing with them out of pity. But to be a source of hope for that child? To speak of ideals like respect for all people? That’s unheard of.”
In truth, no noble ever spoke like that.
In this era, where the hierarchy was everything, such ideas were unimaginable.
And yet, here was Remy, a member of the highest nobility, telling this to a child of the lowest class.
“When… when did he start thinking this way?”
Rex didn’t know if Remy had changed over time or if he’d always been like this but hidden it.
One thing was clear—what he saw in Remy now was incredibly impressive.
It was enough to make Rex regret hating him before.
Enough to make him reevaluate everything he thought he knew about Remy.
“I’m confused.”
Rex shook his head. Even so, he couldn’t understand why his heart was racing.
The last time he caught Remy’s pheromones, despite their pleasant scent, he’d found them irritating.
But now, he wanted to experience it again.
He wanted to hold him in his arms, to breathe in that intoxicating scent, and to leave his own mark on him.
If he could, he’d make him his.
He’d become the mother of his children, as beautiful and precious as his face.
“I’ve lost it. Completely lost it.”
Rex hurriedly ended his thoughts and quickened his pace.
Standing in the middle of the street, entertaining such indecent ideas, was utterly mortifying.
But then, his steps faltered.
What he saw next made him freeze in place.
Something utterly unacceptable was happening to him.
His eyes fell to his right thigh, noticeably swollen.
Even when faced with countless Omega pheromones that sought to entice him, he’d never reacted like this.
Yet just imagining Remy was enough to affect him so profoundly.
For a long moment, Rex stood there, staring down at himself.
Once aroused, his body showed no signs of calming down.
The next day, Remy, on his way to Oliver, abruptly stopped in his tracks.
“Hold on a second.”
Thinking about it, it had been quite some time since he last saw Bennett.
By now, Bennett should’ve shown up with the promised item.
Yet, there was no sign of him, let alone the item.
‘Could it be that he still hasn’t found the evidence? Maybe that guy, Nick, is being tougher than expected, or something like that.’
A hint of unease crept into Remy’s mind.
It was unlikely, but… could Bennett have taken the advance payment and disappeared?
The sum he had already given was no small amount.
‘No, that doesn’t make sense. Why would he do that when delivering the evidence would earn him twice as much?’
Even so, the unsettling feeling lingered.
What if Bennett suddenly went completely off the radar?
Not only would the money be gone, but the entire plan would be jeopardized.
The matter had to be resolved before the party hosted by the Third Prince.
‘Now that I think about it, Hayward has been unusually quiet lately. What’s going on? That’s not like them.’
Even the messengers, who used to visit almost daily after the hunting competition, had stopped coming.
While Remy appreciated the absence of such nuisances, the silence was beginning to feel unnerving.
They say it’s always calm before the storm.
‘Ugh, forget it. Why worry about things I can’t control? I’ll deal with it when it happens. No point stressing over nothing.’
Resolute, Remy nodded to himself.
As always, his optimistic attitude shone through.
“Oliver!”
Reaching Oliver’s tent as usual, Remy waved and greeted him.
As always, Oliver’s two younger siblings came running and clung to Remy’s legs, charmingly affectionate.
Adoring their cuteness, Remy showered them with affection.
“Let’s have a delicious lunch today!”
The kids cheered excitedly, taking the basket Remy had brought and beginning to set the table with the food.
Watching them, Remy was momentarily surprised but soon smiled warmly.
It was clear that Oliver had taught them to handle things on their own.
“Welcome.”
Even though it had only been a day since they last saw each other, Oliver seemed more mature than ever.
He looked far more grown-up and reliable compared to when Remy first met him.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Yes. What about you?”
“I did.”
Remy was eager to finish lunch and start teaching Oliver how to read and write.
Although Remy wasn’t particularly fluent in the language of this world before, after inhabiting his current body, he found himself proficient in listening, speaking, and writing.
With the basic textbooks he’d brought along, he was confident he could teach without any issues.
“All right, Oliver. Hurry up and eat. Starting today, we’re going to be quite busy.”
Oliver, knowing Remy meant he was going to teach him, smiled faintly.
He sat opposite his younger siblings and carefully prepared a sandwich for Remy.
Remy sat beside him, happily accepting the sandwich and taking a bite.
“As expected, sandwiches made by you are the best, Oliver. I can’t stop thinking about them, even at home!”
Remy’s bright smile caught Oliver off guard.
Flustered, Oliver abruptly turned his head, his ears burning red.
Completely oblivious, Remy simply continued enjoying his sandwich.
That same day, while Remy was enjoying his time with Oliver, Rex spent the entire morning and well into the afternoon shut away in the study.
He had stopped tailing Remy as of the previous day.
Despite focusing on the documents in front of him, his thoughts kept wandering.
“By now, Remy’s probably having fun with the kids. Or maybe he’s teaching them how to read and write, like the little one asked yesterday. Is Remy good at teaching? Education’s just as important as playtime for kids…”
Rex startled himself with his train of thought, his tired eyes feeling even heavier.
Grabbing his aching head, he stood and moved to the window, gazing out at the sprawling garden.
“I didn’t sleep a wink last night…”
Rex had tossed and turned all night, his thoughts plagued by confusion and vivid memories of Remy.
No matter how hard he tried to push those thoughts away, Remy’s scent seemed to linger, and his face appeared whenever he closed his eyes.
Unbidden, his body reacted.
He scolded himself, insisting he must be losing his mind, but the reactions didn’t subside.
Instead, they intensified as the night wore on, tormenting him.
“I’m really losing it. Completely losing it.”
Helpless, Rex spent the night grappling with his feelings, unable to stop the flood of emotions and desires.
By the time the first rays of dawn broke, he was utterly drained.
“How much longer can I keep this up…”
Even as he stared at the beautiful garden, all he could see was Remy.
He pictured him playing with the children, strolling lightly across the grassy expanse as though it were his own.
* * *
Rex, has completely lose it!! 🤭🤣