* * *
“Loen. Is that why you came to find me? After you ditched me once you thought you had made your life better by marrying some hotshot husband.”
It was a drunken woman, presumed to be a noble, and an unidentifiable handsome man.
Anakin, who unintentionally overheard their conversation, felt awkward and moved to another seat, though not with that intention.
Before long, the woman leaned her head on the man and touched him, her voice laced with a moan.
“Eung. Still, I missed seeing your face. And get your facts straight. I didn’t dump you, you dumped me. You were hitting on me while hiding all those countless women of yours from the start, weren’t you?”
…I can hear them no matter where I go.
The robe pulled over his head was cumbersome and blocked his vision.
He didn’t know how mages managed to wear things like this.
While Anakin fiddled with his robe, someone suddenly sat down in front of him.
It was the man who had been sharing a drink with the noblewoman.
As Anakin stared at him with a surprised face, the woman’s vicious voice came from behind.
“You crazy bastard! Now you’re trying to flirt with a little kid?”
As the woman flew into a rage, the man smiled apologetically and bowed his head.
“I’m sorry. This was the only way to get away from that woman.”
The scent of an Alpha’s pheromones emanated from him.
Soon after, the woman, her pride clearly hurt, smashed her glass on the floor and left the lounge.
The man glanced at her, then smiled suavely as if nothing had happened and spoke to Anakin.
“My name is Gilbert. My family… is not very famous. Are you from out of town?”
“…Yes. I came to take the Pasadian School entrance exam.”
He unconsciously fluttered the hem of the annoying robe as he spoke.
“Pardon? Pasadian…?”
Gilbert asked again, as if he had misheard, making a strange face.
“You must be an incredible talent if you’re going to take the exam for that school…”
“Ah… It’s not that much!”
“The strong tend to humble themselves, and the weak tend to inflate themselves. By the way, aren’t you hot in that robe? It must be quite stuffy to wear indoors.”
“Hmm, well…”
Gilbert laughed heartily, seemingly having noticed that Anakin found the robe bothersome.
He seemed to be very perceptive.
And at that moment.
KABOOM.
Everyone’s attention was drawn to the source of a sudden, loud explosion.
Even Gilbert and Anakin stopped talking and turned their heads.
In the center of the commotion stood a black-haired boy, and in front of him, another boy was crying out in pain, apparently having been slammed into the wall.
Several children surrounded them.
The black-haired boy who appeared to have launched the attack stared at the fallen boy with utter coolness.
“I should have known when you started annoying the young master. I told you to back off.”
“He was just too obvious and over-the-top.”
The children surrounding them whispered among themselves.
Anakin blinked, watching the scene.
“They seem to think they’re on the same level just because they’re taking the same exam.”
One of them kicked the fallen boy’s shoulder.
Gilbert, who seemed accustomed to such disturbances, shrugged his shoulders and said.
“It’s clearly a faction fight among young nobles. That self-important young master must be from a high-ranking noble family… and the friend who was sent flying, well, he got into trouble for trying to curry favor. Things like this are common. Especially high-ranking nobles, they are all people who look down on others…”
“…Young Master Hilde?”
As that name softly left the quiet Anakin’s mouth, the heartless noble boy, who was the center of attention, surprisingly turned this way.
That handsome yet prickly face.
It was definitely Hilde, with whom he used to take classes at the Imperial Palace social party.
Hilde, too, seemed extremely surprised to see Anakin, his expression subtly changing.
“…Anakin?”
Hilde, who looked over this way with an expression of disbelief, finally came closer, and Gilbert asked Anakin in a flustered voice.
“A-A-Are you acquainted?”
“Uh, we took classes together…”
Hearing Anakin’s words, Gilbert made a face of realization and looked back and forth between Hilde and Anakin.
If this child took classes with that terrifying, high-status noble boy, then this child must also be from a considerable family.
It was clearly a combination that would spell trouble if one got entangled with them.
“Anakin, is that you?”
Now the center of attention had shifted to them.
All the guests in the lounge keenly watched this fortuitous meeting.
Anakin was primarily delighted by the emotional reunion.
“Young Master!”
When Anakin smiled and greeted him, Hilde urgently blocked Anakin’s arm.
“Wait. Too many people are watching.”
It seemed he was certain it was Anakin the moment he heard his voice.
Along with that, he could smell the scent of an Alpha from him.
“Who is this man?”
Hilde turned his gaze and looked at Gilbert with sharp eyes.
Gilbert laughed awkwardly and said.
“Haha… So your name is Anakin. We just met today, but we happened to share a table…”
“…?”
Hilde looked Gilbert up and down and frowned.
Sensing the atmosphere that clearly suggested he was not viewed kindly, Anakin spoke nervously.
“Young Master. Then I’ll come find you later.”
“…”
When Hilde looked at Anakin again, he gently reasoned with him.
“I’m happy to see you, Young Master. Let’s talk later.”
Since Anakin was speaking so decisively, Hilde made a helpless face and turned away abruptly.
“See me at the desk in 30 minutes.”
“Yes.”
After the storm had passed, Gilbert sighed, as if relieved of tension.
“You startled me. When he came over here…”
“I’m sorry. He was a familiar face.”
The lounge once again became bustling as if no commotion had occurred, and Anakin took the opportunity to slightly open his robe and take a breath.
“…”
Just then, his eyes met Gilbert’s, who was staring at him with a blank expression.
It was the same look as a servant who first encountered Anakin at the mansion.
“No…”
His fair skin and beautiful posture were evident to anyone.
His well-maintained appearance confirmed that he was a high-ranking noble.
Gilbert had expected him to be a beauty, but this… far exceeded his expectations.
“Ah…”
Anakin, realizing his mistake, covered himself with his robe again, although he had been smiling brightly.
Only the person in front of him could barely see his face, but he always had to be careful in this regard.
Gilbert saw Anakin and nearly got a nosebleed.
“Mr. Gilbert. You seem like an interesting person. I hope to see you again.”
“Hahaha… It would be an honor if such a beauty called upon me again. I did think you were extraordinary… but this goes beyond my expectations.”
“I’ll be staying here until the exam results come out, so maybe we can see each other!”
“…I was planning to stay for a while too. If you get bored, please call me. My room is A-237.”
Gilbert acted nonchalantly while exchanging greetings with Anakin, but he thought to himself:
‘I approached him because he was a small noble child alone, but he turns out to be a high-ranking noble, and with such a beautiful face, he has such an innocent personality.’
He had planned to leave today when he was talking to Loen, but Gilbert quickly changed his mind.
‘I’ll stay here for a while longer.’
If only to gaze upon Anakin’s adorable face a little longer.
30 minutes later, Anakin parted ways with Gilbert and headed to the desk Hilde had mentioned.
Hilde was already waiting alone, having apparently sent his entourage away.
Standing with his arms crossed and an indifferent expression, he had a handsome face that made the working servants turn their heads once to look at him.
‘Our Young Master has grown into a wonderful handsome young man.’
Hilde, who was emitting a noticeable masculine scent, changed his expression as soon as he saw him.
A slight trace of delight settled on his indifferent face.
“Anakin.”
“It’s been a long time, Young Master.”
Seeing Hilde somehow brought back memories of their time at the Imperial Palace.
Those memories that he had only considered a dream.
Hilde suddenly grabbed Anakin’s arm, who was about to greet him, and led him somewhere.
After going up to a higher floor and arriving at a room, he casually inserted a key and opened the door.
“Oh, here is…”
“My room. Crowded places are uncomfortable, so let’s talk here.”
Anakin took off his robe and looked around the room.
A wide, luxurious room that a family of five could use…
It was more than enough space for one person.
‘I wonder if my room looks like this too?’
“What happened? You suddenly disappeared without a word back then.”
Hilde, who had been staring at Anakin’s face, sat down on the table and spoke.
Anakin hesitated, looking at Hilde.
‘Should I tell him the truth?’
“You presented, didn’t you? I can smell Omega from you. No wonder you were covered in Alpha pheromones back then.”
So Hilde knew after all.
* * *
