RHFTY chapter 24

The gaze of the man asking the question was intensely threatening.

It was almost as if he were a hyena searching for a weakness before sinking his teeth into his prey.

He hadn’t even released any pheromones, yet the aura he emitted was terrifying.

Despite his brutish appearance, he had the makings of a charismatic leader.

Most people would have looked away in fear.

But Chaeyi did not avert his gaze.

On the contrary, he met the man’s eyes head-on, shamelessly daring him to keep looking.

This was enough to provoke the man.

In truth, Chaeyi was merely pondering how to answer the question “Who are you?” without any intention of provoking anyone.

Nevertheless, the situation was heading in that direction.

The man widened his eyes and stepped closer to Chaeyi .

However, Chaeyi neither avoided him nor showed any signs of fear. He simply thought…

‘What is this? Was he just picking a fight? His eyes are really fierce, though. He looks pretty, but…’

As the man’s face became clearer, Chaeyi found himself lost in thought, observing him.

Meanwhile, the man scrutinized Chaeyi , who was either of similar height or slightly shorter, with a calculating stare.

‘A noble?’

Judging by the quality of his clothes, the man assumed Chaeyi was not a mere commoner. Yet something seemed off.

‘There’s no pheromone scent at all.’

Was he hiding it well?

Or was he perhaps a Beta noble?

Even if he generously assumed Chaeyi was a Beta noble, who were even rarer and more valued than dominant trait nobles, something still felt wrong.

‘A noble who doesn’t recognize me?’

If Chaeyi knew who he was, he wouldn’t just be staring blankly like that. Not at all. The man was confident in this assumption.

It was only natural, considering he was the direct descendant of the prestigious Ludvis dynasty, an Omega possessing dominant traits and irregular abilities, and the sole precious child of Ludvis III, ruler of the Ludvir Duchy and emperor of the Astarius Empire.

Prince Ferdinand de Ludvis.

His name and appearance were basic knowledge that any high-ranking noble in the Astarius Empire should be familiar with. Of course, this applied only to nobles. For commoners, who were more concerned with their livelihoods, it wasn’t relevant.

‘Could it be…?’

Ferdinand’s eyes narrowed.

His earlier irritation had subsided, replaced by pure interest in the person before him.

‘Let’s test it out.’

If he used his pheromones to intimidate this person, their true identity would undoubtedly be revealed.

Alphas and Omegas instinctively released their pheromones in response to a threat to protect themselves.

Ferdinand’s lips curled into a smirk as his eyes gleamed with interest.

In an instant, a powerful wave of pheromones, strong enough to stir a breeze, was released, filling the air.

The scent, a mix of a faint cucumber soap fragrance and a refreshing hint like soda, was Ferdinand’s signature pheromone.

But despite the pleasant scent, the oppressive aura it carried was so overwhelming that people couldn’t even react.

“…….”

The weight of his pheromones crushed down like a stone, turning the faces of the onlookers pale.

One by one, they knelt or prostrated themselves on the ground as if compelled to do so.

The only ones unaffected were Enoch, another dominant Omega, and Chaeyi , who was standing right in front of Ferdinand.

In the midst of the oppressive silence, Enoch watched with bated breath, ready to intervene if necessary.

Noticing the tension, Lawrence hurriedly opened the mini cage hanging from his belt.

A creature, a 6th-grade monster called “Bibinu” with a black body and three red eyes, fluttered out and perched on Lawrence’s arm.

[Kee-roo-roo.]

It was a communication monster, kept for situations like this. Bibinu was much smarter and sturdier than regular birds, making it a common choice for noble families with dominant Alphas.

“Code A1. Inform the master.”

[Coo-rook.]

Understanding the command, Bibinu flapped its wings and soared into the sky.

The Blentz Square was close to the Lancaster mansion, so the message would soon reach Leonard.

‘I don’t know if Lord Leonard will come, but… I just hope nothing happens before then.’

Lawrence watched the departing Bibinu and then turned back to the two facing off.

Both Enoch and Lawrence were tense, afraid to move lest they provoke Ferdinand and cause harm to Chaeyi .

But the person they were all worried about…

‘Is he trying to intimidate me?’

Even with such a prominent figure before him, Chaeyi ’s thoughts remained indifferent.

‘What an annoyance.’

If Chaeyi had known he was facing the emperor’s son, he might have shown some respect, but he didn’t care enough to recognize Ferdinand.

To Chaeyi , Ferdinand was just an arrogant, sharp-eyed, and foul-mouthed jerk. Having firmly established his first impression of the man, Chaeyi placed a hand on his hip.

“If you have a problem, say it with words. There are so many people around, so why are you carelessly releasing your pheromones? That’s such a rude thing to do.”

“…What?”

“Is that how a noble should behave?”

Ferdinand’s expression twisted in disbelief. He had never been scolded, not even by his father, the emperor.

And yet, there wasn’t a hint of fear in Chaeyi ’s voice. On the contrary, Ferdinand found himself feeling an inexplicable sense of dread, his mind growing cloudy.

‘What… What is this guy? That was a dominant trait pheromone, but he’s completely unaffected. I’ve never seen anyone like him. Could he have the same irregular ability as me?’

Irregular abilities were categorized into regular types, which could control monsters and manipulate minds, and irregular types, like Ferdinand’s, which allowed him to shield himself from the influence of others’ pheromones.

This ability made him immune to the oppressive pheromones of dominant Alphas and protected him from the effects of others’ irregular powers.

However, since irregular abilities were largely hereditary, it was unlikely that Chaeyi possessed the same power as Ferdinand.

In reality, Chaeyi didn’t have such a power at all.

‘What is this guy?’

Ferdinand scowled.

“Who are you, really?”

Chaeyi , too, was taken aback by the repeated question.

Ferdinand had approached him as if he were about to grab him by the collar, yet now he was circling back to the same question.

What was he trying to do?

But Chaeyi , deciding that this impulsive jerk was at least willing to talk it out, quickly adjusted his thinking.

“My name is Chaeyi . I’m thirty-five years old…”

“No! What are you? Are you a dominant Alpha?”

Ferdinand shouted in frustration.

Wow.

He had asked for his identity, and Chaeyi had kindly started to explain, so why the sudden anger?

“I’m just a Beta.”

“…What?”

“A Beta. I’m a Beta.”

“…What?”

Ferdinand’s face froze in shock. Of course, it was theoretically possible.

Pheromones could be ineffective against someone with exceptionally strong mental fortitude or someone particularly insensitive.

For example, the threats posed by dominant trait holders were less effective against high-tier races like elves, dwarves, and dragons, who were classified as higher beings than regular monsters.

On the other hand, there were also dominant trait holders and high-tier races with exceptionally fragile hearts.

Everyone was different, so it made sense.

But Ferdinand refused to accept this possibility.

He was more inclined to believe that this infuriating man in front of him was lying.

“Don’t lie! You…”

Ferdinand reached out roughly.

Enoch and Lawrence, who had been watching with bated breath, were startled by Ferdinand’s sudden movement and took a step forward to intervene.

“Aagh!”

Someone let out a pained scream. The onlookers, who had been cautiously listening in, gasped in shock.

They all assumed Chaeyi had been seriously hurt.

But to their surprise…

The scream came from Ferdinand’s mouth.

He had reached out toward Chaeyi with a hasty decision, only to have his arm caught and twisted backward—what is known as a wrist lock.

“Ugh! It hurts! It really hurts!”

Ferdinand screamed in pain, and Chaeyi released his grip. Ferdinand collapsed, clutching his wrist in a pitiable state.

The tension in the room eased, and everyone watching was left stunned.

Who could have expected that Beta would not only endure the threat of a superior power but also elegantly twist his hand?

“You… crazy…”

“Then why did you suddenly use your hands?”

I couldn’t help but react out of habit.

Seeing Ferdinand in pain, with even a tear forming, made Chaeyi feel a twinge of guilt.

“Be honest. You’re not really Beta, are you?”

“I told you I am Beta.”

Ferdinand glared at Chaeyi with a venomous look.

But with his defeated expression and tear-red eyes, he wasn’t frightening at all.

Despite all the bluster, he turned out to be just another immature kid.

Chaeyi, looking down from above, gave a light chuckle.

“Think of it as punishment for your bad behavior.”