* * *

His unsettlingly smooth retort caused Ashton’s face to freeze momentarily, though he maintained his composure.

“Surprising. I thought you were interested in Allen until recently,” Ashton said, probing.

Hayworth showed no visible reaction, remaining as relaxed and unbothered as ever.

“It wasn’t me who was interested in Allen. It was my father.”

“…The King?”

“Yes. He had Allen in mind as a potential match for me.”

“So, that means…”

“I was simply following his wishes. If he thought Allen would make a suitable partner, I was prepared to comply.”

Ashton was visibly taken aback.

The revelation that the Federica royal family had considered aligning with the prominent Aylesford family was unexpected.

Then again, the Aylesfords were one of the empire’s most powerful noble houses, wealthy and highly regarded.

“And Allen… He’s a rare dominant Omega, isn’t he? It makes sense the royal family would be interested.”

It was a logical choice.

But then, Hayworth added something that pulled Ashton from his thoughts.

“But during my time at the Aylesford summer estate, I realized who it is I truly want.”

“And that is…?”

Hayworth smiled faintly.

“The Omega currently resting in my arms.”

Ashton furrowed his brow.

He’d suspected as much, but hearing Hayworth declare it so openly still caught him off guard.

While he’d always known Hayworth to be blunt, such a quick and confident proclamation was surprising.

“He’s not the type to say things lightly… Does he really care for Remy that much?”

“Why the face, Ashton?” Hayworth’s tone shifted, turning the tables on his usual interrogator.

“What face? I don’t know what you mean, Your Highness.”

“You look like someone who just saw their name missing from a will.”

“An exaggeration.”

“Not compared to your expression.”

Hayworth’s demeanor hardened, his voice dropping to a serious tone.

“So, tell me. What’s the real reason?”

“…Reason?”

“For why you’re so interested in Allen.”

Ashton’s smile turned sly, clearly attempting to deflect.

“I was simply curious, Your Highness.”

“Just curious?”

Hayworth pressed, refusing to let it slide.

“Curiosity is hardly enough reason for your behavior today, don’t you think? For a mere viscount’s son, you’ve been awfully presumptuous.”

Hayworth’s golden eyes glinted with hostility, but Ashton met them with an unwavering, calm smile.

“I hear it hasn’t been that long.”

“…What hasn’t?”

“Since our Harland family placed your Federica family on the throne.”

“Watch your tongue, Ashton.”

“Your Majesty now enjoys unparalleled power, unmatched by any king of the past.”

“…”

“I trust you haven’t forgotten where that power stems from, Your Highness.”

Ashton’s words were polite, his tone gentle, but beneath the surface lay a cold, cutting edge.

It was a Remynder—subtle, but unmistakable.

The Harland family’s influence, after all, was not confined to the empire but extended across nations, making them indispensable to the throne.

Hayworth, however, was quick to respond.

“No matter how great your family’s loyalty, it remains one of many noble houses sworn to the crown.”

“True. But few houses are as loyal as ours.”

---

“Ashton, make sure to remember this next time. Don’t forget who’s the master and who’s the servant. Power stems from the throne, not from the fleeting loyalty of a mere duke’s household.”

As soon as Hayworth finished speaking, he curved his lips into a smile.

If not for the tense, almost lethal conversation they had just shared, it might have been considered a beautiful smile.

Ashton had no choice but to acknowledge it.

No matter how influential his family was, he was, in name at least, a servant to Hayworth.

“Yes, Your Highness. I’ll keep that in mind.”

And with that, their conversation came to an end.

The rattling noise of the carriage barreling down the rough road continued, yet Remy remained fast asleep, undisturbed.

---

The hunting ground for the royal family’s “Golden Stag Hunt” was the Deer Valley within Mount Molaris.

The mountain’s name derived from the word “fang” due to its jagged, sharp rocks.

It signified just how treacherous and dangerous the terrain was.

Of course, the Deer Valley hidden within that rugged terrain was said to be breathtakingly beautiful—so much so that it was often compared to paradise on Earth.

It was only fitting that the home of the legendary Golden Stag would be a place of such splendor.

“Crystal-clear water cascades endlessly, and moss-covered rocks fill every corner of the valley. Towering vines block the sunlight, creating a canopy that resembles a fairy’s cradle. Beneath it bloom tiny violet flowers, which some say are fairies transformed during the day.”

Hayworth was explaining the wonders of the valley in detail to Remy, who was participating in the hunt for the first time this year, now that he had come of age.

Remy already knew most of this, but Hayworth had no way of knowing that.

“It sounds like an incredible place.”

Remy replied mechanically and turned his gaze to the window.

Having just woken up from a long nap, his body felt heavy and sluggish.

He wondered where they were, as the carriage continued to roll down the seemingly endless road.

“Ashton, this is your first time as well, isn’t it?”

Ashton, who was the same age as Remy, was also attending the hunt for the first time.

Hayworth, two years older, had already participated twice.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Sounds like fun—a first hunt for both of you.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“I hope you earn the honor of claiming the Golden Stag.”

“And I wish the same for you, Your Highness.”

The exchange seemed polite on the surface, but Remy, listening from the side, thought their words felt sharper than before they had departed.

“We’re nearly there. Look how close Mount Molaris is already,” Hayworth remarked.

Just as he said, a massive mountain with jagged rocks jutting out sparsely came into view outside the window.

So that’s Mount Molaris, Remy thought, blinking his large eyes with curiosity.

Having grown up in South Korea and never once ventured beyond its borders, the twenty-year-old youth had little opportunity to experience the grandeur of nature.

The landscape unfolding before him felt strange and awe-inspiring.

‘So this is why people travel to see natural wonders… It’s more impressive than I expected.’

His wide, curious eyes sparkled with life.

The carriage rattled more violently as they neared the mountain’s base.

After traveling a little longer, the carriage finally arrived at the foothills of Mount Molaris.

The open field at the camp’s entrance was already crowded with carriages from numerous noble families.

“Thank you for enduring the journey, Your Highness,” said Sir Gregory, the royal chamberlain, as he opened the door.

A throng of people who had arrived earlier bowed deeply to Hayworth in unison.

Among them were Allen and Rex, who were also attending the hunt for the first time.

“We greet Your Highness.”

Hayworth didn’t bother to acknowledge the crowd. Instead, he focused on escorting Remy out of the carriage.

When Remy stepped onto the carriage’s stairs, Hayworth extended his hand toward him.

‘I’m a man, too, so why should I have to take another man’s hand just to step out of a carriage?’

Remy thought.

But he didn’t make the mistake of refusing Hayworth’s hand.

He had quickly sensed the many watchful eyes around them.

To the onlookers, the two of them appeared like a perfect Alpha and Omega couple, prompting whispers to spread through the crowd.

“Why would someone like His Highness be so attentive to Remy?”

“They say they were inseparable at the Aylesford summer estate.”

“What kind of tricks did Remy pull to make him act like this?”

“Exactly.”

Remy let out a sigh.

No matter how quietly they whispered, it wasn’t as though he couldn’t hear them.

The memory of the nightmare at the Aylesford estate’s ball resurfaced.

‘Here we go again. Honestly, why pretend to whisper when I can hear every word? Just say it out loud if you’re so eager to talk behind my back.’

Half-lidded eyes narrowed, Remy glanced at the murmuring onlookers.

Though he had taken on the role of a villain in this situation, he still found it annoying to be the subject of gossip.

Whether in the past or the present, nothing was more grating than people who spoke ill of others behind their backs.

“Are you all right, Remy?”

* * *