* * *

“Ugh…”

Zeroth glanced down at the weak groan coming from his arms.

Although the hallway had been cleared of servants, he instinctively pulled the blanket up to cover Sylvian’s slender legs.

“I suppose I’ll have to look into that Viscounty.”

While omegas were generally weaker than alphas, they were supposed to be healthier than betas.

Beyond their distinctive pheromones shared with alphas, omegas possessed innate healing abilities, granting them resilient, graceful bodies.

Alphas excelled in physical prowess and had heightened mana sensitivity, enabling them to surpass their limits easily.

Omegas, on the other hand, were better suited for delicate professions due to their unique healing traits and mastery of pheromones.

Betas balanced traits of both but rarely exhibited exceptional abilities compared to the others.

No matter how perfunctory the marriage, marrying a defective partner was not an option.

Even for an ordinary omega, Sylvian’s frailty was a first for Zeroth.

‘When I first saw him, I doubted he could finish a bowl of soup.’

He recalled the wedding day.

Since the arrangement had been made with the Viscount, Zeroth met Sylvian only on the day of the ceremony.

Their interaction had been limited to asking for his name, yet Sylvian had trembled like a man awaiting death.

“What on earth did Elgana feed him that he hasn’t gained any weight?”

After bringing Sylvian to his chambers, Zeroth headed straight to the bathroom.

Bathing was a task that could have been left to the maids, but Zeroth hadn’t entrusted such matters to the servants since their marriage.

Splash.

Testing the water temperature with his hand, Zeroth then placed Sylvian, still wrapped in the blanket, into the bath.

“Mmm…”

As warmth seeped into his chilled body, Sylvian’s previously furrowed brows began to relax.

“You’re just a child.”

Though long past the age of adulthood, the untouched omega seemed childlike to Zeroth.

Omegas were often born with youthful looks, but Sylvian’s baby-faced appearance was extreme.

“It’s ridiculous not to even enjoy half a day together.”

He had taken care to soothe Sylvian’s tears and cries during their intimacy, but Zeroth found his patience wearing thin.

How much more must he endure?

Even now, Sylvian’s wrist, stretched out of the tub, was so thin that Zeroth could easily wrap his fingers around it.

For Sylvian’s sake, he knew he should restrain himself, but seeing that teary face undid his resolve every time.

To make matters worse, Sylvian’s pheromones carried a comforting warmth—a scent reminiscent of sunlight driving away the chill of winter.

If spring’s gentle light had a fragrance, it would be Sylvian’s.

“Whatever he didn’t learn today, he can learn slowly.”

There was no need to rush.

Even now, Sylvian’s body held traces of their union, fluid spilling from within.

Despite being unconscious, Sylvian clenched so tightly that Zeroth had to carefully ease him open with his fingers to let the remnants drain.

Since they hadn’t knotted, it would only result in unnecessary abdominal discomfort.

Sylvian’s lack of understanding about such things confirmed his lack of education as an omega.

‘How could they neglect even the basics of omega education?’

Zeroth’s suspicions of the Nertian viscounty deepened.

Reports indicated that the Viscount squandered Sylvian’s worth on gambling, while the Viscountess indulged in lavish dresses.

The couple’s legitimate alpha child seemed intent on preserving what little remained of their estate, but as a newly minted adult, he lacked the means to exert control.

Would they try to leech off Sylvian later?

If Sylvian pleaded with tearful eyes to help his family…

“Any affection I had would evaporate immediately.”

Zeroth knew from such thoughts that he had not yet fallen in love.

That was fortunate.

Taking precautions now could prevent madness later.

If left unchecked, his growing attachment to Sylvian might spiral out of control.

While he had no intention of aiding the Viscounty financially, the idea of them making Sylvian cry was equally intolerable.

“Am I already entering the advanced stages?”

Even the most rational minds struggled to remain calm in the face of love’s chaos.

Zeroth, too, had moments of regret he dared not to think of it.

“Mm!”

Just then, Sylvian flinched, his body reacting to Zeroth’s touch as his fingers brushed a sensitive spot within.

Slowly, his eyes fluttered open, though they failed to focus properly.

“Ehehe…”

The silly smile Sylvian gave him, ignorant of everything, froze Zeroth in place.

“Sleep well.”

“This is no time for sleeping.”

Despite his muttered reprimand, Sylvian had already drifted back into peaceful slumber.

---

“Why hasn’t he woken up yet?”

“…”

The duke’s personal physician, Paul, forced a strained smile to hide his growing irritation.

“Why that face?”

“Are you seriously asking me that?”

“You claim to be skilled and talented, yet you can’t wake up one collapsed omega?”

Paul’s lips trembled as he struggled to hold back a retort.

Why not hire an older, more experienced doctor, then?!

Suppressing his rising anger, Paul composed himself.

“I seem to recall informing you multiple times that the duchess has a frail constitution.”

“I’m being gentle.”

Bastard.

Thief.

Unable to voice his frustration, Paul gritted his teeth and checked Sylvian’s limp wrist again.

“He simply collapsed from exhaustion.”

“Why is an omega this weak?”

“I find it odd as well. By adulthood, omegas are generally robust. This level of frailty is abnormal.”

Collapsing after intimacy was especially unheard of for an omega unless there was a significant underlying issue.

“It’s far too early for pregnancy, I assume.”

No matter how fond Zeroth was of Sylvian, he wouldn’t have knotted a physically fragile spouse on their first night together.

If not that, then the Viscount’s neglect must have left Sylvian with dangerously low stamina.

Watching Sylvian’s color slowly return, Paul considered this hypothesis plausible.

“Nutritious meals are key. Light but fortifying foods to strengthen his body. I’ve said this before, but nothing heavy.”

The duchess’s appetite was alarmingly small, even with the household chef’s best efforts.

“And rest. Plenty of rest.”

“…Understood.”

Faced with Paul’s stern gaze, Zeroth exhaled sharply and nodded.

It annoyed him to no end that Sylvian’s frailty prevented them from even sharing tea without incident.

“His healing factor is all that’s keeping him stable. Provide ample pheromone support. Lack of exposure to parental pheromones during childhood can lead to such symptoms.”

Clicking his tongue, Zeroth stared at Sylvian, who had yet to regain consciousness.

Two days of fever and exhaustion had taken their toll after an afternoon together.

“That Viscount was trash.”

Feeling Sylvian’s small forehead, Zeroth noted the fever finally subsiding.

Left alone in the chamber, he clenched his jaw, recalling the deplorable state of the Viscounty uncovered by his intelligence network.

“To think he planned to offer me this frail body.”

It was no wonder Sylvian had trembled upon seeing him on their wedding day.

Zeroth let his pheromones seep into the room, filling the space and gently wrapping around Sylvian like a soft drizzle.

* * *