* * *
Sylvian felt like he might be devoured by that gaze, yet he couldn’t look away.
His lower half was stretched to the limit, swallowing him whole, and it felt so good tears streamed down his face.
“Good—so good. Zeroth, I love it—!”
“Kkh—!”
As his inner walls clenched and sucked in Zeroth’s cock, a suppressed moan burst free.
“I… love you too.”
They had become one.
No explanation or teaching was needed—he just knew.
Overwhelmed by a sensation he’d never felt before, Sylvian reached out for Zeroth.
The lonely universe he’d drifted through had expanded, grown wider.
Before he could even doubt what was happening inside him, Zeroth’s gaze and lips crashed into his, relentless.
Zeroth is mine.
A laugh escaped him at the realization that the man had completely become his.
The happiness filling him to the brim wasn’t enough—it overflowed, spilling past the edges.
“Hah—! Hngh! Ah—!”
A momentary silence passed before pleasure took hold again.
Each time Zeroth slammed into him, his body curled tighter.
His waist arched so much that the sight of that thick cock plunging between his ass was unmistakable.
The lewdness of watching Zeroth’s cock disappear into him made Sylvian squeeze his eyes shut.
With his hips lifted, Zeroth hammered into him relentlessly.
“Hah—! Ah! Ngh! More—! Deeper—!”
The deeper Zeroth pressed, the higher Sylvian’s moans climbed, sweet like sobs.
Zeroth wanted to go deeper, to be closer, so he braced his thighs and thrust harder.
“Ah—!”
Sylvian’s body shuddered, his sweet scent pouring out.
Zeroth gripped the sheets, then caught Sylvian’s hand—the one clinging to pleasure.
He soothed the tense fingers, slipping himself between them.
“Can I pour all of myself into you?”
Really?
Are you sure you won’t run from me for another reason?
The unspoken words dissolved in his dazed mind.
“Give me… all of it.”
As if he’d sensed everything, Sylvian grinned and wrapped his legs around Zeroth’s waist, pulling him flush.
“Sylvian… You’ll take responsibility for this.”
Seeing the tears in his eyes, Sylvian hurriedly kissed him.
Zeroth’s unleashed rut was long.
Two days later, the untouched meals left outside their bedroom finally disappeared, and after five, a perfectly composed Zeroth reappeared before everyone.
“Beast. Trash. Pervert.”
“Ahem, ahem…”
The Duchess hadn’t been able to rise for three days.
By the bedside, Martius glared daggers at Zeroth while cursing him out, his hands busy wiping his brother’s fevered brow.
Zeroth, having enjoyed his first satisfying rut, stood there glowing—which only infuriated Martius more, grinding his teeth.
“I can’t interfere in the affairs of a married couple, but have some restraint. You know my brother’s health is still fragile.”
At the stiff reprimand, Zeroth crossed his arms and nodded solemnly.
It was unfair.
Everyone should know just how careful he’d been.
The moment he feared he might lose control, he’d forced himself to pull away.
And the mark…
That would have to wait until Sylvian woke.
“I’ll be more careful from now on. I know my wife’s body is delicate.”
“At this rate, I doubt he’ll recover in time for the Marquis’s wedding.”
“There’s still half a month. He’ll be fine by then.”
Despite intermittent potions and rest, Sylvian still hadn’t regained consciousness.
The sound of his sobs seemed to linger in Zeroth’s ears, tugging a smile onto his lips.
“Are the knight quarters adequate?”
“They’re the same as always. Nothing’s changed.”
“And Yuri—”
CRASH!
“Oh dear. The table’s broken.”
The moment Zeroth mentioned Yuri’s name, Martius kicked over the bedside shelf.
The expensive hardwood splintered instantly.
Without a hint of remorse, Martius bowed slightly.
“I’ll compensate for it.”
“Well, it wasn’t expensive. Don’t worry about it.”
“Don’t say it.”
“Say what?”
Zeroth’s lips curled in amusement.
“To my brother.”
“Hmm. So you and Yuri are—”
“M-Mar?!”
Before Zeroth could finish, a weak voice came from the bed.
Sylvian had woken up, staring at his brother in disbelief.
Neither Zeroth nor Martius had expected him to regain consciousness so suddenly, both clamping their mouths shut.
Zeroth subtly checked Martius’s expression before nudging him back.
“Are you in any pain?”
“Wa— Cough, cough!”
Sylvian had been roused by the loud voices.
As he listened, he caught something about Martius and Yuri being involved.
“Are you and Yuri dating?”
“…No. Absolutely not.”
Martius gritted his teeth at his brother’s question.
It was—an accident.
He’d wanted to curse at the Duke, but couldn’t act recklessly in front of his brother.
His glare at Zeroth was practically dripping with profanity.
“Cough, cough!”
As Sylvian coughed, Zeroth brought water to his lips.
“Why not? You two would suit each other. And Yuri’s an Omega.”
Both Martius and Yuri were good-natured.
Sylvian recalled how they used to fight constantly—but they must’ve grown closer by now.
With their compatible dynamics, it wasn’t impossible…
Still, he worried if Martius could handle Yuri.
“It’s not like that.”
Damn it, damn it all!
Martius swallowed his curses and stepped back.
“Brother, it’s really not that. Don’t mention it to Yuri either. Understood?”
At Martius’s desperate face, Sylvian’s gaze wavered. Was he still in denial?
But if it was love, eventually his heart would follow.
With a resigned sigh, Sylvian nodded.
“Fine. Tell me when it works out.”
“Ugh. Fine—I’ll tell you later.”
Martius ran away from his brother’s gentle, understanding expression.
Seeing this, Zeroth covered his mouth with his hand, hiding his smile.
“He’s still embarrassed, it seems.”
“Looks like it. He should just confess that he loves him, like we did.”
When Sylvian turned his head to look at Zeroth, the latter chuckled and sat down by the bed.
“Can you feel anything different?”
“……?”
“You might not notice yet. But when Whisen or the other knights come by later, you’ll understand.”
The imprinting was successful.
It seemed that in the midst of the rut, Zeroth had instinctively tried to imprint him—but he didn’t expect it to succeed in one shot.
Zeroth gently helped Sylvian sit up, the corners of his lips never lowering from that satisfied smile.
“You imprinted?!”
The voices from the Duke’s bedroom made the servants’ eyes widen in shock.
Paul, who had gone in to check on the Duchess, let out an astonished shout, followed by the faint sounds of the Duchess sniffling, all spilling out past the door.
“My goodness…”
“I should contact the previous Duke and Duchess immediately!”
“I’ll tell the kitchen to prepare a grand dinner for the couple tonight!”
Excited by the news of the Duke and Duchess imprinting, the household staff bustled about, eager to spread the word.
Elgana hurried to her room to draft a letter to the former Duke and Duchess.
They had scoffed at the news of Zeroth getting married, but now that imprinting had happened, they’d likely rush back to the capital in an instant.
With a soft laugh, Elgana wondered if she might get to cradle the couple’s child soon.
* * *
