Valentin turned his body, which had been standing still looking at him, and started walking again. Reynard, who had been naturally holding his hand, also began to walk.

“What?”

Reynard, who had been slightly dumbfounded by Valentin’s self-praise, asked belatedly.

“My personality.”

“…?”

“Can’t you see how nice I am?”

Reynard burst into laughter at the cute omega who was praising his own personality. His face seemed to ask where that strange timid person from earlier had gone.

Valentin furrowed his brow as he saw his laughter.

“Are you mocking me now…?”

Valentin was dumbfounded. Is this really something to laugh so hard about…? I, Valentin Wiche, a man who knows shame. And I’m quick-witted too. That was undoubtedly ridicule. For someone who rarely laughed, only smiling in front of him until now, to burst out like this. Valentin’s ears turned bright red with embarrassment.

“Is this funny?”

His expression clearly said, “What have you been thinking of me all this time?” Reynard barely held back his laughter and answered.

“…I admit you’re harmless.”

“No, I’m really not making this up on purpose!”

“Yes, yes.”

“I’m not living thinking ‘I must act nice on purpose!’ I really want everyone to be happy. Not living while sharing negative emotions and frowning at each other.”

Valentin explained with a red face, even stomping his foot.

Reynard couldn’t hide his smile as he watched the pink lips explaining rapidly like a machine gun, showing how much he had thought about this alone. How pure and cute.

And how naive and fragile.

“I know. That you think that way.”

“Right? How nice would it be if everyone just smiled and exchanged good words with each other. The day would be cheerful and enjoyable.”

Life is precious.

Shouldn’t we fill that precious thing with only positive and good things? That was Valentin’s heart.

Reynard’s face still couldn’t suppress his laughter, but he nodded with that expression.

“So my kindness or consideration isn’t something I’ve made up on purpose. A joyful society where we live smiling together. How wonderful is that?”

What kind of outrageous happiness preacher’s words are these…? But Valentin, aiming for a bright and smile-filled society, didn’t even recognize his own ridiculous appearance. He was completely immersed in his self-made life motto and mental public service campaign.

Was it the trauma of the original story’s ending acting too strongly? Valentin really held such thoughts in his heart. He sincerely wished that everyone would live their own lives happily and joyfully… The kindness that always naturally seeped out of Valentin was based on such feelings.

“So don’t act violently from now on.”

Valentin, who had been happily speaking while looking into the air as if thinking of only bright and good things, suddenly changed. He suddenly put on a stern expression and started warning Reynard. It was an expression like a fierce baby cat thinking it was a tiger.

Somehow, Reynard felt a bit pleased by that expression.

‘This adorable thing is at it again…’

Even looking again, it was cute lecturing.

But the warning cat, not realizing at all what his expression looked like or how the listener felt, continued his warning while fiercely waving his index finger.

“Both this time, and what you did to Dalton before…”

For Valentin, the two instances of grabbing by the collar were quite shocking. He was imparting teachings with the principle that violence should not be tolerated by anyone. Right in front of the alpha he was too scared to speak properly to until just recently, fearlessly pointing his finger.

How cute that gap was.

The alpha just smiled as if watching the omega’s endearing scolding. And he started answering as his omega wanted.

“I’m sorry for showing you such a rough sight.”

It was a shameless statement that only contained an apology without saying he wouldn’t do it again, but Valentin didn’t notice and just brightened his face again, thinking he was following his opinion.

Sunlight shone straight down through the green sycamore leaves. Valentin slightly raised his hand to shield his eyes from the dazzling light and looked up at Reynard. And he smiled like a fully bloomed flower.

“Thank you.”

“By the way, now you know how to speak loudly too.”

“Are you disappointed?”

“Disappointed?”

Reynard smiled with an expression of not understanding and led Valentin to walk towards a slightly shadier place. It was born from the alpha’s heart worrying that he might fly away in the blowing wind or be burned and damaged by the summer sun, but because he moved so naturally towards the shade, Valentin didn’t notice.

“No, I like it. Keep doing this in the future too.”

Perhaps… do you have a trampling fetish…? The words almost came out of Valentin’s throat. A scary preference that seemed dangerous if known… The realm of sadism and masochism was too much for a novice.

“Like this?”

“Before, you couldn’t even speak properly in front of me.”

Ah… Compared to then! He immediately realized he was referring to when they first met.

Indeed, the Valentin in the ant hole from back then was nowhere to be found. Looking at Reynard, who showed kindness and boasted tolerance more to him than anyone else, Valentin was now showing his original personality. It was similar to a child’s instinct to act spoiled, knowing they would be accepted no matter what they did.

‘When did I really become like this…?’

He was not doubting that this alpha’s affection wouldn’t suddenly cool no matter what appearance he showed. A comfortable heart naturally showed its raw appearance.

“I want to say I like it much better now.”

“And you’re not displeased?”

He was 10 years younger. And in terms of traits, he was an omega of the weaker class, at the opposite end from the alpha who was socially superior.

In terms of status, there was no need to even mention it. Reynard, from one of the empire’s top noble families and in a high position. Compared to him, Valentin was just a young lord from a count family that barely had its name on the end of the aristocratic lineage. Not even the heir. That was a distance that couldn’t be bridged even if the family business was large and had a lot of money.

But as if none of that mattered at all, Reynard pleasantly let out a low laugh and answered.

“I’m not displeased. I’m glad no matter what you do.”

As long as you don’t betray me. Reynard added softly.

“And your true self is truly what I want.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I want you to be comfortable in front of me like you usually are.”

So that you won’t think it’s difficult and uncomfortable.

So that you won’t think you want to escape this relationship because it’s not comfortable. So all I want is for you to feel more at ease and comfortably settle in my arms. He swallowed the words full of possessiveness and desire for monopoly, hiding the dark and sticky heart in his chest.

*

As they kept walking, they had reached the end of the long Queen’s Road before they knew it.

They had arrived at a square where the middle class and common people came and went.

In the center of the wide square stood a large clock tower. Men wearing fedoras hurrying by with bags at their sides, old men sitting under the clock tower smoking pipes, maids in aprons rushing by busily, boys in shorts riding bicycles – all caught the eye.

Reynard stopped a passing flower-selling girl.

And he picked up a sky-blue lily of the valley from the basket the girl was holding. He gently tucked it behind Valentin’s ear and left a kiss on his forehead.

Valentin’s cheeks turned pink again shyly.

“It smells nice…”

The rosy cheeks invited another kiss. Reynard didn’t resist the urge to kiss those lovely cheeks and kissed them again.

“I think we’ve had enough of a walk now. Let’s go back.”

In the place they left behind, the girl gained a gold coin. The girl’s family would be able to eat their fill for the next month.

Reynard, who had bought Valentin’s shy smile for just a gold coin, turned back towards their carriage with an extremely satisfied face.

*

Reynard, who had taken Valentin’s arm to escort him again, noticed that he was in pain.

It was inevitable. Wasn’t he always sensitively observing his fiancé’s face? He saw the frown on Valentin’s face the moment he grabbed a certain part. So it was natural that their ordinary lover-like date ended right there, and they had to ride the carriage back home. It was the fate of someone with an overprotective person by their side.

Valentin tilted his head while rubbing his arm.

‘It does hurt a bit…’

He hadn’t even thought about it hurting because he was so preoccupied, but it seems he had been slightly injured when Evener grabbed his arm. Would it bruise? The condition of his grabbed forearm would have to be checked when they got home.

So the two quickly got into the carriage. As usual, the faithful ducal family’s coachman, perfectly dressed in uniform, had been waiting right near Madame’s dress shop. Rather, he had been waiting like a soldier in such a strict posture that Valentin felt sorry for urging Reynard to walk.

They were alone again in the narrow rectangular space inside the carriage. Reynard, who had been holding and caressing Valentin while giving him pheromones, opened his mouth. It was a question that seemed to have been waiting for just this enclosed space where no one else could eavesdrop.

“Did you know that bastard originally?”

This revealed that the sweet walk earlier hadn’t completely blown away his anger. He had just gone along with his fiancé’s mood.

He said simply “that bastard” while grinding his teeth, but Valentin could tell. The terrible words hidden between “that” and “bastard”. They were undoubtedly curses too difficult to utter. Clearly words like “damn”, “fucking”, “I’ll tear him limb from limb and still not be satisfied”, that kind of thing. Or rough curses that Valentin couldn’t even imagine, the kind only sailors would utter.

Anger was flowing again from Reynard’s face and whole body, to the extent that even the slow Valentin noticed immediately. The anger he had been suppressing well until now at Valentin’s restraint must have risen again as soon as he thought of the arm injury and Evener simultaneously.

So Valentin’s injured arm and the departed perpetrator. The two sensitive issues combined to reignite complete anger once again…