“Cough cough! The Marquis, ack. I didn’t know he would come…”

Rough coughing sounds burst from the one whose throat had been strangled. Evener struggled to explain with a voice that barely came out.

He really didn’t know the Marquis of Valkyries would return so quickly.

He just wanted to see Valentin Wiche, who was getting married, with his own eyes. That smug face that had everything he longed for without even trying… He just wanted to see that hateful face crumple. And that annoying person who easily threw away what he desperately wanted and was marrying someone else… He just wanted to grate on his nerves a little to hurt his feelings…

“The fact that you went there in the first place was incredibly stupid, wasn’t it?”

Smack!

Clifton now applied full force to his hand and slapped his lover’s cheek. And he grabbed that body and shook it. Though they were both men, the difference in build between alpha and omega was stark. Add to that being pressed down by pheromones, and Evener couldn’t resist, shaking like a dry branch.

“Ah!”

“Damn it! What are you going to do now? Huh? How are you going to fix the things you’ve ruined?”

Clifton, who had been venting his anger on the weaker omega, pushed that body backwards.

With a loud noise, Evener was thrown onto the sofa.

Clifton twisted his lips, looking at that sight with irritated eyes.

And he approached chillingly, casting his shadow over Evener’s body.

“I’ll have to completely revise the plan.”

He leaned down, trapping Evener’s body between his legs. He stared closely at the neck he had injured.

“…Since things have gone completely awry like this, we have no choice but to abandon Plan A. You agree, right?”

“Hic… Yes, Your Highness…”

“Fuck. We have to open up a different money line too.”

Curses flowed that were hard to believe came from noble lips.

“Well, let’s go to Plan B. And let’s just get married quickly too.”

Evener’s tear-filled eyes opened wide.

It was a promise he had always made and received since childhood, but lately he had been thinking it might not actually happen. That’s how rarely Clifton had brought up marriage to Evener. It had always just been passing time with words like “someday”, “when our plans are all finished”.

“Much more grandly than these people. I’ll hold a wedding so big the whole empire beyond the capital will go wild.”

A red tongue darted out to lick the wound he had inflicted. Blood flowed into that mouth. Like a beast treating its mate’s wound. It was utterly abhorrent.

“The couple holding the wedding of the century will be us, not them.”

Large hands came up and started tearing off the buttons of Evener’s shirt. Gradually from the neck down.

“It wouldn’t be bad to have a child quickly either. Your body already has trouble getting pregnant. Damn. Come to think of it, I’ll have to work on that for those arrogant ones too.”

Clifton spat out coldly, as if annoyed while saying that fact. The ugliness of one who thought of pregnancy and children only as means was being revealed.

“Isn’t it good? It’s what you’ve always dreamed of. Marriage to me, our child. Those bothersome, sweet things.”

“Hic… Yes…”

“You’ve always wanted such things since you were young.”

Evener nodded shallowly. Unable to meet his eyes due to the anger pheromones still surging. It was just an unconscious answer to try not to make the alpha angrier.

“So you just need to smile beside me like you always have. While using that excellent ability.”

“Sob, yes…”

“Shh… It’s okay, Evener. Don’t cry. I won’t abandon you.”

It wasn’t just fear that made him cry. Sorrow and humiliation enveloped Evener. But Clifton seemed uninterested in such emotions of his omega. He continued speaking indifferently and as if bothered.

“Would I abandon my omega no matter what? Right? You’d die without me, wouldn’t you?”

“……”

“Because you love me too much. How could I abandon my omega who imprinted on me before even hitting puberty, right?”

Evener’s second secret. The fact that he had loved Third Prince Clifton since boyhood and imprinted on him. The omega’s miserable and lonely one-sided imprinting. He was mentioning that now.

It wasn’t because he had forgotten. It wasn’t to persuade or comfort.

Clifton was giving a warning now.

Don’t even think of leaving me.

And at the same time as the threat, he was giving a carrot. Saying he would soon let him have the marriage he wanted.

It was how he had handled Evener, who had fervently loved him since childhood. Carrot and stick. With this simple method, Clifton had completely tamed Evener. So that he would always love him and never be able to leave.

By alternately stimulating fear and love, he completely dominated the omega, and appropriately used his special ability whenever needed. Giving others a positive impression or winning their favor, and further enchanting them, making them follow and become enthusiastic.

That amazing ability was a power absolutely necessary for Clifton’s future.

It was an essential ability for his plan to seize the throne. So Evener Luwin had to always love him and move according to his will.

“From now on, attend charity events every week. Choose places with lots of citizens.”

“Yes…”

“Go around smiling prettily and use that ability actively. You have to make up for what you ruined, right?”

“Sob… Yes.”

Snake-like fingers caressed Evener’s bare upper body.

“My love. My poor and pretty omega.”

He whispered sweetly. When he spoke like this, Evener’s eyes would shine with emotion. No matter how intelligent and rational a person is, they are helpless before love. As long as Evener loved Clifton and had imprinted on him, this was always an effective means.

Evener’s eyes looked up at Clifton with a slight expectation.

Clifton smiled, tapping the face filled with hope with his fingers. That handsome smile that always made his lover look at him entranced.

“What are you doing? Hurry up and undress.”

“What…?”

“Your body already has trouble getting pregnant. If we don’t start trying from today, what use will you be?”

The eyes that had held expectation visibly clouded with hurt. Seeing that, Clifton ordered in an even colder voice, as if it was none of his concern.

“Get on all fours.”

“……”

“Even if we’re behind them in the wedding, shouldn’t we be ahead in pregnancy?”

Only messy panting sounds remained in the room. Those sounds sometimes contained screams and sorrow that made it impossible to think they were from a lover.

Perhaps even if it’s not perfect…

Flutter flutter.

The sound of thin papers trembling filled the first-class compartment of the running train.

The newspaper held in shaking white hands had a title printed in large letters:

– <Special Article> First Duchess Born in 35 Years! … Wedding of the Century Accompanied by ‘Light of the Ocean’

It was the Eldon Times, one of the empire’s largest media outlets.

And around it were other newspapers, weeklies, and a few magazines spread out messily. It was the trace of someone who had already thoroughly examined all the contents while trembling in shock.

Bold letters stood out on each of the randomly strewn papers.

– <Exclusive Interview> Baron Willoughby’s Candid Analysis After Attending the Reception Party!

– This Week’s Melissa’s Home Journal Special “The Talk of the Town Reception Party”

– 15-Course Formal Dinner by Popular Chef Martin from Blanche. <Special Supplement> Exclusive Dessert Recipes!

– An Insider Speaks “Are the Two Really a Love Match?”

Rustle!

Valentin roughly folded the newspaper he was holding.

“No… Who on earth is this official spokesperson for the ducal family?”

His pupils, trembling like the newspaper he was holding, turned to his husband in front of him. Valentin scanned the various strewn newspapers again without waiting for an answer. All kinds of media in the empire were buzzing about their wedding. Goodness… Who knew it would cause such a commotion.

“Good heavens…”

Reynard slowly put down the teacup he was holding. The cup made a clinking sound as it settled on the saucer. My, he alone seems so carefree.