“I heard you have indigestion.”

A middle-aged alpha doctor with a gentle face warmly greeted Valentin. He calmly took out a stethoscope from his medical bag and naturally began the examination.

“It’s not a severe indigestion, just a slight heaviness in the stomach.”

“I have the opportunity to work as the royal physician for the Dennox Grand Ducal House, but I don’t have a title. I’m a very distant branch member of the Marquis McClain family. So, Your Grace should address me comfortably as McClain and speak to me informally.”

As Valentin sat in front of him and spoke, McClain politely suggested with a kind smile that he should correct his way of speaking.

“I know, Dr. McClain. But I don’t want to speak informally to you out of respect for you.”

Valentin knew exactly who he was.

On the first day of arrival, after formally receiving an examination from him, Reynard had explained. That he was the very person who had diagnosed Reynard’s pheromone problem since boyhood. He was a doctor and researcher who had intensively studied morphs’ pheromones, published several papers, and was a renowned scholar.

In reality, as he had been educated and as the doctor in front of him had suggested, Valentin was in a position where he should speak informally to him. But he was someone who had helped the person he loved for half his life. Regardless of title, he was a great scholar and benefactor who deserved respect.

He did not argue further about Valentin’s stubbornness. He continued the conversation calmly, as if facing a patient with the perfect attitude of a doctor.

“Shall we loosen the buttons a bit first? You’ll feel much more comfortable even if it’s not tightly fastened.”

As he said, when Valentin unbuttoned the vest that had been tightly wrapping his upper body, a sigh of relief burst out. He placed the stethoscope over the shirt and continued to ask.

“Is there anything that feels different from a few days ago?”

“No. Not much different, I think I’m just tense.”

Valentin spoke honestly. If he hid it out of embarrassment, an accurate diagnosis wouldn’t be made, and he didn’t want to waste time unnecessarily.

“I heard it’s a position that can make you nervous.”

McClain agreed with Valentin’s words with a face full of a gentle smile. He was someone who made the other person feel at ease.

Encouraged by that smile, Valentin decided to ask a question he had always wanted to ask. Although unintentional, this moment when they were alone was an opportunity.

“Dr. McClain, I heard you have been researching my husband’s pheromone problem for a long time.”

“That’s right. That’s why I became the royal physician for this family.”

But he jokingly answered with a shrug that there was rarely anything to treat this family other than research, making Valentin laugh along. Indeed, the two dominant alphas of this family probably never caught a common cold. They likely avoided even severe infectious diseases.

As the pleasant laughter subsided a bit, Valentin calmly asked.

“By any chance, do you know the reason why I can tolerate his pheromones?”

He had been continuously curious.

[In the case of an alpha and omega with very good compatibility, this can happen. Feeling the other person’s pheromones differently from a third party.]

Valentin wanted to confirm if the theory of the Weiss family’s royal physician, Dr. Mason, was correct. A relationship where they find only each other’s pheromones more captivating than anything else and are drawn to the point of losing reason. The element that made their relationship truly as beautiful as a fairy tale despite all the overwhelming things in reality now.

Valentin wanted to know if that theory was accurate.

McClain cleared his throat and took a moment to ponder. Then, while organizing the stethoscope, he began to explain.

“Regarding that issue, we can only make guesses for now. There is a hypothesis that very compatible pheromones exist between alphas and omegas. Although extremely rare. It seems close to that theory. After you give birth and your body fully recovers, we’ll have to collect blood or pheromones and do separate tests, but currently, that perspective has the most credibility.”

He was also saying the same thing. Valentin nodded. The corners of his mouth naturally curved.

“Then, would I be the only omega who feels his pheromones favorably…?”

It was one of the countless thoughts he had as soon as he realized he loved Reynard.

Uniqueness.

The sweet kind of imagination that they were indeed each other’s only person and at the same time, perhaps destiny. Valentin’s eyes sparkled, expecting an affirmative answer from McClain.

However, what came out of his mouth was a slightly different opinion as a scientist and a somewhat fundamental story.

“Well, I’d like to exclude the word ‘only’ from the standpoint of not having investigated and experimented with all omegas in the world. Because in science, there is no 100 percent.”

“Oh…”

It seems science doesn’t help explain destiny or sweetness… Valentin tried hard to hide the gloomy expression that was about to come out.

At his words that it seemed he was just a bit tense, Valentin was prescribed strong peppermint tea. “I can’t carelessly recommend medication to a pregnant person,” McClain added.

‘I’m getting better like this even without taking medicine.’

Valentin felt much better after laughing and having a pleasant conversation with him while drinking herbal tea. In addition to his royal physician now being a comfortable person, he also liked that he didn’t over-prescribe.

Valentin bid farewell to him with a much more comfortable body.

‘Can I go back to the drawing room now?’

It seemed he didn’t have to follow Reynard’s words to go straight to the room and rest after the examination. As his body got better, the desire to fulfill his duties until the end surged again.

While reorganizing his clothes and walking down the corridor towards the drawing room, the sound of men’s voices was heard from somewhere.

‘Is it the cigar room?’

The scent of tobacco leaves was leaking out and floating in the corridor.

The words of Valentin’s friend Cecilia, who had muttered that she didn’t know where gentlemen in the Heston Empire chatted if there was no cigar room, flashed through Valentin’s mind.

[I had no idea those old men were so talkative!]

He remembered the story of how she almost fainted from surprise when she overheard the gentlemen’s chatter while passing by the cigar room by chance.

‘I miss you, Cecilia. I hope you’re doing well.’

Laughing a little to himself at that thought, he was about to move his steps back to the drawing room where the vassals were gathered, when a familiar term leaked out through the open crack of the cigar room door and caught Valentin’s feet.

“Indeed, he doesn’t quite fit the position of Grand Duchess.”

He had no choice but to stop in his tracks.

Although he thought it was quite possible since people curse even the king behind his back, when he thought it was about him, his nerves were on edge. Without realizing it, Valentin held his breath and listened to their conversation from where he stood still. It was the voices of three people.

“He seems unusually timid and discouraged.”

“Count Wharton. Someone might hear. Still, he is the Grand Duchess…”

“Aren’t we among ourselves here? Besides, a male omega… The bloodline is already scarce, so I’m really worried as a vassal.”

“Indeed. It would have been better if it was a female omega.”

“Because pregnancy and childbirth would be easier.”

I’m already pregnant, you know? And with just one shot? My husband’s nickname is now “One Shot One Kill Captain”! Valentin was furious.

I’m here in this position now because I’m tied to that…! Do you know how hard I’m trying? Do you know about the difficulties of pregnancy? Valentin desperately held back the urge to open the door right away, go in, and shout. His insides were boiling.

This was a separate issue from him loving Reynard.

Clearly, if he had only not gotten pregnant, a different life would have unfolded. He could have dated normally, step by step, and had time to slowly ponder and adjust to each other’s positions and lives, and he could have made a completely different choice apart from love.

I came to this position with such a big resolution, and I have to hear such things…

‘Endure… Blessed are those who endure trials…’

Valentin calmed his mind by repeating the Bible verse his mother often said.

“Moreover, the Grand Duchess position is more suited for someone more assertive and proactive. It’s really awkward to attend to him.”

“After all, he’s a leisurely Eldon person…”

“Traditionally, the Grand Duke’s companion has always been from a family with a long history in Dales.”

With the ongoing gossip, the governance of his mind was being shattered. Valentin’s mind control was on the verge of collapsing at those words of someone unknown continuously expressing regret. Just when he was struggling with the urge to kick open the door of this cigar room and barge in at any moment, someone approached and quietly called Valentin.

“Your Grace.”

It was a woman’s voice that could not be heard in the cigar room, but it felt very stern.

Valentin slowly turned around to face her.

“Marchioness.”

It was the Marchioness of Wilgrave, the mother of Shane, Reynard’s aide. She, who had been particularly looking after Valentin since the banquet, was standing up straight with her skinny body, staring directly at him.

“Just ignore their words. It’s the foolish babbling of ignorant ones who know nothing.”

Her words were followed by reproach and cynicism.

The elderly marchioness, who boasted maturity enough to have three grown sons, gently led Valentin while showing a look of contempt towards the cigar room. Valentin followed her and moved his steps back towards the drawing room. It felt like a sigh would come out if he loosened his tension even a little.

“I went out for some air and those uncivilized ones are defiling my ears.”

“Is that so?”

Noticing him looking down at the floor and slightly sneering at the situation, the Marchioness patted the hand she was holding and continued.

“They are beasts who know nothing about His Grace the Grand Duke’s pheromone problem. Don’t take it to heart. How dare they mention such a precious person with their ignorant mouths? Moreover, Count Wharton is the one who has been persistently trying to push his omega daughters into this precious position. He’s doing that because he’s furious that he couldn’t achieve it, so don’t mind him.”

The reason why one particular voice was going on about female omegas was being explained. There are people everywhere trying to fulfill their own greed, regardless of who gets hurt and voicing it out loud.

‘They say people are the same everywhere, but this place is really no different from Eldon’s high society…’

A valiant and brave people living by the sea. Blood that does not betray. Honorable families treading the iron military road and continuing the oath to their lord… These were the words the people living here used to describe themselves.

Although he had not thought that he would be welcomed with open arms from the beginning by the people of Dales, who particularly distinguished themselves from other regions, he couldn’t help but feel down. That damn outsider talk… Moreover, that was clearly looking down on Valentin’s family.

“Indeed, I’ll have to excuse myself now because I’m not feeling well.”

“I understand, Your Grace.”

The Marchioness of Wilgrave, who had been maintaining a stiff expression towards those chatting recklessly in the cigar room until the end, did not hold Valentin back. It was a gaze that seemed to know well how Valentin must be feeling, but she showed consideration by never revealing it outwardly.

“About what happened today…”

Valentin hesitated and opened his mouth. He was worried it might reach his ears. He was already someone with a face full of worries, paying attention to all sorts of things overprotectively, and if he found out about this, it would be even more so.

Moreover, just the thought of such an evaluation about him being known to the husband he loved was too humiliating for Valentin. He wanted to do well, but things weren’t going as he wished.