By Zephyria 
When Bliss asked in surprise, Penelope nodded and replied, “Yes.”
“I still remember when you first came here. You were so small and cute. And yet, you were so spirited. It was so lovely how you used to follow the Count around, eager to play. It broke my heart the day you left, carried away in Mr. Ashley Miller’s arms, unconscious and burning with fever. That’s why I thought of you often, wondering how you were doing.”
Penelope looked into his face for a moment, as if gauging Bliss’s expression, before continuing.
“The other children of the Miller family appear in the media, but there is absolutely nothing on Bliss. There are only rumors that you might be a Dominant Alpha, like the rest of your family.”
After a short sigh, she stroked Bliss’s cheek.
“And yet, you have such beautiful blue eyes.”
“Penelope…”
As Bliss murmured in a fading voice, Penelope smiled as if to reassure him.
“So do not worry. The Count has likely forgotten almost everything about you. There is no way you’ll be caught.”
Only then did Bliss lower his eyes and answer in a mumble.
“Yes… that’s a relief, then.”
Penelope’s words were true. No, they were extremely realistic. There was no way someone would remember and recognize a little kid they had seen briefly over ten years ago.
Unless they were like Penelope, thinking of me every now and then.
“Now, shall we look at the rest?”
Following Penelope as she walked ahead, Bliss finally realized. Right, there was no reason for Cassian to remember me even slightly. I had completely forgotten about Cassian myself, so it was only natural. Why did I even think he might remember me?
Thinking that made him feel relieved. Or rather, he felt that he should feel relieved.
However, Bliss frowned and suddenly pressed one hand against his chest.
It was strange. Then why did he feel a sense of disappointment?
As the sun set and night fell, the busy servants finished their remaining tasks and retired to their respective rooms to rest. It was the butler’s duty to look after the master until the very end. And today, there was one person specifically by her side.
“Bli—no, Blair. Don’t be too nervous. Stay calm, stay calm.”
Penelope spoke repeatedly, but she seemed more nervous than anyone else. Bliss looked bewildered and forced a smile.
“I’m fine, so please don’t worry.”
“Is that so? Then that’s a relief. Phew, phew. Now, take a deep breath. Phew, phew.”
…Was Penelope the one who was actually fine?
The person in front of him was so nervous that Bliss felt his own tension disappearing. Bliss took the hand of the restless, pacing Penelope and said,
“You’ll do great, Penelope. There’s nothing to worry about. Just do it like you always do.”
To think I’m comforting someone else so maturely. And someone with far more age and experience than me!
While he was feeling proud of himself, Penelope let out a long breath and snapped her eyes open.
“Alright, let’s go. Time to execute Operation ‘Pirate and Servant’.”
Seeing Penelope return to her professional butler persona, Bliss almost clapped instinctively. As he tried to follow her toward the entrance, Penelope stopped and gestured for him not to come.
“I told you about the wine cellar in the basement earlier, right? Wait in front of it.”
“Oh, okay.”
Bliss paused, tilted his head, and turned around as instructed. Though he wandered a bit, he fortunately arrived at the wine cellar in time. Shortly after, Penelope appeared and explained the reason.
“The Count always drinks a bottle of wine before bed. So I’ll take it to him now, and we can introduce ourselves then.”
He drinks a whole bottle of wine every night?
“The… the Count must really love alcohol.”
When he spoke without thinking, Penelope momentarily stiffened. Fortunately, Bliss did not notice that minute reaction. When Penelope turned her head, she was smiling as usual.
“It helps with sleep, and a moderate amount of wine is good for the body.”
I see, Bliss nodded obediently. Then again, considering the amount of alcohol his family drank, a bottle of wine every night would be nothing more than a glass of fruit juice. Of course, that was assuming one ignored the fact that everyone in Bliss’s family—except for him and Koi—was a Dominant Alpha and thus immune to addiction from any kind of drug or alcohol.
Because of this, even if they were given poison, it wouldn’t work on Dominant Alphas, and no matter how strong the drug or alcohol, they wouldn’t get drunk. Due to the influence of their special pheromones, they possessed an immunity far superior to other traits, meaning they weren’t even infected by viruses like the common cold. Thanks to that, their average lifespan was also long.
Long enough to survive alone for a considerable time even after their precious Omega had gone.
When he was still young, after watching a rather touching romance drama, Bliss had once asked Ashley Miller what Papa would do if Daddy disappeared.
‘I’d follow him.’
The answer had come back so nonchalantly and instantaneously that Bliss had wondered for a while what those words meant. He only realized the meaning much later, when he had reached an age where he could understand such things and the memory of that day suddenly resurfaced.
I want to experience a passionate, once-in-a-lifetime love like that too…
The reason why Bliss, Larien, Grayson, and even Stacy were so obsessed with love was solely because of their Papa and Daddy. From what he heard, they had fallen in love during high school and had a period of separation due to unavoidable circumstances, but they were now living happily with six children. Even more romantic was the fact that during that separation, they had only eyes for each other. If it hadn’t been for the abnormality of Ashley Miller’s pheromones, they would have been much happier than they were.
Thinking about that, being a Beta really is the best.
He nodded, thinking so. A free life where one doesn’t have to be swayed by pheromones. It was a relief not to be a Dominant Alpha, but being an Omega didn’t seem particularly great either. While the idea of a Dominant Omega’s pheromones affecting people around them was tempting, looking at Daddy, heat cycles didn’t seem all that wonderful…
I hope I can keep living like this without heat cycles.
Just as he was thinking that.
“Now, we’re here. Bliss.”
Penelope’s sudden voice snapped him back to reality. When he came to his senses, he was already in front of Cassian’s room.
Gulp.
After he unconsciously swallowed hard, Penelope smiled and patted Bliss’s arm.
“It’s okay, don’t be so nervous. Now, take a deep breath. Phew, phew.”
He had been the one encouraging Penelope so much earlier, but now the roles were reversed. Feeling embarrassed, Bliss blushed and took a deep breath as told. Finally, he steadied his heart and spoke.
“I’m ready.”
“Good, here we go.”
After saying that, Penelope raised her hand and knocked. After knocking twice and waiting a moment, she spoke.
“It is Penelope. I am coming in.”
She paused for a brief moment before opening the door. That tiny interval was perhaps a consideration to give Bliss just a little more time. However, Bliss was anxious and just wanted to get this over with now that he had come this far. Along with that was another curiosity.
I want to know quickly if he recognizes me or not.
With his heart pounding, Bliss stepped into the room following Penelope, but he soon froze. The spacious room looked very different from when he had seen it during the day. The interior, which had been brightly lit by the sunlight, was now only dimly lit by a single floor lamp located at the edge of the wall. The faint light of the moon, obscured by clouds, was far too weak to illuminate the entire room. In the interior, which looked almost bluish as it was submerged in darkness, someone was standing.
Cassian Strickland.
The moment that name crossed his mind, his heart began to shake as if having a seizure. To hide his trembling hands, Bliss repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists tightly.