CP 2

The door opened abruptly, and a maid entered with hurried steps, almost running. The maid headed straight for Nile, who was resting, leaning diagonally against the sofa.

“His Grace the Duke has arrived.”

The maid’s voice announcing the Duke’s visit was somewhat urgent.

“……. His Grace…. Again?”

Nile asked, struggling to lift his eyelids. The words ‘Again?’ carried a clear sense of reluctance and discomfort.

For a noble, visiting suddenly without prior notice was a great breach of etiquette, even between a legally married couple. For the first few days, Mikhail had at least notified him of when he would come, but now he was practically barging in whenever he felt like it. It was only natural that Nile’s fine brow furrowed as he lay his head on a cushion, desperately enduring the intensifying effects of his heat cycle.

As soon as Nile struggled to sit upright, breathing heavily, Mikhail burst into the room.

“Welcome, Your Grace.”

Nile bowed his head slightly in greeting. Despite visiting almost every single day, Mikhail received the greeting with a very indifferent face, barely acknowledging it as he looked around the room. No matter how much he looked, it was the same as yesterday and the day before, yet Mikhail always scrutinized the room so thoroughly.

“If you had given me a hint, I would have had the tea prepared in advance….”

Nile spoke with a forced smile. However, his pale cheeks, trembling eyelashes, and the way he hugged himself tightly with both arms revealed his struggle. Seeing this clearly, Mikhail sat in the chair by the window with his legs crossed and waited for the tea. The maid, looking at Nile with pity, opened all the windows wide, saying it was time to ventilate. But even that didn’t seem to be of much help to Nile.

Despite visiting as routinely as eating meals, Mikhail didn’t seem to have much interest in Nile, nor did he seem to have any intention of having sex. People who initially whispered that Mikhail might be developing feelings for Nile had now completely changed their minds, whispering that Mikhail, who loathed Omegas, was visiting just to torture Nile, whose heat cycle was imminent. In fact, it truly looked that way.

When the tea arrived, Mikhail drank it in one gulp as usual and stood up. After drinking exactly one cup of tea, he always left the quarters immediately. Until yesterday, Nile would feel relieved as if he could finally breathe when Mikhail left, but today was a bit different.

“Your Grace.”

Nile called out, his arms wrapped tightly around himself trembling slightly. Mikhail, who was about to leave the quarters, turned his head toward Nile as if annoyed. Nile’s lips trembled as if even speaking were a struggle, but he soon cleared his throat and brought up his business.

“I believe tonight, the heat cycle will….”

Nile trailed off. Seeing his blue eyes faintly glaze over and struggle to refocus, it seemed the heat cycle would reach its peak even before tonight. When that time came, no matter how patient Nile was, he would not be able to maintain his reason.

“And?”

Mikhail asked back with a face that looked displeased by the very act of having a conversation with Nile. Nile bit his lip hard. The head maid, sympathizing with the suffering Nile, spoke instead.

“If you have no plans to create an heir today, perhaps it would be best to let him take a suppressant so that no unfortunate incidents occur, just in case?”

It was obvious what ‘unfortunate incidents’ meant. An Omega who loses reason at the peak of a heat cycle is bound to desperately cling to any Alpha nearby, and if there is no Alpha, they wouldn’t even mind a Beta.

In the silence, only Nile’s hot, ragged breathing echoed. It was less of a breath and more akin to a moan.

“Do that, then.”

Mikhail permitted it without a moment’s hesitation and hurried on his way.

Having been granted the suppressant, Nile’s body, which had been barely held up by willpower, went limp, and he collapsed sideways, curling his body tightly.

“Quickly, go and get the suppressant!”

The head maid shouted urgently to the maid beside her. The maid dashed outside like a bolt of lightning.

Not long after leaving Nile’s quarters, the door behind him flew open and a maid ran out. Even while wearing a frantic expression, the maid bowed to Mikhail and then started running again.

Enduring Nile’s pheromones, which had become so strong they felt sticky and clung to the body, was quite a struggle for Mikhail as well. He only endured it because he had an important objective.

If he had suggested the suppressant first, it would be problematic if it reached the Emperor’s ears, as it would be seen as defying the imperial order. However, since it appeared that the other side couldn’t endure it and asked for the suppressant, he now had an excuse. He thought it would have been easier for both of them if Nile had just asked sooner instead of stubbornly enduring it.

Mikhail thought this, completely indifferent to the agony Nile had suffered.

Regardless, even amidst the pheromones so thick they felt sticky, the prey’s bitter scent still left its trace.

For the first few days, he had notified in advance, and thereafter he had barged in suddenly at different times, yet he had not yet spotted the fellow. However, judging by the characteristic bitter body odor, the fellow stayed there at least once a day. For a long enough time to leave a scent amidst the thick pheromones. Perhaps he even slept there under the cover of night.

The one place in this castle that Mikhail thought he would never set foot in. The fellow had cunningly made a nest in such a place and had been roaming and hiding throughout the castle at will. Thinking about how surprised the fellow must be, now that Mikhail was barging in and rummaging through that nest he thought was safe every single day, made him smile instinctively.

Seeing that he made a nest there, Nile must certainly know about the fellow’s existence. He wouldn’t let such a shabby thing, a complete stranger, stay in his quarters. If he asked Nile about the fellow, he would find out his identity quickly, but Mikhail had no intention of doing so. This was a hunt exclusively between the fellow and himself, without anyone else’s involvement or participation.

For the two days Nile slept deeply after taking the suppressant, Mikhail stopped visiting that area as if by magic. It was like giving a hunted prey a moment to quench its thirst, giving the fellow time to catch his breath.

Two days later, Nile, having safely passed the peak of his heat cycle, had returned to a vivid state as if nothing had happened. As is the rule, after giving a brief rest, one tightens the reins of the pursuit. As soon as Nile’s rest ended, Mikhail dragged him outside under the pretext of getting some fresh air.

“Um… Your Grace.”

Nile, who had been glancing at Mikhail repeatedly while walking a short distance away, finally spoke. In the distance, the Emperor’s envoy, sent again by the Emperor who couldn’t wait, was watching Mikhail and Nile’s walk. Regardless, an imperial order was an imperial order, so Mikhail glanced at Nile instead of answering.

Nile, who was said to be the most expensive product offered by Marquis Lucius’s house, was indeed beautiful. If he were just a human and not an Omega, Mikhail would have gladly taken him in. Of course, it was nearly impossible for an ordinary human to surpass the beauty of an Omega.

“Um… thank you for permitting the suppressant.”

Nile said, his face flushing slightly.

“Hmm.”

Mikhail, who found it tedious even to answer, just let out an ambiguous sound. Mikhail’s eyes were not on Nile walking beside him, but were carefully scanning the paths where the shabby, dry-haired fellow usually hid.

“And….”

Despite knowing Mikhail was indifferent, Nile spoke again.

“Thank you for visiting me like this. If Your Grace had continued to be indifferent to me, Marquis Lucius would have likely sent someone to replace me, and I would have been moved elsewhere.”

This was the first time Nile had spoken so much. He had always looked at Mikhail with eyes of avoidance or fear, and had been cautious even when speaking in front of him. From Nile’s perspective, he was conveying pure gratitude, but unfortunately, Mikhail was not the kind of person to accept such purity purely.

“Since your job is to eat, play, and wander around giving birth to children for the rest of your life, is it such a problem for you to be moved to give birth to another Alpha’s child?”

Mikhail said with a crooked smile. The gray eyes staring at Nile could not have been colder. The blatant loathing, which he thought had faded for a while, appeared vividly on Mikhail’s face.

“…Ah….”

Unable to withstand it, Nile instinctively recoiled. Seeing the pale face, Mikhail immediately snapped his head forward. The Emperor’s messenger was watching from over there to personally verify the progress. While the words might not be heard, it would be troublesome if Nile collapsed or started crying.

“Do you usually go for walks?”

Mikhail asked in an ordinary voice, as if he had never cast such a cold gaze. Nile, who had been startled by Mikhail’s eyes, soon nodded.

“Then let’s take the path you usually take.”

Mikhail spoke as if notifying him and gestured with his chin for Nile to lead the way. Nile, who had not yet grown accustomed to the unpredictable Mikhail, hesitated for a moment before stepping forward.

Mikhail was someone who, if he felt stifled, would ride a horse, hunt, or swing a weapon, but he had never leisurely gone for a walk. At most, recently he had been wandering around the castle to find the fellow’s traces, so to others, that might have looked like something similar to a walk.

“Don’t mind me, just go the way you usually go.”

Mikhail spoke in the softest voice possible to Nile, who was glancing back. Whether his intention worked or not, Nile’s shoulders, which had been tense and hunched, relaxed slightly.

His steps, which had been stiff because all his attention was focused on Mikhail following behind, became more natural as time passed. Nile seemed to be stepping along the path he usually enjoyed for walks, just as requested.

It overlapped quite a bit with the path Mikhail usually took, but at some point, they veered off into a side path of the well-maintained garden, and before he knew it, Mikhail was passing through a trail he hadn’t known existed, strolling between flowerbeds and trees. Although narrow, the paths were well-trodden, meaning they were clearly intended for use. However, for Mikhail, who had no hobby of admiring garden flowers or trees, it was a path he was walking for the first time.

Walking behind Nile, Mikhail thought he had hired a good gardener. He had thought it was just a well-decorated garden from the outside, but once he stepped inside, a small maze made of trees unfolded, and a tunnel made of rose vines appeared, making him feel as if he were walking through a secret garden.

Having learned for the first time that such a space and scenery existed within his own castle, Mikhail followed Nile quietly without complaint, even as the walk grew longer. Of course, he wasn’t just walking. This walk had a clear purpose.

As far as Mikhail’s eyes and steps reached, he had identified all of the fellow’s main movement routes and found the place where the fellow had made a nest. Despite barging into the nest several times as if raiding it, he had not yet seen even a single strand of the fellow’s dry hair. Perhaps because he had rummaged through the nest, the fellow had begun to be even more cautious, and had not set foot in the library—which he used to visit every few days—at all recently. In other words, he hadn’t even been able to catch the tip of the fellow’s tail for a long time.

Moving with extreme caution, the creature had likely abandoned all of his usual routes. However, Mikhail calculated that since the creature was connected to Nile enough to build a nest, he might discover the new movements by tracing Nile’s usual paths and frequently visited spots. And Mikhail’s calculations, driven largely by instinct, were rarely wrong.

“…Your Grace?”

When Mikhail, who had been walking behind in silence for a long while, suddenly stopped, Nile noticed and turned around, calling out in a puzzled tone. Having finished his business with Nile, Mikhail waved him away.

“You may return to your quarters now.”

As Nile hesitated at the sudden notice in the middle of their walk, a maid who knew her master’s temperament well stepped close to Nile and reiterated Mikhail’s wish. “Please return quickly.” Only then did Nile bow his head and begin walking back the way he came.

After Nile’s party had distanced themselves, Mikhail tilted his chin slightly and took a deep breath of the air. It was as he thought. A characteristic bitter scent, cleverly hidden beneath the thick fragrances of various flowers, grass, and trees. With his beast-like sense of smell, Mikhail did not miss it.

Mikhail pushed through the low, roundly trimmed decorative trees deep inside the garden. After pushing through areas that were not paths, guided only by direction, he eventually came upon a small colony of plants growing in the shaded ground beneath a cluster of trees. Upon closer inspection, he saw dark green leaves of an unfamiliar shape with several bright red streaks running through them; they looked toxic at a glance.

Mikhail knelt and pressed his nose to them. It was certain. This was the creature’s scent. For some unknown reason, the creature was secretly cultivating these. The corners of Mikhail’s mouth curled up instinctively. The more a hunter sees the traces of a prey desperately struggling to hide its tracks, the more excited the hunter becomes.

Exercising the skill of an experienced hunter, Mikhail perfectly erased any trace of his visit and left the spot. He then searched for a location with a clear view of the secret cultivation site. Looking down from the window of a room at the western edge—a room used only for many guests or very occasionally—the hidden colony of trees and the surrounding garden came into full view. Mikhail set up a chair and table by the window and settled in. It was time to close the distance with the creature.

The time of waiting always seems to flow slower and more sluggishly than usual. However, Mikhail remained fixed, not once changing his posture. There was no boredom or anxiety. An experienced hunter who has set a trap does not grow anxious or doubtful; he simply waits in silence.

The reddish glow of the sunset faded, soon buried in darkness. The servants managing the garden lit lamps in every corner. The inner castle garden possessed a unique beauty at night, aided greatly by the appropriately placed lighting.

However, the meticulously placed lights barely reached the creature’s cultivation site. It was a relatively neglected part of the garden, and the lush canopy of the tree cluster perfectly concealed the cultivation site below.

The area around the site was almost entirely buried in darkness. Someone with poor night vision would have avoided the place entirely, and even someone with keen eyes would have had to move with extreme caution, scanning their surroundings. It was becoming the perfect time for the creature to approach. With vision twice as keen as a normal human’s, Mikhail watched the area, gauging from which direction the creature would approach.

“Shall I bring your meal here?”

The butler, who had been pinned to the window of the secluded guest room because of his master, asked cautiously. Mikhail did not respond. Instead of asking again, the butler poured fresh, warm tea into the empty cup in front of Mikhail.

Time continued to flow tediously. Darkness settled completely, and the night deepened until midnight. The creature still had not appeared. Mikhail’s silent vigil continued. The night grew deeper and deeper, and eventually, the dawn began to break hazily in the distance.

The brief moment of dawn. When a hazy, blue light began to settle over the earth, making everything appear faintly blurred. Mikhail’s eyes flashed. Someone small was passing through the path and approaching the cluster of trees. Despite the window being slightly open, the creature’s footsteps were completely inaudible to Mikhail, who possessed beast-like hearing. Even while walking through a secluded area at the most vulnerable hour when everyone was in a deep sleep, the creature maintained such caution that not a single footstep was made.

Only after checking the surroundings once more did the creature vanish beneath the shadow of the trees. Though he couldn’t see what was happening beneath, he knew from the faint sounds that the creature was plucking leaves. Snap. Snap. Snap. Snap. Snap. After plucking five leaves, there was the sound of a hand entering and leaving a pocket. The sound of a bunched piece of cloth being unfolded and then folded several times. And the sound of the cloth bundle being tucked deep back into the pocket.

Mikhail focused intently on the faint sounds, guessing the creature’s actions. Then, a memory suddenly surfaced. The day he first saw the creature—the protruding neck bone and the pale, almost white skin of the creature sitting huddled. The white, thin ankles revealed beneath the rolled-up pant legs. The tiny white chin and the only reddish part, the small lips, visible through the fuzzy brown hair.

Clench.

For some reason, his jaw muscles tightened. His hands became unbearably itchy.

Once this hunt is over, that protruding neck bone, those gauntly thin and white ankles, that tiny chin and those reddish lips…

“…….”

Mikhail, who had been repeatedly clenching and unclenching his itchy hands, suddenly stopped his thoughts. A wall he had never encountered before abruptly appeared.

It wasn’t a sturdy deer with beautiful, large antlers, nor was it a ferocious bear the size of a mountain. It was a scrawny, wretched piece of prey, neither beautiful nor strong like the things he had enjoyed hunting until now. Even its fur wasn’t glossy; it was just a common brown that looked as if it would crumble if touched.

What was he supposed to do after catching that thing? Killing people in war or fights was a common occurrence, but what use was there in catching such a small weakling who looked like he would die from a single blow?

Even if he slit that thin neck, it didn’t seem like enough blood would spurt to quench his thirst, and if he opened that small chest, the liver would likely be as tiny as a pea, not even enough for a single bite. Nor could the creature provide the thrill of a life-and-death struggle, fighting and striking with excitement as he had once done with a giant brown bear.

For Mikhail, who had always lived without hesitation, following his whims, instincts, and temperament, it felt for the first time in a long while as if he had slammed his head into an unidentified wall.

Meanwhile, the creature quietly emerged from the shadow of the trees and was scanning the surroundings.

Still not entirely free from his thoughts, Mikhail pointed toward the creature visible outside the window and called the butler.

“That fellow.”

“Yes, sir.”

The butler, who had dark circles under his eyes thanks to his master staying up all night in one spot, pressed close to the window to see where Mikhail was pointing. By then, the hazy light had brightened enough that a human figure could be seen if one looked closely.

“Who on earth is that small thing over there?”

At Mikhail’s question, the butler stared for a long time, his nose almost touching the glass. After narrowing his eyes to focus and seeing clearly, the butler finally let out an exclamation. “Ah.”

“That child is a handyman who followed Lord Nile.”

“Followed Nile?”

The butler quickly nodded and explained the situation.

“He came along when Marquis Lucius brought Lord Nile. Because Lord Nile insisted strongly on keeping him by his side, Count Basari permitted it. According to Marquis Lucius, he is a Beta born of Nile’s mother, making them womb-brothers.”

“A Beta born of Nile’s mother?”

Mikhail frowned as if he had heard something bizarre.

It was only natural, as Omegas were significantly fewer in number compared to Alphas. Alphas, who could not have heirs without an Omega, put considerable effort into possessing and protecting them. In particular, they never tolerated a Beta touching an Omega; it was an unwritten rule that if such a case were discovered, that Beta would be killed regardless of whether the Omega had consented.

Children born between an Alpha and an Omega were always either Alphas or Omegas. If Nile’s mother had given birth to a Beta, it meant she had been intimate with a Beta, and that Beta would surely have been killed. The fact that the Beta child born from that union had been kept alive was a feat in itself.

“His birth is a bit complicated, but since Lord Nile insisted on keeping him by his side as a womb-brother, please just leave him be. He is a quiet and diligent fellow who finds work on his own, and since he is very cautious and rarely stands out, there will be nothing for Your Grace to worry about.”

The butler spoke at unusual length.

It seemed that Nile, the first Omega to reside in Castle Castilla for a long period, had garnered favor from almost everyone except Mikhail. Even the butler was speaking in Nile’s defense.

However, instead of worrying about such trivial matters, Mikhail was simply satisfied to learn why the creature had chosen to nest in Nile’s quarters and why he continued to linger there despite the risk of being caught by Mikhail.

“It’s about time I take another look at that wretched appearance.”

Mikhail smiled with a flash of a tooth, looking amused. Since the things Mikhail did with that expression were usually not good, the butler wore a slightly worried look.

* * *

Late morning, the day after their walk. As he had done for several days, Mikhail burst into Nile’s quarters without notice. Then, as if he didn’t want to stay long, he swallowed his hot tea in one gulp and left. Over the past few days, Nile and the servants had gradually grown accustomed to this daily storm, bowing their heads in greeting behind Mikhail as he vanished abruptly without a word.

Another day passed like that.

Nile’s position, not being in a formal marriage, was incredibly ambiguous. Mikhail had not yet slept with Nile, and even if the deed were done and Nile bore an heir, it was impossible to predict what would happen afterward. Officially, Nile had come as a member of the House of Marquis Lucius to form a bond with Mikhail, but unofficially, he had simply been sold to produce an heir.

Marquis Lucius never interfered with an Omega who had been sold for a fair price—whether they were kept, formally married, or sold elsewhere. Therefore, while Nile held the name Lucius, he could expect no support from the family.

Despite the ambiguous position and situation, Nile’s current life was not bad. Everything was abundant, the treatment was top-tier, and the attitude of the people in the castle, including the servants, was quite favorable toward him.

With the aftereffects of the heat cycle completely gone, Nile’s day was peaceful and quiet. He drank tea, read books, and when he felt stifled, he took walks in the beautiful garden. Aside from Mikhail’s brief intrusions, it was a day no different from any other.

As darkness fell, the garden keeper lit lamps throughout the garden, and the maids lit lamps throughout the castle. Since there was no mistress of the castle and the master had no hobby of throwing parties, the nights at Castle Castilla were always quiet. For the servants, this was a blessing as they could go to bed early.

As the night deepened, the maids who had been waiting in the corner of the room embroidering or chatting all returned to their own rooms. Normally, one maid on duty would remain, taking a nap in a small bed in the corner to be ready to serve Nile the moment he woke, but Nile had strongly declined, so they always left the room at night.

Around the time everyone, except for a few on duty, had gone to bed and fallen into a deep sleep, a wall in Nile’s quarters opened quietly, and Chaika stepped inside.

“Chaika?”

Nile, who had been lying in bed and drifting off to sleep, turned his head and called out. Chaika nodded and approached the bedside.

“Where have you been hiding all day to look so pale?”

Nile asked worriedly. Chaika shrugged silently and ate a few biscuits and some water that the maids had prepared for Nile on the table.

“I’m cold and tired.”

Chaika, who rarely spoke words of weakness, murmured softly. Nile clicked his tongue softly. Chaika unfolded the small temporary bedding in the corner of the room used by the duty maid and crawled inside. The way he pulled the blanket up to his chin and curled his body tightly made him look to be in very poor condition.

“Chaika?”

Nile called.

“Just sleep.”

Chaika replied as if even answering was a chore, then pulled the blanket over his head. Knowing Chaika’s personality well, Nile didn’t call him again but rested his head on the pillow and closed his eyes.

As had always been the case since he arrived here, two quiet breaths soon sounded in alternation. From the time everyone went to bed until the diligent maid burst into Nile’s quarters in the early dawn was the only time of day Chaika could truly rest since coming to Castle Castilla.

Since Duke Castilla’s pursuit had begun, Chaika’s nerves were stretched to the limit, and he couldn’t even sleep deeply. Just as he felt himself falling asleep, he would startle awake, and then fall back into a slumber, repeatedly perceiving his surroundings in a half-asleep state. Since the quality of his already short sleep was abysmal, it was only natural that he withered away day by day.

Regardless, he was grateful just to be able to sleep in a warm and safe place. Chaika repeated the cycle of falling asleep as if fainting and startling awake several times.

It was just as he had startled awake and then fallen back into a sleep that felt like sinking into the earth.

Bang!

Following the sound of the doorknob turning, the heavy door swung wide open. The candlelight illuminating the hallway poured into the dark room like a waterfall. Nile sat up, a surprised expression on his face at the sudden intruder.

“…Your… Your Grace?”

Muttering with bewildered eyes, Nile unconsciously cast a brief glance toward where Chaika was.

“It is late; may I ask why you have come?”

Nile asked in a tense voice. Looking at the situation, it seemed as if Mikhail had suddenly grown fond of him and come to spend the night. However, as he did every time he visited, Mikhail didn’t even glance at Nile and instead scanned the room. Knowing the purpose of Mikhail’s visits, Nile tried his best not to look toward Chaika, who was curled up silently under the blanket in the corner.

Nile’s effort was futile. There was no way Mikhail, who had been bursting in all this time to catch Chaika, would miss the figure curled under the blanket. Upon discovering what looked like a small lump of bedding, the corners of Mikhail’s mouth rose and his eyes narrowed.

“What is this?”

Mikhail said, nudging the lump of bedding with his toe. The lump was so small and shook as he nudged it that it didn’t look like a person was inside. However, knowing how small the prey’s frame was, Mikhail seemed certain; he nudged the blanket a few more times before finally reaching out and snatching the blanket away.

“…….”

“…….”

A brief silence filled the room. Only the sound of the snatched blanket hitting the floor was heard. In the place where the blanket had been, a tiny body curled up on the shabby temporary bedding was revealed.

The small body, which had been hugging itself tightly with its head tucked deep, did not move easily even after the blanket that had hidden it disappeared. The flickering candlelight pouring in from the hallway illuminated the fuzzy brown hair and the tightly curled body.

Since there was no sound or movement even after the blanket vanished, the small creature slowly lifted its head. Mikhail observed the creature’s movements in detail, just as he had during their first encounter.

The head slowly lifting while still curled up. Eyes buried in fuzzy hair traveled slowly upward, from Mikhail’s feet to his ankles and knees. Meanwhile, Mikhail’s eyes traced the wretchedly thin and frail ankles and calves beneath the rolled-up old pant legs, and the pale, white, small chin that was gradually being revealed.

“Hic—!”

It took a long time before the creature finally raised its gaze to Mikhail’s face, then let out a sharp, urgent breath and bolted from its spot. It was lightning fast, but the attempt to roll past Mikhail’s side ended in failure. Mikhail simply snatched the small body brushing past him with one hand.

“Once is one thing, but twice is unacceptable.”

Mikhail sneered, holding the creature up by the collar. Dangling in mid-air, the creature kicked its legs. It seemed desperate in its own way, but it hardly felt like actual resistance.

“You dare not only sneak in and out of my study without permission, but roam the entire castle?”

“Your Excellency! Your Excellency!”

Nile hurried down from the bed and rushed over, grabbing the wrist that held the creature’s collar.

“Please, let the child go!”

Nile cried out earnestly. However, far from letting go, Mikhail lifted the collar a bit higher to bring the creature’s face level with his own.

“Child? Not a stray dog?”

Even looking at it head-on, the creature’s face was barely visible, hidden behind frizzy hair. All he could tell was that the face was as small and pale as a chin, and that its eyes were squeezed shut.

“Please let him go, Your Excellency.”

Nile pleaded again. The creature hanging in the air now seemed to have given up resisting, its body going limp. It was so short that, even considering Mikhail’s great height, its feet remained far above the ground. Its frame was so small and its weight so excessively light that Mikhail couldn’t tell if he was holding a person or a rabbit.

It felt unpleasant that the prey he had spent so much effort tracking and chasing had been caught so quietly. It felt even worse because he didn’t even know what he intended to do with the creature once caught. Still gripping the collar, Mikhail simply threw the creature back to the spot where it had been crouching.

Thud!

Despite being small and light, perhaps because there was no fat on its body, the sound of it hitting the floor was quite loud.

“Chaika!”

Nile rushed to the child sprawled on the floor, kneeling down to block the path between Mikhail and the child.

“Just what on earth have you brought into my castle, Nile?”

Mikhail asked. Ironically, this was the first time Nile’s name had ever come out of Mikhail’s mouth.

“This child is…”

Nile, still kneeling, looked back briefly at the creature crouching behind him before speaking again.

“This child is my younger brother. I do not know what wrong he has done, but he is a quiet and gentle child, so I will keep a close eye on him to ensure he never catches Your Excellency’s eye again.”

The expression on Nile’s face as he pleaded was utterly desperate.

“Seeing how tenderly you care for him, you must cherish your brother dearly. A scrawny, useless Beta like that.”

“…Since he is a child born of my progenitor…”

Nile’s voice trailed off.

A Beta brother born of the same progenitor implied many things.

It meant the progenitor had indulged in an affair with a Beta, born a child from that union, and that the Beta partner had undoubtedly met a gruesome end, while the progenitor had either been severely punished or sold off cheaply elsewhere.

Mikhail looked again at the state of the creature crouching breathlessly behind Nile. Despite the chilly season, it wore old, thin clothes that were heavily frayed from age. Perhaps it hadn’t received new clothes in a long time, as the sleeves and pant legs were hiked up high, exposing its arms and calves.

The neckline, stretched out from long use, didn’t just slip to the side but was on the verge of exposing the shoulder entirely. The worn-out leather shoes, which were embarrassing to even call shoes, were worn through in places, revealing toes—as if they had been scavenged from somewhere. It was a wretched appearance never seen within Castle Castilla, the kind of attire one would find among starving war refugees.

“Your precious brother, yet you let him walk around in such rags? While you wear such warm and lavish clothing, all this fellow has on in this season is a single layer of rags that looks like it was stripped from the corpse of a frozen beggar.”

Mikhail mocked the creature’s appearance, which stood in stark contrast to Nile’s desperate posture of protection. Nile’s face flushed with embarrassment.

“T-that is…”

Nile stammered, as if searching for an immediate excuse.

“I do not allow anyone in my castle, no matter how insignificant, to walk around in such a miserable state. You are making a smudge on my prestige.”

“I am sorry, Your Excellency. I was short-sighted and didn’t think that far… I will change my brother’s clothes immediately—”

Nile answered hurriedly. While Nile spoke desperately, Mikhail was staring at the pale ankles beneath the hiked-up pant legs. The creature crouching behind Nile was now a creature devoid of interest. Yet, looking at those ankles, for some reason, his palms itched maddeningly.

“No. Leave it as it is.”

Mikhail interrupted Nile.

“…Pardon?”

Nile looked bewildered. Mikhail spoke while scanning the white ankles and calves beneath the short pants, and the thin shoulder and collarbone exposed by the slipping fabric.

“I said leave it. It suits him well.”

“……”

Nile wore a look of complete incomprehension before nodding.

As if he hadn’t just barged in while the other was asleep, Mikhail strode over and flopped into the chair by the window where he always sat. In the meantime, maids who had rushed over upon hearing the midnight commotion hurried to light the candles brightly and serve tea. Nile, having straightened his disheveled clothing, stood awkwardly near the bed, not knowing what to do.

Usually, when Mikhail visited, he would scan the room once, gulp down the tea, and leave. But today was different. He sat with his legs crossed and back leaning against the chair, holding the teacup, inhaling the aroma as if savoring it, and enjoying the taste of a single sip.

“So, what does that rag usually do for a living?”

Mikhail asked. The creature, who had remained crouching in the spot where it was thrown, stiffened at the term used to refer to it.

“…Various tasks…”

Nile’s voice trailed off.

“Various tasks?”

When Mikhail questioned him, Nile glanced at his brother before speaking again.

“Cleaning and odd jobs…”

Nile stopped there. Mikhail curled one corner of his mouth up in a slight smirk, as if this were perfect.

“Then tell him to finish the work he was doing right now.”

“…Right now, sir?”

Nile asked, glancing out the dark window. It was an hour when everyone was fast asleep.

“Yes. Now.”

“……”

Nile looked utterly baffled, but he didn’t ask any further questions. He simply looked at his brother with anxious eyes. Upon hearing Mikhail’s words, the creature slowly rose from its crouching position, found a broom in some corner, and began to sweep the floor, starting from the point furthest from Mikhail.

It was a bizarre sight.

Nile’s quarters, brightly lit while everyone else slept. Nile standing awkwardly by the bed in his pajamas. The servants who had rushed over and were now lined up by the door. A tiny figure sweeping the floor alone under their collective gaze. And Mikhail, sitting with his legs crossed in the window chair, staring intently at the cleaning creature. Nothing about it was normal.

Despite being the center of attention in such a strange situation, the creature carried out its work very meticulously and diligently. It swept the wide floor clean without leaving a single spot, put the broom away, and then brought a dry cloth to begin dusting the furniture. In the quiet room, only the sound of the furniture being carefully wiped echoed.

The creature stood on tiptoe, stretching its arm as far as possible to wipe the top of a high bedpost. Seeing the ankles and calf bones protruding sharply as it supported its weight on its toes, the pathetic little muscles clinging to the bone, and the skin so white it was almost pallid, Mikhail’s palms itched unbearably.

As the gaze moved upward, the act of stretching the arm high caused the top garment to ride up, revealing the lower part of the chest. The slender waist, which looked as if it could be easily gripped with both hands, curved supplely, and the spinal column protruded clearly across the back. If the shirt had been any shorter, the chest would have been fully exposed.

Because one arm was stretched upward, the clothes slipped to the opposite side, leaving the shoulder completely bare. If that were a piece of cooked food, it was so frail that one could bite into the shoulder bone and strip the meat away in one go. No… with the bones protruding so much, would there even be any meat to strip?

Gulp.

In the room, which had been deathly silent except for the sound of dusting, the sound of swallowing saliva rang out as loud as a thunderclap. Mikhail turned his head to find the culprit who broke the silence, only to realize instantly. The one who had just swallowed was himself.

“What are you standing there staring at like idiots? Go do your jobs!”

Mikhail barked coldly at the servants lined up like they were being punished in front of the door. The servants bowed their heads and hurriedly scrambled out of the room. By the time he turned his eyes back to the creature, it had already corrected its posture, and the top had slid back down below the chest. However, three bedposts still remained.

When wiping the lower part of the bedposts, the creature crouched on the floor. It was very serious about cleaning the posts, which were beautifully decorated with relief and intaglio. The word ‘meticulous’ was not an exaggeration; it never missed a single corner, taking a considerable amount of time to clean just one post.

As it crouched, the short top was pulled up high again. The hunched back was fully visible. Looking at the protruding spinal column dividing the center of the back made his teeth itch.

Conversely to the top, the bottoms slid down as it crouched, exposing not only the pelvis but nearly a third of the buttocks. After the protruding spine ended, the pale buttocks—pathetic, but possessing a bit more flesh—swayed slightly with the creature’s movements. This time, for some reason, the back of his neck itched.

At some point, the creature seemed to become conscious of Mikhail’s gaze. Whenever it raised its arm or crouched, it would use one hand to wipe while using the other to desperately pull down the top or pull up the pants, but the body was hidden only for that brief moment. Eventually, the creature gave up on fixing its clothes.

When it crouched, when it stood straight, and when it stood on tiptoe. Throughout the cleaning of the four bedposts, Mikhail watched the scene without moving an inch. Nile, who had initially stood there not knowing what to do, was now sitting on the bed, lost in deep thought. Only the creature moved diligently in between them.

The sun began to brighten the sky. During that long time, the creature cleaned every single piece of furniture in the quarters with utmost sincerity. Perhaps because it was exhausting for such a small body, its steps wavered unsteadily.

Clutching the cloth tightly in both hands, the creature cautiously approached Mikhail and bowed its head deeply. It seemed to mean it was finished, but Mikhail remained silent, waiting for the creature to speak first. Seeing as it let out whimpers like ‘hiik’ or ‘heup’, it couldn’t be mute. He was very curious about what kind of voice would come from those tiny lips.

“…T-…”

As Mikhail stared, as if he would wait until the creature spoke, it finally parted its lips. But as if the words simply wouldn’t come out, it managed only one syllable before clamping its mouth shut. Beneath the frizzy hair that looked like straw or grass, the reddish lips whimpered. Following his hands, teeth, and the back of his neck, now his entire body felt an itching sensation. Mikhail exercised an uncharacteristic amount of patience, waiting for the creature to speak on its own.

“……. I… am finished.”

The waiting paid off. The creature let out a tiny, mouse-like voice, its reddish lips trembling. The way its hands clutching the cloth twitched was quite a sight.

“You’re finished, are you?”

Mikhail asked in a deliberately solemn voice.

“…Yes.”

The creature answered obediently.

At this point, it was time to step back once. No, in the first place, the purpose of the hunt had practically been achieved.

…….

No… This hunt had been full of anticipation and pleasure from the start, yet he had gained nothing. …No. There was something he had gained. A strange itchiness.

It wasn’t that he had never felt a tickle before, but this was a bizarre sensation he had never experienced until now. It was something that made him feel anxious and irritated, yet… something he didn’t want to stop. A strange feeling that was unsettling and lingering, yet he hoped it wouldn’t end.

“Hmm.”

Wondering what this was, Mikhail picked up the teacup, which was half-filled with cold tea, and slowly tilted it toward his feet. The tea trickled from the tilted cup, splashing across the floor with a sound.

“Oh. I’ve made a mistake.”

Mikhail placed the empty cup back on the table and looked at the creature. The reddish lips seemed to move as if biting the inside of the lip, then returned to normal.

“Wipe it.”

After the short command, Mikhail smiled, showing his teeth. He was truly enjoying himself. He didn’t know why he found this so pleasant.

Normally, Mikhail’s way was to mercifully end the life of prey that had been tracked and declared surrender. He had never been one to crudely torture or harass his prey. But this was entirely different. Mikhail realized that slowly rolling this creature around and playing with it was bringing him considerable pleasure.

The creature obediently knelt on all fours at Mikhail’s feet. Then it began to wipe the spilled tea with the cloth. From his position, he could look straight down at the creature’s body. Because it was moving while prone, the top was pulled up and the bottoms were pulled down, leaving the slender, supple waist fully exposed; with every movement, the buttocks swayed slightly left and right, or up and down. Mikhail sat with his arms crossed, enjoying the view immensely.

“I have wiped it all.”

Having finished the floor, the creature hesitantly stood up and spoke politely. Mikhail looked at the table to see if there was anything else he could pour on the floor, but unfortunately, the tea from earlier was the last of it. Come to think of it, the sun had already risen, and morning light was beginning to stream through the window. Mikhail set aside his regret and stood up.

As he flung the door open, the butler waiting outside bowed his head.

Mikhail stepped outside, stopped beside the butler, and spoke.

“That fellow.”

As Mikhail gestured with his chin, the butler looked into the room. He nodded, as if he knew who was being referred to.

“From now on, have him clean my bedroom, office, and study.”

“I shall make the necessary arrangements.”

Despite the abrupt order, the experienced butler, who had dealt with Mikhail for a long time, answered immediately. Without attempting to hide his pleasure, Mikhail smiled and walked a few more steps before suddenly stopping to add one more thing.

“Do not change his clothes. Leave them as they are.”

* * *

The news of the previous night’s commotion reached Count Ilya Basari after he had woken up late and finished his breakfast. There was no need to wait for rumors to spread. Ilya had his “pigeons” who proactively delivered news regarding the well-being of Mikhail and Nile.

The young maids were more than willing to become pigeons, carrying news just for the chance to converse closely with the aristocratic and beautiful Count, and Ilya provided them with appropriate material rewards in addition to his smiles and gratitude.

“Well, this is turning out… interestingly and unexpectedly.”

Ilya, having heard the night’s events from the maids of both Mikhail and Nile, murmured while rubbing his chin.

Mikhail chasing Nile’s brother was a good thing in many ways.

First, it meant Mikhail wouldn’t run away from the castle to avoid Nile because he was preoccupied with the creature. Second, the process of chasing the creature would naturally create points of contact, providing an opportunity for the two to grow closer.

Ilya’s calculations were roughly correct; for a while now, Mikhail had reached the stage of diligently visiting Nile’s quarters on his own to drink tea. He had even suggested a walk first and accompanied him.

“It was all good up to that point…”

Ilya set down his teacup and stood up. A servant helped him dress.

Ilya, perfectly dressed in clothes that matched the latest trends, left his room, causing every maid he encountered to blush and bow their heads. In terms of looks, Mikhail was several times more striking than Ilya, but he was unpopular due to his atrocious personality. Enjoying the subtle flirtations of the women, Ilya headed toward the office where Mikhail was currently located.

As he reached the door, a servant announced his arrival and opened it.

“What brings you to the office so early in the morn—”

Entering with his usual casual tone, Ilya trailed off as he took in the unfamiliar sight inside the office.

Mikhail, sitting with his legs crossed haphazardly behind the large desk, and the butler helping organize documents beside him were a normal sight. However, the scene of Mikhail resting his chin on his hand while staring intently at a small-framed servant was an entirely different story.

The servant stopped what he was doing, gave a short bow toward Ilya, and resumed polishing the furniture. No, could that even be called a servant in the first place? From the shabby clothes and shoes that looked as if they had been scavenged from a roadside beggar to the dry, haphazardly tangled hair… he looked like an orphan begging on a battlefield.

“Who is he?”

Ilya asked as he walked toward Mikhail. In truth, he already knew. This was the full biological brother Nile had desperately pleaded to have by his side.

Mikhail clicked his tongue softly, as if even answering was a chore, and the butler tactfully answered in his stead.

“He is Lord Nile’s biological brother. By His Excellency’s order, he has been put in charge of cleaning His Excellency’s quarters starting today.”

“Aha…”

Ilya gave a vague response as if he understood, but in reality, he couldn’t make sense of the situation at all.

He knew Mikhail had been intrigued enough to track and hunt the boy down, but he assumed that once he was caught, the interest would quickly fade. Yet, he had actually made him clean his quarters.

The butler offered a seat at a side table and prepared tea. Sitting in the chair, Ilya observed Nile’s brother, who was just as focused on cleaning as Mikhail was on watching him.

Rub, rub, rub.

Amidst the gazes of Mikhail, Ilya, and the butler, only the sound of diligent scrubbing echoed. Despite three pairs of eyes focused on him, Nile’s brother paid no mind and concentrated solely on his work. Mikhail didn’t seem to know what exactly was so captivating about the sight, yet he continued to watch; Ilya, meanwhile, found the rag-like clothes an eyesore and spent most of his time practically glaring at the attire.

Rub, rub, rub.

Whether it was his natural disposition or not, his touch while wiping the furniture was incredibly fervent. He rubbed and rubbed again, as if he could not tolerate a single speck of dust. It was almost worrying that the furniture might wear down. Ilya, who had initially stared out of annoyance at the rags, eventually found himself watching the rhythmic scrubbing absentmindedly.

After finishing one piece of furniture, the boy straightened his crouched legs to move to the next and suddenly swayed to the side. Almost simultaneously, there was a creak—the sound of a wooden chair sliding. Ilya turned his head toward the noise. Mikhail was simply adjusting his posture, as if he had been trying to switch the direction of his crossed legs.

When Ilya looked back, the boy had safely reached the next piece of furniture and begun scrubbing. Shaken out of his daze by the noise, Ilya rubbed his chin, wondering what on earth was going on. He addressed the butler instead of Mikhail.

“If he’s Nile’s biological brother, he must have a name. What is it?”

At Ilya’s question, Mikhail’s gaze flickered toward the butler.

“I heard his name is Chaika.”

“Chaika…”

Ilya murmured the name of the servant in rags. Since all he could see was a small frame, worn-out clothes, and shaggy hair, it was difficult to judge whether the name suited him.

“Even if he is just a handyman, he is Nile’s brother and is now cleaning Mikhail’s quarters. Shouldn’t you at least have him change his clothes?”

Ilya spoke in a tone that suggested he found it utterly unbearable. The butler, who would usually handle such things immediately, merely hummed and cast a cautious glance at Mikhail. Quick to pick up on the cue, Ilya spoke to Mikhail again.

“Why not change his clothes? I doubt even the poorest farmer living outside the castle would look like that.”

Despite Ilya’s words, Mikhail only let out a faint snort.

“Wouldn’t it be a stain on your reputation if you let someone walk around dressed like that?”

Ilya spoke euphemistically once more. For Ilya, who loved everything beautiful and clean, having to see a servant in such attire every day was quite an ordeal. Not to mention, it was a matter of face for both Nile and Mikhail.

“I’m leaving him as he is because it suits him,” Mikhail said mockingly.

One might have felt humiliated to be told that rags suited them, but the rag-clad servant… no, Chaika, simply continued to do his work diligently. Knowing Mikhail’s personality, Ilya eventually just shrugged. He could simply look elsewhere.

“I’ll be going then.”

Ilya rose from his seat. Mikhail nodded.

Unlike Mikhail, Ilya had a fairly busy day. First, he had a significant amount of work as a vassal to Duke Castilla. Although he had left a remarkably competent deputy in charge of his own territory, he had to receive frequent updates on critical matters and send down decisions. Of course, he also had to make rotating visits to the homes of his lovers in the village outside the castle. He was truly a busy man.

Mikhail replaced a formal goodbye with a casual flick of his hand. Before leaving the office, Ilya turned back to look at Chaika cleaning in his rags, and then at Mikhail, who hadn’t taken his eyes off Chaika for a single second. Raising an eyebrow, Ilya left the office.

The cleaning of the office, which had begun in the morning, finally ended after noon. It was a quick finish considering he had done alone what usually required several maids. Having finished his observation, Mikhail rose from his chair and walked around the office to inspect the state of the cleaning. He ran his fingers over the surfaces of the furniture—something he usually never cared about—and checked the glass for streaks. However, the cleaning had been done so thoroughly that he couldn’t find a single thing to nitpick.

The boy, clutching the cloth tightly in both hands with his head bowed, waited quietly for Mikhail’s inspection to end. Perhaps because he had been physically exerting himself for hours, his breathing was heavy and ragged.

“Hmm.”

Even though the boy had completed the assigned task cleanly and faithfully, and was panting as if he might collapse from exhaustion, Mikhail was not entirely satisfied. Mikhail stared at him for a moment, then dragged his palm across the glass of a nearby display cabinet. The glass, which had been spotless, was instantly soiled by a handprint.

“Here. Wipe it again.”

Mikhail spoke, pointing to the glass he had just dirtied. The boy approached obediently, without a hint of resentment. Mikhail remained standing exactly where he had soiled the glass. Consequently, for the boy to wipe the glass, he had to squeeze in between Mikhail and the cabinet. The boy hesitated for a moment, waiting for Mikhail to step aside or move back, but when he showed no sign of moving, the boy slid cautiously into the gap.

Most people would have been squeezed or at least bumped into Mikhail to stand between him and the cabinet, but the boy was so small and petite that he fit in with room to spare. Still, it must have been uncomfortable. Cleaning with Mikhail right behind his back was one thing, and he had to move with extreme caution to avoid bumping into him.

The boy’s head was right in front of him. Without realizing it, Mikhail took a deep breath. The bitter scent of medicinal herbs stimulated his olfactory senses first. Being so close, the scent was so intense that it almost paralyzed his sense of smell for a moment.

To remove the smudge, the boy pressed his face close to the glass and let out a soft haaa— of breath. As a white mist formed on the glass surface, he quickly rubbed it with the cloth before it disappeared. That spot became perfectly clean.

Mikhail had only slid his palm across once, but Mikhail’s hand was quite large, and the boy’s mouth was very small. To erase the smudge, the boy had to repeat the process of breathing on the glass and wiping it dozens of times. Mikhail stood there, staring down at him without getting bored. As the boy became deeply focused on the task, perhaps forgetting there was someone behind him, his cautious movements began to grow larger.

As the boy moved further down, breathing and wiping, he lowered his head even more. As he bent his head and waist, his hips naturally pushed back, and the boy’s backside brushed against Mikhail’s thigh.

Thump.

Before Mikhail could even react to the sensation of the hip hitting his thigh, the boy, startled by his own action, gasped and plopped down onto the floor.

“I… I’m sorry.”

The boy apologized, his hands clutching the rag, trembling. Beneath the fuzzy brown hair, his reddish lips were also twitching. For a moment, Mikhail didn’t understand why the boy was reacting so violently. Does he think I’ll kill him over that? A flash of irritation rose within him. But that irritation quickly vanished, and Mikhail focused on the sensation of the hip that had hit his thigh and the small lips that had turned even redder from the shock.

“Your Excellency.”

The butler, who had approached unnoticed, called out.

“It is past time for your meal.”

Looking at the clock upon hearing the butler’s words, Mikhail realized it was past lunchtime. As he realized this, a sudden wave of hunger hit him. Being very faithful to his basic needs, Mikhail turned around for his meal. Behind him, as he left the office, he heard a very faint sigh. It seemed the boy had breathed a sigh of relief. Mikhail stopped in his tracks, spun around, and beckoned the boy with a flick of his finger. The boy, who had still been sitting on the floor, stood up awkwardly and approached slowly.

“As soon as I finish my meal, clean the bedroom.”

“… Yes…”

Only after a patient wait did a tiny, almost sobbing response finally leak out. Hmm. Mikhail let out a sound of unknown meaning to himself, then spun around and headed back on his way.

“Where does that boy eat?”

Mikhail asked abruptly after walking down the hallway for a while.

“Usually, the servants within the castle eat at the dedicated dining hall in the basement,” the butler replied.

Mikhail immediately frowned.

“That is not a precise answer.”

“…”

At the sharp point, the butler hesitated to answer. It was behavior unlike a seasoned and thorough butler. After a brief pause, the butler spoke.

“Until now, he has spent his time helping with odd jobs without drawing much attention, so I do not know where he has been eating.”

“So you’ve never seen him eating at the servants’ dining hall?”

“As far as I know, I have heard nothing of him eating there.”

Mikhail stopped walking and looked at the butler. A slightly troubled expression spread across the butler’s face. Even for him, it must have been difficult to prepare for such an exceptional situation—a situation where Mikhail, who had barely known of Chaika’s existence, was not only interested but was now questioning where he ate.

“Then what has he been eating to survive in this castle? Looking at how he’s skin and bones like a war refugee, has he been living off leftover food scraps? Inside my castle?”

Mikhail’s expression didn’t change much, but the coldness in his voice conveyed his mood perfectly. Whether a handyman or not, he was a worker employed within Castilla Castle. If word got out that such a worker was being starved while being forced to work, it would be a great stain on Mikhail’s reputation. The butler’s face stiffened.

“Seeing how Lord Nile desperately wanted him to be together, I suspect he may have been eating at Lord Nile’s quarters during this time.”

“At Nile’s quarters, huh.”

Mikhail murmured and let out a snort.

Although Mikhail openly showed his disgust for Nile, he knew that, separately, Nile’s treatment was top-tier. The expensive Omega bought to produce an heir was provided with a fine room with plenty of sunlight and a wonderful view, as well as meals and snacks rich in taste and nutrition every single day. It was impossible to look like that while eating at Nile’s quarters.

“Shall I look into it in detail?” the butler asked cautiously.

Mikhail stared at the butler for a moment, then straightened his head and continued on his way.

By the time Mikhail finished his leisurely lunch, took a ride on his horse, and entered his bedroom, the room was already bathed in the red glow of the sunset. The bedroom was bright with candles lit by the maids, and a bathtub for bathing was prepared in the center of the room, sending up plumes of hot steam.

Entering the room, Mikhail left himself in the hands of the servant undressing him while scanning the interior of the bedroom. The boy, who had been doing something in a nearly invisible corner, approached with cautious steps, gave a short bow, and then turned back to return to where he had been.

Entering the hot bath made him feel a bit more relaxed. Leaning back in the tub, Mikhail watched what the boy was doing. The boy was crouching, wiping and polishing the legs of a piece of furniture in one corner of the room. Since he was sitting with his back to Mikhail, his top had slid up and his bottoms had been pulled down, clearly revealing his white, thin waist and the upper part of his buttocks.

Because Mikhail had been sweating after riding, the servants had thrown open several windows. Midday in autumn is as hot as summer, but the temperature drops sharply once the sun sets. The chilly breeze felt refreshing and pleasant. Mikhail enjoyed the state of having his body in warm bathwater, his face in the cool night wind, and his eyes fixed on the boy.

However, that perfect situation did not last long.

“Achoo!”

The boy, who had been diligently wiping the furniture, suddenly curled up and sneezed. Contrary to his small body and small voice, it was quite a powerful sneeze. As soon as the sneeze ended, the boy, panicked that saliva might have splattered on the furniture, hurriedly began wiping it with the cloth. But that was only for a moment; he inhaled sharply again and buried his head deep between his crouched legs, beginning to sneeze in succession. It seemed he was doing so to prevent saliva from splattering.

Achoo! Achoo!

Every time he let out a powerful sneeze, it looked as if the ribs of his pea-sized body might snap. Only after sneezing five or six times in a row did he finally stop, and then he suddenly wrapped both arms around himself, hugging his body tightly and shivering.

Watching with a furrowed brow, Mikhail glanced at the wide-open window where the chilly wind was pouring in. It felt refreshing to Mikhail, who was heated from riding and sitting in hot water, but to a boy wearing nothing but a miserable set of rags, it must have felt as cold as a blade of wind.

After shivering a few times, the boy began to doggedly resume his work. However, the cold that had set in did not seem to fade easily, as his hands wiping the furniture and his body were trembling slightly. It had been quite amusing to roll this tiny thing around and torment him, but suddenly, Mikhail’s mood soured. He no longer felt the itch in his palms or the back of his neck.

The thought of telling them to close the window crossed his mind, but wouldn’t that be making the boy comfortable rather than tormenting him?

The more he thought about it, the worse his mood became.

“Tell him to leave for today.”

Mikhail spoke to the servant drying his body, gesturing with his chin toward the boy. When the servant delivered the message, the boy stopped his work, gave a short bow, and left the bedroom with cautious steps. Perhaps the day’s cleaning had been too taxing, as his retreating figure looked unsteady and staggering. To think he had been so excited and amused for a while, hunting down such a weak little thing. Mikhail clicked his tongue in irritation and closed his eyes.

“How was it?” Nile asked.

“What do you think?”

Chaika gave a thin smile, struggling to lift the hand he had used to scrub all day. His arm and hand, barely lifted to chest height, were trembling. Moreover, because he had been exposed to the autumn night chill in thin, miserable clothes, his skin was beyond pale—it was nearly blue.

Nile frowned, lifted the blanket he was covering himself with, and patted the spot beside him.

“Come in and warm yourself up. You’ll feel much better.”

Chaika shook his head without a word. He walked unsteadily to the table, tide over his hunger with a piece of biscuit and a few sips of water, then spread out the simple bedding of the on-duty maids in the corner of the room and crawled inside.

Nile’s bed, where he had placed preheated stones, was warm with heat, but the makeshift bedding spread on the floor barely blocked the direct chill rising from the ground and the cold air.

“Chaika. Don’t be stubborn; come inside for a moment and warm yourself. No one will come in at this hour.”

Nile tried to persuade him in a low voice, but Chaika remained motionless. Or perhaps, he had fallen into a sleep so deep it was almost like fainting.

“Ha… I knew he was tenacious, but he’s truly relentless.”

Nile muttered as he looked at the small bundle of blankets wrapped around Chaika. His voice was a mixture of pity and resentment. Nile stared at Chaika’s back for a moment before lying back down. It was a plush, cozy, and warm place to sleep.

“Everything must be perfect.”

Just as Nile was about to close his eyes, Chaika, buried under the blankets, murmured in a voice so small it was barely audible to Nile’s ears. With his head still buried in the pillow, Nile turned to look in Chaika’s direction. Chaika was wrapped up in his blankets like a cocoon, with only his eyes peeking out to look at Nile. His eyes were almost hidden behind his shaggy brown hair, but to Nile, who had known those intense eyes for a long time, the gaze behind the hair was crystal clear.

“The one I intend to hook isn’t just some mediocre Alpha. He is one of the few Dominant Alphas on this continent. Specifically, Duke Castilla, who is famous for his utter loathing of Omegas.”

“…….”

Chaika’s whispering voice was slightly hoarse. Perhaps because of that, his whisper sounded exceptionally cold.

“Everything must be executed perfectly, without a single deviation from the plan. A moment’s carelessness can bring everything crashing down. Succumbing to a shallow desire to let a weary body rest, or stepping into your bed for even a moment to warm skin that feels like it’s falling off from the cold… those kinds of trivial things. It’s always like that. Great failures usually aren’t caused by grand reasons. It’s just one trivial mistake or a single moment of carelessness that ruins everything. Do you understand, Nile?”

His tone was cold and chilling. Even in the darkness, Chaika’s flashing gaze felt as if it could cut Nile down. It was a look that said he would never forgive him if he made a single mistake and ruined the plan. And Chaika held Nile’s most critical weakness in his grip. He could never go against him.

“…I understand perfectly.”

When Nile answered quietly, the cold gaze emanating from the darkness softened as if by magic.

“The timing will come again soon. I don’t know when it will be, but keep it engraved in your mind so you can do it properly when the moment arrives.”

“Of course.”

“Don’t forget, Nile. I am the child of your mother, and as punishment for bearing me through an affair with a Beta, your mother was sold to the filthiest brothel, where she couldn’t last long and took her own life. I am the only family your mother left behind… and….”

“And the endearing yet hateful younger brother who drove my mother to a miserable death,” Nile continued.

Chaika gave a faint smile. It was a satisfied smile.

“Goodnight, Nile,” Chaika greeted quietly.

“Goodnight, Chaika.”

Nile closed his eyes.

* * *

Cough. Cough.

The sound of coughing erupted from the corner of the room. When Mikhail looked over, the boy sat huddled on the floor, covering his mouth with both hands as if feeling guilty. Soon, muffled coughs—cough, cough—burst through his grip. His already tiny frame jolted upward with every cough, as if he were bouncing off the ground.

“…I am sorry.”

Once the coughing finally subsided, the boy apologized in a hoarse, murmuring voice. He then returned to his work. But only for a moment.

Cough. Cough. Cough.

He covered his mouth and poured out another fit of coughing.

“How about telling him to withdraw for today?” the butler suggested tentatively. Having someone cough like that all day long was distressing for the person doing it, but it was no less agonizing for the person who had to listen to it.

Cough. Cough.

The boy was frantic—between scrubbing the floors, coughing, and glancing at Mikhail in fear of being punished for the noise. He seemed to have a severe cold; every time he coughed, his body jolted so violently that Mikhail wondered if his ribs were breaking.

“The weather has turned quite cold, so perhaps it would be wise to have him change into thicker clothes?” the butler suggested again.

“Hmm.”

Mikhail rested his arm on the desk, propping up his head as he scanned the boy’s appearance. If he put him in thicker or new clothes, the way the fabric slid up and down whenever he moved would disappear. On the other hand, if he sent him away because he was noisy, he wouldn’t be in sight at all. Neither was what he wanted.

After thinking for a moment, Mikhail came up with a solution.

“Light the fireplace.”

“The fireplace, sir?”

“Yes. Put in plenty of firewood and keep it blazing so that one would sweat even while stark naked.”

“…Understood.”

The butler bowed his head with a peculiar expression.

It was still autumn, and unless it was the dead of night, the temperature wasn’t low enough to warrant a fire. Alphas, who were physically far stronger than ordinary humans, barely felt the cold until the lakes froze over in midwinter. As a Dominant Alpha, Mikhail was naturally even more resistant to the cold.

Though it wasn’t winter yet, preparations had already begun, so there was plenty of firewood. As the servants brought the logs and lit the large fireplace, a cozy warmth soon began to spread through the bedroom. Mikhail looked back and forth between the glowing fireplace and Chaika, who was working in the far corner of the room, then signaled to the butler.

“Add more wood. I said put in plenty and keep it blazing.”

“Yes.”

At Mikhail’s word, the butler threw in more of the logs the servants had piled by the hearth. After adding a couple, the butler turned around to find Mikhail gesturing for more. He added another two, and when he turned back, Mikhail was now frowning deeply. Finally understanding, the butler stuffed as much of the reserve firewood into the fireplace as he possibly could. Fed with dry logs, the fireplace blazed more like a blacksmith’s forge than a hearth.

The butler sighed, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and stepped back. Standing behind Mikhail as usual, beads of sweat continued to form on the butler’s brow. The heat emanating from the forge-like fireplace filled the office. Mikhail, who was far less affected by heat than a normal human, unbuttoned his shirt as if feeling slightly warm.

The simmering heat finally reached the corner of the room; the constant coughing subsided and eventually vanished completely. Confirming this, Mikhail let out a faint snort.

Having finished cleaning, the boy approached Mikhail with cautious steps.

“I am finished.”

It was the single phrase he uttered every day. Instead of gesturing for him to leave with a tilt of his chin or a wave of his hand as usual, Mikhail stared intently at him. The boy’s shoulders flinched under the gaze.

“Warm, isn’t it?”

When Mikhail asked casually, the boy finally looked back at the fireplace blazing like the fires of hell behind him and nodded.

“…Yes….”

A voice as small as a crawling ant escaped him.

For some reason, Mikhail felt a tickle in his chest. Pretending to adjust his shirt buttons, he lightly scratched his chest. Meanwhile, the boy, with his head bowed low and lips unusually red from the cold, cautiously spoke.

“…Thank you.”

Thump! It felt as if he had been struck hard in the center of his chest. An unexpected ambush. Mikhail unconsciously held his breath and blinked slowly. Only one phrase echoed in his mind.

‘What was that?’

When Mikhail showed no reaction, the boy hesitated for a moment before adding in a fading voice.

“I thought… you lit the fire for my sake… so I wanted to say thank you….”

“…Ha-!”

Mikhail let out a hollow laugh, as if he found it absurd. Then, he curled one corner of his mouth into a crooked smirk.

“To think I would light a fire for a trivial errand boy like you—it seems you have no sense of your own place. Did Nile not teach you that?”

“I have made an presumptuous misunderstanding. I am sorry.”

The boy’s voice trembled as he bowed his head deeply in apology. Was he terrified? Or was he embarrassed? Ashamed?

Mikhail, who had spent his entire life indifferent to the thoughts or feelings of others, racked his brain desperately. Unsure of what to make of the unresponsive Mikhail, the boy gave a deep bow and turned to leave the room. Left behind in the room were the simmering fireplace, the butler whose face was flushed red and drenched in sweat, and Mikhail, who was still rubbing his chest as if he had been hit.

“…Shall I put out the fire?” the butler asked cautiously. The room had become so hot, like a furnace, that it was now affecting even Mikhail. Only then did Mikhail slowly nod. As the butler extinguished the fire and flung open all the windows, the hot air vanished instantly into the cold exterior.

Mikhail began to rub his forehead with the hand that had been propping up his head. It was certainly enjoyable to watch the boy be toyed with and tormented. But looking at it now, that wasn’t all. He had no idea what he was supposed to do with the boy once he caught him. What should I do? Mikhail thought, rubbing his forehead. What should I do with him….

Even after the night of the fire, the boy always arrived at Mikhail’s quarters early in the dawn to begin cleaning. It seemed diligence was his nature. He wiped the furniture he had cleaned just yesterday as meticulously as if it hadn’t been touched in a month. In those moments, he was so serious that he didn’t notice how much his top had ridden up, or how far his bottoms had slipped down, revealing the cleft of his buttocks.

‘It’s a miracle nothing has happened yet, given how he walks around exposing his body so defenselessly.’

Mikhail muttered to himself, crossing his legs on the desk and leaning deep into his chair. Then, in the next moment, he frowned.

Had nothing really happened until now? There was no guarantee that nothing had occurred while he walked around carelessly flashing that white skin.

A sudden surge of anger flared up. But before Mikhail could stand up to throw his chair or smash something, the boy scratched his dry, frizzy hair as if his scalp were itchy. The sight looked so much like a dog that hadn’t been washed in years that the anger vanished instantly. No matter how much he unknowingly exposed his white skin, how many people would actually be aroused by someone so scrawny and looking like a lost, dirty dog?

After cleaning the furniture one by one from the corner, it was finally the turn of the desk and chair where Mikhail sat. Even when the boy cleaned the chair he was sitting in, Mikhail never changed his posture or moved out of the way; the boy always complied without complaint, crouching and crawling around to wipe it.

As he wiped the wide desk, his upper body leaned far forward. The loose hem of his top draped over the desk, fully revealing a white chest so thin that the ribs were visible, and the only reddish spots upon it—his nipples. One would think he’d be concerned about his body being so exposed, but this boy seemed to have absolutely no thoughts in that direction.

‘…Or perhaps he’s doing it on purpose.’

Mikhail thought, glancing between the boy’s face—whether he was pretending to be innocent or truly was—and his chest and red nipples. The boy, who had been scrubbing the desk diligently, paused for a moment near the tea and biscuits the butler had left. He quickly avoided them and resumed scrubbing, but Mikhail had already noticed that the eyes buried in the frizzy brown hair had lingered on the biscuits for a second.

“Are you hungry?”

When Mikhail asked, the scrubbing hand stopped.

Mikhail gestured toward the biscuits and asked again.

“Do you want to eat those?”

Instead of refusing immediately, the boy hesitated, his tiny lips twitching. He must have been starving.

“You may eat them.”

Mikhail granted the biscuits with a very merciful heart. He rarely ate them himself anyway.

“…But to dare eat Your Excellency’s food….”

The boy murmured in a fading voice. It wasn’t a refusal. Mikhail smirked and picked up a biscuit. Then, he tossed it right at the boy’s feet.

Thud. The biscuit landed at Chaika’s feet with a small sound. The boy stared blankly at the biscuit thrown beneath him.

“Eat.”

At Mikhail’s command, the boy finally crouched down slowly, picked up the piece of biscuit from the floor, and brought it to his mouth.

It was a small biscuit. Without wiping or dusting it off, he held it preciousy with both hands and took a tiny bite of the edge. Crunch. A breaking sound echoed, and his lips moved in small chews. He repeated this, taking tiny nibbles of the edge, each bite smaller than half a pinky nail. Even a bird pecking at seed would likely eat more in one go.

Given Mikhail’s original personality, he would have barked at him to just shove the whole thing in and chew because it was frustrating to watch, but the sight of him pecking at it like a bird was strangely addictive. The movement of his thin, white throat as he swallowed drew Mikhail’s eye.

In the end, it took a considerable amount of time just to eat one small biscuit.

“Thank you.”

The boy bowed his head and reached for the rag again.

“Eat more.”

Mikhail tossed another biscuit at the boy’s feet. Again, the boy picked up the biscuit from the floor without hesitation. Even the hunting dogs Mikhail raised ate large chunks of meat; they didn’t eat food discarded on the ground. Yet, watching the boy diligently chew on something dirty from the floor without a shred of hesitation made Mikhail feel strangely disgusted. Leaning back in his chair, Mikhail stared at the sight and recalled the butler’s words.

‘It is said that no one has ever seen him eating in the servants’ dining hall. When asked the maids in Lord Nile’s quarters, they said he has never eaten with Lord Nile during meal times either.’

‘Then where on earth is he scavenging his food?’

‘According to the maids in Lord Nile’s quarters, the simple biscuits and tea that Lord Nile prepares in case he wakes up hungry at night disappear bit by bit by morning. Since he seems to sleep in Lord Nile’s quarters, it appears he sustains himself with those during the night.’

“It seems your brother is starving you,” Mikhail asked abruptly as the boy finished the biscuit.

The boy quickly shook his head.

“No. Lord Nile is very kind to me. Lord Nile is the only person who protects me.”

“Lord Nile?”

When Mikhail spoke sarcastically, the boy fell silent.

“Usually, one doesn’t call an older brother ‘Lord Nile’ as if he were a master or a superior. Did Nile tell you to call him that?”

“No. It is just that Lord Nile is an Omega, and a noble, and I am just… a Beta….”

In the rambling, incoherent words, the cunningness he showed when avoiding Mikhail was nowhere to be found. Mikhail wondered if the boy was intentionally playing the fool with zero pride in front of him, or if he was truly lacking in some way.

Well, regardless, it wasn’t entirely wrong.

There was a high, impassable wall between Alphas, Omegas, and ordinary humans. Nile, though adopted, was a member of the Lucius family and a precious Omega, while this boy was merely a scrawny, unsightly Beta.

“…Lord Nile… is truly kind to me.”

The boy repeated himself in a small voice, as if emphasizing the point. Then, perhaps fearing that Mikhail would say something sarcastic again, he hurriedly added:

“Your Excellency is also kind to me.”

“……. I am?”

Mikhail asked back a few beats late, surprised by the words. The boy nodded, his brown hair fluttering.

“Yes. You give me important work to do, you lit the fire for me, you gave me biscuits, and you don’t hit me even when I make mistakes….”

Listening to him list things one by one, as if under pressure to say as many as possible, Mikhail’s brow furrowed at one specific word.

“…Hit you?”

At Mikhail’s small question, the boy’s narrow shoulders flinched slightly.

“Who hit you, and why?”

“…I am sometimes punished when I do my work poorly or make a mistake,” the boy replied in a voice that barely rose above a whisper.

“With what?”

Mikhail’s voice remained calm, but he felt a sudden surge of heat rushing to his head.

“Mostly with a whip…,” the boy said cautiously.

Mikhail had seen people whipped for their crimes many times. Especially on the battlefield, those who violated military orders were often whipped as an example. Such lashings always left vivid scars. However, from what Mikhail had seen, there were no whip marks on the boy’s waist.

“Show me the scars,” Mikhail commanded in a somewhat stiff voice. The boy hesitated, unsure of what to do.

“Show me. Now.”

The voice commanding him again carried a hint of anger. Perhaps thinking Mikhail was angry with him, the boy flinched and began to remove his top, his hands trembling slightly.

After undoing a few barely clinging buttons and pulling the top up and off, his upper body was fully revealed—so white it was almost pallid. His frail shoulders, which could be gripped in a single hand, his thin frame, and his supple waist were exactly as they had appeared whenever his clothes had shifted.

“Turn around.”

Instead of admiring the boy’s body, Mikhail gave a short command. Perhaps because he had already removed his shirt, the boy turned around obediently.

Fuck.

A curse nearly escaped his lips.

On the upper part of the waist—which Mikhail had glimpsed whenever the boy crouched or raised his arms—and across the upper back, there were several scars that looked like the tracks of crawling snakes.

There are many types of whips. Those that inflict pain without leaving a trace; those with knots tied in the leather strands to cause immense pain with every strike; those that tear and burst the skin to leave both agony and permanent scars; and those designed to kill the victim entirely….

The one used on this boy was the kind that tore and burst the skin the moment it struck, leaving behind both pain and scars. Scars left this way were so deep they would never fade in a lifetime.

Screech—.

Mikhail uncrossed his legs from the desk and stood up. Hearing the sound, the boy’s small back flinched. However, since there was no order to turn back around, he remained standing still. Mikhail reached out and touched the scars etched into the small back. The boy flinched at the touch of the fingers, but he did not pull away, enduring the touch in breathless silence.

The scars had not been created all at once. One strike, perhaps two, at a time. Judging by how they had healed, they had been accumulated over several months, or perhaps years.

“Who hit you?”

Mikhail asked, looking at a scar that was still a vivid crimson, indicating it was the most recent. It was still bumpy and swollen, having only recently healed; it looked as though it would burst immediately if poked too hard.

“…I was hit because I did something wrong.”

The voice answering was small, but the determination not to reveal who had hit him was clear.

Mikhail gripped the boy’s shoulder and spun him around. Then, he grabbed the small chin—the only part of the face visible—and pulled him close. Coarse, poor-textured brown hair covered half of the boy’s face. Mikhail attempted to brush the hair aside with his other hand.

“Your Excellency!”

The boy, who was usually nothing but obedient, found a sudden burst of courage and gripped Mikhail’s wrist tightly with both hands.

“I… I am… too hideous. If you see, it will only make you feel unpleasant.”

No matter how hard he pulled with both hands, he could not match Mikhail’s strength. Knowing this, the boy still applied so much force that the hands gripping the wrist trembled violently.

“…A lot…. Very, very much. I am very, very hideous.”

Repeating the same words over and over, the boy was now shaking all over. His breathing was ragged, sounding as if he might choke, looking utterly terrified.

As for the hair, Mikhail could simply brush it aside. Whether the boy was hideous or not was something he should judge with his own eyes, and how hideous he was was also for him to decide.

It was a perfect situation to torment the boy. The way he gasped for air in fear, the way he pleaded desperately while clutching Mikhail’s wrist—simply brushing aside the hair would likely have a significant effect if Mikhail wanted to tease him.

“…Your Excellency….”

The boy called out in a small voice, almost like a sob, while still holding Mikhail’s wrist. Mikhail felt a sudden thump in his chest. It felt as if he had been struck right in the center of his heart. Mikhail released the boy’s chin, took a step back, and sat back down in his chair.

“Put your clothes on,” Mikhail said in a calm voice. Or rather, his voice sounded a bit shaken. The boy quickly picked up the rag-like top from the floor and pulled it on. The hideous scars were instantly hidden beneath the rags. The snow-white skin that peeked through whenever he moved now felt irritating rather than pleasing.

Once he confirmed the boy had dressed, Mikhail picked up the bell on the desk and rang it. The butler, who had been waiting outside, entered.

“Bring me my fur coat.”

“Yes, sir.”

The butler answered immediately and returned shortly with Mikhail’s coat. It was a coat made from the fur of a black sable he had hunted himself several years ago.

“Put it on that boy.”

At the unexpected request, the butler looked back and forth between the large coat in his hands and the tiny Chaika. Then, following orders, he draped the coat over the boy’s shoulders.

“Ugh!”

The moment the coat landed on his shoulders, the boy let out a muffled sound and collapsed onto the floor. Mikhail was larger than an average human, and placing his heavy sable coat on the small, thin body of the boy was too much for him to handle; he simply collapsed under the weight. The weight wasn’t the only issue; the coat draped over the collapsed boy almost like a blanket.

The butler gave a troubled look. Mikhail felt equally troubled. Even though he had felt the urge to give the boy something nice, the scrawny thing was so pathetic he couldn’t even accept it.

Mikhail glared at the boy struggling inside the coat for a moment before managing his irritation and speaking.

“…Bring something from the clothes I wore as a child that might roughly fit him.”

“Yes. I understand.”

The butler, looking as if this were an excellent idea, retrieved the sable coat and quickly disappeared outside. The boy, finally liberated from being crushed by the heavy, oversized coat, let out a long sigh as if he had just survived a disaster.

“Pathetic,” Mikhail muttered, clicking his tongue, causing the boy to hang his head with a gloomy expression.

The butler had a keen eye; he brought one of the winter coats Mikhail had worn as a child, and it fit perfectly. Putting a red fox fur coat on such a shabby figure was like putting a pearl necklace on a pig, but regardless, he looked very warm.

“The coat is fine, but I believe it would be better to change the clothes underneath first…,” the butler suggested tentatively after adjusting the coat. Of course, Mikhail pretended not to hear.

“Is it warm?”

When Mikhail asked, the boy stopped frantically touching and examining the coat and nodded enthusiastically.

“It is warm. It feels like summer.”

At the fervent reaction, Mikhail let out a faint snort.

“You may go for today.”

Mikhail waved his hand at the boy, who was preoccupied with the coat. The boy glanced at the furniture he hadn’t finished cleaning, then bowed deeply and disappeared outside.

Mikhail leaned back deep into his chair, crossed his legs on the desk, and sank into thought.

Since Nile had been adopted into Marquis Lucius’s house as a child, the boy must have grown up there as well. There was no way they would have treated a mere Beta who came along as a package deal well, especially since he wasn’t an Omega who could be sold for a high price. It was a place where slave traders of the Empire were summoned, so whipping might have been a daily occurrence. But would Nile, who supposedly cherished his brother so dearly, have let his brother be whipped?

Thinking up to that point, Mikhail let out a cold sneer.

In the first place, if he truly cared for his brother, he would never have let him walk around in those kinds of rags. Even if it were unavoidable at Marquis Lucius’s house, here, if he put his mind to it, providing good clothes, a good place to sleep, and good food would be an easy task. The fact that he didn’t meant he had no intention of doing so.

Things that he would normally never care about were now grating on Mikhail’s nerves and stirring him up.

The white ankles and calves that had caught his eye and pleased him since he first discovered the boy in the library; the shoulders and collarbones visible through the loose fabric; the shabby rags that slid up and were easily pulled down, and the skeletal body. All of it now felt completely different. Every time he thought of it, every time a memory surfaced, irritation rose to the top of his head.

Eventually, Mikhail bolted upright and practically kicked open the door to his office. He headed straight for Nile’s quarters. With his long, rapid strides, he arrived at Nile’s distant quarters in no time.

“…….”

The scene in front of Nile’s door was quite a sight. Whether walking fast or slow, unless he intentionally made noise, Mikhail always walked in complete silence. It was a habit naturally formed from his love of hunting. The servants, not hearing the approaching footsteps, were not waiting outside the door but were instead pressed tightly against it, preoccupied with eavesdropping on the sounds inside.

Mikhail signaled to those who had followed him to remain silent. Then, he slowly walked toward the door.

Slap.

The sound of flesh being struck echoed.

The door was made of heavy, thick oak and was generally soundproof, but to Mikhail, whose senses were several times sharper than those of a normal human, it was clearly audible. Those with their ears pressed to the door must have heard the faint sound as well, as they frowned or covered their mouths with their hands in shock.

‘Do you think someone like you deserves to wear something like this? Do you know how Mishar died because of you! Do you know what happened just because you were born! Do you think you can just hang around because you think you can bear the Duke’s heir instead of me? With that wretched, filthy appearance?! With a body like that that can’t even conceive?!’

The owner of the voice, which was low to avoid being heard outside but fierce and driving, was Nile. That was enough. Mikhail kicked the door. Bang! The heavy door swung open with a loud crash. The servants clinging to the door could not support their own weight and tumbled inside.

Through the wide-open door, the scene inside was fully visible.

The boy sitting on the floor, clutching his cheek with one hand, and Nile, holding the red fur coat with a distorted face. The image was etched deep into Mikhail’s eyes like a painting.

“…Y-Your Excellency…?! This is….”

Flustered and unsure of what to do, Nile looked back and forth between the coat in his hand, the boy collapsed on the floor, and Mikhail. The situation was so obvious that it would be difficult to find any excuse. Mikhail strode forward and snatched the coat from Nile’s hand.

“This is… Your Excellency. My brother suddenly brought a valuable item, so I was merely asking if he had stolen it,” Nile excused himself, his face still not entirely free of bewilderment.

Ignoring whatever Nile was rambling about, Mikhail wrapped the collapsed Chaika in the red fox fur and lifted him up effortlessly. Then, he turned and left Nile’s quarters.

“Y-Your… Your Excellency! Your Excellency!”

Nile shouted from behind, but Mikhail’s attention had already completely left him. His strides through the corridor were large and rough. The boy, buried in the thick fur, squirmed. After squirming this way and that throughout the walk to the bedroom, the boy finally found his position and popped his head out of the fur, taking a deep breath.

Though his face was still half-hidden by coarse hair, it was enough to confirm one reddened, swollen cheek and the corner of a mouth that was slightly split and bleeding.

“It is not Lord Nile’s fault. He is doing it to protect me. He does it because he is worried about me. Truly. Lord Nile is not at fault. Please do not be angry with Lord Nile.”

“Shut up,” Mikhail said in a voice laced with irritation. The boy immediately fell silent. That was a relief. Because if he had said one more word, Mikhail felt as though his irritation would explode and he might do something reckless.

Upon arriving at the bedroom, Mikhail tossed the boy onto a bed that was much higher and wider than those used by normal humans. The plush bed caught the small body gently without any impact. The boy squirmed his way out of the fur, looking exactly like a larva emerging from a cocoon.

If it were a butterfly larva, it would at least become beautiful after leaving the cocoon, but this thing was….

Mikhail crossed his arms and glared at the boy, who looked like a stray dog in rags, with cold, sharp eyes.

Although no killing intent was infused, no human could easily withstand such a gaze from a Dominant Alpha. The boy began to tremble violently, as if gripped by fear.

“……. You….”

When Mikhail finally spoke, the boy swallowed hard. It was a miracle he had survived until now, being bullied and whipped by Nile with such a timid and skeletal body. The sensitive and cautious movements that had first piqued Mikhail’s interest were perhaps his own way of surviving.

“From today on, you are my direct servant, so you will eat, sleep, and work here.”

Perhaps because it was an unexpected statement after such a long, cold glare, the boy parted his lips slightly and then slowly nodded.

* * *