By Zephyria 
“…Your Highness, you can’t postpone it any longer.”
“Your Highness. The Priests and Sorcerers say it’s becoming difficult to hide the estrus…”
“Your Highness.”
“Your Highness!”
Crown Prince Adrian Pearson was sitting on the throne with a dazed look. This distant throne on which he sat had been his only goal ever since he had gained reason. If he couldn’t sit on this throne, it was obvious that he would easily die at any moment, given that he had neither the Emperor’s favor nor the support of his birth mother to protect him. Even until his old father, who was no different from a living corpse, was on the verge of completely breathing his last, he couldn’t rest easy for a moment. The Empress was a Dominant Omega. He didn’t know what had happened that she hadn’t conceived a child, giving Adrian a chance, but if the Empress had a child before his father completely died, then everything would be over.
This luxurious throne felt close enough to be his any day, but on other days, it felt so far away that he would never be able to have it even if he died.
His father was incompetent. He had simply wasted most of his life indulging in the superficial pleasures that the Empress and Duke Grachio doled out little by little. From the beginning, it was almost a miracle that his mother had safely given birth to him.
He willingly pretended to be foolish in front of the Empress, who hated him to death, and Duke Grachio, who often crawled into the Imperial Palace as if he were the owner of the palace. He had to do so before he could have the claws to protect even himself.
Even as a prince, if the Empress asked if he should take off his clothes because she seemed hot, he had to be chased out into the garden in the middle of winter in a thin shirt and shiver, and if Duke Grachio, in front of a young child who hadn’t even fully grown, smoked a cigar and said he was having trouble because he didn’t have an ashtray, he would inevitably hold out his palm in front of him.
Duke Grachio nonchalantly muttered, flicking the ashes of his cigar onto the palm of young Adrian, whose crown barely reached his waist. He said that it was fortunate that he was so obedient, and that even if things didn’t go smoothly and the Empress’s child was never born, he would be able to entrust his precious daughter to him. Adrian had to smile with a boiling heart. When he bowed his head politely, smiling and saying thank you, Duke Grachio added as if he were doing some great favor. He said that he couldn’t leave a scar on the body of someone who might become his daughter’s husband, so he would have to rub the end of the cigar somewhere else.
Similar or even more miserable things happened countless times throughout his growth. In the meantime, Adrian Pearson’s personality became strangely twisted. Anger piled up, but he couldn’t express it anywhere. He couldn’t predict when and where the Empress and Duke Grachio would find his weaknesses.
And finally, when he had grown enough to protect his own safety to some extent.
‘I’m sure you’re a servant in our mansion, but I don’t recognize your face.’
‘Ah, yes.’
‘Haha, I see… Everyone seems busy today, did you get lost?’
The beautiful Noah Hamilton fell right in front of his eyes. As if it were a predetermined course.
Objectively, the value of Noah Hamilton was at best his beautiful appearance, and subjectively, the fact that his white face, shedding tears, excessively aroused his lust could be added… But it was difficult to explain all the feelings that drew him to Noah Hamilton with just that. Adrian Pearson didn’t want to create weaknesses, and he didn’t intend to create them in the future. So he somehow held onto the heart that occasionally tried to waver uncontrollably, even to the point where he couldn’t control himself. Noah Hamilton was a Dominant Omega. Another Dominant Omega other than Duke Grachio’s daughter. That’s why he was so drawn to him. Surely that was all.
The fact that he was strangely beautiful, the fact that he strangely lightened his heart when they were together, the fact that he felt a sense of peace as if they had been together since before birth… All of it, all of it.
So he tested Noah Hamilton, or rather, himself, who was drawn to Noah Hamilton, from time to time. Knowing that danger would arise, he added subordinates behind Noah Hamilton, who was leaving for the north, causing a commotion, and even while seeing Noah Hamilton’s face clearly filled with betrayal when they met again, he nonchalantly ignored his opinion. He told Noah Hamilton. All he wanted was a canary who would cry in a beautiful voice by his side. There was no other meaning.
…Perhaps he was hurt?
I don’t know. But one thing was certain. The reason he said that at that time was not to hurt Noah Hamilton. Rather, it was to control himself. Seeing Noah Hamilton subtly drawing a line and trying to step back, it felt as if a corner of his heart was collapsing, but he stubbornly turned away from that sense of crisis.
Instead of focusing on Noah Hamilton, he decided to quickly solidify his position. He had to gain complete victory as soon as possible, even a second sooner. If he did, if he completely stamped out his rivals who were constantly aiming for him, he would be able to cherish Noah Hamilton to his heart’s content.
Adrian Pearson’s life was filled with endurance, so what harm would there be if the depth of that endurance became a little deeper now?
And now the summit was within sight.
Duke Grachio surrendered, and the Emperor died. Immediately after, it was a bit delayed due to stabilizing the political situation that had become inexplicably chaotic, but Adrian officially appointed Noah Hamilton as his fiancé only after all situations were perfectly safe. He intended to officially announce the Emperor’s death as soon as he returned to the capital after his journey, hold a Royal Wedding with Noah, and celebrate his coronation together…
“Your Highness. I regret to inform you… Young Master Hamilton…”
“……”
The loyal knight who had served him for quite some time spoke with a tense expression. Until a few weeks ago, anyone who dared to utter such words in his presence would have been cut down with a single stroke, but now he didn’t even have the energy to do that. He didn’t know how many people he had worn out just to find one person. Of course, the first to be worn out was himself. He wasn’t even worried that Duke Grachio or the Empress would take advantage of this opportunity to do something. Everyone, except him… really everyone…
“He’s already gone. Let him go.”
Because they were saying that Noah Hamilton was dead.
“……”
Noah Hamilton was dead. It was something Adrian couldn’t believe or want to believe, but seeing everyone saying it in unison, it seemed objectively plausible. The body had not yet been found. Searching the bottom of the steep cliff was also difficult. There had been heavy rain twice in the meantime. Even if there had been a body or traces, they would have been washed away long ago.
“Please ascend to the throne now. It is dangerous to leave the throne vacant any longer. We have received news that the Empress is already in contact with Prince Aaron, the late Emperor’s younger brother.”
Adrian Pearson was still listening to his subordinate’s report blankly. Listening and letting it flow out of one ear. He didn’t know anymore. He thought it would be better if the Empress started a rebellion with his uncle Aaron. Then his head would naturally fall off, wouldn’t it? Noah Hamilton was dead. He, why… why…
‘Don’t be afraid. I promise. No one in this empire can harm you in my arms.’
He told him not to worry. He directly made the absurd statement that he would protect him. Even in the midst of all that, he thought his frightened white face was pretty. He was thinking about how he wanted to kiss that cheek.
He shouldn’t have done that. He was the one who was protected.
Adrian made a scene in front of the cliff, saying that if the search was difficult, he would go down himself, and was dragged away by his escort knights. He also collapsed several times from urging people on without eating or sleeping, saying he would find Noah’s body. By the time the news that the Crown Prince, who was no different from the Emperor, had fainted was conveyed outside the Imperial Palace for the third or fourth time, Little Count Hamilton had come to see him in person.
‘…Your Highness. Please annul the engagement.’
‘What, that’s ridiculous.’
‘How dare I, as a subject, commit such disloyalty? Noah, my brother… is not qualified to be the Crown Princess. To cause such concern to Your Highness. If you permit it… I would like to quietly perform the ceremony according to family law.’
Little Count, who was saying those words, looked no different from a mangy colt, and didn’t seem to be much different from the Crown Prince.
Adrian threw the paperweight on the desk at Little Count. Even though his forehead was torn and his handsome face was covered in blood, Little Count did not back down. Adrian placed Little Count, who was grieving over the loss of his brother, under house arrest. Even if he was dead, even if he was truly dead… Noah Hamilton had to be buried in the Imperial Palace as his spouse. He had no intention of yielding at all.