By Zephyria 
The trip to Bartolo, which had been much longer than originally planned due to various circumstances, finally came to an end. After returning to the capital, everything went smoothly. While we were away from the mansion, the capable butler and Mrs. Seymour had perfectly prepared for Allen’s nineteenth birthday ball, and contrary to Countess’s concerns, Allen’s reputation had fallen only enough to be reasonably salvaged compared to the gravity of the crime of daring to deceive Grand Duke Graham.
The Grand Duke didn’t particularly like Graham’s name being mentioned by others for such a trivial matter, and above all, it was because the Crown Prince, who had been actively working behind the scenes on Allen’s reputation, had completely stopped his machinations.
Under the Crown Prince’s secret leadership, Allen’s actions had already been organized in such a way that it was just a mistake made by a reckless child due to excessive greed. Above all, it was said that Grand Duke Graham, who couldn’t properly distinguish between me and Allen, who looked so much alike from the beginning, was at fault. The words of those who were raising such words always ended with the same conclusion. Now that things had come to this, it would be difficult for Allen to form a relationship with someone from another family, and since he looked so much alike anyway, wasn’t it right for Grand Duke Graham to take responsibility for Allen?
“The Crown Prince is trying to swallow you whole. A cunning story.”
After only glancing at the document summarizing the various news of society that a subordinate had organized and brought to him, Andrew threw it into the flames of the fireplace and sneered, looking displeased. I, who was sitting in front of him, sipping warm milk tea with plenty of milk and sugar, held out a shiny silver spoon right in front of his face. I regretted not having a mirror.
“…What kind of antics is this again?”
“Well, it’s probably closer to mockery than antics. Maybe?”
It meant that he wasn’t particularly behind in terms of being cunning, so who was he to blame? Our Little Count wasn’t so foolish that he couldn’t understand this mockery, but rather, he smiled pleasantly.
“I’m honored. I’ll take it as a compliment.”
“You really have a strange personality…….”
He had the knack of not listening to the words he was asked to listen to, but changing the sarcastic words to compliments as he pleased. It had already been fifteen days since we returned to the capital. Tomorrow was my, no, Allen’s nineteenth birthday, and it had been exactly fifteen days since I had seen Carlisle.
“Your foolish brother, who has a strange personality, has no intention of granting any unsavory requests, so give up and go back. As long as I am the Little Count, the Graham’s heir will never dare to cross the Hamilton’s threshold.”
“……Ha.”
“It’s for the sake of the family. You must cooperate, Noah Hamilton?”
The excuse was also very good. Andrew said that with Pearson and Graham coveting me, he didn’t want to see the family fall apart if he sided with one of them clumsily, so he wouldn’t accept any requests for visits from the Crown Prince or Carlisle for the time being. At the same time, he even kicked out of the mansion only those who the Crown Prince had planted, as if he knew them so well. I wouldn’t have known that they were the Crown Prince’s people unless I had known it in advance from the game’s Setting or the past Iterations. Anyway, he was a guy whose head worked incredibly well.
“I understand. Then at least let me go out freely….”
“No.”
“…….”
The back of my neck tightened. Until now, my outings weren’t so much prohibited as I was refraining from them myself, being mindful of Countess’s eyes. Nineteen? No, now that Allen’s status had been restored and I could finally live as my age, I was now a full twenty-one years old and had received an outing ban. It was the result of the Little Count arbitrarily suppressing me with his authority.
“Even if it’s frustrating, bear with it a little longer.”
Andrew looked down at me, who was sulking, with what he thought was a benevolent expression, and slowly coaxed me.
“I sought the cooperation of the temple and investigated old documents here and there. In the end, the physical body is merely a mirror of the soul, and it has already been revealed that there is some correlation between external characteristics and predicting the tendencies of Alphas or Omegas. Then, what about you and Allen, who are too similar?”
Andrew Hamilton, who had lived his whole life more maturely than his age, had a face as carefree as a child about to commit a mischievous prank. Unbelievably, he even looked innocent.
“The priest said that child also has a very high probability of manifesting as a Dominant Omega. If that child manifests as a Dominant Omega, everything will go smoothly. If it’s between Graham and Pearson, it’s better to deal with Graham anyway. In any case, if our family produces the Crown Princess, that wouldn’t be bad either.”
Andrew had confirmed Graham’s true nature as a beastkin during this Bartolo trip, which Graham had been desperately hiding, but he only saw their powerful strength and bestial aspects. He didn’t seem to grasp how tenacious wolves are about their chosen mate for life. If he truly intends to separate Carlisle and I and monopolize me, he should first join hands with the Crown Prince and make Allen the Grand Duchess.
“Just bear with it for a day. I can easily make that bratty Archduke unable to set foot in the capital.”
“Oh, really…”
I couldn’t tell whether to praise him for being so grand or to click my tongue at his foolishness.
“Noah Hamilton.”
His blue eyes chased after the dust particles in the air, sparkling with rainbow colors in the sunlight. However, no matter how brilliantly they shone, dust was still dust.
“It’s indeed a fitting name. All that’s permitted to you is that name, until you die and are buried.”
I didn’t bother to awaken him from his foolish and premature pipe dream.
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Even this ignorant fool, who truly loves me and blinds himself with his own hands, deserved to be happy, inflated with a fleeting blueprint, for at least a day.
* * *
“How did it go? Has the messenger arrived?”
The Countess couldn’t hide her anxiety and kept fidgeting with her handkerchief. Allen, who had woken up early in the morning, quietly left for the temple with a servant. It was customary to avoid the attention of others as much as possible until the complete trait was confirmed on the day of receiving the Blessing. Even among family members.
“…He arrived a little while ago.”
“Tell me quickly, what did he say? Huh?”
It was amusing. In all the Iterations so far, my ‘Dominant’ trait was merely a cumbersome device to highlight Allen, who, despite being ‘Recessive,’ possessed a more beautiful and fragrant pheromone than anyone else.
“He’s Dominant, right? Isn’t he?”
But now, at this moment when I had decided on the end. Count Hamilton and the Countess were restless and frantic, as if their youngest son manifesting as a Dominant Omega was their last lifeline.
It wasn’t surprising that the Countess truly believed that the last chance to restore her son’s reputation, which had become insignificant, was the manifestation as a Dominant Omega, but it was quite unexpected that even my father couldn’t hide his gloomy expression. Why is he, who had never really cared whether Allen was Dominant or not, acting like this now?
“He’s a Recessive Omega.”
“That can’t be!”
“You need to calm down too…”
“Not just a regular Omega, but Recessive? I can’t believe it…!”
As rare as Dominant Omegas were, Recessive Omegas, who had difficulty conceiving and whose pheromone scent was faint, were also very rare. So, while the Count family had hoped that Allen would manifest as Dominant like me, they had never worried that he would manifest as a Recessive Omega. I hid behind a pillar to conceal my laughter.
“This can’t be happening…”
Right behind the Countess, who had turned pale, Andrew Hamilton’s expression, banished from his sweet dream, was also subtly gloating.
“Young Master is coming!”
And, amidst everyone’s shock, Allen Hamilton, who had finally manifested as an Omega, arrived at the mansion.
“Oh, why is everyone out here? Were you perhaps waiting for me?”
“…My dear!”
Allen simply tilted his head, unaware of the atmosphere, and the Countess seemed heartbroken, finally shedding tears.
“Don’t cry, Mother! Why are you crying on such a happy day?”
“Hngh…”
“Birthdays are really great. I’m so happy that my parents were waiting for me.”
His brightly smiling face was shamelessly innocent.