By Zephyria 
Earlier, I had been secretly peeking from behind a pillar, so if we were to count from directly facing each other, it had been a week. Allen had been busy preparing for his birthday Banquet Hall and belated Day of Blessing, and I had also been avoiding Allen without deliberately provoking him. It wasn’t like I had been counting, but the reason I remembered the last time we met so accurately was that, as always, my unplanned encounters with Allen were always overly impressive.
Until last year, it was Noah Hamilton’s birthday, but from this year onwards, the day exactly one week before Allen Hamilton’s birthday was ‘my’ birthday, which I would commemorate alone with the System.
So, at midnight a week ago. I had dismissed all the servants, including Nicole, and was about to eat the cream cake I had brought in advance. Unlike last year, when I had to swallow my loneliness while only seeing the frustrating phrase ‘Communication protocol blocked,’ this year, the System had made quite a fuss, pouring out fanfares and congratulatory messages as soon as it turned midnight, so my facial muscles seemed to relax even if I did nothing. I didn’t need any special gifts. I just felt most comfortable lazing around like this with the System.
I was comfortably finishing the cake when suddenly, the door burst open. Without a knock or anything. I was sure I had locked the door, so what was going on…? Before I could even think, an uninvited guest suddenly poked his head in. No, it would be more accurate to say he invaded.
‘For some reason, it’s hard to see your face. I must be mistaken, right?’
‘Ah, Allen?’
I was so flustered that even my voice, which rarely trembled in front of him these days, faltered awkwardly. Allen scanned my appearance, half-buried in the blanket and eating cake in a thin nightgown, and then pulled a chair close to the bed. Of course, all those smooth and natural actions were done without my permission.
‘No, what brings you here at this late hour… without even giving me a heads-up.’
‘I’m disappointed. What’s so important about the time being late between brothers?’
As expected, this guy is annoying… His attitude and tone subtly change when he’s alone with me…
He didn’t know what I was thinking inside (though he wouldn’t have cared much even if he did), and he nonchalantly snatched the warm teacup that I had poured for myself and placed on the bed table.
‘…Th-that’s what I was drinking.’
‘So? Are you saying you’re too stingy to even give your hateful younger brother a sip of tea?’
‘…….’
I’d rather have the sunshine airhead mode. If he’s going to be annoying anyway, it’s much easier to deal with someone who’s easier to handle. Right? Don’t you think so too?
…….
I grumbled diligently, but the System, which had been excitedly chattering away just a few minutes ago, was now just a mute. Before I could even question what was wrong with this meddlesome guy, a nasty chuckle burst out right in front of my eyes. The source of the laughter was, of course, Allen.
‘Ah, I’m sorry. It’s been a while since I’ve seen that face, so it was cute.’
Allen smiled leisurely and reached out without hesitation to wipe the cream from the corner of my mouth. Then, he licked the cream off his thumb with his tongue.
‘That’s nice. I wanted to share something sweet like this with you at least once…’
What nonsense is he spouting? He’s pretending to wipe off the cream, but isn’t he casting some kind of curse again? Before I could even rack my brains, Allen, who had given me one last deep smile, abruptly left my room, and that was the last time.
“The guardian of the most abundant earth, the young descendant of Hamilton, has safely returned. We solemnly declare, with all those present as witnesses, that the member of Hamilton, who returned unyielding even from a lowly place, has today been reborn as true Blue Blood!”
Allen, dressed in the formal attire carefully prepared by the Countess, knelt silently before his father with his eyes lowered. It was the very same spot where I had knelt two years ago to be recognized for all my legitimate rights as an adult.
What were people saying around me as they watched me receive the declaration back then? Everyone praised me for the birth of a shining, Dominant Omega.
“What good is the seed if it’s good? All he’s learned and seen is stealing and coveting other people’s things…”
“That’s right! Ugh, Graham has ordered everyone to keep quiet about it, but how can that be a normal thing? It’s creepy. It’s clear that his manifestation as a Recessive Omega is a reflection of his wicked heart.”
Look how beautiful he is even though he’s Recessive. He was pushed back by the wicked and arrogant Noah Hamilton and had a late Day of Blessing, but surely his shining soul is no less than a Dominant Omega…
Beneath the sharp blades of people’s harsh words, the various words I had heard endlessly until the previous Iteration transparently passed by. Even though the situation was the opposite, it wasn’t very satisfying. Perhaps it was because I knew that they only needed an excuse to spout whatever suited their tastes, and it didn’t really matter who was hanging on the target.
Before I knew it, the most important part of the ceremony was imminent. My father reapplied a fragrant oil with a strong rose scent to Allen’s neck. Allen with his head bowed and my father standing upright. Frederick, dressed in the Royal Knights’ uniform, and Andrew, holding a ceremonial silver cup, stood on either side of them as if guarding them. Except for the somewhat gloomy expressions of the two brothers, it was the same scenery I had always seen.
“For the guardian of the most abundant earth!”
Andrew chanted powerfully, and I also raised the cup I had received and raised my voice along with the others.
“Congratulations, Allen.”
“Thank you, Father!”
Allen smiled brightly and hugged his father. My father patted Allen’s back and subtly gestured to Andrew. Frederick was Allen’s partner at today’s Banquet Hall, but it would be good for the atmosphere of the Banquet Hall, which was becoming damp, and for Allen’s dignity, for the Little Count to personally take care of Allen. Andrew, who would have followed his father’s instructions without complaint, didn’t think of taking Allen from his father’s arms and just stared blankly at my face. Unbelievably, his gaze was like a stray dog in the rain, looking up at people with pleading eyes, begging to be taken in.
Since controlling Carlisle had stopped, Allen would soon try to control someone else. Excluding the Crown Prince, who couldn’t enter the mansion, and Kyle, who wouldn’t be of much benefit even if he was controlled, the one I had to be most careful of was Andrew.
I took a step forward and approached him, and his blue eyes sparkled with joy. He whispered like a sigh with an expectant expression, and after completely passing him by, I reached out and grabbed someone else’s hand.
“I would be grateful if you would join me for a dance. What do you say, Sir Frederick?”
“M-me? Not my brother… me?”
Frederick looked very bewildered and kept looking back and forth between me and Andrew. Andrew’s dumbfounded expression was quite a sight to see.
“Of course, Sir Knight. Shall we dance a song?”
“Of course, I’d love to…!”
My body was lifted up. Frederick, forgetting that Allen, the protagonist of the Banquet Hall, had to go out on the floor first, quickly walked down the platform with the momentum to exhale through his nose. Andrew, who had finally come to his senses, also began to escort Allen, who was being held in his father’s arms, down to the floor.
As the four people with the Hamilton surname stood in pairs, the music slowly began to play. Perhaps it was for Allen, who hadn’t learned to dance for long, but the already slow waltz was flowing twice as slowly and softly as usual. Frederick wasn’t matching the steps and dancing gracefully, but just lifting me up and spinning around. The too familiar feeling made me burst out laughing.
“……”
Even if it wasn’t a sneer, he had every right to be upset that I burst out laughing while looking at his face, but Frederick was rather impressed.
“Is it all resolved now…?”
Then he asked quietly. I frowned and asked with my expression what he was talking about.
“You, you’ve been… very upset with me all this time. Is that all resolved now…? Is that why you’re smiling like this? Can I approach you comfortably like before now?”
“Talk some sense. Upset? Who? Weren’t you the one who distanced yourself and ran away first?”
“Th-that’s…”
It’s so transparent. He wilts again at just one word. Well… I know why he gets so sensitive when it comes to Allen, but that’s about it. If I had to take sides, it’s clear he’d side with Allen, not me. How much more nicely am I supposed to treat someone who won’t be persuaded or reasoned with? I just wanted to tease Andrew a little with this.
After that, until the slow first piece of music ended, there was no real conversation between him and me. As soon as the dance ended, I tried to let go of his hand and step back, but he suddenly grabbed my wrist.
“Let’s talk… please, just listen to me… okay? Noah, please…”
Frederick whispered desperately.