By Zephyria 
In fact, Adrian Pearson, who naturally obtained the position of Crown Prince as the Emperor’s only son, was legally nothing more than an illegitimate child. His legitimacy was more insignificant than that of the Emperor’s distant cousin, and because of this, until he solidified his position as Crown Prince, there were often talks about how it would be better to choose another successor from the collateral line.
Adrian Pearson did not confront this crisis head-on. Instead, he took control of two disparate groups that most people could not even imagine having any connection: the temple and the information guild, and stirred up the country inside and out. The behind-the-scenes maneuvering of a young man who was not yet thirty was quite fierce, and the power of the Duke Grachio family, which was said to be able to bring down even the birds flying in the sky, gradually faded.
It had been quite a long time since the information guild had become virtually the Crown Prince’s henchman. Thanks to that, Lennox, who had grown up relatively quickly within the guild for an orphan who had wandered the streets, had heard the name ‘Noah Hamilton’ quite often.
According to those who monitored his every move under the Crown Prince’s orders, he had a soul-enticing appearance. The Crown Prince, who had mercilessly cut down and disposed of even close friends who had grown up like siblings and even the beloved nanny who had breastfed him, if they were even slightly suspicious, was capable of giving him a place by his side.
Nevertheless, Lennox had never been curious about the rumored ‘Noah Hamilton.’ What good was it if someone in such a high position was beautiful? He thought that he would never even have a chance to get involved with him until he died.
But since some time ago, Noah Hamilton had begun to permeate his life like a secretly spreading morning mist. Every time he accidentally discovered the back of Noah Hamilton’s head as he wandered around the merchant guild building like a haughty cat out for a stroll, he felt a strange itch in his heart. He knew very well that he was not in a position to say a word to him first, so he always secretly followed him, but that was his job.
The memory of seeing Noah Hamilton resting in the rooftop garden with the Seymour family was still vivid. That youthful face, peacefully asleep with his cheek resting on Mrs. Seymour’s lap. Even the shadow cast by his long eyelashes was so beautiful that it made one sigh.
It was a glimpse of heaven and the very idea of beauty that Lennox had seen for the first time in his short life.
Noah Hamilton, who had woken up from his sleep, had followed him and Seymour down in a hurry for some reason, and since that day, Lennox’s life had been completely turned upside down.
If he could, he wanted to ask. Why did he choose me, of all the many workers in the merchant guild, to sponsor? What was the reason he recognized me at once?
He had heard compliments that he seemed to have a quick mind or that his hands were skillful at work more than once or twice in his life, but even those obvious compliments seemed different when they flowed from Noah Hamilton’s lips.
Lennox’s eyes narrowed in a rather ominous manner. Unbelievably, it was a pleasant smile in his own way.
In any case, the first thing to do now was to build a foundation that would allow him to approach him.
Even the genius of the century had to struggle to create a Mana Stone that not only maintained the appropriate temperature around the owner but also monitored the owner’s safety in real-time.
Then, for now… um, I’ll buy both…”
“See you soon, my dear tall young master.”
The shadow of the patron reflected in the transparent crystal ball was a sight that was worth the effort.
“No.”
“Ah, Father. Just once, just once!”
“I said no, Noah Hamilton.”
“You’re being too much. If this goes on, I won’t even be able to dream of traveling outside if I end up entering the Imperial Palace. Don’t you feel sorry for me?”
I exaggeratedly drooped the ends of my eyebrows and shook my father’s arm once more. My father, Count Hamilton, inevitably weakened and glanced at one side of the study. It seemed like I would get permission this time if I begged just once more… But that was when it happened.
“Aren’t you making things difficult for Father? Stop acting like a child.”
“Ugh…”
As expected, the anticipated obstacle quickly made its presence known. It was the eldest son, who, as a proper viscount, had a seat in one corner of the Count’s study and was gradually taking over the family business.
He’s such an unlucky guy. Every time I ask for the Count’s permission, he always interferes like that. Even though he’s a viscount, judging by the fact that he’s always there whenever I visit my father, it seems like he’s separately instructed the servants to let him know when I’m coming.
I clung to my father and sent him one last, very earnest and pitiful look, but it was all in vain. My father refused my plea outright, saying that he would buy me a foal that I had seen last time if I wanted to soothe my empty heart.
I glared at Andrew, who was already pretending to be as virtuous as a pine tree on Namsan Mountain and turning his eyes to the documents on the desk, and walked out with a thud.
I had been rejected by my father several times recently, so no one seemed to take my serious mood as a big deal. Rather, the voices of the maids, filled with laughter, followed me down the hallway, saying, “Young master, you failed again?”
I pouted and stomped into my room as if protesting. Nicole, who was dusting the bookshelf, only clicked her tongue without even asking if I was already here.
“Sigh, wouldn’t it be easier to just give up? You keep failing…”
“Shut up. Don’t you know it’s disrespectful to your master to click your tongue like that? Whose tongue is that?”
“Yes, yes. It’s mine, it’s mine!”
For some reason, my personal attendant never seemed to be afraid of me.
The matter that I had been persistently begging the Count for a few months ago was to travel alone to the Grand Duke Graham territory.
On the surface, the reason was that I wanted to see with my own eyes the Grand Duke territory, which was famous as a scenic spot in the empire before the marriage was concluded. I was burning inside. I had already met Lennox, and I had to start the meeting with Carlisle Graham before Allen appeared.
Grand Duke Carlisle was the only character among the capture targets with whom I had not yet made any significant contact. Of course, I had run into him briefly last year… But that was hardly a proper meeting. Should I have revealed that it was me back then? Ha, no. There’s nothing I can do about what’s already happened. Let’s stop regretting it.
The rugged mountain ranges and towering ice cliffs of the Grand Duke territory, located in the north, were originally considered scenic spots, so the idea of wanting to travel there was not a big problem.
The biggest reason why I was repeatedly rejected was that I wanted to travel ‘alone.’ Does that make sense? I’m not a ten-year-old snot-nosed kid, but a perfectly healthy adult who wants to go on a trip!
It’s not like I was really planning to go backpacking alone. Even though I had firmly promised to bring a bunch of bodyguards and attendants, they still said no. Where does an Omega who doesn’t even have a fiancé yet go on a trip alone?
My blood pressure soared and then fizzled out like a flat soda. Even if I got angry by myself, there was nothing I could do since that was the social value.
“Nicole…”
I collapsed on the bed with a lack of motivation and muttered weakly. Nicole put down the duster she was holding as a pastime and quickly approached me. Then, she casually patted my back.
“Don’t pretend to be weak. It’s not like this is the first time.”
“Tch, you know me too well.”
“But at this point, you’re the problem, young master. It’s not like Andrew is just stopping you from going.”
“…”
“If you want to go to the Grand Duke territory so badly, why don’t you just go with Andrew? Why are you so stubbornly refusing? Huh?”
I subtly avoided her gaze as if I couldn’t hear her. That was the biggest problem in the first place! The Count and Andrew both insisted that an unmarried Omega needed a guardian, and the person they designated as the guardian was none other than Andrew Hamilton, that unlucky guy I didn’t even want to see.
“I don’t like Andrew, except for Frederick.”
It’s like the saying, “Even dog poop is hard to find when you need it for medicine.” Frederick had been away from the mansion for a long time, doing useless things like martial arts training.
He would probably return quietly a few months before the original story started, that is, a few months before Allen appeared in this mansion. Just like he always did.
“The two of you have been a bit awkward since you were young. But haven’t you been okay lately? Why, you haven’t been fighting much since last year.”
“Hmm…”
Nicole’s words seemed to make sense at first glance. When looking at the situation from the outside without knowing the details, it’s true that we no longer exchanged taunts mixed with ridicule, and we never got angry and shouted at each other.