OMI 2

A Dazzling Person

“How is he doing? Is he showing any signs of distress?”

“No, he doesn’t seem to have any complaints. He’s a very quiet person. It’s a pity if he’s holding back because he doesn’t understand the language…”

The subordinate guarding the facility was worried about him. 

“He should still be at an age where he needs adult protection. I hope he doesn’t get too lonely.”

Three weeks ago, a report came in about a lost kid found on the outskirts of town. 

In a time of rapidly declining birth rates, not only in our country but around the world, children are especially precious. 

It was impossible to imagine a kid alone outside the city gates late at night, exposed to the threats of bandits and beasts, as anything but a significant event.

The boy, who was immediately taken into protective custody by our security team, had many puzzling aspects. 

First, there was the language barrier. 

Communication was possible as he responded to our questions in a language not spoken in this country. 

Although he was upset, he didn’t cry and was remarkably calm for his age, which made a strong impression.. 

So we did some research and found out that he had no relatives. With brown hair and brown eyes, a common combination in our country, we checked if there were any reports of missing children. But there were none. 

From the time we took him in until now, we’ve checked with all the information agencies, but there’s been no match. 

Citizens are considered valuable assets. They are given an identification number at birth, and entry and exit are strictly controlled, so it’s very likely he’s not from this country.

The biggest problem with this case was that the boy, who had some scratches and was examined by the security team doctor for other injuries, was found to be an Omega. 

Worse, the doctor, with a serious look on his face, reported signs of abuse. 

In addition, the boy was in poor nutritional condition and showed reactions to drug use.

In our country, it is a serious crime to harm an Omega. 

Furthermore, the Goddess has decreed that their dignity must never be compromised. 

This was beyond the security team’s ability to handle, so they immediately reported it to higher authorities.

There is an Omega boy with no family, apparently from a rough background, who doesn’t understand our language. 

It’s possible they were involved in a crime and fled from another country. 

If this is a diplomatic issue, it’s beyond our capabilities and requires long-term observation. 

Even if another country claims the boy is theirs and asks for the boy back, we can’t just agree without careful consideration. 

Even if it’s true, we can’t send him back to a country that would let this happen to him.

The response was swift. A gag order was immediately issued and the boy was placed under strict protection. 

In our country, Omega children are afforded a certain level of security, living with their families in government-supervised areas, unless they’re noble. 

Children are vulnerable to crimes such as human trafficking, and this risk is even higher for Omegas. 

We have arranged for the boy to stay in a mansion in the area. 

He is being cared for by personnel from the government agency that assists Omegas. 

Several of us, including myself, who have interacted with him have been reassigned from our usual duties to protect him. 

The country wants to find him a partner as soon as possible. 

The bond between an Alpha and an Omega takes priority over everything else, an unwritten rule since mythical times. 

This makes it easier to reject suspicious individuals claiming to be guardians, or foreign demands suddenly claiming he’s their Omega.

“I hope he finds a partner soon. Alphas come every day to try to win his favor, but he always just nods quietly.

He never refuses to meet with an Alpha when asked. 

Even without understanding the language, we can tell if he wants to say yes or no. 

He never shows any sign of reluctance, just nods like it’s his job. 

“Has it been more than 20 people?”

“Unfortunately, none of them make him show a good reaction. I don’t understand it, but experts say that when he meets his partner, there will be a visible reaction in the pheromone meter in the room.

There are many Alphas in this country who are looking for a partner. 

A life companion, a destiny partner. Even as a Beta, I envy that. 

Alphas feel incomplete without a mate. 

But the number of Omegas has been declining for centuries. 

Now only about one in ten has a partner.

Of course, there are Alphas who have children with Betas. They do exist, but it seems that their instincts drive them to mate with Omegas. 

Many Alphas who bond with Betas do so after a certain age when they have somewhat given up on finding a mate. 

Many of them have built warm families, and such people also support the country. 

However, Alphas and Omegas are more likely to be born from parents of the same verse. As a country, it was welcome to have more people form bonds to increase this probability. 

In recent years, international exchanges have become popular for Omegas who couldn’t find a partner domestically. 

Stories of finding a partner in another country are no longer rare. 

“In this world, there is only one partner destined for you”. Very few people didn’t look for that one person when they heard this.

“I really hope he finds his partner soon.” 

Although I have only had a brief interaction with him, he seems like a boy who has endured much hardship. 

He has never refused any of our suggestions, always accepting them calmly. 

It seems that he has never been allowed to refuse. 

Being a kid, he cannot form a formal bond, but having a trusted guardian might bring him some comfort.

◇

I’ve gotten used to living in this room. 

It’s been about two months now, although I haven’t kept an exact count. 

I spend most of my time talking to the people who come to my room. 

The boredom is starting to get to me, so I’ve been borrowing picture books to learn the language of this country. 

Right now, my language skills are probably at the level of a young child, but the staff seem pleased when I speak to them in simple words. Surprisingly, increasing my vocabulary has been somewhat enjoyable. 

…I feel that they see me as a child too.

People in this country are tall. 

Even the women are bigger than me. The Alpha women I met were so tall that I had to look up at them from a standing position. 

As an Omega, I’m not particularly tall, although I am taller than the average Beta woman. 

Perhaps that’s a characteristic of this race. Given the language barrier and my slight build, it’s not surprising that they see me as much younger than I am. 

I don’t intentionally deceive them, but since minors seem to be better protected, I haven’t bothered to correct the misunderstanding. Besides, I can’t explain it properly anyway.

Every day I wake up in the morning, eat breakfast, and do some light indoor exercise. 

I thought my body was getting out of shape, so I requested some exercise equipment a while ago, and they even provided me with strength training tools. 

The security guard often stationed outside the door kindly demonstrated how to use them.

The staff seemed interested in finding out what I was interested in, so they brought different things into the meeting room. There were devices for playing music, machines that showed videos like a TV, and many other devices I didn’t understand. 

I even wondered where the power source was because some of the devices were acting inexplicably. 

Through these interactions, I realized that the culture here was very different from my previous one. 

Where exactly had I landed?

Despite these concerns, my routine remained unchanged until one day everything changed abruptly. 

That day, the meeting time arrived as usual, and I waited in the room. 

Although I couldn’t see what was happening outside the door, I felt unusually anxious. 

The closer the footsteps came, the more anxious I became.

The door opened and the person entered, led by the staff of the facility. 

He was a head taller than me, with glossy golden hair and eyes of the same shade. 

Many Alphas are good-looking, but out of the dozens I’ve met, I thought he was exceptionally handsome.

The moment nothing separated us, a wonderful fragrance filled the room. 

I wondered if it was some kind of expensive perfume. 

“Hello, #$$”ASE@##”

Wow, what an amazing voice. Deep and firm, yet somehow gentle. 

I had learned enough to understand the basic greeting. I wanted to respond, but my throat was dry and I couldn’t get the words out. 

“DS##$%&?” 

Seeing my lack of response, he hesitated a bit before extending his hand to me again. 

I had learned that in this country, a handshake is a sign of friendship.

I had to take his hand. 

Before I could think, my body moved instinctively. 

It was a large hand, slender and graceful, yet showing signs of frequent use. Perhaps someone who does a lot of paperwork.

It was only a short moment to think about it. 

Suddenly, heat spread through my body. 

My breathing accelerated. 

The scent became stronger, almost overwhelming.

I recognized the feeling. It had been so long that I had completely forgotten. 

It was a feeling close to being in heat. 

However, I had never experienced real heat. 

Since I started working in the shop at 15, I had been induced into a pseudo-heat with drugs. The frequency varied, but it was much more than the usual once every three months. 

There were always people who wanted to be with an Omega in heat, and it fetched a very high price as an option. Even for an Omega like me, it was a popular option. 

As I got older and my sales declined, I couldn’t refuse the option.

My legs felt weak and shaky. 

I wanted to jump into his chest and cling to him. 

I would be so happy if he could hold me.

I was surprised at myself for thinking that way. I had never felt like this in my entire life. 

Ever since my father sold me, I had developed a deep mistrust and dislike of humans. 

The remnants of rationality within me signaled fear in response to these uncontrollable emotions. 

I let go of his hand and took two or three steps back. 

Unable to stand, I crouched down. 

He tried to rush to my side in concern, but the staff stopped him. 

I was torn between disappointment and relief. 

I realized that if he took my hand again, it would be difficult for me to let go.

He seemed to protest about not being able to approach me, but he reluctantly left the room when asked. 

I didn’t think we could have a real conversation anyway, so it was understandable. 

Soon after, the doctor who had been taking care of me since I arrived in this country came into the room. After taking some blood and taking some measurements with an unfamiliar device, he prescribed some medication. 

When I took it, I felt much calmer. 

My mind cleared and I realized how strange I had been acting earlier. 

Could that have been the effect of the alpha pheromones? 

Even though I was desensitized to pheromones due to frequent use of poor quality suppressants and induced heats, I was still affected. 

The meeting was canceled for that day. 

The next day and the day after that I was told not to meet anyone. I thought I would meet someone else or that person again, but neither happened. I was told to take my prescribed medication and rest.

On the morning of the third day, a staff member approached me with something to discuss. 

They handed me a picture of that person. He looked handsome in the photo, but he was even better in person. 

Pointing to the photo, they asked if I would be willing to see him again. 

This was a first. I had never met someone twice before. 

Before I realized it, I nodded. There was no time to think. 

After nodding, I was surprised at myself.

He arrived in the afternoon. 

The scent was still pleasant, but it wasn’t as overwhelming as before. Maybe it was the medicine I’d been taking since that day. Today I seemed to be able to have a normal conversation. 

We exchanged greetings and tried to shake hands, but the staff gently stopped us. Apparently, physical contact was not allowed. 

This was probably for the best, as touching might make me feel strange again. 

Still, a small part of me was disappointed.

The staff only stayed for the initial greeting and then left after briefly checking on me. 

As usual, it was just me and the other person for conversation. 

I wanted to say something, but no words came out. I didn’t have the vocabulary to start a conversation. 

When I was silent, he said one word. 

“Lumière.”

Pointing to himself, he repeated the word several times. 

“Lumière, I am Lumière.”

Ah, that must be his name, I thought. 

“Lumière?” 

I asked, pointing at him, and he nodded enthusiastically. 

“I’m… um… glad to see you again, Lumière.” 

He was excited to have me learn his name. Even though I still cannot speak clearly, just saying those words made him incredibly happy. 

Hearing “I’m glad to see you” was something I had heard in many meetings, so I knew it wasn’t wrong. But this was the first time I had said it myself.

That day, he took his time explaining himself. 

As in previous meetings, he had already decided what to tell me in order. 

He pointed to the categories and explained each one. That way I could at least understand what he was talking about.

First of all, he is 28 years old. I don’t know if our counting methods or calendars are the same, but he is nine years older than me. 

He has a family of six, with someone older, maybe a brother or sister. Although he has the aura of an eldest son, he is actually the youngest. 

His job was unclear, because that part always involved complicated words, so I only vaguely understood it. 

He pointed to a castle-like picture, so I assumed he worked in a government office. 

As for hobbies, he showed several pictures, so maybe he likes to travel? Or maybe he drew the pictures himself…

Sometimes he would ask me things about myself, but I usually didn’t answer. 

I wasn’t sure if my answers would be understood, so I rarely talked about myself. 

Only once, when he asked me what my favorite color was. He pointed to white and a reddish-brown color. He seemed to like muted colors. 

I didn’t have a favorite color, so I pointed to yellow. 

It was the color of his hair. Why I chose it was probably just a whim.

After that he visited me every few days. There were no further meetings with anyone else. I think it was after about five times. 

There was a small meeting with some staff, him and me. 

After the simple explanations and drawings, it seemed that I would be taken in by him.

I wondered how long they would let me stay here, but it turned out that they were looking for someone to take me in. 

Surprisingly, I didn’t feel bad about it, so I nodded to show my agreement. 

Lumière and the staff had some discussions, but unfortunately I couldn’t understand the details. 

They gave me a device, like a phone or a buzzer, and carefully explained how to use it if I needed help. It seemed that they were worried about me. 

Many staff members said goodbye to me. 

Even though it was a short time, they took good care of me, so I expressed my gratitude. 

I felt a little sad because I realized that I had become quite comfortable here.

The place I was taken to was a single family home. It was very impressive and felt new. 

I wondered if other family members lived there, but it was just him. 

Given his age, it made sense that he lived independently. 

He showed me around, explaining the layout and the rooms. It was spacious enough to be called a mansion, with many rooms. 

However, it had little furniture. Perhaps it was newly built?

With many questions still in my mind, I sat down in what seemed to be the living room to take a breather. 

He brought two bottles of a rather unusual drink instead of tea. 

He drank his and told me to drink mine. 

It was a pale blue color and I thought it was a strange drink. 

But since he drank it in front of me, I drank mine in one gulp. It had almost no taste, just a chemical-like smell.

Suddenly, his hand reached out to me. He wrapped it around the back of my head and pulled me close. 

Before I knew it, he was kissing me. 

I had done it many times for work, but it had been a long time since I had felt like this. 

I didn’t even have time to close my eyes, so they stayed open. Even up close, his face was as handsome as ever. 

I wondered if this was why I was brought here. Right in the living room? You are quick with what you want to do, huh?

As I was lost in these thoughts, a voice suddenly echoed in my mind. 

(Sorry for the sudden intrusion. Can you understand my words?) 

(Uh, yes, I can. Huh? What the…) 

It seemed the voice was speaking my language.

Or rather, his thoughts were being communicated directly to my mind in my native tongue.

He spoke very politely, so I found myself responding in kind. 

(Good. There are various drugs to unify speech, but physical contact is necessary. For an Omega like you, it can’t be used without permission unless you are bonded.) 

This technology was completely unfamiliar to me. 

(How long does this last?)

(About an hour per dose. But even if the drug’s effect lasts, we will have to be in touch again.)

 He traced my lips gently as he said this. 

It didn’t feel bad, but being touched by someone so handsome made me uncomfortable. 

(Wouldn’t a handshake or a hug be enough?)

(That would be too weak a bond. Don’t you like kissing me?)

(No, it’s not that… I’m also happy that we can talk normally, so it’s fine.) 

Being able to talk so easily was surprisingly stress-free. 

I also felt a little guilty about the misunderstanding. 

(Tell me about yourself. Don’t you have any questions for me?)

(I don’t even know where to start…)

I was really confused by the suddenness. 

(Let’s start with why you were at the castle gate. Do you remember what you were doing before that?) 

(I was on my way back from work. But I lost consciousness and found myself there. By the way, where is this place? What’s the name of this country?)

(Hmm. I see. This country is called Padilla. Does that ring a bell?)

(Not at all. Is it a foreign country? The place I was before was called Mauve.)

(I’m pretty good at geography, but I’ve never heard of a country like that. Although I understand that a country is a pretty big entity). 

(I think the population was just under ten million. I’m not sure.) 

I wasn’t familiar enough with economics to give an exact population, but I thought it was about right. 

(Then it’s a bigger country than ours. And if it’s such a big country, I should know its name. The language you speak doesn’t seem to be that of a neighboring country. I think you might be a “summoned one”.)

It was a term I had never heard before. 

In this world, it seems that sometimes people from another world suddenly appear. 

Because of the culture in this country that worships the goddess, these sudden arrivals are treated with great care as people invited by the goddess.

(One day, crossing worlds suddenly… It sounds like something out of a story.)

(Has this never happened in your land?)

(People go missing, but I don’t think they just appear out of nowhere.)

(It’s not very common, but about once a year, somewhere in the world, someone turns up.)

(So can I go back?)

He fell silent at my words.

(It pains me to tell you this, but… I have never heard of anyone returning to their home world. If no one ever shows up in your world, there wouldn’t be a mutual connection… It’s almost impossible, I’m afraid.)

When I heard this, I was more relieved than shocked. I wouldn’t suddenly be sent back to that world. 

If anything, I could think of it as if I had died and gone to a place like heaven. 

Perhaps even an Omega like me could live somewhat comfortably in this world.

(It’s unfortunate that you can’t go back, I know this isn’t much consolation, but I intend to make your stay here as comfortable as possible.)

He comforted me, maybe because he thought I was depressed.

(Also, if you don’t mind, could you tell me your name? You never mentioned it at the facility, did you?)

There were many times when people had asked me my name, but I never answered. 

When I tried, my stage name came to mind and I hated myself for it. 

I lived with that name for four years. I hated the name only because of my job. 

But I didn’t like my original name much either. It was the name of the discarded self.

(I want you to give me a name.)

Before I realized it, I had answered.

(Eh? Me?)

(Yes. I have no fond memories of my old name. If this is a new world, give me a new name.)

He seemed very troubled and hesitant. 

It wasn’t something to decide so easily, so he asked for some time. 

It didn’t need it to be treated as a major issue, a quick decision would have been fine with me. 

Even though I still couldn’t quite believe it, I had come to another world and couldn’t go back to my old one. 

It seemed that my days of being stuck were over and that I would be living in this house with Lumière. 

If so, I thought it would be nice to discard my old self along with my name.

“The next part will be from Lumière’s perspective.”