BR 1.2

“… Ron…”

‘Who is it… It sounds like someone’s calling me.’

“.. Ron.”

The sound of someone calling reached him, and his body began to stir slightly. Still half-asleep, Erons whined in protest within the warmth of the embrace.

“No, I wanna sleep more… ’”
“Erons, you have to get up now. We need to get going soon.”
“Huh…?”

The relentless hands trying to wake him made Erons lift his heavy eyelids. His vision was blurry from just waking up.

After blinking several times, he gasped in shock.

”Hic! Wh-who is it! Ah… It’s you, Your Grace.“
”Why are you so startled? I almost feel hurt.“
“I’m sorry! It’s still a bit unfamiliar, uh…?”

Being with a stranger was one thing, but realizing the person who called him was within breathing distance made him unable to help but be startled.

Erons was still in Nike’s embrace. No matter how warm and comfortable it was, he had been held like this the entire long journey. And he had even fallen asleep!

“Your Grace, I’m so sorry! I must have fallen asleep without realizing it. Did your legs go numb? What about your back? Are there any places that feel tingly? No, of course they must be numb. I’m so sorry. I’ll get down quickly!”

Erons hurriedly stood up, repeatedly bowing his head as he examined the man’s body.

He checked meticulously for any soreness or numbness.

But contrary to his worries, Nike only smiled.

“I’m fine. Not uncomfortable at all. No numbness either, so calm down. I’m worried you might bump your head on the ceiling.”
“It’s fine. My head is much harder than this ceiling.”
“Oh my, really? The carriage hasn’t stopped yet, so sit down first.”

Erons stood hunched over because of the low ceiling. It would be fine if the carriage had stopped, but it hadn’t yet.

Worried he might fall over like that, Nike sat Erons down beside him.

“Did you sleep well?”
“Yes… I slept well.”

‘The problem is I slept too well!’

Erons forced a smile and glanced nervously at his clothes, worried he might have drooled, but found no such stain.

Thankfully, he seemed to have slept soundly.

Squeak.

The carriage came to a stop shortly after.

“Looks like we’ve arrived.”

Finally, they had reached the mansion of Duke Debelov, who was said to possess the largest estate in the empire.

Erons’s heart pounded, half with anticipation, half with worry. What kind of work would he be doing? What kind of life would he lead from now on?

Even if it was just menial tasks, it would be better than the orphanage, right?

“Here. Take my hand.”
“No, I can get down by myself.”
“It was made to my height, so it won’t be easy for you to climb up and down comfortably. You’re probably not used to the carriage yet, so you might misstep and hurt yourself. Come on, hurry.”

How could he refuse after that? Hesitating, Erons finally took his hand. Before he even stepped onto the footboard, Nike suddenly wrapped his arms around Erons’s waist. He said he’d hold him so he wouldn’t fall, but instead, he picked him up and carried him down.

“Oh, Your Grace!”
“Don’t be so startled. Now, look. This is where you’ll be staying from now on.”
“Wow…”

The sheer grandeur of the Duke’s mansion spread before him left Erons’s jaw hanging open.

It stood roughly five stories tall. Its width was so vast he had to tilt his head back to see the end, as if a wall stretched out before him.

The mansion, painted in a clean white, was accented here and there with indigo paint reminiscent of Nike’s eyes, adding to its elegance.

Though the slightly faded colors, perhaps as old as he was, could make it look worn, that only served to enhance the mansion’s value.

The massive gate before them bore the Duke’s family crest, featuring a jaguar, complete with gold trim.

The way all these elements harmonized together was breathtakingly beautiful.

“Seems you like it quite a bit.”
“It’s so gorgeous…. I’ve never seen such a beautiful building before.”
“Well, that’s a relief. I’ll give you a proper tour of the mansion later, but let’s go inside first.”
“Yes!”

Erons clung close to Nike’s side as they entered the duke’s residence together. With each step up the soft, cushioned stairs, his excitement only grew.

‘What am I to do? It feels like a dream…’

To live in such a splendid, elegant mansion with the benefactor who saved him. Could there be anything else that made his heart race like this?

The shabby orphanage leaked when it rained. It was so flimsy that even a breeze could tear the roof off, requiring daily repairs.

Of course, that was Erons and the children’s job. Having lived his entire life in such a place, to Erons, the Duke’s mansion was no less than a palace.

“You have returned, my Lord.” As they entered, the servants came out to greet them.

Seeing the unfamiliar scene, Erons flinched slightly, and Nike wrapped an arm around his shoulders

The bowed servants were busy exchanging glances. They wondered what possible reason could exist for someone so young, especially an Omega, to be embraced so warmly.

“Did you accomplish your objective, my Lord?” While they held their breath, the steward appeared.

Though everyone else treated Nike with deference, the steward addressed him without hesitation.

“I captured one. The others escaped.”
“That is unfortunate news. But who is the person who came with you?”
“A child who will reside here from now on.”
“A new hire?”

All but the beta servants gasped and collapsed. The only one who held firm was his target, the steward.

The steward was an Alpha. Just as with Keld before, the lpha’s pheromones were far from welcome to him.

He grimaced in discomfort at the pheromones targeting him, but still, in front of his master, he only frowned and stubbornly tried to maintain an upright posture.

“You’re a tough one. Watch your mouth. Next time, this won’t be the end of it.”
“… My apologies, my lord.”

Clicking his tongue at the steward who endured without so much as a groan, Nike finally withdrew his pheromones.

“Pelson, go and fetch Lelis, and that beta who follows her closely, the maid.”
“…Lelis, my Lord? Why Lelis–?”
“No more talk.”
“Yes. I will obey.”
“Everyone, dismissed.”
“Yes, my Lord.”

At Nike’s single, terse command, the servants vanished simultaneously to their respective posts. The lobby they had packed became deserted in an instant.

Though they must have been a small fraction, the numerous servants were agile yet stiff and cold as ice. They seemed utterly devoid of emotion.

Witnessing a scene straight out of a fairy tale left Erons dumbfounded. And he was utterly bewildered by Nike’s words and actions.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Nike attacked his own subordinate in response to the steward’s question. Given Erons’s appearance, it was an entirely reasonable question. Why had Nike reacted with such fury? Erons couldn’t comprehend it.

“You’ve returned.”
“Fedor, is it?”
“Yes.”

Someone appeared on the staircase leading to the second floor, though he hadn’t noticed when they’d arrived. They wore a deep purple robe and a gold-rimmed monocle. 

His hair was black, but his eyes were an unusual color.

Neither dominant blue nor recessive green, but a deep, dark violet. Those eyes, bloodshot and fierce, narrowed menacingly.

“What’s that scruffy thing? A new manservant?”
“Manservant? Watch your tongue.”
“Ah. If not a manservant, then a maid?”
“What?”

Fedor sneered, deliberately provoking Nike’s temper. “And if not that… ah. A whore, then?”

“Fedor!”

Fedor deliberately chose words that cut Erons to the bone, causing Nike to explode in anger.

A deafening roar made Erons instinctively cover his ears. Loud voices were familiar. But they were terrifying precisely because they were familiar.

“You insolent brat! You need a beating to come to your senses. Come here!”
“Whoa, headmaster, I’m sorry. I’m sorry! Aaah!”

It was a kind of trauma. 

Whenever the headmaster raised his voice, the whip always followed. The same situation repeated itself countless times, but he never grew easily accustomed to it. He shouldn’t have been able to get used to it.

He knew Nike was different from the headmaster, but his instincts reacted first.

It really was a kind of trauma.

When Erons flinched in fear, Nike, startled, rushed to soothe him. Fortunately, he calmed down quickly, yet Nike went on and on apologizing, almost as if he would drop to his knees at any moment. It was to the point that Erons, who had been covering his ears, began to feel guilty instead.

“…Crazy.”

Fedor muttered a low curse at Nike’s excessive behavior. The sound reached Erons’s ears.

And Erons could understand why he reacted that way. For a Duke of all people to treat someone like him, dressed in rags and reeking faintly of must, like a cherished treasure… even Erons himself found the situation bewildering. There was no way it could look good to others.

“From now on, you live with us. Don’t speak carelessly.”
“Yes, yes. So, employment…”
“You will take my surname!”
“… What?”

Fedor, of course, and even Erons were speechless. Taking the surname meant being formally adopted.

On paper, it meant he would become his child. While he wouldn’t be first in line, he would be granted the right to inherit the family name.

Hearing words he never dreamed possible, Erons grabbed Nike’s arm. Erons’s hand was trembling slightly.

Nike took that small hand and lightly kissed the back of it.

“Calm down. Why are you trembling like this?”
“Wh-what do you mean…? You never mentioned anything like this.”
“Didn’t I ask you to come with me?”

“Your Grace… This isn’t right. How could I possibly take your surname? Besides, we only met today. Serving you is more than enough for me.”
“What’s stopping us? I’m taking you in. I’m giving you my name. It’s not any other guy who’s giving it to you, it’s me.”

“If I take the Duke’s name, others will look down on me.”
“What do other people’s opinions matter? If we’re happy, that’s all that counts.”
“I’m an orphan, and you’re a noble. There must be far more eyes on the Duke than I could ever imagine. If I become an obstacle…“
”If I decide to do something, I do it. I will make you mine. Without fail.”

Nike’s resolve was utterly unyielding, showing no sign of wavering. Even the touch of his hand caressing Erons’s cheek conveyed his determination.

He must have fully anticipated Fedor’s opposition. But in the end, bringing in an heir was the lord’s prerogative. Under imperial law, the heir had no say in the matter. Even if Fedor rejected Erons outright, that was all he could do.

“My lord, you summoned me?”
“You came quickly.”

Two women, dressed differently, appeared before them. Lelis, with her elegant speech and slightly more luxurious attirelooked to be in her thirties, while the woman dressed similarly to the maids earlier appeared to be Erons’s age.

“My apologies. I was briefly away… My lord. The person beside you is …”

Unlike the indifferent Jowen, Lelis seemed slightly startled upon seeing Erons. Erons thought she was reacting to his bizarre appearance and hid behind Nike.

“My child. This is Lelis and Jowen. From now on, they will attend to your every need.”
“Huh? Attend to my needs?”
“Yes. You will need a maid or two, won’t you?”
“No! I’m fine alone. It’s more comfortable that way.”
“No. It’s because I’m not comfortable.”

Nike, who had been smoothing Erons’s long hair, planted a kiss on his forehead. The two women, seemingly unfamiliar with such situations, just stared blankly at Nike’s affectionate display.

“You must still be tired. It would be best to rest and have a meal, wouldn’t it? Lelis, go draw a bath. Send the child to the reception room. And you, prepare a place for him to lie down and clothes for him to wear. The bedroom the child will use from now on is the empty one on the third floor, left corridor.”

“…The left corridor on the third floor, you say?”
“Yes. Is there a problem?”
“No, my lord. I’ll prepare it immediately.”

Before their reply was even finished, Nike grabbed Erons and pulled him along. Behind them, as they walked away, the maid’s sharp gaze followed.

“Jowen, come with me.”
“….”
“Jowen.”
“Yes, sister.”

The maid, now Erons’s handmaiden, Jowen, whipped her head around and pressed close behind Lelis.

Nike didn’t see Jowen’s outrageous act. Lucky for her.

Though he hadn’t seen it, Erons had.

Those eyes were vicious, seeming to hate Erons beyond mere dislike.

‘I’ve earned her hatred… haven’t I…?’

Jowen’s rejection crushed Erons. For the first time in his life, he’d held the hope and expectation of possibly gaining a friend outside the orphanage.

Sadly, there wasn’t even a shred of hope that his wish would come true.

The place Nike led him to was called the reception room. Erons looked around in awe.

The orphanage had rooms for receiving guests, too, but this was on an entirely different level. It was hard to believe that they bore the same name.

The reception room in the Duke’s mansion was simply magnificent.

“Wait here until they’re ready.”
“And you?”
“Well, since we’re inside the mansion, I can’t very well stay in my travel clothes.”
“Ah.”

Nike, who had nodded, gave a soft smile and stroked Erons’s cheek. How could he be so adorable?

Nike’s eyes were filled with affection. Erons had merely answered, yet to him, even that seemed cute.

“I’ll come for you once I’ve changed. If I’m late, you may go bathe first.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”

Having bestowed yet another kiss – one of countless today – Nike exited the reception room.

Erons touched his forehead where Nike’s lips had brushed.

“Your Grace is so kind. To treat someone like me so well…”

Though slightly embarrassed, Erons wore a bright smile that clearly showed his fluttering heart.

Stepping into the dusty pit of a room, Jowen didn’t even consider cleaning up. Instead, she huffed and puffed, venting her anger.

“Sis! You saw it too, right? That hair is clearly an Omega’s! And a dominant one at that!”
“Yeah. You don’t have to shout so loud. I can hear you just fine. Keep your voice down.”
“And what about that appearance? How can someone looking like that be the master’s adopted son!”
“Jowen.”
“I don’t want to serve someone like that. Especially an Omega!”
“Jowen!”

CRASH!

Unable to hold back any longer, Lelis slammed her fist down on the table.

When the usually composed Lelis yelled, only then did Jowen, the immature fool, shut her mouth. 

No matter how much they disliked it, they were mere servants. Whether they liked it or not, they were lowly subordinates who had to do whatever the Duke ordered.

“If you hate it so much, get out of this mansion. There are plenty of others who’d jump at the chance to take your place. If you can’t handle it, shut your mouth.”

“… Yes. I’m sorry.”

Thinking it unreasonable to leave Jowen alone to clean the large room, Lelis had come to help a little. But instead of cleaning, Jowen was just taking out her frustration, making Lelis sigh involuntarily.

Even if he was a despised, dominant Omega, he was still the person destined to be her master. Yet here she was, expressing nothing but hatred instead of respect. 

And what had he even done? Simply stood there quietly.

‘I shouldn’t feel pity for him.’

Lelis tossed her a broom that was clearly too awkward for Jowen to use.

“I should go fetch water soon. You finish cleaning. Don’t forget to light the stove ahead of time. You can handle it alone, right?”

Jowen clenched her fists as she was handed a broom as big as herself. Cleaning like this wasn’t the work of an attendant—it was the job of a low-ranking maid. Just moments ago, she had been only a maid, and now, despite officially holding the higher title of attendant, she was still expected to do menial chores. 

Jowen trembled with rage and shame at the thought.

“This kind of drudgery is supposed to be a maid’s job. Can’t you just call other maids to do it?“
”It’s a task our master has given you. Stop arguing and do it.“
“…”

”Don’t do anything to get yourself in trouble. His Grace is our master, but from now on, Lord Erons is also our master. Serve him with the same respect you show others. No, perhaps even more devotedly. You understand this without me having to say it, right?“

”I know. I know! Ha… You must be busy. Go quickly, sister.”

Lelis felt a little uneasy leaving Jowen alone, but considering she had to fetch water and wash him, she couldn’t delay any longer.

No matter how hard Jowen cleaned, she wouldn’t finish everything before Erons washed and came out.

That’s why Lelis wanted to get out of here even more. She hoped that focusing on cleaning would help Jowen clear her head a bit.

“Hurry up.”
“Right. I’ll leave this place to you. Don’t do anything strange. It’s best to keep moving diligently.”

Thud!

The moment Lelis left, Jowen flung the broom aside.

“You think I came in here just to sweep a room an Omega would use?!’

Jowen stomped furiously on the fallen broom, stomping it flat.

With each fierce stomp, the broom’s form crumbled further. Straws burst from the broom, mingling with dust to create a thick, acrid, stifling air.

“Ha, my master? My master… isn’t some worthless Omega.”