BR 1.1

There were two paths to Herenan.

One involved traversing a dense forest where you couldn’t see ahead, surrounded by wild beasts.

The other meant paying an expensive toll and walking comfortably along a safe road.

The offering money was good, but after paying the toll, he’d have to go hungry today.

He was used to hunger, but he didn’t want to starve himself by choice. That’s why Emons chose the treacherous mountain path, and soon he was kicking himself for that decision.

“Hey there, Omega, hold up a sec.”
“Hey, kid, why are you walking alone on this rough mountain path, huh?”

A group of men, probably in their thirties or maybe forties, called out to Erons.

When Erons paused briefly, the approaching group surrounded him. Judging by their black hair, they were all Alphas. Erons, an Omega, was instinctively wary of them.

“Ah, I… I need to get to Herenan.”
“We’ll take you there. We know a shortcut.”
“Ah, no. It’s okay…”
“Why? We’re offering to take you. You’re new here, aren’t you?”
“That’s true, but…”
“Just tell us where you’re going, and we’ll show you the way.”

Even the slightest brush of a hand with ill intent made Erons flinch.

A rumor had been spreading around these parts recently. A pack of Alphas had appeared, preying only on young Omegas traveling alone. What’s more, over ten Omegas had already fallen victim to them.

Their shabby appearance, menacing looks, the fact that they approached an Omega, and the blatantly lecherous stares all pointed to them being the very pack from those rumors.

“Um, I know the way. I can go alone. I’ve been there before.”
“Are you ignoring an adult’s words right now?”
“You young whippersnappers have no manners.”
“Need a lesson to snap you out of it?”

“No, really. I can go alone.” When Erons refused them to the end, one man grabbed his wrist. The grip was stronger than expected, and his slender body staggered.

Staying here meant certain defeat. Naturally, Erons didn’t want to be violated by men he didn’t even know. So, there was only one thing he could do now.

“Ouch! That bastard bit me!”
“Stupid bastard. You’re gonna let go just ‘cause he bit your hand?”
“What do we do now?”
“What do you mean by ‘what do we do’?”

One of the men, who had been watching Erons’s receding back with interest, licked his lips. His eyes, filled with madness, resembled those of a predator tracking its prey. He gave a slight nod toward the direction Erons had run, and the rest began sprinting swiftly.

Erons ran, eyes fixed straight ahead. Where he was didn’t matter. He had to escape that group. Even as breath caught in his throat, he didn’t stop. Or rather, he couldn’t.

“Huff, huff!”

His face and hands were covered in shallow scrapes from batting away branches that blocked his path. The spots where blood had pooled stung as they opened with his violent movements, but he had no time to spare for such injuries. Contrary to his belief that he’d escaped quite far, the men were already hot on his heels.

“Gah!”

In the end, he was soon caught by the group.

“Damn it, the little bastard’s fast as hell.”
”Aw, look, he’s got a cut on his face! I like things clean.”
“It’s your fault you dropped him. Shut up.”

Erons’s escape ended in futility as one of the men grabbed him by the hair.

Familiar with the terrain and aided by Erons clearing obstacles, they saved time. It was impossible to escape those sturdy Alphans after all.

They threw Erons onto the frozen ground and crushed him under their massive bodies. To be sure he couldn’t escape again, the men’s bodies and an even greater sense of terror descended upon Erons. Moisture welled up in his eyes as he realized the future awaiting him.

“P-please, spare me! Huh… Is there anyone out there? Please, save me!”
“Shut up. Who said we’re going to kill you?”
“We don’t kill people. We just want to have some fun.”
“No… Ugh, no, I won’t tell anyone else, okay…?”

Unfortunately, the men weren’t kind enough to be swayed by such pleas.

The ragged clothes, barely more than tatters, were torn off and scattered by the group openly mocking Erons.

Erons’s body convulsed as his bare skin touched the cold floor. Torn clothes meant the worst was imminent. But his limbs were pinned down so hard his bones felt like they might shatter, making escape impossible.

In an instant, he was stripped completely naked. His skin was pale and smooth, clearly untouched by hands.

When the group, licking their lips at the sight of him, reached out, Erons flinched violently. He felt like he’d rather have an insect crawl over him.

It was horrifying.
He hated it.
It was disgusting.

As he thrashed desperately once more against the revulsion, a fist flew and struck him. The blow sent him reeling, his face stinging. The inside of his mouth felt torn, the taste of blood flooding his senses.

Overwhelmed by pain and terror, his eyes filled with tears as he trembled violently. With his last ounce of strength, he screamed at the top of his lungs. Hoping someone passing by might hear, but it was a futile effort.

“Haa, wh-why now… Please, stop, hh…”
“Alright, I’ll stop once you’ve enjoyed it enough.”
“Look how damn good you feel it, you want it.”
“All Omegas are the same. What can you expect? Their vulgar nature never fails.”

The Alpha’s pheromones overwhelmed him. Having grown up in an orphanage full of Omegas, this was naturally his first time directly experiencing an Alpha’s pheromones. And not just one, but several.

He felt repulsed, yet the pheromones were intensely sweet.

He clearly hated it, felt so sick he wanted to vomit, yet a mad thought surfaced. 

He wanted more.

For a moment, the grace of the God he loved felt like an enemy.

With no strength left to resist, he became compliant.

The men began undressing one by one. They all stripped naked, joining Erons, and one man approached the limp figure.

Spreading Erons’s legs wide, the man licked his lips and thrust his hideous thing forward. Then he rubbed it against that intimate place, untouched by anyone before.

“‘Mmph…!’”

The tight hole slowly opened. It didn’t hurt. The pheromones seemed to transform even the pain into pleasure.

Erons squeezed his eyes shut.

Exhaling in ragged breaths, he couldn’t stop the Alpha’s member from entering him; he could only tremble.

Shlick!

He heard the sound of flesh being pierced. Yet, he felt no sensation of being opened up. Even if it was smaller than others, it was still an Alpha’s. Could an Alpha’s thing really feel this insignificant?

“Grk –”

Erons slowly opened his eyes at the man’s sudden, strange cry.

He turned to face the man and saw a sight he couldn’t believe. A sharp blade glinted close enough to pierce his pupil. An unfamiliar piece of metal had pierced the shoulder of the man straddling him.

Drip. Drip.

Fresh blood trickled down the blade’s edge and fell onto his cheek.

The dagger had pierced his shoulder quite painfully; the man collapsed sideways, splattering droplets of blood across Erons’s face and body.

“Th-this is a knife…? Guh, ugh… Dammit, who is it?! What kind of crazy bastard did this?!”
“Hey, it wasn’t us! Are you crazy? Would we stab you with a knife?!”
“Then who was it?!”
“But this… Doesn’t it look like the Duke of Debelov’s crest?”
“…What?”
“Debelov?!”

Who could that be? Even in his daze, the name ‘Debelov’ stuck in his mind. Who the hell was ‘Debelov’ that just hearing their name could make people turn pale like that?

“Hey, hey, Dodo, we gotta run! If Debelov catches us, we’re dead!”
*Ugh, AAAAAHHH!“
”What? Hey, me! You have to take me too!!”

The frightened group, muttering Debelov’s name over and over, hurriedly grabbed their pants and fled the place, screaming. They abandoned their hard-won prey and their wounded comrade halfway up the mountain.

The man struck by the sword struggled to rise, trying to follow his comrades, but the foot of the one hunting him was far quicker.

“I can’t bear to watch this without tears.”
“D-Duke!”
“What remarkable comradeship.”

The Duke grabbed the fleeing man by the throat and lifted him. Though the man was quite large, the Duke subdued him easily with just one hand. His veins bulged as he squeezed the man’s throat again and again until the gasping face turned crimson.

“Guh, ugh, p-please spare me… Gah, spare me, please! Spare me!”

As if his life mattered, the man, his eyes bloodshot red, begged with clasped hands, weeping. He begged profusely. The sight of his feet flailing, dripping blood from his shoulder, yet never touching the ground, was quite grotesque.

“Tsk.”

The Duke, who had been slowly scanning the man, flung him down the steep slope.

“Argh! Aghhh!”

The man rolled down the steep mountain path, screaming as if he were about to die. His horrific screams echoed the equally horrifying sight.

The Duke paid the man no mind whatsoever. Dead or alive, once he fell below, his own men waiting there would handle him.

Turning toward Erons, he felt the pressure and covered his nose with his sleeve.

An intense pheromone blanketed the area. So raw and potent that if a dominant Alpha had found the fallen Erons, they would have ravaged him regardless of his condition.

Rustle.

He moved toward the source of the sweet scent.

The crouched, slender body trembled softly. It was all a young Omega, unable to control his heated body, could do.

The Duke carefully lifted him up. Despite being in the bitter cold without even a small piece of cloth covering him, every part his hands touched was hot.

“Hey, open your eyes.”
“Ugh, it’s cold…”
“Just lift your head.”

Though the tone was harsh, the distinctly low voice, unlike that of the Alpha pack, made Erons slowly turn his head. His long hair fell away, revealing the face that had been hidden.

“…Riman?” Nike’s eyelids fluttered slightly as he fully met Erons’s gaze. His hands, supporting Erons’s shoulders and back, tensed with effort. “You… you are…”

“My body… feels strange… Help me…”

Erons struggled to lift a hand and tugged at his robe, but he seemed frozen in shock, unable to act. The Duke, unable to tear his eyes away from Erons, gritted his teeth, anger rising in his eyes.

“…Keld.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“If there are any spare blankets, bring them immediately. If there are any medicines, bring all of them too.”

The pheromones he exhaled, unable to contain his rage, enveloped the two. Two powerful, yet distinct forces intertwined, forming an invisible barrier. No one else could step foot in, except for the two locked in an embrace.

“The fugitives must be captured alive and brought before me. That one from earlier must not be killed either. Tell them that if even one is killed, the killer will die just as painfully. No, even more painfully than the victim.”

“Your orders are received.”

Keld, having received his orders, hurried down the mountain. His rapidly receding back resembled prey being chased by a hunter.

And no wonder.

The icy killing intent contained within the pheromones sent a chill down his spine.

While the Duke waited for Keld’s footsteps to fade, Erons felt like he was dying. He didn’t know what to do with his aroused body, and the one who seemed like he could help him wasn’t doing anything. In the end, he simply let pitiful tears fall.

“Sniff, help me. Please help me. Please…”

‘… he’s losing control.’

The pheromones coming off Erons were unlike those of a typical heat. Even compared to an Alpha, they were nothing to be underestimated. If there were such a thing as a hyper-dominant Omega that didn’t exist in this world, its scent might be this sweet. On top of that, though he wasn’t an Alpha, it struck sharply and aggressively. He was hostile.

“Ugh… Hnn… p-please… no…”

As a young Omega overwhelmed by an Alpha’s pheromones for the first time, and unable to control his own, the touch of another was more urgent than anything.

He needed someone to soothe his body.

“I’m sorry. Just bear with it for a little longer.” The Duke grasped Erons’s hand.

His body was burning hot, yet his hand was ice-cold.

He drew his face close, and soon their lips touched. He blew hot breath through the slightly trembling, parted lips. It wasn’t just breath. It was the strong pheromones of an Alpha, matching Erons’s in intensity.

Huu, huu.

The kiss was like artificial respiration.

Hoping Erons’s pheromones would subside, he blew his breath into him several times. As the kiss, synchronized to their breathing, lengthened, the Duke, running out of breath, gently pulled his lips away.

“More… just a little more…” Erons, barely opening his eyes, raised his trembling hand.

The quivering reached the Duke’s cheek where it touched. He knew he shouldn’t touch him any further, yet the Duke couldn’t bring himself to push that hand away.

Another deep kiss began.

Losing his self-control, the Duke offered a kiss even deeper and more ravenous than before, a kiss that seemed to devour. His tongue penetrated Erons’s mouth, meeting the one that had been wriggling in place. He skillfully explored, tightly binding the tongue that had only been flinching and trying to escape.

“My lord.”
“Ah…”
“I have brought what you requested.”
“…Yes. Hand it over.”

The lips, reluctant to part, finally separated at his subordinate’s voice. Seeing Keld holding the soft blanket, the Duke let out a sigh tinged with regret.

After removing his coat and covering Erons with it, he took the medicine. Then he placed it not in Erons’s mouth, but in his own. The crumbled pieces of the pill the Duke had broken passed from mouth to mouth, reaching Erons.

Erons, his mind hazy, sensed something entering his mouth but lacked the strength to swallow, merely holding it there. If only there had been water, but finding water easily in these remote mountains was impossible.

The Duke had no choice but to use saliva and his tongue to help Erons swallow the medicine. Rolling his tongue slightly, Erons finally swallowed with a gulp.

After opening Erons’s lips to confirm he’d swallowed, the Duke wiped his body with a blanket. Blood, the men’s semen, and his own vomit had soaked his face, leaving no dry spot. Once he’d cleaned him thoroughly, the Duke wrapped the remaining blanket tightly around Erons’s body.

The medicine didn’t take effect immediately, so it took some time for Erons to calm down. His strong scent didn’t fade easily. Because of this, the Duke had to pat Erons’s back while gritting his teeth and enduring it.

“Ah…” How much time had passed? Erons finally opened his eyes. As his eyelids moved, the surrounding heat slowly subsided, and the Duke exhaled a sigh of relief.

“Huh… Are you calming down now?”
“Yes. Er…”

As Erons regained consciousness, he belatedly realized a strange blanket covered his body and a stranger held him. Blinking his heavy eyelids a couple of times, he saw the face of the person cradling him and couldn’t help but utter an involuntary gasp of admiration.

How could a person look like this?

Centered around a high, prominent nose that seemed to elevate his stature, the deep-set eyes, marked by wrinkles suggesting considerable age, were soft and profound. His pale, almost ghostly white skin contrasted beautifully with jet-black hair and strikingly bright, vivid blue eyes. He was the very epitome of a dominant Alpha.

“I’m sorry I had to lay a hand on you.”
“Huh? No, it’s fine! Thank you. For saving me…”
”Don’t thank me. Any injuries… Ah…”

Asking if he had any injuries was redundant; his entire body was already covered in wounds. Judging by the scratches, it wasn’t the result of a beating by the men.

Just as he thought that might be a relief, the Duke kissed his pale hand and noticed a slight swelling on his cheek. It was a mark of assault. Given the circumstances, he must have been struck while resisting.

Poor thing.

“Child, what is your name?”
“I am Erons…”

The word ‘Erons’ meant ‘love’. Because of its meaning, it was the name most favored by parents. Receiving this name also meant he had been raised loved by his parents.

The Duke, completely unaware that Erons was an orphan, asked a question that poured cold water on the moderately warm atmosphere.

“A name that suits you perfectly. So, what is your surname?”
“…”
“Why such a dark expression? Your surname… surely you must not be…”

Erons clamped his mouth shut and averted his gaze. Most children in the empire took their father’s surname. If the mother’s status was high, they might take hers instead. That’s why every child had their own unique surname.

Except for orphans.

“…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“No. I’m fine. It’s nothing.”
“Fine? You look so sad. I’m sorry, child.“

The fact that he was an orphan was something he especially wanted to hide in front of a noble, so a lonely shadow fell over his face as he said he was fine. The Duke, who had unintentionally exposed his shame, apologized repeatedly. It wasn’t something he needed to apologize for this much, and it only made Erons feel even worse.

“Erons. Would you come with me?”
“Where to?”
“To my mansion.”

The Duke extended his hand politely, inviting Erons to accompany him to his residence. The proposal was so sudden and unexpected that Erons couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

Before he could react, Keld stepped between them. “My lord, you mustn’t! That one might be a spy! Don’t – Gah!”

Keld, who had tried to stop the Duke, quickly covered his nose and mouth and stumbled backward. He even staggered. It was because he was overwhelmed by the pheromones the Duke emitted.

Though recessive, Keld was still an Alpha. Pheromones from another type brought pleasure, but those from the same type caused pain. Moreover, when someone stronger than himself deliberately overpowered him, he couldn’t even stand properly. In the end, Keld knelt.

What he had said wasn’t entirely wrong. It was only natural to be suspicious, since he knew nothing about Erons. But to the Duke, a subordinate’s cautious advice seemed little more than a slip of the tongue.

“…I apologize, my lord. I was short-sighted. Please show mercy.“
*If you value your life, never speak that way again.”
“Yes, my lord.”

As Keld begged for forgiveness, the pheromones brimming with killing intent were withdrawn. The sharp gaze turned back to Erons and instantly softened.

Erons, seemingly unable to grasp the situation, just rolled his eyes back and forth.

“Come with me.”
“…”
“Is it really something to agonize over?”
“I…”
“Hm?”
“May I truly go? To dare enter the Duke’s residence….”
“Of course, anytime. No, please come with me. I beg you.”

The Duke’s palms were covered in scars from countless battles. Erons couldn’t bring himself to push away that strangely desperate hand. For a wanderer facing only a bleak future, it was an offer too tempting to resist.

He wanted to grab it. He wanted to clasp that hand tightly and leave this place together. A sudden feeling told him he shouldn’t take it, but the more dangerous something felt, the sweeter it seemed. After much internal struggle, Erons finally stepped willingly into his grasp.

The Duke, embracing Erons, looked truly delighted. His smiling face glowed. It was a pure, bright smile, so radiant it made one flutter with excitement, even if one didn’t know why.

“Um…”
“Nike.”
”Yes?“

”Nike Debelov, that is my name. I would like you to call me by my name, but since you’d never do that even if you died, just call me Your Grace.“
”Ah… Yes, Your Grace.”
“Right. Why did you call me?”
“I wanted to ask you to put me down.”
“You don’t have the strength to stand up anyway.”
“I’m very heavy.”
“But you’re so light?”

Nike withdrew the hand supporting Erons’s back. He shook the hand tucked beneath his knees a little too vigorously, causing Erons’s body to sway helplessly. Startled by the sudden loss of support, Erons urgently wrapped his arms around his neck.

“Your Grace…!”
“Just a moment ago, you were asking to be put down. Are you changing your mind already?”
“Fine, I take it back. Just hold me…”
”If that’s your wish, I’ll grant it anytime.”

Erons found that smiling face and gentle tone somehow annoyingly irritating. Must just be his imagination, right?

Nike carried him down the mountain.

At the base, the knights Debelov had brought were gathered. They were all Alphas. Their eye colors differed, but they were all black-haired, so it was clear. Their gazes all fixed on Erons. Perhaps it was only natural. Their master, who had left alone, had returned carrying an Omega.

Under their heavy gaze, Erons pulled the blanket up to cover his face. Being held by Nike meant he wouldn’t fall, even with his face hidden.

What had felt waa only embarrassing before now seemed like a blessing.

Ignoring the knights’ stares completely, Nike lifted him into the carriage and didn’t let go even after sitting down. Instead, he pulled him closer, holding him tight so he couldn’t escape.

“Your Grace, I can sit by myself.”
“Your body is still cold. Just stay put.”
“It’s warm enough here, though…”

The carriage was so warm it made one forget it was winter.

There was no heater, yet warmth radiated from somewhere. It was enough to warm him without needing to borrow someone else’s embrace. That’s why he’d insisted on sitting alone, but seeing Nike’s hurt expression left him thoroughly flustered.

“Do you dislike me that much? You keep trying to distance yourself.”
“Huh?! No! I only did it because I was worried you might be uncomfortable.”
“Good. I like it this way. We can keep going like this.”

Keld, watching the entire scene through the half-open curtains, felt sick to his stomach.

‘Hah… you really fell for it. After all that, you still haven’t come to your senses?’

It happened again. Being deceived by a face identical to ‘Him’.

Even after being played over and over, he understood Nike’s feelings of being bewitched by that face once more. No, he understood it all too well.

That’s precisely why it was so frustrating.

Keld bit down on his nails. They were so short they barely qualified as nails, but he chewed and chewed until he finally bit through the skin, drawing a bead of blood.

“Ah… blood.”

After sucking the blood, Keld pulled a crystal orb, lavishly decorated with gold inlay, from his pocket. As he gently rubbed the orb, the gold inlay sparkled and emitted light.

Then, a human voice flowed out: “What’s up? You’re the one calling me this time. Did something happen to the master?”

“Yeah. Some Omega really got under his skin. He insists on taking him to the mansion.”
“What? Again with this?”
“No. I’m not sure yet either. I don’t sense any particular danger, but just in case, could you look into it for me?”
“Got it. Looks like you’ll be arriving after the master, huh?”
“The master gave an additional order. I’ll handle that first before going.”
“Got it. Take care.”

The light emanating from the orb vanished. Their brief conversation had ended. Keld, having returned the orb to his pocket, raised his hand to signal, and the carriage set off.

Clatter, clatter, clatter.

The clatter of hooves racing along the mountain path was deafening. Yet inside the carriage, despite the noise, there was no jolting, only silence. Even lying in a cradle wouldn’t be this smooth.

“It’ll take quite a while to reach the Duchy. You can catch some sleep, or ask me anything you’re curious about. I’ll answer anything.”
“Um, then… can I ask just one thing?”
“Of course.”
“Earlier… that thing you did with my lips… why did you do that? It seemed like you had some kind of medicine…”

The hand brushing back his long hair was warm and gentle.

Receiving such a soft touch for the first time in ages, Erons felt an inexplicable tingling in his chest.

“Your pheromones were surging. Your body couldn’t handle absorbing so many pheromones at once. Suppressing that would have been fastest through penetration, but I didn’t want to touch your body carelessly. Since the medicine was in the carriage, I had no choice but to kiss you. If it upset you, I’m sorry.“

”No! It didn’t upset me. Not at all! But what does ‘pheromones surging’ mean? I think I’ve heard it before, but I don’t know what it means.”

“…What?” At Erons’s words, Nike wore an expression of utter disbelief. “…You don’t even know what a surge is?”

“Yes. It’s never happened before, so I thought my heat cycle had suddenly started.”
“Even if it hasn’t happened, you must have been taught about pheromone surges.”

Erons shook his head. Having only ever heard the word surge, he didn’t even realize he was experiencing one. 

It was only natural. No one had ever taught him about it.

“No, I never learned about it. Do other Omegas learn about pheromone surges? Is it something you have to learn?”

“It’s so important that it’s a mandatory part of an Omega’s education. To think you weren’t taught that…” Nike’s expression grew intensely serious.

Pheromone surges were common knowledge that any Omega, especially one prone to becoming a target of crime, absolutely had to know. Yet Erons had never even been taught about surges. It was truly strange. Why hadn’t whoever raised him ever taught him about surges? Could it be… they deliberately didn’t teach him?

“Excuse me, Your Grace.”
“Hmm?”
“Thank you for saving me. If it weren’t for you, I still wouldn’t have been able to stop the pheromone surge. I wouldn’t have escaped those men either. I’m truly grateful. I should have said this first, but I’m sorry it took so long.”

The timing wasn’t ideal, but Erons wanted to thank Nike before it was too late. If it hadn’t been for Nike, he might have ended up in a terrible situation, even facing the worst possible outcome.

“Sorry? That’s something those beasts should be saying, not you. And I only did what was expected, so don’t thank me too much.”
“But I am grateful. Truly.”
“If you’re grateful, then be my companion on the journey. As I said earlier, the Duchy is quite far. Let’s chat about this and that along the way so it won’t be boring.“
”Me? But I’m uneducated and probably not good enough to be the Duke’s conversation partner…“

“You’re already doing it, aren’t you? Any topic is fine. How about starting with your favorite food? I absolutely love veal steak. What about you?”
“Um… I like bread. Especially if it has sweet cream inside.”
“How simple. Anything else?”
“Yes! Among fruits, I love mangoes the most…”

Worries about not being a satisfying conversational partner vanished as Erons chattered away about many things. Relaxed and talking freely, he was full of curiosity and quite talkative. Considering the shock from the mountain incident, he seemed surprisingly fine.

‘At least that’s a relief. Well, it’s certainly better than him being distressed.’

Erons answered every question Nike asked with sincere earnestness. Nike did the same.

Erons, who’d always been treated like a failure, found this attention both pleasing and unfamiliar. Only a few visitors to the orphanage had ever treated him this way; everyone else looked down on him. This unfamiliar affection wasn’t unpleasant. In fact, it felt good.

Funny enough, whether it was from chattering so eagerly or the swaying of the carriage, Erons had dozed off completely. Seeing him fall asleep so suddenly, Nike couldn’t help but let out a small, incredulous laugh.

“Sleep well, my child.”