FMY 11

Wow, just look at him shrugging his shoulders like that. Serge felt like he could die from how much he detested those broad shoulders that kept rising in an exaggerated, evasive manner.

“Hah, really…”

Judging by the prince’s expression, it was clear he had made up his mind today.

He seemed determined not to back down with any flimsy excuse. However, Serge had a reason why he was reluctant to get entangled in a marriage, even if it was a contract. It was the intuition that he would meet his death at the same time as he did in his past life. Such a valid and clear reason existed.

The feeling of not wanting to deeply involve anyone else in his death. So, it was also a slightly emotional reason.

And all the various complicated additional matters that came with a marriage to a big shot were annoying, and he disliked the way people’s gazes would be focused on him. Just imagining it was a nuisance. Besides, it would surely become more difficult to quietly get rid of Gabriel.

‘Getting entangled in marriage is an absolute no. How on earth can I refuse the engagement….’

Serge silently gazed at Raphael’s sharp eyes, which conveyed a strong will, and the sculpted face that harmonized with them.

Looking at him again, he was an excessively handsome face. Wasn’t he the very picture of a ‘prince’ from a fairy tale? The image of a beautiful dominant alpha who receives everyone’s envy and admiration at the same time…. Just as he was having such an impression, a thought suddenly flashed through Serge’s mind. The image of him from his boyhood that he had recalled earlier…!

A subtle smile appeared on the corners of Serge’s lips as he instantly thought of a good reason for refusal.

“Alright, Prince Raphael. I acknowledge that there is a very valid reason for this contract engagement you have proposed, and that it is a rational direction for me as well.”

“I thought a person as brilliant as you would understand.”

Perhaps sensing that he was finally about to give in, praises and an expression of agreement for a kindred spirit came from Raphael’s mouth. Of course, the problem was that there was not a shred of sincerity in it. It was like the parent of a young child who says, ‘Wow, you’re doing so well!’ or ‘That’s wonderful!’ agreeing with soulless praise, saying their child is the best, no matter what they do.

“If we have a contract engagement, you will gain the Duke of Arthur’s family as your backer thanks to me, and I will be able to get rid of Gabriel Loutel more easily and quickly.”

Serge ignored Raphael’s reaction and briefly summarized the benefits they would gain if they formed an alliance.

“That’s exactly it.”

As Serge appeared to understand, a strange light began to shine in Raphael’s eyes. But the words Serge was about to throw were a bomb. A ridiculous and wicked lump of gunpowder that would shatter his beautiful plan.

“…But unfortunately, I have a belief I must uphold, which forces me to refuse your proposal. Everything else is fine, but that one thing is a problem. If only that part could be resolved, I would accept your proposal.”

Serge lowered the ends of his eyebrows with a very regretful expression. That kind of acting was as good as his specialty. Because of Serge’s attitude, which seemed to deeply empathize and understand yet find it truly regrettable, Raphael unconsciously drew closer.

“I am very curious about what that belief is. I will do my best to accommodate you, on the name of the Blanchet royal family.”

Raphael sent a look as if he would really do so and leaned his upper body forward again. He looked like someone who had almost reached the finish line.

Hope was nestled in his eyes. Hope that would soon be shattered to pieces by Serge.

Serge lowered his eyes and colored his cheeks red. With a shy expression, as if he were the owner of a body and soul as pure and clean as white snow. He spurred on his passionate acting.

“I am a premarital chastity advocate.”

“……”

“So my partner must also be a premarital chastity advocate.”

Whoosh! Bomb drop complete.

For a moment, a silence flowed between the alpha and omega sitting opposite each other.

Pfft. Serge secretly swallowed a laugh.

Premarital chastity advocate, my foot.

Of course, it was true that this nerd’s body was chaste, but that did not mean he was a person who valued premarital chastity. But if he said this, the Second Prince would be bound by the promise he had just made, even invoking the name of the royal family, and would be unable to move an inch.

Isn’t this a customized refusal befitting a delinquent bastard? In a word, a dilemma.

Serge continued his explanation, leaving Raphael, who had frozen as if he had a buffering error.

“As you know, my family is a very strict Catholic family. You have no idea how strict they are with the doctrine. My father raised me that way. He’s a bit obsessed with the premarital chastity of his children, whether they are omega or alpha. I was taught not to even share a table with an alpha who is not a virgin before marriage.”

Oh, Lord. Serge made the sign of the cross across his forehead and chest. Forgive me for sitting with this dirty little prick, he muttered to himself.

“So what are we to do…? Prince, the Duke of Arthur, whom you so dearly wish for, will never permit our engagement.”

“……”

“I wonder if he won’t just spit in your face for bringing home such a worn-out fellow…”

Serge, without realizing it, continued speaking, turning his own father into a common ruffian who would spit phlegm in front of royalty. Judging by Raphael’s hardened face, it must have worked very well. The omega, acting to get rid of the alpha, spoke even more eloquently, as if his tongue had been oiled.

“You should consider it an honor that I am even sitting here having tea with you.”

His attitude was as if to say that sitting opposite and drinking tea with a fellow who was carrying around a worn-out elephant was a very exceptional thing, and that he would not even deal with anything but a clean johnson. Like a person who only harvests peppers from a clean pepper field raised on pesticide-free, first-grade water, Serge lifted his chin.

“Haha, ha. Haha…! Ha!”

After hearing that bombshell declaration, Raphael, who had been sitting silently with his large back hunched and his head bowed low, burst into a dumbfounded laugh.

‘Success…! This crazy, unhinged laughter is surely the final self-deprecating sneer of a guy who has fallen into his own trap…’

Serge sipped his tea, delighted that the delinquent had exploded along with the bomb in the hole he had dug.

Chattering about chastity. No matter how he thought about it, it must have been a very good excuse. There was no way the prince would fit the strange condition he had set. Go on, try to counterattack.

He became curious as to how a guy who always herded his ardent fans like a shepherd herding a flock of sheep would defend himself here. Of course, it would be most appreciated if he just fell away without defending himself.

‘Soon, this alliance plan, this contract engagement nonsense, will turn to dust…’

It was as if he was already seeing the unwritten contract being finely shredded and flying away like dust in the air. Serge could not hide the corners of his mouth from rising on their own. And he began to look forward to what the prince would say to persuade him. It would be even better if he backed off, saying it was all off. After all, the cleanest way was for each to handle their own affairs.

“Well, that’s… haha…”

But what Raphael showed when he lifted his bowed head was the complete opposite of what Serge had expected.

A bright face, like a sun brighter and more brilliant than anyone else’s.

“Well, that’s a perfect match made in heaven!”

“……?”

“I am also a premarital chastity advocate!”

“Pffft!”

At Raphael’s premarital chastity advocate declaration, Serge choked violently on the tea he was drinking. Even disgustingly spraying out the tea that was still in his mouth and had not yet gone down his esophagus.

“Gack, keck! Cough, cough, cough!”

“My judgment was truly not wrong. To be honest, I didn’t expect us to match on this part as well.”

Raphael, as if he truly did not know what to do with his joy, even took the hand of Serge, who was in a commotion, coughing like crazy because of the tea that went down the wrong pipe, and held it, shaking it. Damn it…! What? Really? No way? That can’t be…?!

As if not even seeing Serge’s pupils shaking violently, Raphael asserted in a voice full of delight.

“To think I would meet someone with the same beliefs like this. Listen, Lord Serge. Are we not all members of the Blanchet high society, raised under the baptism of a priest according to our national religion? But as you know, how natural is it for this country, this culture, to love art and the arts and to pursue pleasure. How many nobles actually keep their chastity according to the doctrine? The high society of Blanchet is truly the height of contradiction. Especially the high nobles teeming with those with traits, it goes without saying.”

He was right. Serge knew well how much the people of Blanchet, a nation that worshiped art and culture and was full of love and passion, valued moment-to-moment joy and pleasure. This passionate social atmosphere where it was natural to add ‘amour’ or ‘ma chérie’ to the end of sentences… As he said, in a place like this, how many people would truly keep their chastity before marriage?

Serge also agreed vehemently on that point. That was why he had never expected Raphael, who was at the peak of popularity in high society, to be a premarital chastity advocate…?!

“And yet, to meet someone who shares the same will as me like this.”

“…Wha?”

“To think you are also a premarital chastity advocate…!”

Raphael’s face was overflowing with delight. It was a face full of camaraderie, like someone who had discovered and finally harvested one pure and chaste pepper in a contaminated pepper field…. Or similar to the joy of a ginseng hunter who had discovered a hundred-year-old wild ginseng…. Or that sly look of solidarity that seemed to say, ‘Hey, you too?’….

“I… I can’t believe it!”

Serge shook his head like crazy, denying reality.

No, this can’t be. I can’t believe it. You, who led around ardent fans and followers like the Pied Piper… are a virgin?

While Serge was confused, denying reality, Raphael drove the final nail in the coffin with a short phrase and an action.

“Look at this. I am a body that has even taken a chastity vow.”

Raphael held out his left hand, took off the sterling silver ring on his ring finger, and showed it to him. A ring engraved with a cross and a lily, symbolizing purity.

“This… this is a real chastity vow ring…?”

Serge picked it up with a trembling hand, like Gollum who had acquired the One Ring after a long struggle.

“Yes. It is a token I received after formally vowing before the Cardinal right when I was a cadet.”

It was real. Just in case, he held it up to the light to see if it was a fake, but it was real.

Serge’s jaw dropped in astonishment. What kind of a crazy bastard is this? Everyone just pays lip service to premarital chastity, premarital chastity, but people who actually make a formal vow were rare. Because they knew how scary and grave it would be to make a vow under the Holy Father and then break it…. But look at this novel crazy bastard…? No, should I call him a chaste crazy bastard?

“I am very happy to meet a comrade with the same beliefs.”

“Eh…?”

“You. You are indeed perfectly equipped to be a companion who will share my will.”

“What…?”

“With this, all the conditions I was worried about have disappeared, so as you said, I will consider it that you will join me in my great cause, and we will conclude our meeting for today. It is not proper for an unmarried omega who is not yet in an engaged state to be in the residence of an unmarried alpha prince for a long time.”

I can’t be faulted by Duke Arthur for something like this, Raphael added with a pleasant expression.

And so, Prince Raphael quickly sent Serge, who was still dazed from falling into the trap he had dug for himself, back home, almost stuffing him into the Arthur family’s carriage.

Leaving only the words that he would write again soon.