RODH Chapter 10

10.

Oh, dear heavens.

I silently hoped that Tristan’s inner thoughts were true—his greed practically falling into my lap like a ripe pumpkin rolling off the vine.

“Hm? Ian, what’s wrong? Don’t tell me you’re sulking because I said you looked plain?”

“It’s not that,” I replied, purposely sounding grumpy.

As he touched my shoulder, I caught another glimpse of his thoughts.

‘Stupid brat. Your days of luxury will end in a month.’

So, he planned to act within the month.

Feigning naivety, I decided to prod further by spouting nonsense.

“Do you think I should try wearing those tight pants that are trending among young lords these days?”

“The Crown Prince does love flashy things, as you said.”

“Brother, you’re so wise. I wish I could be more like you.”

Tristan, pleased by the flattery, began dropping hints.

They had already secured a fair number of private soldiers, though it seemed someone was holding them back from taking immediate action.

If only I could identify that person and sway them first, I might be able to protect House Ruben.

Tristan placed a hand on my shoulder and said, “Don’t forget what I told you, Ian. When you become Crown Princess, I’ll visit you often.”

‘Though your head will roll before that happens.’

At the mention of my head rolling, I choked, coughing violently as if something had lodged in my throat.

Tristan patted my back. “Ian, are you okay?”

‘What an idiot. Ha… If only I’d been born as the son of this house.’

Wake up, you bastard. That’ll never happen, not even if you were reborn.

Wiping the tears that accompanied my coughing fit, I muttered, “Yeah, I’m fine… cough, cough.”

“How could someone so frail become Crown Princess? No, this won’t do. Starting today, you’ll eat 300 grams more meat at every meal.”

‘Even if you’re going to die, it’s better to die on a full stomach, isn’t it?’

His continued mockery made me glare at him instinctively.

Noticing my sharp gaze, Tristan gave me a questioning look.

“Ian, are you upset by what I said? I’m sorry. I’ll apologize.”

I quickly masked my irritation with a bright, disarming smile.

“No, it’s fine. Actually, I want to hear more from you. I heard there’s been a sudden monster outbreak in the south. Is that true?”

At the edge of the fertile plains in the southeastern region lay Tristan’s family estate, the Count of Gillart.

“Yes. Apparently, some farmers accidentally disturbed a lair, and the monsters went berserk. Many villagers were injured or killed.”

“That’s awful. How did you handle the monsters?”

“Well…” Tristan trailed off, and his thoughts spilled out once again.

‘If it weren’t for our private soldiers, we wouldn’t have been able to handle it. And Dmitri Marchioness’s elite troops played a crucial role, too.’

Dmitri Marchioness was behind it.

The revelation made my eyes twitch involuntarily.

So that’s why Seor ordered me to be killed more brutally—to win favor with the emperor?

One way or another, Seor was a bastard.

And Tristan? A vile bastard.

From a distance, I saw Bain waving his hand.

It was a signal that the imperial etiquette tutor was about to arrive.

I grabbed Tristan’s hands tightly, catching him off guard.

His face softened slightly.

“Brother, thank you so much. There’s probably no one who cares about me as much as you do.”

“…We’re the only cousins we have. It’s fine. I’ll give you any advice you need.”

At the same time, his thoughts whispered faintly.

‘Still, it’s a shame this beautiful omega will lose his head.’

Even in the end, Tristan couldn’t see me as a person.

But I didn’t feel bitter about it.

The truth revealed by the Dragon’s Tear cut into my heart like daggers, but it was an undeniable reality.

A reality I couldn’t escape.

“Well then, I’ll be heading to class now,” I said.

“All right, Ian.”

With that short farewell, I walked away, sticking to the shadows.

How could I bring down the Gillart estate?

Treason charges seemed like the best option.

I wanted to resolve this swiftly and cleanly.

As much as I felt a cruel desire for vengeance, this wasn’t something I could handle emotionally. Destroying an estate meant more than just taking down a household.

The many employees within would also be dragged to their deaths, accused of serving a treasonous master.

And some wouldn’t even get the “luxury” of a trial—they’d be slaughtered like animals.

Tears welled up in my eyes.

Why was I crying?

Was it because I remembered the innocent people unjustly dragged to their deaths in my past life?

Once the emotions rose, they refused to subside.

Knowing Bain was watching from afar, I didn’t want to worry him, so I kept my gaze fixed on the ground as I walked.

Tears fell silently, disappearing into the grass below.

Sometimes, I wished I could share this secret with someone. But this was a burden only I, living my fifth life, could bear.

‘Are you already losing your resolve, Ian Pearl Ruben? It’s only been a few days since you vowed to start anew.’

As I reprimanded myself, the sound of fabric tearing startled me, and I looked up.

Standing before me was Grand Duke Kirias.

“Why are you…?”

Without a word, he handed me a piece of torn fabric.

It took me a moment to realize what it was—one of his sleeves had been ripped.

I took it from him hesitantly.

The cloth carried a familiar scent of fresh laundry mixed with a pleasant herbal fragrance.

The aroma was so inviting that I instinctively brought the fabric closer to my nose and took a deep breath.

“It’s for wiping your tears,” he said.

“Ah.”

Only then did I realize the scent was from Kirias’s pheromones, and I felt a wave of embarrassment.

Hurriedly, I used the cloth to dry my tears.

The fabric absorbed every tear as if it had been made for that purpose.

If only it could take away the wounds in my heart as well—but that would be asking too much.

“Well then,” Kirias said, turning to leave as if nothing had happened.

I held up the jewel-encrusted fabric, which had been torn along with his cuff, and called out, “You know, giving jewels is something reserved for lovers, Grand Duke Kirias.”

“…”

His ears flushed red, just as they had during his slip of the tongue on my coming-of-age day.

Looking closer, even his pale cheeks carried a faint blush.

That night, I hadn’t been able to take in all the details, distracted by his striking features under the dim light. But now, in the spring sunlight, his silver hair glistened, and his sharp crimson eyes shone with an otherworldly brilliance.

He looked like a masterpiece crafted by the meticulous hands of the gods.

His lithe yet toned frame, visible beneath his shirt, hinted at the rugged strength of a northerner despite his graceful demeanor.

Breaking the silence, Kirias extended his hand.

“Then, will you return it?”

“Taking back what you’ve given isn’t proper etiquette,” I replied.

“…”

“Don’t feel bad about it. I’ll just consider it a gift.”

“But Lord Ruben, you are the Crown Prince’s…”

“Don’t bring up that bastard—uh, I mean…”

“…”

“Please pretend you didn’t hear that.”

“…”

For a moment, I thought I saw the corners of Kirias’s lips twitch upward.

Was he smiling?

I tried to study his expression, but his face was maddeningly unreadable.

Now that I thought about it, another northerner who had visited House Ruben had the same expressionless face.

“Are all northerners like this?”

“Like what?”

“Hard to read.”

“Northerners consider displaying emotions to be shameful. I apologize if it caused any misunderstanding….”

“No need to apologize. If anything, Your Grace, you seem to apologize far too often.”

“Do I?”

“…”

“…”

The prolonged silence grew suffocating.

That’s when an annoyingly familiar voice interrupted.

“Ian Pearl Ruben.”

“Your Highness, Seor.”

Kirias greeted him first, but Seor ignored the gesture and turned his attention to me.

“Why were you crying?”

“Crying? Me?”

Seor pulled out a handkerchief from his breast pocket, his expression full of unspoken words.

The same handkerchief I once so desperately wanted now fluttered before me.

“Use it.”

“I’ve already wiped my tears.”

By then, I had already regained my composure. The determination to protect House Ruben had steeled me, acting as a shield against further tears.

Seor glanced at the cloth in my hand and commanded, “If you won’t take mine, return that to the Grand Duke.”

“Why should I?”

It wasn’t like Kirias would reuse it—he’d likely discard it. Besides, the cloth smelled lovely, like potpourri, and I didn’t want to give it up.

And truth be told, Seor’s demand only made me more stubborn.

“Ian Pearl Ruben, do you think this situation is just a coincidence? From where I stand, it seems awfully suspicious.”

“It’s not what Your Highness thinks. The Grand Duke merely…”

“The Grand Duke, huh? When did you two get so close?”

“What else am I supposed to call him? Would you rather I refer to him as ‘the Jewel of Kirias,’ like everyone else?”

Kirias interjected with a curious look.

“Was I known as the Jewel of Kirias?”