Chapter 50
The aide hastily prepared a guest room and laid out the finest bedding. However, he had to retreat without asking further questions due to Adrian’s cold demeanor.
After a chaotic half-day, they were finally alone.
When Adrian placed Carl on the soft bed, Carl flipped over, uncomfortable with the sheets brushing against his throbbing back.
Adrian had many questions he wanted to ask and many things he wanted to hear, but he postponed them and gently placed his hand on Carl’s back.
He let a cool breeze flow through his palm and slowly controlled his magic.
“
Ohh, hmm
[1]
I don’t know how to translate 아구구. Sorry. If any of you know, please comment down below.
.”
As Carl made an indistinguishable sound, Adrian was startled and quickly withdrew his hand.
“Is it weird? It’s been a while since I used magic directly.”
Holding Adrian’s hand, who was in distress with a face that seemed even more pained than the patient, Carl let out a smile.
“No, it feels cool. Do it more.”
Cool? Is it an expression to convey that it feels good in a roundabout way?
Adrian nodded his head in bewilderment but carefully infused more magic.
“
Ahhh
, that’s good.”
Checking intermittently to see if the bruises on the shirt were fading, Adrian finished the treatment and suddenly turned Carl, who was lying face down, to face him.
“Why are you being so obedient when you hate me enough to run away from me? Is this some kind of strategy?”
Unable to hold back any longer, Adrian murmured to himself, and Carl remained silent for a moment before releasing a sigh.
“Rather than saying ‘run away,’
um
, no. Running away is right.”
The area from the back of his hand to his fingers was red and swollen.
“It’s not running away, but it’s running away?”
Adrian asked, puzzled, slowly wrapping the back of Carl’s hand with both hands.
Ugh
, tightly closing his eyes, Carl spoke slowly.
“I’m confused.”
My feelings, my body, and your feelings, your body.
It’s not strange that we desire each other, but it feels out of place with the way of this world.
Carl’s gaze lingered in empty space.
Adrian, who was right in front of him, felt uncomfortable as Carl spoke while looking at the wrong place, so he brought his face close, and held his chin to meet his eyes.
It was a light gesture, but Carl obediently followed along.
Adrian no longer wanted to use subtle metaphors or beat around the bush.
“What did the witch tell you?”
Adrian easily noticed the slight trembling in Carl’s pupils, and he decided to chase out the witch as soon as he returned to the palace.
“W-Witch? Ah. You mean the prophet?”
“That’s right. Did she impose her grandiose delusions on you too?”
Adrian didn’t think much of her at first.
She lived as a wanderer without any affiliation, but she knew a lot about the Empire and often made accurate prophecies.
However, he despised it when she looked at him with a face overflowing with admiration or when she filled the palace with nonsensical talk.
Glenn was not a pushover who would make important decisions for the country based on her prophecies.
He only let her stay for a while as a favor and repayment.
At least until now, she hadn’t caused any harm to the palace, so they observed from a distance.
“Grandiose delusions? Have you also heard what she said?”
“Answer my question first. What did she say to you? Did she make a fuss as if our union would bring the downfall of the Empire?”
Carl quickly shook his head.
If he didn’t deny it now, Adrian was surely going to do something to her.
“No, no.”
“No need to hesitate.”
Adrian’s gaze became even more piercing.
Why is the knight, who used to mind his own business, only now speaking out so fiercely?
Carl Lindbergh didn’t understand why he keeps getting involved with someone who has nothing to do with him.
“She’s still a young girl. And she’s a child who can be of help to the Empire.”
“Some of her prophecies happened to come true occasionally. But recently, due to her weakened state, she’s unable to make any prophecies.”
“Why? What happened to her?”
“It’s nothing major, she just stopped eating and drinking for a while.”
“What? Hey, that’s not just a minor thing.”
Perplexed, Carl Lindbergh didn’t know how to respond. At that moment, Adrian narrowed his eyes.
“She’s just whining about her loss of appetite and trying to push her stubbornness on others. Just leave her alone.”
Finally, Carl seemed to understand why she had stopped eating.
“Weren’t you with Belfry on your birthday?”
Why is Carl Lindbergh asking about something like that?
Adrian, unable to contain his sadness and anger any longer, clicked his tongue.
“Why should I be with Belfry on my birthday? He’s my vassal, not my friend.”
Birthday.
Did you even care about my birthday?
Adrian, unable to contain his rising sadness, stepped back from Carl’s body.
Carl Lindbergh, realizing his mistake, hesitantly reached out his hand, but Adrian didn’t take it.
The person he really wanted to spend his birthday with asked him why he wasn’t with another man as if he was blaming him.
“I know there are one or two secrets that you don’t want to reveal to me. If you want to keep them hidden for a lifetime, then do so.”
Adrian was serious.
“But if you don’t tell me anything, what else can I do besides forcibly holding onto you when you suddenly say you’re leaving?”
Adrian asked.
How can I hold onto someone who wants to leave me without giving me a reason?
“I, um…”
“Half of the reason I demanded a royal marriage was genuine, and half of it was an attempt to test you. If you were to say that you can’t marry me even if it meant you would die because you hate me so much, I will not force you to do so.”
If it’s really because you hate me…
It was terrifying even just to imagine, but Adrian had to come to terms with it.
It wasn’t difficult to grab and control him.
If he brings up Lindbergh and insists that he keep his promise, Carl will have no choice but to agree.
“If being by my side, which you hate, prevents you from being happy, then it will also bring me unhappiness.”
In the end, Adrian reached out his arms, with a facial expression that seemed to be a mix of laughter and sadness, and lowered his head.
“Was there really nothing between us? Is there still nothing?”
Carl took a deep breath.
Seeing Adrian being hurt by his words brought great pain to Carl.
Adrian was openly saying that he was in pain and depressed because he left.
He was saying that he could let him go, but his whole body was expressing that he didn’t want to.
While he was indecisive, wondering if it was due to the effect of pheromones or emotions, Adrian was thinking back to the days when they had exchanged feelings.
The protagonist willingly showed up for Carl Lindbergh, who was no longer a villain.
Although there were conditions, there was not a single bad thing for Carl Lindbergh.
Although he thought back to the original work and acted on the prophet’s words that he should leave so as not to make anyone unhappy, he definitely had his own hesitations.
The thought that if Belfry couldn’t become Omega, then he should at least be there was arrogant.
Carl Lindbergh just wanted to be with Adrian Heineken, but he deliberately turned away.
He was trying to make the protagonist, whom he wanted to truly make happy, unhappy.
“Adrian.”
Carl softly called out, ‘Adrian, Adrian,’ repeatedly.
Adrian’s eyes, as he lifted his head, sparkled with an unmistakable anticipation.
Why didn’t I realize it?
It wasn’t Adrian who was bound by the setting; it was me.
The man before him was no longer just the protagonist or his sister’s favorite; he appeared solely as Carl Lindberg’s Alpha.
No, that’s not it.
He was once my sister’s favorite and the protagonist of this world, who was supposed to take down Carl Lindbergh, but now he was the man who would become my Alpha.
Carl descended from the bed and approached Adrian.
Even after he left, he couldn’t stop thinking about Adrian.
Many people define the beginning of love as when they care and long for someone. So why not just freely pursue and indulge in such feelings?
Adrian stood still like a statue, observing Carl approaching him.
“I’m sorry.”
Adrian closed his eyes at Carl’s calm apology.
Is it rejection?
What was about to touch Adrian’s body was merely Carl’s instinct, and if he turns his back again, claiming that he wants to be free…
Should he cut off the hand that was reaching for the hem of his clothes and put an end to it?
However, his subsequent actions held an entirely different meaning.
Carl Lindbergh placed his arm on Adrian’s shoulder and leaned his face against Adrian’s chest.
It felt like his heart was going to burst.
Carl Lindbergh’s first heart cycle was more exciting and distant than that day.
“I was thinking wrong. Regardless of the prophet, I had my own worries. I thought there might be someone better for you than me by your side. Then, it seemed like there would be no place for me.”
Adrian silently listened to Carl’s words, even forgetting to breathe.
Adrian, in such a state, was so lovable that Carl hugged him even tighter.
“You kept saying that I was your only omega, but I kept thinking that it was a mistake and that maybe somewhere out there, your real mate is there.”
Adrian also slowly met Carl’s gaze.
It was the same body he had held onto earlier, yet it felt as if he was touching it for the first time today.
“Moreover, this might sound really strange.”
Carl, swallowing his saliva, spoke.
What would Adrian think when he hears this?
Would he tell me not to lie? Would he see me as insane?
“I never even dreamed that I could have a man’s child.”
Carl Lindbergh, as if making a confession, waited patiently for Adrian’s reaction, vividly feeling Adrian’s heartbeat, which was pounding fiercely, gradually returning to normal.