Adrian, who was riding westward, noticed that the magic stone he was holding faintly emitted light not long after leaving the Imperial Palace.

As he ran through the snow with only a thin shirt and a cloak, not feeling the cold, Adrian’s magic stone started making a strange humming sound and began to shake.

Adrian’s face turned whiter than the snowflakes.

While the magic stone resembled a gemstone in its appearance and texture, there is one reason that distinguishes it from other gemstones.

Gemstones created through the interaction of earth, water, animal remains, heat, and reactions are indeed beautiful, but they were difficult to imbue with magical power due to the presence of many other organic substances.

However, magic stones, known as a god’s byproduct, required three specific conditions to be created: the corpses of monsters, unique soil, and pristine water. These three conditions must be met for it to be formed, and if a very small amount of magical power is imbued into it, it is possible to activate the magic engraved on it, reflecting the formula as it is.

Furthermore, magic stones of the same type resonated with each other.

Based on that, creating magical tools that produce various effects was mainly what the magician did.

The magical tool that was given to Carl Lindbergh resonates with Adrian’s magic stone when its owner’s body is in danger.

When his heart rate increases or his body temperature rises, the more it deviated from the normal range set by Adrian, the stronger the resonance.

To make such a loud noise and tremble to that extent meant that there was a significant physical change in his body.

When experiencing extreme fear or actually being injured.

Adrian’s heart started beating as strongly as the resonating magical tool.

It was fortunate that Carl didn’t discard the magical tool he had given, but he didn’t want to know about his misfortune in this way.

Especially at a time when Adrian was not by his side to protect him.

The hot heat emanated from Adrian’s body, fueled by worry and anger, met the cold air and expelled as a steam.

Carl ran away because he was an Omega, because Adrian was an Alpha, and because he couldn’t enter into a loveless marriage. But even if he was scared, he couldn’t hide the fact that he was an Alpha.

When asked if he was happy that Carl Lindbergh was an Omega, he couldn’t answer no.

However, even if Carl Lindbergh were to no longer be an Omega one day, he was certain that his heart wouldn’t be able to stop its affection towards him.

It had only been a month, but it had been agonizing enough.

There was a possibility that one day he could suddenly disappear, just as abruptly as he had come into his life.

He hated it more terribly than the fact that he didn’t keep his promise. 

He had no intention of blaming him if they were to meet.

If his anxiety stemmed from his trait, he would explain and persuade him that it wasn’t the case, and he was prepared to wait until he became completely himself again.

However, if he goes off to a place where neither persuasion nor explanation is necessary.

It was the first time he tasted fear in his life.

Veins bulged on Adrian’s hand as he tightly gripped the reins.

The horse, running at full speed, continuously neighed as if out of breath.

Adrian soothed it with gentle strokes and infused magic into the magic stone attached to the gag1The primary function of a gag is to raise the horse’s head, this occurs by pressure being placed on the gag rein to lift the bit upwards in the mouth. In addition to this, it also puts pressure on the poll preventing the head becoming too high..

Neigh.

The horse neighed loudly and sprinted like an arrow.

The fertile territory in the west.

The reason they gave the land to Thomas, a mere commoner noble, was because it was the most popular among commoners.

The nobles of Heineken did not engage in tenant farming.

All lands were privately owned and people freely traded and leased out farms within the boundaries of the imperial law.

The lord served as the guardian of the territory, a judge, and also played the role of a local magician, receiving respect and taxes in return.

When considering what to do with the territory after the death of the previous lord, who had passed away without children, Emperor Glenn assigned it as the first task to the Crown Prince.

Viscount Thomas, one of the few commoner Alphas who stood out, was originally a knight of the First Order.

His father was a respected teacher at a fairly renowned commoner institution, and since their hometown was also in the west, Adrian chose him.

At the time, it was quite a radical appointment.

There were voices of opposition among the noble lords.

However, they all nodded solemnly in agreement with Adrian’s point about the need to prepare for a world where all traits might one day disappear.

A world where those with traits disappear.

It also meant the loss of magic.

The supply of stored magic stones had its limits, the ratio of Alphas to Omegas decreased, and, conversely, the number of Betas increased.

Emperor Glenn’s greatest task was not how to sustain those with traits but rather how to handle the diminishing number of those with traits. The question that followed was how to maintain life thereafter.

Adrian quickly grasped his father’s inner thoughts and came up with his own insights.

Thomas was a decent lord.

He had a gentle and fair personality.

Being an Alpha and a commoner at the same time, he quickly recognized the hardships of the commoners and offered appropriate solutions.

Those who had lived their whole lives as nobles could never understand certain things, even if they were to die and live again.

If there were issues in a place where many commoners from various archipelagos were immigrating and finally settling after retirement…

‘The ratio of Betas is high, and many Omegas have attempted to escape through this place.’

Adrian swallowed hard.

He could see the castle walls.

The guards who had been loitering near the watchtower lined up in a row and saluted the Crown Prince.

Adrian grabbed his necklace.

Somewhere around here, Carl was present.

He could immediately descend and search through the list of immigrants, but such a hasty approach wouldn’t help him find Carl, who was currently in danger.

The lord, Viscount Thomas, was still in the palace.

Instead, his aide, who was handling the affairs, hastily ran out, but Adrian paid no attention and headed towards where the resonance of the magic stone was intensifying.

On top of the hill, there were two peaceful log houses. The traces of someone who had climbed up there without coming down were still visible and not yet concealed.

As he got closer, the scent of Carl vibrated.

It was a scent he had smelled countless times, engraved in his memory.

Duke Hendrick had said that it was natural for an Omega to have the desire to run away from an Alpha.

It resembled a relationship of devouring and being devoured.

Even Theresa, who was born and raised as a dominant Omega, destined to serve Glenn, reportedly tried to escape once before her marriage.

He advised not to blame or criticize because that intangible fear is something only Omegas can understand.

Adrian couldn’t understand it at all.

Adrian had no desire to hurt Carl Lindbergh.

Whether it be emotionally or physically.

“…..!”

From a small separate building, Adrian heard a voice screaming.

Just like that time when he infiltrated Lindbergh Castle, Adrian leaped off the saddle and kicked open the closed door.

* * *

Carl Lindbergh slowly closed and opened his eyes.

Adrian, with his confident demeanor, stepped into the room.

Was it a farewell?

An extension of the dream?

Was it because of the progress of the original story that suddenly the thought of killing Carl Lindbergh as it should be in the original came to mind?

Carl swallowed his saliva.

Even in the midst of this, he didn’t think that Adrian had come to save him or find him.

It was because Adrian stared at Carl with a predatory gaze, as if he could suffocate a person with his pheromones.

“Why are you here…” 

Carl asked with a bewildered expression, to which Adrian replied, “I came to save2Can also mean “to find”. you.”

All the promises of sticking together through anything, that he would take care of the rest, that he should stay alive no matter what, that he would persuade him, seemed meaningless as Adrian’s head seemed ready to explode with jealousy.

It was because Carl had pinned down an unfocused, burly man.

The man trembled all over as if he would drool in fear, but Adrian’s vision was so narrow that he couldn’t even see that Carl’s irises had turned extremely red.

I didn’t realize that love could make a person so stupid.

He used to think it was foolish whenever his father, Emperor Glenn, would be happy or sad just from the slightest gesture of Theresa.

Unable to hide his restless heart, he could only take deep breaths to calm himself down.

You didn’t need to greet me, but isn’t it unnecessary to ask why I’m here with those clear eyes of yours when it’s already obvious that I came running here out of breath?

Moreover, why are you avoiding my gaze?

It was you who promised to give yourself to me, but then suddenly disappeared.

It was you who trampled upon my sprouting feelings as if they were nothing.

Every expression, word, and action of his became a wound for Adrian.

Is this also just possessiveness?

It felt as if he had become a child.

Is Adrian’s impulse to stomp his feet and ask why he won’t look at him still due to him being young?

There was no experienced and strong Alpha here.

Only one narrow-minded man remained, becoming even more feeble in front of his small and delicate Omega.

This time, it was Carl who was surprised when Adrian bit his lower lip.

He was grateful for him appearing like a prince on a white horse in an unfavorable situation.

But to suddenly appear, wearing such a sorrowful expression like that.

Should I be a villain begging for my life?

Or should I become an adult who soothes a sad child?

He was lost, not knowing which side to align with.

Whether Carl was surprised or not, Adrian raised his sword.

He didn’t want to see any more of their flesh touching, not even for a moment.

As Mahle tried to rise and escape, Adrian swiftly lifted the rapier that had been resting on his hip and struck him on the back of the head.

Thud, a heavy object falling sound could be heard.

Foam foamed from Mahle’s mouth as he collapsed, and Carl let out a startled “Ah” sound, dropping the magic stone.

Adrian fixed his grip on Carl’s arm and immediately released the strength in his hand, glaring at the man lying there as if he were about to kill him.

Then, he looked back at Carl, and on the gap of the swaying fabric of the hem of his clothes, a crimson-stained back came into view.

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