Chapter 73: Sweetness in a Glass Cup.

The appearance changed, not just with slightly increased height and dark brown eyes. The balance that was subtly off seemed to be matched. In terms of sculpture, one could say the form became a bit better defined.

“Some people might not recognize me.”

Those who saw me a few days ago might tilt their heads, and those who remember me from a few years ago might just pass by.

“Well.”

Although the King’s Brother, who has been watching me all along, didn’t agree with my words.

“Because it’s hard for me to imagine not recognizing you.”

At the words saying he couldn’t agree, I blinked my eyes.

“Pretty.”

He naturally kissed the corner of my eye. Suddenly, the memory of my frantic obsession with his eyes came to mind, making the tips of my ears turn red.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

This time he asked after kissing that very reddened ear. The change in him, who always hesitated and couldn’t touch me, approached vividly. But the bigger change was myself accepting it. It was more perplexing that his touch didn’t feel awkward.

“I prepared something.”

At his words accompanied by an eye-smile, I took my eyes off the mirror. I even thought my appearance changing a little wasn’t such a big deal.

Although it wouldn’t be true. Counseling customers directly as a jewelry shop manager would be impossible now. Even more so since I can’t control pheromones properly.

Still, I wasn’t despairing. Probably because there is someone by my side who still looks at me as a valuable person.

On the table were a thick glass cup, pot, filter cloth, ceramic dripper, drip server, etc. And condensed milk too.

I didn’t have time to be surprised by the familiar ingredients and tools. After seating me, the King’s Brother started brewing coffee himself. His hand movement brewing coffee seemed quite familiar, just like when he brewed tea.

“Did you, practice?”

Before long, Cafe Bonbon was placed in front of me. The glass cup held hot coffee without any sign of breaking. Condensed milk covered it pleasantly.

“Because I wanted to look good to you.”

At the direct and honest words, my ears felt like they would heat up again.

Heat-resistant glass was the result of exhausted mages taking a brief detour when synthetic diamond research made little progress. Since they succeeded in creating a chamber capable of withstanding high temperature and pressure, they applied that achievement to other fields. Glass made by melting quartz, i.e., crystal, at a temperature over 1,800°C and solidifying it again was exactly quartz glass, a type of heat-resistant glass.

They reported it as an invention helpful to the King’s Brother who owns a crystal mine, and one of those prototypes was placed in front of me now.

I habitually tried to recall the price of quartz glass cups, which were expensive even on Earth, but soon erased the thought. The sweet yet bitter taste replaced useless thoughts.

“Is it delicious?”

“Yes.”

His finger wiped my upper lip. Licking the condensed milk on his finger, he frowned with one eye. The familiar sensation and the expression reminding me of when he was still a boy made me, who hadn’t fully accepted the change between us, smile.

“Is it still sweet for your taste, Duke?”

“Correct.”

“It’s just right for my taste.”

“That’s a relief.”

Even saying it’s sweet, every time condensed milk got on my lips, he wiped it with his finger and tasted it.

“What do you think about making another cup for yourself?”

When I spoke adding rebuke to embarrassment, he laughed like a mischievous boy hiding a small plot.

“Next time.”

His finger rubbed my lips once again. A little longer this time.

“Next time, I hope you make it for me.”

It was still hot summer. But after this season passes, autumn will come, and at the end of that autumn, the King’s Brother’s Rut will arrive.

He, who used to loathe himself, spoke of the Rut with a much more relaxed face now. Not because he wants me to be his partner then, but hoping I would visit him with sweet coffee after he endures that time.

I always gave him messy mixed coffee. I hoped I wouldn’t do that this time. Like this coffee he gave me.

I quietly watched the condensed milk melting into the coffee like a shooting star crossing the night sky.

“You should rest now.”

“I just woke up.”

I only drank a cup of coffee after opening my eyes. No matter how slowly I drank, a long time couldn’t have passed. The hot sun was still beating down outside the window, and the length of shadows hardly changed.

“Do you have many worries?”

“Honestly, yes.”

“I think it’s okay to rest a little. Because others will have to move busily instead of us.”

Just because I became an Omega, everything couldn’t be settled. Actually, it became a much more complicated situation.

I manifested inside the carriage standing at the entrance of the commercial district. Did I cover my face properly? Probably yes. No, I did. Thankfully.

Still, I wouldn’t have been able to hide my pheromones, which the King’s Brother assessed as strong. It was a place crowded with people. Although it was a place where their errand runners bustled rather than nobles, I cannot be optimistic that there were no Alphas or Omegas at all. The King’s Brother must have caught the scammer Alpha who sent me the note, but there must have been nobles besides him.

I was on my way back from visiting the Mare ducal residence in a commercial carriage… Mare. The focus of the problem was there.

“Duchess Mare must be very busy.”

Only now did I realize what he meant by others being busier.

Manifestation usually happens around twelve, the King’s Brother explained to me. It meant cases of suddenly manifesting after twenty while living as a Beta like me are almost non-existent. As the King’s Brother’s servant and jewelry shop manager sensitively collecting trends of nobles, I have never heard of a case like mine either.

Rather, it was much more persuasive to see it as someone of an age suitable to be the Little Duchess Mare’s partner manifesting.

It happened in a carriage coming out of the Mare ducal residence. Plausible rumors were more than enough to cover the truth. Even more so since it was true that the Duchess was looking for an engagement partner for the Little Duchess Diane recently. Firewood was already piled up high. Now it was time for thick smoke to pour out from the chimney where no fire was actually lit.

“People will consider Duchess Mare denying the rumors as due to the King’s check. They will whisper that the King without an heir shows the opposite behavior for his personal power rather than preparing for the nation’s future. And some will argue that Duchess Diane should rather be officially installed as the Crown Princess.”

“Duchess Mare will deny that too outwardly, but in reality, she will secretly support them.”

“My cousin thinks now is a good opportunity. Actually, she must have calculated even whether that unidentified Omega could really become Diane’s partner. Although she had to erase the calculation itself to achieve her wish.”

“You hid me from her too.”

“Of course.”

Possessiveness toward me was revealed briefly in his short answer.

That fact wasn’t surprising. What was surprising was Duchess Mare’s attitude of agonizing even without knowing who it was. It must mean a dominant Omega manifested at this point is that precarious an existence.

The situation originating from me was greatly inflated by the King’s and Duchess Mare’s ambition for power. To them, the identity of the person called me wasn’t a consideration at all.

“The King cannot openly search for the suddenly appeared dominant Omega now. Because scandals about trying to steal Henia’s future would follow.”

The King’s Brother’s words were a declaration that he wouldn’t expect coincidence but drive the situation that way.

“Of course, he will still try to find you secretly, but he can never find you that way. Nor can he invade my house carelessly like Spes Umbra.”

He also actively participated in this situation.

To protect, me.

I had to send him to war alone. Because I couldn’t find a reason for myself.

“The King and I cannot coexist peacefully. I won’t let you get involved in matters between him and me, Jay.”

He solidified the antagonism with the King now. For himself, for me. Appealing that protecting me is for himself.

“Now this is my problem too. As you know.”

But now I found a reason for myself. No, my existence itself became the reason.

His gaze looking at me seemed complicated.

“…I know.”

However, he eventually had to admit. The fact that this secret war is mine too.

“Will you be on my side?”

I reached out my hand to him.

“I am always on your side. As you were.”

And he grabbed my hand as if waiting.

He swept the back of my hand held like a handshake with his thumb. At that ticklish sensation, I frowned with one eye. Seeing me like that, the King’s Brother laughed and kissed my fingertips. As if greeting politely.

Oh my. I bit my lip. Because the lilac scent wafted again. The King’s Brother left another light kiss on my fingertips as if soothing me, then interlaced his fingers with mine.

“It’s natural to be flustered, but if you admit pheromones are also a part of you, you can get a sense of how to control them.”

“Honestly, I don’t know at all right now.”

“That’s natural too. It’s the same as being unfamiliar if a sixth finger suddenly sprouted on your hand.”

His finger tickled the side of my little finger. Feeling that familiar yet unfamiliar sensation, I opened my mouth again.

“About the scammer who sent me the note. You caught him, right?”

“I did.”

It was a sudden change of topic, but he nodded as if prepared.

“I want to meet him.”

“We caught the other party written on the visiting card too, but their detailed whereabouts and financial situation haven’t been fully grasped yet.”

So saying he can’t let me meet him yet, I narrowed my eyes and looked at him. I have seen scenes where he simply interrogated with pheromones and made them confess several times.

Receiving my gaze of suspicion, he smiled brightly.

“Pheromones can’t solve everything. It doesn’t make them tell the truth, but only makes them tell what the subject believes to be the truth. But people sometimes deceive even themselves. Especially scammers. Because they have to be intoxicated themselves first to deceive others.”

It was certainly a convincing explanation. I think I’ve seen in movies that the best way to beat truth serum is to deceive oneself first. And this was also a warning. Not to believe everything the scammer says.

“There is a possibility that the person named Lux Splend doesn’t exist.”

“…That person definitely existed, until 21 years ago. We confirmed that he was a student at Price Stans, called the most prestigious school then and now. Although we haven’t found his whereabouts since then.”

For a moment, strength entered the hand interlaced with his. The lilac scent also became thicker again.