DSB 5

The hostility between them was palpable. However, Yutis had the upper hand.

Hans and the imperial knight who had failed to stop him both showed hostility, but they were cautious and had no intention to fight. On the other hand, Yutis’s subordinates looked ready to pounce on them at any moment.

When Hans fell silent, Yutis picked up his cloak from the ground and placed it back over Lebel’s shoulders.

His movement was so quick that it was hard to tell when he had even approached.

“…You’ll catch a cold if you walk around wearing only thin sleepwear. Please take this and wear it.”

“And you?”

“I’m sturdy.”

“Hm, true. You don’t seem like someone who’d lose to the cold.”

It was unfair that his own body had become one that trembled from cold.

Ah, maybe he should follow this one instead. Among all the humans he had seen since waking in a human body, this one seemed the most useful and the most mild-tempered. He even looked like he’d be a good servant.

“Don’t come any closer.”

“……”

Hans was on guard as Yutis approached Lebel. Yutis looked at Hans for a moment, then gave a polite farewell to Lebel.

“I’ll see you again.”

Again?

Hans frowned and pulled Lebel’s arm. Lebel had no choice but to move his feet.

Lebel glanced back. As the distance grew, those silver-gray eyes grew dim, but he could still feel that persistent gaze on him.

Lebel didn’t avoid that gaze and simply looked back quietly. Then Yutis lowered his head once more as if offering another bow.

Pointless.

Before Lebel could respond to the greeting, a rough hand forced him to look ahead.

***

Yutis stared at Lebel’s back as he entered the palace.

“His Majesty is waiting! You must hurry!”

“Lord Yutis.”

“I know. Let’s go.”

Only then did Yutis start walking. When he disappeared, a commotion broke out. The knights stood armed and glared at him.

But no one spoke to him. Even without drawing a sword, the strange aura that surrounded him pressured everyone nearby.

“No wonder rumors call him a demon or a monster.”

“Some who fought in the war refused to come because they couldn’t stand seeing him.”

“It must’ve been awful…”

Yutis ignored every word and passed through the large doors to stand before the emperor. The emperor shamelessly laughed.

“Ha ha, my apologies. You must’ve waited long. So, you met Lebel?”

“Yes. I met him by chance while looking around the inner palace.”

“I meant to arrange a meeting, but you already met. So, how was he? My proud son. He’s quite beautiful.”

The emperor praised Lebel to push him onto Yutis. But the only praise he could give was his unforgettable beautiful face.

Because besides that, the Foolish Prince had nothing worth boasting about.

“As you know, a dominant omega is rare. He has some flaws, but he’s definitely a dominant omega. I’ve had him tested many times.”

The emperor had tested Lebel tens or even hundreds of times since childhood. He couldn’t believe it otherwise. So, in that at least, Yutis had no reason to doubt.

“What your family needs most is a dominant omega. He has no pheromones, but he can’t feel them either. He won’t panic and run from pheromones. He won’t feel anything even if teeth bite into his neck.”

The emperor laughed loudly.

A dominant omega. There were dominant omegas even in the North. But no one could handle Yutis.

“That bastard…”

“He’s the emperor. Watch your mouth.”

There was a small stir behind Yutis.

His reputation was well known even in the Empire.

“I’m sure you know why I came here.”

“Hm…”

“If I said I wanted something else, what would you give me?”

The emperor frowned as if troubled. His ministers looked equally uneasy. To them, sending Lebel to the North cheaply was the best outcome.

No matter how arrogantly the emperor acted, the Empire was the one that lost the war. The North and Yutis were only being generous by tolerating his attitude.

The Empire had lost much to the North. Some occupied land became Northern territory, and they paid enormous reparations. They even signed an agreement to trade Southern grain for Northern goods as part of the compensation.

The only reason such a compromise was possible was because they promised to send a dominant omega as a bride.

Thanks to that, they regained part of the territory and reduced the reparations to a reasonable amount.

The Empire had proposed sending a dominant omega bride to the North as a way to reach a compromise.

“The North accepted the condition first.”

“The Empire didn’t mention that the prince was a fool or had problems.”

“…Even if you refuse the prince, we can’t return the land you already took back. Imperial citizens have already resettled there and resumed their lives. Are you saying the North will drive out innocent people to break an already signed agreement?”

The emperor tried to avoid the situation by talking about morality. Yutis’s gaze turned cold. The emperor hurried to add words.

“…The only compensation we can offer would be to add a bit more to the payment.”

“I recall you fought fiercely to cut the payment down. It seems you’ve filled your treasury again in such a short time?”

Yutis’s mocking words made the emperor glare at him.

“Are you insulting the Empire? The treasury still holds treasures and gold! If you refuse, I can sell the prince elsewhere to raise funds. The North was desperate for a dominant omega, so you know his worth well.”

Worth. The emperor’s words treated a person as merchandise. Yutis’s eyes grew cold.

“Then perhaps…”

“I understand.”

Yutis spoke before the emperor could finish. The emperor frowned.

“…You want the payment in money?”

Both the emperor and the ministers showed unease.

Despite his bold talk, the Empire’s losses from the war were severe. They had spent heavily to calm public unrest and paid large reparations to the North. The treasury was empty.

That was why they wanted to use Lebel instead, who couldn’t even be sold properly on the marriage market.

He was a fool, a half-wit, but a dominant omega nonetheless. The contract was valid.

“The Empire promised a dominant omega bride, and the North accepted. Changing that now would be…”

“Give me the prince.”

The emperor looked startled.

“You mean you’ll take the prince as your bride?”

It was a gamble. The Empire knew well the rumors that Lebel was a fool. The truth could come out any time.

But they had risked it, thinking the North’s desperation for a dominant omega might make it work. Maybe it would even be better for them that he was a fool.

But when the North learned the truth and demanded to cancel the agreement, they were trapped. And now, Yutis said he would take Lebel as his bride.

The Empire could only welcome it.

They had to get rid of Lebel somehow, and now Yutis had agreed.

“Yes. I’ll take him as my bride.”

Not only the emperor and his people but also Yutis’s subordinates looked shocked.

His words were different from what he had said when leaving for the Empire. Even when he arrived at the palace, he had planned to demand something else instead of the Foolish Prince.

He had been determined enough to obey the arrogant emperor’s words that if he wanted to renegotiate, he should come himself to the Empire. But now he suddenly changed his mind, so whispers spread.

“The prince I met myself wasn’t a fool, and I confirmed with my own eyes that he’s an omega, so there’s no problem.”

“Hm? Oh, ah. I see. Ha ha, that’s good.”

Before meeting Yutis, Hans had reported that Lebel had started speaking. Then the knights said the two had met.

But the emperor hadn’t thought much of it. Even if Lebel could speak now, he had lived as a fool all his life. What could he possibly say?

The emperor believed his speech would be like a baby babbling. He also knew Lebel had learned nothing.

So he wondered what could have made Yutis change his mind, and he reached the conclusion that it must be Lebel’s appearance.

If he had known this, he should’ve just shown him off. He had tried so hard to hide the truth, afraid the deal would collapse if the fool was exposed. It had been pointless effort.

He didn’t know how Yutis confirmed the omega part, but at least he was sure he had sold him for a good price.

Yutis looked at the emperor’s satisfied face with indifference.

When the negotiation ended and they left the palace, Yutis’s men, who had been holding back, began to speak all at once.

“Why did you change your mind so suddenly?”

“Exactly as I said. There’s no problem, so I accepted.”

“How can there be no problem? Isn’t it strange that he suddenly started speaking today?”

“I made the decision.”

“…Is it because of what the retainers said?”

“…No. It’s my choice.”

Yutis looked back at the distant palace. He understood why his men were confused.

Even he found it strange.

But even so, he had no wish to take back the words he had said. He had no wish to undo them.

“Let’s go. We have a lot to do.”