OPDPS 116

‘This is it.’

The Grand Duke urged his horse forward and arrived in an instant at the place where Aeryl had last been seen. It was a road leading into a neighborhood far filthier and gloomier than the rest of the town beneath the castle.

This area, infamous for its chaotic and unregulated development, was notorious for disorienting anyone who entered for the first time. The buildings, too, had been illegally modified, resulting in an even more confusing structure.

Aeryl was either caught by Derbas or lost his way in here.

He desperately hoped for the latter—but the odds were low. The last confirmed sighting of Aeryl had been of a man, presumably Derbas, following closely behind.

But for what purpose?

Unlike the last time, when Derbas had gone to great lengths to make a show of seeking revenge, this time he was disturbingly quiet. He hadn’t revealed his position or even tried to lure him in.

Such a change in behavior had to mean something. Maybe, for instance, the target of his revenge had shifted—from the Grand Duke to Aeryl.

‘No… he has no reason to do that.’

He denied it firmly, but not with complete conviction. After all, what was more unpredictable than the mind of a madman?

‘I have to find Aeryl—every minute, every second counts.

Even now, it felt like his blood was running dry from anxiety. The Grand Duke looked around, then dismounted. The area was a maze. It would take too long to track Aeryl by following the faint traces he’d left behind.

He shook out his hands, then leapt up onto a wall. It didn’t give him a perfect vantage point, but it was enough to get a general sense of his surroundings. As he surveyed the area, he recalled the map of this district he’d memorized in advance. Though it was less a map than a rough disaster-prevention chart showing only main roads and living areas, it was better than nothing.

Aeryl always chose the left path at a fork.

He recalled the testimonies that revealed Aeryl’s usual movements. Using that knowledge, the Grand Duke jumped across rooftops, bypassing the winding streets below, predicting the path Aeryl would have taken and searching for signs of him.

…This could go on forever.

He bit his lip. His body felt far too slow for how frantic his heart was.

‘What if I’m too late—again? I didn’t come to the wrong place. But still…’

Most of these buildings were abandoned. If Derbas had hidden Aeryl in one of them, it would make finding him even more difficult. Knights and soldiers were surely on their way, but he didn’t have time to wait.

The Grand Duke paused for a moment, panting heavily. Aeryl was no ordinary person—sharp, determined. If he had any chance at all, he would have tried something to signal his location.

‘He must have left pheromones.’

Only now did it occur to him.

‘Damn.’

He exhaled slowly, trying to calm himself. It wasn’t easy, but he forced his mind to still and closed his eyes, focusing all his senses at the tip of his nose.

Dust. Garbage. Soil. A jumble of odors surrounded him.

Not these.

Pheromones weren’t like ordinary smells. It was like comparing plain water and saltwater—visually identical, but fundamentally different. Pheromones had a quality that was difficult to describe in words. It was closer to a texture than a scent.

‘Just a little more…’

He expanded his senses. It was similar to how he could sense others’ movements through energy, yet also something else entirely.

The world reformed itself around his sense of smell. He felt his own pheromones spreading out, fine and wide like a net. And then, at last—

‘Found you.’

His heightened senses caught a familiar trace.

It was Aeryl’s pheromone. It kept broadcasting the same message:

[I’m here.]

The Grand Duke immediately rushed in the direction the pheromone came from. Overgrown trees and illegally extended roofs got in his way, but he ignored them all, forging ahead along the fastest path.

He quickly found the spot where Aeryl’s pheromones began.

At first glance, the place looked completely deserted. But when he followed the strong trail of pheromones to the bushes, he spotted the tip of a ponytail sticking out.

His heart nearly burst with relief.

Aeryl, crouched behind the bushes, slowly lifted his head as he sensed the Grand Duke’s pheromones. The moment their eyes met, a wave of relief washed over Aeryl’s face, and his pheromones softened, exuding calm.

Adorable.

The Grand Duke had to suppress his instinct to rush forward. He forcibly tamped down his excitement. He wanted nothing more than to wrap Aeryl in his arms, but he held himself back. He didn’t want to startle him.

What he wanted most was to hold him tight, to check if he was alright, to ask what had happened. Only then did he truly notice the disheveled hair, the state of his clothes, and the rope still tangled around his wrist—proof that Aeryl had escaped on his own and hidden himself here.

“Aeryl.”

He was probably the most frightened and shocked of all. Rather than fuss over him, the Grand Duke chose to keep his voice calm, hoping it would help Aeryl feel safe.

“I’m here now. It’s okay to come out. Come.”

He reached out a hand for Aeryl to take. Aeryl used it for support and slowly rose to his feet.

But having crouched in the cold for so long, his leg immediately cramped from the sudden movement. He stumbled forward, but thanks to the Grand Duke holding his hand, he didn’t fall—instead, he landed in his arms.

“Ah, my leg cramped up…”

Aeryl muttered quickly, flustered.

“That happens if you move too suddenly. You were hiding here long? Your body… it’s ice cold.”

The Grand Duke pulled him closer, wrapping him tightly in his embrace. His coat enveloped Aeryl completely.

Aeryl’s body was so cold, it stung his chest to hold him. He’d been afraid Aeryl might push him away, but thankfully, he stayed still in his arms.

It was only a brief glance, but aside from a few minor bruises, Aeryl didn’t seem seriously hurt. As long as he stayed like this, his body temperature would rise again.

He was safe.

‘Thank god. I wasn’t too late. Not this time.’

The Grand Duke finally let out a breath of true relief. He’d been pretending to stay composed, but the trembling in his fingers betrayed how scared he’d been.

And he was glad—genuinely glad—that he had manifested as an Alpha. If not for that, he wouldn’t have been able to smell Aeryl’s pheromones or find him. For the first time, he accepted his manifestation without reservation.

‘I can’t live without him.’

He held Aeryl a little tighter, resting his forehead gently against his. With each breath in and out, Aeryl’s pheromones filled him to the brim like warmth seeping into his bones, and he was immediately overwhelmed with happiness.

Meanwhile, Aeryl felt as though he’d been completely swallowed up by the Grand Duke—embarrassed, but unable to pull away. The duke’s embrace was simply too warm. Even just a few moments outside had left his hands frozen stiff. Regaining his body heat would be no small feat.

After a brief inner debate, he wrapped his arms around the Grand Duke’s waist.

It was a rational decision—he figured if it had come to this, he might as well fully benefit from the warmth—but he could feel the Grand Duke stiffen slightly in response, and it made him feel oddly fluttery.

‘He tenses when I hug him…’

He wasn’t holding a knife or anything, so the reaction must be from affection, right?

He closed his eyes. The Grand Duke’s heart was pounding, and his pheromones wrapped around him like a heavy winter quilt. Aeryl didn’t dislike it. But the weight pressing down on his heart only grew heavier.

The Emperor’s knight has appeared.

That man would surely pursue him relentlessly.

He should be fleeing the Grand Duchy already, running far, far away. But thanks to Derbas discovering his identity, he’d made a deal to help Valbean, and now he couldn’t leave.

Maybe he wouldn’t have been able to leave anyway—he hadn’t finished healing the Grand Duke. Could he really abandon him?

‘What’s going to happen to me now…?’

He had no idea. There was no way to prepare.

Even with the future so uncertain, the Grand Duke’s embrace felt like the safest place in the world. It made him believe, if only for a moment, that no matter what came, he would be protected.

But once his identity as a prince was revealed, would he still be held like this? Or would he be cast aside?

Not just the Grand Duke—others too. They might feel deceived. He had hidden his identity and lied to keep it hidden. Would they feel betrayed?

For the first time, Aeryl was truly afraid of the secret he carried. He unconsciously hugged the Grand Duke tighter, burrowing deeper into his chest.

“It’s okay, Aeryl. I’m here now. You’re safe.”

The Grand Duke soothed him. His voice was so gentle, Aeryl felt like crying. He clung even more tightly to him.

He wished he could take those words at face value—and believe them without doubt.