OPDPS 142

[Easy for you to say—it’s not your life.]

‘You can say that because you don’t understand how much the Grand Duke trusts and relies on me.

If I told him, “It was all a lie from start to finish!”—he’d definitely feel betrayed. And not by just anyone, but by the Emperor’s own son.’

[He might completely lose all feelings for me.]

Derbas tilted his head as he read Aeryl’s writing. Then he made a circle in the air in front of Aeryl’s face and gave a confident thumbs-up.

You’re saying to just trust in my face? Aeryl sighed.

‘You’re the real idiot here, Derbas.’

[So will you help me?]

Derbas nodded and suddenly stood up. He looked like he was about to demonstrate something, but then furrowed his brows, as if distracted by a thought.

What now?

When Aeryl asked, Derbas shook his head, then exclaimed, “Ha!” and raised both arms skyward. Aeryl watched him, bewildered, as Derbas gestured with his eyes for him to follow along.

What even is this…?

Aeryl mimicked him without knowing why—and the next moment, a wave of dizziness hit so hard he collapsed onto the sofa.

“What is this…?”

“What else? It’s magic.”

The reply came in Aeryl’s own voice. Shocked, he opened his eyes—and standing in front of him was someone who looked exactly like him.

It was like looking into a mirror. The only differences were the lack of golden eyes and the absence of his pheromones.

The Aeryl lookalike—Derbas—grabbed a suitable outfit from the rack, changed clothes, and took the glasses from Aeryl’s face to wear them himself. Now, a perfect replica of Aeryl Aden stood before him.

‘Even someone who ‘knows me would be fooled…

Honestly, it was eerie. With a copy that identical, it’d be easy to steal someone’s whole life.

[Good enough?]

At Derbas’s question, Aeryl nodded. It seemed risky, sure, but Derbas had no choice but to cooperate if he wanted to meet Valbean.

Thinking that reassured him. Now all he had to do was get Derbas into the castle and set up a meeting with the Emperor’s knight.

‘It’d be best if they met naturally…’

He was still thinking through the timing when noise suddenly erupted outside. What had started as a tense exchange had quickly escalated to an almost hostile confrontation.

What’s going on out there?

As Aeryl tried to peek out, Derbas stopped him and cracked the door open slightly to look.

[The Emperor’s knight is here. He’s in a standoff with the Grand Duke.]

Now? Aeryl’s eyes widened. What was he doing here?

A standoff—meaning the Grand Duke was blocking him, but he was still demanding to see Aeryl?

The knight’s recklessness was hard to believe. Even if he was carrying out an imperial order, the one he was defying was the Grand Duke.

‘Still… it’s a chance.’

Aeryl motioned to Derbas. Derbas grinned confidently and gave a thumbs-up.

Seeing that expression on his own face is strange. ‘Can I really trust this guy…?’

This shouldn’t be taking so long.

***

Sir Dervan, knight of the Emperor, was growing increasingly anxious.

Contrary to expectations, Aeryl had stayed holed up in the inner quarters, refusing to come out. And Dervan couldn’t just waltz into the inner quarters either. He hadn’t even confirmed whether he was truly the youngest prince, much less gotten close to taking him.

And then it started to snow—hard. For a southerner like him, the snowfall was already terrifying—and this was only the beginning.

‘I have to get back to the capital before the roads are blocked.’

If he stayed too long, he risked being stuck in the North all winter. And if that happened, even securing the prince wouldn’t matter—his mission would be considered a failure. The Emperor wanted his youngest son back in the capital immediately.

Each passing day drained Dervan’s nerves. Then he caught wind of troubling news: the Grand Duke had manifested as an Alpha.

Damn it. If His Majesty finds out, it’ll be chaos.

The Emperor always emphasized that Aeryl, unlike other Omegas, was a pure and innocent child raised in the palace. While Aeryl had many appealing qualities, the biggest draw for his suitors—who offered lavish gifts in return—was his supposed naivety in matters of sex and intimacy.

But if word got out that he’d been living under the same roof as an Alpha?

Those same suitors would no longer see him as “pure.” And they would definitely protest. These weren’t low-level nobles—they were powerful men. If they banded together, even the Emperor couldn’t ignore them.

There was talk of possibly handing the prince over to the Grand Duke, but that was only a last resort—and not a viable one.

No matter what the outcome, the prince had to remain the perfect bride-to-be until the suitors were pacified.

‘So I have to get him out of here before His Majesty learns anything.’

While he anxiously waited for his chance, he finally saw movement from the mage he’d been watching. He hurried down into the village—and that’s when he saw Aeryl with the Grand Duke.

‘Damn it. Why the Grand Duke, of all people? Or… could this be a chance?’

If Aeryl was with the Grand Duke, he might be letting his guard down. It could be the perfect time to catch him off guard.

Sir Dervan was already convinced that Physician Aeryl was the youngest prince. All he wanted was to confirm it and bring Aeryl back to the palace as quickly as possible.

‘No matter how powerful the Grand Duke is… he can’t stop me from taking the youngest prince. I’m acting on imperial orders—even if it’s a bit forceful, I won’t be punished for it.’

More than anything, he had no idea when another opportunity like this would come again. He wasn’t used to this kind of weather, and the fear of being snowed in by tomorrow gnawed at him.

‘Fine. Let’s do this.’

After finalizing his decision, Sir Dervan made his way toward the fitting room. Though he was initially blocked at the entrance, the moment he began causing a commotion, they let him in surprisingly easily.

Bracing himself, he passed through the lobby into the interior. Soon, he entered a space where outfits were displayed and people were waiting.

“Guh!”

He suddenly gasped, taken aback by a sensation like his throat had been tightly seized.

What was that? His instincts made him whip his gaze around—and he locked eyes with the Grand Duke Asirion.

He immediately understood: it was the Grand Duke’s presence that had shaken him. Like a prey freezing before a predator.

‘Damn it.’

He’d heard of how formidable the Grand Duke was. Still, he and the Emperor’s knights were among the most elite in the vast empire. He had assumed the Grand Duke’s fearsome reputation was exaggerated by his rank, and had believed he’d be able to hold his own.

But reality made it crystal clear who was superior—even without drawing a blade.

‘I can’t falter. I just need to get the prince…’

He thought of the great reward that awaited him if he succeeded—and the punishment if he failed—and moved toward the Grand Duke.

“I greet Your Grace, the Grand Duke. Forgive the intrusion.”

“If you’re truly sorry, you wouldn’t be causing a disturbance. You barge in and now you want civility?”

The Grand Duke’s attendant snapped at Sir Dervan.

How dare a mere attendant… Dervan narrowed his eyes at the man and replied,

“I’m sure Your Grace understands why I had no other choice. You’ve kept him so well hidden—there was no other way to get this chance. I know Aeryl is here. Let me see him.”

“And what do you intend to do with him?”

“I need to confirm whether he’s the one I’m looking for.”

“‘The one you’re looking for,’ you say.”

“I’ve already told you—I’m looking for a traitor.”

“To call him a traitor… His Majesty is truly too cruel.”

Dervan frowned. Did he figure out that I’m after the youngest prince? Or was that just a slip of the tongue?

The Grand Duke’s face was unreadable—expressionless like a mask. Paired with the sheer pressure emanating from him, it made Dervan feel as if he were facing something not quite human.

‘Now I see why the Crown Prince can’t stand the Grand Duke…’

But this was imperial duty. He had no choice.

“By imperial order, I must confirm whether he is the traitor. Where is he?”

If he wasn’t out here, then he had to be in the changing room. As Dervan stepped forward without waiting for a reply, the Grand Duke’s attendants threw themselves in his path.

“I don’t recall granting you permission to step past me.”

“You can’t keep obstructing me. I’ve come fully prepared for this…”

He let his hand drift toward the hilt of his sword—an unspoken warning. If they kept getting in his way, he wouldn’t hesitate to use force.

The tension in the dressing room spiked to its peak.

And then—

“Excuse me.”

Aeryl’s voice rang out.