Chapter 18 – The Distorted Royal Family

Narish was heading toward the queen’s private chamber, having been summoned.

That place, which he would never approach unless called, felt like a hellish torment for Narish.

The ball a few nights ago had been exhausting.

Prince Norugi had deliberately involved Neiny and Oryuga.

And for some reason, Neiny seemed eager to participate in the hunting tournament.

The summer hunting tournament, held annually, aimed to cull the magical beasts that proliferated during the season. By having the nobility and the kingdom fund and manage it, the goal was to enhance the citizens’ evaluation of the nation.

If the magical beasts were not culled, they would attack villages and towns, as well as the merchant caravans that traveled through those areas.

The magical beasts could be used for their pelts and various body parts, and the common folk consumed their meat. With industries established around this, there was no choice but to hunt the magical beasts.

What Neiny was saying was mere idealism.

If life is precious, then the lives of the citizens must take precedence.

Narish felt the need to teach her this, yet when faced with Neiny, his mouth would fall silent.

He was familiar with this sensation.

Before the door stood two soldiers, one on either side, waiting.

He glanced at the two and felt a wave of annoyance. They were still gathering only the handsome ones.

Narish’s parents were to become the king and his rightful queen, yet he had little to do with them. After a certain day, he had begun to distance himself.

The king was an Alpha. And the queen was a female Omega. Narish resembled the king closely. The king had beautiful platinum blonde hair and deep blue eyes, and even as he aged, Narish’s appearance remained striking and attractive.

Prince Norugi also bore a resemblance, as the royal family tended to share similar looks.

Queen Rimalesia Kafinolua was not the king’s mate. Although she was the rightful queen, it seemed she had never allowed herself to be claimed. Rimalesia was the daughter of a former marquis, and their marriage had been politically motivated, but she had refused to become the king’s mate at that time. And that situation persisted even now.

It was not necessary to be mates to conceive a child. An Omega could easily become pregnant if they engaged in intercourse during their heat, and thus, Narish had been born between them.

Narish’s younger brother and sister were children born to other Omega consorts.

The remarkably handsome knight at the door called into the room, and a beautiful young attendant with glasses appeared.

The faces surrounding Queen Rimalesia had changed again.

If six months passed, the entire entourage surrounding Queen Rimalesia would be completely replaced.

To meet his own mother required an attendant’s guidance, as the queen’s chamber was vast. The entire section of the royal castle was a living space for Queen Rimalesia, and the king did not reside in this area. Most of his time was spent with the consorts he had chosen.

“It’s been a while. I hope you’ve been well?”

Queen Rimalesia sat elegantly on the couch, a fan at her mouth, smiling as she addressed Narish.

“It has been a long time, Your Majesty Rimalesia.”

To Narish’s formal demeanor, Rimalesia gestured for him to come closer. He approached her expressionlessly.

His usual smile faded, and he became completely blank as he drew near the queen.

Upon entering the room, a nauseatingly sweet scent enveloped him.

Queen Rimalesia’s Omega pheromones were overwhelmingly sweet.

Narish thought the scent clung to him like boiled sugar candy.

“Now, come sit here.”

Feeling a sense of revulsion at the sight of a mother gazing at her child with lustful eyes, Narish made an effort to think of nothing as he sat beside her.

“You’re growing stronger by the day.”

Narish was eighteen. Being an Alpha, he was already tall and robust, but he was now transitioning into a mature adult.

Queen Rimalesia gazed at her son, who retained a precarious charm as he shifted from boyhood to young manhood, with rapt admiration.

“What brings you here today?”

Narish asked in a voice devoid of emotion.

His mother was abnormal.

He had realized this around the time he was approaching puberty. Until he was eleven, he had thought of Rimalesia as a kind mother.

Beautiful and strong Alpha youths constantly surrounded Rimalesia, and when Narish visited, they treated him with affection.

Although the guards and attendants frequently changed, he had thought little of it.

Narish had known from an early age that he was an Alpha. Moreover, as the firstborn of the Aninagarte Kingdom, everyone felt he would become the crown prince and eventually the king, given his intelligence.

As a child, Narish often attracted the attention of adult Beta women and Omegas. However, being clever even as a child and possessing high physical abilities, he found it easy to escape from those seeking a physical relationship.

Yet, it still felt unpleasant.

Narish often fled to his kind mother.

He believed she would protect him.

Until one day, when she said something strange.

“Narish will always be mine. The child I bore, mine.”

With a gentle smile, she said, “Right?” and Narish nodded, not fully understanding. Since he was Rimalesia’s child, he thought it must be true if his mother said so.

Thus, he was overwhelmed by her Omega pheromones.

Narish had reached puberty. This must have been communicated to his parents by the doctor. It was necessary for one who would eventually become king. The continuation of the bloodline was essential.

Under the weight of the encroaching pheromones, Narish fainted. He usually took suppressants, but someone had switched his medication.

He learned firsthand that various intrigues swirled within the royal castle.

In the relatively peaceful Aninagarte Kingdom, where one was not often targeted for their life, who would have thought that their chastity would be sought after by their own parent?

“Stop it! … Haha, Mother, no, I don’t want this…!”

His pleas were ignored.

Though he was not completely deflowered, he was still given sensations he could not comprehend, and as Narish released his seed, his mother smiled with narrowed eyes.

When he asked why, she claimed it was to confirm her child’s growth, but the sight of her standing alongside a beautiful attendant made him feel nauseous.

Narish ran away.

He did not want to see the image of a mother aroused by her own child’s gasps.

The memories that followed were hazy.

He knew someone had come to his aid, but when he regained consciousness, he found himself in his own room.

From that day on, he would not enter this section. He came only when absolutely necessary. He no longer responded to his mother’s summons, only to the queen’s.

Rimalesia pouted at her son’s cold response. While one might think a woman of her age should act differently, Rimalesia still possessed a youthful and delicate beauty.

Her long, lustrous light blue hair was almost silver, and her blue, glistening eyes held a childlike innocence. She was a woman who did not seem thirty-eight.

Rimalesia loved beauty.

Like a collector of beautiful toys, she gathered beautiful people. And when she grew bored, she would give them away or discard them… treating them like mere objects.

Of course, she would not abandon her husband, the king, or her son. Yet, she would go so far as to declare that the king, still handsome and regal, had aged.

Rimalesia refrained from allowing the king to claim her, for if he did, her Omega pheromones would no longer be effective on others, and she would develop a rejection response if she attempted to engage with anyone other than the king.

What a selfish person she was, Narish thought.

His mother despised Oryuga.

It was Queen Rimalesia who instructed others to treat Oryuga poorly. Whether Oryuga was aware of this was questionable, but Neiny was oblivious. Duke Bizet Nobizel might have known, but given that the other party was the queen, he seemed to have acted cautiously. The fact that Oryuga was still alive was a good indication of that.

Unable to eliminate Oryuga, they had replaced the primary engagement candidate.

Oryuga had been the primary engagement candidate chosen by the king. This was to secure the support of the Nobizel family for Narish. Thus, the second son, Neiny, had become a close aide.

And Queen Rimalesia opposed this.

She was spreading rumors to diminish Oryuga’s reputation.

Why go to such lengths to tarnish Oryuga’s image? Because she believed her son Narish was also hers.

He was a precious piece on her chessboard.

Narish was her beautiful son, indispensable for Rimalesia’s survival.

Oryuga’s family, the Nobizel family, was a strong faction capable of maintaining neutrality. That was precisely why Rimalesia wanted to eliminate Oryuga. Otherwise, she would have to confront Oryuga when he became the next queen.

Thus, she recommended Neiny, who held no power.

Until now, the king had rejected this, so why had he suddenly become compliant with the queen’s wishes?

Something felt off.

Just like how he had felt on the night of the ball…

Was the queen more suspicious?

Was Neiny Rizen, the baron’s son, more suspicious?

Or was it both?

In any case, the reason Narish disliked Omegas was also due to the queen.

He had been so uninterested in Oryuga that he had not realized he was being neglected in this royal castle, and he had sent someone to investigate in his shadow.

Oryuga had become an engagement candidate Omega after that day when he was eleven. Shortly thereafter, he had been made the primary engagement candidate.

He thought it was remarkable that the duke’s family had agreed, but he assumed it was a political decision made by the king. Not wanting to meet his mother, he had requested the king to assign him public duties, gradually increasing his workload to immerse himself in it. Work had become Narish’s escape, to the point where he completely forgot about his engagement.

He wished they would get to the main topic soon.

With that thought, he asked Queen Rimalesia again.

“I hear you wish for me to participate in the summer hunting tournament with Baron Neiny? I would love for you to bring back the pelt of a Hakuko.”

The Hakuko was a magical beast resembling a fox. Its pure white fur was beautiful and highly sought after.

“Is that an order?”

“Well, I wouldn’t order my beloved son, would I? This is a request. If possible, how about you give some to me and the baron’s son? But for the baron’s son… let’s see, the Kukuko would suit him better.”

The Kukuko was the name for the black-furred variant of the Hakuko. She was asking for the pure white for herself and the black for Neiny.

Narish sighed.

“This time, it seems the baron’s son intends to save all the magical beasts’ lives. Your wish may not be fulfilled.”

Despite Narish’s firm response, Rimalesia showed no concern and laughed, as if she believed he would definitely bring it back.

It was as if she were saying that all her wishes would be granted.

“Hey, Narish…”

A chill ran down Narish’s spine as her hand rested on his thigh. He stood up and announced his intention to leave.

“I may not meet your expectations.”

“Narish is my beloved child, isn’t he?”

Narish received no proper response to his words. As he bowed his head and headed for the door, Rimalesia’s sweet scent clung to him.

He returned to his own room, far from the queen’s residence.

He informed the attendant and immediately headed to the bathroom.

He washed his body and changed all his clothes.

The scent of the Omega made him feel nauseous.

Narish had become so sensitive that even a hint of Omega scent would ruin him. He had grown to detest it.

“…Sigh. Mimi.”

As Narish called out, the black-haired, black-eyed attendant who had been busy in the room earlier approached him quietly.

Mimi was a nickname; her real name was Miryumika, but Narish never called her that.

“Yes, what can I do for you?”

Mimi was the shadow Narish had found.

At least within this royal castle, he could say that only Miryumika would never betray him.

“I’ll be counting on you for the upcoming hunting tournament.”

“Of course.”

Shadows are those who secretly protect their masters.

“I don’t understand what Neiny or the queen is thinking.”

“Shall I investigate?”

Narish nodded. He conveyed the contents of what had been said in the queen’s chamber. Miryumika acknowledged and swiftly disappeared.

He collapsed onto the bed, remembering the documents he had intended to attend to after returning, and sighed.

Tea…

He should have had the tea prepared first.

Hot, bitter, strong tea.

Something that would wake him up in an instant… With that thought, he closed his eyes.