"Sorry, I didn’t mean to worry anyone," Yusha forced a smile, looking at the servants surrounding him.

Several exchanged looks—sympathy, pity.

That hurt more.

They helped him to his feet and guided him to his room.

Once the door closed behind them, silence settled.

For a moment, Yusha allowed himself to feel it—the sting, the disappointment, the tiny hope that had been crushed again.

He pressed a trembling hand over his stomach.

I should have been more careful. I shouldn’t make things harder for him. I need to be careful...

After a long time, when the sun began to set, the sky turning peach-orange, the door opened.

Liam slipped inside, expression tense.

"Are you trying to ruin me?" he growled.

Yusha looked up, startled.

"I—no, I just—"

"You collapsed in front of everyone," Liam continued, crossing his arms. "Do you have any idea what kind of rumours will start?"

Yusha lowered his gaze.

"I’m sorry... I didn’t mean—"

"You never mean to," Liam snapped. "But you keep doing this. Making yourself look pitiful so people will talk."

His voice softened suddenly, almost gentle.

"You know how fragile my position is. If people think I favour you, it will destroy us both."

Yusha’s breath hitched.

Us.

That word again. The one that made him weak, making him unable to fight back against whatever Liam told him. Because he had no one else but him.

"I understand," Yusha whispered. "I will work harder. Make sure that I don’t make another mistake..."

But this time, his eyes didn’t shine like stars as they did the first time he said those exact words. The light in them seemed to have dimmed—or even disappeared.

Liam sighed, stepping closer.

"That’s not what I’m saying. You need to stop exaggerating things. You weren’t even that sick. You could have sat somewhere for five minutes and done your work later. I don’t scold you, do I?"

Yusha blinked. He remembered the dizziness, the pain, barely breathing. Was it really something he could have controlled?

He shook his head. Maybe he had overreacted. Maybe he really had made a scene.

"I... guess you’re right."

Liam gently lifted his chin with two fingers.

"See? You always panic. I just need you to be smarter. Don’t make me look bad."

Yusha nodded, lowering his head. He kept causing his master trouble...

"I won’t."

Liam smiled faintly, brushing his thumb over the omega’s cheek.

"That’s my good boy." Liam’s voice softened, almost tender. "Did you think about the... abortion? I will find someone who can do it without causing you any pain. I know you don’t like getting hurt."

Yusha pulled himself away, his body stiffening instantly. He didn’t want to kill his baby.

"I-I won’t do it. I want to give birth to it," he said, looking up, his gaze unwavering.

Liam blinked, surprised. It seemed this child had given his little servant a bit too much courage—to the point he wasn’t even paying attention to who he was speaking to.

"Alright," he replied simply, turning to leave. He closed the door behind him without another word.

Once in the hallway, he muttered to himself, "I need to find another way," making sure Yusha didn’t hear him.

The omega exhaled shakily once Liam left the room. He never thought he would be able to go against his master—not even once.

Gently, he caressed his stomach. The pain there suddenly resurfaced.

But the pain in his chest was worse.

He whispered to the empty room, "It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have troubled him."

He believed everything Liam said. Even the cruellest things.

***

Ren went to Eiran’s room, only to find a letter on the night table beside the large bed.

[I will be playing with the Queen]

The young man sighed, rubbing his temples. His son had been constantly visiting the Queen lately.

Does he like him that much?

However, Ren could only wonder whether Leon was even alright with this behaviour. After all, he had heard from a few servants that the Queen hated children.

Whenever one visited the palace, he would make sure they never found their way to his quarters. He liked silence above anything else. And children tended to be rather chaotic.

"And my son is far from those who remain quiet. Just like Zayden," he grumbled under his breath, turning to leave.

Just then, the door he had closed swung open.

In front of him stood Zayden, his expression unreadable.

Frowning, Ren approached him.

"Is something the matter?"

Zayden blinked upon hearing the voice, as if he had been shaken out of a trance.

"Y-Yes," he stammered.

He had wanted to visit Eiran’s room, talk to the child, and perhaps understand what it meant to be a father.

After hearing from Liam that he wanted Yusha to abort his own blood, Zayden couldn’t understand how someone could even consider it.

Although Eiran wasn’t his biological child, the bond they had was surely above that. It was a connection they had built piece by piece over the years, something that couldn’t be overwritten.

Even if Zayden tried his best to hide it, Ren noticed immediately. He had learned to read people. And when they appear like the man in front of him, it couldn’t be more evident to him.

Zayden’s jaw was clenched, his steps heavier than usual as he walked toward Ren in silence. His pheromones, normally tightly controlled, were slipping into the air, faint but noticeable.

For a dominant alpha, that only happened when their rut was approaching—or when something had deeply unsettled them.

"Zayden." Ren quickened his pace to reach him. "What’s wrong?"

"No." Zayden didn’t even look at him. "It’s nothing."

Ren frowned. That was the same answer he always gave when something was very much not nothing.

"Zayden." He reached out and tugged lightly at the general’s sleeve. "If it was nothing, you wouldn’t be grinding your teeth like you are preparing to bite someone’s head off."

Zayden exhaled sharply, still refusing to speak.

Ren pressed again, his tone firm. "Tell me."