I Became the Tyrant's Beloved Omega - Chapter 17.1
The sound of a glass shattering against the wall rang out, and Grand Duke Humore shot up from his seat, pacing restlessly around the room.
“Ha! I can’t just fall into the lot of some old man stuck in the back room, now can I?”
Grand Duke Humore downed the strong liqueur sitting on the table in one gulp. It was a sight utterly unlike the Grand Duke Humore who always carried himself with an air of ease bordering on languor.
“Mateo.”
“Master, word has come that Her Majesty the Empress will be arriving shortly.”
Mateo, the butler who managed the entirety of Basto Castle, answered without a moment’s delay, giving Grand Duke Humore exactly the answer he wanted.
Grand Duke Humore let out a long sigh and barely reined in his exploding anger. To cool his overheated body, he opened the window and stepped out onto the terrace. A short while later, Mateo brought him a cold fruit juice for the sake of Grand Duke Humore, who was to receive the Empress, and said,
“Her Majesty the Empress is coming, so it won’t do for you to smell of alcohol. At least drink this….”
“Eight years ago, we should have found Aiden first.”
Grand Duke Humore had been keeping watch on Zoe and Aiden, who stood higher than him in the line of succession. At the time, Duke Vertex, who was mad over his omega lover, neglected the frail Zoe and abused the child. But the one who wished for those two to die even more than Duke Vertex did might well have been Grand Duke Humore himself.
Duke Vertex had abandoned Aiden in a forest where orcs roamed, and Grand Duke Humore had gone to Betrani Forest to confirm the child’s death. But an unexpected variable had appeared. Someone who suddenly showed up had rescued Aiden and taken him somewhere.
Grand Duke Humore thought everything was settled, since the child had vanished to a place no one knew. For not long after, the frail Zoe died, and he himself became first in the line of succession.
“Your Grace, Her Majesty the Empress has crossed the drawbridge and passed through the gate.”
Grand Duke Humore had never dreamed that the Emperor, sensing danger, would somehow track down the missing Aiden. He felt a great fury at the present situation, and on the other hand was also considerably flustered.
“Let’s go down.”
Grand Duke Humore downed the fruit juice Mateo had handed him in one gulp and moved toward the main hall on the first floor. After leaving the mansion, Grand Duke Humore met eyes with the captain of the knight order, who was preparing to welcome the Empress. The captain of the knight order had been waiting in tense anticipation, then raised the flag in his hand high and waved it the moment the Empress’s carriage came into view entering the great hall. At the same time, the sound of a great trumpet rang out.
“Your Majesty the Empress, thank you for gracing our Basto Castle with your visit.”
Grand Duke Humore escorted the Empress as she stepped down from the carriage and bowed with utmost courtesy.
“This is no time to be idly exchanging pleasantries. His Majesty the Emperor has brought Aiden back without so much as consulting me, and means to seat him on the throne as Crown Prince.”
The Empress got straight to the point and walked ahead into the mansion. At the sight of the Empress, as urgent as if her feet were on fire, Grand Duke Humore was far from displeased; rather, he straightened his back and corrected his posture. Then, with elegant steps, he moved toward the main hall on the first floor and murmured quietly.
“So you mean to defend the Crown Prince’s seat for a child who hasn’t even been born yet.”
At the premonition that he might somehow be able to share a boat with the Empress, a crooked smile settled on Grand Duke Humore’s lips.
* * *
Noah, who was helping Tommy with the dishes, sometimes found himself in a daze, and at other times startled again and again. It was because he felt as though Aiden might appear from somewhere at any moment, smiling brightly and running toward him.
“Noah.”
“Yes?”
“Go inside and rest, even just a little.”
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