Edited…

<Episode 5>

“You have eat all of this.”

It wasn’t easy to feed something to him while I was pressing down on him from above. So, I said that.

If it was still the early stage of the Rut Cycle, suppressing it with suppressants might work.

Whether he intended to follow my words or not, he immediately swallowed what was pushed into his mouth and tossed the bottle far away with a ‘clang,’ shattering it in all directions.

“Eve.”

“I don’t think we’re close enough to call each other by nicknames.”

“What kind of relationship do we have?”

“Well, if Your Grace becomes my brother in law, that would be nice.”

I said, assuming that even if Elkais de Robein and my brother Abellard would get married. The probability of them continuing like in the original work was high.

Ah, perhaps some events that should have happened because of me did not occur in this place?

Realizing that I had plunged into a deserted romance with no hope, I didn’t step outside the Duke’s mansion at all.

Was it because of that? Events where the two gradually opened up to each other did not happen.

Was it because I, who harassed the beautiful and frail Abellard, the beauty and the frailty, did not do anything?

So, was I sent here to do that even in this place, to connect the two?

Ah, seriously.

It felt like swearing filled my throat to the end.

“What are you thinking?”

I must be crazy too. Even in this situation, he looked handsome when he smiled.

His eyes were so red, shining like polished rubies. Moreover, it was a smiling face I had never seen before when he looked at me. Clean skin and a well-shaped nose.

Add to that, a thick, long, and perfectly positioned neck.

“I think I would become your sister in law?”

“How about a husband instead of a brother-in-law?”

“Why would a beta marry an alpha?”

I felt irritation surging and tried to push his face away.

“A-Are you crazy?”

“Yeah.”

He answered dryly but kept his lips pressed against my fingers, making squishing sounds. I was startled when he opened his mouth, trying to pull my hand away, but he caught it.

Something soft touched the palm of my hand, and it tickled, making me feel a rush of blood to my head.

“Your Grace.”

Whether he realized something from my cold voice or not, he stopped his actions.

“The effects of the drug seem to take longer to appear than I thought.”

“…”

He released my hand abruptly and stumbled away.

“I…”

“Yes?”

“I must be crazy.”

“Very much.”

He looked at the ground repeatedly, as if feeling a sense of humiliation. Then, he continued to gaze at me as if he was confused.

The warmth left on my hand was tingling and moist, so I wiped it off on my dress and clenched my fist.

“Sorry.”

“Yes.”

“Really, I’m sorry.”

Elkais hugged himself as if he found himself abhorrent.

As he hunched his body, uncertain where the rain might leak or where the drops might fall again.

“…?”

I unfolded the red cloak he had torn earlier and covered him with it.

“It seems like rain might be a problem.”

“Ah.”

His low response was really something.

Even his voice was handsome.

“I’m sorry, Lady Wilden.”

“Yes.”

It had been a long time since he addressed me by my title. Usually, he tended to be more rude when addressing me.

What Elkais did to me was despicable, but it wasn’t something unforgivable.

Moreover, this suppressant.

Unfortunately, inhibiting the rut and heat cycles was extremely difficult.

Betas were ordinary citizens with nothing special. Only alphas and omegas were different. They turned into uncontrollable beasts with each reproductive cycle.

“I’m sorry.”

“Stop apologizing.”

“Sorry… no, okay.”

His apology, whether it was influenced by the original story or not, felt somewhat embarrassing, making me want to forgive him.

The original Elkais was a better person than the Prince Ferite Abellard, who was pursued.

Elkais had an unusual personality. He was a difficult and demanding person, but he hated his beastly side more than anyone else.

Perhaps that’s why his apology didn’t feel as awkward or formal.

Considering his strength, he was clearly superior to me. Well, anyone else who came along wouldn’t have better strength than a Swordmaster, so it was a matter of course.

“Your Grace.”

“…”

With the cloak flipped over his head, he looked at me. His eyes, visible through the gap in the red cloak, seemed to lose their vitality, making him look pitiful.

“I understand. Your brother was also an omega.”

“Yeah.”

Abellard had also struggled like this from time to time.

* * *

“Can you the heel of this please.”

“Where should I cut?”

Neither of us slept well until morning. I slept a little, and he pretended to sleep, but it was clear that neither of us slept. His eyes were swollen, and he seemed more subdued than when I first saw him.

Moreover, despite the suppressants I discovered yesterday, there were many of them in his outerwear pockets and both sides of his pants. Even though I saw him hide one inside the sleeve, he had one there as well.

“Cut this part.”

“…”

He glanced at the shoes I had taken off, then swung the knife to cut them. No matter who I was, I couldn’t go on a hike wearing high heels.

“The Swordmasters are different, aren’t they?”

“…”

Thanks to that, the heels fell off perfectly, satisfyingly. He cut both heels and avoided my gaze.

“The shoes are okay, but why the clothes?”

“Ah.”

I wondered why he was trying to avoid eye contact, and it turned out to be because of the clothes.

“I can’t roam around wearing a wedding dress.”

“…Just stay inside. I’ll go find food.”

“Why do you have to do that? You should go find my brother.”

I thought of parting ways while being outside. Besides, since I couldn’t roam around in a wedding dress, I had taken off the outer layer and was only wearing a negligee. The thick negligee, which didn’t reveal what was inside, felt like a nightgown.

“Hah.”

He sighed, wiped his face with a dry washcloth, and frowned. Seeing his face turn red, it might be because of the heat. Even though I didn’t know about anything else, he was really dressed for the heat.

“Your Grace?”

Elkais draped his outerwear over my shoulders.

“How do you plan to walk around like that…”

“It’s hot.”

“Has the sense of shame as a human disappeared because of the heat?”

Although I could understand what he was saying, that didn’t mean I could attend a wedding wearing a dress.

But if I kept talking, it seemed like we wouldn’t be able to part ways easily, so I just laughed.

“Thank you.”

“I feel like I’m smelling Abellard’s scent again on the island.”

“Indeed. Good luck finding my brother. I’ll go get some food.”

“…”

“And you don’t have to come back.”

Saying that, I took the outerwear gratefully and led the way. However, he sighed and followed me.

“Why are you following me?”

“Have you forgot? There might be many wild animals.”

“Ah…”

There was a pistol in the garter belt. Bullets were fully loaded, and spare bullets were brought along.

“Ugh…”

He handed me the well-polished knife he had. “Take it.”

“If you give this to me, do you think I’m…”

“It’s more than enough without it.”

Elkais said that and met my eyes.

“Well then, goodbye.”

“Lady.”

As I turned around, he grabbed my wrist. Fortunately, unlike the first day, he was holding my wrist gently, perhaps as a form of reflection.

“Yes?”

“Before the sun sets, I will come and see you at the cabin.”

“…If you don’t come back, it might be better.”

“There might be a cave near the beach.”

“…”

It would be nice for my brother and him to spend some private time there.

Although the words felt like they stabbed me to the throat, I couldn’t do anything about it.

“Before sunset. At the cabin.”

“Yes…”

Whether it was an order or concern, I couldn’t tell from his tone, making my emotions complex.

Walking away from him for dozens of minutes.

The sword I received from him was too heavy, and I couldn’t do anything with it. Somehow, I saw some fruits in front of me, so I drew the sword and tapped them. The fruit dropped with a thud, and I picked it up, wiped it with my clothes, and took a bite.

“Ugh.”

Unbelievable, it was so bitter.

Perhaps it was because it came out without going through selective breeding in an orchard; the taste was not pleasant at all. Nevertheless, I was hungry, so I ate one.

I struck the sword again to drop the blue fruits within my reach. Then, I slung the sword over my back, filled my skirt with the fruits, and was about to return to the cabin.

“Eve?”

This voice was unmistakably similar to someone I knew. However, it subtly sounded a bit lower.

“My Eve. You’re here.”

Certainly, his eyes were that of Abellard, my brother, but the madness reflected in his eyes was that of someone I had never seen before.