Chapter 37
Edith was confused. It was difficult to confide in anyone about her thoughts, as they would likely dismiss her concerns as mere fantasies.
There was no evidence that she was anyone other than Edith. While she had lost some emotions, most of her knowledge remained intact, allowing her to recognize those around her without any sense of alienation. No one noticed anything unusual about her.
She decided she needed to consider the issue of her temperament more deeply.
First, she scheduled an appointment with the doctor.
Although she initially thought of hearing the results alone, she knew Clyde wouldn’t stay uninvolved. He would either bring the doctor to her or find out what was happening regardless. Whatever treatment was decided, it would inevitably reach his ears.
There was no point in keeping her temperament a secret, and there wasn’t anything in particular to hide. When she asked if he wanted to meet the doctor together, he readily nodded.
The doctor brought several assistants today. Edith and the elderly doctor sat facing each other, with about ten young doctors standing behind him. Clyde stood next to her like a guardian.
“Lady Ketzmorris, as I mentioned before, your case is extremely rare, so we carefully examined the sample.”
“What were the results?”
The doctor glanced at Clyde before explaining in a serious tone.
“A potential Omega… that’s the best way to describe it.”
“Potential? Is that even possible?”
“You’re currently a Beta. However, it seems like you could change at any time.”
The assistants, fascinated by the rare case, showed great interest in Edith. One of them, an Alpha, hesitated, seemingly wanting to catch her scent. However, he quickly withdrew under the prince’s stern gaze.
The doctor coughed awkwardly before continuing with a more respectful tone.
“The distinction between Alpha, Omega, and Beta is based on who can conceive children with whom. As a Beta, Lady Ketzmorris can conceive with any male, but cannot conceive with any female.”
“So, you’re saying she’s just like a typical Beta.”
“However, if you were to manifest as an Omega, the situation would change. You would be able to conceive with all males and with Alphas among females.”
“I see.”
“In other words, while you have an ambiguous body that isn’t clearly defined as Beta or Omega, medically speaking, you are currently classified as a Beta.”
“What do you mean by ‘ambiguous’?”
The doctor calmly continued, tapping his pen like a lecturer.
“Most importantly, you can emit pheromones. You have a significant amount of Omega pheromones in your body—of a particularly superior quality.”
“I’ve never emitted pheromones before.”
“You may have lived without realizing you could. Or perhaps you’ve unconsciously emitted them without noticing.”
“Then it seems I’ve lived without knowing I could emit pheromones, given that the issue of temperament has only come up now.”
Listening to Edith’s thoughtful remarks, Clyde, who had been silent until then, spoke up. He observed her with a slight tilt of his head and spoke in a serious tone.
“I’ve detected it before. It seems you weren’t aware at the time.”
“Really? When did that happen?”
“Quite a few times. You reacted particularly strongly to my Alpha pheromones.”
“To Alpha pheromones…”
“And you couldn’t control your pheromones either.”
The doctor took Clyde’s account seriously, making long notes on the chart and muttering to himself.
“Unable to control…”
“The scent was faint enough that I had to focus to notice it, so I’ve just kept an eye on you for now.”
“Understood. We’ll include this in our research.”
Edith’s eyes darted between the doctor and Clyde in bewilderment.
Even as a four-year Beta in this world, she had some knowledge about pheromone control. It was common knowledge, even for someone with no particular interest in Omega traits.
The consequences of an Omega failing to control their pheromones could be severe. It sometimes led to serious social issues.
“What should I do? If I can’t control them, it could be a disaster.”
If an Omega released a large amount of pheromones at an inappropriate time and place, it would naturally attract Alphas. The Alphas might misinterpret it as a signal of attraction or be driven by instinct. Pheromones had a stronger appeal than words.
Thus, there was a risk that a random Alpha might suddenly assault Edith. Besides the danger of having her body taken against her will, there was a possibility of being attacked by multiple Alphas, which could even be fatal.
Edith’s mind raced with worst-case scenarios, and her face gradually darkened.
“Lady, could you try controlling it now? Try emitting and then containing your pheromones.”
“I don’t know how to do that. And you said I’m currently a Beta.”
“A Beta with hidden pheromones, a rare case. Try to think of it as releasing energy.”
Edith decided to give it a try. She brought her fists to her chest and strained, focusing as hard as she could.
I am an Omega. I can emit pheromones like energy. She repeated this mantra in her mind.
But it was like an ordinary person trying to perform magic—nothing happened. Only a faint groaning sound echoed in the reception room, followed by an extended silence. Everyone patiently waited for Edith to succeed, but there was no outcome.
Finally, Clyde clicked his tongue softly.
Leaning in close, he whispered so only Edith could hear.
“Edith, need a hint?”
Clyde maintained a serious expression as the prince, devoid of any playfulness. But the words that came out of his mouth were entirely different.
He whispered, his breath tickling her ear.
“Think about something erotic.”
Edith jerked back in surprise.
Her pupils darted around, trembling like aspen leaves. It didn’t seem like the doctor had heard.
“Clyde, you rascal. If I were true to my nature, I’d give you a good whack,” she thought. But with so many people watching and the barrier of his royal status, she could only suppress her frustration.
“Your Highness, please.”
“It might help. How about imagining kissing me?”
How could she think such thoughts with the doctor and assistants staring wide-eyed? Especially with Clyde as the subject!
The doctor, who had been observing Edith’s reddening and blanching face, exchanged a secretive glance with Clyde.
“Yes, let’s move on from this for now.”
He adjusted his glasses and gently reassured her.
“There’s no need to worry prematurely just because you can’t control it right now. With treatment and training, it may improve. You see, Lady Ketzmorris, your body is similar to an Omega’s just before manifestation during puberty.”
“Just before manifestation?”
In this world, people develop their secondary sexual characteristics before they start menstruating. There’s no case where someone becomes an Alpha or Omega after puberty. If a woman becomes an Alpha, she produces sperm in addition to basic eggs, and if a man becomes an Omega, he produces eggs in addition to sperm.
By the laws of nature, one’s secondary sexual characteristics must be determined before reproductive development occurs during puberty.
“Unfortunately, if you remain a Beta, it will be challenging to control your pheromones. It would be better for you to fully transition to an Omega as soon as possible.”
Discussing the test results made her feel like a patient with an incurable disease. She felt a growing sense of urgency. She needed a plan before a random Alpha could cause her any trouble.
If she could choose her secondary sexual characteristics without any conditions, she would prefer to be a Beta, but it seemed inevitable now that she was a potential Omega.
“How can I manifest as an Omega?”
“Typically, it happens naturally in the early teens, but you’ve passed that age range. The best option would be…”
The doctor’s last remark was directed at Clyde rather than Edith.
“As I mentioned before, contact with an Alpha would be ideal.”
The color drained from Edith’s face, which had been flushed with embarrassment. She began to grasp the seriousness of the situation.
The doctor and Clyde had been exchanging secret glances throughout the discussion, but this time it was clear. The doctor had spoken directly to Clyde, confirming her suspicions. She turned to Clyde, demanding an explanation.
“Your Highness, have you been involved in this?”
“Involved? Not at all.”
“Then why is the doctor talking to you? I’m the patient.”
“Well…”
The doctor hurriedly interjected.
“Let me explain. His Highness expressed a desire to assist with your treatment. I thought it was a fortunate opportunity. Although we can’t use the same methods as we would with a minor manifesting as an Omega, since you’re an adult, a pheromone shower is a possibility.”
“But the method seems too extreme.”
“If you’re not comfortable, we can just monitor your condition. Your Omega pheromones aren’t that strong yet. For safety, I recommend you have proper security and be cautious when going out.”
“…”
“However, the fact remains that Alpha pheromones can trigger Omega pheromones. I assure you, Lady Ketzmorris, I have never tried to deceive you.”
It seemed like a reasonable statement. The principle of Alpha and Omega responses was natural and consistent with the laws of nature.
Perhaps Clyde had been asking the doctor to mention her during his visits. The sly character. She shot him a resentful glance before looking away.
“I’ll prescribe some medication for you, Lady Ketzmorris. It’s designed to promote manifestation, with the main ingredient being Alpha pheromones.”
“Thank you.”
“But please note that the medication might not be as effective as hoped. It’s meant to help normal pubertal manifestations.”
“What about suppressing the pheromones instead?”
“Your pheromones are already too suppressed. If we suppress them further, they might erupt like a volcano later, and it could be uncontrollable.”
Edith could only nod in agreement.
It seemed like using Alpha pheromones was the right course of action.
Edith considered asking whether taking the medication or trying a pheromone shower would be better, but she decided against it. She didn’t want to take drastic measures for Omega manifestation when it wasn’t a life-threatening issue.
For now, the pheromone shower was on hold. She’d save that option for when she met an Alpha she liked.
