'So what do you think would happen?'
While drinking his beer, Merlyn raised one eyebrow, he looked at Adam then sighed. This seemed to bother him as well, even though Merlyn looked relaxed, he was surprisingly a sensitive man. 'Queen Yelan will probably contact Barlow to form an alliance, I heard she has sent someone to talk to Princess Julia.'
'Princess Julia?'
'She's mad scary, a powerful princess who takes over the reign of Grithda temporarily until Prince Jacob's succession ceremony, she could become queen but for some reason the family still insists on making Prince Jacob as the future king of Barlow, even though he is the youngest...' Merlyn's voice as he said it was in a low whisper, as if he was afraid someone else would hear him gossiping about the nobles of Barlow.
'The entire Barlow family are terrifying. In the past, no one wanted to mess with them. After the death of King Jonas, people thought they would become weak... however, those who attacked Barlow always lost in such dire circumstances, rumor has it they saw Prince Jacob standing on a mountain of corpses beyond recognition, surrounded by the sea of blood from his enemies. Lunatic Prince..'
Would such a person agree to Queen Yelan's alliance offer? In the past Grithda's relationship with the neighboring region was relatively close, however everything changed on the day Queen Yelan was crowned as the queen of Grithda's kingdom— King Jonas without a second thought cut all their ties except for medicine and silk trade.
And for a region as small as Grithda... what would Queen Yelan have to do to make them accept her offer? Damn it, no wonder he often saw Queen Yelan looking anxious these days.
Standing in the stable of his favorite horse, Adam stroked its silky black fur, he exited the stable to see his assistant running towards him with a seemingly permanent smile on his face, a smile that looked like a doll being programmed. He stopped, took a deep breath and said in a high voice.
"Adam! Nick and Grey are fighting again!"
"Again? those two idiots!" Apparently this was his job as a commander, he should have enjoyed the privilege of his rank position, sipping on his coffee, teaching rookie knights how to use sword so that they become powerful soldiers but their associations were sometimes nothing but cages for crazy men.
His footsteps stopped at the training ground, saw the boys gather like a circle and cheer for those who were fighting in the middle.
"Oh God, he's bleeding!"
"They always fight for some reason."
"No way Grey, you can't use a weapon! You're going to kill him!"
At the word 'weapon' Adam rushed through the crowd, those who saw Adam who was already in the training area, all fell silent. Only Nick and Grey, fighting like wild dogs hitting each other, Grey's hand trying to grab a long sharp iron stick.
However before he could reach it, Adam punched him hard in the jaw knocking Grey unconscious, he then kicked Nick right in the stomach, Nick fell to his knees hugging his stomach and gagging in pain.
Slowly the crowd moved away from them in disappointment, Adam's presence made them return to their previous activities.
"Nick are you a kid? Fighting is prohibited except during practice. Don't you remember that rule? Are you two brainless."
"He started it."
"Like fuck I care." Adam threw Grey's unconscious body to his assistant, "Take him to the medic."
The assistant, still smiling thinly, nodded. Even though he had a small body, he was strong enough to support the body of someone who was bigger than him.
Ah, this shit again. He muttered as he wiped his hand with a handkerchief, he also didn't forget to warn Nick for who knew the number of times this had happened. People thought if you're in the right wing most people imagine a group of safe and peaceful, easy to manage, lovely omegas. But look at this nest. They were just like wild animals, always fighting releasing their rage.
Sometimes this reminds him of his teenage years when he liked to fight with anyone who annoyed him even a slightest, nevertheless getting older made you aware of responsibility.
The group of people who were talking suddenly fell silent, the front gate opened to reveal the palace guards. Queen Yelan was in the middle, walking inside with her signature warm smile. But what made the knights in the training area fell into silent wasn't because of Queen Yelan alone— a young man walking beside her with his personal knight following in tow.
Platinum blond hair that seemed to shine like jewels in the sunlight, his skin complexion pale white as if he was just a statue of a handsome beautifully sculpted man.
Is that man a real human being? Is he a living being?
He looked like a character in a painting of an artist who imagined the most handsome man and spilled that fantasy image onto the canvas.
His skin looked flawless, but when Adam's eyes glanced over his, he could feel something that made his body shiver.
Cold.
Cold, emotionless gaze.
Those bright blue eyes felt dark, as if you would sink into them if you stared at them too long.
He smiled but there was something off about that smile, a smile you only use when necessary like a painter telling you to smile so he could draw the pose, more like moving the corners of the mouth. He didn't know whether it could be called a smile.
"Adam," Queen Yelan called him, Adam turned around and walked closer to Queen Yelan then bowed down to her.
As he straightened his body again, those blue eyes stared at him intently, his legs weakened, this man's aura was no joke, this was crazy, those eyes reminded him of ... A beast looking at its prey.
"This young man is Prince Jacob, he wants to see you."
At the words 'Prince Jacob' A chorus of gasps rang out, the knights stood away to give more space, then bowed lower to the queen and prince.
"You look just as I imagined, Adam."
"Pardon me, Your Highness?"
"Could you please tell the other knights to get out of here." That was said in a low and calm voice however the domineering aura from this man could not be hidden.
Prince Jacob's cold gaze roamed around to every corner, without another word they all obediently left the training area like dogs kicked out by their master.
--What's going on? What's this? Why is he the only one left here?
Had he done something wrong to the Barlow nation? No, that was impossible, this was his first time interacting with someone from Barlow.
Merlyn's words came back to him, 'Lunatic Prince', 'Prince Jacob standing on a mountain of corpses beyond recognition, surrounded by the sea of blood from his enemies'
Seriously? This beautiful man, this beautiful god-like statuesque man did that? Then the handsome face is a scam!
Grumbling inwardly, The prince returned his gaze to Queen Yelan. "Did you teach your knights to look as quiet and timid as dogs? I didn't expect you to be like that, Your Majesty Queen Yelan." He chuckled faintly.
Seeing that, Queen Yelan laughed, "Aha, I didn't teach them that way, somehow they behaved differently than usual, I wonder why." Slightly scratching her chin and glancing at Prince Jacob, Queen Yelan then held Adam's shoulder, Adam's body flinched slightly. He looked at Queen Yelan whose warm face was very different from the man beside her.
"I want to talk to you Adam."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Adam glanced briefly at Prince Jacob who was still looking at him, he looked at the queen again, and nodded.
"You can of course refuse the offer, if you want, I won't force you—"
"Come to me." Suddenly the cold voice pierced his ears, Adam slowly turned his head to look at Prince Jacob who was looking at him with an indescribable look "Come to me, to Barlow."
What?
Noticing Adam's puzzled face, Prince Jacob made his point clear. "I need an omega knight. In my palace."
"No. Why me?"
He knew it sounded rude but he couldn't help it, he did not know what the intent and purpose of this prince who wanted to take him to his palace.
Adam never wanted to leave Grithda in fact, if he could, he wanted to die peacefully defending this region until his last breath. To serve Queen Yelan, until his body was buried in Grithda's land.
"I apologize, Your Highness Prince Jacob, but I don't want to leave my knights and this palace. If you want an omega knight, aren't there many out there who are more strong and competent than me?"
Adam lowered his head, he didn't know why this man chose him, and for what? Even though Adam didn't really care about the other territories it didn't mean he never heard rumors about how the Barlow region treated omegas and put alphas in the top position.
So why should he go there and for what? To be humiliated in a palace full of alphas? there was no way he wanted to go there.
"Such a predictable answer."
Strangely, the man smiled after hearing his answer, Adam's eyes widened for a moment seeing that smile— not the fake smile he saw earlier but a faint smile that looked more natural. He hated to admit that the smile was bewitching.
"Okay then, I can't force my knight to leave his hometown."
"You're right. I can't force him. But he has to understand the importance of why he has to agree. So how about this— Harris."
Calling the man who was standing not far behind, the man named Harris drew closer. Prince Jacob put his hand on the man's shoulder. "How about we make a bet. If you can beat Harris, my knight, in a wooden sword fight, then I won't force you. If Harris wins then you will come to Barlow, whether you like it or not."