"So..." Silas swallowed, "When will I give you the pheromone therapy?"
It seemed like Alric realized Silas had changed the subject. Silas' face turned red. It was an important question, but asking it himself felt, for some reason, embarrassing.
"Ah, you must be tired now. Let me take you to your room."
"Are we doing it in the room?"
Silas' heart raced in nervousness. The pheromone therapy only required the alpha and omega to have direct contact with the pheromones and become accustomed to them. Nothing strange was supposed to happen. But considering he had just become Alric's consort, his mind couldn't help but wander to inappropriate thoughts. Silas quickly pushed those thoughts away.
"Not today," Alric said, in his usual monotone voice. "You're still tired."
"You're right."
"Follow me... I guess if I want to be friends with you, I'll have to show you I'm serious, huh?"
"...."
"You're not answering my question."
Yes, Alric had noticed that Silas hadn't responded to his offer of friendship. But it wasn't that Silas didn't want to answer; it was just... strange, and he needed to process what had just happened today, mentally he was still in a confused state.
Silas followed Alric up the stairs, and they finally stopped in front of a large wooden door with carvings.
"This is your room. Don't lock it."
Alric opened the door, and the light didn't turn on. Silas stepped into his room, remembering that his father would be bringing his things to the Wittenheim mansion tomorrow, so he didn't have to worry about it. Before closing the door, he glanced back at Alric, still standing in the same spot.
Hesitant, Silas parted his lips—once, twice—then, gathering his courage, he spoke, "Alric, good night."
Alric's eyes widened for a moment, then a smile, one that made Silas' heart nearly explode, formed on his naturally pink lips. Silas swallowed, his throat dry. That face was the very definition of angelic beauty.
"My room is on this floor too," Alric told him. "If you need anything, you can call me."
"So, when you said you use this house to spend your time instead of the mansion, that's true?"
"Yeah, I can't sleep at the mansion, so I prefer to rest here. I only go to the mansion to help my father with work. Well then, good night too, Silas."
Alric's hand reached up to Silas' head and gently ruffled his hair before pulling his hand back, flashing a sweet smile. Silas quickly closed the door to his room, sinking down to the floor, not even bothering to turn on the light.
That was dangerous. He could feel something stir inside his chest. He knew what it was, and it seemed like that feeling had never disappeared. He had just been in denial. His feelings weren't just some teenage crush—he still felt that childish warmth spreading through his heart every time he saw Alric.
*
The moment Silas opened his eyes and saw the light streaming through the gaps in his room's ventilation, he immediately sat up and rushed down the stairs. He was clearly late, but when he reached the bottom and looked around for Alric, the man was nowhere to be found. He was somewhat startled when a woman called out to him.
"Master."
Turning around, he saw a middle-aged woman in servant's attire bowing to him.
"Ugh, may I ask what time it is?"
"It's nine o'clock, Master."
"Is Alric here?"
"Your Highness Alric is at the mansion, Master. But he brought your belongings this morning, which Baron Conrad had brought over."
"Ah, yes... of course, thank you. By the way, may I know your name?"
"Karen. My name is Karen, Master. I'm the servant here. I've prepared breakfast for you, as His Highness Alric instructed. He said he'll be back later this afternoon."
Silas wasn't accustomed to having breakfast, in fact, it was quite rare for him. But when food was prepared, he felt obliged to eat it to show appreciation for someone's efforts. As he pulled out the chair and looked at the table, the menu was simple—bread and bacon—but what caught his attention was a familiar pastry that made his eyes light up. It was a cream puff—Silas opened the jar to inspect its contents, and his surprise grew when he saw the blueberry cream inside. It was a rare treat in this region, usually only found in the southern territories. It was a popular pastry when he lived in Rivera with his mother.
To his knowledge, blueberries weren't widely harvested in Lichtberg.
From the memories he still held of his time in Rivera, his mother often made these for him, even though they could easily be bought and weren't expensive. His mother had preferred to make them herself. Blueberries were not a rare fruit in Rivera, and the region was the largest supplier of blueberries compared to others. However, ever since the Rivera kingdom was defeated in war due to the king's greed, the land was never the same as when Silas had lived there.
As he chewed on the pastry, and Silas's eyes trembled slightly. He knew he had been abandoned by his mother, but there was no lingering bitterness. When he was younger, he often wondered why his mother had left him in an unfamiliar place, leaving only a few changes of clothes and a bunch of bread in his bag. But as he grew older, Silas realized that his mother had likely done what she did to protect him from the aftermath of the losing war in Rivera.
One thing that still lingered in his mind was why they hadn't fled together. Why had she left him all alone? That question had never been answered, not even to this day.
After finishing his meal, Silas decided to explore the large house. He climbed the stairs and, hesitantly, began trying the doors of the rooms. On the second floor, he found a study, a spacious library, and several empty rooms. There was one room with a locked door, so he couldn't tell what was inside. When he reached the third floor, he found many musical instruments and more empty rooms. It seemed the third floor was designed specifically for relaxation, with a wide balcony and several small tables and chairs. From the balcony, he could see the beautiful view outside, including the dense Armor Forest. Without realizing it, his gaze shifted to the roses below.
Ah, last night, Alric had shown him those roses, but since it had been dark, he hadn't had the chance to appreciate their full beauty. Silas quickly descended the stairs. The roses were two-toned, and their fragrance was intoxicating. Did Alric also like these roses? There's no way he wouldn't like the flower. The same kind he had often seen in the back garden of the dormitory—a quiet place he used to visit alone to read, as no one liked to linger there because of the insects and snakes that infested the nearby forest.
The roses were so healthy, with not a single wilted stem. The gardener here must truly cherish them.
"Master."
At the sound of a sudden voice, Silas turned to see an old man—seemingly around his father's age—standing with gardening tools in hand, which he set down.
"Ah, master," the man bowed respectfully. "Have you seen the greenhouse? Young master Alric told me that if I met you, I should show you the greenhouse."
"Ah? There's a greenhouse here?"
"Of course, master. Please follow me."
It wasn't far from the house. As Silas entered, he was greeted by a variety of flowers. There were also several benches and tables. A bookshelf filled with books caught his attention. Silas's face flushed slightly. Alric had said he preferred relaxing here rather than at the Wittenheim mansion. So, naturally, everything Alric liked and needed was present. But what Silas couldn't help thinking in that moment was how surprised he was that their tastes and hobbies were so similar.
Two-toned roses, books, piano and violin, his room design, blueberry cream puffs. If he had known all this earlier, perhaps he could have befriended the grand duke's son when they were at the same school.