CH 1

Etienne de Frédéric.

He was the only direct heir of the Frederic Empire and the first prince in succession to the throne. He lived a life envied by many yet he still considered himself the most unhappy person in the world.

If people had known what Etienne was thinking like that, they would have immediately called him crazy or full of grudges.

Who would consider him unhappy as he is a powerful member of the imperial family and the next great emperor?

Objectively speaking, Etienne lived in a blessed environment more than anyone else.

Yes. It didn’t matter that Etienne was ‘beta’ instead of alpha in people’s opinion.

Unlike Omega, Beta could become emperor under the Imperial Law.

It would have been different if Etienne had Alpine brothers and sisters, but he was the only child of the current emperor.

Above all else, behind Etienne was the Empress, the Golden Jade Leaf of the Duke of Hereace.

It was a fait accompli that Duke of Hereace, the head of the aristocracy and sometimes considered to have more power than the emperor, supported Etienne to ascend the throne.

An undeniable bloodline and overwhelming power.

Before that it had nothing to do with whether Etienne was a beta or an incurable b*stard.

So many people thought that there would be only a flowery path in the future of Etienne. They did not doubt Etienne’s happiness.

But it was people’s misunderstandings.

Etienne was not happy, he was never happy neither in the past nor now. To him, happiness was an unfamiliar and awkward word. As such, Etienne’s life was dark and gloomy.

Perhaps that’s why Etienne truly felt unhappy. He used to think that if he had to pick the unhappiest prince in the world, it would be him.

Because Etienne was an ‘Omega’ pretending to be Beta.

* * *

‘… … Tie, Etie.’

Yes.

‘I like you. I really do.’

Me, too.

‘So…Give it to me. Certainly….’

What? I can’t hear you.

‘Good-bye.’

No, I don’t want to.

Sha, don’t go. Don’t leave me alone in this hell. Please.

“Ugh… … !”

A harsh sigh escaped from between his tightly closed lips. Etienne gasped, clutching the quilt.

What dream was it?

Etienne closed and opened his eyes to catch the remnants of his dream. He felt like he had a long dream, but he couldn’t remember it. Instead, a feeling of sadness and melancholystuck to his body.

“Hah!”

Having failed to recall his dream, Etienne tried to calm his pounding heart by exhaling for a long time. Even after he woke up, his body felt heavy.

As he blinked a few times while lying down, the sleepiness disappeared and his vision gradually became clearer. Etienne forced himself to stand up. His body was droopy like wet cotton.

“Your Majesty! You’re awake!”

As soon as Etienne got up from his bed, a joyful voice was heard.

“What a relief!”

“Ben…”

Etienne frowned at Ben’s face the whole time he approached him. Ben’s voice was so loud that his head rang.

“Speak quietly.”

A mournful voice escaped from between his lips. Etienne was surprised by his voice. It was a dry voice like a tree that had dried up and cracked in a long drought.

“I’m sorry.”

Ben bowed quickly to Etienne’s admonishment. He kept his mouth shut and examined Etienne’s face. Maybe it was because he woke up after a few days, his face was pale, but he was still on the good side.

“Would you like some water?”

Ben grabbed the bottle on the table, relieved that Etienne was in better shape than expected. He couldn’t wake up for a long time, so he thought Etienne would be thirsty.

“Drink slowly.”

Etienne listened to Ben and held his cup of water. As Ben expected, he was very thirsty. Etienne brought the glass of water to his mouth with a hasty motion. Cool water moistened his white, chapped lips and flowed into his dry mouth.

“Cough!”

As soon as he drank water, he coughed. The cup fell from Etienne’s hand. Fortunately, thanks to Ben, who moved his arms quickly, the glass did not break.

“Are you all right?”

“Cough, cough, cough!”

Etienne crouched down and coughed continuously. Ben patted Etienne on the back with a bewildered face.

“I’m sorry, I’m really sorry.”

Ben apologized with a tearful look. Etienne coughed a few more times and gestured that he was okay. He choked while he was drinking in a hurry, there was nothing for Ben to apologize for.

“Whoo!”

Etienne, who barely stopped coughing, leaned against the bedhead with a tired face.

“…For how long have I lost my mind?”

“Three days,”

Ben replied cautiously to Etienne’s question. He seemed concerned that Etienne might be shocked.

“Three days… I slept longer than I thought.”

Etienne muttered, sighing. He clenched and opened his fists slowly with an expressionless face. There was a black bruise on his wrist.

Damn it.

At one moment Etienne’s expression was distorted. He stared at the tips of his trembling fingers.

Etienne recalled the situation before he lost consciousness as calmly as possible.

The heat cycle came without warning. Since it had been almost half a year since a heat cycle came, the intensity was also strong.

As soon as Etienne noticed that it was a heat cycle, he locked the door. He tried to suppress his heated body through sedatives brought by the court. But it didn’t work. Etienne was half beside himself and went wild. He couldn’t get himself together because of the cravings that filled his head.

‘Ugh. Ah, agh…….’

‘No, don’t want to, whoever it is, please, hgh.’

When his instinct as an omega was not resolved, his reason disappeared. Having lost his senses, he howled almost like an animal. He couldn’t fall asleep even after taking sleeping pills.

He didn’t know what terrible things would have happened if he hadn’t tied his wrists and ankles in anticipation of the disappearance of his reason.

He didn’t know how long time had passed in that state. If he asked Ben, he would answer, but he didn’t want to know.

At some point, it was just a blackout. He was either completely blown away or he was out of his mind, it’s one of two things.

Etienne, who had been searching for faint memories, gave up thinking. And he asked what he had been curious about.

“What did the courtier say?”

“It seems that the side effects of the inhibitor have occurred. Sooner or later, he will visit your highness, conduct an examination, and make a new medicine according to the results.”

“While you’re at it, tell him to change the sedatives.”

“What?”

“I think I’ve developed resistance. There was little effect this time.”

At Etienne’s words, Ben’s forehead wrinkled. The lack of sedative effect meant that Etienne continued to suffer from an unresolved desire until he passed out.

“…… I will tell the courtier.”

Etienne noded instead of answering. Maybe because he woke up after a few days, he was hungry and had a headache. Just as he thought he should eat something, he heard a small voice outside the door.

“Your Highness.”

“Who is it?”

Ben frowned at the voice outside the door. Hebit the royals while Etienne had a heat cycle. To enter without the permission of Ben, the chief attendant, meant that he was not a member of the Crown Prince’s Palace.

“Her Majesty, the Empress, is calling you.”