Standing under the large oak tree, shaded by its sprawling branches, James and Yusha stared at Ren, who held a sword as if he had been born to wield it.
His posture was perfect.
"Ren?" Their voices were low, almost a whisper, stunned. They didn’t dare step closer. The person in front of them appeared nothing like the timid servant they knew. This man’s red eyes glimmered with bloodthirst.
"He can use a sword?" Yusha narrowed his eyes, speaking loud enough for James to hear.
"Well... I don’t know about that, but... he did save me," James said, equally puzzled, scratching the back of his head. He glanced at Yusha, then back at Ren, mirroring Yusha’s astonishment.
Zayden leaned against a nearby tree, arms crossed, observing from a distance. His gaze lingered on Ren’s movements—steady, controlled, practiced.
"Your posture is good, but..." His voice was low, deep, as he stepped closer. "Your body is stiff."
Ren’s jaw tightened, fingers gripping the hilt. He had no desire to impress, no intention to bend to anyone. Yet here he was, listening to Zayden’s every command for the sake of a calm life until he could leave this place.
Zayden’s lips curved slightly. He watched Ren swing the sword, the blade cutting through the air with a harsh strike.
With every movement he made—Zayden found himself unable to look away.
Ren could kill a few men with a strike like that... yet his focus was entirely on the servant, not his blade, nor his movements.
Why did he care so much? Why did it pull at him—the way Ren’s muscles tensed, the small flex of his wrists, the angle of his shoulders? It was as if Ren alone anchored his attention, though admitting it aloud was impossible. He was the general who guarded the border. How could he admire another person below him?
The high society would laugh at me.
He chuckled at his own silly thoughts.
Stepping behind him, Zayden reached for Ren’s arm, straightening it gently. He tried to find traces of pheromones but Ren pulled away.
"What are you doing?!" The silver-haired man frowned, swatting his hand away immediately.
"Just fixing your position," Zayden grinned, though his heart skipped at the sharp edge of Ren’s glare. He couldn’t remember ever seeing his ghost-like attendant frown like that. It unsettled him in a way he didn’t understand. He didn’t want to upset him.
However, amused by his reaction, he reached for the other hand. But this time, Ren’s expression was steady, emotionless, unwavering.
Zayden drew back instantly.
What was wrong? Why did it sting a little, the way Ren didn’t flinch or hesitate under his touch?
Yusha and James, sensing the tension grow, rushed toward them.
"We’ve been looking everywhere for you!"
Ren lowered the sword, sliding it back into its scabbard as if it were a habit built after years of practice.
The three looked at him. This was routine for him, yet none asked about it.
"Let’s go," James said, grabbing Ren’s wrist and pulling him away.
Zayden raised an eyebrow, watching.
He didn’t push his hand away—but mine?
Among the nobles, Zayden knew he was the prize everyone whispered about, the one every family wanted their omega children to marry. And yet... this man, who might, might not be, an omega, so still, so unbothered by his presence, stirred something within him. His plan had failed for now. However, he wouldn’t give up just yet. If he were a quitter, he wouldn’t have become an Imperial General despite the opposition of his parents at the beginning.
Sitting on a bench under a parasol tree, Yusha and James stared at him as if he were a stranger.
"W-What is it?" Ren asked, blinking,
"Well..." James hesitated.
"You can wield a sword?! Why didn’t you tell us?!" Yusha began. "Do you know how shocked we were? What would you do if one day you get to know that I can," he paused, thinking. "Uhm... I can’t think of anything now but—"
"Shh," Ren pressed his finger on his own lips, telling Yusha to keep calm.
Yusha arched an eyebrow, his expression clearly stating: Are you really telling me to shut up?
"I learned to use a sword when I was young," he said after his two friends had calmed down.
He slowly glanced at them, wondering why they were silent for so long.
Their jaws had dropped, stunned. They hadn’t moved for a while, unable to think what to say or what to do.
"That’s so awesome, Ren!"
"Right! No wonder you can save yourself from..."
"Ohhh! Please! I know you didn’t mean it. You told me. I forgave you. End of story!" James forced a smile, brushing his hands against each other as if dusting them off.
Ren smiled faintly, a soft sigh escaping his mouth.
"What are you both referring to?" Yusha asked, tilting his head to the side.
"It’s nothing," James shook his head. "We had some issues but it’s resolved now."
"Issues with Ren? He barely says anything to offend someone," Yusha chuckled.
"True," James laughed.
Ren simply watched them. When he first came, he kept a distance from everyone. But now that it was soon time for him to leave, he made a few relationships that could make it hard to leave this place.
Are you reconsidering your decision?
Are you going to abandon your child to stay among these—non-human beings?
Ren’s breath caught in his throat. How could he even think that these people were his friends? If they knew his identity, they wouldn’t waste one second to throw him at the feet of their cruel General.
"What are you thinking about?" James waved his hand in front of Ren’s face, hoping to catch his attention.
The young man didn’t blink, simply locked gaze with him.
"Are you scared of nothing?" James withdrew his hand, arching an eyebrow.
"I mean... nothing seems to scare you," he chewed the food in his mouth.
"Is that true?" Excited, Yusha leaned closer.
Just then, a man’s shadow fell on Yusha’s face.