The Dignity of the Omega

#8

“Since you said you want to carry on Shamier in the future, shouldn’t your body and health be considered synonymous with Shamier’s future? In five years, I will come of age, and you, Enrique, will be twenty-three, an ideal age for pregnancy and childbirth. I believe we are destined for each other.”

Having said that, the boy reached out and gently took Enrique’s hand. Before Enrique could react, he lifted it and placed a light, respectful kiss on the back of his hand.

“Would you please consider me seriously? I sincerely want to be your one and only alpha.”

The boy looked up at Enrique earnestly and desperately, his eyes sparkling like the night sky.

Enrique blinked in confusion, not even thinking of pulling his hand away. He never expected to receive such a sincere confession from a young boy in the midst of such blatant negotiations. Of course, thanks to his father who had cherished and protected Enrique like a fragile glass vase, this was the first time he had allowed such an approach or confession.

As Enrique silently stared without answering, desperation and anxiety appeared in the boy’s eyes. Looking at the boy before him, Enrique found it impossible to imagine him as a grown alpha exuding pheromones a few years from now.

“Prince Enrique. Surely you’re not saying you’ll wait for a child who hasn’t even come of age to grow up? Five years is a very long time,” the King of Monta reminded him in a calm voice.

“Five years? That’s enough time for a third marriage,” the Crown Prince of Baron sneered, looking at the Ruben prince.

“What will you do, Prince Enrique?”

“Stop dragging this out and make a decision.”

The King of Monta and the Crown Prince of Baron stepped closer, urging Enrique to choose. Both men were emitting strong pheromones, determined to entice the omega.

For a moment, Enrique’s mind clouded under the shower of strong pheromones. His knees nearly buckled. The boy who had been holding his hand sensed this instantly and gripped his hand tighter. Enrique managed to maintain his composure thanks to the boy’s support.

“I…”

Enrique’s lips, dry from exposure to the pheromones, barely parted as he looked at each of the three suitors in turn. After briefly closing and opening his eyes, Enrique’s gaze was clear and pure.

“I choose the Ruben Empire.”

At Enrique’s quiet declaration, the faces of the King of Monta and the Crown Prince of Baron instantly turned hostile. The envoys from both countries also protested, muttering with hardened expressions. Enrique flashed a grateful smile at the boy who had supported him, then gently pulled his hand away. He raised his hand slightly to clear the air, then spoke again in a louder voice.

“Everyone present has heard, so there’s no need for lengthy explanations. When you consider everything, isn’t it true that the conditions offered by the Ruben Empire are the most generous? If you’re unsatisfied with my decision, you’re welcome to present additional conditions.”

The faces of the Monta and Baron representatives contorted. They couldn’t match the Ruben Empire’s overwhelming material offerings. Particularly, the absolute protection the Ruben side could provide was inimitable. Of course, the condition of providing Shamier with the direct lineage of a superior alpha was also very attractive.

Seeing that Monta and Baron couldn’t readily speak up, Enrique raised one corner of his mouth. Then, placing his hand on the King of Shamier’s shoulder, he said affectionately,

“Father, please decide the order between Monta and Baron as you see fit. I’ll step back after this much involvement.”

Though weak to his only remaining child, the King of Shamier was still Shamier – a born merchant, in other words. Seeing that his son had already made up his mind, he nodded with a faint sigh.

“Then I shall take my leave. The next time we meet will be to draft the agreement.”

Enrique bowed gracefully, as if he had never acted like a ruthless merchant. Then he smoothly turned and left the audience chamber.

As Enrique walked towards the corridor, leaving the audience chamber behind, attendants hurriedly followed. Enrique lowered his complex gaze, letting out a sigh so faint that others wouldn’t notice.

He had intended to get through everything as quickly as possible, considering it was something he had to do anyway. But this decision had forcibly given Enrique five years of freedom.

Five years. It was a long time, yet short.

His feelings were complicated when he thought about this grace period, free from his duties as the prince of Shamier and as a superior omega. While feeling infinitely free, he also felt pressured to quickly finish everything and become completely free.

Well… anyway. The die had been cast. The result was out, and now Enrique just had to move according to that result.

Composing himself, Enrique raised his eyes from the ground to look straight ahead. His walk towards his quarters naturally carried strength and dignity.

Enrique smiled faintly, remembering the boy who had kissed his hand.

In five years. He was somewhat looking forward to seeing what kind of man that pretty and polite boy would grow into.

*

Although the conditions were agreed upon, formally drafting the agreement was no easy task. This was a contract between nations involving enormous resources. Even a single ambiguous word could cause tremendous disputes. Of course, with not just marriage but also childbirth and divorce involved, the documents to be drafted seemed endless.

In the end, envoys from each country and Shamier’s scholars worked en masse on drafting the agreement. With nitpicking over every single word, by the time all three countries’ agreements were drafted and signed, over two weeks had passed.

For all the fuss, the content of the agreement was relatively simple.

According to the agreement, Enrique would marry the Ruben prince as soon as he came of age and bear heirs for both Shamier and Ruben. Considering two children, the marriage period was set at four years. After that, they would immediately divorce, and Enrique would maintain a two-year marriage with the King of Monta and bear an heir. Then another immediate divorce, followed by marriage to the Crown Prince of Baron to bear an heir. Of course, that marriage would also end after two years. All wedding gifts were to be given on the day of each wedding ceremony. The rest was just a long list of gifts.

Enrique, who had caused an uproar among the three countries with his initial bombshell announcement, appeared only once at the signing of the completed agreement. The rest of the time, he enjoyed his leisure, shut away in his quarters. This was to prevent any potential incidents from accidental encounters with the desire-blinded suitors.

Naturally, the suitors wanted to meet him several times a day, making excuses about tea time, walks, or meals, but Enrique refused all such requests. Not only was their self-control questionable, but there was also no guarantee that Enrique, now of age, could perfectly control his own rationality. Enrique had no intention of casually wasting his valuable self on temporary desires.

“They’re finally leaving, it seems.”

Enrique said, sipping tea on the balcony of his bedroom. Beyond the balcony, a long procession could be seen leaving the palace. The suitors and their envoys were finally departing from Shamier.

“The palace will be quiet for the next few years, I suppose,” said Pol, Enrique’s head attendant, in a relieved voice. Having been harassed considerably by the suitors due to his position, he looked genuinely happy.

Enrique put down his teacup and stretched with an equally relieved expression. Then he abruptly stood up.

“Where are you going?” Pol asked.

“Well… I’ve been cooped up in my room for so long, what should I do first… Should I go for a walk, loosen up my body with some swordplay, or maybe go for a horse ride?”

Enrique hummed, listing things he hadn’t been able to do while confined to his quarters.

“Is there any need to choose just one? Why not do them all?” Pol suggested, following closely behind Enrique.

Just as Enrique, finally liberated, was about to step out of his bedroom door, an attendant approaching in hurried steps saw him and hesitated, then approached quickly again.

“Your Highness.”

“What is it?”

In response to Enrique’s puzzled question, the attendant glanced at the closed reception room door behind him and said,

“A guest has arrived. They wish to see you, Your Highness.”

“A guest? Who?”

Enrique walked towards the reception room door, wondering who would come to see him so soon after the envoys had left. The attendant followed closely behind, speaking in a slightly disgruntled voice.