But how the hell was he supposed to get out of here?
It had been three days since Ash was locked up.
He had tried various methods, but all they had done was result in the soldiers being replaced by knights as his guards, without changing anything else.
On the fourth day of being locked up, Ash woke up feeling down.
Someone knocked on the door.
“Your meal is ready.”
Ash had even tried planning an escape, but the large soldiers and knights blocked him easily.
He had no choice but to admit that, on his own, he couldn’t break through them.
This time would be no different.
So, Ash decided to express his frustration in another way.
The result was this: His hungry stomach growled, and his body felt drained.
He could barely move a finger.
“Is this really the right thing to do?”
Ash felt a slight twinge of regret.
If it had been his father, maybe, but Owen?
That bastard wouldn’t even blink if he knew Ash was starving.
But the plan had already started.
He should probably see it through to the end, right?
Ash clutched his empty stomach.
Owen, that bastard, if rumors spread that he let me starve to death right after Father passed away, do you think your rule will last long?
Even if it’s just because of the backlash, Owen would have to let me out… wouldn’t he?
Just then, the door opened, and a knight entered, carrying a tray.
The delicious smell wafted through the air.
Ash deliberately tried not to look at it.
The knight placed the tray on a small table, then, seemingly reluctant, called to Ash.
“Didn’t you skip your meal yesterday as well? I made a spicy seafood soup today, just the way you like it. Please have a bite.”
The voice was familiar.
Ash quickly turned around in surprise.
“Tyl?”
“I’ll leave now.”
Tyllian Mayner didn’t make eye contact with Ash.
He closed the door behind him as he left.
Ash immediately jumped out of bed and rushed to the door, knocking on it.
Thud, thud, thud!
“Tyl! Tyllian! Is that you?”
No answer came from the other side.
That was the clearest answer.
“Tyl! Tyllian! My hand hurts. Just answer me if it’s you!”
Thud, thud, thud!
Ash ignored the pain in his hand and kept pounding on the door.
Pressing his ear against it, he begged, and after a moment, a sigh mixed with a voice came through.
“Yes, it’s me. Stop knocking. Didn’t I tell you to eat?”
That voice, so full of attitude…
The nagging voice of Tyllian Mayner, who used to follow Ash around and lecture him on all the ‘duties’ he had as a nobleman.
Ash felt like he might cry.
Finally, someone was responding!
“Tylian, Tylian, do you know how long I’ve been locked up here? Owen, no, my brother locked me up! He didn’t even assign me a servant, not even letting me step outside, and he has soldiers and knights guarding the door! Is this even reasonable? Huh?”
Ash could hear Tyllian signing on the other side.
“You caused a scene at the funeral, didn’t you?”
“That was! I messed up, but I was upset about what my brother did…”
Ash deliberately referred to Owen as “brother” to please Tyllian, who placed a high value on etiquette.
Tyllian hated when Ash called Owen a “bastard.”
But it seemed that Ash’s efforts weren’t even reaching Tyllian.
“I heard you insulted the future Duke in front of everyone,” Tyllian said coldly.
“No, that’s not it! Please, listen to me!”
“Is what I heard not true?”
Ash couldn’t bring himself to lie.
Tyllian’s voice sounded like someone who already knew the full story.
“Well, yes… but does that justify locking me up? Keeping me from doing anything? Is this what a person should do?”
As he spoke, Ash’s frustration boiled over, and he kicked the door.
He was so weak that even that little action made his leg ache.
“It seems like you have the energy to get angry. Please eat. The soup is getting cold.”
“Who cares about the soup! Let it get cold!”
Does this guy really understand me?
Ash fumed, but Tyllian didn’t respond.
It didn’t take long before Ash regretted his outburst.
His recent memories of Tyllian came rushing back.
He had been so happy to hear from him, he had forgotten something crucial.
They had fought recently, and it had been a big argument.
Tyllian Mayner was Ash’s childhood friend and they had learned swordsmanship from the same instructor.
When Ash’s father had decided to raise Tyllian as his bodyguard, he had kept him close ever since.
Naturally, the two had become close, despite their constant bickering.
The problem, though, was that Ash and Tyllian had completely opposite personalities.
Ash was free-spirited, while Tyllian was rigid and uptight.
Tyllian would always lecture him, and Ash would just tune him out.
Their servants had even grown so accustomed to this dynamic that when Tyllian would scold Ash, they would think, Well, Ash must’ve done something wrong again.
And, of course, the last fight had been Ash’s fault…
Tyllian, Ash’s bodyguard, was also the one who had to witness all of Ash’s wild behavior up close.
Tyllian, a stickler for rules, couldn’t understand why Ash couldn’t settle down with just one person and always had several lovers at once.
Ash had always thrown tantrums and made excuses when Tyllian lectured him.
Tyllian, having known him since childhood, would usually let it slide.
But he hadn’t forgiven Ash for what happened recently.
That day, Ash had been sneaking around with an alpha from a wealthy family, someone who was carefully raised and cherished.
When Ash had tried to sneak out by climbing the wall, he quickly realized he couldn’t manage it on his own.
So, in his desperation, he called for Tyllian’s help.
Intruder!
Catch the intruder!
They had to flee through the back alleys, escaping from the servants who had been chasing them.
Ash, relieved, had been celebrating, but Tyllian didn’t share his joy.
Instead, he just stood there with his arms crossed, glaring at Ash.
“Why?” Ash had noticed Tyllian wasn’t in a good mood and nudged him with his elbow, smiling.
But that day, Tyllian didn’t soften his expression.
“What exactly are you trying to do? The alpha you’ve been seeing is the heir to a prestigious family. If anyone finds out about this, Ash, you’ll have to marry him. That’s the consequence.”
“So, we managed to slip out without anyone noticing. I won’t meet him again.”
“But didn’t you promise him you’d return?”
“How could I come back here? I’d be too scared to show up. If I try again, I’ll really get caught next time. Besides, I’m sure he’ll understand once I give him a piece of my mind.”
“He seemed completely smitten with you, Ash.”
“Of course, he’s smitten. Who could resist my charm?” Ash said with a laugh, but Tyllian didn’t even crack a smile.
“Ash, if you keep reading other people’s hearts so easily, you’ll be punished. I’m not going to tell you to act like a normal omega. But at least, shouldn’t you pick one person and seriously commit to them? I know you treat relationships like a game, but people’s hearts are dangerous things. You never know when one might come back to bite you.”
“Then you’ll just save me, right? You’ll always be there for me, won’t you?”
“I appreciate your trust in me, but even I… I might reach my limits,” Tyllian replied, his face hardening.
Ash’s mood soured instantly.
Tyllian knew why Ash kept wandering outside the castle.
He had grown up hearing things like, “You’re just a cute omega.
Grow up healthy, get married, and give us heirs.”
This made Ash think, “Yeah, right,” and thus, he’d been making lovers left and right.
Tyllian knew that.
So why was he blaming Ash now?
In the end, this guy is just like the other alphas.
Ash felt a pang of betrayal.
He had always heard alphas excused their actions with phrases like “I’m just in my prime,” or “It’s just my instincts,” so why was it so wrong for him to do the same?
Why couldn’t he be like them?
Ash couldn’t believe that his old friend was criticizing him.
“Don’t talk to me like that. What about Lord Mayner? How about him having his fun with prostitutes?”
Tyllian’s face turned cold.
Lord Mayner’s notorious behavior was well-known throughout the castle, especially the scandal where, not long after his wife’s death, he had filled his mansion with courtesans, a subject of gossip for years.
I shouldn’t have said that.
Ash immediately regretted it, but it was too late.
Why did he always speak without thinking?
Afterward, Tyllian completely shut Ash out.
He even asked to be reassigned from his position as Ash’s bodyguard and had Ash placed under the protection of another knight.
Ash couldn’t believe it.
When he tried to apologize, Tyllian ignored him and even made a point of leaving before Ash could get close.
It hurt more than Ash had expected.
Now, after all that, the first conversation they had was nothing like it used to be.
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