Chapter 20: Chapter 10.2

“How long will you take? You haven’t eaten anything yet,” he asked Seira.

Baron frowned as he heard Aven’s query. He looked back at Seira and a brow shot up as he asked, “Why didn’t you eat?”

“I was sleeping,” she merely shrugged his question off as if it was nothing of importance.

Baron clicked his tongue at her curt reply. It was clear that her physical condition was abnormal, given that she chose sleep over food. He had told her to say if she had a hard time, but Seira was too stubborn to admit weakness even if she died.

‘I’ll have to feed her something decent, not military food,’ he thought to himself.

“You won’t have to worry about that, Aven,” Baron said, “I will take care of her meal myself.”

“Very well, then.” Aven bowed his head slightly and took a few steps back as he said, “Have a safe trip.”

Alec hastily handed Baron’s items which he had packed. He was preoccupied rolling his eyes at the back that he didn’t even realize Baron was looking at him.

“Good-bye, sir,” he bid the commander-in-chief bye.

Baron nodded at the quick-witted lieutenant and rode off without delay. He glanced back at Seira, who immediately followed him, and they left the camp at a moderate speed.

After 30 minutes of sprinting through the plains, the two were able to reach the edge of the forest. By this time, the terrain could only be traversed by foot, so they had to get off their horses and lead them cautiously.

“Do you plan to stay in Askan when you return?” Baron suddenly asked her.

Seira shrugged her shoulders at Baron’s out of the blue question.

“Well, farming failed this year,” she spoke with little emotion, if none at all.

It was fall season, but there was still nothing to harvest from Askan soils. Even as they tilled the soil and sowed as many seeds as they could. It was only expected that there was no growth in a dead land.

“…”

Seira noticed that the commander-in-chief seemed to be holding back something. His eyes were darting back and forth at her the whole time. Plus, his lips trembled slightly like he was a bit nervous.

“Do you have something you want to say?” she asked Baron.

“Seira…” The Alpha hesitated for a short while, before clearing his throat and finally saying, “Don’t you think that the amount of money you pour into Askan could buy you a more fertile land, right?”

The Duchess could only smile at his question. Every year, the money spent to revitalize Askan’s estate was enormous. But to Seira, it had to be done. No matter how fertile other lands may be, it meant nothing to her.

“Why don’t you stay in Jeff during the winter?” Baron lightly suggested.

“What’s the point of leaving my duchy under its current situation?” Seira asked him, her tone rising just a bit.

Baron considered refuting Seira’s idea, but he ultimately chose to express his true intentions.

“It’s only a suggestion, Seira,” Baron tried to calm her down. “I wanted to spend some time with you.”

Seira’s head swung back at his blunt words. His gaze was directed at her too.

“I think the cycle is almost right.” Baron pointed out, “Wouldn’t it be best if I became your partner?”

“Why? So that you can secure an heir to the delight of the people around you?” she snapped back at him.

Even as they were both heads of their duchy, Seira and Baron were different.

Seira didn’t have anyone to nag her about getting married. In such a case, it didn’t matter how long she had to spend money to return Askan to its former glory.

On the other hand, since the Duke Jeff was far different from their prestige, surely people were hounding him to settle down and secure an heir already.

It wouldn’t be too much if he had himself a fiance, but Baron never even held anyone’s hand in the family. Perhaps after Seira had manifested as an Omega, those who wished to see an heir through her must have been fighting.

“I just want a relationship with you, but not for that reason. No…” Baron shook his head as he denied her suspicions, “And… and I think you need me, too.”

“What about me? It’s not like there’s no Alpha in Askan,” Seira said calmly, making sure to look him in the eye. “I don’t have any other reason to be involved with you, do I?”

“…”

The Alpha of Askan. The words stuck in Baron’s ear.

Come to think of it, Seira’s pheromones were surprisingly more stable than that of last night. Inhibitors were not much help to pure bloods, especially an Omega in heat. Baron could only think of one way – she satisfied her natural desires by having sex with an Alpha.

‘No… don’t tell me that what I think is true…’ Baron’s eyes trembled with a sudden realization dawning on him.

One face came to Baron’s mind – Seira’s loyal vassal who always kept her company.

Baron was never interested in the appearance of other Alphas, especially of the males. But he knew well since he had ears.

Her vassal was on the leaner side for a master-class slayer, and was more popular with the younger generation. His gray hair, as if painted in achromatic colors, and black eyes like the night sky were rare. His expressionless face, devoid of emotion to which you could never know what he was thinking, gave him a mysterious air around him.

‘Was that her preference?’ Baron could only ask himself.

But Aven Helford wasn’t a pure-blooded aristocrat; not even a high-ranking nobleman. He was just a vassal of Askan.