Chapter 6

What she had just taken was a medicine designed to suppress the heat cycle—an omega’s mating period.

However, the taste that lingered in her mouth after swallowing the water was different than usual. It was slightly bitter, reminiscent of the aftertaste of red wine. Idina glanced at the glass the servant had given her.

‘Could that not have been water…?’

But before she could dwell on the thought, the person beside her continued speaking.

“An Omega family is precious. So, the lady must be…”

It seemed she had begun to suspect that Idina belonged to one of those rare bloodlines.

Just as there were fewer than twenty families in the empire capable of conceiving Alphas—including the imperial family—there were fewer than ten who could conceive Omegas. Idina’s maternal family was among them.

Most people in the empire were Betas. But to maintain the Alpha lineage, Omegas were essential—and vice versa.

While two Alphas could still produce an Alpha child, reproduction between two Omegas was no different from that of Betas.

Thus, Omega families sustained their lineage by promoting marriages with Alphas. And because Alphas were so rare in the empire, many of these marriages were arranged with foreign Alphas.

Yet, in this moment, the issue wasn’t about lineage or the type of child born.

Idina offered a gentle smile to the person who was now staring at her with a gaze that felt far too heavy, then quietly excused herself.

She slipped away from the crowd and wandered through the bustling banquet hall. Surrounded by noise but no prying eyes, she felt far more at ease than she had in the center of attention.

Some might criticize Idina for being unsociable, but she always felt uncomfortable being the center of attention in a crowd. The title of “Bride,” being second-in-command of the empire, and the fact that she was an omega—something rare and unusual—only added to her discomfort.

In truth, she believed these things forced her into a role that others wanted her to play.

Because she was a noble, she was expected to maintain dignity. Because she was an omega, she was pressured to preserve her beauty.

And since she was young, the adults in her life had treated her as though it was her obligation to one day bear a great Alpha child—both for her noble blood and her omega status.

That was one of the reasons she despised Lord Lilles.

<I’m sure our child would be beautiful if you marry me, right?>

Just thinking about his disgusting grin was enough to make her want to strike him.

<Don’t worry, I don’t plan on having an illegitimate child until I marry you. Hm…?>

When she first heard those words, she wondered if he might already have a child from someone else.

Idina stood in the middle of the grand banquet hall, where a fountain poured down from the ceiling. She scanned the crowd with sharp eyes. It was a relief that she didn’t have to see his face, especially since it was a masquerade.

Even after declaring their engagement over, that Lilles would have undoubtedly approached her to bother her.

He always did that. He made Idina furious, and the anger would only grow worse when she heard those words.

<You’re my omega.>

Adding such a petty, unfounded excuse for his behavior.

Now that the engagement had been broken off and their ties completely severed, she didn’t care anymore.

As she continued to think, the imperial attendants—who were allowed not to wear masks during the banquet—appeared in front of the platform where the royal family would sit.

Idina, who had noticed them first, saw the people still preoccupied with their conversations. The attendants, however, had their attention focused on one thing.

“Our Majesties, the Emperor and Empress, with Her Highness the Princess of the Great Empire, are coming!”

As soon as the announcement was made, the crowd fell silent and turned toward the platform. Idina felt a sense of unease.

The attendants had mentioned the Emperor and the Princess, but there was no mention of anyone else.

Isn’t His Highness the Crown Prince attending…?

Even though he rarely appeared at official events, Idina had expected him to show up today.

However, as the Emperor made his entrance amid the applause, accompanied by the Princess, now in her late teens, there was no sign of Killian Escass.

It wasn’t just Idina who noticed; the other nobles, too, began to sense that something was off. A hushed murmur spread through the crowd.

But as the Emperor and Empress took their seats on the high platform, the nobles gradually settled into their own seats, their voices quieting down. Idina found a seat nearby.

As soon as she sat down, the whispers resumed.

“There are rumors that the Crown Prince is seriously ill…”

“Oh, no way. He’s an Alpha. A dominant Alpha. How could he be seriously ill…?”

“There are even rumors that he isn’t a dominant Alpha, you know?”

The topic of the absent Crown Prince, especially at a royal banquet, was the talk of the room. Idina didn’t add anything to the conversation, but she listened carefully.

Having seen the Crown Prince several times, Idina didn’t believe the rumors that he wasn’t a dominant Alpha. But hearing that he was sick made her wonder if there might be some truth to it.

The last time Killian Escass had appeared at an official event was three years ago. Even before that, his public appearances had been infrequent, whether by the Emperor’s wishes or his own preference. But he still managed to make an appearance at least once a year.