Into the Rose Garden Novel - Chapter 17.5 The fate flows again

Passing the shadow of a large tree, he saw something ahead. Someone’s shadow was cast between the repeating cedar tree shadows, like a broken kaleidoscope. He unconsciously widened his stride and approached. The person standing there blankly without a lantern was Aeroc. It seemed he hadn’t returned to the mansion earlier. The moment he saw him, his precarious composure shattered instantly, and something indescribable began to stir again.

Why is he wandering around in the middle of the night without a lantern? Of course, he was doing the same, but he was the one who had just experienced something psychologically disturbing. He couldn’t understand what had happened to him that made him act so pathetic, as if he carried all the world’s sorrow and pain, ever since the concert.

His sight of Aeroc standing blankly under the cedar shadows in the moonlight, staring at the moon, was extremely irritating. At the same time, he had no desire to approach him and talk, or even acknowledge him. He declined a confrontation in a space-time filled with artistic devices, where merely listing facts without rhetorical flourish could become poetry, with the person who had caused him strange feelings every time they met since their first encounter. It was better to pass by quietly.

He walked a few more steps, then stopped and thought again. It would be better to turn back than to pass by. When he quickly turned around, a cool breeze blew, subtly mixed with a stimulating body scent. It was a strange smell, neither Alpha nor Omega.

No, was it Omega? Mixed with an Alpha’s scent? He thought there might be a newlywed couple nearby, but that was a foolish thought. In this vast garden, there was only Aeroc besides himself.

He often reacted to that body scent, so he ended up getting aroused. It was very humiliating, but since the only person he would see in the middle of the night was Aeroc, another Alpha, he didn’t care. No one would be so keen as to notice it in the dark night. More than that, he couldn’t imagine when he had rolled around with an Omega, or how much he had done until his body scent became such a mess.

What a dissolute fellow. It seems he hasn’t even been in his room. What a waste of the moon, the garden, the wind, and the shadows. To waste such a beautiful scene just to savor the lingering scent of an affair. He’s not a vain… fool.

He quickly became displeased again. He was horrified to react and get aroused by the body scent full of the lingering scent of an affair, so he decided to go back immediately. But he stopped again midway. Since he was already annoyed, he felt he had to say what he had decided to say since early evening.

This man, who had spent the equivalent of a house on a single concert, if he had been rolling around with someone until his body scent became so messed up, there was a high possibility of a severe financial crisis caused by all sorts of gifts. A warning was needed immediately. He was a man who could lose his house overnight, so there was no time to delay.

His arousal and his anger towards Aeroc’s unknown partner had nothing to do with the matter. He was merely giving professional advice as an investment agent and asset manager. It was a very urgent matter, so Kloff strode quickly and stood behind Aeroc in an instant.

Aeroc was so lost in thought that he didn’t notice Kloff approaching until he put a hand on his shoulder and called out.

“Hey.”

When Kloff called out in a slightly angry voice and grabbed his shoulder, Aeroc jumped in surprise. At the same time, he quickly turned his body and fiercely slapped Kloff’s arm that was holding him. He turned so abruptly that he lost his balance and stumbled backward. He looked like he was about to fall.

“Ah!”

“Oh dear.”

Kloff instinctively reached out his arm and supported his slightly thin back. Although Aeroc wasn’t large, being a healthy Alpha, Kloff also swayed while supporting him. After fumbling, they both regained their balance. Although not intentional, Kloff naturally wrapped his arm around Aeroc’s waist, pulling him closer. Aeroc gripped Kloff’s vest with both hands, sighed deeply, and raised his head. Their gazes met. The awkwardness of their close proximity was momentary; Kloff was greatly shocked.

Clear tears streamed from his intensely wet blue eyes, illuminated by the moonlight.

“Aeroc?”

“Ah…”

When Kloff unconsciously called his name, Aeroc, as if belatedly coming to his senses, frowned in great embarrassment and quickly pulled away from Kloff. Then he roughly rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hand. With his thin mask broken, Aeroc looked very sad and distressed. As his arm, which had felt a satisfying fullness even in that short moment, became empty, Kloff felt angry again, and at the same time, very… Yes, very regretful. Enough to realize his heart ached. Why was he crying? Who made him cry? The Omega he rolled around with? Probably.

“Did you get heartbroken?”

The words that blurted out sounded sarcastic even to his own ears. He didn’t really intend them to be, but when it came to the Count, such reactions were beyond his control. As Kloff, inwardly flustered, hardened his expression, Aeroc lowered the hand that had been rubbing his eyes and curved his lips into a smile. Turning his head slightly, he looked at Kloff only with the corners of his eyes and said with slightly trembling lips.

“I can get hurt too.”

He couldn’t understand the unexpected answer at all.

What? Did he really get heartbroken, or was it something else?

Kloff said nothing, only staring at the wet blue eyes. He couldn’t tear his gaze away. The shock was immense. No matter how much Aeroc wiped his tears, they kept welling up, soon spreading across his face and dampening the back of his hand. Had he loved someone so much to cry like that, and then been heartbroken? That incredibly arrogant nobleman, crying so pitifully?

Thinking about it, it was strange that his body scent had suddenly changed when it had been fine just moments ago. It wasn’t something that could happen in just a few hours. Or perhaps he had always had an Omega he was dating for a long time and had been carefully hiding his body scent until now.

If so, did he only give his body but not his heart? The Count? Aeroc Teiwind? Who would dare to do such a thing? Which Omega played with the Count like a toy? It was a continuous shock. But why was he suddenly infuriated, and why did he, a perfectly fine Alpha, want to strangle that foolish, pathetic bastard who was being used?

Being swayed by incomprehensible emotions was very unpleasant. He also wanted to stop imagining himself mutilating an unknown target that he couldn’t even confirm existed, let alone the person in front of him. Unable to tolerate himself being consumed by inexplicable jealousy, he retorted with an even more twisted voice.

“If you’re hurt, wouldn’t it be better not to wander around at night, soaked in a body scent that makes you look like an Omega? If a passing Alpha mistakes you and gets caught, it won’t just end in humiliation.”

Aeroc, whose tears hadn’t even dried, smiled again and casually retorted, “As long as it’s not you.”

He didn’t mean it maliciously, but Kloff truly felt like he was losing his mind. He was already getting aroused, and now he was smelling such a vulgar body scent that it was making his head ache, and he almost lost control for a moment. He clenched both fists tightly. His hand, pressed by the bandage, ached so much that it seemed to bring him back to his senses.

“It’s none of my business anyway, Alpha or Omega. You can be as promiscuous as you want with your body. But I hope you choose someone who’s not too extravagant.”

He finally threw out the words he had decided to say earlier. It was painful to look at him any longer. Why did he have to be an Alpha? Kloff gritted his teeth and glared at him. Then the tears that had been subsiding streamed down again.

“What? Did you really get heartbroken?”

As Kloff frowned and sneered, Aeroc, with already wet hands, wiped his tears again. And without a reply, he turned away from Kloff and tried to leave. Perhaps as a protest against the sarcasm, he deliberately pushed Kloff’s shoulder as he passed, and Kloff’s last thin shred of self-control finally vanished.

Kloff snatched the wrist of the person who had walked a few steps away.

“Hey!”

The surging anger erupted into a shout. He had gripped him quite hard, but Aeroc swung his arm widely and shook him off regardless. Then his tear-soaked hand brushed Kloff’s mouth. It felt like a slap and hurt quite a bit. In an instant, anger surged to his head, and he snatched the wrist he had lost, as if to break it.

“You.”

“It hurts, let go.”

He glared at Aeroc, who was now ignoring his blazing eyes and still shedding tears. Something wet streamed down his mouth. When he touched it with his other hand, it was a clear liquid. It seemed that the tears that had soaked Aeroc’s hand had transferred to him when they collided just now. Kloff instinctively licked the cold liquid on his lips. It was sweet. Sweet? For a moment, Kloff forgot his anger. Aeroc’s tears were sweet.

“What is this?”

He ran his finger over the tears on his lips, and seeing this, Aeroc was greatly flustered.

“…My apologies.”

He apologized in a wet voice, but he continued to shed tears. The air was very awkward. Kloff wondered what he was doing, holding onto someone he absolutely didn’t want to encounter in the moonlight. When Kloff released the wrist he had tightly held, Aeroc rubbed his wrist with his other hand, as if in pain, and looked around.

“I hope you forget what you saw today. If you have even a little bit of regret for the various acts of violence you committed today.”

Aeroc, who spoke with a slightly rapid, sarcastic tone, then turned and walked away towards the mansion. Kloff stared blankly at his retreating figure. After Aeroc disappeared into the darkness, Kloff licked the liquid on his index and middle fingertips again. It was definitely sweet.

This shouldn’t be. He’s an Alpha. What is that guy? Is his body made of sugar?

The walk, which he had started to clear his confused mind and lighten his heavy heart, only reaffirmed his unsatisfied desires and added more inexplicable questions. As expected, meeting the Count only brought him trouble.

Although he knew it wasn’t a good thing, Viscount Westport’s anger over the violent incident was fiercer than he had imagined. The Viscount, who usually invited Kloff home when he had something to nag about, unusually visited his office in the city center and told him they needed some time apart for now.

“There’s no need to worry so much. Those men were very rude at the time…”

“I know that well. But it was also a minor incident. It’s not desirable to go mad over such a thing. Moreover, your name is spreading throughout society. We cannot have an engagement ceremony in this state. At least, restrain yourself until the rumors die down.”

After that unilateral declaration, Kloff found it increasingly difficult to meet Raphiel. Even when he sent letters through various channels, Raphiel also had no recourse. Viscount Westport was a meticulous man when it came to his children. He pushed Kloff away with various excuses. Later, Kloff finally managed to meet Raphiel at an old lady’s tea party, attending separately, and Raphiel conveyed the message with very sad eyes.

“Father is very angry. Not that you fought, Kloff-nim, but that I tried to stop you and you didn’t listen.”

“I’m sorry.”

Raphiel shook his head, his gaze fixed on the ground. Lately, his complexion had been very poor. It didn’t seem like a health issue, but it appeared that the conflict with his father was bothering him. However, Kloff had nothing to say. He could only hope that Viscount Westport would calm down quickly.

As time passed, the scandal, which he expected to subside, showed no signs of fading. Not only were the victims sons of rather prominent families, but someone was constantly spreading hostile rumors about Kloff. He later heard about it at the Viscount Derbyshire’s estate, where he had been summoned to discuss business.

“Heard you threw some punches?”

“You heard?”

“I hear it even when I don’t want to. So, how badly did you beat them for rumors of blood splattering everywhere and bone fragments flying around?”

Kloff slightly frowned, as Viscount Derbyshire’s voice sounded somewhat excited as he sipped his tea. When he told him exactly what had happened, without exaggeration, Viscount Derbyshire, holding his teacup, was engrossed, even adding exclamations.

“Oh, really. And then? Hohoho! So that’s what happened, hah!”

When the story ended, he put down his cooled teacup and patted Kloff’s shoulder. The force was so strong it felt like his shoulder would break.

“An Alpha can throw a few punches. There’s no need to avoid provocations. And I didn’t like those guys either. You beat them well. From now on, those vulgar fellows who can’t distinguish places will restrain themselves.”

He had expected Viscount Derbyshire not to scold him, but he never thought he would receive praise. Kloff chuckled and drank his tea.

“But tell me. Do you know Marquess Wolflake?”

“I only know his name and face. We have no particular connection.”

The sudden mention of a disliked name made Kloff’s expression harden slightly. Viscount Derbyshire rested both hands on his ample belly and leaned his large body comfortably in the armchair.

“You don’t know him? That’s strange. I met Viscount Westport a few days ago, and he was there too. He seemed to harbor a great deal of hostility towards you. You were also together at Teiwind, weren’t you?”

“Yes, whether by coincidence or not, I did witness the incident that day. I remember being bothered by him staring at me strangely even before that.”

“Really? Hmm. Tsk, that’s troublesome.”

Viscount Derbyshire clucked his tongue and shook his head. Soon, he offered a bitter smile to Kloff, who was looking at him, bewildered.

“It would be best to give up on this marriage. Westport is a strange fellow who acts like a germaphobe when it comes to his sons. He seems to have made up his mind.”

He didn’t need to ask what mind he had made up; he could guess from Viscount Derbyshire’s expression. Viscount Westport said that while he trusted Kloff’s abilities, he didn’t think he would be a good husband at all. So he was urging them to break up before the proposal. He wondered if such a minor incident would lead to a broken engagement, but it seemed that Kloff’s anger and the fact that he had beaten two people to a pulp, and that he had done so in front of Raphiel, played a significant role.

In truth, it was just an outlet for his frustration. Kloff had to admit it. The victims didn’t press charges because, even though Alpha-on-Alpha relations were becoming somewhat common, they weren’t something to openly reveal, and most importantly, it was incredibly embarrassing for two Alphas to be beaten by one other Alpha, so they simply hid it. Of course, there was also the compensation Kloff paid. Thanks to that, his diligently saved wedding funds had dwindled a bit.

Looking back, that part was the decisive blow. Viscount Westport’s concern was how Kloff would feed Raphiel and their future children if he kept losing money by hitting people. The reason Raphiel’s family held Kloff in high regard was because he was a self-controlled and unblemished, upright young man, not because he came from a great family or had a lot of wealth. That meant that if Kloff himself had even a slight flaw, there was no need to give him their precious Omega son. It was the cold reality of aristocratic life.

Fortunately, before this incident, Kloff had a good reputation, and Viscount Derbyshire, who cared for him, held significant power in society. When the bad reputation threatened to spread widely, Viscount Derbyshire countered it by saying, “An Alpha should have some temper,” and quickly put an end to it. Thanks to that, even though the engagement was broken, his business was not affected at all.

Raphiel was very sad, but he didn’t love Kloff enough to defy his parents and elope. Kloff also didn’t love Raphiel enough to demand that. Although they had dated for quite a long time, considering the time Kloff was too busy to meet, it was difficult to form such a deep relationship. They had never even spent a rut together. It wasn’t that his heart didn’t ache, but it wasn’t unbearable either. It was a sad relationship where they could let each other go if it wasn’t meant to be, just that much.

After the broken engagement was decided, Raphiel secretly left his father’s estate and came to meet Kloff. Kloff, who was then heavy-hearted and engrossed in work, smiled faintly when he saw Raphiel visit his office. The two walked together on a secluded path. Behind them, the Viscount’s carriage followed.

“It ended up like this, after all.”

“Because my father is so strict.”

“No. This is all my fault.”

“Mr. Kloff.”

Glancing briefly at the coachman who was watching them, Kloff led Raphiell into a shaded alley. The coachman, still holding the reins, turned his head the other way. Kloff took both of Raphiell’s hands and kissed the back of them. No matter how much one accepts it, parting is always sorrowful. Tears welled up again in Raphiell’s eyes. With his eyes closed, Kloff gave a brief kiss as a goodbye. Their first and last kiss in a slightly smelly back alley wasn’t poetic in the least.

Kloff gently wiped the tears from under Raphiell’s eyes with his thumb, then kissed his forehead and held him tightly. Raphiell hugged him back just as tightly, then let go. He didn’t walk him far. In the few short steps it took to reach the carriage, neither of them said a word. As Raphiell climbed into the carriage, he didn’t look back at Kloff.

Kloff, who had been watching the carriage disappear into the distance, also turned around shortly after. On his way back to the office, he noticed the tear still clinging to his fingertip. Absentmindedly, he touched it to his tongue. Salty and bitter. As expected, tears are supposed to be salty and bitter. That guy was the weird one. Maybe he was on something.

He tossed the engagement ring onto his desk.

And forgot about it.