Into the Rose Garden Novel - Chapter 31.2

Curious glances from around the table fluttered between the two. Aeroc wanted to snap back. As he chose his words, the Duchess intervened.
“Now, enough with the introductions; it’s time for dinner. A pleasant atmosphere is best when eating. Otherwise, you’ll get indigestion.”
The Duchess intervened skillfully at the opportune moment. Simultaneously with her words, the lined-up attendants brought dishes in a row. The conversation quickly turned to praise for the high-quality cuisine and excellent wine. However, Aeroc could not enjoy the splendid food and drink at all. It was because of the man sitting diagonally opposite him.

The dinner that day remained uncomfortable. The Duchess, who had a keen interest in the relationship between the man identified as Bendyke and Aeroc, set several traps, but Aeroc cleverly steered the conversation away. If he completely ignored Bendyke, it would only lead to more gossip, so he occasionally agreed with Bendyke’s remarks.
The atmosphere seemed harmonious at first glance. Bendyke, having exacted sufficient revenge for the insult he received, still constantly sought opportunities to attack. Throughout the dinner, he kept glancing at Aeroc, showing immense interest. His lingering gaze and relaxed smile, which bordered on mockery, were truly unbearable. Aeroc was unaccustomed to being insulted, but being mocked was truly dreadful. However, engaging with him would only diminish his honor and dignity, causing him more harm. Aeroc continued to drink, trying to soothe his stomach, which was filled with disgust and anger.

After dinner, the attendees, having adjusted their attire and makeup and enjoyed cigarettes, separated into Alpha and Omega lounges. The Duchess also retired to her room for a brief respite. The party was expected to continue late into the night after the break.

Aeroc deliberately headed to a different room, not the lounge. While the lounge, separated by gender, wasn’t uncomfortable for casual conversation, he didn’t want to face that man in there. He decided to catch his breath in another room, then feign illness and leave quickly. First, he needed to call a servant of the Ducal family and ask if he could borrow a carriage.

“Was the alcohol strong?”
He wasn’t usually one to enjoy drinking. Today, he had drunk three glasses. Normally, this amount was nothing. He wasn’t drunk now either. However, he felt a feverish sensation, which made him uncomfortable. He decided to cool down by the window for a moment before looking for a servant. The Ducal Castle, located far outside the city, was surrounded by a vast forest. The wind blowing from the forest cooled his flushed face and stuffy insides.

Click.
Just then, someone opened the door and entered. Aeroc, leaning against the window and gazing at the dark forest, thought it was a servant coming to find him. Perhaps the Duchess was looking for him, or someone from the lounge was curious about his whereabouts.

“Could you tell Her Highness that I’m not feeling well and will rest here for a moment before returning?”
He spoke without turning around. However, the servant did not reply. Was he stubbornly insisting on escorting him back to the lounge? Aeroc turned his head in annoyance. Instantly, the familiar man, the one he wished to erase from his memory, appeared. It was Bendyke.

“Is something bothering you?”
He approached, naturally extending his hand. It was an offer to help if Aeroc found it difficult to walk, but Aeroc instinctively recoiled, finding it utterly repulsive. Alphas would lend a shoulder to another Alpha, but never extend a hand. Did he think Aeroc was a delicate Omega? Or a child? Either way, it was clearly condescending. Moreover, his casual use of informal speech was unacceptable.

“You’re a lowly human whose body is accustomed to insulting remarks.”
When Aeroc retorted coldly, the other person withdrew his hand. His eyes flashed, but his demeanor was one of utter awkwardness. Such contradictory reactions were beyond comprehension.

“By whose leave are you here?”
“I’m here because I was invited.”
“I don’t recall inviting your kind to this room.”
“This is the Ducal Castle, and I am the Duchess’s guest. When I said I wanted to look around the mansion, she readily gave her permission. I may be here, but you, on the other hand, are late, use rude language, and even disappear during the break. Count Teiwind, the noblest of nobles, is quite self-indulgent.”
“Whether it’s inappropriate or not is for me to decide.”
Aeroc frowned at the presumptuous criticism. But Bendyke didn’t flinch. Come to think of it, Bendyke had dared to use informal language (“you”) with Aeroc. On the street, he was just a lunatic, so that was understandable, but here he was posing as an intellectual. A person with intellect should surely know that a gentry of no title could not treat a high-ranking noble like a Count so casually.

“Don’t call me ‘you.’ You’re just the second son of a rural baronet.”
He used useless knowledge about Bendyke that he had learned at the dinner. It was a rather childish attack, given that there were no witnesses and he was under the influence of alcohol. The insult the other person felt would therefore be at a primitive level. However, the lunatic remained calm, as if unperturbed.

“I’ll be a Viscount soon.”
“Nonsense. You speak as if titles are hats lying around for the taking.”
“It’s difficult to obtain, but not impossible.”
Aeroc snorted in response to the absurd statement. Bendyke then put both hands in his trousers pockets, adopting a slouching posture. It was not a posture befitting a noble. But his arrogant demeanor only accentuated his extraordinary physique and strong features.

“One could receive patronage from a family without a suitable heir, or establish a new family by achieving great merit.”
“Hah.”
In cases like the Duchess, who had no direct descendants, the title would often pass to a relative or an adopted child. If there were only Omega children, a son-in-law would be brought in to continue the lineage. The Viscount of Westport was one such case. Westport was currently the family of his wife, Malena Westport, and although her husband was the current head of the family, she held most of the real authority. The Westports, famous for their strong Omega lineage, had historically been rare in Alpha descendants, often bringing in sons-in-law. This time, the Viscount of Westport, who had two Omega sons, Raphiel and Aerial, was subtly looking for a son-in-law. A well-educated noble, capable enough to manage the family, and an Alpha without a title. Bendyke met those conditions.

“So, you approached the Duchess to aim for adoption or to become a son-in-law? Shameless fellow.”
“Did it sound like that?”
Bendyke chuckled, as if finding something amusing.
“I’m more interested in something else, actually.”
With that, he took a large step closer. Pushed by his piercing gaze, Aeroc instinctively retreated. But the other person closed the gap Aeroc had created with a single step. The bastard’s legs were too long. Damn it.

Aeroc’s back, retreating, hit the windowsill. He tried to step aside, but Bendyke subtly obstructed his movement. He stood so close that any slight wrong move would cause their bodies to press together. Aeroc expressed his resistance by turning his head as much as possible, but it had no effect on the unyielding opponent. What else would he do? Should he scream and gather people? But what if others found out about this situation? His pride wouldn’t allow it. Damn it.

“Your face is red.”
A large hand brushed Aeroc’s cheek. A shiver ran down his spine. The terror of that day resurfaced. He was so tense that his head ached. Whatever his intention, the other person did not attempt the same method as before. Instead, he resorted to a different kind of violence. A much more petty and humiliating way. The man, who had no intention of hiding it, moved even closer.

“Don’t mind it. It’s because of the alcohol.”
The only resistance he could muster was to blame the alcohol. The opponent’s sturdy thighs, like those of a stallion, pressed against Aeroc’s lower body. Aeroc’s gaze darted around frantically, searching for an escape from within the man’s arms, which were like a fortress made of granite. It only served to reveal his fear and panic to the other person.

“Three glasses of fruit wine wouldn’t make you flushed.”
He spoke as if he knew Aeroc’s drinking capacity well. Indeed, Aeroc wasn’t so weak with alcohol as to get drunk on two glasses of fruit wine. The other person didn’t even give him time to wonder how he knew that fact. Bendyke shamelessly wrapped his arm around Aeroc’s waist.
“Still slender.”
Aeroc’s waist, perhaps? Compared to the man, who boasted massive muscles, it was certainly slender, but by objective standards, it wasn’t so delicate as to cause concern. He ate and exercised properly, and his stamina was good.

“Let go.”
“You should eat more.”
His concerned tone was too earnest to be false. Bendyke truly seemed insane. No, he was insane. His moods were unpredictable. One moment, he was raging like someone with rabies, and the next, he would calmly catch Aeroc off guard like a saint born under the star of reason, and now he was openly displaying desires like a dog in heat.

Aeroc had no idea why this madman was doing this to him. A fundamental fear of an incomprehensible being washed over him. His body, frozen by the dread of the unknown, trembled intermittently. His tense vocal cords were about to let out a strange scream. The man, with a relatively and absolutely larger physique, keenly sensed his intention. A large hand fumbled at his mouth.
“Are you going to scream again?”
Madness flickered in his dark eyes. Aeroc’s blood ran cold. The sensation in his fingertips dulled, while conversely, his breathing became rougher and hotter. He realized for the first time that the sensation of fear was similar to sexual tension. Despite the dreadful opponent, the heat emanating from their close proximity sent an inappropriate shiver through him.

“Are you afraid of me?”
“No.”
“Then why are you trembling like this?”
“I’m not afraid of you, but of the irrationality of a madman.”
He glared with murderous intent, while simultaneously snapping back harshly. The other person’s expression hardened slightly. He stared intently at Aeroc, then slowly pulled away.

“I see.”
The man, who had calmly accepted it, apologized, saying, “I’m sorry.” A gloomy aura passed over his confident face. He looked like a young Alpha rejected in his first confession. Was Aeroc also going mad for feeling that way? It was horrible.

“You look pale.”
Bendyke, at this point, displayed malice by offering unasked-for kindness. He insisted on escorting Aeroc to the entrance, despite Aeroc’s repeated refusals. And when he realized that the Teiwind carriage had not yet arrived, he offered his own chartered carriage. Aeroc wanted to refuse, but his legs were truly weak, so he had no choice. The hand, imbued with violence, moved elegantly to help Aeroc into the carriage. The excessive kindness was an insult, but it was so natural that Aeroc couldn’t find an opportunity to refuse. Even after holding his hand, Bendyke held Aeroc’s cold hand for a moment. He certainly had no intention of acting like a polite servant. He kissed Aeroc’s hand. The process of his lips smiling as they touched Aeroc’s sensitive skin was fully conveyed.

“See you next time, Count.”
As soon as Aeroc returned home, he suffered from a terrible cold. He couldn’t sleep properly, startled by nightmares. After drinking two bottles of medicine, he finally came to his senses and found a few uninvited letters.
He replied with a polite apology to the Duchess’s letter, which expressed concern about his sudden departure. However, the letter marked [K. B.] was torn to shreds, envelope and all, and thrown into the fireplace.
From then on, Aeroc meticulously avoided Bendyke. It was humiliating, but his fear was greater. He felt as if he would scream like a neurotic child if he were exposed any further to Bendyke’s incomprehensible madness and the gaze that crept up from his ankles to his inner thighs like a black snake.
Therefore, if his financial problems hadn’t been truly serious, he would never have visited Bendyke’s office.