‘Fated mate’ refers to when an alpha or omega feels an instinctive attraction to their partner. However, unlike ‘imprinting’ which is called a soul mate and has distinct symptoms such as being unable to sense other people’s pheromones or being unable to get pregnant, it was often treated as story material that only appeared in romance novels or operas because there were no clear symptoms.
If you seriously talked about fated mates at a ball, you’d be mocked as a child who needs fairy tale books and candy.
Before coming to this world, I had searched for BL terminology. And I knew that concepts like imprinting or fated mates were subtly different depending on the author or novel. Still, while they appeared as almost essential elements in omegaverse stories, it was different in <Three Crowns>.
‘Fated mates’ never appeared throughout the novel, and ‘imprinting’ was engraved without one’s knowledge, so there were no special episodes related to it. Even Eldon and Seha didn’t have any special conversation about imprinting. Of course, since I didn’t read to the end, I don’t know what happened in the conclusion. But didn’t the two of them imprint in the end?
And knowing this was a world inside a novel, I also believed in something called ‘fated mates’.
In <Three Crowns>, omegas were far more precious than rare monsters or fist-sized magic stones.
Perhaps ‘fated mates’ was a concept that existed here too—it’s just that research on omegas was hardly conducted because there were so few of them and most had married into the imperial family.
In the first place, as a concubine or empress, one couldn’t go around saying they felt fate toward someone other than the emperor. Probably if ‘imprinting’ didn’t have visible evidence, it would have been just another element to be mocked like ‘fated mates’.
And if we assume ‘fated mates’ exist in this world too, Eldon’s mate is Seha. Though he wasn’t directly described as a ‘fated mate’ in the novel, he said he felt comfortable when Seha was by his side. Even though Seha hadn’t manifested yet, he felt instinctive pheromones as a fated mate.
And Rosenthal’s mate would be Eldon. In the original work, Rosenthal, who enjoyed a licentious lifestyle, fell for Eldon at the Crown Prince’s investiture ceremony, then transformed into a single-hearted dandelion. Though his body continued to mix with other bastards, his heart was directed only toward Eldon.
It changes in an instant, unnaturally so. Probably Eldon was his fated mate, and he was instinctively drawn to his pheromones.
No, it must be so. Otherwise, there’s no way I would accept Eldon without the slightest aversion, or still want him even after directly hearing him say he’d kill me.
Come to think of it, I was particularly sensitive to Eldon’s pheromones from the start. It wasn’t like Arleigh pouring out pheromones to forcibly arouse me, nor was it like Leon’s pheromones where I felt nothing at all. Eldon’s pheromones were, how should I say it, like they deeply pressed the instinctive switch latent in my body and drew out sexual desire that didn’t even exist.
I got off the bed first. I need to get out of here. If Eldon is my ‘fated mate’ and Rosenthal’s body instinctively responded to Eldon, it’s even more dangerous.
What am I supposed to do, feeling fate toward a bastard who says he’ll kill me—no, who really will kill me? And it’s confirmed unrequited love at that.
First, let’s go back to the detached palace, then leave with Raki and Forti. Harry will find a house quickly.
I thought Eldon would notify me of the broken engagement when he returned. That’s why I waited quietly. But now that it’s come to this, I had to escape even using extreme methods.
I hurriedly stepped onto the cold marble floor when pain like my waist separating struck me. Unable to overcome the pain, I screamed and collapsed on the floor, when the door burst open.
“Are you alright!”
Head Butler Bill shouted and came running helter-skelter. Seeing Bill, who was always elegant, show such an intense reaction made me feel unnecessarily embarrassed. I grabbed the blanket on the bed to cover myself and hurriedly bowed my head.
“I, I’m fine.”
He quickly scanned me. Then, using his long experience to guess the situation, he spoke again in a proper, dignified tone befitting etiquette.
“I will prepare a bath. After lightly washing yourself, please rest and then go to the White Hall.”
“The White Hall…?”
“You must complete the first night ceremony. You go to the White Hall, place the Prolain flower in front of the statue of Goddess Wersheen, and purify your body by entering the bath.”
It seemed the first night ceremony still wasn’t finished.
“I, I’m fine. There’s no need.”
“Your Imperial Highness, this is the law of the Generoanth imperial family. You must follow it.”
I couldn’t help but exclaim at the term that caught in my ears.
“Your Imperial Highness?! It’s still before the wedding.”
“Having performed the first night ceremony, you are the Empire’s Crown Princess in both name and reality.”
“…Even if the first night ceremony was performed, if nothing actually happened, I’m not recognized as Crown Princess, right?”
“…That is correct.”
I checked just in case, but it was as I thought. If you perform the official first night, it has an effect equivalent to a wedding ceremony. Conversely, if there was no sex, no effect occurs.
“Nothing happened between us.”
I straightened my aching back as I spoke, but Bill instead cast a look of disbelief at my nape. I too followed him and lowered my head. Though I couldn’t see my nape, I could see my swollen and burst nipples and kiss marks filling my entire body. Moreover, traces of being bound by the tentacle monster remained, so my white skin was a mess as if I’d been beaten.
I flinched in surprise and pulled the blanket up to my neck.
Bill, who had been emanating with his whole body the thought ‘You look like that and say nothing happened?’, also cleared his throat and looked away.
“Anyway, nothing happened.”
Since it’s come to this, let’s be shameless.
“His Highness and I played chess.”
“……”
A look flew at me that said ‘Yeah, right’. I thought he had a poker face, but he’s surprisingly expressive.
“I will return to the detached palace. Please prepare clothes.”
I need to hurry to the detached palace. Setting aside the issue of whether breaking the engagement or leaving the palace is realistically possible, I was worried about Forti. Since I’d been absent for three whole days, he must be very worried. Raki probably made good excuses, but still I was worried. And Hereis… Right, Hereis!!!
I jumped up. I’d starved Hereis for three days. There was a reason I dreamed of sharing chicken skewers!
“His Highness has given strict orders for you to reside in the Crown Prince’s Palace from now on.”
Bill stated in a firm tone. Seeing how he specifically used the expression ‘strict orders’, Eldon must have emphasized it considerably. Why on earth? But I had no time to analyze what was in his head.
“They’ll be worried at the detached palace. I’m going.”
“Those who served Your Imperial Highness have all moved their quarters to the Crown Prince’s Palace, so please don’t worry.”
Already? Look at that initiative. Even in the original work, Eldon showed tremendous drive to make Seha his companion. One of those actions was Rosenthal’s gruesome death. My spine tingled for a moment.
I wanted to leave the Crown Prince’s Palace immediately, but continuing to insist here would only make things difficult for the Head Butler. I let out a low sigh.
“Please call Harry, my butler.”
My head was complicated, but first, Hereis’s meal was most urgent.
“Understood, Your Imperial Highness.”
The Head Butler used the title ‘Your Imperial Highness’ with emphasis, as if telling me to accept reality.
“And please lower your speech from now on.”
Bill left the white gown-style sleeping robe and exited the room. He probably meant for me to wear it after bathing, but I put on the sleeping robe first. I was so frustrated I kept sighing deeply when the door opened and Raki entered. I was puzzled that Raki came instead of Hereis, when he bowed his head deeply.
“Your Imperial Highness Crown Princess, congratulations.”
Raki offered congratulations. Right, Raki had been eagerly awaiting me becoming Crown Princess. For his sake too, I tried to force a smile to pretend to be happy, when Raki raised his head. The moment I saw his face, my heart sank.
“What’s wrong? What happened?”
“Young master…”
Raki choked up. These weren’t tears of joy. As soon as he finished his prepared greeting, even his form of address returned to the original.
“What is it?”
“Harry-nim is very unwell.”
“What?”
“He’s been continuously unwell, so he couldn’t even come to the Crown Prince’s Palace and remains at the detached palace. He refuses the palace physician and just says he’s fine, telling me absolutely not to tell you, young master, but I’m so worried… Forti came to the Crown Prince’s Palace but is anxious…”
Before Raki could finish speaking, I ran outside. The palace servants and knights standing in the corridor tried to stop me, but I ignored them and went down the stairs.
“Your Imperial Highness, you must not!”
The moment I reached the entrance, the Head Butler rushed over urgently and blocked my way.
“I’m going to the detached palace.”
“Your Imperial Highness, you must not.”
“I’ll be right back. I have something to retrieve.”
If I said I was going to see my sick butler, they’d let me go more easily than now. But what happened with the holy water turning red weighed on my mind. If Eldon finds out I made this fuss to go to Hereis, he might think it strange. I didn’t want suspicious eyes cast on him. I didn’t like it even a tiny bit.
“You must not. Please command your subordinates.”
“It’s an important item my father gave me, so only I know about it. So I must go myself.”
“Please go tomorrow. Not today.”
I even sold Duke Chendewden’s name, but Bill was immovable. Do I have no choice but to use the last resort…
“How dare you block this body’s way, how impertinent! If you truly consider me the Crown Princess, step aside immediately!”
