The physician thoroughly examined His Highness’s body and even checked his heartbeat, but concluded there was no major problem. The atmosphere began to become serious after a brief conversation.
“I think we need to hear the reason why eating is difficult. Is your stomach not feeling well?”
“The smell of food is unpleasant.”
“You said your hearing has also become sensitive?”
“Yes.”
“Are there any other symptoms besides becoming sensitive to scents and sounds?”
“Not so far.”
After the brief exchange, the physician conveyed something to the priest with a hand gesture. Then the priest, with a serious face, requested that everyone be dismissed for a moment.
“Have all the escort knights leave except Ken.”
“Thank you.”
When the door closed, the priest finally let magical power flow, then squeezed his eyes shut and reported, “It’s imprinting.”
“Then…”
The physician seemed to want to say more, but His Highness cut him off.
“I thought so.”
“Did you already know everything?”
“That’s why I said there was no need for an examination. Since no one except those in this room knows, please be careful with your words.”
If this fact leaked, it would result in one of those present having let it slip. Realizing the words were tantamount to a warning, they wore very serious expressions.
“How could we not?”
“No matter what happens, we will maintain silence.”
I was still the only one not in my right mind.
‘Is imprinting the same imprinting I know?’
The reason I couldn’t understand at once wasn’t only because imprinting was a word from a world completely unrelated to me. There was also the reason that the word imprinting itself was too unrealistic. I’d only heard rumors about alphas and omegas who had imprinted, but had never actually seen them. Originally, imprinting was extremely rare even among trait-holders, so those who had imprinted were also called fated pairs, which wasn’t strange.
“Im-imprinting—then who did you do it with?”
“What a foolish question.”
Since I actually felt like I’d become a fool with my head in a daze, it was an accurate statement.
“Of course I did it with you.”
“When on earth…?”
Perhaps because I didn’t know much about imprinting, I thought I’d naturally notice if such an absurd thing happened. But not only had I not noticed at all during that time, I still couldn’t believe it even now.
“I think it was when I sent my rut. Though faint, there’s also a mark left on the nape of your neck.”
Suddenly I recalled the bite mark on the nape of my neck that I’d discovered the day after His Highness’s rut. It was a place he’d bitten so persistently during intercourse that I just thought it was natural, and after that I didn’t even know a scar remained because of my long hair. Recently His Highness had particularly often touched the back of my neck—it seemed he’d been checking that.
“If Sir Aila even has an imprint mark, then it’s certain. May I check for a moment? I saw it once 20 years ago, so it will be helpful.”
The physician’s eyes were sparkling even while being frightened. It seemed his scholarly passion had risen upon discovering a rare phenomenon. Perhaps thinking His Highness would naturally permit it, he took one step toward me. However, before he could reach out to me, His Highness firmly extended his arm to block in front of me.
“You can’t touch without permission.”
“I apologize. I moved before thinking, not knowing my place.”
“Will you lower your head for a moment?”
Instead of giving words of forgiveness to the physician, His Highness commanded me. When I reflexively lowered my head, long fingers swept my hair to the side. The ticklish sensation of hair brushing past was vividly unfamiliar.
“Can you see it?”
His Highness asked while gently caressing with his index finger a place I couldn’t see without a mirror. The physician wearing glasses let out a low sigh.
“It’s certain. It’s exactly as I saw in the texts. I heard that imprint marks usually form when an alpha who is certain of having imprinted aggressively pours pheromones on the desired location, is that correct?”
“I wasn’t certain, but at the time I vaguely thought it might be so.”
“But I didn’t feel anything. I didn’t become sensitive like Your Highness at all.”
“Sir Aila seems to either not have a large amount of pheromones or is constitutionally less affected. However, Your Highness has had a large amount of pheromones since childhood, and since you’re someone whose five senses are naturally developed, the symptoms seem more pronounced.”
The more the conversation progressed, the more I felt like I was in a space isolated alone. Those who heard the news were surprised but weren’t particularly worried. Only I was anxious and troubled with worry.
“Then what, what happens to Your Highness? According to what I learned, I heard problems occur if you don’t constantly receive your imprint partner’s pheromones. Seeing that you’re already struggling this much without even being separated…”
“That’s a somewhat exaggerated expression. Except in special cases, one can endure for about 2 years without problems. The current symptoms are presumed to have a slightly different reason…”
I was worrying that it meant problems would occur if separated for more than 2 years, when His Highness, looking somewhat displeased, cut off the physician’s words.
“Aren’t there cases where that’s not so?”
“Pardon? Yes. Of course. Exceptions always exist. Also, special cases can’t be ruled out, so, well, yes. There’s no need to take an adventure like deliberately separating. If you exceed the imprint pheromone requirement period, extreme anxiety and loss of appetite are the main symptoms.”
The physician continued with frightening words as if nothing was wrong while glancing at His Highness.
“Ahem, and in severe cases, there’s unexplained severe pain or fever that doesn’t stop. When it gets like this, painkillers have little effect, and there are not few cases of self-harm due to being unable to endure the pain or taking one’s own life.”
Just hearing it made my head go white. I finally decided to ask about what I’d wanted to ask since first hearing about imprinting.
“Is there no way to break the imprint?”
“Hmm, imprinting is a symptom whose cause hasn’t been accurately identified. The pattern of imprinting breaking is also irregular. The only certain method known is the partner’s death.”
“You can’t call that a certain method. Wasn’t there someone who starved to death because the imprint didn’t break even though their imprint partner died?”
“Ah! Of course. Though only one such case has been discovered so far, since it happened in the imperial family, it’s impossible to conclude that Your Highness doesn’t fall under this as well.”
My breath caught. It meant that even if I left the palace after the coronation, I’d have to meet His Highness periodically. Right, this much was okay. Honestly, being able to continue seeing His Highness was a happy thing. However, the document I’d read in the Caesius family’s secret library wouldn’t leave my mind.
‘Even if I die stiffened and hardened like the people described in that book, His Highness could suffer from imprinting.’
I’d already made His Highness suffer through one death, and even in my second life I might walk the same path. It meant that perhaps even in my regained life, I might not be able to change anything. The imagination that His Highness’s power over life and death rested with me was terribly heavy.
“Why are you so troubled? Are you afraid of being my fated partner?”
Those white, long fingers were still touching the nape of my neck. It seemed the touch pressing on the mark had become somewhat stronger, but that wasn’t what was important.
“Are you all right with this, Your Highness?”
I could give dozens of reasons why it would be troublesome for us to be imprinted. No matter how much we prevent information from leaking, it can’t be hidden for a lifetime. Like how dawn is darkest before daybreak, there are the most enemies just before grasping imperial power. But what would happen if the weakness of imprinting was revealed?
‘There will be those who try to use me.’
If killing me could break the imprint, it might be one thing, but they could imprison me for a long period and dare to threaten His Highness.
“I know what you’re worried about.”
As always, it was His Highness who caught me as I was being tossed about chaotically like meeting a tidal wave.
“That won’t happen. I can promise with everything at stake.”
It was a weighty promise as if he’d read everything inside me. I, who had been in a panic, slowly returned to reality. Even though nothing was resolved, I could breathe a little easier.
“Just in case, please confirm whether Sir Aila has also imprinted.”
The priest who had been silent said “Excuse me” and lightly grasped my wrist. He twitched his eyebrows and seemed to watch for my reaction for a moment.
“Sir has also imprinted. However… may I speak with Your Highness alone for a moment?”
