The Tyrant's Happy Ending - Chapter 14.5

For someone who just wanted peace, Yernenne couldn’t imagine a worse outcome.

But there was no other way. The wastelands surrounding them meant that Partash was the only reachable place.

After contemplating for a while, Yernenne finally made a decision and spoke.

“Here’s what we’ll do.”

“Yes…?”

“…….”

“We head for Partash, but only Justin goes inside the fortress.”
“What? Why me? We have Tennes too! Why not Tennes…!

Well, I suppose it would be odd for him to ask for a house. Yes…”

Justin’s protest quickly died away. It made sense; out of the three of them, only Justin could make such a request without raising suspicion.

“You already stayed in Partash for six months before we came to the capital. If it happened once, it’s not strange for it to happen again.”

Justin pouted but couldn’t argue. Yernenne’s logic was flawless.
Tennes, who had been listening quietly, nodded. “And after that?”

“Then… we wait for Yurice.”

No matter how skilled Justin and Tennes were, staying in the western border regions was risky with the kingdom’s forces nearby. It was better to wait for Yurice, who could safely move them.

“That seems like the best plan for now.”

“Then let’s proceed.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Before getting up, Justin held out his hand and conjured a delicate, aquamarine butterfly. With a soft breath, he sent it flying. The butterfly took off, gliding toward Yurice to relay their current situation.

Yurice would undoubtedly wrap up her tasks and come to Partash, allowing them to head to Fleur without Aaron finding out. For an impromptu plan, it wasn’t bad.

Yernenne followed the butterfly’s path with his eyes. At the end of that gaze was Trizia Marquessate.

“……”

He couldn’t tell if Lyle was there. But his eyes were dark as he looked at the fortress.

One fortunate aspect of their journey was that the mountain range, though long, was passable even for someone with Yernenne’s frail constitution.

Though they might eventually reach more rugged terrain where he’d need help, so far, three days into their journey, it had been smooth. At least for Yernenne.

Fish was sizzling golden on a grill, while bread baked nearby looked deliciously browned.

Yernenne sighed as he looked down at the fortress walls below. The fortress of the Trizia Marquessate still stood firm, an impregnable stronghold. But beyond those walls lay challenges that would be anything but smooth.

Tennes, carrying an armful of dry branches, approached Yernenne and spoke.

“Your Majesty, let’s head back. We need to set up camp before night falls.”

Yernenne fell into brief contemplation. Memories of the journey so far and the uncertain future ahead flashed through his mind. He nodded and replied.

“Alright. Let’s go back.”

The two quietly made their way down the mountain and returned to the campsite. The cold night air brushed Yernenne’s face, solidifying his resolve. There was no turning back now.

Tennes, who had approached Yernenne without a sound, looked down at where Yernenne’s gaze was directed.

“We’ve made it here relatively quickly.”

“…Yes. Fortunately, it seems the Imperial Army hasn’t reached this place yet.”

A mixture of complicated emotions crossed Yernenne’s face as he looked beyond the fortress walls. Ever since learning about the pregnancy, his mind had been in turmoil.

He didn’t know what to do moving forward. He knew he should tell Tennes and Justin, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak. That’s why Yernenne’s priority was to get inside the Partash Estate as soon as possible. Once inside, while Justin met Aaron, Yernenne planned to visit a physician. He needed information before deciding on his next steps.

Looking at the fortress, Yernenne spoke.

“By tomorrow, we should be inside.”

That night passed peacefully, just like the previous nights.
In the quiet night, with not even a wild animal in sight, Yernenne slept soundly without nightmares.

But that peace did not last. The problem arose the very next day.

“Ugh…”

After walking all morning, Yernenne finally leaned against a tree to stop. They were close to the foot of the mountain, so he tried not to show it, but he could no longer walk. A sharp pain, as if his bone had been fractured, shot up from his left ankle.

Yernenne glared daggers at the brown-haired man who walked ahead, unaware. He was irritated by Justin’s obliviousness and wished he could stride up and smack the back of his head if only he could walk properly.

Tennes, who had been keeping pace and watching Yernenne with concern, knelt on one knee to check his ankle. His expression quickly turned serious as he saw how swollen Yernenne’s left ankle was.

“Your Highness, are you alright?”

“No, I’m not.”

“It seems you twisted your ankle when you fell yesterday. Let me carry you.”

Although Yernenne climbed onto Tennes’ back with a begrudging look, he still shot Justin a glare full of irritation.

“I’m starting to think bringing that fool was a mistake.”

“But he has been helpful, hasn’t he?”

“If he weren’t, I’d have killed him long ago.”

At Yernenne’s words, Tennes smiled slightly.

“I’m going to stand now.”

“Yes.”

Receiving Yernenne’s consent, Tennes stood up, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before being replaced by certainty.
As they reached the queue at the city gates, Tennes, with a pensive expression, opened his mouth to speak.

“My lord, may I ask a question?”

“What is it?”

“By any chance…”

Just as Tennes hesitated with his question, Justin, who had been scouting the gate ahead, came running back toward them.

“Ah, Your High—ahem—my lord. Why are you on his back?”

Yernenne glared at Justin’s annoying face and responded.

“Because you tripped me yesterday.”

Noticing the uneven thickness of Yernenne’s ankles for the first time, Justin awkwardly laughed and, leaning between Yernenne and Tennes, whispered in a low voice.

“Ah, I see. But we have a problem. They’re conducting
inspections at the gates. It wasn’t like this before, but now they’re checking identities.”

“Inspections?”

“Yes. There’s been an imperial edict: male Omegas are not allowed to pass through the gates.”

“What?”

It was an absurd order, and Yernenne had a strong suspicion who was behind it.

It was surely Lyle.

“So, what are we supposed to do now?”

“Well… should we step out of the line for now?”

But Justin, too, had no clear solution, scratching his head in frustration. At that moment, Tennes, who had been deep in thought, spoke up.

“It’s not an ideal solution. Leaving the line now would draw more attention. And… you need not worry.”

“…?”

“We will pass through easily.”

Tennes’ voice held a mysterious confidence that puzzled Yernenne, prompting him to ask.

“Why are you so sure?”

“There are too many ears around to explain, but trust me.”
As Yernenne prepared to argue further, he fell silent as the inspector approached.

Yernenne pulled his hood down and pressed close to Tennes’ back, staying silent. That was the best help he could offer for now.
The inspector stopped next to them.

“You’re working hard!” Justin, adopting a slick expression, handed over their identification. The inspector reviewed the ID with a stiff voice.

“What is your reason for visiting?”

“We’re a route to the Fleur Estate, but my brother injured his leg. We need to stop by for medical treatment.”
Justin, trying to appear as unsuspicious as possible, pushed back his hood and smoothly lied. Yernenne lifted his hood slightly to follow suit.

Murmurs of admiration echoed around. But the inspector, barely glancing at the documents, handed them back with a robotic response.

“Pass through. Wait here until the group ahead has cleared.”
“Yes! Thank you. Have a safe shift!”
Justin maintained his slick demeanor, speaking politely to the departing inspectors.

“…?”

Yernenne looked on, stunned. The ease with which they passed was unexpected.

“How did you know we would get through so easily?”
It was only after they passed through the gates and the guards were out of earshot that Yernen turned to Tennes with his question.

“Yeah, Tennes! How did you know? It’s amazing! The young master clearly looks like an Omega. Did you slip the guards some bribe without us knowing? You don’t seem the type, but if not, I really don’t understand.”

Tennes was just about to respond when a voice caught their attention, redirecting their gazes toward the square.

“And so! Finally, the Marquis of Partash declared! Your Majesty…! If only I could eradicate the vile poison consuming your body, I, Eren Partash, would sacrifice my heart!”

Cheers erupted from the crowd.

“The Emperor’s gaze met that of the Marquis in the open air, and after a long, intent look, the ailing Emperor, his lips chapped from sickness, parted them to speak!”

“…”

Justin stared wide-eyed at the one-man performance in disbelief, and Yernen and Tennes exchanged equally bewildered looks.

“Eren…! My loyal knight…! Your devotion always moves me!”
“What… in the world… is this nonsense?”

In the center of the square stood a man dressed in an elaborate outfit, performing the scene from a book with fervent expression, surrounded by an audience wiping their eyes with handkerchiefs.

“Finally…”

Justin muttered as he swallowed dryly.

“It looks like that guy finished compiling the Emperor’s memoirs and has now adapted it into a one-man show. What a terrifying fellow.”

Yernen glanced at Justin with a look of utter disbelief.
“When did I ever say anything like that?”

He had definitely extracted a vow of silence from his knights before his supposed death, demanding they keep the truth to themselves. But now, Eren had openly defied that command. However, that wasn’t the main issue.

The pressing concern was that Yernen had never uttered such words.

“Haha… Well, when I saw a draft of the Emperor’s memoirs that he was compiling, I asked him the same question. He said he could hear it—Your Majesty’s inner voice.”

Justin muttered while avoiding Yernen’s bewildered gaze.
Hearing Justin’s explanation, Yernen rubbed his forehead in exasperation. He had always thought Eren had an unusual sensitivity despite his large build and poetic inclinations, but this was… truly beyond belief.

“Sigh.”

With a low sigh, Yernen pulled his hood down further over his face and said,
“We should probably find an inn or someplace to hide for now. If we’re discovered… things will get complicated.”

If Eren Partash found them, he might truly start a coup to place Yernen on the throne. It was no laughing matter; Eren was dead serious.

“I’ll extort the house from Eren and return here to the inn afterward.”

“Alright.”

With that, Justin swiftly opened the wooden door of the inn room and stepped out, leaving Yernen and Tennes alone.

“It’s amazing how quiet it gets with just one person gone.”
Tennes smiled softly at the comment.

“Justin does talk a lot.”

“Anyway, how did you know?”

Only then did Yernen ask the question that had been on his mind.
“What are you referring to?”

“Back at the checkpoint, knowing we’d get through without trouble.”

Tennes carefully helped Yernen sit on the bed before speaking.
“The guards weren’t letting Omegas pass.”

“…?”

“Even though the Partash territory borders the frontier, the Marquess’s strong military presence has never allowed an enemy invasion. As one of the largest castles in the west, it has a flourishing trade.”

“What does that have to do with this?”

“With so many people passing through the gates, it’s impossible to scrutinize everyone closely. So, they resort to cursory checks.”

“…”

Yernen recalled that the guards had indeed only glanced at them before letting them pass, even mistaking Justin and him for brothers.

“And the primary way people distinguish between Alphas and Omegas is by scent. No matter how much one tries to mask it, a faint scent detectable only to them lingers. That’s why I thought we’d be fine. Right now, Your Majesty only carries the scent of Alpha pheromones.”

“What…?”

What Tennes said was entirely unexpected.

“I assumed you were unaware. An Omega marked by an Alpha cannot detect the Alpha’s scent.”

“Marked… you say?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. You carry the Emperor’s pheromones. They’ve faded significantly over time, leaving only a trace, but it’s enough to make the guards think of you as an Alpha masking their scent.”

“So… from the day I first fled the palace until now, I’ve been carrying Lyle’s scent?”

“Yes.”

“Unbelievable.”

Suddenly, everything clicked for Yernen—the reason Cecile had immediately recognized him in the Holy See. Who else but Yernen would be walking around the imperial palace drenched in Lyle’s pheromones?

“That bastard Lyle…”

It was impossible to know when Lyle had started doing something so audacious. While Yernen didn’t know much about such things, he knew enough to recognize that it was far from polite. With frustration, he reviewed Lyle’s past actions.

Then Tennes, watching Yernen closely, spoke with a thoughtful expression.

“Your Majesty.”

“What is it?”

“I also have a question I’d like to ask.”

Yernen gave a couple of nods as if to permit it. Even then, Tennes took a while to muster the words, only speaking after a long silence.

“Your Majesty, are you… perhaps pregnant?”

“…”

Yernen’s face froze, utterly caught off guard by the question. Tennes, observing his stunned expression, looked even more worried, as though he had already received an answer.

“An Omega who is pregnant becomes extremely anxious without their mate’s pheromones. Whether during daily activities, meals, or even sleep, they feel like a prey animal stranded in the middle of a predator-filled field. But…”

“But?”

“Justin once told me that during my absence from the capital, Your Majesty had trouble eating and often experienced nightmares. He also mentioned that those symptoms disappeared after the Emperor returned to the capital.”

Hearing that, Yernen looked at Tennes with a wary expression.

“If you’re right, what would you do?”

“You need to return.”

Tennes spoke seriously, meeting Yernen’s eyes.

“Right now, the Emperor’s lingering pheromones are keeping you stable. But as time goes on, without more of your mate’s pheromones, you won’t be able to endure.”

“If I… don’t want to?”

Tennes’s expression changed as he stared intently at Yernen.

“Ha.”

Yernen spoke in a sardonic tone.

“You’re determined enough to drag me back by force, aren’t you?”

“It’s for Your Majesty’s sake.”

Tennes responded with a firm expression, showing no intention of arguing.