Enzo quickly packed a suitcase with a few changes of clothes and the essentials he would need for the journey before stepping out of the house, leaving Yusha behind.

The omega had insisted on accompanying him back to the capital upon learning the truth—Ren was indeed from Hianshu. As if that were not enough, he was also a member of the Temple—that was all Enzo knew.

Enzo refused to bring his friend back to the capital.

The possibility of crossing paths with Liam still existed, and that alone was enough reason for him to reject the idea immediately. The last thing he wanted was for Yusha to become entangled in new problems when he had only recently found some peace.

And if Yusha insisted on going, they would have no choice but to bring the child as well.

The journey would become far more complicated—far more dangerous.

Most importantly, Enzo could not guarantee their safety once they arrived in the capital. The situation surrounding Ren was already volatile enough.

The entire empire seemed to be talking about him. Ministers were demanding answers. Citizens were demanding punishment. And before long, the palace itself would become the center of the storm.

Bringing Yusha into the middle of that chaos would be reckless. Mostly when his body had become even more frail after childbirth.

"You should stay here," Enzo said firmly, adjusting the strap of his luggage. "I’ll find out what’s really happening and return as soon as possible."

"And what if something happens before then?" Yusha frowned.

"Then I’ll deal with it. Zayden won’t hurt me." The answer came without hesitation, followed by a light laugh.

Yusha lowered his gaze, clearly dissatisfied. Yet, he knew Enzo was right. No matter how much he wanted to help Ren, rushing into the capital blindly would solve nothing. It would only create more problems.

He was merely a slave who had betrayed his own master.

"Be careful," he finally whispered.

Enzo nodded.

Then, without another word, he turned and began walking toward the road leading back to the capital, carrying with him a growing sense of unease.

Something told him he was already too late.

Having settled in a small town far from the capital, news rarely reached them in time. By the time information arrived, days had often already passed.

And... His gaze lowered to the cane in his hand.

It’s not as though I can fight in my current condition...

A bitter smile crossed his lips.

Just then, he bumped into something solid. Startled, Enzo immediately looked up. A familiar figure stood before him. It was the man who ran the pleasure house a few streets away.

An acquaintance of Zion’s. Through him, he had also come to know Zayden.

In fact, before leaving the Imperial General’s mansion, Zayden had entrusted the man with keeping an eye on both Enzo and Yusha during their stay in the town.

At first, Enzo had despised being around him.

The scent of an alpha’s pheromones alone was enough to put him in a foul mood.

Surprisingly, however, the man had quickly noticed his discomfort and adjusted accordingly.

Instead of appearing at their doorstep himself, he arranged for groceries and other necessities to be delivered to their home on the first day of every month.

A considerate gesture.

Though Enzo still preferred leaving the house and choosing his own food whenever possible.

"Leaving already?" the alpha asked, glancing at the luggage in Enzo’s hand.

His tone was casual, but his eyes had already noticed the tension on the omega’s face.

Enzo frowned.

"I need to return to the capital."

The man’s expression immediately shifted.

"Why?"

Enzo’s grip around his cane tightened.

"I believe I have no obligation to tell you."

At that, the alpha released a long sigh.

The omega always spoke to him this way. Coldly—as though he had committed some unforgivable offence against him.

And yet, they had only met a few months ago. They were hardly acquaintances. Most days, they barely exchanged greetings.

In fact, he went out of his way to avoid crossing paths with either Enzo or Yusha. The two omegas seemed uncomfortable around him from the very beginning, and he had no desire to make their stay in town more difficult than it already was.

Whenever possible, he handled matters through servants.

Groceries were delivered directly to their doorstep. Messages were passed through others. Their interactions were kept to a minimum.

So whenever Enzo looked at him as though he were some villain, the alpha found himself genuinely confused.

Had he unknowingly offended him?

He couldn’t recall doing anything that would warrant such hostility. Still, he chose not to take offence.

After all, omegas often had valid reasons to be wary of unfamiliar alphas.

Especially those who happened to run a pleasure house.

The profession alone carried enough unpleasant assumptions.

"Fair enough," the alpha said, raising both hands in surrender. "I was only asking." 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Enzo merely frowned deeper.

The silence stretched between them.

Then the alpha’s gaze drifted toward the luggage.

"You aren’t planning on travelling alone, are you?" His eyes moved to the cane. Then, back to Enzo.

The implication was obvious.

The omega’s expression immediately darkened.

"I can take care of myself."

"I never said you couldn’t," The alpha paused. "But if you’re heading to the capital, then whatever happened must be serious."

A knowing look crossed his face.

"And judging by your expression, I think I already know why."

For the first time, Enzo’s eyes narrowed slightly.

The alpha sighed once more. It seemed he had only managed to provoke the omega further.

"I am planning to return to the capital as well," he said. "Why don’t we travel together? I’ve heard monsters have been appearing more frequently along the roads lately. It would be dangerous for you to travel alone."

Enzo remained silent. He offered neither approval nor refusal.

Instead, he simply adjusted his grip on the cane and continued walking toward the carriage waiting nearby.

For a brief moment, the alpha watched his retreating figure. Then a faint smile formed on his lips. Not because Enzo had agreed. But because he hadn’t rejected the offer either.

That alone was enough.

The alpha soon followed after him, closing the distance in a few long strides.

"Should I consider your silence as permission?" he asked, amusement slipping into his voice although the smile had been gone within a few instants.

Enzo shot him a cold glance over his shoulder.

"You should consider it none of your business."

The answer only made the alpha’s smile return.

At least he was speaking to him.

That was already an improvement.

Meanwhile, Enzo’s thoughts remained elsewhere entirely.

What could Ren be going through in the Capital?

Each thought tightened the knot in his chest. He couldn’t shake the feeling that every passing moment was making the situation worse.

And for some reason, the road back to the capital suddenly felt far too long.

***

During the journey, the alpha finally decided to introduce himself.

His name was Sam. Or at least, that was the name he used at the pleasure house.

"I should clarify that it isn’t my real name," he said with a soft grin. "It’s simply the name I go by there. You know, no one uses their real name there. It would be far too silly."

Enzo raised an eyebrow. His expression clearly conveyed a single question: Did I ask?

Sam stifled a chuckle. For some reason, irritating the omega had become strangely entertaining.

"Of course, if you’re interested in my real name, I’ll gladly tell you."

The silence that followed was immediate, almost deadly.

Enzo slowly turned his gaze toward him.

"I am not."

"That’s unfortunate."

"Not for me."

Sam laughed quietly before turning his attention toward the carriage window.

The scenery rolled past in a blur of green fields and dirt roads. None of it looked familiar. Then again, very little beyond Rivas was familiar to him. He rarely left the small town.

In fact, he had spent so many years there that he could no longer remember when he had first arrived. One year became five. Five became ten. And eventually, he stopped counting altogether.

Rivas had become his home.

The pleasure house his livelihood.

The people there his responsibility.

Leaving it behind, even temporarily, felt strangely unsettling.

His gaze drifted toward Enzo. Unlike him, the omega appeared completely focused on the journey ahead.

Enzo’s fingers remained wrapped around his cane. His expression remained tense. As though his thoughts had never once left the capital.

Sam wondered why.

Could it be about the news I read earlier?...

The entire empire seemed to be discussing only one thing.

The Grim Reaper of Hianshu.

The traitor—the spy imprisoned within the Imperial Palace.

And judging by the look on Enzo’s face whenever he mentioned the news from the beginning of their journey, Sam suspected the omega cared far more about the accused man than he might admit.

For a moment, he considered asking about Ren. Then he stopped the thought altogether. Something told him Enzo would rather throw him out of the moving carriage than answer.