It is two o'clock in the afternoon. Caesar has finally regained consciousness, thanks to the suppressants. His physician speculates that his susceptible period early may have been due to food. After all, Caesar has just returned to Florence and needs to adjust his sleep schedule. There are still traces of the Omega woman's blood on his uniform and teeth. He cannot deny that her pheromones were a perfect match for him, an unbelievable sensation. However, her race causes Caesar to frown. Under the rule of the Imperial Federation, all races are treated equally and without discrimination. No matter where they come from or to which country they belong, they will not face unfair treatment as long as they join the Empire. Except for Asti. Since the establishment of the Empire, Asti has been labeled as dangerous, unruly, and terrifying. They are not permitted to attend public schools, reside near other communities, work in government-related jobs, or participate in crucial industries such as education, healthcare, the military, electricity, and IT. Asti lives in their small communities in every city, attending schools exclusive to their kind and performing laborious jobs such as laundry and car washes. They are born with a stigma and a label, forced to live in slums or inexpensive apartments, unable to access high-paying jobs, and relegated to generations of selling cheap labor. Asti has been directly linked with dirty, stupid, and evil labels for centuries. The former prime minister was open-minded and advocated peaceful coexistence with the Asti, calling for improved living conditions. But, radical Asti took the opportunity to murder him during his inspection, expressing their anger. Caesar came from a privileged background, his father being the well-known Duke of Salleri. Following the prime minister's assassination, the Duke of Salleri, along with members of the House of Lords, passed a law requiring the Asti people to have a visible mark on their faces to prevent them from assuming false identities and committing dangerous acts. However, last night, Caesar, who was out of control due to his restless hormones, made a temporary mark on an Asti girl without even knowing her name or identity. Closing his eyes and gripping his glass, Caesar asked, "Have they not found her yet?" "I'm sorry, Caesar," replied Arthur, his capable assistant who had been with him for over a decade. "We were too shocked yesterday and didn't expect her to hide back in the prime minister's residence." Yesterday evening, Arthur waited for Caesar at the agreed-upon back door and was surprised to see Caesar holding a girl. By then, Caesar was almost irrational due to his restless hormones and could erupt at any moment. This state was too dangerous, and Arthur and the driver failed to inject him with a temporary sedative. They had to call for backup, and four people barely managed to control Caesar. In the chaos, the girl quietly ran away. "It's okay," Caesar said. "I will see the prime minister tonight." They could not confirm the Omega girl's identity, especially since Caesar did not mention her ethnicity. The Salleri family, to which Caesar belonged, existed even before forming the Federation Empire. The royal family had granted them the highest honor and hereditary titles, and the Salleri family had produced many outstanding politicians and military leaders. At the same time, the family firmly supported laws that restricted the Asti people. In the eyes of most nobles, the Asti people were no different from dirt. After calming down, Caesar began to ponder. Could the Asti person living in the official residence be the child of the Black Organization's core members? Over a decade ago, the Black Organization caused a great commotion by assassinating the previous prime minister. Some of its key members were apprehended and subsequently sentenced to death as a warning to others. In a display of humanity and consideration of international public opinion, the offspring of these core members were not executed. Instead, they were placed under strict surveillance within the official residence. They were given a gentle education from a young age in the hopes that they would reform and choose the right path. Caesar quenched his thirst with a glass of water. If the girl from the previous night were indeed one of these individuals, it would present a severe predicament. This issue was far more complex than Caesar had initially assumed. He received a summons from the prime minister that evening to discuss the matter in depth. In the stillness of the late night, Caesar silently entered the prime minister's residence in a black automobile. Unlike the previous day and today, no one hindered his entrance, and his vehicle was permitted to drive straight in, a privilege exclusive to the Salleri family. The official residence was tranquil as water in the evening, adorned with verdant foliage and illuminated by patrol lights atop the tall, slim towers. The sizable circular stained-glass windows emitted a brilliant radiance, and through the mist-enveloped glass, Caesar gazed at the neighboring cedar forest. There was a marked increase in the number of soldiers patrolling at night, their hands firmly gripping their guns as if happened some unforeseen event. As it turned out, the prime minister informed Caesar of shocking news. A spy suspected of being an Asti resident had been caught transmitting messages to the Black Organization from his official residence. However, no concrete evidence was yet to support this, making it difficult to convict the suspect. The prime minister had entrusted Caesar with full authority to handle the matter and requested that he interrogate the suspect and resolve the issue within three days. Time was of the essence, and the warden promptly took Caesar to the prison where the suspect was being held. The spy was incarcerated in the closest prison to the prime minister's residence, and the conditions were deplorable. There were still some damp spots on the ground, remnants of blood that had just been washed away with a high-pressure hose. Caesar's black military boots pressed onto the moist ground, and he could distinctly perceive the bloody scent in the air as if he could hear the cries of those who had perished in the interrogation room. Caesar loathed unsanitary places and asked the warden, "Have you resorted to torture yet?" The warden expressed his regret. "No, we have been waiting for your arrival." Caesar donned black gloves, and his military cap had already been removed, exposing his glistening silver hair. In the gloomy prison corridor, "Asti residents are very cunning," Caesar remarked. "If you don't resort to flogging them, they won't divulge the truth." The warden was aware of the deep-seated hatred that the noble lords of the Salleri family harbored toward the Asti people. Furthermore, General Caesar had recently brutally quelled a group of rebellious Asti people. Thus, the warden asked, "Shall I prepare the whip for you, sir?" Caesar fixed him with a penetrating stare and countered, "Is it necessary for me to carry out such acts myself?" The warden's eyes rested upon Caesar's black gloves, and he realized that the distinguished general likely disdained to get his hands soiled with the Asti people's blood. He comprehended and acquiesced to Caesar's suggestion, "Ah, in that case, General, why don't you retire outside for some rest? There is no need for us to continue interrogating the prisoner. We can ask the court tomorrow to carry out the death penalty .." Caesar traversed the filthy and damp prison, his black military boots splashing in the puddles left behind by high-pressure water hoses. The odor of blood was heavy in the air, and he could hear the screams of those tortured in the interrogation room. As he strode forth, he suddenly halted and peered into the darkness. Amidst the putrid atmosphere, there was a faint hint of jasmine, a pure and unadulterated fragrance that should not have been present in this squalid location. Caesar addressed the prison warden, "What lies in that direction?" gesturing towards the source of the jasmine aroma. The warden replied, "Oh, that's where we're detaining the spy from last night." Caesar's countenance became solemn, and he strode resolutely towards the origin of the jasmine scent. He could hear the soft weeping of a familiar voice. In the dimly illuminated cell, he found a fragile Omega woman seated on the floor, her chestnut hair and eyes shimmering in the darkness. Her white garments were insufficient to cloak her form, and the refreshing fragrance of jasmine was entirely out of place in the foul dungeon. She was secured with weighty shackles about her neck, wrists, and ankles, and her dainty frame appeared burdened by chains. Caesar stared intently at the contusions and bite marks on her neck, and some were still seeping with fresh blood, which was the bit on the previous night.
Lola didn't know whether to feel lucky for being an Omega. Since the vigorous equal rights movement decades ago, Omegas were no longer seen as weak. In some cases, they were even given preferential treatment for political correctness.For example, today. Despite being accused of leaking confidential information and facing severe scrutiny, she was not punished like others.But the shackle and chain bound her had become unbearable; its weight oppressed her greatly. Lola couldn't stand up anymore and could only kneel on the cold ground. The chilly water soaked her legs while her white dress barely covered her scraped knees. Due to her position, half of her calf was exposed, with red finger marks visible on its fair skin.The perpetrator stood outside the dark iron railing wearing a black military uniform with his rank on his shoulder badge. His mature body was tightly wrapped by a matching belt adorned with a beautiful yet cold golden buckle.He wasn't wearing any badges today; his purpl
Lola finally quenched her thirst, feeling on the verge of perishing from dehydration. She thought herself to a withered sponge, desperately needing replenishment from a water source. The warden presented her with a water-filled disposable paper cup, crude and hardly clean. But Lola didn't care. Heavy shackles constrained her movements; she couldn't stand to drink. Instead, she half-knelt on the ground, greedily gulping the water. It was ordinary, cool drinking water. Lola's throat was sore and swollen, perhaps a lingering aftereffect of her fever or possibly due to Caesar's brutality the day before. She didn't want to dwell on the cause of her discomfort; she just hungrily drank, her actions frantic. The cold water naturally soothed her throat; some uncontrollably dribbled down from the corners of her mouth. Caesar stood nearby, coldly observing her inelegant drinking manner. Despite accusations of betrayal and being parched to this extent, her lips remained as red as rose petals,
Unable to resist Caesar's invitation, Lola's legs had utterly lost strength following the recent excessive fright. Like cooked noodles, soft and round, her limbs seemed to be inundated with hot water, the ligaments, and bones soaked to tenderness. Temporarily marked, her heat finally found brief respite. Due to her physical constitution, Lola enjoyed a short reprieve after Caesar's transient marking. The pheromone illusion allowed her body to secrete hormones normally. Still, once the pheromones faded and metabolized, her heat would persist—without an Alpha's aid, it would be even more unbearable than before. However, the previous night's events would not recur for at least the next two days. An Omega's heat would typically last seven days, and Laura was still determining if she could endure that long. She hoped she could hold on longer, as Caesar seemed challenging to deal with. Caesar had no intention of treating Laura with such cruelty—she wasn't suited for it. He had interrog
Lola's account of her movements was equally simplistic. After secretly escaping from the solitary confinement cell, she sneaked into the kitchen to steal some bread. After consuming ten plates of bread, she intended to return to the cell but started feeling unwell. This discomfort led Lola to believe she had overeaten and was too full. After careful consideration, she walked in the cedar forest to help digest her meal.Caesar knew the rest of the story. He could not imagine that the girl in front of him, who was absentmindedly plucking rose petals, would mistake her period of fever for being "overstuffed." Her foolishness was beyond his imagination.As she spoke, Lola absentmindedly tore the rose petals into tiny pieces. It was inevitable that people would fidget when they were anxious, and Caesar allowed her this behavior.However, when Lola unconsciously tried to stuff the rose petals into her mouth, Caesar slapped her hand and snapped, "Don't eat that."It was as if Lola had awaken
Lola had not partaken of any sustenance for a considerable time, and her stomach now lay barren, utterly devoid of any contents, persistently throbbing with pain. This suffering could be attributed to Caesar, the sadist who delighted in wielding his whip, a cruel tyrant who relished in administering punishment, and who nearly marred her precious visage. In truth, this was not Lola's first encounter with hunger. Between the ages of three and eighteen, Lola had mainly lived in starvation, particularly during her growth period. Her stature barely reached 160 centimeters, undoubtedly linked to her lack of adequate nourishment during her formative years. In the government residence, meals were strictly regimented, with a precise distribution of daily nutrients. The provisions scarcely provided sufficient sustenance for muscular growth. Even the Alphas, subjected to such dietary restrictions for years, could not attain significant stature or the physical prowess they were capable of. The
After being scolded, Lola sat quietly. Caesar's gaze returned to her frail body, focusing on her delicate shoulders, slender collarbones, and the bruised wounds left by shackles. She looked like she could burst into tears at the slightest touch. Francis approached Caesar and spoke in his characteristic lazy tone, "Tell me... General, can you investigate this case without any personal bias? The Prime Minister might not know, but you should know who left those marks on Lora's neck, right?" Caesar narrowed his eyes slightly, "Do you want to know?" His voice was low and sounded like a territorial beast. Francis didn't pursue the topic further. After all, he wasn't an Alpha but a Beta who failed to differentiate. Francis straightened up and casually said, "Perhaps it's unnecessary. I respect personal privacy." "...However, since the Prime Minister entrusted me with this task, I think I should give it my all, right?" Francis caressed the eagle's head on his cane, "General, you can consi
Upon the exchange for handcuffs, the tension within Lola's demeanor dissipated considerably. The abrasions on her wrists were painful. Although Lola prided herself on her high pain tolerance from childhood scuffles, she struggled to endure the constant friction between the heavy shackles and her skin for extended periods. Compared to the pain, the unhealed wounds tormented by the shackles resembled cruel torture. Liberated from her restraints, Lola could now pace freely in her solitary cell, sleep on the narrow, damp bunk, and even approach the bars to chat with the correctional officers, play cards, and coax them into sharing their pine nuts. The only inconvenience was the effort required to maneuver her underpants when using the bathroom. She had first to lift her skirt, hold it in place with her teeth, and then pull the left side up after cleaning herself, followed by the right, repeating the process several times before the underpants were properly in place. Once completed, she
The room was silent, with the tranquility that hadn't been experienced since the prison was built and put to use. Caesar stood still, composed like a statue made of jade. Francis' cane clattered to the floor. Eugenie's grip on Lola's hand loosened. Under the influence of the drug, Lola's brain was severely numbed, leaving her expression blank. Her blinking slowed, her lips relaxed, and her breathing became steady like a delicate doll's. But the words that came from her mouth were far from delicate: "...General Caesar also wants me to kiss him, but a simple kiss won't do. He wants me to do it like I'm eating a roast piglet, and he even wants me to lift my skirt—" Before she could say any more, Caesar strode over, his face grave, and forcefully covered Lola's mouth. "Shut up." Francis seemed intrigued. "General Caesar, this seems to be the most important part." Eugenie subconsciously rebutted, "...This is false." Caesar's face was expressionless as he looked down at Lola, her mout
Lola only found out that Emilia had come to find her after she finished her class.She threw a whole piece of chocolate into her mouth, chewed it a few times, and swallowed hard: "Where is she?""She went to the back mountain with Instructor Angus."Lola drank a whole cup of hot cocoa and ate two more pieces of chocolate. She checked her schedule. There were no classes today, she could rest now.But, by next week, Lola has to leave here to continue her studies as a student.What an unfortunate event.Yes, Lola still needs to receive a university education now. She passed the written exam smoothly and is now a student at a certain university in the empire.However, due to her special status, she doesn't have to live in a dormitory. She only needs to go there when she has classes.It's a holiday now. After the holiday is over, Lola has to leave here temporarily and focus on studying at school.Also, she needs to receive he
Besides blood, there were also bone marrow, semen... oh, the latter was not a necessity.Caesar's identity was special, and he naturally knew what this meant. To some extent, the permanent marking was actually restraining the omega, but Caesar made the same promise to her.He shared blood and life with her.The nightingale that grew up in the dark eventually perched on a large tree.The tree provided its sap for her nourishment.......After Lola successfully enrolled in school, Caesar's mood did not improve.For some reasons, Emilia was ahead of Lola in grade, so she couldn't take care of Lola all the time. And Lola's physique was such that it was best not to bleed...Unfortunately, the school Lola attended was a mixed one. Although she chose politics as her major, there were many alphas who would go to the battlefield in the future.The school had strict security, but privately, Caesar would still send Salleri 's guard
Emilia took two minutes to understand the meaning in Angus' words. When realization dawned, she pressed her hand, covered in wolf fur, to Angus' face."You're dreaming," Emilia said. "I won't let you permanently mark me! You filthy creature."The young miss felt her dignity was severely challenged - she would rather have the wolf pack get used to her scent...she would rather reluctantly pet these frenzied carnivores than be permanently marked by him.For an omega, that meant eternal commitment.Angus sighed, "Very well then."He lowered his eyes slightly. In his field of vision, Emilia was still angrily touching the wolf pack, her hair and chest heaving with agitated breaths. Emilia didn't like the beastly smells on her. She asked Angus, "Is there another way?"She said, "Anything except a permanent mark...I'll do."Angus looked conflicted. "Yes, miss. But that may still offend you.""Nothing's more offensiv
For Emilia, what happened after wakening was like an uncontrolled, bittersweet nightmare.The source of the nightmare was Angus, kneeling on one knee at her feet, wiping her feet with a soft cloth.The liquid on her feet had been carefully wiped clean by Angus. The room was filled with the scent of roasted coffee beans. Emilia clenched her hands tightly on the silk sheets, staring at Angus. He was still alive.Not just alive, he was well and present before her as an enemy, silently bent over and wiping, just like before.The difference was Emilia. She raised her foot slightly, trying to kick Angus's shoulder, but the pain made her gasp and ask him, "How dare you?"How dare you deceive me? You pledged loyalty to me.I thought you were dead. I sent many people out to find you. I wanted to avenge you.Angus lifted his face, gripping Emilia's foot, looking straight into her eyes. He said nothing. After a moment, he leaned to the side and lightly kissed the top of Emilia's foot.Enraged, E
The confessional was dark and damp, and there seemed to be a faint gloomy scent floating in the air. The choir's prayers were fading away in the distance, and the temperature had not yet receded. Emilia let down her skirt to cover her sweat.Emilia asked, "Do you know what you are doing?"Emilia had her back to Angus, and she could only see Angus's face in the dim shadow of the pillar. He lowered his eyes slowly, "I know that I cannot walk with you in the light, but you cannot take away my right to love you."Emilia turned around, holding the silk handkerchief that she had used to wipe her sweat. She was somewhat annoyed, "Angus!"Angus did not dodge or avoid. He met her gaze. Emilia raised her hand, and gritted her teeth, "You still have one more chance to correct yourself."Angus said, "I promise my loyalty and love to you. If you think loving you needs to be punished, I have no complaints."Emilia was so upset by his words that she wanted to slap him, but her hand hesitated in the
Emilia noticed Angus' covert actions for the second time at the cusp of spring and summer.For a long stretch of time, Emilia and Angus maintained this secret relationship, hidden from others.As the relationship with the Asti people became increasingly strained and terror attacks were intermittent, the Duke of Salleri was increasingly busy and rarely at home. The daily routine of Lady Salleri was composed of eating, sleeping, reading, and urging Caesar — she hoped that Caesar would return soon and find a suitable omega.In comparison, the Salleri clan placed more emphasis on familial relations.No one paid particular attention to Emilia, nor would they believe that Emilia would have any relations with an Asti person.On horseback, in a small cabin, amid forest flowers, Emilia savored the joy of secret rendezvous with her lover — she wanted to refer to him as a lover, a term that seemed too intimate, but she couldn't find any other word that suited him better.In the past six months,
Winter came, particularly early this year.Angus didn't have much feeling for winter. In the Asti isolation zone, there was no equipped heating system. The lowest temperature was not more than minus ten degrees, and most people could keep warm by relying on fireplaces or self-installed heating pipes.Further north, when the temperature drops to minus twenty or even thirty degrees, the harsh weather and snow become extremely lethal.Every year when the snow melts, many elderly people pass away.And Emilia likes snow. The ancestors of the Salleri estate originally lived in the far and cold north, close to the Arctic. The cold gave them high cheekbones, a more three-dimensional appearance, skin as pure as snow, and hair as silver as moonlight.Once, the Salleri family was called the King in the Snow. Later, as time went by, the nickname changed, becoming the Grim Reaper in the Ice and Snow, the Devil.The entire family has the trait of pride, and Emilia is no exception. They also have an
Emilia was not sure if Angus dared to continue to deceive her.After all, in Emilia's memory, Angus had never lied to her, except for the exception just now, but Emilia couldn't rule out that it was her own stubbornness that caused it.Emilia slowly gathered a breath in her chest, she stared at Angus's face, hesitated for a few minutes, and then Angus leaned in.He seemed to no longer intend to persuade her with words, it was still a war of tongues, but it was no longer about language and argument but about flexible and exquisite skills.Emilia grabbed Angus's hair hard, she warned him: "This is your last chance, if you can't satisfy me, I will kill you."She emphasized the word 'kill'.There's no way, alpha and omega are naturally endowed with certain differences in body size and strength, and Angus's fighting skills are indeed more proficient than Emilia's. Excluding the master-servant relationship, if they really had to fight, Emilia was no match for Angus.But Emilia can suppress
Angus had little memory of his foster parents; they were a couple as ordinary as they come, living in the isolation zone like all other Asti people, cut off from the outside world. Most Asti people lived this way, many never left the isolation zone until their death. In dark, cramped houses, with narrow spaces between buildings that barely let sunlight in, roaches, ants, and rats were frequent visitors. The area's basic sanitary conditions were poor and neglected, relying on conscientious people to organize free volunteer groups. Whenever a flu outbreak occurred, it was devastating. Every autumn and winter, people died from the flu. It seemed as if the world's suffering enjoyed preying on the poor. The "medicine" and food in the isolation zone had to be transported from the outside, but those in charge of the isolation zone didn't take the needs of these pitiful people to heart. Even the people caring for livestock on the farms were more diligent than these officials. The "medicine"