The Cursed Family

By evening, a piece of news broadcast across every public channel in the Empire had set the entire capital ablaze.

"Did I hear that right? There's actually a family willing to marry into the Carlos family?"

"The cradle of killing machines, a bloodline cursed by the goddess, and they're still going to let it continue..."

"I really don't know what His Majesty is thinking. The Shi family is full of scholars. Isn't he sending their child to his death?"

"It was the royal family's decision. Don't go spouting nonsense!"

"Poor young Master Shi Yi. That Alpha from the Carlos family is practically the Grim Reaper..."

"But he's finally getting married. Now the other noble Omegas can breathe a sigh of relief."

"There's more than one unmarried lunatic left in the Carlos family."

"But the Galactic Legion is still fighting on the front lines. Why hold the wedding today?"

"The groom isn't even attending. How arrogant."

In a tavern along the street, a young man listened to the surrounding chatter and slowly broke into a satisfied smile.

What they didn't know was that the Alpha groom wasn't the only one missing from the wedding today.

Just half a day earlier, the Shi family had discovered that Shi Yi had run away from the wedding.

And at this very moment, the one being sent to the Carlos family for the wedding was Shi Yi's twin brother, Shi Sheng.

The Shi family hadn't wanted this marriage alliance.

It was true that the Carlos family was the Empire's foremost family, wielding military power enough to make even the royal family wary. But no Omega in the capital was willing to marry into it.

Especially not the current head of the Carlos family, the supreme commander of the Empire's Galactic Legion—Elaine Carlos.

The public called him "Thanatos of the Empire."

He was the God of War who kept the Empire invincible in battle, yet the title he'd earned was the name of the Grim Reaper from ancient mythology.

All because he was cold-blooded, brutal, arrogant, and tyrannical.

Once, when the Cabinet opposed His Majesty's reforms, Elaine had actually drawn his sword right there in the meeting and cut off the head of the leading councilor.

A photograph of him with blood on his face had appeared in the papers. Even now, it could stop a crying child in its tracks.

"Keep crying and Thanatos will come take you away!"

What kind of life could an Omega expect after marrying someone like that?

Besides, for decades, a rumor had circulated throughout the Empire that the Carlos family had once been cursed by the goddess. Their mysterious bloodline had given them exceptionally high pheromone levels, but it came with bizarre personalities and a bloodlust that ran through their veins.

Every few years, scandals involving the Carlos family would surface in the capital. Almost every one of them involved a death.

Whether the scandals were true or not, the spouses of the family heads for the past three generations had all died young. None had lived past thirty.

Getting involved with this family was no good thing.

But the Shi family didn't dare defy His Majesty's arranged marriage. They also didn't dare let anyone else find out that Shi Yi had run away, so they could only grit their teeth and send Shi Sheng in his place.

Now Shi Yi was missing, and there was no telling whether Shi Sheng would survive in the Carlos household.

The Shi family had no other children. In the future, everything could only be inherited by this nephew of his.

The young man laughed with delight.

The Shi family—and the Alpha Shi Father had originally chosen for Shi Sheng—would all be his.

"Shi Sheng, Shi Sheng. I've won again."

*

At the same time, the wedding was taking place in the Sanctum.

Almost everyone present belonged to the capital's most distinguished circles, and they were now divided into two groups.

Most were nobles who'd been forced to attend the ceremony by His Majesty's arranged marriage and the Carlos family's authority.

The smaller group was naturally made up of the Shi family, whose hearts were in their throats. When Shi Yi ran away, they'd had no choice but to pray that the Carlos family wouldn't discover too soon that the Omega had been replaced.

"Look at those idiots. It's infuriating."

Yumian Carlos wore a cold smile. "They even dared to swap out the Omega marrying my big brother. What gave them the nerve?"

Those idiots still thought they hadn't found out!

"All right, don't be angry."

The gentle-looking young man beside Yumian patted him on the shoulder.

"Didn't you already come up with a way to embarrass him?"

Yumian narrowed his eyes at the slowly opening doors of the Sanctum. His elfin face lit up with a gleeful, malicious smile. "That's right. He'll soon understand that mortals aren't fit to fool the Carlos family."

As the doors of the Sanctum opened, sunlight poured inside.

The choir's ethereal, sacred song ushered the "protagonist" of the wedding into view.

He was a young Omega. Even in his elaborate white wedding attire, he still looked like a tender boy who'd only just come of age.

He had the Shi family's signature dark red hair, a color that should have looked passionate and bold. Paired with his porcelain-white skin and amber eyes, he ought to have been as beautiful and striking as a doll making its grand entrance at an exhibition.

But the Omega's pale face was entirely expressionless. With his slightly drooping eyelids and downturned eyes, he somehow looked gloomy.

"What's with the long face?" Yumian said, displeased.

Under the gaze of the entire Sanctum, the Omega slowly walked toward the wedding dais, alone.

There wasn't even a proper bouquet in his hands, just a bunch of lilies picked in a hurry that morning.

The Alpha groom was still fighting on the front lines. The Omega could only complete the ceremony alone, and no one present dared object.

They didn't even dare feel sorry for him.

"Now, let the groom step forward."

Everyone watched as the Omega climbed the steps by himself.

He didn't even have a decent bouquet, just a bunch of lilies picked in a hurry that morning.

"Shi Yi, child of the great Order Goddess, do you take your Alpha as your bonded partner, in sickness and in health, until death..."

The priest recited the vows. According to the ceremony, since the groom wasn't present, a holographic projection of the Alpha should now appear beside the Omega.

The staff in the control room pressed a button.

The Sanctum erupted in an uproar. Someone even screamed in terror.

Yumian's lips curved in a satisfied smile.

A tall figure appeared beside the Omega on the dais.

But unlike the planned holographic projection, it was only a static image. The Alpha held a long sword, half his body soaked in blood, and a head with bulging eyes dangled from his hand.

There was not a trace of emotion in his golden eyes.

The Cabinet meeting that had caused a nationwide sensation several years ago had rarely appeared in official reports. The footage circulating among the public was mostly made up of excerpts, showing only the Alpha's handsome, blood-spattered, expressionless face. Even that had been enough to frighten disobedient children.

But now, at his own wedding, the complete, blood-soaked footage appeared.

Some people fainted in terror. Children burst into tears.

Amid the chaos, Yumian clapped and laughed. "Big brother, look at that idiot! Isn't he scared stiff?"

The young man beside him looked toward the Omega with him. Amid all the commotion in the Sanctum, the boy stood frozen in place, staring up at the Alpha's face in the projection.

He really did seem terrified. The lilies had fallen to the floor, and even from their seats, the two men with excellent eyesight could see his body trembling slightly.

Yumian snorted. "He's scared stiff by one picture. What makes him think he can be my big brother's Omega?"

The young man beside him sighed softly, too.

Then a voice reached their ears.

So handsome...

Yumian: ?

I've seen this picture so many times, but the ones I saw before weren't this clear.

As expected of Elaine. That face really looks like it's been kissed by the gods...

Such a handsome man is going to be my Alpha from now on. Heh heh.

And he's got such a nice body. I wonder if I'll get a chance to touch it.

Yumian looked at the person beside him in shock, only to find him just as confused.

"What nonsense is he talking about?"

The young man hesitated. "Was that him? But... his lips don't seem to have moved."

Ugh, it's so noisy.

The priest seems to have fainted. What's going to happen to my wedding?

Can we get one of Elaine's family members to officiate? Wait, where are they again...?

The Omega on the dais suddenly turned his expressionless face toward them.

Yumian hadn't even realized that he'd straightened his back.

Now he was sure. The impostor really was the one speaking!

They were seated in the front row, so it was easy to meet the Omega's gaze.

He looked at Yumian for a while, then at the young man beside him.

His gaze moved very slowly, but they were sure the impostor was sizing them up.

Yumian glared back at him, displeased and wary.

The Omega's eyes were gloomy, his expression vacant.

Yet every word of his inner thoughts came through loud and clear to the two of them.

Golden hair... The short one should be Elaine's younger brother, right?

Wow, he's as pretty as an elf.

I want to pinch his cheeks.

Yumian slapped the armrest. "What's he going on about?!"

The young man beside him pressed a hand to his shoulder, helplessly.

And who's the other one? Elaine's second younger brother has blond hair too, and he's an Alpha. He's not here today, so that rules him out.

Glasses, black hair, sitting with Yumian... Ah, that must be Lindsay.

Even though he's adopted, he's just as outstanding as his brothers.

Yumian turned to Lindsay. "Why are you blushing?!"

Lindsay gave a quiet cough. "You're not doing much better yourself."

"What the hell kind of weird technology did this impostor use?" Yumian angrily rolled up his sleeves. "He clearly came prepared!"

Just then, there was a sharp snap. The staff had apparently finally reacted, and Elaine's image disappeared.

For the first time that day, the Omega's placid face changed. The corners of his lips turned down, and only a very close look revealed the disappointment in his expression.

He bent to pick up the lilies from the floor. But the priest was still unconscious, and for a moment he looked lost.

Yumian, full of pent-up anger, shouted at the servants, "What are you all standing around for? Go wake the priest! Are we holding the ceremony or not?!"

Everyone in the hall scrambled once more to help the priest.

As expected, I'll have to rely on Elaine's family after all.

Yumian and Lindsay heard the voice again.

Lindsay cautiously glanced around, trying to figure out whether anyone else had heard the Omega speaking.

Yumian really is a young master of the Carlos family. He has quite the presence.

Though he seems a little short-tempered.

Yumian glared at the Omega, only to realize he wasn't looking at him.

Instead, his gaze was unfocused, as though he were daydreaming.

It's not hard to see how someone like him could become a villain...

Yumian froze. A villain? What was that supposed to mean?

He instinctively turned his head to keep listening, but the Omega's voice had vanished.