It's Him, the Protagonist O!

The priest trembled as he came to, and the wedding ceremony continued.

But after the sacred vows were concluded, no sound of the Omega saying "I do" rang through the chapel.

The Shi family had come to explain earlier, saying that Shi Yi had recently fallen ill and temporarily could not speak.

The Omega on the platform kept his eyes lowered, his gaze fixed on something unknown.

Unable to speak, the already incomplete vows felt even more imperfect.

Yet both Yumian and Lindsay heard his voice—

"I do."

"Did he really say that?"

After the banquet ended and the guests departed, Yumian and Lindsay gathered together again.

Yumian said, "What exactly is going on? Is he messing with us?"

Recalling every move the Omega had made, Lindsay found it equally unbelievable. "Perhaps the Shi family has some mysterious talent? After all, uh, they're all scholars."

Yumian said, "Do you honestly find that convincing?"

"At least one thing is certain." Lindsay adjusted his glasses. "He probably isn't afraid of us."

Yumian sneered. "We've only just begun. Getting into the Carlos family won't be that easy."

He glanced at Lindsay. "Brother, we've both heard plenty of sweet talk meant to fool people. Have you forgotten how those all ended?"

Under the moonlight, a trace of chill gleamed in Yumian's lake-blue eyes.

"Get some people to move the things I prepared into my brother's room."

Yumian had originally refused to let the Omega sent by the Shi family stay in Elaine's room, but he changed his mind now.

Once the servants had arranged everything, Yumian leisurely went to the floor where the room was located, elegantly carrying a teacup into the library next door.

Heh. He would wait here tonight and see how long this Omega could hold out.

But the moment he sat down, that somewhat familiar voice sounded beside his ear.

This time, it was even more excited than at the wedding.

[Ahhhhhhh!]

[Help, that scared me! So it's just a model. Why is it placed by the door?]

[Is this Elaine's room? God, it's so cool!]

[What's this? A deer head? A wolf head? A tiger head? It's hard to tell with only the bones left... But Elaine must have hunted them himself. Didn't he win a hunting championship when he was ten? That's amazing!]

[What is this skeleton for? Are these organ specimens? Did Elaine study medicine? But why put them beside the bed? He's so hardworking.]

[So many photos from the battlefield... Even with technology this advanced, war is still so brutal. Elaine has it so hard.]

[I wonder what he's doing right now. Is he hurt?]

[Please come back safely...]

Yumian's hand paused slightly as he gently set down his teacup.

What was this Omega doing, worrying about his brother when he had time to spare? Shouldn't he be worried about what would happen if they discovered he was an impostor?

Was the Shi family really this arrogant?

After a while, the voice came again.

[Ah... the blanket is so soft!]

[Hehe, it smells so nice. I wonder if it smells like Elaine.]

[What does Elaine's pheromone smell like? I really want to smell it... He's such a powerful Alpha, it must smell wonderful.]

[If only he could bite me once... Hehe... hehe...]

Yumian: ...

Where had this guy's thoughts gone?!

Yumian shoved back his chair, his face red as he quickly fled the scene.

He was done with this. Once his brother returned, he would make this guy pay! His brother was not someone easy to deal with!

Shi Sheng, hugging the blanket, never noticed that Yumian had appeared next door.

The Carlos family estate was enormous. Elaine's room was not in the same building as the other family members' rooms. When the servant had brought him up, even the hallway lights had been off, making the place feel cold and eerie.

Yet Shi Sheng was not afraid.

He could only keep thinking about Elaine.

From that breathtaking glimpse in his youth, to the distant looks he had stolen over the years, and finally to the moment he sat in the wedding car under his brother's name.

Everyone in the Shi family, including his parents, had been on edge the entire time.

There was one fatal difference between Shi Sheng and his brother. Even though they were twins, the truth would be easily exposed over time—

Shi Sheng could not speak.

That was why no one in the Shi family was not afraid.

They feared the truth being exposed, but at their core, they feared the supposedly cursed Carlos family. They feared Elaine, whose name struck terror across the Empire like Thanatos himself.

But Shi Sheng was not afraid.

Everyone criticized Elaine for being too arrogant, for being too inhuman when he killed that lead senator.

But Shi Sheng knew that the senator had not merely obstructed the new policies. Behind the scenes, he had committed countless crimes. Even though His Majesty had long possessed much evidence, various circumstances had prevented him from dealing with the man immediately.

Everyone said Elaine's hands, which had spent years fighting on battlefields, were stained with blood. But ever since Elaine had carried him out of a pile of corpses on the battlefield, Shi Sheng had always believed Elaine was a hero.

The whole world feared Elaine, but Shi Sheng was the only one who had run toward him with all his strength.

And Shi Sheng had finally waited for this day.

Even as he drifted into sleep, his face was filled with happiness.

Meanwhile, at the Empire's border.

The enemy forces had been thoroughly repelled by the legion, leaving devastation everywhere. Fortunately, the civilian casualties in this border town were not severe.

Mechanical warhorses marched past in neat formation.

A small child trembled as he ran out and blocked the lead warhorse's path, clutching a bouquet of colorful wildflowers in his hand.

"Fafa..."

He was not even as tall as the horse's legs. Even craning his neck as hard as he could, he could not see the rider's face.

Upon the pitch-black mechanical warhorse, the Alpha's long hair was tied high behind his head. A bite guard made from beast bones obscured his features, leaving only a pair of cold golden eyes visible.

A frightened Omega rushed out from the crowd and snatched the child back into his arms.

"I'm terribly sorry, honored sir! Please do not be angered. I'll take him away at once!"

The people around them fearfully retreated, while anxiously wondering what punishment this reckless child would receive.

They had all heard of Thanatos's terrifying reputation.

Only the child did not understand. He merely wanted to give a bouquet of flowers to the hero who had driven away the bad people.

Suddenly, his hand felt light. For some reason, the small bouquet of wildflowers slipped free from his grasp and appeared in the rider's hand.

The Alpha said nothing and slowly rode away.

Rows of mechanical warhorses followed him in perfect formation. Within the procession, azure flags fluttered beneath the moonlight, and no one present failed to recognize the emblem upon them.

Victory and glory belonged to the Empire's strongest force—the Galaxy Knights.

The adjutant had just reached the entrance to the hot spring room when a familiar figure emerged from within.

He hurriedly saluted. "Marshal!"

The marshal was far too tall, making the adjutant's upward-looking salute seem a little comical.

Water still dripped from Elaine's long hair. He merely gave the adjutant an indifferent glance. "I'm returning to the capital."

"Huh?" The adjutant was stunned, but did not dare object. "Marshal, there are still many matters requiring your attention. We can only leave according to regulations once everything is finished."

Elaine said, "I'll be back before dawn."

The adjutant hurried after him. "May I boldly ask... what are you going back for?"

Then, for the first time ever, he seemed to see the Alpha smile.

"To get married."

The adjutant:?

Shi Sheng woke up for no apparent reason.

A rustling sound came from the terrace. Wearing his pajamas, he got out of bed, rubbed his eyes, and pushed open the French doors.

At that instant, the night breeze rushed toward him, lifting his dark red bangs as a pure white radiance filled his vision.

Under the moonlight, an enormous, brilliantly beautiful white bird descended upon the spacious terrace.

Shi Sheng stared in amazement. He seemed to have seen this bird only in books. It resembled the phoenixes of ancient myths, with long tail feathers that glowed with holy light, but every feather on its body was white.

The White Phoenix landed before him and leaned its forehead close, its eyes golden.

Such a beautiful yet strange creature had suddenly appeared, yet Shi Sheng was not afraid. He cautiously extended his hand.

The White Phoenix lowered its head, pulled something from beneath its wing with its beak, and placed it in Shi Sheng's palm.

Then it rubbed against Shi Sheng's palm.

Shi Sheng was amazed, but he could not ask where the bird had come from or why it had brought him a bouquet of flowers.

Before he could stroke its soft feathers a little longer, the White Phoenix gave him one deep look, spread its wings, and flew into the night sky.

The moon shone brightly and only a few stars remained. Dawn would arrive in a few hours.

When Shi Sheng woke and saw the flowers by his bed, he finally believed that last night had not been a dream.

A servant knocked on the door and asked whether he wished to have breakfast in the dining room or in his room.

Of course, Shi Sheng chose the dining room. He intended to build a good relationship with Elaine's family.

But just as he crossed the garden and arrived at the dining room, he heard Yumian throwing a tantrum.

"With that kind of salary, you should at least bring your brain to work!"

Yumian was practically furious.

It was already irritating enough that an impostor had come into the family to replace his sister-in-law, but early that morning, a servant had broken the companion robot he had used for more than ten years.

The servant who had caused the trouble trembled as he knelt on the floor. No one present dared plead on his behalf.

Everyone knew that the Carlos family's young master was not easy to reason with.

Amid the room's silence, someone quietly stepped forward.

"Young Master, perhaps I can repair it."

Yumian gave the newcomer a cold once-over. "Xiao An's model was discontinued long ago. We might not even be able to buy the parts anymore. What can you do?"

The person appeared to be a Beta. A mask concealed his face, though his eyes were quite beautiful.

"My father is a mechanical repairman. I can do my best to try."

With no other option, Yumian hesitated before nodding. "Then you..."

[You foolish little brother, why do you believe everything people tell you?]

Yumian froze.

[His father isn't a repairman at all. He learned those skills specifically so he could stand out in front of you!]

[And he colluded with the person who broke the robot.]

That voice was already far too familiar. Yumian frowned and looked toward the corner of the dining room.

Shi Sheng's eyes were fixed without blinking on the servants setting dish after dish before him. He was not looking in this direction at all.

Yumian withdrew his gaze and spoke again. "What's your name? Are you a Beta?"

The person respectfully replied, "Young Master, my name is Noah. I am a Beta."

[That's right, that's right, this is Noah—the protagonist O in the story where Yumian becomes the villain!]

Yumian:?