This Omega couldn't be sweet-talked

The Ore Department's day began in a bustle.

Coffee in hand, Xingyao yawned and greeted the appraisers hurrying past.

"Good morning."

"Morning, Deputy Minister."

"Looking lovely again today, Deputy Minister Xingyao."

"Thank you."

Xingyao smoothed his long hair with satisfaction.

He had spent an hour and a half that morning working out a new braiding technique.

His slightly wavy hair wound and intertwined at the back of his head like intricate mechanical circuitry, secured by a hairpin dangling a sapphire.

In short.

Elegant and beautiful.

He glanced nervously at his Terminal.

Jin Yi usually arrived at the General Affairs Office ten minutes before work began. He disliked stimulant nutrient supplements, preferring strong black coffee.

Xingyao had specially ordered double milk and no sugar to suit his tastes, and had even prepared the excuse that "the café had a buy-one-get-one-free offer."

Ignoring the small mountain of documents awaiting his signature on the desk, he anxiously adjusted his hair again.

Would he compliment me when I brought him the coffee later?

He thought about it expectantly.

Unfortunately, before Jin Yi arrived, a cute, bashful maid came instead.

Anya lifted her skirt and bent her knees slightly, giving Xingyao a graceful curtsy.

"Deputy Minister Xingyao, the Young Lord's Wife asked me to deliver a message."

"Please bring the appraisal reports for smuggled ores from the past month to the lounge in ten minutes. He'll be waiting there."

Xingyao's mind went blank as he stared fearfully at Shen Que, who sat on the sofa with his legs crossed.

"Um... Director... is something wrong?"

Shen Que went through the reports one by one. "Do you sign all the smuggled ore appraisal reports?"

"Not necessarily." Xingyao clasped his hands. "Sometimes Jin Yi signs for me... when I can't keep up... but I always review them afterward! Rest assured, there won't be any appraisal errors."

Shen Que nodded. He had indeed seen Jin Yi's neat signature among them.

"Have there been any Symbiotic Stones among the recently smuggled ores?"

Xingyao thought back.

"There were two. One was a Symbiotic Stone of moonstone and hyacinth, at a ratio of 1:2, with purities of 73% and 55%."

"The other was starlight and hibiscus jade, at a ratio of 7:9, with purities of 32% and 47%."

He remembered it remarkably clearly.

Shen Que gave him another look.

"Were there any Symbiotic Stones of crystalline sand gold and aquamarine, both over 95% pure?"

Xingyao visibly froze, then hurriedly shook his head.

"Crystalline sand gold only occurs in the asteroid belt near White Sand Star. At that purity, wouldn't it be worth over a hundred million? I'd have to be present when it was confiscated."

Shen Que picked up the stack of documents. "Are all the appraisal reports here?"

Xingyao nodded frantically.

"All 172 reports. I've reviewed every one."

"Good." Shen Que stood and patted Xingyao's shoulder. "Save the coffee for later. Come with me first."

The Central Courtyard divided the General Affairs Office, with the Ore Department and Trade Department occupying separate corners.

When they reached the Trade Department's reception room, Demi and Phil were already waiting.

Old Dion and his apprentice were there too.

"My lord, this is the appointment for our appeal to the Trade Department." Demi presented a Light Card.

The young apprentice stared at Shen Que in bewilderment.

He still hadn't figured out what was happening.

All he knew was that early that morning, the maid who often came to order custom ore work had invited them to the General Affairs Office.

Dion hadn't asked any questions. He had simply taken off his goggles and followed her.

And now... the person standing before him...

There was no mistaking him.

This was the Young Lord's Wife!

He had seen him on the Star Network!

He glanced nervously at his master, but Dion merely glanced at the white stone on Shen Que's chest and smiled, shaking his head.

"My lord, Deputy Minister Xingyao." The old craftsman greeted them both.

Shen Que gave a brief nod, then gestured to Demi. "Go ahead."

Light Card in hand, Demi went to the Trade Department's appeals section.

The same staff member from yesterday received her.

When he saw Demi approaching, his expression grew impatient.

"You again? Didn't you ask about this yesterday? We have all the proper paperwork for every ore seizure here. If there was nothing wrong with your ore, why would it have been seized for no reason?"

"Go on, get out of here!"

"But I filed an appeal." Demi waved the appointment record in her hand. "I'm not asking for special treatment. You have to give me a chance, don't you?"

"Do you not understand plain speech?"

The receptionist raised his voice.

"Don't you know perfectly well whether your own ore has the proper paperwork? You're lying through your teeth and wasting our time."

"Do you have any idea how many shipments we register every day?"

"If everyone shamelessly insisted on appealing like you, how would we get any work done?!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Demi smiled apologetically. "But you still have to follow the prescribed procedures, don't you? Our lord came in person today. He'd like to ask what exactly happened."

"Your lord?" The receptionist sneered. "Who does he think he is? If there's a problem, there's a problem. Even an appeal from the Lord's Wife wouldn't make any difference!"

With that, he turned back to registering the confiscated ores, making it clear he had no intention of paying Demi any further attention.

Demi was about to speak again when a hand suddenly took the Light Card from her.

Shen Que pushed the appointment record in front of the receptionist, his thin lips parting. "Excuse me. I'd like to request access to the smuggled ore appraisal report."

The receptionist slammed his hand on the desk and turned to resume his tirade.

A cool, impassive face came into view.

With a clack, the ore in his hand fell to the floor.

The Trade Department's minister was a Beta named Lucas.

Though he had no inherited status, his parents, who also worked at the General Affairs Office, had taught him how to survive there:

Ability didn't matter. What mattered was saying what people wanted to hear. Keep those noble lords happy, and plenty of people would help you rise.

Lucas had made that his professional code.

As a mouthpiece with years of practice, he passed along whatever his superiors said, and nodded along to whatever his subordinates reported. "Yes, yes, exactly."

By adhering to that philosophy and code, Lucas had held his position for three years without a single mishap, and his popularity had even earned him... quite a few illicit perks.

But today, his career faced a major challenge.

"How did an ore inspection end up targeting the Young Lord's Wife?!"

"Didn't any of you check?!"

He adjusted his bow tie as he hurried toward the reception room.

This was the Young Lord's Wife!

His standing was higher than all the nobles Lucas had previously fawned over combined!

Granted, he had heard snippets of gossip-

That Pei Ji disliked the Omega bestowed upon him by the Empress. Not only had he run off from the wedding, he had even stormed out of the banquet after hearing that Shen Que had taken charge of the ores.

But regardless, Shen Que was now the deputy director of the General Affairs Office. He was Lucas's superior!

Calm down. Calm down.

Lucas told himself.

However formidable Shen Que might be, he was still an Omega.

Sensitive, softhearted, kind. Most of the Omegas I'd dealt with at work were easily swayed. If all else failed, I'd play for sympathy!

"I didn't know either..." The receptionist was clearly even more panicked than he was, his steps unsteady.

Empress above.

I'd insulted a servant of the Young Lord's household.

Twice!

If that deranged lunatic Pei Ji found out, wouldn't he throw me into the desert to feed the sandworms?!

Standing outside the reception room, Lucas took a deep breath and knocked three times.

"Come in."

By the time he pushed open the door, Lucas had already devised eighteen ways to shift the blame, twenty possible escape routes to save himself, and thirty-two ways to charm an Omega.

Shen Que sat in the center of the sofa, dressed in formal traditional attire.

The mosaic stained-glass window fractured the sunlight, gilding his reserved, noble profile. His black brows and hair made his skin look all the more snow-white.

His cool, otherworldly face held the still chill of ice and snow.

The instant those galaxy-like eyes turned toward him.

A shudder ran through Lucas, and he crossed off the last option.

This Omega.

There was absolutely no way I could sweet-talk him.