We’re in a Contract Marriage, But I’ve Imprinted - Chapter 188

Adrian closed his eyes, feeling the fatigue wash over him after reading through the writings of the 10th Emperor, Gael Aerys Fernando, and all his predecessors. He couldn’t pinpoint exactly who was to blame for the suffering of the omegas, but one thing was clear,

“How long must the innocent omegas endure such pain?”

He felt a deep sympathy for them, having been subjected to envy and contempt for simply being beautiful. He could not remain idle. Even though he had already hurt Lucia through his ignorance, he wanted to apologize to her.

He believed that the perception and treatment of omegas needed to improve starting with his generation. This was an important matter not just for omegas, but for alphas and betas as well.

Rising from his seat, he resolved not to waste any more time.

Once outside, he immediately commanded the chief attendant.

“Find out where Duke Bryant has disappeared to.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Inform him to return to the palace as soon as he is found.”

“Understood!”

* * *

Meanwhile, Ian was piecing together the location of the Magic Tower based on the witnesses’ accounts of his fall from the roof. His ankle was still healing, but as a true alpha, his recovery was faster than that of an ordinary person.

“You need to go to the magic shop immediately and find a device that lets you see distant objects as if they were close by.”

“Is such a device even available?”

The head butler was taken aback by his command. Ian recalled something he had heard in passing.

“It’s an item that was used during times of frequent war. It shouldn’t be too difficult to find.”

“Yes, I’ll return shortly.”

After the head butler left, Ian used crutches to head to the highest floor of the Duke’s mansion. As he mulled over the reports of having fallen onto the roof, he came upon a crucial clue.

The Duke’s mansion, located within the capital, stood at a height second only to the palace. If he had indeed fallen from the roof, it suggested two possibilities: either Melissa had intentionally teleported him into the air, or the tower had been situated above from the very start.

If it was a magic circle that had carelessly forced him out of the tower, it would have been unavoidable for him to plummet. His suspicions were further reinforced by the real tower master’s words from the tower:

“Why is the tower not moving but standing still?”

If the tower was designed to be continuously in motion, it would be more fitting to be situated in the sky. Just like the birds that flew freely, the position of the tower would keep changing.

They were safeguarding their home well. It might not need a large barrier; rather, if it were possible to simply suspend the building in midair, it could be adequately maintained, no matter how complex it might be.

Ian kept thinking about the identity of the person who had secretly released Pedro’s magical restraints.

“If it was a wizard with the element of wind, they could have easily undone it.”

Ian thought if this was really true but his doubts were slowly becoming conviction.

“If I’m wrong, I can always start over. And I’ll keep apologizing until she forgives me.”

He realized that for a woman who had been wounded for so long, his confession might come as a shock. Each time the negative emotions stemming from the imprinting threatened to overwhelm him, he thought of his son, Diers.

Just the existence of his beloved son, with eyes so similar to Melissa’s, reminded him that he had to keep living.

“I have to protect him. It’s my responsibility.”

If the head of the family died prematurely, the position of heir would become unstable, and unstable power was easily swayed by enemies.

“Dad!”

As he descended the stairs, he suddenly spotted Diers. The moment he saw his son, who was tightly holding onto the nanny’s hand, the atmosphere brightened and warmed. The stiff expressions of the employees around them softened.

“Dia.”

“Good to see you again, Duke.”

“Yes.”

While he brushed off the nanny’s greeting, he scooped the small, warm body of his son into his arms. Though he was leaning on crutches, he could comfortably hold Diers with one arm.

“Dad! Ouchie?”

“You’ve started to speak so well, Dia.”

“Lately, the young master has been obsessed with storybooks. Even when he takes his naps, he keeps asking me to read to him…”

“Which storybook do you like the best?”

“Uung…”

At Ian’s question, Diers scrunched up his face in deep thought.

“Haha, it sounds like you have a lot of favorite books.”

“Dad, book with Mom iside. Best.”

“…Mom?”

As Ian looked at Diers in confusion, the nanny standing nearby explained.

“There’s a picture book he often looks at. The main character has purple eyes, so the young master started calling her Mom.”

“Dad! Mom same me. Wight?”

Diers touched his little finger at his own eyes, and Ian’s heart ached.

If he had simply acknowledged his feelings from the beginning, or if he hadn’t sent Melissa away and instead kept her in the house like his own mother, his child wouldn’t be missing her so much.

Feeling that everything was his fault, Ian felt guilty toward Diers. He reminded himself that there were others he needed to ask for forgiveness, not just Melissa.

Cradling Diers, he ascended the stairs again.

He returned to the place he had just left and pointed to the sky.

“Mom is up there. She’ll be watching over us, Dia.”

“Weally? Wow, Mom angel.”

“What? Haha…”

At his son’s innocent words, Ian couldn’t help but laugh wholeheartedly for the first time in a while.