We’re in a Contract Marriage, But I’ve Imprinted - Chapter 216

From that day on, Melissa visited the Duchy every day with Adella. On the first day, Adella, who was uncomfortable with both Ian and the pheromones, quickly began to adapt. Likewise, Diers stopped imitating Ian’s awkward gait.

The two children got along well from the start, but as their meetings became more frequent and their time together grew longer, they naturally became closer. For that reason, saying goodbye has become harder recently.

“Huwaaah!”

“Waaah!”

Melissa, trying to take Adella with her, didn’t know what to do as the two children cried at the same time.

“Don’t cry. Dia, Della. We’ll see each other again tomorrow, okay?”

“Waaah!”

“Huwee!”

No matter how much she tried to soothe them, the children didn’t stop crying. In fact, Adella, who had been in her mother’s arms, began squirming, trying to get down.

Sweating with frustration, Melissa eventually set Adella down on the floor. As soon as she did, Diers quickly grabbed Adella and hugged her tightly. That was when the children stopped crying and started laughing and giggling together in delight.

Feeling exhausted, Melissa sank onto the couch, and Ian, who had been nervously watching, sighed softly and spoke.

“If you’re not too busy, would you stay a little longer, Melissa?”

“…Then, I’ll stay for just one more hour.”

“Yes, of course.”

Seeing her struggle with the children’s tantrums made Ian feel sorry for her, but at the same time, he was glad because each time it happened, the time she spent at the Duchy increased.

Truth be told, he wanted her to come back to the Duchy and stay with him again, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it. No, it was more that he couldn’t.

Every night, he agonized over it. If he could, he would immediately go to the potion maker, get the elixir, and give it to Melissa. But the words Sarah had added held him back.

‘Mel refused the treatment.’

He wanted to ask why, after insisting he treat his wounds, she was neglecting her own. But again, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

Instead, Ian decided to wait. It didn’t matter how long it took. He wanted her to open her heart and find him on her own.

“I… I have something I’d like to ask.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“You mentioned that Adella needed her biological parents’ pheromones. Was that because the child was suffering?”

“No, that’s not it.”

“Then, that’s a relief. Was it true that she had been receiving the pheromones of the Tower Master and Pedro?”

“Yes, because I can no longer produce pheromones myself.”

Ian immediately wanted to slap himself for asking. The answer was obvious, after all. It was a foolish question. Not knowing what to do, Melissa gently began speaking.

“I’ve heard that if Della continues to receive the pheromones of the Tower Master and Pedro, she might get confused about who her biological parents are.”

Although Ian knew that pheromones were important to alphas and omegas, he had never considered the possibility that they could affect emotions as well.

“…I’ve never heard that before.”

Ian, who had never deeply thought about pheromones since birth, found her statement to be new and intriguing.

“So, does that mean most alphas and omegas in the Empire have emotional instability?”

His words came out almost as a whisper, and Melissa’s eyes widened in surprise. She had only been concerned about Adella’s situation specifically, but she hadn’t considered the broader implications.

“…That could be the case.”

Certainly, many omegas she had seen so far seemed to be a bit broken, starting with her own mother, who did things she shouldn’t have because she disliked having an omega daughter. Then there was Nikola’s strange behavior, which she had thought to be the side effects of prolonged imprinting.

As she thought further, Lorena or the omegas living in the Tower, also showed subtle problems. She had assumed it was a result of their life experiences, but what if it was something left unfulfilled from childhood?

Melissa was deep in thought at Ian’s words, and Ian watched her in silence. After a few moments, she spoke softly.

“…Does that mean that a child raised with both parents’ pheromones won’t have emotional deficiencies?”

As she spoke, she pressed her wrist to her nose and took a deep breath, but of course, she couldn’t sense any pheromones. After all, she had lost her sense of smell, and pheromones no longer flowed from her. Yet, she still acted as if she could sense them, and seeing her like this, Ian’s heart ached.

He still vividly remembered the faint pheromones she had once emitted. Her pheromones were fragile, yet they had touched his heart and stolen his attention. Despite promising himself he would wait and respect her wishes, Ian found himself unable to keep silent any longer.

“Mel, what do you want to do?”

“….”

As he met her purple eyes, he continued.

“If you could fix your pheromone gland, no, it’s possible, why do you still refuse the treatment? If the reason is because of me…”

His voice gradually dropped, full of melancholy. He took a deep breath before continuing.

“I’ve heard that the elixir can fix your pheromone gland. And I know you can receive it.”

“…I suppose the Deputy Master mentioned it when she came last time.”

“I’m sorry for not saying it sooner. It’s just that I didn’t feel I had the right to say it.”

She gazed at Ian quietly, as he was unable to hide the sadness in his expression. He opened his mouth several times and closed it again, before finally speaking.

“I’m not trying to force you. I won’t say it’s for the children either. But…”

His voice, which had been serious, gradually faltered. He struggled to continue.