Breeding Instinct - Chapter 3: Sanghyeon (4)

Summoning Damian to the palace wasn’t difficult, especially since the Royce family’s townhouse was located near the imperial grounds. Among the noble estates, the Royce townhouse was in the highest part of the aristocratic district, reflecting the family’s prominence.

Damian arrived at the palace swiftly and entered the Crown Prince’s office. His calm and composed demeanor hadn’t changed in the slightest, which only deepened Heinrich’s sense of betrayal. As soon as Damian stepped inside, Heinrich spoke in a sharp tone.

“Is it true that you bought a slave?”

Damian, who had anticipated this, showed no sign of surprise. He stood before the Crown Prince and offered a formal bow.

“I greet His Highness, the Sun of the Empire.”

“Skip the greetings and answer my question first.”

“Yes, it’s true,” Damian said without hesitation.

“What? Is it true?”

“I am well aware of Your Highness’s disdain for such practices…”

“If you know that, then how could you possibly involve yourself in something so vile? Did you think you could keep it a secret?”

“I never intended to keep it a secret,” Damian responded calmly.

“The Damian I knew wouldn’t do such a thing,” Heinrich said, narrowing his eyes.

“Pardon me, Your Highness, but may I explain?” Damian asked, his tone measured.

He had decided it was time to reveal part of the truth to Heinrich. If he wanted to live with Kanna and protect her, he needed allies—and there was no better ally than Heinrich, the future emperor. Damian had already prepared the terms for their negotiation.

“You wish to speak privately? If it’s a request from an old friend, I’ll grant it,” Heinrich said, slightly less agitated.

Though still upset, Heinrich found some comfort in the fact that the usually cold Damian seemed to consider him a friend. At Heinrich’s command, the aides quietly left the room, leaving the two of them alone.

Once they were alone, Heinrich calmed himself and spoke in a low voice.

“They say the woman is a noble. Did you rescue a lady in distress?”

It occurred to Heinrich that Damian, long rumored to be uninterested in women and suspected of preferring men, might have bought the noblewoman for such a purpose.

“Hah. So I misjudged you after all,” Heinrich said, relaxing a little.

“No, it’s not a misunderstanding. I did acquire her for that purpose,” Damian admitted without hesitation.

“…You really!”

“But it wasn’t a reckless act. I had my reasons,” Damian added firmly.

“Damian…” Heinrich muttered, using his old friend’s name the way he had during their academy days. Damian met his gaze silently before speaking again.

“If you truly see me as a friend, please listen to my story for a moment.”

“…Of course,” Heinrich said.

Hearing Damian switch from formal speech to casual language, Heinrich welcomed the change. While protocol dictated that a prince and a duke should always maintain a respectful distance, Heinrich had never believed respect had to be conveyed through formality.

During their time at the academy, Heinrich had often been amazed by Damian’s extraordinary abilities. Not only was he incredibly intelligent, but his swordsmanship was also unparalleled. Even after Damian inherited the title of duke, their friendship remained strong, earning Heinrich praise for maintaining good relations with such a powerful noble family.

Heinrich also found Damian’s unshakable confidence and presence captivating. He sometimes wondered if, had he been less secure, he might have succumbed to feelings of jealousy or inferiority toward his friend.

“When I was about nine years old, I had a severe fever.”

“I remember that well. I missed seeing you at the palace every day after you stopped coming,” Heinrich said with a nostalgic smile.

“Is that so,” Damian replied, his lips curling into a faint smile.

That smile left Heinrich stunned for a moment. He stared at Damian, almost in shock, before his friend continued speaking.

“I can’t explain it exactly, but I knew something had changed inside me. From that moment on, I prayed earnestly to meet someone like me.”

“…What changed? You’re not talking about your exceptional swordsmanship, are you?” Heinrich asked, narrowing his eyes.

“It’s too complicated to explain. Besides, this is something I’ve pieced together on my own, so I can’t be entirely sure. But I have a strong feeling that my future children might experience the same thing.”

When Damian first encountered Kanna and realized she had the same traits, the thought of starting a family crossed his mind for the first time. Right now, it was just the two of them, but if they had children, their kind would grow.

If their children married and had offspring with the same characteristics, their descendants would eventually form an entire clan.

Damian had already begun preparing for that future—starting by securing powerful allies. And there was no better ally than Heinrich, the future emperor.

“One day, I’ll explain it all in detail. But for now, here’s what you need to know: Kanna von Maclen shares the same condition I do. She suffered severe abuse from her family because of it. She can’t read, and she knows nothing about etiquette or the education a noble should have received.”

“The Maclen family… so they’re part of the aristocratic faction.”

“They don’t deserve to be called aristocrats. The fact that they’re even considered nobles is absurd.”

“How did Lady Maclen end up at a slave auction?”

“Her older brother sold her there.”

“So the rumors are true,” Heinrich muttered, his tone darkening.

“And now I intend to make those rumors entirely true. As for your concerns, don’t worry—she’s going to be the future Duchess of Royce.”

“…Oh, Damian,” Heinrich murmured, taken aback.

“That’s why I need your help, Heinrich.”

Heinrich, unable to tear his eyes away from Damian, was struck by the sincerity in his friend’s expression. Damian, who was always calm and indifferent, now seemed genuinely earnest.

“What do you need?” Heinrich asked seriously.

“I’ll resolve the conflict in the disputed region you’re worried about. In exchange, I want you to elevate my family to the rank of grand dukes.”

“…Grand dukes?”

“My family will swear loyalty to the Chevell royal family forever. But I must prepare for the future—for my descendants.”

“Why go that far? If you want, I can ensure that my successors maintain friendly relations with the Royce family.”

“That’s why I’ve always kept my distance from you and my knight commander. You’re too perceptive,” Damian said with a faint chuckle.

“What do you mean? And more importantly, why do you need the title of grand duke? Also, don’t underestimate that conflict zone. It’s not just bandits—you’ll be dealing with beasts as well. Don’t assume it’ll be easy,” Heinrich warned.

Damian didn’t want to reveal too much of his plan. If he showed all his cards now, it might risk his relationship with Heinrich entirely. But deep down, Damian knew he didn’t want to be isolated anymore. The strange, pervasive loneliness that had haunted him had driven him to the brink more than once.

Damian, revealing a side he had never shown before, answered in a serious tone.

“Because we’re different species.”

“…What are you talking about?”

Heinrich couldn’t find the words to continue. His gaze was fixed on his old friend, utterly stunned by what he was seeing.

Black, rounded ears had appeared atop Damian’s head, and a sleek, flexible tail swayed freely behind him as if it had a will of its own. His pupils had become vertical slits, sharp and predatory.

Damian’s elongated canines glinted as he smiled, a wave of relief and freedom washing over him.

“It was just a fever,” Damian said, “but after that, these changes appeared. If something like this happened to you, wouldn’t it feel like your whole world had flipped upside down?”

“Damian…”

“This is something even my parents have never seen. No one has. I planned to show Kanna first, but it seems you’re the first to witness it. So, Heinrich, make it worth my while,” Damian said with a playful yet serious smirk. “Just as you care for the people of the empire, I want to create a safe haven for my kin.”

At last, Heinrich understood why Damian wanted the title of grand duke. In the future, Damian’s descendants might have the power and autonomy to establish their own duchy—a place where their kind could live freely, surrounded by their own people.

Though Damian smiled, his golden eyes betrayed a deep sadness that Heinrich had never seen before. In all their years of friendship, not once had Damian shown such vulnerability.

And it shook Heinrich to his core.

* * *

Kanna sat by the window in the bedroom, waiting for Damian to return. He had left earlier, explaining that he had urgent business at the palace and hurriedly changed into his formal attire.

It was her first time seeing him in a uniform, and she couldn’t hide her curiosity, lingering nearby until he left.

“He looked amazing,” she murmured, recalling his striking appearance. From head to toe, dressed in black, his golden eyes stood out like a full moon shining in the pitch-black night—a guiding light to pull her out of the darkness.

If she could just follow those luminous eyes, perhaps part of the painful past that had tormented her for so long would disappear. Maybe she could live like an ordinary person after all.

“Excuse me, my lady,” came Marie’s voice from outside the bedroom.

Kanna raised her head, only then noticing the scratches on the back of her hand. She bit her lower lip in frustration.

“Master told me not to hurt myself… he’ll scold me for this.”

“My lady?”

“Come in, Marie!”

Though it had taken some time, Kanna had grown comfortable calling for Marie. The maid entered the room and approached the window where Kanna was sitting.

“My lady, it seems you’ll need to have dinner first. The master has sent word that he’ll be late.”

“Oh…”

Since arriving here, Kanna had always eaten dinner with Damian. Hearing that he wouldn’t be joining her, she suddenly lost her appetite.

“Hey, Marie.”

“Yes, my lady?”

“I don’t feel like eating. Could you treat my hand instead? I want it to heal before the master returns.”

Marie glanced at Kanna’s outstretched hand and sighed softly.

“How did this happen?”

“Um… can you just apply some ointment?”

“…Of course. I’ll fetch some from the physician.”

“Thanks!”

Marie couldn’t help but feel a surge of sympathy for the seemingly naïve young woman before her. Despite receiving the master’s affection, Kanna often appeared even more clueless than Marie herself, who was a commoner and an orphan.

“If the master finds out you skipped dinner, he might worry,” Marie gently warned.

“But I really don’t have any appetite…”

“Then how about I bring something light?”

“Okay… sure.”

“I’ll bring the ointment as well,” Marie promised.

“Thanks!” Kanna smiled brightly, her expression so radiant that Marie was momentarily captivated. She then quickly left the room.

The mansion had been in a state of unrest since the incident that morning. Marie had barely managed to do her job due to the constant questions directed at her. The unexpected dismissal of the head chef had also left the staff feeling anxious.

One of the maids who cleaned the duke’s bedroom had taken on an especially pale, haunted look and constantly pestered Marie. “You should talk her into things. She’s stupid enough to listen,” the maid would mutter repeatedly.

Marie couldn’t agree with that kind of thinking. Being simple-minded isn’t a bad thing. It’s those who are smart and cause harm to others that are truly dangerous.

Besides, Kanna wasn’t foolish at all. The master had been teaching her to read, and she absorbed everything quickly, memorizing every lesson.

“Why do they judge her based on their own assumptions?”

Muttering in frustration, Marie slipped into the physician’s room, determined to get the ointment. She wanted to ease her young mistress’s anxiety while the master was away, even if just a little.

** *