I Became the Omega in a Game - Chapter 16

Muttering in a quieter voice, Raymond nodded to himself as though he found his own words ridiculous.

“That stiff, tiresomely principled man wouldn’t dare step foot in a place like this. Yeah, I’m saying nonsense again.”

“……”

“Did you know?”

“Know what?”

“My brother. My brother, Kairos Strigo—he has a cleanliness obsession.”

“…A cleanliness obsession?”

“Well, everyone who knows him knows that, too.”

Raymond let out a cryptic laugh. From the ice bucket, he plucked out a chunk of ice and dropped it into his glass with a plop. A few droplets of liquor splashed out onto the table. He poured more alcohol until the ice was completely submerged, then slid the glass toward her.

Having already had a sip earlier, Riche didn’t refuse and took another drink. Once again, the smooth liquor slithered down her throat like a snake.

Raymond seemed to want nothing more than to vent his frustrations, so drinking a couple of glasses while listening to him wasn’t particularly difficult for her.

“You drink well,” Raymond remarked with faint amusement.

Raymond let his fringe fall naturally over his face, his eyes narrowing in a languid, almost sensual way.

His rebellious appearance combined with the decadent look in his gaze—now soaked with liquor—was undeniably alluring. While such a description didn’t quite suit a man, there was no better word for it.

It was the kind of face that might crawl out from between the legs of a woman drenched in sweat and desire. The intrusive thought startled her, and Riche quickly averted her eyes to cover her embarrassment.

“My brother’s popular. But he only ever ‘takes’ Omegas,” Raymond said with a smirk, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “There were even Betas so desperate to get fucked by him that they took illegal drugs. Crazy bitches.”

His cold, humorless laugh hung in the air. Suddenly, he turned his gaze back to her.

“And what about you?”

“…What?”

“Have you ever thought about it?”

For a brief moment, an image of Kairos flickered in Riche’s mind—the massive silhouette of a man who looked strong enough to wrestle a bear. Those broad shoulders, that muscular frame… How many people must have longed to possess such a body?

‘It wasn’t just the size that was impressive.’

Riche shook her head lightly. Seemingly satisfied with her answer, Raymond broke into a broad, pleased smile.

“Drink up.”

The tension in his pheromones softened considerably.

The moment she finished her glass, it was refilled automatically, like some sort of mechanical water dispenser. Riche was a little uneasy, but she didn’t want to disrupt the now-relaxed atmosphere, so she took another sip. At the same time, she glanced over to gauge Raymond’s condition. His unfocused eyes were drooping now, the tension melting from his features.

‘He’ll be out soon.’

With that thought, she relaxed slightly, taking another sip of the liquor.

Just then, Raymond, who had been idly shaking the half-empty bottle, tugged at the open collar of his shirt. Two buttons had already come undone.

“It’s hot.”

Riche looked over, and he muttered as if in explanation, meeting her gaze. Aren’t you hot too? his look seemed to ask. Feeling awkward, Riche shook her head slightly.

“It’s hot as hell,” Raymond grumbled.

He began to unbutton his shirt with one hand. Despite his drunken state, his fingers worked with precise ease, the buttons popping open one by one.

Can a drunk person really move their hands that well?

The moment Riche entertained that rational doubt, a wave of pheromones surged over her like a tsunami.

“……!”

Instinctively, she tried to activate her pheromone suppression skill.

[You cannot suppress pheromones. Skill activation canceled.]
[Your body is reacting to the Alpha pheromones.]

Riche’s eyes widened in alarm.

Pheromones began to seep out of her body like threads, as if rushing out to greet Raymond’s overwhelming pheromones.

She bit down hard on the inside of her lip, the sharp pain jolting her mind to full alertness. Her blurry, alcohol-laden thoughts forcibly cleared.

[Activating pheromone suppression skill.]

Just as she began to feel a fleeting sense of relief—

[Insufficient control. Skill will activate partially.
Skill duration: 1 minute.]

Her expression twisted. A countdown had begun.

[60, 59, 58…]

‘This is bad.’

Internally, she panicked, but outwardly, she maintained her mask of calm indifference, keeping her gaze fixed downward. Betas weren’t supposed to sense pheromones, after all.

While her expression betrayed nothing, cold sweat dripped down her back.

Raymond’s narrowed eyes slid over her like those of a predator sizing up its prey. She felt his intense gaze sweep across her, and the heavy scent of his pheromones hit her nose, more potent than ever.

Yet, she forced herself to remain unfazed, pretending not to notice.

Gulp.

Raymond tilted his head back, swallowing a mouthful of liquor, all the while watching her carefully with an unreadable expression.

Riche fixed her gaze on Raymond’s throat, watching the bob of his Adam’s apple. Finally, his disappointed gaze slid away from her.

Phew.

Riche parted her lips slightly and exhaled a hurried, shallow breath.

[20, 19, 18…]

Even as she sat there, the countdown ticked mercilessly downward in front of her eyes. Riche clenched her knees together tightly.

‘Think, think. I need to think.’

Her current state felt like trying to keep a bursting faucet forcibly sealed.

Raymond, clutching the empty liquor bottle, turned his gaze back toward her. Riche quickly swept her eyes over the table. The liquor was running low, and the ice in the bucket had mostly melted. This is it.

“I’ll bring in a fresh table of drinks, sir.”

Fortunately, Raymond nodded, giving her permission.

The overwhelming torrent of pheromones that had flooded the space had begun to dissipate, though their residual scent lingered, still strong and sharp.

‘He still hasn’t let go of his suspicion.’

Riche’s movements remained calm as she backed away, though her mind raced frantically as if she were being pursued.

[10, 9…]

With every shrinking digit on the countdown, her steps subtly quickened.

Riche managed to keep her composure all the way to the door. She could even pride herself on maintaining her calm to the very end.

Tack.

The moment the door clicked shut, the countdown hit zero.

“Haah…”

She exhaled deeply, as though her very soul were escaping with the breath. Though she had outwardly remained composed, the tension must have gotten to her. When she wiped her forehead, sweat smeared across her fingers. It smelled faintly of peaches.

Her pheromones flared wildly, spilling out uncontrollably.

Riche quickly turned on her heel, deciding to lock herself away in the empty staff break room where no one would find her.

Riche gritted her teeth. I shouldn’t have drunk. It had been a mistake, born of a fleeting moment where Raymond almost seemed pitiful. Just as she was about to make her escape, the door that had been shut swung open, and a hand shot out.

“Gah!”

Riche let out a gasp of shock as the hand grabbed her and yanked her back into the room.

Thud.

Her back slammed hard against the closed door, pain blossoming instantly. Before she could even register the sting, crimson eyes bore down on her, overwhelming and suffocating.

Riche darted her gaze left and right, searching for an escape route, only to see Raymond’s arms barring her in on either side. Forced to look forward again, she dropped her gaze submissively.

Thud, thud.

Her heart pounded so violently it felt like it might burst through her ribs. The sound reverberated in her ears.

This is beyond bad.

The one silver lining—her expression remained as calm and composed as ever. She could feel beads of sweat running down her forehead.

“Sir?”

Raymond stood there, pinning her in place between his arms and the door. He inhaled deeply, as if trying to suppress his own excitement, but his breathing was more akin to a growling beast.

Riche pressed her lips tightly together. Raymond lowered his head, his forehead nearly touching hers.

“You’re an Omega, aren’t you?”

His husky voice trembled with excitement. Riche clenched her fists tightly.

“Why aren’t you answering?”

“…….”

“I asked if you’re an Omega.”

“Yes. I’m an Omega. A low-ranking one.”

There was no way any lie would work while her body reeked of pheromones.

‘Admitting I’m an Omega is fine. He still doesn’t know it was me.’

Calming herself with this thought, she answered meekly. Raymond clenched his teeth, a frustrated growl escaping him.

“I knew it. It’s you.”

Damn it.

Despite her rising panic, her face remained blank and innocent, her eyes blinking guilelessly.

“What do you mean, sir?”

Raymond let out a cold laugh, his crimson eyes narrowing into dangerous slits. Riche stayed silent, feeling his pheromones growing sharper, like blades hammering against her skin.

‘What the hell…?’

Riche inhaled sharply. While his pheromones lashed out viciously, Raymond’s gaze was deathly calm, colder than ice.

‘Why is he so angry?’

Having no idea what kind of torment Raymond had endured since their last encounter, Riche was caught off guard by his erratic and violent reaction. His stare was enough to make her feel as though he’d devour her whole.

Her body tensed in response to the suffocating tension, leaving her no chance to escape. Riche bit her lip hard.

‘This is bad.’

A wave of heat surged up her body. She was reacting to his Alpha pheromones. For someone who had lived a virtually sexless life for years, the creeping sensation of arousal was foreign and disconcerting. The unfamiliar, tingling heat crawled up her skin like a slow burn.

Hiding her discomfort, Riche discreetly rubbed her thighs together.

Her pale cheeks flushed with a rosy hue—an indecent color. The calm demeanor she had been maintaining crumbled in an instant, taking on a suggestive disarray.

Raymond lowered his head toward the delicate hollow between her shoulder and ear, inhaling deeply. His crimson eyes, now gleaming and glossy with arousal, slowly opened.

“Why did you lie?”

His hoarse voice stabbed into her eardrum like a needle.

“You were the one I slept with that night, weren’t you?”

“……!”

“So soft. Your ear.”

His lips grazed the edge of her ear as he murmured, his voice dripping with temptation.

“Did it feel like this that night too? Did I suck on this?”

Raymond’s mouth hovered around her earlobe, his lips brushing and teasing.

“What….”

“…….”