The Emperor's Omega Is An Extra-Chapter 270: Arren and Spade (2)

Arren’s 18th birthday wasn’t as extravagant as his coming-of-age ceremony, but they still hosted a large party. Arren’s friends attended, and it came out to be more of an informal event as he indulged himself by finally having to taste the alcohol!

Of course, he still couldn’t drink alcohol every time, but it was his birthday, so his father didn’t reprimand him.

There weren’t too many elderly nobles, so the second part of the party was them having fun. All in all, it was an unforgettable birthday, perhaps second only to his 15th birthday.

"Your Majesty!" Arren’s smile dazzled on his lips as the light seemed to focus on him; his hand waved enthusiastically.

No one could deny that Arren was such a blossoming and enchanting flower. For some reason, as the emperor met his gaze, he momentarily halted his movements, and his eyes stared at Arren as though in a daze. Before Arren could notice, this change disappeared in a split second, as though it had never happened.

Arren waited for the emperor to come closer. He only watched the emperor, his eyes feasting on his figure. Years had passed since he first saw the emperor, but his appearance seemed to become more and more to his liking.

The emperor was definitely his type. Such a hot alpha, Arren’s mindset over the years had also changed from being an innocent crush to one that held desire within.

Of course, he liked the emperor for who he was, not only his appearance.

His sheepish smile grew once the emperor was closer to him, and he took the initiative to open the conversation. Recently, Arren had no time to visit the palace since he was preparing for college, and even as a noble, he didn’t want to attend a university knowing he only paid his way in.

So, this was his first time seeing the emperor again for about a month. Well, after he came of age, Arren had become more cautious in his approach, and he wasn’t as hungry to visit the emperor as when he was younger.

"You’re early," the emperor’s calm voice soothed his nerves in an instant and tickled his heart.

Arren bit his lips and touched his neck before he nodded. He confirmed that even after so long, the emperor’s effect on him always grew and never diminished.

"I... I don’t have anything else to do."

That wasn’t a complete lie. Arren still continued his review for the entrance exams; one day of rest was not an issue. And he was also feeling weary lately, which may be a sign that his presentation was fast approaching.

So, unwinding and... Seeing the emperor was the first thing that came to his mind. So, here he was again in the palace.

The emperor narrowed his eyes and eyed him, as though not convinced.

Arren pursed his lips and spoke in a pained tone. "I’m telling the truth."

The emperor slightly smiled. "I’m sure you are." Well, it sounded sarcastic.

Was he so much of a liar that the emperor didn’t trust him? Arren exhaled and averted his eyes, seemingly hurt that the emperor didn’t follow his words.

Arren wasn’t technically hurt, though, which the emperor also noticed. Well, his eyes only roamed in the garden that had already been part of his life.

He couldn’t help but reminisce. He first stumbled in this place when he was thirteen, and now, almost five years have passed and a lot of things have changed since then.

In his memories, the garden wasn’t as big as it is now. The small table they were usually at was a single entity in the center, but now a platform was also erected at the center, and there was now a roof over his head.

The small table had become a complete resting place in the garden. As they were surrounded by different kinds of flowers and plants, it was as though they were in some kind of paradise.

Arren’s gaze then returned to the emperor sitting opposite him; their eyes instantly met, that when he knew that the emperor was also watching him.

He stared at his amber eyes. Arren knew one thing had not changed for the past few years. His feelings for the emperor remained, and in fact, they were growing each day.

Sometimes, he also wonders, Why was he so persistent? How come he still likes the emperor? There were questions that made him stare at the horizon, and yet he couldn’t come up with any answers.

It was like, he was born to love the emperor. He knew that it sounded absurd. Because it was. Not only was it absurd, but it was unscientific. Maybe, it was only his own delusions in the end.

As they stared at each other, Arren swore he didn’t imagine things; the air seemed to have slightly shifted. A hot gaze pierced him, making his cheeks heat up and quickening his heartbeat.

Before, he always wished for the emperor to reciprocate his feelings. Yet as he got older, some things also became clear to him. There were some realizations that dawned on him, especially as he could sense that the emperor’s treatment of him was truly that of a kid or perhaps a younger brother.

His eyes would sometimes grow gentle and indulgent toward Arren, but it was as if there was a thin boundary between them. No matter how Arren wanted to cross it, the barrier the emperor pulled up between them never crumbled.

At this moment, though, the emperor’s gaze appeared to speak much more. Arren didn’t want to assume; he was not the one who would deceive himself for momentary illusions.

There was indeed a lot that changed. The emperor also changed... His gaze carried a gentleness yet a fire that ignited the hope within Arren. He wasn’t sure when it started, but for him, it didn’t really matter.

Swallowing the overwhelming feeling within him, Arren opened his mouth and spoke. The atmosphere didn’t break because of it.

"Your Majesty..." His tone had never been soft like this before.

For a split moment, the emperor’s amber eyes seemed to darken in the light. He didn’t respond, though, but his watchful gaze was enough for Arren to continue.

He didn’t know where the courage came from, or if it was probably the influence of the ambiguous atmosphere.

"I’m 18 now. Can you... Accept me now?" Arren blurted out. He smiled, but his heart was pounding from how nervous he was.

Only after the words had come out of his lips did Arren realize how bold he was. His instincts told him to retract his words, and yet he was already too out of it to say another word.

His eyes were now filled with anxiety, and more so... a desperate dedication. Arren had experienced confessions a lot of times. Some were his official confessions, but others were him jokingly saying them but always laughing them off.

Arren had to admit. He was already scared. Rejections were never a scary thing for him; they were part of life. But getting rejected each time by a person he truly liked was quite traumatizing.

If he were dumped again. Arren... didn’t know if he could still continue to visit the palace again, or more specifically, see the emperor again.

And so he braced himself for the answer, faintly hoping for a change, hoping for that slight chance. And truly, hoping made one more devastated as a result of failure.

"No, you’re too young for me," the emperor’s voice echoed, giving an indifferent tone.

Instantly, the ambiguous atmosphere shattered just as Arren’s heart was broken into pieces. Arren’s heart sank, and his shoulders drooped dejectedly.

The scar that had been there in his heart since the first time he confessed at the shy age of 15, seemed to have widened.

This was when Arren decided... Moving on might be his only option.