I Became the Villain Alpha's Omega (BL)

"Please come in, Your Grace. His Majesty is waiting for you," the aide said softly, gesturing toward the open doorway.

Zarius gave a single, tight nod and stepped past him into the study.

Behind Zarius, the grand entrance doors settled into their frames with a dull, final thud that instantly swallowed the lingering noise of the palace hallway. The sudden cut in sound left the vast room feeling completely removed from the rest of the castle, wrapped in a dense, expectant quiet.

Zarius stood in the center of the spacious room, taking in the grand, high-ceilinged space. Tall arched windows offered a sweeping view of the capital city below, while walls of polished mahogany were lined with thousands of leather-bound ledgers and historical texts.

At the far end of the room, King Alderon looked smaller without his heavy crown, though no less dangerous. He sat with his elbows planted on his desk, chin resting on his hands, watching Zarius through a tired, calculating gaze that weighed every single step the Duke took.

"Glory to the Sun of the Realm," Zarius greeted, his tone low and resonant. He offered a brief, measured bow from the shoulders.

Alderon waved a broad, wrinkled hand dismissively through the air, letting out a soft sigh. "Sit down, Zarius. Leave the empty court formalities at the door. It’s too early in the morning for either of us to pretend we enjoy them."

Zarius took a seat on the leather couch opposite the desk, his posture immaculate and straight-backed, resting his hands loosely in his lap. "I came as requested, Your Majesty. Though I admit, I assumed an urgent summons meant the investigation into last night’s poisoner had yielded immediate results."

"The investigation is being handled," Alderon replied smoothly, his tone flat, unbothered. "Unraveling the mess of palace guards and traitorous servants is not your burden to bear. But that isn’t why I called you here today, Zarius."

"Then what is this about?" Zarius asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Patience," Alderon said, leaning back into his high-backed chair. "I know you are not a man who likes his time wasted, but we cannot properly begin until all involved parties are present in this room."

All involved parties.

Zarius kept his face entirely stone-faced, but beneath his quiet exterior, his mind was already turning over every piece of strategic data he possessed.

"This concerns Auzelian and Solaric," Alderon said, his voice dropping into a low, deliberate tone that cut through the silence.

Zarius felt a cold, subtle prickle of annoyance settle beneath his chest. He quickly ran back through the details of the recent negotiations. He had already handed the crown a extensive list of concessions, trade boundaries, and border patrol guidelines to settle the tension after the subjugation. As far as House Valtrane was concerned, the North had fulfilled every inch of its obligation to maintain the peace. What else could the crown possibly try to leech from his territory?

Is he going to ask for Northern reinforcements at the border? Zarius calculated quietly, his eyes fixed on the King. Or is this some desperate, pathetic attempt to squeeze funds out of my treasury to patch up their failing border security?

If it was a simple matter of military aid or border patrol logistics, it felt entirely too trivial for Alderon to drag him to the palace before noon under such intense secrecy.

A far darker, far more suffocating thought suddenly crossed Zarius’s mind.

Unless... he’s bringing the betrothal back to the table.

The mere thought made Zarius’s jaw clench tightly. There had been persistent, lingering whispers among the old capital lords attempting to tie him closer to the Solaric royal throne through marriage.

If King Alderon was sitting here preparing to pitch another political match to shackle the Northern military to the capital’s defense, Zarius was ready to tear the proposal to shreds before the ink could even touch the parchment.

"If this is about the revised border tax or troop allocations," Zarius warned, his voice steady, laced with a faint chill, "my position has not changed since yesterday, Your Majesty. House Valtrane will not bleed its resources to clean up the crown’s administrative failures."

King Alderon didn’t take offense. In fact, a faint, tired twitch of an amused smile touched the corner of the old King’s mouth. "Always guarding your borders like a wolf, Zarius. Relax. I am not asking for your gold or your soldiers."

"Then enlighten me," Zarius pushed, leaning forward slightly, resting his forearms against his knees. "Because my patience for palace riddles is exceptionally thin today."

"I am not the one who requested this audience," Alderon said calmly, setting his teacup back down onto its saucer with a delicate, ringing clink. "I am simply the host providing the room."

Before Zarius could press any further, three distinct, rhythmic knocks echoed against the thick wooden door of the study.

"Enter," Alderon called out.

The heavy brass handle turned, and the double doors slowly swung inward.

Zarius slowly turned his head toward the entrance, his left eyebrow rising in a sharp, quiet arch of surprise.

Stepping across the threshold was Gillian, looking noticeably stiff and uncomfortable in his high-collared royal uniform. But it wasn’t the prince who drew Zarius’s undivided attention.

Walking half a step beside him, her dark velvet cloak sweeping gracefully against the polished floorboards, was Princess Iryna.

She moved with an effortless, predator-like poise, her eyes sweeping the room before locking directly onto Zarius. The faint, knowing smile playing on her lips was the exact same maddening expression she had worn in the garden the night before.

Gillian gave a formal, tight nod toward the desk. "Your Majesty."

"Prince Gillian. Princess Iryna," King Alderon greeted smoothly, gesturing toward the remaining chairs near Zarius. "Thank you for joining us so promptly."

Iryna didn’t immediately sit down. Instead, she paused a few feet away from Zarius’s chair, her gaze lingering on the Northern Duke with deliberate, unhurried amusement.

"Duke Valtrane," Iryna purred softly, her voice smooth as silk. "You look delightfully pleased to see us."

Zarius went completely still as he looked up at the Solaric princess. The low-grade hum of unease that had been sitting heavy in his chest since he boarded the carriage vanished, replaced by a sudden, chilling clarity.

"Delight is a strong word, Princess Iryna," Zarius said quietly, offering a flawless, minimal nod. "Surprise, perhaps, though I should have known better than to expect quiet business in the palace."

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