Unsettling Scent

Damien eventually managed to send Sebas and the others on their way.

Although they had used very indirect and polite language to reprimanded him, it was clear that he had been scolded.

He truly felt sorry for causing all the trouble.

...

"I never would have guessed that Theo was younger than me..." Damien mused.

"I didn't expect you to be older either, Damien. Sorry about that..." Theo replied.

"Really, it's fine," Damien reassured her.

They had briefly argued about how to address each other, but in the end, they agreed to stick with Theo calling him Damien, and him addressing him as Theo.

Discovering that Theo was younger than him had been a surprise, but somehow, it made sense of the little clumsy moments he'd noticed in him. It was easier to understand his more lighthearted nature, especially the way he got excited around animals. Damien couldn't deny that he had moments like that too.

"Still, Theo, you're pretty tall for your age. I'm a little below average height myself, so I envy you. But only a little below average!" Damien added defensively. "I'm almost average, actually—just five centimeters off. That's not much!"

Theo chuckled. "Well, in my case, it's more about my species. We're all tall, so my height is normal for my age. Most people my age are about the same height."

"That's really something... I wish I could say the same."

They had drifted into small talk, but Damien quickly remembered why they had started the conversation in the first place. He needed to get back to the original issue.

"So, getting back to the matter at hand..." Damien began.

"Ah, yes... Is it alright if I touch it?" Theo asked hesitantly.

Wait, touch what? Damien thought, caught off guard.

Theo said something completely incomprehensible and looked down, hus face turning red.

What was he talking about?

…Oh, wait. He must have meant that comment about touching.

"That's not what I meant!" Damien blurted out.

"Ouch!" Theo yelped.

Without thinking, Damien lightly tapped him on the head. He hadn't meant to hit him, but the absurdity of his comment had caught him off guard.

I'm going to get executed for this… Damien thought, already regretting his impulsive reaction. He'd somehow managed to stay alive up to this point, but now...

Theo, however, seemed oddly pleased. "Damien hit me... hehe…" he said with a happy, almost dazed expression.

Okay, that's... disturbing, Damien thought to himself.

...

"So, back to the issue of the smell," Damien said, trying to steer the conversation back on track.

"Right..." Theo replied, still a little out of it but now listening more seriously.

Theo's increasingly quirky behavior had finally pushed Damien to the point of frustration, and he'd ended up scolding him. As a result, he seemed to be listening with a more solemn demeanor now. He had momentarily forgotten that he was a nobel who held his life in his hands, but the seriousness of the situation overpowered any fear.

After all, this was about a strange smell coming from his body that was apparently enough to intoxicate people. He couldn't fully grasp it, but it was definitely a serious issue.

"So, you said I'm giving off a smell like a woman's. Does this mean all women give off this smell, or is it just something that happens to certain people?" Damien asked, seeking clarity.

Theo hesitated and frowning a little bit as he seemed to gather his thoughts. It looked like it was difficult for him to explain.

"Well... um... how should I put this..." he began, struggling.

"Just say it! This is a serious problem for me. Think of it like a science experiment or something!" Damien encouraged.

"A... science experiment? I don't really understand what that means, but I'll do my best to explain without being embarrassed," he said, finally giving in.

"Thank you," Damien sighed, eager to get to the bottom of the issue. He could tell this was an awkward topic, but they wouldn't get anywhere if she kept hesitating.

"So, I'm not an expert on this subject," Theo began, "but from what I know, it's not something that happens to all women. It's actually really rare. Maybe one in several dozen, or even fewer. In my entire life, I've only met two people like that."

"Two people?" Damien asked, intrigued.

"Yes, one was my nanny, and the other is a colleague at the temple. Both of them were incredibly popular."

Damien wasn't sure if that last bit of information was necessary, but it might be important if their popularity was linked to the smell.

"Are they popular because of the smell?" Damien asked.

Theo thought for a moment. "I'm not sure. The smell doesn't seem to be constantly present, so it might not directly influence how popular they are."

"Wait, it's not always there?" Damien was surprised. From the way Theo had spoken earlier, he had assumed the scent was constantly being emitted.

"No, it only happens under certain conditions. It's not fully understood, but there's a theory that it's related to... um... The times when women are more fertile," Theo explained awkwardly.

Damien felt that was a little too personal and decided not to dig into that part. Still, it left him wondering—if this scent was tied to something like that, what was triggering it in his case?

"I can't smell it myself, but when does the scent appear around me, according to you?" Damien asked.

Theo blinked, caught off guard. "Uh... well... in your case, it's always there," she said matter-of-factly.

"Wait, what?" Damien was stunned. "It's happening right now?"

Theo leaned in again, trying to get closer to Damien.

"Okay, stop right there," Damien said, holding up a hand to stop him. "You already said you can smell it just fine from where you are, so no need to get any closer. Also, didn't you just say 'yes' earlier?"

Theo pouted slightly, clearly disappointed.

How badly does he want to smell it? Damien thought, confused.