Chapter 7 - Unfinished Business

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The two continue their conversation at the table, discussing various topics.

Seeing Kazuki's willingness to talk, Rei takes advantage of the situation to ask about general knowledge.

— Hey, Kazuki, do you know anything about this main gender system? I got some information when I arrived in this world… But I still don't fully understand how it works.

— Well…

— I'll try to explain it simply…

— …It's an extremely complicated topic, mainly because it's the cause of most of the conflicts on this continent — Kazuki answers, taking a breath and lowering his voice.

— Every person is born with their secondary gender, either male or female, and along with that, they also have a main gender, which can be alpha, beta, or omega.

He lets out a weary sigh before continuing:

— The problem isn't exactly the main genders themselves, but rather the consequences they bring for alphas and omegas.

— For example, because of the strength of alpha pheromones, their biological structure is modified, making them infertile.

— However, in contrast, omegas have a biological structure that's compatible with theirs, precisely due to their pheromones. That means alphas can only get omegas pregnant.

— Everything would be fine if it was just that, but… It's extremely rare for someone to be born as an omega.

— Out of 100 people, 80 are born as betas, while 17 are alphas… The remaining three are considered omegas.

— Because of this, omegas are seen as property by the kingdom and considered a treasure. The self-proclaimed king distributes them as rewards to alphas, who, in most cases, belong to wealthy and noble classes.

"What the hell, man? Am I supposed to be happy knowing that if they find out about me, I could become the property of some kingdom I don't even know?" — Rei thinks, frowning in disbelief.

— Huh? You've got to be kidding me. What about people's rights and freedoms? — he asks, his voice carrying clear indignation and anger. He clenches his fists, struggling to keep his emotions in check.

"Wouldn't it be easier to just adopt? Instead of following this insane system of handing out people like prizes?"

"Oh, right… This is basically a medieval world… But even so, all this is happening just because they can't have kids? What a bunch of bastards."

"The human mindset never changes."

— Unfortunately, this has been happening for centuries. The only kingdom that doesn't follow this system is the elves', from what I've heard in popular stories.

— My goal was to abolish this system when I became king… But as you can see, I'm here now. — Kazuki lets out a small laugh before his expression darkens, his gaze dropping to the table.

(…)

— My mother was a man, incredibly loving, and whenever something bad happened, she was always there to help me, along with my brother — he says with a soft smile, reminiscing about her.

— She disappeared when we were very young, and shortly after that, the king just told us, completely indifferent, that she had run away to be with her family.

— I couldn't believe it back then, so I had to rely on my brother… And in the end, he died too.

— It was only here in the village, through rumors at the bar, that I learned the former king—my father—had sold her to another country. She had already served her purpose by giving birth, so she was useless to the kingdom… That's what they said.

His face twists in frustration as he clenches his fists and slams them lightly against the table.

— I'm sorry you had to find out like that… But damn, your father is a major piece of shit.

Kazuki bursts into laughter at Rei's blunt words, amused by how the boy deliberately tries to console him in his own way.

(…)

— Hm…

— By the way, is it possible for someone to tell if a person is an omega? — Rei asks, his expression thoughtful.

— Well, when a person is between 9 and 12 years old, a test is conducted by the local church to determine their gender classification.

— But usually, that's not even necessary, since everyone has a system, and all they need to do is check their status screen.

— Plus, the pheromones released by omegas and alphas are extremely noticeable… So it's almost impossible to hide.

— But why are you asking? — Kazuki raises an eyebrow.

— Humm…

— Can you smell anything on me? — Rei asks hesitantly, getting up from his seat and walking toward the man.

As he stands near Kazuki, Rei leans in slightly, tilting his neck toward his face.

His school uniform shirt is slightly unbuttoned—probably from the way he slept—without him even noticing.

Kazuki's heart starts to race, adrenaline coursing through his veins as he sees Rei's exposed neck right in front of him.

His face heats up from the sudden proximity, and his dog tail begins to wag.

He tries to lower his gaze, but then he notices Rei's slightly open shirt.

Revealing part of his chest.

Rei looks up at Kazuki and flashes a dazzling, perfect white smile.

Kazuki holds his breath for a few seconds.

"He's seriously too good-looking. No one should be this attractive… I'm going to lose my mind if this keeps up."

His heart pounds erratically in his chest, his tail subtly wagging without him realizing it. (❤ ω ❤)

"I can't let him notice this."

In a hurry, Kazuki leans in and sniffs Rei's neck, catching a soft strawberry scent.

He had assumed before that it was just the boy's natural fragrance.

— Wait… You're an omega?! — he asks, completely taken aback. — I didn't even notice until now — he adds seriously, locking eyes with Rei and instinctively placing a hand on his waist.

— As far as I know… I guess so. It's listed in my system.

— So, uh… Could you take your hands off my waist? — Rei asks, his expression flustered.

— S-sorry, I was just surprised and ended up touching you without thinking. My bad.

— N-no, it's fine… It happens — Rei mumbles, averting his gaze.

(…)

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Back in his seat, Rei asks:

— Now that you know, is there anything I should be worried about as an omega?

— Obviously, don't tell anyone — Kazuki chuckles lightly. — Your pheromones are subtle, so it's pretty hard to notice.

— O-okay.

— Oh, I forgot to mention the heat cycle.

— The heat happens when there's an imbalance in pheromones, for both alphas and omegas. No one knows exactly why it occurs or when it might manifest. During this period, omegas and alphas are at their most fertile.

— When it happens, try to avoid other people and suppress your emotions as much as possible. If you keep your emotions in check, your pheromones won't spread, preventing those around you from being affected and acting on instinct.

— If it ever happens to you, I'll help by transferring some of my pheromones to your body. That should stabilize your condition until it fully settles.

— Got it, Kazuki. Thanks!

After finishing his explanation about the main genders, Kazuki bids Rei farewell.

He then leaves the house, saying he's going to explain the situation with Mia to the villagers.

To be continued…