Chapter 7

　　A short while later, it was her turn. She changed into a patient gown and underwent a series of tests. A faint mana, a sensation she was familiar with, hummed from the whirring equipment—all products of modern Magitech Engineering. After a short wait, she was called in to see the doctor, an austere-looking man with glasses. He glanced at her, then down at her chart.

　　"You have manifested as an Omega. A Dominant one, at that."

　　"Ah… I am a Dominant?"

　　"The results are clear. As a Dominant, controlling your pheromones will not be difficult. Only take suppressants when absolutely necessary. During your heat, two or three pills at a time is the recommended dose, but do not exceed nine in a day. Overuse carries a high risk of side effects and can lead to a rapid build-up of tolerance."

　　"I understand."

　　"And… you have an unusual resistance to Alpha pheromones. We see Omegas like you from time to time, Miss Lucerne. It is not common."

　　"Unusual resistance?"

　　"Yes. However, there is always a chance you will encounter an Alpha whose pheromones affect you strongly, so do not let your guard down."

　　The doctor gave her a few more warnings, then added, "Our institution offers a Matching System. It finds a person of the opposite trait who is highly compatible with you. It is difficult to endure every cycle with suppressants alone. Let me know if you are interested."

　　"Ah, I…"

　　The doctor waited patiently as Johanna hesitated, his expression impassive, as if this were a routine occurrence. After a long moment, she made her decision.

　　"Please… register me."

　　"Very well."

　　She did not need a compatible Alpha right now, but she registered as a kind of insurance policy. The faint hope that she might meet a good person and get married… she dismissed it as pure fantasy. Even if she did meet someone truly good, she could not be sure she would ever be able to love him.

　　"Come back in a month," the doctor said.

　　"Yes, thank you."

　　Thanks to government subsidies, the medical fees were minimal. After paying, Johanna collected her prescription from the pharmacy. The medicine was cheap, too. Counting it as a small blessing, she shoved the bag of suppressants into her coat pocket. The wind that greeted her outside was biting.

　　Daniel’s exams should be over in two days…

　　She was not too worried about him. His friend’s mother adored him and treated him like her own son whenever he visited. Her worries lay elsewhere: where to find the money for the debt. She had visited old acquaintances of her parents, explained her situation, and pleaded for help, but they had all turned her away. If her own aunt would not help, what could she expect from strangers?

　　The world was a cold, hard place. At this rate, it might be faster to find her father than to keep chasing money. It was unlikely he had any, but it was better than struggling alone.

　　Tomorrow, I will try the newspaper I do illustrations for. I have known the editor for a while…

　　She stared blankly at the bare tree branches clawing at the pale winter sky, then bowed her head and sighed, the weight of her worries pressing down on her shoulders. Lost in thought, she walked on until she found herself in front of her house. A dark silhouette was standing by the wall. Johanna stopped dead in her tracks, staring at the uninvited guest.

　　It was an unforgettable face, seared into her memory with a terrifying intensity. Her body went rigid.

　　Should I run?

　　Warning bells screamed in her head. The moment she took an unconscious step back, the man, who had been idly tapping the wall with the toe of his black shoe, turned his head. Her eyes met his—the color of cigarette smoke. A glimmer of interest sparked in those bored depths, and the corners of his lips curled into a slow smile. His eyes crinkled lazily as he looked at her.

　　"Where have you been? I have been waiting."

　　His voice was a feigned caress, almost sweet, and it sent a chill crawling up her spine. Johanna had made inquiries about the man—Ilian Redis—right after the funeral. As she had suspected, he was an infamous figure in the underworld, a kingpin in a world of illegal schemes. A reporter she knew had given her only fragments of information, but it was enough to confirm he was far more than a simple moneylender.

　　Why would such a man come to collect a debt in person when he had underlings for that? Johanna watched him, her eyes narrowed with suspicion.

　　"Where are you coming from?" he asked in a friendly tone, sauntering toward her with his hands in his pockets.

　　Johanna fought the urge to scowl, forcing her face to remain a neutral mask.

　　"I was out trying to find money to pay the debt."

　　"Ah. Any luck?"

　　"Not yet, but tomorrow I will…"

　　"There is nowhere for you to get money," he cut in, his tone laced with a knowing pity.

　　As Johanna bristled, about to retort, his gaze slithered over her, from head to toe, as invasive as a physical touch. The look was so unsettling, she instinctively shrank back another step. He just chuckled.

　　"So scared," he said playfully. "I am not going to eat you."

　　"…What do you want?"

　　"Come work at my place."

　　The sudden offer left Johanna openly bewildered.

　　His place…

　　She did not have to ask what kind of establishment it was. She clenched her fists, her voice tight with suppressed anger.

　　"I have no intention of doing that kind of work."

　　"How do you know what kind of work it is?"

　　"It is an illegal nightclub, is it not?"

　　"It is legal."

　　"But illegal things happen there, do they not?"

　　Like prostitution, she added silently.

　　He let out a soft laugh and took another step toward her.

　　"I will not make you sell your body. You can just wait tables. Just come. It is one of my places."

　　"No. I will find the money on my own."

　　"How?"

　　He was right in front of her now. Johanna backed away until her shoulders hit a lamppost, trapping her. She looked up at him, her breath catching in her throat. Her hand tightened around the brick in her bag, but she could not summon the courage to swing it.

　　He is a Dominant Alpha. And I am a newly manifested Omega. I am suppressing my pheromones, but if they were to leak out without me realizing…

　　"Your relatives have turned their backs on you, your acquaintances are pretending they do not know you, and your irresponsible father is missing," Ilian murmured, his voice dropping low. "Where and how are you going to get the money? Do you really have a way?"

　　"Do as I say while I’m being nice," the man purred, his voice a low, menacing threat. "A favor like this is a rare thing. I’m offering you a job waiting tables, not selling your body. Or would you rather wait until you’re dragged away by force to regret this?"

　　Johanna glared fiercely at him, her eyes burning with unshed tears. Just wait tables? The lie was so blatant it was insulting. He thought she was a fool, that she didn’t know how these things worked. They lured you in with sweet talk, locked you up, and piled on ridiculous debts until you had no choice but to sell your body.

　　Her grip on the brick in her bag tightened until her knuckles ached. She still couldn’t find the courage to act, but a violent impulse to smash the vile man’s face surged within her.

　　He stared at her, his gaze lingering on her red-rimmed eyes, then spoke as if a thought had just struck him.

　　"Come to think of it, your brother is a Dominant Alpha, isn’t he?"

　　A jolt of fear shot through Johanna.

　　"Fourteen, was he? It’ll be a while before his rut comes, but… once he can perform his function as an Alpha, he’ll fetch a handsome price."

　　A Dominant Alpha born into poverty was prime prey for the criminal underworld, though in a different way than an Omega. They were either sold to families desperate for an heir and treated like studs, or they were trained like obedient dogs to become enforcers for criminal syndicates. To avoid such a fate, many poor Dominant Alphas enlisted in the military as soon as they came of age. Daniel himself had considered it once.

　　Of course, Johanna had vehemently forbidden it. Daniel’s dream was to become a Magitech Engineer. She didn’t care what happened to her own life, but she was desperate for her brother to live the one he desired.

　　That was why she had taken every freelance job she could find, working day and night. She could not let all that effort go to waste. Daniel had to be happy, no matter the cost.

　　"You will not touch my brother," Johanna snapped, her head jerking up. Her teal eyes blazed with a fire that made Ilian flinch, almost imperceptibly. He found himself mesmerized.

　　"You lay one hand on him," she continued, her voice a low, trembling whisper, "and I swear you’ll regret it."

　　It was hardly a threat, punctuated by the faint tremor that ran through her body. The sight should have been pathetic, yet for some reason, Ilian couldn’t tear his eyes away. And then there was that scent, lingering in the air…

　　One corner of his mouth curved into a smooth, predatory line.

　　"Strange."

　　Johanna looked at him, confused.

　　"I was told you were a Beta," he mused. "So why do I smell Omega pheromones?"

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