Chapter 85: 85 — Did Someone Hurt You?
"How did you get hurt?" Zayden asked, his voice trembling despite himself.
Ren didn’t answer. He simply cradled the child in his arms, clinging to Eiran’s warmth as if to assure himself everything was alright.
Zayden’s brows furrowed, though his heart ached. The corners of Ren’s eyes were red.
He cried. But why?
What was wrong with his attendant? He had never behaved like this—least of all in public.
He pulled Eiran from Ren’s hold, putting the boy on the floor.
"We need to talk."
Ren lifted his gaze, his eyes emptier than before he left.
"Dad?" Eiran frowned.
"Stay here, Eiran." Zayden looked down at the child, gripping Ren’s wrist tightly and forcing him to stand.
Gasps rippled through the hall.
"No way... He really is?"
"Oh dear! How did he seduce the General?"
"A human? Impossible."
"The General’s ruined!"
"No, maybe it’s not a human. There’s no way—"
Murmurs rose in the hall, the words echoing like a deafening melody enough to pierce. Some sneered, others leaned closer to whisper as though they had discovered a scandal worth feasting on. A few stared in quiet disbelief, their expressions caught between shock and awe at Ren’s bloodied figure. What could he have done to enter a party in such a state?
Zayden turned their way, glaring at them.
"Silence." Still holding Ren’s hand, he straightened his posture. "Not another word."
Instantly, everyone shut their mouths. They could sense the strong pheromones enveloping him, threatening them. Most dominant omegas already started to tremble, unable to handle Zayden’s sudden burst of pheromones.
He dragged Ren to the second floor. Then, he brought him to the first terrace, closing the door, making sure no one could hear them.
For a moment, he looked at him, his heart heavy, almost suffocating.
Ren, on the other hand, didn’t speak or react. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. Maybe his child was somewhere else. He just needed to find it.
"What happened?" His voice low, Zayden gently rubbed his fingers against Ren’s swollen eyes.
Ren flinched from the burning sensation of the friction between Zayden’s fingertips against his skin.
"What have you done to yourself in these few days?" Zayden’s voice grew soft, his gaze reflecting pain Ren had never seen before. His other hand brushed away Ren’s hair from his face, tucking it behind his ears.
Ren narrowed his eyes, unable to understand why Zayden was behaving oddly. He should have scolded him for presenting himself in front of the guests like this. It was a shameful act, after all.
When he entered the mansion, he hadn’t realized where he was going. Until a servant stopped him, asking what was wrong. After he had told her he was looking for Eiran, she told him he was at the banquet.
Without thinking, he rushed here, finding himself surrounded by strangers. He simply wanted to embrace the child. Even if it was wrong, he needed someone to hold, and tell himself that his child was alive, no harm came its way.
The guilt would have swallowed him otherwise. Guilt that he left his child alone for too long. He needed the money, a safe place. However, was it worth it? He couldn’t find his baby!
Once again, tears began running down his face despite himself.
"I-I apologize," panicked, Zayden wiped away the tears with careful and deliberate movements.
But the tears simply wouldn’t listen—they kept flowing like a river that had been frozen for years and one day, summer came and melted away all the ice.
"What have you done to yourself?.. Please tell me. Did someone hurt you? Tell me their name and see what I do to them," his voice was soft yet his gaze was sharp—furious.
That someone hurt him? But why did the General care?
Ren stared at the man before him, his vision blurry. He appeared no less than a stranger, so caring, so gentle.
A warm cloth enveloped him—Zayden’s suit that the man gently wrapped around his drenched body, covering his ripped clothes.
"Haah... You will never tell me anything. Will you?"
"It is... personal," he finally spoke, his voice cracking after crying, screaming for a long time. So long he couldn’t remember.
"Personal..." Zayden mumbled under his breath, frowning.
Something that makes him cry... What could it be?
He bit his lips, deep in thought.
"M-My Lord, I apologize. I... ruined the banquet. I... I shall return to the mansion, if you allow it. I will resume my duties—and," he paused.
But if he resumed his duties, would he have the time to search for his child? He needed to go further. Perhaps closer to the border. Or closer to the capital. He didn’t know where his child was. His chest tightened even more, and confusion invaded his mind.
"For now, I will send someone to give you clothes. Change into that and come downstairs."
Ren tilted his head but didn’t question it. Was he needed there? At the end of the day, he was not a noble, nor part of the family. Just a servant whom Eiran happened to call Papa.
***
Zayden sent Paul upstairs, ordering him to bring clothes for Ren. The servant was delighted to see his friend once again. Although his state worried him. When he asked Ren about it, he said, "I crossed paths with some monsters in the forest."
Paul couldn’t believe it. How did he survive? He was injured while fighting them, surely, however...
Soon after, a physician came on the terrace, surprising the two men.
"The General told me to treat you," he smiled softly.
Although he didn’t want to, Ren got himself treated. However, he told the physician he would dress his wounds by himself.
The suggestion caught the physician off guard but he didn’t argue.
Once his wounds were cleaned, ointment was carefully applied to them and bandaged, and he slipped into the black shirt and pants Paul brought.
"These clothes should be thrown," he mumbled, holding the ripped shirt and pants.
"Are you done?" Paul knocked on the door.
Ren opened the door, stepped outside and handed over the box of medical supplies to the physician.
"Let’s go then. The General said he will give the Young Master a gift once you are ready," Paul grinned.
Narrowing his eyes, Ren couldn’t help but wonder why the General wanted him to be present. Did his presence matter? Would it make a difference to anyone?