The Married Alpha Who Refuses to Be a Heartthrob (A/B/O · Alpha POV) - Chapter 24

From the deck, Keith spotted Kaes and Vansen waiting for him at the port.

The journey had been relatively smooth. His attendants unloaded the luggage—this time, he’d brought not only the church deacon and nuns but also several maids.

It was the first time the deacon and nuns had undertaken such a dangerous mission, and they couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous.

After the ship docked, Keith was the first to disembark. He strode quickly toward Kaes and embraced him tightly: “Kaes, I’m back!”

“My love, welcome home.” Kaes returned the embrace just as fervently, feeling as though a single day apart had been an eternity. He pressed Keith’s head against his shoulder.

“Tsk tsk tsk, look at me being the third wheel,” Vansen remarked, arms crossed as he watched them, inwardly mocking his friend for prioritizing romance over friendship.

“You’re my best friend,” Keith chuckled, then turned to give Vansen a hug.

Vansen smiled faintly, noticing Kaes’s gaze shifting their way. He gave Keith a playful shove in the back. ” “Come on, I’m afraid the Governor might get jealous.”

The butler and nuns behind them curtsied to Kaes and Vansen: “Your Excellency, Your Grace…”

Kaes silently counted the group—over a dozen people. Thankfully, they had prepared several carriages.

Keith motioned for them to board and head to the villa together. Just then, another carriage arrived.

The luxurious carriage clearly belonged to Inspector Erlan. Stepping down, Erlan walked straight toward Keith: “Cousin, you’re back. I’m a bit late—hope you don’t mind.”

Erlan embraced Keith, looking genuinely overjoyed: “Want to stay at my place?”

Keith returned Erlan’s warm embrace but politely declined: “I shan’t trouble you this time, cousin. Kaes has arranged lodgings for us at the villa.”

Erlan turned to Kaes with a hint of regret: “The Governor has been most thoughtful. I shall accompany you to the villa.”

Erlan reached to pull Keith toward the carriage, but Kaes snatched him away first.

“Keith, let’s go.” Kaes pulled him into his own carriage. Vansen followed suit, while the others boarded the rear carriage.

During the ride, they recounted today’s strange events to Keith. Vansen also tried his own methods to decipher the dead dog’s riddle, but none worked.

Vansen produced the nun summoning stone. It glowed faintly, the nun’s ghostly form flickering within: “I’ve studied it for days. After the governor broke the seal, the nun was temporarily trapped inside… The magic stone can be reused, but it requires a summoner to bring her forth.”

Keith took the stone, running his thumb over its surface as he met both their gazes. “But we don’t have a summoner… Perhaps a summoner could locate the Dead Dog’s magic stone faster.”

Kaes described the bizarre phenomenon of the Dead Dog being copied and pasted into endless reappearances: “Have you ever seen anything like this?”

Vansen shook his head.

Keith fell deep in thought. This question actually reminded him of something: “That wizard also knew summoning magic… Come to think of it, when I was very young, my father often forced me to make specimens. I hated it. If I didn’t do it well, the specimen we were supposed to make that day would appear on my dinner plate. No matter what food I swapped it with, it would turn back into that specimen.”

Such advanced magic wasn’t some commonplace skill. Keith grew agitated, grabbing Kaes’s arm beside him: “But my father died when I was little. How could it be him?”

The information felt overwhelming. His father suddenly resurrected?

“What if it’s the same spell?” Kaes gripped Keith’s trembling hand.

Keith wavered, but Vansen interjected: “Advanced spells aren’t identical for every wizard or mage. But Keith’s father should have been dead for ages… How could Santa hold… This is too strange!”

From their tone, Kaes realized his father must have been someone important. “Who was Keith’s father?”

The two recounted the story of Keith’s father.

…

Keith’s father was Adam Wood, the sole surviving prince of the former Wood Dynasty.

Adam was a male Alpha, an SSS-rank wizard and necromancer. He possessed an eccentric personality, fascinated by the subject of death and corpses. He resonated only with sorrowful, dark emotions, incapable of feeling joy.

Due to his peculiar nature, Adam was a naturally gifted necromancer. He could summon spirits without even needing to study.

He empathizes with the resentment and grief of spirits, harnessing this power.

During the Wood Dynasty’s war against Lanqi, the dynasty suffered defeat. Then strange events unfolded: Queen Wenhua’s father transformed from an ordinary naval melee fighter into an SSS-tier damage dealer, rising to become a national hero. Of course, this was also thanks to the invaluable support of the Pope, the primary auxiliary.

Without the Pope, they could never have defeated Lanqi.

The ultimate combination is the Pope paired with an SSS-tier damage dealer. They were an unbeatable force.

The Church deemed Keith’s father unsuitable for kingship.

The Pope and Wen Hua agreed that Wen Hua would first act as regent, on the condition that Wen Hua’s daughter marry Adam to secure the bloodline.

Since the eldest daughter (the current Queen) was already married, the second daughter (Keith’s mother) was married to Adam. The Pope and Wen Hua attempted to restore Adam, Keith’s father, to a normal personality, intending for him to ascend the throne later.

Unfortunately, Adam died before he could be restored to normal.

…

After hearing this story, Kaes’s expression grew complex. Had the former prince not died since his descendant Keith was perfectly normal, the throne of Bain Perella should have rightfully belonged to Keith.

But Adam died, and Keith was still very young at the time. Perhaps this was part of the agreement: Keith was too young to ascend, allowing the Queen to sit securely on the throne.

None of them believed in resurrection. Keith glanced out the window at the deserted street. “Did Abe return home?”

Keith replied with a hint of regret, “He died. If I’d forced him back yesterday, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“Dead?!” Keith was utterly astonished. He couldn’t fathom how Abe could have died. Abe had maids tending to him at the Governor’s Mansion; he couldn’t have eaten anything improper. “Where is his body? I want to see his body.”

Kaes replied, “It’s at the church. We plan to hold a memorial service tomorrow with the priest, then ship the body back to Bain Perella… I’ve had black suits prepared for you both. You may wear them if you wish to attend the service.”

He too was baffled. Why would Abe sneak out to eat dog meat and take his own life? Though he never intended to marry Abe, the young man had skills and talents—there was no reason for such despair.

When Keith insisted on seeing Abe’s body, Keith dismissed the nuns and deacons to the annex for rest. They headed first to the chapel.

Erlan’s carriage, noticing their change of route, followed them.

…

The church was exceptionally quiet at night. The group entered the dimly lit interior, where only a few candles flickered in the corners.

The priest, hearing of their arrival, hurriedly dressed and came out holding a candle: “Your Excellency the Governor, Your Grace the Bishop, Inspector General… What brings such distinguished guests to the church at night?”

The priest glanced at Keith, unsure how to address him. The others he recognized by their uniforms. Seeing this imposing group, the priest felt beads of sweat form on his forehead.

Kaes kindly introduced Keith: “This is the Governor’s spouse.”

“Oh, oh! The Governor’s spouse!” The priest’s eyes widened instantly. The body of the former Governor’s spouse still lay in his church, and the new one had arrived so quickly. Truly, the Governor made seamless transitions.

Keith shot Kaes a look: “Not yet. You’re just my fiancée… Father, I wish to see Abe’s body.”

Kaes thought it was a rather harmless flirtatious glance.

“This way, ladies and gentlemen.” The priest gestured with the candlestick.

The priest led them into a room within the church where a coffin stood, beneath a blue, snowflake-shaped magic circle.

Upon entering, a chill swept over them like stepping into an ice cellar. The priest shivered and explained, “The church employs an ice mage who uses magic to preserve the deceased, ensuring they are buried with dignity.”

They approached the coffin. Abe’s body lay inside, free of any corpse stench, though waves of cold air rose from beneath.

The undertaker had already prepared Abe’s body. Aside from his pallid complexion, he appeared presentable, dressed in burial robes. He would be sent back after tomorrow morning’s memorial service.

Truthfully, there wasn’t much to mourn. Few in Lanqi knew Abe, and no relatives or friends would speak. It was merely a formality for the priest to perform.

Erlan stood nearby, observing. “Poor Abe. To die at just nineteen…”

Keith asked, “Why did Abe eat the dead dog’s meat?”

It would disgust any normal person.

Erlan sighed. “Who knows? Maybe he just lost his way. I’ll attend the memorial tomorrow.”

Keith also felt sorry for Abe. With few relatives or friends in Lanqi, the memorial attendees could be counted on one hand. “I’ll go too.”

Vansen naturally tagged along. The memorial service was scheduled for eleven in the morning.

Night had deepened; it was nearly midnight now as Erlan headed home.

Kaes and the others boarded the carriage. Exhausted from the journey, Keith grew drowsy inside. Leaning against Kaes’s shoulder, he squinted his eyes and drifted off without realizing it.

The carriage pulled up at the villa. Kaes didn’t wake Keith. He got out first, then carried Keith out.

The jostling instantly sobered Keith somewhat. He opened his eyes slightly to find Kaes carrying him into the main building.

Servants stood watching nearby, while Vansen trailed along like an oversized third wheel. Keith felt awkward. Getting off now would be even more embarrassing—better to keep his eyes shut and pretend to sleep.

“…,” Vansen was speechless. His friend had completely redefined his expectations. How could someone who was clearly awake sleep so soundly?

The servants glanced at the feigned sleeper before lowering their heads, some pretending to be busy wiping the stairs.

Only Kaes remained convinced Keith was asleep. He carried him into the prepared room, laid him on the bed, removed his outer garments and shoes, and tucked him under the covers.

“Good night. See you tomorrow,” Kaes murmured softly, glancing at the figure on the bed before turning to leave.

What about a goodnight kiss?

A stingy fiancée who wouldn’t even give a goodnight kiss.

Keith desperately wanted to “wake up” and ask him—but doing so would expose the truth. The embarrassment would make him squirm like a worm, so he let it go.

As the door closed, the room plunged into darkness.