“So, it was that bad…”

During Charlie’s break.

Called by Hector, Tanner and Leon were in shock.

“I knew Zeros were weak, but getting a cramp just from standing for two hours…”

Leon said with a serious expression.

The pheromones lingering in the office were proof, as they were very faint.

“…We need to further reduce the workload for Zero employees.”

Tanner muttered to himself.

Tap- tap- tap.

Hector’s face, tapping his fingers on the desk, was deeply furrowed.

Charlie’s pheromones were refreshing even to Hector.

For the first time in his life, he felt that breathing was refreshing.

Especially when she faced him and her pheromones fluttered, it even made him feel good.

But the problem was that the intensity gradually weakened and eventually became so faint it was annoying.

“Phew…”

A black aura spread.

Noticing Hector’s displeasure, Tanner hurriedly spoke.

Indeed, this couldn’t be considered purification.

“As I mentioned, Miss Charlie lost her memory and doesn’t know how to control her pheromones well.”

Usually, after infancy and entering adolescence, one learns to separate pheromones from emotions. By adulthood, one can control pheromones without projecting emotions onto them.

Of course, there are times when one can’t control and expresses them. It’s similar to not being able to suppress anger or bursting into laughter.

However, Charlie, who had possessed this body, was no different from a newborn, with pheromones that were a mirror of her emotions.

“First, we should focus on improving Miss Charlie’s pheromones.”

Because Charlie was sensitive to visual stimuli, Tanner had thought she would be fine seeing Hector.

No, the more accurate expression would be that he didn’t expect her to cool down so quickly.

She had certainly been fine until he left.

“Maybe you should bring her a chair to sit on…”

“Why not just bring in a bed?”

It seemed there was no distinction between a guide and a master. Hector’s neck twisted with a cracking sound.

At that moment, Leon responded brightly.

“That sounds like a good idea, Your Grace. A comfortable seat… Ugh!”

Leon couldn’t continue speaking.

Hector was choking him with the power of darkness.

“…….”

Tanner, who had shared Leon’s opinion, remained silent.

“Th… There are other ways…”

“If you utter nonsense again, I’ll take your head off.”

The shadow that had wrapped around Leon disappeared. Leon touched his neck as if to make sure it was still attached.

“Miss Charlie likes sweet things.”

“Sweet things?”

“Yes, that’s right. She especially likes strawberry macarons.”

As Tanner added, Leon followed up.

“Whenever she eats something sweet, her pheromones become cleaner.”

Only then did Hector’s murderous aura subside.

“Are you telling me to feed her?”

“…….”

Though it sounded odd, Tanner and Leon did not correct him.

If they mentioned snacks or teatime, Hector would surely reject it.

“How long will it take to prepare?”

“It can be done immediately.”

“Bring it before she arrives.”

Hector turned his chair as if to dismiss them.

At that moment, Tanner gave Leon a desperate look.

“……?”

In truth, there were no strawberry macarons in this mansion.

“…….”

Moreover, there were only about 15 minutes left. Even with teleportation magic, time was tight.

The two exchanged determined glances and nodded solemnly.

Just as they were about to hurriedly leave the office.

“Can Zero communicate with animals?”

* * *

“…….”

What kind of new death flag was this?

Returning from her break at lightning speed, Charlie sat in a daze.

Was he trying to kill her by overfeeding instead of cutting her down?

Or perhaps he wanted to see her die from nausea.

A mountain of over thirty strawberry macarons. Charlie’s pupils quaked as if experiencing an earthquake.

“Eat.”

Hector, sitting across with one leg crossed, spoke.

“Pardon?”

“I said eat.”

Why did those words sound like ‘I said die’? Charlie swallowed dryly.

But whatever the case, she had only one choice.

“……Yes.”

Charlie politely picked up one of the macarons placed in front of her.

The eyes staring at her, as if to bore holes into her, seemed to urge her to eat and die quickly.

She bit into it, but as expected, she couldn’t taste anything.

The sticky texture made her mouth feel dry, and it seemed like her lunch might come back up.

Moreover, even though she was eating as told, Hector frowned deeply.

‘Why, what is it? Why?’

Charlie felt like crying.

Hector sighed deeply as he looked at Charlie.

“Phew…”

“…….”

An awkward silence filled the space between them.

“…….”

Should she just ask him to kill her? Or maybe call her only when he needs s*x for five thousand?

As countless thoughts crossed her mind.

“Does it not taste good?”

An unexpected question caused a ridiculous sound to escape her tense throat.

“N-No, it’s delicious.”

“Then why are you like that?”

One look at the macaron, another at her. His slightly tilted head clearly showed his displeasure.

Charlie’s eyes rolled over the table, trying to understand his meaning.

Was he wondering why she wasn’t eating everything he gave her? Or was it because she hadn’t thanked him?

Either way, eating all of this would definitely make her vomit.

Charlie answered in a small voice.

“I just ate lunch not long ago… Thank you so much for this.”

Her shoulders shrank even smaller.

Meanwhile, Hector’s frown deepened.

“…….”

Why is he like this?

* * *

How much time passed like that?

Even though a minute felt like a year, time didn’t stop, and finally, the much-anticipated six o’clock arrived.

‘It’s time to leave!!’

“……!”

At that moment, Hector’s eyebrows rose at Charlie’s bubbling pheromones.

The fresh feeling of inhaling and exhaling cleared the headache that had been squeezing his brain.

But Hector did not move his gaze from the documents.

He knew she was afraid of him.

As he took a deep breath, feeling the bubbly sensation of Charlie’s pheromones like bursting soap bubbles.

Rustle- rustle.

“……?”

Charlie made deliberate rustling noises as if to draw attention.

Rustle, rustle.

The basics of leaving work on time are, first and foremost, having a thick skin.

Moreover, she wasn’t even a full-time employee but a contract worker.

Hector was scary, but this was something Charlie could never give up.

‘He must have gotten the hint by now, right?’

Eventually, Charlie, who had been fidgeting, cleared her throat.

“Um…”

For the first time, Hector looked up at Charlie as she called him.

Charlie was in a half-standing, half-sitting posture.

“I’ll be heading out now.”

THREE.

“Ice, get ice!”

Late at night.

The Hunt ducal mansion was in a state of panic.

It was because Charlie had lost consciousness and collapsed.

“A wet towel, quickly!”

Even Tanner, who rarely lost his composure, was visibly shaken.

Charlie had returned to the annex with a smile after finishing her workday.

But when she didn’t show up at the dining hall long after dinner time, Emma went to find her.

The sight through the open door was shocking.

Charlie was lying on the floor, burning up and unconscious.

There was no way to know the cause or even the diagnosis. Being a Zero, it was impossible to read the flow of mana to understand her condition.

Moreover, despite Tanner personally contacting the doctors, all of them refused to treat her.

“You bastard! Do you want to die? Do you know where you are?”

Tanner’s murderous intent was clear as he glared at the magic sphere.

The doctor hesitated, feeling as if Tanner might strangle him at any moment.

— I’m sorry. Zeros are not my specialty… You should contact another doctor…

Tanner knew well that Zeros had a low social status. But he thought it would be different because it was the Hunt family.

No matter how prestigious the doctor, they always came when contacted by the Hunt family.

But Tanner realized how naive that thought was and regretted it.

A Zero was a Zero, no matter which family they were in.

Their treatment methods were different from those with magical power and were categorized separately. They weren’t even primary treatment subjects.

They weren’t considered as dignified lives.

As time dragged on.

Even the emergency medicine for Zeros didn’t work, and Charlie’s condition worsened helplessly.

“Is it still not ready?”

Hector’s face twisted without filter as he watched over Charlie.

The lips of Charlie, who had boldly said she would go in first with a smile, had now turned blue.

If only she were an alpha.

If she were at least Bronze, Hector, a Grand Master, could inject his magic to heal her.

However, Hector’s power was of no help to Charlie, who was a Zero.

Injecting magic recklessly could cause a rejection reaction, putting her life in danger.

“There are few doctors who know how to treat Zeros….”

“Drag them here even if you have to cut off their legs.”

Hector’s indescribable anger weighed heavily on the entire atmosphere.

Though he had sealed his magic to avoid harming Charlie, he couldn’t hide his rising fury.

Tanner tightly closed his eyes.

“There is a Diamond-level female doctor in the village where Miss Charlie lived. Although she’s not as good as the doctors in the capital…!”

Before Tanner could finish speaking, dark energy emanated from Hector’s fingertips.

Soon, a black magic circle unfolded behind Tanner.

“I will go with my magic, Your Grace.”

Tanner hurriedly added.

The power of darkness, which was higher than the power of fire, came with a strong price and was difficult to purify.

Moreover, it was a power he had hidden for so long. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Audrey, but revealing it publicly was too risky.

“If you go with your magic, it will be too late.”

“But….”

Hector moved his fingers without a moment’s hesitation.

“I’ll give you five minutes.”

“……!”

Tanner was sucked into the magic circle and disappeared along with the dispersing darkness.

Hector’s gaze turned back to Charlie.

A purification guide.

Meeting Charlie made him feel like he was breathing for the first time in his life.

But that was all. She wasn’t a mate or a contact guide.

The purification was minimal. It merely made his breathing easier and relieved his headaches.

But even this was not allowed for him.

Hector’s neck veins bulged as he clenched his teeth.

* * *