Ewan heard the instruction and obediently settled into his chair, accepting the bowl of piping hot soup with both hands. The steam curled upwards in lazy ribbons, caressing his face and painting a soft, rosy flush across his cheeks. Murmuring a quiet, barely audible word of gratitude, Ewan buried his face in the bowl, focusing entirely on slurping up the savory broth.
The breakfast proceeded in silence. It wasn't a stifling, heavy silence, merely one born of a lingering, tentative awkwardness. Yet, amidst that quietude, the atmosphere was thick with invisible currents. The sweet, intoxicating fragrance of champagne roses and the slightly bitter, grounding aroma of black tea drifted through the air, entangling and dancing with one another in a complex sensory waltz.
Once the meal was finished, Asher Ryder cleared away the dishes with practiced efficiency. Turning back to face Ewan, his expression shifted, shedding its domestic casualness to harden into something far more serious. He leaned back against the edge of the dining table, his muscular arms crossed over his broad chest, and his voice dropped a whole octave, resonating with gravity.
"Ewan, listen to me closely. There is something I must insist upon. For the next few days, at least three or four, you are absolutely forbidden from stepping foot outside the front gate. Do not even entertain the thought of going to the fields or taking a leisurely stroll around the village."
Ewan had just been about to inform Asher that he planned to lead his little troop of Slimes out to the agricultural plot to inspect the soil conditions. Hearing the man's sudden, uncompromising prohibition, he couldn't help but feel a surge of skepticism.
"Why is that?" Ewan asked, frowning slightly: "You can rest assured, I feel much stronger now. Besides, I won't overexert myself to the point of triggering a sudden heat like yesterday. I only intended to check on the farming grounds..."
"Absolutely not." Asher's tone was steely, rejecting the idea instantly with a firmness that brooked no argument: "Once a heat cycle has been triggered, the situation becomes incredibly volatile. This is especially true in your case, where standard suppressants seem to have a negligible effect on your physiology. Although I have provided a temporary mark, it serves only to lock your pheromones within a tight radius and prevent you from losing total control. It is not a cure-all."
Asher pushed off the table and stepped closer, his presence looming large: "Your body is currently radiating a very potent scent, particularly if you were to engage in physical activity or get caught in a breeze."
The scent of black tea intensified as he approached, swirling around the tip of Ewan's nose like a silent, smoky warning.
"Our village is home to no small number of Alphas." Asher continued, his voice low: "Many of whom are single and decidedly uncouth. If you wander about aimlessly and your pheromones slip past your control, you will lure them in like moths to a flame. At that point, a mere temporary mark from me will be utterly useless as a deterrent. If a swarm of Alphas surrounds you, driven by instinct, even I would be hard-pressed to ensure your safety against such numbers."
Obviously, Asher was engaging in a bit of hyperbole. While there were indeed many bachelors in the village, they regularly consumed herbal concoctions to suppress their primal instincts. They weren't mindless savages who would pounce the moment they caught a whiff of an Omega. However, an Omega's pheromones during a full-blown heat cycle acted as a powerful aphrodisiac, capable of overriding reason, and the outcome was unpredictable. It was far better to frighten Ewan now and keep him safely indoors than to risk an incident.
True to the plan, a shiver ran down Ewan's spine upon hearing the man's grim description. The memory of yesterday's helplessness washed over him, and his body's muscle memory recoiled in rejection of the idea. The thought of being surrounded was terrifying.
Meekly, Ewan nodded: "I understand. I will stay within the confines of our courtyard. I won't wander off into the village."
As he spoke, he glanced out the window. Beyond the cluster of buildings that made up Asher's home lay a front courtyard. The soil conditions in this area were wretched. The wasteland outside had sparse timber and wild fae-grass, but the land directly in front of Asher's house was barren, a patch of stubborn, lifeless earth.
"Hey." Ewan began, an idea sparking in his eyes: "If I can't leave the premises, is it alright if I till the soil in the front yard for cultivation?"
Asher sighed, rubbing his temple: "It's not that I want to stop you from gardening. But have you forgotten? I told you, apart from the designated agricultural zones, the surrounding soil is practically sterile. It won't yield anything."
"Right... I remember." Ewan mumbled, his enthusiasm dimming for a split second before reigniting: "But let me just try. Who knows, it might work. I have the Slimes, after all. They might be able to do something about it."
Asher looked at the determination in the boy's eyes and shrugged: "Suit yourself. Just remember not to overexert yourself. Your mental energy has only just recovered, do not squander it on a fool's errand."
"I know my limits! I promise." Ewan replied cheerfully, his mood lifting instantly.
Suddenly, appearing to recall something vital, he scurried over to Asher, looking up at the man with eyes full of twinkling anticipation: "Ah, that's right! For my renovation plan to succeed, I need a favor. When you go into the forest later, could you keep an eye out for two things for me?"
"What things?" Asher asked, privately thinking the boy probably wanted some wild fruit for a snack to pass the time.
"Wild honey, any species will do, as long as it's honey. And pollen from ancient, perennial trees." Ewan listed, his voice bubbling with excitement.
Asher raised an eyebrow in genuine surprise: "Honey and pollen? Do you have a sudden craving for sweets? Or is this for some sort of beauty regimen?"
Ewan shook his head vigorously, waving his hands. "No, no! It's not for me to eat! It's for the Slimes. I want to attempt summoning a Wood-type Slime to help the vegetation grow. But Wood-type Slimes are incredibly fragile at birth, they require a source of pure natural energy to evolve and stabilize their forms. Wild honey and ancient pollen are the absolute best nutrients to boost their power."