"I just haven't found anyone suitable yet, Your Highness."

"I see," Prince Rigel nodded, "Well, as long as you are not in love with a Beta. You see, a good alpha like you needs offspring to continue having soldiers defend humanity. Don't you think it's a bit egotistical if you fall in love with a beta or another alpha, and you won't reproduce at all?"

"That is my right to choose!" Altair was exasperated with this prince, who suddenly called him out for having a feeling on a beta. Prince Rigel had a thin smile as he leaned on General Vega's arm.

"Ah, Young Master Altair, you should know that we have the responsibility to protect humanity, don't be an egoist and marry an omega instead. Just like what General Vega will do, he will marry a female beta and settle down later, right, General?" Prince Rigel looked up at the stern-faced General as he was asking for confirmation.

"… Indeed, Your highness…"

[Pupa: You are an omega.]

[Ssshh! I'm trying hard to guide Altair to the right path. As long as he got married to a good omega that is not from the royal family, then the mission will be completed!]

Altair cracked his knuckles as he felt that General Vega didn't want him at all. His heart was pained, but he had a malicious grin on his face.

If finding an omega was what General Vega truly wanted, then he would find one. Altair would find a way to forget the General. This was just a small love that would vanish in the end. He was sure of it.

He was sure that he could find an omega and erase General Vega out of his head.

'I'm sure you are just a fleeting feeling, General. I will forget you and settle down with a real omega. I will find my own fated pair and forget you forever! I will forget you!' Altair swore in his heart.

[Pupa: Ding! Fatemeter increases to 65%.]

[Wait, how did his Fatemeter jump so high?! 25% out of nothing?!]

[Pupa: I guess he was thinking about something, maybe he is trying to get you out of his head, but you know, once you fell in love with someone, the harder you deny it, the stronger the feelings become.]

[… you are just overthinking, Pupa.]

[Pupa: Don't deny it, I know you are scared because of the trauma of being pregnant.]

[…]

"I see that Your Highness seem to put such importance on continuing the legacy of an alpha. Do you have any recommendation of an omega befitting for my betrothal?" Altair asked the prince. He glanced at General Vega, hoping that he would get a response from the General, but it was just his unfulfilled wish.

Because General Vega was nonchalant.

Prince Rigel saw the sadness in Altair's eyes. Although he acted like nothing happened, he knew that Altair was definitely heartbroken. It made the game more interesting for the prince because he finally found an alpha that didn't seem interested in him.

As someone who was showered with love and wealth since birth, a bit of challenge wouldn't hurt, right?

"Hm…" Prince Rigel acted as if he was considering something. He smiled towards the General, "General Vega, don't you think that Young Master Altair and I look good together?"

…

[Oh shit! Rigel likes Altair?! When I read the world background, it is said that they don't have a happy marriage together. The fact that they don't love each other only made everything worse for Altair!]

[Pupa: I can sense the 'oh-crap' button in front of us. Can you please not screw this one? The last world is already tiring enough.]

[I need to stop them, Altair can marry anyone as long as it's not Prince Rigel!]

General finally reacted, "I don't think Cadet Altair is a good match for you, Your Highness."

"Oh, really? Why?"

"Because he is a stubborn man. He is also very disrespectful as he often disrespected me as his General. I think you should reconsider—"

"ENOUGH!" Altair finally burst out of anger. Not only the General didn't like him, but he was also slandering him, "General, please leave now! I don't need your opinion here!"

General Vega was surprised by Altair's sudden burst, "Cadet Altair, this is not the best time for you to be stubborn! We are in front of His Highness!"

"What do I care? You are slandering me like this. Do you think I'm unworthy of love? General, you are too much!"

"I never said that! I just said that you and Prince Rigel will not be a good match!"

Prince Rigel watched how Altair Roderick and General Vega Satellarnus argued with each other. It was such a funny thing to see when two people in love fought because of their ego.

It made him want to try more scenarios to destroy this beautiful budding love.

"Ah, please don't fight in front of me," Prince Rigel pouted cutely to stop Altair and General Vega, "I don't want violence, especially the violence between two strong soldiers from my kingdom!"

"My apologies, Your Highness…" General Vega bowed down again.

"Ah… I don't know that my suggestion can lead to an argument between you two," Prince Rigel sighed, "I just want the best for my kingdom, you know."

Prince Rigel raised his head and looked up at General, who got a Goosebumps suddenly, "Since Young Master Altair, and I seems to be interested with each other, why don't you leave now, General?"

"But—"

[Pupa: Warning! Warning! Host is in the yellow line of getting out of character! Please be careful and maintain the character setting!]

[… I can't defy this prince at all?]

[Pupa: General Vega is absolutely devoted to the royal family, unfortunately.]

General Vega lowered his head and nodded, "Please excuse me."

General Vega walked away from the garden, leaving Altair and Prince Rigel alone. After General was out of his sight, Altair finally shed his pretence and rolled his eyes, "Your Highness, you should've known that I fell in love with him."

"I know," Prince Rigel said, "But he is not an omega, so there is zero chance he is your fated pair. Don't you think a country needs a strong alpha and excellent omega to breed high-quality children? I think you and I will be able to procreate many excellent offspring."

Altair was disgusted with Prince Rigel's words. The prince made it as if everything depended solely on procreating. Altair might be a brash young man, but he also had feelings. He wanted to love when he had sex, because he was not an animal who reproduce only because of alpha's rut and omega's heat.

"You know that I will never like you, Your Highness. I don't like your personality," Altair said. He didn't care about courtesy in front of Prince Rigel anymore. Because truthfully, he was in a terrible mood.

Prince Rigel didn't seem to mind at all, though. In fact, it made the game even more fun. He smirked and said, "Well, why don't we try it? Be it a fake or real relationship, let's pretend that we are partners now."

"What benefit will I get if I'm in a pretend relationship with you," Altair asked suspiciously.

"Personally, my parents, King Father and Queen Mother will stop pestering me about finding a mate if we are in a relationship. Since you are young, strong and handsome alpha from a high ranked noble family."

"And for your benefit, don't you want to show General Vega that you can find a great omega to match you? Maybe he will finally realize his feelings for you," Prince Rigel said.

"And if he finally likes me back, we will break this relationship between us, right?" Altair asked.

"But of course, this just fun and game. You are free to choose once you find a mate," Prince Rigel answered with a sweet smile on his face.

'But I will make sure that you can't leave my shackle, at least not easily. It's fun when two lovers suffered because of their ego…'

Altair seemed to think for a moment before nodding, "Deal. I will be your pretend mate."

[Pupa: Alert! Breakmeter decreases to 25%.]

[Pupa: Alert! Breakmeter decreases to 20%.]

[Pupa: Alert! Breakmeter decreases to 10%.]

[No! My hard-earned Breakmeter!]

[Pupa: Sigh, at this point, I should retire from being a system and apply to be a phone assistant like Siri or Alexa instead.]