Chapter Text
In the Victorian era, the industrial revolution changed generations, representing the decline of the old-fashioned high society of the old days. There is a manor in the suburbs of London.
The owner of the manor is facing a problem. High society often faces financial difficulties.
Earl Edward Graham is the owner of the manor. He ordered his children to come to the study room.
There was a knock on the door of the study room. The three ladies and a young man entered immediately.
The eldest daughter is Bedelia, the second daughter is Alana, the third daughter is Clarice. The youngest son Will. Four of them are all Omega.
“Father, what are you looking for from us?” Bedelia saw her father worried.
“My children, there will be guests coming to the manor tomorrow. I hope all of you will be prepared.”
“It's just that guests are coming. What's the preparation?” Alana wondered about his father's behavior.
“The guests are Lithuanian Alpha’s noblemen. They are Count Robert Lecter and his nephew, Count Hannibal Lecter VIII. After the Rzeczpospolita was destroyed. The Lecter family traveled widely and did business all over the whole world.Now they have a lot of assets in Europe. You must treat them well. We hope they can solve our financial difficulties.”
“Why did they come to the manor if they wanted to solve our financial difficulties?” Clarice feels something wrong.
“Count Hannibal Lecter VIII will pick an Omega to intermarry, and that's the price of the money."
“Father, are you going to sell your daughter?” Will was furious at his father's decision.
“Listen, Will. Your sisters will get married one day. Count Lecter's family is famous and quite rich. Your sister's marriage will not only guarantee a life but also save the Graham family from the fate of decline.”
“But—” Will still wanted to fight for the sisters.
“Enough, Will.” Edward Graham looked at his three daughters. “Are you going to say no?”
The three sisters looked at each other, and finally Bedelia spoke. “Father, you own the decision.”
“Very good.” Edward was satisfied with his daughter's attitude.
“It's unfair to the sisters.”
“Will, you're going to help your sisters get Count Hannibal Lecter's favor when the guests come, understand?”
“I will not destroy it.” Will reluctantly accepted the determination of his sisters and father, but he would not help.
“That's enough, all of you can leave.”
In the hallway, Will stopped his sisters. “Do you really want to marry that Count Lecter?”
“Will, we are Omegas, and the only function is intermarriage. Now that our father has a family that wants us to intermarry, I don't think it's a bad idea.” Bedelia is not disgusted with intermarriage.
“We are of marriageable age now. It's time to think about marriage.” Alana is interested in intermarriage.
“Will, don't worry, even if we get married, we won't cut off contact with you.” Clarice squeezed Will's cheek at last as a trick.
“Stop it.” Will pushed her hand away, “I go back to my room.”
—————————————————————
“Uncle Robert, I can't believe you want me to marry a foreign Omega.” Hannibal said to Count Robert Lecter, who was also in the carriage.
“Earl Graham’s children are all high-class and rare Omegas, which suits your status as an Alpha,” Robert said. “Besides, one of his Omega is more worthy of his debts than his manor.”
“You know my requirements are very high. If I don't like them, you can't force me to marry.”
“Hannibal, you have to plan for the descendants of the Lecter family. You have already reached the age of marriage. If you hadn't first joined the British army without telling me. I would have packed a few Omegas for you.”
“Indeed, it's better I don't have an Omega. Whether it's the title of doctor or captain, I've worked hard to get it back.”
“I know you're a perfect Alpha in every way, but that doesn't mean you don't have family responsibility.” Robert seemed to see something. “We're almost there.”
Hannibal looked in the same direction and saw a manor.
————————————————————
Will and his father and a group of servants greeted the Lecter family in front of the mansion.
Will feels out of the place. This attitude caught his father's attention. “Will, be serious.”
“Sorry.” Will is really reluctant to come out to greet the guests, but for the future marriage life of the sisters, he must investigate the details of the future brother-in-law.
A gorgeous carriage arrived. Will could see two people inside the carriage. An older Alpha came out of the carriage first. Will guessed that he was Count Robert Lecter.
Another younger Alpha came out as well. Will guessed that it should be the nephew, Count Hannibal Lecter.
“Long time no see, Lord Lecter.” Edward greeted Robert.
“Lord Graham.” Robert shook hands with Edward. “Let me introduce my nephew to you. He is Hannibal Lecter.”
“Nice to meet you, Lord Hannibal Lecter.”
“I am more inclined to be called by Captain Lecter.”
“Nice to meet you, Captain Lecter.” Edward changed the name to Hannibal. “This is my youngest child, Will.”
“You're an Omega?” Hannibal noticed that Will smelled different.
This kind of attitude to the male Omega made Will angry. Will didn't expect others to please him, but they shouldn't use such a discriminatory meaning.
“Captain Lecter. You don't need to ask something that people can perceive easily. But by the way, in case you don't see it. I’m a man.” Will's attitude was full of badness.
“Will !” Edward immediately shouts at Will.
“I'm so sorry for that, Will. I was rude.” Hannibal apologizes to Will. “Only a few men are Omegas in the world. So I'm a little surprised."
“I believe Captain Lecter is just an unintentional mistake, and no one will blame you.” Edward led them into the house. “Come on, let's enter the house.”
Edward and Robert walked first, and Will and Hannibal followed. When they were going to the parlor, Edward and Robert were like old friends.
Will and Hannibal are silent. However, it is like a tense situation.
"Will, do you know why I came with Uncle Robert today?" Hannibal wondered how much Will knew about the situation now.
How could Will not know that Hannibal's question reminded Will of the attitude he should have. “My father wants one of my sisters to intermarry with you to solve the family financial problems.”
“Looks like you know that too.”
“I have some vulgarities in what just happened. I hope you can forgive me,Captain Lecter.”
“I forgive you,Will.”
They arrive in the parlor. Will saw his three sisters waiting there. Three of them dressed up in the most beautiful clothes.
Will felt bad in his heart. It seemed that his sisters wanted to marry.
At this moment, Hannibal saw Will acting a little strangely.
“Captain Lecter, let me introduce you to my three Omega daughters. The burgundy dress is the eldest daughter Bedelia, the dark green dress is the second daughter Alana, and the sky blue dress is the third daughter Clarice.” Edward introduced the daughters to Hannibal one by one.
“Every Omega in your family is beautiful.” Hannibal complimented.
Will found that Hannibal’s eyes finally stayed on himself.
Will only thought that Hannibal planned to provoke him. So Will decided to protect his sisters.
But the three sisters were attracted to Hannibal.
“Will, you can go out now. We have something to talk about.” Edward ordered Will to leave the parlor.
“But father—” Will rejected.
“It won't relate to you here.” Edward ordered again.
Will raised his hands in surrender and left the parlor. Although he left, it did not mean that he was not watching. Will climbed to the tree in the garden, took out the binoculars, and planned to spy on what they were doing, by the way, to confirm whether Hannibal would obey the rules.
Hannibal in the parlor had been talking to the three sisters and Edward, but he noticed something was wrong. He felt a sight, and after many years on the battlefield, he could tell it was watching him.
He knows the sight is not from the parlor and should be outside.
Hannibal’s eyes looked through every window, looking for where the peepers were while keeping those present from discovering his unusual behavior.
He found it, and he saw a little Omega named Will crouching on a tree and watching him. Hannibal decided to tease Will.
Will use the binoculars. He is observing the situation in the parlor.
Hannibal seemed to be polite to the sisters, but something went wrong.
Will saw Hannibal looking in his direction. It looks like Hannibal knew he was crouching in the tree.
Will still felt like he was thinking too much. Will thought Hannibal shouldn't find him, but Hannibal's next move proved that Will was wrong.
Hannibal smiled at him. It made Will fall from the tree. Luckily, the tree wasn't too tall, so Will didn't have any hurt.
In a case discovered by someone, Will decides to give up surveillance. He runs away from the tree.
Hannibal couldn't stop laughing when he saw Will's clumsiness. This surprised the people in the parlor.
“Captain Lecter, did I say something wrong?” Alana has been paying attention to her words and deeds. She worries it could be that Hannibal thinks it was very unwise.
“No, it's not like that, Miss Alana. Your topic is interesting.” Hannibal had forgotten what Alana said. He is only perfunctory with compliments.
Alana is very happy to gain Hannibal’s favor. It seems to have a good chance of becoming a countess.
But what Alana doesn't know is that she is not the person who gains Hannibal's favor.
————————————————————
Will stayed in the corridor leading to the bedroom. He is waiting for the sisters to return from the parlor.
The female chatter rose slowly, and Will knew it was his sisters who had returned.
“Bedelia, Alana, Clarice, how did you guys talk to Captain Lecter？” Will is worried that the sisters are planning to marry Hannibal.
“He’s tall, handsome, and personable.” Clarice is attracted by Hannibal’s appearance.
“He’s fair and considerate.” Alana is attracted by Hannibal’s personality.
“He is very unique in art and politics.” Bedelia is attracted by Hannibal’s knowledge.
Will felt a strong sense of crisis. His sisters who have been with him have been taken away by Hannibal.
“All if you remember, I'm your brother.” Will started to lose his temper. “All of you can't abandon me.”
“I got it, Will.” Bedelia casually teased Will, suddenly messing up his hair as she passed Will. Alana and Clarice did the same when they saw it, and Will's hair was the same as when he woke up in the morning.
Will returned to the parlor to find his father to discuss the intermarriage. But he found no one in the parlor. As Will left, he found Hannibal standing behind him.
“Wow!” Will was startled back by Hannibal and then tripped over the chair.
“I thought you fell from the tree with the bird's nest.” Hannibal stretched out his hand to help him up.
Will brushed Hannibal's hand away and brushed his hair. “You saw me?” he said, standing up.
“It's so hard for me to haven't noticed that kind of low-end surveillance.” Hannibal found that there was a leaf in Will's hair.
“Even if my sister marries you, it doesn't mean you successfully get her.”
Hannibal was distracted by the leaf in Will's hair and couldn't hear what Will said. “Please don't move,Will.”
Hannibal took out the leaf from Will’s hair. This certainly scared Will.
“It's just a leaf.” Hannibal shook the leaf. “I'm so curious. What else is hidden in your hair? It would be a bird's egg?”
“It's none of your business, and did you hear what I just said?”
“Sorry, I didn't pay attention. Can you say it again?”
“Even if my sister marries you, it doesn't mean you successfully get her!” Will repeat what he said.
“I’m very demanding of who I marry, Will. If your sisters don't suit me, I won't marry her.”
“Does that mean you don’t have a preference for anyone?” Will begged all of his sisters to lose Hannibal's favor.
“No, in fact…” Hannibal pondered for a moment. His eyes looked at Will. “I think I will marry an Omega from this manor.”
"Who is it?” Will wanted to know that Hannibal is looking for which sister. So he could sabotage it.
“You want to know?”
“of course.” Will believed Hannibal would tell him.
Hannibal stepped forward, bent over, and whispered in Will’s ear. “It’s a secret.”
Will felt teased by Hannibal and was angry about it. “I can find out, even if you don't tell me.” Will run out from the parlor immediately.
Hannibal looked at the leaf he took from Will and said softly, “Saucy Omega.”
—————————————————————
Will came to the study room and finally found his father.
“Father, who will marry Captain Lecter?” Will didn't notice still had anyone else in the room.
“Who's Captain Lecter?” said the man dressed as a secretary standing next to Edward.
“I'm so sorry, Matthew. Are you talking about business?” Will apologized to secretary Matthew.
“We just finished.”
“Captain Lecter and Count Lecter, they'll stay here temporarily until Captain Lecter chooses who to marry,” Edward explained to Mathew.
“Father sells the daughter for money.” A short statement from Will made Matthew understand what was going on.
“Will !” Edward tapped the table, and Will and Matthew were startled by Edward’s shout.
“I've looked at the financial reports, Will. If your sister married Captain Lecter, that would solve the financial difficulties.”
Edward takes comfort in Matthew not objecting to this marriage.
“I can tell you who Captain Lecter likes, but make sure you don't mess up, Will.”
“Yeah, I promise.” But ‘No’ in Will’s heart.
“It should be Alana. Captain Lecter was interested in Alana talking.” Edward said the situation he saw. “Okay, Will. If you have nothing else to do, go out with Matthew.”
Will and Matthew went out of the study room.
“It seems you don't want your sister to marry, Will.”
“Of course !”
“Then have you thought about your marriage? You are an adult, and you are of marriageable age like your sisters.”
“I know, but I don't have anyone I like yet.”
Matthew knew it was time to tip Will more. “Or you should pay attention to your surroundings. Maybe someone is interested in you.”
“Don't talk about this topic anymore,
please. I don't want to hear the word marriage anymore.”
“Okay, okay. It's almost time. I need to go back downtown to handle official business.”
“Let me take you to the gate.”
————————————————————
Hannibal and Robert discuss marriage with the Graham family in the room.
"Hannibal, what do you think of the three ladies?" Robert wanted to know what Hannibal thought.
“They are beautiful Omega.”
“Which Omega is not beautiful? Hannibal, it's like you didn't say it.”
“Uncle Robert, are you asking me to comment on the Omega I just met?”
“Um…Let me give my opinion first. Bedelia is an elegant Omega, and I think her taste suits you well.”
“That right .”
“Alana is a talkative Omega. She is always not boring and very communicative.”
“It's true.”
“Clarice is the most beautiful of the three sisters, and there was no other Omega in the house more beautiful than her.”
“I don't agree with that.” A face showing in Hannibal’s mind.
“It looks like you'll choose Bedelia or Alana. Which Omega do you prefer?”
“A saucy Omega.” Hannibal got up from his chair. “I'm going to take a walk in the garden.”
—————————————————————
The carriage that Will and Matthew were waiting for at the gate finally arrived.
“Okay, Will, I'm leaving. I'll play with you when I have time.” Matthew said goodbye to Will.
“Okay, see you next time.” Will watched Matthew's carriage leave.
“Who is he?” The owner of the same voice startled Will again.
“Captain Lecter, why are you scaring me?”
“That's called scaring? You're such a timid Omega.”
“I'm not timid.”
"So brave voyeur, can you tell me who that Alpha is ?” Hannibal looked at the carriage that had just run away.
“He was my father's secretary, Matthew Brown. He worked a lot of years for my father. It was him who delayed the financial difficulties for years.”
“Looks like your father trusts him a lot.”
“Me too.” Will thought about it the wrong way. “I know who you will marry!” Will pointed at Hannibal, wanting to blame him.
Hannibal was interested. “SoI will marry to whom ?”
“You choose Alana.”
“So what did I like about her? What attracted me to her?”
This is a test of Will. “Hair? A lot of people say Alana has beautiful dark hair.”
“Dark hair is my type.” Hannibal looked at Will’s dark-hair.
“So that's why I hate you.”
“It doesn't matter to me.” Hannibal didn't mind Will's feelings now. He had time to change everything.
“Will, Captain Lecter~” A female voice is calling them.
Will and Hannibal look in the direction of the voice. The three sisters are walking toward them.
Will runs to his sisters. “Why did you come out?”
“Father wants us to show Captain Lecter around the manor.” Clarice paid particular attention to Hannibal's expression.
“That's fine, I'd like to see it too.” Hannibal accepted the offer.
But Will didn't like it. Will wanted to be with his sisters but now not. He doesn't want to stay with Hannibal. If it happens, Will rather be alone.
“Then I'll go back first.” Will planned to go back to the room.
“Wait, Will.” Hannibal stopped Will from leaving. “I want you to come with us.”
“Why?” Will want to reject it.
“It's for the reputation of your sisters, of course.” No, Hannibal is hoping with Will. “Do you want them to have bad rumors with men?”
Seeing Hannibal's request, Bedelia persuades Will. “Will, please join us too. It’s fun.”
“Fine.” Will reluctantly joined them.
————————————————————
Boom thud ! A stone falls into the water.
“Captain Lecter, What do you think of this manor?” Alana is the first to pursue Hannibal.
Boom thud! The second stone falls into the water.
“It matches the design of the mansion.” Hannibal perfunctory Alana again.
Boom thud! The third stone falls into the water.
“This manor was designed by a famous architect. He built it in the last century. His purpose was to match the garden and the mansion perfectly.” Bedelia introduced the history of the manor to Hannibal.
Boom thud! The fourth stone falls into the water.
“There is also a mini-vineyard in the manor. If you are interested. Captain Lecter, you can also visit.” Clarice sent an invitation to Hannibal.
Boom！Boom！Boom！ Thud! It took Will a fifth stone to skim the stones.
“Will!”
“Will!”
“Will!”
At the same time, the three ladies shout at Will.
The sixth stone in Will's hand didn't throw out. “What?”
The three ladies seemed to find it rude in front of Hannibal. So they calmed down quickly.
“Will, you're an adult. Don't do what a kid would do all the time.” Alana said.
“But we skimmed the stone yesterday.” Will refuted.
“No, we didn’t.” Bedelia denied. She couldn't let Hannibal know that she did not behave like a lady.
“We had a tea party yesterday. Have you forgotten, Will?” Clarice also lies with Bedelia.
Will was surprised, what kind of tea party? His three sisters held a lot of drinking parties, and every time they were drunk.
“Well, I think I forgot it. Not the drinking party, also not skimming the stone. Only the tea party for high-class ladies.” Will couldn't get it wrong. He knows the reason behind his sisters. It was because of Hannibal.
“Actually, I’m very interested in skimming the stone.” Hannibal picked up a stone. “When I was in the military in the Suez Canal, I also skimmed the stone sometime.” Hannibal threw the stone from his hand.
Boom！Boom！Boom！Boom！Boom！Boom! Boom！Thud!
Obviously, Hannibal was better at skimming stone than Will. And it received applause from the three ladies.
“Did you get the title Captain at that time?” Will was curious about Hannibal’s military career.
“Yes, my first war in the army was in Cyprus. That time I was the same age as you, Will. I got the title of Warrant Officer after the Cyprus war. Then I went to the Suez Canal.” Hannibal picks up a stone.
Hannibal kept saying. “Under my command, my squad succeeded in occupying the strategic location of the canal. That is very beneficial to us. The army plans to raise my rank again. However, just having a few years of experience is not enough to promote me to captain. Therefore, it took me years to get this title.”
“I heard that the Suez Canal has increased our country's trade economy a lot.” Bedelia makes her point.
“That’s true. Uncle Robert made a lot of profits from it.”
“Will you take your wife on a canal tour in the future?” Alana asked.
“Why not?” Hannibal answered Alana’s question, but his eyes weren't on her.
“I really~ want to visit the canal.” Alana seemed to hint to Hannibal, intentionally or unintentionally.
“Have you ever killed someone in your career?” Will looked Hannibal in the eyes.
“Will ！” Clarice shouts to stop Will's rude question. Bedelia and Alana were shocked by Will's question.
“Had.” Hannibal is always looking in Will’s eyes.
“What does it feel like to kill?” Will keep asking.
“What do you think about the feeling of killing?” Hannibal asked Will back.
Will looked away from Hannibal and threw the stone from his hand. “Powerful?”
“Powerful.” Hannibal affirmed Will's answer and threw the second stone from his hand.
TBC