Chapter 105. The Cute Drunkard

“You want to have a drinking contest with me?”

You?

Despite his mocking question, I nodded calmly. It wasn’t the first time he underestimated me.

“I can hold my liquor pretty well, as you know.”

I said confidently, but Enoch snorted dismissively.

“You may be a strong drinker, but not enough to compete with me.”

“You won’t know until we try. I might surprise you and win.”

“If you get drunk, Ellen, I’ll take the opportunity to devour you.”

“You say that as if you haven’t done it before.”

“You seem pretty confident, provoking me like this.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t bring it up if I wasn’t confident.”

In truth, I had a plan. Enoch had already drunk a lot with the knights, so I figured I would have the advantage if we started drinking seriously now.

Seeing right through my intentions, Enoch’s lips curled into a crooked smile. Without warning, he snatched my glass and downed all the wine in one gulp.

I gaped in disbelief and then frowned, scolding him.

“What are you doing? That was my drink.”

“I have no intention of having a drinking contest with you. Go back to your seat.”

His cold refusal hurt my feelings a bit. Pouting, I glared at him and then spoke in a sullen voice.

“…No.”

“What?”

“Have a drinking contest with me, Your Highness. If you don’t…”

I slowly stood up and glanced around at the knights. They had been quietly drinking and watching us. I approached the knight who seemed to hold his liquor best and plopped down in a chair next to him.

“Cough!”

The knight spat out his drink and started coughing violently, his eyes wide with shock.

Ignoring his flustered gaze, I grabbed an empty glass and filled it with wine. The rich scent of rose wine wafted up. I held up the silver goblet filled to the brim and declared,

“If His Grace won’t have a contest with me, I’ll drink with the knights. Starting with this gentleman here.”

“Uh, no, Your Highness, I…”

The knight stammered, glancing nervously between Enoch and me. Everyone in the hall watched with keen interest, even the orchestra’s music abruptly stopped. Enoch sat with his arms crossed, glaring at me in heavy silence.

Finally, with a look of exasperation, he uncrossed his arms and gestured for me to come back. It was a beckoning motion.

“Come here. If we’re doing this, we’ll do it together.”

“……”

I didn’t like being called over like a puppy, but my goal was achieved, so I stood up and approached him.

Sitting down with a haughty look, I watched Enoch click his tongue. He placed an empty glass in front of me with a loud clink. It seemed like a challenge.

With a combative spirit, I grabbed a bottle and poured wine into Enoch’s glass. Then, meeting his gaze, I slid the glass towards him. Enoch immediately picked it up and drank it in one go.

Gulp, gulp. His Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed the wine smoothly. He set the glass down with a loud thud and gestured towards my glass. It was my turn. Smiling, I brought my glass to my lips.

Enoch probably expected me to give up soon, but I drank the bitter, fragrant rose wine without any trouble. I even turned the glass upside down to show there wasn’t a drop left.

Cheers and applause erupted from all around. Everyone seemed to enjoy the unexpected turn of events, watching with interest despite Enoch’s stern demeanor. The only person in the hall who seemed displeased was Enoch.

“…Alright, fine.”

He growled with a fierce smile.

“Let’s see who wins.”

And so, the war-like contest began.

Both of us, determined to outdrink the other, emptied glass after glass. Sometimes we poured our own drinks, and sometimes we filled each other’s glasses.

Throughout the drinking contest, Enoch’s eyes blazed with intensity as he watched me. My gaze was likely just as fiery.

We were like legendary rivals, seriously competing, and the contest concluded exactly thirty minutes later. The winner was…

“I… I can still drink more…!”

“Stop being stubborn.”

Impossible. Is he even human?

Enoch had drunk more than me and yet remained perfectly sober. It was unbelievable. As he always said, there was hardly anything he couldn’t do. Even things he didn’t know how to do, he mastered quickly. That was Enoch Bayern.

And now, he was also an excellent drinker. Like a monster…

“How can the world be so unfair…”

“You’re already drunk, Ellen.”

“I hate you… You could let me win at least once.”

“Get up, you cute drunkard.”

Whining, I tried to stand, but Enoch lifted me up. I stumbled and nearly fell several times. The world spun around me. It was dizzying…

Enoch sighed heavily, then picked me up. I protested by hitting his chest with my small, soft fists.

“Put me down, you kidnapper.”

“What are you talking about, you little thug.”

“Why are you so good at everything? There must be something you’re bad at. Tell me there is.”

He chuckled and teased me.

“Unfortunately, I’m good at everything.”

I bit my lip in frustration and glared at him. Enoch looked at me with a mischievous grin and addressed the room.

“My wife and I will be leaving now, so take care of the rest.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

“Thank you for arranging such a meaningful event!”

“It was an honor to meet you, Your Highness!”

People chimed in one after another, making the hall as noisy as a marketplace. I waved my hand dismissively and clung to Enoch’s collar, mumbling.

“Hurry, to the room… A quiet place… My head hurts…”

“…You’re really something.”

That was the last thing I remembered. Enoch’s expression, both troubled and amused. I smiled at his kind eyes.

* * *

“Ellen, are you asleep?”

Enoch carefully laid Ellen on the bed. She had been a nuisance, whining and complaining the whole way, but now she was fast asleep.

“Ha, really…”

Shaking his head in disbelief, Enoch began to take care of several bothersome tasks to ensure Ellen could sleep comfortably.

First, he gently untangled her braided hair, making sure not to create any knots, and removed all the hairpins and accessories, placing them on the nightstand.

Then he took off her white silk gloves. On a whim, he grabbed her wrist and pressed his nose against her translucent skin.

A sweet scent of flesh wafted up. Enoch found himself licking her skin and sighing deeply. His lower body felt heavy and strained, but the woman he needed to take care of was sound asleep.

“……”

Chuckling softly, Enoch let go of her wrist and continued undressing her. Soon, Ellen was completely n*ked.

Enoch quickly discarded his own clothes and lay down beside her. He wrapped his arm around her slender waist and pulled her close. She snuggled into his arms, clinging to him like a small animal that had let down its guard.

A faint smile appeared on her lips. It didn’t seem like she was awake. It must have been a sleep-talking smile.

Enoch laughed quietly and buried his face in her chest. He pressed his lips against her soft skin and drew her closer. The smile never left his face.

It was a cozy and peaceful night, one where he could sleep without any worries.

* * *

The next day marked the beginning of July.

The first day of each month always seemed to carry a special significance. It felt like a time to review existing plans and make new ones. Because of this, Jasmine seemed particularly focused.

“So, you don’t remember what happened at the banquet last night?”

“…No.”

In contrast, I was pretending not to remember what happened while I was drunk. In reality, I genuinely didn’t remember some parts.

But I did remember up to the point where we left the banquet hall… I had whined to Enoch. And probably whined all night…

‘I’m so embarrassed I could die.’

This morning, Enoch waited for me to wake up, and the first thing he said was, “Good morning, drunkard.”

Just thinking about it made my face burn. Why did I try to have a drinking contest with him? I had only given him more reasons to tease me.

“I was surprised to see that Your Highness could hold your liquor so well, but it’s best not to drink too much. Alcohol is harmful in excess.”

“Yes, you’re right, Jasmine. You’re absolutely right.”

I sighed and admitted it readily, making Jasmine smile awkwardly. She added that she was only saying this out of concern for me, and I nodded, showing that I understood.

Thanks to Jasmine’s perfect skills, I finished getting ready and went downstairs to start my day.

Today, I needed to meet and greet the staff of Evitern Castle, including the chief steward, the head butler, and the head chef. I also needed to remember their names.

“Alright then… Let’s begin. Could you start with the chief steward, Mr. Fernand? Please introduce yourself briefly.”

The chief steward looked deeply moved and answered enthusiastically.

“You remembered my name. Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Oh, well, that’s just…”

His reaction was overly kind. Feeling a bit overwhelmed, I glanced around at the other staff.

Their eyes sparkled as if they were meeting the protagonist of a story.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Highness. I’m Andrea, the head butler.”

“I’m Wilson, the senior butler, Your Highness!”

“I’m Catherine, the head chef. If there’s any food you’d like, please let me know anytime.”

“I’m Amber, the gardener. Do you have a favorite flower…”