Chapter 29. Can I Keep Watching?

“Are you sure?”

“Is it too late to drink together?”

Yuelina hesitated for a moment at Theo’s words. Theo’s insides were burning up.

But he continued speaking nonchalantly, pretending to be unaffected.

“Well, drinking is usually done at night.”

Yuelina’s lips curved into a smile.

“Then, teach me!”

Teach her?

How to drink?

Or what to do with courage after drinking?

Theo felt dizzy again.

He was the one who easily escaped from the swamp of enemy territory that was said to be so difficult to get out of.

But now his legs were giving out at just one word from Yuelina.

How could he just stand and watch when the fluffy crow-tit shed its feathers and started acting like a cat wagging its tail?

“Have you had any experience drinking?”

“I’ve had a glass of wine on the ship.”

Come to think of it, Yuelina didn’t touch wine even during meals.

No, in fact, Theo didn’t give her time to drink wine.

Theo ate so fast that by the time he finished his food and emptied a bottle of wine, Yuelina had barely finished her meal.

Usually, when they finished dining together, they enjoyed tea rather than wine.

So Theo had never drunk with Yuelina.

“Sounds like a good idea.”

Theo nodded vigorously.

* * *

In the basement of the Black Mansion, there was a separate cellar just for storing alcohol.

It was the cold north. Warming up the body with high-proof alcohol was part of daily life for the principality’s people.

Perhaps because of this, whenever Theo returned with a victory flag, rare liquors were sent from all directions.

From low-alcohol champagne to cognac aged for over a hundred years.

It was a cellar full of expensive and rare liquors within arm’s reach.

Theo chose the alcohol very carefully from that cellar.

Yuelina was practically drinking for the first time. So high-proof whiskey would be dangerous.

Then would wine be better?

White wine is crisp and light, which Yuelina might like.

But isn’t red wine better for drinking over time?

Maybe rosé wine, which is trendy among nobles these days, would be better.

The color, which has a pink tinge, resembles Yuelina’s eye color.

He could naturally compliment her by saying the wine color matches her eye color…

That’s too much.

Right.

Popping champagne might make Yuelina curious about alcohol.

Let’s start with low-alcohol champagne, then move on to white wine, rosé wine, and red wine.

Since he didn’t know what snacks she’d like, he should bring everything.

Aged cheese, rich dark chocolate, and fresh fruits should all be prepared.

No, let’s skip the cheese.

If things heat up, they might regret eating pungent cheese.

He had to be fully prepared. Nothing should interfere.

After serious consideration, Theo put champagne, white wine, and red wine in a basket.

He didn’t forget to go up to the first-floor kitchen to personally gather fruits and chocolates.

Going up to the study, he checked his appearance once more in the window reflection.

The shirred shirt he wore as pajamas looked a bit big today.

He should have exercised more regularly.

He had been too lazy to go to the training ground lately.

His body should be pumped even when standing still, but his muscles seemed to have diminished a bit.

From tomorrow, he should wake up at dawn, run ten laps around the training ground, and start with basic training.

Theo crossed the bridge, vigorously moving his arms up and down while holding the heavy basket.

“I’m coming in.”

Opening the attic door always brought Theo both tension and joy.

He was enchanted by Yuelina’s soft and sweet floral scent, and worried if she would be startled to see him.

But today, even the crackling sound of the magic stone fireplace was pleasant to hear.

He even liked that the attic room was cramped.

Now he would drink wine with Yuelina in front of the fireplace.

If she wanted, they could drink on the bed from the start.

What should they talk about while drinking?

Should he start by telling her what he thought when he first met her eyes in this attic room?

No.

She might think it’s creepy and disgusting and try to drive him out.

Let’s just talk about the principality.

Since she liked shopping in the square, he could ask what else she’d like to buy at the market.

She seemed to like children too, so should he ask how many children she’d like to have?

“Yuna.”

“……”

“Please don’t tell me you’re sleeping.”

“……”

“No, please just say you’re sleeping.”

“……”

“Please.”

What conversation?

He was about to mutter to himself like a madman.

While Theo was carefully selecting wine, Yuelina was fighting against overwhelming sleepiness.

Today, she had repeatedly climbed up and down stairs with Maelyn, thoroughly examining the interior of the White Tower.

Theo took his time carefully choosing wine for Yuelina.

So he didn’t notice. That dawn was already approaching.

Yuelina had, of course, fallen asleep.

Theo put down the wine basket he had carried under the bed.

Yuelina was nodding off, her upper body leaning against the headboard, her white and luscious hair spilling forward.

Anyone could see she had fallen asleep unintentionally, exhausted from waiting.

He properly laid down Yuelina, who had fallen asleep uncomfortably.

Yuelina’s face, safely nestled on the pillow, had the most innocent expression in the world.

So, Yuelina’s face, breathing softly as she fell into sleep, was truly beautiful.

How differently beautiful she looks when asleep. She was beautiful when her eyes were open too.

Like this and like that, Yuelina was endlessly beautiful to Theo no matter how he looked at her.

Her face is so interesting…?

It seems like I could keep watching her with joy.

Can I keep watching?

Theo thought, since it had come to this, he might as well look at Yuelina’s face to his heart’s content.

He sat next to Yuelina and quietly appreciated her face.

Then, the desire he had hidden in the corner began to rise abundantly.

He wanted to touch her.

Looking closely, her hair seemed a bit messy. What if she wakes up because her hair is tickling her?

It seemed okay to just brush her hair back.

After coming to an agreement with himself, Theo carefully reached out towards Yuelina.

“Mmm–.”

That’s when it happened.

Yuelina, who was tossing and turning, hugged Theo’s arm that was hovering in the air first.

As if she was cold, she nuzzled her face against Theo’s arm.

Theo’s body tensed up.

Every small tendon in his body was conscious of Yuelina.

His whole body was oriented towards Yuelina.

It was clearly his body, but it felt like someone else was moving it.

This is bad.

Theo shifted his body slightly.

But Yuelina, unaware of the crisis, kept nuzzling and burying her face.

This isn’t a dream, it’s really happening.

Theo hit his thigh hard. He had no other way to endure.

His lower body wasn’t listening to him.

It was his body, but it was acting on its own.

Every time she breathes, her warm breath tickles Theo’s arm.

Theo hit his thigh hard again.

Yuelina is asleep. She’s just breathing.

But how can her breath be this sensual?

Just breathing, and… huh? Is this allowed?

Theo barely suppressed his boiling instincts and focused on taking in Yuelina with his eyes.

Her long eyelashes, her cute nostrils, her lips that looked like plucked flowers planted there.

He was staring at her, revealing his boiling desire so blatantly.

It was truly torture like no other.

Theo kept hitting his thigh with his fist throughout the dawn, thump-, thump-.

He hit so hard that his thigh even started to swell.

It was much later when Yuelina opened her eyes.

The attic room, used as a refuge, had a small window to observe the outside situation.

Yuelina was in the habit of looking at the window on the bed wall when she woke up.

Today too, as soon as Yuelina opened her eyes, she looked for the window as usual.

But instead of the window, she saw two blue flames.

They were burning so fiercely that just looking at them seemed to scorch her body.

Why are there suddenly flames in front of my eyes?

Yuelina, who was confused in her half-asleep state, slowly realized what it was.

It was Theo’s face.