Chapter 1

“Let me meet any man.”

It was a dark day with drizzling rain. The woman who arrived, piercing through the sharp rain, told the owner of the place her business without hesitation.

The owner, who was quietly observing the droplets falling from the woman’s black robe, examined the woman’s hand and dress peeking slightly from the robe.

Though it was hard to tell at a glance, she had long, white hands.

Though she tried to hide it, the high-quality silk dress was clearly visible.

Judging by her voice, she was undoubtedly a young lady from a noble family.

The owner’s judgment was made. His job was to arrange meetings between people, but it had to be done with discretion.

“Well… I don’t think there’s anyone you would want to meet here, Miss.”

This place was a social venue for nobles, where they could meet unknown counterparts for conversation or forge new connections.

Although there were no legal issues, it was a place where various incidents occurred, and it was soon to be demolished.

Further incidents were unnecessary.

The owner did not want to arrange a meeting for the young lady standing before him.

So, he casually flipped through the thick list on the counter, indicating refusal, but the noble lady was adamant.

“Just let me meet any man, any man.”

Perhaps because it was raining outside, or because she was wearing a robe, the woman’s voice was soaked with moisture.

Perhaps she was crying.

At the same time, a thud sounded, and a massive pouch of gold coins landed on the table.

Perhaps she had been rejected. Then…

But the amount was much higher than the going rate, and the owner’s eyes widened like saucers.

Eventually, the owner instinctively led her to the best space in the building, hoping she would just have a conversation and leave.

“Thank you.”

Of course, the noble lady had no such intention.

***

Elina walked endlessly down the dim corridor. It had been a long time since she passed the space she was guided to.

She felt like she was going to go crazy from the frustration inside. It was so sorrowful that the only place she could come to was here, which felt miserable.

Someone to love me. A man who would love me. Is there really no one who will love me?

“Is anyone there?”

As she passed the guided location, pitch-black darkness began. Now, for a different reason, she felt tears welling up. And then.

A faint light was visible through a slightly open door, and something rolled out at the same time. Bending down to check what rolled out, she found a cap with a strong smell of alcohol. It must have been dropped by someone in that room.

Someone was here.

Realizing this, Elina opened the large door without hesitation. With a bang, she appeared before a man drinking strong liquor straight from the bottle.

Yes, a man.

The man, who discovered Elina’s presence a beat late, had unfocused eyes.

The liquor he was holding and the wine bottles strewn beside him.

Without even looking, she could somewhat guess the man’s state.

Empty glasses rolled around the room, and what seemed to be the man’s clothes were scattered on the floor.

A man heavily intoxicated.

Elina stood still for a while, watching the man.

Did this man have a story like mine?

It was the man who broke the silence first.

“Why are you crying?”

“Huh? What?”

Though clearly heavily drunk, the man’s voice was pleasant to hear. Of course, that wasn’t the important thing.

Was I crying again?

Elina hurriedly rubbed her cheeks with the back of her hand. Looking down, there was indeed moisture on the back of her hand.

“What made you cry?”

The man still spoke incoherently with unfocused eyes. As a result, Elina couldn’t help but let her tears fall again.

It was the first time someone asked her why she was crying. In fact, she wanted to hear that.

So she gathered some foolish courage. Enough to say something absurd to a man she had just met.

“I want to be loved.”

“……”

“Could you love me?”

“Oh my. Is that why you cried?”

For a moment, it seemed like the man’s eyes regained focus.

The man reached out, pushed back Elina’s robe, and gently brushed her tear-stained face. And then he spoke those words.

“If I love you, will you stop crying? If so….”

I will love you.

Elina paused, not knowing what the words she heard meant.

That is, it’s not such an easy thing to say.

To say you’ll love me.

That you will love me.

How can a man I just met say he’ll love me….

But the man readily agreed, as if he had been asked for just a drink.

Following the man’s invitation, Elina followed helplessly.

She should have ended it there, but her body and mind acted separately.

The man was drunk, and she was not, so she should stop now.

But at some point, she found herself holding a glass filled with red wine. And—

“What kind of love should I give you so you won’t cry? Just for today… No, I hope you don’t cry in front of me.”

Caught up in the word love, she couldn’t escape in the end.

The man, who had finally finished drinking the liquor straight from the bottle, muttered lowly.

I hate seeing you sad.

Why are you here crying, too?

The man, seemingly here because he had his own sad story, expressed the sadness he had pressed down his throat, gently folding his long eyelashes.

The face of the man she faced after barely holding back her tears was beautiful.

Clear blue eyes like transparent glass beneath jet-black hair. She thought she wanted to be loved by anyone, any man today, but this man was special.

A person shining brightly, even while lying on the stained white sheets.

Should we spend the night together? There could be love even in one night.

She had left the mansion with the thought of escaping reality for a while.

“Then….”

Elina twirled the glass filled with dark red wine handed by the man and sipped it.

The taste of the first wine she tried was remarkably bitter.

She heard that wine wasn’t very strong, so why was it?

Except for the luxurious grape scent at the end, it wasn’t very delicious. At least the grape scent at the end was something.

The strong-smelling liquor the man had earlier seemed truly undrinkable.

What does it feel like to get drunk?

She hadn’t felt it yet.

A slight change, feeling a bit languid…? Feeling loose and about to fall asleep any moment, yet filled with strange courage. Ah, it feels like I’ve gained courage incomparable to before.

“Then, kiss me.”

The man, who had been gently caressing Elina’s tear-stained cheek with an indifferent yet delicate touch, blinked his eyes in surprise and took another swig of the liquor he had tossed aside.

The robe soaked in rain had long been wide open.

Elina, looking at the man exuding a stronger scent of alcohol, undid the clasp of the robe below the collarbone. With a pop, the red silk dress she had painstakingly worn was revealed.

A precious dress, barely one in the closet. The best she had.

As Elina began to move in earnest, the man also didn’t just watch. For instance, he told her his name, which she hadn’t asked for.

“You should know my name, right? I’m Pli. And you?”

He really seemed like he would love me.

Just as he naturally placed his hand on her cheek earlier, the man buried his face in Elina’s slender shoulder.

Pli. Pli.

Even with her drunken mind, the name seemed more like a nickname than a real name.

Well, such things didn’t matter here. Uh-huh.

Elina blinked slowly. No one would be foolish enough to give their real name here. She calmly gave the nickname her parents used to call her in childhood.

“Ella. I’m Ella.”

Yet, she didn’t feel like lying, so she quickly withdrew her gaze from the man.

Sitting on the bed, she shifted her gaze to her knees, where the glass she had been holding tightly caught her eye.

The mysterious dark red light trembling inside the transparent glass was somehow ominous. She hadn’t finished the wine the man poured yet. Just a sip or two left.

Elina took a large gulp as if she had made up her mind.

The man seemed to wait patiently for that, then reached out his long arm and embraced Elina.

“Alright, Ella.”

“Pli….”

Neither of them was in their right mind. But they wanted to. After all, there was no one to stop them.

This level of escapade should be fine.

“Ah!”

Suddenly, her back touched the soft bed sheets. And what she saw before her was a man more beautiful than any woman. Now that she knew his name, she should call him properly.

Yes, Pli.

“You asked for a kiss, right? Can I do it?”

“Uh-huh… Yes.”

“But I’m not good at it… It’s my first time.”

Kissing like this, and then… Will I really not regret what I’m doing now later?

“Are you crying…? Should I not? But you asked me to love you….”

When did I start crying again?

When she came to her senses, her body was completely laid on the bed.

The man, once again brushing Elina’s tearful eyes, grabbed her wrist.

Her slender wrist disappeared into the soft blanket, and the glass of dark red wine flew into the air.

Clang—

Fortunately, it seemed to have hit the blanket and fell, as the glass rolled on the carpet without breaking.