Chapter 61. The Only Friend

The early winter sunlight flickered over closed eyelids.

Perhaps because the season had changed, the sunlight I had thought was golden until now was shimmering with a pale and warm silver hue.

Throb.

That’s when the headache belatedly arrived.

Only then did I recall that I had drunk heavily yesterday.

Ugh.

Just how much did you drink, yesterday’s me?

My memory was completely cut off from the middle of drinking with Marc at the tavern, but anyway, the hangover was no joke.

“Ugh. Damn it.”

I sat up, holding my head.

“Starting a refreshing morning with a cool swear word, I see.”

“……?”

Why am I hearing a voice that shouldn’t be in my house?

Recognizing the owner of the voice that was clearly mocking, I raised my head in surprise. Johann was sitting leisurely with his legs crossed on the small dining table chair at the foot of the bed.

“Is this a dream?”

“……”

“Why is Johann in my house……”

“Jooohaaan?”

“Huuuuh! I thought it was a dream……!”

Realizing my slip of the tongue, I felt like my breath had stopped.

This is why you usually need to think properly! How dare a mere commoner call the Emperor’s name! I would have no excuse no matter what severe punishment I received.

I jumped up from the bed. It was a reflexive action to immediately bow my head to the floor.

But……

“Ah!”

Getting up suddenly made my head feel like it was going to split.

“Tsk. How could there not be a hangover when you drank yourself into a blackout like that. This is why I……”

“Your Majesty, just a moment. My head is ringing.”

“……”

“Ah, I feel like I’m dying.”

I collapsed onto the floor.

I felt like I was going crazy from the genuine pain.

As I pressed both hands hard against my forehead, I felt Johann approaching me. Soon, he knelt on one knee and held out something to me.

“……?”

“Drink this, it’ll help a bit.”

While clicking his tongue, he handed me a warm drink. Now that I looked, steam was rising from the teapot.

“What is this?”

“It’s a tea good for hangovers.”

……How did he know I drank? Just how long has he been in my house?

Various questions arose amidst my headache.

But for now, I was in too much pain, so I took the cup from him and gulped it down.

Johann looked around briefly and said bluntly.

“There’s nothing to eat in the house.”

“I haven’t been here long.”

I arrived the day before yesterday, so there was no way there would be food. Since I was tired and everything was disorganized, I just ate out for the time being.

I emptied the cup and stared at him. Whether it contained effective ingredients or not, my stomach started to settle immediately. So I had the energy to question him.

“But why are you here?”

“If you’ve returned, shouldn’t you come to pay your respects? Since you didn’t come, Marseus took a step. While looking around every corner of Elmon, that is.”

As he said this, Johann glanced at me. Meeting his eyes, I had no choice but to state my position, if only out of indignation.

“Jesuf said Your Majesty doesn’t receive greetings individually.”

“He was mistaken.”

“What?”

“Jesuf said something ridiculous. From now on, make sure to come to the imperial palace to greet me every time you return to Elmon.”

“……”

Just whose words are correct?

I was confused as they were saying completely opposite things. Even in the midst of this, I was unconsciously believing that Jesuf had said the right thing.

I had forgotten, but Johann, this guy was completely old-fashioned.

It was clear he was doing this on purpose to receive greetings from me.

I wanted to argue that he should receive greetings from everyone equally, but I decided not to start a fruitless conversation.

I just nodded vaguely and let it pass. The next question was waiting.

“What about Marc?”

As soon as I asked, I felt like my heart was contracting neatly.

It might have been an illusion because it was so brief, but I felt like an incredibly scary aura emanated from Johann. Or maybe not……

Actually, I’m not sure.

Is it the winter wind?

I unconsciously checked if the window was closed. It seemed to be properly closed, but… Just as I was thinking this, Johann opened his mouth. It wasn’t an answer to my question.

“You seem to be quite close to that man.”

“He’s my only friend.”

“Friend?”

He raised one eyebrow as if he didn’t like it.

I couldn’t understand why he was reacting like that, but I spoke emphatically.

“Yes. Friend.”

I wasn’t such a terrible person to deny my only friend. But Johann seemed to think differently.

“You’ve got a good friend. Making you drink until you’re unconscious like that.”

Why is he really like this?

Suddenly coming in the morning and picking fights over every little thing.

I was upset too.

“Marc didn’t make me drink, you know? I drank because I wanted to?”

“You’re problematic too. If something were to happen……”

“Marc said he’d take me home safely, so I felt at ease. And look, I woke up fine at home, didn’t I?”

“What if something had happened.”

“What could have happened?”

“That man is also male. It’s only right to be wary.”

“Are you telling me to distance myself from my only friend? Just because we have different genders?”

“That’s the problem! That the genders are different!”

Johann’s voice rose.

Seeing him this agitated was unfamiliar, but I didn’t want to back down either. Johann kept me close and used me just because I was a purifier, but Marc, who became my friend purely without conditions, was someone I trusted much more.

“What does Your Majesty know to tell me to be wary of Marc?”

“What do you mean I don’t know?”

“Marc has been my friend since I was a nobody. He’s incredibly precious to me!”

“So, there’s no one but him, is that it?”

“Yes! There’s no one but Marc for me.”

“Do you even know what happened last night because you vomited?”

“I didn’t vomit or anything……!”

In the middle of speaking, a certain memory flashed through my mind.

<Seraphina, just hold on a little. No, no.>

<Ugh, urgh!>

How did this happen…….

My head slowly lowered.

The blouse that should have been stained with vomit was clean. No, I was wearing entirely different clothes.

My mind went blank.

Johann also fell silent.

There are times like that.

Moments when silence speaks more than hundreds of words.

I slowly raised my head. I saw Johann swallowing dryly with a tense face. I opened my mouth in a voice that had become calm instead.

“Who changed my clothes?”

“…….”

“Did Your Majesty change them?”

“There was no choice. I couldn’t let you sleep with dirty things on you. Do you know what kind of trouble I went through all night taking care of you…….”

Johann’s words sped up.

The longer his excuses, like a thief with a guilty conscience, the more one fact became clear.

“This, this…….”

“Because the house is so small, the smell of vomit was everywhere, so I even did the laundry with these hands, and from the morning I’ve been searching for potions good for hangovers…….”

“You pervert!”

I shouted with tears welling up. I felt like I was red from my toes to the top of my head out of embarrassment.

“Get out right now……!”

* * *

I want to die.

A mouse hole…….

Where is my mouse hole…….

I was already alone, but I felt an even stronger urge to be alone.

I felt like I was half out of my mind. Vague memories of what had happened and the conversation with Johann flitted through my dazed mind.

I think I kept snapping at him, who seemed wronged, in my agitation.

Why did he come at night and cause such trouble? It would be better to wake up in the morning and clean up alone, even if I rolled around in filthy vomit. Why did he change not only my blouse but also my pants?

And what did he say to that?

<How could I just leave it when the vomit was all over there!>

<Still, you should have respected some boundaries!>

<Should I have let it get all over the blanket too?>

<Yes! Let it get all over!>

<How can you be consistently so filthy after months!>

<As long as I’m clean when I meet Your Majesty, it’s fine, right?>

We shouted childishly at each other, and the conversation ended with Johann’s last words, which sounded like he was blaming me.

<If only you had come to the Imperial Palace, none of this would have happened! I even cleaned the room…….>

Johann suddenly froze and stopped talking.

Why did he clean the room?

I looked at him with an incredulous expression, and Johann opened and closed his lips like a fish a few times, then ran a hand down his face before turning away.

<Enough.>

What does he mean by enough?

That was the last of it.

After he left, I buried my face in my hands.

Ah, really.

It’s so embarrassing.

I don’t want to think about it anymore, but as time passed, the imagination became more vivid. Johann undoing buttons, pulling my arms to take off my blouse, and pulling off my pants as I lay sprawled…….

What do I do?

I’m so embarrassed.

And as the embarrassment passed, I started to worry.

No matter what, he’s the emperor, and didn’t I shout too recklessly? Am I going to be okay like this?

“…….”

He wouldn’t send me away on a mission tomorrow, would he? Or imprison me, or subject me to various punishments…….

That’s when a guest arrived.

When I opened the door to the knock, Marc was standing there.

“Marc.”

“……Seraphina. Are you okay?”

What is he asking if I’m okay about?

I was curious for a moment, then I noticed Marc’s face, anxiously biting his lips.