Chapter 1.6

Thanks to the unexpected appearance of Young Master Belif, the long dinner soon came to an end. Back in her room, Brienne looked out the window with suspicious eyes.

The man who had asked so calmly, with a faint smile. The question he had asked so casually, as if he had seen right through her in that short moment.

<Are you disappointed that it’s me? Were you expecting someone, perhaps?>

The one she was waiting for…

The person Brienne had been waiting for never came. Was it because it had only been a day since she heard about Kaiden’s engagement? Still, she had believed that if Kaiden thought of her at all, he would send her some kind of message before the day was over.

‘…But there’s no message.’

Another day was ending, and still there was no word from Kaiden. Brienne pressed her forehead to the window, staring at the spot where Herace had stood. Remembering that moment made her feel uneasy again.

Why had he asked that question? 

Sensing what she hadn’t said and bringing it up was not at all appreciated.

Especially since the person in question was who he was.

‘Will that man tell Kaiden?’

Brienne Ford was waiting for you, day and night. Isn’t it laughable, thinking a man engaged to another woman would come all the way here? She must have no pride at all.

So lacking in dignity, she ran out like a dog to greet me thinking…

“…Ha.”

Brienne bit her lip and shook her head. She was sick of hurting herself by imagining things that hadn’t even been said. She knew it was a bad habit, but at times like this, her thoughts always turned negative and she couldn’t control herself.

‘Brienne, calm down. Nothing will happen.’

That man has nothing to do with me. He just came to ask for help. He might not be like those who speak ill of me.

…Even if he tells Kaiden, at worst I’ll just be embarrassed.

Barely managing to take a deep breath, Brienne looked at the door as if she had made up her mind. Rather than continue to imagine bad things, maybe it would be better to ask directly.

“…Marie, could you bring me a bottle of wine?”

“Huh? Wine?”

Marie, who was tidying up Brienne’s bed, looked surprised and asked again. Brienne smiled awkwardly and nodded.

“Yes. I just remembered that Shylo said to bring some wine to drink with Young Master Belif.”

“Oh…! Understood!”

At that instant, Marie’s face brightened, but Brienne, lost in thought, didn’t notice. Even as Marie dashed out and returned not with a single bottle but with a whole basket of wine, Brienne was still gazing at the spot where Herace Belif had stood.

* * *

“You really want the three of us to drink together? Are you serious?”

Shylo, dragged in while drinking alone, looked at Brienne with a dumbfounded face. Sitting right next to him, Brienne put the wine basket she’d been hugging onto the table and whispered,

“You said you went to the academy with Young Master Belif. I want to hear more about the academy, too. Unless you don’t want to, Brother?”

“No, it’s not that I don’t want to, but…”

Shylo groaned and glanced at Herace. Earlier, he had been tipsy and talked about all sorts of things regarding Herace Belif, but in truth, Shylo wasn’t close enough to clink glasses with Herace face to face.

Moreover, Herace Belif was…

“This is a wine I’ve never seen before. Is it from Roeta?”

“Yes, it’s a local specialty that was delivered to my father. It might not be as good as the wine from the Belif Dukedom, but I think you’ll like it.”

He kept his dazzling gaze fixed solely on Brienne. Shylo looked at his sister with troubled eyes. He had granted Brienne’s request since he couldn’t leave a grown man and woman alone in a room together, but he still couldn’t figure out his sister’s true intentions.

“In fact, there’s something I want to ask Young Master.”

But Brienne felt just as uncomfortable about this situation. Forcing a smile, she reached for the wine basket.

“If you don’t mind, may I ask you right away?”

“Please, ask anything.”

“Why did you… come all the way here?”

Brienne’s awkward expression couldn’t hide her suspicion. Herace glanced at her and leaned back on the sofa with a light smile.

“As I said earlier.”

Was it really just that the carriage wheel had broken? A faint wrinkle formed between Brienne’s brows.

“Don’t lie. Shylo said that you could easily fix a carriage wheel with magic.”

“What…? When did I say that?”

Though she said it confidently, in truth, Brienne was the one lying. Shylo’s eyes widened at the absurd claim and he whispered, but Brienne only brazenly watched Herace’s expression.

“Is that so?”

Then Herace gestured to the attendant standing behind him. The attendant bowed and brought out wine glasses from somewhere. With a slight smile, Herace poured wine into a glass.

“If you’re suspicious of my visit, I apologize. But I wasn’t lying. I can fix a carriage wheel with magic, but I can’t do anything about the weather.”

Brienne narrowed her eyes and looked down at the wine glass offered to her. Herace seemed at ease, as if he had nothing to hide, but that made Brienne even less able to relax.

There might be something else hidden behind that smiling face. After pouring wine into Shylo’s glass, Brienne stopped Herace from pouring into hers.

“…Please. I’ll pour for you.”

Could she win against this man with alcohol?

Since she couldn’t expect an honest answer from someone she hardly knew, it would be faster to get him drunk. That was why she had brought the wine in the first place. Unlike Shylo, who was already half out of his mind, Brienne was a strong drinker who had never once gotten drunk before.

“Do you like alcohol?”

Brienne poured wine into Herace’s glass and immediately raised her own. As Herace stared intently at her, a strange look flickered across his face.

“Not really… I don’t like it much.”

That was even better. Sensing victory, Brienne downed her glass in one go. She emptied her glass in an instant and gestured at Herace’s glass with her eyes.

“What are you doing? Drink.”

One bottle, two bottles, five bottles. Without any conversation, the wine was exchanged aggressively, and before they knew it, more than five bottles had been emptied.

“Young Master.”

With her cheeks flushed, Brienne hugged an empty wine bottle tightly and tilted her head.

“Did I… Did I tell you? That Kaiden is engaged.”

“…Yes, I’ve already heard it for the twentieth time.”

Wearing a faint smile, Herace supported Brienne’s head as she nearly toppled over. Brienne blinked and lifted her head, looking around.

“Huh, really? That can’t be…”

When had it started? Brienne had begun talking more and more, and eventually, she ended up like this. At first, Herace hadn’t even realized she was drunk. He simply didn’t have enough information about her to tell if she was tipsy or not.

“But honestly. Isn’t it just too much? How could he not say a single word to me…”

But now, there was no mistaking it. Brienne was quite drunk. She suddenly cried, then laughed, then asked questions with a blank face. Watching her, Herace couldn’t help but let out a quiet chuckle.

Did Brienne Ford always have this side to her?

The more she drank, the clearer her pronunciation and voice became. He had never heard anything about her drinking habits, but discovering this new side wasn’t so bad.

“Miss Ford, you should go in now. You’ve had quite a bit, it would be best to rest.”

But if there was one problem, it was that even when he refused like this…

“Not yet. There’s something I absolutely have to find out from you, Young Master.”

She was determined to open a new bottle.

‘So she was planning to get me drunk.’

What was it that she wanted to find out so badly?

He didn’t know what it was, but Herace decided to go along with her wishes for now.

“Would you like me to drink more?”

“Yes…!”

He didn’t dislike the way Brienne’s eyes sparkled every time he emptied a glass.

After glancing at Shylo, who had already passed out on the sofa, Herace emptied not only his own glass but also the one in front of Brienne. Then, as Brienne giggled foolishly, she frowned as if trying to gauge Herace’s intentions.

“But Young Master, you really… you’re really suspicious, you know? Coming all the way here on merchant business in this weather doesn’t make sense.”

“What are you curious about?”

At that question, Brienne took a deep breath. She lowered her gaze, bit her lip, and asked in a whisper.

“Are you drunk?”

“Well, I suppose I’m moderately drunk.”

Herace propped his chin on his hand and narrowed his eyes. Seeing Brienne sigh openly in disappointment, he thought he should change his answer.

“…Actually, I’m quite drunk, but I’m pretending not to be. And I’m really afraid you will find out,  Miss Ford.”

“Really?”

“Yes, that’s the honest truth.”

Brienne blinked several times. It looked like she was finally about to ask the question she wanted answered. Picking up the half-full wine bottle, Brienne filled her glass and glanced at him.

“Then… then, tell me. Did… did Kaiden tell you to come see me?”

“No.”

Herace answered concisely, without hesitation. Brienne rolled her eyes, holding her glass.

“In that case… did you come here just to see me after all?”

“….”

But this time, Herace’s forehead furrowed slightly. He couldn’t understand why Brienne was asking such things.

He had passed Brienne Ford countless times over the years, but this was the first time they had ever sat down and spoken face to face.

“Just to see you… I don’t know why you keep saying that. Did I do something wrong to you, Miss Ford?”

“….”

“Miss Ford.”

“…No, it’s nothing. Please forget it.”

Brienne gave a faint smile and raised her glass to her lips. She quickly returned to her previous self and started repeating the same stories, but once Kaiden’s name had come out, Herace could no longer smile as before.