Chapter 19 – The Wedding Night Soaked in Wine

Since it was a “shared bedroom,” the bed was as spacious as the room itself. It seemed large enough to fit two or three more people comfortably. 

Whenever she looked at the bed, Seilia’s face, which she was trying to keep neutral, became flushed. She quickly turned her gaze elsewhere, landing on the wine sitting on the table next to the bedroom. 

Seilia had a habit of feeling parched when nervous, so without hesitation, she carefully poured herself a little wine and began drinking. 

A little won’t hurt.

However, her “just a little” quickly turned into one bottle, then two. 

The wine of the Belton Empire was made primarily from grapes, but its alcohol content far outweighed the flavor of the fruit. On nights like tonight, the attendants deliberately brought stronger wine, meant only for a sip or two to freshen the palate. 

Though Seilia usually enjoyed wine alone, she drank far more than she realized tonight, unaware of the details. By the time she was halfway through the second bottle, her vision began to blur. 

But she didn’t stop there. Her eyelids grew heavier, her mouth opened involuntarily, and strange, nonsensical words began spilling out. 

Not long after, Leo, who had stepped out briefly for urgent matters, returned to the room, now dressed in a bedroom gown. He stopped dead in his tracks at the sight before him. 

“……”

Seilia was sitting at the table, mumbling incomprehensible words as if possessed by a spirit, while pouring and drinking the remainder of the wine. 

Leo crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe, watching her in eerie silence. 

This woman was undoubtedly out of her mind. 

Did she not know what kind of wine this was? Or was she drinking it knowingly, challenging herself to see how much she could handle? 

He couldn’t interpret her actions in a positive light. 

Regardless, Seilia, having consumed all the remaining wine, slammed the expensive bottle down with a loud clink. She then turned her head, seemingly searching for more, and finally noticed Leo standing by the door. 

Wine had a way of bringing out one’s true feelings. 

In an instant, the simmering resentment buried deep in her chest flared up. 

Seilia suddenly pointed a finger at him and stood up abruptly. 

“You—!”

Her unsteady steps wobbled as she approached him, and before she could take more than two steps, she collapsed into the bed next to the table. 

“Too much trouble to come to you. You come here.” 

She said, flopping down completely, waving her hand at Leo as if calling over a cute puppy. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Leo muttered. 

What was even more ridiculous was that he found himself complying with her demand. 

As he approached the bed with his arms crossed, Seilia, still lying down, began hurling drunken insults at him. She even pointed at him accusingly. 

Drunken words often revealed the truth. 

“You’re such a pain in the as$.” 

“…What? A pain in the as$?” 

Had I misheard her?

Leo asked again, his expression incredulous. 

“Yes, a pain. In. The. as$.” 

Seilia repeated, enunciating each syllable clearly, her tone dripping with mockery. 

Leo briefly considered wrapping her up in a blanket and tossing her out of the room. 

To make matters worse, she jabbed her finger at him with every syllable, as if emphasizing her point. 

“Do you know when you’re the most annoying?” 

Seilia clutched her stomach, laughing uncontrollably, as if she were revealing a great secret known only to her. 

“I’m not particularly curious.” 

Leo replied, glaring down at her with a look that screamed, Don’t say it, even if you know. 

But his threatening tone was drowned out by her loud, drunken response. 

“That look right there! Like this!” 

Half out of her mind, Seilia scrunched her face, imitating Leo’s expressionless face. 

“Have you lost your mind, Empress?” 

Leo was utterly exasperated. But with her so drunk, there was little he could do. He could only cover his face with his hands. 

Fine. If she wanted to survive until morning, it was probably safer for her to stay drunk. 

Leo sat down beside her, carefully examining her to ensure she hadn’t injured herself. 

Her snow-white skin showed no visible scratches, and her head didn’t appear swollen, as if she’d hit it somewhere. 

Or perhaps she had some unknown illness causing this mental lapse. 

As his gaze unintentionally lowered from her head, Leo’s pupils began to tremble. 

Thanks to Seilia’s disheveled state, her chemise had shifted, revealing glimpses of her pale skin—even though he didn’t want to see it at all.

“You and that Prince Eselyn—always plotting to roast or boil me alive, huh?” 

Seilia’s bold words, shouted at the top of her lungs, were accompanied by light kicks. 

Of course, to Leo, her kicks felt no more threatening than a mosquito buzzing around. 

But the reason Leo’s face darkened wasn’t her feeble kicks—it was the name “Eselyn” leaving her lips. 

At the mention of that name, Leo’s brow furrowed, and his previously restrained expression turned savage. 

He reached out and firmly grasped Seilia’s pointing finger, bending it back slightly as he growled in a low, menacing voice, 

“Just go to sleep. Don’t wake up tomorrow regretting that you didn’t keep your mouth shut.” 

If he stayed in the same room any longer, something might happen—to Seilia or to himself. 

He needed to leave. 

If he lost his reason, the desire he was suppressing might erupt uncontrollably. 

But as Leo sighed and tried to stand, Seilia grabbed his wrist and shoved him onto the bed. Caught off guard, Leo fell back onto the bed without resisting. 

Even then, Leo kept his hands raised above his head, determined not to touch her in any way. 

“Where do you think you’re going? Talk to me.” 

She demanded, her voice hoarse and broken. 

Her hair fell over his face, tickling him, while her labored breathing and unfocused gaze created an oddly suggestive atmosphere. 

Leo’s expression, previously stoic, crumbled as his face turned bright red. 

Raising his hands even higher to cover his face, he tried to avoid looking at her. 

But Seilia, unwilling to let him escape, struggled to pull his hands away, forcing him to face her. 

“Let go” 

Leo said firmly. 

“No.” 

She retorted stubbornly, repeating the word like a child. 

Eventually, Leo’s patience snapped. 

“Just sleep already.” 

With a sharp tug, he freed his hands, causing Seilia, who had been leaning her weight on his wrist, to lose her balance and collapse onto his chest. 

As if hypnotized, Seilia immediately fell asleep, her breathing steady and peaceful. 

Even though the situation had resolved itself, Leo found himself struggling to suppress the desires that had crept in during their time together. 

“…You’re really going to regret this when you wake up.” 

He muttered. Unable to simply push her onto the floor, he lay there, staring blankly at the ceiling. 

Seilia, peacefully asleep with her face nestled against his chest, seemed completely unaware of the chaos she had caused. 

Leo stared at her tranquil face, committing it to memory. 

It had been a year since he’d been this close to her. Every time they crossed paths, she would quickly turn her head and walk away, leaving him with only fleeting glimpses of her face. 

Now, sharing a room with her felt surreal. 

The once noisy Seilia had fallen silent, leaving only the sound of her breathing in the room. 

“Good night.”

Leo said softly. 

Though he spoke cautiously, he knew she wouldn’t hear him. 

Reassured by that fact, he allowed himself to relax, hoping this moment would last a little longer. 

When morning came, it would all be over. He doubted she would even remember what had happened. 

Perhaps if I drew the curtains tightly enough, she wouldn’t realize the sun had risen. Or maybe I could ensure she never woke up at all. 

He needed to stop entertaining such ridiculous thoughts. 

With a heavy heart, Leo closed his eyes. 

Soon, the room was filled only with the sound of the two of them breathing in their sleep.