“Mmm. That’s what I meant.”

When I slowly nodded, I could feel him giving a hollow laugh.

“Want to be scolded?”

“Tsk.”

“Hold me properly. If you fall again, I’ll really get angry.”

What kind of threat is this?

When I looked at Carlo with displeasure, he met my eyes with an even more arrogant expression.

“What?”

“I feel bad because I’m being scolded for no reason when I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“You don’t think you deserve to be scolded?”

“Of course not. I was just doing my job.”

“You think getting drunk in front of another man is doing a good job?”

“I’m not saying getting drunk was good…”

“And not only were you drunk, you were being held?”

“When was I being held? He just grabbed my arm a little!”

“Ah, so you want me to understand that?”

With those words, Carlo pulled my waist closer, drastically narrowing the gap between us.

He slowly examined me with his long eyes, then deliberately returned his gaze to stare into my eyes.

A chilling silence surrounded his blue lake-like pupils.

That brief moment felt like an eternity, making my shoulders exposed above my dress feel slightly cold.

As I tried to subtly avoid his gaze, his voice reached me.

“What if I were drunk with another woman, whether for work or any other reason.”

“…What?”

My body instinctively flinched at his words, which instantly evoked unpleasant images.

This man getting drunk with another woman?

With a calm gaze that pierced through me, he continued in a low voice.

“And if I were to hold her hand, arm, or anywhere else because I was drunk.”

“……”

His fingers, which had been holding my waist, deliberately traveled up my body, subtly brushing against my arm.

The sensation made my hair stand on end, and I unconsciously took a deep breath.

“…Would you understand? Would you?”

My heart dropped as he slightly tilted his head with a languid expression.

Unable to answer hastily, I just fidgeted with my fingertips while looking at him.

Saying I understood would be a lie, completely opposite to how I felt, but somehow I couldn’t bring myself to say I didn’t understand either—it felt like the words I had spoken earlier were stuck in my throat like a fish bone.

Carlo stroked my hair as if urging me to answer.

“Would you be okay with that…?”

“……”

“Well?”

Something strong underlay his calm gaze as he looked at me with an unwavering expression, making me unable to move.

Unable to withstand his seemingly relaxed yet indifferent gaze, I finally shook my head and crossed my arms to embrace his neck tightly.

“No, I wouldn’t.”

He sighed as if exasperated, laughing softly as he kissed my earlobe playfully.

“I dislike what you did a hundred times more.”

“……”

“It might have been even worse than that. Now do you understand how I felt?”

“…A little.”

“Consider yourself lucky I’m letting you off this easily.”

“Hmph.”

“You… You can never know how I felt in that moment.”

“……”

“And I don’t intend to let you know either.”

I kept smiling at every pleasant word flowing from him, and the soft lips touching my earlobe were almost unbearable, making my heart tickle. No, more than tickle—it felt like it would burst like a balloon.

His touch was infinitely tender as he stroked my hair with a light sigh, even while speaking harshly.

His attitude made me feel like he would forgive anything I did, no matter what.

When I felt his large hand on my head, I buried my face in his warm neck, indulging in childish affection as if I had been waiting for this moment.

“Don’t laugh.”

“Why not?”

“It tickles.”

“Hmph, then I’ll laugh more.”

Eventually, I could clearly feel his Adam’s apple moving up and down and his pulse beating rapidly through his skin.

I was tipsy from the alcohol, feeling languid… and he smelled so good…

This feeling of wanting to lean on him more and more, even making excuses to do so, felt freshly wonderful again. I wanted to keep hugging his neck and nuzzling against him like this.

“How will you handle the consequences later? Hmm?”

Despite his threatening low whisper, I just shook my head without loosening my arms at all.

Partly because the low, husky voice sent such a thrilling shiver down my spine that I didn’t dare face him, and partly because my racing heart made my limbs refuse to obey.

Unable to control my leaking giggles, I swung my floating feet back and forth while hugging him tightly.

“……”

I must have missed him terribly.

Judging by how happy I was to see him… I must have felt this way all along without realizing it.

I had always thought I should show him how well I had managed St. Berte Castle and the December Center when he returned.

That had been my mindset for days.

I wanted to become someone who could help him somehow.

It was all too clear that I would have to leave him someday, so I hoped to do my best and leave only good impressions during what little time remained.

At that moment, a corner of my heart stung, making my eyes well up, but I steeled myself and took in his warmth fully.

“Let me see your face.”

However, he easily removed me from his neck where I had been clinging tightly, forcing my head up.

His cool eyes, examining me as if scrutinizing every detail, turned my face this way and that before staring into my eyes.

“I told you to eat well, but you have dark circles under your eyes.”

“Ah… I didn’t sleep well yesterday, that must be why.”

“Why? Because your husband wasn’t beside you?”

Caught off guard by his unexpected remark, I awkwardly stopped rubbing my eyes and looked at him.

“What…?”

“You should at least pretend and answer that way.”

“……”

“Then I’ll believe everything you say.”

“……”

“I’ll just assume that’s the case.”

He smiled faintly as he gently fixed my hair, which had become disheveled from playing around his neck.

Was it because of the alcohol?

Or because of his touch?

My head felt foggy for a while.

I fidgeted with his expensive jacket and carefully moved my lips.

“You believe everything I say?”

“Of course.”

There was no hesitation in his tone mixed with laughter.

If anything, I was the one hesitating, which was rather disconcerting.

I tried to act nonchalant, lowering my gaze and shrugging.

“What makes you so confident that I would lie?”

“Because whatever you say will become the truth.”

“……”

Somehow my heart sank, and my head lifted involuntarily.

Carlo maintained his usual casual expression and continued speaking calmly.

“Whatever you do, it won’t remain a lie.”

I couldn’t understand exactly what he meant, but tension suddenly rushed in.

I forced myself to gather my scattered thoughts from the alcohol and stared at him with wide eyes.

“What does that mean?”

“You look really scared.”

His eyes curved languidly.

“That wasn’t my intention.”

He smiled mischievously and playfully raised the corner of his mouth.

“It’s exactly what I said. You do all the good things.”

“……”

“And I’ll take care of the rest.”

My heart plummeted.

His eyes seemed to harden for a moment at my shocked face, but when I looked again, he was still smiling calmly at me. Was it my imagination?

“Why are you taking it so seriously? I was just joking.”

When he laughed, the tension that had stiffened my body relaxed, and my eyelids blinked rapidly.

I wanted to brush away the goosebumps on my arms, but he was still holding my waist, making it difficult to move.

His expression was so incredibly casual that the ominous feeling I had just experienced seemed entirely due to my drunken state.

I did drink too much… yes…

Finally reassured by his still-composed appearance, I deliberately rolled my eyes at him.

“Was that really a joke?”

“Of course.”

“Well, your joke seemed so real…”

“You looked really worried. What were you so afraid of?”

“Obviously I was afraid you might get hurt…! Suddenly scaring me like that… I thought you might do something dangerous, my heart really…!”

“You were worried about me?”

“Shouldn’t I be?”

When I frowned and asked back, Carlo’s eyes softened gently, as if enjoying something pleasant.

“Ah… My wife was worried about me. Right?”

“I’m worried, but you look like you’re enjoying it?”

“True, why am I enjoying this so much?”

Whatever pleased him so much, Carlo smiled and briefly kissed my cheek.

What! When I opened my eyes wide and covered the spot where his lips had touched with my palm, he kissed the other cheek with an even more satisfied expression.

I covered both cheeks with my hands and stared at him.

“What are you doing? You didn’t even ask permission!”

“Why would I need permission? I’m still angry.”

“What?”

“I was still in the middle of punishing you. Did you forget?”

As he finished speaking, he briefly kissed my lips as well.

“I was still being punished?”

“We’re still far from finished.”

Just as I flinched, each of his fingers slowly dug through my hair.

His touch was too strong to push away, yet simultaneously careful.

“Do you know what it takes for me to forgive you?”

Soon, a gentle sensation gradually seeped through my lips like a wave, beginning to engulf me uncontrollably.