Drink alcohol?

Was there even anything to think about?

“Yes! Yes! Yes!”

Come to think of it, I had never drunk alcohol in my previous life or this one.

In my previous life, I couldn’t afford to waste time being drunk when I needed to earn money, and in this life, I’d been limited to sipping milk alone at banquets because of my supposed head injury.

I rushed to the balcony and carefully examined the crystal glass he had just placed on the table.

The amber-colored liquid swirling inside looked mysterious.

Just as I was licking my lips in anticipation, he frowned.

“Drink something else.”

“Why? I want to try this.”

He ignored my opinion and walked over to ring the bell.

“…Is it expensive?”

“What?”

“I was wondering if it’s too expensive to share…”

“That answer tells me a lot about how you’ve seen me so far.”

He replied cynically and turned around at the sound of knocking.

When a servant entered, the Grand Duke specified a type of alcohol and instructed them to bring it.

I only discovered what it was when the servant returned—a subtle golden champagne in an elegant glass bottle.

Both naming the alcohol and removing the cork to pour it into the concave crystal glass seemed completely natural to him, as if he’d done it countless times.

“Drink.”

I took the crystal glass he offered and took a sip.

The moment the liquid went down my throat, a wonderfully sweet aroma spread through my nose.

“Only drink that.”

I couldn’t help but smile, but quickly looked up when his voice suddenly cut in.

“What? Only this?”

“Yes.”

He replied curtly and took a sip from his original glass.

“Why can I only drink this?”

“What’s your alcohol tolerance?”

“How would I know my tolerance?”

“I wouldn’t know either.”

“I don’t know either… well, that’s true.”

I stared down at the champagne in my glass, suddenly realizing the truth.

“So shouldn’t I drink more to find out?”

“Figure that out when you’re alone.”

“Tsk.”

“I can’t stand people who get drunk and make a scene.”

As if you wouldn’t despise me whether I got drunk or not.

Suppressing my complaints that nearly burst out, I resolved to savor the remaining champagne and took a small sip.

“It’s delicious.”

“I shouldn’t have introduced you to it.”

“Indeed. You’ve created something you’ll regret.”

When I smiled brightly in response, he let out a light sigh.

His glass quickly emptied and refilled several times, but his complexion remained completely unchanged, giving me the impression I would never see him drunk.

“Hmm…”

I didn’t want to lose consciousness in front of someone else either, but…

Still, wasn’t it too much to stop at just one glass when I didn’t even know my tolerance?

The more I drank, the better I felt.

“…Ah.”

Was this what being drunk felt like?

So easily…?

I wasn’t drunk enough to lose my senses, but how should I describe it?

A pleasant drowsiness seemed to drift in on the breeze, just enough to make me smile gently.

No, what had just drifted on the breeze was…

“Your tolerance is becoming clear.”

It was his subtle fragrance as he spoke in a low voice, watching me over the rim of his glass.

Though he drank casually, the scent of what seemed to be strong alcohol mingled with his cool, owner-like scent in the cool night air.

“I’m not drunk though?”

“But you’re getting tipsy.”

“Does it show?”

“Your face is red.”

“Ah.”

I rubbed my cheek slightly and indeed felt some heat in my face.

I glanced at his glass, which he had emptied countless times.

“You must have a high tolerance.”

“I’m not weak.”

“Is there anything you’re not strong at?”

“What?”

“Nothing… you just seem strong at everything. You’re the type of person who appears strong in all aspects.”

“……”

“I was wondering if there’s anything you’re weak at…”

After swallowing the last sip, he watched me silently before taking another drink.

I looked back and forth between his empty bottle and my champagne, promising myself to check my tolerance alone next time.

“There shouldn’t be.”

He said as he placed his empty glass on the table.

Huh? I stared at him for a while, confused by his words, before finally realizing it was his answer.

His hair was lightly tousled by the wind as he turned his gaze to the dim garden scenery.

“……”

How strange.

Until I heard that he had lost his entire family, he had seemed like an impenetrable fortress.

This person had been alone too.

No, that’s not right—he had a wife, so he couldn’t be considered without family…

How must this man with such a sturdy back have felt when he discovered that the tea his wife served contained sleeping pills?

Though revered as a hero by many, he had nearly been murdered by his wife.

A man who lived as the Empire’s only Grand Duke with great wealth and power, yet almost lost everything due to checks from the imperial family and nobility.

If it were me…

Terrible betrayal, anger, contempt… emptiness.

All I could imagine were terribly negative emotions.

Yet despite everything, he had kept me alive.

“Thank you.”

“Suddenly…?”

“It’s something I’ve wanted to say for a while.”

When he looked at me askance, as if questioning my intention, I responded with a gentle smile.

“I just think I was really awful.”

“What?”

“Me.”

“……”

“I knew nothing, and I acted as if my ignorance was completely natural.”

“Was that also something you’ve wanted to say for a while?”

I shook my head while meaninglessly holding my empty champagne glass.

“This just came to me today.”

But perhaps it was something I should have said long ago.

The image of him attempting to treat himself alone because he couldn’t trust anyone despite being severely injured flashed through my mind like a kaleidoscope. Among those rapidly appearing and disappearing scenes, one remained distinctly clear.

I suddenly realized that his cold gaze as he struggled to breathe with his body glistening with cold sweat like a wounded animal was deeply etched in my mind.

“I’ve never comforted you.”

“……”

“And I’ve certainly never been a source of strength.”

A moment of silence passed.

“……”

Everyone wants to be alone sometimes, but no one wishes to be alone forever.

He might deny this because he’s strong, but at least that’s how I felt.

I don’t know much about family, but…

In my previous life, though I often shouted that I’d rather be alone than deal with my troublesome Dad, I actually prayed for his safety.

Looking back on my time since coming to this world, I realized I had never considered his well-being or tried to understand his feelings, nor even attempted to ask about them until today.

It was because, unlike me, he seemed like such a solid person.

“Well, one glass of champagne hasn’t made me drunk, but I feel courage surging within me.”

“It shows.”

The night breeze created a small gust, rustling countless leaves in the garden and tousling my hair all at once.

My vision suddenly became messy, and as I tried to push my hair back, I felt a casual touch brush across my forehead.

My head instinctively lifted at the unexpected contact, and our eyes met.

“I told you not to play games.”

His eyes were as deep as the ocean as he spoke in a calm tone.

“…What?”

“It won’t work.”

His warm touch lingered slowly on my earlobe as he pushed my hair back, then drifted away into the air.

The pleasant scent and rough touch seemed to linger on my skin.

“Go to sleep now.”

When he rose, I quickly stood up as well.

“Huh? You just told me not to play games. But I wasn’t playing games, so if it felt that way to you…”

“What are you trying to say?”

He turned to me and asked as he was about to walk away.

“I mean, my words are getting through to you now. At least my sincerity just now didn’t sound like a lie, don’t you think…?”

“That’s just your wishful thinking.”

“Tch.”

“Sleep.”

He retorted bluntly without giving me any room to respond, making him seem cruel.

I clenched my fists involuntarily and grumbled as I left the balcony, while he looked down at me and closed the window with a loud thud.

“Good night.”

“I don’t like that greeting.”

“Then what should I say?”

I immediately asked back, but he walked toward the bed without answering.

Ha, when would my bed arrive? Tomorrow perhaps?

As I slowly changed direction toward the sofa, something strange happened.

Instead of lying down on the bed, he was picking up a pillow?

“…Where are you going?”

He was walking toward the sofa, the place where I usually slept, the place I was heading to.

“Go sleep.”

“Me? On the bed…?”

When I pointed at the spacious bed, he leaned against the sofa.

Why is he suddenly acting like this?

“No, no. I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

Did he think I was drunk and talking nonsense?

“It’s fine.”

“But…”

“If I don’t let you sleep on the bed, you’ll try something strange again.”

“What are you…!”

“What are you going to make me touch this time?”

“……”

His immediate retort made my mouth shut tight as if zipped closed.

The memory of my shameless behavior—demanding he touch my face in front of the servants to get a new bed—flashed before my eyes.

Right… my conscience was definitely as light as dust.

I had thrown a tantrum demanding a bed for this man…

I blamed my light conscience and squeezed my eyes shut before opening them again.

“…No. I’ll sleep on the sofa. That would make me feel better.”

“I’d be happier if you’re uncomfortable. Now, go.”

He gestured indifferently toward the bed and lay down on the sofa.

With his huge frame lying there, the sofa looked adorably small in comparison.

“You can’t even stretch your legs fully. And your arms look like they’ll hang off the edges!”

“I’m going to sleep. Stop talking.”

“But still…”

I watched him close his eyes and use one hand as a pillow, then reluctantly shuffled toward the bed.

I glanced at him once while lifting the blanket and again while getting into bed, wondering if this was really okay, but the Grand Duke remained motionless as if truly asleep.

The moment my bottom touched the sheet, I felt a sense of “ah, this is it” and unconsciously slid my body further in.

“Then… good night.”

I greeted him awkwardly as I lay in bed, but there was no response.

I peeked my head out from under the blanket, but after confirming he was still motionless, I buried my face in the pillow again.

Perhaps due to the alcohol, sleep began to wash over me.

“…Sleep well.”

After greeting him once more out of guilt, I buried my face in the pillow, and a low voice faintly reached my ears.

“When we go to Brüpelier.”

Brüpelier…

“Where is that…?”

“The imperial palace in the capital. Where the imperial family lives.”

“Ahhh…”

With my senses growing increasingly drowsy, I barely managed to lift my heavy eyelids while sprawling my limbs.

I tried to concentrate on his words, but despite my efforts, my consciousness seemed to be gradually fading.

“Ahhh… what happens when we go there?”

As the dark bedroom scene flickered in my blurry vision, he seemed to say something belatedly.

“…Stay where I can see you.”

“……”

“Don’t go where I can’t see you.”