Chapter 26

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—

I leaned over Asulin’s face without knowing what I was doing, and as a result, I paid the price by passing out.

Until just before I passed out, I had expected to suffer for more than half a day.

Fortunately, it didn’t take me long to regain consciousness after passing out.

Thanks to Asulin who caught me immediately and shook me vigorously.

“…I’m sorry…”

As soon as I regained consciousness, I saw Asulin apologizing to me, saying she was sorry.

“…It’s my fault for not taking care of your tired body and recklessly pulling up your pace. You don’t have to apologize.”

Without even considering holding her responsible, I calmly accepted her apology and got up.

‘…I guess we can skip today’s practice duel.’

I was glad I could skip today’s practice duel since my legs were still aching from our daily duels with Asulin.

“…Do you need help getting somewhere to rest…?”

Or maybe, I should be afraid that Asulin, who immediately noticed my unsteady movements and offered to help, is getting too close.

I wish people wouldn’t ask why I feel miserable when faced with such a situation.

The bright presence of Asulin approaching me without me noticing made me feel like my heart couldn’t handle it.

…Of course, despite the paradoxical situation, there was no denying the sweetness of Asulin’s voice as she sighed in relief when she realized I had regained consciousness while helping me.

—

Before lunchtime, because I overexerted myself, I ended up lying down.

As a result, I didn’t have to use my body or do any work until the end of the day.

“As I watched you effortlessly follow my training pace, I couldn’t help but want to see how far you could keep up, so I pushed the pace too hard. …I’m really sorry.”

Even though I hadn’t done anything wrong, Asulin apologized while looking at me, and this was the result of not creating situations where I would have to use my body.

Thanks to this, my aching legs gradually recovered over time.

Although I had an unusually quiet day since arriving here, it felt like a long day because time passes slowly when you’re comfortable and have nothing to do.

Well, even if it was a long day, it would pass smoothly if I spend the evening well and fall asleep on the bed.

“Hey, Asulin.”

“…Why are you…?”

“What’s that in your hand?”

“……”

“Evening drinking…is not good…”

“…No…It’s not alcohol!”

…

Cancel that.

I couldn’t help but feel resentful towards Emperor Majesty, who taught Asulin, the only woman in the empire who would inherit the title of Duke, about alcohol.

—

Let’s rewind time a little further.

To understand how this situation arose, we need to look back.

After finishing my training, which involved breathing techniques and meditation to control mana and recover my core, I went to bathe in the afternoon, washed off the sweat before bed, and entered the bedroom.

“An…Andy… You’ve come. I was waiting for you.”

Asulin, who usually speaks calmly and with ease, greeted me with a very flustered voice. I noticed she was hiding something behind her back.

‘…The smell of alcohol.’

As soon as I entered, the scent of alcohol hit my nose.

She must have drunk alcohol before I arrived to satisfy her craving.

‘She said to wait a bit, but she must have been really thirsty for alcohol.’

Even though I don’t drink much, I know how strong the desire can be when you can’t enjoy something you usually do.

I tried to ignore her minor transgression, but the aroma that hit my nose made me reconsider.

It was liquor. Even the high-proof spirit she had gulped down a few days ago seemed mild compared to this potent liquor.

Despite not being a drinker, the pleasant aroma made me think of good wine.

This was indeed a fine wine, even though it was liquor.

‘The longer you hold back, the harder it is to resist a good drink.’

I imagined what might happen if Asulin drank heavily after pretending to be calm in her mind.

‘It won’t do. It won’t.’

Shaking my head firmly, I resolved to stop her from drinking.

“…Andy?”

I observed Asulin, who hid the bottle behind her, without answering her puzzled voice.

Thankfully, entering the bedroom at the right moment meant there were no traces of her drinking on her face.

Even recalling the events of a few days ago, when she wore a mask during the night, it was clear she hadn’t been drinking heavily enough to show redness on her face.

I felt relieved that the charm of beauty and the effects of alcohol didn’t overwhelm me, but…

That relief was short-lived.

Realizing that Asulin, who wouldn’t listen to me, would probably drink anyway, I decided I needed to stop her.

‘How can I stop her from drinking?’

For a moment, I pondered how to prevent her from drinking.

Even though it was frustrating, I felt grateful for the slow passage of time as I considered a few options in my head.

Stealing it? It wasn’t impossible, but it seemed best to refrain.

If I argued with her and proudly took the bottle from her hand, I wouldn’t be able to order my servants to take it away.

If I wanted to stop her from drinking, the only way would be to break the bottle immediately after taking it.

‘Unless I go mad…’

Given that breaking the bottle would be too much for me to handle, I dismissed that idea.

So, I needed to persuade her to stop drinking on her own.

‘…How?’

Just thinking about it made my head spin.

“Then… Andy? You must be tired after today. Why don’t you lie down and rest? Seeing you standing here makes me feel guilty for making you tired…”

Asulin, who usually speaks confidently, looked at me with uncertainty, which brought some relief to my overloaded mind.

But seeing her struggle to suppress a smile made me think,

‘If I let her do this, she’ll definitely get drunk.’

Imagining Asulin, who hadn’t drunk in a while, letting loose tonight and what she might do in bed made me uneasy.

‘…I guess I should confront her.’

With determination, I approached Asulin.

First, I needed to reveal what she was hiding behind her back.

Recalling the faint scent that touched my nose when I entered the room, I guessed what it was.

Even though I hadn’t tasted it, just the aroma brought to mind a smoky, rich flavor.

It was likely whiskey made from barley, one of the two major barley-producing regions in the empire, crafted at the Carl Distillery, known throughout the continent, after a minimum of five years of aging.

Since I had tasted this type of whiskey often, its distinct aroma was unforgettable.

…But if I directly confronted her about it, she might simply deny it.

“Sleeping is sleeping, but can you tell me what you’re hiding behind your back? If it’s not alcohol, you can tell me.”

I asked softly, adding more gentleness to my usual tone.

“…It’s a glass bottle with iced tea. It’s better than drinking alcohol.”

I could see the guilt in Asulin’s eyes as she lied.

While I knew Asulin was capable and admirable, she wasn’t particularly skilled at lying.

Even before I could meet her gaze, she avoided eye contact and fidgeted.

Her restless movements made it clear she was uncomfortable.

However, it was rare to see someone who wouldn’t lie boldly in public for political or economic gain act so openly.

This trait made me appreciate her honesty.

‘Fancy iced cocktails are popular among nobles…’

Even though I didn’t know much about drinks, I found the idea of iced tea with alcohol dizzying.

‘…That’s impossible.’

There was no way such a drink existed.

“Hmm…? Iced tea with a scent? This is news to me. From the aroma, I thought it was a high-quality whiskey aged for over ten years at Whittaker Distillery in your territory.”

When I presented Asulin with a false assumption, she reacted strongly.

“No! It’s not!”

As she denied my false guess, her mouth moved rapidly.

The result was…

“The Whittaker Distillery burned down during the last civil war due to the invasion of demons. We can’t get high-proof spirits anymore! And you don’t recognize this scent? This is a special edition, limited to 50 bottles, produced by Karl Distillery from barley sourced from the western barley fields of the empire after a 15-year aging process.”

Ah, caught red-handed.

I managed to catch Asulin in the act as she proudly showed me the bottle she was holding.

Whiiiiing!

Even though the windows were closed, it felt like a cold winter breeze was blowing past my ears.

And yet, despite the eerie feeling,

“Gr…Graaa… Graaaa!!”

Asulin’s face turned red as she stuttered.

“I’m sorry…. I haven’t had a drink for four days since I started drinking again, so I couldn’t hold back any longer.”

She bowed her head and apologized sincerely, showing that it was more than just a mood.

Even though our agreement was informal and not binding,

“Even after agreeing with you, I did such a rude thing. I’m truly sorry…”

Her sincere apology showed that she took even our casual agreements seriously.

In fact, I had suggested we drink together first.

She had to break her promise of abstinence by having me suggest we drink together.

Blindly telling Asulin, who can perform all her duties without issue, to avoid drinking was a mistake on my part.

‘Ugh…’

I decided to give in today.

“Let’s drink together.”

“Right away, I’ll order the servants to dispose of this bottle…”

“Seems like my core is almost fully recovered. You seem to be feeling better too. It’s a bit silly for me to dictate whether you should drink or not. Let’s honor our recent agreement and have a drink together.”

I need to spend more time with Asulin.

“…”

Seeing Asulin’s blank expression and the indescribable joy she displayed, I felt a sense of accomplishment.

—

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