Chapter 67

I darted after Asulin, determined, but chasing her was nothing more than sheer exhaustion.

She had always been quicker and more agile than me, so I had expected this chase to be difficult from the start. But as she wove through the crowd, which was thick with people eager to enjoy the festival, her movements created an absurd chain reaction that made catching up even harder than I had anticipated.

The dense crowd, which seemed like an insurmountable obstacle to me, did not hinder Asulin at all. She moved through them effortlessly, maintaining her speed, and often turned her head to check if I was still behind her.

Whether it was confidence in keeping our distance or a subconscious desire not to get too far from me, only Asulin would know.

“Hah…”

After repeatedly trying my best to close the gap between us, I finally realized how futile it was. I could only let out a faint sigh. Even though I acknowledged that I couldn’t close the gap, I didn’t want to give up on not letting it widen further.

Anyway, amidst this endless chase through the crowd, Asulin once again turned her head towards me.

Unlike before, when her expression showed she was checking the distance with a casual air, this time her face was filled with mischief.

Hmm, the playful look on the Junior Duke’s face, who usually appears mysterious, suggests she’s planning another prank.

Suppressing the anxiety or perhaps the anticipation, I moved to close the gap by even a step before she resumed her pace.

“…Hmm?”

Even with my sharpened vision, I noticed Asulin’s form disappear the moment she transformed using magical tools, despite my efforts.

“Aha.”

I immediately understood what Asulin had done to evade my pursuit and play her prank.

It wasn’t a complicated trick. She had used the power of a magical tool to change her appearance once more, this time into a different disguise, to distract me and vanish from my sight.

In simpler terms, she had disguised her disguise.

“I really…”

With my right hand, I scratched the back of my neck lightly, unable to express the frustration I felt upon seeing Asulin completely disappear from my sight.

It wasn’t just any difficulty. When she disguised herself in Shaten, I could at least recognize her because I saw her transform right before my eyes. How could I have predicted such a well-executed disguise?

But if I hadn’t found it difficult, I wouldn’t have chased her in the first place.

“Huuu…”

Taking a deep breath, I sharpened my already keen senses even further.

“Where…”

Muttering softly, I paused momentarily and looked around slowly, centering on where Asulin might be hiding to enjoy the liquor away from my sight.

All I could perceive were the bustling sounds of the citizens enjoying the festival and their footsteps, along with the rich aroma of the liquor they were savoring.

Yet, amidst all these mixed sounds and smells, there was one spot where a soft, sweet floral scent stood out, a fragrance I couldn’t forget.

A scent I always smelled when I woke up or went to sleep, a scent that reminded me of violas blooming in the bleak winter weather.

As I moved toward where the scent originated, I saw a woman with straight black hair, unnoticed by others, drinking a glass of liquor in one gulp.

In situations like this, it’s better to take a moment to observe rather than make a fuss about finding her.

She drinks so well. Ordinary people would choke and cough while feeling their throat burn after taking a sip of such strong liquor, yet she drank it as if it were a sweet syrup. Suppressing the bitter smile that almost came, I said,

“I found you.”

Speaking softly to Asulin, I watched as she took a cool drink, closed her eyes to savor the taste, and then opened her eyes slightly, visibly startled.

It was truly remarkable.

Thanks to the perfect transformation through magical tools, even her unique green eyes had changed to golden ones, reflecting my own image as if seen in a mirror.

Even the slight surprise on her face when she saw me was so precise, it was as if there was no room for error.

“Wh—Who…?”

Asulin pretended not to know me, turning her head quickly.

“Seems like quite a good drink. You’re really savoring it.”

I spoke to her, even though she tried to hide the cup behind her back, fearing it would be taken.

“…I thought I was doing a perfect job.”

Asulin eventually gave up her futile resistance and asked how I knew.

“…A secret.”

Smiling subtly at her, I kept the secret to myself.

I didn’t want to reveal my trade secrets and risk losing track of Asulin if something unexpected happened.

“…Hmm.”

Unsatisfied with my answer, Asulin narrowed her eyes and looked at me adorably, still not removing her disguise.

Upon closer inspection, I realized that describing her disguise, which referenced my appearance, as cute was inappropriate. However, despite the resemblance to my appearance, Asulin’s characteristic roundness became more pronounced as she frowned, revealing itself clearly, which was both intriguing and amazing.

“…You won’t tell?”

Misinterpreting my silence as a lack of words, Asulin asked again, curious about how I recognized her.

“Let yourself figure it out. If you change your disguise even more perfectly based on what you hear, I might not be able to find you.”

I hinted that I had no intention of revealing the secret.

However, her seemingly blunt response seemed to stir something in her heart.

“…Is that so?”

For a moment, her frown softened, and a hint of satisfaction escaped her lips.

Why does her reaction suddenly change like this?

Curious about her odd response, I continued.

“I guess you were worried I couldn’t see you…”

Asulin, who had quickly closed the distance after distancing herself, said this, clearly indicating which part of my words had affected her most.

“…I was really worried.”

I said what I wanted to say and what Asulin wanted to hear.

“Th—That’s good…”

As confusion and playfulness faded, Asulin’s face now showed shyness.

Realizing that no matter how perfectly she disguised herself, her aura couldn’t be changed, I learned another way to identify her.

Of course, I kept this discovery to myself for now.

“Sorry for running off like that. And… thank you for worrying about me…”

Approaching the wife who showed both guilt and gratitude for my concern, I gently stroked her head.

“It’s nothing.”

First, I responded modestly, saying it was nothing.

—

After catching Asulin, who had double-disguised herself, she never moved far from me again.

“I realized how reliable and wonderful it feels to be by your side when we were apart for a moment.”

Enjoying this brief escape, I didn’t think there was any reason to drift further away.

—

She didn’t stop enjoying the festival, however.

“What? The taste of the liquor in the oak barrel that survived the fierce flames during the last fire is particularly special.”

She tasted and smelled each of the wines exhibited at the festival, providing continuous reviews of each one.

Looking back, it makes sense. Since the festival was hosted by the Caladborg Dukedom, it was natural for the organizers to fulfill their role in selecting high-proof spirits fit for a king.

Thinking this far, I noticed that the brooch pinned to Asulin’s chest, labeled “judge,” was not just an accessory but a symbol of her role as a judge.

Seeing the representatives of the top distilleries in the north, who maintained tense expressions or occasionally sighed in relief, according to Asulin’s words, I understood why. Despite not showing her face, she was appropriately evaluating the spirits, living up to her title.

“This wine should be enjoyed secretly, just between us…”

While she worked diligently, she also managed her personal desires. But that was fine.

—

With a clear purpose in mind, she tasted the wines, and I had no reason to stop her.

“Want to try?”

Asulin offered me a glass with a playful smile.

“Nothing much will happen here, but since I don’t know, I’ll decline for your sake.”

I politely refused her offer.

Undeterred by my refusal, Asulin emptied another glass and began to describe her impressions based on her extensive experience and sound reasoning.

Her expression showed no displeasure, suggesting that my refusal had put her in a good mood.

—

To prepare for any unforeseen circumstances, I stayed close to Asulin, who had disguised herself to match my hair color and eye color.

Though someone might question why I was paying attention during the lively festival, given the bizarre events that had occurred, I had my reasons.

During the demon hunt, an assassin from the League suddenly appeared and knocked Asulin unconscious. Even in the back alleys, where the empire’s administrative power was still present, we encountered assassins from the League who could have caused significant unrest.

Given such unpredictable situations, being prepared in this city, where the duke’s administration and security were maximized, was reasonable.

Fortunately, no such incidents occurred during this festival.

Asulin, who enjoyed her favorite wine and fulfilled her duties as a judge, had no problems throughout the event.

And the winner of this festival, which crowned the glory of Spirit of Spirits, was a whiskey produced by Whittaker Distillery.

It was the same whiskey Asulin had declared she would only drink secretly.

Despite being destroyed in the chaos caused by demons invading the Zakarat Mountain Range, the whiskey from the charred oak barrel emerged victorious.

Its dark brown color and smoky aroma, so strong that it could be mistaken for whiskey, were unanimously accepted by everyone who tasted it, including Asulin.

Not being able to appreciate such a drink, I couldn’t argue with the result.

Well, I didn’t intend to argue anyway.

Seeing the smiles on people’s faces, who had been depressed by last year’s chaos, made it hard to complain about anything.

“Looks like a bottle will be given to me, so let’s share it together.”

Since she was so pleased with the wine that she suggested sharing it, I couldn’t ignore her.

—

With Asulin, who was happy to have secured such a good wine, we were able to leave the grand festival successfully.

Despite not directly participating, Asulin’s effort to ensure citizens could enjoy the festival to the fullest, and her subtle rivalry with her childhood friend, Empress Claudia, who she was wary of, made for a complex situation.

“Blocking a good wine from falling into Claudia’s hands is already a great harvest.”

—

With her slightly unsteady steps due to the alcohol, I focused on helping her.

“Let me help you.”

“Huhuhu, please take care of me.”