GDNC 14

Chapter 14

“……”

What mistake? I was the fool for falling for it, even for a moment.

I had come into the room with him without saying much because I was worried Sir Robert might lose his head over it. But with him looking that satisfied, there was no way I could fail to notice.

“Haaah……”

I let out a deep sigh, took off my coat, and hung it over a chair.

‘I came all the way here, only to have to sleep in the same bed as Mikhail….’

“You look a little upset.”

“If you’re worried about that, could you get us another room?”

“No. The bed is large enough, so we’ll share it.”

I shot Mikhail a sidelong glare at his firm response before heading out into the hallway.

Even as we went downstairs to the dining room for a late dinner, I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling.

Why did he insist on sharing a room with me?

“We’re not in the North, so there’s no need to hold hands everywhere or sleep pressed up against each other. No matter how much I think about it, I don’t understand why you’re doing this.”

“……Yeah. I just wanted to. Why do you have to analyze every little thing?”

Mikhail took my hand and quickly finished descending the stairs.

‘What could it really be? Is it that sense of security he mentioned last time? Or maybe because we always sleep together? Perhaps he’s simply gotten used to it.’

My thoughts wouldn’t stop even as I sat down and put food into my mouth.

Why am I like this?

Mikhail looked completely unaffected, just as usual.

‘……Right. He probably didn’t even have any deep reason for it, and I’m the one obsessing over what it means. What am I doing?’

I pretended nothing was wrong and stuffed meat into my mouth, chewing and swallowing diligently.

“Grand Duke, may we have a drink as well?”

“Looks like you’re already drinking.”

Sir Robert, who had cautiously come over to ask permission, startled and turned around.

When I followed his gaze, I saw that the knights, including Chloe, were already clinking their glasses.

Sir Robert was already trembling.

“Just enough that it won’t interfere with tomorrow.”

“Ahhh, yes, sir!”

His face brightened as he hurried back to his seat.

He must have really wanted to drink.

“Aren’t you drinking, Mikhail?”

“Looks like you’ve finally decided to talk to me.”

“Ugh……”

I had only been distracted by my thoughts. But come to think of it, he was just as good as I was at picking out little things to tease me about.

“There was no reason to use another room when we have a large one. I’m okay with that now, you know?”

“Good. I’m glad you understand my grand intentions. And I don’t normally like alcohol. I think it might be better to stay sober in front of you.”

And with that, Mikhail continued eating as though nothing had happened.

‘……Does he have a bad drinking habit? It sounds like he’s saying he doesn’t want me to see him at his most embarrassing.’

Still, the fact that he didn’t like alcohol was surprising in its own way.

He seemed like the type who could drink several bottles and remain perfectly fine.

“What about you? Do you drink much?”

“Me? Not really……”

When it came to alcohol, I had only occasionally had a drink by myself after coming home exhausted from a part-time job.

I’d never actually had a proper drinking session, so I didn’t even know how much I could hold.

Suddenly, the noisy chatter and clinking of glasses behind me filled my ears.

Maybe I was swept up in the atmosphere, because words I’d kept hidden inside suddenly slipped out.

“I’ve dreamed of being in a gathering like that and enjoying myself.”

Mikhail’s hand, which had been cutting his meat, stopped for a moment.

‘Oops. I shouldn’t have said that. I just ruined the mood.’

But by the time I regretted it, it was already too late.

“……”

I hadn’t meant that I wanted to enjoy a drinking party right now.

“Grand Duke! I, Assistant Captain Robert, shall bring you another drink!”

“Then I shall take responsibility for the Madam!”

Sir Robert and Chloe shoved more alcohol toward the already full glasses.

Their faces were bright red, yet their eyes were perfectly clear.

They look the most dangerous of all.

“I absolutely can’t drink. I have to attend to the Madam……”

“You’ve already had quite a lot, Lara.”

When had they started drinking?

Somehow, several servants, including Lara and Aaron, had joined the knights.

‘Lara definitely seems like a lightweight. At least they didn’t give Aaron any alcohol because he’s young.’

Aaron alone was sitting among the completely drunk adults, calmly sipping juice.

It was quite a rare sight.

‘Maybe I should try another drink, too.’

I gathered my courage and lifted my glass.

I gulped it down, and a cold, tingling sensation spread through my stomach.

‘Whoa. It’s stronger than I thought.’

Once I’d had a taste, though, it went down surprisingly easily.

The day had finally come when I could sit among other people, relax, and drink with them…….

It felt like a dream.

“Looks like you can handle it.”

Mikhail whispered quietly beside me.

His voice tickled my ear.

For some reason, I felt like I shouldn’t turn my head toward him.

If I looked at his face……

I felt like I’d regret it.

“It seems the Madam is getting bored! Sir Robert, proceed.”

“Yes, sirrr.”

I had no idea what made him think I was bored.

Before I could stop him, Sir Robert sprang to his feet.

“Let us begin. The rules are simple. We spin this fork, and whoever it points to has to reveal something they’ve never been able to say about the person at the handle.”

He explained the rules with a face that had thoroughly succumbed to alcohol.

But isn’t that just a game of truth?

I’d already been amazed that they had drinking games here, but this was surprisingly similar to one.

‘A game of truth with my boss and his wife…….’

Everyone was going to regret this tomorrow.

Especially Sir Robert and Chloe.

They seemed determined to drink as though there were no tomorrow.

And yet, rather than saying anything about what they were doing, Mikhail had been quietly watching their antics for some time.

‘I guess he’s surprisingly willing to play along.’

“All right! Let’s spin it!”

I watched the fork spin while holding my glass to my lips.

‘Wow…… Why am I getting nervous over something like this?’

The fork spun round and round before finally stopping, pointing toward Lara and me.

Her face was bright red, but she seemed relatively sober, because Lara jumped in surprise.

I didn’t really mind either way.

It just so happened that I wasn’t the one who had to reveal a truth. Lara was.

Lara fidgeted for a while before opening her mouth with teary eyes.

“I’m sorry, Madam! A-Actually, I’m not worthy of serving you……”

“Huh?”

“Even after seeing how much you suffer from the cold…… and watching you walk around wearing earmuffs and thick coats, suddenly…… I had such a thought! Y-You looked like a rabbit!”

Lara clasped both hands together and shouted it out.

Silence immediately descended over the table.

‘A rabbit…….’

It was an image I couldn’t exactly refute, so I pressed my lips together.

Was she saying I had the appearance of a herbivore?

I smiled at Lara, who was trembling as though she’d committed some terrible crime, and told her it was fine.

‘Well, rabbits are cute. At least she didn’t say lizard or frog.’

The fork spun several more times after that.

After playing a few rounds, I had to admit it was strangely nerve-racking.

There were successive confessions of inner thoughts, and even outright declarations of love.

The atmosphere grew more heated by the minute.

I watched the spectacle, drinking steadily in lieu of popcorn, and gradually began to feel the alcohol taking effect.

‘Why does the table seem to be getting closer?’

Just as my head began to spin, the fork pointed at me again.

‘Strangely, the fork keeps avoiding Mikhail like it’s got eyes. And this is only my second time.’

At least I wasn’t the one who had to speak.

This time, it was Aaron.

“The little brat got picked! Got anything to say to the Madam?”

The knights snickered and teased him.

Aaron put down the juice he’d been drinking and calmly opened his mouth.

“When I serve her…… sometimes, I think of my…….”

My mind was too hazy to hear properly.

Who was he thinking of?

Soon, I heard Mikhail setting down his glass beside me.

He looked a little surprised.

‘I’ll ask him later. Later……. I’m curious. I’m just too dizzy right now.’

“All right, let’s go again!”

Before I even had a chance to sober up, the fork spun again.

Ahhh, me again!

And this time, I was the one who had to speak.

I shifted my gaze to the tip of the fork and saw Sir Robert staring at me with sparkling eyes.

‘Something I’ve been keeping to myself about Sir Robert…….’

There was only one thing that came to mind.

Almost as if under a spell, I spoke.

“You know…… when I think about Sir Robert’s face, I feel like I’d wake up from sleep in an instant.”

“Y-Yes? Why…… why my face?”

Perhaps the words finally snapped him out of his drunken haze.

Robert pointed at himself in confusion.

‘That face that filled the whole dog door…… It’s traumatic. Seriously, traumatic.’

I no longer had the strength to say anything else, so I weakly propped my chin on my hand.

For some reason, my eyes were slowly closing.

“What exactly is going on here?”

Mikhail slowly rose from his seat, locking eyes with Robert.

It was the first time since the drinking party had begun that Mikhail had spoken up, and everyone at the table instantly sobered up.

Robert, who had nearly returned to his senses, found the situation absolutely terrifying.

“It’s a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding!”

“Whatever it is, my wife just said she sees your face when she wakes up at night.”

Aisha, the one who had dropped the bombshell, had already fallen into a light sleep.

With no one left to explain herself, Robert could only wave his hands desperately in protest, feeling completely wronged.

It had been such a pleasant drinking party.

Mikhail had quietly watched because he wanted to fulfill his wife’s dream.

And now his insides were boiling.

“Gyaaaah!”

Seeing Mikhail grip the hilt of his sword and stride toward Robert, Derek nudged Chloe beside him.

“Shouldn’t we stop him?”

Chloe, who had been calmly watching the situation unfold, replied,

“Just stay quiet. I think I’m about to get promoted.”

Heh heh.

Watching her let out an evil little laugh, Derek shook his head in disbelief.