Upon closer inspection, Endymion was seen to be enjoying the atmosphere but had not drunk a single drop of wine.
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Only Julia and her husband were drinking wine, but the strange thing was that Julia kept taking the wine from Endymion and drinking it, even though it was enough for her.
Iris smiled and asked casually, wondering if Julia liked alcohol.
"Julia, why do you keep drinking your wine? If you would like more, may I have another glass?"
"No. That's not it. Mion keeps filling his own glass so I take it from him and drink it."
Iris asked back with a face that showed she didn't understand what she was saying.
"He's drinking his own alcohol, so why is Julia...?"
"Huh? Mion can't drink alcohol. This wine has quite a high alcohol content, but what if he drinks it and passes out since he's weak to alcohol?"
What does this mean?
Iris opened her mouth silently. Duke Hyde jokingly teased her about how heartless her older brother was.
"Madam, didn't you know that His Majesty is weak to alcohol? No matter how awkward the two of you are, I didn't know that you didn't know your brother this much, hahaha!"
Julia, who thought that today was the chance for Iris and Endymion to become friends, excitedly pulled the two of them by the arms. It was to make them snap.
Iris, who was holding a glass of water in a panic and toasting Endymion's glass of wine, stared blankly at Endymion.
"What did you ask?"
Her blue eyes, which were just like his, were just calm.
Iris started to get confused.
'Am I doing something wrong?'
Meanwhile, Julia naturally took her glass and drank all the wine in gulps.
Although Iris tried to stop her later, Julia cheerfully exclaimed that she drank a lot on a good day and started the discussion about the baby's name again.
In the end, Iris was internally trembling, but she could not stop Julia, who was diligently drinking her own cup and also emptying Endymion's cup without fail.
Five hours had passed under the leadership of Julia and the Duke of Hyde, and only when the alcohol had all worn off did the dinner and the discussion on naming the child come to a grand close.
"Then, sleep tight and I'll see you tomorrow, Your Majesty!"
"Yes, Duke Hyde. I'll see you tomorrow too!"
Julia smiled brightly and waved her hand. She looked like a lively girl, quite the opposite of her usual elegant self.
"Yes, Good night, both of you."
Iris took care of her slightly drunk husband and ordered her servants to hold him back before she could greet him.
Then Endymion nodded silently, wrapped his arms around Julia's waist, and started walking while supporting her.
Iris blinked anxiously, unable to take her eyes off the couple as they walked away.
"Should I hug you?"
"Huh? It's okay. It's just this much."
Julia, who was smiling brightly and turning around, stumbled. It seemed like it was easy for her to fall if she let her guard down because her ankle had been injured.
Endymion quickly grabbed her, raised his eyebrows, and without saying a word, put his arms behind Julia's knees and hugged her.
“ah.”
"Just stay there."
Hmm, it must be heavy. Julia blinked slowly, worried about nothing, and then, exhaustion set in, she just held him quietly.
"Then I'll ask you something. I'm a little tired..."
"You can close your eyes."
"Yeah."
Hey, I don't know.
Perhaps because of the alcohol, she felt drowsy and couldn't be bothered to walk. As Julia was walking back to the bedroom in Endymion's arms, she heard footsteps running behind her.
Julia, who had begun to half-asleep, was leaning her cheek against Endymion's chest, and only Endymion raised his head. Iris, who had run over, was standing in his way.
"Excuse me! Your Majesty, Julia seems very tired. How about using a separate room today?"
"What are you talking about?"
Iris mustered up the courage to speak first, but Endymion flatly refused.
"Huh? Sister..."
Julia lifted her heavy eyelids upon hearing Iris's voice. Then Endymion quickly fixed her and whispered, embracing her.
"It's nothing."
"Oh? Yeah."
The sight was like a cat bewitching an innocent baby bird. Finally, Iris's eyes lit up with confidence.
"Your Majesty! I heard that you shouldn't press your hands and feet. Julia will be uncomfortable if you share a bed, so I'll get you another room..."
"I don't like it."
The answer that was given with one stroke of a sword was incredibly shameless. In the end, Iris stamped her feet and shouted.
"Endymion!"
"What's wrong with a married couple sharing the same bed?"
But Iris was going crazy seeing the kind and lovely Julia smiling innocently in her brother's sinister clutches!
"You! What do you mean you can't drink? Since when? How did you fool that kid so easily?!"
Throwing away all the titles and such, Endymion leisurely pulled Julia into his arms and covered her ears as Iris shouted like she did when she was a child. Then he calmly stepped away in a low voice.
"You're lying. That's harsh."
"Ha. You usually drink two bottles of wine, right? When Father was alive, I clearly saw the two of you often arguing over who could drink more...!"
"We have to go to sleep, so get out of the way."
And then he passed by, leaving Iris dumbfounded.
How long were the legs? Endymion disappeared in the blink of an eye. Iris could not help but watch the innocent Julia disappear into the arms of her beloved brother.
Finally, only Iris's absurd screams echoed through the empty hallway.
"Hey, hey, you swindler!"
***
Amid her confusion, she felt Endymion lower her onto the bathroom sofa. Julia opened her eyes wide to the coolness of the bathroom. She must have dozed off for a moment because the maids who were serving her were already preparing a simple bath.
"Oh, my head."
"Your Majesty, please drink some honey water."
As Julia was holding her head up and suffering, the maid who had been untying her dress quickly brought her honey water and fed her. Julia drank it gulp by gulp, and only then did she sober up a little. She's not a weak drinker, but she guessed she drank a little more than usual because of the mood.
Julia wondered if she had made a mistake as she placed herself in the care of her maids, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary, except that she had been carried in Endymion's arms from the banquet hall to her bedroom.
'Phew, that's a relief. But I think there was some noise in the hallway.'
She fell fast asleep at that time and had no idea what happened. Hmm... was it just a dream?
Anyway, she came to her senses, except for being a little dazed from the alcohol. Julia was served, took a refreshing, flower-scented bath, and finally came out after a simple oil massage.
"Oh, the Duchess has prepared another bedroom for Your Majesty. She said that since Your Majesty is in poor health, it would be better for you to sleep alone today."
"Really? Tell her that I appreciate her consideration."
Just in case she got hurt in the slippery bathroom due to her weak ankles, a maid who followed her closely supported her and relayed the news.
Julia smiled brightly at Iris's thoughtfulness. Iris was a really nice person. How fortunate that they've become close friends now! She should ask her to have tea together tomorrow too.
It was then that Julia happily dismissed the maids and entered the bedroom.
Endymion, wearing a robe, was leaning against the bed and looking at some papers. But...
'Glasses?"
A pair of gold-rimmed glasses was placed on his flower-like face. Mion had never worn glasses before.
Julia stopped walking, slightly taken aback, and stared blankly at the sight.
The glasses had long gold chains, and they suited Endymion very well. Perhaps because of the soft gold color, it also had the effect of neutralizing his sharp and blunt impression.
The slightly furrowed eyebrows and pensive expression behind his glasses gave off an air of an orphaned scholar. In some ways, it was even ascetic.
'It's my first time seeing... something like that.'
Julia knew exactly what color clothes Endymion wore when he was in a bad mood, how to calm him down when he was upset, and even what expression he made when he slept. Perhaps Endymion was the same. He even knew her underwear size.
The couple, who had never been apart since they were seven, knew each other better than they knew themselves. Julia believed this without a doubt.
Until just now.
'There's something I don't know about.'
It wasn't everything she knew. She felt a little distant. Endymion, whom she had thought of as one body, felt unfamiliar. It was unfamiliar and awkward...
For some reason, her heart rate increased a little.
At that moment, Endymion stared intently at the documents and leaned down slightly. The gold chain hit his chest with a thud, causing Julia to flinch in surprise.
"Julia?"
Endymion raised his head as if the sight had caught his eye.
Looking straight ahead, the unfamiliarity layered on top of the familiarity seemed even more intense. Eventually, Julia unconsciously averted her gaze and avoided it.
"What are you doing there? Come here."
"Yeah."
Endymion was the same as usual, but he suddenly seemed like a strange person if she was the only one feeling unfamiliar. Julia nodded hurriedly and approached the bed.
'Is It because of the alcohol? Why am I acting like this all of a sudden?"
Julia glanced around, clutching her thumping heart tightly.
Endymion moved to the side, putting the papers on the table. Julia opened her mouth, still resting her knees on the bed.
"Mion, weren't you sleeping in another room?"
"No. I can't sleep if I change my sleeping position because it's uncomfortable."
"...This is also a changed bed?"
"I feel uncomfortable without you by my side."
Endymion said, blinking as if it were obvious.
If it were any other day, she would have laughed and said. "That's childish," but today, her heart sank. Julia was momentarily speechless and gasped before coming to her senses.
Instinctively, she felt that she should not be caught in this sudden change.
Julia changed the subject to something else so that the beating of her heart wouldn't be heard by the eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses looking at her.
"Hey, Mion! Aren't you curious about what your nephew will look like? Will he resemble the Duke, or will he resemble your sister?"
"Well, I guess it will turn out just fine."
Endymion answered nonchalantly. Julia laughed in vain at the ridiculous response and sat down cautiously on the edge of the bed. Endymion raised one eyebrow in surprise at the sight.
"Why are you sitting there like that?"
"Oh, right! Did you take care of the problem that occurred during the day?"
"Ah. It's all over. We'll catch and punish everyone involved as soon as possible."
Julia tried to change the subject, but Endymion just got to the point without any extraneous remarks and kept his mouth shut.
Julia felt like she was going to die inside the wall with her long eyelashes blinking. Finally, Julia, who was trying hard to look calm with her purple eyes wandering anxiously, jumped up from the bed like a spring.
"No. I can't. Actually, my wrists and ankles have been hurting so much since a while ago. I might groan in my sleep, so I think it would be better for you to go to another room and sleep."
"I'll be careful not to touch it. Should you call a doctor now?"
"What? No, not that much! Let's just sleep separately. You have to return to the palace first tomorrow, so you can't lose sleep."
"I'll have more trouble sleeping if I sleep alone without you."
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