Grand Duke Martins kept looking for the right moment to add a sleeping pill to Prince Tesla's wine glass, but the opportunity never came. As time passed, the Grand Duke's impatience grew.
'How could you give such an order?'
He looked at Prince Tesla in front of him and thought to himself. Rams was the son of Prince Norton, but he was also the son of Princess Resilia, his sister. He wanted to deny this situation, saying that it was a mistake made while drunk, but the other party was Tesla. If the Prince ordered his knight to have the Assassination Guild search the palace, it would take some time, but there was a high probability that Rams would be found by tomorrow morning. So he had to quickly evacuate him to a place where the Assassination Guild could not reach. But did such a place exist? Maybe inside the Lapion Palace.
'How could you give such an order?'
He looked at Prince Tesla in front of him and thought to himself. Rams was the son of Prince Norton, but he was also the son of Princess Resilia, his sister. He wanted to deny this situation, saying that it was a mistake made while drunk, but the other party was Tesla. If the Prince ordered his knight to have the Assassination Guild search the palace, it would take some time, but there was a high probability that Rams would be found by tomorrow morning. So he had to quickly evacuate him to a place where the Assassination Guild could not reach. But did such a place exist? Maybe inside the Lapion Palace.
Grand Duke Martins, who thought of a safe place and then remembered the palace, shook his head quietly. Even if he brought Rams to the palace, there would be no one he could trust. Even though he wasn’t drunk, the Grand Duke's mind was becoming a mess.
The Grand Duke Martins got up, his legs wobbly. If he delayed any longer, he would surely fall asleep like Prince Tesla. He had to hurry to meet Prince Norton. His state of intoxication was similar to his previous drunken state. The marble floor began to rise and fall repeatedly before the Grand Duke's eyes.
Aoshi looked relieved as he stepped back and returned to his place.
“Why did you really go into the library?”
“I went to look at books, Moiya~.”
“Shit.”
“Meow. (See, I told you not to believe me.)”
Aoshi pushed Moiya next to him with his torso.
“You’d better speak straight. Unless you both want to get kicked out of this room.”
“Actually, it’s inside the library...”
Knock knock.
“Your Highness, I think you are drinking too much. It would be best if you stop drinking now...”
“It’s a day when I can’t help but drink too much because my stomach is boiling. Martins, why don’t you empty your glass?”
Prince Tesla nodded at the Grand Duke's wine glass with a disapproving look.
“If I keep up with the Prince’s pace, I’ll have to crawl out of this room. Don’t you know? Whether it’s drinking or anything else, I’ll always be defeated when I go up against the Prince. Swordsmanship in particular.”
Grand Duke Martins deliberately tried to please the Prince, which made Prince Tesla laugh in satisfaction.
“Wait a minute. Then instead of just drinking like this, I should ask you to bring me something to eat.”
The Prince, who was immediately delighted by Grand Duke Martin's flattery, called the servant. When there was no answer, perhaps because the servant had left the room for a moment, he staggered up from the sofa.
“If you look for these, you’ll find they’re gone.”
“I'll go out and come back.”
Grand Duke Martins supported the Prince and said:
“Oh, okay. Do you think I’m drunk now? That’s ridiculous. You just empty your glass until I get back!”
Prince Tesla shook off the Grand Duke's hand and crawled out the door himself. The opportunity had finally come. Grand Duke Martins hurriedly searched through his uniform pocket and took out the powdered sleeping pills he had received from the “Dignified Night” clinic. He had received the powdered sleeping pills out of regret because they had run out of pills, but who would have thought they would be used like this?
“It’s a day when I can’t help but drink too much because my stomach is boiling. Martins, why don’t you empty your glass?”
Prince Tesla nodded at the Grand Duke's wine glass with a disapproving look.
“If I keep up with the Prince’s pace, I’ll have to crawl out of this room. Don’t you know? Whether it’s drinking or anything else, I’ll always be defeated when I go up against the Prince. Swordsmanship in particular.”
Grand Duke Martins deliberately tried to please the Prince, which made Prince Tesla laugh in satisfaction.
“Wait a minute. Then instead of just drinking like this, I should ask you to bring me something to eat.”
The Prince, who was immediately delighted by Grand Duke Martin's flattery, called the servant. When there was no answer, perhaps because the servant had left the room for a moment, he staggered up from the sofa.
“If you look for these, you’ll find they’re gone.”
“I'll go out and come back.”
Grand Duke Martins supported the Prince and said:
“Oh, okay. Do you think I’m drunk now? That’s ridiculous. You just empty your glass until I get back!”
Prince Tesla shook off the Grand Duke's hand and crawled out the door himself. The opportunity had finally come. Grand Duke Martins hurriedly searched through his uniform pocket and took out the powdered sleeping pills he had received from the “Dignified Night” clinic. He had received the powdered sleeping pills out of regret because they had run out of pills, but who would have thought they would be used like this?
Without hesitation, the Grand Duke poured the entire bottle of sleeping pills into Prince Tesla’s wine glass. Because it was powdered, the sleeping pills disappeared without a trace as soon as they were mixed with the red wine. He quickly poured the wine in his glass into a large flowerpot in a corner next to the table. When the door rang again, the Grand Duke closed his eyes and leaned back loosely on the sofa as if he were slightly drunk.
“Martins, that’s already a problem. No matter how drunk I am, I never fall asleep while drinking, my friend.”
Prince Tesla chuckled and took a long sip of his glass, mixing the sleeping pill into the wine. Grand Duke Martins opened his eyes half-closed and looked at him, then met the Prince's eyes.
“Oh, your glass is empty? There’s no more wine left. Let’s share this before we bring in some new wine.”
Prince Tesla poured about a third of the wine laced with sleeping pills into the Grand Duke's glass.
'What the hell!'
Grand Duke Martins tried not to show his impression.
'If this happens, the plan to put Prince Tesla to sleep and go to Prince Norton will be ruined...'
“What are you doing? Aren’t you drinking? Oh, we should have a toast.”
Prince Tesla personally placed a wine glass in the Grand Duke's hand and clinked the glasses as he spoke.
“For our friendship!”
Both men drank their wine at the same time. Grand Duke Martins did not swallow the wine but kept it in his mouth.
“The alcohol tastes sweet today, doesn’t it? Is it just me? Martins, are you ignoring my words?”
The Grand Duke had no choice but to swallow his wine as Prince Tesla ordered him to speak.
“Martins, that’s already a problem. No matter how drunk I am, I never fall asleep while drinking, my friend.”
Prince Tesla chuckled and took a long sip of his glass, mixing the sleeping pill into the wine. Grand Duke Martins opened his eyes half-closed and looked at him, then met the Prince's eyes.
“Oh, your glass is empty? There’s no more wine left. Let’s share this before we bring in some new wine.”
Prince Tesla poured about a third of the wine laced with sleeping pills into the Grand Duke's glass.
'What the hell!'
Grand Duke Martins tried not to show his impression.
'If this happens, the plan to put Prince Tesla to sleep and go to Prince Norton will be ruined...'
“What are you doing? Aren’t you drinking? Oh, we should have a toast.”
Prince Tesla personally placed a wine glass in the Grand Duke's hand and clinked the glasses as he spoke.
“For our friendship!”
Both men drank their wine at the same time. Grand Duke Martins did not swallow the wine but kept it in his mouth.
“The alcohol tastes sweet today, doesn’t it? Is it just me? Martins, are you ignoring my words?”
The Grand Duke had no choice but to swallow his wine as Prince Tesla ordered him to speak.
Gulp.
Son of a bitch.
"You're right."
In the end, Grand Duke Martins also ended up drinking the wine laced with sleeping pills.
'If you look at the amount of alcohol consumed, Tesla will drink more, so he will fall asleep first.'
A few minutes later, the servants brought in new wine and some light food.
'I'm starting to feel dizzy, but why is that kid still sane?'
Grand Duke Martins opened his eyes wide to keep himself from losing consciousness. Prince Tesla clapped his hands and poured wine into his glass when he saw the new wine.
“Wine is really appealing to me today.”
The moment Prince Tesla put the bottle of wine down on the table, he lost consciousness and fell asleep next to the sofa.
"You're right."
In the end, Grand Duke Martins also ended up drinking the wine laced with sleeping pills.
'If you look at the amount of alcohol consumed, Tesla will drink more, so he will fall asleep first.'
A few minutes later, the servants brought in new wine and some light food.
'I'm starting to feel dizzy, but why is that kid still sane?'
Grand Duke Martins opened his eyes wide to keep himself from losing consciousness. Prince Tesla clapped his hands and poured wine into his glass when he saw the new wine.
“Wine is really appealing to me today.”
The moment Prince Tesla put the bottle of wine down on the table, he lost consciousness and fell asleep next to the sofa.
“Ah... that stupid friendship is getting old.”
The Grand Duke Martins got up, his legs wobbly. If he delayed any longer, he would surely fall asleep like Prince Tesla. He had to hurry to meet Prince Norton. His state of intoxication was similar to his previous drunken state. The marble floor began to rise and fall repeatedly before the Grand Duke's eyes.
***
To the servants, it seemed as if Grand Duke Martins was drunk, but no one thought he was drunk. The Grand Duke went up to the sixth floor where the distinguished guests of the Pasha Empire stayed. The stairs seemed to move back and forth like the floor. He had heard before where Prince Norton’s room was, but he was not sure if his footsteps were heading there. Thinking that he could not waste time like this, he grabbed a servant who was passing by and asked him.
“Prince... do you know where Prince Norton’s room is?”
The attendant of the Pasha Empire frowned at the sight of Grand Duke Martins, who appeared to be a noble guest from the Northern Continent.
“Why do you seek Prince Norton?”
The attendant thought that Grand Duke Martins was very drunk and was going to send him away. When Grand Duke Martins noticed this, he looked around the hall and shouted.
“Prince Norton! It’s Martins!”
Since it had come to this, the Grand Duke pretended to be drunk and made a fuss. If Prince Norton was in the room, he would definitely come out and see him.
“You can’t do that here!”
The attendant finally began to restrain Grand Duke Martins.
“I don’t know what’s wrong, but I think it would be best if you sober up and come back.”
“Let go of this, Prince Norton!”
There was no time. The blurry vision was about to turn into darkness. Then, from the opposite hallway, a door opened with a bang.
“Prince... do you know where Prince Norton’s room is?”
The attendant of the Pasha Empire frowned at the sight of Grand Duke Martins, who appeared to be a noble guest from the Northern Continent.
“Why do you seek Prince Norton?”
The attendant thought that Grand Duke Martins was very drunk and was going to send him away. When Grand Duke Martins noticed this, he looked around the hall and shouted.
“Prince Norton! It’s Martins!”
Since it had come to this, the Grand Duke pretended to be drunk and made a fuss. If Prince Norton was in the room, he would definitely come out and see him.
“You can’t do that here!”
The attendant finally began to restrain Grand Duke Martins.
“I don’t know what’s wrong, but I think it would be best if you sober up and come back.”
“Let go of this, Prince Norton!”
There was no time. The blurry vision was about to turn into darkness. Then, from the opposite hallway, a door opened with a bang.
***
Linel said it so casually, but my heart would pound every time I heard the words 'Acting Empress'.
“Is there anything you want to ask me?”
"Yes."
“Yes, ask me anything.”
She answered meekly, for she had sinned. He took a deep breath and opened his mouth carefully.
“Were you really thinking of... leaving me?”
It was an easier question to answer than I thought.
“At first, yes. It had to be that way.”
Linel's expression seemed to sink into the abyss.
“But without realizing it, I gradually fell in love with you... and every time I looked at Your Majesty's face and said, ‘Empress, I really wanted to be her.”
“It was perfect.”
“...I’m really sorry.”
I laid my forehead on the mattress and placed my hands above my head.
“Is there anything you want to ask me?”
"Yes."
“Yes, ask me anything.”
She answered meekly, for she had sinned. He took a deep breath and opened his mouth carefully.
“Were you really thinking of... leaving me?”
It was an easier question to answer than I thought.
“At first, yes. It had to be that way.”
Linel's expression seemed to sink into the abyss.
“But without realizing it, I gradually fell in love with you... and every time I looked at Your Majesty's face and said, ‘Empress, I really wanted to be her.”
“It was perfect.”
“...I’m really sorry.”
I laid my forehead on the mattress and placed my hands above my head.
“Heh, I said that to make you laugh. I didn’t say it to make you frown like that.”
When I slowly raised my head again, he lifted the corners of my mouth with both hands as if he had been waiting for me to speak. I forced a smile on my face, but I maintained my seriousness.
“I was really scared and afraid. I was afraid that you would be hurt by the betrayal.”
“To reject my love is a betrayal. No matter what position you came to me from, I couldn’t help it.”
“What does that mean?”
“I guess I couldn’t help but fall in love.”
The expression on his face as he looked at me askance was like that of a shy boy who had never known betrayal his entire life.
“Could that really be true?”
“Even if you wasn’t a proxy Empress, but a proxy concubine... Zelda is Zelda.”
I realized that even if you are very happy, your heart can still hurt.
“You? Would you have loved me even if I were not the Emperor?”
“Umm...”
I took a moment to think about a more touching comment.
“Don’t you think that worrying about it at this point is extremely dangerous?”
Linel asked with narrowed eyes and a look of regret.
“I don’t know, I’ve experienced the taste of power and wealth too thoroughly.”
“Huh? You’re a scary woman.”
“I said that to make you laugh too.”
I said, raising the corners of his mouth with two fingers.
“It’s too late. I just saw gold coins pouring out of your eyes.”
I loved the way he spoke as if he was whining, so I covered his face with both hands and laughed.
“Honestly, did you fall in love with me because of my looks rather than my power or wealth?”
“That makes a lot more sense.”
He deliberately brushed his hair up and tilted his face at a 45-degree angle. It was an angle that made it impossible not to kiss. I gave him a kiss without hesitation. When I opened my eyes slightly at the rustling sound, he had already taken off his robe.
“Everyone knows that you’re handsome, but no one knows that you’re such a good kisser.”
Since I had my eyes open, I said what I had wanted to say for a while.
“Is that all?”
He answered, keeping his eyes closed and continuing to concentrate on the kiss.
"Yes?"
“I want to hear other reviews besides Kiss.”
He pulled away and spoke with a smug air as if he had something more to offer me. When I tilted my head, he relaxed his body by turning his shoulders and then his waist.
“Don't you know what it means?”
“I know. Uh... but can we talk about that tomorrow morning?”
“Why? Why on earth?”
“I don’t remember very well.”
No way. Those were compliments that were too embarrassing to say out loud, so I changed the subject. Then, a look of disappointment appeared in his eyes.
“Do you think I don’t remember? Then what were those nights I poured my passion into?”
“Hmm, fireworks?”
“...It ended quickly, is that what you mean?”
Fireworks were exploding in his eyes. Why was he angry? When I said fireworks, I meant that they were colorful and beautiful. He seemed to have interpreted my words differently.
“That’s not what I meant... Ah.”
“I’m going to drop a real bomb today.”
He rolled over, holding me tightly in his arms, showing excessive enthusiasm. He was really like a time bomb. He kissed me urgently as if the fuse had been lit. I really love Linel’s drive to push his feelings like this. He exploded his passion like a firework all night long.
“How come it explodes just by touching it?”
“But it doesn’t explode right away.”
“If this continues, my heart will burst.”
I giggled in Linel's arms.
“The truth is... there are many times when I feel like I’ll explode on my own even if you don’t touch me.”
“Really? Even without me?”
“Yeah, just imagining it.”
“You seem to have a vivid imagination?”
“It’s because there’s so much love.”
Linel's face disappeared back into the blanket.
When I slowly raised my head again, he lifted the corners of my mouth with both hands as if he had been waiting for me to speak. I forced a smile on my face, but I maintained my seriousness.
“I was really scared and afraid. I was afraid that you would be hurt by the betrayal.”
“To reject my love is a betrayal. No matter what position you came to me from, I couldn’t help it.”
“What does that mean?”
“I guess I couldn’t help but fall in love.”
The expression on his face as he looked at me askance was like that of a shy boy who had never known betrayal his entire life.
“Could that really be true?”
“Even if you wasn’t a proxy Empress, but a proxy concubine... Zelda is Zelda.”
I realized that even if you are very happy, your heart can still hurt.
“You? Would you have loved me even if I were not the Emperor?”
“Umm...”
I took a moment to think about a more touching comment.
“Don’t you think that worrying about it at this point is extremely dangerous?”
Linel asked with narrowed eyes and a look of regret.
“I don’t know, I’ve experienced the taste of power and wealth too thoroughly.”
“Huh? You’re a scary woman.”
“I said that to make you laugh too.”
I said, raising the corners of his mouth with two fingers.
“It’s too late. I just saw gold coins pouring out of your eyes.”
I loved the way he spoke as if he was whining, so I covered his face with both hands and laughed.
“Honestly, did you fall in love with me because of my looks rather than my power or wealth?”
“That makes a lot more sense.”
He deliberately brushed his hair up and tilted his face at a 45-degree angle. It was an angle that made it impossible not to kiss. I gave him a kiss without hesitation. When I opened my eyes slightly at the rustling sound, he had already taken off his robe.
“Everyone knows that you’re handsome, but no one knows that you’re such a good kisser.”
Since I had my eyes open, I said what I had wanted to say for a while.
“Is that all?”
He answered, keeping his eyes closed and continuing to concentrate on the kiss.
"Yes?"
“I want to hear other reviews besides Kiss.”
He pulled away and spoke with a smug air as if he had something more to offer me. When I tilted my head, he relaxed his body by turning his shoulders and then his waist.
“Don't you know what it means?”
“I know. Uh... but can we talk about that tomorrow morning?”
“Why? Why on earth?”
“I don’t remember very well.”
No way. Those were compliments that were too embarrassing to say out loud, so I changed the subject. Then, a look of disappointment appeared in his eyes.
“Do you think I don’t remember? Then what were those nights I poured my passion into?”
“Hmm, fireworks?”
“...It ended quickly, is that what you mean?”
Fireworks were exploding in his eyes. Why was he angry? When I said fireworks, I meant that they were colorful and beautiful. He seemed to have interpreted my words differently.
“That’s not what I meant... Ah.”
“I’m going to drop a real bomb today.”
He rolled over, holding me tightly in his arms, showing excessive enthusiasm. He was really like a time bomb. He kissed me urgently as if the fuse had been lit. I really love Linel’s drive to push his feelings like this. He exploded his passion like a firework all night long.
“How come it explodes just by touching it?”
“But it doesn’t explode right away.”
“If this continues, my heart will burst.”
I giggled in Linel's arms.
“The truth is... there are many times when I feel like I’ll explode on my own even if you don’t touch me.”
“Really? Even without me?”
“Yeah, just imagining it.”
“You seem to have a vivid imagination?”
“It’s because there’s so much love.”
Linel's face disappeared back into the blanket.
***
Two hours later.
“Where does it appear?”
A very angry Rosie stood Moiya and Aoshi side by side and kept nagging them for over an hour. While Rosie was reading a book in the main library this afternoon, she saw Aoshi pretending to read a book in front of a bookshelf on one wall, and a mosquito buzzing above his small head, and she thought he fainted.
“You two are out of your minds, right? What the hell am I supposed to do with you guys? Huh? What am I supposed to do with you two troublemakers!”
“If you don’t know, why don’t you just sleep on it today and tell me tomorrow?”
Moiya opened her mouth timidly.
"What?!"
Rosie opened her eyes wide and shouted.
“Aren’t you just saying the same thing over and over again because you don’t know what to do with us?”
“Oh, Aoshi, I think I’ll spin it around like a real windmill!”
At Rosie's harsh tone, Aoshi came forward to Rosie with his white fur shaking. Thinking, 'It's better to get hit first. Let's turn around first,' Aoshi held out his two front paws to Rosie.
“Go in. I didn’t call you.”
“Meow... (Me again...)”
“Where does it appear?”
A very angry Rosie stood Moiya and Aoshi side by side and kept nagging them for over an hour. While Rosie was reading a book in the main library this afternoon, she saw Aoshi pretending to read a book in front of a bookshelf on one wall, and a mosquito buzzing above his small head, and she thought he fainted.
“You two are out of your minds, right? What the hell am I supposed to do with you guys? Huh? What am I supposed to do with you two troublemakers!”
“If you don’t know, why don’t you just sleep on it today and tell me tomorrow?”
Moiya opened her mouth timidly.
"What?!"
Rosie opened her eyes wide and shouted.
“Aren’t you just saying the same thing over and over again because you don’t know what to do with us?”
“Oh, Aoshi, I think I’ll spin it around like a real windmill!”
At Rosie's harsh tone, Aoshi came forward to Rosie with his white fur shaking. Thinking, 'It's better to get hit first. Let's turn around first,' Aoshi held out his two front paws to Rosie.
“Go in. I didn’t call you.”
“Meow... (Me again...)”
Aoshi looked relieved as he stepped back and returned to his place.
“Why did you really go into the library?”
“I went to look at books, Moiya~.”
“Shit.”
“Meow. (See, I told you not to believe me.)”
Aoshi pushed Moiya next to him with his torso.
“You’d better speak straight. Unless you both want to get kicked out of this room.”
“Actually, it’s inside the library...”
Knock knock.
The moment Moiya opened his mouth, a knock rang out in Rosie's room.
“Guests are here!”
“Meow? (But is this the first time you’ve come to the terrace?)”
Moiya and Aoshi noticed that the knocking sound was coming from outside the terrace, unlike Rosie who was looking back towards the door.
“Who is it? At this hour?”
Rosie lifted herself from the floor.
“Rosie, that’s not it.”
Moiya called out to her as she walked to the bedroom door.
"What?"
“It’s over there.”
Moiya hid behind the bedpost and nodded at the terrace door. Rosie looked at Moiya and then turned her gaze towards the terrace.
“Guests are here!”
“Meow? (But is this the first time you’ve come to the terrace?)”
Moiya and Aoshi noticed that the knocking sound was coming from outside the terrace, unlike Rosie who was looking back towards the door.
“Who is it? At this hour?”
Rosie lifted herself from the floor.
“Rosie, that’s not it.”
Moiya called out to her as she walked to the bedroom door.
"What?"
“It’s over there.”
Moiya hid behind the bedpost and nodded at the terrace door. Rosie looked at Moiya and then turned her gaze towards the terrace.
“Mom!”
For a moment, as if she had seen a ghost, Rosie screamed and fell backward.
'Why did that guy come here?!'
For a moment, as if she had seen a ghost, Rosie screamed and fell backward.
'Why did that guy come here?!'
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment