Chapter 21
He was still wearing his coat. She remembered he’d had some gathering today—it seemed he’d come straight to this room after going out. As he drew closer, the smell of alcohol, which she’d thought might be her imagination, grew stronger.
“Are you drunk?”
“My mind’s perfectly clear.”
Luirene tilted her head. He did smell of alcohol, but truly, his speech and gait were steady.
As Hitaon tossed aside his coat and gloves carelessly and sat on the edge of the bed, loosening his cravat, Luirene poured a glass of water. Hitaon didn’t take the glass she offered—he just stared at her blankly.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“The door. You said you’d leave it unlocked and wait.”
So that was it. Luirene covered her mouth and chuckled softly. She’d thought he was sober, but the alcohol was definitely affecting him. Complaining like this was unusual—it felt different.
Luirene placed the glass in his hand and gently coaxed him in a soft voice.
“Until just now, it was unlocked. But no matter how long I waited, there was no word, so I thought you weren’t coming tonight and was about to go to bed.”
“Alone?”
“Then who would I sleep with?”
“Want to sleep with me?”
Luirene blinked. Hitaon sat her on his lap. Then, using the lamp in her hand, he slowly looked around the small, illuminated room.
“So this is where you’ve been staying.”
“Yes.”
“Low, cramped, smells of dust.”
“How rude… There’s a person living here just fine, in this low, cramped, dusty place.”
“If you saw my bedroom, you wouldn’t say that.”
“Are you bragging?”
“Wishing.”
“For what?”
“That our next meeting will be in my bedroom.”
The constantly flickering light seemed to bother him—he blew out the lamp. The surroundings darkened, and the presence they felt of each other grew secretly heavier.
“Did the social gathering go well?”
“As always, it was a tiresome time. Ah—though there was something useful about it, I suppose.”
“Did you meet the young gentleman from Count Pesche’s family too?”
“Yes. He went on and on about things I didn’t ask about.”
“What kind of things?”
“That I should come to the Academy too, that he’d write me a letter of recommendation…”
The Academy? Was he planning to go to the Academy as well?
This was the first she’d heard of it. But it wasn’t out of the question for Hitaon. As the upper class’s position grew increasingly narrow, it made sense that noble children would seek the diplomas of prestigious academies to raise their own value.
“Ugh, my head’s ringing.”
Hitaon’s groan snapped her back from her momentary daze. The way he was rambling unlike usual—clearly the alcohol was affecting him. “Have some water,” Luirene said, bringing the glass he’d only been holding to his lips.
His throat must have been parched—he downed it in one go, then ran his hand through his hair messily. Luirene smoothed back his tousled silver hair.
“What’s certain is that Broil is using the Academy as an excuse to have plenty of fun.”
“What kind of fun?”
“This and that with a new maid.”
“This and that…?”
Hitaon took the hand Luirene was using to touch his hair and pulled it down. He arranged her arm around his shoulder, drawing her into a tighter embrace.
“Luirene.”
“Yes.”
“Luirene—.”
“I’m right here.”
He rubbed his face against her chest and chuckled softly. His thirst quenched, held in a warm embrace, he seemed to be in a good mood.
After a brief pause, she asked carefully.
“Young master… are you going to study abroad as well?”
“Who knows.”
An ambiguous answer—neither affirmation nor denial. What was certain was that it wasn’t a denial either. Didn’t that mean it was a possibility?
He was the master of this mansion, so she’d never once thought he would be the one to leave first. Even if he went abroad to study, he would return someday—but for Luirene, who had been intoxicated by their secret meetings day after day, it was quite a shocking revelation.
Her mind grew complicated, and she couldn’t react. He stroked her narrow waistline and asked.
“If I leave, will you be lonely?”
“…….”
“Well? What do you think.”
“I think I’d feel empty.”
“I really like that honesty of yours.”
His hand, which had been touching her over her chemise, slipped inside and cupped her knee, kneading gently.
“I’m not going.”
“…….”
“How could I go anywhere when you’re here?”
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