Chapter 22
“You’re more resolute than I expected. Am I not your type?”
Castian let out a soft chuckle. I glanced at him cautiously before answering.
“We don’t really know each other well to begin with.”
“Hmm. Do you need more time to get to know each other?”
“Um, yes. Well, if I had to say, that’s right.”
I had no desire to marry him, but even if I did, wouldn’t it be too early to make such a decision right now? Setting everything else aside, I clearly knew he hadn’t approached me out of affection, but because of what my family possessed.
‘And men…’
I still didn’t know if I could develop romantic feelings for a man. That part was completely unimaginable to me.
“I see. It can’t be helped then.”
“Uh… where are you going?”
“I got rejected, so I’m going to sulk about it.”
Castian stood up from his seat and declared this boldly, which flustered me.
Did my reaction amuse him? Castian smiled with his eyes curved like crescents.
“Just kidding. It would be more fun for you all to enjoy yourselves if I step aside. My only business was to ask for your opinion. And little rabbit.”
He leaned his head toward me.
“I haven’t given up on you yet.”
Since his face was close, I pulled my head back, but suddenly he brought his hand over and pressed his lips to the back of my hand.
“Well then, have fun. Let’s meet again next time.”
Out of nowhere, I received a hand kiss. While I sat there dumbfounded, Castian leisurely left the salon. After a moment, I stared intently at the back of my hand that had been kissed.
“……”
Unlike when I received a hand kiss from Cedric, I felt absolutely nothing.
Right. This must be normal.
‘Maybe when Cedy did it, I was just flustered because of the situation.’
That’s when it happened.
Suddenly, Cedric snatched my hand away. I turned around in surprise. He was glaring at the back of my hand with frightening eyes.
“I need to disinfect this immediately.”
“Huh?”
“Something dirty got on it.”
“It’s not that serious…”
His gaze was menacing. Afraid that my innocent hand might get pierced by that stare, I carefully withdrew my hand.
After all the servants left and we were alone in the salon, a literal party atmosphere erupted. We enjoyed card games while tasting the prepared refreshments and fruits.
We also clinked glasses and drank, one glass, then two. Swept up in the atmosphere, I ended up drinking more than usual.
Gradually, the world began spinning around me.
My head was dizzy, the ceiling would sink down and the floor would rise up – it was complete chaos.
Somehow I felt like I wanted to feel human warmth, so I tried to embrace the person next to me, but someone pulled me backward and I failed. Wondering who it was, I squinted and struggled to look straight ahead. Cedric had a rigidly hardened expression.
Why does he have such an angry face again?
“We should head back soon.”
“Ah! Yes, we should.”
“Miss Viola, could you help support him?”
“I will.”
“Mmph… my angel…”
“Oh my, Gareth. Try to pull yourself together.”
Male and female voices mixed together in a swirling muddle as they reached my ears.
What’s happening? What time is it now? I wasn’t sure, but I was getting sleepy… it must be time to disperse.
Somehow it was hard to control my body, so I wrapped my arms around a solid pillar in front of me. This pillar… was warm like a human body.
Come to think of it, where did Cedric go in the meantime?
I don’t know. It’s warm, so I should sleep now.
* * *
“So warm…”
Cedric briefly glared at Edgar, who was slumped against his stomach, face pressed against it while mumbling, then let out a small sigh.
“What a drinking habit.”
When Edgar got thoroughly drunk, he had the habit of trying to embrace anyone nearby. It really drove people crazy.
With his face loosened in an alluring way, looking all drowsy and trying to cling to just anyone – the sight was so unpleasant that even when the three of them usually met with Riette, they rarely drank, and even when they did drink, he tried to prevent Edgar from drinking too much…
At least today he ended up in his own arms, so that was fortunate.
“Cedy, will Eddie be okay?”
“Yeah. I’ll take care of him, so don’t worry.”
“Got it. Then we’ll head out first.”
“Alright.”
Viola and Riette left the room supporting Gareth between them. At the end, Viola seemed to have some lingering attachment as she glanced back at Edgar, but Riette, who was in cahoots with Cedric, urged her to hurry along.
Soon only Edgar, who was completely wasted, and Cedric, who was perfectly fine despite drinking, remained in the salon. Quiet silence settled in.
“……”
Cedric still peeled Edgar away from his embrace – Edgar who was mumbling and squirming as if dreaming – then lifted him up in both arms.
His gaze was particularly drawn to the white cheeks that had turned rosy from intoxication.
“Mmph…”
Just then, Edgar stirred in his arms and wrapped his arms around his neck.
His heart pounded violently.
The scent emanating from Edgar’s nape made his throat burn, but he tried hard not to pay attention to it.
After barely escaping the salon, Cedric hesitated for a moment before taking Edgar to his own room’s bed. He laid him down on the bed and carefully removed the arms wrapped around his neck.
Cedric tidied Edgar’s disheveled hair. His steady, peaceful breathing was rhythmic.
“…Eddie.”
“……”
“Are you asleep?”
“……”
Cedric quietly lay down beside the unresponsive Edgar and gently stroked his forehead with his thumb. His white, round forehead looked exactly like something he wanted to kiss.
〈Actually, I did like her before. But I gave up on those feelings.〉
…Edgar had given up his feelings for Riette.
It was an unbelievable fact.
What was so different from before the regression that things had changed this much? Had some demon cast a spell to shake his psychology? It might be the whisper of a serpent that he shouldn’t fall for.
Even so, it was difficult to endure.
This overflowing heart, restraining it wasn’t easy.
“May I… be greedy just one more time?”
The hollow soliloquy quietly fell and scattered. After a long while, Cedric silently tilted his head. Lips and lips touched with a soft *brush*, then quickly separated. That forbidden and secret sensation lingered with warmth for a long time.
* * *
Feeling like sunlight was stabbing my eyeballs, I groaned and lifted my eyelids. The bright morning sunlight was seeping in through the wide-open window along with a gentle breeze.
“Ugh… my head.”
Where on earth am I?
I remember chattering and playing in the salon while drinking yesterday. Looking around, something felt familiar. This place seemed to be Cedric’s room.
‘What? Did I really sleep here until morning?’
I might have gotten drunk and come in here without even finding my room properly and just slept.
Did Cedric then go sleep in my room? Since Cedric was nowhere to be seen, I got up and washed first.
After refreshing myself with a wash, the lingering alcohol and drowsiness completely disappeared. I came out feeling fresh and clean, and just then ran into Cedric who was entering through the door. He looked neat and tidy, as if he had already washed and been moving around early in the morning.
Behind him, a servant was following while pushing a cart with meals.
“Cedy, what’s this?”
“Breakfast. I went downstairs briefly to specially request something gentle on the stomach, then came back.”
“Oh, is there a portion for me too?”
“Yeah.”
I was so hungry after washing up, so this worked out well. And perhaps because he intentionally requested food that would be easy on the stomach due to hangovers, there were only non-greasy foods, which was even better.
I sat on the sofa humming cheerfully.
“Come to think of it, I was sleeping here.”
“Yeah.”
“Where did you sleep yesterday?”
There was no… answer following that.
Cedric didn’t move his mouth until he sat down in the seat across from me.
Just when I was wondering if he hadn’t heard my question properly because he was lost in other thoughts, he finally slowly opened his mouth while gripping his cutlery.
“We slept together.”
“Huh?”
“I said we slept together, next to each other.”
…Slept together. Huh, I don’t remember that. For a moment, my mind went completely blank and got all twisted up.
“…Ah! That’s possible. Yeah, the bed is big.”
I quickly responded as if it were no big deal, trying to smooth over the atmosphere that had suddenly become awkward, then hurriedly started eating.
Right, that’s possible. What’s the problem with friends just sleeping together after drinking? This isn’t something worth being conscious about.
It definitely wasn’t… but I couldn’t understand why my mind felt confused.
“……”
“……”
A brief silence where only the sound of cutlery clashing against dishes could be heard. Unable to bear that strange quiet, I was the first to bring up a different topic.
“Oh, come to think of it, what about the other people yesterday?”
“Other people, what?”
“I was wondering if everyone got home safely yesterday.”
“You don’t really remember what happened yesterday.”
“…Yeah. Did I do anything strange?”
Something seemed suspicious about how he asked that, so I questioned him back. Cedric quietly chewed his food, then slowly shook his head.
“Nothing like that.”
“Nothing like that?”
“Just, drink in moderation.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
Cedric is too much of a good boy. He should’ve told Edgar they did the deed. Woulda been so funny