The Drinking Sage 38

Morning dawned.

“…”

Chirp- Chirp- The sound of sparrows chirping.

The sunlight tries hard to brighten the room filled with dark wallpaper befitting the Pitch-Black Tower. Yet the room still has low brightness as if it were night.

An atmosphere too good for falling asleep.

However, I couldn’t easily fall asleep.

“Haa.”

I close my eyes and recall the topic I had been pondering all night.

What’s still lingering in my mind is. The last words Adela conveyed to me.

-On the last day of this party. I’ll confess to Your Highness clearly.

Confession.

The fact that she attached the word ‘clearly’ in front means.

Without any room for excuses like borrowing the power of alcohol. She means she will collide her heart with mine, as clearly as possible.

-By then, I’ll hear it. Your Highness’s true feelings.

Therefore, Adela elaborated that she would hear my true feelings.

That’s why my heart is so troubled.

‘True feelings, huh.’

For someone emotionless like me to be so caught up in contemplation, it’s not an easy topic.

What are the true feelings of Lorang von Welert, the Empire’s Third Prince? That was difficult to know.

Let me ask myself one question.

‘Can I choose someone?’

Well.

It was a difficult question to answer easily.

Adela, who was the first to confess to me, though she claimed to be drunk.

Rinet, who clearly expressed her love to me with her clear will.

And Silvia, who hasn’t made such expressions yet. But clearly harbors feelings for me in her heart.

Even someone as emotionless as I can tell they’re sending affection my way, but.

‘How could I accept it?’

Compared to the magnitude of all that desire for love, what I can return is extremely little.

So I can’t bring myself to say I’ll become their lover.

Moreover, let’s say I choose just one.

I tightly closed my eyes.

‘In that case, the imperial order would be ruined.’

Graduating from the Academy with someone whose love I rejected? Even for someone emotionless like me, it’s a cruel act I couldn’t do.

‘But.’

Looking back lately, there’s one unexpected fact.

-The escort was worthwhile.

Why did I try to pat Silvia’s head?

An emotional act I wouldn’t do if truly under the curse of emotionlessness.

Moreover, if I had no intention of showing affection to someone, I would especially avoid doing so to prevent misunderstandings.

‘Why?’

Why did I do that?

This isn’t the only questionable point.

-Weren’t you the one who started it?

I even breathed into Adela’s ear, clearly flirting.

‘An act I would never have done before.’

To the extent that if the palace maids were told the Third Prince did such a thing, they would snicker. It doesn’t match Lorang von Welert.

“…”

But why. Why did I do it?

At that moment.

“Your Highness, did you cough?”

Knock knock. At the sound of polite knocking on the door, my thoughts were interrupted.

Recognizing Adela’s voice, I got up from my seat and answered.

“Yes. Is the Sage also awake?”

“Of course. Actually, I couldn’t easily fall asleep.”

“Is that so.”

“Yes. I was so excited about today that I couldn’t help it.”

How could I not know that those words subtly meant she had been waiting only for a date with me?

Sighing so she couldn’t hear. I approached the wardrobe and continued.

“I’ll change clothes and come out. Please wait a moment.”

“Yes. I will.”

Like an obedient cat. I could feel Adela waiting outside the door.

Creeak- The sound of the wardrobe opening.

“…”

While choosing clothes inside, I pondered for a moment.

‘How formally should I dress?’

Originally, until now, I only dressed enough to maintain dignity as a royal.

But if it’s for sharing love with a partner, I would inevitably need to dress more carefully.

A moment of hesitation. After a brief consideration of where to set the standard.

Swish, as I pulled out the clothes.

I made a bold decision.

 

The city where the tower is located is practically a street of mages.

Compared to the other cities of the Empire where I grew up, there isn’t much difference.

But if I had to point out one different aspect, it would be the beauty of the people walking the streets.

Since everyone is a mage, whether using transformation magic or illusion magic.

Whatever it is. Since it’s very easy to enhance one’s beauty, the average value of appearance was high.

Yes. On such streets of the Pitch-Black Tower filled with handsome men and beautiful women.

“…”

I, Lorang, was hearing the jealous whispers of those beauties.

-What is that? He’s so handsome. Damn.

-No, shi… He doesn’t even seem to be using magic? Yet he has that face?

One by one, surprising emotions are reflected in their eyes.

Since there’s no one who hasn’t used magic to enhance their charm.

Like the saying that in a village of one-eyed people, having two eyes is abnormal. I, who didn’t use any magic, have become abnormal.

The problem was that being abnormal in a ‘good’ way was the seed of trouble.

Glance glance-

As I walk the streets with Adela, I see numerous gazes examining us.

Not one was without envy. Even couples who had dressed up with magic end up whispering as they look at us.

-Honey. Why aren’t you as handsome as him?

-Wh, what?

-That person is naturally handsome, but why are you a magically handsome man?

‘That hurts.’

Even though that woman’s statement isn’t directed at me.

Thinking about the heart of the man called “honey” who heard it, my heart feels cut.

“Puhut.”

Perhaps having heard the same conversation. A laugh burst out beside me.

Turning my head to the side, I saw Adela walking right beside me.

She was in the same arm-linked posture as when we first came to the tower. She had intertwined our arms so deeply that her soft breast fat was directly felt.

Probably deliberately intending the touch.

But if I pointed it out, it was obvious I’d get a suggestive answer like ‘Oh? Are you conscious of it? Does it bother you a bit?’ So I just kept my mouth shut.

Anyway, Adela seemed to be in a very good mood, humming a tune.

“Well. What kind of man is he.”

“…”

“She has an eye for the subject. Seems she knows how to judge a man’s face?”

‘I’m not your man yet.’

I suppressed the line that rose to my throat. Looking at Adela’s beaming smile, I couldn’t say such words.

Plop- She leaned her head on my shoulder and whispered sweetly.

“Of course. The clothes Your Highness is wearing are also a problem because they’re too stylish.”

A bitter smile formed on my lips at those words. Because she accurately pointed out the judgment I had made after consideration.

“Do you like it?”

“Of course. That outfit, it shows that you put a lot of effort into dressing up.”

That can’t be helped.

If the clothes I usually wore were the minimum attire to indicate a noble status.

Now I had decorated my shoulders with gold embroidery and wore a brooch with prominent but not excessive jewels. It was like a ballroom costume.

“Since the original purpose of this schedule was a party, I brought it to match that. Consider it a preview.”

“My goodness. Is that so?”

Adela covered her mouth with her hand. It was a gesture of considerable surprise.

Then, with a smile like a dark cat, she murmured.

“It will look good when we dance together.”

“…Is it decided that you and I will dance?”

“Isn’t that obvious? I’m the protagonist as the legitimate successor of the Tower Master. Besides Your Highness whom I personally invited, who else would be my partner?”

That’s also a reasonable statement, but.

‘Haah.’

Agria said she had gathered influential figures from all over the world.

Thinking about giving the impression that Adela and I are in a special relationship in front of those figures. Honestly, I was very concerned, but.

‘It will work out somehow.’

With the recently quite lax way of thinking, I lightly dismissed it.

While we were talking. The man’s expression turned woeful at his lover’s sharp tongue.

But the woman who was clearly part of the couple ended up delivering additional blows.

-And that person’s behavior also shows dignity, why do you look so cheap?

-….

The man didn’t make any retort. He must have known that any answer would only hurt each other’s feelings.

However, his lip movements didn’t stay still. My Dragon Eyes unintentionally interpreted what he was saying without making a sound.

[Says the one with a inferior face and an ironing board chest.]

“…”

It wasn’t very pleasant content.

Seeing what I didn’t need to see seemed not to be a blessing after all.

What followed was an extension of such situations. Since the reactions visible from around us whenever Adela and I advanced were really burdensome.

Eventually, I ended up asking Adela.

“Sage.”

“Yes?”

I can see her turning her head towards me.

Looking directly into Adela’s eyes. I opened my mouth.

“Where are you going that we keep walking like this?”

“Hmm? Are your legs tired?”

“No. I’m just a bit concerned about people’s gazes.”

Though I said it euphemistically, the meaning should have been sufficiently conveyed.

In this street full of magic. Adela and I, being natural as we are, are like heretics.

However, Adela didn’t mind at all and rubbed her face against my chest.

“Hmph- It’s problematic if you’re already tired from this.”

“What do you mean by that? And you shouldn’t bring your face so close to a stranger’s embrace.”

“Th-at’s-wh-y I’m saying you shouldn’t be like this already.”

Adela leans her face on my chest.

There’s clearly clothing between us so skin wouldn’t directly touch. Yet how does such a soft sensation feel like this?

Obsidian pupils capturing my face are filled with love. She whispered to me.

“What do you think I’m going to do with Your Highness?”

In the end, giving up on dissuading her.

I merely calmly. Without mixing emotions, questioned Adela.

“What is it?”

After saying she came out for a date. To think something more awaits. It was quite concerning.

However, the fact that I tried not to reveal it as much as possible is ultimately to avoid being overly swayed by Adela.

‘Setting aside the issue of dominance in a lover’s relationship.’

It’s not about who leads when I become a couple with Adela. I believe it’s not.

In any case, I need to control my classmates as the class president to fulfill the imperial order.

Yes. That’s right. I don’t deceive myself.

As I repeatedly reassured myself in my inner mind.

Adela, just like that, lifted her head up.

Standing on tiptoes and placing her lips near my ear.

She let out a honey-sweet whisper.

“Today, we will become husband and wife.”

The fact that no profanity escaped is something to be grateful for.

Despite preparing myself somewhat, how greatly my heart wavered. It was a struggle to hold back the shaking of my facial skin.

Without saying anything, the thought that arose inside was.

“…”

‘No way.’

Am I the type of husband who gets dragged around by his wife?

Deep inside, I was very concerned about my future married life.