Chapter 188: It’s Unfair

“Pfft!”

…Huh?

Without thinking, I touched the corner of my mouth, caught off guard by the awkward feeling.

I had definitely smiled. It wasn’t the first smile I’d ever made in my life, so the act itself wasn’t strange.

And yet, why did it feel so unfamiliar?

I couldn’t clearly picture the expression I had just made in my head.

What kind of smile had it been?

A soft smile meant to ease the other person’s guard? A harmless grin that stirred a protective instinct? Or perhaps a subtly seductive, teasing smile?

I couldn’t say for sure. By the time I came to my senses, I had already let out a laugh without realizing it.

And the only one who had seen that moment… was Mardian.

“……”

She was staring at me in silence.

Maybe because she was drenched from the cold water, her face looked redder than usual.

“Uh, um… Should I give your coat back?”

I broke the silence, awkwardly scratching my cheek.

Mardian, who had been silently looking at me for a while, finally gave a gentle smile.

“It’s fine. I’m wearing black anyway.”

She opened her umbrella and held it up high. Instinctively, I did the same.

Thanks to that, we were able to shield ourselves a little from the downpour overhead.

Though, of course, we were already completely soaked.

“Next time, wear something that isn’t see-through, Tina.”

At her teasing voice, I instinctively pulled the coat tighter around me. Her warmth still lingered in the thick fabric.

After lingering there for a little while longer, we finally left the aquarium. By then, the sun was already low on the horizon.

Had that much time really passed? The fact that I hadn’t even noticed probably meant I had actually enjoyed myself here.

“Did you enjoy the aquarium, Tina?”

I turned my gaze away from the scenery outside the carriage window.

A calm smile played on Mardian’s lips.

“Yes, it was fun.”

“I’m glad. Even after you return to the Empire, make sure to come visit sometimes.”

It had only been a couple of days since I’d decided to return to the Empire in a week. Which meant… I had just five days left to spend time alone with Mardian.

“Let’s go on a picnic tomorrow.”

“A picnic?”

“Yes. There’s a mountain range with a nice breeze… More importantly, Lady Tina.”

“Yes?”

“I want to get closer to you.”

Mardian’s gaze grew deeper. She leaned in slightly, closing the distance between us.

“Can I speak casually with you?”

“…Go ahead.”

A bright smile blossomed on her lips.

“Thanks, Tina.”

It felt strange.

I was sure everything would go back to how it used to be, but somehow… Mardian’s casual tone felt completely new.

[I’ll make sure to bring your real smile to life on this face.]

Suddenly, her words echoed in my mind.

I didn’t know why, but something in my chest felt oddly tight.

***

Four days had passed.

Mardian held my hand tightly as she guided me through every famous tourist spot in the fairy-tale city.

From the lively market to the grand hall of arts, she didn’t skip any place where precious works were gathered.

It felt like we had visited almost every notable place in the city. And throughout that time, Mardian had never once revealed any personal desire.

The only physical contact was her holding my hand to lead the way.

Above all, she always acted according to my opinion. Whatever the decision, she respected my wishes first.

I wasn’t ungrateful for that consideration, but oddly, a part of me felt uneasy.

From the beginning, was I really someone worthy of such respect?

Maybe I’d be more comfortable if Mardian treated me simply as a tool.

“You’re going back to the Empire tomorrow.”

As the twilight faded and night fell deep, Mardian was gently brushing my hair in the bedroom.

“Are you really okay with going back to the Empire?”

“Yes. But more importantly, Tina, I’d like tonight to be a little special.”

I tilted my head slightly.

With a meaningful smile, she pulled out a small bottle.

“Tonight, I want to share a drink with you.”

Inside the bottle shimmered a clear, red liquid.

“…Lady Mardian, I can’t drink.”

I had worked so hard to quit.

I had only just escaped from alcohol — I couldn’t let myself go back.

“It’s okay, Tina. Just once in a while is fine.”

“…Still.”

“Then I’ll use a wish.”

Mardian lightly raised one finger.

“Would you drink with me? Of course, I won’t force you.”

But once she called it a wish, there was no way to avoid it.

In the end, I sighed softly and sat across from Mardian on the sofa.

“If you get drunk, I’m putting you to bed right away.”

Whatever happened, I could heal her with holy water, so I felt a bit more at ease.

“Oh my, Tina assumes I’ll be the one to get drunk first?”

Mardian gracefully removed the wooden cork from the bottle.

Pop–

With a pleasant sound, Mardian naturally held the bottle in one hand.

The red liquor slowly filled the clear glass. Mardian picked up a glass and handed it to me.

“Will you share this last night in Märchen with me?”

I hesitated for a moment, then took the glass from her hand. The deep, blood-colored liquid shimmered faintly in the cup.

“Don’t overdo it.”

At my words, Mardian smiled.

“Have you ever had alcohol before?”

She tilted her glass slightly toward me. I stared blankly at it, not understanding what she meant.

“…It must be your first time.”

The corners of Mardian’s lips curled into a peculiar smile. She gently clinked her glass against mine.

A clear resonance lingered in the air as the crimson liquor touched Mardian’s lips.

I, too, quietly raised my glass, following Mardian’s lead.

‘It should be fine.’

Not once in my past life, nor until now, had I ever touched alcohol. I had never even been interested in it to begin with.

Which is why I was all the more curious.

What on earth is it about alcohol that makes people so obsessed?

I slowly brought the glass to my lips.

Though I knew nothing about alcohol, a scene I had once randomly seen on television in my past life came to mind.

‘You have to drink the first glass in one go.’

I clearly remembered the TV saying it was a sign of respect when drinking.

I took a small breath and shut my eyes tightly.

Then, tilting the glass, I let the red liquor slide down my throat in one gulp.

“Ke-hek.”

A searing pain blazed down my throat. My nose stung, and a tingling sensation spread.

“Tina!”

Mardian’s eyes widened in shock as she hastily thrust a glass of water toward me.

“You can’t just down it like that! Hurry, drink this!”

Her hand holding the glass trembled with urgency. Her eyes were filled with concern.

I tilted my head. It was just one drink—was it really worth all this fuss?

“I’m fine, Lady Mardian.”

I gave a slight shrug and pushed the water glass away.

“…Are you really okay?”

Mardian still looked flustered as she stared at me.

To be honest, I thought she was overreacting a bit.

“Yes, I’m perfectly fine.”

It was my first time drinking, but it wasn’t anything special. Honestly, it hadn’t even lived up to the hype.

And yet all this fuss over a single glass…

“Lady Mardian, you’re surprisingly weak to alcohol.”

I teased her with a faint smirk. The jab seemed to land—her brow twitched ever so slightly.

I picked up the bottle on the table.

“Could you finish this whole bottle?”

I asked playfully, watching her reaction.

“…No, I couldn’t drink it all by myself.”

She tried to act composed, but her gaze wavered ever so slightly.

“See?”

I didn’t know much about alcohol. But fortunately, I had someone to compare her to.

My mother in a previous life.

She drank every single day without fail.

Usually three or four bottles. On bad days, she’d go through five.

And yet Mardian couldn’t even finish one?

Wasn’t that practically feeble?

Of course, the alcohol here might be different from what I’d seen in my previous life.

But in the end, alcohol is alcohol. How different could it truly be?

Suddenly, my mother’s face came to mind. My mood sank in an odd, heavy way.

On the days she grabbed a bottle, I had to be beaten until I couldn’t cry anymore.

So I knew.

I knew how cruel alcohol could make a person.

“That’s why you shouldn’t drink anymore, Lady Mardian.”

How terrifying would someone like Mardian be when drunk?

Could she turn out to be even more violent than my mother in my past life?

As that dark thought crossed my mind, I snatched her glass and pulled it toward me.

Mardian looked at me with a baffled expression.

“Tina… are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

I couldn’t understand why she was worried about me.

She was the one who drank enough to border on alcoholism.

Shouldn’t I be the one to be worried, not her?

“Tina, I think today is—”

Mardian cautiously reached out her hand.

At that moment, my mother from my past life came to mind. My body trembled at the sight of that outstretched hand.

Emotions surged from deep within my chest. Without realizing it, I harshly slapped Mardian’s hand away.

“…It’s unfair.”

Hot tears welled up in my eyes.

Mardian looked at me in shock. I glared back at her with sharp eyes.

“I… it’s unfair.”

Why is this happening?

The tears wouldn’t stop.

“Un… fair… hic… sob… sniffle…”

What exactly is unfair?

Do I even have the right to say such a thing?

“T-Tina…”

“It’s unfair… hic…”

But unless I said it out loud, I felt like the tears would never stop.

So for a while, I could only pour out that sense of unfairness.