The Sage Who Drinks 47

I walked further down the corridor after passing Gaius.

As I talked with various familiar faces I encountered along the way, I was able to see a cherished face.

“Oh! Loran, there you are.”

The voice was cheerful but not light.

Golden hair neatly cut. Two blue gems also shone.

The distinctive appearance of the imperial family. Among them, a man approaching me with a friendly greeting.

It was the Empire’s First Prince, David von Welert.

“Have you been well, brother?”

“You still use such formal language. Didn’t I tell you to speak more comfortably?”

“How could I do that to my eldest brother?”

“My goodness.”

My eldest brother shrugged his shoulders. It seems he’s still not satisfied with my attitude.

David told his attendants to wait a moment and then spoke to me.

“So, Loran. Have you been doing well since you went to the Academy?”

I briefly considered how to answer that question, but my thoughts didn’t linger long.

“Yes. I’ve formed satisfying relationships with good people.”

“Oh, that’s fortunate.”

Of course, considering the Imperial Command to graduate the problem students, there might be some discrepancy in calling them ‘good’ people.

Nevertheless, the Saint, Sage, and Sword Star I had seen all had kind hearts when looking at their inner selves, so my lips impassively expressed my impression.

In any case, I found David’s blue pupils both welcoming and slightly awkward.

‘You remain the same.’

My eldest brother’s gaze was benevolent. Since those old days when I wasn’t on good terms with Lorela.

The gaze of a caring elder who looked after and worried about me.

Knowing that is why I can’t help but treat my eldest brother with utmost respect.

But at that moment, David leaned his head towards my ear and. As if it were something to be said in secret, he whispered softly.

“By the way, little brother. I heard that you’ll be dancing with the Sage of the Pitch-Black Tower… is it true?”

“…”

How does he know that?

As it’s a party, there will naturally be time for dancing. And it’s also natural that the Sage, as the representative of the Tower, would be the partner.

But the fact that I would be the counterpart should not have been known yet.

Seeing my surprised eyes, my eldest brother burst into laughter.

“Haha, don’t be surprised. It’s just that at this level of position, there are people who will inform you even if you don’t want to know.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. So, is it true?”

His gaze while asking contained affection.

I averted my gaze for a moment, then eventually had no choice but to nod.

“…Yes. It’s true.”

“Hmm.”

At my confirmation, my eldest brother raised his hand. Stroking his manly chin, he then quietly murmured.

“It seems you’ve improved a lot…”

“Pardon?”

“Do you remember what I always told you?”

“Hmm.”

What my brother often told me.

After briefly flipping through the pages of my memory, I answered.

“You often told me to do what I want to do.”

“That’s right.”

My brother nodded at my words and added.

“Don’t be overly conscious of others. That’s what I said, but the fact that you’ve agreed to dance with this woman called the Sage seems to indicate significant progress.”

“Umm.”

Of course, dancing with Adela in front of influential figures gathered at the Pitch-Black Tower would have quite significant implications.

It would be an act openly revealing that the Empire’s Third Prince and the Tower Master’s successor are close.

‘It’s something I was aware of as well.’

Originally, thinking I knew Adela’s character well, I had thought I was just going along with her persistence.

‘…Come to think of it, is that all there is to it?’

Can I, Loran, truly say that I have no romantic interest in Adela at all?

My thoughts progressed rapidly as I sank into contemplation.

What woke me from this was my eldest brother’s laughter.

“Little brother, you’re taking it so seriously again.”

“Ah, yes. I’m sorry.”

My expression must have stiffened as I raised my hand to smooth it. The aftermath of the emotionlessness curse must have been quite apparent.

David’s large hand patted my shoulder.

“Don’t worry too much, just do what you want. Understand?”

“Yes.”

My eldest brother waved his hand and then left me behind. Numerous people lined up following his broad back.

‘You still command respect.’

Indeed, the rightful successor to father is none other than my eldest brother.

I just want to live a quiet life as the Third Prince.

‘…Though that’s difficult right now.’

There wasn’t much time left until the party started.

Now, it was time to dance with Adela.

 

A spacious party hall.

When evening came and the moon settled, not just the walls of the Pitch-Black Tower but the whole world was immersed in darkness.

In contrast, the party hall inside the Tower shone brightly.

Dazzling chandeliers and magitech tools spread across the ceiling illuminated the interior. Below, white tablecloths were laid out on tables, supporting various foods.

While notable figures from various regions gathered to form their own groups or expand their networks by making acquaintances,

“Do you feel the gazes?”

I was sitting with Adela in a clear spot at the high table.

The two chairs placed indicated the distinction between man and woman, but their close proximity signified the intimacy between the two.

Our shoulders were close as we sat in chairs placed right next to each other. Of course, Adela’s own will played a larger role in this.

Adela exhaled sweet breath into my ear and whispered.

“They’re watching us.”

“…Isn’t it more noticeable because you’re acting this way, Lady Sage?”

“I wonder.”

At my words, Adela brushed back her hair with her finger. The pitch-black silky hair rippled.

“Well, considering both appearance and status, it’s inevitable that attention would be focused on us from the start. But me clinging to Your Highness would be more of a cause, right?”

“You do this despite knowing that?”

“Why, don’t you like it?”

…When she put it that way, I had nothing to retort.

But even so, it’s true that I have doubts in one corner of my mind.

‘Do I dislike Adela?’

Surely not. If I disliked her, I wouldn’t have associated with her like this.

‘Then, do I like her?’

I can’t give a definitive answer to that.

So in the end, my lips end up changing the subject.

“…When do we start dancing?”

“We still have a little time left.”

Adela said that and poured alcohol into the small table in front of us.

Joruru- Judging by the sweet aroma spreading, it must be a cocktail again.

“Here you go.”

But Adela, seemingly dissatisfied with just serving herself, also poured into my glass and handed it to me.

My gaze turned sulky as I looked at her.

“I don’t like getting tipsy before dancing.”

“So I removed the alcohol.”

As she said that, she snapped her fingers, which seemed to indicate she had used magic.

The way she blinked at me was quite mischievous, so I sighed and picked up the glass.

“Cheers! Bottoms up!”

We clink glasses and drink.

Seeing Adela gulp it down at once, I was about to take a sip and put it down when.

“Oh, Prince?”

From behind me.

A familiar female voice, one I hadn’t heard for a while, was heard.

Adela and I turned our heads. There stood a beautiful woman elegantly dressed in the religious robes of the Order.

Her ashen hair was not dull but sparkled in the light, and its length, flowing down to her waist, flaunted its beauty.

Despite the modest religious robes, the prominently displayed chest might be even larger than that of the Sage next to me, I thought.

The amethyst pupils in her white face blinked as they looked at me. The absent-minded gaze I hadn’t seen recently. It was a reunion with Saint Rinet Michaela.

“It’s been a while.”

“Yes.”

“But, who’s the person next to you?”

Her fierce momentum of cutting straight to the point without any preamble.

The skill of skipping all processes with simple greetings and directly probing the identity of the woman beside me was indeed the stance of a woman who had confessed.

Similarly, Adela, who had been blinking her eyes and measuring the relationship between Rinet and me, seemed to have grasped the situation. She narrowed her eyes and smiled sinisterly.

“Hmm.”

“This is the Lady Sage. Didn’t you see her at the Academy as well?”

I opened my mouth before she could say anything.

I was trying to take preemptive action before the situation became unnecessarily complicated.

‘Surely they wouldn’t engage in a love quarrel even at the party venue.’

Love quarrel… It’s embarrassing to say it myself, but there might not be a more appropriate word.

If rumors spread that beauties from various factions were fighting over me around me, I wouldn’t have the confidence to show my face.

But.

“I know that too.”

Rinet’s expression was displeased.

As if my answer wasn’t particularly satisfactory, she continued with a follow-up attack.

“What I mean is, why are you and the Lady Sage acting like you’re so close? Maybe my eyes are not good?”

“…”

“Come to think of it, I didn’t see your face at the Academy either. Were you already here with the Lady Sage in advance?”

The gaze of Rinet, who murmured “Right~?” was cold. She wouldn’t think it wasn’t true at all. She must be certain.

Seeing that, a thought suddenly occurred to me.

The common point in all the times I had seen women’s quarrels was that the Sword Star was present.

Whether it was Rinet and Silvia, or Adela and Silvia.

Basically, Silvia always irritated their nerves first, and fights broke out because of that.

So one thing I had been missing was that there wasn’t particularly any point of contact between Rinet and Adela.

‘I see.’

So now, Rinet is asking why Adela and I appear to be so close.

“…”

Just as I was about to open my mouth after a moment of consideration,

“Oh my, what are you saying? Lady Saint.”

Adela, who spoke first, uttered in a bright voice.

As if pretending to be joyful, the way she covered her mouth with her hand was incredibly refreshing.

“There is nothing between His Highness and me. It seems you have a big misunderstanding.”

“…Heh~ A big misunderstanding?”

“Of course.”

Adela nodded her head slowly yet firmly.

On the surface, it implied that it was inconvenient to be misunderstood as romantically close to me. As if she had no interest in me.

However, both Rinet and I know that this is a fox’s deception. Even a woman who hasn’t come of age wouldn’t fail to recognize this as deceit.

Nevertheless, Adela, with unparalleled audacity,

In a casual passing tone, ended up dropping a bombshell statement.

“I’ve only gone as far as confessing to His Highness.”

“…”

I didn’t have the courage to look Rinet in the eyes.