episode_0141

[Episode 137] – Drinking with Adults (2)

Veronica left not long ago.

Titania returned here, slightly out of breath, carrying a basket with what looked like expensive alcohol in one hand and some decent snacks in the other.

Watching Titania hesitating at the door, unsure whether to come in or not, I let out a frustrated sigh. If only she had stuck to one attitude, I could have hated her freely.

Except for her forceful attempt to leave me here, Titania’s behavior was as affectionate as usual. Like the young Titania who treated me when I knew nothing.

So suddenly, there were times when I looked at Titania as I did before all this happened. Just like looking at an ordinary daughter I love, leaving behind the painful past and just like old times.

There were times when I looked at Titania as if nothing had happened, as if there were no gaps between us. Forgetting all the pain and just looking at Titania. It was all because of her ambiguous attitude.

I chuckled and looked at Titania. She fixed her disheveled bangs from running and smiled gently at me.

Because of that smile, everything felt like a dream.

It was as if nothing had happened to me, and nothing had happened to Titania. We hadn’t made any mistakes, and we had returned to being a good mother and daughter, just like old times. Truly, as if nothing had happened.

Titania. What should we call our current relationship? Mother and daughter? Friends? Just acquaintances? What do you think of our relationship right now? Surely, Titania’s answer won’t be a normal relationship.

I gestured to Titania, who was waiting for my call at the door.

“Titania, come here.”

Only then did Titania come closer, crossing the threshold.

Your attitude confuses me. Your expression bewilders me. I just want things to go back to normal with you, but you don’t want that. How on earth…

I looked at the expensive-looking bottle in Titania’s hand, and sighed softly. It seemed familiar, but it wasn’t cheap. Where had I seen it before…?

“Where did you get this?”

“Oh… I got it from the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He knows a lot about alcohol. And he’s the only minister who hasn’t left yet, so…”

Titania smiled innocently, as if she knew nothing about the world.

“He asked for the most expensive and precious one. We’re drinking with Mother, so I thought ordinary liquor wouldn’t do… I put some thought into it.”

She answered wickedly. Was this pure evil? I felt as if I could hear the Minister of Foreign Affairs wailing in the distance. No, he must be sobbing over the liquor cabinet by now.

“…Alright, thank you.”

But that was that, and this was this. The joy of being able to drink expensive liquor for free was enough to ignore the minister’s bitter wailing. Thank you, Minister of Foreign Affairs. I’ll enjoy it.

Excited about the free liquor, I took the drinks and snacks from Titania and settled onto the bed. Titania, looking at me oddly, asked,

“Why are you drinking on the bed? There’s a table and chairs…”

“Huh? Well… I always drink on the bed. It’s comfortable to fall asleep right after getting drunk, isn’t it?”

“Always? You mean when you drink alone?”

“? No? Don’t people drink like this in social circles? When drinking with other ladies, we usually gather on the bed and drink together. Then we fall asleep right away…”

“Everyone drinks like this?”

When I was in high society as a queen, everyone drank like this. Especially when gathering with other ladies, it was common to wear nightclothes and drink on the bed. Lady Serena taught me that…?

“Do people not drink like this nowadays…?”

As I asked with concern, Titania furrowed her brow in distress.

She hesitated, reaching out to me and pacing back and forth several times. Eventually, Titania cautiously climbed onto the bed and took a seat beside me.

“…It was your mother’s suggestion. I’m not at fault.”

“…? Right, I suggested we have a drink.”

Ignoring Titania’s quiet sigh, I opened the bottle and poured wine into her glass, producing a clear sound as it filled with deep red wine.

After filling Titania’s glass, I filled mine as well. As I brought the glass to my nose and savored the aroma, Titania gazed at me blankly, as if unsure how to drink it.

As if demonstrating, I brought the glass to my lips and took a sip. It had been a while since I’d had expensive wine, and I couldn’t help but think there was a reason for its price. The Minister of Foreign Affairs must have been onto something when he confiscated this, right?

The scent and taste were on a different level from cheap wine. As the wine flowed down my throat, warming it, a pleasant intoxication rose within me, causing the corners of my mouth to curl up involuntarily.

“Mmm… delicious.”

“Really?”

Watching me drink, Titania finally brought the glass to her lips and took a sip. Her tongue reacted to the bitterness, and she furrowed her brow slightly, looking adorable.

I quickly finished a glass and began pouring another. As the warm breath escaped my lips and a slight tipsiness set in, I found that I was enjoying the feeling.

*

“Titania, are you okay?”

“…I feel a little dizzy.”

As the bottle emptied, Titania’s expression seemed slightly dazed. Her eyes, now half-drunk, were wide open. Thinking it was time to stop, I reached for her glass, but she swiftly pushed it away, bursting into laughter. She almost offered me her nearly empty glass, indicating she wanted more, but I refused, pushing her glass away.

“Stop drinking. You’ll have a hard time tomorrow if you have too much.”

“…I’m disappointed. I was planning to get completely drunk tonight and receive care from my mother all day tomorrow here…”

Tatiana, smiling wryly, bared her true feelings. Could she really be thinking that? Is she already drunk? She had only had two drinks, but her face was already flushed.

As Tatiana, swaying her head in drunkenness, began to look unsteady, I pulled her unsteady body close to lean on my shoulder. She might feel dizzy and nauseous if she lay down right away.

“If you feel dizzy, stay like this for a while.”

“…Okay.”

Tatiana, leaning her head on my shoulder, let out a small laugh and closed her eyes. In the quietened room, only the sound of me sipping alcohol alone could be heard. It was then that I thought I should stop drinking as well.

Tatiana’s palm, heated from the alcohol, gently touched the back of my hand. As I turned to look at Tatiana leaning on my shoulder, she had her eyes closed and was smiling contentedly.

Softly enveloping my back of the hand, Tatiana’s fingers lightly tickled before slipping between mine, then suddenly, with her ring finger still intact, she clasped my hand tightly. Up to this point, it was fine. It was fine up to the ring finger, but—

“Tatiana.”

Tatiana, with my hand and her ring finger intertwined, raised my hand and moved it towards my face. As Tatiana’s warm breath reached the back of my hand, I couldn’t help but shiver involuntarily.

Tatiana, who had been resting her head on my shoulder, opened her eyes hazily and, with half-lidded eyes due to intoxication, looked up at me. Then, gripping my hand with her ring finger, she asked me with force.

“How far is it acceptable for a mother and daughter to go?”

“What?”

“If it’s a daughter, can she kiss her mother?”

Can she kiss? Of course…

“No.”

“On the cheek?”

“Not even on the cheek…”

With relief that she was still not too drunk, I firmly rejected Tatiana. No matter what, kissing was out of the question. We used to do it often in the past, but now it wouldn’t be just an ordinary kiss.

“Then, is hugging okay?”

“…Not right now.”

If Titania were sober, she might have allowed it, but I couldn’t allow her to say anything in her drunken state. Titania leaned on my shoulder and said, “If I speak, everything will be ruined…” with a bitter smile, but I couldn’t help it.

“Then, is it okay if I put my arm around you like this?”

“…That’s fine.”

“Then, what about holding your wrist like this?”

As the finger that had been wrapped around mine was released, Titania’s hand firmly grasped my wrist without any gaps. With Titania’s large hand, my wrist felt insignificant. Feeling the warmth of her entire palm, I found myself holding my breath and then let out a small sigh.

“…It’s okay.”

“Then, what about the forearm?”

“…That should be fine.”

Titania’s warm palm began to knead my forearm. As she squeezed my arm flesh, she smirked and said, “You’ve gained weight.” I almost grabbed her hand and pushed it away.

Of course, being locked in a room for a month, unable to go out, and just eating and drinking, it was natural to gain weight. It was surprising that I hadn’t gained more. I thought maybe I should start exercising…

“Then… how about the thigh?”

As Titania’s empty hand swept down my thigh, I pushed her off my shoulder in surprise. I had suspected it, and as expected!

“Where did you learn these tricks?!”

“Hehehe.”

When Titania’s gestures of touching my wrist or forearm felt like a massage, I let it go, but suddenly she targeted my thigh. I wondered if I should prohibit holding hands as well.

In a slightly trembling voice, Titania asked me, “Please tell me how far I can go. So that I won’t make mistakes. I’ll definitely follow what Mother says from now on. I won’t make mistakes. So please, let me know.”

Looking at Titania, who seemed like she might cry right away, with eyes that had turned red, I ended up just sighing without saying a word. With her looking at me in that manner, I couldn’t push her away…

“You… by any chance…”

If you show this kind of attitude, are you doing it on purpose because I forgive everything? I wanted to ask, but I swallowed it along with the wine in my glass. Judging by Titania’s expression, it seemed sincere.

Titania’s attitude was extreme caution to avoid hurting me further, like handling an animal that might bite. It was a very cautious approach toward me.

“Eventually, you’re asking so straightforwardly because you don’t know the answer. Is it because of the alcohol?”

No hugging from now on! No kissing! Anyway, all prohibited! I couldn’t say that, what should I do? I took a deep breath again and turned to Titania waiting for my response.

“…Just keep it moderate.”

“…Okay.”

Having heard my response, Titania wiped away tears with the back of her hand and smiled broadly. Yes, just keep it moderate. Then I’ll tolerate to some extent however you touch me…

*

The next day at lunch.

While having a conversation with Titania in the room, the terrace door suddenly opened, and Veronica walked straight in. Titania seemed slightly surprised and looked up at Veronica.

“Vivian, can you come to the cabin right now?”

“Now? Is it urgent?”

“It’s not urgent. Just, yesterday when I told the dwarves that you were coming to the cabin, some of them didn’t like it and have already hidden… So I thought it would be better to finish it quickly…”

“…I really didn’t do anything to the dwarves…”

Suddenly hearing that I was being disliked, I felt unexpectedly depressed. What can I do? Not only the dwarves but also the fairies don’t particularly like me. It was Vivian’s problem.

I sighed quietly and replied to Veronica as I got up from my seat.

“…Okay, then I’ll go right now. Oh, am I going alone? What about Titania?”

“It’s okay if Titania comes too, there’s no need to hide anything.”

Veronica nodded to Titania, who then got up from her seat and approached me. It was not something urgent or a story to hide. So I was relieved in my heart.

I didn’t know what would happen next.