Would you like to pour another drink?
.
Was it too bold? Alan looked at my complexion for a mont and soon burst into a chuckle. Soon a clear brown liquid filled the glass again.
Shall we make a toast?
Huh
His glass ca up to my glass, which had stopped in confusion, and struck it making a clear sound.
Sitting side by side with Alan Leopold in an old mansion in Lunoa, the capital of the Principality. I cant believe this is real. Everything was just dreamy.
I gulped down the wine he poured without any bounds. The first glass was difficult, but the second was equally painful. Alans eyes were seen wide open with surprise.
At the sa ti, my heart beat so fast that I felt sowhat frightened and patted my chest. The reason why my heart is pounding hard as if its going to explode is because of the wine and not because of the man sitting next to . That thought made feel a little better.
Then Alan tilted his head slightly and made eye contact with . Glassy, cold eyes like an ice pond were in front of . It was an indescribable beauty.
If there was a dawn in the universe, Im sure it would have these lights and patterns.
Are you okay?
Im a little dizzy.
It was only two drinks, but it was my first ti drinking such a strong drink, and I drank quite a lot. Its like alcohol running in through my blood vessels. My head and my vision beca distant, and the fresh scent from Alans body beca stronger.
But its not enough to let go of my consciousness. I comforted myself by taking a deep breath. I was going to slowly ask one by one.
Sir Alan, the maids.
You can call by na.
Oh.
Will I be able to tell him everything that I want to say? I stiffen at every word he says and every ti he looks at .
Why the maids?
.
Whenever I look at him I cant say anything because my head goes blank, hes even trying to exhort to say sothing. The gentle arrogance just made feel despondent.
Did they make a mistake?
Well, its not like that, but its a little weird. Like people who dont have feelings. Even if I ask, they didnt even tell their na, did you order it? Thats too bad.
It was said that alcohol gives you liquid courage, and it gradually becos easier for you to talk when you are relaxed. Are you telling to die from loneliness? I barely held those words in.
At this rate, we may have a aningful conversation tonight. My fist that clenched the hem of my dress naturally tightened.
Of course not. Theyre not my people, they work for my family. Fathers to be exact.
I dont know what the difference is.
If you are talking about unnecessary suspicions or excessive caution, it must be because they resemble their master.
.
Does that an that his son himself is, too?
Then Alan let out a low sigh.
Ah Did you need a companion? Youre an emotional person, so you might have felt lonely.
It cant be, but he was talking as if he had never felt lonely. At the sa ti, I was speechless when he got to the point exactly.
Im sorry that Im too busy to take care of you.
.
If necessary, Ill put a maid next to you. so that she can be your companion.
Ah! Is that okay?
Anything that you want.
What, thats sweet, isnt it? Just imagining the idea of having a companion to share intimate stories with, I felt like I was going to fly away with joy just imagining it.
His more cooperative attitude made rush to the next question.
But why do you want to write the novel? Was my manuscript provided by the Academy?
That,
And the academy Im going to enroll in is trash. What does that an?
Whoa.
Alan filled my glass with a sigh of laughter. And he answered, giving sweet-scented juice instead of alcohol.
I love that novel so much that I want to own it. Its a long story to tell, but I hope Ill have a chance to give you enough answers soday.
Oh.
Similarly, I liked the novel and participated as a judge myself. Purely because I want to read the finished part.
I had no idea whether to be surprised by his easy access to the Academys judgeship, or by his candid praise for my novel.
He wouldnt have known that Troy in the novel resembled him as if it was his exact copy, but if he said it was good enough that he wanted to have it completely How am I supposed to interpret that.
The two-year academy proposed by the royal family is not even close to the Sourne Royal Academy, where it is hard to find literature-related subjects. It is an insult to suggest a place like that.
I-Ill still be a student there this coming fall. Healthy stimulation and motivation from interaction with students are just as valuable as the curriculum.
Alan frowned slightly at my words. He opened his mouth after emptying the glass in a simple manner.
Think well, do you think such a noisy environnt would suit you? It would be rather harmful.
Uh.
I dont think my judgnt was wrong.
The situation in which Alan Leopold, who is a stranger, knows my personality was too unrealistic. I shuffled to get my act together and continued.
I know its hard for to be in a crowded place, but being a student has been my dream for a long ti. And its also an opportunity given to by the royal family, so Im grateful
Thats a problem, too.
What?
You have a brilliant talent You shouldnt be a puppet of the royal family.
Saying that, Alan went back to drinking. I couldnt understand what he said, so with a stunned face I waited for more words that would help understand his intentions.
Its better not to owe the royal family. Youre free to write what you want, only with your own senses.
Are you saying that the royal family wont let write what I want?
It may not stop there.
Alan was about to say sothing, but he quit. Eyelashes as dark as ebony hung under the waxy white eyelids.
Listen to . When theres still a way to not to get involved.
.
I understand that the Leopold family has had a close relationship with the royal family.. Surprisingly, the expression on his face as he spoke about the Sourne royal family was terribly cold.
It was only then that Prince Bentley ca to mind. Surely he He is like that making follow the advice to not to get involved. When I recalled his persistent gaze like a snake and his breath approaching while holding my chin, I felt goosebumps all over my body.
But Im sure both of them are close friends. Wasnt it the Prince Bentley who imprinted my existence on Alan after all? If I think that way, everything Alan is telling now loses credibility.
isnt the prince your close friend?
No, hes not.
Alan answered imdiately. The answer made tilt my head. Theyre known to be close friends for a long ti.
But I didnt want to ask about the princes story, and neither did Alan seem to want to talk about him. He had such a dark face that I suddenly thought the air was heavy.
Is he angry?
I dont know much about the royal family. But I think Her Highness, Princess Cynthia, is undoubtedly a great person.
You an the first princess.
Yes, she deserves to be the pride of the royal family. Decent, wise, benevolent.
She even ca here to congratulate the winner of the Academy Award. She has always been regarded as an object of envy, but she was more elegant and impressive after I t her face-to-face.
I added quickly.
Just by looking at her, she seems different from the rest of the royal family. I cant wait for the princess to beco the queen.
Certainly, shes the most sane mber of the royal family.
Alans answer was absolutely dry.
But the blood cant be deceived, so the first princess isnt much different either. The prince is nothing but an unprecedented fool.
What
I was astonished at his outspoken remarks about the royal family. How could that elegant Alan Leopold insult the royal family in this way! How arrogant and rude.
And to be straight-forward, when it cos to gossip, I have a lot on my side.
.
I almost spilled the juice. Isnt this completely different from the perfect gentleman hes seen in the social world? Wasnt he so loyal to the royal family that he even forced himself to dance with because of the princes orders?
So Is this the real Alan now? Then why is he showing his true face to ?
I sent soone to help you, lissa. Hed be much better off than taking low-quality classes at a noisy academy.
Mr. Maurice?
Yes, so listen to .
Obviously it was a soft tone, but the pressure in his breath was not sothing he could hide. When did he start to have this overwhelming energy all over his body?
However, it is true that Mr. Maurice is not a cool character. There is no way for to confirm that his skills exceed the educational institutions of the Principality.
What kind of person is Mr. Maurice? He rarely tells anything about himself.
He is one of the employees of the family. He used to teach us when we were kids, but he was mainly in Lunoa, so with
Us?
Then there was a mont of silence.
Did he also have a brother he had hidden? Could it not be Alan who followed behind on the street and ca to my house?
Do you have a brother?
Oh, I made a mistake.
Too much alcohol. He murmured softly.
Tell , arent you a Leopold mber?
It wont be long before you know everything.
Why cant you tell now?
If you know too much at once, youll be the only one wholl have a hard ti.
Youre just a scoundrel who kidnapped if you speak so kindly..
I an it when I say youll find out soon, so forget about it now.
.
I dont know if its because Im drunk or because I want to be fooled, but I thought I should move on first.
But I cant let it go when I ask about Maurice.
No matter how much you say, Mr. Maurice is weird.
Why do you say that?
He says, we must complete the novel by all ans. He said its hard to rember the sense of the ti, and he said hed be Troy, and he said to .
It was such a strange thing to say on second thought.
Eventually, when I shook my shoulders, I could hear Alans whisper.
He
What? What did you say?
As I turned my head to him, I saw my eyes twinkling like a cold fla.
He was stunned when he froze without even resisting the gusty wind.
Did he touch you?
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