"Yes, I'm happy."
Beramund nodded as he answered. Alkerto chuckled.
"I'm envious, and if Sig is happy, I'm glad too....... After all, I did study under her."
"Study—?"
Karsus's ears perked up. Alkerto nodded.
"I learned a bit of swordsmanship from Sig. And thanks to that, I was inspired in various ways and beca more diligent."
"Hmm— That's surprising."
"It is, studying under a Master isn't common."
Alkerto grinned. Beramund sighed deeply and said,
"Siri would give her liver and gall if it was for a friend."
"Marie and Lowengrin wouldn't let it go that far."
Alkerto said in a tone that suggested not to worry. Beramund thought for a mont and nodded. That's true.
And he's here too, and so is Arkana.
Karsus turned the empty bottle upside down, shaking it thoroughly, then peered into the bottle's mouth and said,
"It's all gone. Don't you have anything else?"
"The sa? Or wine?"
"Would you want to drink wine after having whiskey?"
"I'll order wine then."
As if I'd give you what you like, Beramund thought as he ordered wine from the servant. Karsus flailed his arms and legs, shouting "Too cruel!" but quietly closed his mouth when he saw the wine that was brought.
Looking at the label, Alkerto thought he should brag about this to his friends later. They changed glasses and each took a sip, savoring it unlike before, when Karsus said,
"But you know. Then isn't it a problem that can be solved by just becoming rich?"
"Huh?"
"I an Marie-Chez and Alkerto. Can't Alkerto just beco rich?"
Alkerto laughed.
"Well, that's true, but is it that easy?"
Karsus grinned.
"What would you do if I said I could make you that kind of rich?"
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Marie-Chez's face was burning hot. It was burning, but her ears were still perked up. Sigrid, weak to alcohol, was already drunk after just a few glasses, while Lowengrin and Marie-Chez were still sober in comparison.
"Re-really? Can it really be like that?"
At Marie-Chez's question, Sigrid nodded. Lowengrin rested her chin on her hand and said,
"That's amazing."
"Lo-Lowi, you too? Like, Hatien, like—"
As Marie-Chez asked with a red face, Lowengrin grinned and said,
"Hatien is the exploring type. Yes, that's right. He is."
Even so, he's not as persistent as Beramund.
"Wow—"
Marie-Chez felt like the world was spinning. Hearing such stories directly from a married woman was indeed quite intense.
Sigrid held her glass tightly with both hands and mumbled,
"So, even when I say stop, there's more after that, and more, and then more after that, it keeps rising up and—"
Her waist really does lift off the ground and her toes curl.
Marie-Chez swallowed hard and quickly drank so champagne. Her throat kept feeling parched. Lowengrin blinked and said, "Oh my."
'To make Siri say stop, to insist on getting her surrender.'
Does the restraint he shows during the day co back as a reaction at night?
Marie-Chez urged impatiently.
"And then?"
Sigrid pouted and said,
"So, even when I say stop— He says 'No, it's not over yet' and does as he pleases— But there really is more after that......"
Repeating the sa words and mumbling, she was clearly drunk.
"I think I lost my mind for a mont."
Sigrid said, frowning.
—Siri, Sigrid, breathe. Let
hear your voice.
The sensation of Beramund's fingers entering her mouth as she parted her lips remained vividly in her mory. As if he wouldn't leave a single place she hadn't touched untouched.
Marie-Chez kept repeating, "Oh my, oh my, oh my, oh my, oh my," while fanning herself incessantly.
Then suddenly, Sigrid stopped talking and asked,
"But Lowi."
"Yes?"
"What do you think Ber gave up?"
"Gave up?"
"Yes. Karsus said so."
Seeing her tilting her head repeatedly, Lowengrin readily provided an answer.
"His title."
"Huh?"
Sigrid blinked. She tried to steady her drunken mind. Lowengrin chuckled and said,
"I think we should talk about this after you're sober."
Marie-Chez said, "Ah."
"We're sleeping together tonight, right? Hmm?"
"All three of us in one bed again? It'll be cramped!"
Lowengrin exclaid, but burst into laughter. In the end, it was decided that all three would sleep in one bed, and since they had already changed into comfortable gowns, they dove into the large bed.
Marie-Chez threw herself onto the bed and said,
"Ah, this is so nice. I can't do this at ho because they'd say I'm being frivolous. Ah, it's so soft and warm, I love it."
"Marie, everything will work out."
Sigrid mumbled, holding Marie-Chez's hand. Marie-Chez grasped that warm hand in return and closed her eyes.
"Yes."
Lowengrin extinguished the candle beside the bed. The room was instantly plunged into darkness.
"Good night, everyone. Sweet dreams."
"Good night, Lowi."
"Good night."
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As if by magic, the world had turned pure white.
Marie-Chez was sick of the snow piled up to her chest, and Alkerto sighed, saying, "We're really trapped here."
It seed they would have to spend their entire vacation here.
All the servants were mobilized to clear the snow from the garden and paths. Seeing this, Awen slyly persuaded Alkerto during breakfast.
"Alkerto, want to build a snowman together?"
Alkerto nodded willingly.
"Sounds good."
"Great, it's a promise?"
Awen's eyes sparkled as he grinned. Beramund, sitting next to him, said,
"You shouldn't speak with food in your mouth, Your Highness."
"Okay."
Awen swallowed his toast and replied. Then he tilted his head and asked,
"But where's Sigrid? Why hasn't she co out?"
"Hangover."
"Hangover?"
"When you drink too much, the next day your head hurts and you feel unwell."
At Beramund's words, Awen's eyes widened.
"Then why do people drink?"
"Because it feels good while you're drinking."
Alkerto chuckled and added,
"And Sig has a particularly low tolerance— She probably got drunk yesterday even though she didn't drink much."
"Agreed."
Beramund nodded. Alkerto asked,
"Is Karsus hungover too?"
"No, that bastard has left his seat. It's better not to mind him since he wanders around as he pleases."
"He just left?"
When a surprised Alkerto asked, Beramund shook his head.
"He wouldn't leave without eting with
first."
Arkana entered the dining room with a tired face and said. Beramund chuckled and said,
"How did you know Karsus was gone and co to eat?"
As Arkana sat down, a servant quickly began setting down tableware. Arkana spoke in an irritated voice,
"He was waiting in front of my bedroom from early morning."
"Ah, for a eting?"
"Yes."
"Did you do it?"
"Of course not. I was annoyed so I sent him flying far away."
"Ah."
Beramund rolled his eyes and asked,
"You didn't really send him far, did you?"
"He probably landed sowhere in the nearby forest. He's a Master, so he won't die."
"Oh, is that so?"
Beramund nodded. Only Alkerto asked in bewildernt,
"Sent flying?"
"Ah, it's called teleport....... Well, it's magic that instantly sends a person here to a desired location."
It's difficult to explain magic to soone who has never seen or heard of it. Arkana explained as simply as possible. Alkerto frowned and thought for a mont before saying,
"Then, sowhere in that forest....... Shouldn't we send out a search party?"
When he spoke to Beramund, Beramund cheerfully replied "What for?" while spreading marmalade on hot bread.
Suddenly, the bread seed to taste better.
Alkerto unconsciously looked out the window, and Beramund chuckled and said,
"A Master doesn't die easily, that's why they're a Master. Don't worry."
"I see."
Alkerto nodded.
"True, he's a Master who can kill ten n with one swing of his sword, a one-man army."
At those words, Beramund just smiled.
'He's not denying it.'
Alkerto thought this and stared at his bread for a mont before asking,
"How can one beco a Master?"
"Talent and effort."
At Beramund's simple answer, Alkerto gave a weak smile.
"Talent, huh."
"Moreover, you can't know if you have talent unless you put in the effort, so there's no choice but to dig in unconditionally."
Beramund's words were cold but true. Arkana scooped so salad onto his plate and asked,
"So how do you know if you have talent?"
"You don't know until it blossoms. What about magicians? How do you know if you have talent?"
"The basics for a magician are circles. Whether you can create these circles or not is the crucial issue."
"Circles?"
To Alkerto's question, Arkana replied, "It's like a magician's core," and Alkerto nodded.
"Can you distinguish between those who can create circles and those who can't?"
Beramund asked in surprise. If so, could they also distinguish aura users?
"No."
"Ah, I thought so."
"But if you can't create circles, you can't beco a magician, so we give it a maximum of 3 years."
"Well, a swordsman can live as a swordsman even without an aura core, but a magician can't without circles, so they give up faster."
Beramund nodded.
"If I could beco a Master, I'd receive a higher title, and then the problem would be solved. If this were a kingdom instead of an empire, they'd give even higher titles to Masters."
At Alkerto's words, Beramund nodded saying, "That's true." Alkerto hesitated before speaking.
"About what Karsus said yesterday."
"About making you rich?"
"Can it be trusted?"
"I wouldn't vouch for Keser."
"Keser?"
"Karsus's nickna."
"What does it an?"
"Well—"
"I'll kill you if you say it."
With a crash, Karsus jumped out of the window. He was covered in white snow, looking as if he had rolled in it. As Alkerto thought, 'Isn't this the third floor?' for a mont, Karsus shook off the snow clinging to his body and growled.
"This magician—!"
"Did your head cool off a bit?"
Arkana said, leaning back in his chair. Karsus ground his teeth.
"Why don't you try plunging headfirst into the snow yourself?"
"Ah, I can understand through indirect experience without trying it myself, being a normal person and all."
Arkana grinned.
"You, really—"
Karsus put his hands on his hips. Truly, if he weren't in a position to ask for a favor, he would have taught him a lesson. The mont Karsus's fingers touched his sword hilt, a ringing sound echoed.
Alkerto froze in surprise, wondering what had happened, and Arkana frowned. Karsus whirled around to look at Beramund. Beramund lowered his hand and said,
"Stop it, Arkana."
"He put his hand on his sword with hostile intent in Siri's house."
"He wouldn't have attacked. And anyway, he's my guest."
"That's why I didn't plunge him under the ice of the lake."
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