Chapter 56
Illiana exchanged a few more words with Sera and sent her back with a promise to contact her soon.
“What do you think about Evelina?”
“I believe she is worth using. And not just Reginox, but other journalists will notice too. Before that, it might be good to move the media in the direction we want.”
Illiana fell into thought for a moment.
In the meantime, Alejandro tugged at my hair lightly. What is this?
When I glanced back at Alejandro, he was smirking.
“What is it?”
Alejandro shrugged without answering. So childish. Then I turned back to Illiana, and I felt the tug on my hair again.
“Lehan?”
Alejandro shrugged and raised his hand. Seeing that smug grin on his face, I knew he was the one who did it. I narrowed my eyes at him.
Our fox.
His ability to act innocent is top-notch.
I quickly turned my head, but just as Lehan was about to raise his hand, I turned back.
“Lehan!”
“Continue what you were doing. Don’t mind me.”
“I want to, but Lehan…!”
“Hey.”
Illiana interjected between us. She said with a grim expression.
“If you want to date, could you please do it outside? It’s quite distracting.”
“Dating? That’s not it!”
“Let Evelina do whatever she wants. I think she has a better sense for this. I should be going now. Watching you two will only annoy me.”
Illiana checked the time and jumped up.
“Wait, Illiana, that’s not it…!”
“Isn’t it? Why do you think he’s acting like that?”
Alejandro? Why?
“He’s throwing a tantrum because you’re not paying attention to him. What a childish brat. I’m going now, so you two can enjoy your meal. It’s dinnertime, and I already made a reservation.”
Illiana clicked her tongue and left, as if she had seen something unpleasant. I stared blankly at her back as she left without giving me a chance to stop her.
That’s not it, sis… Come back…
“See?”
Lehan gestured toward the chair across from him.
“Please sit there.”
How can he be so calm when this is all his fault?
“Or do you want to sit next to me? I don’t mind. We could sit side by side and have a cozy meal.”
“No, I’ll sit across from you.”
I quickly avoided his reaching hand and sat across from him. Goodness. Sitting side by side in a cozy manner? There’s no way that’s happening. Especially not in a public place!
Imagining myself doing that sent chills down my spine. I shook my head quickly and ordered food.
Let’s just eat quietly, please.
“Are you going to drink? It says here they have very delicious drinks.”
“No, I won’t drink.”
I need to keep my sanity intact. If I’m not careful, I might end up making a mistake again. Drinking leads to trouble, trouble. Remember that, Evelina.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
Meanwhile, in the outskirts of the capital, Dreili.
Dreili was an area with a high flow of people but a low residential population. Despite being close to the capital, the reason for the small number of residents was simple.
There was little land suitable for living. Most of it was either gravel fields, mountains, or forests.
Thanks to this, while there were quite a few accommodations like hotels and inns in Dreili, very few wanted to live in a place where it was hard to even plant a blade of grass.
The population residing in Dreili was just over 200.
Among them, the largest inn, run by Laila, was particularly prosperous.
Laila glanced at the rattling window in the wind and then lay on her bed, opening a book.
It was a romance novel she had just borrowed from the capital.
“Where on earth are men like this?”
Laila blushed as she diligently read the book. Meeting a man like the male protagonist in the story and falling in love was Laila’s dream.
“Mom and Dad know nothing. If a man like this existed, I would have already been married!”
Laila grumbled and popped a snack from the side of her bed into her mouth.
Just then.
Clatter!
The door swung wide open. Laila sighed and sat up. If she fell asleep with the door open in this weather, she would surely catch a cold.
That was not what she wanted.
“Ugh, it’s a bit cold today.”
Laila glanced outside and began to close the window. Just as she was about to lock the double-pane window…
“Ahhh! Aaaahhh!!”
Laila screamed and fell over.
A shadow with bright red eyes was outside her window. Even though Laila’s room was on the second floor.
“Ahhh! Aaaahhh!”
Screaming, Laila climbed onto her bed and curled up, peeking her head up. The window was quietly closed, and the wind had stopped.
And there was no one outside. Laila swallowed hard and burrowed deeper into her blanket.
She was just too sleepy and must have seen something strange.
Laila reassured herself and tightly shut her eyes.
Fortunately, she fell into a deep sleep.
The next day.
Laila was plagued by an inexplicable high fever, chills, and a headache, and she began to cough up blood.
It was the onset of the epidemic known as “red eyes,” which was said to occur when one saw a ghost before getting sick.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
“Ugh…”
I opened my eyes, clutching my head. Yesterday, I had dinner with Alejandro… and… and…
‘This is really good, isn’t it?’
‘If you keep drinking like that, you’ll get drunk.’
Drinking… drinking…
Sob, sob, sob. Why do I even live?
I slid back onto the bed. Thankfully, this time I woke up in my own bed, looking perfectly fine. But is there any guarantee that the next time will be the same?
What kind of body is this? It’s a complete alcohol mess!
“Are you okay, miss?”
“Rebecca…”
“You said you were going to meet Princess Millane.”
Rebecca looked at me with a face full of pity. She handed me a cup.
“This is a cup filled with honey. Drink it all.”
I did as Rebecca instructed. It seemed to calm my churning stomach a little.
“Do you remember what happened yesterday?”
“…Fortunately.”
There hadn’t been any major incidents yesterday. Just a few light kisses… a few kisses…
I also remembered clinging to Alejandro in the carriage.
‘My love! I’ve loved you for so long! Ever since… ever since…’
I was really drunk.
You said you wouldn’t drink, you damn fool. What am I going to do with myself? Rebecca sighed, watching me clutch my head.
“You said drinking makes you a dog, didn’t you?”
“…Woof woof woof.”
What could I say? Seeing me mimic a dog, Rebecca let out a long sigh.
“Oh dear. Hurry up and wash up. You have your second meeting today.”
“That’s right…”
As Rebecca said, today was the day of the second photoshoot meeting. It was the moment I was being pushed into the bathhouse by Rebecca.
‘I’ll wash you. Come here.’
Huh? What kind of memory is this…?
‘Why? My hands are magical. You won’t forget once you taste them.’
W-what the hell is this…?
“Trust me, Lehan.”
Crazy…
Thud.
“Miss!! What’s wrong with you!”
Rebecca grabbed me, her face filled with shock as I collapsed onto the floor.
“Re… Rebecca… Can you turn back time just for a day…?”
“What are you talking about? Why are you like this?”
“Sob, sob…”
For a while, I would just avoid Alejandro at all costs. And I had to pretend I didn’t remember anything. I don’t understand why my second self emerges every time I drink.
“Miss, are you really okay?”
“…I’m not okay.”
I’m really not okay. Even as Rebecca dragged me into the bathroom, my head felt hazy the entire time. Alejandro, please don’t remember…
I’m begging you…
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
But unfortunately, Alejandro remembered everything. He had never really been drunk, so every word and action of Evelina’s was vivid in his mind.
He had been stopped while trying to push her into the bathroom to wash up.
“Magical hands, huh?”
Alejandro smirked slightly. Throughout my workday, he couldn’t forget what Evelina had said yesterday. Alejandro’s eyes darkened.
Thinking about what kind of guys she might have hung out with using those magical hands made a wave of irritation rise within him. What kind of world allows such words to be said so casually?
One thing is certain.
Evelina must not drink anywhere. Especially not with men.
He needed to give her a proper warning.
