Weren’t You the One Who Was Dying? – Chapter 42

Author: Asternkm

“From the sound of it, I thought you were just going to warm up a bit and dry your hair before leaving.”

“But since they went to the trouble of bringing food, I can’t just not eat it, can I?”

I poured what was in the bottle into a glass. Hm? Is this alcohol?

I lifted the glass and sniffed it. A faint tangerine scent drifted up. The citrus smell was stronger than the alcohol, so it didn’t seem very strong.

Then I should be able to drink it too.

“Well then, thank you for the mea—”

But just as I brought the glass to my lips—

Ehit snatched the glass out of my hand and downed it in one go.

‘What?’

I hurried to grab the glass in front of him, but he poured that one into his mouth too.

“What are you doing?!”

“Nothing. I just got greedy.”

How could he say something like that so confidently?

I pressed my lips together in displeasure and poured more into my glass.

“Well then, thank you for the mea—”

Again! The moment I tried to drink, Ehit took it and drank it himself.

What is wrong with him?!

I stared at Ehit in disbelief, but he didn’t even blink as he set the empty glass down.

Now I was stubborn. I poured, he snatched it; I poured again, he snatched it—over and over.

I tried gripping the glass tightly so he couldn’t take it, but the drink sloshed out and only ended up wetting his clothes.

We’d come to the heater to dry his clothes, and now I was soaking them with alcohol. What kind of situation was this?

“You’re getting your clothes wet! Why are you even doing this?!”

“I’m not the one who soaked them. You did, Dapflen.”

“Me? You’re the one who tried to grab my glass!”

“No. I already had hold of it, and you stubbornly refused to let go. That’s why it happened.”

The way he said complete nonsense with such a cool, rational look was impressive enough to almost make the listener think, Wait… is that right?

When I tried again to stop him from taking the glass, my hand shook badly. This time, the drink spilled all over my lap.

“Didn’t I tell you to stop being stubborn?”

With a tired expression, Ehit stood up and headed toward the drawer to get something to wipe it up.

That was the moment I grabbed the bottle.

“Don’t be childish and just stop—what do you think you’re doing now?”

By the time Ehit came back and snatched the bottle from me, I’d already chugged nearly half of it.

‘But this is stronger than I thought. No—way stronger.’

That was strange. From the smell alone, I’d thought it was basically juice.

But the alcohol had already hit me, and there was nothing I could do.

“I’m not being stubborn. You’re the one who pushed my buttons.”

Why is my pronunciation so weird?

Even so, I put on a perfectly calm smile.

****

A few minutes later—

Bang!

I’d only set it down, but the glass hit the table with a loud noise.

Startled myself, I flinched. Ehit let out a small laugh.

“I suspected it, but this must be why he said that.”

“Who?”

“Your friend.”

“Dellers?”

“Seems you don’t have many friends. You knew exactly who I meant.”

“No, it’s just that I’m close with Dellers. And compared to you—no, never mind.”

I probably have more friends than you, anyway!

It felt petty, so I swallowed the rest of the sentence.

Even though I hadn’t said it outright, Ehit’s brow creased slightly, as if he knew exactly what I’d been about to say.

“Was that what Dellers said earlier?”

“Yes. He told me not to let you drink much, since you’re weak to alcohol.”

“Ahh, Dellers knows my drinking habits well.”

“He certainly knows a lot. Far more than your fiancé does.”

“You don’t even think of me as your fiancée anyway.”

“Who says that?”

“I can tell. I’m not completely oblivious.”

“Impressive perception.”

“See? This. This kind of thing. You’re always saying stuff like that to me. And you’re the same way, Ehit.”

“The same how?”

“You don’t tell me anything about yourself. You keep saying a fiancée should know about her betrothed, but you never talk about you.”

“My stories aren’t interesting, that’s all.”

“That’s a lie. You always ignore me when I ask.”

“Fine. I’ll answer. What do you want to know?”

“Your recent worries.”

“You are my biggest worry.”

“Don’t look at me like that—it’s stressful. Then… your past worries. From academy days, maybe?”

“I had none.”

“Then something that made you happy in the past.”

“……”

Ehit stared at me with a stiff expression. Maybe I’d crossed a line.

I was about to say it was fine, when Ehit spoke first.

“It was when I went to Kennel Island.”

****

Outside the door, Belize and Mendel were pressing their ears close, listening intently.

It had only been a few minutes since they’d delivered the guest tray. Major Dellers had told them to bring only refreshments, but Belize had deliberately added alcohol.

It wasn’t thoughtless. It was all for the Colonel’s sake.

The Colonel didn’t seem able to be honest even with his fiancée. Just earlier that day, he’d brought Lady Aileta in, only to hand her off and head straight to his cabin alone.

Belize hoped that with a bit of alcohol, the Colonel might finally open up.

What were they talking about inside?

Even with an ear pressed carefully to the door, it was hard to hear.

Still listening, Belize whispered to Mendel.

“Mendel, didn’t you say you had a friend—or a relative—who can tell fortunes? Want to check the Colonel’s love fortune?”

Just then, a loud bang came from inside.

Belize and Mendel exchanged looks.

“What was that?”

“Maybe…”

With nothing visible, imagination filled in the gaps.

They began constructing possible scenarios.

“Maybe the Colonel slammed his hand against the wall—bang.”

“Why?”

“To show his assertiveness.”

At Mendel’s words, Belize nodded. Yes, the Colonel was the assertive type.

So he’d trap Lady Aileta between himself and the wall, show his dominance, and say, Let’s go to my place.

“What are you two doing?”

Dellers’s voice made them both jump to attention.

“We were checking the condition of the door, sir.”

“Yeah, sure you were.”

The two subordinates scattered, faces tense.

Dellers sat at a table across the way, glancing toward the door. From inside came Dapflen’s loud laughter.

What’s so funny?

It was hard to imagine the Colonel telling jokes.

Resting his chin askew, Dellers kept his gaze on the cabin.

Are Dapflen and the Colonel really going to get married?

It was a known fact. An engagement’s end was marriage, and the Colonel’s fiancée was Dapflen.

Everyone in Bellachen—no, everyone in the Empire—knew that.

But only now did Dellers realize something.

He’d never truly believed it.

Somewhere deep down, he’d assumed Dapflen wouldn’t really marry anyone—least of all the Colonel.

Dellers knew many people, but only a handful were close enough for him to open up to.

‘You’re coming with me to the Pollen estate banquet, right?’

‘No.’

‘If you don’t come, I’ll have no one to go with, Dapflen. Are you saying I can’t even attend a party?’

‘Liar. You’ve got plenty of people to go with.’

‘I’m counting it as a yes.’

‘Wow. Then the favor I owed you—that cancels it out, right?’

‘You have no conscience, Dapflen.’

She’d complain, but she never truly refused him. Dellers turned down countless invitations, yet always sought out Dapflen.

Why?

Because she was the easiest to be around.

They’d been closest since their academy days, and she was the most fun to be with.

When asked whether volunteering for the Bellachen fleet—despite knowing how hard it would be—had nothing to do with Dapflen, Dellers couldn’t answer himself.

Her laughter rang out again.

As Dellers flipped through documents, irritation crept into his movements.

***

Ehit’s fingertips touched my cheek. Whether from tension or alcohol, it was faintly warm.

At his touch, I turned my head aside, hesitating.

“Wait… maybe this isn’t a good idea. Stop—”

“Stop what? We haven’t even started.”

Ignoring my protest, Ehit cupped both my cheeks fully in his hands and turned my face back toward him.

“Ehit…”

He rarely smiled, yet at moments like this, a smile curved his lips.

As if there were no escape, he leaned closer.

I squeezed my eyes shut.