Episode 135

The fifth glass was filled.

Cool beer with golden bubbles floated up.

That beer was grasped by the delicate hands of two fair women.

“Phew…”

“Gulp.”

After drinking, Irina elegantly wiped her lips with a napkin.

However, Tina, true to her northern heritage, simply wiped it with the back of her hand.

“By the way, I was a bit disappointed with the Leon Empire today.”

Tina said with her skin flushed from the alcohol.

“Because they have such a talented person, who knows his area so well, merely as a low-ranking knight.”

Her gaze turned to me.

Her blue eyes resembled those of a monarch seeking talent.

“I was actually planning to give him a higher position soon. I’m taking good care of it, so don’t worry.”

Irina spoke, crossing her arms alone.

As if warning not to covet her possession anymore.

“Is that what you call taking good care of?”

Tina chuckled at Irina’s warning.

And then, she stretched out her palm, pointing to my sharp eyes.

“Like a poor wild fox.”

“Haha… A fox.”

“If it were me, I would take him to my homeland and raise him comfortably.”

I forced a smile for diplomacy with the Princess of Bakal.

“I’m grateful for such an evaluation.”

Tina rested her chin on her fist.

Then, she looked at me admiringly as I poured the beer, saying,

“Haha… In my lab, you’re free after working only 5 hours a day.”

“That’s quite tempting. I also prefer having less work.”

I led the atmosphere with a content smile.

Honestly, the idea of working only 5 hours was quite enviable.

“We highly value talents in tactics, so it’s a natural treatment.”

Tina pinched her sweat-soaked T-shirt.

A seductive scent wafted from between her neck and the shirt.

“Ahem…”

Her scent made me clear my throat.

“By the way, how did you know to install barricades upstream in advance?”

“Ah, that was…”

As I was about to answer her question, I glanced at Irina.

Watching our friendly conversation, the fork she was holding trembled slightly.

‘She’s really angry…’

Her face was smiling, but her lips were tightly sealed.

If Tina hadn’t been a state guest, she might have thrown a punch right away.

Sensing this, I smiled lightly.

And then, I politely pointed toward the empire’s 2nd Princess with my palm.

“In fact, it was all ordered by Lady Irina.”

“…!”

Hearing that, the eyes of both women, relaxed from the alcohol, sparkled.

“The Princess ordered it directly…?”

Tina asked in a skeptical tone.

To that, I answered even more confidently.

“She has always instructed us to prepare supplies firmly on the high ground.”

“Hmm… That’s unexpected. I didn’t know Irina was also excellent in logistics.”

Irina also stared at me blankly, following Tina.

Then, catching on to my intention, she smiled faintly.

“Well, it’s natural for a monarch.”

The Princess, apparently in a good mood, swayed her ponytail tied at the back.

Like a wolf whose heart had been softened.

Tina made a displeased face upon seeing her.

She could sense that Irina and I had a close relationship.

“You two seem to have a good relationship.”

“Of course, as I’ve said, I treasure my subordinates very much.”

The silver-haired Princess spoke boldly, empowered by her momentum.

But at that moment…

“But shouldn’t you hold the leash tighter, especially then?”

The Princess of Bakal countered her.

“It’s so loose that I’m getting greedy.”

Tina’s eyes sparkled coldly like a glacier.

Her empire was also famous for conquest and territorial expansion.

“Leash is an exaggeration, Christina.”

Irina countered with her green eyes full of venom.

Who was she the daughter of?

The original conqueror and destroyer.

The second daughter of Leonhardt.

“My mistake. I tend to be very direct…”

Tina chuckled.

And then, she recited a word to replace “leash.”

“If you like a subordinate that much, it means you could own them through engagement or a title.”

“Engagement…”

Irina, seemingly interested in the word “engagement,” rested her chin on her hand.

Then, she narrowed her eyes like a ruthless queen, lost in thought.

“Haha… The glasses are empty!”

Feeling a chill down my spine, I quickly took away the glasses from the two beasts.

And then, I slowly refilled the beer, changing the subject.

“I think it’s best to stop here and start wrapping up.”

Tina’s glass was filled to the brim.

Irina’s glass was filled only with foam.

I intentionally manipulated the proportions.

Yet, despite this, the bear-like women showed no signs of backing down.

Instead, they delved deeper into the topic of engagement.

“In fact, in our empire, it’s common for families to marry off to bind talents.”

“Certainly… We’ve had many such cases as well.”

The two stared at me with curious eyes.

Especially Irina.

Her eyes brightened as if she had realized something she had forgotten.

“Ahem…”

Feeling overwhelmed by their intense gaze, I covered my lips with a fist.

And then, I coughed, trying to wrap up the gathering.

“It’s already 10 o’clock.”

I looked around the quiet store, setting the atmosphere.

“It seems you both have had enough, so let’s call it a night.”

I quietly tried to take their glasses away.

But at that moment…

“What are you talking about? There’s still plenty of alcohol left.”

“Yeah, Vail. We’re fine.”

Tina and Irina simultaneously stopped my hand.

‘They say they’re fine…?’

The two escort knights had already been sent to the first floor due to excessive drinking.

Tina had long been drunk, her eyes half-closed.

Even Irina, whom I intentionally served less, had a flushed face.

‘As if they aren’t the daughters of conquerors…!’

“This place is bustling with people.”

I slipped out of their grasp like a snake.

And then, I spoke with a firm expression.

“So please, maintain your dignity.”

“……”

Was it because they were drunk?

The two princesses did not reprimand my assertive attitude.

“Hmm…”

Instead, they seemed to admire my consideration for the monarch.

“Alright… If Sir Vail says so, we have no choice.”

Tina brushed her disheveled white hair to the side.

And then, gripping the last glass in front of her, she said,

“Let’s just drink this last glass and go.”

It was believed in the culture of Bakal that the first to rise from a drinking place would lose.

Because of that culture, Tina picked up the glass.

“Yes, we should finish what’s left.”

Irina did the same.

Today, she boldly faced Tina, as if she did not want to lose to her.

“Phew…”

I sighed deeply, looking at them.

Because I knew Irina’s drinking habits well.

When she’s drunk, her heart becomes more honest, and she tends to act instinctively.

‘And I’ve experienced it firsthand…’

Tina, sitting across from me, would not be any less formidable.

Given her strong personality, who knows what would happen if she got even more drunk here?

“If the remaining alcohol is a problem, I will take care of it myself.”

I picked up two beer glasses with both hands.

And then, I transferred it all into one glass.

“…!”

Afterward, I lifted the glass and drank it down coolly.

Tina and Irina stared blankly at me as I emptied the drink for them.

Bang!

I set the empty glass down on the table.

And then, wiping my lips with the back of my hand, I spoke boldly.

“Now that it’s all gone, let’s go.”

I was the first to stand up.

Then, I took Tina’s jacket.

“It’s cold outside.”

I spread her clothes out to escort the Princess outside.

Then, Tina chuckled and slipped her arms into the sleeves.

“Ah, if the women outside are all exposing their stomachs, what’s there to be cold about?”

“That’s all part of the event. After the festival ends, everyone returns to their regular clothes.”

I calmly answered her revealing question.

“Really? Given how well you know, it seems you like that attire too.”

Tina chuckled teasingly.

As if enjoying my flustered expression.

“……”

Hearing that, Irina’s disheveled hair perked up like an animal’s ears.

“It’s just a fact I know as the Chief of Defense.”

I made a joke to lighten the mood.

Along with a sly smile.

“Of course, I think it’s a good event.”

“Haha… Yes, it’s natural for men to fantasize about such events.”

The white-haired woman put on her jacket.

Thanks to that, her sensual figure that caught the eye was barely concealed.

“Certainly, in that regard, Leon is more open than our Bakal, which is nice.”

Tina staggered and leaned her shoulder against me.

And then, with a pained sound, she pressed her chest against me.

“Ah, I drank too much and feel a bit dizzy.”

The Princess looked up at me, breathing heavily.

With a very seductive blue gaze.

“……”

However, I could feel it.

The faint mana emanating from her arm.

‘This is an act.’

“I’ll support you.”

I smiled and took her arm.

I was just planning to escort her to the front of the store.

But…

“Yes, guide me personally.”

The Princess naturally linked her arm with mine.

Then, she tried to go down the stairs, clinging to me like a lover.

“I wish you could escort me all the way to Bakal.”

She turned to Irina with a mischievous smile.

I sought consent from her.

“Your Highness, I will only escort Lady Tina to the first floor.”

“Okay.”

Irina responded with a lonely expression.

Like a silver wolf left alone in the snowfield.

Her disheveled hair made her look particularly pitiful.

“A-are you okay…?”

“Yes, of course. Hurry and take her.”

The 2nd Princess also stood up.

She urged me on with a cold smile.

“I’ll go to the changing room for a moment. I spilled something on my clothes.”

“Understood.”

“Phew…”

For now, I have decided to focus on the Princess.

I slowly went down the stairs with her leaning on my arm.

“Hmm… You smell nice.”

The Princess said, burying her nose in my jacket.

As if she were smelling her prey.

“That’s the smell of meat.”

I responded to the Princess with a weary expression.

“……”

As we reached the first floor, two waiting escort knights approached.

They seemed well aware of Tina’s drinking habits, giving me an apologetic look.

“You’ve done well. We’ll take care of her from here.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

The large-bodied escorts supported Tina on both sides.

Their appearance resembled police officers escorting a drunkard.

“Vail… Next time we meet, you should bring a positive answer to my proposal.”

The Princess spoke leisurely, as if accustomed to being escorted by the knights.

“If the answer is unsatisfactory, I’ll snatch you up.”

“Haha, you’re drunk, Your Highness…”

The escort silently took away the Princess, who was making a threatening joke.

Watching them, I tightly closed my eyes.

‘So Christina has always been like that…’

When we met as enemies, she was just a ruthless Empress.

Seeing her like this felt like meeting a cunning peer.

She was chatting with the escort in front of the store.

I looked at her fondly and then returned to the second floor.

“……”

I slumped down on the restaurant chair alone.

And then, I took a breath in the silent space.

‘I’m already feeling the effects of the alcohol…’

Perhaps it was because I chugged a giant glass of beer all at once.

My head was spinning.

‘How did they manage to drink five glasses each?’

In a dazed state, I picked and ate grapes from a plate.

I waited for Irina to return, savoring the sweetness filling my mouth.

But…

“……”

No matter how long I waited, she did not return from the changing room.

It was too long, even considering the knights waiting outside the restaurant.

‘Could she have fallen asleep inside?’

Feeling it was odd, I stood up.

And then, I headed towards the corridor she had entered.

“……”

The corridor was silent, with no one else in the store.

While walking quietly through it…

I came across light leaking through a slight gap in the door.

‘She must have forgotten to close the door because she’s drunk…’

I intended to close the door myself.

But at that moment…

“Ah, it’s not fitting well…”

I heard Irina’s hiccupping voice from inside.

“Have I gained weight recently…?”

Drawn by her voice, I looked inside.

And…

“…!”

Someone’s smooth lower abdomen caught my eye.

Above it, a voluptuous chest and a dizzying pelvis.

“How was I supposed to wear this…?”

I caught sight of Irina wearing short shorts.

Due to her plump thighs and wide hips, the buttons were not fitting well.

“Huh…!”

She hiccupped as she tried to fasten her clothes.

Her thinly opened eyes were full of mature allure.

Like a female ready to meet her mate.

“Phew…”

She tightly tied her T-shirt, barely covering her chest and exposing her stomach.

She was dressed like a cheerleader for the festival.

“……”

Perhaps because of the tight fabric, she exhaled seductively, as if her entire body had become sensitive.

However, she soon placed her hand on her chest and regulated her breathing.

“Allen, can you hear me?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Irina cast a voice transmission spell through the aura within her body.

“Retreat from the square with the Princess first.”

“What will you do, Your Highness?”

When he asked, the 2nd Princess slightly lifted the corner of her mouth.

And then she answered with eyes as sharp as a wolf’s.

“I’ll go back with Vail. He’s only had one drink.”

Allen ended the spell, acknowledging her significant words.

Thanks to that, the changing room became silent again.

Until I accidentally touched a glass bottle on the floor.

“Oh no…!”

Hearing the noise, Irina slowly approached the door.

And then, she flung it open, and we made eye contact.

“Oh, Vail. What brings you to the women’s changing room?”

Irina, who had opened the door, breathed heavily.

Was it the alcohol or the constricting cheerleader outfit?

Her face was erotically flushed red.

“Were you perhaps peeking?”

I swallowed hard under Irina’s mature gaze.

And then, I said,

“No, of course not. I was worried because you were taking so long.”

“You’re so kind to worry like that, Vail.”

Her mature figure was highlighted with every step she took.

From her voluptuous thighs to the seductive, sweaty lower abdomen.

“Thank you…”

Irina fully opened the changing room door.

And then…

“But I don’t like being kind to just anyone.”

She said, grabbing my wrist.

With sparkling green eyes.

“That’s why I had a lot of complaints today.”

“I’m sorry.”

However, the Princess paid no heed to my apology.

Instead…

“Come in. I was having trouble getting dressed and needed help.”

She naturally led me inside the changing room.

“Y-Your Highness. This is the women’s changing room!”

Seeing my embarrassment, the Princess chuckled.

“It’s okay, it’s just us here.”

She hiccuped from the alcohol and closed the door.

And then, she locked the doorknob and smiled seductively.

“Now, will you help me put it on?”

The Princess pinched the T-shirt wrapping her voluptuous chest and said,

“It’s just that this is the only set of clothes I could change into…”