Shitoen, Have You Been Drinking?

“Ahhh… good grief.”

I dove onto the bed and muttered without thinking.

Basically, I had no problem camping outdoors, and whether my pillow changed or I slept on the ground, I could sleep anywhere, but even so, my familiar bed was something special. I was happy.

Still lying face down, I only swung my feet and kicked off my slippers.

While on guard duty, I wore a shirt and trousers even at night so I could move at any time, but since these were my pajamas, I was stress-free.

Haaah… I let out a deep breath and twisted my neck to the side.

Beside me was another pillow for one more person.

It seemed Shitoen still could not come to the bedroom.

Not just the bedroom—at dinner too, I had received a message saying, “My work is still delayed. Please go ahead, Prince Saryu,” so I ate alone.

I took a bath and thought, “Well, even so, I should be able to see her in the bedroom.”

But today must surely have been a busy day.

It was lonely that we could not eat dinner together or talk, but it could not be helped.

Shitoen had Shitoen’s own work. She already often adjusted herself to my events, so I could not ask even more of her.

Still.

I wished she would take it easy.

Shitoen always worked too hard. If she had no plans, she would put public duties into her schedule, and even on holidays, she moved according to me.

The hot spring trip I had asked Raul to arrange.

At least on that day, I hoped she could forget everything and relax.

Thinking that, I lay on my back, then suddenly remembered.

The fact that Shitoen had bought underwear.

I sat bolt upright without thinking.

Special decisive underwear!!!!

…Was it? No, what was it?! Rather, what kind was it!!

To be precise, what kind of thing was lingerie?! I was imagining something erotic on my own, but was that wrong?! If I confirmed this with Raul, would he be exasperated with me?!

“U-Um. Are you still awake?”

As my delusions swelled and I imagined various things, a modest knock echoed: knock, knock, knock.

Oh no, it was Shitoen!

“Ah! Come in!”

For no reason, I sat properly on the bed again and scattered away my delusions about underwear.

While I was at it, I also tightened my facial expression. Roze would immediately insult me as an “erotic bear,” after all.

“I am sorry. Various matters were delayed… I am late.”

Shitoen, wearing a sleeveless white negligee, opened the door and entered.

After closing the door behind her, she came trotting over to me.

But the thing that made me think, Hm? was her gait.

How should I put it? She was a little unsteady.

Even the way she ran, with that trot-trot-trot, felt like “trot-trot” to the right, then “trot-trot” to the left…

“Shitoen?”

Just as I was about to ask what was wrong, she put both hands on the bed, bent halfway forward, and brought her face close to mine.

What softly brushed past my nose was the sweet scent of Shitoen’s perfume.

And alcohol.

“Shitoen, have you been drinking?”

I tried asking in the Tania language.

How unusual.

At social occasions, I had seen her drink cocktails or sparkling wine as much as necessary for socializing, but aside from me, Shitoen drinking alcohol at the mansion was something else.

“What Roze-chan and Mone-san said is very true.”

Looking into my eyes, Shitoen also said that in the Tania language.

…What was this all of a sudden? What exactly was true?

Looking closely, the rims of her eyes were faintly red, and her cheeks seemed flushed too.

Had she drunk quite a bit? Or rather, was Shitoen weak to alcohol?

“Roze and Mone?”

When I asked back in confusion, she bobbed her head up and down in a big nod.

The scent of alcohol wafted faintly again.

“Shitoen, you have been drinking, right?”

“To give myself momentum!”

Before I could ask, Momentum for what? Shitoen said, “Here we go,” and climbed onto the bed.

Pushed by her momentum, I leaned my upper body back, but Shitoen did not care at all.

She sat facing me.

“Um. I also wear accessories I like, and I choose clothing that is appro… appropliate for each occasion according to my own preferences.”

Appropliate…

She said appropliate――――!!!!

I have just received the world’s cutest “appropliate”――――!!!

What, Shitoen was cute even when she got drunk?!

What the hell, seriously! If I had known sooner…!

I should have invited her to drink with me!

“Are you listening, Prince Saryu?”

Shitoen said that as if she wanted to scold me.

“I’m listening, I’m listening, I’m listening, I’m listening.”

As if I would miss it! I was listening to every single word!

“So, it is absolutely not that I choose them for someone else, or to flatter anyone, or anything like that.”

While nodding along, I told myself, No, no, this was bad. I spun my mind at high speed to figure out what she was talking about.

What Roze and Mone said was true, and…

Choosing accessories and clothes she herself liked…?

Ah, was it that?!

“Besides, she didn’t buy it for Prince Saryu’s sake.”

Roze’s cold voice and gaze.

Was Shitoen trying to talk about that?

“No, yeah! Of course. I wear clothes that are comfortable for me too!”

I said hastily.

“Sure, lately I’ve been paying attention to my hairstyle and beard so Shitoen will like me. But basically…”

“That is exactly it!”

“Whoa?!”

Shitoen, who had been sitting right in front of me, suddenly leaned her upper body forward, so I reflexively grabbed both her shoulders.

This was bad… Shitoen was swaying heavily.

“Uh… um, Shitoen, how much alcohol did you drink…?”

“Jusht a little, jusht a little!”

Jusht a little, huh…

That was that. I would check the amount with the head maid or Eaton later.

As I was thinking that, Shitoen became able to hold her posture rather well, so I gently let go.

Even so, I peered into her face, wondering if she was all right.

She suddenly looked away and pouted.

“I also choose clothes according to my own preferences, but even so, I want the person I like… um… Prince Saryu, to think, ‘It suits you,’ don’t I?”

The formula that the person she liked equaled me struck me with the shock of taking a blow to the top of my head.

And besides…!

She wanted me to think it suited her…!!!!!

“Everything suits you, Shitoen!”

I ended up speaking passionately.

“I’ve thought so ever since the engagement ceremony and all the way until now! Everything you wear suits you, Shitoen, and any hairstyle and any accessory you put on is wonderful!!”

“Y-You too, Prince Saryu. Whether you are in military uniform or dressed casually like this, you are handsome.”

Shitoen blushed and looked embarrassed…!!

She was so damn cuuuuuuuuuute!!!!

Was this all right?! Was it all right for this to be a human being!!! Was she not an angel… no, a god!!!

All humanity should acknowledge that this cuteness, innocence, and loveliness had already reached the realm of the divine!!!