Because I had accumulated some experience traveling by carriage, I was already familiar with carriage journeys. In other words, there were limits to enjoying the sensation of riding in the carriage or appreciating the passing scenery outside the small window. Watching Andrea sewing was also not particularly entertaining.
Before long, I started dozing off. At first, I was jolted awake by shaking my head in the air or hitting the wall in a half-dazed state. But soon, something warm and firm, like a support, appeared beside me. Leaning my head on that support, I felt comfortable and satisfied. I must have slept deeply for about three hours without any dreams. I woke up to the sound of raindrops hitting the carriage body.
“Huh…?”
With a surprised sound, I opened my eyes to find Andrea sitting across from me. He was quietly wearing a straw hat on his knee and looking at me. Reflexively, I wiped my mouth. The area around my mouth was wet, perhaps because I had drooled a bit
“He pointed out of the window with his thumb. As he said, the window was blurred with raindrops, and a heavy rain was falling, making a loud noise like a whip hitting the carriage. The air inside the carriage was much cooler and more humid than before. The unique scent of the forest, intensified by the rain, was rising fresher and stronger than any perfume.
“Are you awake?”
“Yes… Have we arrived?”
At my foolish question, Andrea chuckled.
“Not yet. We still have a long way to go. But it seems the rain is heavy, so I think we should let the horses rest for a while.”
“The coachman also wore a raincoat, but he’ll catch a cold if he gets soaked in this rain. It would be better to take a break until the rain subsides a bit.”
Come to think of it, the coachman was a man with a large scar on his face, and according to Andrea, he was hired as a laborer for money. However, from my perspective, he seemed more like an assassin affiliated with the Cruel Guild.
I agreed to Andrea’s suggestion to stop by a nearby village and take a rest. Nodding, Andrea tapped the carriage wall twice with his fist and once with his palm. Soon, the coachman outside kicked the carriage once. It seemed like a prearranged signal. If it weren’t for the assassins’ guild members, it would have been a desirable and somewhat exotic means of communication within the workplace. Feeling a bit more uneasy, I instinctively raised the corners of my mouth and laughed, only to notice that one of Andrea’s shoulders was slightly wet.
“Did you get wet in the rain?”
Following my gaze, Andrea turned his eyes. Upon seeing his own roundly wet shoulder, he chuckled cheerfully.
“Yes, a little bit.”
Even after answering, he continued to laugh as if finding it amusing.
I wanted to provoke him or say something annoying, but I didn’t want to shorten my lifespan by challenging the Empire’s top assassin. So, I closed my eyes again. I’d rather not see that sight.
As I closed my eyes, Andrea stopped laughing, thinking I might be asleep again. Still, I could hear him suppressing his laughter.
“Are you asleep?”
“……”
Pretend you don’t know, just pretend.
“You sleep well when you rest your head. Mr. fake.”
I kept my head tilted up, offering no response. I deliberately controlled my breathing, fearing that revealing I wasn’t asleep would give something away. Whether it was due to my mental effort or not, Andrea fell silent. He tapped the wall four times with his fist. Wondering what that meant, I noticed that the carriage’s speed noticeably slowed down. I heard the coachman outside soothing the horses with a “Whoa, whoa,” slowing down the pace.
I remained cautious, careful not to swallow saliva or breathe heavily. At that moment, Andrea stood up and sat beside me.
‘What is this…?’
There seemed to be no intention to harm me. Over the past few days, I had come to understand how much Andrea valued Del Narcissus.
I continued to pretend to be asleep with a peaceful mind. Eventually, Andrea reached out and gently pulled my head towards him.
Tuck.
My head touched his shoulder. It was warm and firm, like the support I had laid on earlier.
It was only then that I realized the support was Andrea’s shoulder. The round wetness on Andrea’s shoulder wasn’t from the rain but from my drool.
‘I’m embarrassed…’
If I could, I wanted to jump up, shout, kick down the carriage door, and run away. Come to think of it, when I met Khan Alexis, I actually did that. I was caught again in less than five minutes, so it wasn’t an appropriate method to escape.
I desperately closed my eyes, inhaling the refreshing and clean scent of Andrea mixed with the rain. The carriage, which had been clattering along the mountain path, was now entering the outskirts of a village and moving more smoothly.
After a while, the carriage came to a complete stop. Andrea carefully leaned my head against the carriage wall and went to sit on the opposite side. Only after he distanced himself from me like he had just committed a crime did he wake me up.
“Mr. Fake, wake up. We’ve arrived in the village. Let’s wait here for the rain to calm down while having a meal.”
“Ugh…”
Somewhat artificially, I yawned and pretended to wake up. Andrea was casually smiling with a face without guilt.
He opened the door and escorted me out. The coachman, wanting to eat separately, drove the carriage somewhere else.
The rain was truly annoying. While the forest provided some cover from the rain, there was no shelter in the village. By the time we found a restaurant, we were both thoroughly soaked. Even though I had a hat, scarf, and a thin coat, Andrea, wearing only a black shirt, looked even more drenched.
As we entered a nearby restaurant, the owner, seeing Andrea, exclaimed, “You might catch a cold! Goodness, the water is dripping! Anna, hey, bring a towel. We should give it to these guests.”
A teenage girl who resembled the restaurant owner appeared from somewhere with a blanket in hand. Seeing Andrea’s wet face and outlined body due to the rain, she blushed and let out a shy laugh. Andrea, whether the girl was embarrassed or not, took the blanket and started drying me off.
“Feeling cold? Take off your outerwear and sit by the fireplace over there. We need to warm up your body a bit.” He proceeded to remove my hat, scarf, and coat one by one, wrapping a blanket around my shoulders. The girl who had been giggling at Andrea earlier now looked at my face and widened her eyes.
“Fa… face…!”
Gasping and barely managing to utter the word “face,” she stumbled backwards, trembling. Andrea still paid no attention to the girl. He led me to the nearest table by the fireplace, as if it were the most important thing in the world.
From behind, I heard the girl frantically pleading with the restaurant owner, “Mom! Let me take their order! Let me do it! No, let Mom do it! I’ll just stand behind you!” Her words spilled out like rapid fire.
“Your top seems fine, but your pants are completely soaked at the bottom,” Andrea said with a thoughtful smile.
“More than me… you’re even more soaked.
I retorted. Even though it was black, his shirt clung tightly to his body, revealing the shape of his chest and abs, like a perfectly sculpted statue set there for art students to sketch. I felt a little flustered and scratched the back of my neck, rolling my eyes. He playfully covered his chest with both hands.
“You’re being too obvious.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Ha, you’re so naughty. Mr. Fake.”
“Naughty? Who…”
I was about to yell at him despite my fear, but the restaurant owner came over with her daughter behind her.
“What can I get for you? Would you like some drinks as well?”
The daughter, who had been hiding behind her mother, peeked out and alternately observed us with her eyes before finally looking away. I could hear the girl’s breathing, like the snort of a rhinoceros. Andrea must have also sensed her presence, but he casually ordered a warm soup, chicken, and two glasses of alcohol.
It wasn’t long before the drinks arrived. Andrea handed me a glass.
“Drinking strong alcohol raises your body temperature.”
Have I ever possessed a body and drank alcohol before? Del Narcissus was a character who indulged in parties and entertainment, so he must have been a heavy drinker. I felt a slight anticipation at the thought of drinking after a long time. In the past, I sometimes bought a 4,000 won beer and poured it down my throat before playing games.
I downed the clear liquid in the small glass in one go. Andrea also took a shot of the alcohol, just like me.
“Ugh……”
The alcohol was really strong. My throat burned as if it were on fire. A small flame traveled down my throat and into my chest. When I shivered slightly, Andrea laughed.
“I guess Mr. Fake used to be a good drinker?”
It was a question about me before I possessed this body. I coolly nodded my head.
“Well, that’s right.”
…………Huh? Why is my tongue so twisted?
Because I had accumulated some experience traveling by carriage, I was already familiar with carriage journeys. In other words, there were limits to enjoying the sensation of riding in the carriage or appreciating the passing scenery outside the small window. Watching Andrea sewing was also not particularly entertaining.
Before long, I started dozing off. At first, I was jolted awake by shaking my head in the air or hitting the wall in a half-dazed state. But soon, something warm and firm, like a support, appeared beside me. Leaning my head on that support, I felt comfortable and satisfied. I must have slept deeply for about three hours without any dreams. I woke up to the sound of raindrops hitting the carriage body.
“Huh…?”
With a surprised sound, I opened my eyes to find Andrea sitting across from me. He was quietly wearing a straw hat on his knee and looking at me. Reflexively, I wiped my mouth. The area around my mouth was wet, perhaps because I had drooled a bit
“He pointed out of the window with his thumb. As he said, the window was blurred with raindrops, and a heavy rain was falling, making a loud noise like a whip hitting the carriage. The air inside the carriage was much cooler and more humid than before. The unique scent of the forest, intensified by the rain, was rising fresher and stronger than any perfume.
“Are you awake?”
“Yes… Have we arrived?”
At my foolish question, Andrea chuckled.
“Not yet. We still have a long way to go. But it seems the rain is heavy, so I think we should let the horses rest for a while.”
“The coachman also wore a raincoat, but he’ll catch a cold if he gets soaked in this rain. It would be better to take a break until the rain subsides a bit.”
Come to think of it, the coachman was a man with a large scar on his face, and according to Andrea, he was hired as a laborer for money. However, from my perspective, he seemed more like an assassin affiliated with the Cruel Guild.
I agreed to Andrea’s suggestion to stop by a nearby village and take a rest. Nodding, Andrea tapped the carriage wall twice with his fist and once with his palm. Soon, the coachman outside kicked the carriage once. It seemed like a prearranged signal. If it weren’t for the assassins’ guild members, it would have been a desirable and somewhat exotic means of communication within the workplace. Feeling a bit more uneasy, I instinctively raised the corners of my mouth and laughed, only to notice that one of Andrea’s shoulders was slightly wet.
“Did you get wet in the rain?”
Following my gaze, Andrea turned his eyes. Upon seeing his own roundly wet shoulder, he chuckled cheerfully.
“Yes, a little bit.”
Even after answering, he continued to laugh as if finding it amusing.
I wanted to provoke him or say something annoying, but I didn’t want to shorten my lifespan by challenging the Empire’s top assassin. So, I closed my eyes again. I’d rather not see that sight.
As I closed my eyes, Andrea stopped laughing, thinking I might be asleep again. Still, I could hear him suppressing his laughter.
“Are you asleep?”
“……”
Pretend you don’t know, just pretend.
“You sleep well when you rest your head. Mr. fake.”
I kept my head tilted up, offering no response. I deliberately controlled my breathing, fearing that revealing I wasn’t asleep would give something away. Whether it was due to my mental effort or not, Andrea fell silent. He tapped the wall four times with his fist. Wondering what that meant, I noticed that the carriage’s speed noticeably slowed down. I heard the coachman outside soothing the horses with a “Whoa, whoa,” slowing down the pace.
I remained cautious, careful not to swallow saliva or breathe heavily. At that moment, Andrea stood up and sat beside me.
‘What is this…?’
There seemed to be no intention to harm me. Over the past few days, I had come to understand how much Andrea valued Del Narcissus.
I continued to pretend to be asleep with a peaceful mind. Eventually, Andrea reached out and gently pulled my head towards him.
Tuck.
My head touched his shoulder. It was warm and firm, like the support I had laid on earlier.
It was only then that I realized the support was Andrea’s shoulder. The round wetness on Andrea’s shoulder wasn’t from the rain but from my drool.
‘I’m embarrassed…’
If I could, I wanted to jump up, shout, kick down the carriage door, and run away. Come to think of it, when I met Khan Alexis, I actually did that. I was caught again in less than five minutes, so it wasn’t an appropriate method to escape.
I desperately closed my eyes, inhaling the refreshing and clean scent of Andrea mixed with the rain. The carriage, which had been clattering along the mountain path, was now entering the outskirts of a village and moving more smoothly.
After a while, the carriage came to a complete stop. Andrea carefully leaned my head against the carriage wall and went to sit on the opposite side. Only after he distanced himself from me like he had just committed a crime did he wake me up.
“Mr. Fake, wake up. We’ve arrived in the village. Let’s wait here for the rain to calm down while having a meal.”
“Ugh…”
Somewhat artificially, I yawned and pretended to wake up. Andrea was casually smiling with a face without guilt.
He opened the door and escorted me out. The coachman, wanting to eat separately, drove the carriage somewhere else.
The rain was truly annoying. While the forest provided some cover from the rain, there was no shelter in the village. By the time we found a restaurant, we were both thoroughly soaked. Even though I had a hat, scarf, and a thin coat, Andrea, wearing only a black shirt, looked even more drenched.
As we entered a nearby restaurant, the owner, seeing Andrea, exclaimed, “You might catch a cold! Goodness, the water is dripping! Anna, hey, bring a towel. We should give it to these guests.”
A teenage girl who resembled the restaurant owner appeared from somewhere with a blanket in hand. Seeing Andrea’s wet face and outlined body due to the rain, she blushed and let out a shy laugh. Andrea, whether the girl was embarrassed or not, took the blanket and started drying me off.
“Feeling cold? Take off your outerwear and sit by the fireplace over there. We need to warm up your body a bit.” He proceeded to remove my hat, scarf, and coat one by one, wrapping a blanket around my shoulders. The girl who had been giggling at Andrea earlier now looked at my face and widened her eyes.
“Fa… face…!”
Gasping and barely managing to utter the word “face,” she stumbled backwards, trembling. Andrea still paid no attention to the girl. He led me to the nearest table by the fireplace, as if it were the most important thing in the world.
From behind, I heard the girl frantically pleading with the restaurant owner, “Mom! Let me take their order! Let me do it! No, let Mom do it! I’ll just stand behind you!” Her words spilled out like rapid fire.
“Your top seems fine, but your pants are completely soaked at the bottom,” Andrea said with a thoughtful smile.
“More than me… you’re even more soaked.
I retorted. Even though it was black, his shirt clung tightly to his body, revealing the shape of his chest and abs, like a perfectly sculpted statue set there for art students to sketch. I felt a little flustered and scratched the back of my neck, rolling my eyes. He playfully covered his chest with both hands.
“You’re being too obvious.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Ha, you’re so naughty. Mr. Fake.”
“Naughty? Who…”
I was about to yell at him despite my fear, but the restaurant owner came over with her daughter behind her.
“What can I get for you? Would you like some drinks as well?”
The daughter, who had been hiding behind her mother, peeked out and alternately observed us with her eyes before finally looking away. I could hear the girl’s breathing, like the snort of a rhinoceros. Andrea must have also sensed her presence, but he casually ordered a warm soup, chicken, and two glasses of alcohol.
It wasn’t long before the drinks arrived. Andrea handed me a glass.
“Drinking strong alcohol raises your body temperature.”
Have I ever possessed a body and drank alcohol before? Del Narcissus was a character who indulged in parties and entertainment, so he must have been a heavy drinker. I felt a slight anticipation at the thought of drinking after a long time. In the past, I sometimes bought a 4,000 won beer and poured it down my throat before playing games.
I downed the clear liquid in the small glass in one go. Andrea also took a shot of the alcohol, just like me.
“Ugh……”
The alcohol was really strong. My throat burned as if it were on fire. A small flame traveled down my throat and into my chest. When I shivered slightly, Andrea laughed.
“I guess Mr. Fake used to be a good drinker?”
It was a question about me before I possessed this body. I coolly nodded my head.
“Well, that’s right.”
…………Huh? Why is my tongue so twisted?
