Andrea walked me to the inn. He stopped by the shop where Troy gets his alcohol, saying he would buy a bottle of wine.
I entered the inn humming a song in my head. The innkeeper was absorbed in a game of chess, whether I entered or not. I smiled at him and climbed the creaking stairs. Even though I had only taken two sips due to my weak tolerance for alcohol, I felt drunk.
Even if Andrea came back with new wine, I might just end up staring at it, but I was still looking forward to our upcoming drinking session. After avoiding him for three weeks, spending time with him made the previous avoidance seem pointless. When alone, thinking about Andrea made my head and heart weird, but being with him, there was no discomfort or hesitation. It was a strange situation.
“Hiccup, strange, strange…”
I mumbled as I walked to my room on the second floor. Stumbling, I reached my room, and there, someone was standing in front of it. Andrea? Already here? Before me? That was also strange. Thinking, I quickly raised my head. But the person standing there was not Andrea.
“Young master!”
“Huh…?”
I was really drunk. In front of me was the face of someone I never expected.
“Young master! It is indeed you! How is your health? Do you know how worried I’ve been?”
“Devan?”
It was Devan. The knight of Narcissus. He had sworn loyalty to me, but I had never seen him once since leaving the palace.
“Devan Pistachio”
I hugged him.
“I am Devan Piestio, young master.”
“yes…”
“Did you happen to drink? How much did you drink? Why would someone claiming not to feel well get so drunk like this…?”
Devan’s words sounded muffled.
“Me? Not sick, not sick~ It’s all a lie. I went to great lengths to get into the Magic Tower.”
As I laughed hazily, Devan took a deep breath.
“Did you pretend to have Mana Deficiency because I advised you to go to the Magic Tower?…”
“Yeah! I did. Thanks, Devan. Thanks to you, I even changed which male lead I should attack…”
“What? What is that… Uh, young master, first, let’s get out of here.”
Devan lifted me up and carried me. Drunk and weak, I swayed on his back.
“When I saw you looking out of the inn window earlier, do you know how surprised I was? It’s a shame the Crown Prince couldn’t see it. If he had made eye contact at that time, you would have gone straight to the palace. I was so anxious to come out separately?”
Devan’s voice sounded like a lullaby. I pressed my cheek against Devan’s back and closed my eyes.
“It’s noisy…”
“Please sleep for now. young master, Devan Piestio, will protect you.”
That was the last thing I heard before losing consciousness. I fell into a deep sleep.
***
“Ugh… I feel like I’m going to throw up… Stop shaking me…”
I protested strongly while pounding the stiff pillow with my fist. The pillow was uncomfortable, and the bed shaking back and forth was also unpleasant. With my sensitive body filled with alcohol, this inn seemed uncomfortable in every way.
“Young master, please wake up.”
“…huh?”
I slowly opened my eyes, and Devan’s face was floating right above me.
“Ahh!”
I screamed and quickly sat up. To my surprise, I was inside a carriage. I had been lying on Devan’s lap all this time.
“Devan? Why are we here… No. Why are you here?”
“Don’t you remember?”
Devan sighed and then proceeded to recount what happened yesterday. As the story unfolded, I couldn’t help but feel horrified. Devan was watching me while I was looking at Hunter? I knew there were attendants and escort knights always present in the vicinity, but I didn’t expect Devan to be involved in this.
“Until his Royal Highness Crown Princess returns, the Crown Prince takes care of me. I escort him as his direct escort.”
Even after I left, Hunter had taken care of Devan, who was in a vague position. As my expression sank, Devan cautiously spoke.
“The Crown Prince… truly believes that you will return.”
Apparently, the servants kept my room clean and continued wedding preparations, even in my absence. Hunter diligently researched Mana deficiency every day.
Devan added, It turned out Hunter had been waiting for me all this time. I had left him behind and chose Cain as the new male lead. I had started learning magic with the intention of staying in the Magic Tower for a long time.
I bit my lips hard and slapped my forehead with one hand. Devan, noticing my state, gently grabbed my arm to stop me.
“What are you doing!”
“You won’t shake off that easily.”
“What?”
“I have to capture Cain. That’s the only way I can go back.”
“Where are you planning to go back to? Are you planning to return to the Narcissus Family.”
Devan’s face brightened. He thought wrong, “That place is your home, my lord. Don’t give up and become Count Narcissus”. He babbled, but it didn’t register in my ears.
As I had said, I would capture Cain and raise his favorability to 100. Then I would log out of this world and return to reality. I would reclaim my name. I wouldn’t remain as Del Narcissus within this game.
After gathering my mental strength, I looked out of the carriage window.
“But where are we going now?”
“We’re heading to the teleportation magic circle.”
“And where is that?”
“That… I’m not sure.”
Devan honestly admitted that. He thought anywhere would be better than here, which was a reasonable assumption.
I sighed and buried myself in the carriage seat. Since all the male leads were around here, it would be best to escape from here first and seize the opportunity to return to the Magic Tower. However…
“Andrea.”
I glanced at Devan.
“What happened to Andrea?”
“Andrea? Who is that?”
“When I left, didn’t Andrea try to stop me? You couldn’t have beaten him.”
Devan’s eyebrows twitched at my words. He straightened up, furrowing his brow.
“Did you hire a new escort knight? Is he better than me?”
It seemed from the way Devan spoke that he had not seen a strand of Andrea’s hair. Devan had taken me out before he returned to the inn. In that case, where could Andrea be…
I imagined Andrea, holding a bottle of wine, opening the door to my inn room with a happy expression. The room would be empty, with no trace of me. Even if I was drunk, I couldn’t go far. He would’ve wandered around the village with that thought, but still, he wouldn’t find me.
Was I discovered by Khan or Alan? Was I taken by Cain? Naturally, such suspicions arose, and Andrea would return to the Magic Tower. He would then realize that I wasn’t in the Magic Tower. He might think that I left on my own accord.
“I should probably send a letter.”
“A letter?”
“I’ll be returning to the Magic Tower soon, that I’m doing well, hiding my body for a while…”
“Are you talking about the Magic Tower Lord?”
I was about to say to Andrea but stopped myself. In this situation, it was more appropriate to send a letter to Cain. He was the male lead I had chosen, and he was already sensitive because I had been kidnapped before. Besides, he was the owner of the Magic Tower where I was currently residing.
I scratched my head. There was a lingering uneasiness in my heart.
“But, my lord, sending a letter would reveal your location. Wouldn’t it be better to hide thoroughly if you’re planning to stay hidden?”
“Right… Well, I’ll just wait a few more days, everyone will be returning in their areas.”
Khan, Alan, Hunter—all of them were busy people. I leaned back against the carriage seat. At the moment, deciding where to hide for the next few days seemed more urgent than understanding Andrea or Cain’s circumstances. The carriage wheels ran across the ground, I was lost in deep thought
***
The teleportation magic circle stations varied in size. The central station in the capital could instantly teleport to not only major cities but also to other continents. However, the station we arrived at was limited to the major cities and some landmarks on the Western Continent.
“Where should we go?”
Devan asked while looking at the map. Even if you asked me that, I wouldn’t know. I was just about to say I didn’t know, when.
Ding dong.
The system window appeared after a long time.
I stared at the choices carefully. The system was warning me not to leave.
Andrea walked me to the inn. He stopped by the shop where Troy gets his alcohol, saying he would buy a bottle of wine.
I entered the inn humming a song in my head. The innkeeper was absorbed in a game of chess, whether I entered or not. I smiled at him and climbed the creaking stairs. Even though I had only taken two sips due to my weak tolerance for alcohol, I felt drunk.
Even if Andrea came back with new wine, I might just end up staring at it, but I was still looking forward to our upcoming drinking session. After avoiding him for three weeks, spending time with him made the previous avoidance seem pointless. When alone, thinking about Andrea made my head and heart weird, but being with him, there was no discomfort or hesitation. It was a strange situation.
“Hiccup, strange, strange…”
I mumbled as I walked to my room on the second floor. Stumbling, I reached my room, and there, someone was standing in front of it. Andrea? Already here? Before me? That was also strange. Thinking, I quickly raised my head. But the person standing there was not Andrea.
“Young master!”
“Huh…?”
I was really drunk. In front of me was the face of someone I never expected.
“Young master! It is indeed you! How is your health? Do you know how worried I’ve been?”
“Devan?”
It was Devan. The knight of Narcissus. He had sworn loyalty to me, but I had never seen him once since leaving the palace.
“Devan Pistachio”
I hugged him.
“I am Devan Piestio, young master.”
“yes…”
“Did you happen to drink? How much did you drink? Why would someone claiming not to feel well get so drunk like this…?”
Devan’s words sounded muffled.
“Me? Not sick, not sick~ It’s all a lie. I went to great lengths to get into the Magic Tower.”
As I laughed hazily, Devan took a deep breath.
“Did you pretend to have Mana Deficiency because I advised you to go to the Magic Tower?…”
“Yeah! I did. Thanks, Devan. Thanks to you, I even changed which male lead I should attack…”
“What? What is that… Uh, young master, first, let’s get out of here.”
Devan lifted me up and carried me. Drunk and weak, I swayed on his back.
“When I saw you looking out of the inn window earlier, do you know how surprised I was? It’s a shame the Crown Prince couldn’t see it. If he had made eye contact at that time, you would have gone straight to the palace. I was so anxious to come out separately?”
Devan’s voice sounded like a lullaby. I pressed my cheek against Devan’s back and closed my eyes.
“It’s noisy…”
“Please sleep for now. young master, Devan Piestio, will protect you.”
That was the last thing I heard before losing consciousness. I fell into a deep sleep.
***
“Ugh… I feel like I’m going to throw up… Stop shaking me…”
I protested strongly while pounding the stiff pillow with my fist. The pillow was uncomfortable, and the bed shaking back and forth was also unpleasant. With my sensitive body filled with alcohol, this inn seemed uncomfortable in every way.
“Young master, please wake up.”
“…huh?”
I slowly opened my eyes, and Devan’s face was floating right above me.
“Ahh!”
I screamed and quickly sat up. To my surprise, I was inside a carriage. I had been lying on Devan’s lap all this time.
“Devan? Why are we here… No. Why are you here?”
“Don’t you remember?”
Devan sighed and then proceeded to recount what happened yesterday. As the story unfolded, I couldn’t help but feel horrified. Devan was watching me while I was looking at Hunter? I knew there were attendants and escort knights always present in the vicinity, but I didn’t expect Devan to be involved in this.
“Until his Royal Highness Crown Princess returns, the Crown Prince takes care of me. I escort him as his direct escort.”
Even after I left, Hunter had taken care of Devan, who was in a vague position. As my expression sank, Devan cautiously spoke.
“The Crown Prince… truly believes that you will return.”
Apparently, the servants kept my room clean and continued wedding preparations, even in my absence. Hunter diligently researched Mana deficiency every day.
Devan added, It turned out Hunter had been waiting for me all this time. I had left him behind and chose Cain as the new male lead. I had started learning magic with the intention of staying in the Magic Tower for a long time.
I bit my lips hard and slapped my forehead with one hand. Devan, noticing my state, gently grabbed my arm to stop me.
“What are you doing!”
“You won’t shake off that easily.”
“What?”
“I have to capture Cain. That’s the only way I can go back.”
“Where are you planning to go back to? Are you planning to return to the Narcissus Family.”
Devan’s face brightened. He thought wrong, “That place is your home, my lord. Don’t give up and become Count Narcissus”. He babbled, but it didn’t register in my ears.
As I had said, I would capture Cain and raise his favorability to 100. Then I would log out of this world and return to reality. I would reclaim my name. I wouldn’t remain as Del Narcissus within this game.
After gathering my mental strength, I looked out of the carriage window.
“But where are we going now?”
“We’re heading to the teleportation magic circle.”
“And where is that?”
“That… I’m not sure.”
Devan honestly admitted that. He thought anywhere would be better than here, which was a reasonable assumption.
I sighed and buried myself in the carriage seat. Since all the male leads were around here, it would be best to escape from here first and seize the opportunity to return to the Magic Tower. However…
“Andrea.”
I glanced at Devan.
“What happened to Andrea?”
“Andrea? Who is that?”
“When I left, didn’t Andrea try to stop me? You couldn’t have beaten him.”
Devan’s eyebrows twitched at my words. He straightened up, furrowing his brow.
“Did you hire a new escort knight? Is he better than me?”
It seemed from the way Devan spoke that he had not seen a strand of Andrea’s hair. Devan had taken me out before he returned to the inn. In that case, where could Andrea be…
I imagined Andrea, holding a bottle of wine, opening the door to my inn room with a happy expression. The room would be empty, with no trace of me. Even if I was drunk, I couldn’t go far. He would’ve wandered around the village with that thought, but still, he wouldn’t find me.
Was I discovered by Khan or Alan? Was I taken by Cain? Naturally, such suspicions arose, and Andrea would return to the Magic Tower. He would then realize that I wasn’t in the Magic Tower. He might think that I left on my own accord.
“I should probably send a letter.”
“A letter?”
“I’ll be returning to the Magic Tower soon, that I’m doing well, hiding my body for a while…”
“Are you talking about the Magic Tower Lord?”
I was about to say to Andrea but stopped myself. In this situation, it was more appropriate to send a letter to Cain. He was the male lead I had chosen, and he was already sensitive because I had been kidnapped before. Besides, he was the owner of the Magic Tower where I was currently residing.
I scratched my head. There was a lingering uneasiness in my heart.
“But, my lord, sending a letter would reveal your location. Wouldn’t it be better to hide thoroughly if you’re planning to stay hidden?”
“Right… Well, I’ll just wait a few more days, everyone will be returning in their areas.”
Khan, Alan, Hunter—all of them were busy people. I leaned back against the carriage seat. At the moment, deciding where to hide for the next few days seemed more urgent than understanding Andrea or Cain’s circumstances. The carriage wheels ran across the ground, I was lost in deep thought
***
The teleportation magic circle stations varied in size. The central station in the capital could instantly teleport to not only major cities but also to other continents. However, the station we arrived at was limited to the major cities and some landmarks on the Western Continent.
“Where should we go?”
Devan asked while looking at the map. Even if you asked me that, I wouldn’t know. I was just about to say I didn’t know, when.
Ding dong.
The system window appeared after a long time.
I stared at the choices carefully. The system was warning me not to leave.
