Chapter 310
Chapter 310
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 310
Chapter Title: Puppy, Kitten (5)
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Top-quality wine bottles were neatly lined up on the table.
Seven in total. Way too much for one night.
I was curious about the taste of liquor I'd never had the chance to try before, but my mood still didn't lift.
"Smoke cheese, tuna canapés, almonds... You want strawberries too?"
Marronier, wearing a blue apron, asked me.
"Fruit sounds good."
The wine pairings had been prepared by Blanche herself.
Mostly finger foods—light stuff you could just pick up and eat.
"Want me to handle the fruit?"
"Yeah."
I pulled a few pieces from the fridge and sniffed them. The aroma was distinctly luxurious. The strawberries were fist-sized, too big for one bite.
I washed and trimmed the strawberries and grapes cleanly, sliced the bananas into bite-sized pieces on a plate, and set it all on the table.
The quickly prepared spot soon filled with a warm atmosphere.
I hoped it would ease the awkwardly tangled awkwardness a bit.
-Pop!
The cork on the first wine bottle popped open.
The condensed aroma burst out, permeating the air. It stimulated my nostrils, making my mouth water.
Even Marronier, the National Tree, had widened her eyes when she first smelled it.
Probably the kind of liquor even the rich couldn't easily afford.
"You okay to drink?"
I asked Sansu-yu as gently as possible, just in case she misunderstood.
Whether she was in drinking condition. Trouble would be a headache.
She'd been complaining less about pain lately, but alcohol wasn't good for her body.
Plus, she hadn't received healing in days.
Sansu-yu hesitated as she looked at me, then answered.
"Probably."
She'd know her own body best.
But not when it came to Sansu-yu.
Her senses were dulled, so she often didn't even notice her own pain.
"For real?"
Even after I asked again to make her reconsider, Sansu-yu didn't change her answer.
Instead, she lowered her gaze slightly, quizzing me cautiously.
"You don't want me here, Siheon?"
No, that's not how you interpret it.
Blanche's mouth fell open in surprise, and I clutched my chest in worry.
"That's not what I meant. I'm just worried. You can stay without drinking, right? No rule saying you have to drink. Want some tteokbokki?"
"...You're always trying to feed me tteokbokki whenever we meet."
"No, that's not—"
She loved tteokbokki so much, the words had become habit.
But the misunderstanding cleared, and Sansu-yu held out her wine glass with a relieved expression.
"Then, just one glass."
"Got it. You're sure it's okay?"
"You're too worried."
One glass might be fine.
It had been quite a while since the Cornerus Family experiments.
Maybe I was being too soft, but Sansu-yu hated anyone meddling in her health. I filled her glass a bit less than a full serving while fussing over it.
'She wouldn't have slipped anything like poison in the wine, would she?'
Her image had gotten cuter with the teddy bear panties, but she was still sly inside.
I poured wine for Marronier too, then took a sip faster than anyone else.
A sweet aroma clung stickily to my tongue. Sweetly bittersweet.
After holding back, no weird reactions from my body. It just felt like drinking delicious liquor.
'Overthinking it.'
I'd planned to grill her seriously if she'd messed with Sansu-yu's drink, but this seemed safe for one glass.
"Tastes good, right?"
My reaction started it, and the two brought their glasses to their lips.
Responses came soon after.
"Sweet."
"Feels like the first time."
Good enough to gulp down without savoring.
Though you'd get wrecked fast that way. The throat feel was that smooth and tasty.
Wine usually wasn't my thing, but this went down easy.
We sipped away without even talking.
Even Sansu-yu, who claimed fancy food tasted like nothing, drank steadily, clearly enjoying this wine.
One glass with tart green grapes.
One with nutty almonds.
Sipping in silence made me glance around, wondering if this was right.
The two were doing the same, stealing glances and gauging each other subtly.
Come to think of it, why had we suddenly grown distant?
Sansu-yu knew, but Marronier didn't. Had the enslavement really broken, as I'd guessed? If so, did she hate me?
Before I could speak, Blanche opened her mouth first.
"...You know."
Marronier set down her glass and looked at us hesitantly.
"Did you two fight?"
I'd hoped she wouldn't bring it up, but asking directly might be better than forcing fake cheer.
That's what her question implied.
"Yeah, but it's nothing big."
"Anyone can see it's something. What happened? You two were so close."
I refilled her glass.
"It's complicated. Tied to Sansu-yu's family too. Hard to explain to others."
Sansu-yu nodded. Too serious to tell Marronier.
"...Then stop looking so restless."
Blanche's lips pouted.
The awkwardness returned.
This spot feeling strained was inevitable. Time fixed most things like this, but the Sage had forced this gathering.
We downed a few more glasses.
Just as we hit a pleasant buzz, a slightly flushed Marronier brought up what was on her mind.
"You said you two got close naturally."
"Yeah."
"Human and Wood Person. Possible?"
Sansu-yu was special.
More Wood People around me than humans, but her family was nobility humans could barely speak to.
She took an interest in me by chance, and her lack of prejudice let us bond.
Even when my looks would disgust anyone decent.
"Like a fairy tale."
Rare stuff. Marronier compared us to one, noting how uncommon it was.
"She was sweet."
No emotions back then, but her character deserved recognition.
I grinned at Sansu-yu. The alcohol was loosening me up.
Maybe now I could have a real talk with her.
Then Sansu-yu's head swayed.
-Wobble!
I caught her as she nearly toppled.
Weak tolerance? Face red, speechless.
"Hey, that was close. What did I tell you?"
"Siheon... sorry."
Feeding booze to someone in pain was wrong to begin with.
She'd seemed fine enjoying it, but it hit her fast.
"Gonna lay her down quick."
"Okay."
I supported Sansu-yu out of the kitchen and tucked her into bed.
Her clothes were a bit disheveled, but I ignored it and covered her with the blanket.
Wiped the beaded sweat from her forehead, confirmed she was asleep, then used Healing Authority lightly enough not to wake her.
-Hum!
The green authority gathered in my hand seeped into her body, brightening her face further.
That should do it.
No need to worry.
I pinched her cheek once and headed back to the kitchen.
"Sansu-yu okay?"
"Yeah, knew she was a lightweight. Worse 'cause of the pain, maybe. Can't finish today."
"How'd we even finish all this? Heh."
The snacks were plenty for two.
"Whatever."
I perched on the chair and filled my glass to the brim.
Tonight, I was getting smashed. Till my head spun and my stomach churned.
I'd stripped all my magic power, defenseless against the booze.
-Gulp.
Mouth full, no savoring, two big swallows.
"Not drinking too fast?"
"Sometimes it's fine."
Marronier eyed me ambiguously.
"Snacks good?"
"Delicious."
Her frank praise brought a smile to my lips.
Suddenly, she thrust her glass toward me.
"Cheers...?"
A crisp clink as I stood promptly.
Clink—
The vibration from our glasses spread slowly. We sipped and swallowed almost together.
The mouth-filling sweetness faded cleanly. I could drink forever.
As senses blurred dreamlike, booze-soaked Marronier murmured.
"Once this trial ends, I go back to being National Tree, right?"
"Yeah. I'll head to the academy... Sansu-yu? No idea. No point talking now."
"Honestly... I'm jealous of you two."
"Jealous?"
"Yeah."
She'd always said that.
"We have no freedom. You two have your own struggles too, sure... Might just be me not knowing."
"I get it."
Fidget fidget. Marronier rubbed her hands.
Couldn't treat her like normal, same as Sansu-yu.
"National Trees... can't express ourselves."
Her flushed, drunken face.
"Everyone lives like that, not just National Trees. Not as bad as you, but everyone I know."
"No, not that."
She shook her head firmly, gripping her hands.
Something only booze could coax out now?
Her deep eyes met mine.
Her next words nearly made me drop my glass.
"......I can't even say I like you right now."
The room went quiet.
"Not hearing things?"
"Hope I misspoke?"
"No, but."
"Sorry... Tried to stay away."
That explained her recent coldness.
I sipped wine to keep my wits.
Blanche stared long, then asked in deliberate, clumsy Korean.
"...What do you think of me?"
Her Korean voice was so soft.
Sweet enough to make most Koreans fall with just a quiver. Full of affection.
Enslavement hadn't broken.
Odd sense of relief. Why?
Still, had to say it.
"Right now, you're—"
"I know. Heard it a million times. Whenever I get close, you say my feelings for you aren't real."
"......Yeah."
Words stuck.
Her Korean flowed relentlessly, like she'd studied for this.
"Even if I said I treasure these feelings?"
Booze was amazing.
Making timid Marronier this bold.
"First love."
Her anxious eyes stared straight.
I set down my glass.
Three bottles down. Both plenty drunk.
Buzz strong enough to blast memories away.
Marronier sipped like erasing her feelings.
"Blanche."
She reacted to my voice.
Suddenly standing, one step, two. Stomp stomp toward me.
Like daring me to speak. Staggering but bold.
I knew she liked me. Rolling on the bed so obviously. Enslavement's fault, inevitable.
But accepting enslaved feelings? My sanity couldn't take it.
Told her before: if feelings remained after brainwashing broke, I'd accept.
Meant as a stopgap. Guess she didn't see it that way.
She'd anticipated it.
Asking if they'd persist after reverting.
"No."
Firm refusal.
That instant, Marronier lunged.
In seconds, lips crashed, mouths opening fiercely.
Dam burst, wine leaking through.
Her tongue invaded the sharp wine scent, wrapping and swirling inside me.
Tongues tangled. Scraped teeth. Her hands gripped my cheeks; eyes squeezed shut like a criminal, ears red.
5 minutes. 10? No, 6?
Head burning, mind fading, time sense blurred.
-Pha!
Lips parted; Marronier looked at me teary-eyed.
"Knew you'd say that."
Tears fell.
"Can't be with me?"
-Thump.
"'Cause I'm National Tree?"
Shoulders trembled. Pent-up emotions burst.
Felt a layer of attachment peel from her face.
Shedding one enslavement skin, she poured out the last.
"I like you."
The moment the stubborn enslavement binding her broke free.
That mental strength? Even I had to respect it.