Chapter 43
Chapter 43
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 42. The Owl House (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The princess with half-closed eyes.
Her hair had come loose by now, falling all the way down to her chest.
On top of that, her sullen expression peeking through strands of loose hair.
I hurriedly flashed a smile to soothe the princess.
“Forgive me for being late. At least we've nailed down the culprit for sure, so no need to worry.”
“Cul...prit...?”
“Yes. I'll head out first thing tomorrow to make the arrest.”
I brushed off my uniform jacket with a flourish.
Then I meant to escort the princess straight to the villa.
But...
Irina instead lightly pinched the lapel of my coat.
Her face was pouty like a young girl's, her skin flushed red as she asked.
“You can't leave yet. You haven't finished your drink.”
She pointed at my beer mug, which I'd barely touched.
“You left me drinking all alone and lonely because of you. Now take responsibility.”
Irina sharpened her gaze like an empress.
At moments like this, no one seemed more regal than her.
“Exactly. Now that we've got the culprit, you can relax a bit, right? Unwinding before the capture sounds good to me.”
Mago grabbed my other sleeve.
The two women dragged my arms, pulling me back to the table.
But then...
They locked eyes, staring each other down intently.
As if each harbored some hidden agenda.
The princess and the witch plopped me down in the middle of the table.
After that, they ignored me completely, just glaring at one another.
*If you're gonna have a staring contest, why drag me into it...?*
“Drink up nice and easy~.”
“Have some more, Veil.”
They waved me off, as if to say ignore them.
While I sipped my beer, they started quizzing each other.
“Miss, you downed all that by yourself? Color me impressed~.”
“And you've got a fine place like this at your age.”
She knew full well Mago was the same age as me, but slipped in the dig anyway.
Mago picked up on it and let out a smirk.
She even gave her twin tails a playful shake, baiting the princess.
“What, jealous of my hairstyle? Too bad~ Veil picked it out for me ages ago~.”
Irina's eye twitched at the mention of me choosing her hair.
Sensing victory, Mago flexed her wealth next.
“And I've got more 'talent' than you might think. The kind that means I don't need fancy parents.”
Fancy parents.
It was a direct shot at Irina, who reeked of nobility.
But the princess brushed it off like a weak jab, countering with a leisurely smile.
“Oh, sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm self-made too. I've even built a knight order dozens of times bigger than this little bar.”
Irina knocked back her glass.
She wiped her lips after draining half.
“All on my own power.”
A knight order.
The sheer scale shut Mago up cold.
“A kn-knight order too...? You're even higher-class than I figured....”
Mago shot me a quick glance.
Eyes asking if it was true.
I nodded quietly.
Well, she did build it herself, after all.
Mago coughed awkwardly.
Then, as if struck by inspiration, she eyed me with pity and muttered.
“Wow~ Veil, you must feel so out of place.”
Irina's brows twitched.
It turned her strength into a weakness.
“Right? A knight order puts you basically at duke level. Hard for 'common folk like us' to get chummy.”
Mago stressed the *us* while resting her hand lightly on my shoulder.
“Isn't that right, Veil?”
“Well, can't argue with that.”
I nodded along quietly.
In the end, the princess and the witch traded just one barb apiece, no clear winner.
“...”
The drinking session heated up by degrees.
To play peacemaker, I chugged the beer I hated.
“I'm done too, so how about we call it?”
But they paid no mind.
They both shot up their hands instead, ordering another round.
“We're not finished yet!”
Fresh glasses filled to the brim.
They stared each other down ramrod straight, sipping away.
“You must be awfully interested in me. Can't stop staring the whole time you've been drinking.”
Irina fixed Mago with the cool gaze of a queen.
Mago shot back with the chilling stare of a witch.
“I have to make sure you're qualified to take my friend anywhere.”
“And I need to check my employee isn't rubbing elbows with the wrong crowd.”
The tension choked the air.
Finally, I swiped both their beer glasses.
“Ahh...!”
“What the hell, Veil?!”
The girls flustered.
Ignoring them, I...
Poured every last drop into my own glass.
Then downed it all in one go, right in front of them.
They watched my throat bob intently.
At last, I slammed the empty glass down on the table.
“If that's your excuse, both of you knock it off.”
I flipped the glass upside down and shook it for show.
Not a single drop fell from the bone-dry vessel.
“You're both too important to me for any more checking up.”
I cleared my throat and leaned back against the chair.
A quick peek at the women's faces.
“...”
Thankfully, my intervention worked. The witch and princess clamped their mouths shut.
No more beer to drink, and quiet fell fast.
Seizing the lull, I rose.
“So. Ready to head out?”
“Y-yeah...”
Irina's voice settled back to normal.
Mago nodded too, snapping out of it.
“V-Veil, it's already midnight. Gotta close up shop....”
For once, she agreed without fuss.
We stepped outside naturally, matching the winding-down vibe.
“Veil, no sleeping spot yet, huh?”
Mago sidled up before parting.
She tried handing me a key.
“Got an inn nearby in my name. Here's the key—use it anytime.”
Unlimited inn access.
My booze-fogged eyes sharpened at the lavish gift.
“You own an inn too?”
“Come on~ Basics.”
*'Knew it. Should've visited Cornell way more in my past life.'*
My envious reaction made Mago turn away, blushing.
“Swing by anytime you're in Cornell. Make yourself at home.”
She fixed Irina with a stare and smirked.
“Who else is gonna look after you?”
The princess found it infuriating. She pulled her robe hood back down.
Still wearing her hair loose, she approached Mago.
“Appreciate the concern...”
Irina's delicate fingers snatched the key Mago had given.
Then handed it right back, ever so politely.
“But from here on, we're headed to a villa *way* nicer than any inn.”
Mago took the key, looking sour.
I patted her shoulder, promising more.
“Yeah, save the inn for next time I come solo.”
A vow to return to Cornell someday.
Using the inn alone sealed it—Mago beamed.
“So you'll definitely come again?”
Promise secured, she giggled and poked at Irina.
“Yeah. Now get inside. It's late.”
The pint-sized witch waved goodbye with big sweeps of her arm.
I waved lightly back to my long-lost friend and walked off.
“...”
But the princess was another story.
Arms crossed, she sulked alone.
Kept glancing back the whole way.
Mago hadn't budged either, holding the princess's gaze.
She even toyed with her twin tails, flashing a silent signal.
*'You're still miles behind~.'*
Catching it, the princess scowled icily.
She fiddled covertly with her long trailing locks.
“Your Highness, slow down.”
Arms still crossed, Irina tried marching bolt upright.
Blame the heavy drinking, though.
Her steps veered zigzag, not straight.
Soon she listed sideways and *thunked* into a wall.
I bit back a laugh at the comical sight.
Rushed to her side before she tumbled into the street.
But she sped up like she was shoving me away.
Rounding a corner at last, her forehead *clunked* a streetlamp.
“Hic...”
Irina hiccuped in shock.
I closed in and steadied her.
“Why'd you go pounding drinks all of a sudden?”
My pitying question got her lips in a pout.
Nose bridge flushed, she mumbled.
“Just... You and that girl looked so at ease together a minute ago....”
The princess swatted my hand away.
Clinging to the streetlamp, she said.
“I wanted to be that close with you too.”
Envious of how Mago and I bantered, maybe.
“...”
Fair enough. Trust matters most with a partner.
Maybe the princess figured getting chummy would help.
“Veil, I'm not an idiot, right...? Worrying all by myself like that.”
Drunk and weary, Irina slumped her head against the lamp.
She peered at me through half-lidded eyes.
“Pretty please, forget what happened today.”
The princess bowed her head.
Stumbled off alone again.
“Starting tomorrow, no more being a burden.”
But I stepped in her path.
I'd escort her straight to the villa myself before more mishaps.
“My failing as your retainer, making Your Highness fret like that.”
Maybe Irina took a big swing at building trust with me.
I'd pledged to help her, after all.
Time to match her guts with some positivity.
“Climb on.”
“Wh... what?”
Her hazy eyes snapped sharp at my firm tone.
“You won't make it to the villa like this. Point the way—I'll get you there in no time.”
The grumbling princess flipped entirely.
Fidgeting hands betrayed her hesitation.
“Ah, no... Even so, an imperial like me on your back? That's...”
“If it's the weight, no issue. Lighter than you'd guess.”
“How would *you* know my weight!”
She recoiled at my deadpan reply.
I just cocked my head—why fuss?
“Felt it when I helped you up earlier.”
“...”
The princess hid her lips behind her hand.
Stared silently at the far horizon.
“No carriages running this late anyway.”
Irina sighed deep at my words.
Scanned the surroundings slow...
“Top secret from Dasha...?”
She yanked her robe hood low, peering up.
Walking must've burned off some buzz, I figured.
Cool night air to clear the head.
Yet her face burned even redder somehow.
“To the grave. Promise.”
I knelt down.
Soon her soft warmth settled against my back.
“Straight ahead... right turn, then the cathedral? From there...”
She called out directions nonstop while piggybacked.
But I caught on quick.
Endless chatter to mask her nerves.
“Got it all memorized.”
“R-really?”
“Yeah. Rest easy till we get there.”
Irina cleared her throat.
Fidgeted like it was her first piggyback ever.
No clue I'd ridden plenty in my old life.
But the booze hit back hard, maybe.
Fatigue crashed over her—eyes drifting shut bit by bit.
At last, robe-hooded, she nestled her cheek slow on my shoulder.
Like recalling the feel of being carried.