I Am Alright

p>Zach Jeremiah understood the privileges he carried.

p>He had inherited the prestigious Magic Crystal Research Institute, ranked among the empire’s finest.

p>It was an enormous privilege.

p>He could have anything he wanted, and he could enjoy the present while others struggled with money, future, or environment.

p>Thanks to it, he had been able to maintain the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠living death that followed Yuria’s passing.

p>He never worked, stayed locked in his room, drank only, had food delivered, and had a place to sleep.

p>He could even call servants to attend to him if he wished.

p>Many envied the life he led.

p>“This bastard, how long do you plan to dump all the work on me?”

p>“Ah.”

p>Someone barged into his room without knocking.

p>Zach turned his head in response, whose face was familiar.

p>Uncle.

p>“You damn bastard, you answer when I talk to you.

p>Where the hell are you zoning out? So you’re just going to keep hiding here and drinking?”

p>“I’m sorry.”

p>“Yeah, you should be sorry.

p>You know how much I’ve suffered because of you, right?”

p>“I’m sorry.”

p>“I know.

p>You’re sorry to me, so you’ll keep saying sorry forever?”

p>Zach’s uncle had managed the Magic Crystal Research Institute for a long time.

p>Because Zach’s father had passed away early, Uncle had shouldered heavy duties until Zach graduated from magic school.

p>Uncle was definitely a mage from the Jeremiah family, but their paths had diverged.

p>The empire’s law mandated that the eldest son inherit everything, so Uncle had assumed he would practice personal magic.

p>Since there would be little time for the institute anyway, he focused more on practical magic than research.

p>That made the institute’s work extremely difficult.

p>He couldn’t go on like this forever if Zach kept living like a wreck, and the thought terrified him.

p>“So when are you returning to the institute?”

p>“I’ll go soon.”

p>“Bullshit.”

p>Uncle dismissed Zach’s words.

p>“As usual, you’re going to keep drinking and wallowing.

p>You’re going to die, you know?

p>You don’t have kids, do you?

p>You need to have at least one.

p>A son, for starters.”

p>Every privilege Zach had enjoyed carried one obligation.

p>To produce an heir.

p>Even if the head of the family was impotent or adopted a son, it threatened the family’s legitimacy.

p>So all family members urged him to marry and give them a son.

p>Zach could not refuse.

p>How much kindness had he received so far?

p>How many privileges had he enjoyed as a noble?

p>When Uncle pinched him for the truth, Zach could only nod his head.

p>“Yes, I’ll get married again.”

p>“Good, that’s exactly right.

p>You know it.

p>I’ve already found someone for you, so just meet her.”

p>“Huh?”

p>Zach, who had been staring at the floor while speaking, suddenly looked up.

p>Uncle grinned and chuckled when their eyes met.

p>“What?

p>You don’t want a new woman?

p>Why are you so shocked?”

p>“At least I should know who she is, shouldn’t I….”

p>“I’ll tell you now.

p>Her name is Evelyn.

p>She’s a commoner, but she’s a 5th circle mage.

p>That’s more than enough.

p>Ah, right.

p>You’ve probably seen her face too.

p>She was your top student in your first year at school, wasn’t she?”

p>“Yes.

p>She was.

p>But….”

p>“But what?

p>No complaints?”

p>“Yes.”

p>Zach had no choice but to agree to the recent match proposal.

p>“I wanted to set the date sooner, but your condition looks rough.

p>You can’t drink for a while.

p>Shave that beard too.

p>I’ll introduce her, so just do as she says.”

p>“Yes, I understand.”

p>Uncle felt the issue was resolved.

p>Evelyn, whom he had already met, was a stunning woman that any man would look twice at.

p>Zach wouldn’t refuse her.

p>‘This bastard… how did I end up like this…’

p>Uncle recalled Zach’s childhood.

p>Zach had been a bright boy.

p>His tutors constantly praised him as a prodigy and genius, and he was also well-versed in etiquette, often being brought to various gatherings.

p>“Hah.”

p>Uncle sighed and shook his head.

p>Zach would recover his sanity once he married again.

p>He was causing trouble because he couldn’t fill the void left by his first wife.

p>Uncle believed that filling that position would fix everything.

p>#

p>Zach forced his trembling hands into fists and endured.

p>It was withdrawal from alcohol addiction.

p>After a few days of looking like this, Uncle had roared at him to stop drinking before the match proposal.

p>He had entrusted his body to the servants.

p>They trimmed his hair, shaved his beard, dressed him in the clothes they provided, and when he looked in the mirror, his eyes were sunken and dark circles hung beneath them.

p>But at least he still looked human.

p>He went to the match proposal with that appearance and met Evelyn.

p>“Nice to meet you.

p>I’m Zach Jeremiah.”

p>“Nice to meet you too.

p>I’m Evelyn.”

p>Evelyn.

p>Because the family had already briefed him on the person, the information sat clearly in his mind.

p>They were both alumni from the same magic school, with her as his first-year senior.

p>‘Her face is familiar…’

p>He had been clean for a few days, so the alcohol had been flushed from his body, but he had been drunk for so long that his memories were hazy.

p>That was why he only remembered now.

p>They had crossed paths a few times at school.

p>‘Did I talk to her then?

p>No, I probably didn’t at that meeting.’

p>Zach had been dazed for a moment, but Evelyn spoke first.

p>“We’ve met before, haven’t we?

p>At school, we often saw each other.

p>Do you remember?”

p>“Yes.

p>I remember.”

p>“I’m sure you know why we’re here.

p>Should we move quickly?

p>Or eat first and drink slowly?”

p>“Whatever you prefer, I’ll follow.”

p>“I heard rumors you can’t keep your sanity once you start drinking.

p>Are you okay?”

p>He still ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠smelled of alcohol.

p>Zach struggled ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to understand her words.

p>Was she asking if he was eating or if he didn’t want to drink?

p>After hesitating briefly, he chose to give up and said, “I am alright.”

p>“Really?

p>Then let’s just have dinner.

p>No alcohol.”

p>“Yes, I understand.”

p>They moved to the restaurant reserved by the family.

p>He knew he should say something, fill the silence between them, but his head was foggy.

p>So Evelyn took the lead in conversation.

p>“Do you remember the debate competition we participated in back then?

p>The elemental magic imbalance.”

p>“Yes.

p>I remember.”

p>If he had been sober, he would never have answered so stupidly.

p>He knew why she was asking.

p>It wasn’t an OX quiz.

p>She wanted to have a conversation because of their past experience together.

p>So why did he answer so stupidly?

p>The first reason was that his brain was scrambled by lingering alcohol.

p>The second was that he still wasn’t ready to let go of Yuria.

p>It was an undeniable fact that Yuria had died.

p>Zach accepted it.

p>But he had this strange feeling that he could meet her again.

p>So maybe it was right to wait for her without marrying.

p>It was an irrational thought born from being drunk, but that was just how it was.

p>“Yes, I remember.

p>You have a good memory.”

p>“Thank you.”

p>Even while eating, the situation was the same.

p>When Evelyn expressed her opinions on the food, Zach agreed.

p>When she told her story, Zach would reply, “Oh, really?” or “I see.”

p>As outsiders watched, each handled their own tasks in that awkward scene.

p>That was when they had almost finished eating.

p>Evelyn said, “So are you going to marry me?”

p>“Yes.”

p>His brain did something stupid again.

p>He hadn’t wanted to marry, but since they were at a proposal, answering yes was correct.

p>“Then let’s do it.”

p>The proposal ended there.

p>After hearing the full story, Uncle laughed loudly, calling him a bastard, and was delighted.

p>#

p>Just like his second marriage, Zach and Evelyn’s wedding was modest.

p>While Zach was drowning in alcohol, all human relationships with school friends had been severed.

p>And what was there to be proud of to spread gossip in the neighborhood?

p>They had arranged the wedding with the bare minimum of people.

p>Evelyn was no different from Zach.

p>She had never spent time on meaningless small talk, so who would she invite to such a place?

p>Their wedding proceeded quickly with only a small number of guests.

p>Evelyn smiled contentedly.

p>She had calculated how many angry commoner girls would ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠complain about a commoner marrying into a great family, but they had stayed silent.

p>It was because Zach’s condition was so severe.

p>It was a marriage that satisfied both the Jeremiah family and Evelyn.

p>As a result, Evelyn became part of Zach’s family.

p>Having family in the same house, Zach noticed Evelyn’s gaze and reduced his drinking.

p>Even that alone made Uncle feel he had made the right decision.

p>Evelyn was pleased too.

p>Patents that had been blocked for years had passed instantly simply because the name Jeremiah was added.

p>Zach?

p>Once he stopped drinking, he had to face reality with a clear mind.

p>It was painful, but what could he do?

p>He had to endure it.