Bomb Shot
Lady's mood: 😾 → 🤔
• Kicked out.
• No idea why.
• Called back in the evening, and whoa, straight-up Bomb Shots.
• Christa Han, you bitch! Because of you, our lady...!
• Drunk off her ass, yelling at me to sit down like a total raging beast...!
• ...Let's stop here.
• Gotta make some real cat food.
• On second thought, feeding her hangover pills like treats...
• ...Nah, even that's too much.
• ...Did she figure me out...?
Having chased off her own guard, Lucresia fumed alone, her shoulders heaving with each huffy breath.
"Why the hell did he have to say that...!"
Honestly, the reason she was mad? She didn't even know.
She just hated that nonchalant expression of his—the one that made her feel so let down.
That casual line about hanging back a step and cheering from afar pissed her off to no end.
As if she wasn't even worth being a side character in his story, the way he kept dodging her.
'Why do you act like you can't even do that!'
Her thoughts reached that point, and her heaving shoulders froze.
Then, like she'd been smacked upside the head, her eyes went wide.
"...Huh?"
But what the hell?
Why did his pulling away make her so angry?
Thump.
'What are you to me?'
Just a guard? A companion with memories of her past life? A friend?
All sorts of labels floated through her mind.
But '...None of them fit.'
The more she thought of them, the more it felt like diving into the deep sea—adrift and unmoored.
None of them were right.
'What do I want to be to you...?'
She didn't know.
'Your thoughts.'
And 'My own heart.'
Nothing was clear.
"Ugh, shit."
For some reason, with him, she couldn't trust her beastly instincts and just charge ahead.
Why did she have to feel like this because of him?
Why was he always one step back?
She couldn't ask any of it.
"Why the hell am I agonizing over some guard like Rio!"
He's just a guard.
No.
'...Not just anything!'
Either way, agonizing over a guard was pure comedy.
"Booze...! I need booze! Booze!"
Her eyes flashed like a madwoman's, whites showing.
No matter how she turned it over, it made no sense.
Today, she had to drink.
Of course, 'I drank yesterday too!'
Only then could she forget this mess today.
"Marie! Go to the brewery and grab some chilled makgeolli!"
Today, she planned to drink till her nose went crooked.
Meanwhile, at that very hour, someone was wandering the mansion grounds without a clue why he'd been booted out in the dead of night.
That was me, Kim Rio.
"...Sigh. Nowhere to go, nowhere."
A guard abandoning his duty to protect his lady? No way.
Even if she chases you out, you stick close.
If the boss yells "Get out!" and you actually leave, you're screwed.
Beyond that, 'Lately, more shady types lurking around.'
Something felt off.
Then, a familiar voice came from the building.
"Rio."
"Huh? Captain?"
Why was the captain, who'd been near the lady, out here alone?
I tilted my head curiously, and she let out a massive sigh.
"She wants more booze again."
"What?!"
"Can't exactly smash the whole brewery."
"Hell no."
"I know."
The revenue from that place right now? Massive!
We'd just barely plugged the funding hole that was supposed to hit now.
'Elir was shocked as hell.'
Like, the moment she saw our settlement report, she shredded the request letters meant for other houses.
Priceless letters that probably took hours to write? Up in flames in under a minute.
"Wonder how much she'll down today..."
But I got where the captain was coming from.
Physically an adult for barely half a year now, and she's drowning in booze like that? Worrying.
I was the same in my past life.
Of course, 'Not anymore.'
Hell, it was a relief she wasn't drinking more.
That's the gap between those who've been through it and those who haven't.
Anyway.
"Be right back. Keep watch."
"Got it."
As she passed, the captain muttered softly.
"I'll handle the rat bastards."
"Yup, yup. Safe travels."
She took one step forward and vanished.
No trace she'd even been there.
"Whoa, how do you even get that monstrous?"
Even my mom and dad back home weren't that level.
'What the hell is she, really?'
Never revealed her true nature even in the past life, so still a mystery.
'Definitely not human, though.'
Not a monster either.
"Hm..."
Eh, as long as she doesn't harm the lady, who cares.
She's got her reasons, probably.
The way she looks at the lady is full of affection.
She'll come clean someday.
"Nguuuh, stretch!"
I yawned and turned back around.
Time to scan the perimeter again...
"Hm?"
What's that?
"Isn't that all whiskey?"
Eek.
How many bottles is that?
"One, two... five bottles?"
What the hell is she planning with all that?
Not even opened yet.
Arms crossed, just glaring at them on the table.
"No way."
Has to be a joke.
"Not Korea, and the lady figuring out how..."
Then, a memory fragment flashed by.
During a sales report one day, the merchant leader casually dropped a line.
'Milady! Mix it like this for even better taste—'
Looking now, all the whiskeys she'd recommended.
"Christa Han...!"
That woman finally caused an incident!
Knew I shouldn't let those two hang out.
1+1=3, no, way more.
Exponential growth or something.
Base around 500?
I peeked from behind a tree, watching the lady's expression through the window.
Hmph, huh, damn!
Those were the vibes.
'...Looks like I'm turning into a dog tonight.'
Tragic, tragic.
Jackpot my ass.
Most folks asleep, the dead of night closer to dawn than dusk.
One spot in the Netr Duke Mansion wouldn't dim its lights.
Among the shadows there, one was in no shape to be called "fine," even politely.
"Keehiyaaaa! Eegzee!"
"......"
"Yaaang! Hurry! Wha'cha doin'? Bom. Shot!"
"......"
Christa Han, you bitch.
Do you even know how vicious your mess is?
Thanks to you, I can't sleep, dragged here to listen to drunken rants and mix Bomb Shots.
"Haa..."
"Eh?! You jus' shaid shomethin'? Where'm I?!"
Shutting up a drunken ranter ain't hard.
Feed 'em more.
But I don't wanna.
'Christa Han? I'd pour bowls into her.'
Didn't wanna drown the lady in booze.
"Eeeeek! Yaaaah!"
...Gotta calm her down first.
'Knew this might happen, so I snuck something from the kitchen.'
"Lady, lady!"
"Uung?"
"What's this?"
"Uuum...?"
I pulled a sealed bag from my pocket and dangled it in front of her eyes.
Unopened Dubai Crunchy Sablé.
"Sniff sniff."
Her nose twitched at the sweet scent.
"Pfft...!"
Couldn't hold back the laugh—for a couple reasons.
One, the adorable lady.
Two, the dumbass head chef.
'Didn't think he'd still have any left.'
Doesn't he know "stingy gets you shit"?
'Phrase doesn't exist here, huh.'
Whatever, similar saying somewhere.
Anyway, righteous thief Rio strikes before it turns to shit.
"Here, here!"
Left. Swoosh!
Right. Swoosh!
Her head wobbled after my hand like a cat.
Too cute.
Left-right, how many times?
Finally, she lifted her butt off the sofa a bit.
"Eh...?"
Classic cat trait: can't resist dangling things.
"Yaaang!"
She launched off the sofa straight at me.
But thud!
Her leg hit the table between us.
"Whoa!"
"Kyaa!"
Crash! Clatter! Smash!
Chaos everywhere.
Pumpkin-orange and beige liquids mixed, trickling along marble cracks.
Sweet booze scent stabbed the nose.
But screw that now.
She's right in front of me.
Close enough our noses might touch.
Luckily, eyes still shut—she doesn't know.
Thump!
"Ah."
Thump thump!
No, can't.
"Owie..."
She's rubbing her bumped leg, eyes fluttering open.
'Don't open them.'
Please.
But who wouldn't in this mess, unless knocked out?
"...Huh?"
"...."
"Huuuh...?!"
My face reflected in her ruby eyes.
So much for playing it cool.
Ruined.
Stupid idiot.
Still, had to speak.
"Haha, Lady, c'mon. You wanted these that bad?!"
Getting caught was one thing—this way? No.
And.
My effort kinda worked?
She stared into my eyes, confused.
I slipped more words into that confusion.
"Okay, okay! Lady, watch the glass on the floor—mind sitting over there real quick?"
"......."
"I'll grab some cleaning stuff."
"......."
Reminder: the lady's instincts transcend normal human levels.
So act natural.
Be an actor.
"Fine, spell cast! I'll carry you."
Arms under her knees and back, scooped her up.
She went along, but her narrowed glare was fierce.
Set her on a chair with less glass, bolted for the door to hide my face.
"Back quick!"
"...Hng."
Before shutting the door, her soft breath cut through the heavy silence filling the room.
Click.
...Right?
...Or not?
Her instincts leaned toward yes.
But his calm demeanor nagged at her.
'Feels like yes.'
You like me, right?