Chapter 133: Tug of War

When I entered the venue, I immediately walked toward Livya.

Livya saw my expression and quickly held out a glass.

“It’s not a very pleasant, isn’t it?”

I drank the cold drink in one gulp.

“Yes, now I understand why Lady Livya is so hostile.”

“Well, for me.. It’s not just about his behavior, it’s also because ehe created a new clique in the social world.”

“A clique?”

“Yes. I heard that they are running a secret club and inviting some nobles. A very fishy activity.”

I remembered the black envelope Bill Curtis gave me. Was that an invitation to the club?

“A suspicious club?”

Livya tilted her head.

“Yes, quite suspicious. He also makes a strange claim, like he could teach how manipulate monsters, or that he could save the victims of darkness. Well, something like that.”

These claims got me interested.

“Is the claim real?”

“How could that be? It was something even the imperial palace mages and every generation of saints couldn’t do after dozen of attempts. But surprisingly. It seems to be popular among nobles. I hate it though.”

“Starting from today, I hate him too.”

Livya raised her glass. 

I grinned and picked up a new glass from the waiter’s tray.

“For our comradeship.”

Clink—

The sound of glass clinking echoed clearly.

“Never mind Bill Curtis. Lady Fiona may not be familiar, but there are plenty of noblemen who want to attract attention with useless bluffs in the social world. Especially a noble lady like you Lady Fiona, there are many guys wanted to attract your attention. So it’s very possible he did that to seduce you.”

I was convinced.

“Right.”

Then, Livya pointed her glass in a certain direction.

“Well… it’s the same as it can’t be helped that noble ladies flock to the handsome prince.”

I turned my head in the direction she pointed.

Indeed. 

Several nobles ladies gathered by Sigren’s side. And Sigren, who usually shies away from them, was accepting the girls’ conversation.

I think I knew why Livya talked about getting engaged the other day. 

Livya smiled. “How is it? Are you going to watch it again this time?”

“Nope, not anymore.”

“Oh my.”

I was already a bit jealous when Heather Arden sneaked into Sigren’s room the other day. How could I not now? But, well, walking in the middle of their circle and saying ‘this man is mine!’ while sobered up was a bit embarrassing. So, I think I need a little more rootless courage.

I took another drink. 

Livya tried to hold me back.

“Lady Fiona, stop drinking!”

“First thing first, as I can’t put an iron plate on my face, at least I have to put alcohol on it.”

Then another drink. 

As if my head reached the drinking limit, I felt tipsy. 

I think I just drank too fast. My eyes started to shake slightly.

‘Woohh..Hell yeah!!!’

Now I felt like I could say anything embarrassing without hesitation!

I approached Sigren while barely keeping my consciousness. I also sensed Livya slowly following behind me, feeling worried and interested. 

When I reached close to Sigren, I heard a girl asking him who was he dating.

“Wait.”

Then I hugged Sigren’s back after breaking through the gap in the ladies’ circle. 

“Your highness, are you going to cheat on me? Aren’t you going to be engaged to me? You will, right?”

Sigren turned halfway around, embarrassed. He made eye contact with me. 

I laughed out loud in the sweetest voice I could.

“Didn’t you say, you’re mine before?”

This was the last sentence I could spit out because my consciousness faded little by little. It seemed like I finally went into another dimension. 

That was my last memory. 

***

If you read this on other websites, it means it was stolen. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.wordpress.com.

Sigren supported the staggering Fiona. He looked at Livya who was closely following Fiona. His eyes were like ‘why didn’t you stop her drinking?’.

Livya smiled and told him. “Lady Fiona met a terrible man earlier, and she was upset after meeting that guy.”

Sigren frowned.

“A man? Who is it?”

“Why don’t you as her yourself, Your HIghness?”

‘And then, It would be nice if you could take care of that annoying Bill Curtis.’

Livya, who aspired to be the tyrannical queen of society, thought insidiously.

“Ah, however, the reason she got drunk like this is because of you, Your Highness.”

“Me?”

Livya smiled beautifully. It was a very beautiful smile that nine out of ten, people would look back at it.

“Why don’t you ask about that as well, your highness?”

Sigren was unfazed by Livya’s fatal smile. His thought was ‘she is really a strange woman’. He hoped that Fiona would not play with her often. But Fione liked her, so he couldn’t help it.

Sigren tried to support Fiona, but it was a hassle. So he picked her up. 

The surrounding was already noisy when she came, but it became noisier when he picked her up. 

“I’d like you to step aside.”

People slowly retreated. A few young ladies had tears in their eyes, but they could do nothing. 

Sigren went out and got into the carriage. Fiona and he has an extremely average drinking capacity. In her case, she would feel energetic after drinking. And when she reached a certain limit, she fell asleep. Although her drunkenness itself was calm, it was still very worrying in the eyes of those close to her. 

“Mmmm…”

Fiona tossed and turned as Sigren tried to put her down on the carriage chair. She feebly regained her senses a little bit. 

Sigren rested Fiona on hs side, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. 

“Fiona, what happened?”

“Sigren cheating….” Fiona mumbled.

“Stop talking nonsense.”

“Playing around with other girls—”

“Last time, you told me to be kind to other young ladies.”

“Ah!” Fiona put her palm on his lips while still closing her eyes.

Sigren was stunned. It was annoying that he wanted to kiss her. He was confused as to whether she was conscious or not. But it was definitely possible to have a conversation.

“Okay, if you don’t like it, I won’t do it in the future.”

“Uh.. umm..”

Anyway, this was not the point. Lady Priscilla suggested he ask Fiona himself. 

“Fiona, what kind of guy did you meet at the ball?”

Only then did Fiona slowly open her eyes. It was an expression that indicated she was completely drunk. 

“…ah.. Umm.. it was the person who sent me the suspicious love letter the other day.”

Sigren’s voice naturally hardened. 

“Love letter?”

Fiona seemed to have felt the subtle change even though she was drunk. She shook her head. “Nothing.”

“….”

Sigren also expected this answer. This was a kind of habit Fiona had. If he showed a sign of concern, she would mostly pass it off as ‘it’s fine’.

However, now Fiona was drunk. So she thought less than usual.

‘Less cook it slowly.’

All he had to do was not show that he cared. 

Sigren started working earnestly. He picked her up and put her on his lap. 

Fiona groaned and naturally laid her back comfortably in his arms. 

Sigren pressed his lips lightly to her cheek and whispered softly. 

“Fiona, just rest comfortably. So what happened? letter?”

He ran his hand through her long silver hair slowly. 

Fiona then slowly vented her dissatisfaction at his leisurely behavior, which was completely different from before.

“Earlier, I met a man who gave me a strange love letter.”

“….”

Sigren felt very offended by that sentence, but he didn’t make it obvious for now. Thankfully, holding Fiona helped him to calm himself down.

“Then?”

“Well….”

Sigren kissed her chin and gently soothed her after seeing her hesitant again. His lips slowly swept the neckline and exposed shoulders. 

Fiona burst into a short laugh in her arms, perhaps feeling itchy. 

Sigren asked again.

“So, what happened?”

FIona leaned her head against his should as if tiredness was rushing again. 

“We met today, and he was annoying as hell, annoyed me to deat. He said nonsense that he would be worth more than you….”

Almost there.

Sigren kissed her forehead and whispered for the last time.

“What’s his name?”

Fiona, who was dozing off from drunkenness, barely answered.

“Bill Curtis….”