IAYA 30

chapter 30

The day passed in the blink of an eye.

Perhaps I was gradually getting used to the work in the apothecary.

After finishing my shift and leaving the apothecary, Nick was once again waiting for me at the entrance. It felt like déjà vu.

“Nick?”

“Have you finished work?”

“What brings you here…?”

“Didn’t you plan to stop by the Marquis’s room today for the experiment? I came to escort you.”

Nick’s demeanor was strangely different from before. Previously, he had treated me a bit more casually, but now he was attentive as if dealing with a high-ranking noble.

However, it was too subtle to ask directly, so I simply thought it was odd to myself.

“Ah, yes. I haven’t been to the professor’s room before, so I’d appreciate your guidance, Nick.”

“No problem. This way, please.”

Nick politely gestured toward the path and walked ahead.

Just as I was about to follow him, something caught my eye.

“Uh, Nick?”

“Yes? What is it?”

“There’s blood on your shoulder…”

“Oh.”

Nick looked at the area on his shoulder nonchalantly, took off his coat, and draped it over his arm.

Only a few drops of blood were stained near his shoulder, and since he wasn’t injured, it felt strangely peculiar.

“Did you get hurt somewhere you can’t see? If you need treatment…”

“No. Recently, there have been a lot of rats running around the Kamar Academy.”

“Huh?”

I couldn’t help but stare at him in confusion at his cryptic answer.

‘You didn’t… go catching rats yourself, did you?’

Even if he did catch rats, it was strange that the blood was on his shoulder instead of his hands—unless it had come from someone of a similar build.

Noticing my suspicious gaze, Nick quickened his pace slightly and spoke softly.

“Let’s hurry a bit. The Marquis is waiting.”

“Ah, yes.”

I felt uneasy, but there was no way for me to find out more.

When I arrived at Jerre’s room, I couldn’t help but gape in surprise.

“Th-this is…”

His room was so clean it seemed barely used, with hardly any furniture. Of course, since he occupied an entire building, it was spacious and comfortable compared to my dormitory.

But my astonishment wasn’t just about that.

Jerre smiled casually and gestured toward a chair.

“What are you doing? Sit.”

“No, what is all this?”

In the middle of the room, a table was set with alcohol. There were dishes I had never even heard of—it was almost unbelievable.

“It’s nothing, just wanted to have a drink with you.”

“W-with me? Alcohol?”

As I stared at Jerre in disbelief, I heard a creak.

Nick was closing the door behind us. The sound of the hinges clicking was slightly different from an ordinary door closing.

Frozen, I looked toward the door, and Jerre stood and pulled a chair out for me.

“Sit first. The food will get cold.”

“Oh, no. If you’re not planning on doing experiments today, I should get going.”

“Why are you in such a hurry?”

“I’m grateful for breakfast, but drinking alone with someone like this… I’m not strong with alcohol, so I might make a scene… Anyway, I’ll leave for today.”

Jerre smirked.

“Who said I’m going to eat you?”

But the gray gleam in his eyes had already changed. He sharpened his gaze and continued.

“I said I wanted a relaxed atmosphere, but this is also a kind of experiment.”

“Eh? Drinking is part of an experiment?”

“Yes. I didn’t say it because I thought you’d feel pressured, but I’m curious if any other effects might occur once alcohol is involved.”

“Oh…”

Now I understood a little. Jerre had no reason to have a private drinking session with me otherwise.

Noticing I had relaxed slightly, Jerre returned to his seat and spoke casually.

“Well, if you don’t want to, that’s fine. You’ll have to consume alcohol eventually, even if not today. Then next time…”

“No, if it’s for that reason, I’ll drink a little.”

I had a contract with Jerre. I wasn’t about to change my mind when I was already benefiting from cooperating with his experiments.

Cautiously, I sat across from him. He smiled and poured red wine into my glass.

“I didn’t know what you liked, so I asked them to choose the wine women usually like.”

“Thank you. I haven’t really drunk wine much, so I don’t have a preference.”

“I heard you cared for your mother with dementia for a long time, right?”

I froze mid-motion, hand on the wine glass.

Jerre continued nonchalantly.

“No need to be surprised. I already investigated what kind of person you are. As my subject, I needed to know your past. Sorry if it bothered you, but I didn’t want to hide it.”

Jerre wasn’t just a professor of alchemy at Kamar Academy; he was the respected Marquis Fredov of the Valcanus Empire. Knowing my name and residence, discovering my past must have been easy.

It might even be funnier if he hadn’t investigated me at all. Anyone in his position likely would have done the same.

“…I see. Now that I think about it, thank you for being honest.”

“Miss Ferrington.”

I hadn’t heard my full name in a long time.

Jerre took a sip of wine and continued slowly.

“Tell me if you ever need help.”

“Help…?”

“You want revenge, right? If it were me, I’d want to teach my older sisters a lesson.”

“Ah…”

“That wouldn’t be hard for me.”

From the very first meeting, Jerre had made me tempting offers like this, which had made him seem devilish at first.

Recalling that, I smiled faintly and replied,

“Thanks, but no, I’m fine.”

“No need to pretend to be too nice…”

“I’ll do it myself. I don’t want help from anyone else.”

Jerre looked at me, slightly surprised, and then laughed softly.

“So, you’re not nice, you’re independent?”

“Not that grand. I just think it only has meaning if I do it myself.”

Jerre nodded approvingly, raising his wine glass.

“Then let’s drink to that day.”

“Thank you.”

Clink. I clinked glasses with Jerre and drank.

The alcohol hit my throat sharply—it might be stronger than I expected. I rarely drank, so I wasn’t sure.

After one or two drinks, I started feeling warm.

Jerre laughed at my flushed face.

“Wow, your face is so red. You really are weak with alcohol.”

“Oh, really?”

I covered my face with my palm, feeling embarrassed.

I was almost forty but had little experience drinking. The only time I had drank alone was late at night, distressed while caring for my mother. Drinking socially like this still felt awkward.

“Thank you, Professor.”

“For what?”

“For being kind to me.”

Jerre’s hand froze mid-pour. He looked as though he had never expected someone to say that.

Perhaps the alcohol was making me braver.

“This is the first time someone has prepared a drinking table for me. Maybe also the first time drinking with anyone. I wasn’t even twenty when I first realized my mother had dementia.”

“…”

“I feel good. I didn’t expect this.”

Jerre’s expression changed. It wasn’t the usual sharp or sly look, but a calm face that seemed genuine.

“You’re talking nonsense.”

“It’s not nonsense… Oh, the lab caught fire, but no one was hurt, so the lost materials can be recovered.”

“That’s not your concern…”

“I’ll help. Since it’s also an experiment about me, wouldn’t it be faster if I help?”

I wanted to reciprocate Jerre’s recent kindness. A little effort seemed worth it if it helped him.

Jerre frowned.

“Why are you willing to go that far?”

“You treated me well. I want to help too. Consider it today’s drinking fee.”

Though I meant it kindly, Jerre frowned more.

He put down his glass, looking as though the wine was ruined.

“…You talk too much nonsense. Time to sleep.”

“Already? I could drink more.”

“At your age, you should know it’s dangerous to drink alone with a man.”

“But this is an experiment.”

Jerre stiffened for a moment, then laughed. Shaking his head, he got up.

“I’ll have Nick escort you. Go before you change your mind.”

“Nick? Oh, right. He’s been acting strangely nice to me lately.”

As I mumbled in thought, Jerre approached and supported me.

“But if you get drunk, you won’t remember, right?”

“I’m not sure… Why do you ask?”

Tilting his head, Jerre spoke softly, draping his arm around me.

“I want to get closer to you.”

“Huh?”

“So don’t forget. I want to earn some points with you.”

“Points… with me?”

“You know ‘give and take’? It’s my favorite saying. I return as much as I get. So if you help me…”

Bang!

A sudden crash cut off Jerre mid-sentence.

Startled, I looked toward the sound. A door had been completely smashed, flying apart.

Where the door had been, Teansis stood, aura shimmering blue, expression cold. He seemed angry.

“Duke Acruze?”

Jerre, too, looked surprised.

Without a word, Teansis walked forward and grabbed my arm from Jerre.

He looked only at me, speaking softly.

“Lady, have you had too much to drink?”

“No, I’m fine…”

But I couldn’t finish speaking.

Beyond the shattered door, I saw Nick and soldiers approaching, faces flushed and furious.

“What is the meaning of this?”

Nick’s shout didn’t faze Teansis.

“Lean on me. I came to take the lady away.”

“Do you even know where you are…!”

Teansis finally looked at Nick, who had been speaking, and warned calmly.

“Don’t block my path. I’m not in the mood to hold back.”

It didn’t seem like a joke. His blue aura flared brighter instantly.

I didn’t understand why things had escalated.

I tried to intervene, but Jerre raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop.

“Let her go for now.”

“Marquis!”

Nick tried to argue but fell silent under Jerre’s sharp gaze.

Jerre spoke to Teansis, voice lowered.

“We’ll discuss the crime of intruding into my quarters tomorrow.”

Teansis replied, icy-eyed.

“If there was anything unusual in the alcohol given to the lady tonight, you should be prepared, professor.”

Nick gritted his teeth in frustration, but no one blocked Teansis.

So Teansis supported me as we left Jerre’s room. I was completely dumbfounded.

After a while, Teansis broke the silence.

“Are you okay?”

“Uh… okay with what?”

“You drank. Do you feel unwell?”

“I’m fine. I could drink more here.”

Teansis looked at me with an unreadable gaze, jaw tight as if restraining something.

“Did the professor act strangely?”

“No, not at all. Ah, you came because you were worried about me.”

“Yes.”

“You really did protect me. But it was fine this time, so don’t worry too much.”

Though I smiled, Teansis’s expression didn’t relax.

After drinking, I felt warm, but the night air was refreshing.

“It feels nice to be outside. Earlier…”

“Next time, don’t drink alcohol.”

“Eh?”

“Don’t drink alone with another man.”

“Eh?!”

I couldn’t help but ask back, puzzled. I didn’t understand why he was telling me not to drink.

Why should it matter if I drank with another man?

Teansis gripped my arm a bit tighter, speaking softly.

“You said you like me. So don’t drink with another man while liking me.”

His violet eyes glared intensely as the alcohol began to affect me.

“I… I don’t understand… ugh!”

Suddenly my stomach churned. I covered my mouth, but it was too late.

Teansis’s arms caught me as I vomited everything I had eaten earlier.

That was my last memory of the day.